(SALINA) – A Salina truck driver traveling along Highway 50 early Friday morning noticed his stolen personal pickup going towards Scipio. A Salina Police report said that Joe Miller had notified authorities that his 1985 Chevy S-14 pickup had been stolen and believed the truck was his when it passed him at about 1:30am Friday. The report said that Miller contacted DJ Heath, another truck driver who was traveling behind him, to look for the pickup when he arrived in Scipio. Heath stopped at the Eagle’s Landing Truck Stop in Scipio and confronted four subjects in the vehicle and told them the truck belonged to his friend and then removed the keys from the truck. Heath detained the subjects and called the Millard County Sheriff’s Office. Police said that two of the subjects wandered off before officers arrived but 22-year old, Mariann Molyneux of Mesa, AZ. and 22-year old, Joseph Neumann, also of Mesa, were taken into custody by Salina Police. When Millard County Deputies arrived, they found 44-year old, Alfred Diaz of Colorado Springs, CO. and 25-year old, Valerie Demarco, also of Colorado Springs, loitering near Eagle’s Landing and took both into custody. All subjects were eventually booked into the Sevier County Jail on charges of vehicle theft. The investigation revealed that the subjects were also involved in a vehicle theft in Manti last week as well as other auto thefts in Salina.

(Manti) Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz will be holding town hall meetings in central Utah this week. The public is invited to take part in the meetings on Wednesday, September 2nd in three locations. The first meeting will be held in Ephraim at the Greenwood Student Center on the Snow College campus. The meeting will start at 1:00 PM. The other two meetings will be held in Fillmore at the Old Territorial Statehouse at 5:00 PM, and at the Delta City Offices at 7:00 PM. Chaffetz commented that this is a chance to ask him about what is going on in Washington DC, and for him to share how it will impact our communities.

(KANAB) – A 104-year old Kanab resident has been honored as the oldest person in Kane County at the annual “Legends of the West” celebration at the Kanab festival over the weekend. Violet Honey has been an important part of the community for more than a century and was given a special tribute at the three-day event. She also received a milk cow and butter churn as gifts during Saturday’s western festivities that attracts more than 4,000 people each year to celebrate Utah’s western heritage and the movie industry from the 1920’s. City officials say 105 movies and 15 TV series have been filmed in the Kanab area, including “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon”, “My Friend Flika” and “The Outlaw Josey Wales”.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The Utah BLM is reminding mining claimants that maintenance and location fees are due on Tuesday. A claim maintenance fee of $140 per claim or site is due for all claims located during the fiscal year 2009. Location fees are $34 per claim. BLM officials say that if the fees are not paid, the agency will void the claim, unless a small miner waiver is filed and obtained on a timely basis. Since 1993, mining claimants new claims or sites have been required to pay a one-time location fee. Claimants must also pay an annual “maintenance” fee in lieu of performing annual assessment work and making annual filings.

(MT. PLEASANT) – A Fairview man escaped serious injury over the weekend when his vehicle rolled several times on SR-89. According to a UHP report, 29-year old, Jeffrey Williams, was traveling southbound Saturday in a 1992 Isuzu Trooper, when he was distracted by his cell phone and ran off the road at about 11:50am. The report said that Williams overcorrected and rolled his vehicle almost three times in the middle of the road. He was not wearing his seatbelt and was transported to the Sanpete Valley Hospital with possible injuries.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP)—Carlee Payne scored the sole goal of the game and McKinzie Olson earned the win at goalkeeper as the Brigham Young Lady Cougars got past the #20 Connecticut Lady Huskies, 1-0 Saturday in non-conference womens’ soccer action. Jessica Dulski had three saves for Connecticut, but it wasn’t enough as the Lady Cougars earned a win in a rare trip east of the Mississippi. The win improved Brigham Young to 1-0-1 on the season while the loss dropped the Lady Huskies to 0-1.

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada (AP)—Ricky Ray completed 23 of 35 passes for 347 yards, a touchdown and an interception and Noel Prefontaine made a game-winning field goal late in the 4th Quarter as the Edmonton Eskimos surged past the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 32-31 Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium in CFL action. Arkee Whitlock added a pair of scoring runs for Edmonton in the win while Kevin Glenn (22 of 39, 326 yards, 3 TD’s, 2 INT’s) was solid in the loss for Hamilton

TORONTO (AP)—Henry Burris completed 19 of 29 passes for 260 yards, two touchdowns and an interception as the Calgary Stampeders handed the Toronto Argonauts their 10th consecutive home loss with a 23-20 win at Rogers Centre Friday in CFL action. Joffrey Reynolds added 18 carries for 114 yards for Calgary, while Toronto was paced by Cody Pickett’s 311 yards and two scoring tosses.

PANGUITCH, Utah (AP)—Brooks Leach hit a home run and earned the win on the mound as the Panguitch Bobcats downed the Wayne Badgers, 7-4 Friday in Region 15 baseball action.

MANTI, Utah (AP)—Zach Bown and Devan Fowles each exceeded 100 rushing yards and combined for three touchdowns as the Manti Templars hammered the Union Cougars, 41-0 in non-region football action Friday. The Templars’ defense also surrendered only 65 yards in the win.

HURRICANE, Utah (AP)—Tim Long completed 8 of 9 passes for 157 yards and a score as the Hurricane Tigers got past the Delta Rabbits, 24-13 Friday in non-region football action. Derek Peterson had two scoring runs for the Rabbits in the loss.

BEAVER, Utah (AP)—Robbie Gurr returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown, while Jex Jones and Ty Yardley rushed for touchdowns as the Beaver Beavers shellacked the Gunnison Bulldogs, 37-13 in non-region football action Friday.

GRANTSVILLE, Utah (AP)—Tyson Hutchins had 7 receptions for 176 yards and a score to lead the Grantsville Cowboys to a 20-7 win over the North Sanpete Hawks Friday in non-region football action. Corbin Larsen had a 55-yard touchdown reception in the loss for North Sanpete.

MONROE, Utah (AP)—Wyatt Argyle had a 75-yard scoring run, and Joey Leavitt ran for two more scores as the South Sevier Rams bludgeoned the North Sevier Wolves, 34-7 in non-region football action Friday. Derrick Christensen had a 9-yard touchdown catch in the loss for North Sevier.

NEPHI, Utah (AP)—Taran Wright amassed three touchdowns, including a 55-yard scoring reception and Hayden Coombs returned two fumbles for scores as the Juab Wasps decimated the North Summit Braves, 37-6 Friday in non-region football action.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)—Tyler Sorensen tossed for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Richfield Wildcats stormed past the Canyon View Falcons, 42-14 in non-region football action Friday.

FILLMORE, Utah (AP)—Matt Grover and Jackson Carter each had touchdown runs as the Cedar Redmen outlasted the Millard Eagles, 14-7 Friday in non-region football action. Pancho Alcala ran for 100 yards in the loss, including a 55-yard scoring run for Millard.

KANAB, Utah (AP)—Craig Brinkerhoff had three touchdown passes as well as scoring runs of 60 and 45 yards as the Kanab Cowboys got past the Virgin Valley (Nev.) Bulldogs, 35-23 Friday in non-region football action.

(WEST VALLEY CITY)-A West Valley City man discovered thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods stowed away in his newly-purchased home. He bought the foreclosed home at an auction Wednesday and when he looked in the garage, he found a $50$60,000-dollar truck, among other things, such as a dismantled scooter. Police are currently searching for the previous homeowner and trying to find out if everything in the garage was stolen or not.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Police arrested three suspects after a witness saw them burglarizing a home and confronted them. Police say a resident saw a man and woman break into a home around 1:00 p.m. Thursday. The burglars began carrying items away when the witness confronted them. The burglars ran, but the witness chased them, recovered a jewelry box they’d stolen and gave police a description of the getaway car. The suspects include 31-year-old Bessy Skorupski, 50-year-old Donald Williams and 31-year-old Lisa Williams. They believe Lisa Williams drove the getaway car and the trio was booked into jail for second-degree burglary.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A group of University of Utah freshmen woke up Friday morning to a geyser erupting outside their bedroom windows. Student Elan Bartholomew said he was asleep when he was asleep inside the Chapel Glen 802 building when the fire alarm went off. He ran outside to see if there were flames, but instead found water rushing downhill. Fellow student Erik O’Brien was also a witness to the incident. University Plant Operations Director Cory Higgins says two pipes actually broke Friday morning while the geyser came from an irrigation pipe. The second break was a 12-inch water main under the road a short distance away. He says the two are unrelated and it’s not certain which pipe broke first. Higgins stated the pipes are all relatively new and they were put in during the campus infrastructure upgrade before the 2002 Winter Olympics.

(OGDEN)—A Utah soldier has been killed in Afghanistan. The family of 27-year-old Staff Sergeant Kurt R. Curtiss of Ogden told KSL-AM 1160 in Salt Lake City he was killed in a firefight Tuesday. They said Curtiss’ unit had been deployed to help evacuate a hospital that came under enemy fire. Curtiss’ unit was attached to a regular army infantry unit headquartered at Fort Richardson Alaska.

(WASHINGTON)—Utah Senator Orrin Hatch was in Boston Friday to eulogize his late friend, Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Hatch joined Senators Chris Dodd of Connecticut, John Kerry of Massachusetts, and John McCain of Arizona in memorializing Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. President Barack Obama will speak at the funeral mass Saturday.

(RICHFIELD) – Local talent will be featured in the Second Annual Substance Abuse Conference to be held in Richfield in September. Talent Organizer, Jennifer Bastian, says conference supervisors wanted the youth to be involved through a talent contest. Bastian said the youth will compete locally at the conference on Sept. 12 at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield and then the winners will compete at the Utah State Fair. She invites anyone 18 years of age and younger to register for the competition.

(PANGUITCH) – A wildfire burning near the Bryce Canyon National Park is now being managed to full containment. Fire Rangers on the Dixie National Forest say the Bridge Fire, burning about eight miles south of Bryce Canyon City, will be fully extinguished by this Saturday. The fire started on June 14 and has consumed about 4800 acres. Management teams determined to fully contain the fire on August 25 with one hand crew assigned to the fire. It’s currently about 80% contained. The Bridge Fire was originally managed for resource benefits with fire crews now determining that the fire has fulfilled its design. The Long Hollow Forest Road is the only road that was closed during the entire duration of the fire.

(EPHRAIM) – Central Utah small business owners, students and citizens were treated to five hours of ideas and motivation for success Thursday at Sen. Bob Bennett’s final Rural Business Conference in Ephraim. Bennett said if new business owners remain strong through tough economic times, they’ll whether the storm well. He received a big applause when he commented that “the best thing government could do for small business is to get out of the way”. The near-capacity crowd filled the Greenwood Student Center on the Snow College campus in Ephraim Thursday afternoon to hear Bennett’s speech and several others. Larry Gelwix, best known as the coach of the very successful Highland High Rugby team and the focus of the movie, “Forever Strong”, detailed “Six Success Steps That Never Fail”.

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP)—Kyser Christensen hauled in 9 receptions for 215 yards and a pair of scores as the Dixie State Red Storm downed Adams State, 37-28 at Hansen Stadium Thursday in the season opener for both teams. Although Christensen had the greatest impact for the Red Storm’s offense, signal-caller Judd Thompson effectively found other targets as he tossed for 374 yards and four touchdowns overall. Additionally, the Red Storm posted 417 yards of offense as they seemed to be clicking on all cylinders throughout the game. Sean McDougal completed 11 of 27 passes for 129 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in the loss for the Grizzlies.

(WEST JORDAN)—A semi-tractor rig and an SUV collided around 4:30 a.m. on Bangerter Highway Thursday, leaving one person dead. Initial reports say the accident happened after the driver of an SUV ran a red light in the intersection and was T-boned by the semi. The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead on the scene. West Jordan Police stated they don’t believe drugs or alcohol were involved, as they think the driver simply may have been distracted.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Thursday, Utah Governor Gary Herbert said he doesn’t want to raise any taxes next year, but he stopped short of guaranteeing that he would vote any budget that includes them. Herbert made the comments to reporters Thursday during his first monthly news conference on KUED-Channel 7. State economists are forecasting that Utah will have a $700 million budget shortfall next year. Republican legislative leaders have said they’ll likely look at increasing some taxes, including cigarette taxes, to fill that hole, but Herbert says he’s opposed to that. However, Herbert did not say he would veto any budget with tax increases, while he plans to submit his proposal budget in December. Lawmakers convene in January.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The Utah Highway Safety Office is hoping to keep drunk drivers off the road by taking a new approach, one with a sense of humor. When dialing 1-877-JAIL-FON, Utahns can practice what it would be like to call loved ones after being busted for driving under the influence. The responses delve into hypothetical situations which a driver who was drinking would encounter. The UHSO plans to spread their message to all prominent locations in cities and communities throughout the state.

(UTAH COUNTY)—Health officials are hoping all the talk about swine flu won’t overshadow the importance of seasonal flu shots. Utah County Health Department spokesman Lance Madigan says the county is receiving shipments of the seasonal flu shots and people can get them anytime. Madigan says it would simply be easier for everyone if they planned to get regular flu shots before the seasonal strain. The federal government has indicated the first batches of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine could start arriving for public distribution in October. He also points out the H1N1 shot will likely need a booster and people will need a total of three shots to be protected from both the seasonal and swine flu. We will have more information on where listeners in the Mid-Utah Radio coverage area can obtain these shots in the next few weeks.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah Senator Orrin Hatch and President Barack Obama are united in realizing the need for a Division I college football playoff, but in other spheres, they remain polar opposites. Hatch said health care reform is something he and the late senator, Edward M. Kennedy, could have done together. Nevertheless, Hatch is speaking out against passing what he calls a bad reform bill in the Massachusetts senator’s name. Hatch said Kennedy’s death could galvanize Democrats to get behind a health care reform bill and pass it, but says that isn’t necessarily a good thing. The Salt Lake Tribune reported Hatch blasted President Obama’s health care reform Wednesday before a conservative audience at the Sutherland Institute in Salt Lake City. Hatch said a public insurance option would dismantle the private insurance market. Hatch says he’s upset at people he believes are trying to capitalize on Kennedy’s death in the name of health care reform. He says Kennedy wouldn’t want a bill passed if it wasn’t good.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah Governor Gary Herbert has ordered flags lowered at all state offices in honor of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. The flags will remain at half-staff until sunset Sunday. Herbert, a Republican, hailed the Massachusetts Democrat who served 47 years in the Senate and often collaborated with Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch. Herbert called Kennedy “passionate, tireless, selfless and unwavering” in devotion to his country.

(SCIPIO) – The Sawmill Fire burning about five miles south of Scipio has damaged some Rocky Mountain Power equipment. RMP Spokesman, Dave Eskelson, says two substations were affected by the blaze. Eskelson said the damaged equipment knocked out power for customers in Delta and Scipio but crews were able to quickly repair transmission lines and the power was restored within a short period of time. Crews are working to replace the damaged equipment.

(CENTRAL) – Early voting for the primary election in Central Valley will be held Sept. 1-4 and Sept. 8-10 from 9am to 1pm and on Sept. 11 from 1-5pm at the Central Valley Community Center at 50 West Center. Town Clerk, Allen Henningson, said valid voter identification will be required for voting.

PANGUITCH, Utah (AP)—Brooks Leach amassed seven strikeouts in a no-hitter as the Panguitch Bobcats smacked the Bryce Valley Mustangs, 10-0 Wednesday in Region 15 baseball action.

BICKNELL, Utah (AP)—Colin Anderson hit a home run and earned the win on the mound as the Wayne Badgers decimated the Escalante Moquis, 21-1 in Region 15 baseball action Wednesday.

PANGUITCH, Utah (AP)—Breanne Bateman and Taelyr Tebbs combined for 31 kills as the Panguitch Lady Bobcats stormed past the Milford Lady Tigers, 3-0 Wednesday in Region 15 volleyball action.

DELTA, Utah (AP)—Kara Cottter posted 15 kills while Kalistina Pakau added nine more as the Hurricane Lady Tigers overpowered the Delta Lady Rabbits, 3-1 in non-region volleyball action Wednesday at the Paladium.

(LAYTON)—A toddler was hit by a mail truck Wednesday afternoon at about 12:45 p.m. and flown to Primary Children’s Medical Center. A mail carrier had just completed a delivery on Amethyst Street in Layton and was heading to his next destination when he felt a bump. He immediately stopped the vehicle and found the toddler. The carrier instantly started first-aid. The extent of internal injuries is unknown and external injuries include a cut on the head. A medical doctor landed at Central Davis Junior High School and picked up the toddler. The incident is still under investigation.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The biggest civil settlement from a Utah mine disaster is starting to move through the state courts for approval. Court documents show judges are signing off on payouts for children of miners and rescuers who were crushed to death or injured in a series of underground cave-ins at Crandall Canyon two summers ago. Only the settlements reserved for children under 18 require a judge’s approval. Among the beneficiaries are two children of Brian Keith Pritt, a miner who survived the crash two Augusts ago only to commit suicide months later. A lawyer says Pritt was haunted by survivors’ guilt as he lost many of his dear friends during the collapse. Three rescuers died trying to reach the trapped man.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Republican Utah Senator Orrin Hatch stated he lost a treasured friend when Senator Edward M. Kennedy passed away late Tuesday night at the age of 77. Hatch was both a political opponent and partner of the Massachusetts democrat for three decades. Hatch remembered Kennedy as an iconic and larger-than-life senator whose influence can’t be overstated. Even when Hatch challenged Kennedy on certain issues, he said he always respected him.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A mother walking to breakfast with her children ended up taking a direct hit from a car to protect her family. Stacy Pincoffs reported she was walking in a crosswalk Wednesday morning when a car approached and didn’t slow down. Pincoffs stated she pushed her children out of the way, while she took a slight hit, although Pincoffs and the kids were fine, despite being shaken up. She said they just arrived in Utah this morning from Nevada. The driver of the car told Pincoffs his foot slipped off the pedal and couldn’t stop. He will be cited.

(SALT LAKE COUNTY)—The Salt Lake County Council plans to lower property tax bills for residents by about 43 cents. The Salt Lake Tribune reports the council voted Tuesday night to erase $104,000 from an account that covers property-tax appeals and legal settlements. The decision will cut taxes for residents in unicorporated communities while it will save residents about 29 cents in library-related fines.

(LAYTON)—A power outage has canceled school at Layton High School Wednesday. This was reportedly caused by a defect in the main line while Rocky Mountain Power is working to fix the problem and school officials plan to resume classes Thursday.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Gov. Gary Herbert has intervened in a dispute over public-lands access between an environmental activist and a state senator. Herbert is calling on wildlands advocate, Pat Shea and pro-development legislator, Mike Noel of Kanab, to collaborate on solutions to critical public lands issues facing the state, including water and energy. Herbert said it’s time to get past the “I-am-right-and-you-are-wrong” talk and work together in what he calls, “good faith”. Shea, the former national director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Noel, a sagebrush rebel from Kane County, have been debating whether federal lands should be managed by the federal government or state law. The debate is part of a land and water symposium in Alta.

(CEDAR CITY) – The husband of a 19-year old Cedar City woman found shot in the head Sunday was charged Tuesday with first-degree felony murder. According to police reports, 24-year old, Tristan Lamoreaux, was charged with shooting and killing Misty Lamoreaux in the bathroom of their apartment at 446 North 400 West in Cedar City. A medical examiner’s report said the victim died from multiple gunshots to the head. Iron County Attorney, Scott Garrett, said Tuesday that Misty was shot with a handgun but did not reveal what kind of gun or how many times she was shot. After Sunday’s shooting, Tristan Lamoreaux was arrested by officers following a foot chase that lasted for several blocks. In addition to murder, Lamoreaux was charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony and fleeing from police, a class-A misdemeanor. Lamoreaux was also charged with several felony offenses between 2006 and 2008.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County and Richfield City officials are coming together to establish a master plan for a bike path from the north end of the county to the south end. State Senator Ralph Okerlund, along with Tristan DeMille of Jones and DeMille Engineering of Richfield, addressed the city council in Tuesday night’s meeting to discuss the plan, which will be completed in 11-12 Phases in the next three to five years. The plan includes a bike and walking path, mostly on the west side of the valley, that would extend from Sevier to Redmond. The $625,000 project would include 20% matching funds by the city and the CIB application could be filed by December through a joint effort with the county and city. The city council agreed to fast track the application process to be completed by December.

(RICHFIELD) – The Richfield City Council held a public hearing Tuesday night concerning the transfer of funds to help pay back a resident who erected a fence bordering the cemetery. No comments were offered and the mayor closed the hearing and approached the council on amending the budget to transfer $5,809 from the perpetual care fund to the general fund. The money is the city’s amount to help Richfield resident, Lenny Fitzgerald, defray expenses in erecting a fence along the cemetery boundaries. The city has built fences around the entire area of the cemetery and the funds help complete the project. The council approved the transfer of the funds.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Sen. Bob Bennett has issued a statement on the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy saying that even though he never served with Kennedy on a committee, he was not as close to him as Sen. Orrin Hatch. Bennett commented that on occasions when he worked with Kennedy on a particular issue, he grew to appreciate the depth of his commitment to his country and his principles. He said the Senate has lost an icon whose lifetime of service will be long remembered. Bennett said his wife, Joyce and he, extend their deepest condolences to Vicki, who was both a joy and an anchor in Kennedy’s life, as well as the entire Kennedy family.

BEAVER, Utah (AP)—Meranda Martin scored the game-winning goal for the Beaver Lady Beavers as they edged the Parowan Lady Rams, 2-1 in overtime in Region 13 soccer action Tuesday. Rachel Sawyer and Hanna Snyder combined on the win for Beaver.

RIVERTON, Utah (AP)—Danielle Bills and Keli Davis combined for seven goals as the Copper Hills Lady Grizzlies decimated the North Sanpete Lady Hawks, 10-0 Tuesday in non-region soccer action. Chelsea Stout earned the shutout for Copper Hills.

EPHRAIM, Utah (AP)—Krystyn Stevens scored both goals for the Millard Lady Eagles as they doubled up the Manti Lady Templars 2-1 in non-region soccer action Tuesday.

FILLMORE, Utah (AP)—Sarah Madsen posted seven aces, while Annika Crockett and Emily Morley had five kills apiece for the American Leadership Lady Eagles in a 3-0 sweep of the Millard Lady Eagles in non-region volleyball action Tuesday.

CEDAR CITY (AP)—Megan Dean posted a strong performance for the Richfield Lady Wildcats as they blanked the Cedar Lady Redmen, 3-0 Tuesday in non-region volleyball action.

MANTI, Utah (AP)—The South Sevier Lady Rams surrendered no more than 14 points in any set as they bested the Manti Lady Templars, 3-0 in non-region volleyball action Tuesday.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Bob Bennett has written a new book about his faith and testimony in the Book of Mormon. The book, published by LDS Church-owned, Deseret Book, comes as the Utah Republican faces a tough re-election challenge from within his own party ranks. The Deseret Book’s news release came on the same day the conservative group, Club for Growth, launched a blistering attack on Bennett’s bipartisan health care reform bill, co-sponsored by Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden. In the book, Leap of Faith, Bennett applies four forgery tests to determine whether the book is false, according to the news release. In the release, Bennett said that the discussion on the Book of Mormon in any degree of detail, is almost universally treated as a fabrication, so that the reader is required to treat it as a “leap of faith” to believe it. He said he decided to write the book after becoming upset with the “shallow” media coverage of the Book of Mormon leading up to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The state of Utah is transferring control of a remote canyon filled with prehistoric ruins to the University of Utah for a permanent research installation. A pending land trade will make university archaeologists primary stewards of Range Creek Canyon, which stunned the scientific world when it was revealed in 2004. The trade is expected to occur in September. To gain control of Range Creek, the University of Utah is surrendering about 4 square miles of deer and elk habitat next to the Gordon Creek Wildlife Management Area in Carbon County. The parcel is part of the university’s trust lands granted at statehood. In return, the Division of Wildlife Resources will relinquish 2.3 square miles of parcels on Range Creek’s canyon bottom.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Salt Lake City’s mayor and council members are already raising questions about a state lawmaker’s opposition to a proposed anti-discrimination housing law in the city. Senator Chris Buttars told the Deseret News he would likely work to block any such ordinance originating out of Salt Lake City. Buttars also said he was skeptical to claims of the Human Rights Commission of Salt Lake City, which detailed cases of discrimination in the city. The city’s attorney says Salt Lake is within its rights to craft such an ordinance, but the Legislature can ultimately trump whatever the city does.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A small southern Utah nonprofit organization helping women and children who live the polygamous lifestyle has received a $40,000 grant from a women’s organization affiliate of the national Presbyterian church. The funding almost doubles the Washington, Utah-based HOPE organization’s annual budget. The grant came from the Creative Ministries Offering Committee of Presbyterian Women.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah lawmakers are mulling over an $100 million tax increase and tapping into the state’s rainy day fund. The discussions come along with a new assessment on the state’s revenue situation while the latest numbers indicate Utah will have a $700 million budget shortfall by the time the Legislature convenes in January. Speaker of the House David Clark of Santa Clara, said lawmakers are currently weighing all of their options, instead of just a tax increase or a rainy day fund. Clark says even if the state uses the $100 million set aside for education, Utah will still need to cut some $300 million somewhere else. No decisions have been made as of yet and there won’t be any made before the new legislative session in January. The discussions currently going on mark the first time lawmakers have put a dollar figure on possible tax increases.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—In 2009, well over 16,000 Utah students, 93 percent of which were public school students, took AP exams with a pass rate of 65 percent, which bested the national average of 59 percent according to data released Tuesday by the College Board. Utah participation in AP programs increased by nearly 5 percent over 2008 and the passing rate increased slightly from 64.7 percent. The College Board also released figures on SAT participation in Utah, which saw Utah students excel as well, with Spanish Fork High School leading the way with an aggregate score of 1952. Additionally, 88 percent of Delta High students passed the AP test, while just over 86 percent of Juab High students passed the AP exam. Meanwhile, two-thirds of Utah high school seniors took the ACT college entrance exam.

OGDEN, Utah (AP)—Ogden High School’s football coach has been suspended after a dispute over use of the school’s football field. According to the Standard-Examiner, police reports show there was a dispute and confrontation between head coach, Eric Eyre, and assistant band coach, Richard Stolides August 19. The football field had been double-scheduled and the argument concerned who had the right to the field at the time, the football team or the band. The Ogden City School District told KSL-AM 1160 of Salt Lake City that Eyre was suspended over a personnel issue, while neither the school or the district will confirm whether the dispute caused Eyre’s suspension. Ogden began the football season with a win over Murray last Friday and it’s unclear when Eyre will return to the sidelines for the Tigers.

(SCIPIO) – Ranchers are upset over scorched land on the Sawmill Canyon Fire burning about five miles south of Scipio. Clinton Quarnberg, who owns land next to the mountain on fire, says his private property has taken the brunt of the blaze. Fire crews were letting the fire burn because it wasn’t threatening anyone until winds kicked up over the weekend, causing the fire to burn near Highway 50 and onto private land. Quarnberg said the blaze burned 80 acres of his crested wheat grass, which serves as a pasture for his cattle this fall. Fire officials say ranchers can be reimbursed for lost property if they follow certain procedures. The fire is now 40 percent contained.

(Manti) Organizers of the Sanpete County Fair have included some new events this year. Fairgoers will be able to enjoy a Sanpete signature meal before the demolition derby on Thursday night. The Moroni Feed Company will sponsor a turkey feast starting a 5:00 PM on Thursday with Sanpete barbecue turkey, chips, and corn on the cob. Barbecued pot roast sandwiches will also be available for beef lover. Another new event is the BMX stunt show scheduled for Friday afternoon at 3:30 and 5:00 PM. Riders from Creative Sports Inc. will entertain with a combination of stunts, music, and theatrical comedy along with audience participation. The group has performed more than ten thousand times since 1986 throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The show will be free of charge in front of the exhibition building at the fair grounds.

(LOA) – A Torrey couple escaped injury on SR-24 Monday afternoon when their vehicle slid on wet roads and hit a Herriman couple. According to a UHP report, 43-year old, Luana Oyler was traveling westbound at about 2pm, when her 1998 Jeep Cherokee lost control on wet roads, crossed the center line and struck a 2003 Dodge pickup in front of the rear axle. The report said the crash caused the pickup to roll on the driver’s side. Oyler and her passenger, 16-year old, Trisha Oyler, also of Torrey, were wearing their seatbelts and were not injured. The Herriman couple, Judy Gates and her passenger, 63-year old, Kenneth Gates, were wearing their seatbelts and were transported to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield with possible injuries. The Oyler woman was cited for an equipment violation for tire tread being less than 2/32 of an inch.

BALTIMORE (AP)—Haloti Ngata and Jameel McClain each returned interceptions for touchdowns to lead the Baltimore Ravens to a narrow 24-23 win over the New York Jets Monday at M&T Bank Stadium in NFL preseason action. The Jets stole many headlines for this game when they announced highly-regarded Mark Sanchez, a rookie signal-caller from USC, would get the start. However, the formidable Ravens defense soon wreaked havoc as Ngata returned Sanchez’ first pass 25 yards for a score. On Baltimore’s first offensive possession, Joe Flacco (8 of 18, 120 yards) led a 6-play, 49-yard drive which was capped off by a 3-yard scoring run by Ray Rice. Despite the constant pressure the Ravens’ defense caused on Sanchez, he managed to find Leon Washington for a 19-yard scoring strike to pull New York to within 14-7. As the game progressed and starters were pulled from the lineups of both teams, the Ravens managed to hold off New York after third-string signal-caller Erik Ainge scored on a 1-yard run when undrafted rookie Lardarius Webb, out of Nicholls State broke up a 2-point conversion attempt that would have won the game for the Jets. Former University of Utah star, Paul Kruger, also had a big game for the Ravens as he posted five solo tackles. The Ravens will next travel to Charlotte, N.C. to face the Carolina Panthers Saturday, while the Jets next meet their crosstown rivals, the New York Giants, Saturday

(ST. GEORGE) – The 23-year old Dixie Rotary Bowl in St. George has been canceled due to poor economic conditions. The announcement was made today at the Rotary Club of St. George, when organizers couldn’t corral enough sponsorship dollars. The Dixie Rotary Bowl, known as the “Biggest Junior College Bowl Game in the Nation”, was sanctioned in 1986 as the first post-season college bowl game in Utah. The bowl has brought exposure to the community and has funded many community service projects and provided a platform to share the Rotary message. Teams from across the country vied for a spot in the bowl game and up to 2005, Dixie State was a perennial top-contender in the NJCAA and played in all but one of the 20 JUCO bowl contests as the host school. The Board of Trustees will continue to look at future options.

(PRICE) – The vice president of student affairs at Utah Valley University in Orem has been tapped to oversee the transition of the College of Eastern Utah in Price into a regional college of Utah State University. Cory L. Duckworth will maintain his duties at UVU while serving as the transition director, helping to develop a memorandum of understanding that outlines the requirements for establishing CEU as a comprehensive region college in Price. Duckworth was selected by Commissioner of Higher Education, William Sederburg, who worked with Duckworth at Ferris State University in Michigan, when the Kendall College of Art and Design merged with that institution.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A network of grocery cooperatives is being planned for Utah that would emphasize organic and local food selections and compete against established store chains. It would also operate as a for-profit venture for thousands of owners,-consumers and farmers. About 200 potential owners are behind the launch of a Wasatch Cooperative Market, which would start with one Salt Lake City store and later add others throughout northern Utah. Ben Gaddis, a member of the cooperative’s steering committee, says there’s keen interest among farmers who can’t produce enough goods for larger stores, but still need a larger market for their produce.

(CEDAR CITY)—The Mill Flat Fire burning in the Pine Valley Wilderness Area has now increased to 970 acres after the fire started by lightning July 25. The fire, on the Pine Valley Ranger District, is being managed for resource benefit. Sunday, a 20-person hand crew from the Cedar City Interagency Fire Center was assigned to reinforce the Defensible Fire Suppression Zone near New Harmony. This DFS zone is a shaded fuel break approximately 200 feet wide located on the Forest Boundary just outside New Harmony. The crew is clearing out oak brush and other vegetation that has grown into the zone. There are 25 people assigned to the fire. A public information meeting will take place Wednesday August 26 at the New Harmony Fire Station at 6:00 p.m. For now, smoke may be visible from Cedar City, New Harmony, St. George and Enterprise. The emergency trail closure has been expanded to include the Mill Canyon and Anderson Valley trails. The Summit trail is closed between the junction with the Mill Canyon trail to the junction with the White Rocks trail. For more information, please visit www.utahfireinfo.gov.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A Utah judge has ordered the sale of a 400-acre parcel of land that’s part of a trust established by the followers of a lawbreaking polygamous sect led by Warren Jeffs. In a ruling issued Monday, 3rd District Court Judge Denise Lindberg says a liquidity crisis of the United Effort Plan Trust makes the sale of Berry Knoll necessary. Lindberg’s order calls for the northern Arizona property to be sold to the highest bidder. The UEP is reportedly worth $114 million and consists of most of the land in Hildale and Colorado City, Ariz. The trust was seized by Utah courts in 2005 after allegations of mismanagement by Jeffs. Lindberg’s decision comes nearly a month after a hearing on the sale.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Oregon Senator Ron Wyden will visit Utah to help raise money for the state’s Democratic Party. Wyden will speak at a Democratic breakfast fundraiser September 2, while it costs $50 a person to attend. Wyden has served in the Senate since 1996 and is chairman of the Energy Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests. Wyden also serves on the finance, budget and intelligence committees. During the breakfast, Wyden will speak on health insurance reforms and answer questions on other topics his committees are discussing.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The head of all Texas schools recently made waves by calling on Texas businesses not to hire high school dropouts, in hopes they’ll go back to school. The Salt Lake Chamber insists it will not sanction such a ruling, although spokesman Marty Carpenter said there’s no more critical long-term issue for Utah than education. Carpenter said the chamber’s board of directors recently voted education its #2 priority for the upcoming year, just behind economic stimulus. Utah has an 88 percent high school graduation rate, as does Texas.

(ZION NATIONAL PARK)—The Zion Tunnel on the main highway through Zion National Park will close twice this week for road work and a special event. On Tuesday, the 1.1-mile tunnel will be closed for about 90 minutes in the morning for center line and curb painting. The tunnel will also be closed for three hours Wednesday evening for a walk through to the tunnel to celebrate the national park’s centennial. Registration for the walk is full. Alternate east-west routes are available via SR 59 from Hurricane-Fredonia, Ariz., and SR-14 from Cedar City-Long Valley Junction and U.S. 89.

(Manti) A number of new events will debut at the Sanpete County Fair this year, and one is aimed at teaching kids about agriculture. The new Fun On The Farm exhibit will give kids a hands on look at where food comes from as well as other aspects of farm life. Four-H leader Calan Olsen of Ephraim has spearheaded the project, and with the help of his committee has put together a series of small buildings that will house the different parts of the exhibit. Kids will move through the stations and earn tokens that will then be traded for fake bills that will be used to “purchase” snacks. Olsen hopes that “Fun On The Farm” will eventually expand to include things like an orchard, tractors and even a garden. Fun On The Farm is open to the public at the county fair grounds this week as part of the Sanpete County Fair.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)—Lauren Zallis had two goals and Natasha Slaughter amassed five saves in 90 minutes of work as the Northern Arizona Lady Lumberjacks blanked the Southern Utah Lady Thunderbirds, 2-0 Sunday in non-conference collegiate soccer action. Charly Booth posted four saves for the Lady Thunderbirds, but it wasn’t enough to earn the victory due to Zallis’ heroics. The win improved the Lady Jacks to 1-1 on the season while SUU fell to 0-1.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada (AP)—Fred Reid set a Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ franchise record by running for 260 yards and a pair of scores in a 37-10 rout of the British Columbia Lions, Friday at BC Place in CFL action. Additionally, Reid’s understudy, Yvenson Bernard, ran for 112 more yards as the Bombers broke a 7-7 stalemate in the second quarter wide open. Terrence Edwards also caught a 23-yard scoring pass right before halftime to signify a rare offensive touchdown for Winnipeg. Emmanuel Arcenaux had eight receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown to pace British Columbia in defeat. In other CFL action Friday, Montreal handled Saskatchewan, 34-25.

TROPIC, Utah (AP)—Trevor Behunin, Randy Ellett and Dallin Chappell each had base hits for the Wayne Badgers as they routed the Bryce Valley Mustangs, 20-1 Friday in Region 15 baseball action.

DELTA, Utah (AP)—Derek Peterson ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns, while Joey Dutson and Ty Church each ran for a score as the Delta Rabbits overpowered Westlake, 28-14 Friday in non-region football action.

COALVILLE, Utah (AP)—Jex Jones ran for 120 yards and two scores, including a 63-yard scoring jaunt as the Beaver Beavers smacked the North Summit Braves, 42-20 in non-region football action Friday.

MT. PLEASANT, Utah (AP)—Pancho Alcala amassed 190 rushing yards and three scores as the Millard Eagles pounded the North Sanpete Hawks, 33-14 Friday in non-region football action Friday. Rhett Bird tossed for 241 yards and a pair of scores in the loss for the Hawks.

MORGAN, Utah (AP)—Tad Sargent and Matt Largent each had touchdown runs in excess of 50 yards as the Morgan Trojans bludgeoned the Juab Wasps, 34-7 in non-region football action Friday.

PAROWAN, Utah (AP)—Zach Wilcox had 156 yards and two scores as the North Sevier Wolves doubled up the Parowan Rams, 28-14 Friday in non-region football action.

GUNNISON, Utah (AP)—Dillon Bishoff posted three touchdowns and added a 40-yard field goal as the South Sevier Rams blasted the Gunnison Bulldogs, 44-21 Friday in non-region football action. Connor Dyreng had a pair of scoring tosses in the loss for Gunnison.

BLANDING, Utah (AP)—Cameron Shumway had three touchdown passes and Bennie Royer, who caught one, added a 15-yard interception return for a score as the San Juan Broncos shellacked the Kanab Cowboys, 33-13 in non-region football action Friday. Dustin Reidhead and Justin Orton each had touchdowns for the Cowboys.

ENTERPRISE, Utah (AP)—Andy Geigle rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns and Ben Jorgensen ran for two more scores as the Richfield Wildcats outgunned the Enterprise Wolves, 43-33 in non-region football action Friday. Slade Moyle passed for 253 yards and a touchdown in defeat for Enterprise.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Two Salt Lake City brothers accused of attacking their grandmother and treating her cruelly have pleaded guilty to several charges. Christopher Eugene Hansen and Michael Levi Hansen Jr. each pleaded guilty Thursday to misdemeanor charges of abuse of an elder adult, lewdness and domestic criminal mischief. Sentencing is slated for October 5. Court documents state that Christopher and Michael entered their grandmother’s bathroom and began engaging in their lewd behavior against her.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—When the state liquor control board meets again next month, it expects to have a waiting list for full-service liquor licenses, and a better sense for where lawmakers stand on Utah’s quota system. The DABC granted seven full-service liquor licenses at its meeting Thursday which leaves only one license left under the current quota system, which is based on Utah’s population. Chairman Sam Granato isn’t waiting for lawmakers to get back to work in January to address the shortage of licenses. Granato has made it no secret that he despises quotas as he believes they’re anti-business and that notwithstanding what people may feel about alcohol, it unequivocally generates revenue for Utah. Granato said getting rid of quotas would not amount to free-for-all on liquor licenses. Businesses would still have to go through the application process and meet the board’s standards in order to serve or sell alcohol. Businesses that can’t get a full-service liquor license because of the quota issue can still apply for a limited-service license, of which 11 are left, on a beer license.

(PROVO)—The Provo School District is working to ensure its school campuses are safer by creating a “watch list” of students who have caused problems in the past. Provo School District Student Services Director Greg Hudnall said the district has created a list of 25 students they’re watching intently. The students’ behavior will be monitored meticulously whenever they’re on school property, including buses, and their parents will be informed as well. The district will have administrators, hall monitors, school resource officers and a gang task specialist in charge of watching those on the list. The district serves about 13,000 students, and since only 25 students have been labeled, Hudnall said it won’t be difficult to monitor them. Some students on the list have been informed they’ll be watched, while others will learn in the next few days.

(PARK CITY)—Utah Governor Gary Herbert has avoided addressing carbon emissions, global warming, or the possibility of a cap-and-trade agreement to reduce greenhouse gases in comments to the Utah Mining Association. Herbert addressed the group at its annual meeting Friday, saying energy development is one of his top priorities. Herbert repeated statements given during his inaugural address earlier this month that developing energy resources and protecting the environment are not mutually exclusive. However, he did not provide any details on how he’d try to achieve both. Herbert has openly questioned whether global warming is real, marking a clear departure from his predecessor, Jon Huntsman.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah expects the federal stimulus package to bring about $4 billion to the state. Governor Gary Herbert’s budget director told a legislative committee that state agencies have been awarded about $1.3 billion in stimulus funding so far. About $350 million in stimulus funds has already been committed, mostly for road construction. Budget director John Nixon says Utah’s doing better than most states at getting the money earmarked and spent. The state expects about $1.7 billion in grants and economic stabilization funds and about $2 billion is expected to remain in the state from a federal tax cut of $400 for individuals or $800 for couples.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Sen. Bob Bennett’s Rural Business Conference heads to Ephraim on Thursday to aid small business owners with tools to survive a slow economy. Radio and TV show host, Larry Gelwix, will join Bennett at the conference as the keynote speaker. At the conference, Bennett will speak on how small business owners are affected by health care reform and how local businesses and entrepreneurs can strengthen their companies in a stagnant economy. The conference will be held on the Snow College Ephraim campus this Thursday at 1pm at the Greenwood Student Center and is free to the public.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The Utah Attorney General’s Office has revised a booklet that explains its position in relation to fundamentalists practicing polygamy. The state’s Safety Net Committee has released the guide, known as “The Primer”, that no longer promotes polygamists as “victims” of groups who experience more domestic violence or abuse than other populations. The guide also deletes references to people “escaping” from the groups and replacing the words with those who “elect to leave”. SNC Director, Pat Merkley, says the booklet has now taken a more neutral tone in the dialogue with polygamists, who accused the AG’s Office of disparaging tones and over-generalizations in the first Primer booklet. Merkley said the booklet is primarily designed for use by law enforcement and social services agencies but also has wide interest to the public at large.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is celebrating his 82nd birthday today. Church Spokesman, Scott Trotter, says Pres. Thomas S. Monson will celebrate his birthday with family members and friends at his home after the Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication sessions this week. Pres. Monson was born on Aug. 21, 1927, in Salt Lake City to G. Spencer and Gladys Monson. He was sustained as president of the Church on Apr. 5, 2008 and named the 16th president of the Church on Feb. 4, 2008. Monson has a long history in leadership positions in the Church.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Peyton Manning completed 10 of 14 passes for 167 yards and a pair of scores in limited action as the Indianapolis Colts won their first preseason game of the year with a 23-15 win over the Philadelphia Eagles Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium. Manning, who only played sparingly in last Friday’s game against Minnesota, asserted himself once again as the best quarterback in the league with a prolific performance. Additionally, the Colts’ defense, built in the image of former coach Tony Dungy, was led by Dwight Freeney, who forced a Donovan McNabb fumble in the first half. Former Brigham Young star Austin Collie added 2 receptions for 32 yards for Indianapolis, while A.J. Feeley was sharp for Philadelphia as he completed 16 of 20 passes for 136 yards in relief of McNabb. In other NFL preseason action Thursday, Cincinnati held off New England, 7-6.

(DELTA) – The Topaz internment camp outside of Delta may soon have artifacts taken from the area and placed in a museum. Jane Beckwith, president of the Topaz Museum Board and other backers, have laid plans for a 27,000 square-foot historical complex in Delta that would offer expansive exhibit space not only for the Topaz story but also for the Great Basin Museum and Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Designs for the nearly $5-million building also calls for a community meeting hall and office space for the Delta Chamber of Commerce. Delta Mayor Gayle Bunker says the project is a high-dollar endeavor but is in a very good position to succeed. He said the federal government recognizes the Topaz internment camp as a National Historic landmark and the Utah legislature supports the preservation of that heritage.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Doctors are trying to add some science to this week’s Tour of Utah cycling event. University of Utah dermatologist Dr. Christopher Hull hatched the idea to place UV meters on two pro cyclists, Tour de France yellow jersey winner Dave Zabriskie and Jeff Louder at the event. The dosimeters Zabriskie and Louder will wear are discs about the size of a quarter that researchers placed on the cyclists’ helmets. Hull said the purpose of the dosimeters is to get out a message of sun safety and to use the findings to help develop daily-use UV meters for people at a high risk for skin cancer.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Every year, UTA makes route changes in April, August and December while spokesperson Gerry Carpenter says it’s a chance for them to improve time points. Among this year’s adjustments are making the FrontRunner schedules faster, while there will be more trips on TRAX from Sandy to the University of Utah. Riders will need to call ahead at least two hours to let the bus know where they want to go, while fare costs an extra dollar when the bus leaves its normal route. New flex routes will be established in Draper, Riverton and Tooele.

(BERYL)—A southern Utah man has been attacked by bees after he accidentally disturbed their hive. Jim Hunting of Beryl says he disturbed the hive earlier this week and was stung 25-30 times. Hunting doused himself in water and eventually managed to get inside his truck to escape the swarm. Hunting was taken to Valley View Medical Center in Cedar City for observation and released earlier the same day. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is collecting some of the insects to determine whether they’re Africanized bees, sometimes known as “killer bees.” Africanized bees were detected in southern Utah earlier this year. Agriculture Department Inspector Sterling Bascom says he suspects they’re Africanized bees due to their agitation when he gathered some for testing Wednesday.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah Governor Gary Herbert has selected Deputy Uintah County Attorney Edwin T. Peterson to fill a spot in 8th District Court. The court serves Daggett, Duschene and Uintah Counties, and Peterson’s selection must be confirmed by the Utah Senate. He would replace Judge John Anderson, who is retiring September 1. Peterson has bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Utah, and has been the Deputy Uintah County Attorney since 2001. In a statement Thursday, Herbert said Peterson will serve the area well because he’s been a local resident for several years.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The Utah Division of Arts and Museums is accepting applications for its 2010 Visual Arts Fellowships. The division will award two $10,000 fellowships to Utah residents who aren’t enrolled in a degree or certificate-granting program. The fellowships are intended to support the development of artists as professionals in their fields. The artwork of fellowship recipients is featured in an exhibition every other spring. The 2010 fellowship winners will be featured in March 2011. Fellowships are open to artists working in the areas of crafts, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture and bookmaking. Applications are available at artsandmuseumsutah.gov.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A small mistake in a Utah law will have a large impact on what gifts lawmakers can accept. SB 156 was sponsored by Senate Assistant Majority Whip Greg Bell of Fruit Heights. It was intended to require further disclosing of which legislators were taking gifts from lobbyists. It did not intend to ban any gifts. State laws require definitions of what constitutes a gift. SB 156 defines tickets to sporting, recreational or artistic events as “gifts.” Another part of the law states legislators cannot accept any “gift” valued at more than $50. The Deseret News reported GOP leaders are warning their membership not to accept more than a meal from lobbyists. Lawmakers do not have plans to change the law.

(CEDAR CITY) – A Mayoral candidate in Cedar City says his platform includes education as a key component to a strong community. Joe Burgess noted that education is on the minds of many with elementary, middle and high schools getting back in session this week and one of his main priorities will be to make people aware of all the educational opportunities in Cedar City. The Cedar City Mayoral Primary Election is slated for Sept. 15 and the General Election is Nov. 3.

(FILLMORE) – A former teacher at Millard High School pleaded guilty Wednesday to having a sexual relationship with one of his female students. According to booking documents, 61-year old, Keith Gillins faces a maximum sentence of three years to life in prison. The charges were divided up between two counties. In Millard County, Gillins plead guilty to one count of attempted rape and two counts of sexual abuse for incidents that occurred in October and November of last year. In Juab County, he plead guilty to attempted rape and attempted sodomy for an incident over the Easter weekend of this year. Gillins was arrested after one of the victims came forward with the allegations. He’ll remain in custody until sentencing on Oct. 14. Gillins also served as Mayor of Fillmore.

(EPHRAIM) – Snow College is pushing entreprenurial programs to attract high school students to get a business degree in college. Dean of Business and Technology, Doug Dyreng, says the bridge between students attending Richfield High School and the business programs on the Snow College Richfield campus, creates a bright future for business leaders. Dyreng said Snow College is investing in entrepreneurial programs where local business owners can address high school students to attract them to future business opportunities.

(PROVO)—A cash reward is being offered for information related to the fires in Mapleton and Hobble Creek Canyons. The reward is available through the Utah County Sheriff’s Office for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people who may be responsible for starting the fires.

(WEST JORDAN)—Residents in a West Jordan neighborhood were jolted awake after an explosion caused a fire at a nearby business Wednesday. The fire caused about $50,000 in damages, and investigators believe an arsonist is to blame. When the owner of the Big O Tires shop where the fire occurred, Phillip Gibbons, arrived at work, he was shocked to discover the damage the fire had caused, as he said there was nothing lying around that would have caused the fire. When West Jordan fire crews arrived at the scene, they found smoke and flames shooting out of a nearby semitrailer, parked north of the building. Investigators are hoping someone may have seen an individual leaving the area last night who will come forth with the needed information.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Salt Lake City is now offering an online submission, review and tracking program it says will save taxpayers time and money. The new program offers online plan submission and review for developers, architects, contractors and residents. The city says it will “streamline development services and interdepartmental communication.” The city highlighted the new program will greatly reduce or eliminate paper consumption, printing costs, greenhouse gas emissions, drive time and phone-based inquiries to city personnel. According to the city, based on 2500 building permits issued each year, Salt Lake City and its customers will save approximately 360,000 miles driven, 512,000 pounds of paper and prevent 2300 pounds of hydrocarbons from being released into the atmosphere annually.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A Colorado antiquities dealer is surrendering a vast personal collection of ancient artifacts in another break in the federal investigation of looting and grave-robbing in the Four Corners region. More than 20 government agents, archaeologists and curators descended on a Durango, Colo. home early Wednesday to haul away a lifetime collection from 74-year old Carl “Vern” Crites and his wife. The Bureau of Land Management confirmed the couple voluntarily turned over their entire collection, perhaps because according to court papers, some artifacts were pilfered from federal lands in southeastern Utah. The papers stated Crites carefully guarded a collection of sacred Pueblo prayer sticks, although he couldn’t reveal to the informant how he obtained them. At another point, the informant said he watched Crites dig up an ancient burial site in a 1986 raid.

(SUGAR HOUSE)—Salt Lake City will put up $2.5 million in federal funding for a streetcar system in Sugar House. The Deseret News reports the city council voted Tuesday to help secure $35 million in stimulus funding. The streetcar system would connect the TRAX station near 21st South with the Sugar House business district on 11th East. If the project gets federal funding, it could be completed in early 2012.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah is launching a Web site to let individuals and businesses compare and buy health plans with the debut of the Utah Health Exchange Wednesday. The exchange is intended to improve the affordability of policies and make them more accessible. In the exchange, employers can deposit money into workers’ health savings accounts instead of paying part of their premium, so they can buy any plan they want. The exchange will start enrolling small employer groups with between two and 50 workers. The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, FirstWest Benefits Solutions and Klein Cabinets were scheduled to be the first employers to enroll. In November, the workers will be able to log on to the site and pick the plan they like best. Coverage will start January 1.

(RICHFIELD) – Richfield City officials and community organizers have turned a tree planting effort into an Eagle scout project. Planning Commission Chairman, Blake Zobell, says the project will save the city thousands of dollars and beautify College Avenue. Zobell said the project will take place this Saturday at 8am where six scout teams and volunteers will plant about 90 trees along College Avenue on the bike and walking path. He said the trees and supplies will cost the city about $8,000 with around $2,000 donated by city businesses and others. Richfield City Mayor, Brad Ramsay, said the project would save the city about $8-10,000 in labor costs.

(EPHRAIM) – 3rd District Congressman Jason Chaffetz is holding several town hall meetings in September. Chaffetz will meet with constituents on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 1pm at the Greenwood Student Center in Ephraim. His schedule will then take him to Fillmore to meet with the public at the Old Territorial Statehouse at 5pm and then on to Delta at the Delta City Office at 7pm. The public is invited to meet with Chaffetz and discuss any issue with him.

(KOOSHAREM) – Search and Rescue teams from across the state are gathering at Fishlake this weekend for hands-on training. The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office says about 100 members are expected to show up for updated training on rope rescue, water operations, medical examiner issues, tracking, first aid, map reading and GPS use. Demonstrations on the use of Project Lifesaver will also be presented. Officials say training will begin Friday at 1pm at the Fishlake Lodge. Cache County Sheriff Lynn Nielson and the president of the Utah Sheriff’s Association will be the keynote speakers.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The Utah BLM held their quarterly oil and gas lease sale today receiving more than $1.1 million in revenues. The BLM sold 27 of the 37 offered parcels, totaling 34,648 acres of federal land located in the Fillmore, Moab, Price and Vernal Field Offices. BLM received $1,074,094 in bonus bids for the federal oil and gas lease rights and netted $51,984 in rental fees and $3,780 in administrative fees. This year, the BLM will hold more than 40 offshore federal oil and gas lease sales, including 21 that have been held since January, netting the state more than $70 million in revenue for American taxpayers.

(IVINS)—A man who has been missing for two days in the southern Utah wilderness has been found alive, but injured. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office says Salt Lake City resident Jim Williamson was found by searchers using a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter. They found Williamson at the bottom of a ravine and a Sheriff’s Department spokesman says Williamson left for a short hike over the weekend but called 911 on Sunday, saying he’d run out of water. Williamson could not be reached on Monday. Williamson was rescued after the DPS helicopter landed atop a tall rock formation overlooking the ravine. He was lifted out of the ravine by rescuers using ropes and pulleys and taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George. Williamson’s condition was later upgraded to serious but stable.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah lawmakers are committing to restore funding for Utah’s New Century and Regent Scholarships, at least for this year. They’ve been under increasing pressure from students who would feel the pain if those scholarships were cut. Until this year, college students who qualified received 75 percent tuition breaks. Tuesday, House Speaker David Clark announced Tuesday during a meeting of the Executive Appropriations Committee that the Board of Regents will begin notifying students currently receiving the scholarship that it will be fully funded this year. Students, angry with the proposed cuts, have been flooding lawmakers with e-mails. Organizers also encouraged people to attend Wednesday’s Education Interim Committee meeting at the Capitol. Senator John Valentine, the co-chairman of the Higher Education Interim Subcommittee says the governor’s office and lawmakers have agreed to reallocate the $1.7 million needed to fund the scholarships for this school year. The Legislature will further discuss the scholarships’ futures in the 2010 general session. Valentine points out the statute creating the scholarship sets up tuition breaks of up to 75 percent based on available state funds.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Salt Lake City fire authorities have arrested a man in connection with a July 23 fire when 32-year old, Juan Derek Baez, was jailed. Jail documents confirm Baez admitted to setting a fire at the Westgate Apartment building and state he used a cigarette lighter to ignite a sofa he’d pushed up against the door. The early-morning fire forced several people, including a mother and her 3-year old daughter, to flee out of a first-story window. Investigators are not commenting on the motive, but earlier, fire officials said they were looking for a man who’d been involved in an argument just before the fire. Baez was booked into jail on aggravated arson charges and also had a number of warrants.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah teens are being asked to practice safe “text” statewide, which will prevent them from texting while driving. Communications company Cricket launched the plan Tuesday in the form of a mobile billboard and Web site that teens, and other drivers of all ages, can sign. David Strayer, a psychology professor at the University of Utah, said when a driver is texting at the wheel, the chances of having an accident are greater than they are when someone is driving drunk. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said there’s a good reason, the campaign is focusing on teens and that Utah’s new law banning texting while driving is needed, but much like education is used to spread the word about seat belt use, he hopes education will spread about the dangers of texting behind the wheel.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah will likely run out of liquor licenses for restaurants Thursday when the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control issues its few remaining permits, leaving some applicants without the ability to serve liquor in a state increasingly dependent on tourism. Utah uses a quota system based on the state’s population to determine how many liquor licenses to issue. On Thursday, nine applicants will vie for seven remaining restaurant permits while 10 applicants will reply for the remaining 18 bar permits. Once the state runs out of liquor licenses, new ones are only granted if a business forfeits one or the population grows. DABC Chairman Sam Granato has repeatedly said Utah’s quota system for restaurants should be eliminated, so business growth isn’t stunted, but that’s ultimately for the government and Legislature to decide. Conservative lawmakers, many of which are LDS, contended that if children could see liquor poured into a glass, they might be tempted to drink it. Before he left as U.S. ambassador to China, ex-Utah governor Jon Huntsman had pledged to eliminate the need to hide bartenders at the request of the Utah Restaurant Association, which says the requirement is inconsistent and confusing to business owners and customers. Current Utah governor, Gary Herbert, is non-committal on alcohol policy.

(NORTH OGDEN)—A 28-year-old North Ogden man died while kayaking near Morgan. The man and his brother were kayaking in the Weber River Monday when the current took him underwater. It took almost 10 minutes for his brother, who was kayaking with him, to pull him up. Despite almost 45 minutes of CPR, the man was unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a hospital.

(FLAGSTAFF, AZ.) – President Barack Obama says the recession is convincing more people to stay closer to home and visit inexpensive national parks. During his four-day visit to the Grand Canyon National Park last week, Obama said that visits to national parks were up about four percent in the first half of the year compared to last year and five percent overall so far this year. The Obama Administration says statistics show park visits in Utah were up this year by nearly 300,000 compared to a year earlier. Most of the increase in Utah came at Bryce Canyon National Park, which had 205,000 more visits than last year. The only park unit in Utah where visits decreased was Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell, where there were 22,000 fewer visits this year than last. Officials say the recession has made boating less affordable.

(DELTA) – Angry farmers and local officials met at the Millard County Fairgrounds in Delta Monday night to voice their opposition to the Utah-Nevada water deal. Utah Department of Natural Resources Director, Mike Styler and his Nevada counterpart, Allen Biaggi, faced a group of about 100 people as they presented a plan that would split groundwater from the Snake Valley, which straddles the Utah-Nevada line. Ranchers and farmers say there’s no water to spare and once a thirsty, growing metropolitan area grabs a share, water users in Utah are sunk. They said their fear is that they’ll be out-lawyered. Styler asserted that it’s better to reach the best possible deal than to risk the consequences by challenging Nevada before the U.S. Supreme Court. He said a signed agreement will allow Utah to conduct enough studies on the issue until 2019. Millard County Commissioners plan several public hearings in the next few weeks.

(GUNNISON) – A Fayette man escaped injury Aug. 11 when he hit a street lamp and a school crossing lamp in Gunnison. According to a UHP report, 38-year old, Jared Mellor was traveling northbound in a 1996 Mercury Cougar, when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel at about 6:35am and crashed on SR-89. UHP Troopers cited Mellor for improper lane travel. Troopers also reported an accident Sunday on I-70 west of Salina, where a Colorado driver swerved to miss debris on the road and hit an embankment. 58-year old, Merlina Abad, of Grand Junction, CO. was not injured.

(RICHFIELD) – Richfield City crews are removing patriotic banners along main street this week in order to install double banner brackets on poles. Business Administrator, Woody Farnsworth said the brackets are being installed on poles from 300 North Main to 100 South Main during business hours to save the city several hours of overtime pay. Farnsworth said on Aug. 30, crews will be installing the Rocky Mountain ATV banners along with the Snow College banner. After the Jamboree, crews will replace the ATV banners with the fall banners.

MIAMI (AP)—Former University of Utah star Sean Smith and former Weber State linebacker J.D. Folsom each had an interception in their first NFL appearances to help lead the Miami Dolphins to a 12-9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Monday at Landshark Stadium in the preseason opener for both teams. Smith, who was drafted as a safety in the second round of this past April’s collegiate NFL draft was one of several young Dolphins who excelled as reserve signal-caller Chad Henne completed 7 of 11 passes for 94 yards, a touchdown and an interception for Miami. Todd Bouman (10 of 18, 130 yards, INT) made some big plays as well in the passing game to pace Jacksonville in defeat. In other NFL preseason action Monday, the New York Giants surged past Carolina, 24-17.

(COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS)—Police say a woman was stabbed to death Monday in what appears to be a domestic dispute. According to CHPD, a husband stabbed his wife, then turned his knife on himself. The victim is a 41-year old woman and police say the suspect, a 60-year old man, is in custody while they’ve responded to domestic disputes at the same location several times in recent weeks. Authorities confirmed the man was being treated for his self-inflicted stab wounds.

(WEST VALLEY CITY)—One of the men involved in a brutal beating in West Valley City has turned himself in. Police say Brian Seul showed up at the station Sunday night. Authorities had been searching for him since a Friday night fight as they stated Seul and four-six other men challenged another man to a fight. The men sent his wife and kids inside the home while the group of men beat him with a baseball bat until he was unconscious. The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

(WEST POINT)—A woman is facing multiple charges after a sheriff’s deputy caught her in the act with a 15-year old girl in a parked car Sunday afternoon in Brigham City. Davis County Sheriff’s Captain Kenny Payne stated the woman, 37-year old Kerrie Lyn Ferguson, was getting intimately involved with a 15-year old girl. It’s unclear how long the relationship had been going on. Ferguson was booked into the Davis County Jail Sunday and posted $50,000 bail Monday.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A Utah coal operator is tunneling into a cliff face to access rich coal seams at Lila Canyon in the Book Cliffs region. In the same coal belt, UtahAmerican Energy, Inc., a subsidiary of Ohio-based Murray Energy Corporation, is seeking a federal lease to expand operations at the Aberdeen mine, 7 miles north of Price. The Bureau of Land Management says it’s calculating the value of the 42.2 million tons of coal UtahAmerican wants to buy. The Lila Canyon operation is unusual as the company is blasting a set of uphill tunnels to reach a 13-foot thick coal seam inside the mountain. The tunneling has advanced nearly halfway to the coal seam 1200 feet away.

(OREM)—Monday, a former Orem Boy Scout leader was sentenced for sexually abusing a Scout in his troop numerous times while at Scout camps. The judge agreed to give Wade Brown 36 months probation after he finishes a year in the county jail, but warned him he’ll go to prison should his probation be violated. The 42-year old Brown was arrested January 21, after a boy he’d sexually abused came forward. The abuse occurred on four separate occasions in 2005 and 2006. Brown was charged with several counts of child sex abuse and took a plea deal that kept the victim off the witness stand in exchange for the prosecution not seeking prison time. In court Brown apologized to the victim and his family as well as to the Boy Scouts for generating negative press. Brown, who is in the process of a divorce with his wife, has already served nearly eight months in jail, while waiting for the resolution of the case. The defense pointed out Brown’s extended had the money to bail him out, but he opted to stay in jail as a way of taking responsibility for his actions. Brown must also undergo therapy, can’t have any unsupervised contact with children and must register as a sex offender.

(RICHFIELD) – The Sevier Power Company has requested that Sevier County Commissioners continue their appeal of an ash disposal site application for the proposed building of a power plant near Sigurd. At the county commission meeting today, commissioners approved the appeal continuance to give SPC time to review a packet of information sent to them by the county. Commissioner Gary Mason said part of the package included new information concerning discrepencies in county zoning maps that SPC representatives pointed out to commissioners in previous meetings. Sevier Citizens for Clean Air and Water President, James Kennon, addressed commissioners, saying the appeal process is taking too long and commissioners should decide on the issue and move forward. Commissioner Gordon Topham noted that the SCCAW attorney petitioned commissioners to postpone SPC’s appeal for nine months and was granted the petition. Commissioners decided to continue the appeal indefinitely.

(PROVO)—A helicopter had to pluck a California man off of a Utah County mountain after he crashed in a paragliding accident. Provo police stated they received a distress call Sunday from a paraglider who was stuck and injured on top of a mountain. The man had been competing in a national paragliding championship when a wing on his craft collapsed. Police say the 42-year old man fell 60 feet and broke a leg, which prevented him from coming down on the mountain. A medical helicopter reached the man and hoisted him off the mountain after which he was taken to a hospital for treatment.

(MURRAY)—Police say a bank robber made a mistake that landed a suspect in jail. According to charging documents, authorities state a man entered the Washington Federal Savings on August 12 and handed a teller a note demanding money. The Deseret News reported the teller complied and the robber left the bank. Police arrived and discovered the reverse side of the note given to the teller was actually a document containing the results of a drug screening test for Todd Walter Markham, including his test results and social security number. Police used the information to find a picture of Markham after which they were waiting at his home to arrest him.

(RICHFIELD) – Officials at the Sevier School District have approved a new policy concerning the use of service animals at district facilities. At this month’s school board meeting, Superintendent Brent Thorne outlined the policy, saying the need has always been a concern of district officials. The new policy reflects general requirements that service animals can be used that are trained to perform some of the functions and tasks that people with disabilities cannot perform for themselves. A service animal is defined as any guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.

(Manti) The Sanpete County Fair kicked off this past weekend with the Miss Sanpete Scholarship pageant. Twelve young ladies competed in talent, fitness and modeling, as well as interview. Hannah Christensen of Gunnison was crowned as the new queen, with Whitney Ison of Mount Pleasant as first attendant, Rachel Mitsvotai of Manti as second attendant, Carlin Sorenson of Manti as third attendant, and Alex Hancock of Ephraim as fourth attendant. Shalynn Madsen from Moroni was named Miss Congeniality, and Nichole Barton was voted Miss Photogenic. The new royalty will serve for the next year, and will appear at events at the fair. The new queen will also promote her platform of enhancing childhood learning through play.

(FAIRVIEW) – A semi hauling water rolled on top of Fairview Canyon Thursday night. According to a UHP report, at about 6:30pm, 35-year old, Samuel Draper of Fruitland, was driving a 2008 Kenworth semi and tanker trailer westbound on North Skyline Drive, when he lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve in the road and rolled his rig one-and-a-half times. The report said Draper was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured.

REGINA, Saskatchewan, Canada (AP)—Wes Cates had 19 carries for 117 yards and the Saskatchewan Roughriders held off a late Hamilton surge in a 33-23 win over the Tiger-Cats Sunday at Mosaic Field. After building a 23-0 lead at halftime by virtue of two touchdowns from reserve signal-caller Steven Jyles and a pair of Luca Congi field goals, the Riders seemed to be in complete command. Nevertheless, the resourceful Tiger-Cats mounted a surge and deadlocked things at 23-23 on an 8-yard DeAndra Cobb scoring run early in the 4th Quarter. Saskatchewan was able to regain momentum on a 13-yard touchdown run by Weston Dressler, while Congi put the game away with a 15-yard field goal. Arland Bruce amassed four receptions for 98 yards and a score in the loss for Hamilton.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP)—Former Manti High and Snow College star Devin Frischknecht had 1 reception for 7 yards to help lead the Green Bay Packers to a dominant 17-0 rout of the Cleveland Browns, Saturday at Lambeau Field in NFL preseason action. The Packers dominated from the beginning as the first-team offense led by signal-caller Aaron Rodgers (5 of 10, 102 yards, TD) looked magnificent against a lethargic Browns defense. While the passing offense flourished for Green Bay under Rodgers, who lofted a 53-yard scoring strike to veteran wideout Donald Driver in the first quarter, the Packers’ running game was even more impressive. Tyrell Sutton (16 carries, 91 yards) led the way for a Green Bay running attack that amassed 230 yards on the evening. Meanwhile, multi-purpose threat Josh Cribbs posted 59 all-purpose yards in the loss for the Browns. In other NFL preseason action Saturday, Detroit outlasted Atlanta, 27-26, Buffalo bested Chicago, 27-20, Tennessee got past Tampa Bay, 27-20, Houston stonewalled Kansas City, 16-10, and Seattle held off San Diego, 20-14.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—Britt Miller had 2 receptions for 43 yards and a pair of scores, including the touchdown that proved to win the game as the San Francisco 49ers edged the Denver Broncos, 17-16 Friday at Candlestick Park in the preseason opener for both teams. Although the Denver offense looked crisp behind Kyle Orton, the free agent acquisition tossed three first-half interceptions, one of which set up Miller’s first scoring reception. However, the Broncos’ defense also looked solid under new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan as despite Orton’s three picks, the defense only gave up 9 points in the first half, when most of the projected starters played. In the second half, Broncos reserve signal-caller Chris Simms (11 of 17, 142 yards, 2 TD’s), looked sharp, especially on a 52-yard scoring strike to Kenny McKinley, a rookie out of South Carolina. After McKinley’s score pulled Denver to within 17-16, head coach Josh McDaniels went for two but Simms’ pass was intercepted. Despite the loss, the Broncos have much good to take into next Saturday’s exhibition at Seattle. In other NFL preseason action Friday, Minnesota got past Indianapolis, 13-3, St. Louis surged past the New York Jets, 23-20, and New Orleans bested Cincinnati, 17-7.

(EDEN)—More than 24 color balloons filled the skies in the Ogden Valley Friday to kick off the Ogden Valley Balloon and Artist Festival. The festival will continue through Sunday and balloon launches take place each morning at 6:00 a.m. near Wolf Creek Resort.

(BOISE, Idaho)—At least 18 cattle are suspected to have died of selenium poisoning near a southeastern Idaho phosphate mine. These are the latest livestock deaths in the rich phosphate region, where pollution from the mines has killed horses and sheep for decades. Cattle had been believed to be less susceptible to selenium poisoning. Livers from the dead cattle analyzed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed high levels of selenium, which is unearthed with phosphate ore and contaminates groundwater and plants near mines if not properly contained.

(DAVIS COUNTY)—A local oil refinery is teaming up with the Davis County Fair to raise money and funds for the Utah Food Bank. According to the Deseret News, people who attend Friday night’s rodeo will be able to park for only a dollar if they bring at least two cans of food for the food bank. Later in the evening, the Chevron and Texaco refinery will present a $10,000 donation to the food bank.

(MAGNA)—The Salt Lake Tribune reported lawyers for Billy Justin Charles say the prosecution’s key witness personally gained for taking the stand in the case. Troy Carl Miller was a cellmate of Charles and said he heard him confess to the crime. Defense attorneys claim in return for his testimony, Miller was given a favorable sentencing recommendation. They also claim there was juror misconduct in the case since one juror did not disclose previous knowledge of the murder. Jamie Ellen Weiss was killed in 1996, and Charles was charged with her murder in 2007 and convicted of the same crime in April.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Vandals attacked a power substation overnight, knocking out service to hundreds of customers in Salt Lake City. A spokesperson for Rocky Mountain Power says the vandalism happened at the Snarr substation, but did not have details on what their acts entailed. Power was restored to all customers by 7:00 a.m. Friday.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—When professional appraisers value a swap of state and federal parcels in Utah, they’ll have to put a dollar value on a pair of notable natural arches. The state is giving up 72 square miles of wilderness-worthy parcels around Moab, including Corona and Morning Glory arches. In return, the federal government will turn over energy-rich lands totaling 56 square miles, primarily in the Uintah Basin oil patch. Tuesday, the legislation landed on President Barack Obama’s desk, but it could take appraisers a year to decide the swap is fair for both sides. State land officials say the appraisals could leave one side or the other owing some money or land to balance things out. The state says it’s holding a good hand with Corona and Morning Glory arches.

(WASATCH COUNTY)—A man convicted of phoning in a bomb scare at Wasatch County schools will spend time behind bars. The Salt Lake Tribune reports John McHugh was sentenced to serve 180 days in the Wasatch County Jail. In addition to the jail time, McHugh will have to pay an $1100 fine and reimburse the county for some of the costs of evacuating the schools. McHugh still maintains he’s not the one who made the threat in March 2008 and that other people had access to his phone at the time the threat was made.

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada (AP)—Ricky Ray completed 28 of 37 passes for 342 yards and three scores, including a game-winning 23-yard scoring strike to Fred Stamps as the Edmonton Eskimos outgunned the Calgary Stampeders, 38-35 Thursday at Commonwealth Stadium. The “Battle of Alberta,” will recur two more times over the course of the next month, but this one will be tough to beat. The Stampeders drew first blood when Henry Burris (30 of 45, 479 yards, 3 TD’s) hit Teyo Johnson on a 10-yard scoring strike, but the Eskimos matched the prolific Stamps almost point for point, which kept things close heading into the 4th Quarter. Calgary nursed a 28-21 lead heading into the last stanza, but the Eskimos saved their best for last as Ray threw a touchdown pass to Maurice Mann from 11 yards out, while Noel Prefontaine nailed a 25-yard field goal to give Edmonton a 31-28 lead. The Stampeders refused to buckle as Burris led a 12-play, 88-yard drive which was capped off with a 20-yard scoring reception by Jermaine Copeland. However, the stage was then set for Ray’s heroics, which enabled Edmonton to improve to 4-3 on the season after a shootout which saw the teams combine for 1,028 yards of offense.

(KOOSHAREM) – Utah Highway Patrol is investigating an automobile accident on SR-24 near Koosharem that claimed a man’s life. UHP report that four others were transported to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield with injuries. The accident happened at about 1pm Thursday. More details are forthcoming.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Utah will have to sell one of its trust lands parcels to gain access to its drilling rights. In a sale for unusual reasons, Thursday board members authorized the School and Institutional Trust lands Administration to sell the 210-acre parcel in San Juan County. The Guymon family offered to buy the parcel’s surface rights for $174,000 for cattle grazing while granting access for energy leasing. The parcel is located five miles north of Blanding. SITLA officials say it’s a win-win deal that opens for possible energy development an idle parcel that was so isolated and landlocked nobody could legally reach it. The agency manages a checkerboard of 3.4 million acres of trust lands granted at Utah statehood. It leases and sells some of the land for development to raise money for public schools.

(WEST JORDAN)—Police arrested 24-year old Cody McCormick after they say he hit a woman and three children in a West Jordan crosswalk around 8:30 a.m. Thursday. There were skid marks across the intersection indicating that, at some point, the driver may have tried to stop the car. Police say the driver showed signs of impairment at the scene. A 4-year old boy was flown to Primary Children’s Medical Center in critical condition. McCormick was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on DUI charges while West Jordan Police Sergeant Jeff Jewkes said the accident occurred at an intersection where these types of incidents often happen at crosswalks.

(WEST VALLEY CITY)—Felony charges pending against a 14-year old could affect whether or not he’s charged as an adult in connection with a murder in West Valley City. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, documents filed in 3rd District Juvenile Court claim the boy was involved in the burglary of a South Jordan home just days before the shooting of JoJo Lee Brandstatt in West Valley City. Prosecutors say the new charges should be reviewed by the judge overseeing the murder charges the boy is facing in connection with Brandstatt’s death to determine if he should be tried as an adult or a minor.

(PRICE)—A man accused of strangling a friend at a weekend birthday party has now been charged with manslaughter. Paul Edward Wilson was arrested early Saturday night following the death of Jonathan Tobey at the Price Recreation Area. Authorities say it started with an argument over a relationship when a group of five friends were camping and having a birthday party July 10. The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office stated there was evidence of heavy drinking and an argument about someone kissing another person’s girlfriend. Authorities say the argument caused one friend to leave the activity. They stated Wilson and two women stayed at the campground, packed up their things and tried to get Tobey in the car to leave, although he was reportedly belligerent and uncooperative. The two women drove to an area where they could get cell service and call for help. When deputies arrived, Tobey was dead. A preliminary hearing is set for August 17 at 10:30 a.m.

(OGDEN)—The Weber County attorney’s office says it will seek the death penalty against a man charged in the shooting deaths of two women. Jacob Ethridge is charged with aggravated murder in the July 2008 deaths of 43-year old Teresa Tingey and 25-year old Rosanna Cruz, both of Ogden. Ogden police said the women, who worked as prostitutes, were shot after Ethridge solicited them. The state Supreme Court declined recently to entertain a motion in the case, which could now go to trial as soon as this year. Wednesday, the attorney’s office filed a required notice of intent to seek the death penalty.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A southern Utah newspaper has rejected a California gay couple’s wedding announcement, saying its policy is only to publish announcements for marriages legal under Utah law. The Spectrum, based in St. George, initially accepted a paid gay wedding announcement last week, but then changed course. The couple, Tyler Barrick and Spencer Young, was legally married under California law June 17, 2008 in San Francisco. Young is a St. George native, and he wanted to have the Spectrum publish it as he returns home for a family party next week. Spectrum publisher Donnie Welch stated the marriage is invalid due to Utah’s rulings against gay marriage.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—College campuses throughout Utah are preparing for what could be a bad season for the H1N1 virus this fall. If and when the swine flu breaks out, authorities want to be ready. Marty Shaub, the director of environmental health and safety at the University of Utah said the university is focusing on four key elements to curb the swine flu, public education, managing the impact of student illness, managing the impact of employee absenteeism and vaccination delivery. Shaub said if any students should incur the swine flu and are forced into quarantine, modern technology can help them keep up in their classes. Vaccination distribution is also high on the priority list at the University of Utah and other Utah colleges and universities.

(CASTLE DALE) – The Emery County Public Lands Council held a public hearing Wednesday night in Castledale concerning the development of a comprehensive land use plan and wilderness designation. Council Chairman, Ray Peterson said the purpose of the meeting was to gain public support on the plan and eventually craft language in a land use plan similar to the plan in Washington County. Peterson said Emery County is not experiencing the growth like Washington County but he says commissioners want to be prepared. At the hearing, the public discussed grazing, livestock, mineral extraction, oil and gas development and many other issues.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Utah’s new governor thinks health care reform may be the wrong medicine for Utah. On his first full day on the job Wednesday, Gov. Gary Herbert said opting out of the federal health care reform package is something he’ll consider. His comments come amid in-state political rumblings on the possibility of Utah breaking from the federal plan, which is being pushed hard by Pres. Obama and may be the number one issue in Congress when legislators return from their August recess. Herbert said he’s leery of any one-size-fits-all approach and the federal plan doesn’t seem to work in real life. Utah is now in its second year of its own version of health care reform with Oklahoma and Texas considering opting out of the federal plan.

(DELTA) – A Delta man was injured Tuesday morning while working on a strapper of a hay press. According to a Millard County Sheriff’s report, at 8:20am, 19-year old, Trevor Joe Riding was working between the press and the chute, when a bale of hay pinned him as it was coming out of the chute. The report said co-workers hit the emergency stop button and stopped the machinery. They were able to free Riding from the machinery. Riding was transported to the Delta Community Medical Center where he’s listed in stable condition. Sheriff’s Deputies and the Delta Fire Department, along with ambulance personnel responded to the accident. Deputies noted that a bale of hay is completed every 29 seconds before it’s sent down the chute to the knives.

EPHRAIM, Utah (AP)—Adrianne Beazer and Courtney Duncan each scored goals as the Cedar Lady Redmen downed the Manti Lady Templars, 2-0 Wednesday in non-region soccer action.

(RICHFIELD) – The Sevier County Planning Commission met in session Wednesday afternoon to hear comments from the Zoning Administrator concerning abuses in the appeals process on Conditional Use Permits. Larry Hanson says the language in the appeal ordinance is vague but the intent is correct. He said the appeals process should involve only the applicant of the CUP and adjoining property owners and not anyone who wants to vent and hold up the application process. Planning members said they want to clarify the language with the county attorney.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Revised figures show at least 20,000 more Utahns have lost their jobs than previous estimates have indicated. The chief economist for the Department of Workforce Services, Mark Knold, said questionnaires sent to every employer in the state at the end of every quarter reveal jobs losses are deeper than what initial surveys showed. The job loss rates the department reports each month are based on a survey method devised by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Knold later sent the follow-up questionnaires, which provide comprehensive information. For example, Knold said in the year ending in March, 4.5 percent of Utah’s jobs were eliminated. The preliminary rate reported was 2.6 percent. Knold has no figures for the second quarter, but says he expects that the trend continued.

(HELPER)—Two teachers at a small-town school are facing charges, accused of illegal sexual conduct with students. Both women had been working at Helper Junior High, until the Carbon School District learned of the cases at the end of July. Investigators say Melissa Andrini developed a sexual relationship this summer with a boy who may have been one of her students the previous year. Andrini has since resigned. Another teacher is accused of unlawful touching during the 2007-08 school year. Carbon School District Special Programs Director Robert Cox said she is currently on paid administrative leave, pending the investigation. Carbon County Attorney Gene Strate said both cases are being screened by his office. District officials are currently weighing their options while as more information becomes available, additional steps will be taken.

(OREM)—Orem police arrested two men they say were using fake identities to steal copper materials. Orem police Lieutenant Gary Downey said the two suspects went to a heating and cooling supply store August 5 and identified themselves as being from a local contracting company. The order was soon loaded up in the suspects’ vehicle, they filled out the paper for the order and drove off with over $600 in copper pipes, copper fittings and copper insulation. The supply store employees became suspicious when the two returned the next day and ordered an additional $1000 in copper goods. A store employee called the contracting company the two claimed to be from and discovered they were impostors. The police then called the store, but the suspects fled before they arrived. A store employee followed the suspects and helped direct police to their location. James Campbell and Darrin Dowley were arrested for identity fraud, forgery, and theft by deception. They also had other warrants out for their arrest on unrelated charges.

(FARMINGTON)—A Farmington doctor has been busted for prescribing drugs after surrendering his license. Thirty-two-year-old Jeremy McCandless was arrested Monday on federal charges with 29 counts of unlawful distribution of Oxycodone. Federal authorities say McCandless would prescribe the drug to family and friends without proper authority and would even sell the drugs himself. In March 2008, McCandless was licensed to practice medicine and prescribe controlled substances in the state of Utah. According to court documents two months later, the University of Utah School of Medicine graduate was terminated from his residency program due to falsifying medical records. Special Assistant United States Attorney Vernon G. Stejskal said McCandless would meet family and friends at golf courses and other various places and strike deals to prescribe controlled substances. Additionally, Stejskal said from December 2008-March 2009, McCandless would receive controlled substances himself by writing prescriptions to another person. The person would then bring the drugs back to him and he in turn would pay the people and sell them the drugs back at street value. After McCandless was arrested Monday, he made an initial appearance in court where he pleaded not guilty to the 29 charges. McCandless was released by the judge Wednesday after it was determined he was not a flight risk. He is scheduled to go to trial October 19 and if he’s convicted, the maximum penalty for each charge is 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Travel and Leisure Magazine ranked Salt Lake City International Airport as the best in the country for on-time arrivals, with only 12 percent of flights being delayed more than 15 minutes. The magazine based their findings on flight records from April 2008-March 2009. This is the second consecutive year Salt Lake International has come in at the top of the list.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—AAA Utah says gas prices in the state are down 4 cents from last month. The organization says the average cost for a gallon of regular, self-serve gasoline in the state is $2.61, which is $1.50 less than the average a year ago. The national average price of a gallon of regular, self-serve gas is $2.64, 12 cents higher than last month, but $1.22 lower than a year ago.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Crews shut a Salt Lake City road for about an hour Tuesday while they investigated a mysterious substance that turned out to be harmless. Residents in the neighborhood noticed a green liquid flowing down the gutter Tuesday around 12:00 p.m. and called 911. Authorities traced the impetus of the liquid and discovered it came from a harmless dye contractors use to find breaks and poor connections in pipes. The Salt Lake Tribune reported whoever used the dye did not properly notify city officials that the green liquid would be showing up in the water system.

(PROVO)—Brigham Young University police are searching for a cyclist who reached out and grabbed women pedestrians on two occasions. The Daily Universe reported the incidents occurred on July 25 and August 10, around 8:00 p.m. both evenings. The women say the man touched them in inappropriate places as he rode by. The Daily Universe stated the man is an 18-22 year old white male between 5’7-and 6’0 tall. Additionally, he has brown hair and hazel or brown eyes, weighs from 160-170 pounds and rode a mountain-type bicycle.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – A new report released by the National Commission on Vision and Health shows public school screenings for child vision care in the U.S. is falling short. Dr. Edwin Marshall, Doctor of Optometry and Chair of the National Commission on Vision and Health, says vision screenings are not the most effective way to determine vision problems in children. Dr. Marshall said that 86% of children entering kindergarten have not had an eye exam and a third of children who are screened and fail a vision test, don’t receive any follow-up care. Dr. Marshall said that millions of children are not receiving essential eye care services which can prevent eye disease, developmental delays, improve school achievement and contribute to other social problems.

(RICHFIELD) – Three wildland fires continue to burn on the Fishlake National Forest. Fire personnel say the Sawmill Fire, located southeast of Scipio, is burning in steep, rocky terrain. The fire, which started by lightning on August 6th, is being managed for resource benefit and has consumed about 250 acres. The Amos Canyon Fire, burning in the mountains west of Aurora, is now estimated at near 1500 acres and has been burning since July 5th. Temporary closures of forest roads and trails remain in effect until personnel reopen the area. Also, the Solomon Basin Fire, burning about 11 miles northeast of Fremont, is estimated at 192 acres and is being managed for resource benefit. The fire started by lightning July 30 and several forest roads and trails are closed in the area. No injuries or threatened structures have been reported since the fires began.

(BRIAN HEAD) – Federal stimulus funds will be used to build a new multi-million dollar water system at Brian Head. The town, nestled in the mountains above Parowan in Iron County, also plans to purchase water rights, develop a new well and lay new transmission pipes in a project to upgrade its water system. The projects will be paid for with a $5.5-million loan and a $3.6-million grant in federal stimulus money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Brian Head’s is the only Utah project to receive funds through the agency’s Rural Development Water and Environmental Program. Mayor Dutch Deutschlander said Tuesday the new reservoir and well will help avoid disasters like the one in the ‘80’s that left the town dry for five days when the pump broke on the town’s only water tank.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – A new poll shows that Utah’s newest governor is more conservative than his predecessor. During his inaugural address, Gov. Gary Herbert spoke on his forward-thinking philosophy, advocating self-reliance and a limited role for government. In a Dan Jones and Associates poll for KSL-TV and the Deseret News, two-thirds said they would vote for Huntsman if he returned from China and ran again. The poll of 400 Utahns showed that 45% say they are very or somewhat conservative, 33% say they are moderate and 10% say they are liberal. 44% say Huntsman is more moderate and 41% call him conservative. The poll indicated that just over half of Utahns saw Herbert as conservative, 12% call him moderate and 33% don’t know. Herbert says that economic growth is his top priority.

(RICHFIELD) – A local landscaper has won the approval of a maintenance contract on the Richfield City Main Street Enhancement Project. Intermountain Spraying and Landscaping, Inc., owned by Scott Mason of Richfield, was awarded the contract at the city council meeting Tuesday night for the amount of $29,250 annually with the stipulation that the services be reviewed each year. Mason will maintain the trees, shrubs and other landscaping along main street, including irrigating planters and pots. Tristan DeMille of Jones and DeMille Engineering of Richfield also spoke to the council concerning the placing of approximately 44 planter pots at the bulb-outs in the project area. He said the project still has $50,000 earmarked for the pots with money left over for additional pots, if needed.

(RICHFIELD) – The Richfield City Council has denied a request by a developer to have the city participate in cost overruns on the 800 South road project. Business Administrator, Woody Farnsworth, says the city allowed Chris Forsyth of Leading Tech Development, to start the project without final approval, to prevent him from losing the Auto Zone and Aaron’s business ventures. At the June 23 council meeting, Forsyth told the city that subsequent City Engineering and UDOT reviews added $50,000 to his original cost estimate and requested the city pay $30,000 or a portion of it to defray expenses. In Tuesday night’s city council meeting, councilmembers denied the request because his permit to build Auto Zone was contingent upon the completion of the 800 South Road and by allowing Forsyth to build the road before final approval, the decision saved him thousands of dollars in delaying the start of the project. Forsyth could not be reached for comment.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—In lieu of former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman’s new assignment as U.S. Ambassador to China, Gary Herbert was sworn in as Utah’s 17th governor Tuesday. Herbert took the oath of office as well Tuesday at the Utah Capitol about an hour after Huntsman’s resignation. Huntsman reported he felt a sense of emptiness after leaving what he called “the best job he’s ever had.” Huntsman’s farewell address was rife with optimism for the future and for Herbert’s administration. During his initial address, Herbert stated he had three important priorities: economic development, education and energy. Herbert also discussed the importance of encouraging free enterprise or “capitalism.” Finally, Herbert stated he expects Utah’s government to be fiscally responsible and received a standing ovation at the close of his remarks. Herbert is expected to be much more conservative than his predecessor.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Loved ones are mourning two Utah brothers who died in a plane crash on the Oregon/Idaho border last week. Reports state 33-year old Jed Mingo of Salt Lake City was piloting the plane when it went down over Homedale, Idaho. He, his 26-year old brother, Jordan and their 54-year old father, Ron, of Hazelton, Idaho, left on a fishing trip to Washington state Friday. Jed Mingo’s girlfriend, Kirsten Montague, believes the plane may have crashed when he tried to turn it around to avoid bad weather. Late Monday, crews with the Civil Air Patrol, discovered the wreckage of Mingo’s four-seater single-engine Navion in a remote area, accessible only by ATV. Montague stated the bodies were found about 12 hours after the search began because the remote area could not be recovered until Tuesday.

(MAGNA)—A Magna man was arrested in connection with a fire at a home Tuesday morning. Salt Lake County sheriff’s deputies arrested 25-year old Travis Luke Dominguez and booked him on charges of aggravated arson, a first-degree felony, and burglary. Authorities say Dominguez’ car, clothing and physical description matched the same description of a suspect seen leaving the scene as the fire started. Firefighters say the fire started in the garage around 1:40 a.m., while three people were sleeping inside at the time, unaware of what was happening until neighbors came to. Firefighters have not determined what caused the fire, and investigators say Dominguez has denied any involvement.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The Jordan District School Board is heading into a public meeting Tuesday favoring a less incendiary budget proposal than one that drew hours of heated public comment last week. The board is now leaning toward a plan that features a 20 percent property tax increase, rather than a 40 percent hike. Under the proposal, the district would have to draw $21 million from its “rainy day” fund instead of $6 million. Last week, more than 1000 people showed up at a public hearing to protest the proposed 40 percent tax hike. The board is expected to approve the 20 percent increase at a public hearing Tuesday evening.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Salt Lake City police are searching for a man who robbed a convenience store using a metal pipe. The culprit walked into a Salt Lake City Sinclair station with a pipe late Monday night and police state he grabbed the clerk by the shirt and threatened to shoot him if he didn’t give him money from the register. The clerk never saw a gun, but police say the pipe was sufficiently intimidating. The robber reportedly got the money, left the store, jumped into an SUV and drove off. Police believe the SUV is a dark-colored vehicle with plate number 62HJK9, but investigators don’t know if it was a Utah license plate or not.

(RICHFIELD) – Officials at the Fishlake National Forest are proposing to increase fees at five area campgrounds and are requesting public comment. Forest Spokesman, John Zapell, says fees have not seen an increase on the Forest for many years and user-generated revenue collected goes towards improving facilities. Zapell said that currently, fees are collected at 29 recreation sites, including 25 family and group campgrounds, two picnic sites and two cabin rentals. He said that sites where fee increases are proposed, have a higher level of amenities including, water, picnic tables, restrooms, fire rings and interpretive displays. On the Richfield Ranger District, the Gooseberry Campground fee will increase from five to ten dollars, the Oak Creek and Adelaide Campground on the Fillmore Ranger District will increase from ten to twelve dollars and Maple Grove from $10 to $15. The LeBaron Campground on the Beaver Ranger District will increase from three to ten dollars.

(Indianola) Construction will begin this week on the Indianola fire station with a groundbreaking to be held at the site of the future building. The new station will serve a number of communities in the north end of Sanpete County and will improve response time to emergencies in the area. The building is the result of cooperation between the Sanpete County Commissioners, the USDA, Community Impact Board, and Indianola Valley Fire Department volunteers, as well as others. The structure will have three vehicle bays, work and storage areas, as well as training and office space. Ludlow Engineering designed the building and Keller Construction of Salt Lake City won the bid for construction. The project should be completed in four months. The land for the building was donated by the Joe Bowler family.

(SIGURD) – Several road projects continue to move forward in Sevier and Sanpete Counties. The Utah Department of Transportation says the mill and overlay project between Sigurd and Salina on I-70 will keep one lane closed in each direction and the chip seal project on SR-89 from Moroni to Ephraim and Manti, will also close a lane in each direction. Chip seal will also continue between Axtell and Salina on SR-89. UDOT says that several other projects in Millard, Carbon, Emery, Grand and Kane counties, will move towards completion throughout the rest of the summer and fall.

(SANDY) – An LDS apologist said last week in a conference presentation that an Ohio court was wrong when it convicted early Mormon leaders Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon for illegally running a controversial financial institution in 1837. R. McKay White, a lawyer and economist, explained during his presentation at the 11th Annual Mormon Apologetics Conference in Sandy, that the 1816 law the leaders were convicted under, was not in force in 1837, when they were running the Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Company. White said when the Kirtland Safety Society couldn’t get a bank charter, it reorganized itself as an “anti-banking” institution and issued private notes. The 1816 law prohibited private institutions from doing that. White also noted that the Ohio State Legislature did not print the 1816 law in its official book of statutes in 1824 and multiple institutions throughout Ohio ran similar operations without being prosecuted under the 1816 law. White is a member of the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) which defends LDS practices that critics attack.

(HILDALE) – A property trust once controlled by a controversial polygamous sect is being sold off, piece by piece, by a fiduciary. According to a Salt Lake Tribune report, the United Effort Plan Trust, after four years, looks more like a boondoggle. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff admits the situation is a “mess”. Shurtleff said in 2005, when he pushed for the state takeover, he envisioned a fiduciary would secure the property of the FLDS Church, protect its assets, get it operating properly and step aside. He says now, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen because there’s not enough money coming into the trust from church member donations, to keep it functioning. The communal property trust was created in 1942 to safeguard homes, businesses and land of the polygamous group, which holds virtually all property, valued at more than $100 million in Hildale, Utah; Colorado City, AZ. and Bountiful, British Columbia.

(WASHINGTON CITY) – A California man was killed Saturday when a suspected drunken driver hit his motorcycle in Washington City. Police Sgt. Dean Brimley said at about 9:15am, 53-year old, Leland Lloyd of Lancaster, CA., was riding south on Greensprings Drive, when a green Ford Explorer, traveling northbound, turned in front of him. The report said the two vehicles collided head-on, sending Lloyd into the Explorer. The SUV driver, 54-year old, John Hanson of St. George, was arrested on suspicion of automobile homicide, driving under the influence, open container and improper left turn. Lloyd was in the area visiting family members at the time of the crash.

(SCIPIO) – A Scipio man missing since last Wednesday has been found dead. A Millard County Sheriff’s report said the body of 84-year old, Marden Stone, was found Sunday at 11am in his pickup truck in the Cutler Canyon area west of Scipio Lake in Millard County. The report said that Stone was last seen at about 1pm on Wednesday in his Chevrolet pickup truck in the Scipio area when his family reported him missing. The search continued daily until authorities found Stone in a remote area of Cutler Canyon where the truck appeared to have become disabled after sliding from the roadway. Sheriff’s reports say that Stone suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. The search included planes from the Civil Air Patrol, helicopters from the Utah Department of Public Safety, Millard County Sheriff’s Posse, Sheriff’s Deputies, family, friends and volunteers.

CALGARY, Alberta, Canada (AP)—Henry Burris completed 22 of 38 passes for 356 yards, two touchdowns and an interception as the Calgary Stampeders outlasted the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 31-23, Saturday at McMahon Stadium. On a night where professional football immortals were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the U.S., the Stampeders built an early 23-3 lead at halftime as receiver Nik Lewis surpassed the 6000-yard receiving mark on a toss from Burris while everything went smoothly for the Stamps. Nevertheless, Winnipeg, behind the strong running of Fred Reid (17 carries, 167 yards, 2 TD’s) and Yvenson Bernard (six carries, 54 yards) managed to remain within striking distance as the game progressed. A key 36-yard scoring pass from Burris to Titus Ryan helped the Stampeders maintain some breathing room, but it took a late Wes Lysack interception to help Calgary withstand the Bombers for the last time. The win improved the Stampeders to 3-3 on the season while Winnipeg fell to 2-4. In other CFL action Saturday, Hamilton surged past Edmonton, 28-21.

(SALINA) – A California family was taken to the hospital with possible injuries after a rollover on I-70 west of Salina this morning. According to a UHP report, 19-year old, Raymond Hernandez of Helmet CA., was traveling eastbound at about 9:30am, when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel, drifted off the left shoulder and rolled his 2003 Chevy Suburban. The report said Hernandez overcorrected to the right and back to the left, landing on his wheels. He was wearing his seatbelt and taken to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield. His passengers, 41 year old, Deana Hernandez, was wearing her seatbelt and taken to the hospital as well as two-year old, Maddison Baer, both of Helmet.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A University of Utah student coming home from a physics study session learned more than she cared to about zoology. Angela Jones reported she noticed an 8-foot Burmese python when she looked down on her way to the door Wednesday. The 23-year old biochemistry major called animal control and kept an eye on the snake as it slithered away and up the street. An animal control officer quickly caught the python and took it to a rescue shelter designed for large snakes. Salt Lake County Animal Services stated the snake appeared to be a well-fed pet.

(FRANKLIN COUNTY, Idaho)—A man was killed Friday when his small plane crashed just north of the Utah-Idaho border near Bear Lake. The Logan Herald-Journal reported the plane crash occurred in the mountains west of St. Charles, Idaho. Emergency crews have responded to the crash site.

(NORTHERN UTAH)—Thursday, hundreds of lightning strikes combined with gusty winds and dry conditions to create a rash of wildfires throughout Utah. As of Friday afternoon, 12 fires, which occurred everywhere from the High Uintas to Zion National Park, were in various stages of containment. The worst fires occurred near Skull Valley, in Tooele County and Saratoga Springs, just north of Lehi.

(BLANDING) – A General Authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has written a novel about a group of LDS pioneers who braved southern Utah’s Hole-In-The-Rock. Author, Gerald Lund, has written a new book, titled “The Undaunted”, describing the courage, faith and endurance of the group of Latter-Day Saints, whose church leaders had asked them to settle the Four Corners area and make peace with the Native Americans. Lund says one pioneer described her feelings during the ordeal of climbing down the Hole-In-The-Rock. The band of 250 pioneers of men, women and children, trekked a little-used 60-mile stretch that runs from Escalante toward Lake Powell. At one point, the pioneers had to use ropes, guiding horses and manpower to scale down the Hole-In-The-Rock to cross the Colorado River.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—The first shipments of nearly 15,000 drums of depleted uranium from a former nuclear weapons complex in South Carolina will begin coming to Utah in October. The 14,800 drums of radioactive waste from the Savannah River site will be disposed of at EnergySolutions’ disposal facility in the Utah desert, about 70 miles west of Salt Lake City. Savannah River site spokesman James Giusti said an additional 800 drums would be shipped to a Department of Energy site in Oak Ridge, Tenn., although it wasn’t immediately clear what would happen to the waste there. Shipments are scheduled to last until 2011 and come as Utah’s Radiation Control Board considers placing a moratorium on the disposal of deleted uranium. Depleted uranium is different from other low-level radioactive waste and EnergySolutions is allowed to accept it because it becomes more radioactive over time. An environmental group wants a moratorium in place until the Nuclear Regulatory Commission develops new rules for the safe disposal of the material. Besides the depleted uranium out of South Carolina, the company could also win contracts to dispose of material from U.S. Department Energy sites in Oak Ridge, Tenn., Paducah, Ky. and Portsmouth, Ohio over the next five years.

(WASHINGTON)—Friday, the Senate confirmed current Utah governor Jon Huntsman as U.S. Ambassador to China, giving the Republican the task of nurturing a sometimes shaky relationship that President Barack Obama sees as crucial to solving many of the world’s most difficult crises. Huntsman was confirmed by unanimous consent. Huntsman’s confirmation sends to Beijing a fluent Chinese speaker with deep social, government and business ties to the region while this also enables Obama to bring a popular Republican into his administration who is seen as a potential challenger for the 2012 presidency. Huntsman will travel to China at time of rising cooperation between Beijing and Washington. Still, there are problems as China, the world’s largest holder of U.S. Treasury securities, worries about the safety of its investments. U.S. lawmakers from both political parties have extolled Huntsman as the right person for an important job. Huntsman once served an LDS mission in Taiwan, has previously led trade missions to China and has also served as an ambassador to Singapore. Utah Lieutenant Governor Gary Herbert is expected to take over as governor next Tuesday.

(HOLLADAY)—Fire damaged an abandoned home, burned brush and threatened neighboring structures in Holladay Thursday night. Crews arrived around 10:00 p.m. and found the home fully engulfed in flames and spreading into adjacent brush as it threatened other homes nearby. Captain Clint Smith of the United Fire Authority said since the crews worked well and swiftly, the flames were quickly doused. Firefighters stated the home is a complete loss as the flames burned about half an acre of brush. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

(STERLING) – The Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the Salina man who drowned Thursday afternoon at Palisade Park east of Sterling. According to a sheriff’s report, 20-year old, Rory Bumgardener, was swimming with a friend when he went under the water. The Sanpete County Search and Rescue was called out to search for the body at about 5:45pm and the man’s body was found 30 minutes later in about eight feet of water near the dock at Palisade Park. CPR was performed on the victim and he was transported to the Gunnison Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Further details of the incident are being investigated.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Nearly half of the U.S. Senators voted against the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in hearings recently concluded. Sen. Bob Bennett, along with Sen. Orrin Hatch, voted no on the confirmation. Bennett said despite Judge Sotomayor’s impressive story and experience, he believes we must hold Supreme Court nominees to the highest standard and unfortunately, after reviewing her record while serving on the Second Court, he decided that he could not support her nomination. He said he remained troubled by Sotomayor’s stated belief that the right to bear arms is not a “fundamental right” despite the words of our Constitution. Bennett also commented that 80% of the cases she’s participated in that were considered by the Supreme Court, have been reversed or vacated. He said his negative vote was purely on her record, not her amazing story and historic nature of the nomination.

(STERLING) – A 20-year old Salina man drowned Thursday afternoon at Palisade Lake east of Sterling. According to a Sanpete County Sheriff’s report, the man was swimming with a friend when he went under the water. Sanpete County Search and Rescue was called out to search for the body at about 5:45pm and searchers found the man about 30 minutes later in about eight feet of water near the dock at Palisade Lake. The report said CPR was performed on the victim. He was transported to the Gunnison Valley Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The Sheriff’s Office has not released the name of the man or details of the accident pending notification of kin and investigation.

(CACHE COUNTY)—Divers have recovered the body of a drowning victim in Tony’s Grove Lake in Logan Canyon as of Thursday. Wednesday, the 20-year old man was with friends when he tried to swim across the lake. Cache County officials reported about halfway through his swim, he went under while search teams spent hours searching the water Wednesday evening for his body. He was finally located at about 10:40 a.m. Thursday. As of yet, authorities have not released the man’s name.

(CEDAR CITY)—A body found stuffed in the freezer of a Cedar City home may be that of a man missing since May. Police say the man lived near the Southern Utah University campus on 200 South and 800 West, but he reportedly hadn’t been there for some time. Family members decided to clean up the home Tuesday, and when they went in the basement, the body was found. It was reportedly in an advanced state of decomposition because the home’s power supply was off. Police hope an autopsy will reveal the body’s identity Friday.

(PROVO)—A woman has pleaded guilty to negligent homicide in a crash that killed her 9-month old grandson. A judge sentenced 37-year old Doris Lincona to probation, counseling and 160 hours of community service for her role in the incident. Licona was driving on I-15 near Payson in March when she fell asleep and her car rolled. Her grandson, who was riding on his mother’s lap, and not in a car seat, was killed. The mother, Michelle Nulla, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment after which she was sentenced to probation, counseling and 120 hours of community service. Licona is training to become a spokeswoman to share her story with PTA groups and parent classes as part of her community service. She says her daughter was pregnant at the time of the accident and plans to name the child Jonathan after his late brother.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Salt Lake City leaders are considering a new proposal that would crack down on panhandlers. The proposed ordinance would limit how and where panhandlers can operate. Under this proposal, it would become illegal to lie about being homeless, disabled, a veteran or stranded. Furthermore, panhandling would be banned within 20 feet of such places as sidewalk cafes, bus stops, ATM’s, entrances to religious establishments and places where people stand in lines such as concerts or movie theaters. Despite some opposition in the community, the Downtown Alliance is planning to roll out a campaign against panhandling next month. David Everett, the chief of staff of Mayor Ralph Becker told the Deseret News, he expects the ordinance to be significantly changed by public input in the interim.

(TOOELE COUNTY)—A former employee at a facility for troubled Tooele County teens has pleaded guilty to having an improper relationship with one of his charges. Kaysville resident Jonathan Carver was charged with rape, forcible sodomy and witness tampering in the incident. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Carver pleaded guilty Wednesday to reduced charges of felony forcible sexual abuse as part of a deal with prosecutors. Carver admitted he and a 17-year old girl receiving treatment at the facility had a sexual relationship that began last October and lasted for months. He faces up to 75 years in prison when he’s sentenced next month.

(WEST VALLEY CITY)—A man is in serious condition Thursday morning after being stabbed multiple times at a West Valley City park. Police say it appears the attack was gang related. Police stated both parties involved had gang affiliations and a Wednesday night meeting was scheduled to settle some sort of grievance. West Valley City Police Department Lieutenant John Coyle said a family was hanging out at the park and an approaching gang began to call out male members of the family. Police also stated a group of five-seven men approached the family hoisting baseball bats and golf clubs and when the correct family members were identified, the gang attacked. The victim was stabbed twice in the back and once in the left cheek with something other than a knife. All of the attackers were wearing red and black, the colors of a prominent gang in the area, while officers said if suspects are caught, they will face aggravated assault charges and possibly, attempted murder charges.

(GARFIELD COUNTY)—A sixth black bear has been shot by a Utahn this summer after worries that the bear was coming too close for comfort. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources spokesman Mark Hadley stated the latest shooting occurred Wednesday on private property just north of Bryce Canyon. Hadley said the bear appeared on a landowner’s property and got into a garbage dumpster and after the landowner scared the bear away, it returned and began ripping into grain sacks. The homeowner told the DWR the bear returned to his home multiple times, eventually leading the landowner to shoot the bear. The county attorney will determine if shooting the bear was justified.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—A University of Utah study shows that in 2007, the oil and gas industry paid Utah and one of its state agencies more than $370 million. Most of the money came from the lease of federal lands in Utah for drilling which produced $310 million in shared royalties, fees and taxes for the state. The Utah Institutional and Trust Lands Administration collected its own revenue by leasing state lands for energy development, a figure which totaled $63 million. Oil and gas drilling was booming in 2007 but has since tapered off with a decline in energy prices.

(DELTA) – A Delta man was killed Wednesday after he fell off a forklift while moving hay and was run over by a tractor. According to a Millard County Sheriff’s report, at about 2pm, 18-year old, Ty Young, was operating a 13,000-pound forklift, when he apparently fell off and was run over. Sources said Young may have been run over by his brother operating the tractor. Authorities are still investigating the accident.

(SCIPIO) – An 84-year old Scipio man with Alzheimer’s has been missing since Wednesday afternoon. The Millard County Sheriff’s Office says Marden Stone was last seen in Scipio at about 1pm. He’s is described as five-foot, seven-inches tall, weighing 180 pounds and has gray hair and blue eyes. The sheriff’s office says Stone is known to wear cowboy attire and a dusty brown hat. He should be driving a 2007 white Chevy pickup bearing Utah plates 530PBJ. The report also states that Stone has bad knees and would probably not get out of his vehicle. The Millard County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for any information to locate the missing man.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Rocky Mountain Power officials say that most of the power has been restored to 7600 homes hit by outages Wednesday night due to windstorms. RMP Spokesman, David Eskelsen, says that less than 200 customers throughout Utah remained without power as of 7:00 this morning. He said power should be restored by this morning. The outages ran virtually from the north edge of Utah to as far south as Gunnison and Mt. Pleasant.

(MANTI) – Windstorms Wednesday night knocked out power to thousands of Rocky Mountain Power customers, including Sanpete County. RMP Spokesman, David Eskelsen, said about 7,000 homes in Salt Lake, Davis County and parts of Mapleton lost power when windstorms toppled trees into power lines and started several fires. Several homes in Sanpete County also lost power. Eskelsen said in some locations, trees knocked into power and cable lines or were pushed over to start fires, including a Midvale home where the power line started a grass fire, leading to a garage fire with damage estimated at $10,000. RMP was still bringing power back to homes late into the night Wednesday. Eskelsen said they couldn’t yet estimate the cost of damages.

(PANGUITCH) – Travelers from Bountiful escaped injury on SR-89 near Panguitch Tuesday afternoon when their SUV towing a boat rolled. According to a UHP report, 17-year old, Parker Marsden, was driving a 2006 Toyota 4-Runner about 11 miles north of Panguitch and drifted off the right shoulder of the highway at about 5:40pm, hit a delineator post, overcorrected and rolled on his side. The report said Marsden was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured. His passengers, 21-year old, William Marsden and 16-year old, Kevin Hill, both of Bountiful, were also wearing seatbelts and not injured. The travelers were not taken to the hospital. Troopers said the vehicle was towing a boat which became separated from the SUV and remained upright.

(LAYTON)—Kids in Layton will soon be able to shut down their video gaming devices and go play video games at the park. Later this month, the first interactive, electronic playground west of the Mississippi is slated to open in Layton. The games include an electronic version of “Capture the Flag,” and a maze where the user must carefully balance to get a dot of light into the right space on a screen. The electronic playground equipment, designed by Denmark-based Kompan is designed to withstand hard playing and extreme weather conditions.

(SUMMIT COUNTY)—A semi truck driver encountered a golden eagle Tuesday when it flew into the path of its truck after which the eagle died after going through its windshield. The incident occurred on westbound I-80 in Echo Canyon, while Utah Highway Patrol trooper Cameron Roden said the driver did a good job controlling the semi, considering the circumstances. The Division of Wildlife Resources stated the bird is in good condition.

(LOGAN)—The criminal case surrounding the death of a Utah State fraternity pledge last November has been brought to a close. Tuesday, prosecutors dropped hazing charges against the four remaining defendants in the case, saying it would be difficult to prove the case. In all, 12 Utah State students were charged in connection with the death of Michael Starks from alcohol poisoning. All were charged with hazing, but no charges stuck. In the end, five were convicted of purchasing and providing liquor, while hiding evidence. The sorority and fraternity chapters at the university involved in the incident, were closed.

(WASHINGTON)—Wednesday, A federal appeals court blocked road construction in more than 50 million acres of pristine national forests. The decision came from a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstates a 2001 rule put in place by President Bill Clinton just before leaving office, prohibiting commercial logging, mining and other development on 58.5 million acres of national forest in 38 states and Puerto Rico. A subsequent Bush administration rule cleared the way for more commercial activity in national forests. The latest ruling, issued in San Francisco, sides with several Western states and environmental groups sued the Forest Service after it reversed the so-called “Roadless Rule” in 2005. As for now, the Obama administration has ordered a one-year moratorium on most road building in national forests. A spokeswoman for Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Vilsack could still approve roads in remote forests, if necessary, to protect public safety or forest health.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Lieutenant Governor Gary Herbert has tasked a state water panel with investigating who is responsible for bringing Utah’s archaic canal systems into the modern era. Tuesday, Herbert called it a “wakeup call,” when a mudslide killed a mother and her two children last month in Logan. Herbert has asked Utah’s Executive Water Task Force to identify the state’s role in canal oversight and operation and to locate high-hazard canals. Herbert is expected to become Utah’s governor as soon as this month once Governor Huntsman is confirmed as the U.S. ambassador to China. Herbert says he knows finding solutions will be difficult but stated it’s an important and urgent task.

(BLACKFOOT, Idaho)—A Utah man has pleaded guilty to videotaping a woman in her eastern Idaho home without her mission. Grantsville resident, 33-year old Real Ashley Post pleaded guilty this week to one count of felony video voyeurism in Idaho’s 7th District Court. Post was charged in the case in June. Post, a one-time resident of Butte County, Idaho, faces up to five years in prison and fines of $50,000 when he appears for sentencing October 5. Judge Darren Simpson also ordered Post to undergo a psychosexual evaluation before the sentencing. Defense attorney Ron Bird says Post pleaded guilty as part of an agreement that includes a recommendation he be placed on probation.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Officials at the University of Utah say they collected more than $350 million in research funds for the 2009 fiscal year, which they claim is a record and a 16 percent jump over last year. The tally, which includes money collected through June 30, 2009, will help pay for scientific, engineering and medical research at the university. Of the $354 million, only about $1.5 million came from the federal stimulus package. School officials say the increase in funding came from several other sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and grants from industries, associations and foundations. Tom Parks, the university’s vice president for research, reported the income boost came during the most competitive period of the last 25 years.

(RICHFIELD) – The Sevier County Fair officially opened today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that was held at noon at the new outdoor stage area. Commissioner Gary Mason, in an emotional address to attendees, said the new look was a long time coming. Mason said that he, along with many officials, have been coming to the fair every since they were young and have been involved in livestock shows and many other activities. He invited everyone to come out and see the new facilities for livestock and exhibits, outdoor staging area, the arena and the new concession building. Mason thanked many involved in the construction to improve the fairgrounds.

(RICHFIELD) – The Sevier School District is getting ready for the start of school with the hiring of new bus drivers. On August 3rd and 4th, drivers for the Sevier and Garfield School Districts were trained by Bonnie Peterson from the Sevier School District for their new duties. Drivers included Chanley Olcott, LaVon Curtis, Dennis Prisbrey and Wayne Oldroyd from the Sevier School District and Bruce Dalton and Kay Mar Willis from the Garfield School District. The training took place in the Samuel D. Ware Support Services Complex in Richfield. School starts August 19 in both the Garfield and Sevier School Districts.

(ANNABELLA) – The Annabella Town Council has announced that their regularly scheduled meeting this month has been cancelled. The meeting was to be held on August 13. The next regularly scheduled town council meeting will be held Sept. 10 at 6pm at the Annabella Community Center at 295 East 300 North in Annabella. The public is invited to attend the meeting.

(RICHFIELD) – The grasshopper infestation in Sevier County continues to be an ongoing problem for farmers and ranchers. According to the Utah Crop Progress and Condition Report, most of Sevier County has not seen a decrease in the infestation since last year. The report also said that Wayne County officials say that half of the summer ranges could use some rain, grass is dry and livestock and wildlife are moving, looking for better forage. Emery County reports cattle and sheep are doing very well on the mountain ranges but ranges are still dry. The report also shows that Iron County is experiencing some of the best range conditions in years due to monsoon rains but daily thundershowers have damaged a large part of second crop hay.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Bob Bennett is opposed to the current push in Congress to reform health care in the country. He says the talk in Washington is more government control and more consumer payouts. Bennett said he sponsored a bill with Sen. Wyden of Oregon that gives consumers and patients more freedom in their health care coverage. He said his Healthy Americans Act gives people more portability, affordability and quality in their health care package. Bennett wants Congress to slow down and discuss more options rather than rush towards health care reform.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County Commissioners have awarded the low bid for the construction of the new Salina Emergency Medical Services Project. At the county commission meeting on Monday, commissioners accepted Busk, Inc. of Richfield as the low bidder of the project in the amount of $355,812. County Clerk Steve Wall said commissioners approved $200,000 of county money to go towards the project along with $200,000 in a Community Impact Board loan. The county’s portion is a lease revenue bond to finance the costs of construction, improvements and related transactions.

(CALDWELL, ID.) – A Mt. Pleasant man was killed in a plane crash over the weekend near the Caldwell, ID. airport. Canyon County officials released the name of 35-year old, Justin Walker as the man who was fatally injured when his plane hit power lines Saturday as he tried to return to the airport. FAA reports say the plane caught fire on impact and continue to investigate Saturday’s crash. Walker is originally from Nampa, ID.

(Manti) A trailer was stolen in Manti late Saturday night or early Sunday morning along with camping supplies belonging to the young women of the Manti Second Ward of the LDS Church. According to a police report, the girls had returned from camp earlier in the day and removed the contents of the trailer onto the lawn in front of Dave and Kerrie Steven’s home so that the girls could claim their gear. The trailer was left open overnight and there were still camping supplies on the lawn that had not been picked up. The theives took the gear off of the lawn and put it back into the trailer before towing the trailer away. The Sheriff’s Department is asking for the publics help in finding the trailer. It is described as a white enclosed trailer with a metal rack on top, and damage to the front-left side and a missing fender on the right side. If the trailer is found, or if you have information about the theft you are asked to contact the Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office.

(Manti) UDOT Road Crews will begin chip sealing a portion of Highway 89 from about 500 North Main in Manti, north to about Keller Lane. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction with delays of up to fifteen minutes. Speed will also be reduced in construction areas. Road crews will also continue work between Moroni and Ephraim, as well as between Axtell and Salina.

(MT. PLEASANT) – Two Chester women were taken to the hospital Friday afternoon when their vehicle rolled on SR-89 south of Mt. Pleasant. According to a UHP report, at about 4:30pm, 75-year old, Betty Nowling was traveling southbound in a 1988 Chrysler Fifth Avenue, when she lost control of her vehicle due to a defective tire. Troopers said Nowling went off the right shoulder of the highway and rolled on her top. She was transported to the Sanpete Valley Hospital with possible injuries. Her passenger, 62-year old, Jeanette Riddle, was also taken to the hospital with possible injuries. Both women were cited for not wearing their seatbelts.

(JOSEPH) – A semi rolled on its side on I-70 east of Joseph Thursday night due to strong cross winds. UHP reports say the driver, 40-year old, Kenneth Furnace, out of Pacomia, CA. was traveling westbound at about 6:40pm in his 1997 Freightliner semi, when strong cross winds blew his semi into the median about a mile east of Joseph and it rolled on its side. Furnace was transported to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield with possible injuries.