The Davis Journal | February 23, 2024

ElectraFly

developing flying machines Local company looks to the future with high

machines.

Unified Sports program champions inclusion, empathy and friendship

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

BOUNTIFUL—Logan Bodily loves basketball. He’s the team manager for boys basketball at Clearfield High and he’s also a Unified Sports athlete who competed in a tournament held at Bountiful High last week. The Unified Sports program champions inclusion, empathy and friendship by bringing together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities on the same teams.

“I have fun and I like the teamwork,” said Bodily, who plays alongside peer leaders without disabilities. “I play offense and defense and I score a lot. I like talking to them (peer leaders) and getting to know them.”

Bodily is a senior and this is his third year as a Unified Sports athlete. “It’s so fun. I’m not nervous – I’m excited to get out there.”

“I’ve played for two years,” said Unified Sports athlete McCoy Barlow, a junior at Bountiful High. “I like all the people and making friends and dribbling past everyone.”

This is paraprofessional Rose Eyre’s third year coaching Unified Sports at Bountiful High. “I love this,” she said. “This is the highlight of the year. When I watch from the sidelines it

Please see UNIFIED: pg. 2

Parents of kids killed in Parkland shooting come to Utah in support of school safety bills

By Becky Ginos

becky.g@davisjournal.com

UTAH STATE CAPI-

TOL—The mother of a girl who was killed in the Parkland shooting in Florida in 2018 and the father whose son was also killed were at the Capitol on Tuesday in support of the School Security Task Force and related legislation. Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox, R-Ogden and Sen. Don Ipson, R-Washington County are sponsoring HB14 and HB84, both bills regarding school safety measures.

“We have some special guests with us today from their home state of Florida,” said Wilcox at the press conference. “We’re here because they invited us out there as part of the work of the Task Force to learn from what they had gone through. To

learn from the experiences that they had both good and bad. Because in the wake of the disaster that took place on Valentine’s Day in 2018 when we lost 17 and injured another 17 they weren’t quite as prepared as they might have been.”

They are here today on their own, he said, “so they can help make sure that we are prepared in the event of such a disaster in our own state.”

“My daughter Alyssa Alhadeff, was murdered on Valentine's Day six years ago,” said Lori Alhadeff. “Alyssa was the heartbeat of our family and she was shot eight times in her English classroom. That horrific day my husband and I turned our pain into a reason for action to make our schools safer.”

Alyssa’s Law has now been passed in five states,

a press

school safety legislation.

she said. “Florida, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Texas and we want to see it passed here in Utah as a standard level school safety protection in every school so

Photo by Becky Ginos

that when there’s a medical emergency or active shooter situation, the teacher can push a button and it’s directly

Please see BILL: pg. 6

TAYLOR HARVEY, BOUNTIFUL (10) gets bumped from behind by Woods Cross’ Mari Nichols. The bump propelled the Redhawks forward as they continued their winning ways doubling-up on the Wildcats 66 - 33.

Bountiful girls basketball secures Region 5 title in undefeated fashion, Davis takes Region 1 crown

By Catherine Garrett

Bountiful

Top-ranked Bountiful hasn’t lost a Region 5 game over the last three seasons – in 34 matchups – and the Redhawks closed out another region title with wins over Roy and Woods Cross last week. On Feb. 14 against the Royals, the Redhawks won 64-33, scoring 39 points to start the game and were up 23 by halftime. They put in 25 more points to run away with the game.

Milika Satuala had a monster game of 24 points and 14 rebounds with Taylor Harvey and Maleah Nelson also in double figures with 15 points and 11 points, respectively. Also producing on the offensive end were Mae Johnson (six points), Adelaide Stevenson (two), Anna Larson (two) and Sila Tu’akoi (one) with Johnson grabbing 11 rebounds as well. Against the Wildcats Feb. 16, Bountiful won 66-33 by starting strong – holding a 14-point lead after the first two quarters – and keeping the offense rolling in the second half.

Harvey’s 20 points led the Redhawks with Satuala (15 points), Stevenson (10), Johnson (seven), Larson (five), Charlotte Johnson (four), Isabeau Hoff (three) and Maleah Nelson (two) also scoring.

THE UNIFIED SPORTS GAMES held at Bountiful High School, Feb 15, were all about helping kids play the sports they love in a friendly and supportive environment.

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

LORI ALHADEFF, mother of Alyssa Alhadeff who was killed in the Parkland school shooting in 2018 speaks at

conference about

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

Unscripted laughs and heartwarming results – The Improvables

By Braden Nelsen braden.n@mycityjournals.com

BOUNTIFUL—Sitting down with the members of The Improvables, South Davis’ own improv troupe, is like going to a party with friends: From the very start, everyone is laughing, joking, reminiscing, and no one is left out, and that is very much by design. Since the beginning, The Improvables have set out to have an improv show that delivers on both the time-honored classics, as well as some heartwarming ideals.

Started at the old Roger’s Memorial Theatre, The Improvables have been doing improv comedy since the spring of 2008, and for much of that time, Jon “Paco” Plowman has been a part of the team. He and Parker Abegg, who joined shortly after the formation of the team, have been performing the “squeaky clean, family-friendly” show in a few different venues since the start: first Roger’s Memorial, then CenterPoint, and, since 2019, the Bountiful Davis Art Center (BDAC).

Sitting around the table, Plowman, and Abegg, along with team members Tyler Clawson, Jordan Larrabee, Liz Morley, and Willis Krammer discussed the ins and outs of what it takes to put on a successful improv show with The Improvables, and although much of it is improvised, there’s

a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes before that improvisation can take place.

“You can’t really rehearse for a show,” said Plowman, but there are things that they do to prepare. Rather than a traditional rehearsal like a stage play, or a table reading for a film, Abegg said, The Improvables will hold regular workshops where they can “all get together, and play.” They hash out new, and familiar improv games, and polish their craft for performance. As Krammer put it, “If everyone knows how the games work, the rest is improvisation.”

The games range in scope, and just like the audience, each team member has their favorite: from games like “Revolver” to “Greatest Hits” to one that, according to the team, is unique to the Improvables, “Predictive Story” which uses an audience member’s predictive text to come up with the premise for the game they play. It takes some effort, but, as Larrabee put it, “Funny just kind of comes!”

The comedy happens for all sorts, too, as the team explained. “A lot haven’t done theater,” said Plowman. “I’ve never done theater,” said Morley. There are introverts and extroverts, people who’ve done improv their entire lives, and those who are new, but working and playing together as a team, they’re all in it together. “These guys are so funny!” said Morley. “I know they’ve got my back.” That welcoming

spirit doesn’t just extend to the team, either.

“A lot of people come (to the show) who are dealing with tough stuff,” said Plowman, explaining how they’ve had audience members dealing with stress from work, current events, and even cancer, and that improv really can help and heal, allowing people to “forget for a little while.” It’s what Clawson calls “Laughter therapy,” helping audience members, as well as the

team themselves, deal with things in life.

The Improvables perform a 90-minute show each Friday night at the BDAC at 90 North Main Street in Bountiful, at 9 p.m. The show offers family-friendly, side-splitting comedy for less than most movie tickets, and provides not only a great change of pace, but, an evening to sit back, forget the stresses and troubles of life for a while, and just laugh with some friends. l

Bringing hope to families battling cancer

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

LAYTON—Cast members, community members, friends and family joined together last week at the Davis Conference Center as Jan Williams, co-founder of the Hopebox Theatre in Kaysville was honored as the Davis Chamber Women in Business 2024 Athena Award recipient. The theater’s mission is “Bringing hope to families battling cancer through the performing arts.”

Williams is no stranger to cancer having battled it herself four times. The theater was born out of her own experience of finding hope in the lowest points of her life and a desire to lift someone else who is going through the same thing.

One evening when Williams had been going through a particularly tough treatment a knock came at her door. When she opened it there were several of her former performing group students who started singing her favorite songs. “It filled me with so much hope,” she said. “I went to bed that night and couldn’t sleep. I thought, ‘what am I going to do with this?’ I had a little notebook that was on a table by the side of my bed and I just started jotting down these ideas.”

Williams said she thought if this helped her so much, she needed to find a way to give that feeling to someone else. “That’s when Hopebox was formed. In my

UNIFIED: Continued from pg. 1 makes me cry and I’m not ready for that.”

It’s amazing how the peer leaders treat the students with respect and care, she said. “There’s such a bond. When they don’t know what to do they help them.”

bed with a little small piece of paper.”

She had always been involved in dancing, music and theater so she came up with the idea of nominating people in the community who are battling cancer. “They would become our welfare recipients and our welfare recipients would be incorporated into all of our shows.”

Curtis Dalton, owner and co-founder of Hopebox saw William’s vision and jumped on board. “My daughter was in Jan’s child theater group,” said Dalton. “She was 7 or 8 years old and we got to

“I have a friend who is an officer and they wanted me to be a peer leader,” said Bountiful junior Isabel Blackburn. “I was nervous, I didn’t know what to expect. They were very accepting and so happy to be there playing.” It was a good experience, she said. “I decided to do it. It was something I wanted to stay with because of how friendly everybody was so I wanted to commit to it.”

It’s a wonderful day for Davis County students, said Jodi Lunt, Executive Director of the Davis Education Foundation that oversees the program.

“I love this event. It represents community, unity, compassion and teamwork. It's a way to build community.

I love the tenants of Unified Sports.”

Most players like to spend time shooting or holding the ball, she said.

“Our superstars pass and give others the opportunity to grow and succeed and feel that success.”

For the peer leaders selfless growth comes through the program.

“Oftentimes, with any type of service the receiver is grateful but for the person who gave it, it is self satisfying as -

PUBLISHER Bryan Scott | bryan.s@thecityjournals.com EDITOR Becky Ginos | becky.g@davisjournal.com

WRITER Braden Nelsen | braden.n@mycityjournals.com

Mieka Sawatzki | mieka.s@thecityjournals.com Ryan Casper | ryan.c@thecityjournals.com

know Jan. When she was fighting cancer for the third time she had to bring the theater academy to a close.”

Dalton said his daughter was one of the kids who sang on her porch. “She stumbled into me at Home Depot in Layton. We didn’t know each other well. She said ‘I’m so glad I found you. I found an old building in Kaysville (for a theater).’ I’m a home builder so she asked me to come over.”

Jan’s idea really resonated, he said. “I lost my mother to cancer. It was devastat-

sisting and lifting others. Peer leaders gain as much as student athletes.”

There are 250 young people, athletes and peer leaders at this event today, Lunt said. “We grew this year. It’s fabulous. Most schools increased by at least one sport but Northridge High added three. Students are loving it so much there’s a growing desire to be part of the Unified Sports program we do.”

There are five full sports at all grade levels, she said. “It’s made possible by the incredible generosity and kindness of our community partners. Today’s event was paid for by the Murdock Family Foundation. We have different sponsors for each sport.”

It’s pretty marvelous, said Lunt.

ing to lose my mom. Watching her pass away was so hard.”

Dalton told Jan he was in. “We’ve had our ups and downs but it’s been fun. Jan is a good woman. God has preserved her for a purpose.”

“It’s cool,” said Garrett Stephenson, a cast member. “We all submit names and hope they’ll be nominated (as a recipient). They’re introduced to the cast. It gives our performance purpose. When we’re tired and don’t want to rehearse we remember we’re doing it for this person.”

It’s awesome helping people in the community, he said. “They’re from all different walks of life. It doesn’t matter who you are, Jan is just willing to help.”

Nate Spackman has been acting at Hopebox since 2015. “I got to know her (Jan) and when I walked into Hopebox I thought it was a cool place,” he said. “She loves, loves, loves musical theater. The only thing that made her feel good (while she was sick) was watching a show.”

This theater is her baby, Spackman said. “It’s like one of her kids. She took me under her wing as a youth and I’m grateful to her that I get to do community shows.” The idea is awesome, he said. “I think it’s so amazing. No one thinks they’re better than the other actors. We’re working for a common purpose that is bigger than you.” l

“They paid for buses, lunches and Lifetime gave us new basketballs.”

“We love sports education and how inclusive this program is and it matches our Foundation’s goals,” said Murdock Chevrolet General Manager, Tyson Murdock. “It’s great to see the relationships develop from the peer leader system and how it works for kids who could never envision being on the court and playing.”

It’s an honor to recognize and celebrate the athleticism and skill building that’s happening, Lunt said. “These days remind us all of what’s most important and that’s people and relationships.There’s not anything more rewarding than building up young people.” l

WITH A CREATIVE CAST made up of regulars and newcomers, there’s always something unexpected with the Improvables.

Courtesy photo

HOPEBOX CAST MEMBERS from left to right: Ellie Stephenson, Garrett Stephenson, Nate Spackman, Andrew J. Cole and Kali Garrett at the awards ceremony .

Photo by Becky Ginos

BLAST FROM THE PAST NEWS BRIEFS

News stories from yesteryear in Davis County

Compiled by Braden Nelsen

1924

Letter received by W.D. Major from Washington Washington, D.C., Dec. 10, 1923.

Mr. W.D. Major, Kaysville, Ut. In response to your letter of December 5, 1923, you are advised that I have re-introduced my bill, to increase pensions of soldiers H.R. No. 73 from $75 a year to $30 per month. I hope this bill may become a law during this congress.

1934

Some striking events in Washington

With unprecedented suddenness, the President has ordered practically all air mail contracts canceled. It is alleged that fraud and collusion was entered into in their inception. This action resulted from studies made by the Post Office and Justice Department of the evidence assembled by the Black Senatorial Committee through its investigators and by direct testimony before it.

1944 Apply now for Centerville postmaster job

Persons at Centerville, who have resided there for at least one year, are urged to place applications for the position of postmaster, and these must be in Washington, D.C. not later than March 10, it was announced by O.D. Crockett, U.S. civil service secretary of Salt Lake City.

Salary is $2,000 per year, and applications may be had at that post office or from the Civil Service Commission at Washington. Examinations will be held in Salt Lake City, date to be announced.

1954

Red Cross ‘kickoff’ will start Saturday with piggy parade

Red Cross flags will be flying and posters displayed to herald the “kickoff” of the Davis County American Red Cross 1954 fund campaign, ac -

cording to E. Dale Peak, chapter fund chairman. Mr. Peak says that plans are well underway for a speedy campaign. Chairmen in the three divisions have been appointed and most district and many local block workers are making plans for early coverage of residential districts.

1964

Thousands still unplated as license deadline lurks

Even though the county assessor’s office has been keeping up “pretty well” with the influx of last-minute auto plate buyers, they still had an estimated 4,000 plates to sell late Wednesday.

At that time, they had sold as many as they had by the same date last year. However, this year it was estimated that they would have some 2,000 more applications for the plates than last year.

1974

Go by tunnel to Salt Lake?

Bountiful City Councilman Sterling Beesley has proposed a new idea to solve the problem of the Beck Street bottleneck to Salt Lake City.

He presented his plan to the county commission and the Council of Governments for a tunnel through the mountain between Bountiful and Salt Lake City, through what is known as the Hill Cumorah. They agreed to endorse the necessary studies.

1984

Bountiful OKs bid on debris basin

BOUNTIFUL – Construction will begin immediately on Barton Creek detention basin, but it will be a couple of weeks before bids are let on the Stone Creek basin.

City engineer Jack Balling told the Bountiful City Council last Wednesday that Foss Lewis Construction, of Bountiful, was low bidder on the Barton Creek project with an offer of $1,214,799 – considerably below the $1.5 million engineer’s estimate.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Feb. 26- March 3

Family Art Night: Glowing Cityscapes

Monday, Feb. 26, 6-7:30 p.m., FREE Bountiful Davis Art Center, 90 N. Main Street

Star Night with University of Utah Physics & Astronomy Department

Monday, Feb. 26, 6:30 p.m., FREE Kaysville Library, 215 N. Fairfield Road

Weber State University 2024 Storytelling Festival

Feb. 26-28, 9:30-8 p.m.

Weber State University Main Campus, Shepherd Union Building

Create Warm Winter Meals

Establishing Healthy Eating Patterns

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 10-11 a.m., FREE USU Extension Davis, 80 E. 725 South, Kaysville

Dementia Dialogues: Understanding Dementia

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 1-3:30 p.m., FREE

Man suspected of assault

Bountiful Police Officer Armatage is asking for the public’s help to identify this suspect who is involved in an assault case. The photo of the suspect is blurry, but anyone who is able to assist in identifying the individual please contact Bountiful Police at 801-298-6000, and reference case B24-02171.

Fire causes significant damage to Layton home

Layton fire crews responded to a residential fire over the weekend to find the home was heavily involved in fire. They made a quick attack on the fire and were able to stop it from spreading to adjacent structures, according to a Layton Fire Facebook post. The home had significant damage and the cause is still under investigation.

Boy dies from injuries sustained in fire accident

Compiled by Peri Kinder

Register by emailing sknight@co. davis.ut.us

Davis County Health Department, 22 S. State, Clearfield

Clearfield Community Band: Spies and Crimebusters

Thursday, Feb. 29, 7 p.m., FREE North Davis Jr. High, 835 S. State, Clearfield

Small Stage Series: Gabriel Gordon

Friday, March 1, 7 p.m., FREE Abbington Senior Living, 350 S. 100 West, Layton

Shooting Orion: Astrophotography Workshop

Friday, March 1, 6 p.m. FREE but regular park entry applies

Meet at the visitor center for a short presentation Registration is required: contact tackley@utah.gov Antelope Island State Park

Send event info to peri.k@davisjournal.com for inclusion in the Davis Journal community calendar.

A 12-year-old boy died on Tuesday from injuries he sustained while trying to start a backyard fire in West Point.

Davis Dispatch received a call

Compiled by Becky Ginos

at 4:30 p.m. on Monday about a 12-year-old boy who had received extensive burns to his body. When deputies arrived they found the boy with critical burn wounds, according to the Davis County Sheriff’s Office. His mother also sustained serious burns when she tried to save the boy from the flames.

Authorities said the boy was airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital but passed away early Tuesday morning. The boy’s mother was treated at a local hospital and released.

“Responding to this call and aiding the family on this tragic night will be a moment that will stay with our deputies and other first responders for a lifetime,” said Sheriff Kelly V. Sparks. “We cannot begin to express our sincerest condolences to this family and those impacted by this terrible accident. We mourn the loss of this young boy, and we grieve for his family, his schoolmates, and those who love him.”

School secretary pleads guilty to misuse of funds

A former Davis High School secretary accused of using school funds to purchase items for personal use pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of attempted misuse of public money.

Kellie Heather Wilko had access to two school credit cards that she could use for authorized purchases, according to court documents. In April 2021, a Davis County school auditor noticed a PayPal charge of $1,600. The auditor then started looking at transactions on both cards, the plea statement said. Several other suspicious transactions were found.

According to charging documents, Wilko admitted to making a total of $82,045.02 in unauthorized purchases.

Don’t become a victim of scams

The Syracuse Police Department is warning Davis County residents to beware of scams after the Department has seen an increase in scam calls. They offer these tips:

• If you are asked to purchase gift cards to pay a bill, fee for debt, an obligation or to claim a prize –STOP, it’s a scam!

• An officer will never call you to settle a warrant with gift cards –STOP, it’s a scam!

• Your bank will never contact you and ask you to withdraw funds and turn them into crypto due to a compromised account – STOP, it’s a scam!

• Learn the signs and report scams to the Federal Trade Commission: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/

Let us tell the world!

Celebrating an anniversary or a 70th, 80th or 90th birthday? Are you planning a wedding or have you just had one? How cute is that 1-year-old child or grandchild of yours?

The Davis Journal wants to help you spread the word. Please submit a photo and a short writeup of whatever you are celebrating or planning to our editor at becky.g@davisjournal.com.

This is a great way to let the community know what’s happening in your world.

Our publications go into mailboxes each Friday and are produced on Mondays and Tuesdays of that week. So your deadline would be Monday at 5 p.m.

Let us help you tell the world! From your friends and neighbors at the Davis Journal!

OPINION

Davis County – a pretty cool place

It has been 53 years since I moved to Davis County, a transition scoffed at by many of my fellow college graduates in Salt Lake City. Why would I move out of an urban community, the hub of sports and entertainment? As one friend said, “Davis County? It has no soul!”

CYCLOPS

BY BRYAN GRAY

What was not too long ago a place for farmers and Air Force jets has since exploded in population, and, while it still lacks all the social life amenities of Utah’s capital, it is not a smattering of nothingto-do suburbs sandwiched between the mountains and the Great Salt Lake.

Davis County has a host of notable commercial and public features. Here are four of my personal favorites:

BOUNTIFUL’S MAIN STREET –

The city has retained a community feel by restoring a major corridor with unique architecture and small business ventures. From a bookstore to a cash-only sandwich shop to a neighborhood bakery to a wellstocked pharmacy to a specialized shoe store for athletes, Main Street is a safe, walkable remembrance of what cities used to offer before the chain stores took over. Meander down the street, take a peek in the retail windows, relax and munch on a muffin and whistle while you walk like Andy Griffith. (No, you are in Bountiful, not Mayberry.)

FARMINGTON’S WILD FIN

RESTAURANT – Davis County finally has a great restaurant, comparable to some of the finest hot spots in Las Vegas, Seattle, or Denver. Prices are slightly higher (some $5-6 more than the competition), but the portions are larger, and the presentations are spot on. Order grilled parmesan-crusted trout with a unique mustard sauce…or two healthy pieces of rockfish topped with a crab and shrimp sauce…or a pork chop trio dusted with citrus and apple salsa…or slices of peppercorn-crusted steak…or sample a fresh piece of salmon (simple-style) along with a coconut cream pie as large as a discus. You won’t find a

better restaurant north of downtown Salt Lake, and Station Park makes parking more convenient.

CENTER -

VILLE’S CENTERPOINT

LEGACY THEATER – Sure, it’s not Broadway, but neither are the ticket prices to see topnotch local talent with generally superior stagecraft/scenery. While the most recent offering (“A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder”) is one of my least favorite plays, the production values were still reliably strong. The theater has presented more hits than misses and the sound is better than the often muddled and pricy shows at SLC’s Eccles Theater. Yes, CenterPoint is community theater – but it’s top-notch community theater and a great value.

LAYTON’S DAVIS ARTS COUN-

CIL’S SUMMER NIGHTS WITH THE STARS – The concert series began years ago with local cloggers, but now offers residents nationally-known artists. Who would think the Doobie Brothers, Chicago, Gordon Lightfoot, Melissa Etheridge, Huey Lewis and the News, Olivia Newton-John, Bruce Hornsby, and Idina Menzel would perform in a small 1,800 seat amphitheater only two miles from a Gentile Street onion field? Tickets go fast, but the 2024 season (not yet announced) is sure to include some of music’s bestknown stars with ticket prices a fraction of what you would pay in larger cities. Not to mention the closer views and easier parking.

Davis County is not the same place I moved to in 1971. To my old friends who questioned my move, I can now say, “Davis County…You know, it’s a pretty cool place!”

Bryan Gray, a longtime Davis County resident, is a former school teacher and has been a columnist for more than 26 years in newspapers along the Wasatch Front. l

We need your help this Lent.

Dear reader,

We run a modest food pantry at 74 South Orchard Drive in North Salt Lake. Our executive director is Sister Germaine Sarrazin, D.C., pictured upper left. This Lenten season, if you are blessed with the means, we humbly ask you to donate to our pantry. In this way, we can continue our mission of feeding the needy among us.

We wish for your family all of the abundance and blessings of Easter. And hope that you will prayerfully consider helping us in our mission.

LPain

et’s assume that this is a perfect world; a perfectly imperfect world in which everything is designed to fall apart. Everywhere we look, pain is somehow connected to our experience. And since there is so much pain in this perfect world, it only makes sense that pain must be an essential part of our experience. It is not our nemesis, as some would have us believe, but rather, it is one of the greatest motivating forces in life.

Pain has a significance that very few of us really appreciate. In fact, when viewed with the big picture in mind, it would appear that every aspect of life is influenced by it. So, instead of trying to avoid the pain and problems in life, maybe we should try to face them and embrace them. For only in this manner are we then able to derive their full benefits.

Specifically, the greatest strengths and insights that we develop are the direct result of our battles: battles with challenges that were thought to have been insurmountable, battles with obstacles that may have been viewed as overwhelming; battles with personal problems that may have appeared to be intractable. It is pain that forces us to fight these battles, and it is pain that forces us to learn the lessons that only these battles can teach. Eventually, we learn that we attract to ourselves what we focus on, that we are drawn toward what we think we are, and that we limit ourselves to what we think we deserve. Since these principles form the foundation upon which we build a life, the resulting pain forces us to redefine ourselves as we learn to manage this process.

Pain teaches that even though we may try to maintain our old self-defeating thoughts and behaviors, the disillusionment that results encourages us to choose a higher level of functioning.

Pain teaches that there is no end to our development because we are constantly changing and growing and evolving. Pain allows for discontent, serving to deepen our awareness of our old limits, and giving us the incentive to grow beyond them.

Pain allows for discouragement that forces us to draw upon a power greater than ourselves. Pain allows denial to be used until the pain becomes unbearable, for only then do we seem to be willing to make new choices. Pain forces us to light a candle in the darkness, and then it teaches us that a candle loses nothing by lighting other candles. Pain forces us to discover our natural gifts and abilities.

Pain reenforces the fact that we need to combine a belief in ourselves with a desire to put that belief into

action. Pain forces us to realize that no one is capable of doing for us what we have to do for ourselves. Pain forces us to carve out a niche in life, a pattern that enables us to manage life.

That pattern is then replicated throughout the rest of our life.

Pain forces us to develop a pain-management philosophy that empowers us to rise to previously unexpected levels of achievement. Pain makes it possible to move from distraction to discernment, from chaos to clarity, and from distress to design. Pain gives us power: power to achieve, power to grow. And power to become.

Pain prepares us to accept transformations to the higher roads in life, and it reminds us that we always need to remember that we’re grown-up now. We’re not children anymore. We’re adults. We’ve been prepared for this.

Pain reminds us that it is a waste of time to complain about being an adult, with adult responsibilities and concerns. It comes as quite a shock when we finally realize that….wait a minute, I’m grown up now! I can do this. I’ve been prepared for this moment. And then we give ourselves permission to act as an adult. Sometimes that comes as quite a shock.

Pain reminds us that life is not always fair, so get over it. Stop complaining about it. Just do what is necessary. No one is going to fight our battles for us. And that’s good because pain forces us to become stronger. Pain then reminds us that we should avoid sharing our dirty laundry. No one wants to hear our sad stories. So, get up, do what needs to be done and then move on. Stop making excuses for our mismanagement and poor decisions. We all know that life is tough, but the sooner we start acting as an adult, the quicker we evolve into one. This insight often comes as quite a surprise!

Pain teaches us that we need to decide to grow up. That means to adjust and do what needs to be done. No one is perfect, but we all do better when we develop an attitude of gratitude. And as we do so, we create a new future.

John Waterbury is a retired Clinical Mental Health Counselor who has lived in Utah since 1984 when he moved to Bountiful with his wife and four children. Since then, he has written a weekly column for several years for the Davis County Clipper titled “The Dear John Letters” which was also used throughout the intermountain West focusing on addiction and mental health problems. This new column will focus on mental health and life management issues. l

OP-ED

Black-owned businesses are making history in Utah and across America

U

tah small business owners are some of the strongest, most creative, and resilient people you will ever meet. In recent years, our small business community has weathered a global pandemic, persistent supply chain issues, sometimes volatile prices, and a tight labor market. Black-owned businesses in our state have faced disproportionate impacts from these pandemic challenges. Despite those headwinds, Black entrepreneurs across Utah are fueling one of the largest and most diverse waves of new business creation America has ever seen—what President Biden calls America’s Small Business Boom.

AIKTA MARCOULIER SBA REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR

most federal contracting dollars going to minority-owned businesses in history. And we’re addressing longstanding gaps in access to capital for Black entrepreneurs, more than doubling our small business loans to Black-owned businesses since 2020.

As we mark America’s 48th national celebration of Black History Month, the SBA is highlighting Black entrepreneur achievements here in Utah and throughout the nation. The past three years have been the three strongest years of new business formation in American history. The 16 million new business applications filed during this period show Americans starting businesses at nearly twice the rate—86 percent faster—compared to the pre-2021 average. During that time, U.S. small businesses have created more than 7.2 million net new jobs. And Black-owned businesses are responsible for some of the most significant gains.

This historic entrepreneurial boom didn’t come out of nowhere. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda reopened our nation’s economy, brought back Made in America manufacturing, and restored America’s global competitiveness. We’re rebuilding America’s roads, bridges, ports, and water systems while we build the clean energy economy of tomorrow. We’re also expanding high speed internet access nationwide including to many of Utah’s rural areas.

These investments are powering the Biden Small Business Boom, and unlike many economic recoveries of the past, this one includes entrepreneurs of color. One of the reasons for that is the SBA’s Community Navigator Pilot Program. This innovative hub-and-spoke partnership connected hundreds of community organizations around the country - like the U.S. Black Chambers of Commerce and the National Urban League - with entrepreneurs, helping them make the most of SBA resources so their small businesses can grow and thrive.

Under SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman’s leadership, the agency has also delivered record-breaking government contracting for small businesses—including the

These investments are making a big impact. Black business ownership is growing at the fastest pace in 30 years. The share of Black households owning a business doubled between 2019 and 2022. In 2023 alone, Census data showed Americans filed 5.5 million new business applications across the country, including nearly 72,000 here in Utah. That success is creating a rising tide. Black wealth is up a record 60% from before the pandemic, and Black unemployment has reached historic lows since 2021.

These positive impacts are not isolated—in fact, we’re seeing positive gains for small businesses across demographics, regions, economic sectors, and beyond.

While Utah’s Black-owned businesses continue to help power the Small Business Boom, our work is far from done. Despite record federal dollars reaching Black-owned businesses through government contracting, longstanding disparities persist. Recently, the president announced his new goal to increase the share of federal contracts with Small Disadvantaged Businesses to 15 percent by fiscal year 2025. This represents a massive increase over historical averages—and a 50 percent increase from when he first took office, and a huge step towards equity.

The SBA also understands that, even in good times, minority entrepreneurs and other historically underserved communities (including women, veterans, and rural) still face obstacles accessing capital. That's why the SBA is committed to ensuring that anyone with a good idea can pursue that opportunity. We're helping more Americans than ever access the funds they need to realize their dreams of small business ownership – and that means more jobs, more goods and services, and more resilient communities, no matter the zip code.

For more information on SBA’s programs and services please visit www.sba.gov and remember to follow us on Twitter (X) @SBArockymtn and @SBA_Utah.

Aikta Marcoulier serves as the SBA’s Region VIII Administrator in Denver. She oversees the agency’s programs and services in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. l

ElectraFly leading the way in advanced flying machines

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

NORTH SALT LAKE—In a world of high tech innovation, local company ElectraFly is right up there – literally – developing advanced flying machines for supply delivery and personal flight. The company has been recognized by the US Air Force for its novel composite manufacturing methods.

“It has international patent-pending solutions that aim to increase flight times and lifting capacity for vertical take-off and landing aircraft of all sizes,” said Jason Burgess, Co-founder, Director of Operations. “ElectraFly manufactures prototypes, parts and features to support its program and also to help other innovative companies.”

The personal flight machine has a hybrid electrical system, said John Manning, Founder and Director of Development. “It has small turbojets underneath that drive propellers on the end of the wings. We haven’t flown it with a person on it yet. We’ve been more focused on our package delivery.”

The personal vehicles are proposed to do the same thing, he said. “We foresee our machine as more personally owned.”

The rider shouldn't have to have training, said Manning. “It’s as easy to do as driving a car. There’s an onboard computer to calculate wind drift, etc. and operate it left to right.”

It’s not complicated, he said. “You’ll likely just need a basic license by the FAA. It’s a less difficult license to get. It falls under the ultra light category.”

“It’s still early,” said Burgess. “Regulations are still evolving. It’s still years away, it won’t be all at once. It will be a gradual adoption. There’s still a lot to figure out.”

ElectraFly works in composites, said Manning. “We focus not only on flying machines but how they’re made and how to produce aerospace parts at automobile pricing.”

“We’ll do it for our own needs but for other companies as well,” said Burgess. “We’re consulting with local governments and companies for integration of advanced air mobility.”

Manning has been in the aviation industry for more than 30 years with both RC aircraft and as an ATP-rated pilot, according to his bio. He has flown Canadair, Embraer, Boeing and Airbus aircraft. He is a former flight instructor and is currently an advanced ground instructor. Manning earned a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Technology from Utah State University’s College of Engineering. Manning worked in the real estate industry after college alongside his aviation work. It was his involvement in real estate that led to the launch of several companies and his experience made the creation of ElectraFly possible.

They’ve been working out of their basements and houses, he said. “We’re getting a permanent location at Skypark Airport in Woods Cross. Virtually all prototyping is in house.”

ElectraFly has relied on local expertise for manufacturing, said Manning. “We’re a northern Utah company and we try to draw on those resources.” For more information about ElectraFly visit electrafly.com. l

LOCAL COMPANY ELECTRAFLY is developing advanced supply delivery and personal flight machines.

Photo courtesy of ElectraFly

Lawmakers working through numerous bills as session comes to a close

Road rage, Child custody bills move through legislature

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

UTAH STATE CAPITOL—There are two bills before the legislature addressing safety issues, HB272 Child Custody Proceedings Amendments and HB30 Road Rage Amendments. Rep. Paul Cutler, R-Centerville is the sponsor for both bills and believes something needs to be done to protect children and drivers on the road.

“I worked with the Domestic Violence Coalition on a bill last year,” said Cutler. “Some ladies approached me with horrific experiences in the family court system. I listened to their stories and was anxious to get involved in raising the bar in family law.”

SB272 is named Om’s law after Om Moses Gandhi, a 16-year-old boy in Utah who was killed by his father on Mother’s Day weekend in 2023 during court-ordered, unsupervised parent time, said Cutler. This was despite his mother’s warnings for 14 years to the courts about his father’s threats, domestic violence and drug and alcohol addictions.

Leah Moses, Om’s mother, shared her story in the House Judiciary Committee recently in support of the bill.

“While we've highlighted the tragic story of Om Moses Gandhi. There are literally 1,000s of other children who are impacted by family violence in our state,” said Cutler on the House floor last Friday. “In fact, in the last year where we have good statistics, 8,765 cases were reported, which puts Utah significantly above the national average.”

Courts, unfortunately, have been used as a weapon, he said. “Children have been leveraged and manipulated by parents on both sides. These changes that we'll talk about today will make it more difficult for some attorneys and some parents to accomplish their objectives. There must be safeguards in place to protect children no matter what goes on between parents.” HB272 requires:

• Child safety first – elevate child safety as the first priority of custody and parenting. Courts must first consider all safety risks, including evidence of domestic violence, in determining children’s best interest.

• Expert testimony – limit expert testimony in family court to qualified and credentialed professions.

• Safe therapy – implement guidance and limits on family court use of reunification treatments. Any court-ordered reunification treatments must demonstrate proof of safety, effectiveness and therapeutic value.

• Child abuse training – increase training for family court personnel.

“The fundamental purpose of the government is to keep us safe,” said Cutler. “There are places where it is appropriate for the government to be involved. I encourage people to get involved.”

Cutler is also running HB30 Road Rage Amendments in an effort to keep Utah families safe on the road.

“There’s been a spike in aggressive driving,” said Cutler. “Prosecutors in Davis County came to me. These drivers are getting off with a slap on the wrist. They’re not facing significant penalties.”

It’s not just reckless drivers in a hurry who are not paying attention, he said. “It’s different when they try to run a car off the road.”

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has gotten a lot of complaints, said Cutler. “Calls into the 30 state dispatch centers have jumped almost 50 percent from 565 calls in 2020 to 747 calls in 2023. The bill calls for improved data collection to see if it’s getting worse or if we’re just imagining it but there has been a significant increase in fatalities since 2020 and it’s stayed high.”

What does HB30 do?

• Defines road rage and improves data collection.

• Increases penalties and fines for the most serious road rage criminal behavior – creates a criminal enhancement for road rage offenses, defines mandatory minimum fines for serious road rage events, allows the Driver License Division to revoke a driver license for an individual convicted of two or more road rage offenses in one year and includes motor vehicle in the aggravated assault statute.

• Funds road rage education campaign – DPS has launched a Road Rage Awareness Campaign to help people think through what they will do before it happens to them.

“People are dying,” Cutler said. “Loved ones are being taken away. We need the tools to curb this.”

Both HB272 and HB30 were being considered in the Senate as of press time. l

GSL water bills, special education among legislation being considered as session heads into the last week

By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com

SALT LAKE CITY—Lawmakers are going into the last week of the session and several important bills are still being considered. Some decisions may not be made until the last possible minute before the session ends on March 1.

A few bills drawing attention have to do with water and the Great Salt Lake. HB448, sponsored by Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful, asks for the Division of Water Resources to track and report on water conservation bills from the last couple of years.

“With all of the money we’ve put in to save water to go into the lake we have to follow up on how it is working,” said Ward. “The state committed more than $500 million over the last three years to water saving efforts. That’s a huge amount. We need to see if it’s working or not working or if it needs a little tweak.”

The Division of Water Resources gives some reports to the legislature and state, he said. “This bill would mean when they’re doing that they specifically look at this. With this amount of money we want to make sure it’s doing what we said we wanted it to do.”

HB453, sponsored by Rep. Casey Snider, R-Cache County, will keep better track of the water that goes into the lake and change water rights for the mining industry. “Currently, the mineral companies that do evaporative mining on the west side of the lake have a water right that is different from any other water right,” said Ward. “It lets them use up all of the water in the lake for their mining operations. They could take what they want.”

In the past, water that made it to the lake was defined as leftover or unwanted water, he said. “We realized that water in the lake is not wasted, but important for many different reasons. We need to give it the same priority as other water rights.”

Senate President J. Stuart Adams is sponsoring SB211 Generational Wa -

ter Infrastructure Amendments that creates a state water council to manage water projects. “It hires a water agent to figure out how to get water outside of the state into the state,” Ward said. “For example, California gets water from the Colorado River, what if Utah paid the cost for a plant that pipes water from the ocean and takes the salt out so you can drink it and California agreed to let Utah get their share of the water from the Colorado River?”

It’s an idea that should be looked into, he said. “Maybe some states have more water. Long-term the agent could see what is possible. It would also make a central council so that the large water districts in the state like Weber Water or Jordan Valley have better communication. Sometimes they might move water between them.”

A bill Ward is working on that is not water related is HB347 that defines the rights of teachers and students in special education classes. “Currently federal law says that special education students have the right to receive their education in the least restrictive environment possible,” he said. “I believe in that but in court nobody else has the right to sue. Sometimes teachers are attacked or permanently injured by a student. Also, the district’s plan is that class gets canceled if a student is out of control.”

Teachers or the other students don’t have the same rights, said Ward. “Even with sexual assault, no one else can sue. They have rights too. Teachers should be able to work in a safe environment and the other students deserve to have class. HB347 asks districts to protect their rights as well.”

All students, including special education students, do have a right to receive their education in the least restrictive environment possible, Ward said. “This right (like all rights) will serve us best when we balance it against the rights of the teachers and other students in the classroom.” HB347 was scheduled to be heard in the House on Tuesday. l

linked to law enforcement.”

“My name is Max Schachter, my little boy Alex was murdered in the Parkland school shooting,” he said. “He was in the same class as Alyssa. When I moved to Parkland, right before the shooting Parkland was rated the safest city in the entire state. When I sent Alex to school, I thought he would come home to me like he had every other day.” Alex was murdered along with 16 others in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, he said. “After that day I changed my life and made it my mission to make sure that this never happens

again. So I travel the country speaking about school safety.”

Florida has continued to prioritize school safety, said Schachter. “We prioritize school safety above education because if kids don’t feel safe, they can’t learn and you can’t teach kids. So I encourage Utah, just because you haven’t had a tragedy in this state make sure that you take this seriously.”

Florida was complacent, Schachter said. “We never thought it would happen in our community. But it can and it does. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when and where the next school shooting will happen. So I thank Representative Wilcox and the entire School

Safety Task Force for really focusing on this issue to make Utah schools as safe as possible to make sure what happened in Parkland never happens here.”

“Just to put a little bit of light on this situation and where we’re at with school safety, it’s a real situation just in this school year alone,” said Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Jess Anderson. “The number of threats that have come and we are aware of is well over 121 just since August when school started.”

They’re based upon violence, threats of pure violence, he said. “We’ve had 60 school lockdowns throughout the state that are significant and impact our chil-

dren every single time. We understand the trauma that this causes on the children in our schools.”

“Alyssa lives inside of me and now I’m Alyssa’s voice as well,” said Alhadeff. “Through this law I can keep Alyssa’s memory alive but also knowing that we are creating a standard level of school safety and protection.”

Alyssa was a soccer player and captain of the team, she said. “She loved the beach and being out there. It was the most painful moment in my life to find out that Alyssa was murdered in her English classroom at school. Honestly, six years later and it’s still very raw.” l

REP. PAUL CUTLER, R-CENTERVILLE is sponsoring two bills addressing safety issues.

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

REP. RAY WARD, R-BOUNTIFUL talks to another legislator on the House floor. Ward is sponsoring HB448 that deals with water and the Great Salt Lake. He is also sponsoring HB347 that defines the rights of teachers and students in special education classes.

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

Boys wrestling: Woods Cross’ Henderson brings home another title; Viewmont places fifth

joshm@mycityjournals.com

n a competitive field, the Woods Cross boys wrestling team placed eighth in the Class 5A tournament, Feb. 16 –17 at Utah Valley University, scoring 72.5 points. The big story was the performance of 215-pound wrestler Cash Henderson, who cemented quite a legacy as a Woods Cross wrestler. Henderson, a senior who went 36-2 on the year, claimed the state championship for the third year in a row. This time, he took home top honors by winning in the final round by fall

in 2:49 over Lione Hola of Kearns. Henderson won by fall in all four of his state matches, completing a dominant effort that underscored how well he wrestled all year and throughout his time as a Wildcat. Henderson won his first match by fall in just 27 seconds, followed by pins in 1:02 and 52 seconds to reach the finals. The championship was a sweet way for Henderson to end his Woods Cross career. Last season, he was the 215-pound state champion and finished the season 42-2 overall. As a sophomore in 2022, he won at 215 too, winning by fall in the finals in 3:03. As a freshman,

Please see WRESTLING pg. 8

Bountiful boys capture Region 5 basketball crown; local teams gear up for playoffs

By Josh McFadden joshm@mycityjournals.com

The Bountiful boys basketball team was at the top of Region 5 virtually all season. In the end, the Redhawks captured the region title with a 12-2 record.

More importantly, Bountiful secured the No. 6 RPI rankings, giving the team the sixth seed in the Class 5A state tournament. The Redhawks got a first-round bye and hosted 11th-seeded Cedar Valley in the second round on Feb. 21, after our press deadline. The 18-5 Redhawks solidified first place in Region 5 with a regular-season-ending 57-51 win at Woods Cross on Feb. 16. Bountiful trailed 32-26 at halftime and 43-42 after three quarters but had 15-8 fourth-quarter advantage. Faletau Satuala had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the Redhawks. Charlie Smith added 18 points (including five three-pointers) and five rebounds. A win in the second round of the playoffs would advance the Redhawks to the quarterfinals where they would meet either Highland or region rival Viewmont.

Viewmont

Speaking of the Vikings, a surge a third of the way into region play propelled their season. The once-struggling Vikings found some life, finishing in third place in Region 5 at 8-6. Viewmont had the No. 19 playoff seed and scored an upset to start the state tournament.

Playing at Maple Mountain on Feb. 20, Viewmont won its ninth game in 12 tries. This win was the biggest

one as the Vikings triumphed 66-63 to move on to the second round.

Cache Tuia led the Vikings with 14 points and four three-pointers. A trio of Vikings had nine points: Max Larsen, Drez Jensen and Max Draper, the latter whom also had six rebounds and six assists.

Viewmont’s second-round game at No. 3 Highland on Feb. 21 would be a big test.

Woods Cross

The Wildcats’ season came to a tough end in a nail-biting 57-56 loss at No. 10 Skyline. The 23rd-seeded Wildcats concluded the season with a 7-17 record. They were 6-8 in Region 5, tied for fifth place. Against Skyline, the underdog Woods Cross team took the game to overtime after going on a 19-18 run in the third quarter and keeping the Eagles from retaking the lead before the end of regulation. Hunter Jackson was the game’s top scorer, as the Wildcats’ leader had 23 points and a pair of three-pointers. But Skyline had an 8-7 edge in overtime to advance.

Woods Cross won three of its last four games in the regular season to improve its seeding and region standings.

Davis

In 6A’s Region 1, Davis placed second behind top-ranked Layton by going 7-3 in league play and 16-7 overall. The Darts entered the 6A playoffs with a No. 6 seed. The Darts will face Fremont at home on Friday.

In the regular season, Davis played

CASH HENDERSON, WOODS CROSS, takes First Place at 215 lbs. in the State Wrestling Championships at Utah Valley University Feb. 17.

Photos by Carl Page

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLERS in the 215 lbs. category include, Cash Henderson, Woods Cross, First Place, Kaleb Djambov, Viewmont, Fourth Place and Mack Youngberg, Viewmont, Sixth Place.

Photo by Roger V. Tuttle

Fremont twice, beating the region foe on both occasions. The Darts prevailed 66-54 on Jan. 12 and 52-45 on Feb. 2. Davis entered the state tournament on the heels of a 58-50 win at home against Weber on Feb. 16 in the final game of the regular season. Coleman Atwater paced the team with 19 points. Zach Fisher had 14 points and a team-high six rebounds, while Tradon Bessinger added 13 points and six boards. Ike Morgan was quiet in the scoring column with four points, but he had seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. A third win over Fremont would take the Darts to the quarterfinals to face Herriman or Skyridge.

Farmington

The Phoenix are seeded ninth in the state tournament, which allowed them to claim a first-round bye. They also play a familiar foe in their first playoff game: fellow Region 5 school Weber, seeded eighth. The two teams play one another on Friday. The 13-9 Phoenix dropped both contests against Weber in the regular season. The first game went down to the wire, resulting in a 75-74 Farmington loss on the road on Jan. 12. The next matchup, on Feb. 2, was a 55-48 Weber victory.

The Phoenix have two wins in a row heading into the postseason. Farmington defeated Syracuse 65-56 on Feb. 16 and upended Davis 62-56 on Feb. 13. l

MARY CARR, VIEWMONT (WHITE JERSEY) encourages some sharing-time from Bonneville’s Stacey Tesch. Carr shared the team's high-scoring award with 14 points, 8 Rebounds, and a Block. The Vikings went up in the First Quarter and never looked back winning 57 - 26.

BASKETBALL: Continued from pg. 1

Bountiful closes out the regular season with a 20-3 mark and an undefeated 14-0 Region 5 showing.

In the 5A state tournament this week, the top-seeded Redhawks will have a firstround bye before facing the winner of Cedar Valley/Viewmont Feb. 22.

Davis

Third-ranked Davis won the Region 1 title, outscoring opponents by nearly 28 points in its nine region wins while losing just one game – a 10-point setback against eventual runner-up Syracuse Jan. 19.

The Darts closed out the regular season with dominant wins over Farmington and Weber last week.

Against the Phoenix squad Feb. 13, Davis won 59-25, going up 30-10 by halftime and scoring 29 more points to close things out.

Kate Richards put in 17 points with T’maea Eteuati (12 points) and Kendra Kitchen (11) also in double figures. Kate Willard (nine points), Shea Miller (six), Aubrey Simons (three), Olivia Lifferth (two) and Chloe Peery (one) also contributed offensively.

In a 68-30 win over the Warriors Feb. 16, the Darts got off to another strong start and held a 31-point advantage at the break before scoring 27 more points over the fi-

nal 16 minutes.

Photos by Roger V. Tuttle

Kitchen’s 16 points led the way with Avery Dain (14 points), Eteuati (10), Richards (seven), Lifferth (seven), Miller (six), Willard (four), Peery (three) and Maya Chino (one) also helping the offense.

Davis finished with a 20-1 overall record and was 9-1 in Region 1 play.

The Darts earned the second overall seed in the 6A state tournament and will sit out the first round before facing the winner of American Fork/Farmington in the second round Feb. 22.

Farmington

In Farmington’s loss to Davis Feb. 13, the Phoenix got out to a slow start and had just single-digit scoring through the first three quarters and the game was well out of reach at that point.

Breklyn Archibald’s seven points led Farmington in the loss.

Against Syracuse Feb. 16, the Phoenix squad lost 60-17. After being down by 26 points at halftime, Farmington managed just six points the rest of the way.

Morgan Rogers had six points to lead the team.

The Phoenix were 2-18 on the season and 1-9 in Region 1 this year. They earned the No. 18 seed in the 6A state playoffs and will take on No. 15 American Fork in the first round on Feb. 20 (after press time).

he placed sixth as a 195-pounder. Five other Wildcats qualified for state. Jacob Gardner placed fifth in the 106-class. At 165 pounds, Lock Smoot placed third, winning a 9-8 decision in his final match.

Viewmont

The Vikings placed fifth in the 5A state tournament. Viewmont compiled 97 points, 10 more than sixth-place Springville and 32 behind fourth-place Salem Hills. Spanish Fork won the 5A crown.

Viewmont sent 12 wrestlers to the state meet, including two in the

126-pound, 138-pound, 144-pound and 215-pound classes. At 126 pounds, Viewmont’s Alex Lindquist entered as the top seed. He reached the finals, losing 13-1 to Wasatch’s Benjamin Kohler. Tate Ripplinger placed third in the 138-pound group. He won the third-place match 10-5 after losing in the semifinals. In the 144-pound class, Spencer Rees was runner-up. After going 31-9 in the season, he won three matches at state before losing in the championship 14-2. Mack Youngberg got to the fifth-place match at 215 pounds, falling 4-3. His teammate, Kaleb Djambov, finished fourth after losing by fall in the third-fourth match. He won five matches after losing his opening one. l

Viewmont

On Senior Night Feb. 14, Viewmont beat Bonneville 62-49. The Vikings and Lakers were pretty even early with Bonneville up 18-16 after the first quarter before Viewmont put up 17 in the second quarter to go up eight by halftime. They added 29 more points in the second half to win handily.

“It was a great night to celebrate our four seniors – Karissa Goff, Cayla Stout, Natalia Titensor and Kristina Gunnell,” said head coach Cameron Gardner. “They have put in a lot of time and energy to our program and they deserved it. All four of them started the game and they all made significant contributions. We love them and are proud of them.”

Gunnell drained four 3-pointers among her 23 points to lead the Vikings with Sophie Gold (nine points), Aubrey Mulitalo (eight), Goff (six), Stout (five), Callie Peterson (four), Mara Mickelson (three), Kelsey Lindsey (two) and Mary Carr (two) also scoring. Peterson had nine rebounds while Carr added eight on the glass.

Against Clearfield Feb. 16, Viewmont lost 65-42. The Vikings kept things close early, but after going down eight at halftime, they scored just eight points in the third quarter as the game got out of hand.

Peterson and Carr combined for 29 points in the loss.

Viewmont finished the regular season with a 12-11 record and were 7-7 in the Region 5 standings.

The Vikings, seeded 17th, face No. 16 Cedar Valley in the first round of the 5A state tournament Feb. 20 (after press time).

Woods Cross

Woods Cross lost to Northridge 48-41 Feb. 14 despite being up seven at halftime. The Wildcats managed just 18 points in the second half – while giving up 31 – in the loss.

“We are really struggling to find any type of rhythm right now,” said head coach David Simon. “We play well at moments but have had a hard time with consistency the last couple of weeks. We played a good first half against Northridge, but struggled in the second half. I think we got frustrated and tired.”

Ili Crockett and Grace MacArthur combined for 27 points for Woods Cross. In the 33-point loss to Bountiful Feb. 16, Nichols and Crockett both scored 10 points to lead the Wildcats.

Woods Cross ended up 10-13 on the season and 5-9 in Region 5. The No. 19-seeded Wildcats take on No. 14 Taylorsville in the first round of the 5A state tournament Feb. 20 (after press time). l

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CARR PLAYS keep-away from the Bonneville defense.

Northrop Grumman announces expansion project

By Brice Wallace brice.w@thecityjournals.com

Defense and aerospace giant Northrop Grumman is planning another round of expansion, with about 1,200 jobs expected to be created in Utah over the next two decades.

The expansion project was announced after the company was approved for a tax credit incentive of up to $106.9 million over 20 years by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity board at a recent board meeting. The incentive is tied to the creation of 1,206 high-paying jobs over 20 years.

GOEO documents indicate the expansion will take place at multiple locations in multiple Utah counties and represents capital expenditure by the company of $958 million. The company has major operations near Hill Air Force Base, near the Salt Lake City International Airport, in Magna and in Box Elder County.

Project details from the company were scarce. A brief comment from the company was read at the GOEO board meeting: “Northrop Grumman appreciates the partnership with the state of Utah, which has helped our continued growth throughout

the state.”

Based in Falls Church, Virginia, Northrop Grumman Corp. has about 101,000 employees worldwide that deliver products, services and solutions to U.S. and international customers, including the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence community. During 2023, the company reported sales of $39.3 billion.

Northrop’s history in Utah spans over eight decades. It is the largest private-sector aerospace and defense employer in the state.

“We’re proud to welcome Northrop Grumman’s expansion in Utah,” Gov. Spencer Cox said in a prepared statement. “Our state has a strong tradition in aerospace and defense, and Northrop Grumman has had an integral role in its history.

“Northrop Grumman is a major employer in Utah and has created many highskilled jobs, particularly in engineering, technology and manufacturing. Utah has a skilled and well-educated workforce in these fields, which is not only a talent pool Northrop Grumman can tap into, but they’ve also played a role in fostering the development of a skilled workforce by supporting STEM education and programs. This synergistic relationship is one we look forward to continuing."

The expansion project is expected to generate new total wages of more than $2.74 billion over 20 years and nearly $356.4 million in new state tax revenue during that time. The average wage of the new jobs is projected to be $118,000.

“Northrop Grumman, a longtime technology innovation leader in the state, has chosen to expand its footprint in Utah, and we’re thrilled,” said Ryan Starks, GOEO’s executive director. “Utah’s strategic location in the western U.S. has logistical advantages for defense and aerospace and access to efficient transportation and resources. Northrop Grumman's operations in Utah rely on local suppliers and subcontractors, and we look forward to supporting the company’s growth and seeing the positive ripple effect throughout the state's supply chain.”

“For years, Northrop Grumman has been an anchor employer in Utah’s robust aerospace and defense industry,” said Scott Cuthbertson, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. “It’s exciting to see its continued growth in several communities across the Wasatch Front.”

The state incentive is the second for the company in the past four years. In January 2020, what was then named the Gov-

ernor’s Office of Economic Development board approved a $59.9 million tax credit incentive for the company, tied to the creation of 2,250 high-paying jobs over 20 years. The $380 million project was expected to result in new wages of more than $4.48 billion over five years and new state tax revenues of nearly $200 million during that time.

Most of those jobs were associated with the Northrop Grumman team supporting the Department of Defense’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) “Sentinel” program, the replacement for the nation’s current aging missile defense system. Salt Lake City was expected to be the site for 176 of the jobs, with the rest at either Ogden or at the Falcon Hill Aerospace Research Park, a U.S. Air Force public/private partnership to develop 550 acres with retail, hotel, office and restaurant space on the western edge of Hill Air Force Base.

The company has said it expects the Sentinel program to employ thousands of people until at least 2075. A defense and aerospace conference in Davis County in mid-2022 featured speakers who said the phasing-out of the Minuteman III program would continue to need vendors and suppliers to support it for at least 15 more years. l

Davis County vote-by-mail celebrates 10-year milestone

FARMINGTON—For the last 10 years, Davis County has been running accessible and secure vote-by-mail elections and to commemorate the milestone, a resolution will be presented during the Davis County Commission meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 27. The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. in the Commission Chambers, on the third floor of the Davis County Administration Building at 61 S. Main St., Farmington.

“The best person to choose when and how to cast a ballot is the voter. We recognize people want that choice, so we provide ballots through the mail with return postage, drop boxes, vote centers, and early voting," said Davis County Clerk Brian McKenzie, adding that 95 to 98 percent of people choose to return the by-mail ballot as their method of voting.

The Utah State Legislature started

allowing elections to be administered primarily by mail in 2012. In 2014, knowing its election system needed to be replaced, Davis County considered voting by mail as a lower cost option to the traditional in-person method; however, cost savings was not the deciding factor in choosing by-mail elections, according to a County Clerk release.

“We moved forward with voting by mail believing that democracy works best when as many voters participate as possible,” McKenzie said.

“During this decade of voting by mail, new technologies have been implemented, legislative adjustments have been made and processes have been improved, which have contributed to increased security, enhanced transparency, and improved ballot access,” the release said. l

By Braden Nelsen braden.n@davisjournal.com

GREAT SALT LAKE —Davis County locals are well aware of just how important brine shrimp are to the local ecosystem. Even though they are microscopic, these little crustaceans provide food for many birds, both permanent and migratory, as well as a large part of the economy. Their numbers have been hurting in recent years, but, thanks to some small improvements, big changes are already being seen.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) manages the species and knows better than many just how vital they are to the region. Despite a good water year in 2023, and a promising water year in 2024, drought conditions, especially for the Great Salt Lake still exist. These conditions, along with a breach in the causeway caused a spike in salinity which had a surprisingly devastating effect on the lake locals.

The 2022-2023 harvest of brine shrimp eggs, or cysts, yielded 6 million pounds less than usual. Fortunately, action was taken, the breach in the berm was taken care of, and numbers are quickly returning to normal. The

latest numbers from the DWR put brine shrimp cysts at 29 million pounds.

“We thank our sister agencies and other partners for taking quick action to address salinity issues,” Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program Manager John Luft said. “It allowed the brine shrimp to quickly rebound, and hatch rates were around 90% this year, as opposed to 60% last year when the salinity levels were higher. The greater-than-90% hatch rates are what give the Great Salt Lake brine shrimp cysts their reputation for being some of the highest quality cysts in the world.”

It’s vital that the levels of these animals remain sustainable for many reasons, both economical and ecological.

“It’s a tricky balance because the adult shrimp typically freeze and die each December, while the cysts will survive and hatch in March,” Luft said. “When the cysts hatch, they survive by eating the algae in the lake, which is also what the juvenile and adult brine shrimp eat. However, if there are too many cysts that hatch, they eat all the algae and run out of food before they reach adulthood, which is when they produce more cysts. So we have to manage the harvest to fit that balance, which is about 21-27 cysts per liter of water. Once it reaches that threshold, we either close the harvest for the year or we extend it if enough cysts haven’t been harvested. You can over harvest them, but you can also under harvest them, which is why it’s a delicate balance that requires a lot of monitoring.”

The Great Salt Lake and the shrimp therein provide a vital ecosystem for 10 million migratory birds, spanning 330 different species, including millions of eared grebes. This particular bird molts while here which makes them flightless, and completely dependent on the nutrition that the brine shrimp provide. A disappearance in the shrimp or their environment would spell disaster for the grebes and millions of other birds, having a ripple effect across the globe. l

The crows (and corvids) of Davis County

By Braden Nelsen braden.n@davisjournal.com

DAVIS COUNTY—Bird watching, or birding has been popular in this area for years. The habitat provided by the Great Salt Lake brings many fascinating birds to the area, including some well-known species like herons or even bald eagles. There are, however, local birds that get a bit of a bad rap, despite their intelligence: corvids.

This group of birds includes many native to Utah, and Davis County, including several species of jays, but most notably, crows, ravens, and magpies. Though the reasons vary, each of these three types of birds has gained a bad reputation, whether that be from tradition or misinformation, and, although protections exist, these bad reputations don’t help their well-being.

Blain Stringham, Northern Regional Supervisor for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) admitted that there is some justification for that reputation. Crows, magpies, and other corvids are generally larger than other birds, and they are competitive when it comes to food. They’ve been known to damage crops, and drive off other birds, but, he said, there’s more to corvids than may meet the eye.

“The Corvid family is incredibly smart,” said Stringham. He wasn’t exaggerating either: over the years many studies have been conducted to see just how smart these particular birds are, and the results are jaw-dropping. Not only did crows and ravens solve problems and puzzles at the same level as a 10-year-old human child, but they were able to communicate with each other at a highly sophisticated level.

Over the last decade, more and more crows and magpies have come to roost in Davis and the surrounding area, and for the most part, it’s because of development. Unlike other species, crows and magpies don’t mind development, in fact, they enjoy it because tall buildings provide an ideal place to roost. Pair that with the abundant food waste, and the giant ecosystem provided by the Great Salt Lake, and Davis becomes a veritable crow’s paradise.

Even with protections in place, Stringham said that there are things residents can do to scare off crows and magpies, like making yards and trees inhospitable, or scaring them off, with increasing numbers of these intelligent birds, it may be more advantageous to learn how to live with them. As well as remembering those who wrong them, crows and corvids also remember those who treat them well and have often been recorded as bringing gifts to people who feed them.

Whether Davis County residents want to see them more, or less, there’s no denying that crows, ravens, and magpies are impressive creatures that, albeit a bit of a nuisance, deserve respect. After all, the choice resides between a chorus of scolding caws, or a few shiny trinkets in exchange for a simple treat like peanuts. l

According to a study conducted by the University of Washington, crows will not only recognize people who have wronged them but will tell other crows about those same people. The study utilized a “dangerous” mask, and each time the researchers returned to the area wearing the mask, more and more of the crows in the area would make negative noises at them. It’s an impressive fact, and all the more important given their population is increasing in the area.

A GROUP OF CROWS, called a ‘murder’ gather in Utah.

Photo courtesy of Utah DWR

Photo courtesy of Utah DWR

Feb. 14

Xotchilt Ramos, Aggravated child abuse - intentional or knowing, 2F.

Ramon Garcia, Felony commercial obstruction, 2F, Possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, 2F.

Max Daniel Johnson, Property damage/destruction - loss $1500-$4999, 3F.

Thomas Domingo Bustos, Purchase/transfer/ possession/use of a firearm by a restricted person, 3F, Aggravated assault, 3F, Aggravated kidnapping, 1F.

Alyssa M. Castillo, Aggravated assault, 3F, Aggravated kidnapping, 1F.

Rebekah Kyleigh Christlieb, Aggravated assault, 3F, Aggravated kidnapping, 1F.

Christopher Brian Tetrick Jr., Purchase/transfer/possession/use of a firearm by a restricted person, 3F.

London Mary Hall, Property damage/destruction - loss $1500-$4999, 3F.

Feb. 15

Desiree Iris Funke, Endangerment of a child or vulnerable adult, 3F.

Eddie Tysen Ungerman, Burglary, 2F, Theft/ receiving - value $1500-$4999, 3F, Possession of forgery writing/device, 3F.

Habonimama Tuombe, Purchase/transfer/possession/use of a firearm by a restricted person, 3F. Anthony Jake Payton, Failure to register as a sex offender, 3F.

Jhon Edinson Carvajal, Violation of a protective order, 3F.

Dasia Quante Charles, Theft - value >=$5000, 3F.

Jeremy David Pyne, Unlawful detention, 3F. Reyna Selena Perez, Tampering with a witness, 3F.

Tashawn Edmond, Category 1 restricted person transaction - firearm, 2F.

Justin Brent McGrath, Forcible sexual abuse, 2F.

Feb. 16

Jay Alexander Johnson, Theft - value >=$5000, 3F.

La’Trae Jayvon Maddox, Purchase/transfer/ possession/use of a firearm by a restricted person, 3F.

Dale Alan Wade, Burglary of a dwelling, 2F.

Michael Jon Masters, Purchase/transfer/possession/use of a firearm by a restricted person, 3F.

James Christopher Sims, Three counts of retail theft - value $1500-$4999, 3F, Retail theft - value >=$500 - 2 qualifying felony priors in 10 years, 3F.

Feb. 17

Randon Gail Thomas, Theft/receiving - value

$1500-$4999, 3F.

Micahel Shain Sadler, Theft/receiving - value >=$5000, 2F.

Chelsie Louise Vigil, Unlawful acquisition/possession/transfer of a financial card, 3F.

Dennis Hans Hansen, False evidence of title and registration, 3F.

Jesse Gillette Curtis, Violation of a protective order, 3F.

Jose Pepe Ramirez Jr., Possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, 3F.

Feb. 18

Lacey Marilyn Gates, Mail theft, 3F, Theft - value >=$5000, 3F, Retail theft - value >=$5000, 3F, Retail theft - qualifying felony prior in 10 years, 3F.

Stacey Nicole Reed, Possession of a controlled substance, 3F.

Christopher Lamont Williams, Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, 3F.

Feb. 19

Cesar Castellanos, Failure to stop or respond at command of police, 3F.

Charles Brady Norton, Driving under the influence - two or more priors in 10 years, 3F.

Students on the Foxboro Elementary Robotics Team bring it in before their match at the Vex Robotics Competition held at Orchard Elementary last Saturday. The kids have been participating in an after school program at Foxboro since September where they learn how to code and build a robot.

Photo by Becky Ginos

ANNOUNCEMENT OF APPOINTMENT AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE Second Judicial District Court DAVIS COUNTY STATE OF UTAH

Rebecca Reichert

Whose address is 2104 Summerwood Drive, Layton, Utah 84040 has been appointed Personal Representative of the above-entitled estate. Creditors of the estate are hereby notified to:

(1) deliver or mail their written claims to the Personal Representative at the address above;

(2) deliver or mail their written claims to the Personal Representatives attorney of record, Taylor Stone at 991 Shepard Ln Suite 210, Farmington, UT 84025

(3) file their written claims with the Clerk of the District Court at Farmington District Court, 800 West State Street, Farmington, Utah 84025 in Davis County, or otherwise present their claims as required by Utah law within three months (90 days) after the date of the first publication of this notice or be forever barred.

Dated this 2nd day of February, 2024

/s/ Rebecca Reichert

/s/ Taylor Stone

991 Shepard Ln Suite 210, Farmington, UT 84025

Publishing: 2/9/2024, 2/16/2024, 2/23/2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Notice Re: Estate of Joseph K. Vashaw, probate no. 233700560 that Samantha dos Santos has been appointed as personal representative in the above-entitled matter on November 7, 2023. Creditors of the estate are hereby notified to: (1) deliver or mail their written claims to the personal representative at the below; (2) deliver or mail their written claims to the personal representative’s attorney of record, LONG OKURA, P.C., Katherine J. McLain, 1981 E. Murray Holladay Rd., Ste. 120, Salt Lake City, Utah 84117; or (3) file their written claims with the Clerk of the Second District Court in Davis County, or otherwise present their claims as required by Utah law within three months after the date of the first publication of this notice or be forever barred.

Publishing: 2/9/2024, 2/16/2024, 2/23/2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice to Alonzo Hennington: You are hereby summoned and required to answer the Complaint entitled WDG Syracuse, LLC v. Hopkins, on file with the Second Judicial District Court, Davis County, State of Utah, within thirty (30) days after service of this Summons upon you. The Complaint has been filed by WDG Syracuse, LLC (“Plaintiff”) regarding a certain tract of land identified as parcel #120350124, which is situated at 368 S. 2000 W. Syracuse, Utah 84075 (the “Property”). Plaintiff requests relief in the form of a decree that the special warranty deeds entered on November 14, 2022, transferring the Property to one Brooke Hopkins and then to you are null and void and must be removed from the Property. Plaintiff further seeks damages against you arising from your alleged attempt to fraudulently transfer title to the Property into your own name. Additionally, Plaintiff seeks a decree quieting title to the Property in the name of Plaintiff, and adjudging that Plaintiff is entitled to uncontested ownership and peaceful possession of the Property.

You are required to serve a written Answer to the Complaint by hand delivering or mailing a copy of your Answer to Plaintiff’s attorneys, Jason D. Boren and Ashley B. Waddoups of Ballard Spahr LLP, One Utah Center, 201 South Main Street, Suite 800, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111-2221. You are also required to file your Answer with the Clerk of the Second Judicial District Court, Davis County, State of Utah, 800 W. State St, PO Box 769, Farmington, UT 84025. If you do not serve and file an Answer to the Complaint within thirty (30) days, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded.

Publishing: 2/23/2024, 3/1/2024, 3/8/2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS UPON DEATH OF GRANTOR

Re: Katharine W. Lamb, Deceased Grantor of the Katharine W. Lamb Revocable Trust, dated September 21 st , 1992, as amended and restated.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., whose address is Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Attn: Jennifer Georg, P.O. Box 41629, Austin, Texas 78704, is the trustee of the above-entitled trust. All persons having claims against the trust are hereby required to present their written claims to the trustee at the address above within three months after the date of the first publication of this notice, or their claims will be forever barred.

/s/ Wells Fargo Bank, Trustee

Attn Jennifer Georg PO Box 41629 Austin, Texas 78704 Tel. 737-218-5067

Publishing: 2/23/2024, 3/1/2024, 3/8/2024

‘Singing in the Rain’ MHS Theatre Depart- ment presents classic musical page 3

MORGAN COUNTY NEWS

Covering Your Community

Sargent and Korth bring home wrestling titles

By Liisa London Mecham

In 2023, senior Zak Sargent and junior Drew Korth both finished the State Tournament with silver medals. Saturday night when they left the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield, both had upgraded to gold. Sargent, who finished the season with a 50-7 record, scored two takedowns in his championship match to win his first title by decision 5-3. After being forced to sit out for part of the season due to injury, Korth, 38-2, won his second state championship, 16-10 after building a 13-4 lead after two periods. The Trojans advanced four wrestlers to the finals and placed 10 wrestlers on the podium. In the team race, Juab won for the eighth straight year with South Summit placing second and the Trojans third. In addition to Sargent and Korth, junior Ryler Jorgensen and sophomore Blake Woolsey were state finalists. Sargent wrestled with the ferocity and intensity of a man on a title mission, Sargent opened with a takedown

early in the period. Union’s Deagan Davis got an escape later in the period to come within one. Neither wrestler scored in the second period, and Sargent opened the period with a point awarded for Davis stalling to go up 3-1. Sargent didn’t quit and earned another takedown with 34 seconds remaining to give him the 5-1 advantage. Davis escaped with nine seconds remaining and Sargent got slapped with a stall call with one second remaining to bring the final score to 5-3. After placing third as a sophomore, second as a junior, now as a senior, Sargent claimed his title!

After a loss to Richfield’s Dayson Torgerson in the finals last year, Korth (144) was able to avenge the loss on his sibling, Drexton Torgerson, and win the title this year, 16-10, and earn him the distinction of a 2x State Champion. In 2021 Korth won the title at 113 pounds. In his match, Korth went up 4-2 by the end of the first period, and then he increased his lead to 13-5 heading into the final round. Torgerson attempted to take down Korth and narrowed the lead

to 15-10 before Korth closed out the remainder of the period to win.

Junior Ryler Jorgensen (126) also advanced to the finals bout. Jorgensen went up against Ladd Holman, son of Juab Coach Joel Holman. Although he is a freshman, Holman came into the finals with a 45-8 record. In the final match, Jorgensen fell 7-0.

Jorgensen advanced to the finals on a 5-3 sudden victory overtime win over Holman’s teammate Drake Johnson. In the quarterfinals, Jorgensen defeated Emery’s Dixon Peacock, 2-0, and he pinned his opening-round competitor in 1:39.

Sophomore Luke Woolsey(132) pushed to the finals with an opening round pin (4:34), a quarterfinal pin (5:12), and a major decision in the semifinals (18-6). His opponent in the finals, Cooper Blackett, a Juab senior, was a familiar foe as Woolsey faced him at Morgan a few weeks before state in the

WRESTLING on page 7

Services for people with disabilities available in Morgan County

By Linda Petersen

MORGAN — At the invitation of City Councilmember David Alexander, representatives of Roads to Independence shared what the organization does at the Feb. 13 Morgan City Council meeting.

“There are people that we know that could use the services that are available,” said Alexander who has been involved with the nonprofit organization for more than 10 years and is currently co-chair of its board of directors. Roads to Independence representative Kellie Spencer then gave an overview of the organization and its services.

The organization, which has more than 300 clients and many more who

SERVICES on page 3

Paul McCartney’s stolen bass returned

Lost around 1972, Beatles bass player Paul McCartney’s 1961 Höfner electric bass guitar was finally found and returned to the music icon. After years of research and the involvement of many different people, the instrument was tracked down to the family of a former pub owner, who acquired it from an unnamed thief. The bass guitar sat in the attic for years as it would have been impossible to sell. The family themselves contacted McCartney’s studio, and after two months of verification, it was confirmed as the missing instrument.

Outspoken Putin critic dies Alexey Navalny, Russian human rights activist and critic of Putin and the Kremlin, died Friday, Feb. 16 in a Russian prison. Many, including Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, have blamed Russian president, Vladimir Putin for the figure’s death. Hundreds of Russian citizens have been arrested since his death for holding protests, memorials, and vigils in his honor. Meanwhile, Russian forces had also captured the Ukrainian town of Avdiivka on the eastern front of the country, which some experts believe could be the precursor to a large-scale incursion into the heart of the country.

Franke and Hildebrandt

sentenced for child abuse

Business partners Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt were both sentenced to four terms of one to 15 years in prison. Franke, made famous by her now-defunct “8 Passengers” YouTube channel, made national headlines, and throughout the court process fully admitted her guilt. Franke claimed that she perpetrated the abuse because she thought her children were “possessed”. Hildebrandt, the owner and founder of Connexions Classroom, a mental health and counseling service in Orem, also pled guilty, and claimed, as did Franke, to love the children they had abused. Judge Walton, who presided over the case said that the two seemed, “detached from reality”.

Murder Charges in Chiefs shooting

Two men were charged with murder and other felonies for their roles in the mass shooting in Kansas City that resulted in one death and a number of injuries, including nearly a dozen children. Both were charged with murder, although it was determined that Dominic Miller’s firearm was the source of the bullet that ultimately killed Lisa Lopez-Galvan. Lyndell Mays was also charged, and have been in custody since the shooting, which resulted from a argument with a third individual that spiraled out of control into an armed brawl. Two separate defendants are facing resisting arrest and gun charges from the same incident.

ZAK SARGENT won his first state championship after placing second last year. Sargent won 5-3 in his final match.

Photo by Jessica Jorgensen

A LOOK

Water study addresses flooding issues near State Street bridge

By Linda Petersen

Morgan City has completed a water study of the Weber River at the State Street bridge. The main purpose of the study is to determine how “to get more water to bypass the bridge and lower the flood plain” in that area, Morgan City Manager Ty Bailey told the city council Feb. 13.

The bridge is located in a developed neighborhood, with several homes and commercial buildings within what is considered a 100-year floodplain and floodway.

Although the bridge was originally constructed with the expectation it would not lead to any flooding issues, it was built prior to the mapping programs that are available today that give much better information on how to accomplish that, Bailey said.

The river has had flooding issues at that location. “The bridge and the elevated banks on either side of the channel upstream of the bridge provide a pinch point that causes water levels to rise and spread out into town,” the study said.

To mitigate this problem the consultants with WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure considered four options to improve the hydraulic efficiency and capacity of the bridge. They looked at reconstruction to enlarge the opening of the bridge, vegetation management (removing vegetation along the banks and in the channel), excavating the river floor, or increasing the bridge’s capacity by installing a box culvert adjacent to the bridge.

The study determined that it would be the most effective and cost-efficient solution to install a 6'xl0' concrete box culvert which would be placed in an al-

ready available depression in the terrain along the left bank, downstream of the bridge. This option had the second-lowest projected cost of the four options at $1,600,000 (the lowest projected cost was $60,000 for vegetation management).

“The culvert greatly reduces flooding downstream of the bridge and State Street is no longer being overtopped to the north during the 100-year event,” the study said. “The floodway can be confined to the channel for much of the section around the bridge.”

A secondary goal of the study was to determine the feasibility of developing an inlet on city-owned property next to Tractor Supply where a two-acre community fishpond could be built, Bailey said.

“The concept is to allow fish to migrate in and out of the Weaver River into habitat,” he said. “We're working with DNR on that; it’s several years out but, of course, it has to start somewhere.”

With the study completed, Bailey hopes to be able to apply for grants that would fund the installation of the box culvert along with the future pond and a surrounding park with a natural trail, green space, and a restroom.

“Now that we have a study done it really helps our chances of qualifying for a grant,” he said.

Addressing this problem will have a side benefit for some residents in the area.

“By reducing the floodway there's quite a few homes that wouldn't be obligated to pay flood insurance anymore,” Bailey said.

The study was funded by a Utah Division of Emergency Management grant. l

Sheriff’s Office warns of phone scam

By Linda Petersen

T

he Morgan County Sheriff’s Office is trying to get the word out about a phone scam that is targeting local residents. Some residents have received calls from what appears to be a local 829 number from an individual claiming to be a sergeant with the Morgan County Sheriff's Office. The caller claims that there is a warrant out for the resident and that the only way to avoid being arrested is to immediately pay a fine.

If the owner of the phone does not answer or questions the legitimacy of the call, the caller will then leave a legitimate 829 call-back number. When the phone owner calls the number it is answered with

on page 1

avail themselves of the organization’s loan bank for medical equipment, serves people with disabilities in Morgan, Davis, and Weber Counties.

“We’re trying to do a little bit more in Morgan so that’s why we were excited to be here tonight to talk to all of you,” Spencer said. “We promote independence with anyone living with a disability,” along with providing support for their family members.

The core services provided by Roads to Independence include Information and referral, independent living skills train-

MHS Theatre Department presents ‘Singing in the Rain’

By Verlene Johnson

MorganHigh Theatre Department

didn’t rest after the final curtain call to a successful show run of “Little Women.”

Students quickly started learning songs and dances to ready themselves to audition for “Singing in the Rain.” After two weeks of auditioning the cast list came out, and director, Jennifer Fritz started rehearsals.

This talented cast will transport audiences back to late 1920 Hollywood to the days of silent films transitioning into talking films.

Senior Caden Standing will portray lead, Don Lockwood, Hollywood's leading man, with senior Preston Johnson playing Lockwood’s childhood friend and right-hand man, Cosmo Brown, who is a quick-witted, dancing piano player. Together, the pair climbed their way to stardom until Lockwood became a famous actor.

Lockwood’s leading lady in the silent films is the ditsy and squeakyvoiced, Lina Lamont, played by senior, Shannon Kobe. The trio of Lockwood, Brown, and Lamont, work to stay relevant in Hollywood as the industry moves from the silent era to talking pictures.

When Lockwood stumbles into aspiring Hollywood, stage actress, Kathy Sheldon, played by junior, Aly Spangnuolo, he is unaware of how much his life is about to change.

As the studio producer is trying to change with the times, another studio has released its first talking picture. Don and Kathy’s relationship blossoms to the dismay of Lina, who is convinced that

she and Don should be in a real relationship off-screen.

MHS’s cast has worked tirelessly for three months both in class and at after-school rehearsal to bring “Singing in the Rain” alive with song favorites: “Good Morning,” “Moses Supposes,” “Make ‘Em Laugh,” and the title song, “Singing in the Rain.”

“It’s been quite the couple of months,” said Caden Standing. “We’ve been working [really hard], it’s going to be awesome!”

“Singing in the Rain has been one of my favorites since I was a kid,” said junior Kasha Carpenter. “I can’t express how thrilled I am to be in this production! I’ve always loved ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Make Em’ Laugh’ but performing these scenes with people I love makes it just that much better. I can’t wait to bring Hollywood to Morgan County!”

With a cast and crew of nearly 65, parents play an integral role from finding and altering costumes to feeding the cast on their latest tech day to helping with box office, ushering, and concessions each night of the show.

This family-friendly show will run, March 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at MHS.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the high school or at https:// mhs.morgansd.org. Tickets can also be purchased at the door each night for $8.

“Singing in the Rain” is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International(MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com. l

a recording stating that they have reached the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.

This is not a legitimate call; it is a scam. Do not send money under any circumstance, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office warns. The Sheriff’s Office has posted a warning about the scam on the Morgan City website.

This scam is being perpetuated in communities across the US. Callers often even use the names of real law enforcement personnel. sheriff’s offices, police, or other government agencies will not contact you via telephone to serve a warrant (warrants are always served in person) or to get you to pay a fine.

Residents who have questions are asked to call the Morgan County Sheriff's Office directly at 801-829-0590. l

ing, peer support, advocacy, and transition, including nursing home transition, youth transition, and diversion. The organization also offers a recreational program.

“This is a huge piece that we do at our center [in Ogden], and it offers people with disabilities who unfortunately have more isolated and secluded lives because of their limitations in the community, a chance to come out and do activities that are adapted to what they can do physically or mentally,” Spencer said.

Roads to Independence provides assistive technology such as phones and other devices.

“A lot of that is just very, very expen-

sive, so it's a really good service that we provide and we are happy to help whoever we can,” Spencer said.

The organization also and also offers traumatic brain injury services. Another program, the New Choices Waiver Program, is designed to serve individuals who are residing in a long-term care facility with assistance to move into integrated community-based settings if they wish to do so and if their needs can be safely met in the setting that they have chosen.

One program that may appeal to some Morgan County residents is AgrAbility which is designed to help farmers, ranchers, and their family members remain in agriculture when facing limita-

tions due to aging, disease, injury, illness, or other disability.

Spencer is already working with Morgan High School to provide services and training to students with disabilities.

“The goal is to get our youth that have disabilities more prepared to be able to adapt into the community and feel more independence but also have more job experience that they can retain employment and hopefully retain some independence with that employment,” she said.

Roads to Independence will hold a resource fair on March 16 from 10 am. to 2 p.m. at Morgan High School. l

THIS MAP OUTLINES the area addressed in a recent Morgan City study. Courtesy image

ZACH DEWITT plays Young Cosmo, Landon Westbrook and Alton Widle play Young Don.

Photos by Verlene Johnson

PRESTON JOHNSON (COSMO), Caden Standing (Don), and Aly Spagnuolo (Kathy).

MHS Junior Varsity Cheer impresses at nationals

With over 1,100 teams, 25 of them international teams, over 30,000 athletes competed in the national cheer competition in Orlando Florida in February. Morgan High School competed in Division 2, which is based on school size, with Junior Varsity placing third overall.

Those interested in being a part of this award-winning team can try out March 18-22. Follow them on Instagram for more information @Morganhighcheer.

JV GAME DAY in the Arena at the ESPN center in the semi-finals.

FINALS WHERE JV placed third overall. They brought home the bronze medal.

JV CHEER with coaches after winning bronze.

MHS CHEER TEAM at nationals in Orlando Florida.

FINALS WHERE JV placed third overall.

MHS CHEER COACHES with third place trophy for JV.

Senior Cheerleaders. Some of the supporting moms who went to nationals with the team. Courtesy photos

MHS, MGMS, and MMS celebrate HOPE Week

This year’s HOPE Week was celebrated Feb. 12-15 at Morgan High School, Mountain Green Middle School, and Morgan Middle School. This year’s focus was Take a “SELFIE” with guest speaker Casey Pehrson attending all three schools to talk about “SELFIE” which means Sleep, Exercise, Light, Fun, Interaction, and Eating Right. Pehrson focused on taking care of oneself to help prevent depression. Each school held dress-up days and lunchtime activities while promoting Take a “SELFIE.”

MGMS

during first and

also handed out materials from Live On to spread awareness of

Diary Farming Today with the Earls

By Olivia Rees

Quickly vanishing across the country, dairy farmers are getting harder to come by even in the rural county of Morgan. Claiming it as their profession, Barclay and Denise Earl are a backbone in the community keeping dairy farming alive with passion and hard work.

Barclay Earl was born in Ogden, Utah, and lived in South Weber, Utah on his family dairy farm until he was six years old. His family relocated the dairy to Porterville where he has been ever since. Barclay helped on the dairy along with his brother and two sisters milking cows, feeding calves, and learning to operate farm equipment. When he was 12 years old, his parents divorced and all the cows were sold. After two years without cows, his dad purchased more cows and they were back in business. Barclay was a senior in high school when he took over the dairy, his dad remarrying and moving to Salt Lake City.

Denise Earl was born in Ogden, Utah, and lived in the Roy and Taylor, Utah areas with her family consisting of four brothers and three sisters. Moving to Morgan when she was in seventh grade, it was a bit of a shock since it was part of the high school and just a little intimidating having to share a locker with a senior boy.

In high school, Denise participated in the Future Farmers of America Organization and needed a project. She contacted Barclay about buying a calf to raise, and that is when she and Barclay met. Denise was interested in learning about the dairy and started working for him milking cows and taking care of calves. That is when Barclay decided he better marry that girl since she was willing to milk cows. They have been married for 48 years.

A typical day for these dairy farmers starts at 4:15 a.m. when the Earls get up, head to the barn, clean stalls, milk, and, as they explain, “Braiden feeds and takes care of the calves, Barclay feeds cows and then

we clean up were usually done between 8:30 a.m. –9:30 a.m. then we have a little free time in the winter until it's time to do chores again at 4:30 p.m. which is same thing over again but Barclay also scrapes the corrals in the afternoon. Spring and summer you have to take care of crops and harvest in between milking in addition to being on call 24/7 when cows are calving which we do year around. The day will end between 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. depending on how things go.”

The Earl’s dairy is one of three dairies still operating in Morgan County. There are fewer but larg -

er dairies nowadays with the high operating costs having forced many dairies out of business in recent years. The Earls have a small herd of Holstein cows along with a few fields to grow alfalfa and small grains needed to feed the hungry cows that never stop eating. They have intentionally kept the herd small so they can do most of the work themselves. Barclay also does custom farming. Although operating a dairy can be very challenging, it can also be very rewarding according to the Earls. It is often the small moments that bring the rush of satisfaction. “We love when a baby calf is born and watching her grow and become a member of the milk herd and watching the fields green up in the spring anticipating a good crop year,” said the Earls.

Barclay and Denise were blessed with two sons Preston and Tanner. The boys grew up learning a strong work ethic with chores to be done and the cattle depending on the family to take care of them. So, the boys milked cows, took care of calves, cleaned stalls, moved sprinkler pipe, and whatever else needed to be done. Even now, the boys still help out when they can or when there is a big job of vaccinating or hoof trimming.

Denise loved playing all types of sports when she was younger especially softball and basketball, instilling a love of sports in her children. When the boys were in school Barclay coached them in Little League baseball and helped coach baseball when Preston was in high school.

Barclay and Denise have four wonderful grandchildren with another grandson on the way. Braiden, Bella, Jacoby, and Taylie are the light of their lives.

While the maintenance and care of the dairy farm takes up the majority of the day, in their spare time, they “enjoy attending as many of the grandchildren’s activities as possible and watching the New York Yankees play baseball and the Kansas City Chiefs Play football.” l

GUEST SPEAKER CASEY PEHRSON at Morgan High School presents The SELFIE Method at the Hope Week assembly.

JUMP ROPE Gratitude Challenge during first lunch.

MHS ENGLISH TEACHER, Mrs. Flitton, dressed up on Adam Sandler Day because laughter is the best medicine.

THE COWGIRL COLLECTIVE’S Sayge Madsen brought her cattle dogs to Hope Week activities

second lunch. She

this suicide prevention organization.

HOPE SQUAD built the word “SELFIE” out of student selfies.

Courtesy photos

HOPE WEEK promotes exercise to keep students’ minds and bodies healthy.

BARCLAY EARL tends to equipment on his dairy farm.

Courtesy Photo

SCHOOL MENU EDUCATION MES STUDENTS OF THE WEEK

Morgan & Mtn. Green

Elementary Breakfast

Monday, Feb. 26

Breakfast Bar, scrambled eggs

Cereal Variety, Apple Wedges

Sliced Peaches

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Egg McMuffin, Hashbrown Triangles, Cereal Variety, Orange Juice Fruit Cocktail

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Donut, Yeast (unfrosted), Yogurt Snack-able, Cereal Variety

Blueberries, Strawberry Cup

Thursday, Feb. 29

Pancake Sausage Stick, Cereal Variety, Pineapple Tidbits, Pears

Friday, March 1

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Mini Bagels, Yogurt, high protein, Cereal Variety, Grapes, Applesauce

Morgan & Mtn. Green

Middle & HS Breakfast

Monday, Feb. 26

Breakfast Bar, scrambled eggs

Cereal Variety, Apple Wedges

Sliced Peaches

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Egg McMuffin, Hashbrown Triangles, Cereal Variety, Orange Juice

Fruit Cocktail

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Donut, Yeast (unfrosted), Yogurt Snack-able, Cereal Variety

Blueberries, Strawberry Cup

Thursday, Feb. 29

Pancake Sausage Stick, Cereal Variety, Pineapple Tidbits, Pears

Friday, March 1

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Mini Bagels, Yogurt, high protein Cereal Variety, Grapes, Applesauce

Morgan & Mtn. Green Elementary Lunch

Monday, Feb. 26

Corn Dogs, Curly Fries, Fruit Cocktail, Apple Juice, Rice Crispie Treats

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Italian Dunkers Sauce, Dunker sticks, With Cheese, Broccoli Pears, Blueberries, Snack pack

Pudding

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Chicken Alfredo, Bread stick 1ww

Glazed Carrots, Peas, Applesauce Peaches, Gelatin

Thursday, Feb. 29

Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Cucumber Slices,Grape Tomatoes, Pineapple Tidbits, Apple Wedges, Cookie Dough

Friday, March 1

Chicken Strips, French Fries Green Beans, Mandarin Oranges Strawberry Cup, Brownie Morgan Middle Lunch

Monday, Feb. 26

General Tso Chicken, Brown Rice

Chicken Nuggets, Chef Salad, Wheat Roll, Curly Fries, Baby Carrots, Celery Sticks, Pineapple Tidbits, Sliced Pears, Apples, Oranges, Brownies

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Dunker sticks, With Cheese, Italian Dunkers Sauce, Corn Dogs

Chicken Caesar Salad, Tater Tots Broccoli Florets, Glazed Carrots Mandarin Oranges, Sliced Peaches, Apples, Oranges, Sugar Cookie

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Smothered Pork Burrito, Popcorn Chicken, Sweet Pork Salad, Cilan-

tro Rice, Black Beans, Corn, Applesauce, Pears, Apples, Oranges

Slushie Cup, Sour Cream

Thursday, Feb. 22

Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Mini Corn Dogs, Cucumber Slices,Grape Tomatoes, Mandarin Oranges

Pineapple Tidbits, Cookie Dough

Friday, March 1

Mini French Toast, Chicken Strips / Choice, Sausage Patty, Hashbrown Triangles, Baby Carrots, Applesauce, Mixed Berry Cup (frozen),Apples, Oranges, Yogurt, high protein

Mtn. Green

Middle Lunch

Monday, Feb. 26

General Tso Chicken, Brown Rice

Chicken Nuggets, Oriental Chicken Salad, Wheat Roll, Curly Fries

Baby Carrots, Celery Sticks

Pineapple Tidbits, Sliced Pears

Apples, Oranges, Brownies

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Dunker sticks, With Cheese, Italian Dunkers Sauce, Corn Dogs

Chicken Caesar Salad, Tater Tots

Broccoli, Baby Carrots, Mandarin Oranges, Sliced Peaches, Apples

Oranges, Sugar Cookie

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Smothered Pork Burrito, Popcorn

Chicken, Sweet Pork Salad, Cilantro Rice, Black Beans, Corn Applesauce, Pears, Apples, Oranges, Slushie Cup

Thursday, Feb. 29

Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Mini Corn Dogs, Cucumber Slices,Grape Tomatoes, Mandarin Oranges

Pineapple Tidbits, Cookie Dough

Friday, March 1

Mini French Toast, Chicken Strips / Choice, Sausage Patty, Hashbrown Triangles, Baby Carrots, Applesauce, Mixed Berry Cup (frozen), Apples, Oranges, Yogurt, high protein

Morgan High Lunch

Monday, Feb. 26

General Tso Chicken, Brown Rice

Chicken Nuggets, Oriental Chicken Salad, Wheat Roll, Curly Fries

Baby Carrots, Celery Sticks, Pineapple Tidbits, Sliced Pears, Apples

Oranges, Brownies

Tuesday, Feb. 27

Dunker sticks, With Cheese

Italian Dunkers Sauce, Corn Dogs

Chicken Caesar Salad, Wheat Roll Tater Tots, Broccoli Florets, Glazed Carrots, Mandarin Oranges, Sliced Peaches, Apples, Oranges, Sugar

Cookie

Wednesday, Feb. 28

Smothered Pork Burrito, Popcorn

Chicken, Sweet Pork Salad, Wheat Roll, Cilantro Rice, Sweet potato fries, Black Beans, Corn, Applesauce, Pears, Apples, Oranges

Slushie Cup

Thursday, Feb. 29

Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Mini Corn Dogs, Tater Tots, Cucumber Slices,Grape Tomatoes, Mandarin Oranges, Pineapple Tidbits

Cookie Dough

Friday, March 1

Mini French Toast, Chicken Strips / Choice, Sausage Patty, Wheat Roll

French Fries, Hashbrown Triangles

Baby Carrots, Applesauce, Mixed Berry Cup (frozen), Apples Oranges, Yogurt, high protein

SENIOR HIGHLIGHT

Morgan High School Speech and Debate

Morgan High Speech and Debate team

would like to highlight outgoing senior, BJ Hone. It’s been a wild ride for BJ and there were lots of moments of growth and learning in the beginning. During his Freshmen year tournaments were all online, due to COVID. Instead of meeting with other schools and getting to know other kids, the teammates sat in various different, empty hallways on their laptops, competing via Zoom. Many kids didn’t love that style of competition but BJ persevered, and then remained in Speech and Debate all four years of High School.

Zoom tournaments were tough because BJ’s favorite part of competing is actually getting to know the other kids from the competing teams. There’s a camaraderie that happens in between rounds. “It’s an eye-opening experience learning about each other and what makes us different and how we are also the same,” said Hone.

Although he competed in multiple events, Hone’s favorite event was called Impromptu. Competitors are given a selection of three random topics, ideas or quotes. They choose one, and have two minutes to come up with a five minute speech about that topic. “It’s my favorite because it taught me how to listen to my instincts and how to come up with something inspiring to say that people may need to hear.” Being the reigning and two-time Region Champion in this event, Hone definitely grew in the art of spontaneous public speaking. Along with his Impromptu success, BJ Hone partnered with Jaqsyn Rudd to compete at Nationals in a Drama influenced event called Duo, where they performed a 10-minute two man play.

“Debate definitely made me more

mature. Every tournament showed me just how much the world needs to change, and how I can help change the world. One voice matters. Speech and Debate gave me a platform where my ideas could be shared and heard.”

“Our team is really going to miss BJ! He has a light and an energy that brightens our team,” said assistant Coach Lisa Hone. “I have seen him grow in so many ways. He is more confident. He shares his ideas in logical, respectful ways. He will continue to help and lift others throughout his life.”

The Morgan Team’s competition year might be wrapping up but they are already preparing for next year. If any 7th-11th graders are looking to join the team next year, contact the High School for more information. l

OPEN HOUSE

MARCH 6 3:30-6:00 pm

Tour campus, meet with instructors, and participate in hands-on activities for 35 programs

65-100% TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ALL PROGRAMS

100% FULL PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIPS in Automotive Technology, CNC Machining, and Medical Coding and Billing FREE TUITION for high school students FREE UTA transit pass for every student

GRAHAM BENSON, 3RD

JOSIE KING, 4TH

BJ HONE

SPORTS Morgan Swimmers Compete at State

By Liisa London Mecham

Morgan’s boys’ and girls’ swim teams traveled to Provo, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16-17 to compete against 23 schools at the 3A/2A State Swim Championships. State was held in the pool in the Stephen L. Richards Building on the BYU Campus. The swimmers recorded eight new school records and 26 personal records (PRs) during the event, 19 of them coming on the first day of the event.

The top 16 teams or individuals advanced to the finals, and the Trojans had nine Top 8 or higher finishes, and the top individual placers were Elijah Pfeifer (7th-Boys 100 Freestyle), Connor Smith (7th-Boys 100 Backstroke) and Brielle Sill (7th-100 Breaststroke). Morgan’s highest finish was in the Boys 400 Free Relay with the team placing sixth.

In the team competition, the boys’ team finished sixth overall, and the girls finished 13th.

In the 200 Medley Relays, the girls placed eighth, and the boys finished tenth. The girls broke the school record in the 200 Medley with a time of 2:04.69.

In the 400 Free Relay, the boys placed sixth and the girls recorded ninth place, and both toppled school records. The girls’ 4:14.53 set a new standard for the girls 400 Free Relay while the boys set their own record in 3:37.05.

The Boys 200 Free Relay claimed seventh place and a school record time (1:37.89).

Swimmer Garret Noorda recorded an eighth-place finish in the Boys 500 Freestyle and set a new school record (5:30.61). Noorda also set a new school record in the 200 Freestyle (2:01.31) and earned 14th place at state.

In the Girls 100 Backstroke, Tessa Smith placed 15th and in the boys’ event, her brother Connor placed seventh with Bode Johnson taking 14th. Connor Smith’s backstroke time broke the school record and put him atop the Trojan leaderboard (1:01.94).

In the Freestyle sprints, both Connelly Breinholt and Elijah Pfeifer placed in both events. In the 50 Free, Pfeifer earned eighth place and Breinholt 14th. Pfeifer bettered his position in the 100 Free by one position taking seventh while Breinholt claimed 14th in the 100 as well.

Brielle Sill and Lizzy Bess touched

one after the other in the 100 Breaststroke to earn seventh and eighth places, respectively. In an earlier head, Bess broke the school record for the breaststroke (1:14.84).

In the Girls 200 Individual Medley race, Bess finished 12th and Sill 14th. Congratulations to the swim team on a great season. They will wrap up their season and celebrate their successes at their Swim Banquet on Feb. 28. l

LIZZY BESS COMES up to breathe during the 100 Breaststroke. She had an 8th place finish in the 100 Breaststroke.

Photos by Lyle Draper

3A second round: Lady Trojans gave their all at Juab, but fall late in 58-72 loss

By Brian Shaw

There was plenty you could say about the Lady Trojans game at No. 6 seeded Juab Friday, Feb. 16 but nothing would be more accurate than the fact that another state champion went down early. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, though in a 58-72 loss.

With 34 seconds left in this 3A second-round game, Kaydence Wardell fouled out. The senior played through most of the first three quarters in foul trouble yet busted her tail just as hard in the fourth, as head coach Sterling Mack elected to play his captain and floor general despite her having four fouls. Morgan’s head coach had already received more bad news as Abby Titus, his leading scorer on the night, got her

fourth foul as well with 1:23 left in the third.

Nothing was going right in enemy territory for the No. 11 seed Lady Trojans, who were already whistled for a technical foul on Coach Mack earlier in the third when the game was tied at 34.

That didn’t stop Morgan’s head coach from voicing his displeasure later in the third quarter after two of his players were called for charges on successive drives to the basket.

With the Lady Trojans in a one-point hole, 45-46, at a place called The Pit, junior Eva Birkeland went hard to the rim and drew a foul on Juab, giving the Lady Trojans life, tying the game at 46 with a free throw.

But a strange end to the third ensued, as Juab’s star player Ava Cuff was trapped in the corner and watched

the basketball fall off her thigh out of bounds – yet Morgan got whistled for a blocking foul.

That gave Cuff – who was 14-for14 from the line on the night – two more freebies that turnover-prone Juab swished.

That was enough for Coach Mack to reinsert Wardell to start the fourth.

The fiery senior drove coast to coast for a layup and drew contact, converting the and-one for a 51-48 Morgan lead –their first lead of three points or more since the midpoint of the second quarter.

Juab, however, went on a 5-0 run capped by their eighth three. Morgan staved off that deficit, however, by going inside to senior Ashlyn Noss, posted up against Juab’s main big who was playing with four fouls.

A Juab three followed by a techni-

cal foul on Morgan’s assistant coaches dumped the Lady Trojans in a 53-56 hole that they never climbed out from. Two more freebies for Cuff made it 53-58 for Juab, the No. 6 seed in the 3A state tournament that hit 10 threes and outscored Morgan 14-5 the rest of the way. The 11th-seed Lady Trojans were led by senior Abby Titus, who had 16 points to lead Morgan, while junior Eva Birkeland dropped 11. Wardell would leave the floor in her final game with 10 points, eight steals, and five rebounds while senior Ashlyn Noss had seven points. Junior Alexis Burt and senior Leah Birkeland each dropped five points and Bella Nelson and Keira Brewer had two. l

GERRIT NOORDA at the start of the 200 Freestyle. Noorda set a new school record in the 200 Freestyle (2:01.31) and earned 14th place at state.

ELIJAH PFEIFER at the start of the 50 Freestyle. Pfeifer placed 8th.

ELIJAH PFEIFER celebrates his 7th place finish in the 100 Freestyle.

CONNOR SMITH had a 7th place finish in the 100 Backstroke and set a new school record (1:01.94).

Morgan boys basketball loses 69-59 to Judge to end season in 3A second round

By Brian Shaw

With Judge Memorial in red looming like some albatross across the timeline, the Morgan Trojans boys’ basketball team began this 3A second-round game at home Saturday, Feb. 18 with a plan. Get an inside-outside game going early and try to confuse Judge’s taller starting five into leaving Morgan’s guards open for good looks and when conditions warrant, slip passes into Mason Williams and Bracken Saunders.

That plan worked for two quarters, as lone senior Derrick Tilby had already recorded his third three-point basket in a game being played at a rocket’s pace. The one they call “Tibbles” had nine points, and Saunders had 10 – all from dishes inside as the sophomore called bank each time.

With Morgan [12-12] the No. 8 seed ahead by the score of 20-13 after one quarter and 31-30 at the half, the second half started out like the game did.

Three lead changes in the first 1:30 of the third punctuated another frantic start as Morgan worked the ball inside –then kicked it back out – to try and take control of the game.

Two missed shots, however, resulted

in No. 9 seed Judge’s biggest lead since the first quarter at 33-36 with 5:15 left in the third.

That’s when Kolton Asay made the play of the game, wriggling free and burying a three from the M logo at center court to tie it at 36. But, the visitors ripped the cords twice from downtown

WRESTLING

from page 1

Juab-Morgan dual. Blackett won the match by tech fall 17-2 (5:13) as Woolsey improved his 2023 placement from fourth to second.

At 106 pounds, sophomore Carter Wardell earned third place with his only loss coming to the eventual champion in the semifinals. Wardell won the consolation finals by major decision, 9-0. Also placing third was senior Krew Galbraith at 175 pounds. Galbraith

SLC to put the Trojans in a six-point hole at 36-42 with 3:52 left in the third.

Judge scored again with 3:29 in the third on a layup, and Saunders got a layup to stop an 8-0 Judge run.

Then Judge knocked down another three-point shot to take their largest lead of the game, at 38-47 with 2:08 left in

the third quarter. Tilby snuck inside down low though to get his 15th point to keep it at 40-47, a seven-point deficit in this all-or-nothing 8 vs. 9 single-elimination game.

Asay cut out an entry pass to give Morgan an opportunity but a missed three from Asay and a transition fast break the other way freed Judge on a layup, putting Morgan at a 40-49 disadvantage as the third quarter came to a close.

Early in the fourth quarter, Ben Russell scored his first bucket of the game to cut the Judge lead to seven at 42-49. But, a Morgan turnover after a Judge miss resulted in one of the wackiest sequences of the game: a miss from three, another miss, and another three-point heave –the third one good for Judge, who was torching the Trojans in the second half.

Trailing 42-52 with 6:20 to play, a three-point attempt from Asay bounced out.

With 4:02 left in the game, the Trojans were taking their first free throws of the game. Tilby made one, but Judge’s 11th three sank the Trojans hopes and Morgan’s season. For the Trojans, Tilby led the way with 16 points while Asay had 14. Saunders scored 10 points and Williams four, while Russell and Brody Peterson added two apiece. l

dropped his semifinal to South Summit’s Ryker Woodward in a tight 3-1 decision. Galbraith won his opening two matches in commanding style–a 1:34 pin and a 12-0 major decision. In the 3rd Place Match, he took a 4-0 decision over Union’s Tevin Davis.

Sophomore Chace Allen (165) bounced back after an opening-round loss and won four straight matches to qualify for the 3rd Place Match where he fell by decision 705. In the 215-pound weight class, se-

nior Treyson Rich was tied 7-7 with Canyon View’s Marc Richardson in the semifinals when Richardson pinned him in the second period. Rich pinned his consolation opponent and then fell by pin in the 3rd Place Match (3:33).

Chase Allen’s brother, senior Tavin Allen, in his first year wrestling, placed sixth after wrestling back following a quarterfinal loss. Allen (126) dropped a close 9-8 decision in the 5th Place Match to place sixth.

At 190 pounds, sophomore Gabe

SPORTS PREDICTIONS

Baseball history at Morgan High School

• Started in 1948.

• They hold only one state championship: 1951 with a record of 21-1, with coach Kent Murdock.

• They have 6 region championship titles for the following years: 1950,1951,1952,1959,1966,1969, and 2009.

• The program paused in 1982-1991 for ten seasons.

• The program started up again in 1992.

• They have had 24 coaches.

The current team will play Green Canyon on March 5 and March 7, then

March 5 - Bonneville 6:00 pm

March 7 - Carbon 6:00 pm

March 12 - Judge Memorial 7:00 pm

March 14 - at Ridgeline 6:30 pm

March 18 - at Fremont 5:00 pm

March 21 - at Juan Diego 6:00 pm

March 26 - North Sanpete 6:00 pm

Toone earned sixth place. He fell in the quarterfinal match but put together two consolation victories to enter the placing rounds. He dropped an 11-5 decision in the 5th Place Match.

Exiting the tournament in the blood round were Ezra Cadena (215) 3-2 loss by decision, Skyler Crowther (157) loss by Major Decision (10-2); Joseph Belinski (150) loss by Major Decision (80), Maverick Guymon (138) loss by decision (4-0). l

By Daniel Mudrow

Kanab and Gunnison on March 9, with games against Providence Hall, and Beaver on March 8.

This is my prediction for this baseball rankings this season:

1 - Grantsville

2 - Morgan

3 - Ogden

4 - Union

5 - South Summit

6 - Ben Lomond

This is my prediction for MHS baseball this season:

• Morgan will have 21 wins and 4 losses, but in each game, they will turn up!

March 29 - at Mountain View 4:30 pm

April 9 - at Ogden 6:00 pm

April 11 - Ben Lomond 6:00 pm

April 16 - at Grantsville 6:00 pm

April 18 - at Ben Lomond 6:00 pm

April 23 - at Grantsville 6:00 pm

April 25 - Ogden 6:00 pm

BOYS VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

SOPHOMORE JAKE HANSEN looks for a passing lane amidst three Judge Memorial players on Sat. Feb. 17.

Photo by McKenzie Hansen

DREW KORTH won his second state championship with a 1610 decision.

SOPHOMORE LUKE WOOLSEY placed second in the 132-pound bracket. Woolsey dominated his opening rounds at the tournament.

Photos by Jessica Jorgensen

WHAT TO WATCH

Jenniffer Wardell is an award-winning movie critic and member of the Utah Film Critics Association. Find her on Twitter at @wardellwriter or drop her a line at themovieguruslc@gmail.com.

‘Ordinary Angels’ serious and tense, while ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ mostly silly

By Jenniffer Wardell

The Movie Guru

Ordinary Angels (in theaters)

Stories about sick kids can be hopeful, but they can also be really stressful.

That’s definitely the case with this weekend’s “Ordinary Angels,” which is based on a true story. The movie can feel very hopeful at times, in large part thanks to a stubborn woman who won’t take no for an answer. It’s also incredibly stressful, doing such a good job of capturing the leads’ emotions that you’re always right there in the moment with them. Even if you look up news articles in advance to know what happens, there will still be whole stretches of the movie where your heart is in your throat.

The story starts with Ed Schmitt (Alan Ritchson), who just lost his wife and whose youngest daughter suffers from a rare illness. Then we meet Sharon Stevens (Hilary Swank), an alcoholic salon owner who doesn’t want to admit she has a problem. When Stevens first reads about the sick little girl in her community, she decides she’ll stop at nothing to get the

family the help they need.

The result is gratifyingly more complex than either the average Christian or crusading hero story. The movie’s approach to faith is subtle and occasionally touching, making it feel far more lived-in than preachy. The crusading hero also clearly needs saving herself, and is forced to look at her own reasoning without the movie taking away from the impact of what she accomplished. When you add in excellent performances from both Ritchson and Swank, you get a movie that’s almost an ordinary little miracle of its own.

Grade: Three stars Drive-Away Dolls (in theaters)

“Drive-Away Dolls” isn’t quite the movie the trailers make it seem.

Yes, there is crime. Yes, that crime is sometimes very funny. But the movie is more like “The Big Lebowski” than “Fargo,” with the hedonistic, often goofy vibes mostly overwhelming any criminal feel. There’s also a lot of lesbian sex throughout, most of it fairly graphic and all of it enthusiastic.

The plot follows two young lesbians who want to

From

get out of the city after a frustrating couple of days. They borrow a car to head down to Florida, accidentally taking valuable cargo in the process. While criminals hunt them down to retrieve the items, the girls take a long, meandering road trip and learn some valuable life lessons along the way.

Like any road trip, there’s fun to be had. The main cast is all excellent company, particularly the leads. Margaret Qualley is charming as free-spirited Jamie and Geraldine Viswanathan is endearing as the easily-worried Marian. Of the supporting cast, Bill Camp and Beanie Feldstein are particularly bright lights.

Still, the scattershot story can sometimes get too meandering. The movie has severe pacing issues, moving far too slowly in the beginning and far too fast later on. I like these girls, but I’d like them even better if the plot had focused in a little quicker. Take 20 minutes from the first half and add it to the second half, when things get interesting, and “Drive-Away Dolls” would be a road trip really worth taking.

Grade: Two and a half stars

Lisa’s Kitchen: Heavenly ‘Swig’ cookies

Utah, renowned for boasting the “best snow on earth” and being the proud home of five extraordinary national parks, has more to offer than meets the eye. Beyond its natural wonders, the state harbors a distinctive culinary culture, with treats like fry sauce, green jello, and the cherished “Swig” cookie capturing the hearts of locals and visitors alike. This delectable delight is characterized by its distinct crinkly edges, a result of a carefully flattened dough ball. Its popularity extends far beyond the state borders, making it a must-try for those with a sweet tooth.

Hicks Haven

By Lisa Hicks

INGREDIENTS

Cookies:

1 C Butter – room temp

3/4 C Vegetable Oil

1 1/4 C Sugar

3/4 C Powdered Sugar

2 T Sour Cream

2 Eggs – room temp

1 t Vanilla Extract

5 1/2 C Flour (not compacted)

1/2 t Baking Powder

1/2 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Salt

Frosting:

3/4 C Butter – room temp

2 T Sour Cream

1 t Vanilla Extract

6 C Powdered Sugar (not compacted)

2 - 3 T Milk

DIRECTIONS

Cookie:

In a bowl (or mixer with paddle attachment) add butter, oil, sugar and powdered sugar. Mix until very creamy (1-2 min.) scraping sides of bowl down. Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla and continue to mix till well combined (2 min.)

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gently add the flour mixture into the creamy mixture and mix until evenly combined. Do not over mix.

Scoop dough out and roll into round balls (about 3 T size) and place onto a parchment paper covered baking tray. Add about 1/4 C granulated sugar to a shallow bowl. Lightly spray the bottom of a flat bottom drinking glass – then dip the bottom of the glass into the sugar. Press each cookie ball into an even thickness of 3/8”, re-dipping the bottom of the glass into the dish of sugar between each press. Pressing will cause the edges to ruffle (creating the iconic crinkle). Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for nine minutes – the center will look slightly underbaked. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool before transferring to a rack.

Frosting:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sour cream and vanilla until thick and smooth (2 min.). Add milk and powdered sugar and mix until creamy (scraping down the sides of the bowl). If needed, add additional milk to modify the consistency for spreadability (not too thin but not too thick).

Frost the cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles.

*These cookies can be made ahead and frozen wonderfully. Place cookies on a baking tray, freeze and then place in an airtight container. If layering, place a piece of parchment or wax paper between.

Credit for photo ©Lionsgate

Dr. Jared R. Heaton Board Certified Dermatologist

Jared Heaton is an attentive and thorough dermatologist & MOHs surgeon, serving his patients in Bountiful, Centerville, North Salt Lake, Woods Cross, Farmington, Kaysville and West Bountiful.

Dr. Heaton is board-certified in dermatology and is currently a member of the American Society of MOHs Surgeons.

Dr. Heaton prides himself in serving all patient populations and treating all areas of dermatology from children through retirement age. Dr. Heaton performs skin cancer diagnosis and treatment, MOHS surgery, mole exam and removal, acne, warts, cyst removal, spider vein treatment, CO2 laser resurfacing, microneedling and many other skin and cosmetic related procedures.

Dr. Heaton received his undergraduate degree in International Relations with a minor in Asian Studies from Brigham Young University (BYU). He earned his medical degree from Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine (AZCOM) in Glendale, AZ. And completed both his internship and medical residency in Tampa, Florida.

In his spare time, Dr. Heaton enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, vacations to Bear Lake, movies, grilling and spending time with his wife and three children at home in Bountiful.

W 500 S, Ste 210 Bountiful, Utah above Ski ‘N See

Dr. Marc Mitton Board Certified Dermatologist

Marc Mitton is a Utah native and cherishes the opportunity to serve the people of this beautiful state. His passion for dermatology began after receiving his own skin cancer diagnosis as a medical student. He believes that listening and being thorough are the keys to successfully practicing medicine. He specializes in skin cancer detection and removal, rashes, acne, warts and molluscum, as well as several other skin conditions. Dr. Mitton has specific interests in complex dermatological conditions and dermoscopy (the use of a light-based tool for classifying skin lesions and certain rashes). He prioritizes staying up to date on recent research, best medical practices and surgical techniques, and enjoys applying them into his practice.

Dr. Mitton received his undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Utah and graduated with his medical degree from Rocky Vista University in Parker, CO. He completed his intern year of residency at LewisGale Hospital Montgomery in Blacksburg, VA and his dermatology residency at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, PA. His residency provided many opportunities for specialized training including treating potentially life-threatening skin conditions at one of the state’s burn units, training with a nationally-renowned pediatric dermatologist, and countless exposures to rare and difficult-to-treat cases at conferences on a nearweekly basis through Lehigh Valley and the University of Pennsylvania.

In his free time, Dr. Mitton enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids, being outdoors, biking, board games, and especially making weekend breakfasts with specialty pancakes.