According to Shams Charania, the Utah Jazz signed Josh Okogie to a 2-year $12M deal.

Okogie shot 38.5% from three last season in Houston, as Charania mentions, and fills a need for the Jazz, who are looking for defensive help on the perimeter.

It’s a clear sign that Utah is in the business now of building its roster to compete next season for a playoff spot. After the Walker Kessler trade, the starting lineup will likely be Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jusuf Nurkic. But Utah needs depth and defense. With Okogie on the roster, the team gains a veteran presence and a defense-first player who can also shoot. It’s likely to be a trend for Utah going forward that they bring on players with size who defend but are also capable shooters and scorers on offense. At this point, Utah is not in the business of taking on project players but is looking to fill needs on its roster. Okogie does just that.

At this point, the most likely potential signings, or trade, could be more center depth after the Kessler trade, and possibly another ball-handling guard. It’s not clear if Utah is done with the roster but this signing will add nice depth.

There are some movies you admire. There are others that surprise you.

“Young Washington” grazes the first category while falling into the second.

I wasn’t expecting to be swept away by a relatively modest historical drama about George Washington before he became the father of a nation. And for a while, I wasn’t.

The film takes its time introducing the future president, and that deliberate pace occasionally borders on sluggish. The first half struggles to find its rhythm, and there are moments when the story feels more interested in checking historical boxes than pulling us into the drama.

But somewhere along the way, something changed.

I stopped watching a history lesson and started watching a young man trying to figure out who he wanted to become.

By the end, I found myself surprisingly invested. Not because “Young Washington” is a perfect movie. Because it reminded me why stories about imperfect people often make for the best history.

A surprisingly ambitious production

One of the first things that stood out was just how good this movie looks.

This isn’t a blockbuster with the budget of films like “The Patriot” or “The Last of the Mohicans.” In fact, when you consider what those productions cost – and adjust for inflation – the difference is enormous.

That’s what makes this film’s production value so impressive.

The costumes, locations, and battle sequences all feel authentic enough to transport you back to colonial America. There are moments where it’s clear the filmmakers had to be creative with their resources, but more often than not they make those limitations disappear.

It’s a reminder that good filmmaking isn’t always about having the biggest budget.

Sometimes it’s about knowing exactly where to spend the money you do have.

An uneven cast, but strong performances where it matters

The acting is a bit of a mixed bag.

There are performances that occasionally feel stiff and a few scenes where the dialogue doesn’t land with the emotional weight it’s reaching for.

Fortunately, those moments never completely pulled me out of the movie.

Ben Kingsley brings a welcome sense of gravitas whenever he appears, and Andy Serkis continues his remarkable ability to disappear into whatever role he’s given. Their performances help ground the film and elevate several key moments.

More importantly, the actor portraying the young Washington succeeds where it matters most.

He made me curious.

Rather than presenting Washington as the flawless hero we’ve seen in countless paintings and history books, the film allows him to be uncertain, ambitious and, at times, deeply conflicted.

That humanity gives the story life.

The best history asks bigger questions

What I appreciated most wasn’t simply learning facts about George Washington’s early life. It was watching the experiences that slowly shaped the leader he would become.

The movie explores questions that feel surprisingly relevant today.

Why do we chase success? Is ambition about building our own legacy? Seeking recognition? Or is it about leaving the world a little better than we found it?

Washington makes mistakes, he learns hard lessons and his failures become just as important as his victories.

Whether every conversation happened exactly as portrayed is almost beside the point. The film captures something emotionally true about leadership – wisdom is usually earned, not inherited.

That’s where “Young Washington” found its strongest footing.

A finale worth waiting for

For much of its runtime, I’d describe “Young Washington” as good. Not great.

The pacing continues to wobble, and I occasionally found myself wishing the story would move with a little more urgency.

Then came the final act.

Without spoiling anything, the emotional payoff finally arrives.

The themes the movie has been quietly building suddenly click into place, and what felt like a slow burn becomes something genuinely moving.

I left the theater feeling more invested than I expected, and that ending elevated the entire experience.

Sometimes a great conclusion doesn’t erase a movie’s flaws. It simply reminds you why the journey mattered.

What parents should know

“Young Washington” is PG-13, and that seems appropriate. There is no vulgar language, no sexual content, but it is a war movie, and it can get violent. It’s not gruesome or graphic, but there are battle scenes, deaths, and some blood. Young viewers may find it unsettling, and some older viewers may cover their eyes a time or two.

The violence is not romanticized but rather shown to depict the horrors of war.

Conclusion

“Young Washington” isn’t the definitive Revolutionary War epic.

It has pacing issues, some performances are uneven, and the script occasionally struggles to maintain momentum.

But I also found myself thinking about it long after the credits rolled.

In an era when so many historical films try to overwhelm audiences with spectacle, “Young Washington” focuses on something much simpler: the formation of character.

It asks how ordinary choices become extraordinary leadership. How failure shapes conviction. How service ultimately matters more than personal glory.

Watching it on the eve of the Fourth of July felt especially fitting.

As America celebrates 250 years, this movie serves as a reminder that the nation’s founding wasn’t accomplished by mythical figures who always knew the right answer. It was shaped by real people who stumbled, learned, and ultimately chose something bigger than themselves.

That’s a story worth telling.

And despite its imperfections, “Young Washington” tells it well enough that I walked away feeling just a little more grateful, and a little more excited, to celebrate this great country I have the opportunity to call home.

CASPER, Wyo. — As the Aug. 18 primary election approaches, Oil City News is introducing candidate questionnaires to help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box.

Every candidate in the primary field was sent the same three questions and given a limit of 500 words, which could be distributed among their answers as they saw fit. To ensure a fair and direct line to the community, all responses are published exactly as submitted, without edits or alterations.

Candidates were asked:

• What are the most crucial challenges your constituents are facing?
• If elected, how will you address these challenges?
• What qualities or qualifications do you possess that have prepared you to meet these challenges?

Questionnaires are being published on a rolling basis online through Aug. 11. They will be accessible via the Oil City News Election Tracker.

Additionally, Oil City News will mail a comprehensive print voters guide directly to all Natrona County households in mid-July, featuring all questionnaires received by July 6.

Steve Harshman (R), Wyoming superintendent of public instruction

What are the most crucial challenges your constituents are facing?

Wyoming is blessed and full of abundance.  We are the best place to work, live and raise a family. We also have challenges that include the escalating cost of living, healthcare access and young people leaving our state.

If elected, how will you address these challenges?

As your State Superintendent I bring a record of solving problems with an eye on the future. As a member of the State Loan and Investment Board I will continue my work to grow our investments, to invest in ourselves and build infrastructure in our communities to lower the costs of housing. I have been the leader of property tax reform which keeps money in our pockets.

We will soon be training Physician Assistants in our state to produce more caregivers in our communities. I worked on this for years and it will soon benefit all of our communities. I championed the bill that permanently endowed our suicide prevention iniatives. Wyoming is now making progress in this area.

As a parent of four kids, I am focussed on our future. As a state leader I have promoted innovation, smart development and diversification. After the clean air act was passed in the early 70’s Governor Hathaway and the state loan and investment board went out and recruited the coal industry to Wyoming. Thank Goodness. I was the lead author of the Hathaway scholarship and insisted we honor a war hero and visionary leader who said yes to Wyoming’s future! I will say yes to our future as well!

What qualities/qualifications do you possess that have prepared you to meet these challenges?

I was born and raised in Natrona County. My Dad was an electrician who worked in the oil and gas business in Midwest and later Wright. I am the only candidate in this race who has worked on an oil rig and a ranch. I am a product of Wyoming public schools, my four kids are products of our schools. I have been blessed to serve as a lifelong teacher and coach and to serve our people in the Wyoming Legislature where I protected our rights, balanced budgets and kept our taxes low. As your Superintendent I realize our schools are the heartbeat of our communities, and the cornerstone of our republic. I realize every child has potential and working together we can unlock that potential. Wyoming has the highest percentage of kids enrolled in our public schools at 93%. Fifteen states test every junior on the ACT, Wyoming was #1 two years ago and 2nd last year. Our kids are always in the top 10 joining the military, our kids are patriots. Our 4th grade reading scores are some of the best in the nation. I understand most of our kids are blue collar and looking for promising careers in the trades. I authored the Hathaway scholarship. I saved the career technical education program at UW when they were going to close it. I will continue to work for our kids and our schools so our kids and grandkids can stay right here in Wyoming and live the American Dream!

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