KCYN-KCPX News Fri 10-19-2012

LAYOFFS IN MOAB-BLANDING AREA

>>Utah Unemployment Among Lowest In Nation

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Utah's rate of unemployment is now among the lowest in the country. The rate fell to five-point-four-percent in September, its lowest since the Great Recession started in 2007. It was also the second significant drop in as many months after being stuck at six-percent.

(Moab-Blanding Utah))_ The uranium mine layoffs reported on yesterday are more widespread in Southeastern Utah than first thought. Instead of 16, its now reported that Forty Energy Fuels employees will be laid off from the firm’s Beaver, Daneros and Pandora mines, according to company officials.
Layoffs at Beaver and Daneros will be effective the end of this month. Employees at Pandora will likely continue working until January or February, Energy Fuels spokesman Curtis Moore said.
The Pandora and Beaver mines are near La Sal. Daneros is 40 miles west of Blanding, about four or five miles south of Fry Canyon.
The layoffs result from low uranium prices, Moore said.
The affected mines will be shut down and placed on “standby” status. A few maintenance workers and mangers will stay on site to make sure the mines can re-open quickly if prices improve, Moore said.

>>SUV Driver Critical

(Murray, UT) -- The driver of an SUV lay in critical condition this morning after a collision with a semi on Interstate 15 in Murray. Both ramps of I-15 at 53-hundred South had to be closed yesterday as crews worked to extract the female driver from her SUV which became wedged underneath the semi. While the driver remains critical a second woman her two children riding inside the SUV needed treatment for only minor injuries.

>>Ron Paul Wows Crowd At UVU

(Provo, UT) -- Texas Congressmen and former presidential hopeful and Ron Paul energizes a large crowd at Utah Valley University. Supporters cheered inside the Events Center as Paul laid into the Federal Reserve, income taxes, the war on drugs and welfare. Paul said he believes personal freedom and civil liberty are not just ideas embraced by Republicans.

>>Report: Salt Lake 'Ready' To Bid On '26 Olympics

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Will Utah once again be home to the Olympic Village? According to a new report by the Utah Olympic Exploratory Committee the state is "ready, willing and able" to host the 2026 Winter Games. The committee presented its findings yesterday to Governor Hebert and Salt Lake City Mayor Becker. The report says Salt Lake City's economy would benefit by five-billion-dollars if the Games returned here. The Governor isn't expected to decide until November whether or not Utah should make a bid.

TAYLORSVILLE — A 39-year-old woman was killed Thursday night when she stepped off the curb in front of an oncoming car.
Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal said the woman was hit about 10 p.m. while attempting to cross to the north side of 5400 South near the intersection of 2100 West. The woman was not at a crosswalk, and there were no nearby streetlights.　　
(Salt Lake)-
A federal grand jury has indicted a former FBI agent who prosecutors claim tried to derail a criminal investigation into a key figure in an alleged military fraud scheme.
The grand jury in Salt Lake City on Thursday returned an 11-count indictment charging former FBI special agent Robert G. Lustyik Jr., and two alleged accomplices, each with one count of conspiracy, eight counts of wire fraud, one count of obstructing justice and one count of obstructing an agency proceeding
Prosecutors suspect that Lustyik, 50, used his position as an FBI agent to try to thwart an investigation into Michael L. Taylor, 51, with whom he had formed what promised to be a lucrative business relationship that would land them security and alternative energy contracts throughout the world.
　
　
>>WVC Man Arrested In Duel Attack

(West Valley City, UT) -- A West Valley City man is accused of beating his estranged wife and then stabbing her brother. The 46-year-old man was charged yesterday with felony aggravated assault, criminal trespassing and a slew of other charges. Police say he trespassed on his wife's property and then hit her after she called 911. He then allegedly grabbed a steak knife from the kitchen and attacked the woman's brother, who was outside. Both victims were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and the husband was arrested at his home.

>>BYU Tuition To Rise Three-Percent

(Provo, UT) -- Brigham Young University students face a three-percent rise in tuition next academic school year. The increase will help cover rising costs throughout the university, according to BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins. She tells the "Deseret News" that the extra revenue will allow the university to "continue to provide superb education" to its students. Despite the increase, BYU remains cheaper than most private American colleges and universities.

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>>Magna House Fire Under Investigation

(Magna, UT) -- The cause of a two-alarm house fire in Magna is under investigation. The blaze broke out yesterday morning in the attic of the home at 2752 South 9000 West. Crews had it under control within 20 minutes. The residents were not home at the time. Investigators were trying to locate them to help determine a cause.

>>UofP To Close Two Utah Locations

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The University of Phoenix is planning on closing a number of campuses nationwide, including two in Utah. Locations in St. George and Pleasant Grove are closing their doors due to declining enrollment. Administrators say overall, 25 main campuses and 90 smaller learning sites will be shuttered nationwide. They say the move will save the for-profit university 300-million dollars a year.

>>UT Principal Honored In DC

(Washington, DC) -- A principal from Highland is heading back from Washington D-C where he was honored as one of the top principals in the country. James Melville of Freedom Elementary has served the past 31 years in education. He is one of roughly 60 principals to be recognized yesterday at the National Meeting of Principals of the Year. Teachers and staff at Freedom say Melville was chosen because of his effort to keep a sense of community within the school.