(CEDAR CITY)—An inmate made a bomb threat at the Iron County Jail Monday while holding a corrections officer hostage and attempted to escape. According to Iron County Sheriff’s deputies, 28-year old Steven Crutcher was in the visiting area of the jail Monday when he pulled something out of his shirt and grabbed a deputy, holding what appeared to be a pipe bomb to her. Iron County Sheriff’s deputy Aaron Pallesen said Crutcher claimed to have a bomb and that he would blow up himself and the corrections officer if he didn’t get outside. The deputy was able to radio for help and after he was rescued, Crutcher was pushed back into the booking area of the jail. Pallesen said the device was really a toilet paper roll that had been colored gray and had wires from an AM/FM radio and the red detonation button was a pencil eraser. Crutcher is now being housed in isolation where he is watched 24 hours a day, Pallesen said. Crutcher has been at the Iron County Jail since May for possessing a stolen vehicle, a weapons violation, and a parole violation warrant from Wisconsin. Pallesen also said the corrections officer was uninjured.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—After federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss the case because of medical issues, state prosecutors have now charged a retired Air Force major busted in an Internet sex sting. The Utah Attorney General’s Office charged 45-year old Reinaldo L. Canton with three Class A misdemeanor counts of enticing a minor. The charges were filed Tuesday in Salt Lake City’s 3rd District Court. Canton was originally charged in federal court in Salt Lake City back in 2007, but the case was dropped earlier this year due to issues surrounding his health. In court papers, Canton’s attorney argued he suffered from a life-threatening heart condition and the stress and strain of criminal prosecution would put his life at risk. The Utah U.S. Attorney General’s Office agreed to dismiss the case, with prejudice, meaning the charges could be refiled at any time. The charging documents claim that Canton arranged a sexual liaison over the Internet with someone he thought was a 15-year old girl. The “girl” turned out to be an undercover police officer. After arriving at the Layton Hills Mall, Canton was arrested. Canton had a litany of excuses ready, officers said while a court appearance has not yet been scheduled.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)—At a time of year where the NBA is bustling with free agency, the Utah Jazz took care of some business Wednesday. Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced the signing of first round draft pick Eric Maynor, formerly of Virginia Commonwealth. Although financial terms were not released, it is known that Maynor will participate in the Jazz’ mini-camp in preparation for the 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League while camp is slated to begin Wednesday. Maynor is expected to make his professional debut for the Jazz against Boston next Monday in Orlando, Fla. Maynor, at 6’3” and 175 pounds was named as the 2008-09 Colonial Athletic Association player of the year which marked the second consecutive season he’d won the award. The 22-year old Maynor also received Sports Illustrated All-America Second Team and Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America honors and was named as Virginia’s collegiate player of the year by the Richmond Times-Dispatch as well as the VaSID player of the year. Maynor concluded his four-year career with the Rams as Virginia Commonwealth’s all-time leader in points (1953) and assists (674). For his exploits, Maynor’s No. 3 jersey was retired during his last home game at VCU. The Raeford, N.C. native also led Westover High School to a state championship his senior year. Maynor was also the first Virginia Commonwealth player the Jazz have drafted and the first to go in the first round. The last Ram to be drafted before Maynor was Sherron Mills, who went to the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 29th overall pick in 1993.

(HILL AIR FORCE BASE)—An electrical malfunction sparked a small fire at a building on Hill Air Force Base Wednesday, officials said. The fire occurred at Building 5 around 9:00 a.m., the Air Force said, which prompted an evacuation. Hill Air Force Base’s fire chief said the fire is believed to have started outside the building. He suspects an electrical malfunction of de-icers located on the rain gutters. Damage was contained to the rain gutter and the fire was extinguished. A more formal investigation is underway and the Air Force stated no one was injured.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah is expanding its list of places where anglers should be careful about eating fish, due to mercury. For the first time, mercury has been detected in fish at Red Fleet and Stienaker reservoirs in Uintah County. The state health department says pregnant women and children should not eat largemouth bass from Red Fleet or bluegill from Steinaker. Adults should limit their consumption to two 8-ounce servings of each a month. State officials are issuing a similar warning about wiper, a cross between white bass and striped bass, taken from the Newcastle Reservoir in Iron County. Since 2000, fish have been tested for mercury in 268 Utah lakes, streams and rivers. Of those, 16 have elevated mercury levels.

(ST. GEORGE)—The Federal Aviation Administration says search crews in southern Utah have found the wreckage of a single-engine plane that crashed after leaving from the Las Vegas area while the pilot was killed. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor says authorities believe only the pilot was found aboard the Piper Malibu which departed from the North Las Vegas airport Tuesday morning at about 6:30. The plane was headed toward Cedar City when it disappeared off the radar shortly after 7:00 a.m. Gregor says search crews found the burned wreckage Tuesday afternoon in a mountainous area about 20 miles west of St. George. Search and rescue crews are currently at the site recovering the pilot’s body. A crew will stay with the wreckage overnight and a team from the NTSB plans to arrive Wednesday to investigate potential causes of the crash. Authorities don’t know the pilot’s identity and Washington County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Rob Tersingi said skies were clear at the time of the crash.

(SARATOGA SPRINGS) – A former congressman is angry at being forced off his business site for a chemical cleanup operation. Ex-congressman, Merrill Cook, says the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration kicked him off his 480-acre explosive plant site in Saratoga Springs to clean up chemicals used to make explosives for the mining industry. The Environmental Protection Agency budgeted $2 million for the cleanup effort with most of the waste to be transported to a construction landfill in Tooele County. Cook insists that the cleanup was never necessary and said the EPA rejected two proposals he submitted that would have lowered the cleanup costs and allow his company to earn between $100,000 and $200,000 in profit. Cook also criticized SITLA because they hiked his rent last year from $4650 a year to more than $1.2 million annually that drove him off the property that could have used for development. Both Cook and SITLA are suing each other in court over the matter and will eventually resolved by a judge.

(ST. GEORGE) – Dixie State College in St. George is lowering tuition for out-of-state students attending the college this fall. Starting today, Dixie State is offering a “Good Neighbor Policy”, allowing students living in northern Arizona and southeastern Nevada, to pay in-state tuition. The new policy covers Clark and Lincoln counties in Nevada, including residents of Mesquite, Logandale and Las Vegas and residents of Mohave and Coconino counties in Arizona. A new law passed by the legislature earlier this year allows college hopefuls out of state to enhance their educational opportunities in the state while boosting local economies.