KCYN-KCPX News Thursday 20Sept2012

(Denver) • The federal government said Wednesday it has control over highway access in national monuments even if no official notice was given, in a case that could affect highway rights of way on federal public land across the country.
Aaron Avila, attorney for the U.S. Justice Department, told an appeals court panel Wednesday that the federal government had the right to close a disputed highway right of way in an ecologically sensitive streambed in Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah. He said no one objected when barriers were put up in the 1970s in parts of a canyon limiting access, even though there were other access roads.
Government supporters said the case could affect thousands of highway rights of way across federal public land nationwide, including areas that have been protected from roads and off-road vehicle use for years.
San Juan County and the state of Utah sued the Park Service, arguing the government could not close the streambed to four-wheel-drive vehicles because it was a county and state highway.
The county says it maintained and improved the road for the public for decades before the park was established.
The state also claims the road was used from the 1920s to run cattle and haul supplies to established cowboy camps and had been a road for visitors and uranium prospectors since at least 1954.
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(Moab-Salt Lake)- According to an annual report from the Utah Film Commission
major film productions shot in Utah such as “The Lone Ranger,” starring Johnny Depp, and the upcoming science fiction film “After Earth,” starring Will Smith (both shot in Moab), brought in $33 million to the state. Utah, commission executive director Marshall Moore reported toa legislative interim committee Wednesday at the State Capitol.
This past fiscal year, from July to June, 18 new film productions were shot in Utah, up from 13 the previous year. Moore said the increase could be attributed to the Legislature approving added incentives for filmmakers who make their movies in the state.
-0->>Speedskater Admits To Tampering With Rival's Skates

(Undated) -- A speedskater who lives and trains in Utah admits he tampered with a rival's skates on orders from his coach. The "Chicago Tribune" reports the admission came during a legal fight started by 14 skaters to get their coaches fired, saying they're physically, verbally and psychologically abusive. Simon Cho says tampering with a Canadian rival's skates last year at the world championships was his "darkest secret."
　

>>Republican Lawmaker Pushing For State-Funded Preschool

(South Jordan, UT) -- Believe it or not, a Republican state lawmaker is pushing the idea of state-funded preschool. The "Salt Lake Tribune" reports South Jordan State Senator Aaron Osmond is planning to introduce a bill next year to create a preschool program for at-risk students. Republicans have long criticized taxpayer-funded preschools for a number of reasons, including financial. Osmond says his bill would be modeled after a successful program in the Granite School District.

>>More Utah Boys Overweight Or Obese Than Girls

(Undated) -- For whatever reason, more boys than girls are overweight or obese in Utah. Thousands of elementary school kids across the state were measured and weighed for the survey for the Utah state health department. It shows about 17-percent of boys in first grade are at unhealthy weights, but that number grows to 28-percent for boys in the fifth grade. Twenty-percent of fifth grade girls are overweight or more.

>>More 80 Mile-Per-Hour Speed Limits Could Be Coming

(Undated) -- The speed limit could be raised to 80-miles-per-hour on more parts of freeways in Utah. A key legislative committee supports the idea to raise the speed limit to give drivers a quicker trip. Right now, there are parts of I-15 in the southern part of the state are testing out 80-mile-per-hour speed limits. Lawmakers also looked at data that showed there was no jump in speeding or crashes because of the faster limits.

>>Bilingual Ballots For Salt Lake County Precincts In November

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Extra ballots are being printed in Spanish for the November election. Salt Lake County is hoping the Spanish language ballots will encourage more Hispanics to vote. They make up roughly one-fifth of the population in Salt Lake County, but only a fraction of them vote. Voters will have the option to select Spanish in electronic voting machines, or request them by mail.
>>Herbert's Pick For Alcohol Commission Scrutinized

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Some Utah lawmakers are criticizing Governor Hebert's choice to head the state's alcohol commission. Herbert's pick of state Department of Commerce Executive Director Francine Giani has come under scrutiny because she is a member of his Cabinet. Giani's nomination was scheduled for confirmation yesterday but her name was mysteriously removed from the agenda. Senator John Valentine tells the "Deseret News" he and other lawmakers have concerns about the head of one state department serving on the commission for another department.


>>Warnings Over Terrorists Targeting Utah, West

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Warnings are going out to land managers in Utah and the West about wildfires being possibly connected to terrorism. The warnings coming from the Federal Bureau of Investigation come as investigators look into terrorist groups eyeing dry forest conditions to ignite widespread arson wildfires. A top official with the state's Division of Forestry tells the "Tribune" that Utah is taking the threats quote "quite seriously." Officials say the cost of fighting the wildfires would be millions of dollars. Federal authorities point to a recent article in a terrorism magazine which encouraged people to set fires in the U.S.

>>Report: Boy Scouts Violated Policy At Romney Meeting

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Criticism is being levied against a Salt Lake City-area Boy Scouts troop in light of their recent meeting with Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. According to KSL-TV, a local troop of Boy Scouts violated their group's policy when they met Romney as he stepped on his plane in Salt Lake. Boy Scouts of America prohibits uniformed members from participating in political events. A spokesperson with the Great Salt Lake Council of Boy Scouts said this type of issue tends to come up during the election cycle. Godfrey contacted the leaders of the Cottonwood troop Wednesday and told them greeting Romney at the airport was not appropriate. He said the leader responsible was new and not aware of the policy.

>>Hebert Asks People To Pledge Not To Text And Drive

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Utah Governor Gary Herbert is asking Utahns to make a pledge to stop texting while driving. The Governor spoke yesterday in support of "Don't Text and Drive Pledge Day" in Utah during a stop at Cottonwood High School. Experts say more than 100-thousand car accidents each year in the U.S. are connected to people texting while driving.