EPHRAIM, Utah (AP)-Travis Wilkins had 23 points and Connor Van Brocklin added 20 points and six boards as the Snow Badgers decimated La Jolla Prep (Calif.), 104-37 Wednesday in non-conference men’s college basketball action.

The 8-2 Badgers shot 53 percent from the field on the evening and were fundamentally sound as well by nailing all six of their free throw attempts.

The Badgers will again be in action Wednesday December 14 when they host Western Wyoming.

This game can be heard on KMTI-AM 650, please check midutahradio.com for more information.

(RICHFIELD) – The public is invited to attend a budget hearing Thursday at the Central Utah Board of Health meeting in Richfield. The meeting will be held at the Public Health Department starting at 6pm. Business Manager Russ Anderson will present the financial report and open the 2011 budget, along with the proposed 2012 budget. The public is invited to comment on the budget. Health officials will also present reports on communicable diseases, environmental health and other issues.

(SANTA FE, N.M.)-KOB-TV, Channel 4 in Albuquerque, N.M. reports Catholic Archbishop Michael Sheehan of the Santa Fe Archdiocese says if New Mexico Governor Susanna Martinez attempts to repeal a state law allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, his organization will oppose the effort.

Sheehan told The Associated Press Tuesday that the Archdiocese of Santa Fe has opposed the repeal morally, while Sheehan believes the Archdiocese’s position assisted in swaying public opinion in favor of keeping the law.

Sheehan has said the Archdiocese does not condone people breaking the law, but that New Mexicans should welcome those who are already in the U.S.

Martinez has tried to repeal the law on two previous occasions and vowed to try once again during the next legislative session at Santa Fe.

New Mexico is one of only three U.S. states to issue driver’s licenses to people in the country illegally.

(PHOENIX)-The Associated Press reports the former chief operating officer of the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Fiesta Bowl is due in federal court Wednesday for her arraignment.

Natalie Wisneski is charged with filing false income tax returns for the bowl, part of the controversial Bowl Championship Series which purports to determine Division I-A college football’s national championship, by certifying that political contributions were not made.

Wisneski has also been charged with campaign finance violations and conspiracy.

Wisneski is the first person charged in the scandal that led to the dismissal of President John Junker last March.

Junker has not been charged but remains under investigation from both state and federal agencies.

The 47-year-old Wisneski is accused of soliciting campaign contributions from bowl employees for federal, state and local political candidates, while helping to arrange for the bowl to repay them.

Wisneski resigned from her job in March, shortly after bowl president and CEO Junker was fired after the apparent campaign-donation scheme was publicized.

The investigation into the Fiesta Bowl’s conduct under Junker is ongoing and the organization under its new leadership is cooperating.

The Arizona Attorney General is also involved in the probe and an investigation into numerous state politicians who took free tickets from the bowl is also underway.

The annual Fiesta Bowl hosts the so-called national championship every four years even after this scandal broke out, threatening to jeopardize the bowl game’s elite status.

A 276-page report of an investigation conducted by Fiesta Bowl board members and a retired Arizona state Supreme Court justice found the “apparent scheme” to reimburse at least $46,539 for employees’ political contributions.

The report also uncovered spending of $33,000 for a birthday bash for Junker in Pebble Beach, Calif. $13,000 for the wedding of one of his aides and a $1,200 tab at a Phoenix-based strip club.

The report outlined junkets and free football tickets for many Arizona legislators who had not revealed the gifts as required by Arizona law.

The BCS fined the Fiesta Bowl $1 million in June and the National Collegiate Athletic Association placed it on probation for a year.

(BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK)-Tuesday evening, federal land managers kicked off the first of five public hearings concerning a proposed coal mine near Bryce Canyon National Park.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management commenced the hearings at Alton, where the 3,500-acre mine would be located.

Other hearings are slated for Wednesday in Kanab, Thursday in Panguitch and for next week in Cedar City and Salt Lake City.

The BLM stated in a draft environment impact statement that the mine could yield about 50 million tons of coal over the course of two decades.

The BLM said the mine would increase employment, boost local economies and provide additional tax revenues.

Environmental groups say the mine would have adverse impacts on wildlife habitat, wetlands and grazing areas.

Tourism would also be hurt because the mine is about 10 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park, environmentalists assert.

(IVINS)-Funding requests for two new veterans nursing homes in Utah, to be located in Ivins and Payson, will see their purpose realized as the Ivins home is slated for groundbreaking Thursday.

The Payson one is expected to have ground broken December 14 and will bring the number of veteran housing homes in the Beehive State to four.

These nursing homes are deemed a valuable asset to aging veterans, with the VA paying anywhere from half to all of the veterans’ living costs should they be accepted into one of the specialty care homes.

Dennis McFall, the deputy director for the state veterans office said he wrote a grants request for the veterans home that would be built in Ogden before retirement in 1999.

McFall said he was asked to come out of retirement in 2002 at which point, 200 eligible veterans were on a waiting list just for the nursing home on the VA hospital campus at Salt Lake City.

McFall says the state paid the $19.7 million construction costs for the Ogden home in entirety and when it did, he and others persuaded the Legislature to set these funds aside for two additional homes that would serve Utah County, where there are 25,000 other veterans and Washington County, where there were 22,000 others.

Utah was behind 46 other projects when the requests for the two additional homes were submitted, stated Terry Schow, the executive director of the Utah Department of Veteran Affairs.

Although other states were higher on the priority list, they fell by the wayside when the VA came calling because they didn’t have sufficient state money in place, Schow said.

Schow said donations came from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which gave 10 acres in Payson and the city of Ivins donated the land in Washington County.

A consortium consisting of Layton Construction, BWA Architects and Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects is designing and building both of the new nursing homes while McFall said each will employ a full-time staff of between 140 and 150 people earning $4 million in salaries with $4.5 million spent each year on goods and services in their local economies.

For more information on these initiatives, please call 1-800-894-9497.

(BOULDER)-The Deseret News reports U.S. Forest Service officials have indefinitely called off a plan to poison an 8-mile section of Boulder Creek to kill off non-native trout, replacing them with Colorado cutthroat trout.

Resident opposition to the plan was vehement as town officials accused the federal agency for failure to consider viable alternatives, such as netting or fish barriers.

A letter by Mayor Bill Ruse to the Forest Service said impacts to the water for irrigation, livestock, crops and gardens were not properly considered.

Numerous other groups launched opposition to the proposal to dump rotenone, which is widely used in fish poisoning projects.

The Forest Service contended the poison would have flowed only a half mile downstream of the project area and would have been countered with a neutralizer known as potassium permanganate.

Boulder Creek is operative year-round and flows from Boulder Mountain into Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

Earlier this month, the Forest Service rescinded its proposal impacting Boulder Creek.

(ROOSEVELT)-ABC4 in Salt Lake City reports garbage trucks in eastern Utah are exhorting parents to prevent their kids from getting “trashed” in a new ad campaign against underage drinking.

Roosevelt-based K&K Sanitation has wrapped seven of its Duchesne and Uintah County-based garbage trucks with anti-alcohol messages from www.parentsempowered.org.

The Deseret News reports the banners were funded via a grant through the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control while the family-owned sanitation company is displaying the ads for free.

Similar ads appeared in the Salt Lake Valley in 2009.

A survey conducted earlier this year shows 9.1 percent of northeastern Utah students reported alcohol use in the past 30 days while the number was above the state average of 8.6 percent.

(ALTON) – The first of a series of meetings over a coal mine expansion was held last night in Alton. The Utah Bureau of Land Management held its first open house to answer questions from the public concerning an application by Alton Coal Development to expand its mining operation from 600 acres on private land to 3500 acres on federal lands. Most of those who attended the meeting were concerned over the increase in traffic and possible light pollution with the mine’s proximity to Bryce Canyon National Park. Keith Rigtrup, district planner for the Color Country office of the BLM in Cedar City, has led the effort to prepare the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed expansion. He said light pollution would be negligible because Bryce Canyon can’t be seen from the mine in northern Kane County. Mine officials say coal will be trucked through Panguitch to a load-out facility in Cedar City before being sent to the IPP near Delta. Public comment will be taken at various locations affected by the mine expansion until Jan. 6, 2012.

(LOS ANGELES)-The Associated Press reports early Wednesday in Los Angeles, more than 1,400 police officers, some decked in riot gear, cleared the Occupy Los Angeles camp, driving protesters from a park around City Hall and arresting more than 200 who defied orders to leave.

Similar raids in Philadelphia led to 52 arrests, although the overall specter in either U.S. city was peaceful.

Both Los Angeles and Philadelphia police forces moved in on Occupy Wall Street protests amid darkness in efforts to clear out some of the longest-lasting protest sites since crackdowns ended similar occupations throughout the country.

LAPD officer Cleon Joseph stated as of 5:10 a.m. PST, the park was clear of protesters while mayor Antonio Villaraigosa raised public safety and health concerns.

In Philadelphia, mayor Michael Nutter said police officers involved in the operation were “hand-picked” for the assignment and police began pulling down tents around 1:20 a.m. EST Wednesday after giving demonstrators three warnings that they had to leave.

(STAVANGER, Norway)-Organizers of a gingerbread competition in the Norwegian city of Stavanger became impressed with an LDS Norwegian family’s depiction of The Salt Lake Temple, according to a report in the Stavanger Aftenblad.

The creator, Elin Lundegard, said she made the replica of the famous temple by enlarging a photo on a projector and creating a simplified blueprint.

Lundegard said this process took several hours a day for about a week but was not frustrated as she noted it took 40 years for the actual temple to be constructed.

The display was entered in a competition which occurs annually in Stavanger, a city of 126,469 residents situated near the southwestern coast of the Scandinavian country.

(LOGAN)-A Utah scientist is facing federal charges for allegedly stealing trade secrets from a northern Utah chemical company.

The 42-year-old Prabhu Mohapatra worked as a senior scientist at Frontier Scientific Inc. of Logan from October 2009 through November 2011, while last month he emailed proprietary chemical “recipes” to his India-based brother-in-law who was setting up a competing company, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court.

Frontier has said no other company in the world produces one of these chemicals in large quantities.

Documents attest a co-worker saw Mohapatra, a North Logan resident, creating files consisting of the recipes on his laptop and emailed them while the worker reported this activity to management.

When confronted, Mohapatra admitted his involvement and apologized, documents confirmed.

Mohapatra then followed up with an email to the chief operating officer, saying he realized his job could be in peril because of his actions.

Federal prosecutors proceeded to charge Mohapatra with theft of trade secrets, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Prosecutors sought no detention and Mohapatra was released with custody, but surrendered his passport.

BICKNELL, Utah (AP)-Zak Hazlett amassed 21 points and the Grand Red Devils edged the Wayne Badgers, 57-54 Tuesday in non-region boys basketball action. Zack Taylor posted 15 points and six board in defeat for the Badgers.

FILLMORE, Utah (AP)-Braxton Syrett had 16 points and Dave Pearson added 15 more as the Bryce Valley Mustangs pounded the Millard Eagles, 64-37 in non-region boys basketball action Tuesday. Jesse Rhodes had nine points in the loss for Millard.

CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP)-Chad Korry and Kameron King had 14 points apiece and the Canyon View Falcons smacked the Kanab Cowboys, 78-38 Tuesday in non-region boys basketball action. Brandon Jenson had 18 points to lead all scorers in defeat for Kanab.

BEAVER, Utah (AP)-Alainey Carter had 12 points to lead the Cedar Lady Reds to a 46-35 win over the Beaver Lady Beavers in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday. Macail Wood had 14 points in the loss for Beaver.

MONROE, Utah (AP)-Taylor Phelps had 15 points and the Enterprise Lady Wolves pounded the South Sevier Lady Rams, 54-33 Tuesday in non-region girls basketball action. Shantae Dustin had 12 points in the loss for South Sevier.

JUNCTION, Utah (AP)-Chelsie Sylvester amassed 24 points and Kierra Gleave stepped up with 17 more to lead the Piute Lady Thunderbirds to a 70-44 rout of the Gunnison Lady Bulldogs Tuesday in non-region girls basketball action. Sara Brown had 11 points in the loss for Gunnison.

DELTA, Utah (AP)-Kennedy Springer had 11 points and the Delta Lady Rabbits held off the Hurricane Lady Tigers, 40-34 in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday at the Palladium.

RICHFIELD, Utah (AP)-Megan Bean posted 19 points and Sloane Roundy added 15 more as the Richfield Lady Wildcats overpowered the Millard Lady Eagles, 64-48 Tuesday in non-region girls basketball action. Keri Brunson had 17 points in the loss for Millard while Cheryl Stephenson had 16 more for the Lady Eagles.

SALINA, Utah (AP)-Morgan Okerlund had 18 points and 10 rebounds and the North Sevier Lady Wolves downed the North Sanpete Lady Hawks, 50-45 in non-region girls basketball action Tuesday. Shelby Jorgensen and Taylor Gordon had 14 points apiece in defeat for North Sanpete.

(CEDAR CITY) – The city manager of Cedar City submitted a letter of resignation on Monday but city officials are not disclosing the reason. Mayor Joe Burgess said today that a disagreement between City Manager Ron Chandler and the City Council led to Chandler’s resignation but he was not fired. Burgess said he could not elaborate because discussions concerning Chandler were made in an executive session over personnel.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Mike Lee is pushing Congress to vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment as legislators return from the Thanksgiving break. In a recent statement, Lee said the “Super Committee” is gone but the budget deficit remains. He said the Democrats in the Senate have not passed a budget in three years and Republicans are still waiting for it. Lee said laws need to be passed to reform Congress’s ability to borrow, which has led to the $15 trillion debt. Statistics show that 75% of the American people overwhelmingly support a balanced budget amendment and Lee says if the measure is approved, three-fourths of the states would support it.

(MONROE) – Sevier County Sheriff’s deputies have identified the body of a man found south of the Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe on Sunday. A sheriff’s report said the body of 63-year old Sam Reese of Twist, WA. was discovered by a couple hiking in the area. Deputies said Reese died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man had been staying at the hot springs prior to his death.

(HELPER) – The mayor of Helper has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. A UHP report said Dean Armstrong, the chief executive of the town of about 2,000 residents, was arrested at about 1pm on Nov. 16. UHP said a trooper allegedly witnessed the mayor failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign at 100 West Main Street in Price. A report said the trooper pulled him over and smelled alcohol and eventually made an arrest. Armstrong said the arrest is a personal issue and he has no plans to give up his duties as mayor. He commented that he was unable to discuss the case in detail due to a pending court appearance.

I was inspired by Bob Costas’ narrative during last night’s Pittsburgh Steelers-Kansas City Chiefs broadcast on NBC insomuch that I think I will share some opinions of my own, especially for the benefit of my brethren on milehighreport, the official SB Nation blog of the resurgent Denver Broncos, who, as many of you know, are my favorite football team.

The Broncos were gallant in victory at San Diego Sunday, earning a 16-13 win in overtime, notwithstanding numerous calls, many of which were egregious, according to color commentator Dan Fouts (a Hall of fame NFL signal-caller who once played for the Chargers, incidentally).

I am not merely using bias as a Broncos fan, but as a seasoned journalist, I went back and watched the film early Monday morning (I get up bright and early at 3:00-3:30 if you want to come hang out) and found several calls that were incorrect.

Late in the 2nd Quarter, San Diego led 10-0 and a phantom face mask after a solid Denver defensive stop gave the Chargers new life, but the resilient Broncos managed to get the ball back before halftime and score a touchdown, making it a 10-7 margin.

Later, center J.D. Walton was called for a hold which stymied a run by signal-caller Tim Tebow deep into San Diego territory and on the subsequent play, Fouts criticized the official’s failure to call a blatant pass interference against Denver wideout Eric Decker.

Nevertheless, this was not the end of the official’s mistakes as in overtime, Broncos tailback Jeremiah Johnson appeared to have sufficient yardage for a 1st down at the Denver 40 but officials in the replay booth called for a review and marked him short.

This caused Broncos coach John Fox to punt and Denver had to outlast a Chargers drive which resulted in a missed 53-yard field goal by kicker Nick Novak before they could earn the win on a 37-yard kick by Matt Prater.

Incidentally, on the game-winning drive, Tebow was running out of bounds and hit by a Chargers defender, an incident which has resulted in a late hit being called in 90 percent of instances throughout the NFL.

As a Broncos fan, this is a badge of honor to my team that they overcame so much and still found a way to excel, but there is a dubious matter here.

When I was complaining about the officiating on Twitter early in the broadcast, my friend Preth3 notified me that the referee, Larry Triplette, was working with Scott Green’s crew.

Green, whom I have seen officiate numerous games, often performs in an exemplary manner, but it is apparent that Triplette did not.

To be fair to Fouts, he is, in my opinion, CBS’ best NFL analyst (and his broadcast partner Ian Eagle is the best PBP man, I believe) but it was Chargers alumni day at Qualcomm Stadium and he was in a Chargers mood.

With that said, he still renounced these officials, so that is telling, as other CBS analysts, such as Rich Gannon and Dan Dierdorf, are not always as objective.

Thanks for reading and perhaps I’ll do this more often.

(MONA) – A female prisoner at the Sanpete County Jail has been captured after an escape attempt while being transported along I-15 north of Mona last Wednesday. A sheriff’s report said the prisoner was being transported to the Utah State Prison in Draper, when she was able to get out of the vehicle. Deputies said during the escape, the prisoner injured herself and an ambulance was dispatched to the scene. She was transported to the Central Valley Hospital in Nephi and treated for her injuries. The prisoner was released from the hospital and taken to prison.

(SALINA) – Sevier County Commissioners approved a quit claim deed today on a change for the re-construction of Quarry Road northeast of Salina. Commissioners said the road approaches the intersection at a 45-degree angle and creates a safety hazard and needs to be re-configured at a 90-degree angle. Commissioner Gary Mason said the transaction involved no more than a hundredth of an acre of county-owned and privately-owned land, of which the land owner approved.

(MONROE) – Sevier County deputies are investigating a report of a body of a man found south of the Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe on Sunday. A sheriff’s report said a couple hiking in the area discovered the body and alerted authorities. The report said the man was from the Washington, Utah area and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had been staying at the hot springs at the time of his death. The sheriff’s office has not released the man’s name pending notification of kin.

(MONROE) – A Monroe man has been charged with attempted murder for severely stabbing a woman and another man over the weekend. According to a Sevier County Sheriff’s report, deputies were called to the home of 56-year old Rebecca Fillis at about 12:45am Saturday and attempted to make contact with the woman but with no success. Deputies said they could hear a woman’s voice coming from inside the home, located at 100 North 250 East in Monroe, when Fillis suddenly opened the door and collapsed on the ground outside. She told police that two other people were inside the house, one of which was a friend of hers and the other, who stabbed her. Deputies arrested 59-year old David Kindrick of Monroe for the stabbing of Fillis and another man, 45-year old Mark Randall, also of Monroe. The sheriff’s report stated that Kindrick apparently thought he was in a relationship with Fillis and upon finding her with Randall, became angry and attacked the victims. Deputies said Fillis sustained large cuts to her neck and Randall received cuts to his neck and back. Both were taken to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield for their injuries and Kindrick was booked into jail on two counts of attempted murder.

(MT. PLEASANT) – A Mt. Pleasant businessman, who has been fighting officials to erect a wind tower on his property, has won a seat on the city council. Jeff McDonald, owner of JBM Trailer Sales, says his recent battle over the 35-70-foot wind tower, was not the only reason he ran for city council but was definitely an impetus. His dilemma began about three months ago, when he asked the Mt. Pleasant Planning and Zoning Commission, if he could place a wind tower and generator on his property to run his computer and credit card machine but was denied. McDonald claimed the only concern county officials had was the placement of the footing. Mayor Sandra Bigler said the current city ordinance requires McDonald to secure a conditional use permit for a wind generator. City officials are concerned about safety, aesthetics, noise and loss of revenue to municipal utilities, when businesses and residents erect such towers.

NEW YORK (AP)-According to reports from Ken Berger of cbssports.com and The Associated Press, representatives of the NBA and its players met for more than 15 hours Friday and ran until 3:00 a.m. EST Saturday morning in hopes of eradicating the lockout which started July 1.

Berger and numerous other NBA reporters, such as Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, all reported, via Twitter, that the agreement would allow a 66-game season to commence Christmas Day.

The games tentatively scheduled for December 25 include the defending NBA champions, the Dallas Mavericks facing the Miami Heat, in an NBA Finals rematch, Boston squaring off against New York and the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Chicago Bulls at STAPLES Center.

Since the NBPA is currently a trade organization and not a union, it is impossible for a deal to be completed until the union recertifies.

However, NBPA president Billy Hunter says the proposal he and NBA commissioner David Stern have reportedly worked on should be unanimously accepted by the players.

Larry Coon, a computer scientist and information technology director at the University of California at Irvine and renowned NBA collective bargaining agreement specialist, reported on Twitter that if a handshake agreement has indeed occurred, it will take roughly two weeks for the final details of a CBA to be ironed out.

Once this is done, Coon said, doors to facilities would be opened and free agency would commence.

Turner Sports NBA reporter David Aldridge also suggested during an interview on NBATV that if the season indeed is imminent, it is likely the regular season will be extended for a week and the NBA Finals will occur a week later than they often do, presumably around June 10.

Please remember that whenever the NBA season commences, midutahradio.com will have all the news and scores concerning the Utah Jazz and all other NBA teams.

Mid-Utah Radio appreciates the support and patronage from all visitors to the Web site.

(ANNABELLA) – The Annabella Town Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Monday night concerning the Annexation Policy Plan. Town Planners will also consider comments on changes to the Land Use Ordinance. The hearing will be held Monday at 6pm at the Town Offices and the public is invited to attend to offer comment.

(PROVO)-The Deseret News reports health inspections for Utah County restaurants are now searchable online.

The service is designed to make it easy for diners to get more information on their favorite restaurants and to reduce the time the health department staff has to spend in response to questions for information, stated Terry Beebe, director of the Utah County Division of Environmental Health.

However, Beebe cautioned the database does not consist of a tip diners should be aware of if they plan to eat out, stating that in most cases, the last thing people ate out has made them sick even though it is not what they remember.

Presently, Salt Lake County also has a restaurant inspection results link on its Web site at www.slvhealth.org.

(WAYNE COUNTY)-ABC4 in Salt Lake City reported a 25-year-old man is recovering from being stuck in quicksand for about eight hours Wednesday evening.

The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office told ABC4 that around 5:00 p.m. MST Wednesday evening, the Richfield Communications Center was contacted by a Florida-based air force, stating that an emergency alert beacon was being transmitted from the Dirty Devil River in the Robbers Roost area of Wayne County while officers and a helicopter were dispatched to the region.

Upon arrival, a helicopter located a 25-year-old man stuck in substance best described as quicksand.

The victim was pulled out of the mud around 2:00 a.m. MST Thursday morning and he was transported to Richfield’s Sevier Valley Medical Center for minor exposure.

The victim, along with a group of students who were enrolled in the National Outdoor Leadership School, had been placed in the area on a 25-day survival expedition.

The students had been in the area for 23 days and crossed the river several times without incident while the victim is expected to be all right.

(PHILADELPHIA)-Friday, a U.S. Embassy spokeswoman said three American students arrested during a protest in Cairo and ordered released by an Egyptian court are in the midst of being processed by authorities in the Egyptian capital city, The Associated Press reported.

Spokeswoman Katherine Gollner-Sweet said Derrik Sweeney, Luke Gates and Gregory Porter are being processed for their eventual release one day after a court ordered them released from police custody, according to information from Egyptian officials.

The three U.S. college students, who attend the American University of Cairo, were arrested atop the roof of a university building near Cairo’s Tahrir Square Sunday.

Officials accused them of throwing firebombs at security forces fighting with protesters while Thursday, a Philadelphia-based lawyer confirmed an Egyptian court ordered their release.

Attorney Theodore Simon, who represents, the 19-year-old Porter, a student at Philadelphia-based Drexel University said his client is exhibiting maturity beyond his years while Sweeney’s mother, Joy Sweeney, is “absolutely elated” at her son’s apparent release.

Earlier Thursday, Egyptian officials said the Aberdeen Court of Cairo had ordered their release while they spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak to the media although they did not say when the students would be released.

GRANTSVILLE, Utah (AP)-Austin Albers posted 20 points and Colin Christensen added 19 more as the Delta Rabbits overpowered the Grantsville Cowboys, 56-46 Wednesday in non-region boys basketball action.

SALINA, Utah (AP)-Tyce Barney had 17 points and the Panguitch Bobcats made 92 percent of their free throws in a 37-36 win over the North Sevier Wolves in non-region boys basketball action Wednesday. Kaesen Rasmussen and Kody Shepard had eight points apiece in the loss for the Wolves.

ORDERVILLE, Utah (AP)-Conor Corry posted 21 points and the Kanab Cowboys surged past the Valley Buffaloes, 51-39 Wednesday in non-region boys basketball action. Colby Spencer amassed 16 points in defeat for the Buffaloes.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Gov. Gary Herbert has issued his Thanksgiving message in recognition of the holiday. In a press release, Herbert said the first recorded Thanksgiving celebration in Utah was held on Thursday, Aug. 10, 1848. He said the first pioneer settlers had arrived in the Salt Lake valley a year before and was marked as a year of trial and tribulation. The settlers had arrived too late in the summer to cultivate an adequate harvest for the winter months and survived on eating sego lily roots and thistle greens. Herbert said their first spring crop was largely ruined by late frosts and cricket infestations. In his message, he said through perseverance, hard work and much prayer, the settlers’ midsummer crop flourished with the prospect of a good harvest. Herbert said, like those who gave thanks for their first abundant harvest in 1848, we, too, should express our gratitude during this Thanksgiving holiday for our abundance.

(ESCALANTE) – Utah Department of Transportation officials have announced that a portion of SR-12 between Escalante and Boulder will be closed Monday morning. The closure will take place between 10 and 11am in order for construction crews to remove rock in preparation for winter operations. UDOT says single lane closures in both directions will take place after 11am throughout the day with minor delays, as heavy equipment operates within a tight corridor. Motorists are asked to plan alternate routes if travel is necessary along SR-12 during closure times.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – A 47-pound Sanpete-grown turkey was given an official executive pardon from the holiday dinner table today (Wednesday) from Gov. Gary Herbert. “Lucky Tom” will remain at Thanksgiving Point’s Farm County poultry for the remainder of his life. The governor was joined by Commissioner of Agriculture and Food, Leonard Blackham; Norbest, Inc. President and CEO, Matt Cook; Norbest, Inc. Chairman of the Board, Troy Prestwich and Thanksgiving Point CEO, Mike Washburn. Gov. Herbert thanked Utah’s many farmers and ranchers for their hard work to produce an abundant food supply.

(SPRING CITY) – A pottery maker from Spring City is sharing his philosophy of his craft with those who want to look at pottery in a whole different light. For more than 30 years, Joe Bennion, owner of Horseshoe Mountain Pottery, has been working at his wheel, creating pottery that people love. Bennion says clay pieces are like people and his displays of his pottery reflects the values, attitudes and interactions in relationships. Every fall, Bennion and his wife, Lee, open their pottery shop and painting studio for visitors and shoppers on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving for a special sale.

(SPRINGDALE) – Zion National Park officials are seeking public comment on an environmental assessment of impacts in an upgrade to the irrigation system within the park. The proposed upgrade would decrease maintenance requirements for the open ditch system, decrease the use of culinary water for landscaping and increase the overall efficiency of the irrigation system. The irrigation system serves park facilities in Zion Canyon from the south park boundary to Canyon Junction. The EA featured three alternatives that would affect or change existing water rights. One alternative would leave the system as it currently stands and the other two would place the water in the pipe and to pressurize the irrigation system. The difference is over the placing of the pipe throughout the park. Public comment will be accepted through Dec. 27, 2011.

(RICHFIELD) – The Richfield Police Department is warning residents to be wary of phone calls concerning winning big money in a contest. Detective Trent Lloyd said the police department has received at least three calls from people who say someone called them, telling them they won $250,000. Lloyd said the caller then tells the person that they need to call another number to get the money and hangs up. Police say the phone number is out of Jamaica and if you call it, you’ll be charged exorbitant international rates. Detective Lloyd says these calls are always a scam and if you receive such a call, just hang up and report it.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – The National Association of Realtors is alerting voters about an unfair tax on the sale of property that’s part of the President’s health care reform bill. Officers with the Realtor’s Association say a 3.8% tax will be levied on property for anyone making more than $250,000 a year. An example showed if you sell a home worth $400,000, there will be a $15,200 tax. The Realtors say if the health care bill is passed, the new tax will take effect in 2013.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The runner-up on NBC’s “The Voice” has released her first music video for her debut single, “The Broken Ones.” St. George native, Dia Frampton, released her video on NBC.com Wednesday night and enjoyed immediate response. Frampton was a contestant on the reality talent competition and performed “The Broken Ones” as an original song on “The Voice.” She also trained with country superstar Blake Shelton. The video shows Frampton playing a piano outside under trees before walking in a field among warring factions and admitting how she loves the broken people in life. Frampton’s mentor, Blake Shelton, hit Twitter as soon as the video was released and had nothing but praise for his protégé. Her debut album “Red” is scheduled for release Dec. 6.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP)-Building upon his strong finish in last June’s NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, Southern Utah’s Cameron Levins placed fourth in the mens’ 10,000-meter dash Monday at the NCAA Cross Country Championships at Indiana State University.

Levins, who ran in a time of 29:04.48, was only 20 seconds behind individual national champion, Lawi Lalang of Arizona, who had a time of 28:44.01.

The Wisconsin men won the national title with 97 points, easily outdistancing second-place Oklahoma State which finished with 139 points.

In the womens’ division, the Georgetown Lady Hoyas took the national title with 162 points, while Washington was in second with 170 points.

Individually, Brigham Young’s Morgan Haws placed ninth with a time of 19:59.50 in the 6000-meter dash while Sheila Reid of Villanova won the national title in a time of 19:41.20.

(JUNCTION) – The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area has approved funding to support a project that will display the rich mining history in the Marysvale area. MPNHA Director Monte Bona said the board of directors met in Junction this month to approve a matching grant of $25,000 to fund an interactive replica mining camp. The replica display will feature the kind of mining camp that existed during the gold-rush boom of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Bona said mining is an integral part of the history of Marysvale and the surrounding area and was the key for early pioneers to settle Piute County. He said the area was home to what was probably the first discovery of gold in Utah in 1865. Bullion City was founded a few years later by several miners.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Democrats in the U.S. Senate are being accused by Republicans for shutting down the TEA-Party Debt Commission. The Commission, led by Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, assembled a panel of experts on Capitol Hill to shed light on spending problems in the federal government, especially those on the Budget Super Committee. In a statement, Lee said instead of having an open and honest, solutions-based dialog in the halls of the Senate, the Rules Committee shut down the Commission. Lee said the Commission left the Senate and held the meeting at an off-site location. The Commission’s plan included provisions on “Cut, Cap and Balance” legislation without increasing taxes, reduce the spending of the federal government from 24% of GDP to just 16% and repealing the job-killing Obamacare plan. Other provisions include eliminating four cabinet agencies, Energy, Education, Commerce and HUD, as well as reduce and privatize many others.

(CEDAR CITY) – More Utah prairie dogs have been recovered this year than at any other time since a relocation program began to remove the threatened rodent from lands in Iron County. Division of Wildlife Supervisor Doug Messerly says a total of 1241 prairie dogs were trapped and relocated to sites in three areas of Iron, Garfield and Wayne Counties this year. Census numbers show the number of prairie dogs to be about 6570. The prairie dogs were listed as an endangered species in 1971 and since a status change in 1984, the animal is considered threatened. Iron County residents have complained that the animal is invading golf courses, ball fields and cemeteries. DWR Native-Species Biologist Keith Day says the mortality rate among the prairie dogs is at 70% once they’re relocated due to new surroundings, starvation, predators and disease.

(MONROE) – Sevier County deputies responded to a grass fire in Monroe Friday afternoon that consumed a wood pile. According to a sheriff’s report, Kent Runolfson of Monroe had been burning weeds at his residence at 370 North Brooklyn Road, when winds kicked up and spread the fire to a wood pile on his property. The Monroe and Elsinore Fire Departments were also called out at about 2:30pm to assist in putting out the blaze. No one was injured in the fire and no other property was damaged.

(CHESTER) – The Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report of shots fired at a corrections officer’s home in Chester last Wednesday night. A sheriff’s report said the home is owned by John Tolman. Investigators said the shooter fired multiple rounds from a 12-guage shotgun, with some bullets going clear through the house. Officers said they found 44 hunks of metal in the home. Witnesses said a vehicle was in the driveway area of the home at the time the shooting occurred. No leads as to a possible suspect have been reported.

EPHRAIM, Utah (AP)-Travis Wilkins posted 17 points while Teancum Stafford and Tiegbe Bamba had 13 points apiece as the Snow Badgers improved to 5-1 on the season with an 89-64 win over ABCD Prep of Texas Friday at the Activity Center.

The Badgers will continue their homestand Saturday at 7:30 p.m. when they entertain the Casper (Wyo.) C.C. Thunderbirds.

(RICHFIELD) – A 54-year old Sevier man has been sentenced in Sixth District Court in Richfield to 15 years-to-life in prison for sexually molesting three male juveniles. A Sevier County Sheriff’s report, said Paul Hattrich was sentenced by District Court Judge Marvin Bagley on Wednesday in a plea bargain for his guilty plea. Sheriff Nate Curtis said the investigation of Hattrich’s abuse came to light in 2008, when one of the victims came forward with information. The investigation showed that Hattrich had been abusing the boys from the mid-‘90’s and authorities from the County Attorney’s Office and Victim’s Advocate believe more children may have been involved. Curtis said the county is prepared for a full court battle should Hattrich appeal his sentencing process.

(RICHFIELD) – Lot locations at the new Richfield Business Park have been revised to attract local and out-of-town businessmen. At the city council meeting this week, Business Park Director Kimball Poulson said by revising business lots from two-and-a-half acres to one acre, the move would be a better benefit to potential buyers. Poulson said the state had offered to send potential clients to Richfield but the effort fizzled out during the downturn of the economy. He said two-and-a-half acre lots are still available in the Park, along with the six-acre lots formerly occupied by FedEx. At the end of Poulson’s presentation to the council, city leaders approved vacating Phase One, which showed lots spread across the north end of the park, to amending Phase One, showing lots spread along the improved infrastructure on the western side of the park.

(RICHFIELD) – The Central Utah Food Sharing Program will soon be saving money by being insured through Richfield City’s plan. At the city council meeting this week, councilmembers approved a measure to allow CUFS to fall under the umbrella insurance policy of the city. CUFS was paying nearly $2,000 a year to insure their building and would end up paying $850 a year under the city’s plan. Richfield City owns the building and leases it to CUFS. Councilmembers said the city has a vested interest in the building and wanted to do as much as they could to reduce costs on insurance.

(EPHRAIM, UTAH) SNOW COLLEGE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT EASTERN ARIZONA COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS ACCEPTED A BID TO PLAY IN THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS BOWL ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD. THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME THIS MORNING FROM BADGER HEAD COACH TYLER HUGHES.

THE EASTERN ARIZONA GILAMONSTERS FINISHED 8-3 THIS SEASON AND TIED FOR 3RD WITH SNOW COLLEGE IN THE WESTERN STATES FOOTBALL LEAGUE. THE 17TH RANKED GILAMONSTERS ARE LED OFFENSIVELY BY SOPHOMORE RUNNING BACK RASHON EVANS WHO HAS RUSHED FOR NEARLY 700 YARDS THIS SEASON AND 9 TOUCHDOWNS. DEFENSIVELY, EASTERN ARIZONA IS LED BY FRESHMAN DEFENSIVE BACK MOHAMMAD SEISAY (SEE’-SAY) WHO HAS 6 INTERCEPTIONS WITH 2 RETURNED FOR TOUCHDOWNS.

THE SNOW BADGERS ARE ALSO 8-3 ON THE SEASON, FINISHING IN A 3RD PLACE TIE IN THE W.S.F.L. AND RANKED 16TH IN THE NATION. FRESHMAN LINEBACKER MATT TANUVASA (TAH’-NOO-VAH’-SUH) LEADS SNOW WITH 56 TACKLES, WHILE SOPHOMORE WIDE RECEIVER RONREI (RON’-RAY) LLOYD ANCHORS THE BADGER OFFENSE WITH 640 YARDS RECEIVING AND 6 TOUCHDOWNS.

THIS WILL BE THE 35TH MEETING IN HISTORY BETWEEN THESE TWO SCHOOLS WITH SNOW LEADING THE LIFETIME SERIES WITH 27 WINS AND 7 LOSSES. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THE TWO TEAMS HAVE MET IN A BOWL GAME.

THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS BOWL WILL BE HELD AT NOON ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, AT RIO TINTO STADIUM IN SANDY UTAH. KMIT AM 650 & 95.1 FM WILL BROADCAST THE GAME BEGINNING AT 11:30AM. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT RIOTINTOSTADIUM.COM.

2011 All-WSFL Football Team

Coach of the Year- Tom Minnick – Arizona Western Offensive Player of the Year- Damien Williams – RB Arizona Western Defensive Player of the Year- Chris Young – LB Arizona Western

1st Team QB- Cody Sokol – Scottsdale

RB Damien Williams – Arizona Western

RB- Rashon Evans – Eastern Arizona

TE- Blake Jackson – Scottsdale

WR- Demetrius Wilson – Glendale

WR- Joshua Ford – Arizona Western

WR- Ronrei Lloyd – Snow

C- David Kekeuewa – Arizona Western

OL- Ellwood Clement – Eastern Arizona

OL- Daniel Glauser – NMMI

OL- Patrick Ward – Glendale

OL- William Harris – Arizona Western

DL- Randy Gregory – Arizona Western

DL- Mike Pennel – Scottsdale

DL- Quenton Brown – Eastern Arizona

DL- Tenny Palepoi – Snow

LB- Chris Young – Arizona Western

LB- Adarius Glanton – Eastern Arizona

LB- Steffon Martin – Arizona Western

LB- John Mahe – Snow

DB- Tyrell Pearson – Mesa

DB- Travell Dixon – Eastern Arizona

DB- Mohammed Seisay – Eastern Arizona

DB- Tony Grimes – Arizona Western

Returner- DeJoshua Johnson – Arizona Western

P- Cayle Chapman-Brown – Snow

K- Jon Mora – Pima

2nd Team

QB- David Vega – NMMI

RB- Breon Allen – Snow

RB- Maximillian Dailey-Thompson – NMMI

TE- Talon Haggard – Glendale

WR- DeJoshua Johnson – Arizona Western

WR- Xan Mangum – NMMI

WR- Jesse Brantley – Scottsdale

C- Steve Thornton – Snow

OL- Sam Jones – Pima

OL- Christian Williams – Scottsdale

OL- Stern Vile – Eastern Arizona

OL- Bill Vavau – Snow

DL- Tomasi Molesi – Arizona Western

DL- Chevrolet Mikaele – NMMI

DL- Josh Jackson – Phoenix

DL- Chris Brown – Scottsdale

LB- De’Naurius Hayles – Eastern Arizona

LB- Brandon Bennett – NMMI

LB- Riley Nielson – Scottsdale

LB- Clarence Williams – Pima

DB- Justin Turner – Scottsdale

DB- Clayton Christensen – Snow

DB- Kaulana Waalani-Arroyo – NMMI

DB- Ryan Harper – Phoenix

Returner- Josh Kimbell – Pima

P- Brandon Porter – Eastern Arizona

K- Graham Ball – NMMI

2011 All-WSFL Football Team

Coach of the Year- Tom Minnick – Arizona Western Offensive Player of the Year- Damien Williams – RB Arizona Western Defensive Player of the Year- Chris Young – LB Arizona Western

1st Team QB- Cody Sokol – Scottsdale

RB Damien Williams – Arizona Western

RB- Rashon Evans – Eastern Arizona

TE- Blake Jackson – Scottsdale

WR- Demetrius Wilson – Glendale

WR- Joshua Ford – Arizona Western

WR- Ronrei Lloyd – Snow

C- David Kekeuewa – Arizona Western

OL- Ellwood Clement – Eastern Arizona

OL- Daniel Glauser – NMMI

OL- Patrick Ward – Glendale

OL- William Harris – Arizona Western

DL- Randy Gregory – Arizona Western

DL- Mike Pennel – Scottsdale

DL- Quenton Brown – Eastern Arizona

DL- Tenny Palepoi – Snow

LB- Chris Young – Arizona Western

LB- Adarius Glanton – Eastern Arizona

LB- Steffon Martin – Arizona Western

LB- John Mahe – Snow

DB- Tyrell Pearson – Mesa

DB- Travell Dixon – Eastern Arizona

DB- Mohammed Seisay – Eastern Arizona

DB- Tony Grimes – Arizona Western

Returner- DeJoshua Johnson – Arizona Western

P- Cayle Chapman-Brown – Snow

K- Jon Mora – Pima

2nd Team

QB- David Vega – NMMI

RB- Breon Allen – Snow

RB- Maximillian Dailey-Thompson – NMMI

TE- Talon Haggard – Glendale

WR- DeJoshua Johnson – Arizona Western

WR- Xan Mangum – NMMI

WR- Jesse Brantley – Scottsdale

C- Steve Thornton – Snow

OL- Sam Jones – Pima

OL- Christian Williams – Scottsdale

OL- Stern Vile – Eastern Arizona

OL- Bill Vavau – Snow

DL- Tomasi Molesi – Arizona Western

DL- Chevrolet Mikaele – NMMI

DL- Josh Jackson – Phoenix

DL- Chris Brown – Scottsdale

LB- De’Naurius Hayles – Eastern Arizona

LB- Brandon Bennett – NMMI

LB- Riley Nielson – Scottsdale

LB- Clarence Williams – Pima

DB- Justin Turner – Scottsdale

DB- Clayton Christensen – Snow

DB- Kaulana Waalani-Arroyo – NMMI

DB- Ryan Harper – Phoenix

Returner- Josh Kimbell – Pima

P- Brandon Porter – Eastern Arizona

K- Graham Ball – NMMI

(RICHFIELD) – A 16-year old Richfield boy was lifeflighted to a Provo hospital after being hit by a vehicle last night while crossing the street at 300 South 400 West in Richfield. According to a police report, 82-year old Raymond Gordon of Richfield was traveling northbound in a 1989 Lincoln Towncar and didn’t see the teenager in the crosswalk at about 6pm. The report said the boy was pushing a lawnmower across the street and didn’t see the car approaching him. The teen was taken by ambulance to the Sevier Valley Medical Center in Richfield and then lifeflighted to the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo. He’s listed in serious condition with pelvic and skull fractures, pulmonary problems and bruising. Citations are pending further investigation.

(RICHFIELD) – The Richfield City Council has approved a public hearing concerning the establishment of a tattoo business in the downtown zoning area of the city. At the city council meeting Tuesday night, Ted Slaymaker approached the council on changing the Zoning Ordinance to allow his business in “D” zones of the city. “D” zones are dedicated to downtown locations and tattoo establishments are only allowed in Commercial Shopping and Commercial General zones. Slaymaker told councilmembers that he wants to locate his mobile tattoo business in the downtown zone because he’s having difficulty finding space in a CS or CG zone. Recently, the Richfield City Planning Commission voted 4-0 against allowing Slaymaker to establish his business in the downtown area and recommended the city vote no on changing the Zoning Ordinance. City leaders decided to hold a public hearing on the matter during their Dec. 13 meeting at 7pm at the City Council Chambers.

(RICHFIELD) – A group of Ashman Elementary students are being given partial credit with helping to more than double the voting numbers in this year’s municipal elections in Richfield. Principal Teresa Robinson said she challenged the students to inspire their parents to go the voting booths on Nov. 8 and vote. Robinson said it was her birthday on Nov. 8 and the result of her challenge to the students was a great gift. She said election officials told her of the number of parents who brought their elementary age students with them to vote. Prior to approving the voting canvass on Tuesday night, the city council noted that nearly 27% of registered voters voted, compared to 11% during the primary elections.

(RICHFIELD) – A bridge repair project in Richfield was approved last night at the City Council meeting. The discussion was centered around a bridge at 400 South 200 East, after work crews removed old log ties spanning the bridge. City officials blocked off access to the bridge due to traffic safety concerns. The City Council determined to replace the structure with a 14-foot-by-five-foot-by-24-foot concrete box culvert at a cost of $53,500. Other options were considered but the box culvert option was approved due to longevity of the bridge. City Manager Mike Langston said that money for the repairs could be taken out of the General or Road Funds but it may affect future road repair projects in 2012.

(CONCORD, N.H.)-Tuesday, in an effort to galvanize potential supporters for his attempts at a 2012 GOP presidential campaign, lightly-regarded candidate Jon Huntsman Jr. launched his first television commercial in New Hampshire.

The minute-long spot, paid for by a so-called Super PAC reportedly funded by Jon Huntsman Sr., has been called a last ditch attempt to resuscitate Huntsman Jr.’s designs.

The commercial depicts grim-looking people making a series of gloomy pronouncements, such as “the world is literally collapsing,” and no conservative candidate, such as Mitt Romney or Rick Perry, has made any headway in restoring the hope of Americans.

At this stage, Huntsman’s credentials are detailed, while those who have screened the commercial, including numerous ad executives, say Huntsman will get more viability, simply by having his message broadcast on mainstream television.

Presently, there is little competition on the airwaves from New Hampshire, other than a few ads from Texas Congressman Ron Paul and Perry while University of New Hampshire political science professor Dante Scala said Huntsman is making the biggest impression thus far.

(FORTALEZA, Brazil)-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints announced ground was broken Tuesday for its seventh temple in Brazil, at Fortaleza.

The groundbreaking ceremony was presided over by Elder David A. Bednar, of the Church’s Quorum of Twelve Apostles, who said the temple, which will be located in the northeastern sector of the large South American country, will be a source of hope, light and faith in God.

LDSChurchtemples.com reports plans for the temple site also include an accommodation building, a meetinghouse and a maintenance building while it will serve members of 13 LDS stakes scattered throughout the greater Fortaleza area.

Meanwhile, reports from the French daily newspaper Le Parisien, say as of November 9, the final hurdles have been cleared for the Church’s temple, slated for Paris, France, to be constructed.

The temple will be constructed near the famed Chateau de Versailles on Boulevard Saint-Antoine, a renowned neighborhood of the city which consists of more than 12 million residents in its metro area.

(WEST VALLEY CITY)-ABC4 in Salt Lake City reports new court documents have been released concerning the custody of the two boys of missing mother Susan Powell Cox.

The children of the missing West Valley City mom were taken from their father, Josh Powell, and placed in the temporary custody of Susan Powell’s parents in September.

Documents attest both boys seem to be doing well in school although the older boy is having nightmares and expressing fear of the dark while both of them see a counselor regularly.

Another custody hearing is slated for January.

(LUCASVILLE, Ohio)-The state of Ohio may execute at least seven condemned killers next year now that an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment has ended in the state, while numerous inmates exhaust a litany of decades-old appeals, The Associated Press reports.

A federal judge’s examination of the state’s execution procedures and an unrelated decision by Governor John Kasich to spare two prisoners halted executions for six months beginning last May.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Gregory Frost ruled the state had addressed his concerns swirling about Ohio’s execution policies while in the process, he refused to delay the execution of Reginald Brooks who had shot his three sons as they slept in 1982, shortly after his wife filed for divorce.

Brooks, a resident of East Cleveland, Ohio, was executed Tuesday at 2:04 p.m. EST, while each of his hands were clenched in an obscene gesture.

The next execution is slated for January 18, when Charles Lorraine is scheduled to die for stabbing an elderly couple to death in their Trumbull County (Ohio) home in 1986.

The defense argued Brooks was a paranoid schizophrenic, suffering from mental illness long before shooting his sons in the head as they slept at their East Cleveland home on a Saturday morning.

Defense attorneys say Brooks believed his co-workers and wife were poisoning him, while he maintained his innocence, offering conspiracy theories about the killings, which involved police, his relatives, and a lookalike.

Prosecutors acknowledged Brooks’ mental illness, but refuted the notion that it caused the murders or made him incompetent.

They said Brooks had planned numerous killings, bought a revolver two weeks in advance, confirmed he had been home alone with the boys and fled away on a bus with a suitcase containing a berth certificate and personal items that could assist them in starting a new life.

Defense attorneys argued prosecutors withheld information that would have supported a mental health defense, leading the court to rule differently.

Under Ohio law, if a three-judge panel hears a death penalty case, it must vote unanimously for a death sentence.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – Carbon County is the latest to join the state and other counties in lawsuits against the federal government over access to roads. Garfield County is seeking title to 94 disputed road segments within its boundaries and Kane County, which filed Nov. 10, is disputing 710 road segments. Utah Attorney General’s Chief Deputy John Swallow said the state has tried for several years to resolve the issues without litigation but the two lawsuits represent the failure of the federal government to recognize roads built and used by Utahns for decades. The cases involve rights-of-way access granted by the federal government in 1866 for the development of transportation systems but in 1976, Congress withdrew those rights with the new federal planning act. County roads were to be included in the new act but Congress left them out. Closing arguments are expected early next year.

(PUEBLO, Colo.)-KKCO-TV, Channel 11 in Grand Junction, Colo. reports Colorado cantaloupe growers are asking the state agricultural commissioner, John Salazar, to create a commission aimed at the improvement of consumer confidence in Rocky Ford Cantaloupe following an outbreak of listeria blamed in the deaths of 29 people.

They also want the state of Colorado to clarify that not all cantaloupe from the region was contaminated.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the contamination occurred at a parking facility at Granada, Colo., about 84 miles east of Rocky Ford.

According to information from the Pueblo Chieftain, Salazar met with the farmers Monday and discussed making Rocky Ford Melons a certified brand name.

(RICHFIELD) – The Richfield City Council met last night to discuss approaching Sevier County officials for funds to help pay costs on roads city and county travelers use. Mayor Brad Ramsay said the city bears the costs of roads and bridges county travelers use and would like the Special Service District to help with the costs. City Manager Mike Langston said other counties help cities with costs for roads and funds from the County District could help with depleted supplies. Councilmember Richard Barnett commented that there may be legal problems in the bylaws of the special service district that could prevent the county from helping with city road projects. The council decided to have the city attorney investigate the language in the bylaws of the district to avoid any legal problems and also approach county officials to meet together on securing funds.

(PRICE) – The Bureau of Land Management Price Field Office has received calls of additional vandalism in Little Wild Horse Canyon outside the Goblin Valley State Park in Emery County. Field Manager Trish Clabaugh said over 100 etches and scrawls have been discovered along the canyon walls. A group, calling themselves, “The Goodies” spent roughly six hours in the middle of October cleaning up and restoring almost a mile and a half of sandstone canyon walls to its original beauty.

(RICHFIELD) – Rocky Mountain Power officials have scheduled a planned power outage for the west side of Richfield today to make repairs to the system. RMP said power will be turned on at 2pm and affect about 41 customers. Officials said crews are working to replace necessary equipment in that area.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food as announced the nearly complete eradication of the Japanese beetle in an Orem neighborhood. UDAF Plant Industry Director Rob Hougaard said agriculture officials in other states are looking at the Utah program to fight infestations in their states. UDAF says the Japanese beetle is a voracious insect that has no natural enemies and can spread rapidly throughout the state. Hougaard said the beetle feeds on more than 300 species of plants and trees and is capable of inflicting millions of dollars in damage to consumer gardens, lawns and fruit and shade trees. In 2008, 99 beetles were detected in an Orem neighborhood and seven were found in 2009. In 2010, one beetle was detected. UDAF crews treated the infected areas in 2008 and so far, no beetles have been found this year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has not yet said the Utah program is a complete success until three years of no known detection of the beetle.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The state of Utah has joined Garfield and Kane Counties in new lawsuits seeking control of roads that cross federal lands in southern Utah. According to court documents, Kane County has already filed suit for control of Bald Knoll and Hole-In-The-Rock roads and the state filed suit on Nov. 10 for control of the rest of the disputed roads in Kane County. On Monday, the state and Garfield County filed for control of 94 roads in that county. Gov. Gary Herbert said the BLM has completely ignored local and state requests for control of vital roads within public lands and has unilaterally chosen to close roads and restrict access enjoyed by Utahns for decades.

(CENTERFIELD) – Utah Highway Patrol troopers are investigating an automobile crash Monday night that sent two Centerfield drivers to the hospital. A UHP report said 16-year old Ashley Harris was crossing SR-89 at 200 South in Centerfield in a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix, when she was hit by a 2004 Ford F-150, traveling northbound at about 6:30pm. Harris was wearing her seatbelt and transported to the Gunnison Valley Hospital with unknown injuries. The driver of the F-150, 49-year old Roberto Catalan, also of Centerfield, went off the right shoulder of the highway and was taken to the hospital. Harris was cited for failure to yield.

(RICHFIELD) – A BMX bicycle event in Richfield is being forced to move to a new location due to the expansion of the airport. At a Sevier County Commission meeting today, event organizers approached commissioners for approval of a new agreement to hold the event in the northwest quadrant of the city. The county owns the property just behind Gayle’s Chevron in Richfield. Commissioners told the organizers they would need approval from the city’s planning and zoning commission, as well as a legal description of the property on which the event will take place. Other requirements include approval of surrounding businesses, access to the property, licensing and other items. Commissioners said if organizers complete the requirements, they’ll consider the agreement at the Dec. 12 meeting.

(KANAB) – The newly appointed Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Advisory Committee of the Bureau of Land Management will meet for two days this week in Kanab to discuss objectives of the monument. The 15-member committee is made up of archaeology, paleontology, geology, botany, wildlife biology, social science and systems ecologists. Other members include one local elected official from both Kane and Garfield Counties, one representative from State and Tribal governments, one from the environmental community, one educator, one from the outfitter and guide community operating within the Monument and one from the ranching community holding permits on the Monument. The purpose of the committee is to advise the community and stakeholders of the objectives of the Monument. The Advisory Committee meeting will be held this Tuesday and Wednesday in Kanab and the public is invited to ask questions and comment in a public hearing on Tuesday between 5 and 6pm.

(MOAB) – The Grand County Planning Commission is inviting the public to comment on a proposed Draft General Plan on demographic, economic and land use changes. Those wishing to review the plan can connect on the county’s website at www.grandcountyutah.net. The hearing will be held Tuesday at 7pm at the Grand County Courthouse in Moab and the public is invited to attend.

EPHRAIM, Utah (AP)-Breon Allen and Kapri Bibbs combined for 204 rushing yards and each scored a touchdown as the Snow Badgers ended the season on the right note by downing New Mexico Military, 48-38 Saturday at Stoddard Field at Badger Stadium.

The Badgers amassed 525 yards of offense in the shootout on the afternoon which saw 999 net yards of offense overall.

David Vega ran for 152 yards and three scores on 16 carries in the loss for the Broncos while Snow will next compete in the Top of the Mountains Bowl December 3.

We will have more information on midutahradio.com when it becomes available.

(CEDAR CITY) – The Iron County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a man who is a suspect in several burglaries. Deputies said the man is a suspect in a string of break-ins of mountain cabins in 2010 and this year. Law enforcement believe the man is armed and dangerous and may be living in the mountains around Iron, Kane or Garfield Counties.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Congressional leaders have expressed their opposition to the Deficit Reduction Super Committee without being able to provide input. In a radio teleconference this week, Sen. Mike Lee said he fears the major decisions of the country will be determined by a small group of elected representatives. Lee said he supports the efforts of the members of the committee, who are burdened with the responsibility of coming up with ways to reduce the country’s enormous debt but he’s afraid most congressional leaders will be removed from the mix in the debate.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Mike Lee grilled Attorney General Eric Holder this week concerning wiretap investigations in the “Fast and Furious” gun-running operation. In a radio teleconference, Lee said he asked Holder why the Justice Department had no correlation in seven wiretap approvals in the investigation. Lee said the Justice Department seems to be confused in their coordination between the department and Alcohol, Tabacco and Firearm efforts to determine why U.S. weapons ended up in the hands of drug cartels in Mexico.

(DUCHESNE)-The Salt Lake Tribune reports a Duchesne County man accused of stabbing his elderly wife to death is competent for trial, according to a report by a mental health professional.

However, the judge and attorneys are waiting for a second report before determining if 75-year-old Charles Dodd will stand trial.

Another court hearing is slated for December 8 in district court in Duchesne.

Dodd is charged with first-degree felony murder in the death of 82-year-old Mary Ratliff.

Dodd and Ratliff suffered from a variety of ailments while court documents state Ratliff’s body was found in the couple’s home August 13 after a family friend received a package consisting of a suicide note and $7,000 in exchange for burial expenses from Dodd.

Dodd was found unconscious in a chair in the same room while he had a puncture wound in his chest and a cut on the back of his head, investigators wrote.

Authorities believe Dodd had attempted to kill himself.

(STOCKTON)-Deseret Chemical Depot spokeswoman Alaine Greiser says the destruction of nerve agents is drawing to a close in the West desert of Utah.

Grieser said one of the facility’s liquid incinerators safely destroyed the last of stockpiled nerve agent Thursday.

Grieser stated the incineration of the four GA nerve agent-filled bulk containers commenced less than two weeks ago.

Chemical agent-filled munitions have been stored at the site since World War II and while this is good news for the earth’s atmosphere, this eradicates another job opportunity for economically-ravaged Tooele County.

Grieser said the depot will commence restructuring of the civilian workforce at the Stockton facility as of early 2012, with the last of the mustard agent stored at the facility to also be destroyed.

Grieser said approximately 300 civilian Department of Defense employees will be part of that restructuring, with an additional 1,500 contractors who will be phased out over the next two years as cleanup is finished at the site.

(QUETZALTENANGO, Guatemala)-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has announced an open house schedule for its new temple at Quetzaltenango, Guatemala which will be dedicated December 11.

This temple will be the second in Guatemala and the Church’s 136th worldwide while an open house to tour the edifice began Friday November 11.

The dedication will be performed by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Church’s First Presidency in three sessions and upon completion will serve 60,000 Latter-Day Saints in the country.

Another temple in Central America, the Tegucigalpa, Honduras Temple, is under construction.

The Church has been a presence in Guatemala since 1947, when the first missionaries arrived, and by 1966, 10,000 Guatemalans had joined the Church.

Presently, Guatemala, which boasts more than 13 million residents, features 226,000 Latter-Day Saints in more than 400 congregations.

(CEDAR CITY) – Utah Department of Transportation officials say it may cost up to $12 million to repair SR-14 after a landslide destroyed a portion of the highway in October. The scenic highway connects Cedar City and I-15 to U.S. Hwy 89 and the latest estimates measure the slide to be about 1700 feet long. On Thursday, UDOT approved an initial $3.1 million to develop a solution that will go towards a design portion project of the road. UDOT plans to take bids from teams of engineers and contractors as soon as possible.

(PHOENIX)-The Associated Press reports Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s office says the state has just spent $2 million of donated money in its legal defense of controversial immigration law SB1070.

Brewer’s office says total expenditures, including a payment of $500,000 for legal fees incurred by a Phoenix law firm in the past 10 months through September have reached the $2 million plateau.

The law is presently being challenged by the federal government and several private organizations.

Brewer’s office says the state’s legal defense fund has received $3.8 million in contributions from more than 45,000 individuals nationwide while the office reportedly now has $1.7 million.

A federal judge at San Francisco blocked implementation of key provisions of the law, while Brewer is appealing the judge’s order to the U.S. Supreme Court.

(JACOB LAKE, Ariz.)-The Associated Press reports the Arizona Department of Transportation will close Arizona S.R. 67 between Jacob Lake and the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park on November 28.

Should heavy snow fall within the next few weeks, ADOT admonishes visitors the road may be closed even sooner.

ADOT does not clear snow from the area in the winter season as most North Rim facilities are closed until S.R. 67 reopens.

Traditionally, the North Rim road reopens in the spring, often around mid-May.

(ST. GEORGE)-St. George will be among the numerous Utah cities honoring veterans Friday with a Veteran’s Day parade and other festivities.

The parade was slated to commence at 9:00 a.m. MST Friday at 100 East and Main Street, while traveling westbound and the parade will consist of 95 entries honoring troops on active duty, as well as veterans, law enforcement officials, firefighters and first responders.

This will be followed by a program at the historic St. George Tabernacle at 10:45 a.m. featuring keynote speaker Chief Petty Officer Lee Warren with the theme being “A Lesson in Patriotism.”

Locally, Warren is known as the “flag man” as he delivers up to 10,000 3×5 American flags to Washington County residents annually.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)-Eric Martinez posted 12 points and the Snow Lady Badgers edged the Midland (Texas) C.C. Lady Chaparrals, 79-74 Thursday afternoon at the Salt Lake C.C. Tournament. The Lady Badgers are now 3-0 on the young season.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – The Department of Interior is urging Congress to preserve hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in southeastern Utah. The largest area the DOI wants to designate as wilderness is Desolation Canyon in Grand County, at nearly 300,000 acres. Two other spots in Grand County include Mill Creek and Westwater Canyons. Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes said Grand County officials “specifically recommended” the three areas as wilderness protection from oil and gas leasing or other development but Utah’s federal delegation is opposing the move. Rep. Jim Matheson says the DOI is ignoring the grassroots efforts for wilderness designations in Utah and Rep. Rob Bishop has introduced legislation to stop the President from creating national monuments without congressional approval. Elected officials in 22 counties in the state have written letters to Congress opposing any new wilderness designations in their counties.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Mike Lee introduced legislation on Wednesday that will permanently increase incentives for American companies to invest oversea earnings back into the U.S. economy. In a radio teleconference, Lee said his Rebuilding America Act would set the repatriation tax rate at 5% down from 35%, without punishing American companies. Lee said the current rate is the highest in the developed world and American companies have over $1.4 trillion sitting overseas because it’s too expensive to bring it back home. He said those funds could be used to build new infrastructure and invest in the domestic workforce. Lee said his legislation would make the tax rate permanent, instead of a temporary, short-term “holiday.”

(PROVO)-This week, Brigham Young University announced it will construct a new Life Sciences Building on the south end of the Provo-based campus.

The construction was to commence immediately and take three years while completion is slated for 2014.

The university’s Board of Trustees announced a 30,000-square foot addition to the Monte L. Bean Life Sciences museum, which will also feature a bird exhibit in the centerpiece from the collection of President Boyd K. Packer, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ Quorum of Twelve Apostles.

The new Life Sciences Building will consist of 265,000 square feet and will feature five levels as well as a 250-stall parking structure.

Once this building is completed, the Widtsoe building, built in 1968 and currently serving as the home of the College of Life Sciences, will be torn down.

(AUSTIN, Texas)-The Associated Press reports a Texas board was set to decide Thursday whether the state will issue specialty license plates featuring the Confederate battle flag, a plan Governor Rick Perry has said he opposes but will not block.

All nine members of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles board were appointed by Perry, who is presently seeking the 2012 GOP presidential nomination and has previously defended the historical value of Confederate symbols.

The proposed plates are being sponsored by The Sons of Confederate Veterans and has successfully sued to have them issued in other states.

Texas still bears some links to the Confederacy as the rotunda on the floor of the Texas Capitol building at Austin still features the Confederacy seal and statues on the grounds memorialize Robert E. Lee and Confederate soldiers.

Nine other states have approved similar license plates but this was only done in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia after the Sons of Confederate Veterans filed successful lawsuits, stated Michael Givens, the Commander in Chief of Sons of Confederate Veterans of Columbia, Tenn.

Meanwhile, in Florida, a legal battle over a plate for the group ensues, Givens said.

Through the years, Texas has approved 276 specialty plates, including a series promoting the American Quarter Horse Association and one commemorating the red grapefruit as the official state fruit.

It recently turned down a Sons of Confederate Veterans request for a specialty plate as of December 2009 because criteria at the time called for denying plates considered political or controversial in nature.

(MURRAY) – Former NBA and BYU basketball player Shawn Bradley is looking for his one-of-a-kind bicycle that someone stole from his property in Murray. According to police reports, someone burglarized a barn on Bradley’s property last Friday but the only item taken was a bicycle made specifically for him in 2006. On Wednesday, Bradley said whether you’re 7-foot, 6-inches or normal height, it’s pretty low to steal a bike. He said about two hours after leaving his house on Friday at 9am, a person hired to do work on his pool called him to say the side door to his barn in his backyard was open. Bradley said other bicycles, motorcycles, ATV’s and tools were in the garage but his unique bike was the only thing taken. He said after retiring from the NBA in 2006, the Trek Company constructed the bicycle just for him to help him keep his weight down. No serial number was attached to the bike because its unique construction is identification enough. Bradley jokingly called former Jazz centers Mark Eaton and Gred Ostertag, to ask if they had the bike.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Thursday, two Utah ski resorts officially opened for the winter season as Brighton and Solitude opened their gates.

In 2010, Utah’s record-breaking snowfall came within a percentage point of breaking the all-time record while the state’s resorts also came close to setting a record for the number of ski days in a season.

The record-setting accumulation also enabled Snowbird to remain open well into July.

Ski Utah CEO Nathan Rafferty said he expects records to be broken this winter as well.

This ski season commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics and since that time, the ski industry in the state has grown by 42 percent.

Utah consists of 14 ski resorts and averages 500 inches of snow annually while Ski Magazine of Boulder, Colo. ranked Deer Valley #1 for the fifth consecutive year.

(WASHINGTON)-The New York Times reports officials at Grand Canyon National Park abruptly abandoned plans to ban the sale of plastic water bottles after conversations with Atlanta-based Coca-Cola.

Stephen P. Martin, the top official at Grand Canyon National Park, devised the plan and informed the paper the effort was scrapped when Coca-Cola officials raised concern about the plan through the National Park Foundation.

Martin was told the efforts were being tabled about two weeks before its scheduled January 1 start.

Coca-Cola, which distributes the water under the Dasani brand, has donated more than $13 million to the parks.

National Parks Service spokesman David Barna stated NPS director Jon Jarvis made the decision to table the idea until more information could be obtained.

Coca-Cola Refreshments USA spokeswoman Susan Stribling said the company would prefer to help address problems with littered plastic bottles by making more recycling programs readily available.

Martin stated he was disappointed by the decision to curb the ban.

(KINGMAN, Ariz.)-KPHO-TV, Channel 5 in Phoenix reports the Arizona Department of Transportation is looking at raising cash for bridge repairs on Interstate 15 in northwestern Arizona.

One plan under consideration entails turning the interstate into a toll road, an idea which has invoked the wrath of Utah Governor Gary Herbert.

The Mohave Daily News of Bullhead City, Ariz. reports the Board of Supervisors may vote next week to oppose the installation of toll booths on I-15.

District 1 supervisor Gary Watson says tolls could cost motorists $3 while truckers would be charged even more to drive through the section of I-15 that crosses the Virgin Valley Gorge and bridges the gap between St. George and Mesquite, Nev.

If the tolls are installed, traffic on Highway 91, between St. George and Littlefield, Ariz., which is deemed to be a dangerous road by natives and is susceptible to flash flooding, may increase.

(CEDAR CITY)-Wednesday, Southern Utah University athletic director Ken Beazer announced the resignation of women’s soccer coach Brian Stock, who had led the program since it began in 2001.

While at the helm of the program, Stock posted a 48-125-20 record while he led the Lady Thunderbirds to six berths in the Mid-Continent Conference/Summit League tournament, including four consecutive trips to the postseason between 2005 and 2008.

Under Stock’s guidance, several Lady Thunderbird athletes excelled both on the pitch and in the classroom as former soccer player Ashley Smith was named as valedictorian of her graduating class in 2006, while Kristen Fronk was named as female athlete of the year on campus in 2009.

The highlight of Stock’s career came in 2005 when he was named as the recipient of Co-Coach of the year honors after SUU posted an overall record of 7-4-6, including a 3-1-2 mark in Mid-Con play.

(EPHRAIM) – Over 100 Snow College students at the Ephraim campus were evacuated from the LDS Institute building Tuesday afternoon due to a natural gas line break. Institute Director Bill Pollock said crews working on the new Ephraim YSA First Stake Center just north of the Institute building, cut into a gas line, causing fumes to vent into the building at about 1pm. He said between 120 and 130 students were evacuated to the Snow campus and classes were cancelled. Crews were forced to shut down the gas line to bleed the system until repairs were made at about 4:30pm. Pollock said the Institute building was re-opened at 7:30 this morning for classes to resume.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Veterans Day celebration festivities at the University of Utah Friday will include the recognition of 12 veterans, including one current student, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Business student James Cunningham, who was based in Sadr City, a suburb district of Baghdad, will receive the university’s first Student Veteran of the Year medallion and a cash stipend.

A U. news release stated Cunningham’s unit helped train Iraqi security officers in tactical operations, reading maps and firing weapons while also providing security when his unit distributed medical supplies and sports equipment to Sadr residents.

Cunningham will also be honored at a Thursday afternoon reception, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. MST in the student lounge at the Olpin Union Building, while the reception will be followed by a free screening of the movie “Independence Day.”

Friday, 11 other veterans will be honored including Benjamin Bowthorpe of the U.S. Air Force, Don Bush of the U.S. Navy, Richard Donald Coleman of the U.S. Army Air Corps, John Delliskave of the U.S. Marine Corps, Russell A. Elder of the U.S. Navy, Scott Konopasek of the U.S. Army, RKay Mower of the U.S. Army, Lynn Poulsen of the U.S. Army, Stuart Shipley of the U.S. Marine Corps, Winston T. Thatcher of the U.S. Army and Rick Warke of the U.S. Marine Corps.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Associated Press reports Utah military veterans will be offered an expedited licensing process that will allow their work experience while serving to count toward required training.

It was expected Utah Governor Gary Herbert would make this announcement Wednesday morning.

Herbert stated the program is intended to assist veterans in reentering the job market after extensive military service.

Department of Workforce Services spokesman Curt Stewart said veterans will be able to use training and job experience from their military service for specialized licenses.

These could also include licenses for jobs, such as commercial truck drivers, emergency medical technicians and certified public accountants.

Stewart says veterans currently are required to enroll in training courses which are often redundant to their military training.

(ROCHESTER, Mich.)-The Associated Press reports rampant foreclosures, high unemployment and a volatile auto industry are creating a grim backdrop as the Republican presidential candidates begin to debate in Michigan Wednesday.

It is expected the GOP contenders will have to contend with the fallout from the furor surrounding businessman Herman Cain, who has recently been accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by at least four women during the 1990s.

All eight Republicans, who will be debating on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., a Detroit suburb, say they would not have offered government loans to save Chrysler and General Motors, longtime staples of the greater Detroit area.

Meanwhile, Cain is desperately attempting to have his sexual escapades put to a rest and finally conducted a news conference Tuesday wherein he adamantly refused to abandon his White House bid because of allegations against him.

(MOSCOW)-Wednesday, a Russian space probe became stuck in orbit after an equipment failure, raising fears it could come crashing down and spill tons of highly toxic fuel on Earth unless engineers can steer it back to its flight path.

The unmanned $170 million Phobos-Ground craft was successfully launched by a Zenit-2 booster rocket just after midnight Moscow time Wednesday from the Baikonur cosmodrome at Kazakhstan while it separated from the booster 11 minutes later and was supposed to fire its engines twice to set out on its path toward Mars, but it never arrived.

Federal Space Agency chief Vladimir Popovkin said neither of the two engine burns worked, probably since the craft’s orientation system failed.

Popovkin said engineers have three days to reset and fix the spacecraft’s computer program before its batteries die, while the space agency later said the probe’s orbit and power sources could allow it to circle the earth for about two weeks.

The Russian rescue effort was being limited by a limited earth-to-space communications network that already forced flight controllers to ask people in South America to assist in finding the spacecraft.

Amateur astronomers were the first to spot the trouble when they detected the craft was stuck in an Earth orbit.

The spacecraft, the Phobos-Ground,is 13.2 metric tons with fuel accounting for a large share of its weight and was manufactured by the Moscow-based NPO Lavochkin, which specializes in interplanetary vehicles.

If Russian space experts are able to repair the craft, it should reach Mars orbit as of September 2012 while landing on Phobos in February 2013.

The return vehicle is expected to carry up to 200 grams of ground samples from Phobos back to Earth in August 2014.

Scientists had hoped the studies of Phobos’ surface could help solve the mystery of its origin while shedding more light on the impetus of the solar system.

Some experts believe Phobos to be an asteroid captured by Mars’ gravity, while others deem it to be debris from when Mars collided with another celestial object.

(STATE COLLEGE, Pa.)-The Associated Press reports Penn State University head football coach Joe Paterno, the longest-tenured football coach in Division I-A college football, has decided to retire at the end of the season.

A person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as the decision has not been formally announced by the university, said Paterno would announce his retirement later Wednesday.

Paterno has been besieged by criticism since former defensive coordinator and one-time heir apparent Jerry Sandusky was charged over the weekend with molesting eight young boys between 1994 and 2009.

PSU athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz have been charged with failure to notify authorities after an eyewitness reported a 2002 assault.

Paterno has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but he has been questioned with apparent failure to follow up on a report of the 2002 incident in which Sandusky reportedly sodomized a 10-year-old boy in the showers of the team’s football complex.

A witness, Mike McQueary, presently the receivers coach for the team, but a graduate assistant at the time.

McQueary told Paterno about the incident the next day and the coach notified Curley and Schultz, who in turn notified Penn State president Graham Spanier.

Curley and Schultz have since been charged with perjury and the failure to report this incident to the authorities, as required by Pennsylvania state law.

Both men, as well as Paterno, testified they were told that Sandusky behaved inappropriately in the 2002 incident, but not to the extent of McQueary’s graphic account to a state grand jury.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Tuesday, the Utah High School Activities Association announced the location for Friday’s 3A state football high school semifinal between the Cedar Redmen and Desert Hills Thunder, two Region 9 rivals, has been moved to St. George.

The game, originally slated to be played at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah, has been moved to Hansen Stadium on the Dixie State College campus, the UHSAA confirmed.

Kickoff is slated for 5:00 p.m. MST.

Nevertheless, select Washington County-based high school fans will have to still travel to Rice-Eccles as the Hurricane-Spanish Fork game will still be played there with a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.

Desert Hills coach Jake Nelson said he is pleased with playing the game in Region 9 territory as it will double the turnout for both fans and student bodies of the two schools although he would have liked to play at the U.

(DONNA, Texas)-Two missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints serving in the Texas McAllen Mission were killed Tuesday evening around 7:30 p.m. CST and a third was critically injured in what authorities describe as a hit-and-run accident in Donna, Texas, 14 miles southeast of McAllen in southeastern Texas.

The slain missionaries were 21-year-old Elder Trevor Reinhold Strong of Taylorsville and 20-year-old Elder Derek Jason Walker of Fairfield, Idaho while 19-year-old Elder Zachary Todd Harris of Huntsville, Ala. was taken to Knapp Medical Center of Weslaco, Texas in critical condition.

LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter said the thoughts and prayers of the Church’s hierarchy are with the slain missionaries, Elder Harris and their loved ones, and pray that the Lord will watch over the families.

The driver of the vehicle and two passengers allegedly fled the scene on foot and authorities were using helicopters in their search, stated Texas State Trooper Johnny Hernandez.

(FILLMORE) – The man accused of killing a Millard County sheriff’s deputy last year is asking a judge for a new defense attorney. In a letter written in Spanish late last month to 4th District Judge Donald Eyre, 38-year old Roberto Roman requested defense attorney Stephen McCaughey be removed from his case. Roman said McCaughey was not working well on his case and was not satisfied with his work. McCaughey has filed a motion for Eyre to consider removing himself and defense attorney Jeremy Delicino. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Nov. 17. Roman is currently scheduled for a 10-day trial next May in the shooting death of Deputy Josie Fox in the early morning hours of Jan. 5, 2010 on a road east of Delta. Roman is charged with capital murder and two other felonies.

(MARYSVALE) – A minor earthquake was reported in Marysvale today. The caller said the doors of her home on Bullion Canyon Avenue shook hard at about 1pm and then stopped. Officials at the Utah Seismograph Station at the University of Utah reported a 2.0-magnitude earthquake about two miles southwest of Junction on Saturday at about 5:18pm. No injuries were reported in either quake and no property damage has been reported.

(EUREKA) – Juab County Commissioners held a meeting Monday to discuss an agreement with the state in the maintenance of roads after the completion of cleanup at the Eureka Mills Superfund site. For the last six to seven years, the Environmental Protection Agency has been cleaning up old mill tailings from abandoned mines in the Eureka area and county work crews have been overlaying roads in the cleanup area. No action was taken at the commission meeting over the agreement between state and county officials to maintain roads but the discussion will continue in future meetings.

(RICHFIELD) – Municipal elections will be held today throughout Utah. Six candidates in Richfield are competing for council seats and various locations in Sevier County will conduct elections at town halls. Sanpete County features several available positions. Voting in Richfield will be held until 8pm at the Exhibit Building at the Sevier County Fairgrounds. Cities and towns in Sanpete County will hold elections at various city halls, as well as those in the Six-County area. If you have questions to where you need to go to vote, call your local city office.

(PLEASANT GROVE)-After losing its case in federal court, a Utah religious group is now asking a state court judge to permit a monument in a Pleasant Grove city park, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

Summum, a Gnostic Christianity-based sect, is seeking to erect its own display near a presently-existing Ten Commandments monument.

The group’s attorney, Brian Bernard, asserts if the state of Utah will allow a Ten Commandments display, the Summum monument should also be permitted.

Bernard claims Utah’s Constitution prohibits any governmental support for religious instruction.

In 2010, a federal judge dismissed a similar case from the group while the U.S. Supreme Court also previously ruled against the sect.

The American Justice Center for Law and Justice of Washington, which represents Pleasant Grove, says governments can decide which monuments to allow and they are currently responding to the complaint filed earlier this year.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Utah Governor Gary Herbert expects to raise just under $1.3 million from his annual fundraiser slated for later this week, according to a statement from his campaign manager Monday.

Sponsorships to the Governor’s Gala, which will be Friday evening at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, will feature both a tribute to veterans in the state and movies filmed in Utah with individual tickets costing $500.

In his last campaign, Herbert began voluntarily disclosing his contribution within days of receipt in October 2009 while long being an opponent of contribution limits, the governor favors disclosure within 48 hours.

State law gives candidates up to 30 days while the governor said the public should be able to consider who is supporting whom and whether this gives them pause in supporting a particular candidate, during the monthly news conference for October he gives on KUED-TV, Channel 7 in Salt Lake City.

Presently in this election season, Herbert is unopposed but several Republicans may challenge him, such as Morgan Philpot, who nearly defeated 2nd District Representative Jim Matheson, a Utah Democrat, in 2010.

Monday, Matheson said he is still considering challenging Herbert and may also be searching for reelection to Congress, either in the 2nd District, or the state’s new 4th District.

Matheson has recently ruled out running for the Senate against Utah senior senator Orrin Hatch.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-ABC4 in Salt Lake City reports The University of Utah College of Pharmacy is getting $24.5 million in federal monies to research treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy.

Monday, university officials announced they are receiving a five-year contract with the Anticonvulsant Drug Development Program within the National Institutes of Health while the program has received the support continuously since 1974.

The disease is most commonly treated with medication, but researchers say about 30 percent of people with epilepsy still experience uncontrolled seizures or intolerable medication side effects.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-Monday, the search for a new president at the University of Utah took a twist as state attorney general Mark Shurtleff tossed his hat into the ring.

Utah attorney general spokesman Paul Murphy confirmed that Shurtleff has submitted an application to the University of Utah Search Presidential Committee, which is managed by the Utah System of Higher Education.

Shurtleff is the first applicant to publicly confirm his desire to be the next U. president.

Since September, the search committee has conducted a series of public hearings to determine qualities they should be searching for in a president while this is comprised of members from the Utah Board of Regents, the U. Board of Trustees, the U. Faculty and Staff and community representatives.

Presently, the Utah Board of Regents has hired a professional consultancy firm that has been tasked with searching for qualified candidates while the committee is currently screening applications and is expected to begin calling candidates for interviews.

However, higher education officials are not commenting while Utah System of Higher Education spokeswoman Holly Braithwaite stated the policy is to keep the list of potential applicants confidential, including the number of applicants, a policy which is common protocol for universities throughout the country in selecting a new president.

It is anticipated the search committee will produce a list consisting of roughly a dozen finalists while they will be made public before being subjected to any public meetings.

A recent public hearing suggests citizens are searching for a president rife with strong academic qualities and credentials who will be firm with state lawmakers, seek to diversify faculty and students and make connections with essential private donors.

(GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.)-KKCO-TV, Channel 11 in Grand Junction, Colo. reports drilling near Whitewater, Colo., in the Grand Junction area, is a “done deal,” according to a statement from David Boyd, a regional Bureau of Land Management spokesman.

Boyd revealed that presently the land is leased to Fram Operating LLC, for energy exploration and has been for the past seven years.

Fram is targeting land for development sitting on the east side of U.S. Highway 50 near Whitewater, up to the slopes of Grand Mesa, 4 miles northeast and east of the unincorporated Mesa County (Colo.) community.

During an open house, scheduled for Tuesday, Boyd said the BLM is seeking for public comment on how to go about drilling, rather than if it should occur.

Fram and BLM representatives will also be on hand to answer questions, as will be BLM representatives.

Boyd said the comments will be “most effective” during the open house and are specific to the proposal the BLM will be presenting.

After the open house, citizens may register their comments with the BLM through December 1 while after this deadline passes, the BLM will write an assessment on environmental impacts on the area.

(FARMINGTON, N.M.)-The Arizona Daily Sun of Flagstaff, Ariz. reports Tuesday will commemorate the start of a yearly summit focused on the Navajo Nation’s problems with uranium contamination.

Six federal agencies, along with tribal officials and others, will convene at Farmington, N.M. for the three-day summit, while Jared Blumenfeld of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Navajo President Ben Shelly are set to give keynote speeches.

The reservation has more than 500 abandoned mines while federal and tribal officials have screened hundreds of structures for potential contamination, replacing some of them while they have also tested unregulated water sources.

Officials who developed a five-year plan to address the contamination are expected to give progress reports throughout the week.

Safety and health concerns for members of the Navajo Nation to ban uranium mining on the reservation commenced in 2005.

(SALT LAKE CITY) – The Utah Avalanche Center is up and running for the season. Spokesman Bruce Tremper said the warning is out for skiers and snowboarders to get ready early for avalanche accidents. Tremper said that an avalanche has already occurred in Cottonwood Canyon but no one was injured. He said 93% of avalanche fatalities occur by the victim or someone in the victim’s party. Tremper commented that avalanche warnings and weather conditions are always posted online at www.UtahAvalancheCenter.org throughout the ski season.

(RICHFIELD) – Richfield City is being nominated for an award for communities that go above and beyond support for military service members. The “Joining Forces Community Challenge Award” is being promoted by First Lady Michelle Obama, the Richfield Area Chamber of Commerce and others, who want to honor military personnel and veterans for their service to their country. Chamber of Commerce staffer, Lorraine Gregerson, said some of the programs the city sponsors to help the military include a city utility abatement program, freedom chairs, coins for Camouflage Christmas, free newspaper subscriptions, library efforts, the veteran’s memorial and a signed Community Covenant. Gregerson said if Richfield is chosen as the winner for the award, it would be a great honor to local families who have members deployed overseas.

(ST. GEORGE) – A St. George bank was seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Friday and then re-opened on Saturday under a new name. FDIC officials seized SunFirst Bank for being undercapitalized and Cache Valley Bank in northern Utah took over control. Cache Valley Bank counsel, Craig Daines, said banners went up Saturday featuring the new name, with business as usual. Daines said the acquisition of SunFirst doubles the number of Cache Valley banks to six, three in northern Utah, one in St. George and one in Hurricane. Cache Valley has assets of $316 million and will keep most of the employees of the former SunFirst Bank.

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah (AP)-Carlo Garcia booted a pair of field goals and the Manti Templars blanked the South Summit Wildcats, 6-0 Saturday to advance to the 2A state championship game next Saturday. The Templars will face Millard for the state title November 12 at 12:00 p.m.

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah (AP)-Pancho Alcala ran for three touchdowns and nailed a 32-yard field goal as the Millard Eagles surged past the San Juan Broncos, 35-20 in the 2A state football semifinals Saturday. Tanner Slavens and Jesse Rhodes also ran for touchdowns in the rout for Millard.

HEBER CITY, Utah (AP)-Shiaba Allen ran for 111 yards and a touchdown while Kaden Moon, Macoy Young, Josh Hanberg and Braiden DeSpain each ran for scores as the Duchesne Eagles blanked the Rich Rebels, 46-0 Saturday in the 1A football semifinals. Additionally, Young returned a punt for a touchdown and McKade Nielsen returned an interception 40 yards for another score. Duchesne next meets Layton Christian Saturday November 12 at 2:00 p.m. for the 1A state championship.

HEBER CITY, Utah (AP)-Nick Edwards ran for a 71-yard score and added a 53-yard scoring reception as the Layton Christian Eagles smacked the Monticello Buckaroos, 35-6 Saturday in the 1A football semifinals.

(EPHRAIM) – Snow College administrators have created a new economic development position at the college to bring together several programs in the Six-County area. Vice-President for Academic Affairs Gary Smith says the college hired Doug Johnson, a local businessman, as the Coordinator of the Office of Continuing Education and Economic Development. Johnson was most recently employed as General Manager of Sanpete Steel and has a Bachelor degree from the University of Arizona in Mining Engineering. He has also worked in technical and production supervisory positions for several coal mining operations in Utah, Illinois and Ohio. Johnson will be overseeing operations at Snow in concurrent education, continuing-community education, including Snow senior scholars and economic development.

(MOAB) – The U.S. Energy Department announced today an Idaho company will take over the uranium mill tailings cleanup outside of Moab. DOE officials said Portage, Inc., a small business based in Idaho Falls, won a five-year, $121.2-million contract over EnergySolutions in Salt Lake City, in competitive bidding. EnergySolutions began the cleanup project several years ago and its contract expires at the end of the year. Portage will take over in removing millions of tons of uranium tailings from the 130-acre site of the old Atlas uranium-ore processing plant north of Moab. The cleanup is aimed at protecting the Colorado River and about 30 million downstream water users from contamination that leached from the pile for years into the adjacent river. The cost for the entire cleanup is estimated to be about $1 billion.

(FILLMORE) – The Utah BLM Fillmore Field Office has announced a planned burn in the Tule Valley area in Millard County. Fire managers say the prescribed fire will be ignited Sunday and last for about two weeks in the Coyote Springs area in Tule Valley. The project will involve about 38 acres to remove tamarisk piles. Fire personnel say fall and spring are the best times of the year for planned burns on forest lands. The prescribed fire will only be implemented if weather conditions permit the burn, including temperatures, humidity, wind speed, fuel moisture and safety.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-After a loss in court Monday concerning the illegality of highway crosses to honor slain Utah Highway Patrol officers, Thursday a state lawmaker said he is joining forces with a national advocacy group to get the decision repealed.

Cranford, N.J.-based American Atheists Inc. and three of its Utah members sued the state concerning the crosses in 2005 as they contended the 12-foot white crosses, which can be found alongside numerous highways throughout the state and consist of a biography of the UHP officer who died there, represent a statewide endorsement of Christianity.

Herriman Representative Carl Wimmer stated he would work to resolve the issue with the Family Research Council of Washington.

In a statement issued Monday, FRC President Tony Perkins said the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case could affect memorials bearing the symbol of the cross nationwide.

(ROBERT LEE, Texas)-Prosecutors have finished presenting their case against a former polygamous bishop accused of performing an illegal wedding between polygamist guru Warren Jeffs and a 12-year-old girl.

The San Angelo (Texas) Standard-Times reports the state rested after submitting records of “spiritual” or “celestial” marriages performed by Frederick Merril Jessop.

The Coke County (Texas) jury was removed from the courtroom at Robert Lee, Texas, while defense attorney Rae Leifeste objected to each submission, mostly unsuccessfully.

Authorities proceeded to seize records during a 2008 raid at the Yearning For Zion Ranch near Eldorado, Texas, owned by Jeffs’ sect, while the ceremony in question occurred in 2006.

The defense is slated to commence its case Monday.

(WASHINGTON)-The Associated Press reports the U.S. economy added 80,000 jobs while job growth in the previous two months was much stronger than had been previously thought, an encouraging sign as the nation searches for a way out of the jobs crisis which has ensued for the greater part of the 2000s.

The unemployment rate dropped from 9 percent to 9.1 percent, the first time it has fallen since July, and marking its lowest rate since April, the government stated Friday.

Economists surveyed by Norwalk, Conn.-based FactSet, a provider of financial data, had expected a gain of 100,000 jobs, stating the private sector added 104,000 jobs for the month.

The overall jobs figure was the smallest in four months, while there were smaller, more encouraging signs throughout the government’s monthly snapshot of employment.

The Labor Department stated the economy added 102,000 more jobs in August and September than previously thought and the number of those who had been unemployed for more than six months fell to 5.9 million.

Additionally, the economy grew at an annual rate of 2.5 percent in July, August and September, commemorating its best performance since the first half of this year.

(WEST VALLEY CITY) – A missing West Valley City girl was found safe this (Friday) morning after a five-hour search. WVC police said that 11-year old Abby Bellows was last seen Thursday afternoon leaving Hunter Elementary and failed to return home. Investigators said they received a tip to check on a child sleeping on a bench either inside or outside a Walmart store, located at 4627 South 900 East. WVC Lt. Scott Buchanan determined the child to be Abby and took her home to her family. Buchanan said that police don’t believe Abby was taken to the Walmart by anyone and no foul play was involved. He said that Abby told police she just wanted to go for a walk.

(MT. PLEASANT) – The North Sanpete School District is asking taxpayers to approve millions of dollars in bonds this election season to raise funds for building projects. District officials say they need $18 million to address schools beyond capacity and those in need of repair. The bond would work out to an $83 annual increase on a $150,000 home, or about $7 a month. North Sanpete is looking to rebuild Mt. Pleasant Elementary, which is aging and in need of sweeping repairs, in addition to North Sanpete High and Moroni Elementary. Also, The Alpine School Board is asking voters to approve $210 million, a 15-year bond to address rapid enrollment growth within the district. Both bond issues will be placed on the ballot in the Nov. 8 election.

(RICHFIELD) – The Richfield Planning Commission held a public hearing Wednesday night concerning the establishment of tattoo businesses in the downtown zoning district. Planning Chairman Blake Zobell said only one Richfield resident attended the hearing because he was concerned over allowing more tattoo-type businesses downtown. Zobell said the Planning Commission is not opposed to the allowance of tattoo businesses within city limits but not in the downtown district. Zobell said the current ordinance will be passed along to the city council for approval.

(PROVO) – Attorneys for the Washington County School District argued before the Utah Supreme Court on Wednesday that the district should be immune from a lawsuit filed by the parents of a student killed while handling a “prop” pistol. Court papers stated that Ron and Cathie Thayer sued police and school officials in U.S. District Court alleging a safety plan for a .38-caliber revolver, used in a school production of “Oklahoma”, was repeatedly violated in the weeks before their son, 15-year old Tucker, died on Nov. 15, 2008. Police reports said Tucker was struck in the head with a blank several hours before a performance of the school play and died later. The Thayer’s lawsuit alleges school officials violated several police requirements surrounding the use of the pistol, including the transportation of the gun, storage, adult use and other requirements. Utah law generally bars claims against government entities, except when the government waives immunity.

(PROVO)-Thursday, Brigham Young University will host former CIA director James Woolsey at a 7:30 p.m. lecture at the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and Visitor’s Center.

Woolsey previously served as CIA director from 1993-1995 and is currently holding several critical positions.

Among those are a role as a venture partner at New York-based Lux Capital Management, the chairman of Woolsey Partners LLC and presently chairs the board of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies of Washington.

He is a frequent contributor to major publications and has been regarded as a national expert on energy, foreign affairs, defense and intelligence.

Admission to the event is free and the Wheatley Institution encourages anyone interested to attend.

(SALT LAKE COUNTY)-ABC4 in Salt Lake City reports Utah’s Great Salt Lake took on a new look Wednesday as federal researchers ordered workers to inject red dye into the lake.

The action was taken in hopes of studying the spread of pollutants from nearby mining operations and sewage plants.

Non-toxic dye was placed into the lake by a stream that enters at its southern end.

The U.S. Geological Survey is presently working with state agencies to determine how pollutants disperse through the Great Salt Lake and how swiftly they spread.

(FARMINGTON, N.M.)-The Associated Press reports enrolled members of the Navajo Nation will soon be able to ditch their green Certificates of Indian Blood in favor of new, tribal-issued identification cards.

The Navajo Office of Vital Records will commence issuing these cards to tribal members November 11.

The cards will first be issued to 100 randomly-selected people during the program’s test run.

The tribe has pushed for the creation of an ID card over the course of the past decade while the intended purpose of the cards is to boost convenience, security and privacy for tribal members.

Increasingly, tribes are issuing cards to members in hopes of offering easier identification possibilities for American Indians, while streamlining affairs with outside agencies.

After the initial test run, the Navajo Nation plans to issue ID cards from all five agencies throughout the 27,000-mile reservation.

(ROBERT LEE, Texas)-The Associated Press reports prosecutors at Robert Lee, Texas slogged through a litany of defense objections in the trial of a polygamous ex-bishop who is accused of marrying his sect leader, Warren Jeffs, to a 12-year-old girl.

Wednesday, prosecutors had hoped to rest their case against Frederick Merril Jessop although defense attorney Rae Leifeste objected to prosecute experts, such as Rebecca Musser.

Musser, a former member of the polygamous sect in question was reportedly called by prosecutors to authenticate church records, according to a report in the San Angelo (Texas) Standard-Times, although Leifeste believed Musser was bereft of sufficient credentials on this matter.

Jessop is believed to have committed this illegal wedding ceremony in 2006 at the sect’s compound at Eldorado, Texas.

(KANAB) – Kane County held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Public Safety Complex after waiting 20 years for the facility to be constructed. Sheriff Lamont Smith said talk of getting a new, larger jail was underway when he was first elected sheriff 17 years ago and was pleased to finally see the facility completed. Chief Deputy Tracy Glover said the 192-bed facility will alleviate overcrowding at the old jail, which only had 22 beds. Over 100 people attended the ceremony and dignitaries included Lt. Gov. Greg Bell and Rep. Mike Noel who both commented that the jail will add 28 well-paying jobs and show what the community can do when concerned people band together to see a project through.

EPHRAIM, Utah (AP)-Travis Wilkins nailed 12 of 16 shots, including 7 of 10 behind the arc in amassing 32 points as the Snow Badgers decimated Impact Academy of Las Vegas, 106-58 Wednesday at the Activity Center.

Connor Van Brocklin added 16 points for Snow, while Cheikh Tidiane Sane posted 14 points and 11 rebounds and Tiege Bamba stepped up with 14 points and nine boards.

The proficient Badgers also shot 56 percent from the field on the evening, including 61 percent in the 2nd half.

The Badgers next face the Mesa (Ariz.) Thundebirds Friday November 11 at the Salt Lake C.C. Tournament and will return home for the Norbest Turkey Classic November 18 and 19 when they face ABCD Prep and Casper (Wyo.) College.

(SANDY) – The Utah Farm Bureau has reached a milestone with more than 30,000 members. Communication Vice President Matt Hargreaves says the reason for the high membership rate is due to local county Farm Bureau volunteers that work hard to further the goals of the organization. Hargreaves said the Farm Bureau has surpassed both its state and national membership goals for 2011. The organization has increased its membership for the fourth straight year. The Farm Bureau’s mission is to help keep agriculture viable throughout the Beehive state and is also known for influencing public policy, competitive insurance rates and face-to-face service.

(SP. FORK) – Power has been restored to Rocky Mountain Power customers in Sanpete, Juab and Utah Counties after a malfunction at a Spanish Fork substation this morning. The outage began at about 9am and affected about 9,000 residents in Moroni, Chester, Mt. Pleasant, Freedom, Ft. Green, Wales and Ephraim, as well as Nephi and Mona in Juab County. RMP officials said minor fender benders occurred at a traffic light in Springville. Power was restored to most areas just after 11am and RMP officials said the investigation as to the cause of the outage continues.

(SPANISH FORK CANYON)-Two women were injured in a crash on U.S. Highway 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon Wednesday morning, according to a report in The Salt Lake Tribune.

Just after 9:00 a.m. MDT, two vehicles collided at mile post 202, only a few miles away from the Tie Fork Rest Area, stated Corporal Todd Johnson of the U.S. Highway Patrol.

He did not know how severe the injuries to the women were, but a medical helicopter did arrive at the scene and he was unsure if one or both of the women were flown to the hospital.

The road in the area was icy, Johnson said, and this proved to be a major factor in the incident, he believed.

(SALT LAKE CITY)-The Deseret News reports Federal Elections Commission data shows Utahns contributed $1.9 million to Mitt Romney’s 2012 GOP presidential bid, a considerable upgrade from the $256,000 former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. has received in his campaign.

Romney has consistently outpolled Huntsman in the Beehive State and has the support of many important Utahns, such as U.S. Representative Jason Chaffetz.

Romney adviser, Kirk Jowers, of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, said Utahns committed to his associate in the previous presidential election and have remained loyal.

As of September 30, Romney had raised $32.2 million nationally compared to Huntsman’s relatively paltry $4.5 million.

Huntsman’s total includes personal loans to his campaign, totaling nearly $2.3 million.

(WASHINGTON CITY)-Tuesday, Washington City Police announced a man in the city was arrested and faces charges of rape against a child.

Authorities stated 22-year-old Carlos Nunez Vallejo was arrested by officers from the Washington City Department of Public Safety Monday.

Police say Vallejo was arrested under suspicion of one count of rape of a child under the age of 14 and two other counts of sodomy of a child.

Authorities stated the incident occurred someplace in Washington City sometime during November 2010.

Vallejo was taken into custody without incident at a St. George address, police stated.

(ROBERT LEE, Texas)-The Associated Press reports prosecutors say they are close to completing their case presentation against a polygamous ex-bishop accused of marrying jailed sect leader Warren Jeffs, and an underage girl.

Prosecutor Angela Goodwin said she expected to complete presenting the bulk of the case against Frederick Merril Jessop Wednesday in Robert Lee, Texas.

Jessop is charged with a felony count of performing an illegal 2006 wedding ceremony between Jeffs and an underage girl.

The ceremony occurred at the Yearning for Zion ranch near Eldorado, Texas, owned by Jeffs’ sect.

If convicted, Jessop could be sentenced to two to 10 years in prison and fined up to $10,000.

(TUBA CITY, Ariz.)-The Arizona Daily Sun of Flagstaff, Ariz. reports a decade-long federal study says a drier climate throughout the Navajo Nation has caused sand dunes to grow and move, potentially threatening grazing, roads and buildings.

The study, conducted by a U.S. Geological Survey geologist, discovered sand dunes are growing more rapidly and moving more, including old dunes that have previously been stable.

More than a third of the 27,000-square mile reservation is covered by sand dunes and sand sheets, while it has experienced varying degrees of drought throughout the past 15 years.

Geologist Margaret Hizer Reedster classified the Navajo Nation, specifically the southwestern corner of the reservation near Tuba City, Ariz. and Leupp, Ariz., on the edge of “being habitable,” according to a report in the Farmington (N.M.) Daily Times.

The report found some of the sand dunes are moving at a rate of 115 feet annually while the faster migration of active sand dunes and the reactivation of previously immobile dunes may threaten housing, roads and health of residents.

The study will yield data on diminished vegetation cover and the increasingly arid environment.

This environment threatens livestock, grazing, infrastructure and livelihoods along the reservation, while the areas calling for the most alarm are lands near the Colorado Plateau, especially in the Flagstaff vicinity, and surrounding the adjacent Hopi reservation.

Sandstorms and dune movement also occurred in the northern and eastern sections of New Mexico, stated Sam McCown, a meteorologist for the National Climatic Data Center of Asheville, N.C.

McCown says that if the trend ensues, select officials caution much of the present Navajo Nation land will become inhabitable.

Presently, geologists and Navajo officials are attempting to use work conducted by Reedster to find solutions, including placing barriers within dunes to stabilize them and planting seeds in the sand to encourage vegetation.

(CEDAR CITY)-Wednesday afternoon, Southern Utah University will welcome former Utah Jazz coach Frank Layden as the keynote speaker for the 2011 leadership luncheon.

Since retiring as the head coach of the Jazz in 1989, he has since served as the team’s president and general manager and was the NBA’s coach of the year in 1983-84, when he posted a 45-37 record, which was the franchise’s best record since it was established in New Orleans in the 1974-75 campaign.

Because of his colorful personality and accessibility to fans, he has since become among the most popular Utahns in state history.

The luncheon will be hosted by the SUU College of Humanities and Social Sciences and will occur in the Gilbert Great Hall in the Haze Conference Center at 11:15 a.m.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – A motion submitted today by Sen. Mike Lee to maintain 2012 spending appropriations at 2011 levels was defeated in the Senate. In a radio teleconference, Lee said the motion had Republican support but was voted down 60-39. Lee said the motion would have affected legislation that will authorize funding for several departments, including agriculture, commerce and transportation. He said his motion would have saved taxpayers $10 billion, while the country is running a deficit of $1.3 trillion. Lee commented saving any amount of money to reduce the deficit is a step in the right direction in getting the government’s fiscal house in order. He said Democratic Senators don’t see it that way.

(REDMOND) – Planners for the Sterling Scholars of Central Utah Program say judging of high school seniors and the awards program will be held the same day. Co-Chair for the program, Neil Bosshardt, along with his wife, Marcia, says holding both the judging and program on the same day, helps with the logistics of the event. Bosshardt said in the past, students had to wait a week between the judging and the awards program to find out if they won or not. He said for the first time in 40 years, the change will be a smoother transition than what was held in the past. Bosshardt commented that seniors will now write their own biographies and submit them with their portfolios to the judges a few days prior to the program, instead of the judges having to take 15 hours to glean information from the winners. The judging and awards program will be held at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield on March 20, 2012.

(PROVO) – Thousands packed the Marriot Center on the BYU Campus today to listen to Pres. Thomas S. Monson speak at the weekly devotional. Monson spoke to students, faculty and the general public concerning the value of our existence here on earth. Pres. Monson told students to recognize a “higher power” in their lives and to be a better example to the world. The event was open to the public.

(CENTRAL VALLEY) – The Central Valley Town Council has scheduled a public hearing concerning a wastewater feasibility study in the pursuit of a sewer system throughout the town. Town leaders are looking at connecting to the sewer system south of Richfield in lieu of constructing septic tanks at residences within the town limits. The hearing will be held at 7pm Wednesday at the Central Valley Town Offices and the public is invited to attend to hear the findings of the study and offer comment.