>>Man Who Fled Murder Allegations Back In Utah

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The man accused of killing his girlfriend and fleeing the state is back in Utah to face murder charges. KSL-TV says Steven Gray heard his charges yesterday in connection with the death of Jennifer Brackenbury. Authorities say Gray killed the 44-year-old Brackenbury before he fled to Washington state. Prosecutors are expected to seek the death penalty.

>>More Than 100 Intoxicated Drivers Busted

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Utah troopers are reporting a successful effort nabbing intoxicated drivers during the New Year's holiday. The "Tribune" says Utah Highway Patrol busted more than 100 drivers between December 28th and January 1st for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Most of the arrests came during law enforcement's anti-drunk-driving blitz on New Year's Eve.

>>Smoke Shop Owners Faces Federal Charges

(West Valley City, UT) -- Federal charges in connection with illegal sales of the banned substance called "spice" are handed to the owner of a Utah smoke shop. Adel Al-Mukahel from Victor's Smoke Shop in Kaysville faces four-counts including distribution and possession of a banned substance. "Spice" is an herbal substance typically soaked with a chemical compound found in marijuana known as T-H-C. Authorities say the smoke shop in question saw monthly sales of the illegal substance totaling more than 75-thousand dollars.

>>T-Shirt Blamed For Sewage Backup In Magna

(Magna, UT) -- A T-shirt stuffed down a toilet is to blame for one hot mess in Magna. About a dozen homeowners there are still mopping up after the clothing caused a major neighborhood sewage backup on New Year's Eve. One homeowner has already spent two-grand on repairs in the wake of the messy backup.

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah – Police in Cottonwood Heights say a man smashed into a Maverik store on Wednesday morning. A white man in his 30s left his car running while he ran into a Maverik station located at 6855 South and 1300 East but apparently forgot to put his car in park because it started rolling.
The man jumped back into the moving car to stop it but police say he hit the gas instead of the brakes, ramming into the store, then took off in a panic.
A witness got the suspect’s license plate and Maverik employees say they have his business card; they say he’s a regular there.
The man was driving a newer model white Toyota pickup. Anyone with information is asked to contact Cottonwood Heights police.

LEHI — Though flames from a small fire in a Costco Tuesday night didn't burn much, damage from smoke trapped in the warehouse totals near $2 million.
Rick Howard, Battalion Chief with the Lehi Fire Department, said the fire appears to have originated in a display of electrical items, burning four pallets and product packaging, but the flames didn't spread. The fire's cause is still under investigation.
Firefighters were first alerted to the problem by a single waterflow alarm just before 10 p.m. Tuesday Water from the store's fire suppression system had already extinguished the fire, but the vents in the system failed to open, trapping the smoke inside.
Costco is estimating the cost of smoke and water damage could exceed $2 million
-0-
Utah education leaders have good news for the new year: High school graduation rates are on a steady climb.
According to data from the State Office of Education, the Beehive State’s graduation rate improved in 2012 to 78 percent from 76 percent in 2011.
Gaps, however, remain between the graduation rates of different ethnic groups. For example, 82 percent of white students graduated in 2012 compared with 60 percent of American Indian students.
But almost all the state’s ethnic groups saw their rates rise, in some cases at a faster rate than the state as a whole, meaning such gaps may be narrowing. The graduation rate among Latino students rose 5 percentage points between 2011 and 2012 to 62 percent. Latinos are Utah’s largest minority group, comprising 15.5 percent of all Utah students.
-0-
(Moab Utah)-
Moab Police, the Grand County and San Juan County Sheriff's officers apprehended a man reported wanted in California and Colorado on several charges. The arrested came after the man filled the tank on a reported stolen SUV from California at the MJoab Chevron Station. He left behind an invalid gas card. A San Juan Deputy located the man and vehicle and had him return to the Moab Gas station. This was before officers learned of the stolen are and warrants. As he arrived back in Moab, he was surrounded by officers ands taken into custody without incident. The stolen vehicle had stolen plates on it and is reportedly an 80-thousand dollar import.
-0-