(RICHFIELD) – Construction of the new Sevier County Fairground buildings continue to rapidly move towards completion before the fair starts Aug. 1. Commissioner Ivan Cowley says the new 450-foot agriculture building will feature plenty of space for livestock display. Commissioner Gary Mason says the new grandstand will soon be going up minus the covering this year. Commissioners are hoping the public will be happy with the new facilities for this year’s fair and for year-round use in the future.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP)—Arizona State’s Charonda Williams ensued in her previous excellence by sweeping the 100 and 200-meter dash titles to lead the way for the Lady Sun Devils who placed first overall at the final day of the NCAA West Regional Championships Saturday at Hayward Field. Additionally, Brigham Young’s Lacey Cramer took the womens’ 800-meter dash title, while Shalina Clarke of USC won the womens’ 100-meter hurdles crown. Other wins for the women came from UCLA’s Nicole Leach in the 400-meter hurdles, Melissa Gergel of Oregon in the pole vault and Amy Menlove of Brigham Young in the long jump. As for the men, USC’s Ahmad Rashad placed first in the 100-meter dash, while Washington State’s Justin Woods won the 200-meter crown. Other wins came from Stanford’s Myles Bradley in the 110-meter hurdles, Jeshua Anderson of Washington State in the 400-meter hurdles and Utah State’s Bryce Hall in the shot put. Arizona State’s women posted 69 points to win the meet, while Oregon, Stanford and Arizona rounded out the top four. In the mens’ division, USC amassed 97 points to win the title going away while Oregon was in second with 80.75 points and Washington State was third with 66 points.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP)—Texas A&M’s Gerard Phiri swept the mens’ 100 and 200-meter dashes Saturday in Day 2 of the NCAA Midwest Regional championships at the University of Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Gil Roberts of Texas Tech took the mens’ 400-meter dash crown while Tevan Everett of Texas won the 800-meter dash. Other wins for the men came from Oklahoma State’s German Fernandez in the mens’ 1500-meter dash and Jake Morse of Texas in the 3000-meter steeplechase. As for the women, Alexandria Anderson of Texas earned the 100-meter dash crown while Jessica Bears of Texas A&M won the 400-meter dash. Jennifer Barringer of Colorado ensued in her illustrious season with a win in the 3000-meter steeplechase and Kishelle Paul of Texas Christian placed first in the womens’ 400-meter hurdles. Overall, the Texas A&M women placed first with 96 points, while Texas Tech, Texas, Texas Christian and Oklahoma rounded out the top five. In the mens’ division, Texas A&M also placed first with 98 points with Nebraska, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma and Texas-El Paso all placing in the top six.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)—Kenyanna Wilson and Samantha Henry of LSU won the womens’ 100 and 200-meter dashes respectively to lead the Lady Tigers to a first place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional track championships Saturday at the University of Louisville. LSU amassed 85.5 points to easily best second place Tennessee, who had 69 points. As for the men, Arkansas’ Dorian Ulrey won the 1500-meter dash while Mississippi State’s Emmanual Mayers won the 400-meter hurdles. The Razorbacks also got strong showings from Alain Bailey in the long jump and Nkosinza Balumbu in the triple jump to help lead Arkansas to the title with 90 points while LSU was a close second with 83 points. Kentucky and Auburn placed third and fourth, respectively. The victory bodes well for Arkansas as they will host the national track and field championships starting June 10 at Fayetteville, Ark.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Dwight Howard amassed 40 points and 14 rebounds, while Rashard Lewis chipped in with 18 points and seven boards as the Orlando Magic dismantled the Cleveland Cavaliers, 103-90 to win the Eastern Conference Finals Saturday at Amway Center. The Magic advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995 when they were swept by the Houston Rockets, but all signs point to a longer run for the Magic 14 years later as they are a deep team, rife with shooting and solid defensive play. LeBron James had 25 points in the loss for the Cavaliers, while Delonte West added 22 more for Cleveland, which saw their season end at the hands of a team they only managed to meet three times, including postseason matchups. The Magic will meet the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday in Game 1 of the Finals at STAPLES Center.

DENVER (AP)—Kobe Bryant, fulfilling his role as “the NBA’s best closer” in the words of ESPN analyst Jalen Rose had 35 points, 10 assists and six boards as the Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals for the 30th time in the franchise’s storied history with a 119-92 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Pepsi Center. The prolific Lakers came out of the gates quickly as they shot 57 percent for the game and got solid contributions from Pau Gasol (20 points, 12 boards), Lamar Odom (20 points, eight rebounds) and Trevor Ariza (17 points). Although the Nuggets fell behind by more than 20 points on several occasions, they managed to pull to within 79-67 on a J.R Smith (24 points) 3-pointer before the Lakers put the game on ice. Carmelo Anthony had 25 points in the loss for Denver. The Lakers will face either Cleveland or Orlando in the NBA Finals with the site yet to be determined on June 4.

(MANTI) – The Centerfield woman accused of killing her two-year old daughter appeared before a district judge Tuesday in a preliminary hearing. 23-year old, Ariel Hampton, is facing a charge of child-abuse homicide in the death of her daughter, Kirsten on May 7. Hampton initially claimed her daughter had drowned in a wading pool but eventually admitted to beating her to death. Sanpete County Assistant Attorney, Brody Keisel, said 6th District Court Judge Wallace Lee ruled a competency hearing still needs to be held for Hampton, including evaluations and discovery information needs to be collected from the police department. Keisel said the process could take six weeks or longer to complete.

CLEVELAND (AP)—LeBron James posted a triple-double with 37 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists as the Cleveland Cavaliers lived to play another day with a 112-102 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena. Although the Cavs built an early 32-10 lead, this proved to be anything but secure as the Magic pulled to within 56-55 at halftime. As the second half progressed, the lead changed hands several times but in the crucial fourth quarter, Cleveland went on a 34-23 run to close out the game. Additionally, Mo Williams (24 points) had easily his best game of the series as he made 6 of 9 3-point attempts, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas chipped in with 16 points and six boards. As for the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu (29 points, six rebounds) and Dwight Howard (24 points, 10 rebounds) each had solid performances in defeat. The Magic still have a chance to eliminate the Cavaliers if they can win Game 6 at Orlando Saturday.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Federal officials are raising concerns about the amount of selenium a new state limit would allow in the Great Salt Lake. Selenium is a naturally occurring material that also turns up in sewage discharge and industrial operations. When its levels are high enough, it can cause deformities and other reproductive problems in certain birds. State officials say the new regulation would protect most birds at the lake from harmful levels of selenium.

(COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS)-People accused of ripping off Home Depot stores have been suspected of running an even bigger fraud. At one time, police thought the group may have taken as much as a half million dollars from Home Depots in several Western states. Officer Beau Babka said in the LA Basin area, anywhere from $300,000$400,000 in water heaters have been fraudulently taken. Babka said numerous police agencies are interested in talking with the group, which was arrested in Cottonwood Heights last week. Police reported they have seized nearly $5,000 in gift cards and some items that had been taken out of a Salt Lake City location. Authorities reported that the suspects used counterfeit receipts, real store receipts, and gift cards in their multi-state scam. Local charges could be filed by the end of the week and the suspects remain on extended hold at the Salt Lake County Jail.

(HIGHLAND)—A woman and her young child escaped serious injury Thursday after the woman lost control of her car and crashed into a house in Highland. The SUV was heading east through a residential neighborhood when the driver drove over the curb and through a brick wall, separating the home from the garage. Lone Peak Police Sergeant Jake Moosman said the driver was coming down the road when she lost control of the vehicle. The driver was checked for minor injuries at the scene and the 2-year old girl was strapped in her car seat and not hurt. Police are unsure how fast the SUV was going, but because of the thousands of dollars incurred in damage, authorities believe speeding occurred.

(WEST JORDAN)—A man was shot and killed by police following an overnight chase in Salt Lake County. The chase started when an officer spotted a suspicious vehicle at a South Jordan business but when he tried to pull over, the driver took off. South Jordan police officers then followed the driver into a West Jordan neighborhood and in the words of West Jordan Police Sergeant Drew Sanders, entered a business complex where he had already committed several burglaries. Police stated the suspect then rammed officers before taking off into West Jordan. The driver had nowhere to go and when police blockaded him, he once again used his vehicle as a weapon. KSL-TV, which broke this story, is currently reporting that two investigations are currently underway, one in the officer-involved shooting, and the other into the initial crime.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new online research and planning tool for farmers and ranchers to use in examining programs in the new 2009 Farm Bill. Farm Service Agency Utah Specialist, Cary Son, says the Average Crop Revenue Election Program is a new revenue-based guarantee program to assist farmers in managing the risks inherent in agricultural operations. Son said the website calculator can be used for one year and repeated to project multiple year results. He said August 14, 2009 is the deadline to enroll in ACRE for the 2009 Crop Year.

(MAYFIELD) – Sanpete County Deputies may call off the search for a newborn baby whose body they believe may have been dumped in a landfill in Sanpete County. Sanpete County Sheriff, Kevin Holman, says crews have been searching for the body for three weeks with no success. Holman said deputies have nearly finished searching a compacted, 24-foot deep, 100-yard long area in which landfill operators said the newborn’s body is most likely buried. Officials say that beyond that area, they don’t know where else to look and digging up the entire landfill is not an option. Authorities also say that the baby’s body may not even be in the landfill and the teenage mother who gave birth to the baby, may be lying. County prosecutors have not filed charges against the mother and it’s unclear whether she will face criminal charges.

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Kobe Bryant had 22 points and eight assists and Lamar Odom had his best performance of the Western Conference Finals with 19 points and 14 boards as the Los Angeles Lakers took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 103-94 win over Denver Wednesday at STAPLES Center. Additionally, Pau Gasol maintained his requisite consistency with 14 points and 10 boards to help Los Angeles choke out the Nuggets in the fourth quarter as the Lakers outscored Denver, 27-18 in the latter stanza. Meanwhile, the Nuggets received a huge boost from Carmelo Anthony who busted out of his recent slump with 31 points, but no other Denver player had more than 12 and the Nuggets started out the fourth quarter with a scoring drought that lasted nearly five minutes of game time, enabling Los Angeles to pull away. Game 6 will take place Friday in Denver. LOS ANGELES (AP)—Kobe Bryant had 22 points and eight assists and Lamar Odom had his best performance of the Western Conference Finals with 19 points and 14 boards as the Los Angeles Lakers took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 103-94 win over Denver Wednesday at STAPLES Center. Additionally, Pau Gasol maintained his requisite consistency with 14 points and 10 boards to help Los Angeles choke out the Nuggets in the fourth quarter as the Lakers outscored Denver, 27-18 in the latter stanza. Meanwhile, the Nuggets received a huge boost from Carmelo Anthony who busted out of his recent slump with 31 points, but no other Denver player had more than 12 and the Nuggets started out the fourth quarter with a scoring drought that lasted nearly five minutes of game time, enabling Los Angeles to pull away. Game 6 will take place Friday in Denver. Click here for game summary

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The State Board of Regents in Utah will discuss a proposal calling for the College of Eastern Utah to affiliate with Utah State University in an effort to include four-year university programs. The regents will consider this matter at a meeting on Friday at Weber State. The proposal is the brainchild of Michael Petersen, a former president at CEU who now heads the Utah Education Network. Petersen stated this a reasonable trade offer for the college to sacrifice some autonomy so it can become a regional university. Petersen said CEU can effectively serve southeastern Utah if its mission is broader than that of a community college. Nevertheless, CEU trustees are doubtful that the proposal addresses declining enrollment and other challenges.

(RICHFIELD) – A former Elsinore man who was arrested and jailed for making bomb threats last year in Richfield appeared before a district judge Tuesday for a restitution hearing. 58-year old, Augustine Vigil, was ordered by 6th District Court Judge Marvin Bagley to pay $22,000 to Walmart and K-Mart in Richfield for making a bomb threat last year at both locations and for emergency services provided by Richfield and Sevier County. Vigil is at the Utah State Prison for the crimes he committed last May.

(TORREY) – The Capitol Reef National Park’s Visitor Center has changed to their summer hours beginning Friday. Park Rangers say the visitor center will be open daily from 8am to 6pm. Interpretive programs will also begin on Friday featuring geology and cultural talks at the Highway 24 petroglyph panel, evening campground programs and guided hikes. Capitol Reef has been cited by the National Parks Service as the best park in the lower United States for night skies. Dark Sky programs will also be held throughout the season. Rangers ask that you visit the center for updated programs and activities throughout the summer.

(RICHFIELD) – The Richfield City Council has approved a consulting engineering firm for the expansion of the airport project. Business Administrator, Woody Farnsworth, says the city has acquired the services of Creamer and Noble Engineering of St. George to be the chief consulting firm. He said the Airport Selection Committee recommended the St. George firm because of their focus on expansions of airports only in Utah. The firm will also use the expertise and services of Jones and DeMille Engineering of Richfield and other businesses as part of the expansion process and will serve a five-year period until the project is complete.

(RICHFIELD) – Drainage problems along 400 north in Richfield have several homeowners upset but the city has no funds to permanently fix the problem for two years. At the city council meeting Tuesday night, Doug Jensen, representing a coalition of homeowners, addressed the council on drainage problems, especially during rainstorms. Jensen said water is pooling along the 400 North block area, running on driveways and soaking lawns. He said the problem has existed for several years with no action from the city to fix it. The council commented that due to the economic downturn, the city has less Class-C Road funds and sales tax revenue, including a $190,000 debt for College Avenue, Main Street and bridge projects. Other road projects are already earmarked for the next two years and the drainage project is last on the list. The council and Jensen agreed to grade off the problem area for better drainage this year and move the project up a year.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Dwight Howard had 10 of his 27 points in overtime, and added 14 rebounds as well as the Orlando Magic downed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-114 Tuesday at Amway Arena in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals to take a 3-1 lead in the series. The Cavaliers, realizing the gravity of their situation, raced out to a 58-50 lead at halftime behind the brilliance of LeBron James (44 points, 12 boards, seven assists) and Mo Williams (18 points). Nevertheless, the Magic, who made a franchise-record 17 3-pointers, used their proficient shooting behind the arc to keep things close. In fact, with the Cavs nursing a 98-97 lead late in the 4th Quarter, Rashard Lewis (17 points) made a clutch 3-pointer to give Orlando a 100-98 lead. However, with 0.5 seconds left, James sunk a pair of pressure-packed free throws on the other end to force overtime. In the extra session, several uncharacteristic turnovers by James as well as Howard’s clutch play enabled Orlando to prevail. Nevertheless, with the Magic holding their 116-114 lead, Lewis missed a crucial free throw to give Cleveland another chance. As time expired, James’ desperation shot just missed and instantaneously Orlando found themselves just one victory short of their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1995. The Magic will advance if they can defeat the Cavaliers in Game 5 Thursday in Cleveland. Other stellar performances came from Cleveland’s Delonte West (17 points, seven assists) and Orlando’s Rafer Alston (26 points) and Mickael Pietrus (17 points).

(PANGUITCH) – Two Panguitch men are in jail after Garfield County Sheriff’s deputies busted them for poaching. According to Department of Wildlife Resources Outreach Manager, Lynn Chamberlain, the men were caught with some trophy-quality deer. He credited the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office with obtaining two search warrants on the men to find nine buck deer, two does and two pronghorn antelope at the residences. Chamberlain said several of the deer antlers were trophy-quality with a 22 to 25-inch spread, which could bring a felony charge to the men. The men are awaiting trial on poaching charges.

(BEAVER) – The Central Utah Interagency Fire Center has announced a prescribed burn north of Beaver. The burn is in the Sheep Rock Chaining Maintenance Project about five miles north of Beaver on the west side of the Beaver Ranger District. The area affected is approximately 800 acres and will burn until June 12. Smoke will be visible along the I-15 corridor.

(MT. PLEASANT) – Mt. Pleasant City Mayor Chesley Christensen died at his home Monday night. Police reports say that the 79-year old mayor had been participating in Memorial Day services Monday morning and was found dead in his living room chair at about 5pm, still wearing his VFW uniform. Reports say he died of natural causes incident to age. Christensen was first elected Mayor of Mt. Pleasant in 1988 and served for 21 years in that position. He was planning to run again in the upcoming election. Before becoming mayor, Christensen served as Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman and was an active member of the VFW. He also served in the Korean War, after which he retired and then was re-activated to the Mt. Pleasant Armory during the Desert Storm conflict. He is the father of two sons and a daughter. Councilmember, Monte Bona will assume the position of Mayor Pro-Temp until another person can be selected to complete Christensen’s term. Funeral services are pending for Monday, June. 1st.

(MILFORD) – A funnel cloud was spotted over the weekend in Milford. The National Weather Service has not confirmed whether the funnel cloud was a tornado or not, or if it touched down. NWS trackers say that thunderstorms over the Memorial Day holiday may have spawned a possible tornado. They say that twisters are rare in Utah but they do occur. News reports say a small tornado touched down near Willard Bay earlier this month.

(COVE FORT) – A Murray man sustained minor injuries on I-70 Friday afternoon when his vehicle hit a center barrier near Cove Fort. According to a UHP report, 32-year old, Daniel Allen, was traveling westbound in a 2006 Dodge Stratus at about 5:45pm, when he drifted off the right side of the highway, overcorrected and came back onto the roadway, crossing both lanes of travel and hit the center barrier. Allen was transported to the Sevier Valley Medical Center with injuries. UHP is investigating the cause of the accident.

DENVER (AP)—Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith each had 24 points and the Denver Nuggets excelled despite a rare off game from Carmelo Anthony in a 120-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals Monday at Pepsi Center. Anthony, diagnosed with a stomach virus before the game, had 15 points while only making three of 16 shots but numerous other Nuggets stepped up in his stead, such as Nene Hilario (14 points, 13 rebounds) and Kenyon Martin (13 points, 15 rebounds). Meanwhile, the Lakers squandered an opportunity to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and with things tied at 2-2 apiece, Denver must only win Game 5 in Los Angeles to have a shot at wrapping up the series on Friday back at Pepsi Center. Kobe Bryant (34 points, seven rebounds) and Pau Gasol (21 points) were both solid for Los Angeles but received little assistance. The series resumes Wednesday. Click here for game summary

(MILFORD) – Utah’s largest renewable energy facility is inching toward completion. Construction crews on the Milford Wind Corridor, a planned 300-megawatt wind-energy farm in Beaver County, have finished 20 of the foundations needed for the farm’s 97 wind turbines. Workers have also completed most of the transmission line between the farm and the Intermountain Power Plant in Delta and expect the first turbine tower to go up by the end of the month. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for December. The farm’s first customer is Southern California Public Power Authority with the plan to power roughly 50,000 homes in Burbank, Pasadena and Los Angeles. The project will raise property tax revenues and royalty payments to landowners within both Millard and Beaver counties.

CHICAGO (AP)—Marian Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg each had two goals as the Detroit Red Wings blasted the Chicago Blackhawks, 6-1 to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals Sunday at the United Center. Despite the absence of Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk, the Red Wings didn’t skip a beat as they raced to a 5-1 advantage after two periods en route to the easy win which put the Blackhawks on the brink of elimination. Johan Franzen and Valtteri Flippula also scored for the Red Wings who posted six goals for the third time this postseason, with all such performances coming on the road. As for the Blackhawks, history is against them as Chicago has never recovered from a 3-1 deficit in a series and such comebacks have only occurred nine percent of the time in NHL playoff annals. Game 5 will take place Tuesday in Detroit.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP)—Corey Shimada had three hits and Austin Jones and Rick Cornu each added two RBI as the Utah Utes completed their remarkable run throughout the Mountain West Conference baseball tournament with a 9-2 win over the San Diego State Aztecs Saturday at Lupton Stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University. With the win, the Utes improved to 26-29 on the season and became the first #6 seed in conference history to advance to the NCAA regionals, while San Diego State became the first #4 seed to advance to the championship game. Greg Krause pitched 1.2 innings of middle relief and earned the victory for Utah. The Aztecs got solid performances from Ryan O’Sullivan, Jomel Torres, and Brandon Meredith who combined for seven hits. San Diego State must now wait and see if they earned a berth in the postseason as the teams and seeds will be announced on ESPN this coming Monday.

DENVER (AP)—Kobe Bryant had 41 points and six rebounds for the Los Angeles Lakers and Pau Gasol added 20 points and 11 boards to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals with a 103-97 win over the Denver Nuggets Saturday at Pepsi Center. Although the Nuggets built an early lead, the pernicious trend of the first two games proved to burn Denver as they squandered a late advantage by virtue of Bryant’s magnificence. Of considerable frustration was Carmelo Anthony’s disappearance down the stretch for the Nuggets as he had 18 first half points, but finished with only 21. With Denver nursing a 95-93 lead late in the fourth quarter, Bryant hit a clutch 3-pointer to give Los Angeles an advantage they would not relinquish. Chauncey Billups added 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds in defeat for the Nuggets. Game 4 will take place Monday.

(OREM)—Law enforcement officials are currently looking for a large, exotic, and possibly, dangerous bird that apparently escaped from a farm after a tractor-trailer plowed through a fence. Utah Highway Patrol Sergeant Ted Tingey said the cassowary, a colorful flightless cousin of the emu, has not been seen since Thursday when a truck veered off I-15 and crashed through the fence of an Orem farm. Tingey said the farmer keeps several kinds of exotic animals. Investigators searched for the bird extensively Thursday, including tracing droplets of blood. Tingey reported that the farmer is worried because the birds are known to sometimes be aggressive and can cause danger to people.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—An article in the New Republic Magazine has claimed that Utah Governor Jon Huntsman sought to distance himself from the LDS Church in hopes of winning the presidency. The article implies that Huntsman was named as Ambassador to China for political reasons as well as for his alleged attempts to forsake the Church. The article also stated that as Huntsman observed Mitt Romney’s failures in seeking to obtain the presidency, he learned several lessons, such as the fact that evangelical Republicans will never vote for Mormons, regardless of how conservative they may be. Furthermore, the article points out several things Huntsman has sought to do which have angered many Utahns, such as supporting same sex civil units and liberalizing Utah’s stringent liquor laws. Governor Huntsman’s office had no comment on the article.

(WEST VALLEY CITY)—A West Valley City woman has been found dead in her home while police say they have ruled out suicide. At the present moment, police are calling this a “suspicious death,” and are treating it as a homicide but are not coming out and looking for suspects at this point. Authorities stated the 33-year old woman was found by her husband inside their bedroom Friday morning while she had reportedly suffered trauma to her head and face. Upon arriving on the scene, emergency personnel were able to determine the death was not a suicide, but they have not called it murder, either. Investigators are currently interviewing neighbors and talking to the husband, who they have said is being cooperative. West Valley Police Captain Tom McLachlan said his crew has to obtain lists of everyone who has access to the house and while the husband has been taken in for questioning, he is not considered a suspect as this is a routine procedure. Two young children were in the house at the time the woman was found.

(WEST JORDAN)—A hazardous West Jordan oil spill has fire crews on cleanup detail. The spill occurred at the Redwood Memorial Mortuary and Cemetery and at least 200 gallons escaped from a tank in a utility building after someone apparently left the tank’s valve open. Most of the oil apparently seeped into the ground, but some seeped into a nearby irrigation canal. An absorbent rope has recently been strung across the canal in hopes of soaking up the oil. At this point, no criminal investigation is underway, and the incident is not affecting Memorial Day ceremonies at the cemetery. The canal water is used by many people to irrigate and as of Friday, they were instructed not to use the water.

(OGDEN)—Ogden fire investigators are looking at a second suspicious fire in the city in as many days. Firefighters were summoned to a home on Jefferson Avenue early Friday morning where a heavy smoke and fire was coming out of the windows, doors, and parts of the roof. Crews were able to get the fire out quickly and Ogden Fire Marshal Matthew Schwenk said there were open cans of food in the house. Ogden Compliance Inspector Clark Olsen said that it’s important for the community to avoid these types of incidents as the loss of the structure totals to an approximate value of $75,000. Firefighters have currently taped off the house and are seeking to determine whether or not it will be torn down.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—While Utah has long been acknowledged for the youth of its residents, the state appears to be getting even younger. The annual Voices for Children report reveals that in 2007, almost 80,000 Utah residents were 18 or younger, and that by 2030, this number could exceed a million. The report also depicts a slight decrease in the number of children in the state living below the poverty level. Nevertheless, for the third consecutive year, teen pregnancies in Utah have risen, as well as the number of teens with sexually transmitted diseases.

(ST. GEORGE)—A major effort is underway to conserve water in St. George. The city council recently passed a plan asking residents and businesses to voluntarily take steps to save water. These steps can be as simple as washing laundry, checking for leaks, and repairing sprinkler heads. The council also agreed to restrict watering during daytime hours.

(SPRING CITY) – Spring City is celebrating the Memorial Day holiday with its Heritage Days tour of historical buildings constructed between 1850 and 1910. 17 restored homes and religious and commercial structures, will be featured on the tour on Saturday, including the former residence of Orson Hyde, a well-known Mormon apostle, who dedicated Jerusalem for the return of the Jews. Reports say he settled in Spring City with his eight wives and died in 1878 at the age of 72. The Hyde house on Main Street, is a two-story, hall-parlor-style home, influenced by Greek Revival architecture. Bountiful owners, Bruce and Bonnie Barker, restored the house from 2002-2005. The Heritage tour is Saturday from 10am to 4pm and the celebration features a community breakfast, lunch and art-antiques sale.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Utah lawmakers are looking for ways to help out 10 Utah auto dealers left in a lurch when Chrysler decided to cut ties with them. Legislation is being contemplated that would force Chrysler to restore ties with their spurned dealerships if the company’s fortunes turn around and the carmaker decides to return to those Utah communities. Last week, Chrysler announced that as part of a bankruptcy restructuring, it was terminating its relationships with 789 dealers around the country, including 10 in Utah. The list included two Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealerships in Nephi and St. George, owned by Rep. Patrick Painter and his father, respectively. Painter told a legislative committee that Chrysler’s action is the trampling of property rights. Sen. Curt Bramble of Provo, said the Obama Administration’s’decision to force Chrysler to unload hundreds of its dealerships, is poor policy.

(BIRDSEYE) – The Utah Department of Transportation has announced several road restrictions on projects throughout South-Central Utah. U.S. 89 from Birdseye in Sanpete County to the junction at U.S. 6 will be restricted to one lane today (Friday) and next week. On I-70 west of Green River, crews are finishing paved areas with single lane closures in both directions and trucks are moving material from a drill site on U.S. 191 north of Moab in Grand County. On I-15 between Kanosh and Meadow exits, the chip seal project continues next week and all lanes will be open for the Memorial Day weekend travel. Crews continue to install culverts between Elsinore and Sevier and work along the bike trail continues with some delays.

(RICHFIELD) – Fundraising efforts continue for the Sevier Valley Veteran’s Memorial soon to be erected at the Richfield Cemetery. Fundraiser, Roger Bird of Richfield, said the Rotary Club will sponsor a breakfast Saturday and Monday morning with all the proceeds going towards the project. Carl Holmes of Richfield has also been involved in fundraising efforts and says donations from private individuals and business owners have been coming in. Holmes said the centerpiece of the memorial is in the process of being shipped from Europe and should arrive in Richfield by June. The breakfast on Saturday and Monday will be held at the cemetery between 7 and 10am on both days.

(RICHFIELD) – North Sevier High School will celebrate their 100 year anniversary this year. Salina Councilmember, Clint Johnson, says the centennial will kick off at graduation this Friday night. High school principal, Jill Porter, said she and her staff are doing everything they can to track down alumni to attend all the activities planned this summer for the celebration.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Crews were busy trying to repair a water main break along 700 East in Salt Lake City Wednesday. The break occurred near 1500 South and a Salt Lake City Fire Department spokesperson said the street was cracked with water flowing out of it which prompted crews to close all southbound lanes on the road. Crews also shut off the main off until the line could be prepared which left residents and businesses without water.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A Utah mother, who recently lost her son to prescription drugs, is taking her case to Washington D.C. Sandra Kresser hopes to get the drug, OxyContin, taken off the market. Kresser reported it is too strong, addictive, and kills too many people. Kresser’s son, Josh, died of a drug overdose after a long battle of addiction which began after he had back surgery. The drug the doctor prescribed to Josh was OxyContin. Nevertheless, several pharmacists, such as Davis Moore, say they have not seen the problems in patients which Kresser is strenuously advocating against. As recently as 2007, overdosing on prescription drugs caused more deaths in Utah than auto accidents or illegal drugs. Kresser will head to Washington next week.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff revealed his future political ambitions Wednesday as he announced he will be running as a Republican against Bob Bennett, the six-term incumbent currently representing Utah. Shurtleff wants people to know he is a conservative alternative to Bennett, who he deems to be “moderate.” Bennett has also gone to great lengths in informing Utahns that he is a conservative.

(MIDVALE)—Parents in Midvale will have the opportunity to hear from their new school district in a first-of-its-kind bilingual meeting Wednesday. Canyons School District Superintendent David Doty is bilingual and believed this to be a perfect time to address parents in both English and Spanish. Dr. Doty stated 33 percent of Midvale City and 83 percent of Midvale Elementary School students are Hispanic or Latino and he also said, the time has come for officials to approach children rather than the other way around. Doty believes reaching out to parents will keep them involved in their children’s education and therefore help the rising generation in Utah.

(MONTICELLO)—A woman responsible for the deaths of two people in Monticello will not spend anytime in jail because of her medical condition. Monticello resident Teresa Perkins was sentenced to 36 months of probation Tuesday after pleading no contest to two counts of negligent homicide in connection with the deaths of Alice Rogers and Nereece Johnson last August. Prosecutors said Perkins was under the influence of Valium and may have been in a diabetic stupor when she ran the car the two women were in off the road. Prosecutors also stated they approved of the judge’s sentence in the case, noting that the San Juan County Jail could not care for Perkins and that taxpayers would end up paying for her prescription medications.

(LOA) – A Wayne County resident discovered a large marijuana field Sunday on the north face of Boulder Mountain. The individual called the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and deputies responded to find 29,000 marijuana plants. A sheriff’s report says the suspects were possibly Hispanic and had fled the area. Officials said the grow had been in operation for about three to four weeks. The Central Utah Narcotics Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration, along with deputies, spent Sunday night maintaining surveillance at the grow site. Authorities removed the plants and other evidence from the area and are asking citizens to immediately report any suspicious activity in remote areas.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Bob Bennett has joined fellow Republicans in the Senate to prevent funding for the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. On Tuesday, Democrats conceded to remove funding in the Supplemental War Spending bill requested by Pres. Obama to close Guantanamo Bay prison within the year. Republican Senators held a press conference today to announce their victory in keeping detainees out of the U.S. once they are released from the facility.

(RICHFIELD) – Richfield City officials are looking for ways to cut the 2009/10 budget. At a two-hour work session held Tuesday night at the City Council Chambers, the mayor and councilmembers poured over areas where the city could trim in order to save money to balance the budget. The bulk of the discussion was over a decrease in employee health benefits. Mayor Brad Ramsay and Finance Director Mike Langston both said employees would have to increase their portion of the employee payout for medical insurance and forgo a cost-of-living increase. Councilmember, Mayo Jacobsen, said that’s nothing more than a pay cut. Councilmember Richard Barnett commented that the Fourth of July budget could be trimmed with better accountability in expenditures and pay for part-time employees at the swimming pool and golf course could also be adjusted. The Council will approve the tentative budget on June 9th, after which the public may offer comment.

LOS ANGELES (AP)—Trevor Ariza made a clutch steal to seal the win and Kobe Bryant poured in 40 points as the Los Angeles Lakers earned a 105-103 win in Game 1 of their Western Conference Finals series against the Denver Nuggets Tuesday at STAPLES Center. Although the Nuggets built an early 13-point lead and led by seven in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles managed to pull out the win by virtue of clutch shooting from Derek Fisher and Bryant’s heroics. Carmelo Anthony, in his Western Conference Finals debut, posted 39 points, while Chauncey Billups added 18 points and eight assists for the Nuggets. The series will resume with Game 2 Thursday at Los Angeles.

(SOUTH SALT LAKE)-A marketing and design firm is recommending that South Salt Lake change its name. The firm, Infinite Scale, was hired by the city’s Chamber of Commerce to investigate the matter and the firm believes the city lacks its own character. The firm is also recommending that the city change its signs and branding, a move that could cost anywhere from $6500$600,000. The firm says doing so could help bring the community together and invigorate the business environment. Councilman John Weaver said he believes the city’s name says what South Salt Lake isn’t rather than what it is. Councilman Roy Turner said he wanted to hear from residents before any changes are made.

(SALT LAKE COUNTY)—Prosecutors have charged a man who wrecked his Corvette into a semi, while killing his passenger. Chad Moyes has been charged with automobile homicide and speeding. Prosecutors say he was driving about 90 miles an hour, twice the speed limit in the area, last November. He told investigators he did not see the trailer before colliding with it. Charging documents also say Moyes had been drinking. Both Moyes and his passenger, Carlos Contreras, were pulled out of the burning car, while Contreras died from massive head trauma.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah State officials have unveiled a new Web site intended to show how government is spending taxpayer dollars. The Web site, transparent.utah.gov, provides a searchable database of line-item expenditures for state agencies since July. Officials also expect to update this site at the least on a quarterly basis. Local governments will begin posting their information online in 2010. The site does not include employee salaries, although these may be added in the future. The Web site monitors how much money state agencies spent on travel, but it does not say who traveled, where they went, or what mode of transportation was used.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A new plan for Dixie National Forest will eliminate unrestricted off-trail travel for motorized vehicles and will instead designate some 2700 miles of routes for ATVs and other vehicles. Forest supervisor Rob MacWhorter stated the plan is intended to help federal officials better manage an increasing number of motorized vehicles in the forest and limit effects on the natural environment. The plan will close some routes used by vehicles in the past to protect water quality, wildlife, or soil. Forest officials released the plan Tuesday and the public has 45 days to comment and it is scheduled to go into effect later this year.

(MT. PLEASANT) – The Sanpete County man killed in an ATV accident over the weekend has been identified as 50-year old, Mark Mattinson of Chester and a former resident of Redmond. A sheriff’s report said he was riding on a dirt road near Mt. Pleasant Saturday when he rolled his ATV. Mattinson was alone when he was found by a farmer. He was flown to the Sanpete Valley Hospital where he died. Reports say that alcohol may have been a factor in the crash. Also on Saturday, the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office says that 46-year old, David Barber of Sunset, was riding his ATV with a group of people in the Knoll’s Recreation Area near Interstate 80 and rolled. He was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene. Two others were also injured in ATV accidents over the weekend. On Sunday morning, a man broke his collar bone in an ATV accident at the Little Sahara Recreation Area and another person was injured in Farmington.

(SIGURD) – An elderly Chicago couple escaped serious injury in a vehicle crash Monday afternoon on I-70 near Sigurd. A UHP report said that at 5:10pm, 74-year old, Peter Husting, was traveling eastbound in a 2004 Chevy Tahoe, when he drove into the medium, overcorrected and rolled several times through a fence. Both Husting and his passenger, 72-year old, Carolyn Husting, were transported to the Sevier Valley Medical Center (SVMC) in Richfield with unknown injuries. The UHP report said both were wearing their seatbelts.

(MOAB) – A 53-year old Colorado man was seriously injured in a mountain biking accident near Moab over the weekend. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office said the accident occurred Sunday on the Porcupine Rim trail when the man went over the handlebars of his mountain bike and crashed. The report said the man suffered back, cervical and thoracic injuries and was flown to a Grand Junction hospital for treatment. In another bike accident, deputies said a 34-year old Murray man, was injured Friday at the Top-of-the-World when he took a turn too fast and lost control of his dirt bike, landing in a wash and shattering his right ankle. He was flown by medical helicopter to Grand Junction where he’s expected to recover.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County residents who watch TV on an analog signal will no longer have service after this Friday. John Parsons, with the County DTV Transition Team, says the new digital signal will replace the old analog signal. He said digital TV has been planned for quite some time with the FCC requirement that all TV stations switch from analog to digital. Parsons commented that cable and satellite signals are already set up for a digital signal but if you’re watching TV on a set purchased before July 2007, you’ll need to switch before Friday.

(MANTI) – A Manti couple were rescued Sunday night in the Fishlake National Forest after their car got stuck in a snow bank off a dirt road. The Sanpete County Search and Rescue team located 88-year old, Max Call and his wife, Beth, after they spent the night deep in the forest. Both were taken to the hospital and were listed in good condition. They were expected to be released Monday night. According to Suzanne Dean, publisher of the Sanpete Messenger, Beth stayed with the vehicle while Max hiked all night until he could get a strong enough cell phone signal to call for help. Dean said Max was able to contact his son, who in turn, called the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office. She said rescue teams picked the couple up by helicopter and took them to the hospital. The Call’s are the former owners of the Manti Messenger weekly newspaper.

(FARMINGTON)—Davis County has purchased seven properties along a route in the western part of the county that could eventually become an extension to the Legacy Parkway. The properties are along a route identified as the preferred alternative for an extension according to a 2001 study by the Wasatch Front Regional Council. Officials hope for the extension to to stretch from Farmington and eventually travel through Weber County completing the Legacy Parkway, which is an alternate route to I-15. The properties bought by Davis County include 44 acres of land in Kaysville, Syracuse, and West Point. During the summer, UDOT will also begin an environmental study to determine whether there is need for the road, its potential impacts, and a final alignment.

(SOUTH OGDEN)—South Ogden police are currently investigating a late night accident which left one woman dead. 47-year old Sheila Dominguez was reportedly speeding down Wall Avenue around midnight Sunday when she took a turn too fast. Dominguez then ran off the road, hit a sign, and flipped the car. Police stated that Dominguez was not wearing a helmet and was partially ejected while being killed instantly. A passenger was in the car, but he was wearing his seat belt and received only minor injuries. Police also believe alcohol played a role in the crash.

(SARATOGA SPRINGS)—Security guards have been hired to protect a building in Saratoga Springs where thousands of gallons of explosives have been sitting for years. The 25,000 gallons of explosives sits inside a shed above several Saratoga Springs subdivisions, while the building is protected by padlocks and a chain link fence. Mayor Tim Parker stated he doesn’t want residents to worry as he said the explosives are relatively benign. The EPA is currently paying to have security protect the building while they figure out how to clean the place up. They also plan to notify residents of the cleanup by distributing flyers and talking to people throughout the community. More information will also be forthcoming on the Saratoga Springs Web site. Plant owner Merrill Cook also said he hopes to sell the explosive material. The EPA plans to have all explosives cleaned up within the next 60 days.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A Salt Lake City man is currently recovering and police are looking for suspects who robbed and beat him up on a downtown area street. Police say the skateboard the victim was riding was used in the incident when he was skating around 2:00 a.m. last Saturday morning. Salt Lake City Police Department spokeswoman Lara Jones stated three male suspects attacked the skateboarder and began to beat him with his skateboard until he was unconscious. The 21-year old was taken to the hospital in serious condition. Police are not sure of the reason for the robbery, but the suspects took the man’s wallet which contained debit and credit cards but no cash, while they fled on foot.

(MAGNA)—Utah representative Jason Chaffetz is asking Congress for $12 million to help purify contaminated water in Magna and has introduced a stand-alone bill for the project, the Deseret News reported. The money would be used to build a facility for the Magna Water Company that would remove dangerous chemicals found in the underground water. Chaffetz said the project requires federal support to help the city comply with unfunded federal environmental mandates.

(CAMBRIDGE, MA.) – A former Richfield resident was an eyewitness to the fire that gutted a 60-year old LDS Church building in Cambridge, Mass. Sunday morning. Jerick Poulson, the son of Kimball and Cindy Poulson of Richfield, has been attending meetings for seven years at the Cambridge Ward building and was in a stake conference when the fire started. Poulson said the fire started in the attic of the building at about 11am and the 300 churchgoers were able to evacuate in a timely and orderly manner by the time fire crews arrived. He said the roof of the building collapsed but the steeple remained standing. No one was injured in the blaze.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County Commissioners held a public hearing today to take comments on a change in the zoning ordinance allowing recreational vehicles on property in county subdivisions. Several RV users attended the hearing armed with questions concerning RV’s permanently stored on their property, the disposal of waste, requirements to hookup to septic tanks and conditional use permits. Commissioners want to resolve complaints of raw sewage from RV’s being dumped on county land, weather-damaged structures and other violations of the ordinance. Most RV users who attended the hearing were pleased with the ordinance change and Commissioners are planning to pass the amended ordinance in the next meeting in June.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP)—The Oregon men and womens’ track and field teams each earned Pac-10 titles Sunday at Hayward Field. In the mens’ classification, Oregon earned 158 points to easily best second-place USC as the Trojans finished with 117 points. As for the women, the Lady Ducks amassed 165.50 points, while Stanford finished had 138 points to place second. Strong performances came from Arizona State’s Charonda Williams who swept the womens’ 100 and 200-meter dashes while Oregon’s Keisha Baker won the 400-meter dash as her teammates Zoe Buckman and Melissa Gergel won the 800-meter dash and pole vault, respectively. As for the men, USC’s Ahamad Rashad won the 200-meter dash while Oregon’s Andrew Wheating and Matthew Centrowitz won the 800 and 1500-meter dashes respectively.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP)—The Nebraska men posted 148 points to win the Big 12 championship, while Texas A&M’s Lady Aggies earned the womens’ crown with 126.50 points as the Big 12 track and field championships drew to a close Sunday at Texas Tech University. Megan Wheatley won the heptathlon for Nebraska with 5800 points, while Mortiz Cleve of Kansas State won the decathlon with 8004 points. Other strong showings came from Missouri’s Chris Rohr in the mens’ hammer throw and Laura Asimakis of Texas A&M in the womens’ javelin.

PROVO, Utah (AP)—Trac Norris of Panguitch set a new 1A state record in the boys’ 1600-meter dash with a time of 4:19.53 seconds to lead the way for numerous athletes who excelled at the first day of competition at the 1A-5A state track meet Friday at Robison Track on the campus of Brigham Young University. Other wins came from Millard’s Shelli Richardson in the 2A girls’ 1600-meter dash, and Josh Monsen of Richfield in the boys’ 1600-meter dash. The meet will resume Saturday.

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP)—Wyoming’s Jeremiah James placed first in the mens’ long jump to lead the way for Mountain West athletes competing in Day 3 of the conference’s track and field championships at the University of Wyoming. Additionally, Colorado State’s Alex Godell in the mens’ hammer throw, while Thomas Killen of Texas Christian won the mens’ discus. As for the women, Utah’s Sarah Grimm won the hammer throw and Colorado State’s Missy Faubus won the discus. The meet will resume Saturday.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)—North Dakota State’s Brittany Gigstead won the womens’ 800-meter dash to headline strong showings from Summit League track and field athletes competing at the conference’s championships in Day 2 of competition at Eccles Coliseum. Meanwhile, Southern Utah’s Cam Levins won the mens’ 800-meter dash, while his teammate Kevin Sandall took the crown in the mens’ 3000-meter steeplechase. The meet will resume Saturday.

LOGAN, Utah (AP)—Utah State’s Steve Strickland took the mens’ 3000-meter steeplechase title to lead the Aggies to the overall lead at the WAC track and field championships after three days of competition. The Aggie men currently have 76 points, while Idaho is a distant second with 45 points. As for the women, Nevada leads the way with 62.5 points, while Hawaii is in second with 50 points. Other stellar performances came from Nevada’s Christa Avena who took the womens’ 3000-meter steeplechase title for the Lady Pack and Paul Dittmer of Idaho who took the mens’ 110-meter hurdle crown.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP)—Iowa State’s Lisa Koll earned a win in the womens’ 10,000-meter run to get the Big 12 track and field championships off to a solid start Friday at Texas Tech University. Additionally, Ryan Vail of Oklahoma State placed first in the mens’ 10,000-meter dash. As for the heptathlon, Nebraska’s Megan Wheatley is currently in the lead with 3551 points, with Missouri’s Kaela Rorvig in second and Rachel Butler of Nebraska in third. In the decathlon, Kansas State’s Mantas Silkauskas is currently in first with 4231 points, while his teammate, Mortiz Cleve, is a close second with 4202 points and Texas A&M’s Trinity Otto is in third with 4189 points. The meet will resume Saturday.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Rocky Mountain Power is planning on constructing two substations and a 140-mile transmission line from Mona in Juab County to Tooele County. Clara Stevens of the Fillmore BLM Field Office, says the project area extends from the south and west of Mona to an area north and west of Grantsville. The Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement is going on from now until August 12 and the proposed project would take approximately 18 months to complete. The Fillmore BLM Field Office will announce public open houses on their website.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – The Department of Interior will invest $118 million in Utah to fund projects around the state. DOI Secretary, Ken Salazar, says the money is from the Obama administration’s federal stimulus pot and will fund “shovel-ready” projects. $49.7 million will go to the Central Utah Water Project for endangered species recovery and fishery development, $29.4 million to the Utah BLM for habitat restoration, trails maintenance and construction, $24.7 million to the National Park Service for visitor shelters at the Capitol Reef and Zion’s National Parks and the rest to other agencies.

(GREEN RIVER) – Mountain biking enthusiasts from around the country are getting geared up for the San Rafael Swell Mountain Bike Festival this weekend in Green River. Rider, Danny Decker, says this is a chance for novice and seasoned riders to take in a lot of beautiful scenery. He said everyone is invited to attend the ride beginning today at 1pm in Green River. Decker commented that rides vary in degree of difficulty, each offering a different perspective of the beautiful San Rafael Swell, including Moab’s slick rocks, red rock and deep slot canyons, petroglyphs, Indian writing and more. The festival continues throughout the weekend.

The Central Utah Narcotics Task Force area will no longer include Sanpete County. A number of The police chiefs in Sanpete County said that they weren’t going to participate in the Task Force anymore for various reasons, one being the money they had to send them. With the municipal agencies cancelling their service it wasn’t feasible for Sanpete County commissioners to continue on their own. Instead, Sanpete County Sheriff Holman is hoping to receive a grant of $90,000 per year for the next three years to fight the battle. There’s also economic stimulus money to be used for equipment and controlled drug-buys. Holman and the County Commissioners are also considering working with Juab County to come together and create a task force of their own.

(KANAB) – The public is invited to see former racer, “Jack, the greyhound” and other greyhounds and their owners as they participate in the Tenth Annual Greyhound Gathering this weekend in Kanab. Event organizer, Cari Carlisle, says the event is packed full of a lot of activities. Participants say this annual celebration is described as a “spectacle and celebration like no other” as spectators will see hundreds of rescued racing hounds parade downtown main street in Kanab on Saturday at 10am. The event runs Friday through Sunday and is free of charge to the public.

DENVER (AP)—Carmelo Anthony, christened as the “best pure scorer in the NBA today” by TNT analyst Charles Barkley, poured in 30 points and Chauncey Billups added 28 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds as the Denver Nuggets advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 24 years with a 124-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday at Pepsi Center. Although the Mavericks raced out to an early 10-2 lead, the Nuggets seized momentum shortly thereafter as they made nearly 70 percent of their shots in the first half en route to a 69-55 halftime lead. Despite Dallas’ best efforts to get back in the game, Anthony, Billups, J.R. Smith (18 points, six assists) and Nene Hilario (17 points, seven boards) all made clutch shots to keep the Mavs at bay. Finally, a clutch dunk by Hilario with under two minutes left in regulation gave Denver a 120-110 lead, after which Dallas ran out of gas. The historic win for the Nuggets marks their finest season since 1985 which saw them lose to the eventual champions, the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the conference finals that season. Incidentally, Denver will either face the Lakers or the Houston Rockets, while Los Angeles currently has a 3-2 lead in their series. Click here for game summary

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP)—Wyoming’s Jay Petsch took the lead in the mens’ decathlon to headline the first day of competition at the Mountain West Conference’s track and field championships Wednesday at the University of Wyoming. Petsch has 3671 points to lead the way while Brigham Young’s Meelis Kosk is in second place with 3589 points, with his teammate, Brett Birkeland in third with 3528 points. As for the women, Brigham Young’s Amy Menlove is currently leading the heptathlon with 3195 points, while Colorado State’s Kristen Kugler is in second with 2979 points, and Meaghan Peoples of Texas Christian is currently in third with 2897 points. The meet will resume Thursday.

LOGAN, Utah (AP)—John Strang of Utah State got off to a solid start at the WAC track and field championships with wins in the mens’ 100-meter dash, high jump and long jump Wednesday at Ralph Maughan Track. Additionally, Nevada’s April Pate took first place in the womens’ 100-meter hurdles and Hawaii’s Emily Sheppard won the womens’ high jump and the 200-meter dash. Other wins came from Fresno State’s Evan Young and Matt Bushnell in the mens’ shot put and 400-meter dash, respectively, and Annett Wichmann of Hawaii in the womens’ shot put. The meet will resume Thursday.

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP)—Sydney Wendt of Idaho State ensued in her excellent outdoor track and field season by taking the lead in the womens’ heptathlon to cap off the first day of competition at the Big Sky track and field championships Wednesday at the University of Montana. Wendt has 3034 points to lead the field while her teammate Ashle Turner is close behind with 2987 points with Sacramento State’s Naim Goodwin in third with 2984 points. Additionally, Weber State’s Michae North and Holly North are in seventh and ninth place, respectively. As for the men, DeShawn Shead of Portland State leads the decathlon with 3777 points, while Idaho State’s Nathan Capp is in second with 3664 points and Portland State’s Nick Trubachik is in third with 3635 points. Weber State’s Andy Heaton is currently in eighth place in the decathlon with 3359 points. The meet will resume Thursday.

(LOGAN) – A Utah scientist is testifying before Congress, urging lawmakers to take a hard look at algae as a source of biofuels. USU Professor, Jeff Muhs says congressional leaders have expressed an interest in the use of algae. He said algae grows very fast, uses up a lot of CO2, or carbon dioxide, in the process and not only makes high-quality biofuel, it scrubs the air as well. Muhs commented some pilot labs, similar to USU’s lab, could be in place in southern Utah within three to five years, producing 2,000 to 10,000 gallons of biofuel per acre per year.

(KANAB) – Off-roaders participating in a protest ride over the weekend fear they may be prosecuted for riding in a wilderness study area. The 30-mile ride along the Paria River area in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, drew more than 500 participants on Saturday, to protest a new BLM rule that banned motorized vehicles along the corridor. Shawna Cox, organizer of the event, said locals have always used the corridor as a road for over 100 years. Those in favor of restricting access say it’s a river bed in an environmentally sensitive area and should be protected. A mid-April decision by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected claims made by Garfield and Kane counties, ruling the claims to the roads were overly vague and had failed to prove actual harm. BLM officials were at the protest to document, photograph and record potential violations and has turned the information over to federal prosecutors for review.

BOSTON (AP)—Glen Davis had 22 points, including two clutch free throws to put the game away, while Paul Pierce added 19 points, nine boards and eight assists as the Boston Celtics ousted the Orlando Magic, 92-88 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal to take a 3-2 lead in the series Tuesday. Although the Magic controlled the tempo for the most part and silenced the crowd at TD Banknorth Garden for much of the game, Orlando failed to hold a 77-63 lead in the fourth quarter. In the last stanza, Boston outscored the Magic, 33-21 to win the game going away and for the time being, seize momentum in the series. Rashard Lewis had 19 points for Orlando, while Hedo Turkoglu added 18 points and seven assists for the Magic. In other NBA postseason action Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers decimated Houston, 118-78 to take a 3-2 lead in their series.

(FILLMORE) – Two adult males and a female juvenile were arrested Friday night for breaking into the Utah Territorial Statehouse in Fillmore. A Millard County Sheriff’s report said that just after midnight, a deputy was contacted by a concerned citizen who witnessed the trio near the building while the lights were turned off. The caller described the situation as suspicious and called police. Deputies responded with a K-9 Unit to search an area known as, “The Pod” near the Statehouse and were able to locate a key to enter the building with the help of an official. Authorities discovered two 18-year old men, Erik Swan and Jeffery Ledford, in the building as well as the female juvenile. All were transported to the Millard County Jail. The men were booked on suspicion of burglary, theft of service and criminal mischief and the juvenile was referred into the Juvenile Court for related offenses. The Millard County Sheriff’s Office has been investigating other burglaries in the same area.

(FAIRVIEW) – A Fairview woman has been charged with stealing money from the Fairview Elementary PTA. Police arrested Marcie Kurtis for the theft. According to police reports, the PTA found that $9,000 was missing from their bank account that was to be used for new playground equipment. Kurtis was booked and charged with four counts of Third-Degree felony forgery and four counts of Class-A Misdemeanor theft. She will appear in the 3rd District Court in Manti on June 3 for a preliminary hearing. The Fairview PTA has set up another new account at Far West Bank for anyone who would like to donate to the playground fund. The PTA would like to acquire new playground equipment before the beginning of the next school year.

(MOAB) – Authorities have identified the body of an 18-year old man found in the water at Power Dam at Mill Creek in Grand County on Saturday afternoon. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man as Shanovan Miller of Round Rock, AZ. According to a sheriff’s report, at about 3pm Saturday, authorities received word that the man had not returned to loved ones after a recreational outing and began a search. The Grand County Fire Department and its dive team, Moab police officers and BLM rangers all participated in the rescue and found Miller in the water.

(MANTI) – A Centerfield woman who initially contended that her child had drowned in a wading pool is now facing a charge of child-abuse homicide. Prosecutors in Manti filed the first-degree felony in 6th District Court on Monday against 23-year old, Ariel Hampton, who they say beat two-year old, Kirsten Anderson, to death last week. According to Centerfield Police Chief, Brett McCall, Hampton admitted to beating her daughter. Sanpete County Attorney, Ross Blackham, says there was evidence of bruising and markings on the child that were not consistent with drowning. On May 7, ambulance crews responded to a report of a non-responsive child. Hampton said she discovered Kirsten face-down in a pool and that her face had turned blue but when the child was taken to the Gunnison Valley Hospital, medics observed the child was not wet and chest X-rays showed there was no water in her lungs. Hampton was booked in the Sanpete County Jail Thursday and charged with the homicide.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – High school students statewide are invited to apply for the Nature High Summer Camp on the Manti-LaSal National Forest east of Ephraim. Cindy Ledbetter, of Utah BLM, says this is an opportunity for students to get a week-long camping experience. She said that students will also take a tour of the Snow College Ephraim Campus. Ledbetter commented that the program is available to all Utah high school students, freshman to seniors, who are in good standing with their high school. Registration is $50 and includes meals, lodging and supplies. The deadline to apply is May 29. Applicants may contact their local Conservation Office to apply.

(CENTERFIELD) – Centerfield Police suspect foul play in the death of a two-year old girl Thursday night. According to police reports, paramedics were called to the home of 23-year old, Arial Hampton, on a report that her daughter, Kiersten, had drowned. The child was rushed to the Gunnison Valley Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Hampton was arrested Friday afternoon after doctors found the cause of death was inconsistent with drowning. Her sister-in-law, Crystal Brown of American Fork, says there was a history of violence. Hampton remains in the Sanpete County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail on suspicion of killing her daughter.

(RICHFIELD) – A Hurricane man was arrested over the weekend in Richfield after crashing into several police cars and speeding away. According to a UHP report, at about 1:10 Saturday morning, 28-year old, Anthony Shepherd was stopped by a trooper for traveling too fast northbound along 400 West in Richfield. The report said Shepherd slowed down as he was approached by the trooper, then suddenly sped up. He was stopped at 200 North 400 West by two police cruisers, who attempted to box him in but Shepherd hit into the rear of one of the trooper’s vehicles and sped off. A second attempt was made at 100 North to stop Shepherd’s vehicle until troopers were forced to disable his car. The UHP report said that Shepherd exited his vehicle and resisted arrest and had to be tazered to subdue him. Shepherd was taken by ambulance to the hospital for evaluation and released. Three UHP vehicles sustained minor damage and the officers were not hurt in the incident. Shepherd was booked into the Sevier County Jail and is awaiting trial.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Glen Davis had 21 points and hit the game-winning shot from 21 feet out as the Boston Celtics outlasted the Orlando Magic, 95-94 to tie the Eastern Conference semifinal at two games apiece. Davis had seven of the Celtics’ fourth quarter points while Paul Pierce (27 points) and Ray Allen (21 points) each stepped up to help Boston evade a 3-1 deficit. Despite their significant momentum coming into this game and a raucous crowd behind them, the Magic shot a paltry 40 percent from the field and failed to seize complete control of the series. Dwight Howard (23 points, 17 rebounds) and Rashard Lewis (22 points) led the way for Orlando in the loss. Game 5 will take place Tuesday in Boston. In other NBA action Sunday, Houston stormed past the Los Angeles Lakers, 99-87, as that series is also tied 2-2.

DALLAS (AP)—Chauncey Billups had 23 of his 32 points in the second half and Carmelo Anthony had a game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds to help the Denver Nuggets best the Dallas Mavericks, 106-105 Saturday at American Airlines Arena in Game 3 of their series. Although Dallas played their best game of the series thus far and shut down many of Denver’s weapons, Anthony made arguably the biggest shot of his career to put the Mavericks on the brink of elimination. After Jason Terry’s 3-pointer gave the Mavs a 105-103 lead with less than 10 seconds left, the Nuggets refused to panic as they came up with huge defensive stops and pulled out the win. Anthony made his clutch, yet controversial, shot with one second left after Antoine Wright attempted to intentionally foul him. Despite Wright’s efforts, the refs didn’t halt play and the shot left the Nuggets one game from advancing to the Western Conference Finals. Dirk Nowitzki had 33 points in defeat for the Mavericks. In other NBA playoff action, Cleveland pummeled Atlanta, 97-82 to take a 3-0 lead in their series. Click here for game summary

(RICHFIELD) – The Utah Special Olympic Torch arrived in Richfield this afternoon after a start this morning in Sanpete County. Torch runner, Janeece Kritzer of Richfield, said she had a great time in the run. Organizers say the Special Olympic Torch will cover over 1600 miles all over the state before it completes its journey at the end of the month at Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo. Olympic organizer, Dave Chappell, says the run locally is just part of the effort to kick off the Special Olympic Summer Games. He said this is a great event for Special Olympic athletes who love to participate in the Torch Run.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Department Of Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, has presented Utah Land Management Agencies with the “Partners in Conservation Award” for the Milford Flat Fire Rehabilitation effort. The award was presented to the agencies on Thursday who participated in the rehabilitation, stabilization and restoration on land that was scorched in the Milford Flat fire in 2007. The Milford Flat project involved 200,000 acres of land affected, equating over 300 square miles. The rehabilitation effort required 1.7-million pounds of seed using several treatment methods, along with treatment of noxious weeds. Burned fences were replaced and sediment basins were developed. Ag Commissioner, Leonard Blackham, said he and the staffs of other agencies, were pleased with the award.

(RICHFIELD) – The National Association Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive is being held this Saturday in many cities and towns across the nation. Richfield Postmaster, Curtis Marsh, said the NALC has spearheaded the program for the past 16 years and has collected a lot of food in that time. In 2008, the NALC collected 73,113,915 pounds of food nationwide and said this is the largest one-day food drive in the country and possibly, the world. Marsh is reminding residents to have their bags of non-perishable food out on their porches by Saturday morning for carriers to take.

PROVO, Utah (AP)—Murphy Troy and Tony Ciarelli combined for 43 kills for the #4 USC Trojans as they advanced to the NCAA mens’ volleyball championship game with a 3-1 win over the #5 Penn State Nittany Lions Thursday at Brigham Young University. Will Price had 17 kills in the loss for the Nittanies. The Trojans will next face the UC-Irvine Anteaters, 3-0 winners over Ohio State, for the national championship Saturday at 5:00(MDT).

KEARNS, Utah (AP)—Craig Brinkerhoff had nine strikeouts to lead the Kanab Cowboys to a 9-3 win over the Juab Wasps Thursday at the 2A state baseball tournament.

KEARNS, Utah (AP)—J.D. Michaelsen pitched six solid innings, and Jake Cropper added a pair of RBI as the Richfield Wildcats bested the Gunnison Bulldogs, 7-5 at the 2A state baseball tournament Thursday.

(FILLMORE) – The Fillmore Forest Service is planning a prescribed burn today about two miles south of Scipio. The burn will cover 700 acres in the Grabalt Project to reduce fuels in order to prevent wildfires in the area. Fire and smoke may be visible along I-15 and I-70 during the course of the burn and fire crews will be monitoring the blaze. The fire may continue throughout the rest of the week, depending on weather conditions and the time it takes to complete the project.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – A Utah congressman is asking Pres. Barack Obama to reverse his decision on the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility for enemy combatants. Rep. Jason Chaffetz said closure would be an empty public-relations gesture that could endanger Americans. Chaffetz visited the facility in Cuba last week and wrote to Obama, saying it’s the right facility, the right location, the right public policy with no viable alternative. He said that contrary to popular belief, waterboarding never happened at Guantanamo Bay and people should understand that our troops go to great lengths to treat detainees with respect and in many ways, are treated better than criminals in federal or state prisons. Chaffetz commented that our nation is more secure if detainees are kept off our shores and in an isolated and secure location.

(RICHFIELD) – The Obama administration’s pick of a new undersecretary of Agriculture in charge of the Forest Service, has some conservationists surprised. The White House announced late Tuesday that Mississippi state conservationist, Homer Wilkes, to be the new undersecretary. Some say the 28-year veteran of the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service, is the first person in 30 years to be tapped for the job with no background in forest policy. Forest Supervisor, Fred Houston said the appointment doesn’t affect our local or regional forests that much. Some conservationists say that with the appointment, Pres. Obama appears to have no specific plans for managing national forests.

(TORREY) – The Capitol Reef National Park is celebrating Migratory Bird Day 2009 this Saturday along the Fremont River. Biologists will be leading a birding walk along the river Saturday at 7:30am to identify bird species moving through the park. Many species of migratory birds, including several varieties of geese, ducks, warblers and shorebirds, find a hospitable stop-over in the Capitol Reef. Park officials are inviting the public to participate in the event with a general meeting in the picnic area.

(MAYFIELD) – The search continues for a newborn infant believed to have been dumped in the White Hills Landfill near Mayfield. Sgt. Greg Peterson of the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office, said searchers began digging through piles upon piles of rubbish on Monday in hopes of finding the remains of the infant. He said it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. A sheriff’s report said that about three weeks ago, a teenage girl gave birth at home to a baby she said had been stillborn. According to documents, the girl apparently became frightened and put the baby in a dumpster which eventually, was taken to the landfill. Authorities were notified of the situation on April 24 but so much time had passed, the baby may have been covered by dirt and rubbish. Since Monday, searchers have been digging in an area where they believed the baby was dumped but by Tuesday, there was no success. They are digging between ten and 24-feet of trash, 100-yards long.

DELTA, Utah (AP)—Ty Church had a perfect game, while posting eight strikeouts, as the Delta Rabbits blanked the North Sanpete Hawks, 5-0 Tuesday in Region 8 baseball action.

(RICHFIELD) – The Ninth Annual Utah Wildfire Academy will be held in Richfield next week on the Snow College-Richfield Campus. The Academy is offering 16 courses for over 150 students with 70 instructors and staff May 11-15. The courses are designed to train rookie and veteran firefighters in volunteer departments from local, county, state and federal fire agencies. A live-fire exercise close to Richfield will be held May 14 at 9am, depending on weather conditions and the public is invited to attend. Fire fighters will demonstrate their newly learned skills in the exercise. The public is also invited to attend any class during the course of the Academy.

(RICHFIELD) – The Utah Special Olympic Torch Run will make a pass through Sevier and Sanpete Counties this Friday. Olympic organizer, Forest McNiel, says this is a big event for the state. He said the torch run will start locally in Ft. Green on Friday at 9am and will continue south on SR-89 through each town in the two counties. The run will end in Richfield at about 1pm at Lin’s Marketplace at the north end of the city. All money raised during the fundraiser will go towards the “Sevier Jazzies” and the “Sanpete Stars”, the two local teams. The public is invited to welcome the teams from the Special Olympics along the route this Friday.

(DELTA) – Several Tooele County residents were arrested on Highway 50 near Delta on drug charges last Thursday. A Millard County Sheriff’s report said that deputies pulled over a black 2005 Chrysler 300-C for speeding near the SR-100 junction. The report said that four adults and a juvenile were arrested, including 22-year old, Yuridia Sevilla on speeding, driving on suspension and drug charges and 22-year old, Leon Salvador, on four warrants out of Tooele County and drugs. Other arrests included 24-year old, Ramon Avila-Nunez for drugs and 21-year old, Juan Camargo, on warrants, drugs and possession of a 357 revolver by a restricted person. A 16-year old male was also arrested on drug charges.

(SANDY)—An 11-year old girl who was reported missing and endangered due to a medical condition has been found safe. Police say Stephanie Brook Sotelo ran away from a foster home around 2:00 a.m. Sunday. Sotelo is on anti-depressants, but did not have any with her. Monday morning, Sotelo was found when a citizien called West Jordan police. Authorities state Sotelo was taken to a hospital when she was found due to a low core body temperature. Sotelo did not have any food or money, police said while they believe she was trying to leave the state. Sotelo has also run away before and has a tendency to make up stories.

(WEST VALLEY CITY)—A suspect used an unusual weapon to pull off an aggravated assault robbery Monday in West Valley City. Just before 5:00 a.m., West Valley Police say a man used a crowbar to pry open the back door of a Holiday Oil convenience store. Once inside, the man assaulted an employee with the bar, grabbed some cash and fled the scene. Officers reported the man was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with patches on the sleeves and tan pants. The employee was treated at the scene and is reportedly in good condition.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Probation and parole officers say an increase in the number of offenders in the Salt Lake Valley is making it difficult to keep up with regular visits. Officers are required to visit the highest-risk offenders at home or work once a month and the lowest-risk offenders every 90 days. According to the Department of Corrections, there are more than 11,000 probationers and nearly 3700 parolees statewide, with nearly half of them living in Salt Lake County. Officers are downgrading more high-risk offenders and ending supervision earlier for others in hopes of coping with the increase.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—One of Salt Lake City’s most wanted criminals will soon be headed back to Utah for sentencing after becoming an Internet sensation. 22-year old Kari Ferrell is wanted on a number of felony fraud warrants in Utah and she fled the state last year. Eventually, she showed up in New York where the New York Observer christened her as the “hipster grifter,” while accusing her of scamming people out of money as she had done in Utah. Ferrell is also accused of lying about diseases and even pregnancies in order to scam people. Ferrell was arrested Sunday night in Philadelphia and she will now be extradited to face charges in Utah.

(BLANDING)—A motorcyclist died after crashing on a San Juan County road Monday. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office said wet roads may have been a factor in the crash of Aleck Leon Foulks Jr. Saturday. The sheriff’s office said that Foulks, a Phoenix resident, was traveling west behind a group of fellow riders near Blanding. The group noticed he was no longer with them and backtracked about a mile where he lied motionless on the side of the road. Foulks, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County Commissioners approved contracts today for the purchase of arena and stall equipment for animals at the fairgrounds. Economic Development Director, Malcolm Nash, says the contracts were split between two well-known companies to save the county a lot of money. He said a portion of the contract awarded to Powder River would cover small animal equipment and another portion of the contract was awarded to Prefert, with conditions, that would cover large animal equipment. Nash said that the total costs of the contracts amount to $183,000, which would save the county much more than if the contracts would have been awarded to one company. Most of the construction of the arena and stalls should be completed by the time the county fair begins this summer.

Sanpete County has new Jr. Princess’ and cowboy Sweethearts. The Jr. Princess royalty includes Megan Brotherson as the new princess with her attendants as Jamie Bawden as 1st attendant, 2nd attendants are Shay Lynn Ekker, and Riley Stewart.

The Sanpete County Sweetheart Royalty includes Chelsea Dingmonsuh as the new Queen. 1st attendant is Kayley Jackman and second attendants are Megan Jensen and Tanesha Ekker

(LAS VEGAS) – The Utah Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will receive nearly $30 million in federal stimulus money. According to Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, the funds are part of more than $300 million in stimulus dollars to update BLM facilities and jump-start renewable energy projects across the country. Salazar said the 650 approved projects will “restore our landscapes and our watersheds” and help fulfill the Obama’s Administration’s target for renewable energy development. He made the announcement at the Red Rock Conservation Area outside of Las Vegas. Salazar said that 43 projects worth $29.4 million are planned for Utah. They range from trailhead construction at parks and study areas to native plant restoration, to remediation of abandoned mines.

(SALINA) – A Colorado woman was cited Saturday afternoon in a crash on I-70 east of Salina. A UHP report said that at about 2:15pm, 26-year old, Battina Klattfalstnauer of Denver, CO. was traveling westbound ten miles east of Salina, when she lost control of her 2006 Mini Cooper due to water on the road. The report said she went off the right shoulder of the highway and rolled once, landing on the tires. Klattfalstnauer was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)—Sharae Hill of Southern Utah placed first in the womens’ 100 and 200-meter dashes to lead the way for the Thunderbirds mens and womens’ track teams Saturday at the SUU Invitational at Eccles Coliseum. Additionally, Chelsey Allen won the womens’ 400-meter dash for the Lady T-Birds, while Sharla Manuele won the womens’ 3000-meter dash for Southern Utah. Other womens’ winners included Jasmine Paicely in the 100-meter hurdles for SUU and Idaho State’s Erica Wendt who won the 3000-meter steeplechase. As for the men, Idaho State’s Sergio Jones won the mens’ 100 and 200-meter dashes while Southern Utah’s Dave Sheeran won the 1500-meter dash and his teammate Cam Levins won the 3000-meter dash. Other winners included Southern Utah’s Kodai Kusano in the 110-meter hurdles and the Thunderbirds’ Carlos Valle in the discus.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)—Blessing Okagbare of Texas-El Paso won the womens’ 100-meter dash Saturday to lead the way for numerous athletes scattered throughout the southwest at the Kirby Invitational at the University of New Mexico. Additionally, Okagbare’s teammate, Endurance Abinuwa won the womens’ 400-meter dash while New Mexico’s Andrea Wright won the womens’ 800-meter dash. Other wins came from the Lady Lobos’ Leslie Luna and Kim Perkins in the 5000-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles respectively and New Mexico State’s Devin Brooks in the womens’ 100-meter hurdles. As for the men, Texas-El Paso was bolstered by Ronalds Arajs’ win in the 100-meter dash while the Miners’ Anderson Mutegi won the 200 and 400-meter dashes. Additionally, New Mexico’s Ma Henry-Marshall won the mens’ discus and Anthony Fairbanks took the mens’ javelin crown for the Lobos.

PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP)—Hendricks Shataya of Stanford placed first in the womens’ 100-meter dash to headline strong showings from many West Coast athletes Saturday at the Cardinal Invitational at Stanford. Additionally, the Lady Cardinal were bolstered by Idara Otu’s crown in the 400-meter dash, while Alicia Follmar won the 1500-meter dash for Stanford. Meanwhile, Colorado’s Jenny Barringer continued her recent success by taking the crown in the womens’ 5000-meter dash while Nebraska’s Joslyn Dalton won the 3000-meter steeplechase for the Lady Huskers. As for the men, Stanford’s Danny Belch and Zach Chandy won the 100 and 200-meter dashes, respectively. Other winners included Oregon’s Matthew Centrowitz in the 1500-meter dash and Bradley Myles of Stanford in the long jump.

WASHINGTON (AP)—While the BCS has been an upgrade (and I use that term with extreme trepidation) from the previous regime in college football, I am not enraptured with the numerous pratfalls it has caused. While the polls primarily determining the #1 team in the pre-BCS era was akin to being married to Roseanne Bahr, the BCS is like being married to Rosie O’Donnell, who incidentally doesn’t like men. That brings out yet another thing about the BCS: inasmuch as O’Donnell, as a lesbian, doesn’t love men, the BCS does not love college football fans as consistently they’ve given all of us the middle finger and consumed money on their lusts. Thankfully, Congress has become disenchanted with the ludicrous nonsense the BCS permeates and Joe Barton, an excellent politician from Texas (as many of you know my real name is Brad Barton and I served a portion of my mission in Texas, so I feel connected) has thrown his weight into making the lives of those who sustain the BCS a living hell. One of Barton’s agendas is to determine that the BCS is indeed an illegal cartel and violates anti-trust issues brought about by the Sherman Act. Furthermore, Barton plans to make it illegal for the BCS to declare itself as a “national championship” system. My response, to quote the great Craig Bolerjack: YESSSSSS! For those of you who are geniuses, you also know that May Day is a communist holiday often upheld by the old Soviet regime of Eurasia and Barton swiftly called the BCS a communist ideal on the fateful May 1. Of course it is. The fact that a select few own everything in college football in our nation is blaspehemous and an affront to God because the Founding Fathers such as Washington and Jefferson gave their blood, sweat and tears in the hope that this nation would be free, with all citizens having the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness among other things. Undobutedly, happiness is most often found when all partake of the bounty of all kinds to be found in our great nation. Therefore, to exclude worthy members of any faction of American society from obtaining a great prize, is unAmerican. Thus, I say that BCS commissioner John Swofford is a fraud, charlatan and a Gadianton robber for he and his cronies have cheated and slighted the likes of Utah and Boise State in recent seasons from obtaining what is rightfully theirs. Remember that in the Book of Mormon, one of the Gadiantons’ traits was to obtain great power, whether it be praise of the world or riches, so that they might be greater than those around them and OVERTHROW THE NATION. While I disagree with President Obama on many issues, I agree wholeheartedly with him that college football must be rectified. While scouring various sites online this morning, such as cnn.com and espn.com, the majority of posters think the BCS must be abolished so a playoff can come to pass. It is not only illegal (which will be proven) to exclude worthy teams that do not belong to so-called “power conferences,” it is unethical and takes us back, as a society, to the 1800s where slavery was permissible. Looking back at those times when reading my history books, I’m appalled that such things took place. If we are in such an age of enlightenment as our technological advancements suggest, why is it that we rely on such an archaic way to determine a college football champion? That’s embarrassing, so hopefully the efforts of Barton and Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff will net us the results we need as the BCS is torn apart and a playoff is established.

(FILLMORE) – The BLM Field Office in Fillmore is announcing a planned burn from today through May 15. Fire personnel say the Grabalt Project is a joint burn of 1600 acres between the Fillmore Field Office and Fillmore Ranger District on the Fishlake National Forest. Fire crews will be working the burn for two weeks approximately two miles south of Scipio. Last fall, the BLM and Forest Service were able to complete 700 acres with the objective of reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Crews will be burning slash piles of juniper and pinyon trees as well as sagebrush.

(RICHFIELD) – Snow College-Richfield will hold graduation ceremonies today at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield. Graduation will be held at 1pm in the SVC Theatre featuring keynote speaker, Rick White, who is the former Vice-President of Snow College-Richfield. White is currently the President of the Utah College of Applied Technologies. Snow College-Ephraim is also set to hand out 570 degrees and diplomas to students in graduation ceremonies Saturday at 10am on the Ephraim campus at the Activities Center. Laurie Carter, a Julliard School of Music executive, will be the keynote speaker.