The Morgan County News | March 1, 2024

MORGAN COUNTY NEWS

Covering Your Community

Suicide prevention group aims to shine light in the darkness

By Peri Kinder

The founders of Mending Minds Village are advocates for children’s mental health treatments. When Kaden Mattinson’s daughter, Aspen, couldn’t receive therapy or testing for her mental health issues at the age of 6, Mattinson and his wife Megan organized the nonprofit to help children get the help they need to live happy and healthy lives.

Now, Mending Minds Village created the Aspen’s Army suicide prevention peer support group for anyone struggling in Morgan County. The group meets each Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Morgan County Auditorium (48 W. Young Street) to help each other get through life’s tough times.

“The group is going to be a peer support group for suicide prevention, but they’re not going to be like any of your typical peer support groups,” Mattinson said. “We’ve developed the program to be different, to give people a way not do the standard therapeutic suicide support.”

Mattinson said what sets their group apart is the ability to connect as humans. One of the first things attendees do is create a safety plan so if they’re having suicidal thoughts, they know exactly who they can reach out to for help. Then, the group will plan activities they can do together to create bonds of friendship and support.

Thanks to sponsors and grants, the support group and its events are free to attend. However, donations are accepted at Mendingmindsvillage.org

After losing 12 close friends and family members during a six-month time frame, Mattinson is passionate about suicide prevention. He works as an EMT for the county and invites anyone struggling with suicidal ideation to give him a call at 801-259-3312 if they need someone to talk to.

“The most common thing that you hear from survivors of suicide attempts is that they didn’t feel like they had somebody,” he said. “They felt like

there was nobody they could reach out to, or nobody would be there to answer the call.”

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, nearly 50,000 people die from suicide each year in the United States. Utah’s suicide rate is one of the highest in the country with hundreds of people dying each year from suicide.

Mattinson is excited to announce that the June Brothers, a popular Utah band, will perform at the first Mending Minds Village Walk for Life Suicide Prevention Community Walk on June 14. The event will be held at Morgan High School (55 N. Trojan Blvd.) and is sponsored by Raising Canes and Wasatch Peaks Ranch.

The June Brothers, Spencer Oberle and Alex Winitzky, have a personal connection to the issue of suicide prevention and use their platform to bring attention to such a serious mental health crisis.

“We are so honored to be performing for such an important cause," said

lead singer Spencer Oberle, in a media release. “We wish to express our sincere belief that every person on this earth has a unique purpose, and that purpose is crucial to us all. Reach out and lend a hand if you feel someone is in need. Never miss the opportunity to tell those important to you that you love them.”

All proceeds from the Walk for Life event will go toward Mending Minds Village’s suicide prevention programs.

“We are thrilled to have the June Brothers as our headlining act for this year's Walk for Life event," Mattinson said. “Having them play and support the first ever Walk for Life Suicide Prevention walk in Morgan County is sure to set the tone for future walks to come. We are hopeful that this year’s event will show Morgan and the rest of Utah that we are serious when we say no life should be lost to suicide.”

For anyone struggling with suicidal ideation, call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. l

Sexual harassment bill gives victims a voice

By Becky Ginos

UTAH STATE CAPITOL—Sexual harassment in the workplace is often downplayed or ignored by employers. At least 80% of women and 43% of men have experienced some sort of sexual harassment at work and 70% of victims face retaliation after reporting. That harassment perpetuates a cycle of fear and silence. A monumental piece of legislation, HB55 passed out of both the House and Senate last week that would give voice to those victims.

“Only one in three cases are resolved favorably for the victim,” said Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross who is the floor sponsor. “That leaves survivors without recourse. Title VII, which is a federal law, excludes small businesses under 15 employees, leaving countless harassed workers defenseless and denied justice in Utah.”

Utah is proud of its small businesses, Weiler said. “Most of our coworkers, our friends and families work for small businesses and HB55 extends protections to those small business employees.”

“I don’t know a single woman who has not experienced some sort of sexual harassment,” said Rep. Kera Birkeland,

R-Morgan who sponsored HB55. “I talked to House Republican women and all but two had experienced sexual harassment sometime in their life in the workplace.”

Some said it started even before they entered their employment career,

“It was at school or at community events or activities. It’s not OK and too often we just think it’s us. Too often we think that we’re going to

NEWS BREAK

United States-based lunar lander makes historic landing

The “space race” looks a bit different in this century than it did the last. Following a flurry of launches, and sometimes successful landings from other countries, the United States, through the private company, Intuitive Machines, saw the first U.S.-based lunar landing in over 50 years. The lander, named “Odysseus”, landed upright, but tipped shortly thereafter. Notwithstanding this setback, Odysseus is still transmitting data back to Earth and will do so until the solar panels aboard can no longer power the internal systems. The mission of the lander is part of a broader experiment by NASA in anticipation of sending astronauts back to the moon.

World War II ordinance detonated in England

Even though World War II ended almost 80 years ago, the effects are still being felt, in some places more than others. In the southern coastal town of Plymouth, England, an unexploded German bomb from the days of The Blitz was found just last week. During the war, the German Luftwaffe conducted 59 separate raids on Plymouth, killing over a thousand civilians, and wounding thousands more. This bomb, found in a garden, was carried out of the town, and out to sea where it was safely detonated. From 1940 to 1941 Germany dropped over 30,000 tons of bombs on Great Britain, largely to demoralize the citizens, but also to destabilize the British war machine.

U.S. Supreme Court looks at social media

Things are just starting to heat up in the discussion over social media in the United States. Debating laws from Florida and Texas, the United States Supreme Court is trying to decide to what extent free speech is protected on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others. Some argue that the platforms are a modern, “Town square”, and as such, all speech thereon that does not incite to violence is protected under the First Amendment. Others feel that, as these social media sites and applications are owned by private entities, the entities themselves should have the right to govern what is and is not allowed, such as hate speech, or other objectionable content.

Fast-food chain to test

AI menus

The popular fast-food chain, Wendy’s announced that it will be testing a new program of utilizing AI and digital menus to cater to its clientele better. In a recent clarification, Wendy’s leadership said that they would not be testing “surge pricing” as previously thought, but rather, their new digital menus will be able to change their offerings during peak times. This means that throughout the day, the menu offerings will be able to change based on popular items, and can suggest additional items based on hat each customer orders. These new smart menus are expected to be rolled out in a testing phase as soon as next year.

THE ASPEN’S ARMY suicide prevention peer support group meets on Thursday nights at 7 p.m. at the Morgan County Auditorium (48 W. Young Street). Anyone is invited to attend free of charge.

Courtesy of Mending Minds Village

said Birkeland.

REP. KERA BIRKELAND gives a fist bump to 9-year-old Edwin Otterstrom-Young following a press conference detailing HB55 on sexual harassment in the workplace. Birkeland is the sponsor of the bill.

Photo by Becky Ginos

‘Escape from Germany’ tells the true story of missionaries getting out before the war

By Becky Ginos

FARMINGTON—A little known event that took place in Germany in 1939 will soon be recreated on the big screen. “Escape from Germany,” a T.C. Christensen film, tells the story of 79 missionaries who had to escape the country because a war was imminent. However, they were spread across Germany and one missionary was tasked with finding them and getting them out before the German soldiers caught them. The movie opens in theaters on April 11.

“The mission president, Douglas Wood, all of a sudden said they had to get out really quickly because the war is going to start and they can’t get trapped inside the borders,” said Christensen, a Farmington resident. “He assigned one missionary, Elder Norm Seibold, to get them all out. We don’t usually think of ‘one’ in terms of missionaries.”

For some reason he grabbed this guy who had been on the football team and a tough guy, Christensen said. “He said, ‘I’m sending you by yourself. Go up and down the train routes and find them and get them out. And here’s some money because they’re all stranded and they don't know what to do.”

Communication was terrible of course, said Christensen. “All they could do was send a telegram to Stuttgart where there were missionaries. And then whoever's at the telegram station, when they had time, would take the telegram and run down the street to find the house and leave it or give it to them. You don’t know if they’ve even gotten it. It’s terrible to try and do that in a hurry.”

Christensen said to him that’s what makes a great movie. “One guy against the Nazi regime. It’s not even two of them (missionaries). It’s just this one guy trying to figure out how to get all of these elders and get them out. That’s the movie element I wanted.”

Seibold goes to the big train station, he said. “There’s tons of people walking around and he doesn’t know what to do. He thought, ‘I don’t know how to do this job.’”

He gets this idea and stands on his luggage, said Christensen. “He starts whistling “Do what is Right.” It’s a whistle so it kind of permeates through the noise and missionaries start coming

out of the cracks.”

Seibold told them they had to get going, he said. “He told them ‘you’ve got to help me.’ The other missionaries started walking around whistling to find other missionaries.”

The story tells of all they went through trying to escape, Christensen said. “They were starving and got kicked off the train because the Germans would take over the rail system. They had to figure out how to get out.”

The mission president told them to go to Holland, he said. “So they hopped on trains heading for Holland. Everybody (not just missionaries) was being told to go to Holland so within a day it was inundated with refugees and they closed the border.”

All the missionaries were stuck at the border, said Christensen. “They had no money. The mission president

told them to go to Copenhagen. The last missionaries got there on Aug. 31, 1939 and the next morning, Sept. 1 the Germans invaded Poland and the war started.”

It wasn’t good for foreigners or religious groups either, he said. “They could have all landed in jail.”

Christensen is known for his films recreating true stories such as “17 miracles” and “The Fighting Preacher.” “There are so many great stories in our culture and history,” he said. “You can never run out.”

He first heard about the story in 2011 at an SUP (Sons of Utah Pioneers) dinner. “I sat by Frank Swallow who told me about the evacuation of missionaries to get them out of Germany. I thought it was a great story but it would be too expensive for a small filmmaker.”

It kept coming up, said Christensen. “My partners were pushing it but then I started thinking ‘maybe I could do that’ and I got excited about it.”

A woman named Terry Montague had written a book in the 1970s about the escape and interviewed several of the missionaries, he said. “If not for Terry this story would have mostly been lost.”

Christensen said he contacted Montague and purchased the film rights. “I wrote the script and cast it then COVID hit. It was a few months before we started filming. It gave us time to find more descendants, etc. We filmed last May and June.”

It’s a really good story, he said. “That to me is the star of the film. It’s nice to see a good, heartfelt story.” l

IN 1939, ELDER NORM SEIBOLD was assigned to find all the missionaries in Germany and get them out before the war started.

WHAT TO WATCH

‘DUNE: PART TWO’ AN INCREDIBLE SCI-FI EPIC

By Jenniffer Wardell The Movie Guru

It turns out Hollywood hasn’t completely forgotten how to make fantastic, genuinely epic space movies.

“Dune: Part Two” is an incredible, edge-ofyour-seat experience that does everything the recent “Star Wars” movies haven’t. It’s massive in scope, but filled with a ton of more intimate character moments. It’s got great action scenes and largescale political implications. It’ll make you cheer and break your heart. And, since “Dune” is going to be a three-part series, it’s not even done yet.

When we last left Paul Atreides, he and his mother escaped to the desert after House Harkonnen murdered the rest of their people. They were found by the Fremen, the desert dwellers native to the planet, and “Part Two” explores Paul slowly becoming a member of the Fremen people. He and the Fremen wage war against the Harkonnens, while at the same time wrestling with carefully planted prophecies that make him seem like a long-awaited

savior of the people.

All of this seems impossibly large, but Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaights, and an amazing cast make sure it comes across as amazingly personal. Years of political machinations come to life in the relationship between a mother and son, between a man and the woman he loves. World-changing decisions manifest in one-on-one battles, the camera and cast always careful to let you feel everyone’s hope and fear. A newly introduced villain is terrifying not because the script says so, but because you want to back away when you look into his eyes.

Timothée Chalamet is fantastic as Paul, sad and sweet but with enough determination that his growing leadership is no surprise. Rebecca Ferguson is even better as his mother, who loves her son but may prove to be a profound danger to him. Zendaya absolutely kills the expanded role of Chani, a warrior and voice for her people who is battling prophecy as much as the Harkonnens.

Javier Bardem not only brings humor and gravitas to his role as Stilgar, but a personal heft to the movie’s larger questions of faith. Austin Butler

is deeply unsettling as the Harkonnen heir, crafting a character who only needs a closeup to be utterly chilling. Florence Pugh doesn’t get as much screen time as the Emperor’s daughter, but she does enough with it that I’m looking forward to seeing more of her in part three.

The movie tries to keep itself as self-contained as possible, but it’s still very much only the middle of a much larger saga. You get the sense that Villeneuve is actually making a nine-hour film he’s smuggling out a piece at a time, and watching “Dune: Part One” is essential for getting the most out of this one. One day, people will be doing daylong marathons of the “Dune” trilogy the same way they currently do “The Lord of the Rings” movies.

The ending is technically a cliffhanger, but mostly because of the overwhelming sense of unfinished stories. The movie makes a few small but significant tweaks that means the next movie will cover different ground than the books, and I for one am very excited to see where this particular epic is going next.

Grade: Four stars

HB55

from page 1

be ignored or we’re going to be told to just deal with it and grow up. Be a big girl, you know, handle it yourself.”

That just perpetuates it, she said. “We have to stand up and say it’s not OK and we have to be brave enough to do it. We have to have the state sometimes backing us up. You can’t tell a woman who’s in desperate need of a job that she can’t work there unless she signed something saying that if she’s sexually harassed here in Utah, she has to keep quiet as a condition to work. I can’t even believe that was on our books.”

“I think that the concern we’re trying to address is you can have a serial harasser and every case looks like it’s the first time it happened,” said Weiler. “Because I think most businesses and most employers may be more willing to forgive and forget if it’s a first time and the prior eight victims have been silenced. That’s what we’re trying to put a stop to.”

A lot of them would be more willing to come forward if they hear someone else endorse the same treatment at their former place of work but they can’t, said Birkeland. “I hope women and men who otherwise feel silenced feel like they're empowered to speak up. I hope that they come forward and tell people what’s happened to them.”

“I want to emphasize that while this will primarily help women, I do think there are men who are harassed,

maybe by a female supervisor or a male supervisor,” said Weiler. “I’m just saying it might be primarily women that are going to benefit from this but I don't think it’s exclusive.”

HB55 works to combat the statistics of sexual harassment by declaring that all employers should understand harassing an employee is unacceptable. The sponsors ask Congress to update Title VII to:

• Protect all Americans from sexual harassment at work.

• Raise the settlement cap for victims and tie it to inflation – Congress has not raised the cap on sexual harassment settlements since 1991.

• Break the silence. Federal law does not protect a victim from being forced to accept a settlement as terms of employment.

• Set a cancellation window: Helps prevent victims from being silenced by unduly quick settlements.

• End serial abuse – safeguard victims when responding to subpoenas against the same abuser.

“I’m telling you,” said Birkeland. “I have talked to many women who sat down when they got the job and were so excited because they needed the job. Then they’re onboarding and filling out all their paperwork. One of them was if you’re sexually harassed here in the workplace you won’t disclose it and that was a condition to decide to continue their employment. This law gives them a voice.” l

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.

Credit for photo ©Warner Bros.

Two sophomores play role in Morgan boys basketball’s run to state home game

By Brian Shaw

Although the season ended on Morgan’s home floor in the 3A second round to Judge Memorial, the reasons that the Trojans battled back to finish with a 12-12 record were many and varied. Despite only having one senior [Derrick Tilby, more about him in a future issue] the Trojans had eight sophomores who got varsity playing time. One even led the team in rebounding and blocks.

In small-town ball, there’s a saying – name ‘em all or none at all. In the opinion of this writer, it’s a shame that readers don’t always know all of a team’s players. In the next few issues, we’ll share more about each of the Trojans, beginning with two sophomores who worked hard.

Trace Henderson – Mr. Motor:

“Trace has been on the go since day one and hasn’t stopped since! He’s got a special knack for turning anything and everything into a competition. The love for all sports is natural for him; he comes from a family where it runs deep! According to him, he’s by far the favorite kid because ‘he’s the most athletic Henderson.’ When he doesn’t have a ball in his hands or at his feet, you might find him thrifting for the next ‘drippy find’ at the Bins. Trace dreams big and lives loud, and we hope he never stops!” Henderson was listed on the Trojans’ varsity roster for all 24 games and dropped two points on APA West Valley Dec. 19 in an 83-57 win.

Mason Williams – Mr. Workaholic

“ … has always been one to work hard at whatever he tries and is not one to ever, ever give up, even as a little boy. Mason lives up to the quote, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough

get going. He is the ‘tough.’” He is the one you want when you have a hard, ugly job to do because he will be with you to the end to finish it. He doesn’t let his emotions get too high or too low and stays even keel. He is such a fun kid to be around and has a great sense of humor. He has never been a kid to play video games much or want screen time;

he has always wanted to have a ball in his hand or be on an adventure with his many buddies every single second he can. He makes friends easily and values his friendships greatly. These traits have centered Mason around sports most of his life and these traits plus his long, physical stature have helped him grow in basketball over the last three years.

He couldn’t be prouder to be a Trojan basketball player and he works so hard to be the best he can be!” Williams led his team in rebounding [6.3 RPG] and set a school record with 32 blocks [1.33 BPG].

More about other Morgan boys basketball players, next week. l

Rough preseason readied Lady Trojans for run in region play

By Brian Shaw

Nobody would ever say the preseason for the Morgan Lady Trojans was easy.

In fact, it was anything but for the depending 3A champions – but it got them ready for region play.

A preseason that handed Morgan a record of two wins and 10 losses wasn’t enough for the Lady Trojans to cave, however.

Morgan tipped off the Region 13 season with a rousing 62-51 win at Ogden – then gave No. 1 ranked Grantsville a battle before falling by the score of 58-71 Jan. 11.

Until the next time that the two 3A powers met on Jan. 30, the Lady Trojans would reel off five straight

victories before taking a 51-63 loss at Grantsville.

Both losses to the Cowboys – who would finish in third place in all of 3A at this year’s state tournament – would mark the only blemishes on the Lady Trojans’ Region 13 slate.

For Morgan, senior guard Kaydence Wardell was the team’s spirit animal. When head coach Sterling Mack had something to say, it was often Wardell who was first to receive the instruction.

The senior led the charge for the Lady Trojans, as she led the team in both assists and steals and often had as many steals as points.

In what turned out to be the season finale at Juab in the 3A second round, Wardell left the court in her final game as a Lady Trojan with arguably her finest performance yet: 10 points, eight

steals, and five rebounds. Of those eight steals at Juab’s Pit, Wardell had six of them by halftime.

Abby Titus was another mainstay who like Wardell was more of a role player last year during the Lady Trojans’ 3A title run. But this year saw the senior big average 10.9 points per game, best on Morgan.

Leah Birkeland was another senior leader for the Lady Trojans; she averaged about six points per game and served as a reliable force inside throughout the season, scoring a season-high 11 points in four games.

Considering that Leah scored a total of 11 points during last year’s championship run, it was a major improvement on the 5-foot-9-inch senior’s part. Senior Ashlyn Noss averaged about four points an outing for Morgan, who

graduated six seniors—Audrey Fisher and Lillian Tatton included.

In this new era of name, image, and likeness for high school student-athletes it’s always hard to tell who remains for the next school year.

But, if Eva Birkeland stays put it’s likely Morgan’s second-leading scorer [9.7 points per game] and key sharpshooter [48 threes, this season] blossoms even more. Combine that with bigs who got plenty of playing time in juniors Keira Brewer [4.7], Alexis, and Ashley Burt [2.0], and add sophomore Kamry Wardell [1.1] with freshman Makayla Williams [0.5] to the mix and next year’s Trojans may have plenty to say. l

SOPHOMORE MASON WILLIAMS gets ready to box out his opponent during Morgan's 49-59 loss to Judge Memorial in the 3A second round, Feb. 17.

Photo by McKenzie Hansen

Society benefits by giving girls and women a bigger leadership voice

By Kerry Angelbuer

Hundreds of studies suggest that having both feminine and masculine views in leadership meetings can result in better problem solving and decision making. Some of the strengths women bring to the leadership table include the ability to think more holistically, to look for win-win situations rather than win-lose, and to better read the non-verbal cues in those they are collaborating with.

Susan Madsen, Ph.D. and founder of A Bolder Way Forward, said that often female leaders are seen more positively by employees and women leaders encourage more attention to the impacts on the community and world rather than the more linear thinking of their male counterparts. It is not just in the interest of girls and women, but of all of society to give them a bigger more meaningful leadership voice. One woman in an allmale leadership is not enough, she said. Three or more, or even better, an equal amount would be the better goal.

“Start young empowering the girls in your life,” said Madsen. Instead of complementing them on their looks,

note their competencies and unique internal gifts.

Utah lags behind almost all the states in protecting their girls and

woman from physical/sexual abuse and gender discrimination. Additionally, she said Utah ranks “as the worst state for women’s equality and having low levels of women’s leadership representation in nearly all domains, including business and politics.”

“Although the needle has moved slightly in a few areas, with its current trajectory, it will take two, three, or even four decades to make notable progress,” said Madsen. “It is time for Utah to embrace a Bolder Way Forward (BWF).”

Instead of waiting decades, Madsen wants to see meaningful changes by 2030, with a check point in 2026. The framework for the Bolder Way Forward includes 18 spokes encompassing education, workplace equity, health and wellbeing, community engagement and importantly, safety and security. It is not OK for the norm to be sexual harassment, lower wages, widespread domestic violence, lower rates of college completion, ignoring basic health care, and allowing women to take a more subservient role in work, church, and the family, she said.

“It is an uphill battle,” said Madsen, but by systematically combining all the

pro-women efforts throughout the state, real progress can be achieved.

Madsen is an endowed professor of leadership in the School of Business at Utah State University. She is considered a global leader in speaking and researching about leadership and women. She has written multiple books, articles and chapters and has been asked to speak and train locally, nationally and internationally. A mother of four and a grandmother of six, she works long hours, constantly brainstorming ways to make a more equitable, safe world for her female posterity and others. She feels this work is her calling and often volunteers her time and resources to further her pro-women agenda. She speaks on the radio, has a newsletter with a large subscriber base, and hosts two different podcasts. Madsen has a strong, credible voice and is often mentioned in newspaper articles advocating for fair treatment of women. Though she finds all the attention humbling at times, she feels empowered by the mission of the BWF which is “to make Utah a place where more girls and women can thrive in any setting (e.g., home, workplace, congregation, and community).” l

By Peri Kinder

It’s been more than 20 years since the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency introduced the idea to build a fiber optic network with an investment from several cities in the state. Now those cities are considered pioneers for having the foresight to predict the need for high-speed internet connectivity for residents.

UTOPIA Fiber has demonstrated 14 years of consecutive growth, with the company releasing its 2023 numbers that include five new city buildouts and more than 62,000 subscribers. Last year, the fiber-optic company installed 1.5 million linear feet of underground conduit and 2.7 million linear feet of fiber-optic cable, and it connected more than 23,000 new homes and 1,270 businesses.

“This past year has been one of UTOPIA Fiber’s best yet,” said Roger Timmerman, UTOPIA Fiber executive director. “By partnering with communities across Utah and the West, we’ve built vital infrastructure that aims to ensure residents and businesses benefit from fast, reliable, and affordable fiber internet connectivity, while leveraging UTOPIA’s expertise and proven track record in efficient network operation, maintenance, and exceptional customer service.”

Morgan City’s UTOPIA infrastructure build-out was completed in February 2020, right before the pandemic shutdown changed the way the world communicates.

“That city would have been decimated during COVID because of lack of connectivity,” said Kim McKinley, chief marketing officer of UTOPIA Fiber. “When Mayor [Ray] Little was

sitting up there, making the choice for fiber for his community, he had no idea how that would change his community’s trajectory in a big way.”

Since 2009, UTOPIA Fiber has designed, built, and financed nearly half-a-billion dollars worth of community broadband projects in Utah and the Intermountain West. While UTOPIA Fiber doesn’t provide internet services, it builds out the infrastructure with an “open access” model that allows private service providers to tap into the system.

“Utopia wouldn’t be here unless the community stood up and said what they wanted in their community, and I never knew the power of your voice until I’ve been to some of these city council meetings where people want fiber and understand how that really can direct the city’s future,” McKinley said. “So it’s been a great ride. It’s a new UTOPIA and we’re here to see what 2024 brings. We’re always up for a challenge.”

Timmerman said UTOPIA Fiber’s growth has been spurred by residents and city officials who were tired of waiting for fast internet to become available in their communities.

“They took the matter into their own hands, correctly characterizing fiber as vital infrastructure and demanding more choice and affordable pricing,” he said. “We continually build networks that deliver among the fastest speeds in the United States, consistent reliability, and the freedom to choose your own Internet Service Provider, most of which are fantastic local Utah companies themselves.”

For more information, visit UTOPIAFiber.com. l

SUSAN R. MADSEN, PH. D. is the founder of A Bolder Way Forward, an initiative to help more Utah women and girls thrive.

Courtesy photo

Courtesy of

SENIOR CITIZEN SPOTLIGHT

John R. and Kristine Sommers

By Olivia Wilde

Kristine is the daughter of L. Keith Johanson and Grace Lythgoe Johanson. John is the son of John J. Sommers and Lucille Bates Sommers. Kristine is Morgan born and raised where her only venture outside of Morgan County was a year and a half in Superior, Nebraska where John began his career after graduating from the University of Utah. John lived in Devil’s Slide from a newborn until about 18 months old when his father John J. Sommers was transferred from the Devil’s Slide Plant of Ideal Cement Company to the plant in Trident, Montana. John lived there for a year and a half until just after he turned 14 when his father was again transferred back to the Devil’s Slide Plant. Both Kris and John graduated from Morgan High School (“Go Trojans!”).

About a year after John returned from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the East Central States Mission (Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia), Kris was spending the day with John’s sister and when they came to the house, a relationship started that has lasted over 53 years (51+ of them married). Kris and John were married in June of 1972 in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After that, they packed up their belongings and moved to the small town of Superior, Nebraska where John began his career in the cement industry. Their family began in 1974 with the birth of their first child, Shari Sommers Carter. The family continued to grow with three boys – John K., Cameron S., and Barry L., then their youngest, a daughter, Shannon. The five children then grew into a family of 30 with 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Now, two of the grandkids are married.

John worked in the cement industry from gradua-

tion from college (actually working there as a summer employee for three summers prior) for over 41 years before his retirement in June 2013. Kris was mainly a very involved mother whose jobs included being the first PTA President of the middle school. She also started a dance instruction program that she taught for eight years. Both Kris and John have been active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities in five different congregations and four different buildings all while residing in the house purchased in 1976. When their children were growing up, John enjoyed coaching them in soccer, baseball, and basketball. He also attended Scout Camp for nine years and with an assignment on the Stake High Council, attended Girl’s Camp for five years.

Kris and her sister Jennifer (Johanson) George started a business of silk flower arranging called Never-Wilt Plants. Kris also designed a laundry bag that she patented and sold for over 20 years in her business called M.O.M. & Company (Mothers of Missionaries). She has also written several songs and has her

own YouTube Channel (Kristine Sommers Music) that features some of those songs.

Kris and John have traveled to many places at home and abroad during their lives. They have been to Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, and Canada. John has been to every state in the USA except seven all while maintaining the best trips have been to Yellowstone and the Tetons. They began taking two grandchildren a year for the “Yellowstone Trip” and continue to do so, with only three trips left to get all 16 grandchildren some very special alone time with Grandma and Grandpa.

One of the highlights of their lives was the opportunity to be involved in an international cement industry conference. When the new plant at Devil’s Slide was complete, this conference met in Salt Lake City and John was asked to be the Local Chair of that conference. Kris was so gracious to accept the role of Chair of the Spouse Program and between them produced the premier conference for that organization. They continued their involvement with the conference for 18 years with John ending up on the Executive Committee and Kris enjoying the trips all around the country. They spent many hours on the road traveling to Pullman, Washington to see their daughters Shannon and Shari and family there and then went the opposite direction to see their son and his family in Ramona, California. They were so happy a little over five years ago when they all moved back to Utah.

“We love living in Morgan and comment almost every time we enter Weber Canyon that it is so nice to be going to our lovely home in Morgan and getting away from all the ‘stuff’ down below. The views are tremendous and we never tire of them,” said the Sommers. “The people in Morgan are wonderful and the pace of life is one we love. In our minds, there is no other place we would like to live than in Morgan.”

Courtesy photo

EDUCATION SCHOOL MENU

Morgan & Mtn. Green Elementary Breakfast

Monday, March 4

Breakfast burrito, Cereal Variety

ORANGES HALVES, Sliced

Peaches

Tuesday, March 5

French Toast Sticks, Hashbrown Triangles, Cereal Variety, Orange Juice, Fruit Cocktail

Wednesday, March 6

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, Pop Tart (Whole Grain), Cereal Variety Strawberry Cup, Blueberries

Thursday, March 7

Donut Hole,Yogurt, high protein Cereal Variety, Pineapple Tidbits

Pears

Friday, March 8

Eggo Mini Pancakes, Cereal Variety, Mandarin Oranges, Applesauce Morgan & Mtn. Green Middle & HS Breakfast

Monday, March 4

Breakfast burrito, Cereal Variety ORANGES HALVES, Sliced

Peaches

Tuesday, March 5

French Toast Sticks, Hashbrown Triangles, Cereal Variety

Orange Juice, Fruit Cocktail

Wednesday, March 6

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, Pop Tart (Whole Grain), Cereal Variety

Strawberry Cup, Blueberries

Thursday, March 7

Donut Hole, Yogurt, high protein Cereal Variety, Pineapple Tidbits

Pears

Friday, March 8

Eggo Mini Pancakes, Cereal Variety, Mandarin Oranges, Applesauce Morgan & Mtn. Green Elementary Lunch

Monday, March 4

Chicken Fillet Patty, Wheat Bun

Waffle Fries, Carrots and celery cup, Pears, Fruit Cocktail, Slushie Cup

Tuesday, March 5

Taco shell crisp 2, Taco Meat

Cheddar Cheese 1 oz, Black Beans, Corn, Peaches, Applesauce, Chocolate Chip Cookie

Wednesday, March 6

Orange Chicken, Brown Rice Broccoli Normandy, Edamame Mandarin Oranges, Blueberries

Snickerdoodle Cookie

Thursday, March 7

Mini Calzone, Cucumber Slices,Grape Tomatoes, Pineapple Tidbits, Apple Wedges, Double Chocolate Chip Cookie

Friday, March 8

French Toast Sticks, Sausage Links, Hashbrown Triangles

Sweet Thing Puff, Orange Juice

Strawberry Cup, Yogurt, high protein Morgan

Middle Lunch

Monday, March 4

Turkey Deli Slice, Wheat Bun

Chicken Caesar Salad, Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese, Wheat Roll Broccoli, Baby Carrots, Fruit Cocktail, Applesauce, Apples, Oranges Snack pack Pudding

Tuesday, March 5

Pulled Pork, Wheat Bun, Chicken Fillet Sandwich, Baby Carrots

Waffle Fries, Applesauce Sliced Peaches, Apples, Oranges Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wednesday, March 6

Chicken Drummers, Popcorn

Chicken, BLT Salad, Wheat Roll Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

French Fries, Fruit Cocktail, Sliced Peaches, Apples, Oranges, Gelatin

Thursday, March 7

Chicken Alfredo, Mini Corn Dogs

Chicken Caesar Salad, Bread stick 1ww, Tater Tots, Peas, Baby Carrots, Pears, Blueberries, Apples Oranges, Applesauce Cookie

Friday, March 8

Pepperoni Cheese Ripper, Chicken Strips / Choice, French Fries

Baby Carrots, Cucumber Slices,Grape Tomatoes, Strawberry Cup, Mandarin Oranges, Apples Oranges, Pumpkin Cake

Mtn. Green

Middle Lunch

Monday, March 4

Chicken Nuggets, Corn Dogs

Chicken Caesar Salad, Macaroni and Cheese, Broccoli, Baby Carrots, Fruit Cocktail, Applesauce

Apples, Oranges, Snack pack

Pudding

Tuesday, March 5

Pulled Pork, Wheat Bun, Chicken Fillet Sandwich, Baby Carrots

Waffle Fries, Applesauce, Sliced

Peaches, Apples, Oranges

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wednesday, March 6

Chicken Fillet Patty, Country Gravy

Popcorn Chicken, BLT Salad

Wheat Roll, Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans, French Fries

Fruit Cocktail, Sliced Peaches

Apples, Oranges, Gelatin

Thursday, March 7

Chicken Alfredo, Mini Corn Dogs

Chicken Caesar Salad, Bread stick 1ww, Tater Tots, Peas, Baby Carrots, Pears, Blueberries, Apples Oranges, Applesauce Cookie

Friday, March 8

Pepperoni Cheese Ripper, Chicken Strips / Choice, French Fries

Baby Carrots, Corn, Celery Sticks

Strawberry Cup, Mandarin Oranges, Apples, Oranges, Creamie Jr.

Morgan High Lunch

Monday, March 4

Taco Soup, Tortilla Strips, Cheddar

Cheese, Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Caesar Salad, Wheat Roll

French Fries, Broccoli Florets

Baby Carrots, Fruit Cocktail

Applesauce, Apples, Oranges

Snack pack Pudding

Tuesday, March 5

Pulled Pork, Wheat Bun, Chicken Fillet Sandwich, Wheat Roll

Baby Carrots, Waffle Fries

Applesauce, Sliced Peaches, Apples, Oranges, Chocolate Chip

Cookies

Wednesday, March 6

Chicken Fillet Patty, Country Gravy

Popcorn Chicken, BLT Salad

Wheat Roll, Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans, French Fries

Fruit Cocktail, Sliced Peaches

Apples, Oranges, Gelatin

Thursday, March 7

Chicken Alfredo, Mini Corn Dogs

Chicken Caesar Salad, Bread stick 1ww, Tater Tots, Peas, Baby Carrots, Pears, Blueberries, Apples Oranges, Pumpkin Cake

Friday, March 8

Pepperoni Cheese Ripper, Chicken Strips / Choice, Wheat Roll

French Fries, Baby Carrots

Cucumber Slices,Grape Tomatoes

Mixed Berry Cup (frozen), Mandarin Oranges, Apples, Oranges

Applesauce Cookie

Recognition Assembly and SBO activities

By Ethan Hoffmann

On

Feb. 23, the SBOs had a SunnyD day during both first and second lunch. As the poster read, “Join our year with some sunshine!” The event was a huge success.

On Feb. 27, Taely Platt was pre-

sented with an honorary Student Body Officer jacket. During a school-wide assembly, she was recognized for her incredible leadership skills and hard work behind the scenes. “This is a very hard reward to get,” said Makenna Terry, the SBO Historian. “And she has proven she deserves it. We love her and she is amazing!” l

THE MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL SBOS pose for a picture in the auditorium.

STUDENTS ENJOY a cup of juice during lunch.

THE TABLES WERE covered in cups of SunnyD.

THE SBOS WORK busily to prepare the SunnyD for passing students. Courtesy photos

MOUNTAIN GREEN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT REPORT

Submitted by the Mountain Green Fire Protection District

the pack, blocking to protect the scene from speeding vehicles. PLEASE SLOW DOWN when passing by incident scenes where we

Our less-experienced drivers continue to struggle in slippery conditions in Weber Canyon. A 16-yearold hit the barrier and rolled twice landing on their wheels, just prior to the power plant on I-84 the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 27.

Windshield was destroyed, airbag deployed in rollover, patient sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported by South Weber A1 and Medic 1. Initially, she

This is what happens when a moose strikes your vehicle, which happened earlier this week on Old Highway. The moose was struck by one car and crashed into the windshield, bounced off, and was struck by another car in the opposite direction.

Mountain Green Engine 131 & Squad 131 responded and assessed and treated the driver of the car that the moose almost went through the windshield. Fortunately, the driver only received a cut on the hand. The other vehicle’s occupants denied injury. Almost a ton of moose could have caused very serious injuries.

Beautiful day for…an ICE RESCUE! Ok, ok, Ice Rescue TRAINING. Mountain Green volunteer firefighters joined North Summit firefighters and Davis County firefighters at Echo Lake State Park. Mountain Green Firefighter AEMT Marc Giauque was lead instructor. This exceptional training was prompted by our MG firefighters

was stuck in the car but a passerby wrenched the door open. Two nurses passing by in different cars stopped and rendered aid before Fire Department arrival. Weber Fire District Engine 64 provided initial care and commanded the scene. Mountain Green Fire Engine131 blocked for the units on the scene and assisted UHP with traffic control.

responding to a deer in Wilkinson Reservoir last winter. We realized if that had been a child, we were ill-equipped for ice rescue. We now have the ice suits, sleds, and safety gear for one of our Ice Rescue Technicians to enter the ice safely while others remain on shore.

OBITUARY

Margaret Mae Antczak

Margaret Mae Antczak (Marge), 94, Morgan Utah.

Marge peacefully passed away Feb. 17th, 2024, in South Ogden, Utah surrounded by loved ones.

She was born the fourth of 10 children to Fred Edward and Gladys Clara Crossman Leachliter in Boone, Iowa.

She met and married Dale Snedden and had three children, Dennis, Janet, and Thomas. The family later moved to Ogden Utah, they later divorced.

Marge then met and married Max Antczak. They lived in Ogden and Salt Lake, eventually moving to Mesa, Arizona; they later divorced. After spending many years in Arizona, Marge decided to move to Morgan, Utah in 1998 to be closer to her son Dennis.

Marge spent most of her working life in the retail and grocery industry where she held many different jobs within the stores. She worked for Kroger/Smith's for many years between Arizona and Utah before retiring. After retirement, Marge decided she wasn’t done working and went back to work for Ridley's Family Market in Morgan. She worked several more years until she was in her 80s when she finally decided to hang up the reins on her working life. She loved working in the local grocery store where she created lasting friendships in the community.

Marge loved to crochet, knit, needlepoint, sew, and make patch quilts, and afghans of which so many of her family members and friends were the lucky recipients of. Her beautiful creations will be treasured forever by those who love her. Marge loved to watch Major League Baseball, her favorite team was the New York Yankees. She loved Aaron Judge and knew all of his statistics.

Marge took pride in helping and doing things for her family as she was always cooking someone a meal or making them a quilt or afghan. Her hands never stopped, and her mind was always sharp.

She was extremely proud of her numerous grandkids and great-grandkids. She

SPORTS PREDICTIONS

Baseball Schedule

• March 5 - Green Canyon.

• March 7 - Kanab, 8 p.m.

• March 8 - Providence Hall @ Kanab, 11 a.m.

• March 8 - Beaver @ Kanab 3 p.m.

• March 9 - Gunnison @ Kanab 8 a.m.

• March 13 - Summit Academy.

• March 14 - @ Bear River.

• March 19 - @Bonneville.

• March 20 - Judge.

• March 22 - Delta.

• March 25 - @Grantsville.

• March 27 - Grantsville.

• March 29 - Roy.

• April 2 - Union, 3:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.

• April 3 - North Sevier.

• April 9 - South Summit.

• April 11 - @ South Summit.

• April 15 - Providence Hall.

• April 16 - @ Ben Lomond.

• April 18 - Ben Lomond.

• April 23 - Ogden.

• April 24 - @ American Leadership Academy.

• April 25 - @Ogden.

loved spending quality time with them.

She is survived by her children Dennis, Tom (Sue), and Janet, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Brody (Andi) and Brewer; Ashley (Doug) and Kyla and Jayden; Lance (Niomi) and Isaiah, Alexandra, Farrah and Landon; Brad (Julie) and Brittany, Taylor; Jason (Nikkol); Brett (Miesha), Cade and Caylie; Bailey and Kylie; and Marge’s sister Cathy.

She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers Don, Chuck, Marv, and Bob, and four sisters Ruth, Shirley, Doris, and Karen, also her granddaughter Tracie Byer and great-granddaughter Addison.

The family would like to thank Mary, Hallie, and the staff at Independence Home Health and Hospice for the care and compassion shown to Marge in her final days. The love and care you showed her and our family is greatly appreciated.

Upon Marge’s wishes, no services will be held.

By Daniel Mudrow

Spring state championships

2022

21 2013 2023

MOUNTAIN GREEN FIREFIGHTER Mike Olsen with the onshore crew.

Photo credit: Mountain Green Fire Protection District Facebook

CREW FROM WEBER ENGINE 64, South Weber Ambulance 1 and Medic 1 prepare the stretcher for transport.

MG ENGINE 131 at the back of

are working.

ENGINEER KARL ABBOTT is one of our newly trained Ice Rescuers.

MOUNTAIN GREEN ROOKIE Firefighter Viv Widmier waits her turn on the ice.

Monday

So You Think You Can Dance

(13) KSTU 8 p.m.

This Season 18 premiere welcomes a new format, where the top 10 compete in dance challenges that replicate a real career from music videos to football halftime shows. Judges Allison Holker, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Comfort Fedoke return. Cat Deeley hosts.

NCIS: Hawai’i

(2) KUTV 9 p.m.

Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey), the leader of NCIS Pearl Harbor, has an unenviable task. She must balance her duty to both family and country while investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel alongside a team of specialists.

Tuesday FBI (2) KUTV 7 p.m.

During this Season 6 premiere episode, the agents face a devastatingly fatal bus explosion that takes the lives of several innocent people, forcing the group to jump into action and quickly take down the terrorist organization responsible for the crime.

The Rookie (4) KTVX 8 p.m.

“Rookie” LAPD officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) is less of a rookie at this point, but understands the needs of new partner, Officer Celina Juarez (Lisseth Chavez). But while she is enthusiastic, she wants to solve the disappearance of her sister.

Wednesday

Survivor (2) KUTV 7 p.m.

For host Jeff Probst, it’s back to Fiji’s beautiful Mamanuca Islands for a new season of this reality television staple. With $1 million at stake, another group of 18 castaways do whatever it takes to outwit, outlast and outplay their peers.

Not Dead Yet

(4) KTVX 7:30 p.m.

It’s not over yet … During the premiere of this series’ second season, Lexi’s (Lauren Ash) father and owner of the SoCal Independent, Duncan (Brad Garrett), comes into the office and forms a bond with Nell (Gina Rodriguez), much to Lexi’s dismay.

Wild Cards

(30) KUCW 8 p.m.

Going undercover as an unhappy married couple, Max (Vanessa Morgan) and

TELEVISION GUIDE

Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti) visit a wellness retreat run by a bestselling author and therapist who was just murdered. They hope to find a killer and a decent couples massage.

Thursday

CBS News: State of the Union

2024 (2) KUTV 7 p.m.

Love him, loathe him or find him somewhat benign, Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States, addresses the nation with his State of the Union. From inflation and infrastructure to healthcare and climate change, the U.S. has a lot on its plate.

Law & Order (5) KSL 9 p.m.

In the criminal justice system, people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The police and the district attorneys must work together as, in the wake of a murder on campus, the line between free speech and hate speech is examined.

Friday

WWE Friday Night SmackDown

(13) KSTU 7 p.m.

Friday nights pair perfectly with a smackdown. This brand-new episode hits the ring, joining as dueling superstars from the WWE do battle in elaborate, two-hour showdowns broadcast in real time, allowing wrestlers to work out long-running rivalries.

Blue Bloods

Saturday

Beverly Hills Cop

AMC 10:45 a.m.

When a childhood friend is murdered, rebellious Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) pursues the murderers to Beverly Hills, Calif. Under the guise of a vacation, Axel joins forces with two local detectives (Judge Reinhold, John Ashton).

Hunting Housewives

LIFE 6 p.m.

A planned girls getaway turns terrifying when their plane crashes into the wilderness, leaving four housewives stranded. Their circumstance turns deadly when they discover they’re being hunted for sport and must work together to escape with their lives.

Sunday The Oscars

(4) KTVX 5 p.m.

If you weren’t nominated for an Oscar this year, the next best thing is to watch it from your couch. “American Fiction,” “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “Maestro,” “Killers of the Flower Moon” and several other films vie for Best Picture. Jimmy Kimmel hosts.

The Regime

HBO 7 p.m.

Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant star in this intensely serious political satire that depicts a year within a collapsing authoritarian regime. As things unravel around her, Chancellor Elena Vernham (Winslet) seeks help from outside her inner circle.

Tuesday

(13) KSTU 7 p.m.

The Cleaning Lady

Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant star in this intensely serious political satire that depicts a year within a collapsing authoritarian regime. As things unravel around her, Chancellor (Winslet) seeks help from outside her

After a one-and-a-half-year hiatus, “The Cleaning Lady” returns to Fox Tuesday, March 5. Season 3 sees the return of Thony De La Rosa (Élodie Yung), and the introduction the mother and father from whom Arman Morales (Adan Canto) is estranged: Teresa Morales (Jacqueline Obradors) and Eduardo Morales (Jason Manuel Olazabal).

Celebrity Profile

By Jay Bobbin TV Media

Keke

Palmer has been successful in revising her television career, and she now has a Primetime Emmy to prove it.

After briefly being a talk show host by joining Michael Strahan and Sara Haines in ABC’s now-defunct “GMA3: Strahan, Sara & Keke,” the actress is now fronting a game show — a revival of one of the most popular in TV history, and the one that earned her the Emmy recently. Palmer returns to preside over the Jimmy Fallon-produced “Password” when it starts its second season on NBC, Tuesday, March 12 (also streaming the next day on Peacock).

Fallon participates as one of the celebrities who either provide or respond to their playing partners’ clues to guess secret passwords. Among other personalities slated for the new episodes are Fallon’s ABC late-night rival Jimmy Kimmel (“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”), “Gilmore Girls” and “Parenthood” alum Lauren Graham, “America’s Got Talent” judge Howie Mandel, musician Chance the Rapper, skiing icon Lindsey Vonn and some returnees from Season 1, including singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor and actor-comedian Joel McHale (“Animal Control”).

The “Password” Emmy for Outstanding Game Show Host was the second one Palmer won, having gotten her first a year before for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for Facebook Watch’s “Keke Palmer’s Turnt Up With the Taylors” (in which she played all of the characters). She’s no stranger to honors in general, having picked up an NAACP Image Award in 2007 for the movie “Akeelah and the Bee,” then four more for the Nickelodeon children’s series “True Jackson, VP” and another for her voice performance in the animated Disney-Pixar film “Lightyear” (2022).

TELEVISION GUIDE

Hollywood Q&A

By Adam Thomlison TV Media

Q: What ever happened to the actress who played Cerie on “30 Rock”?

A: Katrina Bowden’s career took a pretty strange path after her star-making role in “30 Rock,” in which she played Cerie, the youthful bombshell administrative assistant to the show-within-a-show.

Bowden first pivoted to the big-screen horror genre in films such as “Hold Your Breath” (2012) and “Piranha 3DD” (2012).

On the small screen, she started dabbling in made-for-TV movies, including the 2017 rom-com “Once Upon a Date” and the 2017 Lifetime thriller “Framed by My Fiancé.”

But the weirdest move came in 2019, when she became a series regular on the long-running soap “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Soap roles are usually the first thing on an star’s resume, not a midcareer move.

Not only that, she was part of a weird little cluster of stars doing the same thing: Bowden joined the show the same year as Denise Richards (“The World Is Not Enough,” 1999), who played her mother, and a year after Wayne Brady (host of “Let’s Make a Deal”), who played the doctor who secretly switched her baby (this is a soap, after all).

Bowden’s character was written off

“Bold” in 2022, and she’s returned to the TV movie game since.

Q: Did the guy who played Jimmy on “Breaker High” go on to anything else? I know Ryan Gosling did, obviously.

A: To the extent that we should feel bad for any successful screen star, we can feel a little bad for Tyler Labine, who will forever be the “other” guy from “Breaker High.”

Labine co-starred with Ryan Gosling (“Barbie,” 2023) in the YTV (UPN in the U.S.) teen series back in the late ‘90s, playing Jimmy. And while he hasn’t reached award-winning superstar status like Gosling, he’s done pretty darn well for himself since.

Most recently he was part of the

ensemble of the NBC medical drama “New Amsterdam,” which ended last year after a five-year run.

That was just his most recent series lead role, after previously starring in sitcoms such as The CW’s “Reaper” (20072009), Fox’s “Sons of Tucson” (2010) and Hulu’s “Deadbeat” (2014-2016). He’s had a successful film career as well. Most notably, he toplined his very own buddy-comedy flick in 2010, “Tucker and Dale vs. Evil” (he played Dale). A year later, he had a smaller role in one of the biggest movies of the year, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” playing Robert Franklin, one of the ape handlers at the laboratory where all the monkey business started (sorry).

Haveaquestion?Emailusat questions@tvtabloid.com.

We found a leprechaun to answer questions about these mysterious little people! He wouldn’t really show himself to us. Mostly what we saw during the interview were his lips, oversized sunglasses and his hat.

One ne morning, I went for a walk in the woods. I tripped on a __________. When I looked down, I saw a ____________ little _______________ with a green __________________.

“________________,” he said. “My name is _______________. I’m a leprechaun. If you want my ___________ of __________, you’ll have to ____________ me rst!”

I tried to __________ him, but he was too ___________ for me. He just laughed and called out to me, “____________________ St. Patrick’s Day!”