(SANTA FE, N.M.)-KOAT-TV, Channel 7 in Albuquerque, N.M. reports Billy the Kid, a notorious Western outlaw through much of the 1800s will not be pardoned, according to a statement made by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

The prospect of a pardon for the notorious historical figure drew international attention to the Land of Enchantment, centering on whether or not Billy the Kid had been promised a pardon from New Mexico’s territorial governor 130 years ago.

The proposed pardon was hoped to cover the 1878 killing of Lincoln County (N.M) Sheriff William Brady while Billy the Kid was shot to death by Sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881, a few months after his escape from jail.

Richardson, a former U.N. ambassador and Democratic presidential candidate waited until the last minute to make his decision while his term officially ends at midnight.

Historical records concerning Billy the Kid’s alleged pardon are unclear while in August, Richardson’s staff members told him there are no written documents implying a pardon to the territorial governor, General Lew Wallace, who among other things, is known for writing the beloved novel, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, and being a Civil War hero.

Richardson’s office received 809 e-mails in a survey that ended Sunday, which found 430 favored a pardon and 379 opposed the measure.

Richardson says Billy the Kid is part of New Mexico’s storied history and has long been interested in the case while also citing the “good publicity” the state has received from his presence in state annals.

The common notion among New Mexicans is the dignified Wallace tricked Billy the Kid into testifying while citing the lack of evidence in saying he wasn’t cleared as Wallace reportedly once told the Las Vegas (N.M.) Gazette, he had no intention of granting the outlaw clemency.

(ST. GEORGE)-The Dixie/Arizona Strip Interpretive Association, the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service co-sponsored Brown Bag lecture series will reconvene in 2011 at 12:00 p.m. each Friday at the BLM Interagency Information Center, 345 E. Riverside Drive, St. George.

Admission is free, but space is limited and here is a list of lectures for the month of January.

Friday January 7, Southern Paiute, a Portrait with author Logan Hebner and photographer Michael Plyler

Friday January 14, The Geology of White Pocket with geologist Marc Deshowitz

Friday January 21, A New Day For the Condor, with condor specialist Mike Small

Thursday-Saturday, January 27-30, the St. George Bird Festival at the St. George City Tonaquint Nature Center, adjacent to the Dixie Center on Dixie Drive.

For more information, please visit www.redcliffsaudubon.org.

(STERLING) – Sanpete County detectives are asking for the public’s help in apprehending thieves who broke into the Denton Oil gas station in Sterling early this morning. Det. Cole Young said the burglars gained access into the building by breaking out a window on the west side of the business. Young said the area in which the robbers entered had no video surveillance camera installed but investigators continue to look at other evidence. Officials said that alcohol was the only product taken and suspect that the thieves are from the local Sterling, Manti or Gunnison area. A Denton Oil employee discovered the break-in this morning when he opened the store for business at 6am and called police.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah Senate leaders are seeking to pull together parts of several immigration bills into a so-called ominous bill which would avoid a legislative logjam that could chew up weeks of the six-week session.

However, one of the casualties could be Orem Representative Stephen Sandstrom’s bill, which is patterned after Arizona’s SB1070.

Thursday, Senate President Michael Waddoups of Taylorsville said it was probably a “fair characterization” to say Sandstrom’s bill, in its current form, would not win House approval.

As recently as two weeks ago, Sandstrom said he was primarily finished with making changes to his legislation, while he was unavailable for comment Thursday.

Representative Chris Herrod of Provo, a supporter of Sandstrom’s bill said he was surprised at Waddoups’ comments.

Lawmakers on both sides of the issue have carefully maneuvered the past few weeks in anticipation of a significant hearing on the matter which will occur when the Legislature reconvenes January 24.

One plan that has received traction of late involves Republican Senator Curtis Bramble of Provo to sponsor an encompassing bill which tackles enforcement, education, employers and guest-work possibilities.

Bramble, who has met with Salt Lake City Democrat Luz Robles, said he hasn’t been formally asked to carry any encompassing bill forward.

Consolidation, or outright dropping of bills is at work in both chambers as Republican Johnny Anderson of Taylorsville recently dropped his immigration bill and has decided to support a workers’ permit bill by Representative Bill Wright of Holden which is still in its formative stages.

Herrod said he would consider consolidating his employers-sanction bill but has not yet been asked to do so while wondering if coupling certain bills was even feasible.

(MT. PLEASANT) – The new rodeo arena located at the south end of Mt. Pleasant is getting ready to host more rodeos, concerts, races and equestrian tours. The former chairman of Arapeen Community Advisors, Steve Clark, who oversaw construction of the ConToy Arena, says big events are going on right now at the arena. Clark said one of the biggest draws to the arena is the well-attended Cowboy Expo and Bull-Riding Blowout that will be held Aug. 14, 2011. He said more top cowboys are participating in the newly formed Western States Bucking Bull Association. Clark said the next major hurdle will be building more horse stalls. The ConToy Arena management has been turned over to the Mt. Pleasant Rodeo Commission, headed by councilman, Reed Thomas, who has raised cattle for decades. Mt Pleasant City donated 100 acres of land in its industrial park for the arena and the future heritage park and was completed with a $125,000 donation from the ConToy Family Memorial Trust, established by former Sanpete residents, Connie and Toy Hansen before they passed away.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-As the Mormon Tabernacle Choir continues to retain its lofty status in the classical music genre, they are successfully venturing into popularity in other formats.

Currently, the musicians, all of which are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in good standing, are effectively tapping into a new market for classical music by performing with popular musicians, Brigham Young University music professor Michael Hicks said.

Deseret Book director of music and film, Bob Ahlander, said performing with popular artists, such as David Archuleta and Natalie Cole, has attracted attention to the choir and helped generate variety in its releases.

Meanwhile, the choir continues to attract an audience due to its tradition, such as the weekly Music and the Spoken Word broadcast, an element of media that Hicks says makes the choir especially appealing.

(LOGAN)-Utah State University is creating a new position for someone to oversee the school’s research operations and 130 graduate programs.

The Logan Herald-Journal reports this new post will combine jobs currently held by the vice president for research and the current dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

Byron Burnham, the Vice Provost and Dean for Graduate Studies is retiring while Vice President of Research Brent Miller will start a sabbatical.

The new official would directly report to USU President Stan Albrecht as of July while the school is currently conducting a national search to fill the job.

(CHARLESTON, W.VA.) – The U.S. coal industry says 2010 was the deadliest year in nearly two decades in coal miner deaths. Industry reports say that as of Thursday, 48 miners died in the nation’s 1500 coal mines over the past 12 months, including 29 who were killed April 5 in a blast at Massey Energy Co’s Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. The death toll was the highest since 55 were killed in 1992, according to the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration officials and much higher than 18 killed 2009. MSHA declined to address the 2010 death toll until the year is done. Officials said many of the 2010 deaths were caused by gas explosions, moving equipment and other factors long thought to be under the industry’s control. MSHA launched a safety initiative earlier this month, called, “Watch Out”, to target injuries and deaths caused by moving equipment.

MANTI, Utah (AP)-Eric Mika had 20 points and Seth Monson added 17 more as the Waterford Ravens edged the Manti Templars, 45-43 Thursday in non-region boys basketball action. Jamen Miller had nine points in defeat for Manti.

HURRICANE, Utah (AP)-Taylor Parker’s 14 points led the way for the Hurricane Tigers in a 68-42 win over the Delta Rabbits in non-region boys basketball action Thursday. Kyle Church had 10 points in defeat for Delta.

BEAVER, Utah (AP)-Lance Maxwell’s 23 points led the way for the Valley Buffaloes as they bested Beaver, 47-37 Thursday in non-region boys basketball action. Dallon Blackner and Tyler Roberts had seven points apiece in the loss for the Beavers.

KANAB, Utah (AP)-Brandon Jenson and John Terrel had 18 points apiece and the Kanab Cowboys edged the Millard Eagles, 58-56 Thursday at the Cowboy Classic. Jesse Rhodes amassed 22 points for Millard while Joel Swallow stepped up with 18 more for the Eagles.

KANAB, Utah (AP)-Race Parsons posted 26 points while Kaden King and Brandon Winn combined for 33 more points as the South Sevier Rams stymied the North Sevier Wolves, 72-49 at the Cowboy Classic Thursday. Colton Piep’s 24 points paced the Wolves in the loss.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)-Eric Peterson had 22 points and the Richfield Wildcats humbled the Uintah Utes, 54-50 Thursday at the Hodson Classic.

BICKNELL, Utah (AP)-Jason Larsen had 12 points and 10 boards while Zach Taylor had 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Wayne Badgers decimated the Escalante Moquis, 62-13 in Region 20 boys basketball action Thursday. Wyatt Lindsey had six points in the loss for Escalante.

SALINA, Utah (AP)-Kandice Gleave led all scorers with 26 points as the Piute Lady Thunderbirds pummeled the North Sevier Lady Wolves, 63-51 Thursday in non-region girls basketball action. Kelsey Barney had 16 points in defeat for North Sevier.

PANGUITCH, Utah (AP)-Abby Barrett had 11 points and the Panguitch Lady Bobcats got past the South Sevier Lady Rams, 45-41 in non-region girls basketball action Thursday. Kayla King had 12 points in defeat for South Sevier.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)-Kiz Farrer had 20 points and the Juab Lady Wasps ousted Lincoln County (Nev.), 47-37 Thursday at the Hodson Classic.

(ST. GEORGE)-Intermountain Life Flight will begin providing helicopter service for medical transport in southern Utah as of January 14.

Life Flight, which as served the St. George area for 20 years, will help patients in remote areas of southern Utah receive critical care services more swiftly.

There will be several life fight grand landings throughout southern Utah at the following locations:

Wednesday January 5, 11:00 a.m., Garfield Memorial Hospital, 200 N. 400 East, Panguitch

Wednesday January 5, 2:00 p.m., Valley View Medical Center, 1303 N. Main, Cedar City

Thursday January 6, 2:00 p.m., Kane County Hospital, 355 N. Main, Kanab

Monday January 10, 2:00 p.m., Beaver Valley Hospital, 1109 N. 100 West, Beaver

Tuesday January 11, 11:00 a.m., Mesa View Regional Hospital, 1299 Bertha Howe Avenue, Mesquite, Nev.

Wednesday January 12, 2:45 p.m., new municipal airport, St. George

The public is invited to attend, meet the Life Flight crew and enjoy refreshments.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The number of people applying for unemployment benefits nationally dropped to its lowest point in nearly two and a half years, a sign the job market is improving.

Nevertheless, in Utah, things are not as propitious as new claims in the state show that last week, unemployment benefits increased to 3,132, an increase of 67 from the past week.

This marked the fourth time in the past six weeks initial benefit claims topped 3,000, a level that was only surpassed once between mid-April and mid-November.

For the year, records at the Utah Department of Workforce Services show 138,983 Utahns filed new claims for employment, a weekly average of 2,673.

Nationally, applicants dropped to 388,000, a decrease of 34,000, the fewest since July 2008, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

In five of the past six weeks, the national number of applications has either fallen or remained unchanged.

Utah unemployment benefits peaked at 5,205 in January 2009 and hit a post-recession low of 1,833 in mid-September 2010.

Most economists expect the December jobs report will show larger job gains overall while the report is slated to come out a week from Friday, January 7.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has accused the University of Utah for violating state open-records concerning their withholding on how dogs, cats, monkeys and other animals are used in biomedical research laboratories at the university.

Norfolk, Va.-based PETA filed a lawsuit in 3rd District Court last week in which they contend the U of U delayed release of records on its animal experiments, their funding sources and other information for almost a year, while handing over heavily censored documents without explaining why certain portions were missing.

PETA is suing the university, school president Michael K. Young and records officer Gregory Thompson, under the state Government Records Access and Management Act, or GRAMA, in hopes of forcing them to release withheld information and refund part of the $2,420 in fees charged by the U. to compile the records.

In a January 27 response to PETA’s initial request, university lawyers noted there would be redactions to the documents it sought, based on sections of GRAMA intended to prevent release of information which could endanger employees at the U. and facilities while also seeking to protect sensitive data on proprietary research protocols and intellectual property.

PETA first sought the records in November 2009 after it publicized findings from a PETA infiltrator who worked as a lab assistant at the U. for nine months.

The infiltrator in question obtained extensive written and video evidence which PETA claims shows mistreatment and mishandling of a wide array of animals.

This expose led to an extensive review of facilities at the university and practice by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institute of Health.

The agencies eventually noted minor violations of federal animal-welfare laws, including the overcrowding of caged mice, and other incidents.

PETA recently won a related open-records case filed last January against Davis County when county officials refused to release records of dogs and cats sold to the U. by the Davis County animal shelter.

Last week, a judge ordered Davis County to hand over intake forms and transfer records on roughly 100 animals, as well as to pay more than $17,000 in legal fees.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Although Utah Governor Gary Herbert has not yet been inaugurated, he is still seeking money to fund his next election campaign.

A fundraising dinner following Herbert’s inauguration Monday is expected to not only cover the costs of the event, but boost his political action committee coffers as well.

Governors, who are prohibited by law from raising money during the legislative session and immediately thereafter, typically rely on annual galas throughout their four-year terms to raise campaign cash.

However, Herbert is in a unique position as he filled in for the remainder of Jon Huntsman’s term in August 2009, when President Barack Obama commissioned Huntsman to be U.S. Ambassador to China.

Due to a recent change to the state constitution, Herbert was required to immediately launch a run for the remaining two years of Huntsman’s term.

His next election, in November 2012, will occur in less than two years.

Kirk Jowers, the head of the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics and one of Herbert’s advisors, says the shortened term means Herbert has less time to amass the necessary funds than other governors would.

Luckily for Herbert, since 28 of Utah’s 29 counties voted for him unanimously, Herbert’s campaign manager Joseph Demma says this is a sign that Utahns are not displeased with the governor’s activities, fundraising or otherwise.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-After experiencing significant backlash concerning his bill which would allow people to sponsor failing students in Utah in exchange for a tax write-off, Herriman Representative Carl Wimmer has retreated in his plans.

Tuesday morning, Wimmer posted his ideas on Facebook and Twitter, which sparked a heated debate on the popular social networking sites.

Some compared his plans to the 2007 idea of school vouchers, a comparison Wimmer tried to avoid.

Wimmer said instead of running the bill this session, he’d like to use social media to generate more ideas and discussion.

(DRAPER)-Employees of famed shopping Web site, www.overstock.com, raised more than 11,000 pounds of food and $15,000 for the Utah Food Bank this holiday season.

Overstock.com, which participates in fundraising in the state every year, was able to shatter all of their previous attainments.

Employees got off to a slow start this time around, but picked up speed after several other contributors stepped up, offering to shave their heads if they could reach the $5,000 plateau.

Within 24 hours, the benchmark was reached.

The Cottonwood Heights-based company has 1,500 employees in four locations throughout Utah.

(MOAB) – A Moab man who allegedly stabbed a Denver man to death outside a Denny’s restaurant this month has been ordered to stand trial. 7th District Court records show that 34-year old Andrew Curtis was charged in the murder of 32-year old William Tague shortly before 5am on Dec. 12 at the restaurant, located on SR-191 in Moab. Moab police said officers responded to a stolen car report at a home about three hours later and apprehended Curtis. Department of Corrections records show Curtis had been released on parole on March 16 after serving an eight-year term at the Utah State Prison for convictions including burglary, theft of a firearm, assault by a prisoner and aggravated assault. Curtis will be returned to prison for parole violations while awaiting his May murder trial.

KANAB, Utah (AP)-Kaden King and Brandon Winn had 19 points apiece and the South Sevier Rams crushed the Millard Eagles, 74-44 Wednesday at the Cowboy Classic. Joel Swallow had 25 points and Jesse Rhodes added 17 more in the loss for Millard.

KANAB, Utah (AP)-Austin Clark had 21 points and Colton Piep added 13 more as the North Sevier Wolves got past the Kanab Cowboys, 65-47 at the Cowboy Classic Wednesday. John Terrel had 14 points in the loss for Kanab.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)-Chad Corry had 14 points and the Canyon View Falcons tripped up the Richfield Wildcats, 52-46 at the Hodson Classic Wednesday. Robert Torgerson had 21 points in the loss for the Wildcats.

KAMAS, Utah (AP)-Brooke Rhodes had 13 points and Krystyn Stevens added 12 more as the Millard Lady Eagles waxed the South Summit Lady Wildcats, 43-31 Wednesday in non-region girls basketball action.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)-Kiz Farrer amassed 18 points and Tessa Bradford stepped up with 14 more as the Juab Lady Wasps edged the Cedar Lady Reds, 43-40 at the Hodson Classic Wednesday.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-A Utah lawmaker wants cash-strapped school districts to be able to sell advertising on school buses.

Utah has the nation’s largest class sizes and yet spends less per student than any other state in the union.

Representative Jim Bird of West Jordan is sponsoring a bill which would permit school boards to raise money by selling ad space on the exterior of buses.

Bird’s bill would disallow the sale of ads for any products illegal for minors, such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or sexual or gambling material.

A similar effort failed last year when advertising companies complained about having to compete with school districts for sales.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Power provider PacifiCorp of Portland, Ore. has asked Utah’s Public Service Commission to approve its plan to build a new natural gas power plant in northern Utah.

The plant would be built adjacent to an existing plant in Vineyard, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City.

Project plans are calling for two natural gas-combined combustion turbines and generators while a steam turbine generator would produce electricity from the exhaust heat of the combustion turbines.

The plant is expected to generate about 637 megawatts, or enough electricity to power 326,000 homes.

In a news release, PacifiCorp says it hopes to have the project approved by April and have the plant operating by 2014.

PacifiCorp is known as Rocky Mountain Power in Utah and Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington and northern California.

(SAN ANGELO, TX.) – Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs has pled “not guilty” on sexual assault charges in a West Texas courtroom today. Court records stated that Jeffs stood mute during an arraignment on bigamy and sexual assault charges as prosecutors read charges that he had sex with a girl younger than 17. The 55-year old ecclesiastical head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was ordered to stand and he simply glanced down as charges were read alleging sex with a girl younger than 15 and bigamy. Jeffs is scheduled to stand trial on the charges on Jan. 24. Separate trials on other charges will come later. He said during the pre-trial hearing that he intends to hire a Texas attorney but has yet to formally do so.

(SALINA) – A Colorado man was arrested Tuesday afternoon on I-70 after a police chase that reached speeds of up to 170 miles per hour. According to Salina Police, 44-year old Saule Pilati of Snow Mass, CO., had just finished lunch at Mom’s Café in Salina and headed out towards I-70 at a high rate of speed at about 4:15pm. A police officer noticed Pilati’s 2003 black Audi had tinted windows and gave chase. The report said that Pilati turned east on I-70 and reached speeds of between 150 and 170 miles per hour. The police cruiser could only reach a speed of 145 miles per hour and the V-8 Twin Turbo SR-6 was out of sight. Police reports said that Pilati took the Gooseberry exit from I-70 and headed towards the campground. UHP and Sevier County deputies searched for Pilati until a deputy spotted the vehicle and arrested him without incident. Pilati was taken to the Sevier County Jail and charged with evading police, speeding, license suspension, improper plates and tinted windows. Pilati had no criminal record and admitted he was traveling too fast.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The Utah Public Service Commission issued four interim orders today that will lower natural gas rates for Questar customers. PSC says the rate will be lowered by $2.24 annually and will become effective Jan. 1, 2011.

(MOAB) – A Moab park ranger shot several times in November continues to improve but can’t remember details about the incident. Grand County Sheriff Jim Nyland said that 34-year old Brody Young recently shared some details for the first time last week concerning the shootout that left him critically wounded. Young said he remembers being shot in the back several times and was able to return fire but other details escape him. Hospital personnel said they have removed feeding and tracheal tubes from Young and that doctors advised law enforcement to question him now, rather than later, due to a new regimen of drugs administrated to him to help him deal with anxiety. Nyland said that Young has difficulty sleeping because of the traumatic event, when on Nov. 17, was involved in a shootout with suspect, 40-year old Lance Arellano. Police continue to look for the shooter but have no new leads in spite of a $30,000 reward that may lead to his whereabouts.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County Commissioners have approved the selection of a judge to fill a temporary position as a county judge. At the County Commission meeting last week, Commissioners approved Judge Les Scott of Salina as a temporary judge to fill the position of Judge Kent Nielsen during times when Judge Nielsen can’t preside due to conflicts of interest, vacations or illness. Also at the meeting, Commissioners reviewed and approved the 2011 Travel Council Board. Commissioner Gordon Topham commented that in the future, he would like to include more restaurant and hotel owners as members of the board because they pay more taxes on recreation events.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-A bill being drafted for the upcoming legislative session would allow a private citizen or organization to donate money to a failing student for a tax deduction.

Some say this proposal appears similar to a voucher bill that passed in 2007, but was then repealed by voters.

However, the bill’s sponsor, Herriman Republican Carl Wimmer, says the new bill is nothing like the old one.

Under the bill currently being drafted, the failing student could then use the money to go to a private school, while Wimmer calls the proposal a scholarship, while the tax deduction would be similar to deductions taken for charitable or religious contributions.

Wimmer says the big difference between the two bills is the money would never be in the state’s hands and would go directly from a private citizen or organization to a struggling student in hopes of increasing the student’s chances of success.

(Manti) The Sanpete Fire District will soon be adding some new trucks to its fleet. According to Sanpete County Commissioner Claudia Jarrett, district officials applied to the Community Impact Board for a grant to match funds that they have raised over the past two years to purchase new trucks. The six hundred thousand dollar grant was recently approved and according to Jarrett, the trucks will soon be placed on order. Jarrett commented that with an all volunteer firefighting force in the county, it is important to have adequate vehicles when fires do break out. The new trucks will service Fairview, Spring City, and Wales.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Monday, Utah Governor Gary Herbert announced his spokeswoman, Angie Welling, will step down in mid-January.

Welling said she has accepted the newly-created position of director of public relations at Love Communications, a Salt Lake City-based advertising agency.

Herbert praised Welling’s efforts to assist him during his first 18 months in office.

Welling says that despite feeling sad about leaving this job, she is looking forward to new experiences.

Before serving as Herbert’s spokeswoman, Welling served at the public information office for the Utah Corrections Department as well as a Deseret News reporter for eight years.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County Sheriff’s deputies were able to avert an attempted suicide at the water tanks west of Richfield just before Christmas day. According to a sheriff’s report, deputies were dispatched to the area on Dec. 23 and arrested 28-year old Ty Barker of Richfield for intoxication and open container. The report said Barker was found by his wife as he was sitting in his vehicle behind the water tank with a hose running from his exhaust into the passenger compartment. Deputies said when Barker’s wife called police, he ran up the mountain side and was arrested when he came down. The sheriff’s office reported several family fights and disputes over the holiday weekend.

(CEDAR CITY) – A winter storm moving through southern Utah has caused the closures of two state roads. The Utah Department of Transportation says SR-14, straddling Iron and Kane Counties, is closed along a 35-mile stretch of Long Valley and SR-143 from Brian Head to Mammoth Creek, is also closed. UDOT says the storm has pummeled the region, causing the roads to be closed at least until Wednesday morning. Heavy snowfall and high winds were cited in both closures. Motorists are advised to used alternate routes.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County Commissioners held a budget hearing last week for the 2011 budget and opened the 2010 budget for funding changes. Commissioner Gordon Topham commented that county staffers received no salary increase in 2009 but due to a boost in royalties from the State Institutional Trust Lands Administration, the county gained about $1 million. Topham said that provided a bump of $.25 per hour for all county employees and additional raises on a percentage basis. Commissioners also approved income increases according to rank in the Sheriff’s Department. Representatives from the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands approached Commissioners on their budget of $48,864. County Commissioners approved the wildland fire budget and amended the current 2010 budget to include about $120,000 for capital improvement funds and a digital TV installation. Commissioners ended the meeting by approving the 2011 budget of nearly $12.7 million.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Bob Bennett bid his Senate colleagues farewell last week before the Christmas break. In a news interview, Bennett said his 18 years in the Senate taught him that that there’s a wide difference of opinion between the Republicans and Democrats in Congress, including Democrats’ position on the government’s control on American life. Bennett said working with Democrats depended on who you were talking to. The Senator commented that life after the Senate will include participating in a lecture series with the Hinckley Institute of Politics on the University of Utah campus, a consultant with various government and business lobbying groups and joining a law firm.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Utah System of Higher Education has seen the future and deems a change to be necessary in terms of collegians graduating in a timely manner.

A recent study from Georgetown University shows a huge gap between where Utah is and where it needs to be, a chasm that motivated the Utah State Board of Regents to create what they call the “Big Goal.”

The Georgetown study, entitled “Help Wanted: Projection of Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018,” estimates that by 2018, new jobs in the state requiring postsecondary education and training will increase by 202,000.

However, jobs for high school graduates and dropouts will increase by only 97,000 while 66 percent of all Utah jobs, about 1 million jobs total, will need employees with a higher degree education or certificate.

The Utah State Board of Regents snapped into action with the 2010 Report of the HigherEdUtah2020strategicplan, while setting its “Big Goal,” while Georgetown personnel say Utah needs 66 percent of its workers to have a postsecondary degree or certificate by 2018 so officials realize the vast strides that must be made.

The 2010 Report discovered only 49 percent of first-time, full-time freshmen will have a bachelor’s degree within six years while only 40 percent of first-time, full-time students seeking an associate degree will finish within three years.

Nationally, according to ACT college-retention figures used in the 2010 report, the first-to-second year retention rate is 64 percent for two-year colleges and 63 percent for four-year colleges.

The report says retention efforts are three to five times more cost-effective than recruiting new students while the 2010 report lists reasons which may be causing students to fall short of expectations.

To put things succinctly, however, the Utah System of Higher Education’s associate commissioner for economic development Cameron Martin says completion rates must approve and we’ll go from there.

(CEDAR CITY)-The Southwest Utah Public Health Department reports the state has dropped five spots, to seventh place in an annual ranking of the country’s healthiest states.

The department’s public health chief, Dr. David Blodgett, told the St. George Spectrum the obesity rate in Utah has crept up to 20 percent in 2006 to 24 percent currently according to a report released Monday.

This is still below the national average of 26.9 percent, while Utah ranked best in the nation in smoking and binge drinking categories according to 2010 Health Rankings released by the United Health Care Foundation.

The study explores 30 health categories overall while in another important attainment, Utah placed second in adult population engaging in physical activity, at 82.3 percent.

(ST. GEORGE)-Dixie State College is hoping to expand court offerings to add two new four-year programs, the St. George Spectrum reported.

The paper reported the school plans to add math and math education degrees.

The Utah Board of Regents is expected to vote on this degree proposal in January while a program review subcommittee has already endorsed the proposal.

The new programs would give DSC a total of 21 four-year degree program choices for students while also assisting the school in its progress toward university status.

Executive Vice President of Academic Services Donna Dillingham-Evans says the college has seen significant growth since 2000, when the school only offered two four-year degree programs.

(ST. GEORGE)-Washington County School District officials say they’ve seen a 30 percent drop in the number of students in need of assistance in learning English as a second language.

The St. George Spectrum reports the need for ESL services grew rapidly over the past decade while district records depicted the need peaked with 2,424 such students in 2008.

However, in the interim, those numbers have dropped.

District ESL coordinator Randy Richardson says an after-school reading program, combined with computers and teacher training, has quickly moved about 400 students out of ESL programs annually.

Nevertheless, officials also say a dearth of jobs across the region may have affected the number of children enrolled in the program as well.

(NEPHI) – The daughter of a Lynndyl woman killed in a crash on SR-132 nearly two weeks ago, has died. Utah Highway Patrol reported that 21-year old Emily Dutson was critically injured in the crash that killed her mother, 49-year old Mary Sue Dutson, as the two traveled westbound on the highway, heading towards Nephi. UHP said Dutson lost control of her Buick LeSabre on snowy roads and spun into eastbound lanes of SR-132, where a Chevy Silverado broadsided her car. The crash killed Mary Sue almost immediately and Emily was taken to the Central Valley Medical Center in Nephi in critical condition. UHP said Emily died from her injuries on Thursday. The driver and passenger of the Silverado sustained only minor injuries.

(KINGMAN, Ariz.)-KVOA-TV, Channel 4 in Tucson, Ariz. reports the Arizona Department of Public Safety says two people are dead after a two vehicle hit-and-run crash on westbound Interstate 40 between Kingman, Ariz. and Seligman, Ariz. in northwest Arizona.

The interstate has been closed at westbound milepost 94.9 in Seligman.

ADPS says the crash occurred around 9:00 a.m. Friday when a commercial truck driver struck a passenger vehicle, killing both occupants.

The truck, an 18-wheel tractor-trailer, with a red/maroon cab and possibly a box trailer, did not stop and continued westbound on I-40.

The truck should have significant left front-end damage and ADPS says officers are working on numerous injury and non-injury crashes in that area as well as throughout northern Arizona due to icy roads.

(PROVO)-Jay Drew of the Salt Lake Tribune reports that former Lone Peak High and Snow College defensive back Ryan Comer has turned down several scholarship offers from other schools and will accept preferred walk-on status at Brigham Young University.

Comer a 6’2” safety, who recently helped the Badgers get past Iowa Western in the Top of the Mountains Bowl earlier this month is the second defensive back from Snow’s program to say he will join the Cougars in the past month.

Preston Hadley, Comer’s teammate at Snow, and a former cornerback at Pleasant Grove High School, committed to BYU last month and will enroll at the university in February, when the national letter of intent signing day occurs.

Comer will enroll in January and be eligible to participate in spring drills for Cougars head coach Bronco Mendenhall.

Comer will replace another ex-Snow safety who enrolled at BYU previously, Andrew Rich.

(SPANISH FORK)-One person was seriously hurt and three others sustained minor injuries in the early Friday morning collision of a semi-trailer rig and car on Interstate 15.

Utah Highway Patrol trooper Ted Johnson said details from the 1:00 a.m. accident on southbound I-15 near Exit 258 in Spanish Fork, including the sequence of events and the identities of the victim, were still being developed.

Johnson said troopers sought to determine whether the semi clipped the car or if the car initiated the crash by striking the truck.

He said the possibility of drugs or alcohol may have impaired one of the drivers was also under investigation.

All four injured people were transported via ambulance to the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Orem Republican Stephen Sandstrom and Salt Lake City Democrat Luz Robles hope to agree in anticipation of merging their immigration bills before the Utah Legislation reconvenes in January.

The two lawmakers met as recently as last week to discuss working through the vast disparities existing between their ideologies, although neither has scheduled any upcoming meetings.

Robles said she thought a compromise was possible because of Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s desire to see legislation taking on numerous aspects of this issue.

There are estimates that there could be upward of 20 bills dealing with different aspects of illegal immigration introduced in the session, which is slated for January 24.

Sandstrom says there is no reason to shut off discussion with Robles although he said he primarily has concerns with stolen identities used by undocumented immigrants.

Last week, he proposed that Robles should consider applying her bill only to those who have never used a stolen Social Security number.

Furthermore, Sandstrom said those who have stolen a Social Security number, which is a felony, should not be given what she calls an “accountability card.”

The accountability card in question is a way for an undocumented immigrant who has lived in Utah for more than 18 months to live and work in the state lawfully.

However, in order to obtain this card, the immigrant would have to pass through numerous background checks and keep the photo accountability ID cards with them at all times.

The bill would then establish a database of those who are in the state and require them to enroll in English classes while becoming incrementally proficient in speaking the language.

Robles says she has problems with Sandstrom’s bill, which is patterned after Arizona’s SB1070 bill because she deems it a “catch and release” bill.

Critics of Robles’ bill say it is merely a federal waiver to function, a provision which detractors say is virtually impossible to obtain.

Cherilyn Eagar of the Utah Coalition on Illegal Immigration, which supports Sandstrom’s legislation, says she hopes both sides continue to keep the channel of communication open before the Legislature reconvenes.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah Governor Gary Herbert says a new federal wilderness policy may compromise efforts within the state to protect federal wilderness lands.

In a news release reacting to the announcement Thursday, Herbert said state and federal officials have been working together on new wilderness areas for the state.

He says he believes the decision by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will make the process “less cooperative.”

(ST. GEORGE)-After the December 11 slaying of St. George resident Jerrica Christensen, her family was waiting for justice from the Washington County Attorney’s Office.

As of Thursday, the office could only say police were continuing to investigate all matters of the case.

Her mother, Ellen Hensley, cited Christensen’s love for Christmas and said she wished the holiday hadn’t arrived yet while reasserting her belief that her daughter was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time during the homicide which occurred in downtown St. George.

For Hensley, this is the second tragedy he has suffered through with her children as previously her son was killed at the age of 3 in a fatal car accident.

When Christensen was buried last week, she was laid next to her brother.

As for now Hensley, is focusing on the happy times in hopes of bringing some modicum of joy to her life at Christmas.

JUNCTION, Utah (AP)-Kandice and Kierra Gleave had 19 points apiece and the Piute Lady Thunderbirds smacked the Millard Lady Eagles, 76-58 Thursday in non-region girls basketball action.

(JOSEPH) – An Illinois couple were injured in a rollover near Joseph on I-70 Monday afternoon. According to a UHP report, 40-year old Rosaura Bennett of Crystal Lake, IL. was traveling westbound in a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, when she slowed for ice on the roadway and rolled her vehicle at about 4:30pm. The report said Bennett was wearing her seatbelt but sustained an injury and was transported to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield. Her husband, 36-year old Elija Bennett, also of Crystal Lake, was wearing his seatbelt and taken to the hospital with a possible injury. Their children, 17-year old Jennifer Bennett, 15-year old Elija Bennet Jr. and seven-year old Maxwell Bennett, were seatbelted and not injured.

(OSLO, Norway)-KVOA-TV, Channel 4 in Tucson, Ariz. reports the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten says it has obtained all 250,000 secret U.S. diplomatic documents that WikiLeaks is in the process of releasing.

Managing editor Ole Erik Almild says Aftenposten has no restrictions on how to use the material and will publish any articles about documents it deems to be relevant.

Almild also said the paper will post parts of some original documents on its Web site while the diplomatic cables show behind-the-scenes conduct of Washington’s diplomats.

Thursday, Almild declined to say how the paper obtained these documents but said it didn’t pay for them.

The documents are also being published by other media, such as The New York Times, France’s Le Monde and German magazine Der Spiegel.

(PAGE, Ariz.)-The Arizona Daily Sun of Flagstaff, Ariz. reports the Page, Ariz. City Council has approved a new two-year contract for Bryan Hill, the third general manager in the 24-year history of the city’s electric utility.

Hill received a solid recommendation Monday from Brynn Johns, chairman of the Page Electric Board while high marks from an independent insurance inspector that recently performed a risk management review of the semi-independent utility.

Page Electric was identified as a “top-notch” risk.

In February, the city annexed federal lands west of Page for the purpose of sheltering them from takeover by rival utilities in the region.

Hill was first hired in 2003 to replace the retiring Kent Romney from his position as lead electrical engineer at the nearby Glen Canyon Dam.

In other news, the council approved a $13,630 bid from R Squared Graphic Design and Advertising of Phoenix for a remaking Web site of the Page Tourism bureau.

The tourism board has set aside $20,000 for a new branding project for the city.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Salt Lake Tribune reports Utah projects won a fifth of the $27 million in grants the federal government awarded nationwide Wednesday in hopes of improving alternative transportation in national parks, forests and wildlife refuges.

Six Utah projects will split some $5.45 million in “Paul S. Sarnabes Transit in Parks” grants for work ranging from buying new Utah Transit Authority buses for Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons in Salt Lake County while developing new transportation plans for Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks.

Among the grants is $1.12 million for the Utah Transit Authority to replace ski buses and repair the Cottonwood Canyons park-and-ride lot, designed to serve the Wasatch-Cache National Forest of northern Utah.

Furthermore, Grand County received $2.9 million to extend the “Colorado Riverway,” multi-use pathway along S.R. 128 adjacent to the Colorado River and Arches National Park.

This is designed to enhance safety for bicyclists and other non-motorized users along the scenic route.

Arches National Park received $180,000 for an alternative transportation feasibility study while Bryce Canyon obtained $400,000 to develop an “integrated, multi-modal park transportation plan.”

Zion National Park also received two grants, one worth $600,000 to study the effects of the current park transportation system (which uses shuttle buses to transport visitors to sites throughout the park) to enhance visitors’ experiences.

The other is a $250,000 grant to improve visitor information in hopes of helping visitors use the Zion Canyon shuttle system to find their way.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the purpose for these grants is for people to understand the beauty, history and culture of America.

(FARMINGTON, N.M.)-Environmentalists and national park proponents are praising the Environmental Protection Agency for proposed new regulations aiming to reduce haze in the scenic vistas of national parks throughout the Southwest, including several Utah parks.

The proposed rule targets excess pollution caused by the coal-powered San Juan Generating Station near Farmington, N.M. which would also impact the Arizona Public Service’s Four Corners Power Plant in Navajo Nation, each of which are less than 12 miles away.

National parks near these areas, such as Utah’s Arches and Canyonlands national parks, are considered “Class I” areas under the Clean Air Act and thus merit the highest levels of protection.

The National Parks Conservation Association, joined by numerous other groups, contend Arches and Canyonlands suffer from haze-causing emissions generated by the New Mexican power plants in question.

Specifically, the group asserts the San Juan Generating Station, the West’s 7th largest coal-fired plant, has four units collectively emitting enough pollution to perceptibly impact visibility at 16 nearby national parks, monuments and wilderness areas.

The rule, if adopted, would require owners of the San Juan station to install a selective catalytic reduction, a pollution control technology which would cut the plant’s nitrogen oxides emissions.

As a consequence of a lawsuit filed by the park conservation association in 2008, the EPA must finalize a regional haze cleanup plan for nearly all states as of January 15.

Currently, the EPA is accepting comments on the proposed rule and at least one public hearing will occur in New Mexico.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-A federal appeals court has rejected a petition for a rehearing in a case involving 14 memorial crosses on Utah highways that an appellate panel said were unconstitutional.

The Utah Highway Patrol Association and two state agencies sought a rehearing after a three-judge panel in August said the 12-foot-high crosses represent an endorsement of Christianity.

The association and state agencies contend the memorials honor fallen officers and encourage safe driving on Utah’s highways.

In 2005, the American Atheists Inc. filed a lawsuit in Salt Lake City’s U.S. District Court over the use of the UHP shield, claiming the crosses should be removed.

In 1998, the white crosses were first erected and are paid for with donations to the association.

In a split ruling issued Monday, a majority of justices rejected a hearing.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Utah House’s longtime budget chairman, Republican Representative Ron Bigelow of West Valley City is resigning from the Legislature to head up Governor Gary Herbert’s budget office.

Bigelow will also resign from his position as a manager of finance for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ missionary department, a position he has filled for 28 years.

Herbert turned to Bigelow to replace state budget director John Nixon who will be leaving Utah at the end of the year for a top financial post in the administration of the new GOP Michigan governor, Rick Snyder.

Bigelow was already expecting a new role in the 2011 Legislature as Speaker-Elect Becky Lockhart of Provo had chosen a new House budget chairman, representative Mel Brown of Coalville.

Bigelow said losing his budget chairmanship made it “a little easier” to leave the Legislature, while he expects to work well with lawmakers as the chief defender of the governor’s budget.

GOP delegates representing District 32 will select Bigelow’s replacement once his resignation becomes effective at the end of the year.

The governor is expected to appoint a new representative before the Legislature reconvenes in mid-January.

Additionally on Wednesday, Herbert named Derek Miller his chief of staff and gave state planning coordinator Mike Mower additional chief of staff duties.

Miller, the current deputy director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, said he’ll take over the top administrative post from Jason Perry, who is leaving to become a vice president at the University of Utah.

Mower, former Governor Jon Huntsman Jr.’s deputy chief of staff and communications director said he’ll do his part to ensure Utah remains a well-managed state.

Herbert says he continues to have his new appointments hit the ground running while seeking to continue the success the state has experienced in his tenure thus far.

(ST. GEORGE)-Fears of widespread damage from southern Utah storms are receding along with the flood waters through Thursday morning.

Perhaps of greatest importance is the fact that the visitors center at Zion National Park has been reopened although much of the park remains closed so tourists should check with park management before they go on any hikes.

Damage to homes was primarily limited to a few flooded basements in Enterprise.

Meanwhile, a swollen Virgin River tributary which threatened to wash away a New Harmony bridge serving as the only in and out route to a subdivision had receded significantly as of Wednesday night.

However, despite the decrease in flooding, residents of Washington County and select areas of Kane and Iron Counties should still proceed with caution when visiting any banks of the Virgin River, authorities say.

ESCALANTE, Utah (AP)-Riley Miller had 18 points and Zach Brophy added 13 more as the Panguitch Bobcats hammered the Escalante Moquis, 72-47 Wednesday in Region 20 boys basketball action. Wyatt Lindsey had 15 points in the loss for the Moquis.

TROPIC, Utah (AP)-Kace Roundy had 31 points and the Bryce Valley Mustangs outlasted the Valley Buffaloes,70-66 in Region 20 boys basketball action Wednesday. Lance Maxwell’s 27 points led the way for the Buffs in the loss.

JUNCTION, Utah (AP)-Benjamin Bagley posted 17 points while Cash Newby stepped up with 16 more as the Piute Thunderbirds decimated the Wayne Badgers, 60-33 Wednesday in Region 20 boys basketball action. Zach Taylor had eight points in defeat for the Badgers.

GUNNISON, Utah (AP)-Jayson Cole’s 19 points led the way as the Manti Templars pounded the Gunnison Bulldogs, 60-44 in non-region boys basketball action Wednesday. Jantz Jensen had 13 points in defeat for Gunnison.

BEAVER, Utah (AP)-Tyler Roberts had 16 points as the Beaver Beavers snuck past the Milford Tigers, 52-47 Wednesday in non-region boys basketball action.

FILLMORE, Utah (AP)-Kaden King had 18 points while Race Parsons added 14 more as the South Sevier Rams shellacked the Millard Eagles, 62-38 Wednesday in non-region boys basketball action. Jesse Rhodes had 18 points in the loss for the Eagles.

GUNNISON, Utah (AP)-Abby Hatch had 17 points while Mandee Christensen stepped up with 12 more as the Manti Lady Templars smoked the Gunnison Lady Bulldogs, 49-3o in non-region girls basketball action Wednesday. BrieAnn Peterson had nine points in defeat for Gunnison.

BICKNELL, Utah (AP)-Cassey Manzanares amassed 15 points and Darci Clark added 11 more as the Wayne Lady Badgers held off the North Sevier Lady Wolves, 49-43 in non-region girls basketball action Wednesday. Paige Blomquist’s 18 points paced North Sevier in the loss.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)-Tori McGrath had 19 points and the Canyon View Lady Falcons ousted the Beaver Lady Beavers, 45-35 Wednesday in non-region girls basketball action. Lexi Moss had 11 points in the loss for Beaver.

(PANGUITCH) – A Panguitch man and his passenger sustained injuries when they were both ejected from their vehicle in a rollover on SR-89 Monday night. According to a UHP report, 28-year old Frankie Hall was traveling northbound in a 1992 Dodge Dakota pickup, when he left the highway and rolled. UHP said Hall was thrown from his vehicle and was taken to the Garfield Memorial Hospital in Panguitch with chest injuries. His passenger, 48-year old Regina Barney of Panguitch, was also ejected and sustained non-life threatening injuries. Hall was arrested for DUI and charged with improper lane travel.

(GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.)-KJCT-TV, Channel 8 in Grand Junction, Colo. reports westbound lanes of Interstate 70 reopened around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night between Silverthorne and the Eisenhower Tunnel near Glenwood Springs, Colo.

Eastbound lanes were reopened as of 7:00 a.m. while both lanes were initially closed Tuesday afternoon due to a crash involving hazardous materials.

The Colorado Department of Transportation says a tanker trunk spilled more than 1,000 pounds of blasting agent after colliding with a tow trunk around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday.

The tow truck driver was taken to the Summit Medical Center in Frisco, Colo.

Hazmat crews spent hours seeking to stop the tanker from leaking the blasting agent while CDOT officials say crews must be careful as they are dealing with an explosive material.

CDOT says a tanker truck like this with hazardous material would normally travel on U.S. Highway 6 over Loveland Pass but was being diverted due to weather conditions in the area.

(ST. GEORGE)-Wednesday morning, Utah Highway Patrol troopers were investigating a fatal one-vehicle rollover accident near St. George.

UHP spokesman Todd Johnson said the accident occurred around 8:40 a.m. on Interstate 15 near mile post 12, two miles north of the St. George/Washington City exit.

The male driver, who was the only occupant of the car, was ejected and died at the scene.

Johnson said the cause of the accident was still under investigation, but troopers confirmed it was raining at the time of the crash. External data suggests the vehicle flipped when the driver went off the roadway and tried to overcorrect.

The victim’s identity was being withheld, pending the notification of next of kin.

(Manti) With the economy still struggling to recover in Central Utah, the Six County Association of Governments is offering a number of services for those who meet certain criteria. According to Sanpete County Commissioner Claudia Jarrett, there is money available for one-time car repairs, rent vouchers, as well as weatherization. Residents can contact the local HEAT office in Manti for more information about the services offered by the Six County Association.

(PROVO)-After a season which began more poorly than expected, two Brigham Young University football players who were instrumental in the team’s turnaround received recognition for their efforts.

Quarterback Jake Heaps and guard Braden Hansen received honorable mention recognition from collegefootballnews.com.

Heaps received the honor for the freshman team while Hansen was named with the all-sophomore team.

Heaps, who finished his first season at the helm for coach Bronco Mendenhall’s Cougars, passed for 2,316 yards and 15 touchdowns while earning offensive MVP honors in last Saturday’s New Mexico Bowl at Albuquerque, N.M. as BYU downed the Texas-El Paso Miners, 52-24.

Furthermore, Heaps set freshman records at BYU for passing touchdowns, passing yards, pass completions, pass attempts, games started and wins in 2010, no small feat as the Cougars have had such prolific passers as Jim McMahon, Steve Young and Ty Detmer in the program’s storied history.

Hansen, a two-year starter at left guard, led all Cougar offensive linemen in pancake blocks (when a lineman puts a defender on the ground) and built upon his already prestigious resume as he obtained freshman All-American honors in 2009.

As a key component of a strong BYU offensive line, Hansen helped the explosive Cougar rushing attack post seven 200-yard rushing performances in 2010, the most the program has experienced since 2001.

(BEAVER DAM, Ariz.)-Tuesday, flood waters near the Virgin Valley Gorge ripped through a retirement community in northwestern Arizona, washing away four unoccupied homes and threatening to destroy others.

Flood warnings and emergency declarations remained in place through Wednesday in several Utah, Nevada and Arizona counties near the Virgin River.

In the Arizonan communities of Beaver Dam, Ariz. and Littlefield, Ariz., flood waters cut through a group of houses, sweeping away four homes after saturating the soil beneath them, causing them to collapse.

None of the wood frame houses were inhabited, although a man was getting ready to move into one of them, said Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire District Chief Jeff Hunt.

The man and workers were putting finishing touches on the home, but were able to gather their belongings before flood waters carried it away, Hunt said.

Hunt said that about a dozen other homes in the two communities, which share a zip code, remained in danger of destruction as flood waters seeped into the ground while 200 feet washed away.

Further down the Interstate 15 corridor, rain-swollen creeks in the Las Vegas area, as well as snow on nearby Mount Charleston, caused power outages for about 300 customers.

Threats of flooding throughout the greater Las Vegas area caused Clark County (Nev.) manager Virginia Valentine to issue an emergency declaration Tuesday afternoon, even as St. George Mayor Dan McArthur did for residents of his bustling community.

Valentine also admonished tourists and residents to stay away from Mount Charleston, a popular tourist attraction until the storm has passed.

A northwestern Arizona weather station recorded at least 10 inches of rain Tuesday while rainfall ranged from 10-14 inches in southwestern Utah, said Las Vegas weather bureau meteorologist Jim Harrison.

In Beaver Dam and Littlefield, residents placed sandbags around homes and built dirt berms in hopes of suppressing the waters.

Others gathered possessions out of their houses, in lieu of certain incidents where homes were swept into the Beaver Dam wash en route to Lake Mead.

(CEDAR CITY)-A fire destroyed one home in Cedar City and heavily damaged another one Tuesday.

The fire started outside between two homes near 300 South and 100 East shortly after 4:00 a.m., Cedar City firefighter Lowell Sorenson said.

The fire swiftly spread to two cars and a shed while causing $165,000 in damages.

The cause is currently under investigation.

Three residents were displaced from the home that was total loss and a couple was displaced from the other home.

No injuries were reported.

(PROVO)-The on-site investigation into the cause of a fire which gutted the Provo Tabernacle likely won’t begin until next week.

Provo Fire Chief Blair Camp said winter storms have slowed down stabilization work which is essential to be completed before investigators can begin sifting through rubble inside the tabernacle.

Contractors hired by the LDS Church to stabilize the structure are concerned about two areas that are particularly considered unsafe, the gable on the west end of the building and an alcove area in the center of the building’s south side.

Camp said investigators have been working 10-12 hours per day in hopes that the fire’s impetus could be defined and have done such things as gathering photos and video evidence while also interviewing witnesses and scouring through building blueprints.

Camp said that at least through Thursday, stabilization work should continue, while allowing time for a Christmas recess after which labors will resume Monday.

Camp also stated crews will use heavy equipment to clear the building’s interior while rubble will remain on site throughout the investigation.

Camp told reporters some of the best information available came from memory stills amateur photographers took on scene as the flames began.

(RICHFIELD) – A Richfield business owner narrowly escaped today as he watched his front porch roof collapse under the weight of heavy snow. Corwin Ogden, owner of D-Land Title Company, said he noticed his roof sagging at about 12:30pm at his location at 387 North Main in Richfield and called a neighbor to help shore up the timbers. Ogden said he was no more than six or seven feet away from his porch, when it came crashing down. None of Ogden’s employees were at risk inside the structure because the porch roof is separate from the building. No damage estimate has yet been determined.

(MONROE) – Sevier County Sheriff’s deputies are alerting the public to be aware of suspects stealing Christmas decorations from homes. In an incident report, some inflatable yard decorations were stolen from a home in Monroe, located at 541 South 300 East that included a snowman and trees displayed in it. Deputies didn’t suspect the wind blew the items away, since the yard stakes and tie downs were still in the yard. The value of the decoration was $59. Deputies are also warning residences to pick up their packages delivered by the Postal Service at their homes. A report came in Monday morning that a package had been delivered to a Monroe home at 274 North 1420 East at about 8am but when the homeowner came to get the package at about 11am, found it missing. No suspects have been apprehended in either case and there was no suspicious activity in the area at the time of the thefts.

(ST. GEORGE)-St. George Mayor Dan McArthur has declared emergency conditions in the city after extensive rains in Washington County continued to fall overnight Monday and well into Tuesday.

As far as weather conditions in southwestern Utah are concerned, we at Mid-Utah Radio have noticed no respite in the weather which has caused significant flooding in Washington County’s county seat and most populous city.

Our friends at KCSG-TV in St. George report that Riverside Drive from Morningside Drive to 1100 East is closed due to standing water from a storm drain near the Free Clinic.

Motorists are advised to follow detours and use alternate routes until further notice.

Furthermore, 1450 South from River Road to the Summit Athletic Club has standing water on the road and motorists are being directed to use the center lanes and drive with caution.

The Virgin River water volumes are approximately 12” from the top of the rock dike in this area.

Local officials and emergency responders in communities and municipalities throughout southern Utah are cautiously optimistic their infrastructures will remain intact but just to be safe, residents are asked to take proper precautions when going outdoors.

(HOUSTON)-Houston-based Chevron Corp. is seeking to purge all leftover oil from its accident-prone pipeline in Red Butte Gardens near Salt Lake City by “early January.”

This aggressive timeline was revealed Monday to the federal pipeline safety agency (which ultimately grants permission for such endeavors) and Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, who have said each safety standard must be met, a process that could take a significantly longer time.

Becker’s spokeswoman Lisa Harrison Smith says this is why the city hired a third party consultant to ensure there is no wrongdoing.

Chevron spokesman Mickey Driver says the company, which is currently trucking oil to its Salt Lake City refinery, must come up with a suggested date.

As of Monday, Chevron had not submitted its required restart plan and nor has the company completed installation of an external monitoring system, which was dictated under PHMSA’s “Corrective Action Order.”

Driver remains adamant a new monitoring system, which was among Becker’s demands, can be built “rather quickly.”

With that said, the federal government’s December 8 order requires physical visual leak detections to be conducted at all above-ground valves between eastern Utah’s Hanna pump station and the refinery.

The system must be installed and operational within 60 days of the order, PHMSA says.

The order may be amended any time, PHMSA spokeswoman Julia Valentine said, to protect the safety and environmental conditions of Salt Lake City.

In the wake of this mess, which occurred December 1, Chevron announced it has paid the federally-imposed fine of $423,600 which was recompense for the June spill.

After that leak, which occurred on June 11 and 12, the pipeline was restored eight days later.

Driver says Chevron will cooperate with the Salt Lake City consultant and give him full access to his labors, but the company is still determined to submit a restart plan.

(WASHINGTON)-A Utah County business which is already a YouTube sensation received some recognition on national conventional television as well.

The company, Provo-based Orabrush, made headlines earlier this year for hilarious online ads promising to “cure the world of bad breath” with its tongue brushes.

In information that was previously published on Mid-Utah Radio.com, we reported each week 50,000 fans tune into Orabrush’s YouTube videos which chronicle the adventures of Morgan the Orabrush Tongue (played by stand-up comedian David Ackerman) and his “Diaries of a Dirty Tongue.”

The viral videos and marketing via YouTube caught the eye of ABC News’ “Nightline” program and a special feature was filmed on Orabrush with reporter Brian Rooney that aired Monday evening.

The video is still available on abc.com, according to Orabrush personnel.

On the program, Orabrush marketing officer Jeff Harmon said he learned much about what he’s studying at Brigham Young University during the segment.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-A man who admitted to taking a bead from Native American ruins in the Four Corners region will not serve time in prison.

U.S. District Judge Ted Stewart sentenced Blanding construction worker Brandon F. Laws to 24 months of probation for a misdemeanor charge of trafficking in stolen artifacts Monday.

The 40-year-old Laws must also surrender all other tribal antiquities he has and is barred from visiting any federal lands during his probation.

Laws was among 26 people arrested in Utah, Colorado and New Mexico after a two-year sting operation in the Four Corners region.

Four others named in this indictment are scheduled for a jury trial in February.

In exchange for a previous guilty plea, prosecutors dropped two felony charges which could have meant prison time for Laws.

He was originally indicted for allegedly selling and stealing two bone beads, a shell necklace with a clay pendant, two drills and other pendants which were excavated or removed from Indian lands.

Laws argued the items came from private land and the transaction was legal.

Federal prosecutor Richard McKelvie did not recommend jail time as Laws had previously spent six months behind bars for violating conditions of his release prior to the hearing.

(HURRICANE)-Washington County commissioners have approved the removal of Hurricane City from the Hurricane Valley Fire District, effective as of Monday.

The St. George Spectrum reports the commission unanimously adopted a new district map excluding Hurricane and creating a smaller district including LaVerkin, Toquerville and Virgin.

Commission chairman James Eardley says this is in the best interests of all concerned.

Hurricane Mayor Tom Hirschi says he hopes this will result in Hurricane residents paying reduced taxes next year.

Municipal officials have argued city residents and businesses would bear most of the cost after voters in the four municipalities voted to fund the district through property taxes in June.

Utah Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell still has to sign off on this action.

Washington County Commissioner Alan Gardner says this should occur before the end of 2010.

(MANTI) – Sanpete County residents were without power this morning due to downed power lines from heavy falling snow overnight. Rocky Mountain Power reported about 2,350 customers from Mt. Pleasant to Mayfield were affected by the power outage at about 1:30am. RMP officials say power to most customers has already been turned on and the rest should have power by early afternoon. Severe weather overnight caused loss of transmission while RMP crews worked through the night to restore power to residents and businesses affected by the snow storm.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Utah picked up a fourth congressional seat today after the U.S. Census Bureau unveiled its 2010 Census population numbers. The announcement was made in the House of Representatives during the unveiling ceremony. Sen. Orrin Hatch said Utah is one of the most vibrant and fastest growing states in America and will now have more appropriate representation in Congress. The action ends a decade of frustration for state leaders who believe Utah was cheated out of an additional seat when thousands of LDS missionaries serving overseas were not counted in the 2000 Census. In 2000, Utah missed getting a fourth seat by only 857 residents. Utah leaders said the missionary population should have been counted due to their permanent residency in the state. Instead, the seat went to North Carolina, which was able to elect a 13th U.S. representative with an advantage over Utah.

(Manti, UT) The Manti Improvement Business Association (MIBA) recently awarded nearly $34,000 in revenue generated from the annual turkey dinners to various community organizations for the benefit local residents. The committee approved an award of $10,000 towards the second phase of the Manti City Library renovation, which includes rock and brick work on the aged building.

The Manti City Volunteer Fire Department received a grant of $6,000 to go towards a complete hard surface approach and parking area at the new fire station. The American Legion Post 31 was given $5,300 to renovate the legion’s building in Manti by replacing worn carpet and drapes. A total of $5,000 each was given to the Manti City Park for cement sidewalks around the playground equipment and to the Sanpete County Fair board for a new pavilion in front of the exhibition building. In addition, $2,400 was awarded to the restoration of the old city hall in Manti to help replace the building’s crumbling steps and to provide lighting and seating in the social hall.

MIBA’s main fund-raising is generated from the serving of turkey dinners associated with the Mormon Miracle Pageant. The organization also overseeing operations at the vendor court near temple hill. According to MIBA chairman, Michael Traina, “The bulk of the credit for raising these funds goes to the hard work and long hours of the citizens of Manti and Sterling. Without their valued service, many worthwhile projects would go unfunded each year. MIBA and the city council would like to extend their sincere appreciation for this service”

Nearly 11,000 turkey dinners were served during the 2010 Mormon Miracle Pageant, with a profit of $34,695.67. The total money awarded to grant applicants was $33,700, with $995.67 remaining to cover maintenance costs associated with the pageant vendor booths and dinner equipment. Any monies left over will roll over into next year’s totals for grant awards.

The five-member MIBA committee is a volunteer organization staffed with city residents and operates under the direction of the Manti City council. (Members include Bruce Ericksen, Donna Birk, Ralph Squire, Sonia Demill, and Michael Traina).

(NEPHI) – A Lynndyl woman died this weekend and her daughter was critically injured after being broadsided by another vehicle in a crash on snowy roads on SR-132 near Nephi. According to UHP reports, 49-year old Mary Sue Dutson was traveling westbound in a Buick LeSabre Friday night, when she lost control and spun several times before ending up in eastbound lanes. UHP said a white Chevy Silverado, driven by Robert Vandam, was traveling eastbound and hit Dutson. The report said Dutson died at the scene and her daughter, 21-year old Emily Ann Dutson, was transported to the Central Valley Medical Center in Nephi, in critical condition. Vandam and his wife, Marilyn, were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries. UHP said all were wearing seatbelts and witnesses reported that the Buick was traveling too fast for road conditions.

(OREM)-In hopes of raising graduation rates, Utah Valley University officials are seeking to give students a taste of “engaged learning.”

This process calculates schools’ share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within six years.

UVU’s graduation rate is 18 percent for such students who entered in 2003, according to data from the Department of Education.

For student-athletes in this group, the numbers are even more dismal as only 31 percent of athletes graduated, which is well below the 79 percent national average and places UVU dead last among the 335 Division I institutions that are part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

UVU first secured federal seed money in 2005 in hopes of changing the university’s culture and promote student success.

In order to bolster their attempts at increasing success, university officials have expanded online offerings while opening new sections on Friday nights and Saturdays.

These fill up while weekday afternoon slots remain open due to the work obligations many students have.

While success is increasing, (the retention rate has increased from 44 to 60 percent) university officials admit that there is still much left to be done.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-While donations to colleges and universities across the nation have seen their greatest decline in 50 years, Utah universities are holding their own and some have even seen contributions increase.

The Council for Aid to Education’s annual “Voluntary Support of Education,” survey found an 11.9 percent decline from 2009 contributions while information from several Utah universities and colleges tells a different tale.

University of Utah vice president for institutional advancement Fred Esplin says that even during the recession, the university experienced growth in both number of donors as well as the amount of money they’ve donated.

Esplin said that the university’s success comes from the “generosity of the people of Utah” while he also credited efforts in reaching out to alumni, a major source of much-needed capital for the university.

Other universities in the state, such as Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University, have not been as successful while Utah State University associate vice president for university advancement Joan M. Schefke said while donations appear to be coming back, many go toward scholarships and aren’t used for general operating expenses.

(ENTERPRISE)-A National Parks Service subcommittee has voted to advance a petition to make the Mountain Meadows Massacre site near Enterprise a national landmark.

Parks service historian Lysa Wegman-French says the Landmarks Committee voted on the massacre site in November and unanimously sustained the motion to recommend this proposal to the National Parks Service Advisory Board.

Wegman-French said the board will reconvene in April 2011 to consider the matter while the final decision rests with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

The site is ignominious in Utah history annals as in 1857, 120 men, women and children from an Arkansas wagon train were murdered at Mountain Meadows by renegade members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the state’s dominant religion.

The site is already on the National Register of Historic Places while landmark status would guarantee public access to the lands.

(MOAB) – The suspect charged in the killing of a Denver man outside a restaurant in Moab Dec. 12 appeared in court Friday for a preliminary hearing. Court records showed that 34-year old Andrew Curtis of Moab appeared before a judge Friday in the stabbing death of 32-year old William Tague in the early morning hours outside a Denny’s Restaurant on SR-191 in Moab. Police reports said a woman witnessed an altercation between the two men at about 2:30am outside the restaurant and that Curtis held a knife to her throat before he stabbed Tague in the parking lot. The woman called 9-1-1 but Curtis fled the scene before police arrived. He was found at about 8am while attempting to enter the back door of a home in Moab. Curtis was taken to the Grand County Jail and charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon by a restricted person. Police said that Curtis is a prison parolee from the Utah State Prison where he had served eight years for a shooting in the parking lot of the Rio bar in Moab.

(ST. GEORGE)-Weather officials say a downpour in southern Utah has caused the Virgin River to overflow its banks in areas of two communities near Zion National Park.

Meteorologist Larry Dunn of the National Weather Service said the river is running at flood levels Monday and has surpassed its banks in Hurricane and Virgin.

Thus far, no structures have been threatened and in St. George, city officials have asked residents to stay away from the city’s trail system as well as the Virgin and Santa Clara rivers.

Washington County personnel say water has already washed out a road near Gunlock Reservoir and cut off access to several homes although the homes themselves are not in danger at this stage.

As much as eight inches of rain has fallen in certain areas in Washington County and throughout the next three days, more heavy rain is expected.

Through Monday afternoon, a flood warning is in effect for Kane and Washington counties.

(Ephraim) Two Sanpete County residents were honored Thursday night at the annual Candlelight Ceremony that was held at the Eccles Center at Snow College in Ephraim. Barbara Sue Barton and Arthur King each received awards for their longtime service to the communities of Sanpete.

Barbara Sue was born and raised in Moroni and has been actively involved in community service organizations including the American Cancer Society, PTA, and Legion Auxiliary. She has also served in many church positions, and has been an election judges for over 40 years.

Aurthur King, also know as “Art” was born in Spring City in 1918 and spent his youth in Ephraim. After marrying, he and his wife took up farming and over time built up a successful dairy. Art served as the President of the Ephraim Irrigation Company for 18 years, and also as the Director of the Willow Creek Irrigation Company. He also served on numerous committees and boards in the county.

BICKNELL, Utah (AP)-Dylan Jones had 31 points and the Milford Tigers gashed the Wayne Badgers, 69-53 Saturday in Region 20 boys basketball action. Zach Taylor had 16 points in the loss for Wayne.

ESCALANTE, Utah (AP)-Hayden Harris had 25 points and the Valley Buffaloes crushed the Escalante Moquis, 65-39 in Region 20 boys basketball action Saturday. Jacob Christensen had 11 points in the loss for Escalante.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)-Kyler Nielson posted 20 points and Chance Bearnson stepped up with 16 more as the Cedar Redmen smacked the Manti Templars, 71-56 Saturday in non-region boys basketball action. Jamen Miller had 21 points for Manti in the loss while Brady Aste added 15 more for the Templars.

SALINA, Utah (AP)-Kelton Price posted 20 points and the Piute Thunderbirds tripped up the North Sevier Wolves, 43-40 in non-region boys basketball action Saturday. Colton Piep had 17 points in the loss for the Wolves while Jaden Gurney had 16 more for North Sevier.

SANDY, Utah (AP)-Brandon Winn and Race Parsons had 21 points apiece and the South Sevier Rams shellacked the Waterford Ravens, 66-35 Saturday in non-region boys basketball action.

HURRICANE, Utah (AP)-Zach Wood amassed 29 points and 10 boards and the Parowan Rams stormed past the Gunnison Bulldogs, 60-48 in non-region boys basketball action Saturday. Braden Harris and Jantz Jensen had 12 points apiece in the loss for Gunnison.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Camille Tua had 16 points and the Juan Diego Lady Soaring Eagle stonewalled the Manti Lady Templars, 49-28 at the Sevier Valley Center Saturday. Mandee Christensen had 10 points in the loss for Manti.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Lexi Moss had 12 points and the Beaver Lady Beavers stymied the North Summit Lady Braves, 52-24 Saturday at the Sevier Valley Center.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Kaity Diaz had 18 points and the Delta Lady Rabbits tripped up the Morgan Lady Trojans, 42-35 at the Sevier Valley Center Saturday.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Kayla King had 19 points and the South Sevier Lady Rams snuck past the North Sanpete Lady Hawks, 36-32 at the Sevier Valley Center Saturday. Taylor Gordon posted 17 points in defeat for North Sanpete.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Calli Jackson and Samantha Houston had eight points apiece as the Kanab Cowgirls downed the North Sevier Lady Wolves, 35-23 Saturday at the Sevier Valley Center. Bailey Sorenson had nine points in the loss for North Sevier.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Tia Pappas posted 27 points as the Carbon Lady Dinos held off the Richfield Lady Wildcats, 47-42 at the Sevier Valley Center Saturday. Megan Bean had 20 points and 10 boards in the loss for Richfield.

MESQUITE, Nev. (AP)-Kalani Norris had 17 points while Breanne Bateman added 13 more for the Panguitch Lady Bobcats in a 47-41 win over the Virgin Valley (Nev.) Lady Bulldogs Saturday.

MESQUITE, Nev. (AP)-Breanne Bateman posted 11 points and Carly Holman added 10 more as the Panguitch Lady Bobcats edged the Dixie Lady Flyers, 32-31 Saturday at the Virgin Valley Tournament. Sarah Empey had 17 points in defeat for Dixie.

(ROY) – A preliminary report by national investigators probing the small plane crash in Roy earlier this month has been completed. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) say the six-seater Cessna hit a power pole before in slammed into some trees and a pair of homes. The report said that 46-year old Clayton Roop of West Haven, left General Stout Airport in Hurricane about 75 minutes before the crash and activated a flight plan while airborne above Tooele County. NTSB said Roop was attempting to land in foggy conditions on Runway 3 at the Ogden-Hinckely Airport and after being cleared to land, crashed his plane. He suffered severe burns in the 6pm crash on Dec. 5 and has been since been hospitalized at the University of Utah burn unit in Salt Lake City. Roop was the sole occupant of the Cessna T-210-M, which was owned and operated by CK Aviation.

(REXBURG, Idaho)-KIFI-TV, Channel 8 in Idaho Falls, Idaho reports after more than four years of construction, the new Brigham Young University-Idaho auditorium is finally finished.

BYU-Idaho President Kim Clark says the primary purpose of the center is to provide a gathering place for students and that the center is the “capstone project for the university’s foundation.”

The new auditorium is expected to house events ranging from weekly campus devotionals to regional Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints conferences.

Additionally, the university’s student building expansion is also complete, doubling its original size.

New additions include a ballroom, dance studios and a student activities center.

The dedication occurred at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning.

(NOGALES, Ariz.)-KPHO-TV, Channel 5 in Phoenix reports that teams of border officers are combing a section of the Arizona desert about 10 miles north of Mexico in search of the lone, outstanding suspect in the fatal shooting of a Border Patrol agent.

Teams have taken to horseback and all-terrain vehicles in searching rugged and remote mountainous spots just north of Nogales, Ariz.

They are also in patrol cars searching the perimeter.

Santa Cruz (Ariz.) County Sheriff Tony Estrada, whose deputies are helping in the search, said they’ll keep at it until the suspect is caught or they’re sure he’s gone for good.

Late Tuesday, agent Brian A. Terry, was waiting with three other agents in a remote area north of Nogales when the gun battle erupted and he was killed.

Four other suspects are currently in custody.

(WASHINGTON)-Thursday, Utah Democratic Representative Jim Matheson said he’s optimistic the state will continue to get funding for the Central Utah Project after meeting with officials for the administration’s Office of Management and Budget.

Matheson, joined by Utah Senator Orrin Hatch and GOP Reps Rob Bishop and Jason Chaffetz, pressed OMB officials to renew funding, previously about $40 million per year, for the project which channels water from Utah’s eastern mountains through the Wasatch Range.

Matheson said he pointed out that President Barack Obama’s team had previously touted how stimulus money aimed at the Utah water project swiftly resulted in numerous jobs.

Matheson also said the next step in the process is to keep on OMB and the Interior Department to include this funding in the president’s budget.

Interior Department spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff said the budget process is “ongoing,” but no “final decisions have been made.”

Obama’s budget is expected to be released in either late January or early February.

The final segment of the project, priced at about $450 million, would bring water from eastern Utah’s Uinta Basin to the populous Wasatch Front via a network of tunnels and pipelines.

Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District general manager Richard Bay has said this segment can sustain about 140,000 residents and is essential to Utah’s burgeoning population.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Last week, the Utah State Board of Regents approving property acquisitions that will help Utah State University and Salt Lake Community College move forward with their expansion plans.

USU, as we reported previously, is moving to buy 40 acres in Brigham City, while USU trustees approved of this purchase December 3.

Once improved, these parcels will allow for sprawl of the university’s Brigham City campus.

Meanwhile, SLCC obtained approval to buy property at 1615 S. State, next to the school’s South City campus, the old South High School.

The college has been seeking to buy this parcel, housing the former Baxter’s Cafe, for the past 18 years.

The owner has agreed to a purchase price of $400,000, which is $20,000 above the appraised value.

SLCC officials say the acquisition of this land is crucial for access to the Center For New Media, currently under construction.

According to a college memo, the $20,000 above appraised value will come from “non-taxpayer,” “non-student,” fees.

SLCC anticipates saving $80,000 in construction costs and easement rights for the new wing being built at the south end of the campus.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Two satellite providers are suing Utah for giving cable television companies a tax break that isn’t available to them.

KUTV-Channel 2 in Salt Lake City reports DIRECTV and Dish Network filed the lawsuit in 8th District Court Thursday.

The satellite providers say the Utah Legislature rewarded cable TV companies in 2008 with a sales tax break because they employ more people and have to rent public rights of way to run cables.

The cable companies then pass along the savings to their customers.

The satellite companies acknowledge they employ few Utahns and don’t have to pay franchise fees or property taxes because they don’t own infrastructure in Utah.

Nevertheless, they still insist it’s unconstitutional to show tax favors only for cable TV customers.

DIRECTV and Dish Network are currently demanding this same tax break.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Thursday evening, thousands of fans jam packed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ conference center in hopes of catching the Mormon Tabernacle’s dress rehearsal before their annual Christmas concert which begins Friday evening.

Sadly, some people had to be turned away, leaving numerous music lovers angry that they didn’t have the chance to see the free performance Thursday.

Some who were successfully able to make it in arrived as early as an hour before the rehearsal and said the center was entirely filled a half hour before the performance.

This year’s concert, which features singing sensation David Archuleta, begins Friday evening and will recur Saturday evening, December 18, and conclude with a mini-concert Sunday December 19.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff must undergo chemotherapy after doctors discovered a cancerous growth removed from his appendix last week has spread.

Shurtleff’s spokesman Paul Murphy says doctors found cancer cells in three of Shurleff’s 20 lymph nodes that they looked at.

Murphy said Shurtleff will undergo twelve sessions of chemotherapy over the next six months while doctors said everyone reacts to this treatment differently but in all likelihood, he’ll be tired and lose his hair.

Ultimately, Murphy says Shurtleff is determined not to let the cancer slow him down.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-A report conducted this week by the Government Accountability Office underscores the numerous difficulties enforcers face with cases involving Native Americans, while confirming Utah has a solid track record when weighed against other states.

Utah U.S. Attorney Carlie Christensen credits much of this success to the office’s “passionate and very skilled” liaisons for Native Americans.

This nationwide probe exploring how criminal cases are handled in Indian Country sprang from concerns raised by members of Congress, specifically those of federal prosecutors who have declined to prosecute a “significant” percentage of such cases.

This was troublesome, especially considering that the U.S. Department of Justice has reported crime rates experienced by Native Americans are two and a half times higher than those faced by the general population.

The subsequent report entailed five years of data (fiscal year 2005-fiscal year 2009), involving both violent and non-violent crimes in Indian Country which were handled by U.S. Attorneys in their respective districts.

This particularly examined so-called “declination” rates, involving Indian Country matters which were referred to prosecutors.

These rates are calculated based on the number of “matters,” which are actually filed for prosecution, declined or administratively closed by the district office.

These findings gleaned that U.S. Attorneys declined to prosecute 50 percent of the 9,000 matters referred to their offices.

When broken out by specific offenses, the declination rate for sexual abuse or comparable matters was at 67 percent, while it checked in with a 46 percent rate for assault.

A chart has depicted some states as having declination rates as high as 72 percent while Utah’s was only at 28 percent.

Christensen said that among Utah’s concerns with these matters is the report of crimes wildly varies from district to district while all numbers gleaned from individual states have to be treated with caution.

Nevertheless, Utah still remains the envy of other U.S. Attorney districts because it has two FBI field offices located in close proximity to Indian Country, each staffed with two agents, Christensen said.

The complete report is available for public viewing at www.gao.gov.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – President Obama has announced the release of a comprehensive environmental analysis for “solar energy zones” on public lands in six Western states. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu identified public lands on Thursday that would be best suited for solar development in the West. The detailed study, known as the Draft Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, was compiled over the past two years as part of the administration’s efforts to create a framework for developing renewable energy in the right way and in the right places. The PEIS assessed the environmental, social and economic impacts associated with solar energy development on BLM land in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, California and New Mexico.

(RICHFIELD) – The Fishlake National Forest is giving a big “THANKS” to the Millard County Sheriff’s Office for their help on forest roads this year. For more than a decade, Millard County inmate crews have been helping the Fillmore Ranger District maintain trails, roads, campgrounds and picnic areas under a special cooperating agreement. Sheriff Robert Dekker said it’s a win-win situation for inmates and taxpayers. Natural Resource Specialist for the Fillmore Ranger District Brian Tritle says the good, hard work helps inmates focus on what they need to do when their sentence is up while at the same time, saving taxpayers the dollars it would take to do the work. This year, crews worked over 3,400 man hours to log out brush of over 75 miles of forest roads and repair tread on an estimated 80 miles of forest ATV, horse and foot trails. Inmates also cut 1200 fence stays for the Sawmill Fire fence project.

(EPHRAIM) — Four Snow College players were named as National Junior College Athletic Association All Americans yesterday. Defensive lineman and North Carolina State commit McKay Frandsen and kicker Alex Sweat, who led that nation in scoring, were both named to the first team. Tight end Drew Robinson, who is committed to Arizona, and center Mark Pratt, who is committed to Youngstown State University, are both second-team honorees.

(RICHFIELD) – A public hearing was held in Richfield Tuesday night concerning impacts on the private sector with the construction of the airport facility. Richfield City officials are in the process of acquiring land for building additional runways for the airport and are required to hold a public hearing on the issuance of Lease Revenue Bonds to fund the costs of construction. The airport expansion will affect the property rights of several land owners south of Richfield and one landowner, who attended the hearing, voiced his opposition to the requirement to sell his land. City Manager Mike Langston said the city may need to move towards condemnation proceedings if an agreement cannot be reached. For several years, Richfield City has been working with the FAA to expand the airport. Land acquisition is one stage in the process.

(PHOENIX)-KPHO-TV, Channel 5 in Phoenix, reports Arizona Governor Jan Brewer announced the dismissal of a case challenging the state’s SB1070 Wednesday.

Federal U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton granted the state’s motion to dismiss in the case filed by the League of United Latin American Citizens against Arizona.

In the order, Bolton agreed with the governor that the plaintiff’s challenge lacked standing to pursue its claims and failed in proving to establish any real or immediate threats of harm.

Brewer said she was pleased with Bolton’s decision and reminded her constituents that laws, such as SB1070, prevent this country from collapsing.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-In an appeal sent to his supporters this week, Utah Governor Gary Herbert is asking donors to commit to sponsorships of up to $150,000 apiece in order to host this summer’s National Governors Association meetings this July.

Another appeal, which was sent last week, offers VIP tickets to the governor’s official inauguration at the state Capitol, as well as a dinner and reception afterward, to backers willing to give up to $5,000 to Herbert’s political action committee.

Herbert’s spokeswoman, Angie Welling, says a widely circulated e-mail sent out this week was in error as the governor is seeking donations to defray taxpayers’ costs for the inauguration but will not be selling tickets.

Instead, Welling said the goal is to limit costs as much as possible and while donors will get into the reception and dinner, the inauguration itself is a public event and there will be no specific tickets obtained in exchange for donations.

Welling believes the inauguration will cost between $30,000 and $40,000 to stage and any additional money will go to the Friends of Gary Herbert PAC.

The inauguration, while open, features only limited seating still available and a large portion of the seats are reserved for elected officials and other VIPs.

(FILLMORE)-A former Millard County justice court judge resolved charges asserting he exposed himself to an undercover police officer in Salt Lake City earlier this year Wednesday.

Former East Millard County Justice, the 63-year-old Judge Ronald R. Hare, entered a guilty plea in abeyance to one count of Class B misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

Salt Lake City Justice judge L.G. Cutler agreed to dismiss the case in 12 months, provided Hare pays a $500 court fee, allows authorities to have access to his fingerprints and has no further violations.

On the evening of July 9, Hare entered a mens’ restroom at Glendale Park in Salt Lake City and acted provocatively at one of the urinals, according to a police report.

He also sought to get a glimpse of the genitals of an undercover vice officer standing at the next urinal, the report states.

Utah Supreme Court Justice Christine Durham placed Hare on paid leave September 17, which court officials said was the day they learned of the citation.

November 2, Hare was ousted from the county office by voters.

Additionally, in the interim, Fillmore city officials have removed Hare from the city’s justice court where he also presided.

This week, the Utah Judicial Council approved dissolving the East Millard Justice Court, where Hare was the presiding judge.

Millard County Commissioner Daron P. Smith said combining that court with the operations of the West Millard Justice Court was primarily for budgetary reasons.

However, Smith did not deny Hare’s actions played a role in the decision to start up a combined court in January.

Additionally, the council approved a waiver for the Millard County Commission to close the court faster than is normally required by state rules.

(LOGAN)-A severe shortage of veterinarians in Utah, especially in rural areas, helped motivate the State Board of Regents to give the unanimous “thumbs up” to creating a regional, educational partnership between Utah State University and Washington State University.

Proponents say this initiative will increase opportunities for Utah students interested in pursuing a career in this profession, which has been named as one of the 50 best careers of 2011 by U.S. News and World Report.

The next step for Utah lawmakers to take is to kick in $1.7 million in funding for the program’s first two years.

It is expected that upon its implementation, the partnership will require $3 million in annual funding.

The initiative has been in the works for three years and gained momentum this summer when North Logan Republican Jack Draxler was encouraged to draft a bill on the joint venture.

Under the program, it is anticipated that students will spend the first two years in their studies at Logan-based Utah State University and finish their last two years, including clinical studies, at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash.

The program will accept 30 new students each year, including 20 from Utah and 10 nonresidents.

The program has been modeled after similar regional partnerships in the country designed to meet home state needs while sharing educational costs in a discipline that is experiencing growing demand.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently identified six Utah regions suffering from a shortage of veterinarians, including Rich, Kane and San Juan counties.

(RICHFIELD) – Managers at Intermountain Farmer’s Association officially announced their expansion today to the old Lin’s Marketplace building at the north end of Richfield. At a news conference, Richfield IFA Branch Manager Todd Tolbert said the expansion will also include hiring dozens of new people to work at the expanded location. Tolbert said that the new location will give IFA the opportunity to offer more products, including pet supplies and women’s clothing. Agronomy Sales Manager, Branton Nielson, says farmers and ranchers will still be able to purchase fertilizer applications and farm supplies at the old location. IFA had planned to construct a new building near Home Depot about three years ago but the downturn in the economy prevented the expansion. Officials said that when Lin’s decided to vacate their building, IFA jumped at the chance to purchase the property for their expansion plans. IFA will occupy the building on Jan. 2 and plan to officially open mid-February.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Salt Lake City Mayor’s office says Houston-based Chevron Inc. was planning to begin purging residual crude oil from their Red Butte Garden pipeline Thursday morning.

This two-day effort will reportedly remove oil between a pump station at Hanna and the company’s refinery as part of repair work supervised by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Officials stated 500 barrels of oil spilled near Red Butte Garden in the same area where 800 barrels spilled in June.

Crews kept most of the crude from reaching Red Butte Creek this month.

After the latest spill, the city hired an independent expert to conduct an inspection and review of the Chevron pipeline and its operations.

The pipeline is currently out of service and awaiting repairs.

(ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast)-Political instability and numerous other dangers associated with the Ivory Coast’s disputed presidential elections last month have caused The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to remove non-African missionaries from its mission in the country’s capital city of Abidjan.

These missionaries will be sent to other West African nations, such as Ghana and Nigeria, while Church spokesman said select others have remained in the boundaries of the Ivory Coast Abidjan mission but are now serving in Benin and Togo.

This mission is one of eight the Church operates in the church’s Africa West area which include four in Nigeria, two in Ghana and one in Sierra Leone.

Currently the Ivory Coast, or Cote d’Ivoire, as it is often known internationally, boasts more than 14,000 Latter-Day Saints, 28 wards, 13 branches and three stakes.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards says 21 Utah teachers have earned national certification.

This brings the statewide total of nationally certified teachers to 204.

National certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to develop, recognize and retain accomplished teachers.

The nonpartisan National Research Council found students taught by nationally certified teachers make higher gains on achievement tests than students taught by other teachers.

It typically takes one to three years for teachers to complete their certification.

The Jordan School District has the most board certified teachers in Utah with 56.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The U.S. Senate has approved the tax deal President Barack Obama made with Republicans and in Utah, concern still exists that this won’t have the desired effects the state seeks in order to get the economy back up to speed.

However, in the short run, several sources, such as Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, believe the approval is properly aligned with Utah’s economy.

Hatch said he only voted for this bill with an eye toward protecting taxpayers.

In the House, some Democrats in the House remain unhappy with extending current rates to the richest Americans.

The overall goal is to boost a fragile economy, specifically by boosting consumer spending.

This crucial component includes extending the Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans for two years.

Meanwhile, the Obama-Republican tax deal also calls for extending federal unemployment benefits for 13 months.

The new percent of the package also includes a 2 percent payroll tax cut for a year, while restoring the estate tax to a lower level.

Wednesday, Zions Bank released its latest Consumer Price index, an indicator of the shape of the local economy while showing prices have stabilized over the course of the last year, a 1-percent average increase.

The lack of inflation is initially good news, but could fall onto shaky ground if tax policy fails to support consumer spending.

Utah’s inflation is right at the national average, according to Zions Bank research, and shows prices on most stables in life, such as food, fuel and utilities, have fallen.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utahns who have experienced issues with DIRECTV may be eligible to receive restitution from a new settlement.

The Utah Attorney General’s office and the Utah Department of Commerce announced an agreement was reached between the satellite provider and 49 states and the District of Columbia to resolve allegations of deceptive advertising and other unlawful business practices Wednesday.

This agreement requires the company to pay restitution to customers, change how it conducts business and pay $13.25 million to the states.

DIRECTV did not admit to any wrongdoing in this process.

To qualify for restitution, consumers’ complaints must include unresolved problems addressed in the agreement that occurred after January 1, 2007 and reported to the attorney general’s office, Consumer Protection Division or the Better Business Bureau before or 150 days after the effective day of the agreement.

Examples include failing to clearly disclose prices, promotional items and commitment terms, signing up consumers for contract terms without clearly disclosing them, extending consumers’ contracts without their consent and failing to disclose rebates were bill credits consumers had to sign up for on the company’s Web site.

Consumers may file a complaint with DIRECTV directly, consumer protection or the attorney general’s office by June 9, 2011.

Complaints may also be filed online at www.consumerprotection.utah.gov/complaints/manual.html or via e-mail at uag@utah.gov

(RICHFIELD) – Richfield City officials have scheduled a public meeting today to announce the expansion of Intermountain Farmer’s Association to the old Lin’s Marketplace building at the north end of Richfield. The meeting is planned for 8am at the Council Chambers and the public is invited to attend. Mayor Brad Ramsay said officials will discuss the details of IFA’s Country Store expansion into the building.

(RICHFIELD) – Richfield City officials held a public hearing Tuesday night concerning changing the zoning ordinance to allow chickens within the city limits. Mayor Brad Ramsay said most who attended the hearing were opposed to changing the ordinance for the allowance. Ramsay said no action was taken at the meeting to change the ordinance. Changes in the animal ordinance include allowing six chickens to be kept within certain sections of city limits but not roosters. Other changes include not allowing chickens, a horse or a cow to be kept on any lot smaller than an acre in the city and not within close proximity to residential structures on adjacent property. Additional changes in the ordinance would also need to be considered.

(RICHFIELD) – Law enforcement officers have arrested several people for dealing drugs in Sevier County. The Central Utah Narcotics Task Force issued a press release today on three subjects that used beer delivery trucks out of Las Vegas to transport illegal drugs and narcotics to Sevier County for eight to ten weeks. The Task Force said the drug dealers were making $6,000 to $10,000 every two to three weeks, when they would come to the area. After a three-month investigation, officers arrested 23-year old Tambra Silva, 27-year old Egbert Flores and 34-year old Rheasa Gamble, all of Las Vegas for a wide range of illegal drugs. The Task Force was assisted by the Sevier County Sheriff’s Department and Richfield City Police in making the arrests. More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

(PAYSON) – Utah County prosecutors filed murder charges today against two men accused in the slaying of retired BYU professor Kay Mortensen. Court records state that Martin Bond and Benjamin Rettig have been charged with aggravated murder for the November 2009 killing. Prosecutors say the pair also face a count of aggravated burglary and two counts of aggravated kidnapping related to the allegations they held Roger and Pamela Mortensen hostage. Until a week ago, the Mortensen’s were the prime suspects in the case and were in prison, facing trial but a tip led federal authorities to a stash of nearly 20 guns stolen from Kay Mortensen’s home. Prosecutors now say Bond and Rettig are the new suspects in the murder of Mortensen but have not decided whether they’ll seek the death penalty until the case gets to the arraignment stage. That decision is not expected for several months.

(RICHFIELD) – Officials at Intermountain Farmer’s Association have decided to expand their Country Store operations to the old Lin’s Marketplace building in Richfield. Richfield City officials made the announcement after an executive meeting Tuesday night following the regular council meeting. Richfield Business Park Coordinator Kimball Poulson said Mayor Brad Ramsay will hold a news conference Wednesday morning at 8:00 at the Council Chambers to discuss the details of the transaction. The public is invited to attend.

PAGE, Ariz. (AP)-Conor Corry had 22 points and the Kanab Cowboys edged Page (Ariz.) 54-52 Tuesday in non-region boys basketball action.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)-Madee Christenson had 16 points and the Gunnison Lady Bulldogs smacked the Rowland Hall-St. Mark’s Lady Winged Lions, 53-22 in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday.

DUCHESNE, Utah (AP)-Baylee Thompson had 14 points and Paige Ginn added 12 more as the Duchesne Lady Eagles downed the Manti Lady Templars, 37-32 Tuesday in non-region girls basketball action.

CASTLE DALE, Utah (AP)-Taylor Mann’s 23 points led the way for the Emery Lady Spartans in a 79-35 rout of the North Sevier Lady Wolves in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday. Kelsey Barney had 14 points in the loss for the Wolves.

(MOAB) – A prison parolee wanted in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Denver man at a restaurant in Moab over the weekend was arrested this morning. According to Moab Police Chief Mike Navarre, officers responded to a home on a stolen vehicle call at about 8am and spotted an abandoned vehicle in the area and gave chase on foot to a man running. Navarre said officers overtook the man as he attempted to enter the back door of another home. Police arrested 34-year old Andrew Curtis of Moab on charges of suspicion murder, aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. He was taken to Allen Memorial Hospital in Moab to be checked out and transported to the Grand County Jail. Curtis is suspected of stabbing 32-year old William Tague at a Denny’s Restaurant on SR-191 in Moab at about 2:30am Sunday. The man was sought after a woman called 9-1-1 Sunday morning, saying a man held a knife to her neck and then attacked another man in the parking lot of the restaurant. Tague was found with multiple stab wounds and died at a local hospital at about 5am. Curtis was recently paroled from the Utah State Prison where he had served eight years for a shooting in the parking lot of the Rio bar in Moab.

(WASHINGTON)-Utah Senator Orrin Hatch has pulled the plug on numerous earmarks he championed previously this year as part of the Republicans’ new campaign against pet projects.

His decision, announced Monday, may only be symbolic if Congress simply extends the current budget, a move that would not fund any earmarks.

However, if Congress decides to pass a major budget bill before the end of the year, it may include thousands of earmarks, including the dozens that ultimately add up to $1.2 billion.

Outgoing Utah Senator Bob Bennett, a member of the appropriations committee, led Utah’s delegation with 321 requests, netting $1.36 billion, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, an anti-earmark group tracking congressional budget bills.

Senate Republicans have decided not to ask for earmarks for the next two years and the House has followed suit.

Shortly after this decision, Hatch sent a two-paragraph letter to the leaders of the Appropriations Committee yanking his requests for the 2011 fiscal year.

Bennett, who will leave Washington in January, is an unabashed supporter of the earmarking process and repeatedly points out the budget doesn’t grow just because a member of Congress designates where some money should be spent.

Congress is expected to finish its work for 2010 by the end of this work week and the House has already passed a continuing resolution, while the Senate is expected to debate on a bigger budget.

Earmark opponent Senator John McCain of Arizona said he will try to strip earmarks from the budget.

Utah GOP Reps Jason Chaffetz and Rob Bishop asked for no earmarks, due to the House GOP’s anti-earmark pledge last year while Utah Democratic Representative Jim Matheson supported 31 earmarks worth $27 million.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Salt Lake Tribune reports the Utah Senate will hold a special session to consider approving a veteran member of the Utah Attorney General’s Office for a juvenile court judgeship Tuesday.

Julie Lund, the head of the A.G.’s Child Protection Division, was appointed by Utah Governor Gary Herbert last month to replace retired 3rd District Juvenile Court Judge Sharon P. McCully.

The Senate will consider Lund’s confirmation at 12:45 p.m.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The federal trial for convicted kidnapper Brian Mitchell is over but the state’s case against him is still pending. The Salt Lake County District Attorney indicted Mitchell in 2008, five years after the state had filed charges of kidnapping, burglary and aggravated sex assault against him. Deputy District Attorney for Salt Lake County, Alicia Cook, said hearing the verdict in federal court was emotional. She said the conviction of Mitchell was a victory for the prosecution team where state and federal governments worked together to bring justice to a case that has gone on for far too long. In 2004, a state court judge found Mitchell incompetent to stand trial and Mitchell refused any treatment or medication. Cook said the state’s case can’t move forward until the finding of incompetency is overcome. Law professors say that the state’s court ruling of incompetency could be cited in a possible appeal but there may not be much more the state’s case now.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Monday, the Wilderness Society said solar energy developments in Utah should be limited to a specific zone in the southwestern portion of the state.

In a report the group released, it says federal land managers should limit developments in the state to the Milford Flats area west of Beaver.

The area is ideal as there are only minimal environmental conflicts and an existing infrastructure, such as power lines.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s environmental advisor, Ted Wilson, told the Associated Press Milford Flats is ideal for solar power although other areas in Utah are valuable and should be considered for development.

Wilson also says counties should have input on developmental plans and restrictions.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah Governor Gary Herbert will meet with federal, local and tribal leaders to discuss air quality issues in the Uinta Basin Wednesday at the State Capitol building in Salt Lake City.

The meeting, which is open to the public, is expected to focus on ways the air can be kept safe while not hampering the industry.

The state director for the Utah Bureau of Land Management, Juan Palma and the regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, Jim Martin, are expected to attend the meeting.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Numerous Utah educators are “encouraged” by Governor Gary Herbert’s budget recommendations released last week, but with education’s expansive costs, much give and take is expected as lawmakers hammer out their final budget.

Herbert has proposed putting up $50 million to fund about 14,700 new students, an additional $7.5 million to continue an optional extended-day kindergarten program for the 2012 fiscal year.

Herbert’s recommendations go a long way toward meeting priorities of the State Office of Education, which recently voted to ask the Legislature for an additional $76 million for education spending.

Herbert’s proposed budget increases public education funding by about $63 million.

School finance director for the Utah Office of Education Larry Newton said there are a few aspects of Herbert’s proposed budget that could prove problematic especially since local districts will have to find money from their general funds to account for the decrease.

However, Newton has said he’s hopeful that more accurate and favorable revenue estimates will be available when it’s time for the Legislature to decide how funds should be appropriated.

Ultimately, the decision to decide how much money is dedicated to education and what spending priorities will be rests in the hands of the Legislature.

(Ephraim) With the completion of the new library at snow college, the school has been able to convert the building formerly used as the library into classroom space. The college has seen record growth over the last couple of years and has had to make do with the limited classroom space that was available. With the conversion of the Lucy Phillips Library into the Lucy Phillips Classroom Building the school can now ease some of the overcrowding. Rather than dedicating the building to a particular department, the space will be available as needed for each department. The building will also house an expanded testing center, including space for online testing. It will also have dedicated space for video conference classes. Upgrades have also been made to the electrical and other systems throughout the building, and it has new windows and paint. According to school officials, the building will be open for classes starting January 4th.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The father of Elizabeth Smart is speaking out on the guilty verdict of Brian Mitchell. Ed Smart said his daughter is hoping to face her convicted kidnapper at his sentencing in May of 2011. He said Mitchell was going to prison and will never hurt another child again. Smart said Elizabeth will complete her LDS Church mission in April and will, once more, appear in court in May for the sentencing. He also commented that the reason Elizabeth left the courtroom during Dr. Paul Whitehead’s testimony in the trial, was because of a lie he told that she had picked out a baby’s name in the event that she could become pregnant with Mitchell’s child. Smart pointed out that the sentencing for Mitchell on May 25 also coincides with the “National Missing Children’s Day.”

(MOAB) – Moab police are looking for a Moab man suspected in the stabbing death of a Denver man at a restaurant over the weekend. Police reports said that officers were dispatched to a Denny’s Restaurant at North Main on SR-191 at about 2:40am Sunday and found 32-year old William Tague suffering from stab wounds. He was transported to Allen Memorial Hospital in Moab and pronounced dead at about 5am. Moab Police Chief Mike Navarre said several people witnessed an altercation between Tague and 34-year old Andrew Curtis of Moab. Witnesses told police the suspect fled the scene before officers arrived. Curtis is charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. Court records state that Curtis has a history of violent crimes, including prison time.

(FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.)-Saturday, Arizona game and fish officers who were checking coyote traps on the Kaibab Plateau near Fredonia, Ariz. discovered the body and truck of 30-year-old Clay Branham of Ely, Nev. who originally was reported as missing last July.

Branham was found inside the vehicle lying on the back seat where he appeared to have died in his sleep.

Family spokesman Mike Kelley, who has been in touch with Mid-Utah Radio on developments in Branham’s disappearance, told KCSG-TV of St. George, he notified Branham’s family of his death Saturday evening around 10:30 p.m.

Officers at the scene said the truck’s doors were locked, the windows were rolled up and the radio was turned on.

Branham also had a rolled-up T-shirt to rest his head when he was found, Kelley said.

Branham’s body was later taken to Flagstaff, Ariz. where the Coconino County (Ariz.) Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy to determine official cause of death.

Officers said there was no evidence of foul play in the incident.

Clay’s father, Paul Branham, first filed a missing person report with the White Pine County (Nev.) Sheriff’s Office in Ely July 25.

When KCSG interviewed Paul on August 6, he said Clay was depressed in recent weeks and he was greatly concerned for his welfare.

(WASHINGTON)-Monday, a federal judge in Virginia ruled Congress exceeded its power by mandating everyone have health insurance or face a fine, a significant legal setback for President Barack Obama’s signature health care law.

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch called this ruling “a great day for liberty,” while backers of the law say it could unravel this complicated law meant to extend health care to those who are now uncovered.

Utah is among 20 states filing a similar suit which is still pending before a federal judge in Florida.

In two other cases, judges determined the insurance mandate was legal, although federal judge, Henry E. Hudson, disagreed in the suit brought by the state of Virginia, setting up a potential showdown that only the U.S. Supreme Court may be able to decide.

Hatch once backed a bill with a similar requirement but said after he considered the matter, Congress has no right to tell people how to spend their money.

Hudson’s ruling doesn’t invalidate the entire health reform law, only the requirement to buy insurance.

During the congressional debate and court hearings, supporters of the individual mandate say it’s necessary to offset the cost of other requirements on insurance companies, such as a ban on charging women more than men and a prohibition on coverage denial due to previous health conditions.

The voluminous law (which consists of more than 2,000 pages), includes five pages devoted to defending the individual mandate’s constitutionality, making the case that it would benefit interstate commerce.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-A Utah lawmaker wants to legalize “showier” fireworks in a bid to improve the state’s statute and create an incentive for residents not to travel to Wyoming for illegal fireworks.

Representative Jim Dunnigan of Taylorsville has proposed permitting “cake” fireworks, and while they shoot high, they are on broader bases and feature more stable trajectories while their remnants return cold to the ground.

The measure essentially says that if fireworks aren’t prohibited, they’re allowed, which means cherry bombs and firecrackers would still remain illegal.

Additionally, bottle rockets, skyrockets and single-shot mortars would remain outlawed due to their risks as fire hazards.

Dunnigan believes the bill will dissuade Utahns from driving to Wyoming or New Mexico for illegal fireworks and bringing them across state lines.

Furthermore, Dunnigan contends the law will result in more sales tax revenues for Utah.

Usually, enforcement of existing laws is problematic as people have either had to report their neighbors or police and firefighters have had to be lucky catching offenders in the act.

Utah Highway Patrol has had to resort to undercover stings along the Wyoming border while police place themselves in Evanston, Wyo. in unmarked cars while looking for individuals who leave fireworks stores with large purchases.

If they are headed back to Utah, they pull over the motorists on the Utah side of the border.

Dunnigan is unsure concerning how this will affect Wyoming, while he has acknowledge it may affect its tax base.

(ST. GEORGE) – Washington County Search and Rescue made a daring rescue in the red-rock country near St. George over the weekend to retrieve an injured hiker. Richard Leavitt, leader of the county’s high-angle rescue team, said the helicopter pilot made a dangerous landing on a rock pinnacle with cliffs dropping straight down on three sides. Rescuer Casey Lofthouse said the woman hiker was not seriously injured but needed help off the mountain. The incident unfolded high in the Red Mountain wilderness near St. George, where hikers need both hands and feet to travel over the demanding terrain. For rescuers, it’s an area where there’s an ever-present hazard of falling off a cliff. Crews were able to get to the injured woman in a matter of minutes instead of hours because of the expertise of the helicopter pilot in landing in a precarious precipice. Crews said the pilot, Jeremy Johnson, a millionaire St. George businessman, does this for people all the time.

(ST. GEORGE)-A motive for a St. George double homicide over the weekend, which also resulted in a third person being injured, remained unknown Sunday, the Deseret News reports.

Police were guarded with any information they received, saying the Washington County Attorney may release additional information Monday.

The bodies of 20-year-old Jerrica Christensen of Santa Clara and 27-year-old Brandie Sue Dawn Jerden of St. George were found early Saturday inside a residence of 575 S. Main, on the periphery of the city’s downtown area.

A third person, 28-year-old James Fiske of St. George, suffered non-life threatening injuries after being shot.

Fiske was pulled over for a traffic violation after the shooting during the traffic stop wherein police discovered he was shot.

The 31-year-old Paul Ashton of St. George was arrested for investigation of two counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder while 29-year-old Brandon Perry Smith of St. George was arrested for investigation of aggravated murder and aggravated assault.

Sunday, both men were being detained at the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane.

In April, Ashton was charged with felony drug possession and possession with intent to distribute.

A court hearing is scheduled for January while in 2005, Ashton was charged with two counts of felony unlawful sex with a minor.

According to court records, both counts were dismissed.

St. George Police Sergeant Craig Harding said as of Sunday, there was no evidence supporting a possible “wrong place at the wrong time” scenario for the victims.

(SPANISH FORK) – An unhitched boat and its trailer caused a wreck on I-15 Sunday near Spanish Fork. Utah Highway Patrol investigated and said a West Point man was pulling his boat back from Fillmore around 3:30pm and discovered his boat and trailer were not behind him. UHP said the trailer had become unhitched, drifted left and came undamaged next to the Jersey barrier on I-15. The report said two cars stopped prior to hitting the boat but two other vehicles were unable to stop and rear ended the two stopped cars. UHP said six people were taken to Mountain View Hospital with minor injuries. Charges are pending for the West Point man who lost the boat.

(RICHFIELD) – Nearly 100 children in our local area participated Saturday morning in the annual Shop-With-A-Cop program in Richfield. Program coordinator Kim Sorensen with the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office said the program was, once again, a big success this year. Sorensen said that law enforcement left the Sevier County Fairgrounds at 8am Saturday with about 93 kids counted as part of the program this year, including over a dozen agencies that participated. They then headed to McDonald’s for breakfast and shopped at Kmart. He said law enforcement from Sevier, Wayne and Piute Counties helped with the program.

(CEDAR CITY) – A former president of a small unaccredited liberal arts college in southern Utah has been arrested for investigation of soliciting sex. Cedar City police report that 38-year old Andrew Groft was arrested Friday afternoon and booked into jail for attempting to solicit sex. Groft is a former president of George Wythe University. He was appointed president in February of 2009. Groft announced he was stepping down as president in the same newsletter and requesting an “ambassadorial role as the Business and Government Affairs Liaison for the board of trustees.” The school’s website currently does not list Groft among its faculty or board of trustee members. Groft’s arrest is the second arrest during a prostitution sting that occurred the same night a vice-president of Southern Utah University was arrested for soliciting sex. Police reports stated that 57-year old Wesley Curtis was placed on paid administrative leave following his arrest.

EPHRAIM, Utah (AP)-DeShawn Mitchell had 29 points and six assists and Travis Wilkins stepped up with 27 points and seven boards as the Snow Badgers overpowered the Southern Idaho Eagles, 105-86 Saturday in Scenic West Athletic Conference play at the Activity Center.

The win improves the Badgers to 2-0 in conference play and 11-4 overall on the young season.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Robert Torgerson had 21 points and Eric Peterson added 13 more as the Richfield Wildcats downed the Hurricane Tigers, 52-45 Friday in non-region boys basketball action.

OGDEN, Utah (AP)-Josh Hardin had 13 points as the Ben Lomond Scots downed the Juab Wasps, 32-30 in non-region boys basketball action Friday. Dallin Kay had 15 points for the Wasps while Taran Wright added 11 more for Juab.

MONROE, Utah (AP)-Race Parsons had 29 points while Patrick Baker added 18 more as the South Sevier Rams pummeled the Kanab Cowboys, 72-52 in non-region boys basketball action Friday. Kade Quarnberg had 16 points in the loss for the Cowboys.

DELTA, Utah (AP)-Casey Evans posted 32 points while Jared Brooks added 22 more as the Morgan Trojans outgunned the Delta Rabbits, 82-71 Friday in non-region boys basketball action at the Palladium. Colin Christensen had 19 points and Taylor Bahr added 18 more in the loss for Delta.

MT. PLEASANT, Utah (AP)-Colton Dunn posted 24 points and Carl Peckham stepped up with 17 more as the North Sanpete Hawks edged the North Summit Braves, 58-56 in non-region boys basketball action Friday.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Cory Young keyed a balanced scoring attack with 17 points and the Monticello Buckaroos smacked the Wayne Badgers, 54-36 Friday at the Sevier Valley Center. Jason Larsen had 17 points in defeat for Wayne.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Caleb Bird and DeeJay Madsen had 12 points apiece and the Altamont Longhorns edged the Escalante Moquis, 41-38 at the Sevier Valley Center Friday. Kody Barney’s 11 points paced the Moquis in the loss.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Tyce Barney had 21 points and the Panguitch Bobcats ousted the Tabiona Tigers, 54-44 Friday at the Sevier Valley Center.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Lance Maxwell amassed 24 points and the Valley Buffaloes gashed the Duchesne Tigers, 56-40 at the Sevier Valley Center Friday.

JUNCTION, Utah (AP)-Kandice Gleave had 18 points and Tori Gass added 12 more for the Piute Lady Thunderbirds in a 52-34 rout of the Milford Lady Tigers in Region 20 action Friday.

PANGUITCH, Utah (AP)-Kalani Norris had 30 points and 13 boards and the Panguitch Lady Tigers stymied the Wayne Lady Badgers, 60-44 Friday in Region 20 action. Haylee Barney had nine points in the loss for Wayne.

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP)-Megan Bean had 15 points while Chelsee Willardson added 12 more as the Richfield Lady Wildcats outlasted the Pine View Lady Panthers, 49-46 in non-region girls basketball action Friday.

KANAB, Utah (AP)-Kayla King’s 14 points led the way for the South Sevier Lady Rams as they edged the Bryce Valley Lady Mustangs, 30-28 Friday at the Cowgirl Classic. Sydney Cornforth had 10 points in defeat for Bryce Valley.

KANAB, Utah (AP)-Calli Jackson had 13 points and the Kanab Cowgirls doubled up the Gunnison Lady Bulldogs, 42-21 at the Cowgirl Classic Friday. Amberlynn Stratton and Macady Hatch each had four points in the loss for Gunnison.

(FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.)-KOLD-TV, Channel 13 in Tucson, Ariz. reports the city of Flagstaff, Ariz. has joined other entities in opposing uranium mining near Grand Canyon National Park.

The Flagstaff City Council passed a resolution this week supporting Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar’s decision to ban any hard rock mining claims in a 1-million acre area outside the park’s boundaries.

Salazar’s administration is studying whether mining on those lands should be permanently prohibited.

Flagstaff’s resolution says mining will almost certainly have a detrimental impact on the city’s economic well-being.

Additionally, the Navajo Nation has opposed uranium mining on reservation land as have other tribes throughout northern Arizona.

Supporters, such as Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, say economic impacts, energy independence and national security considerations support continued exploration.

(RICHFIELD) – Sevier County Commissioners have signed a Letter of Understanding with the state to establish a Children’s Justice Center in Richfield. The Center will be located in the building facility just northeast of the County Administration Building. County Attorney Dale Eyre said retrofitting for sound-proofing and recording devices need to be set up at the facility before the Justice Center can be established. At the Commission meeting Wednesday, Commissioners also approved a policy to conduct meetings by electronic means so that voting can take place off-site. Commissioners also approved a cell phone policy to allow staff to use their personal cell phones for county business or county-paid cell phones. The policy gives county staff the choice where the county will pay the bill for business use or partial payment on a private plan.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah Governor Gary Herbert will unveil his blueprint Friday for nearly $12 billion to run state government next year.

His plan is reportedly bereft of tax hikes and should feature something the state hasn’t seen in years: black ink.

For the first time since 2007, the governor will be able to propose a budget larger than the one approved in the previous year.

Senate budget chairman, Lyle Hillyard of Logan says state lawmakers have to come up with roughly $350 million to fund growth in state programs which include new students in public schools and universities, new inmates in the prison system, and increased demands on health and human services programs.

While Hillyard is expecting some new money, he wouldn’t say how much is expected and there are always plenty of demands.

Additionally, the current state budget (propped up with about $313 million) is federal stimulus money or Rainy Day funds infused last session, which will vanish at the end of the fiscal year.

Thus, legislators will have to let the money disappear and cut programs by 7 percent or money could be found to slide into its place.

Currently, there are $210 million in Rainy Day funds, although these funds have been drained from the previous level of $420 million.

One option Herbert proposed last year that the Legislature did not adopt was changing the way self-employed individuals file their taxes.

By requiring individuals to make estimated payments quarterly, the state can collect the money earlier.

This would create an $100 million one-time windfall which could replace some of the lapsing stimulus and Rainy Day funds.

Senate President Michael Waddoups of Taylorsville said he predicts Herbert will look at the quarterly filings while the Legislature ultimately sets the final budget, in consultation with the governor.

In the past, lawmakers have usually ignored the chief executive’s proposals and over the past three years, have shaved more than $1 billion from the state’s budget as the economy contracted.

While unemployment still remains high, revenues for the current year are expected to come in at about $6 million higher than projected.

While the amount is almost insignificant, it marks the first time in recent years tax collections have exceeded typically conservative forecasts.

(ST. GEORGE)-Thursday, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development approved a post-performance tax rate rebate to assist a leading tradeshow exhibit company to expand in southern Utah.

Czarnowski Display Service Inc. of Chicago will invest more than $6.5 million in the development of a new production/distribution facility in St. George.

Upon its completion, the operation will employ 50 new full-time staff with wages in excess of 150 percent of the Washington County average, including full benefits.

Periodically, the company has also said it will hire 25-40 temporary employees meeting seasonable demand at an estimated wage of $15 per hour.

The state expects to receive over $915,000 in new taxes throughout the seven-year incentive period.

GOED Executive Director Spencer Eccles says Czarnowski works with many of the largest companies in the world while their presence in the Utah business community underscores the value of Utah’s dynamic economy and productive workforce.

Czarnowski is an exhibit and event company with 14 locations throughout the U.S. and a global client base, providing design, fabrication, installation, warehousing and other related services, according to the company’s Web site.

The new St. George production and distribution facility will join Czarnowski’s 38 other locations across North America, which include Atlanta, Denver, Las Vegas and Miami, among others.

Czarnowski president Mark Nagle said his company is proud and excited to join Utah’s business community.

(ST. GEORGE)-Nine weeks after being struck by lightning outside St. George’s Snow Canyon High School, teenager Alex Lambson still has a long recovery ahead of him.

According to the Lambson family blog, Lambson has visited seven different doctors in a span of two days earlier this week.

His family has learned he has significant hearing loss in his left ear, has incurred scars which continue to grow thicker and is fatigued each day.

Currently, Lambson must wear a compression shirt to keep the scar tissue down.

Lambson and his friend, Dan Zdunich, were struck by lightning October 5.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-A day after murder charges were dropped against a couple in the killing of former Brigham Young University professor Kay Mortensen, a state panel voted to back a bill, making it easier for prosecutors to call grand juries in Utah.

Mortensen’s son Roger has been accused of killing Kay, along with Roger’s wife Pamela.

Last summer, both were indicted by a state grand jury, a group of citizens seldom convened under Utah law.

Roger and Pamela spent months in jail while she was released Wednesday after a tip from investigators led them to suspects in the Uintah Basin, who reportedly have confessed to the killing.

Roger remains jailed on gun charges.

David Shapiro, president-elect of a Utah Criminal Defense Lawyers Association said the grand jury system is not appropriate for the majority of cases brought into the state.

Shapiro has numerous issues with grand juries, among them are they generally operate in secret, defense lawyers have no opportunity to cross examine witnesses and when both sides are heard, preliminary hearings are eradicated.

Shapiro said he’s not familiar with deals in the Mortensen case, but believed preliminary hearings could have helped the wrongly accused shed charges sooner.

Thursday, the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice voted to support a bill that would make grand juries more likely in the state.

Prosecutors would still need permission from a panel of judges to convene a jury, but the judges could have few reasons to say no.

The measure is expected to be introduced at the January Legislative Session at the State Capitol.

(ATLANTA)-As the nation observes and gains input on the Utah Compact, other states are seeking to implement comparable legislation.

In Georgia, a group is forming to promote a document policy designed to guide the state’s immigration debate toward a “compassionate, reasonable” approach.

Attorney Charles Kuck, the former national president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, is taking it as the template for the Georgia Pact.

Last week, a New York Times editorial lauded the Compact implemented in Utah, calling it “an expression of good sense and sanity.”

Nevertheless, Orem Representative Stephen Sandstrom remains insistent that similar legislation to Arizona’s SB1070 should be enacted in Utah.

A showdown is simmering in Utah between Sandstrom’s camp and those in favor of the Utah Compact, such as Salt Lake City Democrat Luz Robles.

The issue will be discussed during January’s legislative session at the state Capitol.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Thursday, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker announced that after Houston-based Chevron Corp. has allowed two oil spills in the past six months to occur at its Red Butte Creek pipeline, they cannot be trusted.

Becker also announced plans to hire a third-party consultant, ensuring Chevron does what it claims to be doing.

Becker wants an independent analysis of the 60-year-old pipeline, a measure a federal agency has approved.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Federal Aviation Administration has called a report of a downed single-engine plane over Utah or Wyoming an apparent hoax.

Sheriff’s deputies in Uinta County (Wyo.)say they’re not ready to call it that but they can’t find the plane and have called off the search.

Uinta Sheriff’s Lieutenant Tom Saprony says a man who said he was a pilot, was flying to Evanston, Wyo. told authorities he crashed into a lake, presumably Bear Lake.

However, no plane was found there or at any other lake in the region.

FAA spokesman Mike Fergus has said there is no radar, emergency beacon signal or confirmation from another person about a plane going down in the region.

(RICHFIELD) – Two Richfield women were taken to the hospital after being hit while standing outside of their vehicles in a three-car pile up at the intersection of 800 South and Main Thursday night. According to a UHP report, 47-year old Natalie Rees was traveling northbound on Main Street in a 2001 Chrysler Sebring and stopped at the traffic light, when she was rearended at about 6pm by a 1998 Dodge Neon, driven by 24-year old Stephanie Nocon, also of Richfield. UHP said the two women got out of their vehicles at the intersection and were suddenly hit by a 1995 Dodge truck, also traveling northbound, driven by 43-year old Jodee Fautin of Marysvale. The report said Rees sustained neck and chest injuries and was transported to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield for treatment. Nocon sustained upper and lower extremity injuries and was taken to the hospital. Two children traveling with Nocon, ages two and four, were both in booster seats and were not injured. Fautin was wearing her seatbelt and had no injuries. A male child traveling with Fautin was also seatbelted and not injured. Charges for following too close are pending for both Nocon and Fautin.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah (AP)-Thomas Larsen had 22 points and the Westlake Thunder tripped up Wasatch Academy, 52-49 Thursday in non-region boys basketball action. Jarryn Skeete had 17 points in defeat for the Tigers.

TROPIC, Utah (AP)-Makelle Pollock and Whitni Syrett had 10 points apiece as the Bryce Valley Lady Mustangs smacked the Esclante Lady Moquis, 50-13 in Region 20 girls basketball action Thursday. Tori Lindsay paced Escalante with five points.

MONROE, Utah (AP)-Courtnie Duncan had nine points and the Cedar Lady Reds crushed South Sevier, 49-29 Thursday in non-region girls basketball action. Kayla King had 11 points in the loss for the Lady Rams.

ORDERVILLE, Utah (AP)-Alora Heaton and Nikki Milligan each posted 10 points as the Valley Lady Buffaloes bested Fredonia Ariz., 39-30 Thursday in non-region girls basketball action.

OGDEN, Utah (AP)-Tessa Bradford had 22 points and Kiz Farrer chipped in with 14 more as the Juab Lady Wasps ousted the Ben Lomond Lady Scots, 47-38 in non-region girls basketball action Thursday.

FILLMORE, Utah (AP)-Keri Brunson and Brooke Rhodes combined for 25 points as the Millard Lady Eagles overpowered the Manti Lady Templars, 40-29 Thursday in non-region girls basketball action.

MT. PLEASANT, Utah (AP)-Shaylie Mason had 12 points to lead the North Sevier Lady Wolves to a 41-35 win over North Sanpete Thursday in non-region girls basketball action. Taylor Gordon posted 12 points and 21 boards in the loss for the Lady Hawks.

(SHIPROCK, N.M.)-KOB-TV, Channel 4 in Albuquerque, N.M. reports a Shiprock, N.M. man has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a drive-by shooting.

Authorities say 20-year-old Jarin Scott pleaded guilty Wednesday in Albuquerque to a charge of assault with a deadly weapon.

On April 12, he fired shots into a Shiprock apartment complex, where his estranged girlfriend was inside with four others.

No one was injured.

Court records attest Scott blamed his girlfriend’s brother for their breakup.

Scott told police he shot out a window, intending to scare the brother.

A Navajo Nation police officer who was in the area heard gunfire and saw a truck flee the scene.

Scott faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing.

(PAGE, Ariz.)-The Arizona Daily Sun of Flagstaff, Ariz. reports while Page, Ariz. will have a new mayor in 2011, there will be a familiar name on the ballot.

Bill Justice will be on the Page mayoral ballot for the fourth consecutive time, having previously served from 2007-09.

He will be joined in the race by former council challenger Adam Brown and first-term Councilmember Bill Diak.

Also making the Wednesday filing deadline were council incumbents John Kocjan and Cecilia Cobb along with challengers Pam Brown, Liam Doyle, David Tennis and Scott Sadler.

Next spring, the city will elect three council members for four-year terms and a mayor for a two-year term.

The general election could follow in May.

Justice was part of the two closest mayoral elections in the city’s 20-year history of voting for mayors via popular vote.

Page has conducted elections since its 1975 incorporation but allowed its council members to elect one of their own as mayor until 1989.

(FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.)-The Arizona Daily Sun of Flagstaff, Ariz. reports federal and Navajo officials say $14.5 million from a bankruptcy settlement with a chemical company will help address contamination at dozens of uranium mine sites on the vast reservation.

The money is part of a $270 million nationwide settlement announced last month with Tronox of Oklahoma City which sought bankruptcy protection last year to reorganize operations and alleviate environment liabilities and litigation costs.

While the money going to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Navajo Nation won’t be sufficient to clean 50 sites, it is effective for assessments and radiation screenings to determine extent of any contamination.

The majority of the money will go toward the EPA to address the Quivira Mine near Church Rock, N.M., one of the highest priorities for cleanup among some 500 abandoned mines in the Navajo Nation and 49 others, primarily scattered through the northern and eastern parts of the reservation.

Furthermore, the Navajo Nation will get $1.2 million to address environmental compliance at a former uranium mining site near Shiprock, N.M., where the groundwater has been contaminated.

The settlement is subject to a public comment period and settlement documents are available for review in the Navajo Nation’s capital of Window Rock, Ariz. through January 2.

Each of the Navajo sites covered under the settlement are connected to Kerr-McGee Corp. of Denver and The Woodlands, Texas-based Anadarko Petroleum Corp., which bought Kerr-McGee for $18 millions five months after Tronox was spun off.

Tronox has accused Kerr-McGee of saddling the company with hundreds of millions of dollars of environmental legacy lawsuits, stripping it of its most valuable assets and cash while undercapitalizing the company.

As part of its bankruptcy settlement, Tronox has agreed to give up 88 percent of its stake in any proceeds it receives from the pending lawsuit.

This may expedite cleaning efforts in the Navajo Nation as they and the EPA are poised to get 23 percent of these proceeds but the actual amount is unknown.

Addressing the legacy of uranium contamination on the Navajo Nation has been a daunting task while most of the physical hazards, such as open mine shafts, have been fixed at more than 500 sites.

Radiation hazards remain a major concern while mill tailings or rocks not rich enough in uranium ore were left at exploration sites or mines could pose health hazards.

The Navajo Nation and the EPA began aggressively targeting these hazards within the last decade which include the development of a multi-agency plan to address contamination.

(WASHINGTON)-The U.S. Senate found a Louisiana federal judge guilty on four articles of impeachment Wednesday, stripping him of his position and banning him from holding public office again.

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, who helped lead the Senate’s inquiry into the judge, only backed two of the impeachment articles but ultimately felt the Senate did the right thing in ousting a federal official for only the eighth time in federal history.

The judge, G. Thomas Porteous, had emotional and financial troubles and while Hatch says he deserved the ouster, he said he feels sorry for him.

The Senate voted unanimously on the first impeachment article, discovering Porteous accepted $20,000 in kickbacks from attorneys whom he assisted.

Hatch and his fellow Utah Senator Bob Bennett, voted against the second article which involved payoffs the judge received from a bail bondsman, largely stemming from his time as a state judge.

The Senate convicted Porteous on a vote of 69-27.

Hatch said Porteous’ actions occurred before he became a federal judge, while he said he worries about the precedent this vote may set for future impeachment cases.

Hatch was one of only eight senators to oppose the third impeachment article involving false claims Porteous made during a personal bankruptcy, including hiding gambling debts.

Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri who led this Senate impeachment plan along with Hatch, also voted against the third impeachment article.

On the fourth article, the Senate voted 90-6 while Hatch and Bennett, in the majority, found Porteous guilty of lying during the confirmation process, resulting in his federal judgeship.

The House impeached Porteous on four counts earlier this year, which triggers a Senate trial to determine if he should have been stripped of his position.

Once found guilty, the Senate could also pass a measure banning him from ever holding a public office again and in their vote Wednesday, they did so with a 94-2 count.

(CEDAR CITY)-Harvard business scholar Clayton Christensen will be the keynote speaker at Southern Utah University’s commencement May 6, while he will also be awarded with an honorary doctorate in business.

Christensen, the Robert and Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, is best known for his studies in commercial innovation, which resulted in his theory of “disruptive technologies.”

Christensen, a native of Salt Lake City, is a 1975 graduate of Brigham Young University and author of six books exploring why economies must first be dismantled if they are to be resuscitated.

Southern Utah University President Michael Benson said Christensen is world-renowned for his labors and the university is lucky to have him speak to graduates.

(ST. GEORGE)-A Washington County sheriff’s office task force working to eliminate graffiti said this crime appears to be on the decline in the area.

The St. George Spectrum reports task force officials say the county receives between 30 and 60 graffiti-related calls per month with about 100 unsolved cases.

Task force officers say they are joining forces with teachers and school resource officers to watch for drawings on student notebooks to help identify potential suspects.

This type of graffiti is called tagging and Detective Aaron Bergquist says taggers usually keep sketchbooks of their work.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-An assistant U.S. Attorney in Utah has received a Department of Justice award for his prosecution work in criminal cases.

Wednesday, John Huber was honored at the DOJ’s 27th annual Executive Office for United States Attorneys Director’s Awards for his “superior performance” as an assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting criminal cases.

The award acknowledges Huber’s vigorous, successful prosecutions in areas of domestic violence, terrorism, and immigration crime, said U.S. Attorney for Utah Carlie Christensen.

Huber, a former West Valley City prosecutor, started working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in April 2002 as a special U.S. Assistant Attorney prosecuting firearms crimes as a part of the office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods.

As an assistant U.S. Attorney, he successfully prosecuted four individuals involved with firearms in the Trolley Square shootings.

Awards were given to 159 people across the country including fellow U.S. state attorneys, law enforcement agents, litigation teams, and others who have made significant contributions in federal, state and local law enforcement.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-As investigation ensues at the Red Butte Creek pipeline, federal regulators say testing Houston-based Chevron Corp. engaged in after a June pipeline leak caused the second leak last week.

Pipeline regulators with the U.S. Department of Transportation say Chevron failed to purge the pipeline of water used for a pressure test after June’s spill involving some 800 barrels of crude oil.

Some of the water collected inside a shut-off valve that split open December 1 during a hard freeze, leaked an estimated 500 barrels of oil.

Wednesday, the Associated Press obtained a copy of a 10-page order the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued by Chevron.

In the order, regulators called the pipeline a “serious” threat, ordering the oil titan to take a dozen steps before seeking approval for its operation.

(PARK CITY)-The Canyons Resort will be opening for the ski season this weekend.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports the resort will open with nine available lifts Friday morning, including a new one with heated seats.

Delays in getting the lift into place forced resort officials to push back the opening date.

When fully opened, the Canyons is Utah’s largest ski resort and boasts 4,000 acres of winter enjoyment for enthusiasts.

Beaver County’s Eagle Point will be Utah’s last ski resort to open on December 15.

All other resorts in the state have been opened.

(ALTON)-A coalition of environmental organizations filed an emergency petition to suppress a new strip-mining operation Wednesday.

Environmentalists are asking Utah’s Supreme Court to shut down this coal-mining project in Alton which has previously received a go-ahead from state officials.

This underdeveloped coalfield has been an environmental battleground for years, due to its proximity to Bryce Canyon National Park.

The state Supreme Court has not yet stated when it will act on this petition.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Salt Lake City police say a book dealer murdered last week may have unknowingly purchased rare books from a violent gang member. Police said that in February of 2009, 20-year old Lorin Nielsen was arrested and charged with stealing books from his father, a polygamous church president. The reports say Nielsen then sold them to Sherry Black for $20,000. The books included a first-edition French copy of the Book of Mormon signed by John Taylor with a message to Parley P. Pratt. In total, the books were worth an estimated $45,000. When Nielsen’s father confronted his son about the theft, Lorin threatened him that the gang he belonged to would retaliate. Police reports state Nielsen was affiliated with an “Insane Clown Posse, or Juggalos” gang and had access to guns. South Salt Lake Police Captain Gary Keller said Black may have been stabbed after she alerted law enforcement to the theft. Fellow book dealer, Scott Young said Black was mortified that she purchased stolen books. Police said that Black had already sold the French Book of Mormon to another dealer but returned the rest of the books to police.

PANGUITCH, Utah (AP)-Tyce Barney had 22 points and Riley Miller added 20 more as the Panguitch Bobcats edged the Beaver Beavers, 72-68 Wednesday in non-region boys basketball action. Jordan Langford’s 21 points paced Beaver in defeat.

MONROE, Utah (AP)-Race Parsons amassed 32 points and Kaden King had 22 more as the South Sevier Rams shellacked the Delta Rabbits, 84-39 in non-region boys basketball action Wednesday. Colin Christensen had 10 in the loss for Delta.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)-Josh Carlisle had 20 points and Jantz Jensen had 16 more as the Gunnison Bulldogs edged the Rowland Hall/St. Mark’s Winged Lions, 56-55 in non-region boys basketball action Wednesday.

MT. PLEASANT, Utah (AP)-Colton Piep keyed a balanced scoring attack with 22 points and the North Sevier Wolves outlasted the North Sanpete Hawks, 76-71 in overtime Wednesday in non-region boys basketball action. Austin Piep added 19 more for the Wolves while Colton Dunn posted 26 points in defeat for North Sanpete.

BICKNELL, Utah (AP)-Jason Larsen had 28 points and 21 boards and the Wayne Badgers crushed Pinnacle (Ariz.), 85-41 in non-region boys basketball action Wednesday.

KANAB, Utah (AP)-Brandon Jenson had 18 points and Kade Quarnberg stepped up with 17 more as the Kanab Cowboys won the battle of Kane County with a 73-58 win over the Valley Buffaloes in non-region boys basketball action Wednesday. Lance Maxwell’s 14 points paced Valley in the loss.

PAROWAN, Utah (AP)-Rickie Warr had 18 points and the Parowan Lady Rams bested the Panguitch Lady Bobcats, 49-42 Wednesday in non-region girls basketball action. Kalani Norris had 32 points in the loss for Panguitch.

DELTA, Utah (AP)-Kaity Diaz had 14 points and Maklee Bliss added 12 more as the Delta Lady Rabbits pounded Wasatch, 47-24 in non-region girls basketball action at the Palladium Wednesday.

(RICHFIELD) – Two public hearings will be held in Richfield next month concerning a permit for a rock crushing business and a change in the County Zoning Ordinance. At the Sevier County Commission meeting today, Commissioners discussed holding a public hearing to consider an appeal of an approved Conditional Use Permit for Millenium Construction to build a rock-crushing business near Sevier. Commissioners decided to hold the hearing Jan. 12 at 1pm in the Commission Chambers at the Sevier County Administration Building in Richfield. Commissioners will also hold a public hearing concerning a change in the Zoning Ordinance to allow Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) to construct transmission lines through residential areas in the county. RMP is extending its transmission lines from Sigurd to Red Butte near St. George. The hearing will be held Jan. 26 in the Commission Chambers.

(GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz.)-Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Steve Martin has announced his retirement, effective January 1, 2011.

Martin has spent his entire 35-year career with the National Park Service with experience as a park ranger, natural and cultural resource manager, business manager, superintendent and senior leader.

As the Grand Canyon superintendent, Martin managed all park programs as well as a staff of 500 who are responsible for the magnificent world-renowned icon.

Prior to becoming Grand Canyon’s superintendent, Martin completed a two-year assignment as Deputy Director of the NPS in Washington D.C., the most senior career position in the Service.

Martin is a 1975 graduate of the University of Arizona and that same year, he began his NPS career as a law enforcement river and backcountry ranger and resource manager on the Colorado River.

He also served as district ranger of the Old Faithful and North Districts at Yellowstone National Park as Chief of Concessions at Yellowstone and as chief ranger at Voyaguers National Park in Minnesota.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Salt Lake Tribune reports a longtime member of Utah’s Republican Central Committee proposed a resolution at its quarterly meeting, comparing the issue of illegal immigration to Nazi Germany’s attempts at destroying the United States.

Don Larsen, a Utah County Republican, sought to float the proposal at Saturday’s meeting, his third attempt at doing so.

Instead, the resolution was definitely postponed, with chairman Dave Hansen saying it wold “never see the light of day.”

Larsen said that illegal immigration is even more powerful and dangerous than the efforts of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan as they can reach locales that the aforementioned adversaries could never obtain.

Michael Clara, a chairman of the Republican Hispanic Assembly and auxiliary state committee member, said this kind of language is damaging in the Hispanic community.

Larsen has been outspoken before as in his role as a Utah County delegate in 2007, he called Democrats and illegal immigration a satanic plot to destroy the nation at a county convention.

(FORT DUCHESNE)-The leadership of the Northern Ute Indian tribe has gone on the offensive in what appears to be the resurrection of a dispute over who has the right to enforce the law if a tribal member commits a crime in certain areas of the Uinta Basin.

The tribe’s Business Committee has voted to reject any effort by Utah state officials to assume civil or criminal jurisdiction over tribal members within the exterior boundaries of the Uinta and Ouray Reservation, according to a resolution made public Thursday.

The resolution comes in response to legal changes that would allow the state to assume jurisdiction on the reservation with consent of the tribe and the federal government.

The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010, signed by President Barack Obama in July, amended the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 to allow concurrent tribal and state jurisdiction in Indian Country under limited circumstances.

In Hagen v. Utah, a 1989 case from the Uinta Basin that went all the way to the nation’s highest court, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ruling that the Uinta and Ouray Reservation was diminished when Congress opened it up to non-Indian settlers in the early 1900s.

Shortly after the Hagen ruling, there was an agreement among the Utah tribe, the state of Utah and officials in Duchesne and Uinta counties.

The agreement, according to Duchesne County Sheriff Travis Mitchell, allowed tribal members arrested on lands that once were part of the reservation to request their cases be heard in tribal court.

In exchange for allowing this, the tribe pledged to modify its Law and Order code to more closely resemble Utah’s Criminal Code and bring its court system up to accepted judicial standards, the sheriff said.

The agreement expired in 2008 and Duchesne County has not yet renewed it.

Duchesne County Attorney Stephen Foote could not be reached for comment and Scott Troxel, a spokesman for Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, said the state would not be weighing in on the tribe’s resolution at this time.

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.)-EnergySolutions Inc. is seeking permission to burn radioactive waste from Germany at its incinerator in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is accepting comments on the request by EnergySolutions to burn 1,000 tons of German radioactive waste at Oak Ridge while returning the ash and leftovers to Germany for disposal.

NRC spokesman David McIntyre said the Tuesday request was posted November 30.

He said the NRC allows 30 days for comments and any request for a hearing.

McIntyre said the company has incinerated foreign waste including shipments from Canada, Mexico and Brazil.

A federal court ruling has blocked disposal of the foreign waste in Utah.

EnergySolutions spokesman Mark Walker told the Tennessean of Nashville, Tenn. that whatever remains after processing must be returned to the originating country.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Both federal and state agencies are recruiting wild land firefighters for the 2011 season, which commences in May 2011.

Seasonal jobs in firefighting entail working on a local unit handcrew, a helitack crew, a Hotshot crew or an engine crew. This type of work requires arduous physical exertion under rigorous conditions.

The ability to work extended hours in rough, perhaps uneven terrain, is required while tasks include camping out and consistently moving around in mountainous regions.

Minimum physical skills include heavy labor, bending, lifting and carrying gear in excess of 45 pounds.

Applications are available online at www.firejobs.doi/gov (the Bureau of Land Management), www.fs.fed.us/fire/people/employment/index.html (U.S. Forest Service) or http://lonepeak.utah.gov (Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands)

(SALT LAKE CITY)-While Utah has had a state bird and a state flower for decades, legislation is underway to potentially give the state an official gun.

Herriman Republican Carl Wimmer hopes to make the Browning 1911 Utah’s official state firearm, a gesture that would honor the gun’s creator, John Moses Browning, who was born in the state.

Wimmer also says the 1911 boasts a rich history in the American military as its use dates back to World War I.

A similar idea was dismissed in Pennsylvania.

KUTV-Channel 2 in Salt Lake City, is currently conducting a poll where Utahns can vote for or against the proposal.

Other state symbols include topaz as the state gem and copper as the state metal.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Forty percent of Utah’s non-profit organizations have reported donations are down this year and a third of them are in danger of closing down by the end of the year.

In hopes of resuscitating them, the Community Foundation of Utah has developed a challenge, pairing non-profits with community mentors and assigned them to come up with new ideas to boost donations.

Six nonprofits have been selected for the challenge coupled with community mentors, including lawyers, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

One of these nonprofits, Utah Symphony and Opera has started a competition on Facebook, rewarding their online friends for referring new donors.

The symphony says it’s confident it will reach its goal of raising $14,000 with the help of new ideas.

(VERNAL)-Snowfall throughout the Ashley National Forest has resulted in several road closures in the area.

Roads in the Flaming Gorge and Vernal Ranger Districts in eastern Utah have closed to wheeled vehicle traffic but are open to over-the-snow travel.

The only exception is the Red Cloud Loop road between Iron Springs and Kaler Hollow, which is closed to all motorized travel.

The Deep Creek area is also closed to wheeled traffic due to snow conditions.

All other roads in the Flaming Gorge Ranger District remain open, but forest officials say they are generally snow packed with some areas of drifting snow.

The bridge over Brush Creek has also been removed and will be replaced in the spring with a wider bridge to ease travel along Red Cloud Loop.

(CEDAR CITY)-Cedar City police have released the name of the infant killed when a garbage truck rolled onto a passenger van in Cedar City Monday afternoon.

Police say evidence collected at the scene, coupled with witness statements, indicate the garbage truck was traveling westbound through the 3000 North Main intersection around 12:30 p.m. MST when it struck the van, heading southbound on S.R. 130 when the truck rolled onto its side.

Authorities then said 9-month-old Angellee Stubbs, died of injuries sustained in the accident.

The van’s driver, an 11-year-old boy and two 2-year-old boys were also critically injured in the incident.

The driver and the 11-year-old boy are in critical, but stable condition at Cedar City’s Valley View Medical Center while the 2-year-old boys are in stable condition.

Both men in the garbage truck were injured and transported to Valley View, but have since been released.

(MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho)-Air Force bases in Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah are being considered as beddowns for F-15 fighter jets owned by Saudi Arabia following the Middle Eastern country’s $60 billion U.S. arms deal.

This package includes 84 new F-15s and upgrades to 70 existing Saudi F-15s.

The Mountain Home (Idaho) News reports local officials from the city and the Mountain Home Air Force Base have discussed bringing a training squadron to Idaho.

Mountain Home Mayor Tom Rist says Holloman Air Force Base, near Alamogordo, N.M., and Nellis Air Force Base, north of Las Vegas, were also in the running.

Currently, a squadron of jets from Singapore already flies out of Mountain Home AFB, capitalizing on the sparsely populated landscape, propitious flying weather and adjacent training ranges.

MILFORD, Utah (AP)-Fred Krajacic had 19 points and Evaldas Aniulis added 18 more as the Wasatch Academy Tigers overpowered the Milford Tigers, 79-62 Tuesday in prep boys basketball action. Tyler Denny had 24 points in the loss for Milford, while Dylan Jones had 22 more in the loss.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Sloane Roundy had 21 points and Chelsee Willardson added 17 more as the Richfield Lady Wildcats gashed the Cedar Lady Reds, 58-40 in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday.

FILLMORE, Utah (AP)-Krystyn Stevens had 12 points and the Millard Lady Eagles smacked the Milford Lady Tigers, 39-23 Tuesday in non-region girls basketball action.

PAROWAN, Utah (AP)-Chennin Benson had 16 points and the Parowan Lady Rams downed the North Sevier Lady Wolves, 44-35 in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday. Kelsey Barney had 17 points in the loss for the Lady Wolves.

NEPHI, Utah (AP)-Kiz Farrer and Tessa Bradford had 15 points apiece and the Juab Lady Wasps pummeled the Payson Lady Lions, 51-27 in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday.

GUNNISON, Utah (AP)-Kierra Gleave and Megan Jensen had 12 points apiece and the Piute Lady Thunderbirds overpowered the Gunnison Lady Bulldogs, 55-28 Tuesday in non-region girls basketball action. Madee Christenson had eight points in defeat for Gunnison.

BEAVER, Utah (AP)-Lexi Moss posted 19 points and the Beaver Lady Beavers stormed past the South Sevier Lady Rams, 51-17 in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday. Kayla King had seven points in defeat for the Lady Rams.

DELTA, Utah (AP)-Kaity Diaz posted 23 points and the Delta Lady Rabbits stonewalled the Snow Canyon Lady Warriors, 59-37 Tuesday in non-region girls basketball action at the Palladium.

MANTI, Utah (AP)-Haley Robins had 15 points and the Wayne Lady Badgers tripped up the Manti Lady Templars, 45-31 in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday.

(SALINA) – A Las Vegas woman escaped serious injury when she crashed into the guardrail on I-70 east of Salina Monday morning. According to a UHP report, 44-year old Oleathea Taylor was traveling in a 2000 Chevy Venture in the inside lane when she attempted to pass a semi tractor-trailer, traveling in the outside lane and slid into the guardrail on slushy roads, 16 miles east of Salina at about 10am. UHP said Taylor then hit the semi and crashed. Troopers said Taylor was wearing her seatbelt and was not injured. The driver of the 2010 Peterbilt semi, 51-year old David James of Clifton, CO., was also wearing his seatbelt and was not injured.

(PAGE, Ariz.)-The Arizona Daily Sun of Flagstaff, Ariz. reports a 50-year-old Kaibito, Ariz. man was struck and killed by a vehicle in Page, Ariz. early Sunday night, marking the community’s second pedestrian death in less than a month.

Page Fire Chief Larry Clark said the man was struck by a pickup truck on Arizona S.R. 98 immediately east of an intersection with Coppermine Road.

A 911 call was received at 5:57 p.m., Clark said in a news release.

The release says the victim sustained multiple system traumas, was in full cardiac arrest, and transported to the Page Hospital while Clark said he was beyond medical care.

The driver was not injured.

(GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.)-The Salt Lake Tribune reports the Grand County park ranger shot last month outside Moab has been downgraded from serious condition as he battles infection in a Colorado hospital.

The 34-year-old Brody Young was listed in critical condition Monday evening, said Kim Williams, a spokeswoman for St. Mary’s Hospital of Grand Junction, Colo.

Young has been at the hospital since being shot multiple times during a traffic stop near the Poison Spider Mesa Trail, southwest of Moab November 19.

Police had hoped to speak to Young in the interim, but Utah State Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Deena Loyola says he is literally unable to talk.

As of Monday, Grand County prosecutors had filed additional charges against the man suspected of shooting Young.

The 40-year-old Lance Leeroy Arellano was charged with attempted murder originally and now faces an amended charge of first-degree felony attempted aggravated murder as Young was an on-duty peace officer.

Prosecutors also charged Arellano in 7th District Court with failure to stop at the command of an officer and giving false information to a police officer, both class A misdemeanors.

Grand County Sheriff Jim Nyland said it’s possible Arellano left the area, but authorities, as of yet, have not received a single tip or a report of possible sighting of the man, who was also injured in the shootout.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Salt Lake Tribune reports two Utah government agencies have teamed up to provide online access to 78 years of published history and archaeology.

The Utah Division of History and the State Library, both part of the Utah Department of Community and Culture, have added more than 47,000 new pages of government publications to the online site: http://history.utah.gov/publications.html.

Some of the publications now available include the Utah Historical Quarterly, the Peoples of Utah, the Centennial County History Series, Utah Archaeology, Utah Preservation and Beehive History.

Phil Notarianni, the director of Utah State History, credits digitization for restoring decades of scholarship that otherwise would have been lost.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-With the dawn of National Influenza Vaccination Week, the Utah Department of Health is asking all Utahns to get a flu shot.

New guidelines have alleviated many of the problems residents have faced in regard to obtaining shots as this year, there are no priority groups and the vaccine is readily available at doctors’ officers, stores and clinics.

This year, the vaccine covers the traditional flu as well as H1N1 Swine flu in one dose.

Propitiously, Utah is reporting a significant decrease in the number of people hospitalized for flu this year.

To date, there have been 21 hospitalizations in 2010, compared to 807 hospitalizations during the same period in 2009.

(LONDON)-A British judge denied Julian Assange bail Tuesday after the WikiLeaks founder told a London court he would fight efforts extraditing him to Sweden to a face an investigation of sex crimes.

The secret-spilling Web site’s finances came under intensified pressure as both Visa and Mastercard cut off funding methods.

A WikiLeaks spokesman insisted details from classified U.S. diplomatic cables would keep flowing, notwithstanding what may befall the group’s founder.

Tuesday afternoon, Assange appeared at the City of Westminster Magistrates’ court in London after turning himself into Scotland Yard earlier in the day.

Assange showed no reaction as Judge Howard Riddle denied him bail, sending him into U.K. custody.

Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, faces allegations of rape and sexual molestation in one case as well as sexual molestation and unlawful coercion in the other.

He has denied these allegations.

Meanwhile, Assange’s Web site came under increased financial pressure, as both Visa and Mastercard have said they would block payments to the controversial site.

In the interim, WikiLeaks is still soliciting donations bank transfers to affiliates in Iceland and Germany, as well as via mail to an address at the University of Melbourne.

WikiLeaks began angering the U.S. government in July when they released tens of thousands of secret U.S. military documents concerning the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

WikiLeaks caused animosity against it to percolate when it provided these documents to five major newspapers, each of which have been working with the organization to edit the cables for publication.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Foreclosure sales are declining in Utah while incidentally, people shopping for foreclosed homes are seeing better deals nationally than in Utah.

The RealtyTrac Third Quarter 2010 U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report says foreclosures are selling for 32 percent less than properties not in foreclosure.

This is a 29 percent discount from the same time period last year.

In Utah, buyers are only getting a 3 percent discount on foreclosures, while realtors attribute the difference to high demand in the state.

The number of foreclosures bought and sold in Utah is down 21 percent from this same time period last year, while sales for foreclosed homes dropped 30 percent from the second quarter.

According to the report, the average sales price for a Utah foreclosure was $214,472 compared to the national average of $169,523.

The average sales price of properties not in foreclosure, was at $249,721, up roughly 6 percent from the previous quarter and up more than 4 percent from the third quarter of 2009, the report states.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced he has cancer in a YouTube video which was posted Monday.

Shurtleff reported that during an emergency appendectomy last week, doctors found a malignant tumor after he experienced stomach pains.

Shurtleff says he’s fortunate doctors found the tumor early and it was removed intact, while his treatment will involve removing part of his colon.

The 53-year-old Shurtleff, who was first elected in 2000, said his case was a reminder that cancer can strike anyone at any time.

Shurtleff closed his remarks by urging everyone to go through frequent checkups and exhorted men to have a colonoscopy.

(SANDY) – Two former Sanpete County Sheriff’s officers were among 27 officers from 15 agencies across the state disciplined Monday for violations against the Peace Officer Standards and Training council. POST records stated that former Centerfield Police officer Jason Livingston had his POST certificate revoked for lying under Garrity, a term used for lying under a law enforcement oath, while employed at the sheriff’s office and Ellis Brady was suspended for two years for assault on a prisoner. Other officers disciplined included a three-year suspension for John Shiew of Carbon County, for lying under Garrity and also Lance Greener of Carbon County for custodial sexual relations. POST council members revoked the certification of eight officers for assault, possession of a controlled substance, theft and lying under Garrity. Seventeen other officers were suspended from duty for a period of nine months to an indefinite amount of time. Seven of those suspensions went to officers found guilty of driving under the influence.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Orrin Hatch took the Senate floor Friday to attack Democrat’s “political charade” on reducing taxes for all Americans. Hatch said at a time when the nation’s unemployment rate is 9.8%, now is not the time for a tax hike by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire at the end of the year. Hatch said that 30 days ago, the American people sent a message to Congress to work together and nothing is more important to the people’s business than how much they are taxed. He said that in today’s economy, taxes must be kept low.

(ROME)-KOB-TV, Channel 4 in Albuquerque, N.M. reports that less than three months after two well-known American balloonists disappeared over the Adriatic Sea, their bodies have been found.

Richard Abruzzo of Albuquerque and Carol Rymer-Davis of Denver were participating in the 54th Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race at Bristol, England, a race they had won in 2004, when the duo turned up missing in September.

On September 29, the two sent out a distress signal while flying over the Adriatic Sea during a thunderstorm.

Croatian and U.S. search teams joined efforts to find the two balloonists.

October 1, balloon race officials released a grim report on the fate of Abruzzo and Rymer-Davis, predicting that according to transponder readings, the two descended upon solid ground at 50 miles per hour, thus making survival unlikely.

Three days later, the Italian Coast Guard called off the search.

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry released a statement to the media, extending his condolences to Abruzzo and Rymer-Davis’ families.

(PHOENIX)-KNXV-TV, Channel 15 in Phoenix reports that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer plans to attend a U.S. Supreme Court hearing in Washington Wednesday for arguments on the 2006 state law which punishes employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Lower courts have upheld the employer sanctions law that then-Governor Janet Napolitano signed after it was enacted by the Arizona Legislature. Business groups then challenged it in court.

Brewer’s spokesman, Paul Senseman, says the governor plans to attend the hearing as she believes the case is “critically important” to Arizona, due to federal failure to enforce immigration laws passed by Congress.

Brewer has previously attended federal court hearings in Phoenix and San Francisco concerning SB1070, which was passed in July.

(WASHINGTON)-Utah Senator Orrin Hatch says Republicans are willing to extend unemployment benefits, even if the cost increases the deficit, as part of a deal to keep a series of tax cuts in place for a few years.

Hatch mentioned this while appearing on Sunday’s edition of the popular CNN State of the Union program.

President Barack Obama has negotiated with Republican leaders on a deal extending tax cuts passed under then-President George W. Bush in 2003, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

Democrats want to keep those cuts for those making less than $250,000 per year while an alternative plan would eliminate cuts for those making more than $1 million.

Both proposals failed in test votes taken by the Senate Saturday.

Republicans want all tax cuts extended permanently, saying raising taxes in a recession is poor economic policy.

(WASHINGTON)-The Salt Lake Tribune reports Utah Republican Mike Lee spent $1.5 million in his winning bid for the U.S. Senate.

The paper confirmed Lee raised about $225,000 to end his campaign, while spending $272,000.

The Tribune reviewed financial disclosure reports covering the period from October 14 to November 22.

The senator-elect spent $124,000 on advertising and $65,000 on campaign staff and salaries during that period.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Sunday evening, upwards of 20,000 people filled the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ conference center for the church’s annual First Presidency Christmas Devotional.

The devotional featured messages from Church President Thomas S. Monson and his counselors Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf, exhorting Church members to remember the true meaning of Christmas this year by helping out their fellow men and contributing to the betterment of society in any way they can.

Additionally, there were performances by the Orchestra at Temple Square and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

(FILLMORE) – The Utah BLM successfully completed a wild horse gather near Enterprise on Dec. 2 for the purpose of controlling the spread of wild horses on federal land. BLM Spokesperson Lisa Reid said the animals were gathered from the North Hills Wild Horse Management Plan Area well ahead of schedule. Reid said the BLM plans to gather approximately 250 wild horses from the Sulphur Horse Management Area on Dec. 13 in the Beaver, Iron and Millard County areas. She said the Sulphur HMA covers about 266,000 acres of public, state and private lands. Reid said those interested in observing the gathers are invited to join an escorted tour that will meet on Dec. 13 at 6am at the Border Inn in Baker, NV. near U.S. 6 and 50.

(FAIRVIEW CANYON)-Three teenage snowboarders spent half of the night in an area of Fairview Canyon before being rescued early Sunday morning.

A Sanpete County Search and Rescue team led all three teens out of Blind Canyon near the Skyline Drive by 1:00 a.m. Sunday.

(WEST VALLEY CITY) – The disappearance of West Valley City mother Susan Powell marks its one-year anniversary today. The mother of two went missing 12 months ago from her home and Susan’s parents are still hopeful she’ll be found. Susan’s husband, Josh Powell, still remains a person of interest in the case but claims that when he returned from a camping trip with his two young children in the early morning hours of Dec. 6, 2009, he found his wife missing. Josh’s sister, Jennifer Graves, says she still holds to the belief that her brother is responsible. Graves said that since her sister-in-law’s disappearance, her family has disowned her. Police continue the search for Susan Powell but have no new leads in the case.

RIVERDALE, Utah (AP)-Tyler Hughes had 16 points and Kody Barney added 13 more as the Escalante Moquis downed the Christian Heritage Crusaders, 46-39 Saturday in non-region boys basketball action.

WEST JORDAN, Utah (AP)-Dimetri Bullard had 24 points as West Ridge got past the Panguitch Bobcats, 51-46 in non-region boys basketball action Saturday. Riley Miller had 26 points in the loss for Panguitch, but was the only Bobcat in double figures.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Garrison Green had 20 points as the Grand Red Devils downed the Beaver Beavers, 51-44 Saturday at the Sevier Valley Center. Tyler Roberts had 19 points in the loss for Beaver.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Boston Gubler, Colton Marshall and Taylor Parker had eight points apiece as the Hurricane Tigers pummeled the North Sanpete Hawks, 43-19 at the Sevier Valley Center Saturday. Carl Peckham had six points in the loss for North Sanpete.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Jared Brooks had 22 points and Casey Evans had 19 points as the Morgan Trojans overpowered the Manti Templars, 76-59 Saturday at the Sevier Valley Center. Jayson Cole had 21 points for Manti while Brady Aste had 14 more in the loss for the Templars.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Race Parsons posted 24 points while Brandon Winn stepped up with 17 more as the South Sevier Rams smacked the Layton Christian Eagles, 68-53 at the Sevier Valley Center Saturday.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Jaden Gurney had 19 points while Austin Clark had 14 more as the North Sevier Wolves decimated the Enterprise Wolves, 88-38 Saturday at the Sevier Valley Center.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Robert Torgerson had 14 points and the Richfield Wildcats edged the Canyon View Falcons, 33-32 at the Sevier Valley Center Saturday.

TROPIC, Utah (AP)-Case Roundy had 21 points and Jake Pearson added 20 more as the Bryce Valley Mustangs outlasted the Wasatch Academy Tigers, 68-66 Saturday at the Ruby’s Inn Invitational. Jarryn Skeete had 25 points to pace the Tigers in the loss.

ORDERVILLE, Utah (AP)-Abby Moore’s 10 points led the way for the Intermountain Christian Lady Lions as they clipped the Valley Lady Buffaloes, 29-23 Saturday at the Buffalo Shootout. Brittney Frost’s 14 points led Valley in the loss.

TROPIC, Utah (AP)-Rickie Warr had 17 points in the win for the Parowan Lady Rams as they downed Bryce Valley, 50-44 at the Ruby’s Inn Invitational Saturday. Sydney Cornforth had 11 points in the loss for the Lady Mustangs.

SANDY, Utah (AP)-Colter Smith passed for 309 yards and a Top of the Mountains Bowl record six touchdowns as the Snow Badgers earned a 48-36 win over the Iowa Western Reivers Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Additionally, Matt Wright ran for 116 yards, including the game-winning touchdown from nine yards out for Snow.

The Reivers were led by strong-armed signal-caller Zack Stoudt (39 of 76, 440 yards, 3 TD’s, INT) while Marquise Hill (7 rec, 111 yards, TD) and Matt Waters (8 rec, 104 yards, 2 TD’s) served as Stoudt’s primary targets.

Overall, the teams combined for 1,009 yards and 84 points in the shootout.

The Badgers end the season at 10-2 and hope to earn some respect from the pollsters, who arbitrarily control the rankings, for next season, a sham we also see in I-A college football.

NEPHI, Utah (AP)-Tyler Ott posted 19 points and the Desert Hills Thunder stormed past the Juab Wasps, 62-55 Friday in non-region boys basketball action. Taren Wright amassed 26 points, including five treys, in defeat for the Wasps.

MURRAY, Utah (AP)-Kody Barney posted 22 points and Tyler Hughes added 18 more as the Escalante Moquis smacked the Mount Vernon Patriots, 62-45 in non-region boys basketball action Friday.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)-MaKade Christensen had 20 points and the Panguitch Bobcats edged the Intermountain Christian Lions, 54-52 Friday in non-region boys basketball action.

GUNNISON, Utah (AP)-Jantz Jensen led the way with 18 points and the Gunnison Bulldogs completed a clean sweep of last season’s 2A champion and runners-up with a 65-54 win over the Waterford Ravens Friday.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Kameron King had 17 points and the Canyon View Falcons edged the Manti Templars, 52-49 Friday at the Sevier Valley Center. Jayson Cole and Devin Cluff had 12 points apiece in the loss for Manti.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Kyler Nielson had 24 points and the Cedar Redmen stonewalled the North Sanpete Hawks, 55-37 at the Sevier Valley Center Friday. Kyle Seely’s nine points led the way for the Hawks.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Keegan McQueen had 18 points and the North Summit Braves stymied the Beaver Beavers, 71-58 Friday at the Sevier Valley Center. Bret Bishop posted 17 points in defeat for Beaver.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Jaden Gurney had 21 points and Austin Clark added 16 more as the North Sevier Wolves surged past the Layton Christian Eagles, 66-57 at the Sevier Valley Center Friday.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Race Parsons posted 23 points and the South Sevier Rams shellacked the Enterprise Wolves, 78-45 Friday at the Sevier Valley Center.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Eric Peterson keyed a balanced scoring attack with 16 points as the Richfield Wildcats downed the Juan Diego Soaring Eagle, 59-57 at the Sevier Valley Center Friday.

TROPIC, Utah (AP)-Jake Pearson had 12 points and the Bryce Valley Mustangs crushed the Tintic Miners, 62-31 Friday at the Ruby’s Inn Invitational.

HURRICANE, Utah (AP)-Ciera Cahoon and Whitney Imlay had 10 points apiece as the Hurricane Lady Tigers smacked Kanab, 54-34 Friday in non-region girls basketball action. Calli Jackson and Kaytee Glover each had 10 points in the loss for the Cowgirls.

OGDEN, Utah (AP)-Kandice Gleave had 33 points and the Piute Lady Thunderbirds smoked the St. Joseph Lady Jayhawks, 55-42 in non-region girls basketball action Friday.

ORDERVILLE, Utah (AP)-Shantaya Strebel had 20 points while Kaelynn Brown had 16 more as the Tabiona Lady Tigers ousted the Valley Lady Buffaloes, 44-38 Friday at the Buffalo Shootout.

TROPIC, Utah (AP)-Whitni Syrett had 11 points and the Bryce Valley Lady Mustangs obliterated the Tintic Lady Miners, 61-16 at the Ruby’s Inn Invitational Friday.

(HOUSTON)-KKCO-TV, Channel 11 in Grand Junction, Colo. reports the number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. this week increased to 1,713.

Friday, Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. said 961 rigs were exploring for natural gas and 742 rigs were searching for oil.

Ten other rigs were listed as miscellaneous and a year ago, this week, the rig count stood at 1,141.

Of the major oil and gas-producing states, Oklahoma gained nine rigs, Wyoming increased by six, Texas amassed four more rigs while Alaska gained three more.

Other states with increases included Louisiana, and North Dakota who each added two more rigs.

States with losses in rigs included New Mexico which lost two and California which decreased by one.

States who did not change the amount of rigs include Arkansas, Colorado, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981, the height of the oil boom.

The record low was 488 in 1999.

(MT. PLEASANT) – A Chester woman was taken to the hospital with injuries after rolling on US 89 south of Mt. Pleasant Thursday morning. Utah Highway Patrol reported that 19-year old Karla Islas was traveling southbound in a 1995 Isuzu Rodeo, when she apparently became distracted while searching through her purse and ran off the road at about 7:30am six miles south of Mt. Pleasant. UHP said Islas overcorrected and moved back across lanes of travel and rolled onto her top. The report said she was wearing her seatbelt and sustained an injury caused by her steering wheel. She was transported to the Sanpete Valley Hospital in Mt. Pleasant and cited for unsafe lane travel.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-In the short run, Utah motorists probably won’t see any bump in gasoline prices as a consequence of the shutdown of Chevron’s Red Butte Canyon pipeline but over the long term, things may be different, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is demanding the pipeline be shut down indefinitely, a step that could strangle the flow through a pipeline that supplies nearly 10 percent of the crude oil Chevron and other area refineries process into gasoline and diesel fuel.

Chevron spokesman Dan Johnson says in the interim, supplies should be sufficient but he wasn’t prepared to say how much of an effect the shutdown will have if it ensues for more than a few days.

Chevron’s pipeline supplies its refinery and several others throughout the state with about 15,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

At full production, Utah’s five oil refineries, Chevron, Big West, Tesoro, Holly and Silver Eagle, can refine about 175,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

However, it is rare for all the refineries to be running at maximum capacity for any length of time, due to the need to periodically idle production units for maintenance.

Utah gasoline prices currently appear to be trending downward, typical for this time of year, when winter storms and cold weather lead motorists to spend less time behind the wheel.

Currently, Utah motorists spend an average of $2.80 a gallon for regular, unleaded gasoline, down almost a nickel from a month ago, according to AAA Utah.

The average price nationally is $2.88 a gallon for the same fuel grade.

However, if the supply of crude to Utah’s oil refineries is disrupted for more than a few days/weeks, the state’s motorists may find themselves paying summer-type prices, even in the heart of winter.

Salt Lake City Council chairman J.T. Martin says that while the pipeline is vital to Utah’s economy, it is important that residents can be assured another leak won’t occur.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Utah State Board of Education will likely consider a new rule Friday to grade schools based on their performance, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

The proposed rule, which still remains in draft form, would implement a school report card system starting next school year that would give schools grades of “A” through “F” for academic achievement in language arts, math and science, based on student proficiency and progress.

The report card would also include a grade for parent satisfaction and, as of 2014, one for instructional quality.

The card would also feature data concerning student attendance, high school graduation rates, ACT participation rates and scores, number and percentage of students reading on grade level for elementary schools, safety data, class size information and academic performance as measured by different groups of students.

The board would make data and reports available to the public through a Web site on which individuals would be able to compare schools based on grades and demographics.

The board is scheduled to begin discussion of the new rule Friday, but it probably won’t get final approval for months.

Some lawmakers have also said they’re working on legislation to start grading Utah schools, an idea that took hold after former Florida Governor Jeb Bush visited Utah in August.

Sandy Senator Wayne Niederhauser announced during Bush’s visit he planned to sponsor a bill holding schools accountable by giving them “A” through “F” grades.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Utah Museum of Natural History on the University of Utah campus will be offering free admission from Saturday-Monday December 4-6.

After four decades in the George Thomas building, the museum will be closed as of December 31 in preparation for its move to the new Rio Tinto Center in Research Park.

Free admission is a “thank you” for the community’s past support, museum officials indicated in a news release.

The hours for the free admission period are 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, 12:00-5:00 p.m. Sunday and 9:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday.

Weekend activities included two performances of “The Dino Show” on Saturday and “Phun With Physics” Monday evening.

For more information, please visit www.umnh.utah.edu/calendar

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Outraged Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker said the Chevron pipeline near Red Butte Gardens should be shut down “indefinitely” after the second serious oil spill in the past six months.

A Chevron employee reported this second leak late Wednesday evening which was contained after 90 minutes while University of Utah officials warned students of the dangers the oil spill as it protruded close to campus.

Late Thursday, city officials confirmed low vapors of pollutants have been detected while Chevron spokesman Dan Johnson said the emissions have been confined to the “hot” spot where the majority of oil seeped.

Additionally, water sampling is being conducted in various locations near and above the creek.

Salt Lake City’s Director of Public Utilities Jeff Niermeyer said a shut-off valve within a cement vault approximately 10×10 long started to leak and the vault was enshrouded by oil.

This led to oil seeping out of the ground and traveling to a grassy area near one of the main entrances to the Red Butte Amphitheater.

Becker said that given the latest spill, it is clear the last round of inspections were inadequate while a full, independent analysis must be completed before the pipeline is ever operational.

Consequently, Becker joined the voices of city council members in sending a letter to the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration Thursday, demanding the pipeline remain dormant until the investigation is complete.

The letter is also seeking a through investigation of this particular segment of the pipeline.

Additionally, Becker said the city has been in contact with all five members of the state’s congressional delegation, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon’s office and Utah Governor Gary Herbert about the severity of his concerns over the pipeline’s safety.

Salt Lake City has also resuscitated a hot line from the last spill to field questions at 1-801-535-7171 while information is also being posted at www.slcgov.com/oilspill.

Chevron has also been setting up a hotline at 1-866-718-1973.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah U.S. Representative Jim Matheson has been appointed to the Democratic Whip team.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland made the appointment Thursday.

In his new role, Matheson will be responsible for helping Democrats count expected votes in the upcoming session while he’ll also be privy to the ear of party leaders.

Matheson, a moderate and leader of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog caucus, won a sixth term in November in a Republican-leaning district by about five percentage points.

Stoyer says Matheson’s moderate perspective is reflective of Americans’ desire for Democrats to find common ground.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s chief of staff is stepping down to become vice president of governmental affairs at the University of Utah.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Jason Perry will become an advocate for what he refers to as “one of the main economic drivers in the state.”

Perry said he’ll stay on as the governor’s top aide through the end of the year, with a budget due December 10 and to prepare for the upcoming Legislature.

Perry also said he’ll help select his replacement.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – State GOP Chairman Dave Hansen is resigning his position to work on Sen. Orrin Hatch’s re-election campaign. Hansen, whose 2-year term as head of the party doesn’t end until June, is expected to make the announcement at Saturday’s Republican Central Committee meeting in Salt Lake City. Sources say Hansen would stay on as chairman until his replacement is named, likely at the committee’s January meeting. Potential successors to Hansen include Salt Lake County GOP Chairman Thomas Wright, former GOP Congressional candidate Morgan Philpot, state party vice-chair Kitty Dunn and former party official Todd Weiler. Sen. Hatch’s office declined to comment until Hansen makes an announcement.

BICKNELL, Utah (AP)-Zach Taylor had 21 points and Cameron Chappell added 18 more as the Wayne Badgers outlasted the Green River Pirates, Thursday in non-region boys basketball action. Jason Johnson and Justin Johnson combined for 42 points in the loss.

DELTA, Utah (AP)-Colin Christensen led the way for Delta with 18 points as the Rabbits bested the Millard Eagles, 49-37 at the Palladium Thursday. Joel Swallow had 18 in the loss for Millard.

KANAB, Utah (AP)-Benjamin Bagley amassed 25 points, including five 3-pointers and the Piute Thunderbirds overpowered the Kanab Cowboys, 74-62 Thursday in non-region basketball action. Kade Quarnberg had 22 in the loss for Kanab.

HURRICANE, Utah (AP)-Carly Stratton had 12 points and six rebounds and the Hurricane Lady Tigers waxed the Beaver Lady Beavers, 48-36 in non-region girls basketball action Thursday. Lexi Moss posted 16 points, including five 3-pointers for Beaver.

MONROE, Utah (AP)-Tori McGrath posted 17 points and the Canyon View Lady Falcons snuck past the South Sevier Lady Rams, 46-42 Thursday in non-region girls basketball action. Kayla King led the way for South Sevier with 21 points.

NEPHI, Utah (AP)-Kiz Farrer led all scorers with 17 points and the Juab Lady Wasps got past the Juan Diego Lady Soaring Eagle, 33i-29 in non-region girls basketball action Thursday.

SALINA, Utah (AP)-Paige Blomquist posted 15 points and Kelsey Barney added 14 more as the North Sevier Lady Wolves ousted Manti, 41-40 Thursday in non-region girls basketball action.

MT. PLEASANT, Utah (AP)-Jacelyn Sorenson had 13 rebounds and Brooke Bailey had 10 points and 11 boards as the North Sanpete Lady Hawks gashed the Park City Lady Miners,59-47 in non-region girls basketball action Thursday.

GUNNISON, Utah (AP)-Rickie Warr’s 10 points led the way for the Parowan Lady Rams in a 38-30 win over Gunnison Thursday in non-region girls basketball action.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)-Emily Pikyavit and Natalie Niemann had 14 points apiece and the Richfield Lady Wildcats smacked the Judge Memorial Lady Bulldogs, 65-47 in non-region girls basketball action Thursday.

FILLMORE, Utah (AP)-Haley Robins had 16 points and Darci Clark added 12 more as the Wayne Lady Badgers got past the Millard Lady Eagles, 41-36 Thursday in non-region girls basketball action. Krystyn Stevens had 13 points in the loss for Millard.

(Manti) The Manti Improvement Business Association is taking applications for projects to fund with money raised by the sale of BBQ Turkey Dinners served during the Mormon Miracle Pageant. Projects funded in the past include the Manti Aquatic Center, Manti City Library, Girl Scouts, and many others. Proposed projects must benefit the community. Interested parties can contact the Manti City Office for an application.

(LAS VEGAS)-The Las Vegas Sun reports that a woman who fell to her death while climbing at the Red Rock National Conservation Area Wednesday has been identified.

The victim, 42-year-old Heather Gray of Vancouver, British Columbia, fell between 40 and 100 feet around 12:54 p.m. PST near Oak Creek Canyon in the recreation area, located about 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip. Las Vegas Metro police said.

Authorities stated Gray was found unresponsive on a cliff ledge while still attached to her rope.

A search conducted by Las Vegas Metro Search and Rescue determined Gray was suffering from critical head injuries.

She was later taken to University Medical Center of Southern Nevada where she died around 5:00 p.m. Thursday.

Her death was ruled as accidental.

(ST. GEORGE)-The American Red Cross has announced the organization’s branch office in St. George has added a new community relations director.

Margie Woodruff, a worker with more than 20 years of experience in educational settings and management of non-profit organizations, has previously helped to launch successful start-up organizations and strengthened educational foundations in Arizona, northern California and Colorado.

Woodruff, a native of Nebraska, began her career as a teacher and transitioned into fundraising management.

She most recently worked as Foundation Manager for the Douglas County Libraries Foundation of Castle Rock, Colo. and says she’s looking forward to raising the Red Cross’ profile in the St. George area.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The University of Utah’s efforts to create the state’s first “net zero” building has won federal support in the form of help on a major renovation proposed for the 1970 concrete structure housing the College of Architecture and Planning.

College officials hope to retrofit the 48,000-square foot building so it produces more energy than it consumes, zeroing out its emissions of carbon dioxide by 2050.

This effort garnered a million-dollar boost from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Commercial Building Partnership program, which seeks to improve the energy efficiency of buildings across the United States.

Stimulus money funds the program, which is designed to showcase innovative building practices and technologies, which may help reduce the burning of fossil fuels, blamed for emissions linked to global warming.

To help reach this goal, the DOE will provide the resources of its national laboratories as well as private sector technical experts from across the country for a period of up to three years, all at no cost to the university.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-As his presidency in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ensues, President Thomas S. Monson continues to earn praise from both church members and others.

The Washington Post-owned Slate Magazine, an online current affairs and culture magazine, has named President Monson as the number one octogenarian on a list of 80 candidates.

President Monson surpassed the likes of Warren Buffet, Clint Eastwood and Barbara Walters to win this prestigious ranking.

Other octogenarians on the list included poet and author Maya Angelou, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and former The Price is Right host Bob Barker.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-As Congress passed over a midnight deadline to extend benefits for jobless Americans Wednesday, thousands of Utahns will be among those affected.

The Salt Lake City Department of Workforce Services says between now and December 31, some 7,000 Utahns will run out of these benefits.

Unless Congress approves a longer extension, estimates state that 2 million Americans will lose these benefits by Christmas.

In the interim, the Department of Workforce Services is asking those affected to capitalize on job placement programs.

The department offers an array of services, such as counseling and job training for those who qualify for assistance.

Workforce Services Director Bill Starks says if Congress does extend benefits, it could be done retroactively as has been the case previously.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah’s governor’s mansion will be open for tours Tuesdays and Thursdays between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. from now until December 16.

(LEHI)-The planned closure of Interstate 15 at the Lehi Main Street exit for Saturday December 4 has been postponed until Saturday December 11.

Nevertheless, the closure of the American Fork 500 East interchange will still occur December 4 from 11:00 p.m. Saturday until 10:00 a.m. Sunday December 5. In the direct vicinity near this exit, I-15 will also be closed.

During this time, freeway traffic in both directions will be diverted through on and off ramps at 500 East.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – The Bureau of Land Management has posted new web pages that describe efforts to respond to what some groups call climate change and related environmental challenges. The BLM’s Climate Change Home Page reflects information about widespread environmental challenges that transcend traditional management boundaries, including wildfire, weed control and insect outbreaks, energy development and the impacts of climate change. The new web pages highlight the preparation of science assessments to improve the understanding of ecological conditions and to inform future management actions. The web pages also include the development of a proposed landscape approach for managing public lands. Internet users can get up-to-date information by connecting online to www.blm.gov.

MANTI, Utah (AP)-Jayson Cole had 16 points and Devin Cluff added 11 points and seven boards as the Manti Templars smacked the Grantsville Cowboys, 52-35 Wednesday in non-region boys basketball action. Dalen Erickson had 11 points for the Cowboys, while Josh Harrison added 10 more points in the loss for Grantsville.

JUNCTION, Utah (AP)-Kelton Price amassed 26 points and the Piute Thunderbirds outlasted the Beaver Beavers, 49-48 in non-region boys basketball action Wednesday. Bret Bishop posted 12 points in defeat for Beaver.

DELTA, Utah (AP)-Kyler Nielson amassed 16 points and Chance Bearnson added 15 more as the Cedar Redmen got past the Delta Rabbits, 51-40 Wednesday in non-region boys basketball action at the Palladium. Jace Johnson’s 11 points led the way in the loss for Delta.