>>Prison Move Bill Gains Preliminary OK

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A proposed bill to move Utah State Prison moves ahead. The bill that would move the prison from the 700-acres of land in Draper won preliminary approval yesterday from the Utah Senate. Studies show the move could make an economic impact of almost 20-billion-dollars over the next two decades.

>>Anti-Gay Discrimination Bill Loses L-D-S Support For Now

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The L-D-S Church won't be supporting a legislative initiative in Utah to end housing and employment discrimination against gays and lesbians after all. The "Tribune" says the church had shown interest in backing a law if it could agree on how the bill would be framed. Utah Senator Steve Urquhart said he would proceed with the anti-discrimination bill that's patterned after the Salt Lake City ordinance.

>>Area Catholics Bid Adieu To Pope Benedict

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Salt Lake-area Catholics said goodbye to Pope Benedict the 16th yesterday. The "Tribune" says Catholic leaders in Utah appreciated Pope Benedict's evangelistic efforts, but they are looking forward to who will be voted the next pontiff. The 85-year-old Pope Benedict spent his last official day as the head of the church yesterday before his retirement.

>>Herriman City Council Votes 'No' On Gun Range

(Herriman, UT) -- City Councilors in Herriman vote not to approve a controversial gun range. The city ultimately sided with residents and turned down the proposed range along Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Residents have argued for months the planned 15-acre range would be too close to homes and schools.

>>Owl Migration Patterns Studied

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- The University of Utah is implementing a plan to attract and study migrating owls. Biology students spent yesterday installing special boxes at three locations on campus in hopes of attracting the Western screech owl. The nocturnal animals will begin migrating north to breed. The effort is courtesy of money provided through the Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund.


>>Open Carry Gun Bill Clears Utah House

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A bill making it easier to openly carry a gun is headed off for Senate approval. House Bill 268 sailed through the House with a 54-12 vote. Under current law, anyone openly carrying a gun could be slapped with a disorderly conduct charge.

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>>Utes Swim Coach Suspended For Sex Abuse Allegations

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- University of Utah head swim coach Greg Winslow is temporarily off the job due to sexual assault allegations. Utes AD Chris Hill announced Winslow is on indefinite suspension after the swimming blog Concussion Inc. wrote about the allegations. Winslow is accused of abusing someone in a locked coach's office at Arizona State University in 2005. He hasn't been charged with a crime and hasn't commented.



>>Hawaii Happiest State In U.S., West Virginia At Bottom

(Undated) -- If you're looking for happiness, head to Hawaii. For the fourth straight year, the Aloha State has claimed the top spot on a Gallup-Healthways poll of the "happiest" states in the union. Hawaii residents were most likely to rate their lives as "thriving" and scored high in categories such as emotional health. On the flip side, West Virginia was found to be the "least happy" of the 50 states. Utah is in the top five list of happy states.
Pollsters say residents in "happy" states exercised more, smoked less and tend to have higher incomes and lower unemployment.

　

SALT LAKE CITY – As the federal government goes into the uncharted territory known as "sequestration," it’s clear Utah will not be immune from the effects of severe budget cuts. Governor Gary Herbert turned a colorful phrase to describe what he feels like he predicted long ago."We always have said if we continue to do this it’s going to come back and bite us in the butt, and it’s butt-biting time right now," he said on Thursday. In Utah the cut efects could be felt at Hill Air Force Base and research progams at the University of Utah and utah State University.

TAYLORSVILLE — A man has been arrested after allegedly ramming three police cars before releasing his rottweiler to attack officers, who shot the dog in self-defense. Police responded to a call Thursday reporting an assault in Taylorsville in which a gun had possibly been involved. As officers were responding, they were advised the man allegedly involved in the assault had left the scene in a gray Dodge pickup truck that was possibly stolen. Unified Police Department officers saw the truck, folwed it, tried to stop it and it rammed three of their cars. Lt Justin Hoyal with Unified Poice says,

　

(Salt Lake City)- After hearing a litany of alleged abuses citizens have endured at the hands of federal employees, a legislative panel on Thursday advanced a bill that would ban federal employees from certain law enforcement duties. In a split vote, the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee endorsed HB155, sponsored by Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, which could literally handcuff U.S. Forest Service officers and Bureau of Land Management rangers if they try to pull someone over on a traffic violation. "We call this the sheriffs bill," Noel said. "I strongly believe our elected county sheriffs are the ones we look to for law enforcement on our private property and on state lands and federal lands."

Three southern Utah county sheriffs, described heavy-handed police tactics that they say have become common where ever BLM rangers and Forest Service officers patrol.