OMAHA, Neb. (AP)—Connor Rowe hit a game-winning solo home run in the ninth inning as the Texas Longhorns ousted the Arizona State Sun Devils, 4-3 Friday at Rosenblatt Stadium. Two batters earlier, Cameron Rupp tied the score with a solo shot as Texas earned the win via comeback. The loss for the Sun Devils ends their season while Texas will next play LSU, a 14-5 winner over Arkansas, for a best of three series starting Monday which will determine the national title. Zach Wilson gave Arizona State a chance to win with an RBI triple that gave the Sun Devils a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth. Nevertheless, the Longhorns’ heroics proved to be too much for Arizona State to overcome as Pat Murphy’s squad ends the season with a record of 51-14.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A federal court has rejected an appeal from Utah death row inmate Ronnie Lee Gardner. In a decision released Friday, the Denver-based 10th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2007 ruling by a U.S. District judge who rejected numerous claims, including a notion that Gardner had ineffective attorneys during both his trial and appeal. The 48-year old Gardner was sentenced to death for the Salt Lake City courthouse killing of attorney Michael Burdell in 1985 when Gardner was in court for a hearing on charges in the 1984 robbery and fatal shooting of another man. Authorities reported Gardner’s girlfriend smuggled a loaded gun into the courthouse and he opened fire with a failed escape attempt. The appeal was argued before a three-judge panel in February.

(OGDEN)—Two women who pleaded guilty to third-degree felony rioting in the beating of a 15-year old girl, a video of which showed up on You Tube have been sentenced to six months in the Weber County Jail. Twenty-four year old Paloma Veronica Lopez and 18-year old Alexandra Elizabeth Gutierrez were sentenced in 2nd District Court Wednesday to a six month sentence. Ogden police said a middle school student alerted a school resource officer about a video of a December 2 beating on You Tube which led police to the suspects. Police said the beating was over a perceived gang-related insult. The victim was severely beaten and suffered a broken eye socket. Three juveniles were also arrested in the incident.

(DRAPER)—Officials are keeping a close eye on the weather and a Draper mountainside following a mudslide in Corner Canyon earlier this week. Silt fences were installed after last year’s fire in the same area. Officials say those fences appear to have done their job in stopping debris from coming down the mountain. In preparation for a storm slated for Saturday, Draper is offering sandbags to its residents. Sand and empty bags have been delivered to Orson Smith Trailer Park and residents are invited to fill up and take as many bags as they feel are needed. The Draper City Emergency Operations Center is on standby and will be ready to go at a moment’s notice if more mudslides occur, and Unified Fire Authority will issue reverse 911 phone calls if it is necessary. Orson Smith Trailhead and Trail, Bonneville Shoreline Trail between Bear Canyon and Cherry Canyon and Aqueduct Road between Bear Canyon and Cherry Canyon have all been closed.

(DAVIS COUNTY)—Davis County officials are considering creating a DUI offender registry. A proposal presented to the council this week calls for all residents convicted twice or more of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol to be listed on a Web site accessible to the public. Backers say the plan would let parents monitor those people who may be driving their children and make sure they won’t be doing so while impaired. Critics say the registry serves no purpose except to humiliate those placed on it.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker said he may veto a property-tax increase meant to provide funding for new libraries. The City Council approved the tax hike Tuesday, which will increase the tax on a $280,000 home by almost $8. While the mayor said he supports the funding of new libraries, he stated sites for the branches here have not been identified and raising money for them should be put off until plans are more solid. Some council members tell the Deseret News they would consider trying to override the veto if Mayor Becker decides to take that action.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Health officials say they will no longer provide a daily tally of deaths associated with the swine flu in Utah. The onus is now on the state’s 12 local health departments to decide how they report swine flu-related deaths. The Utah Department of Health now plans to make a weekly announcement, on Wednesdays, reporting the number of deaths and hospitalizations as they are confirmed. State health department spokesman Tom Hudachko believes announcing the deaths on a daily basis could dilute public health messages because people will start tuning out reports. Health officials say an unusual number of deaths could warrant making a special report.

(WEST VALLEY CITY)—Newly unsealed search warrants detail a gruesome crime scene in the slaying of Kimberly Hain. Hain was beaten to death inside her home last month and the warrants, filed in Salt Lake City’s 3rd District Court and unsealed late Thursday, reveal a bloody scene and new details about her slaying. The 33-year old Hain was found in her bedroom by her husband who arrived home in the morning after working an overnight shift. According to the details, Douglas Hain walked in the door one day and found his wife dead after which he called 911. The Hains’ children, aged 6 and 8, were in the house at the time of the killing, police said while the kids found the body, but didn’t tell anyone until their father got home. Police arrested Hain’s neighbor, 18-year old Martin Vuksinick, who was one of Kimberly Hain’s best friends. The Deseret News reported on the warrants Friday while Vuksinick led police to a baseball bat in a field which investigators believe to be a weapon used in murder. Police stated they believe Vuksinick was high on cocaine at the time of the incident while an exact motive for her killing has not been disclosed. Upon serving the search warrant, police took 76 items from the Hain home which included hair and fiber samples. Vuksinick has been charged with aggravated murder and burglary and is due in court again July 21.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The seventh annual Chalk Art Festival will run through Saturday at the Gateway in Salt Lake City. Artists of varied ability levels will chalk up murals and the public is invited to attend.

(LEHI)—A Utah County man was jailed Friday morning for sexually abusing a child he was related to hundreds of times over a two-year period. Police arrested Clifford Quinlan at the Salt Lake International Airport Thursday after he flew in from out of state. Quinlan has been charged with 190 counts of sodomy and 290 counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Investigators stated the abuse occurred from March 2005-March 2007. Lehi Police Sergeant Jeff Swenson said Quinlan’s abuse of the child occurred multiple times during an average day which explains the increased amount of charges. Lehi police say this is one of the worst child abuse cases the city has ever seen.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The U.S. Department of Energy is giving Utah $15 million in stimulus money to expand weatherization programs. The money would be used to cut energy bills for low-income families for more than 4400 homes. It also would create what some groups call green jobs and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The Energy Department plans to use more than $453 million to improve the energy efficiency of 165,000 homes in 20 states. 50% of the weatherization money is already in Utah and once the state proves its implementation plan, an additional $18 million is expected, putting the state total at more than $37 million. Up to 20% of funding can be used for hiring and training workers.