Story Archive for 11/23/2009
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Blazers Drill Bulls
Published on November 23, 2009 at 11:22PM
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)—Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points apiece as the Portland Trail Blazers decimated the Chicago Bulls, 122-98 Monday at the Rose Garden in NBA action. Brandon Roy added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Portland, who shot 58 percent from the field for the game. Additionally, the Trail Blazers scored at least 30 points in three quarters en route to their highest point total of the season. Luol Deng had 25 points in the loss for the Bulls. In other NBA action Monday, Memphis gashed Sacramento, 116-105, San Antonio humbled Milwaukee, 112-98 and the Los Angeles Clippers held off Minnesota, 91-87.
Titans Win 4th Straight As Texans Stumble
Published on November 23, 2009 at 10:47PM
HOUSTON (AP)—Vince Young amassed 189 all-purpose yards and threw a touchdown pass as the Tennessee Titans won their fourth straight game with a 20-17 win over the Houston Texans Monday at Reliant Stadium in NFL action. The game was hotly contested from the beginning with Houston drawing first blood on a 3-yard scoring pass from Matt Schaub (25 of 39, 305 yards, 2 TD’s) to Steve Slaton for an early 7-0 lead. Nevertheless, the resilient Titans battled back as Young hit rookie Kenny Britt on a 13-yard scoring toss to tie things at 7-7. In the 2nd Quarter, the teams exchanged touchdowns which led to a 14-14 deadlock at halftime. As the second half progressed, the defenses stiffened, turning the game into a duel of field goals. Tennessee’s Rob Bironas made two of them down the stretch, including a 53-yarder in the closing moments to give the Titans a 20-17 lead. Houston swiftly drove into position for Kris Brown to force overtime, but his 49-yard kick sailed wide left as time expired, sending Houston to their second consecutive loss via a Brown miss. Still, each of these teams face stiff tests Sunday as the Texans will host unbeaten Indianapolis, while Tennessee will entertain the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals.
SLC Teens Busted With Molotov Cocktails
Published on November 23, 2009 at 03:27PM
(SALT LAKE CITY)—As reported by KTVX Channel 4’s Marcos Ortiz, five Salt Lake City teenagers have reportedly been busted for having Molotov cocktails in their car. A Salt Lake City police officer spotted a suspicious person near a manhole cover around 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning. According to a spokesman for the SLCPD, the officer also spotted another couple near a fence with a can of gas. Police were summoned and officers found two other teens in a car with Molotov cocktails inside the car. The five suspects, Devon Baucom, Kevin Tucker, Jacob Morrison, Julia Dahdah and Graham Beckstead, are all 18 years old. Earlier this month, police found two Molotov cocktails that had been set on fire and left on the driveway of a Jewish synagogue in Salt Lake City. Police said it’s too early in the investigation to determine if the teens were involved in that episode.
Inmate Found Dead; Cellmate To Face Charges
Published on November 23, 2009 at 03:16PM
(UTAH STATE PRISON)—A Utah State Prison inmate is dead and his cellmate is now facing potential murder charges following a fight at the prison Sunday. Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant, Don Hutson, said 47-year-old Mark Helms was found unresponsive in his cell in the prison’s D-block late Sunday morning. Prison officials unsuccessfully tried resuscitating Helms, while it appears his cellmate, Athian Kuot Mawien used his bare hands to strangle and beat Helms to death. Hutson said Mawien didn’t appear to be hurt and failed to offer any explanation that would justify or validate killing someone else. Hutson said the incident appears to have stemmed from an argument which escalated into a fight. Guards were called to the cell to reports of a disturbance. In 2000, Helms was convicted on two counts of attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child and dealing in harmful material to a minor. In 2004, Mawien was convicted of attempted aggravated sexual assault and forcible sexual abuse. Both men were facing long prison sentences. Mawien has been arrested and moved to the Salt Lake County Jail, where he was booked on a homicide charge.
Trials in Looting Cases To Be Set For Early 2010
Published on November 23, 2009 at 03:13PM
(SALT LAKE CITY)—Trials are expected to be scheduled for nearly two dozen defendants in a major artifacts looting and trafficking case in the Four Corners area for early 2010, a federal magistrate said Monday. U.S. Magistrate Samuel Alba told a roomful of defense attorneys at a Monday status conference they have until January 15 to file any pretrial motions. Another conference is slated for January 20, while Alba said he wants the trial scheduled soon thereafter. There are 26 people from Utah, Colorado and New Mexico who have been indicted as part of a joint operation between the FBI and the Bureau of Land Management.
Thanksgiving Travel Expected To Increase
Published on November 23, 2009 at 03:10PM
(SALT LAKE CITY)—Travel over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is expected to increase slightly throughout the West compared to 2008. AAA Utah says more than 2.5 million travelers in the region will travel 50 or more miles this holiday weekend, an increase of 3 percent. Nationally, AAA expects 38.4 million people will travel 50 or more miles during the 4-day weekend, which represents a 1.4 percent increase compared to last year.
Utah Troopers Plan Seatbelt Blitz
Published on November 23, 2009 at 03:08PM
(SALT LAKE CITY)—The Utah Highway Patrol will conduct a seat-belt enforcement blitz over the Thanksgiving holiday. Troopers say they can cite anyone under 19 for failing to buckle up. Adults may also be ticketed, but only if troopers find another moving offense to cite. Additionally, troopers will be enforcing requirements for special booster seats for all children under 8. The highway patrol will publicize the crackdown plans at a news conference set for Tuesday at the Salt Lake City International Airport.
Agency To Hand Out 3,700 Turkeys To Families
Published on November 23, 2009 at 03:05PM
(SALT LAKE CITY)—The Crossroads Urban Center of Salt Lake City plans to distribute holiday turkeys to needy families throughout Utah this year. The center stated it will give away 3,700 turkeys Wednesday at the Indian Walk-In Center on 1300 South in Salt Lake City from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., or until the turkeys are gone. The turkeys will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Crossroads is a social services agency that operates an emergency food pantry throughout the year.
Elsinore man arrested for evading police
Published on November 23, 2009 at 01:00PM
(MONROE) – An Elsinore man along with an American Fork man were taken to jail after fleeing deputies and abandoning their vehicle in Monroe late Friday night. A sheriff’s report said that 33-year old, Loni Bown of Elsinore and 27-year old, Daniel Ackerman of American Fork, ran from deputies and abandoned their car at the Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe. The report said a box of beer was dumped on the ground and the car was left with the doors open. Bown was found walking from the scene a few blocks away and Ackerman was found at Bown’s residence. Both men were booked into the Sevier County Jail for failure to stop and failure to obey a police officer’s command, among other violations.
Oil association attacks DOI on leases
Published on November 23, 2009 at 11:26AM
(SALT LAKE CITY) – An association representing oil and gas producers asserts the Department of Interior should reinstate leases from a controversial auction last December because the department “second guessed” their own land managers. Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States spokesperson, Kathleen Sgamma, says the DOI thwarted the public process and ignored BLM managers when it yanked 77 oil and gas leases from the auction. She said even after an “aggressive” environmental protection process from the BLM, DOI Secretary, Ken Salazar recommended eight leases for removal and 52 leases for deferral, disregarding scientific evidence and input from Utah stakeholders. Sgamma said if the Secretary is not listening to his own land managers, who is he listening to? The report, released Thursday, is the latest in a series of volleys fired back and forth among environmentalists, the oil and gas industry and the DOI, on the heels of the auction that was marred by protests and the arrest of activist Timothy DeChristopher.
Bennett blasts latest health bill
Published on November 23, 2009 at 10:55AM
(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Bob Bennett has voted against the Senate Democrats health care plan. At a Friday night news conference, Bennett said the opposition went behind closed doors for six weeks, without Republican input, to draft a 2,074 page bill that increases cost and expands government spending by $2.5 trillion over a decade. Bennett said Friday night’s Senate vote was not a vote for reform. He said those who voted to proceed to this bill voted to raise premiums, raise taxes, cut benefits to Medicare and inflate the national debt. Bennett commented that the Democrat’s plan would take $500 billion out of Medicare to pay for it, severely affecting senior citizens. He said he was outraged and discouraged that 60 members of Congress voted to proceed and he’ll work to defeat the bill.
Retired DLD employee dies of heart attack
Published on November 23, 2009 at 08:51AM
(RICHFIELD) – A retired Public Safety employee in Richfield died from an apparent heart attack Saturday night. According to Richfield Police Detective Trent Lloyd, 65-year old Les Draper, left his home at 297 North 500 West Saturday night on a regular bicycle trip and was found at the First Baptist Church in Richfield by a friend Sunday morning at about 8:30. The friend notified authorities who recovered Draper’s body and sent it to the State Medical Examiner’s Office to determine cause of death. Draper worked for the Driver’s License Division in Richfield until his retirement. His funeral is scheduled for this Saturday.
CUPHD plans H1N1 clinics
Published on November 23, 2009 at 07:23AM
(RICHFIELD) – The Central Utah Public Health Department will hold several H1N1 clinics in the six-county area this week. On Tuesday, the clinic will be held at the Richfield Office from 3-6pm and on Dec. 3 at the South Sevier High School from 3-6pm. In Sanpete County, the clinic will be held today at the Gunnison Elementary School from 3-6pm and also in Millard County at the Fair Building in Delta from 2-5pm. CUPHD says a clinic will be held Tuesday at the Pahvant Senior Center in Fillmore from 3-5pm and in Piute, Wayne and Juab Counties, the clinic will be held on an available basis only. Health Information Officer, Mike Carter says CUPHD is out of the seasonal flu vaccine but has scheduled H1N1 clinics only.