Utah news

• Help those in need the right way this holiday season

  22-11-2017 23:57
  SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Health Department is encouraging good Samaritans to utilize existing social service agencies rather than conduct direct outreach on their own, especially when it comes to serving food to the homeless.
  "It's wonderful when people give back, especially this time of year," Gary Edwards, the department's executive director, said in a statement. "And we want to make sure that people's charity is received by those in need in the best — and safest &mdas
  
  Read more

• Utah Department of Health awarded national accreditation

  22-11-2017 23:55
  SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health has won accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board.
  The national program, jointly supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, sets standards against which the nation's nearly 3,000 governmental public health departments can continuously improve the quality of their services and performance.
  The department is the fourth accredited public health department in the state, joining
  
  Read more

• Farmington residents reminded not to park cars on street at night

  22-11-2017 23:51
  FARMINGTON — City officials are reminding residents that no vehicles may be parked in the street right-of-way from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. between now and Feb. 28 to facilitate snow removal.
  Traffic citations will be issued to violators.
  In addition, citizens are required to remove snow from the public sidewalks fronting their property within 48 hours after snowfall stops.
  
  Read more

• Police seek 2 men in connection with Provo kidnapping case

  22-11-2017 23:32
  
  Police are asking for the public’s help in locating two men in connection with a kidnapping and assault case.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Utahns in Congress use social media to varying degrees

  22-11-2017 23:09
  SALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Orrin Hatch mourned the recent loss of Snapchat's dancing hotdog.
  "He will be missed. We will always be grateful for his service as a brand ambassador for Utah's pork industry," the Utah Republican tweeted in September.
  Snapchat took down its goofy dancing hotdog filter much to the chagrin of many users, including the 83-year-old senator, or at least his office staff, which handles the majority of Hatch's social media posts.
  Hatch spokesman Matt Whitlock said while th
  
  Read more

• Utah attorney general appeals order to release special election opinion

  22-11-2017 22:52
  SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Attorney General's Office is challenging a State Records Committee order to release a legal opinion sought by legislative leaders on the special election to fill the 3rd Congressional District vacancy.
  The appeal of the order issued in October was filed Tuesday in 3rd District Court.
  The opinion is part of an ongoing dispute between lawmakers and Gov. Gary Herbert over the governor's decision not to call the Legislature into special session to set up the process t
  
  Read more

• Cows fall from I-84 overpass onto southbound I-15 after semitrailer rollover

  22-11-2017 22:42
  
  I-15 southbound is closed at 31st Street, as well as two lanes of I-84 eastbound and an onramp to I-15 near Riverdale after a cattle truck rolled on the overpass, spilling cows onto the freeway below.
  
  Read more

• Tipped semi carrying cattle closes I-15, I-84 near Riverdale

  22-11-2017 22:34
  RIVERDALE — A tipped trailer full of cattle is causing major delays on I-15 and I-84 in Riverdale.
  The accident closed southbound I-15 starting at 31st Street in Ogden, as well as the junction onto eastbound I-84, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
  The crash occurred about noon and is not expected to be cleared until almost 3 p.m., UDOT reported.
  The cause of the crash is unknown. No details have been released about whether any motorists were injured in the accident.
  Image
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Salt Lake's South Temple featured in annual Main Streets Across America

  22-11-2017 21:38
  SALT LAKE CITY — National Life Group, an insurance company based in Vermont,, has announced its annual list of Main Streets Across America, a celebration of streets in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia that embrace a strong sense of community and a commitment to creating an environment where people want to live, work and play.
  Utah is represented this year by South Temple in Salt Lake City.
  A trip through the Main Streets Across America interactive map reveals many interes
  
  Read more

• Festival of Trees kicks off Wednesday at South Towne Expo Center

  22-11-2017 21:31
  SANDY — The annual Festival of Trees is set to run Wednesday, Nov. 29, through Saturday, Dec. 2, at the South Towne Expo Center, 9575 S. State.
  Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday.
  In addition to the uniquely decorated Christmas trees, the festival offers wreaths, playhouses, centerpieces and gingerbread houses. Shops are filled with dolls, handmade crafts and quilts, freshly baked cookies and candies, hot scones, and cinnamon rolls.
  Every pe
  
  Read more

• A soft voice calling for help prompted 911 call, warrant says

  22-11-2017 21:31
  PARK CITY — A woman softly calling for help and a trail of blood led police to a gruesome crime scene.
  Two search warrant affidavits unsealed Wednesday in 3rd District Court provide new details into what Park City police found when they arrived at the Park Regency Resort, 1710 Prospector Ave., about 1:30 a.m. Nov. 2 on a report of a disturbance. Ultimately, investigators found the body of Keri "KC" McClanahan, 28, inside a room and arrested her husband, Anthony McClanahan, 46, who was char
  
  Read more

• Photos: Refugees treated to traditional Thanksgiving dinner

  22-11-2017 21:20
  Matiullah Zalmai, a refugee from Afghanistan, picks up a slice of chocolate cake as he and others are treated to a Thanksgiving dinner at Saint Ambrose Catholic Church in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. The dinner was provided by Catholic Community Services of Utah and Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox's family. According to the charity, Catholic Community Services helps resettle 600 refugees to Utah each year and helps them begin their new lives in the U.S. Because coming to America as a refugee can be a frighte
  
  Read more

• 19-year-old dead; Layton teen in custody after Sunset shooting

  22-11-2017 21:16
  SUNSET — A 19-year-old man was shot to death inside the home of a relative Tuesday.
  Detectives are investigating the death of Hunter Woodson as a homicide, said Sunset Police Chief Ken Eborn. A 17-year-old Layton boy was taken in custody, and police were interviewing another teen witness Tuesday.
  "This was an argument, or a beef, so to speak, between the two," Eborn said, adding that he believes the death may be related to a drug deal gone bad.
  Police responded to an emergency call in Suns
  
  Read more

• Police ID woman killed in Weber County crash

  22-11-2017 21:03
  
  Police on Wednesday identified a Layton woman who died after the car she was riding in rolled and crashed into trees Tuesday afternoon.
  
  Read more

• 3 ways to avoid renting from a fake homeowner

  22-11-2017 20:44
  
  Subleasing an apartment in Utah is not illegal unless the original owner doesn't give their consent. Here are three ways to avoid one Utah couple's nightmare.
  
  Read more

• Draper City Council fires police chief but won't say why

  22-11-2017 20:40
  DRAPER — In March, Draper Police Chief Chief Bryan Roberts was recognized by the City Council for being named Chief of the Year for a midsized agency by the Utah Police Chiefs Association.
  On Tuesday night, the council voted to fire him.
  By a vote of 4-0, with one councilwoman abstaining, the City Council approved a resolution "terminating the employment" of Roberts. The resolution noted that Roberts, who has been Draper's chief since 2012, "is an at-will employee subject to termination wi
  
  Read more

• Crash causes closures on I-84, I-15 near Riverdale

  22-11-2017 20:14
  
  Two lanes of I-84 eastbound and an onramp to I-15 are closed after a crash, according to Utah Department of Transportation officials.
  
  Read more

• Photos: Harmons helps brighten Thanksgiving for 3,700 families

  22-11-2017 19:17
  Jay Jones, 7, helps pass boxes of food for the needy at the Give a Gobble Thanksgiving donation drive at the Urban Indian Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. Now in its 20th year, Harmons teamed up with the Crossroads Urban Center to provide Thanksgiving meals to thousands of Utah families thanks to donations by the grocery chain and its customers. This year, 3,700 families will be served through the event, and additional funds raised through the program will help the Utah Food Bank purchase
  
  Read more

• Utah County baseball coach sent to prison for inappropriate massages with teen

  22-11-2017 19:09
  PROVO — A Utah County baseball coach was sentenced to prison Wednesday for inappropriately touching a teenage boy he coached and employed.
  In a lengthy and emotional apology to the teen and to his own family, Michael Aram Jenkins, 48, said opiate addiction stemming from chronic back pain was among the factors that led him to believe there was nothing inappropriate about the arrangement with the then-16-year-old.
  "My addiction to pain medications does not excuse my actions and choices &hell
  
  Read more

• Logan police dog impounded after it escaped caregiver's home

  22-11-2017 19:07
  
  A Utah police department says one of its police dogs was impounded after it was found running loose while its handler was out of the country on vacation.
  
  Read more

• Could canceled Twilight Concert Series return in 2018?

  22-11-2017 19:00
  SALT LAKE CITY — There might be some hope for a 2018 Twilight Concert Series.
  But it could still be a long shot.
  Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski's administration last month recommended that the concert series be canceled for the 2018 season while city leaders try to re-work how the series is planned and funded — but Tuesday a council member proposed finding a "creative way" to fund the concert series next year.
  Councilman Derek Kitchen said he was "a little disappointed" by the
  
  Read more

• Jay Evensen: A refugee's tale — the quintessential American story for Thanksgiving

  22-11-2017 17:10
  SALT LAKE CITY — If you have surgery at St. Mark’s Hospital, you won’t notice the person standing near the surgeon, handing him or her the instruments needed to perform the work, retracting an incision, suctioning blood and perhaps closing the wound.That’s the nature of surgery, which often requires the patient to be unconscious.And so you won’t learn anything about that person’s background, which is a shame. He might be Eumbo Kasongo.If so, you won’t kn
  
  Read more

• SLC Council poised to approve $1M loan for downtown affordable housing project

  22-11-2017 16:54
  
  Salt Lake City Council members expressed support on Tuesday of a $1 million loan to finance the "Garden Lofts" project in place of the Royal Garden Inn, 154 W. 600 South, which would consist of 272 affordable housing units.
  
  Read more

• Salt Lake Council poised to approve $1 million loan for downtown affordable housing project

  22-11-2017 16:54
  SALT LAKE CITY — Another Salt Lake City motel is on the radar for an affordable housing project.
  Salt Lake City Council members expressed support on Tuesday of a $1 million loan to finance the "Garden Lofts" project in place of the Royal Garden Inn, 154 W. 600 South, which would consist of 272 affordable housing units.
  Wasatch Residential Group LLC is seeking the loan from the city's Housing Trust Fund to help build the project for families at or below 60 percent of the city's area median
  
  Read more

• Utah police dog impounded after it escaped caregiver's home

  22-11-2017 15:40
  LOGAN — A Utah police department says one of its police dogs was impounded after it was found running loose while its handler was out of the country on vacation.
  The Herald Journal reported Monday that the Logan City Police Department dog was picked up by an animal control officer and taken to the Cache Humane Society.
  Police Chief Gary Jensen says the dog was staying with a family member of his handler who was familiar with the dog.
  According to Jensen, the dog escaped due to problem with
  
  Read more

• Park Service extends comment period for proposed fee hike

  22-11-2017 15:30
  GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — The National Park Service is giving people more time to weigh in on a proposed fee increase at 17 of its most popular parks.
  Visitors would be charged $70 per vehicle, up from the current $30 fee, during the five busiest months of the year. At others, the hike is from $25 to $70.
  The comment period had been scheduled to end Thursday. The new deadline is Dec. 22.
  The Park Service said it wanted to accommodate interest from Congress and the public. More th
  
  Read more

• Salt Lake City Council OKs ordinance setting homeless center capacity

  22-11-2017 15:25
  SALT LAKE CITY — City leaders took another step toward building the new homeless resource centers meant to replace the troubled downtown shelter once it shutters in 2019.
  The Salt Lake City Council Tuesday night unanimously approved an ordinance setting requirements the future homeless resource centers must comply with in order to operate within the city.
  The new ordinance allows the centers to operate under a conditional use permit as long as the centers' operators abide by the certain re
  
  Read more

• Idaho family issues warning after 11-year-old dies playing the choking game

  22-11-2017 15:02
  
  It’s been a year of heartache, a year of pain and a year wondering why for Curtis McAbee’s family.
  
  Read more

• Deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide expected to spike in Utah

  22-11-2017 15:00
  SALT LAKE CITY — A new report predicts a sharp rise in deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide over the next decade, not just nationwide but also in Utah.
  To combat the trend, the groups issuing the report have called for a new strategy that focuses on resilience to combat what are commonly called "diseases of despair." They also call for an intergenerational approach to drug abuse that would offer not just treatment for drug abusers, but also provide support for children, grandparents and
  
  Read more

• In our opinion: Justice Christine Durham is an example of confidence and maintaining balance

  22-11-2017 14:05
  The balance of life, work, family and faith can be challenging for anyone. Add in institutional and cultural prejudices against a career choice and the pressure might seem insurmountable to many.It takes a special type of confidence and ability to overcome those obstacles and succeed. Utah’s long-serving state Supreme Court justice, Christine Durham, has those qualities in spades. Durham, who recently retired, was a trailblazer. Her path never before had been trod, but those who come after
  
  Read more

• Refugee families in SLC get their first taste of Thanksgiving

  22-11-2017 06:35
  
  Five families from around the globe who now call Utah home were given the true Thanksgiving experience at the Saint Ambrose Catholic Church in Salt Lake City Tuesday night.
  
  Read more

• Utahn refuses to give up on friend he found homeless on SLC street

  22-11-2017 06:20
  
  When Michael Hansen discovered his best friend from childhood was homeless, sleeping on the sidewalk in the middle of downtown Salt Lake City, he set off on a mission to bring him home. It's a mission that has recently become a little harder.
  
  Read more

• Utah Youth Soccer Association partners with PDL to launch Ogden City SC

  22-11-2017 06:20
  
  PDL soccer returns to Utah with a new expansion franchise.
  
  Read more

• 9-year-old girl hospitalized after being hit by truck

  22-11-2017 05:41
  
  A 9-year-old girl was critically injured Tuesday afternoon when she was hit by a truck in South Jordan. She and two other children were attempting to cross the street in a crosswalk when the collision happened, police said.
  
  Read more

• 7-year-old girl hospitalized after being hit by truck

  22-11-2017 05:41
  
  A 7-year-old girl was critically injured Tuesday afternoon when she was hit by a truck in South Jordan. She and two other children were attempting to cross the street in a crosswalk when the collision happened, police said.
  
  Read more

• 19-year-old dead; Layton teen in custody after shooting in Sunset

  22-11-2017 05:40
  SUNSET, Davis County — A 19-year-old was shot to death inside the home of a relative Tuesday afternoon.
  Detectives are investigating the death of Hunter Woodson as a homicide, said Sunset Police Chief Ken Eborn. A 17-year-old was in custody, and police were interviewing another teen witness Tuesday.
  "This was an argument, or a beef, so to speak, between the two," Eborn said, adding he believes the death may be related to a drug deal gone bad.
  Police responded to an emergency call in Sunset
  
  Read more

• Woman dies in Weber County rollover

  22-11-2017 04:13
  WEST WEBER, Weber County — Police believe alcohol played a part in a rollover crash that killed a 32-year-old female passenger Tuesday afternoon.
  According to Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Matt Jensen, the accident near 4400 West and 1150 South in West Weber at about 3:45 p.m. followed a reported hit-and-run less than five minutes earlier in Marriott-Slaterville at 1900 West and 12th Street.
  Crews pronounced the woman dead at the scene. A helicopter flew the 33-year-old driver to the hospita
  
  Read more

• One year later: Investigation continues into cause of medical flight crash

  22-11-2017 04:09
  
  In the year since an American Medflight plane crashed in the Barrick parking lot off Mountain City Highway and killed four people, including one Utahn, there is still no word from the National Transportation and Safety Board on how the accident occurred.
  
  Read more

• What to know before heading away from home this Thanksgiving

  22-11-2017 03:32
  SALT LAKE CITY — As nearly 51 million Americans plan to leave home for the Thanksgiving weekend, AAA reminds travelers to prepare for heavy traffic and long delays.
  "It's going to be the busiest holiday travel season that we've seen across the U.S. since 2005," said Michael Blasky, spokesman for AAA Utah. "There's going to be a lot more people on the road this year."
  Almost 1.5 million more people will travel this weekend compared to last year, AAA reported.
  In Utah, there will be 25 perce
  
  Read more

• Poll: Utahns support bid for another Salt Lake Olympics

  22-11-2017 03:31
  
  A whopping 89 percent of Utahns support bidding for another Olympics, according to a new poll released Tuesday that was commissioned for the state's Olympic Exploratory Committee.
  
  Read more

• Rep. Stewart calls for Congress to release sexual harassment settlements

  22-11-2017 02:27
  
  Rep. Chris Stewart called for the names of all members of Congress accused of sexual misconduct to be released Tuesday. The Utah Republican also wants any settlements lawmakers have made as a result of that misconduct disclosed to the public.
  
  Read more

• Photos: Grateful for governor's Thanksgiving pardon

  22-11-2017 01:58
  Grateful the turkey walks around after being pardoned for Thanksgiving by Gov. Gary Herbert outside the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. Grateful, a 40-pound Tom turkey who was raised by the Tad and Sara Steadman family in Sanpete County, will live out his life at the Thanksgiving Point bird refuge in Lehi. According to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, the average Utahn consumes 17 pounds of turkey per year, and enough turkeys were raised in 2017 to supply each resident with 45
  
  Read more

• Photos: MOSAIC Inter-Faith Ministries helps ensure a happy Thanksgiving for all

  22-11-2017 01:53
  Olga Mendez picks up her turkey for Thanksgiving at the MOSAIC Inter-Faith Ministries' Manna Market in Millcreek on Tuesday. The market was held in conjunction with the Utah Food Bank, LDS Bishop's Storehouse, Utah Foam Products and Utah Neighbors. Mosaic Inter-Faith Ministries, which is celebrating its 22 year, serves 1 in every 25 people in Utah. Each year, more than 460,000 boxes of food to prepare at home are given to people in need.
  See the world through the eyes of award-winning photojourn
  
  Read more

• Rep. Love vows 'full-court press' on Trump to let Haitian nationals stay in US

  22-11-2017 01:47
  
  Rep. Mia Love promised a "full-court press" on President Donald Trump to not expel nearly 60,000 Haitians who have lived in the U.S. under provisional legal residency for more than seven years.
  
  Read more

• Man charged in Layton shooting arrested in Nevada

  22-11-2017 01:46
  SALT LAKE CITY — A man charged with shooting a man in the chest in Layton nearly a month ago is now in custody in western Nevada.
  Eddie Angelo Samora, a former Public Enemy No. 1 in a previous case, led U.S. marshals on a brief car chase before his arrest Tuesday in Sparks, Nevada, the Layton Police Department said in a Facebook post.
  Layton detectives are seeking to have Samora, 31, of Salt Lake City, brought to Utah to face charges of attempted murder, a first-degree felony; and possessi
  
  Read more

• Utah man wanted in connection with shooting arrested in Nevada

  22-11-2017 01:26
  
  A man wanted for attempted murder in connection with a Layton shooting was arrested Tuesday in Nevada, police said.
  
  Read more

• Utah man arrested in Nevada after attempted murder

  22-11-2017 01:26
  
  A man wanted for attempted murder in connection with a Layton shooting was arrested Tuesday in Nevada, police said.
  
  Read more

• Jury acquits man accused in robbery, killing

  22-11-2017 01:22
  SALT LAKE CITY — Two people are currently serving prison sentences connected to the 2015 shooting death of Gildardo Toledo during a robbery.
  But the man who police say pulled the trigger was acquitted of murder last week by a jury.
  Richard Trujillo, 29, was found not guilty Nov. 16 of murder, a first-degree felony, in the death of Toledo, 32, at the close of a four-day jury trial.
  He was also acquitted of charges of aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony, possession of a dangerous weapo
  
  Read more

• RSL player admits sexual conduct with minor

  22-11-2017 01:15
  SALT LAKE CITY — A Real Salt Lake player accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Monday.
  Ricardo Velazco, 24, pleaded guilty to sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor, in 3rd District Court. He was originally charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a third-degree felony carrying a potential sentence of up to five years in prison.
  The class A misdemeanor is punishable with a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Sentencing is scheduled
  
  Read more

• BLM begins 2nd year of Conger wild horse gather Tuesday

  22-11-2017 01:10
  FILLMORE — The BLM's Fillmore field office will begin gathering wild horses Tuesday in support of a research study in the Conger Herd Management Area west of Delta.
  "This gather is in year two of a research study that is being conducted on wild horse behavior and ecology, Trent Staheli, the BLM's West Desert District wild horse specialist, said in a statement. "It will examine the behavioral effects of gelding, population dynamics, fertility, reproductive rate, recruitment rate, age-specif
  
  Read more

Follow @NewslockerUtah on Twitter!