Story Archive for 09/01/2010
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Prep Sports Roundup: 9/1
Published on September 01, 2010 at 09:58PM
ESCALANTE, Utah (AP)-Ty Rees had two doubles and Bryan Batty belted a triple as the Wayne Badgers decimated the Escalante Moquis, 20-0 Wednesday in Region 20 baseball action.
PANGUITCH, Utah (AP)-Kalani Norris amassed 23 kills and five aces to lead the Panguitch Lady Bobcats to a 3-0 sweep of the Piute Lady Thunderbirds in Region 20 volleyball action Wednesday. The Lady Bobcats have now won 43 consecutive matches in region play.
Senator Okerlund weighs local issues
Published on September 01, 2010 at 12:52PM
(RICHFIELD) – A local state Senator says the Legislative session at the beginning of each year keeps representatives busy but their summer months are also filled with issues that need to be addressed. In a radio interview, State Senator Ralph Okerlund commented that land issues are at the top of his agenda. He said that having been a county commissioner for 13 years, gave him the experience he needed to work with others in the state legislature. Okerlund said local industries, including the Sufco Coal Mine, are some of the biggest taxpayers in the county. He noted that Sufco contributes a third of the tax base in the county and at lease half of the economic boost to local businesses from those who work at the mine. Okerlund said the next legislative session in January 2011 will highlight land use issues, local economic development, water access and several other issues that affect our local areas.
5 Hurt in Bullhead City Explosion
Published on September 01, 2010 at 11:26AM
(BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz.)-ABC-15 in Phoenix reports that a boat explosion injured five people in Bullhead City, Ariz., a city about 97 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
The Bullhead City Fire Department says those injured Tuesday afternoon suffered burns when a pontoon-style boat exploded on the Colorado River.
A Bullhead City Fire Department battalion chief says those who were injured were taken to a local hospital.
A spokeswoman for Western Arizona Regional Medical Center says four patients were in stable condition and one was flown to University Medical Center in Las Vegas in critical condition.
The fire department says the boat exploded upon ignition.
Travel Council gears up for ATV Jamboree
Published on September 01, 2010 at 10:48AM
(RICHFIELD) – ATV enthusiasts from around the world are gearing up for the big ATV Jamboree in Richfield later this month. Sevier County Travel Director Kevin Arrington says his office has already signed up hundreds of four-wheeling travelers. Arrington said the ATV Jamboree gets underway Sept. 20 at the Richfield City Park. The Sevier County ATV Jamboree attracts enthusiasts from around the globe, as well as hundreds of locals, to travel the more than 2700 miles of ATV routes in South-Central Utah.
Jewish, Mormon Leaders Issue Joint Statement
Published on September 01, 2010 at 10:42AM
(NEW YORK)-Leaders of both Judaism and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued a joint statement Wednesday acknowledging that concerns between members of both groups concerning baptisms for the dead have been eliminated.
According to the statement, which was issued to news media simultaneously in New York and Salt Lake City, The American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and Their Descendants had pointed out to the church that its practice of “proxy baptism” had caused unintentional pain due to the inclusion of names of Holocaust victims.
Today’s statement indicates a breakthrough has occurred as new computer systems change the way such names are submitted.
It credits “dialogue and extraordinary efforts of the Church” as well as “policy initiatives” with resolving the issue.
LDS doctrine teaches that those who have not received the gospel of Jesus Christ in this life may receive it after death while the practice of proxy baptism or “baptism for the dead,” as the Church calls it, allows them to receive this ordinance.
Church leaders note that their policy specifically precludes proxy baptism for Holocaust victims unless the name is submitted by an immediate family member or permission is granted from the most immediate family members.
Jewish and LDS leaders have discussed this practice for 15 years while in 1995, the Church removed thousands of Jewish names from its genealogical database in order to honor Jewish leaders who acknowledged the Holocaust provides a unique sensitivity and awkwardness.
In the interim, several safeguards have been initiated as Church members are now asked to certify that their submissions for proxy baptisms meet Church policy.
In the event that any inappropriate submissions are found, the new system allows the record of the baptism to be removed from the public database while submitters are contacted to ensure such errors are not repeated.
Furthermore, Church personnel also search records regularly to identify inappropriate submissions and prevent such baptisms from being performed.
Meanwhile, both Jews and Latter-Day Saints believe that their already amicable relationship will continue to blossom.
Sevier Travel Council reports big summer
Published on September 01, 2010 at 10:35AM
(RICHFIELD) – The Sevier County Travel Council is reporting a successful summer with the numbers of visitors and local residents supporting sponsored events throughout the county. Travel Director Kevin Arrington said even with a slumping economy, travelers and locals followed many of events offered. He said the Blackhawk Arena in Salina sponsored events almost every weekend throughout the summer with more events planned throughout the year. Officials say that Sevier County is always a great place to visit any time of the year.
Utah, Intermountain West, Seen As Leaders in Energy Future
Published on September 01, 2010 at 10:31AM
(WASHINGTON)-The country’s future energy prospects rest in the vast resources to be found in the state of Utah and other areas throughout the Intermountain West, said Mark Muro, a researcher for the Brookings Institution Tuesday.
The study, which Muro and his colleagues have undertaken is, in part, a promotion of “energy innovation hubs,” created under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy and agricultural experiment stations, such as the one at Utah State University in Logan.
It is believed the regional economy already has the expertise in spinning off new companies and creating jobs by seeding research advances in the marketplace.
Muro also said the University of Utah is tied with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the highest number of research-related firms nationwide.
Meanwhile, USU is already a hub for sustainable energy research in biofuels, particularly in maximizing biomass production of oil-rich algae for use in alternative fuels, as well as investigating electric lighting consumption with the goal of reducing 35 percent of all U.S. electrical power consumed by industries.
Muro also lionized Utah for maintaining the pioneer spirit that led the area’s first colonists to the one-time arid desert in the 1840s as well as the state’s varied resources, ranging from low-sulfur coal to solar, wind and geothermal energy potential.
Utah Senators Say Work Will Continue in Middle East
Published on September 01, 2010 at 10:11AM
(WASHINGTON)-Following United States President Barack Obama’s speech declaring an end to combat operations in Iraq, Utah’s senators say they’re pleased the combat mission has ended and thanked troops for their service.
Both Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch said the combat ended on schedule and that common sense ultimately prevailed with the ruling.
Nevertheless, Hatch said the administration still needs to work on an electoral impasse in Iraq that has resulted in instability.
Utah Educators Endorse Both Governor Candidates
Published on September 01, 2010 at 10:04AM
Updated on September 01, 2010 at 04:09PM
(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Utah Education Association has endorsed both gubernatorial candidates in the state’s race for governor.
Both of the candidates, incumbent Gary Herbert and challenger Peter Corroon, have met with the association’s political action committee seeking the endorsement of the teacher’s union.
UEA president, Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, has praised Herbert for arguing against tough budget cuts in the last legislative session and Corroon for raising concerns about the decline in funding for public schools.
The decision to endorse both major candidates comes after the Utah Public Employees Association broke with tradition and backed Herbert.
This commemorates the first time in 18 years the public employee group has endorsed a Republican candidate for governor.
Court Date Set For Fredonia Murderer
Published on September 01, 2010 at 10:00AM
Updated on September 01, 2010 at 04:20PM
(KANAB)-KTVX-TV, Channel 4 in Salt Lake City reports that Scott Curley, the Fredonia, Ariz. man who killed Kane County Sheriff’s Deputy, Brian Harris, will make his first appearance in court Thursday around 12:30 p.m. in Kanab.
Kane County authorities implied that he may also appear in Coconino County (Ariz.) court in Flagstaff, Ariz. at a future date.
Meanwhile, Harris’ funeral is slated for Friday at 12:00 p.m. at the Valley High School auditorium in Orderville.
He is expected to be buried in the nearby Glendale cemetery.
3 Killed in Santaquin Crash
Published on September 01, 2010 at 09:53AM
(SANTAQUIN)-The Utah Highway Patrol says a man and two children were killed while a mother and two other children were hurt in a rollover crash on Interstate 15 near Santaquin early Wednesday morning.
UHP troopers say the family was from Provo while investigators say it appears the male driver may have dozed off while driving on northbound I-15 at 75 miles an hour around 2:30 a.m.
The man and two girls, aged 11 and 4, were killed in the wreck, while a 1-year-old boy in a car seat received minor injuries.
The mother and a 6-year-old child were thrown from the vehicle, but survived.
They were taken to Mountain View Hospital in Payson with serious injuries while the 6-year-old was flown to Primary Children’s Medical Center thereafter.
Deseret News Makes Significant Changes
Published on September 01, 2010 at 09:42AM
(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Deseret News, Utah’s oldest daily newspaper, said it plans to cut nearly half of its staff and consolidate operations with affiliated television and radio operations to emphasize the digital delivery of news on Web sites and mobile devices Tuesday.
Executives say they plan to keep publishing the newspaper.
The Deseret News said it was eliminating 85 newsroom positions, although some staffers plan to stay on for a transitional period as the newspaper consolidates with KSL-TV and KSL-Radio in Salt Lake City, each of which, along with the Deseret News, are owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Deseret News president and CEO Clark Gilbert says this move will help the paper become more productive and innovative even in a time of economic crisis.
Gilbert also said the 57 full-time and 28 part-time employees laid off were from throughout the newsroom and were given severance packages, although he did not provide details.
Although the announcement came as a surprise to no one, it was still a difficult time emotionally as longtime co-workers shared tearful embraces in the lobby.
The newspaper will continue to be published seven days a week with contributions from readers, community figures, experts and television/radio reporters among others.
The Deseret News will move to Broadcast House in the Triad but KSL and Deseret News will still retain distinctive Web sites as they provide different voices to the community.
The move is also not expected to affect the relationship between the Deseret News and their rival, the Salt Lake Tribune.
Zion National Park To Crash Down on DUIs
Published on September 01, 2010 at 09:29AM
(ZION NATIONAL PARK)-Zion National Park rangers say they will continue a crackdown on drunk drivers in the park throughout Labor Day weekend.
Park superintendent, Jock Whitworth, says rangers will expand DUI checkpoints and patrols to ensure a safe visit for the 2.7 million annual park visitors.
Enforcement activities will include sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols on many of the park’s roads.
Zion rangers will also partner with the Utah Highway Patrol on some of the enforcement activities.
High visibility patrols are also planned for late October, around Halloween, and hunting season.
Regular enforcement efforts will continue to occur throughout the year.
Feds agree to public access on county roads
Published on September 01, 2010 at 08:53AM
(KANAB) – Kane County officials are celebrating the first concession in Utah of the federal government agreeing to right-of-way access to disputed county roads that cross federal lands. Rep. Mike Noel of Kanab says this is a big win for Utah. In a news release late Tuesday, Kane County Commissioners said the change allows the county to assert control and access of 27 miles of the 33-mile Skutumpah Road, which is a back road leading to Cannonville and within the boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Rep. Noel commented that the public lands access rally held in Salt Lake City this past weekend, showed great support on the issue. Noel said the attendees came from diverse backgrounds, including those from OHV Clubs, farmers and ranchers, oil and gas representatives, sportsmen and others. He said public access can be a simple and easy process if the federal government cooperates on roads already owned by counties.