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March 31, 2023 | Vol. 2 Iss. 13
Covering Your Community
MMS goes to state
Middle school science students impress at state science fair.
page 8
MORGAN COUNTY NEWS Since 1929
Rylan Crowther, Cade Johnson earn Academic All-State awards
NEWS BREAK Deadly shooting at Nashville school leaves suspect dead
By Liisa London Mecham
R
yland Crowther, a wrestler in the 150 pound weight class, and Cade Johnson, a shooting guard on the basketball team, recently earned 3A Academic All-State honors in their respective sports. Both young men carry a 4.0 GPA and have worked hard for four years to balance the demands of their athletic and academic endeavors. The award came as a surprise, a “good surprise,” to both young men who were pursuing academic excellence and athletic achievement to fulfill personal goals. “I had no idea what it was,” Crowther said. “It’s exciting to win it, especially since wrestlers usually aren't in a crowd to have high academics.” Nine other wrestlers from eight other schools (Richfield had three winners) joined Crowther on the Boys’ Wrestling Academic AllState team where a 4.0 or a 3.9 with a very high ACT score is the academic requirement. Johnson was also joined by nine other basketball players representing nine different 3A schools to comprise the 3A Boys’ Basketball Academic All-State team. They, too, all had 4.0 GPAs or the equivalent with ACT score and GPA. Both young men represented Morgan well in their sport and academically. Crowther, who is the son of Reeni and Lance Crowther, overcame three knee surgeries during his four years wrestling at Morgan High. As a sophomore, he had his meniscus in his knee re-stitched after it tore due
Police in Nashville are still digging into the background and motivations of a former student who entered the Covenant Elementary School armed with ARstyle weapons and detailed maps and opened fire on Monday, March 27. Three children and three adults were killed. The alleged shooter, who was identified by police as 28-year-old Nashville resident Audrey Elizabeth Hale, was killed by officers.
CADE JOHNSON, athlete, scholar and student body president, was named to the 3A Academic All-State Boys’ Basketball Team. Photo by Studio One Images
to wrestling, and then he endured a six month recuperation process. His junior year, Crowther returned to the mat, but during Christmas break he had to have his meniscus clipped in a second surgery. He was able to rehab and return for the end of the season tournaments and finished 3rd at divisionals and 5th at state at 144 pounds in 2022. During his senior year, Crowther re-tore his meniscus, but he finished out the season on a hurt knee, once more placing 3rd at divisionals at 150 pounds. After the season, he had one final surgery to clip the re-torn portion. Crowther is healing quickly, but sad that he may miss the epic snow of 2023 while his
RYLAN CROWTHER overcame three knee surgeries to continue wrestling for four years. He was named to the 3A Academic All-State Boys’ Wrestling Team.
Photo by Natalie Crowther @capturedbythealstons
knee heals. Crowther sacrificed a lot to wrestle, but he loves the competition. “There is no one else to help you in a match. You are on the mat by yourself, and it’s up to you and how hard you’ve worked to prepare to determine who wins.” Crowther, who will leave June 19 to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Monterey West Mexico Mission, understands the necessity to prepare to win. He works hard to balance schoolwork and wrestling. “I only do
AWARDS on page 2
Local author hits #1 on the New York Bestseller’s list By Verlene Johnson
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hen Jennifer Nielsen first started her writing career, she set her sights on a few goals that she hoped to reach one day. “Ten years ago, I set a goal to one day hit number one on the New York Times Bestseller List,” said Nielsen. “I knew it would be difficult, but I also believed that if I kept writing and finding ways to improve, eventually I would get there.” Nielsen reached her goal making number one on the New York Times Best seller list in March for Children's Middle Grade Hardcover, only weeks after her book “Iceberg” hit bookshelves. “I got the news from my editor while in a grocery store with my husband. I think I might’ve cried, but I hardly cared.” Later that evening, Nielsen said she sat down to make a new goal. While this list measures the number of sales in a given week, reflecting how many people bought a certain book that week as compared to every other book for sale in its category, Nielsen says that there are many amazing books that never hit number one or never hit the list at all.
NIELSEN on page 2
Romney joins to overturn student loan forgiveness U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (RUT) joined 36 of his Republican colleagues, led by Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn President Biden’s student loan cancellation scheme. The CRA would also end the pause on student loan payments, which costs taxpayers $5 billion a month and has been extended six times under the Biden Administration.
Gwyneth Paltrow accuser testifies in ski trial The Utah civil trial involving actress Gwyneth Paltrow and a man who is accusing her of wrongdoing in relation to a 2016 ski collision resumed Monday for its second week of proceedings. Terry Sanderson, the retired optometrist who is suing Paltrow, testified on Monday that he “was skiing easy” and “paying attention” prior to the collision with Paltrow, which happened at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah.
Skeletal remains found in Lake Mead identified Human remains discovered in Lake Mead in October have been identified as a 39-year-old man who is believed to have drowned in the reservoir nearly five decades ago, officials announced Tuesday. Medical examiners determined the remains belong to Donald Smith, a Las Vegas resident who reportedly drowned in April 1974, the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner said in a release.
Tornado creates path of destruction in Mississippi
JENNIFER NIELSEN talks to students at the MMS assembly about her best selling book.
Courtesy photo
A tornado ripped through large sections of rural Mississippi on Friday of last week, causing significant structural damage to a number of small towns in its path. Rolling Fork, MS has been identified as the epicenter of the event, and by some estimates saw over 30% of its buildings, including homes, destroyed by high winds. There are no reliable figures yet reported about injuries, though unconfirmed reports suggest that there have been a number of deaths as a result.