Utah news

• 39 million travelers expected over Memorial Day weekend

  25-05-2017 23:55
  
  LAYTON — Heading out of town this weekend? Prepare for rising gas prices, crowded roads, busy national parks and traffic delays over the next few days.AAA predicts more than 39 million travelers will commute during the Memorial Day weekend, the highest number of travelers since 2005.That includes at least 3 million travelers from the Rocky Mountain states — a 3.5 percent increase from last year. Between Thursday and Monday, most travelers will spend their vacation more than 50 miles
  
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• Provo Mayor John Curtis, more Republicans enter 3rd District race

  25-05-2017 23:45
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — As expected, Provo Mayor John Curtis joined an already crowded field of Republicans on Thursday to replace Congressman Jason Chaffetz.Curtis jumped into the 3rd Congressional District race after what he called the "deepest retrospect in my life" about a decision."I wanted to be sure I was the right person, that I had the right qualifications and that it would be the right thing to do," Curtis said. He intends to try to win the nomination at a GOP convention but will also c
  
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• New United Utah Party pushing to make deadline for 3rd District special election

  25-05-2017 23:29
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — The new United Utah Party submitted petitions Thursday to become an official political party in the state, but probably not in time for the special election in the 3rd Congressional District.State Elections Director Mark Thomas said it usually takes a couple of weeks to verify the 2,000 signatures of registered voters needed to be a recognized political party. The office would have to confirm all the names before Friday at 5 p.m. — the candidate filing deadline for t
  
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• USU faculty member named to Utah Air Quality Board

  25-05-2017 23:12
  
  LOGAN — Gov. Gary Herbert has appointed Randy Martin, a Utah State University research associate professor, to a four-year term on the Utah Air Quality Board. He was officially sworn into the role on May 24.Board members are chosen for their knowledge of air pollution matters and represent specific interests, professions and industries. Martin was selected to fill the role as engineer/scientist and to provide expert opinion about air quality rules and policies.Since joining USU’s Dep
  
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• 'Absolutely Incredible Kid' - no, really

  25-05-2017 23:12
  
  Taylorsville :He's humble and helpful. He's generous. And he loves to read and learn.
  Charlie Scriver, 14, is an "Absolutely Incredible Kid" - an annual award bestowed on one of Granite School District's 68,000 students.
  Thursday, the eighth-grader ...
  
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• Utah Restaurant Association honors Stein Eriksen’s Zane Holmquist

  25-05-2017 23:09
  
  PARK CITY — The Utah Restaurant Association, in partnership with Devour Utah magazine, has named Stein Eriksen corporate chef Zane Holmquist as Chef of the Year.The award was announced during the recent Utah Restaurant Industry Awards Gala, which has recognized food service professionals for the past 30 years. Award recipients are nominated by industry peers.Holmquist joined the Stein Eriksen Lodge team in 2000, and was promoted to executive chef in 2001 and corporate chef in 2016.In 2005,
  
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• Utah's online harassment law criticized over speech restraints

  25-05-2017 23:04
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers hope a new, unique law cuts down on increasingly troubling forms of cyberharassment by giving authorities the ability to send online bullies to jail for a year.The effort against online harassment is supported by law enforcement, school officials and support groups, but some lawyers and a libertarian-leaning group have balked at what they call vague language in the law.They believe it could be unconstitutional and draw innocent people into criminal proceedin
  
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• These mouth-watering ice cream sandwiches are coming to Utah Costco stores

  25-05-2017 22:15
  
  Utah Costco stores are about to get some seriously sweet ice cream sandwiches.Costcos across the country will soon add It’s-It ice cream sandwiches to their stores, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.These cold treats will be available at stores in northern California, San Diego, Texas, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Alaska, Montana, Idaho and, of course, Utah.Costco first announced the decision in a Facebook post.https://www.facebook.com/ITSIT/
  
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• Bears Ears Monument designation draws thousands of comments

  25-05-2017 21:55
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — There's still time to weigh in on the Bears Ears National Monument designation, but online comments must be received by the U.S. Department of Interior by 10 p.m. Thursday, while mailed comments have to be postmarked by Friday and received no later than June 1.More than 85,000 comments have been logged by the agency, with an estimated 41,000 that specifically mention the San Juan County monument.Information about submitting comments to the Interior Department is available
  
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• Chaffetz doubles down on request for Comey documents after FBI balks

  25-05-2017 21:36
  
  Washington :The FBI said Thursday that because of the appointment of a new special counsel to investigate Russia's interference in the U.S. election, the agency was still reviewing Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz's request for any docume...
  
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• Release date set for woman convicted in overdose death

  25-05-2017 21:15
  
  UTAH STATE PRISON — A woman sent to prison for providing drugs to a man who fatally overdosed but then did nothing to help him will be released in September.The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole has set a parole date for Alejandra "Ally" Dunn for Sept. 26. She may be released earlier if an interstate compact can be arranged. Dunn has said she wants to move to Montana to live with her parents and daughter.In 2014, Dunn pleaded guilty to manslaughter and drug distribution and was sentenced to
  
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• Parents urged to keep kids within arm's reach around water

  25-05-2017 20:53
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — With the unofficial start of summer arriving this Memorial Day weekend, Utah parents are being urged to keep their children within arm’s reach as they take to the water.An above-average snowpack, wet spring and warming temperatures all increase the risk of drowning in the state’s lakes and rivers.“We are urging the public to be extremely careful around any open bodies of water right now,” said Cambree Applegate, director of the Utah Department of He
  
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• Woman run over by train survives but loses arm, leg

  25-05-2017 20:05
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — A woman run over by a Union Pacific train early Thursday had an arm and a leg severed but is expected to survive, according to Salt Lake police.Just after 3:30 a.m., a woman who was "lying" on the tracks at 50 South and 600 West was run over by a train, police said.The incident is being investigated by Union Pacific.Additional details will be posted as they become available.
  
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• Crews cleaning up 500-gallon nitric acid spill in Salt Lake City

  25-05-2017 19:08
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City hazardous materials crews are cleaning up a nitric acid spill at a chemical plant.Approximately 500 gallons of the acid spilled at Univar, 650 W. 800 South, Details about how the spill was caused were not immediately known.The spill is contained, according to the Salt Lake City Fire Department. But the public is being advised to stay away from the area until the spill is cleaned up, particularly east of 700 West where the wind is blowing in that direction.Mo
  
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• Utah's new Greek Orthodox priest promises 'open heart and mind'

  25-05-2017 19:06
  
  The Rev. Archimandrite George Nikas, new senior priest for the Salt Lake Valley's Greek Orthodox community, has promised parishioners that he comes with "an open heart and mind."
  Nikas, who will be welcomed formally at downtown Salt Lake City's Holy... <iframe src="http://www.sltrib.com/csp/mediapool/sites/sltrib/pages/garss.csp" height="1" width="1" > </frame>
  
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• Ntric acid spills in westside Salt Lake City neighborhood

  25-05-2017 19:00
  
  An underground nitric acid spill closed down access to much of a westside Salt Lake City neighborhood late Thursday morning, but no injuries were reported.
  Salt Lake City Fire Department spokeswoman Audra Sorensen said the incident, estimated to invo...
  
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• No injuries from nitric acid spill at Salt Lake City company

  25-05-2017 19:00
  
  A nitric acid spill at a chemical company closed down access to much of a westside Salt Lake City neighborhood late Thursday morning, but no injuries were reported.
  Salt Lake City Fire Department spokeswoman Audra Sorensen said the incident, estimate...
  
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• Outdoor Retailer takes show to Denver

  25-05-2017 18:56
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — Two major outdoor recreation trade shows are merging for one big expo to be held in Denver.Emerald Expositions, which produces the Outdoor Retailer trade show that's leaving Salt Lake City after two decades over political differences, announced Wednesday night it has acquired the SnowSports Industries America Snow Show that is held each winter in Denver.Emerald said in a news release that the first combined expo is expected to be January in Denver.The company did not revea
  
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• Woman loses arm and leg, but survives being run over by freight train in west Salt Lake City

  25-05-2017 18:51
  
  A Union Pacific Railroad freight train struck a woman about 3:30 a.m. Thursday in west Salt Lake City, severing an arm and a leg.
  Public safety dispatchers said the incident took place near 50 South and 600 West, and that the female victim was initia...
  
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• Utah forecast: Rainy, thunderous end to the week, then sunshine

  25-05-2017 18:51
  
  A cooler, rainy denouement is in store for northern Utah's work week, but clearing skies and sunshine are on tap come Saturday.
  Isolated rain showers and thunderstorms throughout Friday along the Wasatch Front, with high temperatures struggling to re...
  
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• St. George brothers, 9 and 11, taken to Mexico by noncustodial father, police say

  25-05-2017 18:51
  
  St. George police said two young brothers who went missing Wednesday were taken to Mexico by their noncustodial father.The Lopez boys - Jesus, 11, and Angel, 9 - may be in danger, police said in a statement. Authorities began searching for them aft...
  
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• Kaysville police find missing teen girl

  25-05-2017 18:51
  
  Kaysville police canceled a missing and endangered person alert after a cognitively challenged teenage girl was found safe early Thursday morning.
  Kaysville police Lt. Kenton Pies said 17-year-old Ashley Johnson, who is considered "low functioning" d...
  
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• Group that allegedly distributes heroin in U.S. cities, including Salt Lake City, targeted by Treasury Department

  25-05-2017 18:51
  
  The U.S. Treasury announced Wednesday that it has frozen the assets of an alleged drug-trafficking organization that distributes large quantities of heroin in the United States, including in Salt Lake City.
  Mexican national Jose Luis Ruelas Torres an...
  
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• Local actress comes to Eccles as stepsister in Broadway's 'Cinderella'

  25-05-2017 18:35
  
  From her own little corner near Tooele, actress Joanna Johnson, appearing soon in the Broadway touring production of “Cinderella,” knew she wanted to live in New York City.“I decided early on that this is what I wanted to do, and I’ve always loved visiting New York in high school and college,” Johnson said in a phone interview. “I enjoy being there, but I’m so excited to be doing this show in Salt Lake — showing my hometown to my castmates and show
  
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• A.M. notes: Lone Peak NBA prospect has surgery, millionaire buys land in Bears Ears, GOP candidate 'body-slams' reporter

  25-05-2017 18:00
  
  Here’s a look at the news for May 25.Special report: How Utah traps the mentally ill behind barsA new report from the Deseret News looks into mentally ill inmates and how they’re being treated.The report found that mentally ill inmates must often wait up to five months to get a spot in the Utah State Hospital, which is higher than many other Western states, the Deseret News reported.While the inmates wait, some get sick, while others are released.Some even die.Read more at the Desere
  
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• Judge to hear testimony about teen accused of killing worker at Utah youth ranch

  25-05-2017 17:39
  
  Panguitch :A preliminary hearing is scheduled Thursday morning for a 17-year-old Arizona boy accused of killing a staffer at a southern Utah youth-rehabiliation facility in December.
  Clay Brewer, of Snowflake, Ariz., is charged in adult court with f...
  
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• Outdoor Retailer parent buys SIA Snow Show, will combine for huge Denver trade event

  25-05-2017 15:17
  
  The owner of the Outdoor Retailer trade show, a huge attraction in Salt Lake City before it declared its exit because of public-lands disagreements with Utah officials, announced Wednesday that it will create a massive winter sports trade event in De...
  
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• 'Fablehaven' author Brandon Mull receives visit from 13-year-old Polish fan

  25-05-2017 15:00
  
  Karina Wiepiska and her mother, Magda, boarded a plane that would take them to the United States for the first time.After a long flight from Poland, they arrived in Utah on a Sunday, only to discover that the Frontrunner doesn’t run on that day. Undeterred, the pair rented a car, navigated the unfamiliar roads and finally found their hotel.The following morning, they showed up on author Brandon Mull’s doorstep at 9 a.m.Mull, who is best known for his fantasy series Fablehaven, had ju
  
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• TSA has begun testing new security procedures. Will it impact Utah?

  25-05-2017 14:05
  
  The Transportation Security Administration plans to make changes that will declutter travelers’ bags.As The Wall Street Journal reported, the TSA will soon begin making changes to its policies that will have travelers empty most items from their carry-on bags into different bins.Most TSA security lines only ask that metallic objects and laptops be separated into separate bins. Now, people will be asked to separate food and tablets into bins, too, WSJ reported.TSA described the changes in a
  
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• Hatch proposes new plan for states struggling with "one-size-fits-all" ozone rule

  25-05-2017 14:00
  
  A new proposal from Utah Senator Orrin Hatch could give the state more time to address its growing problem with ozone pollution.
  The U.S. Senate bill - co-sponsored by Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat from Missouri - would allow states and commun... <iframe src="http://www.sltrib.com/csp/mediapool/sites/sltrib/pages/garss.csp" height="1" width="1" > </frame>
  
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• 'Star Wars' hit theaters 40 years ago. These photos would hint at its legacy

  25-05-2017 08:05
  
  On May 25, 1977, the franchise-launching "Star Wars" was released — but that bit of trivia might not surprise many people around these parts.That's because of the ties between Star Wars' fandom and Utah: among them that a Utah theater ranked No. 1 in the nation for the movie premiere of "Rogue One" when it debuted last December.Box office traffic doesn't begin to hint at Utahns' love for the franchise.Utahns Liberty Dooley and James Davis tied the knot at the Megaplex at the Junction at th
  
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• Police find kidnapping victim after SWAT episode at western Salt Lake City home

  25-05-2017 08:04
  
  A woman who police say was kidnapped by a man with a gun in Salt Lake City was found late Wednesday and taken to a hospital, authorities said.The woman, 24-year-old Samantha Medina, had been seen being forced into a car by an armed man Wednesday mo...
  
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• Human remains may bring 1988 Utah cold case closer to closure

  25-05-2017 08:04
  
  Michael I. Kufrin remained tight-lipped while members of the parole board questioned him about his girlfriend's 1988 disappearance.
  He kept quiet about the case while serving five years at the Utah State Prison for an unrelated crime.
  But new evidenc...
  
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• Human remains bring 1988 Utah cold-case closer to closure

  25-05-2017 08:04
  
  Michael I. Kufrin remained tight-lipped while members of the parole board questioned him about his girlfriend's 1988 disappearance.
  He kept was quiet about the case while serving five years at the Utah State Prison for an unrelated crime.
  But new ev...
  
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• Draper Police Department members carry 'Flame of Hope' for Special Olympics Utah

  25-05-2017 08:04
  
  Members of the Draper Police Department participated Monday in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Utah. Officers and support staff carried the "Flame of Hope" from 11400 S. State Street to Draper City Hall.
  Draper was one of a ... <iframe src="http://www.sltrib.com/csp/mediapool/sites/sltrib/pages/garss.csp" height="1" width="1" > </frame>
  
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• The new asylums: How Utah traps the mentally ill behind bars

  25-05-2017 08:00
  
  PROVO — Across Utah, nearly 70 mentally ill men and women who are supposed to be receiving mental health treatment are instead trapped in jail cells.They're getting sicker. They're being released without treatment. They're dying.They're not supposed to be there.Charged with crimes but too sick to answer for them in court, they are stuck, waiting for an opening at the only facility in the state that can prepare them to face the legal system — the Utah State Hospital in Provo.The Deser
  
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• Detectives track Mormon prophet statue to West Jordan garage, make two arrests

  25-05-2017 06:48
  
  The stolen bronze statue of Mormon prophets Joseph Smith and Brigham Young turned up in a West Jordan garage, authorities said Wednesday.
  Salt Lake City detectives say they found the 800-pound artwork after receiving an anonymous tip. The tipster had...
  
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• Once-tiny Vineyard in Utah County sees population grow sixfold in 2 years

  25-05-2017 06:35
  
  The Utah County town of Vineyard grew sixfold in the past two years - from 611 residents to 3,953 - as new homes mushroomed on and around the old Geneva Steel plant site.But City Manager Jacob McHargue says those newly released U.S. Census Bureau e...
  
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• Report: 23M more to be uninsured, $834M in Medicaid spending to be slashed under AHCA

  25-05-2017 04:55
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — A report from the Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday estimated that 23 million more Americans will be uninsured by 2026 under the American Health Care Act compared to current law, while also projecting more than $119 billion in savings to the federal budget deficit over 10 years.The report also concluded that average insurance premiums on the individual market would rise through 2019, but ultimately drop about between 4 and 20 percent for most of the country by 2026.
  
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• Report: 23M more to be uninsured, $834B in Medicaid spending to be slashed under AHCA

  25-05-2017 04:55
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — A report from the Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday estimated that 23 million more Americans will be uninsured by 2026 under the American Health Care Act compared to current law, while also projecting more than $119 billion in savings to the federal budget deficit over 10 years.The report also concluded that average insurance premiums on the individual market would rise through 2019, but ultimately drop about between 4 and 20 percent for most of the country by 2026.
  
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• UTA board gives conditional OK for sale of Clearfield property for assembly plant

  25-05-2017 03:40
  
  SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Transit Authority trustees gave conditional approval Wednesday to the sale of property at the Clearfield FrontRunner station for an assembly plant despite concerns about a former board member's ties to the project."I think we just have to realize the taint is going to be there in the P.R. sense. You can clarify it all you want. You can disclose it all you want," trustee Greg Bell, a former lieutenant governor, told the UTA board.Two members of the board, Babs De Lay a
  
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• UTA gives initial OK to controversial land deal in Clearfield

  25-05-2017 03:28
  
  After a monthlong delay, the Utah Transit Authority Board on Wednesday voted to green-light a controversial development project near its Clearfield FrontRunner station.
  The deal will allow Clearfield City to purchase about 24 acres on a 70-acre site ... <iframe src="http://www.sltrib.com/csp/mediapool/sites/sltrib/pages/garss.csp" height="1" width="1" > </frame>
  
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• St. George police looking for young brothers

  25-05-2017 03:28
  
  St. George police are searching for two young brothers who didn't show up at school Wednesday.
  The Lopez boys - Jesus, 11, and Angel, 9 - may be in danger, police said in a statement. Their 51-year-old father, Ricardo Flores, recently divorced their ...
  
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• Police seek possible kidnap victim after SWAT episode at westside Salt Lake City home

  25-05-2017 03:28
  
  Police are looking for a woman who may have been kidnapped and a suspect after police cordoned off an area of west Salt Lake City late Wednesday morning.Gunshots were reported at 8:30 a.m. and a woman was seen being forced into a car by a male susp...
  
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• Man who killed Utah deputy appeals conviction and life sentence

  25-05-2017 03:28
  
  The man found guilty of killing Millard County sheriff's Deputy Josie Greathouse Fox has filed a notice that he is appealing the conviction and prison sentence of life plus 80 years.
  Lawyers for Roberto Miramontes Roman informed the federal court in...
  
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• Judge denies bail for second of two teens charged with shooting Deserae Turner

  25-05-2017 03:28
  
  Logan :A judge on Wednesday denied bail for the 16-year-old boy accused as an accomplice in the shooting of 14-year-old Deserae Turner.
  Jayzon Decker is charged with attempted aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and other crimes. He is accused of ...
  
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• Human remains identified as Utah woman missing since 1988

  25-05-2017 03:28
  
  State medical examiners have identified human remains found buried in a backyard cellar in Spanish Fork on Monday as 28-year-old Peggy Sue Case, a former resident of the home who disappeared in 1988.
  A resident who noticed part of the cellar's dirt f...
  
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• Draper police celebrate Special Olympians with torch run

  25-05-2017 03:15
  
  See the world through the eyes of award-winning photojournalists. Click through the gallery above to view the unique images our visual storytellers captured today. Don't forget to follow the official Deseret News Instagram account for more photographs and videos from the staff.
  
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