Washington • Interior Secretary Sally Jewell on Monday touted the nation’s federal lands as an economic engine — one that could start to putter should House Republicans succeed in cutting back on budgets for some key programs. The Interior’s Department’s activities — from recreation opportunities at national parks to oil and gas drilling to timber harvesting — contributed some $371 billion and 2.3 million jobs to the U.S. Economy last year, the agency said. In Utah alone, the department report suggests Interior’s missions boost the economy by $12 billion and 75,000 jobs while bringing 17 million visitors to the state. "The take-away message from this report, one I hope Congress would take note of, is that the Department of the Interior is an outstanding investment for the American taxpayer," Jewell said in a conference call with reporters.."

A House Appropriations subcommittee has recommended a $10.5 billion budget for Interior, a 12 percent cut from the amount President Barack Obama had asked for in his budget. Jewell said Monday the House plan would cut the department back to a 2002 level, not adjusting for inflation.

The cuts, Jewell said, could slow down permitting for oil and gas drilling, which makes up the largest chunk of revenues for the department, halt valuable and life-saving research and drive down attendance at national parks..Utah Congressman Rob Bishop, chairman of the House Natural Resources subcommittee over public lands, points out that energy exploration, mining, timber and grazing produce 68 percent of the economic activity that Jewell is citing and 58 percent of the jobs. Only 12 percent of the economic activity is credited to outdoor recreation and 16 percent of the jobs, Bishop notes. It’s not the budget Jewell should be looking at, Bishop says, but the uses of the land.

>>Lawsuit Says Steed Put Man At Risk

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A new lawsuit alleges former Utah Trooper Lisa Steed caused a disabled man seizures after he was pulled over while riding his electric bike. The "Tribune" says Michael Tilt claims in his federal lawsuit he was put at risk when Steed jailed him and forced him to undergo sobriety tests. Tilt contends he suffers from seizures, cerebral palsy and other birth defects. He was riding a bike specially-outfitted with a motor when Steed pulled him over in 2011.

>>Protesters Stop Work At Tar Sands Mine

(Undated) -- Road work is halted temporarily in Uintah County in ther Book Cliffs..just north of the Unintah grand County line after environmentalists protest a tar sands mine and paving of a road in the area. Dozens of demonstrators interrupted activity yesterday at the East Tavaputs Plateau Site in the Book Cliffs region. No arrests were made and citations were issued. The mine is scheduled to begin full scale oprations sometime next year. A number of Moab Area residents were involved in the protest.

>>Data: 1-In-11 College Students Live In Poverty

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- Newly-released U.S. Census data suggests one in every eleven Utahns living in poverty are college students. The "Tribune" says in Provo one in three people in poverty from 2009-2011 were college students. In Logan one in five people in poverty were in college. Experts say the data is offset by the reality that college is temporary and students typically have other resources they can depend on.

>>Man, Son Plead Guilty To Fraud

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A former L-D-S Church leader and his son plead guilty in connection with defrauding an ex-University of Utah football coach. Michael Smith and Quintin Smith entered pleas to attempted securities fraud. The men allegedly lured more than a dozen victims into investing a total of about two-million dollars. Former Utes coach Norm Chow allegedly invested a half-million dollars by himself.


>>Report: Utah Bridges Need Attention

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- A new report finds more than 100 Utah bridges are deficient. According to "USA Today" that's more than four-percent of Utah bridges which transportation officials consider "structurally deficient." There are nearly three-thousand bridges around the state. The study also found 28-percent of the state's pavement to be in "good" condition while eleven-percent is considered "poor."


>>Dead St. George Couple Identified

(St. George, UT) -- Police say a gun was involved in the death of a St. George couple. Neighbor Tim Gee says he had no inkling of trouble at Paul and Mary Ann Day's home.

{Tim_Gee_1} Q...havin' some problems 000:06

Police say Paul Day and his wife Mary Ann were found around 9:15 yesterday morning. No other information's been released.

FORT COLLINS, COLO. — A threat made against both the Mormon and Catholic churches has congregations stepping up security in Colorado. Police in Fort Collins put out a warning after receiving a tip from Steamboat Springs investigators for both churches to be on the lookout for a man who claims to be an Islamic Jihadist ready to make a point.

While no specific threats have been made, both faiths say they have beefed up security around their church buildings. One security Concern is a planned groundbreaking for a new LDS temple in Fort Collins Aug. 24. After two years of planning, work will begin on the more than 30,000 square-foot building.The temple will serve Latter-day Saints from northern Colorado and southern Wyoming.

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