Story Archive for 08/19/2010
Show/Hide Archive Navigation
Prep Sports Roundup: 8/19
Published on August 19, 2010 at 10:23PM
SALINA, Utah (AP)-Amanda Sheets amassed four goals and the Grand Lady Red Devils doubled up the North Sevier Lady Wolves, 6-3 Thursday in Region 13 soccer action.
DELTA, Utah (AP)-Britton Leavitt keyed a balanced scoring attack with two goals and the Dixie Lady Flyers smacked the Delta Lady Rabbits, 7-0 in non-region girls’ soccer action Thursday.
DELTA, Utah (AP)-Tana Henrie had 10 kills for the Delta Lady Rabbits as they swept the Carbon Lady Dinos, 3-0 Thursday in non-region girls volleyball action at the Palladium.
Forest officials announce road closures
Published on August 19, 2010 at 11:18AM
(BEAVER) – Fishlake National Forest officials have closed several forest roads due to the expansion of a wildfire burning northeast of Beaver. Forest personnel say the Twitchell Canyon Fire, burning about 14 miles northeast of Beaver, has grown to over 4500 acres and roads have been closed for public and firefighter safety. The wildfire has already caused the closure of Indian Creek Road to the Forest boundary and is being managed for resource benefits. A map of the road closures is also available online on the Fishlake National Forest at www.fs.usda.gov/fishlake.
Fire Mangers Continue Vigilance of Mustang Wildfire
Published on August 19, 2010 at 11:13AM
(ST. GEORGE)-Four engines, one helitack and a chipper from the Color Country Interagency Fire Management team continue to manage a wildfire that has burned 535 acres at the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument near Mustang Knoll.
The fire is currently burning in pinon pine, juniper and sage and is being managed by fire officials for multiple objectives.
Smoke may continue to be visible from Black Rock Mountain above St. George.
Another Marijuana Farm Seized in southern Utah
Published on August 19, 2010 at 11:04AM
(ST. GEORGE)-A 40-member law enforcement team seized over 3,000 plants in another marijuana growing farm near Central, in the Pine Valley mountains north of St. George Wednesday.
Agencies involved in the bust included the Washington County Area Drug and Gang Task Force, under the direction of task force commander, Lieutenant David Moss, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the St. George Police Department, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.
Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy, Nate Abbott, said the seized crops appeared to be part of the same marijuana farm cultivation seized earlier in the week.
This is the seventh marijuana grow seized in the last two months in southern Utah.
Nevada man slams Corvette in guard rails
Published on August 19, 2010 at 11:02AM
(SALINA) – A Nevada man escaped injury when his black Corvette crashed into a guard rail on I-70 Wednesday. Sevier County deputies were dispatched to the accident east of Salina and found that the Corvette had hit the middle guard rails. A Sheriff’s report said that 19-year old Nicholas Buralli of Henderson, NV., was traveling westbound when a semi truck passed him in a heavy rainstorm. Buralli told deputies that the roads were soaked and he didn’t see a pool of water, which caused his vehicle to hydroplane into the barrier. He was not injured in the accident.
Arizona To Release Report On Review of Prison Escape
Published on August 19, 2010 at 10:50AM
(PHOENIX)-Arizona officials are preparing to release a report on a security review of a privately operated state prison where three inmates, including two convicted of murder, escaped July 30.
The state’s Corrections Department says it will release the report during a Thursday briefing. The Kingman, Ariz. prison is operated by the Management and Training Corporation of Centerville.
High winds, rain cause damage in Salina
Published on August 19, 2010 at 10:49AM
(SALINA) – High winds and heavy rain caused some damage to property at a residence in Salina Wednesday afternoon. Salina City officials reported that a tree was uprooted at the Jeremy Christiansen residence and damaged a truck. Reports of more than a half-inch of rain fell in a short time Wednesday afternoon and winds gusted up to 50 miles-per-hour during a quick storm that blew through the area. No other serious damage was reported.
U.S. Sets Another Record For Deportng Illegals
Published on August 19, 2010 at 10:39AM
(SALT LAKE CITY)-Wednesday, a report from the Department of Homeland Security said federal officials deported a record number of illegal immigrants last year for the seventh consecutive year.
However, the number of people agents caught actually trying to cross the border was down by 23 percent.
The report also said 393,000 foreign nationals were removed from the United States by formal order, while the leading country of origin for illegals was Mexico, accounting for 72 percent of all illegals.’
Besides those formally deported, the report said another 580,000 foreign nationals were allowed to return to their home countries without a removal order.
Among those formally removed were 128,000 immigrants convicted of crimes, nearly 30 percent of which were drug related.
At the border, the report said Border Patrol and other Homeland Security agencies apprehended 613,000 foreign nationals, 86 percent of which were natives of Mexico.
About 88 percent of entry arrests were made on the Mexican border, the report said.
Herbert To Apply For Federal Education Funding, Special Session Anticipated
Published on August 19, 2010 at 10:22AM
(SALT LAKE CITY)-From a federal law which emerged August 10 concerning federal education funding, Medicaid and education salaries, Utah Governor Gary Herbert told legislators Wednesday that while he’s unhappy with the federal government’s tactics and methodology, he’ll still apply for federal funding as it will benefit public education in Utah.
The theory behind the law is teachers’ jobs could be saved for another year in hopes of an economic recovery allowing them to keep those jobs as soon as the money runs out.
Utah Republican legislators are upset with the plan as it doesn’t allow states decide the best way to spend it.
Wednesday, House and Senate Republicans gave a cautious approval for their leaders to urge Herbert to apply for the funding. Herbert has until September 9 to apply for $101 million designated as Utah’s portion of the $10 billion in the law set aside for education.
If he fails to apply, U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, would decide which education entities in Utah to send the money to.
Congress, with this law, has circumvented the Utah Legislature, as well as state appropriators and the governor, stated Santa Clara-based Republican House Speaker Dave Clark.
Senate President, Taylorsville-based Republican, Michael Waddoups, said senators offered the full range of opinions from refusing the money to keeping lower class sizes.
The law states the money may be used only for compensation and benefits or other expenses, such as necessary support services to retain existing employees or to recall or hire former employees and hire new employees.
The money may not be used to establish or restore a “rainy-day” fund, reduce or retire debt or move money around to have similar effects.
Kory Holdaway, the director of government relations for the Utah Education Association, praised Herbert’s decision to apply for the money, saying the money will help during a time when teachers are being let go, class sizes are increasing and teaching days are being lost.
A special legislative session is anticipated this fall as Utah law states the Legislature must approve any federal grant above $10 million.
Herbert said his primary concern is that federal funds not exacerbate an already unacceptable federal deficit. The $26 billion legislation reallocates money already appropriated in other areas.
Utah Ranked 3rd Nationally in Minerals Production
Published on August 19, 2010 at 10:10AM
(SALT LAKE CITY)-On the same day a group of lawmakers was pressed about the need to increase “mineral literacy” in Utah, a new report showed the state now ranks third nationally for the value of non-minerals produced in 2009.
Overall, the state’s contribution was logged at 7 percent of the total value of the country’s production, according to a report issued Wednesday by the Utah Geological Survey.
This is the first time, Utah geologists believe, the state has been able to edge out rival California, which has traditionally ousted Utah for third place, behind mineral-rich Arizona and Nevada, due to its production of industrial materials for the construction industry.
The ranking comes even after a recession-driven dip in 2008 peak prices while the outlook predicts moderate increases because the price of metals is going up. Utah’s gross value production from mineral and energy contributions nearly reached $7 billion last year according to the report.
Nevertheless, John Baza, the director of the state’s Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, says many Utahns remain ignorant about the true value of these natural resources.
Baza noted that his agency, by nature, is focused on the regulatory side of mining and the extraction of other natural resources, not necessarily public education outreach.
Baza has run through numerous statistics in the state, noting that Utah is the home of four of the nation’s largest oil fields and two of the country’s 100 largest gas fields.
In national standings, Utah ranks 15th in total energy production, 13th in crude oil production, eighth in natural gas production, and 14th in coal production, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
North Logan Republican Representative, Jack Draxler, said he would be willing to sponsor legislation ensuring Utah receives the majority of the benefits of these resources and was huddling with Baza after the presentation.
Sandstrom Continues Promotion of Bill
Published on August 19, 2010 at 09:58AM
(SALT LAKE CITY)-Wednesday, Utah Republican Representative, Orem-based Stephen Sandstrom, began his formal drive to push his immigration enforcement bill through the Legislature, telling an interim committee Utah cannot wait for federal action.
Sandstrom informed the Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee that he thought the immigration system was broken and the federal government is failing in its responsibility to protect U.S. citizens.
To make his bill more palatable, Sandstrom brought in several Hispanics who have come into the country legally and support his bill, such as Arturo Morales,who testified that illegal immigration drive wages down and hurt businesses who “play by the rules,” among other things.
Democrats, Mark Wheatley of Murray and Brian King of Salt Lake City both said Sandstrom’s bill does nothing to absolve the problem as it only puts a “Band-Aid” on the matter and that the state lacks the power to deport illegals anyway.
During this meeting, the committee also heard a report from a multiagency task force created in 2009 to combat felonies associated with illegal immigration and human trafficking.
Kirk Torgersen, the Utah deputy attorney general, said the strike force has conducted 165 investigations in its first year while meting out 69 arrests for major crimes.
Torgersen said half the cases involve forgery and fraud from selling Social Security cards and drivers’ licenses. Other cases involve sex offenses, weapons charges, money laundering, gambling, drugs and human trafficking.
Salmonella Outbreak Increases in Eggs
Published on August 19, 2010 at 09:37AM
(ATLANTA)-A salmonella outbreak involving eggs has brought illness to hundreds in four states and the issue may be increasing.
Federal health officials are focusing their investigations on restaurants in California, Colorado, Minnesota and North Carolina while suspicious cases have arisen in five other states.
Initially, 228 million eggs were recalled, but the number increased to the equivalent of nearly 32 million.
No deaths have been reported from the outbreaks in California, Colorado or Minnesota, although spikes or clusters of suspicious cases have also been reported in Arizona, Nevada, Illinois, Texas and Wisconsin.
Because the strain involved is the most common form of salmonella, health officials say determining the size of outbreak is more challenging.
The eggs, from Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, were distributed around the country and packaged under the names, Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemp.
Family Wants Memorial Crosses To Stay Put
Published on August 19, 2010 at 09:30AM
(LEHI)-The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver has ruled that memorial crosses erected throughout Utah for officers and troopers killed in the line of duty violates the U.S. Constitution.
This is controversial because many Utahns, especially to family members of those who have died while doing their duty, as they see the crosses as signs of remembrance for their heroics.
The argument is that the crosses endorse certain religious beliefs, but families of dead officers and troopers remain insistent that is not the case.
Nine years ago near Lehi, Officer Joe Adams was shot and killed and a year later, a cross was placed within city limits in his honor and his brother, Zack Adams, says he wants it to remain.
Attorney Brian Barnard, who represents American Atheists Inc. says Wednesday’s ruling commanding the crosses to come down was the right decision as it suggests the local government endorses certain religions above others.
Adams says this argument is unsubstantiated and that his family sees the cross as the legacy of their brother who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defending the things he loves.
Flash Flood Warning Extended For Zion National Park
Published on August 19, 2010 at 09:15AM
(ZION NATIONAL PARK)-The National Weather Service has extended a flash flood warning for Washington County, citing reports of dangerously high water on the North Fork of the Virgin River through Zion National Park.
The weather service in Salt Lake City says rain in the area has tapered off, but the flood warning has been extended through 11:15 a.m. Thursday MDT.
The warning implies that people among streams and creeks should move to high ground and that flooding is either occurring or imminent.
Sanpete Commissioner speaks on issues
Published on August 19, 2010 at 07:25AM
Updated on August 19, 2010 at 03:13PM
(MANTI) – A Sanpete County commissioner is speaking out about the future of communities and public lands issues. Commissioner Claudia Jarrett was invited to be the guest speaker at the Manti Chamber of Commerce Wednesday and addressed the county’s master plan for communities. Additionally, she spoke of a new Children’s Justice Center currently being built in the county. Jarrett also told Chamber members that County Clerk, Sandy Neill, will no longer handle district court matters and that the courthouse may be expanded to meet the new demand. She also said the county’s bankruptcy numbers ranks 22nd out of 29 counties in the state and 9 percent of the population remained unemployed. Jarrett closed her remarks by commenting that there were no oil or gas lease increases in the county but Mayfield may be tapped, providing valuable resources for Sanpete residents.
Former deputy charged with child porn
Published on August 19, 2010 at 07:01AM
(CEDAR CITY) – A former Iron County Sheriff’s deputy is facing multiple charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. Court records said that David Fischer was booked into jail on Tuesday on charges of knowingly producing, distributing and possessing child pornography. According to the St. George Spectrum, Fischer was terminated from his post with the sheriff’s office in March for reasons unrelated to the case.
Colorado men injured in I-70 rollover
Published on August 19, 2010 at 06:56AM
(SALINA) – A Colorado man and a passenger were taken to the hospital after a rollover on I-70 east of Salina Tuesday morning. According to a UHP report, 18-year old Devin Davidson of Arvada, CO., was traveling westbound in a 2004 Subaru Impreza about 20 miles east of Salina, when he drifted off the road, overcorrected and rolled. UHP said the vehicle came to rest on its top at about 7:45am. Davidson was wearing his seatbelt and was transported to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield with possible injuries. A passenger, 19-year old Daniel Rietveld, also of Arvada, was wearing his seatbelt and taken to the hospital. Two other passengers, 18-year old Connor Brady of Commerce City, CO. and 18-year old Collin Otoole of Westminster, CO., were not wearing their seatbelts but were not injured.
Overlook the Dolphins At Your Own Risk
Published on August 19, 2010 at 12:52AM
Today, we discuss the Miami Dolphins, a team that traditionally has dominated through the years. While names such as Marino, Shula, Csonka and Buoniconti are absent, there are plenty of studs ready to fill in the gaps. Chief among them is the Dolphins’ best quarterback since the aforementioned Marino in Michigan prospect, Chad Henne. Last season, Henne (60.8 completion percentage, 2,878 yards, 12 TD’s, 14 INT’s) showed promise and may now be ready to take the reins of a darkhorse Super Bowl contender. With other resourceful players, such as jack-of-all-trades Ronnie Brown (648 rushing yards, 8 TD’s in 2009 despite lingering injuries) and Ricky Williams (1,121 rushing yards, 11 TD’s), the Dolphins have one of the best backfields in the NFL. Of course, ex-Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall also promises to enhance an already solid receiving corps including Davone Bess (76 rec, 758 yards, 2 TD’s), Greg Camarillo and the underrated Brian Hartline (a team-best 16.3 yards per reception and a team-high among receivers, 3 TD’s). Nevertheless, I still haven’t explored the Dolphins’ greatest strengths in my opinion. Without further redo, I believe those to be Dan Carpenter (25 of 28 on FG’s, I hope you south Floridians realize just how hard it is to kick at sea level) and head coach Tony Sparano, who like most of us lucky enough to be Italians is tenacious, hard-working and ingenuous, all characteristics which will make the Dolphins successful in 2010. I also expect big things on defense from the likes of Cameron Wake, Kendall Langford and Sean Smith while Smith’s collegiate teammate at the University of Utah, Koa Misi, could be one of the best rookies of 2010. With that said, I honestly believe a solid foundation is being laid at South Beach and things will only improve in the future. The only question is: will this team get more chances at a Super Bowl championship than the teams led by the legendary Marino? Time will only tell and I for one am excited to watch it unfold. While it’s always GO BRONCOS for me, I have also liked the Dolphins for years as well, so I hope you guys appreciate my efforts.