New to the Neighborhood, Here Is a Picture of Myself I Took

Local man introduces himself to Mapleton the old-fashioned way — by mailing a selfie to the newspaper.

By Sarah Whitmore, Staff Writer · Edited by Marguerite Vandersloot, Editor-in-Chief · Verified by Standards Desk · Filed September 9, 2026 · 3 min read

Photographed — The Mapleton Gazette front page carrying Jason Miller’s submitted photograph, as it appeared Thursday.Photo: Supplied

MAPLETON — A new resident made an unusually direct first impression this week, not with a wave from the driveway or a plate of cookies, but by submitting a photograph of himself to the newspaper.

Jason Miller, 34, who recently moved to Mapleton from Colorado, dropped off a printed selfie and a short handwritten note at the Mapleton Gazette office on Monday. The note read, in full:

“New to the neighborhood, here is a picture of myself I took.”

The photograph shows Miller grinning straight into the camera, wearing a backwards baseball cap and a “Good Vibes Only” T-shirt. He is giving both a thumbs-up and a shaka sign while standing in front of his new house, with several unpacked moving boxes still visible behind him.

Miller said he simply wanted to introduce himself.

“I just figured the newspaper is where people look to find out who’s around,” he explained. “Seemed like the polite way to say hi.”

Longtime residents have had mixed reactions to the unusual method of self-introduction.

“It’s… different,” said Linda Carpenter, who has lived in Mapleton for 28 years. “Most folks just wave when they see you at the mailbox. But at least he went through the effort of printing it out.”

Others have taken the gesture in stride. Several readers have already called or written in to welcome Miller, offering recommendations for local restaurants, parks, and the best fishing spots on the river.

“Welcome to Mapleton, Jason,” one reader wrote in a letter received Tuesday. “We’re glad you’re here. Just don’t blame us when you find out the coffee shop closes at 2 p.m. on Sundays.”

Miller said he is encouraged by the response.

“It feels good knowing people already know who I am,” he said. “Social media always felt a little impersonal. This way it’s right there on the kitchen table.”

Asked whether he planned to attend the upcoming neighborhood cookout, Miller said he was considering it.

“I figure they’ve already seen the picture,” he said. “Might as well meet them in person now.”