Story Archive for 05/19/2009
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Lakers Earn Close Win Against Nuggies
Published on May 19, 2009 at 11:54PM
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.
Chrysler Dealerships Taking Action Against Termination
Published on May 19, 2009 at 03:50PM
(SPANISH FORK)—Owners of Chrysler dealerships in Utah and surrounding states aren’t going quietly. Attorneys for the group filed a petition for an injunction in New York state in an effort to stop termination notices which will be effective June 9. Barber Brothers of Spanish Fork is one of 798 Chrysler dealerships that has received notice from Chrysler to end franchise agreements. Nevertheless, Barber said state franchise laws protect dealers from this kind of action. Chrysler wants to reduce the number of dealerships because many are competing against each other. Attorneys in New York are seeking a hearing on the motion June 3.
South Salt Lake Could Be Suffering Identity Crisis
Published on May 19, 2009 at 03:23PM
(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.
PBS Policy May Remove KBYU's Affiliation
Published on May 19, 2009 at 03:02PM
(PROVO)—The Public Broadcasting Service stated it is reviewing membership policies on the religious content of its affiliates. This is a move that could affect KBYU of Provo, which frequently airs devotionals at Brigham Young University and other content related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Jan McNamara, the director of corporate communications from PBS, said the Station Services Committee of PBS board is reviewing policies for its members, specifically the mandate that stations must provide a nonsectarian, nonpolitical and noncommercial educational service. Member stations are submitting feedback and after the committee makes a recommendation on membership policies, a vote will occur June 16. McNamara said it was unclear whether or not a station could lose its affiliation because of religious programming. According to KBYU’s Web site, Brigham Young University acquired a license in 1965 to operate KBYU from its Provo campus and sought to broadcast numerous programs which would enhance and enrich the lives of its audiences. McNamara also stated the review is occurring primarily because there hasn’t been one since 1997.
Man Charged in Deadly Wreck
Published on May 19, 2009 at 02:53PM
(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.
9-Year Old Boy Injured in ATV Mishap
Published on May 19, 2009 at 02:46PM
(OAKLEY)—A 9-year old boy was critically injured in a Summit County ATV accident Monday. The Summit County Sheriff’s Office said the boy was apparently helping his 12-year old brother in backing up a Polaris Ranger 4×4 700 ATV in a garage at the family’s home. Reportedly, the operator lost control while backing up as the ATV ran over him. Sergeant Nick Wilkinson of the Sheriff’s Office said the brother claimed it was an accident as he pushed on the gas instead of the brake while inflicting chest and shoulder injuries on his brother. The victim was flown to Primary Childrens Medical Center and was listed in critical condition Tuesday morning. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, but deputies say it is simply a tragic accident.
Utah Government-Spending Web Site Goes Live
Published on May 19, 2009 at 02:40PM
(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.
Bicyclists Hit By Cars in Separate Incidents
Published on May 19, 2009 at 02:32PM
(SALT LAKE CITY)—Salt Lake City police are asking motorists and bicycle riders to be more watchful after two cyclists were hit by cars Tuesday. One of the cyclists was taken to the hospital with severe head trauma, while the other walked to the emergency room under his own power. The drivers said early morning sunlight was the cause of the accidents.
Dixie Forest Plans To Eliminate Off-Road Travel
Published on May 19, 2009 at 02:27PM
(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.
Senate Votes To Allow Guns in National Parks
Published on May 19, 2009 at 02:22PM
(WASHINGTON)—The Senate has voted to allow people to carry loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges. Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma sponsored this measure, which would restore a Bush administration policy allowing loaded guns in national parks. A federal judge blocked this policy in March, and the Obama Administration declined to file an appeal. The gun amendment was attached to a bill imposing restrictions on credit card companies while the bill was approved, 90-5. The measure will now go to the house where approval is expected.
ATV victim identified
Published on May 19, 2009 at 01:27PM
(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.
Marijuana grow discovered in Wayne County
Published on May 19, 2009 at 01:25PM
(BOULDER) – The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office has been notified of a large, abandoned marijuana field on the north face of Boulder Mountain. The growing operation was discovered in the Colman Reservoir area and contained between 20-30,000 plants. A sheriff’s report said the site was abandoned several weeks ago. Last year, law enforcement discovered dozens of marijuana growing operations in Sanpete and Sevier Counties and other areas around the state, where over 90,000 plants were destroyed. Police will continue to look for pot fields throughout the state this summer.
Chicago couple injured on I-70
Published on May 19, 2009 at 01:24PM
(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.
Normal fire season expected
Published on May 19, 2009 at 01:23PM
(SALT LAKE CITY) – Officials are predicting a normal fire season this year. Eastern Great Basin predictive service program manager, Ed Delgado, says thanks to intense periods of snow in the winter and rain in the spring, the 2009 fire season will be “normal”. Delgado said wildfires could scorch between 200,000 and 300,000 acres in Utah this summer. He said that in 2007, 629,000 acres burned and last years’ below average fire season saw just 29,000 acres scorched. Weather Service hydrologist, Brian McInerney, said moderate amounts of precipitation fell in December, January and February but the beginning of March, saw a warming trend but then rebounded. McInerney said some areas in the Wasatch Mountains received 14 feet of snow in 14 days and is melting about two inches per day.
Bike accident injures Colorado man
Published on May 19, 2009 at 01:22PM
(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.
Bennett continues to hold Hayes approval
Published on May 19, 2009 at 01:18PM
(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Bob Bennett continues to withhold the approval of David Hayes as the Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior because of the failure of the DOI to review oil and gas leases in Utah. Bennett says the holdup is his leverage to force the DOI to review 77 oil and gas leases that Secretary Ken Salazar refused to release in the December auction. He commented that the oil and gas leases in question actually total 128, not just 77 that are up for review. Bennett said that if there’s a question on some of the leases, why not all of them. He said Secretary Salazar needs to follow DOI rules and review all the oil and gas leases before he approves Hayes’ nomination.
Sevier County welcomes DTV on Friday
Published on May 19, 2009 at 12:50PM
(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.
Sanpete County High School Graduations
Published on May 19, 2009 at 12:15PM
A number of High School Seniors will graduate this weekend in the Sanpete Valley. North Sanpete will have 156 seniors graduate this Friday, May 22nd at 7pm in the High School Auditorium. Keynote speakers include Chante Birch, Jessica Lindow, Valerie Demill, Benjamin Everitt and Diana Robison.
Wasatch Acadamy Graduates 65 students from 12 countries this Saturday, May 23rd at 1pm at the School. Their Honor Speaker is Geralyn Dreyfouse.
Manti High School sends off 130 seniors on Friday, May 22nd at 7pm in the Wilbur Braithwaite Auditorium. Manti High Valedictorian is Alec Barton and the Salutatorians are Alexandria Wyatt and Rachel Dettinger.
Gunnison Seniors also graduate on Friday, May 22nd with 86 graduating seniors. Their graduation ceremony will start at 5pm in the new Gymnasium at the High School. Speakers at the event include Carson Lund, Gentry Jensen, Colton Crane, Cassidy Clayton and the Class President, Malcolm Powell.
Former newspaper owners rescued in Fishlake
Published on May 19, 2009 at 11:05AM
(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.
Pens Take Early Lead Against Canes
Published on May 19, 2009 at 12:03AM
PITTSBURGH (AP)—Miroslav Satan, Evgeni Malkin and Philippe Boucher each scored for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they earned a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes Monday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Before a sellout crowd at Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh took its first step toward repeating as Eastern Conference champions by taking a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period and never looking back. Malkin’s goal and assist enabled him to join teammate Sidney Crosby in the 20 point club this postseason. Chad LaRose and Joe Corvo each scored for the Hurricanes, who despite losing all of their Game 1s this postseason have rebounded sufficiently to get to this point. Game 2 will be Wednesday in Pittsburgh.