Madelyn Wilson | American Fork Citizen

With a hot summer on the horizon and schools closed for the coming months, parents and families are scrambling for ways to get out of the house and make the most of the next few months. From Thanksgiving Point’s five family-friendly venues to camping up the canyon to local city celebrations, Utah County has many unique offerings for families looking to get more out of their summer vacation.

City celebrations

●      Lehi Round-Up Days: This June 20-28, Lehi will celebrate its annual Round-Up Rodeo, flanked by festivities throughout the city. This year’s theme is “Stars, Stripes, and Sparkles!” While the Saturday rodeo is sold out and Wednesday through Friday each only has a handful of tickets remaining, there will still be city-sponsored events all week long. Various parades, sporting tournaments and family outings are open to the public. For more information about Round-Up Days, visit www.lehi-ut.gov/recreation-community/events/round-up-week.

●      American Fork Steel Days: Later this summer, American Fork will celebrate its heritage with Steel Days, running July 18-25 with a theme of “Super Neighbors, Everyday Heroes.” Events include a concert in the park, various art shows and tournaments, a drone display, American Fork’s Got Talent and the parade, all leading up to the City of Fun Carnival, which will run at Mary & Art Dye Park on Thursday through Saturday of that week. For more information about Steel Days, visit www.steeldaysaf.com.

●      Pleasant Grove Strawberry Days: Neighbor city Pleasant Grove’s famous Strawberry Days will run June 13-20, with events like the rodeo, a concert in the park, pioneer tours and the City of Fun Carnival. Strawberries ‘n Cream will be available, either for free or for purchase, at various events throughout the week. For more information about Strawberry Days, visit www.strawberrydays.org.

Escape the heat

●      Thanksgiving Point has several play and learning venues, most of them indoors, offering an ideal way to get out of the heat. From dinosaur bones to butterflies to pony rides to a rainforest playground, Thanksgiving Point has something for everyone. Be sure to check out this summer’s special attraction at Ashton Gardens, Imaginaria, celebrating 250 years of our nation’s freedom.

●      Summer movie clubs: Both Cinemark and Megaplex offer a kids’ summer movie club, showing children’s movies on weekday mornings with tickets on the cheap. Cinemark’s summer selection includes K-Pop Demon Hunters Sing-Along, A Minecraft Movie, and The Bad Guys 2 for $1.75 per ticket. Megaplex will show Sing, Curious George, and Shrek 2, among others, for $2.50 per ticket. Visit www.cinemark.com/movies-for-every-season-at-cinemark/summer-movie-clubhouse/ for Cinemark showtimes and megaplex.com/en/Kids-Summer-Movies-2026 for Megaplex showtimes.

●      Bowling: Local favorites Jack & Jill Bowling and Fat Cats are a great way for families with kids of any age to get out of the sun for a few hours. Jack & Jill has locations in Lehi and American Fork, while Fat Cats has locations in Saratoga Springs, Bluffdale and Provo. Both businesses have more than just bowling; hit the arcade at either place, or even catch a movie at Fat Cats.

●      The Big Green Indoor Playground: The Big Green opened in Saratoga Springs just a year and a half ago, offering a playground to escape extreme temperatures. The playground includes simple play structures for littles, climbing walls and basketball courts for older kids, and a co-working space for parents. They’re offering a summer pass that includes 2 hours of play daily through Aug. 31 for just $59.99 per child. Visit www.thebiggreen.com for more information and to grab a summer pass.

●      Kangaroo Zoo: An all-day play pass at Pleasant Grove’s indoor playground with massive, three-story inflatables is sure to get any kid’s wiggles out. Weekday admission is $6.99-12.99, with weekend admission going up to $7.99-$15.99. Babies under one year and adults 18 and older are always free with a child’s admission. For more information, visit www.kangaroozoo.com.

●      The Ruth at Doterra makes for a great date night or a way to get your kids familiar with theatrical arts. This summer’s shows include “Once on This Island,” “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” and “Pride & Prejudice.” For tickets and information, visit www.theruth.org.

●      Local library programs are a great way to get out of the heat and take advantage of community resources. The new Lehi Library offers programs for kids of all ages, book clubs for adults, and activities geared toward the whole family. The American Fork Library also has storytimes for kids and clubs for teenagers and adults. For more information, visit www.lehi-ut.gov/recreation-community/library or www.americanfork.gov/203/Library.

Get outside

●      Camping in Provo and American Fork Canyons is a great way to enjoy nature without having to break the bank on gas for a road trip. To search for and book local campgrounds, visit www.recreation.gov.

●      The Lehi area has no shortage of amazing splash pads and playgrounds. A few local favorites include Lehi Family Park, Cook Family Park in Pleasant Grove, and Harvey Park in Cedar Hills (complete with a Hokulia Shave Ice right by the splash pad).

●      The Murdock Canal Trail is a beautiful cycling path that runs from north Orem to Saratoga Springs. It’s a perfect way to get the whole family out on their bikes, scooters or on foot to explore Utah County. For an overview of the trail, visit www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/murdock-canal-trail.

●      The most classic way to beat the heat is a trip to the pool. Lehi Legacy Center and American Fork Fitness Center pools boast affordable admission, water slides for older kids and splash areas for littles. Visit www.lehi-ut.gov/recreation-community/legacy-center or www.americanfork.gov/229/Fitness-Center for more information.

Must-try summer treats

●      Blue Moo is the only ice cream joint in Utah to offer dozens of Blue Bell Ice Cream flavors by the scoop. Their new location in Pleasant Grove is a great spot to grab a scoop with the family.

●      Karie Anne’s is an Italian ice spot that originated in Rexburg and has made its way down to Utah County. There are specialty gelati combos, including caramel apple, and each week brings a new ice and custard flavor. The food truck has locations in Lehi, Orem and Provo.

●      Zeppe’s Italian Ice is a Utah favorite, coming north from St. George in the last several years. With a brand-new Pleasant Grove location alongside the existing Saratoga Springs, Provo and Springville locations. Be sure to try out a soft pretzel or a blended gelata!

●      Hokulia Shave Ice is the best Hawaiian ice you can find on the mainland. Nearby locations in Cedar Hills, Eagle Mountain, Highland, Orem and Saratoga Springs offer countless flavor combinations to help beat the heat.

●      Bubba’s Frozen Treats at Highland Gardens offers Aggie Creamery ice cream by the scoop, seasonal fruit-topped custards, house-made waffle cones, and shaved ice. With plenty of table space, a corn hole setup, and big slides for the kids to enjoy, it’s a great spot for a summer evening treat.

This list is certainly not exhaustive, but we hope it offers a good start to families still looking for good ways to spend their summer. From all of us at Lehi Free Press, have a great summer and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Sally Francom | American Fork Citizen

Walk into the Utah County Jail kitchen, and you’ll find something many people might not expect: education and skills training.

While the jail’s kitchen is responsible for preparing meals for both inmates and staff, it has evolved into something much more than a food service operation. Today, it serves as a rehabilitation hub where inmates gain valuable job skills, industry certifications and a renewed sense of purpose.

Last year, Utah County launched a Food Handler’s Permit Program designed to help inmates prepare for life after incarceration. The initiative was championed by Utah County Commissioner Skyler Beltran after he toured the jail and recognized the potential of the facility’s robust kitchen operation as a workforce training environment.

The concept was straightforward: provide inmates with practical, employable skills they can immediately use upon release. The program is already showing results. Since its inception over the past year, several dozen inmates have earned their food handler permits and valuable kitchen experience.

“If we can give them a leg up and help them go and apply for jobs, that’s been helpful for some guys,” said Deputy Sheriff Chris Nielson, who oversees the kitchen and program.

Participants receive hands-on training in a commercial kitchen setting, learning food safety standards, proper sanitation procedures and equipment operation.

“We work on teaching them work ethic, accountability and responsibility,” Nielson explained. “The goal isn’t just to teach someone how to cook. It’s to build confidence. It’s to give them a taste of success.”

Jail leaders say the program reflects a broader philosophy that treating inmates with dignity and providing meaningful opportunities can lead to better outcomes.

“They’re people, right? And they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” Nielson said.

That philosophy is reflected not only in the training opportunities available but also in the quality of meals prepared and served throughout the facility.

For many participants, the food handler permit represents more than a certificate; it represents an opportunity.

The cost for each inmate who chooses to participate in the program is only $15, which the county pays.

“Sometimes you might have good intentions when you’re getting out of jail, but if you don’t have what you need, oftentimes we find the inmates go back to their old ways,” Nielson noted. “So, when they have that food handler’s permit in their pocket, and they can go apply for a job the day that they get out of here and say, ‘I’ve already got my food handlers, it’s right here.’ It can be a definite benefit.”

County leaders view the initiative as a practical investment in reducing recidivism and improving public safety through rehabilitation. The Utah County Commission approved funding for the program, creating a pathway for inmates to leave incarceration with a recognized credential and improved employment prospects.

“Our jail kitchen and staff, led by Lieutenant Nelson and Administrator Nielson, are top tier, and our Food Handler’s Permit Program is just one of the many positive initiatives taking place,” said Commissioner Beltran. “Since launching the program last year, we have provided inmates with the opportunity to gain valuable skills and earn an industry-recognized certification. This not only supports their personal growth while incarcerated but also helps prepare them for successful employment and reintegration into the community.”

The jail kitchen’s impact extends far beyond the facility’s walls. In addition to serving the jail population, the operation prepares more than 12,000 meals each month for the Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG) Meals on Wheels program, helping provide nutritious meals to seniors throughout the region.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

John Dougall has seen what happens when government officials don’t talk about their conflicts of interest. It doesn’t end well.

“People start to speculate,” said Dougall, who spent 12 years as Utah’s State Auditor before leaving office in January 2025. “Even if you’re fair, reasonable and appropriate, not disclosing causes people to speculate about improprieties and that starts causing other issues.”

It’s advice that couldn’t be timelier for North Utah County. Since the fall 2025 elections, readers have asked for information about potential conflicts of interest involving elected city officials, the Alpine School District (ASD) and three newly created districts to replace it: Lake Mountain, Aspen Peaks and Timpanogos. Three new school boards were sworn in November 2025 and are now in a multi-year transition, with ASD set to officially dissolve in July 2027.

To address these concerns, and help the public understand what the law actually requires, The Lehi Free Press is publishing a three-part series.

This first article focuses on what a potential conflict of interest is and draws on insights from former State Auditor John Dougall, who now serves as administrator of the Utah Attorney General’s office. Dougall knows the terrain.

Before his dozen-year run as state auditor, he spent a decade in the Utah House of Representatives, where he chaired the House Ethics Committee and served as vice chair of the powerful Executive Appropriations Committee. He holds degrees in electrical engineering and an MBA from Brigham Young University and recently earned his law degree from Syracuse University. As an auditor, he built a reputation for pushing transparency as a standard, not an afterthought.

His message on conflicts of interest is blunt: “Disclose more, not less, and do it publicly.”

“I would always encourage folks to add more detail,” he said. “Hopefully that reduces the speculation that might exist if disclosures are more vague.”

When it comes to local government, Dougall said the most critical area is the bidding and procurement process. The principle is straightforward: if your company is competing for a contract, you shouldn’t be the one deciding who wins it or oversees it.

“You want to make sure you’re not on both sides of that arrangement,” he said. “If your company is bidding, you shouldn’t be part of the selection process. You need separation.”

The core concern, he said, is keeping the process clean, not closing government contracts off to companies run by elected officials, but making sure no one has their thumb on the scale.

“All bidders should have a fair chance at winning the bid,” Dougall explained. “That’s what you’re trying to protect.”

Trickier situations arise when an elected official serves two organizations that interact with each other, such as a city council member who also sits on a special service district, or a board member or employee serving two entities involved in a district split.

“You just have to work very hard to make sure folks know what the conflict is,” Dougall said. “You’re above board about what you’re doing, trying to fairly represent both organizations, because technically you’re a fiduciary for both.”

He acknowledged that complete avoidance isn’t always possible. When it isn’t, the burden falls on the official to be visibly fair to all sides and to say so publicly.

On whether Utah’s current conflict-of-interest statutes are strong enough, Dougall offered a measured but direct assessment. State law, he said, is a minimum threshold, a floor every governmental entity must meet.

But local governments can go further, and state law doesn’t stop them.

“Governmental entities can choose to set additional requirements,” he said. “Fundamentally, it comes down to the individual official just looking at where am I going to be: what are the potential risks, concerns, public perception, and how do I help people better understand what conflicts exist?”

He was careful not to argue for heavier-handed state intervention. The push-and-pull between local control and statewide standards is a familiar tension in Utah politics, and Dougall respects it. But he was clear about the risk of staying vague: when officials don’t disclose, even fair and reasonable decisions invite speculation.

“We all have conflicts,” he said. “Some are greater than others. There’s always that element of potential conflict. It’s just trying to help folks understand here’s what’s there, and here’s how you’re trying to make the best decisions within that arena.”

Asked what he considered best-practice behavior from his years auditing state and local governments, Dougall didn’t cite a policy or a statute. He pointed to individual character.

“The best practices I saw were when elected officials were just really upfront,” he said. “‘Here’s what I do, here’s why I have potential conflicts in this arena.’ That’s when their constituents say, OK, they’re being upfront, they’re disclosing it, they’re not hiding anything,’ and they can see that person is making the best decisions and trying to minimize their conflict to the greatest extent possible.”

The contrast was stark, he said. Officials who appeared to favor their own companies or family members without disclosure- that’s where problems arose. Not always from actual wrongdoing, but from the perception of it.

“People didn’t have to inquire about them,” he said of the Legislature’s conflict disclosures. “They were just there, 24/7.”

It’s a simple standard: Whether officials in city government, the Alpine School District and the three new replacement districts- Lake Mountain, Aspen Peaks and Timpanogos- are meeting the standard is what this series aims to find out.

“People didn’t have to inquire about them,” he said of the Legislature’s conflict disclosures. “They were just there, 24/7.”

It’s a simple standard: Whether officials in city government, the Alpine School District and the three new replacement districts: Lake Mountain, Aspen Peaks and Timpanogos, are meeting the standard is what this series aims to find out.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

Benjamin Schneider, the California YouTuber facing misdemeanor stalking charges following a pair of arrests in American Fork in March, has released a point-by-point video rebuttal to the police department’s 26-minute public statement. He contests the stop sign that triggered his first traffic stop, the shoulder injury he says officers caused during his arrest, and the Airbnb tip police used to expand a search warrant that turned up nothing. The American Fork Police Department declined to comment any further at this time.

Schneider, known online as “Reckless Ben,” posted his response on YouTube on June 1 and has garnered 1.8 million views over the past day. The video breaks down Chief Cameron Paul’s statement, clip by clip, and presents what Schneider says is contradictory body-camera and dash-cam footage obtained through public records requests. The video comes as Schneider’s case against Joshua Johnson, the AF-based Bricks & Minifigs franchise owner he accuses of misappropriating a Star Wars LEGO worth an estimated $200,000, remains active in Fourth District Court.

One of Schneider’s most pointed challenges targets the March 8 traffic stop that first put him in contact with American Fork officers. Chief Paul’s statement said Officer Richardson initiated the stop because driver Tyler Shaw failed to stop before the stop line and failed to stop completely at a stop sign.

Schneider says the dashcam footage obtained from the department tells a different story. “The chief of police looked at this video and said we ran a stop sign,” Schneider said in his rebuttal video, “and now he’s using that to say this was a legal traffic stop and the police officers did nothing wrong.” He then shows the dashcam footage from the police officer’s view of what Schneider contends was a complete stop.

During the March 9 stop, Officer Fraughton reported that Shaw’s eyes appeared glossy and expressed concern about possible impairment. Shaw agreed to field sobriety testing, including a portable breath test that returned at .00 BrAC. No signs of impairment were observed. A police service dog then alerted to the odor of a controlled substance around the vehicle. Officers searched it and found nothing.

Schneider says footage from that encounter undercuts the glossy-eyes justification entirely. He played what he described as body-camera audio from the stop, in which two unidentified officers can be heard discussing the encounter.

In the audio, the first officer asks whether the group is “good with these guys being able to drive,” to which the second officer responds, “Yeah, I think so. I didn’t see anything clear as day with Tyler that I noticed.” The second officer then adds, “I was gonna scare him a little bit and let him go, is all I really was gonna do.” The first officer appears to ask, “We have charges, are we just tired of them being annoying?”

The exchange stands in contrast to Chief Paul’s statement, which cited Officer Fraughton’s concern over Shaw’s glossy eyes as the basis for the field sobriety test and subsequent drug dog deployment. AFPD declined to comment on the footage.

“It seems hard to take what the chief of police is saying seriously, because so far almost everything he said is a lie,” Schneider said. “The only way we can actually find out the truth is if they unredact everything.”

Schneider has previously claimed he suffered a dislocated shoulder during his arrest at the Airbnb on March 11, when Lt. Adamson took hold of his right arm. Chief Paul’s statement addressed the claim directly, noting that Adamson reported feeling Schneider tense his arm before moving it behind his back, and that officers documented no complaints of arm or shoulder pain during detention, transport or booking.

Lt. Adamson’s report states he felt Schneider tense his arm before moving it behind his back, but Schneider says the body camera footage contradicts that sequence entirely. While showing body-cam footage, he walks the audience through the event. “He lunges at me extremely fast before he even touches me,” Schneider said. “So how could he even know that I was tensing my arm before he even grabs me?”

His point is a physical one: if Adamson had immediately seized and restrained the arm in a single motion, there would have been no interval in which he could have detected muscle tension before making contact. “This police officer was just making up an excuse,” he said, “and now they’re making up an excuse to defend it.”

Paul also pointed out that an X-ray Schneider displayed in an earlier video, intended to illustrate a dislocated shoulder, showed a small “L” in the corner, indicating it was a left shoulder image. Adamson had handled Schneider’s right arm.

Schneider acknowledged the X-ray was stock footage, not his own image. He did not receive an X-ray because he was taken to jail, not a hospital. “I like to think highly of my audience, that they would have known that this was a stock image,” he said, adding he would be more explicit about such details in future videos now that he knows police are watching.

On the injury itself, Schneider said he had suffered a significant shoulder dislocation in a ski accident three days before his arrest, and that any arm movement at that point risked re-injury. “I don’t think that the police officer was purposely trying to injure me,” he said. “I think to a normal person this would have been fine, but for me in particular, this was not good.”

Schneider said the most significant new information in Paul’s statement was the explanation for why the search warrant authorized the search for stolen LEGO merchandise. Paul’s statement said the Airbnb homeowner told officers he overheard individuals inside the residence discussing possibly stolen LEGO toys they had taken. That language was included in the warrant affidavit approved by Fourth District Judge Roger W. Griffin. No stolen items were found, and none were seized.

Schneider said that the explanation confirmed what he had been trying to learn for three months. “For three months, the police department’s answer has been, ‘This redaction is important because it protects Josh, the victim of this case,’” Schneider said. “However, we can clearly see that the police are looking for LEGOs, and they saw no LEGOs, and they redacted this because they were embarrassed that they made such a stupid decision.”

He also argues that the police only listened to one side, that of the American Fork resident, Johnson. He shows other recordings of interactions with police prior to the search warrant being sought, in which he contends that Johnson stole the LEGOs, not him. The search warrant issued by the AFPD does not appear to include Schneider’s claims against Johnson, but only those of the Airbnb owner.

He is calling on the department to release unredacted body camera footage, arguing the redactions go beyond protecting the victim and instead shield officers from scrutiny. “The police department wants this information hidden so bad that they’re willing to break the law to hide this from everyone,” he said. The department has not responded to that characterization.

Schneider also took issue with the legal standard Paul cited in justifying the stalking charges, specifically the element requiring that a course of conduct cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety.

“The police are claiming that, since this action made Josh scared, this check mark is complete,” Schneider said. “However, they’ve completely forgotten about the term ‘reasonable.’” He argued that Johnson, who police say called officers on March 10, reporting he was going to shoot someone, does not meet that standard. “It is not reasonable to threaten to murder someone just for serving papers,” Schneider said.

Schneider also disputed the timeline Paul presented regarding the Oregon court case. Paul’s statement said a Marion County Circuit Court clerk confirmed on March 10 that papers in the case had already been served and no hearing date had been set, suggesting Schneider’s stated purpose for being in Utah was moot. Schneider provides police body-cam footage of the call with the clerk, who states that the papers were not served. The call was made on March 10. According to Oregon court records, Johnson was not actually served until March 13, three days later, and says the police account of when service occurred does not add up.

Schneider said, “Some of the best lawyers in the United States are reaching out to me right now, so eventually this is going to get released.”

Schneider closed his video with a direct message to the department, framing it as a homework assignment. “American Fork Police Department, if I’m your teacher, here’s your homework,” he said. “First off, learn the facts of what actually happened. Second off, stop lying about the facts, no one’s believing it. Third, unredact the audio that makes the police look bad.”

He also offered the department some unsolicited strategic advice: “Wouldn’t you just like to get this over with sooner rather than dragging this out? The more we drag this out, the more content we get, so this only benefits me. It doesn’t benefit you.”

Charges are allegations. All are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. The full rebuttal video is available here.

By: Rob Shelton

American Fork Citizen

An American Fork police officer accused of an improper traffic stop called the driver he pulled over to personally apologize, an outcome so uncommon it surprised even the motorist who demanded accountability.

Detective Bronson Kitchen of the American Fork Police Department reached Aaron Booker by phone, flanked by a department sergeant, to admit he was wrong on two counts: the reason for the stop and the way he handled the confrontation at the window. The call, recorded and later posted online by the LackLuster Channel, has since furthered a conversation about police accountability that has already gained traction across the country.

“I was under the assumption that that was an HOV exit-only lane,” Kitchen told Booker during the call. “After the fact, I have found out that that’s incorrect. I do want to apologize to you for stopping you there.”

He didn’t stop there. Kitchen also acknowledged that he escalated the encounter unnecessarily after Booker refused to fully lower his window, a right, Booker later noted, that is not prohibited by law.

“I shouldn’t have told you that I was gonna have your window broken by another agency and let myself get amped up,” Kitchen said. “I apologize for letting myself get to that.”

The original traffic stop, captured on dash cam and posted to LackLuster’s YouTube channel, showed Kitchen pulling Booker over on I-15 near Centerville, alleging he had driven in an HOV lane as a solo driver. Booker pushed back immediately, insisting he had entered after the carpool lane ended. He asked for a ticket or to be released, and when Kitchen threatened to have his window broken, Booker erupted.

Dash cam footage reviewed by the LackLuster Channel supported Booker’s version of events. The footage shows Kitchen driving alongside another vehicle already in the HOV lane before the stop. When Booker passed that vehicle, the passenger seat was visibly vacant. The lane Kitchen cited had, in fact, already ended.

Kitchen, it turned out, is a school resource officer at American Fork Junior High School. Booker initially didn’t catch his name. When he approached Kitchen afterward to ask for identifying details, the officer refused to answer. Booker left with a license plate number and a video that was about to go viral.

The video spread fast. The original LackLuster Channel report on the incident was closing in on 800,000 views when the AFPD Facebook page began filling with comments, tipping the department off to the footage. Officials tracked down Booker’s phone number the same night the video went live and asked him to file a formal complaint so they could open an internal affairs investigation.

Days later, the American Fork Chief of Police called Booker directly and apologized. Then came the call with Sergeant Stowers, Kitchen and Booker all on the line together.

“It’s the first time that ever happened to me,” Booker said of receiving a chief’s apology. “I really appreciated it, actually.”

What followed was an exchange that rarely plays out in the public record of police-civilian disputes. Booker accepted Kitchen’s apology and then offered one of his own.

“I got amped. I just saw red,” Booker told Kitchen. “I called you a couple things that I wish I didn’t. Saying stuff like that makes me no better than people who are cops and say, ‘You don’t know who I am.’ I’m a nobody, right, but I’m a person who deserves to be treated with respect.”

But Booker was clear: the apology didn’t mean the principle was settled. He pressed Kitchen on a point that goes beyond one traffic stop, the idea that a badge carries enough power to ruin lives, and that too many officers have forgotten it.

“What I care about is accountability,” Booker said. “What I care about is that people are doing the right thing when they are in a position that has so much power that can destroy people’s lives.”

Kitchen’s response was brief. “I agree,” he said, “and I wish our interaction would have gone differently.”

Booker urged the department to use the incident as a training opportunity. “I hope you guys take this and use it as a training thing for your department,” he said before hanging up. “We just want law enforcement that does their job and upholds the Constitution and respects citizens’ rights. That’s all we want.”

Stowers, who sat in on the call, told Booker he agreed 100%.

The LackLuster Channel is a YouTube-based accountability journalism outlet founded by a combat veteran who served as a medic with the First Infantry Division from 2003 to 2007, including more than 13 months in Iraq. He later served the Los Angeles community as a dual-function firefighter and paramedic with the Los Angeles City Fire Department.

You can view the original traffic stop here. You can view the apology video here.

By: Rob Shelton

American Fork Citizen

American Fork police have garnered world wide attention from viral videos of arresting a California YouTube personality twice in one night last March. Officers say he orchestrated repeated visits to a local resident’s home as part of a public campaign tied to a disputed Star Wars LEGO collection, a case that has since generated more than 2 million views and prompted the city’s police chief to issue a lengthy public defense of his department’s actions.

Benjamin Paul Schneider, 30, of Los Angeles (known online as “Reckless Ben”) faces misdemeanor charges of stalking, targeted residential picketing, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. The alleged victim is Joshua Johnson, an American Fork resident and employee of Bricks & Minifigs, a Utah-headquartered LEGO resale chain.

Johnson contacted American Fork Police on four separate occasions between March 8 and March 11, reporting escalating conduct he described as harassment. Schneider was arrested the evening of March 11 and booked into the Utah County Jail. 

American Fork Police Chief Cameron Paul released a 26-minute video statement at the end of the day on Friday, May 29, laying out a day-by-day account of what officers encountered.  

On March 8, Johnson called police to report a man in a baseball cap with a UPS logo taped onto it had left a suspicious package at his door. The package contained rubber ducks. Officers located a dark-colored Hyundai nearby and pulled it over. Officer Richardson cited the driver, Tyler Shaw, for failing to stop before the stop line at a stop sign as well as failing to stop completely. Schneider was in the back seat. Both denied involvement in the package delivery.

Schneider disputes that the stop was legal. In his YouTube video, he says dashcam footage he later obtained from the department shows the vehicle fully stopped at the sign. “We fully stopped at the stop sign,” Schneider said. “So this is an illegal traffic stop.”  

According to Paul’s account of officer reports, Schneider admitted during the encounter that the rubber duck delivery had been staged, designed so Johnson would unknowingly sign a fake confirmation on Schneider’s phone, which Schneider planned to use to forge a document claiming he couldn’t be trespassed from the property for five years. According to Paul, Schneider “did not believe there was anything wrong with this” and “believed there was nothing wrong with his posing as a UPS delivery driver.” Officers issued trespass warnings and released both men.

The next day, March 9, a man knocked on Johnson’s door claiming to be from a nearby church congregation and said he had been sent by Johnson’s church leader. That was false. Officers identified the man as Christian Morgan and determined he had made the statements at Schneider’s direction. Schneider later admitted to officers he had sent Morgan because, according to Paul, “their civil case could not proceed without an attempt at verbal reconciliation.”

Officers stopped Schneider’s vehicle again after the Morgan incident. According to the incident report, Officer Hawkins pulled over the vehicle after seeing Morgan attempt to get into the car.  Hawkins wrote that he conducted a traffic stop “as it was involved in the incident of harassment.”  

This time, Officer Fraughton reported that driver Shaw’s eyes appeared glossy and raised concern about possible impairment. Shaw agreed to field sobriety testing, including a portable breath test that came back at .00BrAc.  No other signs of impairment were observed. 

Officer Fraughton then deployed a police service dog to conduct an open-air sniff around the vehicle. The dog alerted to the presence of the odor of a controlled substance. Officers searched the vehicle. No illegal substances were found. Schneider and Shaw were released.

On March 10, Schneider showed up near the Johnson residence again. Johnson’s wife, Kaylee, called police reporting a woman photographing the home. Joshua Johnson called separately, according to the chief’s statement, reporting “he was going to shoot someone” as a result of the ongoing harassment. Officers responded immediately. Schneider told an officer that day, “I’m just following the instructions of the government. He keeps calling the cops on me to avoid getting in trouble for his crimes.”

On March 11, after Schneider had already been arrested the night before on an earlier stalking charge, a group returned and hung a sign on a neighbor’s fence across from the Johnson home. The sign showed Johnson holding cash over an elderly man in a hospital bed with the words, “I stole a dying man’s life savings.” One of the men at the scene, Sheldon Norcross, was on FaceTime with Schneider as officers arrived.

“Officer Richardson asked Norcross who it was he was speaking with,” Paul said, “and specifically asked whether it was Benjamin Schneider. Norcross confirmed Schneider was on the FaceTime call.”

Officers seized Norcross’ phone after they say he began manipulating the device when told it would be taken as evidence. Schneider was located at a nearby Airbnb via a judge-approved search warrant and arrested a second time that evening.

The warrant affidavit included a statement from the Airbnb homeowner who told officers he could hear multiple individuals inside the residence speaking about possibly stolen LEGO toys they had taken. Officers added a request to search for stolen LEGO merchandise alongside the warrant to apprehend Schneider. The warrant was approved by Fourth District Judge Roger W. Griffin. When executed, no stolen items were found and none were seized.

Five people were taken into custody at the Airbnb. Four were eventually released. Schneider was transported to the Utah County Jail.

Schneider disputes the police version of events at multiple points. Beyond contesting the March 8 traffic stop, he says the rubber duck delivery was not intended to forge a contract, and he denies that the pattern of contact at Johnson’s home constitutes stalking.

He says the dispute stems from Bricks & Minifigs taking control of a Keizer, Oregon, franchise in late 2024 and failing to return or compensate for a LEGO collection belonging to an 83-year-old man and his son, Bryan Mansell. He says he helped Mansell win a default judgment in Oregon court and came to Utah to serve Johnson personally with civil papers in a follow-up lawsuit.

“We went to court, and we won,” Schneider said in his YouTube video. “We know you closed down the store to avoid paying us.”

Bricks & Minifigs denies the collection was taken by current ownership. In a public statement, the company said the collection was handled by the original Oregon franchise operator, Chrystal Law, and may have already been sold before Johnson became involved. The company filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday accusing Schneider, Mansell and others of a harassment and extortion campaign.

Chief Paul said his department’s role was not to referee the Oregon business dispute.

“The fact that someone may believe they had been wronged financially does not exempt any individual from the laws governing harassment, trespassing, stalking or other conduct within our jurisdiction,” Paul said. “Our responsibility was to respond to conduct reported here in our community, evaluate the facts available to our officers at the time, and enforce Utah law.”

A protective order was granted against Schneider on May 20. The Fourth District Court case remains active. Schneider has not entered a plea.

Charges are allegations. Schneider is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Schneider’s YouTube video of the events can be found here and the police department’s statement in full can be found here.

Staff Writer | American Fork Citizen

Utah Governor Spencer Cox will join Clark and Christine Ivory, alongside leaders from Ivory Innovations, the Call to Action Foundation, the Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation and the Lehi community on Thursday, May 28, for the grand opening of Innovation Park at Holbrook Farms and the Lehi Rippy Literacy Center. Together, the new workforce housing community and literacy center uniquely address two of Utah’s most pressing issues, housing affordability and childhood literacy, in one of the state’s fastest-growing cities.

This ribbon cutting will celebrate the availability of more than 200 all-electric townhomes purpose-built for Utah’s essential workers and mark the grand opening of the community’s new Lehi Rippy Literacy Center. By embedding a free community tutoring center within a workforce housing community, the involved organizations are showing that the most effective solutions tackle these interconnected problems together rather than in silos.

Attainable housing for Utah’s essential workers

Innovation Park at Holbrook Farms was developed through the Call to Innovations partnership between Ivory Innovations and the Call to Action Foundation, funded entirely through private philanthropic contributions.

The community features 200+ all-electric townhomes for Utah’s workforce families: the teachers, nurses, hospital staff and first responders who are the backbone of the state’s fastest-growing communities but are increasingly priced out of the neighborhoods they serve.

With monthly rents starting at $1,231, Innovation Park offers pricing significantly below Lehi’s market rates. The development is strategically located adjacent to the new Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi, ensuring the healthcare professionals who care for Utah’s children can find quality, affordable housing within minutes of where they work.

Since opening Phase 1 in fall 2024, Innovation Park has reached near-full occupancy, underscoring the urgent and growing demand for attainable housing.

“Our team hopes that Innovation Park and the Lehi Literacy Center highlight what can happen when communities come together to help address the challenges facing Utah families,” said Clark Ivory, co-founder of Ivory Innovations and CEO of Ivory Homes. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with others, think creatively, and work alongside those who care deeply about strengthening our communities. We welcome anyone who would like to join us as we continue striving to build Utah together.”

Tackling Utah’s Literacy Crisis

Research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that children who struggle with reading are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Addressing this challenge has been a central mission of the Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation, which has long invested in community-based literacy programs that uplift children and expand their educational opportunities.

“Every child deserves the chance to become a confident reader, regardless of their zip code or their family’s income,” said Christine Ivory, President of the Clark and Christine Ivory Foundation. “By opening this new literacy center in the heart of Innovation Park, we’re meeting families where they are and making sure that the children who live here and in surrounding Lehi areas have access to the same opportunities as any child in Utah.”

The new Lehi Rippy Literacy Center provides free tutoring in the heart of the community, building on a legacy program of the original Rippy Literacy Center that has served Lehi families for more than 20 years. Supported by a generous contribution from the Stokes Foundation and sustained through a partnership with Lehi City, the center ensures every child at Innovation Park and in the broader Lehi community has access to the reading support they need to succeed. For more information, visit innovationparkholbrook.org

STAFF WRITER | American Fork Citizen

Alpine City is proud to announce a new fire station that will also house Alpine’s first community center. This project is a major investment in public safety, sense of community, and the city’s future.

A cornerstone of this effort is a generous donation from former Alpine Mayor Don Watkins and his wife Peggy. Their philanthropy will help make Alpine City’s first dedicated Community Center a reality. Their contribution shows a long-standing commitment to strengthening the community they have served and called home for many years.

“Don and Peggy Watkins have always believed in the power of community,” said Councilmember Blackwell. “Their generous gift will create a place where residents of all ages can gather, learn, celebrate, and connect.”

The new facility, to be built near city hall, will integrate the city’s modern fire station with a welcoming, functional community space designed to serve residents through meetings, programs, events, and educational opportunities. The community center will also provide Alpine with a much-needed central gathering place and be a hub for civic and social activities.

Additional community partners have also stepped forward to support the project. AltaBank has generously donated funds for the building’s community room, ensuring residents have a comfortable, well-equipped space for meetings, classes and community events. This room will serve as one of the primary gathering spaces within the new facility.

Further support from the David and Lynda Roskelly Family includes a donation of workout equipment for the fire station. This contribution will allow Alpine’s firefighters to maintain the high level of physical fitness required to safely and effectively serve the community, ensuring they are prepared for the demanding work of emergency response.

The new fire station will feature modern emergency response capabilities, improved apparatus bays, and updated living areas for firefighters. Together with the new community center, the facility reflects Alpine City’s vision. It aims to create infrastructure that supports both public safety and community life.

The media and public are invited to a groundbreaking ceremony:

8 am, MT, May 21, 2026
20 North Main (near city hall)
Alpine, UT 84004

City leaders are excited about the impact the project will have for generations to come.
“This project represents the very best of Alpine,” Mayor Merrill added. “It shows what is possible when dedicated public servants, generous community members, and local businesses come together to invest in the future of our city.”

The City of Alpine extends sincere gratitude to Don and Peggy Watkins, AltaBank, the David and Lynda Rosskelley family and all project partners and supporters. Thank you for helping make this important project possible.

For more information about the project and construction updates, residents are encouraged to follow Alpine City’s communications and announcements. https://alpineut.gov/

Nichole Coombs | American Fork Citizen

It may not be a sport you’re familiar with, but it’s putting Lehi City on the national stage.
Disc Golf is growing in popularity worldwide. According to UDisc, an app that tracks members, the sport has grown by 86 percent since 2020, with an estimated 8-12 million people playing.

“We call it a lifestyle sport because it gets all ages up and moving,” said Scott Belchak, the executive director of Elevate Utah Disc Golf, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the quality and quantity of disc golf venues across Utah.

Reflecting this growth, the state has about 20 courses, including the Dragonfly Disc Golf course located at 3600 North Maple Loop in Lehi.

“Disc golf is a sport that’s played just like traditional golf,” said Belchak. “Except instead of holes in the ground, we have baskets that are in the air.”

For many years, Belchak says, disc golf was seen as the ‘blue collar’ side of traditional golf. That changed during the 2020 pandemic, when disc golf exploded in popularity.

“We saw courses overrun with beginners and new people trying out the sport,” said Belchak. “That’s fantastic, but it also shone a giant spotlight on our lack of infrastructure.”

This dramatic increase in participation inspired the creation of Dragonfly Park and its disc golf course. In 2022, a group of volunteers asked Lehi City to help buy baskets and tee pads for the park, and the community would do the rest.

“For the most part, this worked,” said Belchak. “But the park sits on the water table, so the grass is continuously growing. It’s gorgeous all year, but the volunteers couldn’t keep up with the grass.”

The city stepped in to help with mowing, while ongoing venue improvements are supported by the nonprofit Elevate Utah Disc Golf and volunteer hours. These upgrades are part of Lehi’s preparations to host part of the United States Women’s Disc Golf Championships (USWDGC) when the event is held in Utah from July 16-19, 2026.

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) hosts major events worldwide. The 2026 USWDGC will be held on four courses throughout Utah over four days, including the Dragonfly course.

Belchak emphasized, “Dragonfly will be used on Saturday and Sunday, and a champion will advance from the amateur and the professional 50-55 plus women’s pool.”

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the PDGA.

Utah’s deep ties to disc golf are also notable. “Utah has some pretty rich history with the sport,” said Belchak. “The Creekside Park course in Salt Lake City is one of the oldest courses.

It was the eighth course built in the world around 1976. It was designed by Steady Ed, the inventor of the sport, and it sits as a memorial to Walter Fredrick Morrison, the inventor of the Frisbee.”

That history remains active today. According to Belchak, the Creekside course averages about 45,000 played rounds per year.

Organizers hope that by bringing a major PDGA event to Utah, local interest in the sport will increase, as well as donations to support infrastructure. The Wasatch Disc Golf League is in Utah County and includes players from Provo to Lehi. The league includes players at all levels.

Don’t miss your chance—purchase USWDGC tickets online at http://www.uswdgc.net. Want to get involved with Utah’s disc golf community? Explore local clubs, upcoming events, or discover volunteer opportunities at elevateut.org.

Rob Shelton | American Fork Citizen

Linda Pauling started Make-A-Wish in 1980 with $37.76, trusting God after losing her son, Chris, to leukemia. She said, “Yes, God just took it. Truly do believe this was his purpose.” On May 6 in Utah, she watched Make-A-Wish Utah break a $651,000 fundraising record.

Following this achievement, Make-A-Wish Utah shared the milestone at the seventh annual Drive for Wishes, presented by Strong Auto Group. It was the campaign’s biggest year, and the money will fund wishes for 100 Utah children currently waiting.

“This cannot not happen,” Pauling told the crowd, repeating a phrase she’s leaned on since the beginning.

Here’s how the campaign worked: Strong Auto Group donated three vehicles for a month, each wrapped in sponsor logos and driven statewide to Make-A-Wish events and community stops.

Drivers filmed “Wish Cab” videos, a Make-A-Wish spin on “Cash Cab,” featuring sponsors and board members in the cars, answering trivia questions. Each wrong answer cost $1,000, paid directly to Make-A-Wish Utah.

One wrapped car seven years ago has grown into a three-car fleet that has raised over $2 million for Utah Wish Kids, says CEO Daniel Dudley.

“We try to be very business oriented,” Dudley said. “The better we run our organization, the more children we can impact.”

However, the heart of the morning belonged to Pauling.

She told how her son Chris, as a young boy with leukemia, dreamed of being a police officer. Arizona’s Department of Public Safety made it possible. The director gathered his officers and said, “Gentlemen, this cannot not happen.” They gave Chris a real uniform, swore him in as the state’s first honorary highway patrolman, and flew him over the mountains in a police helicopter.

Chris died three days later.

“The officers, and I got together, five of us,” Pauling said. “And you know what we said? There’s more kids. Let’s find them.”

That was 1980. Since then, Make-A-Wish has expanded to operate in 50 countries, with 60 chapters across the U.S., and has granted more than 680,000 wishes worldwide.

Building on this legacy, Chief Development Officer Summer Ehrmann said this year’s record was made possible by 52 sponsors and a four-person development team — Garrett Gallegos, Stephanie McAllister, Mae Caine and Skye Smith.

“This is going to bring the joy of a wish to 100 wish kids that are waiting for a wish today,” Ehrmann said.

The morning closed with a wish reveal. Wish kid Jed, the day’s guest of honor, walked in through a tunnel of cheering supporters after finishing a scavenger hunt outside. The middle-schooler, who attends a military academy, wished to fly to Anchorage, Alaska, where his brother is stationed. Jed’s specific wish is not only to visit his brother, whom he misses, but also to experience riding in military vehicles during his stay.
Pauling read the proclamation.

“We hereby announce that Jed’s wish to go to Anchorage Alaska will be granted,” she said.
Jed’s mother said the wish gave her son something to hold onto.

“It gave Jed hope that at the end of his journey he could do something fun,” she said. “He could do something that he wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.”

A common misconception, Dudley said, is that wishes only go to children with terminal illnesses; less than 30% of recipients fit that description. Most are referred by their medical teams as part of treatment.

Pauling declined a paid role at Make-A-Wish decades ago and continues to maintain a demanding travel schedule as a volunteer. The numbers still surprise her.

“I always return to the biblical verse: store your treasures in heaven. That’s what I do—give it to God, let Him distribute it. By His grace, Make-A-Wish has grown to what it is today,” she said.

As the morning drew to a close, Pauling came back to the same line she’s used for 46 years.
“Let’s go find them,” she said. “Let’s go.”