Friday, June 29, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News Friday 29 June 2012


>>Jury Convicts Salt Lake Man Who Strangled Girlfriend

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A jury convicts a Salt Lake City man of manslaughter for strangling his girlfriend by putting her in a choke hold last year. Jurors were charged with deciding whether Todd Eugene Anderson committed murder when he put 39-year-old Jennifer Schubach in a choke hold or to convict him of a lesser charge of manslaughter. After about six hours, the jury returned with the verdict of the lesser charge of manslaughter, a second-degree felony.

>>Herbert: Special Session Possible To 'Fix' Gun Laws

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Utah Governor Gary Herbert says he may call a special session of the Legislature to make it easier for local authorities to ban target shooting in areas of high fire danger. But he said the state has done what it can do to restrict fireworks. Utah gun laws currently state that, unless othwise authorized by the Legislature, authorities cannot restrict the possession or use of firearms in any way. A number of Utah's wildfires have been caused by target shooting this summer.

>>Home Prices Up For Second Month In Row

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Home prices in Utah increased for the second month in a row in May as buyers faced a tighter inventory of homes. The median home price in May was 181-thousand dollars, up from 176-thousand a year earlier. Home sales are also up compared with last year. Utah real estate agents say sales grew almost 12-percent from May 2011. Utah home sales have grown steadily for the past 12 months.

>>Allegiant: Nonstop Service Between Ogden, Phoenix-Mesa

(Ogden, UT) -- Allegiant Airlines will begin flying nonstop service between Oden and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway airport beginning September 20th. The low-cost airline will fly twice a week between Ogden and the suburban Phoenix airport with introductory fares as low as 70 dollars one way. It will be the first commercial scheduled jet service offered at Ogden-Hinckley Airport in several years. Allegiant provides nonstop, scheduled service for more than 75 U.S. cities.

>>North Salt Lake Gets Grant To Stabilize Landslide

(North Salt Lake, UT) -- The federal government is awarding North Salt Lake almost two-million dollars to stabilize the Springhill landslide, and help homeowners who live near it. The money will be used to buy and demolish eleven homes, share up the land and turn the site into an open-space park. The one-point-eight-million-dollar grant requires a local match of just over 600-thousand dollars. Since 1997, the landslide has buckled streets and sidewalks, and split foundations and retaining walls.

>>Salt Lake City Ronald McDonald House Plans Expansion

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Salt Lake City's Ronald McDonald House is more than doubling its capacity. Ronald McDonald House Charities announced yesterday that it will spend around eleven-million dollars to expand the facility near Ninth East and South Temple. The charity served more than four-thousand people last year but had to turn away more than 500 families because of limited space. When construction is completed by next summer, Ronald McDonald House will be able to serve 500 more families a year.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News Thursday 28 June 2012
>>Police Investigating Death Of Man Found In Jordan River

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Police recovered a man's body from the Jordan River Wednesday. But just what led to the death of Francisco Perez Cruz remained unclear. A maintenance worker cleaning up trash along the river spotted what looked like a body and called police around 8:30 a.m. Cruz's body appeared to have been in the water for one or two days. An autopsy is planned.
NEW HARMONY, Washington County — Multiple fires have been reported in central and southern Utah, with structures and communities in danger.
An out of control fire is burning
Evacuations have been reported for residents in the immediate fire threat area, including Bumblebee, the Kolob Section of Zion National Park and parts of New Harmony.
SCOFIELD - A fire that is thought to have been started by lightning Tuesday has now forced the evacuation of the town of Scofield, as well as a nearby Scout camp where 300 Scouts were camping Wednesday morning.
It has burned about 19,000 acres.
>>Fast-Moving Wildfire Forces Evacuation Of Oak City

(Oak City, UT) -- A quick-moving wildfire forced the evacuation of the entire town of Oak City on Wednesday. Fire officials say the fire broke out at about 2:30 p.m. High winds fed the flames, which quickly spread to nearby homes. The Clay Springs Fire has already burned more than one-thousand acres. The 800-plus residents were evacuated to the Delta LDS Stake Center.

>>Ex-Cedar Hills Mayor Faces Felony Charge

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The former mayor of the Utah County town of Cedar Hills is facing a federal bank fraud charge. Eric A. Richardson resigned Monday but gave no reason. On Wednesday a felony information was filed in federal court in Salt Lake City alleging he defrauded HeritageWest Credit Union. Officials say he helped file a vehicle loan application containing false information with the intention of skimming off some of it for personal use.


>>West Jordan Six-Year-Old Was Sexually Assaulted, Murdered

(West Jordan, UT) -- Police say a six-year-old West Jordan girl found in a canal near her home Tuesday was sexually assaulted and murdered. An autopsy indicated that someone killed Sierra Newbold and that she had been sexually assaulted. Police would not say how the child was killed or what information led them to classify the death as a homicide. The child's parents reported her missing Tuesday morning, and police discovered the girl's body in a canal near the house.

>>County Mayor Primary Race Headed For Recount

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Mark Crockett is the Republican nominee for Salt Lake County mayor for now. But the Holladay businessman's 239-vote win over West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder appears headed toward a recount. Absentee and provisional ballots that were completed in time but not counted by Tuesday night seem unlikely to widen the margin of victory enough (to 724 votes, one for each precinct in the county) to avoid a recount. The winner will face Democrat Ben McAdams in the November general election.

>>Provo Tops Forbes List Of Best Places For Business, Careers

(Provo, UT) -- Forbes Magazine ranks Provo as the best place for business and careers in the country. According to "Forbes," the 16-billion-dollar economy is thriving largely on the back of Brigham Young University. The school provides a stabilizing presence as the third largest private college by enrollment in the U.S. Job growth was a robust three percent in the Provo metro in 2011, third best in the U.S. It enjoys the lowest violent crime rate in the U.S. and ranks tenth lowest overall for crime, including property crime.
>>Utah County Has Eleven Of State's 12 Fastest-Growing Cities

(Undated) -- Utah County is having quite a growth spurt. Eleven of Utah's 12 fastest-growing cities are in Utah County, and the 12th could be considered a Utah County suburb. City population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau show the fastest-growing community in the state is Heber City, that unofficial Utah County suburb. The next eleven, Saratoga Springs, Spanish Fork, Highland, Eagle Mountain, Springville, Pleasant Grove, Lehi, Lindon, Payson, American Fork, and Orem, are all in Utah County.

>>UVU Childcare Center Receives $1-Million Donation

(Orem, UT) -- Utah Valley University's highly regarded childcare center is growing, thanks to a one-million-dollar donation. UVU announced yesterday that author, speaker and nonprofit foundation CEO Barbara Barrington Jones has donated a million dollars to expand the university's Wee Care Center. UVU President Matthew Holland says lack of access to daycare is one of the greatest barriers to women completing college. Earlier this year Holland and his wife launched a two-point-two-million-dollar campaign to expand the Wee Care Center.

>>Air Force Spending $150-Million To Clear Munitions From Utah Lands

(Undated) -- The Air Force is spending more than 150-million dollars over the next 20 years to clear dangerous munitions from public lands in western Utah. The shells, rockets, and rusting inert bombs are on public land bordering the Utah Test and Training Range. They didn't pose much threat to people for decades because few people went into those areas. Nowadays, however, many people ride ATVs and dirt bikes through craters where the munitions were dumped and partially destroyed in the decade after World War Two.

>>Elizabeth Smart Endorses Phone App For Emergencies

(Undated) -- Elizabeth Smart is endorsing a phone app she says might have saved her from being kidnapped a decade ago. The Hero App, developed by Apptooth, provides users with a button that shares instant video, audio, and GPS coordinates to social network friends. It's designed to be used in emergencies and can be downloaded for free for iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Android. Smart was 14 years old when Brian David Mitchell kidnapped her from her bedroom in 2002 and held her captive for nine months. He's serving a life sentence.

>>West Jordan In Top Ten U.S. Soccer Cities

(West Jordan, UT) -- West Jordan is one of the ten best soccer cities in the U.S., according to new rankings. The survey conducted by the website livability.com ranks communities based on the quality of youth programs, facilities, park systems and other recreational features in small and medium-sized cities. West Jordan is recognized for amenities including the Utah Soccer Complex, which has 20 fields and nearby Rio Tinto Stadium, where professional Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake plays its home games. The livability.com survey ranks West Jordan the eighth-best soccer city in the country.

>>Most Americans OK Ending Saturday Mail, Poll Says

(Undated) -- The vast majority of Americans support the Postal Service's plan to stop delivering mail on Saturdays, according to a new poll. The "New York Times"/CBS News poll finds that about seven in ten people say doing away with Saturday delivery in order to help the post office trim billions of dollars in debt is a good idea. The Postal Service is losing 36-million-dollars a day. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe says the poll confirms that Americans support the Postal Service's plans for getting its finances in order.

Patients at Utah’s two largest hospital chains, Intermountain Healthcare and University Health Care, would be protected from abusive debt-collection practices under proposed rules issued late last week by the U.S. Treasury Department.
The draft rules apply to half the nation’s 5,754 hospitals, those classified as charitable nonprofits. They flow from a little-known section of federal health reform but come in the wake of allegations that a Chicago-based debt-collection firm, Accretive Health, placed bedside bill collectors in nonprofit hospitals in Minnesota, causing some emergency patients to think they would be denied treatment.
 
 
east of New Harmony, with multiple structures and homes in risk of fire danger. There has already been one structure lost to the fire.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News Weds 27 June 2012


>>Hatch Survives Primary Vote Over Tea Party Rival

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Veteran Senator Orrin Hatch wins easily against a Tea Party movement-backed challenger. The 78-year-old stalwart of the Republican Party was first elected to the Senate in 1976. Hatch commanded a decisive lead over his rival, 37-year-old Dan Liljenquist, a former state senator who billed himself as a face for change and more conservative leadership.
SALT LAKE CITY — Chief Deputy Attorney General John Swallow beat Sean Reyes Tuesday to become the GOP nominee for attorney general in what was one of the state's nastiest primary races.
Swallow had 68 percent of the vote and Reyes, 32 percent.
There was also a hard-fought race for the GOP nomination for state auditor. Longtime state Auditor Auston Johnson faced his first-ever primary challenge from Rep. John Dougall, R-American Fork.With nearly 97 percent of the vote in, Dougall appeared headed to victory with a more than 3,000 vote lead over the incumbent

>>Romney Wins Utah Primary In Landslide

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- No surprise to anyone, but Mitt Romney won the Utah Presidential Primary yesterday by a wide margin. Romney led over all challengers with more than 90-percent of the vote. Romney essentially wrapped up the GOP nomination in May with a victory in Texas. Utah is the final primary in the country, leading up to the Republican National Convention in August.
>>Salt Lake County Mayor GOP Primary Headed For Recount

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Three of the highest-profile primaries were easy victories for the winners last night, but the Republican race for Salt Lake County Mayor is almost certainly headed to a recount. With votes from all precincts counted, former county councilman Mark Crockett holds a 239-vote lead over West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder. It's unlikely that absentee and provisional ballots still to be counted will change the margin enough to avoid a recount. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, Democratic congressional candidate Donna McAleer and GOP Attorney General candidate John Swallow each won with at least two-thirds of the vote in their races.

>>One Dead In Wood Hollow Fire; Fairview Evacuated

(Fairview, UT) -- Search and rescue crews evaluating charred areas of the Wood Hollow Fire discovered a body yesterday. The victim was not identified and no other details were released. The sheriff's office also ordered the town of Fairview to evacuate late Tuesday afternoon because of the unpredictable wildfire. More than one-thousand people live in the town and will remain evacuated through the night. Officials will reassess the situation this morning.

>>Girl's Body Found Near Home In West Jordan

(West Jordan, UT) -- Police are investigating the death of a 6-year-old girl, found dead in a canal near her home Tuesday morning. Police are calling her death "suspicious" and a possible homicide. It occurred in the same neighborhood where a fire destroyed two houses on Saturday. Just before 7:30 a.m., the girl's family called police to report that she was missing from her home. Officers started searching the area and soon found her in a canal, not far from her home.

>>Consumer Index Holds Steady In Utah For June

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Utah consumers are expressing tentative optimism this month regarding the state's economic fortunes. The Zions Bank Consumer Attitude Index climbed seven-tenths of a point to almost 80 in June, while the U.S. Consumer Confidence Index fell two-and-one-half points to 62. The index was up 13-and-a-half points compared to the same time last year. The Consumer Price Index rose one-half-percent from April to May.
>>BYU Poll: Mormons' Mixed Feelings About Romney, Media Coverage

(Provo, UT) -- Utah Mormons are overwhelmingly excited about Mitt Romney's campaign for President and believe it's good for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But more than two-thirds don't trust the media to cover the church fairly, according to the Key Research/BYU survey. BYU political science professor Kelly Patterson says, "It seems like th excitement is higher than the dread." The survey is available on the blog, Utah Data Points.

>>Matheson Says Holder In Contempt Of Congress

(Undated) -- Utah Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson will vote to find U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. The House will vote this week on a contempt citation for Holder's refusal to produce more documents on the failed "Fast and Furious" gun trafficking operation to Mexico drug cartels. U.S. law enforcement officials lost track of hundreds of guns, including one that turned up at the scene of the murder of a U.S. Border Patrol officer.

>>Cooler Temps, Thunderstorms But Little Rain In Forecast

(Undated) -- Storms moving into Utah today will bring slightly cooler temperatures, but little if any rainfall, the National Weather Service says. Afternoon highs will be in the upper 80s and winds won't be as strong as they have been, but thunderstorms could produce lightning strikes that could start new fires in the state's bone-dry deserts and forests. Wildfires burning across the state have blackened thousands of acres, destroyed dozens of homes and are blamed for at least one death.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News 26 June 2012 Tuesday


>>Utah Maintains Soft Touch On Tough Immigration Law

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Utah insists that on immigration issues, it is not Arizona. State officials say its laws are kinder and gentler. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Monday that upheld a key part off Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigrants will set the pace for Utah and other states. While Utah requires law enforcement to check the immigration status of anyone detained for a felony or serious misdemeanor, it makes those checks discretionary for those suspected of lesser offenses.

>>Salt Lake County Predicts 30-Percent Voter Turnout

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- High-profile races have Salt Lake County elections officials expecting a decent voter turnout for Tuesday's primary. Clerk Sherrie Swensen estimates voter turnout will be somewhere between 25- and 30-percent. Key races include U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch against former state lawmaker Dan Liljenquist, the race for state attorney general between Republicans Sean Reyes and John Swallow; and the contest between Mark Crockett and Mike Winder in the GOP race for Salt Lake County mayor.

>>Primary Election Today

(Undated) -- Today is primary election day in Utah. Polls will open at seven this morning and close at eight tonight. Dozens of races are on the ballot, but the one getting the most attention is the contest for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination. Six-term Senator Orrin Hatch faces a challenge by former state legislator Dan Liljenquist. Two other GOP primaries are high-profile affairs; Attorney general, pitting Sean Reyes against John Swallow, and Salt Lake County mayor, which matches West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder and former Salt Lake County councilman Mark Crockett. U.S. House District 1 features a marquee matchup between Democrats Ryan Combe and Donna McAleer.
 
 
 


>>Fire Fears Rise As Fireworks Season Looms

(Undated) -- With wildfires already charring large swaths of the state, officials worry that the upcoming July Fourth weekend could unleash a new round of fireworks-sparked blazes. Utah already has banned fireworks all over the state, allowing them only in incorporated cities and some townships. But weather conditions could make it worse. The weather service has issued a red-flag warning for nearly all of Utah as a result of the high temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions.

>>Kidnapping Victim Calls 911 From Inside Car Trunk

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Stabbed and terrified, the victim of a kidnapping manages to call police for help while he is locked inside a car trunk. Police say a call came at about 7 a.m. Monday from man saying he has been kidnapped and forced inside a trunk. Police say said the victim called from a location near Gunn Avenue, where officers followed the car into an apartment complex, where he was released. Police suspect Michael Forgette was the man's kidnapper. He escaped from the apartments and was still at large late Monday.


>>Utah Air Clears After Smoky Weekend

(Undated) -- Utah's air is fit to breathe again. The Utah Division of Air Quality says the problems that flared on Friday were gone by yesterday. Friday was when the Saratoga Springs Dump Fire pumped out soot, causing spikes in ozone and particulates. Bo Call oversees the state's air-pollution monitoring network and he says the weekend's winds cleared out much of the sooty, smoggy polluted air.

>>Utah Stockmen Warned About New Mexico Virus

(Undated) -- A virus outbreak in New Mexico is spurring a warning to livestock owners in Utah. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is warning that the virus could spread to horses, cattle, sheep, and even people. The vesicular stomatitis virus can be spread to animals through biting insects and to people through contact with infected animals. Symptoms in people may include fever, sore muscles, headaches, and cysts on the mouth, lips, or hands, and infection can be prevented by wearing protective clothing and gloves.

>>Red Cross Announces Emergency Blood Need

(Undated) -- The American Red Cross says summer blood supply levels have gone from bad to worse. The Red Cross has issued a nationwide emergency need for donations. All blood types are needed, but particularly O negative, O positive, B negative, and A negative.

>>Utah Courts May Allow TV Cameras In Courtrooms

(Undated) -- Court officials want to hear from Utahns about a rule to allow TV cameras in courtrooms. The Utah Judicial Council approved a draft of the rule yesterday, along with one allowing the use of smartphones and tablets. The use of any of these technologies would be up to the judge's discretion. Utah is one of 15 states that don't allow TV news cameras to record trial proceedings.

OGDEN — A man saved his 11-year-old son from drowning in the Pineview Reservoir, but never resurfaced after saving the boy.
The man, who was not identified, was able to push the boy to where the boy could touch the bottom, and a sibling helped the boy to shore, according to witnesses.
Weber County Sheriff's Lt. Mark Lowther said the man disappeared after helping the boy and his body was later found by a dive team.
 
>>Airport TRAX Line Reaches Milestone

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The airport TRAX line reaches a new milestone Monday as the final section of concrete is poured. Mayor Ralph Becker was there to celebrate the line's completion. The line has been under construction since January 2009. The six-mile line will have five stops and a station at Salt Lake International Airport. Trains are expected to run from the airport to downtown every 15 minutes. The line is set to open next year.

 

Monday, June 25, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News Monday 25 June 2012

>>Wildfires May Have Burned 'Dozens' In Sanpete Co.

(Mount Pleasant, UT) -- Sanpete County officials fear dozens of homes are destroyed as three wildfires burn. Officials evacuated nearly 600 homes and structures yesterday as flames pushed forward from the Wood Hollow Fire. Sanpete County Sheriff's officials said up to 30 of those homes were burning or have already been destroyed. It's not known how many people have been run from their homes but the Red Cross is preparing for 500 evacuees to stay at North Sanpete High School in Mount Pleasant.
>>Families Evacuated By "Dump Fire" Return Home

(Utah County, UT) -- Nearly 600 families who had to evacuate as Utah County's so-called "Dump Fire" threatened to blow up are back home. The evacuation order for homes in Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain was lifted over the weekend, but Eagle Mountain Mayor Heather Jackson warned that people might have to leave their homes again if wind drives the fire back toward homes. The fire was started Thursday by target shooters, and it burned out of control through the day Friday, burning more than six-thousand acres by Saturday evening. Fire crews have it 40-percent contained.

>>Heat Leaves Mark On SLC

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The heat is leaving a mark on Salt Lake City residents. Temperatures yesterday in Salt Lake neared 100-degrees but in Provo folks dealt with heat in the triple-digits. Meanwhile at Zion National Park visitors coped with a high temperature of 103 degrees. Today is expected to bring relief for Salt Lake as the high temperature is forecast for the mid-90s.

>>Man Accused Of Setting Fire Out Of Revenge

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A man from Cottonwood Heights faces arson charges in connection with a fire at a South Salt Lake tavern last April which police think was set for revenge. Charges were filed yesterday against a 41-year-old man whose wallet was found around the charred remains at Tony's Bar. A police report alleges the man was kicked out of the bar a week earlier for fighting. The bar manager also testified seeing the suspect drive around his establishment the night of the blaze.

>>Arts Festival Gets Mixed Results

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Mixed results are reported for Utah Arts Festival over the weekend. Some local artisans said the festival helped bring them business while others were left disappointed. Despite the high temperatures all weekend, unofficial attendance data for the event stood at around 90-thousand visitors, a number similar to last year.


>>Tough Races In Tomorrow's Primary Election

(Undated) -- More than a third-of-a-century of U.S. Senate seniority is on the line in Utah's primary election. Primary voters will cast ballots in dozens of races tomorrow and the spotlight is on the state's Republican U.S. Senate race where Senator Orrin Hatch is seeking the party's nomination for him to run for a seventh term. Former state senator Dan Liljenquist is challenging Hatch. Other high-profile races include the Republican contests for Utah Attorney General, between Sean Reyes and John Swallow, Salt Lake County Mayor, matching former county councilman Mark Crockett and West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder, and the Democratic race in the First Congressional District pitting
Ryan Combe and Donna McAleer.

>>Kaysville Hiring 3 New Police Officers

(Kaysville, UT) -- The City of Kaysville is hiring three new police officers, and some people aren't happy with the way the city will pay for them. The city council voted to transfer 265-thousand dollars a year from the power enterprise fund, rather than raising propety taxes. More than a hundred people opposed that move at a recent public hearing. They wanted the council to raise propety taxes, which property owners can deduct from their income taxes.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives are investigating the apparent drowning death of a sixteen year old boy who was visiting Supai Canyon with his boy scout troop from Utah. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Police Officers who are assigned to Supai Canyon and death investigators of the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office are assisting with the investigation.
According to a BIA Police Officer at about 2:09 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 their office received the report of a visitor to the canyon who was a possible drowning victim in a pool of water at Mooney Falls. A medical doctor and nurse from the Supai Medical Center and BIA Police Officers immediately responded to Mooney Falls.
Investigation has revealed the sixteen year old boy identified as Kreg Harrison Jr. of St. George Utah had recently arrived in Supai Canyon with his Boy Scout Troop (Green Valley 6 Ward Scout Troop 1800). The group was composed of twelve adults and 19 boys.
Kreg and three other scouts were swimming in the pool of water immediately below Mooney Falls.
 
 

Friday, June 22, 2012

KCYn-KCPX News Friday June 22nd 2012

>>Justice Department Files Suits Against Polygamous Towns

(Hildale, UT) -- The U.S. Justice Department is suing the twin polygamous towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. The lawsuits cite a pattern of mistreatment of those who are not members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church. Federal authorities allege that the cities' non-FLDS residents are discriminated against when it comes to police protection, housing and other public services, violating their civil rights. It asserts that local police in both towns operate as an arm of the FDLS Church under its jailed leader Warren Jeffs.

>>Target Shooting Cited As Cause For Numerous Wildfires

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Authorities say nineteen wildfires have been started in Utah this year by target shooting as dry and windy conditions make such fires more likely. Authorities say there were 24 wildfires sparked by guns last year, and 20 the previous year. There are three months left in the current dry season. The state says it can't do much to prevent such fires, as gun laws limit regulating the types of ammunition and targets that shooters can use.

>>Red Air Quality Alert Today For Wasatch Front

(Undated) -- The Utah Department of Environmental Quality has issued a "RED Air Quality Alert" condition today for Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Weber, Box Elder and Tooele counties. It has issued a "YELLOW Air Quality Action" condition for Washington and Uinta counties. The Bear River District Health Department has issued a "YELLOW Condition" for Cache County. For more detailed information, visit airquality.utah.gov.

>>Two Handguns Found At SLC And Provo Airports

(Undated) -- Two handguns were found within ten minutes of each other at different Utah airports on Wednesday. One was found in one in Provo and the other in Salt Lake City. At Salt Lake City International Airport, it was the 12th handgun TSA has recovered this year. Wednesday was the first time a firearm was found at the Provo Municipal Airport since it opened a year ago. Last year, 34 guns were found at Utah airport security checkpoints.

>>Body Of Missing Swimmer Recovered From Lake Powell

(Page, AZ) -- Authorities say the body of an apparent drowning victim has been recovered from Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah border. Officials with the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area say 26-year-old Colby Roman was reported missing May 25. The Scottsdale, Arizona, man apparently drowned when he went swimming and a houseboat drifted away from him. After a 26-day search, Roman's body was located Wednesday at a depth of more than 260 feet by a remote unit equipped with sonar and video.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah – Fire crews are battling a human-caused wildfire that started west of the landfill in Saratoga Springs. The fire has traveled over the mountain ridge and has came closer to Eagle Mountain.
Authorities say the 750-acre “Dump” fire was caused by target shooters at around 11 a.m. Thursday. The fire quickly grew, fueled by sagebrush and Juniper trees.
FARMINGTON, Utah — Crews have most of the flames knocked down in the Shepards Canyon wildfire above Farmington. As of 11 p.m. Thursday night, dispatch says firefighters were in the mop up stage putting out hot spots.
 Mitt Romney’s most important financial backers are trekking to Park City for a weekend of personal attention and consultation — not just from Romney, but also from Republican stars that include top candidates to be his vice presidential running mate, former secretaries of state and big-name strategists.
Events for the Friday-through-Sunday campaign at Deer Valley Resort are closed to the news media,
-0->>First Internet Gaming Licenses Approved

(Las Vegas, NV) -- The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved the state's first licenses for Internet gaming devices. Rivals Bally Technologies and International Game Technologies will provide systems for online poker within the Silver State's borders. Congress still has not yet approved Internet betting on a national basis. Supporters say online gaming will give the casino industry a boost and bring new jobs to Nevada.


Thursday, June 21, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News 21 June 2012  Thursday


>>Utah Lawmakers Add 90 Restaurant Liquor Licenses

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Lawmakers voted in a special session Wednesday to add 90 new restaurant liquor licenses and strengthen the state's efforts to curb both underage drinking and drunk driving. HB4001 which also delays a law set to take effect July 1 that permits the private sale of liquor licenses, had only minimal opposition in the House and Senate. It now goes to Governor Gary Herbert for his action.

>>Hot Temps, High Fire Danger Bring Restrictions

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- High fire danger, the approach of triple-digit temperatures and the coming Independence Day celebration is prompting Utah County and Salt Lake City to issue fireworks and shooting restrictions this week. Some vendors. including Smith's Food and Drug, are cutting back on the sale of aerial fireworks, though most types will be available through the holiday period. Some areas will also have restrictions on aerial fireworks.

Salt Lake-
Utah is assembling a team of legal experts to plan its potential court battle for control of federal lands in the state, the governor’s top public lands adviser told lawmakers Wednesday.
The Herbert administration is assembling a round table of the “best and brightest” to discuss legal strategy and will seek to get other states on board with similar efforts, Public Lands Policy Coordination Office Director Kathleen Clarke told the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Interim Committee.
The result could be an effort to sway Congress to cede lands before a court battle, and Clarke said some of the state’s team will travel to Washington next week to address the Congressional Western Caucus.
“Ultimately,” she said, “we may find that, rather than a legal solution, we will be seeking a political solution.”
The Legislature previously passed HB148, directing the federal government to hand over most lands, excluding national parks, by the end of 2014 or face a lawsuit.
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San Juan County will be mostly “revenue neutral” for the coming tax year, resulting in a ten percent decrease in property tax rates. Commissioners adopted the rate at their June 18 meeting.
For a homeowner with a house valued at $150,000, the rate change amounts to a $35 decrease in property taxes paid to county entities, from $336 to $301.
The owner of a $150,000 business would see the San Juan County tax bill drop by $64, from $612 to $548.
With the decision, Commissioners absorbed a $100 million increase in county property values into the prior year’s collections. Previously, taxing entities have most often accepted the “certified rate”, which results in increased revenue when property values are growing. The certified rate provides the same amount of tax revenue from the prior year’s properties, plus additional revenue from new growth.
A completely revenue neutral rate would have resulted in a 13.2 percent decrease in the tax rate. However, Commissioner Bruce Adams sought a way to cover increases in employee costs.
Moab City Council action on a big box planning ordinance effecting parking opens the door to a big box store development in a newly annexed area of south Moab. A private development company the owns land adjacent to the proposed new UtahState University Moab Campus west of Mill creek and South highway 191, says it has several box store’s interested. Names tossed about in the rumor mill include Walmart, Target, Kohls and another brand.
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>>Thousands Of Utahns Vote Early For Primary

(Undated) -- More than 55-thousand Utahns have already cast their ballots in this year's primary election, even though it does not officially occur until next Tuesday. And those wishing to vote early may still do so through Friday. State officials report that through Tuesday, three-point-seven percent of the registered voters in the state had cast early ballots. Most early voters cast ballots by mail, but others voted early at designed polling places.

>>Mother Charged In Abduction From West Valley School

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Criminal charges are filed against a woman who police say abducted her daughter from an elementary school in March. Venus Athena Barker was charged Wednesday in West Valley Justice Court with custodial interference and criminal trespass on school property, both class B misdemeanors. An AMBER Alert was issued March 9th after Aliyah Kay Crowder was taken from Silver Hills Elementary School while she was waiting in the cafeteria line.

>>Apple Valley Vote To Disincorporate Fails

(Apple Valley, UT) -- A vote to disincorporate Apple Valley has failed, preventing a dissolution of the tiny southern Utah town. The vote, held Tuesday for about 370 registered voters, came back with 115 in favor of dissolution and 167 against. Citizens of Apple Valley asked for a disincorporation vote in April, citing a lack of city services, including a reliable water system and a fire department.

>>Man Threatens To Kill Wife Unless She Stopped Divorce

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A 47-year-old West Valley City man is in jail after police say he held a gun to his wife's head and threatened to kill her unless she stopped divorce proceedings against him. On Saturday, Jose Luis Cruz-Mendoza went into his wife's bedroom and pointed a gun to her head. Police later determined the weapon was an airsoft gun. She called police and he was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. He is in Salt Lake County Jail on 25-thousand-dollars bail.

>>Taylorsville Joins UPD, Salt Lake Valley Fire District

(Taylorsville, UT) -- Taylorsville is joining the Unified Police Department and the Salt Lake Valley Fire District. The city council voted for those public safety moves yesterday when it approved the city's budtet for the coming fiscal year. Joining the Fire District will add at least nine firefighters and medical personnel, along with construction of a new fire station and rebuilding an existing fire house. Taylorsville's contract with the UPD begins July 1st and police officers now working for the city will keep their jobs.

>>Target Shooters Cause 19 Utah Wildfires

(Undated) -- This year is sharping up to be a record-setter for wildfires caused by firearms. Authorities say target shooters have started 19 wildrires so far this year, compared to 20 two years ago and 24 last year. The current wildfire season will last about three more months. State fire marshal Brent Halladay says the big difference, and danger, is how dry this year has been. In most years, firearm-caused fires start showing up in May or June and fade out in late September, but this year wildfires caused by firearms began flaring in February.

>>Intermountain Health Care Shows Off New Helicopters

(Undated) -- Intermountain Healthcare's newest medical equipment will do 190-miles-per-hour. IHC showed off one of its new Life Flight helicopters yesterday, and officials say the new helos are lifesavers. Nurse practioner Bill Duehlmeier told the "Salt Lake Tribune" the aircraft's speed is a real plus. Duehlmeier says, "Seconds count. That first 60 minutes are critical." Trauma specialists say the first 60 minutes after someone is seriously injured are key in saving a patient's life.
>>New U. President Launching State Tour

(Undated) -- University of Utah president David Pershing is following through on a promise he made when he was hired last winter. Next week Pershing will begin a tour of the state so he can get a better idea of how the U. can do better at addressing Utah's needs. Pershing's Great Red Road Trip rolls out Monday with a visit to Dixie State College in St. George, followed by stops in Cedar City on Tuesday, Milford, Beaver and Richfield on Wednesday, and Ephraim and Salina on Thursday. The first week in July Pershing's bus will visit eastern Utah. He plans day trips to northern Utah cities and towns later this summer.

>>West Valley City, Tooele, Taylorsville Celebrate With Festivals

(Undated) -- A pair of west valley cities and one a little farther west kick off celebrations with festivals this week. West Valley City's WestFest begins today and runs through Sunday, marking the city's incorporation on July 1st, 1980. The Tooele Arts Festival returns after a one-year break, getting under way tomorrow and continuing through Sunday. Taylorsville Dayzz runs June 28th through the 30 to commemorate the community's birthday of July 1st, 1996. Admission to all three events is free.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News June 20th 2012 Wednesday
(Moab Utah)-
A Parker, Colo., man says when he got lost in southeastern Utah’s high desert and night fell, he survived the cold by burying himself in sand.
The Moab Sun News reported Tuesday that Jeffrey Rossi was spotted by a helicopter the morning of June 14 after having shivered through the night on a mesa above Culvert Canyon. He reportedly had left for a walk and a cigarette the night before from his family’s campsite in the Metal Masher area.
The Grand County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team, assisted by the Utah Department of Public Safety aircraft, searched terrain consisting of dirt, sand, slick rock and several canyons before suspending efforts on June 13 with nightfall.
The search resumed the next morning, and Rossi was found, flown to Moab Regional Hospital to be checked out, and then released in good condition.
The Sun News reports that Rossi had intended to hike to the Colorado River, and when he became lost was able initially to build a fire and filter drinking water through his pants. He then buried himself in the still-warm sand for the night to ward off the cold.—
Monticello, UT (PRWEB) June 18, 2012
The 10th Annual
"The ATV Safari provides the opportunity to experience the endless beauty and diversity of Utah's Canyon Country in small groups, on trails that are well-cared for, with guides who have intimate knowledge of the area,” said Lynne Shumway, board president of the ATV Safari. “It also gives people who travel here the chance to visit many other remarkable places in the area like Monument Valley and Lake Powell,” she added.
Registration is $100 per rider, $300 for a family or group of four riders. For more information visit
>>Salt Lake City Council Passes $206-Million Budget

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The Salt Lake City Council passes a 206-million-dollar budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year. The budget raises downtown curbside parking rates, pumps 250-thousand dollars into the Bonneville Golf Course and looks to boost capital improvement projects with future upswings in sales tax receipts.


>>Salt Lake City Rolls Out Bike-Share Plans

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The Downtown Alliance, along with Mayor Ralph Becker and sponsors Kennecott and SelectHealth, unveiled plans yesterday to roll out bike sharing in Utah's capital in March 2013. The project calls for spreading about 100 bikes across 10 to 12 solar-powered stations around downtown hot spots. From there, participants can grab a set of wheels and tool around town. Citygoers can buy daily or yearly memberships ranging from five to 75 dollars that allow them to travel between downtown stations.

>>Officials Warn Public Of More Bear Encounters

(Undated) -- Officials say this season's dry weather could leave bears hungry and increase the chances of conflicts with campers. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources warns campers to keep a clean camp to avoid attracting bears. Hot, dry weather has taken a toll on mountain vegetation, reducing natural foods available to the state's black bears. Already this year, DWR biologists have trapped and moved a bear that was poking around a Summit County patio on Memorial Day.

>>Leaky Lake Might Take Years, Millions To Fix

(Undated) -- Government agencies have invited the public to brainstorm solutions for the leaky dikes at Navajo Lake, leaks that could take a few years and millions of dollars to plug. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources notes that breaches have been a problem at the half-mile-long Lake since it was originally built in 1930. Six times the dike has failed and each time there have been repairs or a dike-raising. The agencies plan a meeting yesterday evening at the Division of Wildlife Resources office in Cedar City to update the community and field ideas.

>>Inmate Stabbed At The Utah State Prison

(Draper, UT) -- An inmate at the Utah State Prison was stabbed Tuesday by his cellmate. Just before 5:30 p.m., the two men got into an altercation in their cell at the Draper prison. The victim was stabbed multiple times and taken by ambulance to a hospital, medics said. He was expected to survive. No weapon has been found. The subject of the dispute is not known.

>>No Candy Tossing In Days Of '47 Parade

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- There won't be any candy or trinkets tossed from floats during the Days of '47 parade next month. Parade organizers say they won't allow it, even if the Salt Lake City Council does. Parade co-chairwoman Jodene Smith says visibility is very limited for float drivers and that children running into the street to pick up candy or trinkets tossed from the floats creates a real safety hazard.

>>Artist Creating Big Sand Sculpture For Arts Festival
(Salt Lake City, UT) -- People attending this week's Utah Arts Festival can watch 20 tons of sand turn into a work of art. Sand artist Ted Seibert will set to work today creating a sand sculpture that should be complete sometime between tomorrow, when the festival opens, and Sunday's final day. The festival runs from noon to 11 p.m. each day, on Liberty Square at 400 South and 200 East in downtown Salt Lake City.

>>Provo Makes Improvements To State Street
(Provo, UT) -- The City of Provo and the Utah Department of Transportation have completed a number of safety improvements on Provo's South State Street. They include a ten-foot multi-use path, landscaping in the park strip, a wider road shoulder, and curb, gutter, and storm drain improvements. The path gives pedestrians and bikers a safer place to travel and the curb and gutter improvements create safer driving conditions by providing better access to property through defined driveways. The wider shoulder creates space for buses and other vehicles to pull partly out of the travel lanes when they drop off or pick up passengers. The improvements are on the east side of State Street from 1860 South to 1120 South. More funding is on the way so improvements can be extended to 900 South.

>>Salt Lake Airport To Begin $1.8-Billion Redevelopment Project

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Work can begin on a one-point-eight-billion dollar renovation project at Salt Lake International Airport. The City Council voted last night to allow airport officials begin spending money for design and engineering for the project. Mayor Ralph Becker announced earlier this year that the airport will be completely rebuilt to accommodate its emergence as a regional transportation hub, and to address seismic concerns. Construction is to begin next year with completion tentatively scheduled for 2022.

>>U. Company Releases First Student-Designed Video Game

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The University of Utah's Game Forge is releasing the first video game designed by students in the university's Entertainment Arts and Engineering program. The multi-player fantasy adventure game entitled "Heroes of Hat" can be downloaded through Xbox Live Marketplace. Two more games, called "Erie" and "Tactical" will soon be released through Utah Game Forge, which is a U.-owned company created to help students publish games.
FARMINGTON — About a dozen gay and lesbian parents and supporters attempted to speak to the Davis School Board about the controversial decision to yank a children’s book about lesbian mothers from bookshelves in the district.
They were not put on Tuesday’s agenda and therefore, not allowed to speak, but stayed to make their presence visible to the school board as it considered budget items
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San Juan ATV Safari takes place on September 13-15, 2012 in San Juan County, Utah, with Blanding serving as this year’s host city. An incredible three-day adventure, the San Juan ATV Safari is organized for participants to select three trail rides out of 18 options, ranging from paths that lead to the top of the Blue Mountains to the depths of the surrounding canyons. The trail system ratings range from "easy" to "expert,” with suggestions for families. Rides are lead by knowledgeable volunteer guides who help to interpret the landscape and inform the geology and history of this spectacular area of southeastern Utah. The event includes a Wednesday night social ATV Night Ride onto Abajo Mountain, in addition to the three daytime excursions, plus a banquet dinner at the end of the event on Saturday, September 15, 2012.http://www.sanjuansafari.com, email sanjuanatvsafari(at)yahoo.com or call 800-574-4386.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News June 19th 2012

>>Salt Lake City Named Best For Happy Marriage

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Salt Lake City is the best place in America to have a happy marriage, according to RealAge.com. In rankings by the health website, the authors noted that the epicenter for marriages in Salt Lake is LDS Temple Square. During the peak of wedding season, temple hosts as many as 80 weddings a day. It also notes that SLC spouses make good partners because of the area's healthy lifestyle.
SAN JUAN COUNTY, Utah - A man from Germany was killed in crash on Friday south of Moab.
According to the Utah Highway Patrol, a 2005 Ford F-350 pick up truck was traveling north on Highway 191 near the La Sal Mountain Loop, while following a dump truck.
The UHP says the dump truck got into the left turn lane to make a turn as pick up truck continued north.
At the same time, the UHP says the driver of a 2011 Nissan Sentra was attempting to make a left hand turn from the La Sal Mountain Loop Road to go South on SR 191, pulling in front of the pickup truck.
The UHP says the Ford F-350 and was struck in the driver's side door, and that the driver of the Nissan, 54-year-old Olaf Henry Gerhard Bortfeld from Hude, Germany suffered fatal injuries from the crash.
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Matheson fights to keep Moab uranium tailings clean up on schedule
Congressman Jim Matheson proposed an amendment last week, to restore some funding to a Department of Energy uranium waste cleanup program that covers the massive uranium mill tailings pile on the Colorado River near Moab.
"The health and safety of Utahns, as well as 25 million users of the Colorado River downstream, remains at risk, as long as the radioactive tailings pile continues to contaminate the river and the groundwater," said Matheson. "Recent progress is now slowing to a crawl, because the federal government's actions suggest they view this site as a low priority."
If the project is not fully funded then it will have to shut down for three months out of the year, idling the workers and the equipment during that time. The equipment would be unable to go to another job site without a complete decontamination procedure. Any work stoppage at the site would put several workers from Green River out of a job during the down time.
Yesterday, an Energy Department Official reportedly met with the Grand County officials to discuss the project. The meeting was not announced ahead of time.
 
 

>>Woman Charged With Manslaughter In Death Of Girl

(Millcreek Township, UT) -- A Millcreek Township woman's car hits and kills a six-year-old girl in a Salt Lake City crosswalk. Police say she allegedly was driving under the influence of sedatives. In filing manslaughter charges yesterday, police say Janeen Lundberg's car veered into a left-turn lane near Kensington Avenue, hit the median and continued into a crosswalk, hitting Ambrosia Amalathithada-Ramseyer and her mother. Ambrosia died the next day.

>>More Residents Take Advantage Of Early Voting

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Election Day for Utah's primary is still a week away, but officials say the event is no longer a one-day activity. Voters have been casting ballots throughout the state for several days at city and county offices and can continue to vote through the end of the week. Absentee ballots, which are becoming more popular, need to be mailed by Friday.

>>Woman Commits Drive-By Shooting With Kids In Car

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A woman fired shots at a man while driving with her two young children Sunday. Vera Castillo is behind bars in the Salt Lake Count jail after turning herself in. Police said Castillo brought her nine-month-old and two-year-old children with her as she fired a gun at a man during a drive-by shooting. She is being held without bail on suspicion of assault and attempt to commit a capital felony.

>>Utah Lawmakers Consider Increasing Liquor Licenses

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Lawmakers will consider increasing the state's quota for restaurant liquor licenses Wednesday to make up for a shortfall that has stymied business growth in some areas. Governor Gary Herbert called a special session of the legislature to address the issue and several others. The session is Wednesday, a day already set aside for committee hearings. The state has been out of restaurant licenses for the past couple of months, which has hurt economic development in some communities.


>>Mom Cited For Leaving Girl In 110-Degree Car

(Orem, UT) -- Orem Police have cited a woman for leaving her little girl inside a car that heated up to 110 degrees. The three-year-old wasn't hurt and a woman who heard the child crying reached in through a partially opened window and got the toddler out before calling 9-1-1. The girl's mother told police she went into a store to use the bathroom and didn't want to wake her sleeping child. Police say the mother wasn't acting maliciously and didn't think she would be gone as long as she was. Firefighters measured the temperature of the child's car seat at 110 degrees.

>>Intermountain Healthcare Gets $9.7-Million Award

(Undated) -- Intermountain Healthcare is getting a nine-point-seven-million dollar award to make it easier for people to manage their health. The federal Health Care Innovation Award will pay for software that figures patients' risk of serious health conditions and creates a list of medications and lifestyle changes that would do the most to improve their health. Intermountain's director of research and education Lucy Savitz says the software will be focused on patients with chronic diseases.

>>U. Shuttle System Getting Wireless Electric Bus

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The University of Utah and a Utah State University start-up company will test a wireless recharging system with the U's new electric shuttle buses. The U. is installing charging pads at bus stops and the test will begin when the electric buses join the university's shuttle fleet this fall. A federal grant will cover the cost of the new buses and the charging pads. The test is aimed at determing whether so-called wireless power transfer, or WPT, make economic sense.

>>House Approves Ute Land Swap

(Undated) -- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that returns sacred lands to the Ute Indian Tribe, in exchange for lands believed to be rich in natural gas. Yesterday's vote clears the way for the tribe and the Utah School and Institutiona Trust Lands Administration to trade 18-thousand acres of tribal land in Grand County for a similar-sized block of land in Uintah County. Utah Congressman Jim Matheson sponsored the legislation. Utah Senator Orrin Hatch introduced a companion bill in the Senate last week.

 
 
 
 
 
SALT LAKE CITY —
Author Michelle Cottle writes that despite church growth and movement toward the mainstream, some still consider it "disconcertingly exotic."
"With the very real possibility that one of its own could wind up in the Oval Office, the LDS (Church) finds itself scrambling to adjust to life in the global spotlight," she writes.
Cottle says Michael Otterson, managing director of LDS Public Affairs, told her "he and his colleagues' lives have been 'consumed' by media inquiries."
Newsweek magazine spotlights The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' efforts to answer an influx of media questions about the faith since Mitt Romney's presidential bid.

Monday, June 18, 2012

KCYN KCPX News Monday June 18th 2012

>>Critical Fire Threat For All Of Utah, Weather Service Says

(Undated) -- The National Weather Service says "critical fire conditions" exist throughout Utah. A potentially-disastrous mix of blistering hot temperatures, bone-dry conditions and strong, gusty winds has all of Utah at risk of burning. Fire restrictions including no open fires except in improved campgrounds, picnic areas and permanently improved structures, and no smoking except in enclosed vehicles or buildings or cleared or barren areas at least three feet in diameter will remain in effect until the threat eases. Restrictions also include prohibit using any kind of fireworks.

EAGLE MOUNTAIN — A wildfire in Wiley Canyon on the west side of Lake Mountain continued to burn Sunday.
The Wiley Fire has burned approximately 300 acres since it started about 7 a.m. Saturday. The fire was about 90 percent contained as of 10 p.m. Sunday.
On Friday a fire consumed 13 acres of a heavy stand of trees and brush adjacent to the 9the hole on the Moab Golf Course.
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>>Two Killed In Summit County Accident

(Kamas, UT) -- A motorcycle accident in Summit County has claimed the lives of two people. The Utah Highway Patrol says 63-year-old Ross Bartholomew and his 59-year-old wife Patricia were on a motorcycle that crossed into oncoming traffic along State Road 150 east of Kamas on Saturday afternoon. The motorcycle was struck head-on by a car. The Bartholomews were pronounced dead at the scene. Patricia Bartholomew was a longtime clerk with the Utah Supreme Court.

>>Paris-Bound Plane Makes Emergency Landing

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A Delta Airlines flight bound for Paris had to make an emergency landing after a tire blew out on takeoff. KSL-TV reports 198 passengers onboard Flight 89 were headed for Charles de Gaulle Airport on Saturday afternoon, when the plane had to circle the Salt Lake City Airport for a few hours to dump fuel, before it could land safely. No injuries were reported. Passengers were rerouted to another flight.

>>Parents Of Drowned Boy Scout Sue

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The Las Vegas parents of a Boy Scout who drowned while attending a Utah summer camp is suing the national organization. Christopher and Sherry Tuvell claim diving instructors failed to, quote, "prepare and implement an adequate dive plan." Twelve-year-old David Christopher Tuvell died in July 2011, after authorities say he took part in a diving exercise at Utah's Bear Lake.

>>AG Backs Obama Immigration Plan

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Utah's attorney general is breaking with fellow Republicans on President Obama's executive order to allow qualified young immigrants to work in the U.S. Mark Shurtleff says the order is "good public safety policy" because it focuses on illegal immigrants who commit crimes instead of those getting an education. Most other Utah Republican officials have accused the president of pandering to Latinos and abusing his powers.

>>UTA Wants To Eliminate Free Fare Zone

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The Utah Transit Authority wants to scrap free bus service in downtown Salt Lake City. The "Salt Lake Tribune" says UTA officials are offering the city 100-thousand dollars and other incentives to end the free rides. City officials say the offer is too low. The free fare district was launched in 1996, and its 100-year contract still has another 85 years to go.
 

>>Arnold Crowned New Miss Utah

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Miss Davis County is the new Miss Utah. Kara Arnold won the title Saturday night at Salt Lake City's Capitol Theater. The University of Utah biochemistry major will receive a ten-thousand dollar scholarship, and will promote science and math education during her reign. Arnold will also be a spokeswoman for the Child Protection Registry, which helps protect families from adult-oriented solicitations.

>>Utah Home Sales Up

(Undated) -- Utah's housing market is showing encouraging signs of recovery. The Utah Association of Realtors reports the medin price for homes sold in April was just more than 178-thousand dollars, a two-point-seven-percent increase over April of last year. Home sales were up in Salt Lake, Davis and Utah counties. Home sales in Washington County, the St. George area, fell by nearly 15-percent, but the median price was up by almost 15-thousand dollars over April 2011.

>>Ten-Thousand Celebrate Wasatch Back Relay

(Undated) -- More than ten-thousand runners, support teams and fans celebrated the annual Ragnar Relay Wasatch Back over the weekend. The relay course covers nearly 200 miles from Logan to Park City. The Utah Sports Commission describes the race as the longest distance running event in Utah and the second-largest relay race in the U.S. Five-hundred teams competed.

WEST VALLEY CITY — A relative of the man accused of shooting a construction worker says the shooter acted in self-defense.
"He's a wonderful child," she said.
The woman asked us not to identify her because she's scared of retaliation.
She says her relative, Bobby Devore, 29, isn't a violent man. He had plans to go back to school to become a writer.
"Now this is a gentleman who is a straight A student, just got a full scholarship to (Southern Utah University). He was leaving in August," she said.
Police arrested Devore Saturday morning in a Wells, Nevada motel.
He's accused of shooting a construction worker in the shoulder.
 
 
SALT LAKE CITY – A man is in custody after allegedly sexually assaulting three women in Salt Lake City on Sunday morning.
Police say the series of assaults started in the parking lot of the Whole Foods store at Trolley Square at around 7:30 a.m. 21-year-old Guillermo Ramirez allegedly approached a woman from behind and touched her inappropriately before fleeing on foot.An hour later, a woman pushing a stroller near 1300 South and 840 East had a similar experience.
A third woman was working out in the same area when Ramirez approached her and pulled her running shorts down. This time, an officer in the area witnessed the assault, but Ramirez was able to flee but was found after a search.
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Friday, June 15, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News  Friday June 15, 2012

>>Former Utah Reporter Killed In Bike Accident
(Anniston, AL) -- A former Utah reporter has died in an Alabama bicycle accident. Thirty-seven year-old Derek Thomas Jensen was hit by a truck early yesterday morning in the town of Anniston. He died nearly an hour later. Jensen spent five years as a police reporter with the "Deseret News," and was working with FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness at Fort McClellan. He's survived by a wife and three children.

>>Court Orders New Trial For Doctor

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Utah's Court of Appeals has ordered a new trial for a Cache County doctor accused of fondling his female patients. Fifty-one year-old Raymond Bedell was convicted in 2007, but police told jurors they were investigating allegations made by nine other women. The appeals court said the comments could have prejudiced the jury, and Bedell's attorney should have lodged an objection. Prosecutors are considering an appeal to the state Supreme Court.

>>Hatch Rolls Out Million Dollar Ad Blitz

(Washington, DC) -- Senator Orrin Hatch is rolling out a major TV and radio campaign. The "Salt Lake Tribune" says the Republican lawmaker will spend one-million dollars on media buys. His primary challenger, Dan Liljenquist, is spending about 152-thousand dollars. While Hatch has raised nearly ten-million dollars, Liljenquist has nearly 800-thousand dollars, with half coming from his own pocket.

>>Player Pianos For Downtown Salt Lake

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Don't be surprised if you feel the need to tickle the ivories in downtown Salt Lake City. The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art is setting up ten player pianos on downtown sidewalks, with signs that read "play me." There will also be a blog to post your pictures and videos at the keyboard. The "Play Me, I'm Yours" project kicks off today, and continues for the next two weeks.

>>West Valley City In Line For 200 New Jobs
(West Valley City, UT) -- An online health insurance broker is bringing more than 200 jobs to West Valley City. EHealth, Incorporated just announced it's setting up operations in the Lake Pointe business area and will hire more than 200 full-time and seasonal workers as it expands Medicare sales and customer care operations in Utah. EHealth, Inc. is the parent company of eHealthInsurance, which is an online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses.

(Panguitch, UT) -- The former Public Defender for Garfield County is accused of extorting money and personal property from people the county paid him to defend. Attorney John Hummel is charged with more than a half-dozen felonies for allegedly getting defendants to give him money and personal property for defending them. Hummel will be in court next week.

>>War On Weeds Escalates In Western Utah

(Undated) -- State, federal, and private agriculture specialists are stepping up their war on invasive weeds in western Utah. They'll be using chemical sprays and a host of insects in their effort to wipeout a strain of knapweed that chokes out native vegetation and provides fuel for wildfires. The Utah Legislature provided a million dollars to battle the knapweed. That money will be available July 1st.

>>Millcreek Festival Set For Saturday

(Millcreek, UT) -- The seventh annual Millcreek Township Venture Outdoor Festival has enough planned to fill all day and most of the night on Saturday. So-called pre-festival events that begin at eight a.m. include the Millcreek Canyon hike, Playworks, Volksmarch and a basic volleyball clinic. The festival officially begins at three Saturday afternoon at Canyon Rim Park, with games, demonstrations, live entertainment, and food. Also on Saturday, the Millcreek Bike Safety Rodeo begins at nine a.m. at Big Cottonwood Park.

SALT LAKE CITY — Federal agents drove a Blanding Utah doctor to suicide after interrogating him and searching his house for an ancient artifact they never found, his family's lawyers argued Thursday in a wrongful-death case against the government.
The U.S. Justice Department asked U.S. District Judge
Dr. James Redd, 60, killed himself a day after his arrest
The family says the government agents can’t properly identify alleged evidence, manufactured evidence, used excessive force, abused their powers and illegally confiscated the family's personal belongings. They're demanding the government return family photos, Dr. Redd's personal diary, banking records, a telephone, three digital cameras and other items.
"They took everything in the house except for furniture and clothes," said Shandor Badaruddin, a lawyer from Missoula, Mont., who represents the family.
After his death, according to the lawsuit, a BLM agent told Jeanne Redd and her daughter that Dr. Redd "took one for the team" by killing himself.
During the search of the house, the Redds were shackled by the legs and hands with chains linking leg irons and hand iron to a chain belt around the waist. Allegedly, one agent told Mrs. Redd during the search… “This is the worst day of your life…it will be like someone died.” Another agent is said to have told Dr Redd that he would never practice medicine again.
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Ted Stewart to throw out the lawsuit, saying federal agencies were protected by immunity in the sweeping investigation into the trafficking of American Indian artifacts allegedly taken from federal and tribal lands. In 2009, federal agents swept up 26 defendants in Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

KCYN-KCPX News Thursday 6-14-12
Ogden • Aron Ralston — the Coloradoan whose story of cutting off his arm to save his life inspired the movie "127 Hours" — turned his efforts Wednesday toward saving the country that nearly killed him.
A motivational speaker and outdoor enthusiast, Ralston spoke to about 400 people, in Ogden, at the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance retailers’ trade show and as a $13,000 fundraiser for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). In his speech, he urged President Barack Obama to designate a national monument in southeast Utah, which would include Bluejohn Canyon, where Ralston nearly died. And he called on Utahns to "vote for the canyons."
He added that while the nation needs oil and gas, it shouldn’t come at the expense of wilderness. Each time he returns to the area where a boulder dislodged and trapped him, he said, he sees a new drilling rig closer to the scene.
 
Golf Week magazine recently released it’s list of the top golf courses in America and the Hideout is rated the #17 best public course in all of America!
That puts the Hideout in the same company as Bethpage Black in New York and Torrey Pines in California, who both have hosted US Opens in the past four years. Of note also is another course in our area, Pinion Hills in Farmington, NM which is #4 on the list.

The Hideout is also ranked fifth in Utah when rated to all courses, public and private.
People are finding out about our little gem here, with play up 10-15 percent over last year already and last year was the best year yet at the Hideout.
This past weekend, 158 golfers participated in the annual Arch and the Horesehead tournament, an event that features the Hideout and Saturday and the Moab Golf Club on Sunday.
Golf pro Tyler Ivins reports 158 golfers is the biggest event ever held at the Hideout, bigger than the heydays of the San Juan Amateur.
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SPANISH FORK CANYON, Utah – A 21-year-old man is dead after falling 80 feet in Spanish Fork Canyon Wednesday morning.
Ammon Leatham of Orem and a woman were hiking on the Thistle Slide area early Wednesday morning and climbed into an overflow tunnel from the area of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office shooting range.
Near the west end of the tunnel, the pair reportedly heard something. Leatham went to investigate and fell 80 feet. The woman called 911 at around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Latham sustained serious injuries to his head, neck, chest and pelvis, but was still alive when emergency crews arrived. He was transported to the University of Utah Medical Center via medical helicopter where he died a short time later.
 
 
 
 
>>Preliminary Report On Tanker Crash

(Washington, DC) -- A preliminary report has been released on the June 3rd air tanker crash on the Utah-Nevada border. The National Transportation Safety Board says the Lockheed tanker collided with mountainous terrain, while dropping retardant on a wildfire 20 miles north of Modena. Two pilots from Boise, Idaho were killed. The NTSB is still looking into what caused the crash.
(Undated) -- The first section of the I-15 CORE project to be completed is opening today. The four-and-a-half-mile stretch from Lehi to Pleasant Grove now features six lanes each for northbound and southbound traffic. The 24-mile construction project that extends from Lehi to Spanish Fork is scheduled to be completed in December. The massive road construction project that started in 2010 is adding freeway lanes and updated and improving more than 60 bridges.

>>Bangerter Bridge Opening Saturday

(Undated) -- A new bridge on the Bangerter Highway is scheduled to open to traffic this weekend. Utah Department of Transportation crews will start shifting traffic to the bridge at 7800 South this Saturday night and UDOT says the bridge should be completely open by Sunday afternoon. The bridge will have drivers use ramps to turn onto 7800 South, similar to a freeway interchange.

>>Utah Export Growth Is 2nd In Nation

(Undated) -- Utah is a national leader in export growth. The state ranks second in the nation, behind only Texas, in export growth according to U.S. Chamber of Commerce report released yesterday. Utah exported nearly 19-billion dollars in goods and commodities last year. Rising prices for gold and silver drove much of the state's export growth.
 

>>Copper Stripped From School’s Air Units

(Ogden, UT) -- Copper thieves have left an Odgen school without air conditioning. KSL-TV reports copper wire was stripped from three rooftop units at Bonneville High. Investigators hope surveillance footage will give them a description of the suspects. The Weber School District says the 16-thousand dollar cost will be covered by insurance, and the new units will be installed by the end of August.
 
 

>>Insurer To Keep Parts Of Health Care Law

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Even if the Supreme Court strikes down portions of the Affordable Care Act, one major insurer says it will keep some of its provisions intact. Regence BlueCross BlueShield says dependent children will still be allowed to stay on their parents’ policies, and the appeals process for denied coverage will continue. Regence says any other decisions will be made based on customer feedback.

>>New Center For Families Dedicated

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The YWCA has dedicated a new Center for Families at its downtown campus. It provides a one-stop location for women and men who need help to get out of an unsafe relationship. The center on East 300 South also features a community education program and an expanded Family Justice Center. It will be open weekdays from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM.

>>Utah Nonprofits Share $402-Thousand In Grants

(Undated) -- A half-dozen Utah nonprofit organizations are sharing more than 400-thousand dollars in grants. The Colorado-based Daniels Fund is directing a total of 402-thousand dollars to organizations the fund's president says have a proven record of success in helping people rise above challenges. Grants are going to Murray Youth Baseball, the Erin Kimball Memorial Foundation in St. George, TriCounty Health Department in northeastern Utah, the Utah Food Bank in Salt Lake City, Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Ogden, and Canyon Creek Women's Crisis Center in Cedar City.

>>Taylorsville Set To Join UPD

(Taylorsville, UT) -- Taylorsville is moving to join the Salt Lake Valley Fire District and to contract with the Unified Police Department for law enforcement services. A majority of the city council endorsed those moves in a straw poll yesterday. The actions would remove the need for a tax increase to cover shortfalls in Taylorsville's 2013 budget. However, joining the fire district would add slightly less than 12-dollars to the monthly tax bill for the average home in Taylorsville. The city council is expected to vote on the changes at its regular meeting next Wednesday.