Utah news

• Salt Lake man accused of sexually abusing 'multiple children'

  02-03-2018 23:45
  SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake man once charged with sexually abusing a 6-year-old girl he was baby-sitting has been arrested and accused of sexually abusing multiple children.James Gerald Crawford, 43, was arrested Wednesday for investigation of five counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, sex abuse of a child, lewdness involving a child, and sodomy on a child.An officer conducting an investigation ended up talking to Crawford who "confessed to multiple counts of sexual abuse on multi
  
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• Sen. Hatch apologizes for 'off-color' comments about Obamacare supporters

  02-03-2018 22:59
  SALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Orrin Hatch apologized Friday for "off-color" remarks he made about Obamacare supporters in a speech the day before."Yesterday, I made a poorly worded joke about Obamacare supporters — a joke that was not reflective of my actual feelings towards my friends on the other side," the Utah Republican said in a prepared statement.Hatch said he has always recognized the importance of civility, particularly when engaging with those of different political perspectives."W
  
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• ‘They’re just like me’: Interfaith bus tour goes inside the Chabad Lubavitch and Islamic Bosnian Mosque

  02-03-2018 22:50
  SALT LAKE CITY — Members of the community were greeted as friends and "guests of God" as they spoke with Jewish and Islamic leaders in their places of worship on Feb. 27.The annual interfaith bus tour was one of the events of Interfaith Month organized by the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable in February. This year, the bus tour took about 55 participants to the Chabad Lubavitch of Utah and the Islamic Bosnian Mosque.Josie Stone, chair of the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable and a member of t
  
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• USU named a top producer of Fulbright scholars

  02-03-2018 22:38
  LOGAN — Seven scholars from Utah State University were awarded Fulbright grants for the 2017-18 academic year, more than any other university in the state and the second largest producer of Fulbright scholars in the Western states.According to the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, that places USU in the top 10 of research institutions producing Fulbright scholars."Research has always been top priority at USU, and our faculty continue to press the envelope on in
  
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• 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert calls Utah lawmakers' rap video 'a little rough' and 'way worse' then he can describe

  02-03-2018 22:38
  Stephen Colbert didn't have great things to say about a viral video of Utah lawmakers.On "The Late Show" Thursday night, host Colbert trashed a recent video in which a host of Utah lawmakers rap about how to turn a bill into a law using the theme song from the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."The Utah House of Representatives dropped the video Thursday afternoon that shows members — some wearing baseball caps backward and others sticking their tongues out — rapping about how bills become la
  
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• WSU student among 10 finalists in recreation contest

  02-03-2018 22:36
  OGDEN — A Weber State University student is one of 10 finalists selected for the Outdoor Weber pitch contest, sponsored by Camping World Holdings.The contest, hosted by WSU's Hall Global Entrepreneurship Center, invited students worldwide to create videos pitching outdoor-related business ideas for a chance to win $30,000 cash prize and one-on-one mentoring from entrepreneurship experts. The public's popular vote online determined the top 25 competitors, and a panel of judges selected the
  
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• Salt Lake City eliminates fees at electric vehicle charging stations

  02-03-2018 22:36
  SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City has removed all user fees for its public electric vehicle charging stations, city officials announced Friday.The fee waiver comes after Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski proposed the change and the Salt Lake City Council adopted the resolution last month."Salt Lake City is doing everything we can to improve air quality, and supporting electric vehicles is a core part of our commitment," Biskupski said in a statement. "We looked at fiscal impact of waivin
  
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• South Jordan man charged in alleged rape of teen

  02-03-2018 22:33
  SALT LAKE CITY — A man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in a Salt Lake motel has been charged.Omar Eli Bautista, 22, of South Jordan, was charged Friday in 3rd District Court with two counts of rape, a first-degree felony; aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a third-degree felony; and child endangerment, a third-degree felony.On Feb. 12, the girl met Bautista in a park and the two exchanged phone numbers, according to charging documents. Th
  
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• WSU names vice president for Student Affairs

  02-03-2018 22:29
  OGDEN — Brett Perozzi, interim vice president for Student Affairs at Weber State University, has been given the job permanently.Perozzi, who first came to WSU as an associate vice president for Student Affairs in 2007, was selected following a national search.Prior to joining WSU, Perozzi served as executive director of Student Engagement at Arizona State University and has worked at Indiana, Texas Tech and Colorado State universities. Perozzi has published three books, two on the topic of
  
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• Saratoga Springs K-9 to get protective vest

  02-03-2018 22:26
  SARATOGA SPRINGS — Rocky, a K-9 with the Saratoga Springs Police Department, is getting a bulletproof and stab-protective vest thanks to a charitable organization based in Massachusetts.The vest, from an anonymous sponsor through Vested Interest in K9s Inc., will be embroidered with the sentiment "Born to Love — Trained to Serve — Loyal Always." Delivery is expected within eight to 10 weeks.The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K-9 is $950. Each vest
  
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• Utah community leaders urge cooperation in keeping young kids out of gangs

  02-03-2018 22:23
  SALT LAKE CITY — Children as young as 10 years old are being enticed into street gangs around the state, and community leaders are looking for ways to stop it."This is a real crisis when you start getting kids involved in violent crime at that age," said Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera.Rivera joined Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown, Sen. Karen Mayne, D-Magna, and Reps. Susan Duckworth, D-Magna, and Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, at a news conference Friday to call attention to the proble
  
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• Utah jobless rate down to 3.1 percent

  02-03-2018 21:42
  SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's jobless rate is approaching historically low levels.The state Department of Workforce Services reported Friday that January's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined one-tenth of a percentage point from the prior month to register at 3.1 percent. Utah's lowest unemployment rate was 2.4 percent during the period of January through April in 2007.Current data indicates that approximately 49,200 Utahns were unemployed during the month and actively seeking work. I
  
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• Bountiful school stages musical based on Larry and Gail Miller

  02-03-2018 21:40
  
  An elementary school in Davis County has found an unconventional way to honor two of Utah’s most prominent figures.
  
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• Utah House rejects proposal for doctor to train in suicide prevention

  02-03-2018 21:21
  SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers rejected a proposal Friday that would have required primary care doctors to take two hours of suicide prevention training."Our physicians are the front lines of mental health right now, unfortunately," said Rep. Justin Fawson, R-North Ogden, the sponsor of HB87. "We don't have enough mental health providers in the state. That is a reality."The bill, which the House voted down 42-27, would have allowed doctors to opt out of the training if they could show tha
  
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• Inland port bill advances, but Salt Lake leaders still have 'grave' concerns

  02-03-2018 21:09
  SALT LAKE CITY — While land acreage was slashed from 24,000 to 19,000, a bill Salt Lake leaders say would have unprecedented and dangerous implications for local land decisions advanced Friday — still carrying deep concerns for the city.A scaled-back version of SB234, which would create the Utah Inland Port Authority board to oversee the development of a global trade area in Salt Lake City's northwest quadrant, cleared its first hurdle.The bill, with some changes including the port a
  
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• Retro license plate bill passes Senate

  02-03-2018 20:56
  SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that will bring back retro black license plates passed the Senate Friday.Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, sponsored SB41, which would create a Utah State Historical Society special group license plate.The plate would be solid black with white letters and no logo, similar to Utah's plates from 1966-1968The idea grows out of an online petition that needed 500 signatures of interested Utahns."We have asked the state of Utah to consider bringing back a current ver
  
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• Uintah County man charged with enticing a minor arrested in Salt Lake City

  02-03-2018 20:21
  VERNAL — A Uintah County man has been charged with enticing a 10-year-old North Carolina boy.Donald Flayne Massey, 30, of Jensen, is charged in 8th District Court with enticing a minor by text, a third-degree felony. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Tuesday when he failed to show up for court, according to court records. He was arrested in Salt Lake City on Wednesday and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail.The investigation began Feb. 7 when authorities in North Carolina contacted
  
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• Deafblindness added to Carson Smith Scholarship eligibility

  02-03-2018 20:21
  SALT LAKE CITY — Deafblindness will become a qualifying disability for the Carson Smith Scholarship under SB153, which received final approval Friday in the Utah House of Representatives.Deafblindness is a combination of sight and hearing impairment that impacts communication, the ability to access information and mobility.The scholarship program provides tuition assistance for eligible special needs students enrolled in eligible private schools.In 2005, then-Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. signed i
  
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• Utah meth bust helped dismantle Canadian crime group, police say

  02-03-2018 20:10
  SALT LAKE CITY — Canadian authorities say after a year-long investigation, an organized crime group responsible for drugs and a double homicide has been dismantled.The big breakthrough in the case started with a record-breaking methamphetamine bust in Utah in 2016.In October of 2016, Utah Highway Patrol troopers, with assistance from Drug Enforcement Administration offices in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, made a traffic stop near Springville and seized more than 230 pounds of methampheta
  
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• How RootsTech is becoming 'a big family reunion' with FamilySearch app ‘cousin’ feature

  02-03-2018 20:09
  When a woman walked up to FamilySearch CEO Steve Rockwood at RootsTech 2018 and said she was his cousin, he looked at her with a huge smile and said, "Well, hello there, cuz!""I've got more than 300 (cousins) on my app," Rockwood said during the conference. "Last night and today, I think I responded to at least 25-50 people. It's been great."Relatives at RootsTech is a special RootsTech 2018 feature on FamilySearch's Family Tree mobile app. Once connected, the app allows users to see a list of t
  
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• Second homeless tax bill would pay for police and fire

  02-03-2018 20:03
  SALT LAKE CITY — While one bill requiring Utah cities to help pay for homeless shelters makes its way through the Utah Legislature, it'll cross paths with another one that would also take city taxes to pay public safety forces.Critics worry the pair of bills will double-charge cities for the same issue. But the difference between the two bills is where the money would go: one for the annual operations of homeless resource centers, and one to pay for police and firefighters to keep the faci
  
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• Resolution allowing lawmakers to call special sessions advances

  02-03-2018 19:57
  SALT LAKE CITY — Voters got closer Friday to being able to decide whether lawmakers should have the power to call themselves into a special session of the Legislature.Members of the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee unanimously advanced HJR18, a resolution seeking that power for lawmakers that also would require the support of Utahns in the November election.The resolution, which has already passed the House 73-1, now goes to the full Senate. Proposed consti
  
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• Man arrested in wild kidnapping, robbery crime spree gone awry

  02-03-2018 19:41
  SOUTH SALT LAKE — Police arrested a man this week who they say kidnapped three Jimmy John's employess, then tried to steal an elderly woman's car after he was mistaken for a Mormon missionary.The strange series of events began about 11 p.m. Tuesday at a Motel 6, 315 W. 3300 South, when Matthew Owen Reniff "tried to rob an employee with a big stick or metal pole for her car keys," a Salt Lake County Jail report states.The employee was able to lock herself in a back room and call 911.Reniff,
  
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• Forbes names Boise as the fastest-growing city in 2018

  02-03-2018 19:25
  Boise, Idaho, is America's fastest-growing city for 2018.Forbes released its annual list of fastest growing cities, which is based on numbers corralled by Moody's Analytics, which provides growth rates for the 100 largest cities in the country.Moody's bases its numbers on population, employment, wages and home values. These numbers for the new list were based on 2017 growth rates and 2018 projections.Boise exceeded all of its expectations. The city added 220,000 people, growing by 3.08 percent i
  
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• Police warnings continue after 33 car burglaries in 2 days in Ivins

  02-03-2018 19:21
  
  A recent rash of 33 vehicle burglaries in Ivins involving three juveniles has prompted police to issue a warning to citizens to lock their vehicles – similar to warnings that have gone out in multiple communities across the state.
  
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• Bills to increase minimum wages fail in House committee

  02-03-2018 19:21
  SALT LAKE CITY — Despite backers saying raising the minimum wage is another tool to combat poverty and homelessness, two bills to raise worker pay failed in the House Business and Labor Committee.Rep. Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, sponsored HB117, which would have increased the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.25 this year and then to $12 in 2022, and HB118 to raise the minimum wage for tipped employees to $3.25. It is currently $2.13.The last time Utah's general minimum wage increased was t
  
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• How one of Utah’s largest meth busts uncovered a Canadian drug cartel

  02-03-2018 19:09
  
  Officials said what they believe to be the largest methamphetamine bust in Utah history, which happened during a traffic stop in Springville in 2016, led to a discovery of a drug cartel responsible for at least two homicides in Canada.
  
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• House bill would drop income tax rate; GOP lawmakers taking on bylaw change

  02-03-2018 19:02
  
  Income tax rates would drop slightly and corporations would get a tax break under a House bill that advanced, GOP lawmakers want to take on the surprise bylaw change made earlier this week and the House passed a sex education reform bill.
  
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• Strong winds blow 4 semitrucks over on I-80 near Tooele

  02-03-2018 17:50
  
  East and westbound I-80 is closed to light, high profile vehicles and semitrucks with empty trailers from Wendover to Lake Point Tooele.
  
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• Lobbyist harassment training bill advances

  02-03-2018 17:27
  SALT LAKE CITY — A House bill requiring lobbyists to undergo training in avoiding workplace harassment was endorsed Friday by the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee.Only Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, voted against it, sending HB110to the full Senate. The bill has already been approved by the House, on a vote of 58-11 earlier this week.Dayton said she was "just a tad uncomfortable with the assumption they can't behave like adults unless we train them."The spon
  
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• REI halts orders from Vista Outdoor over its response to Parkland shooting

  02-03-2018 17:04
  
  REI, a retailer that sells outdoor apparel and supplies, is stopping its relationship with Vista Outdoor after the company failed to issue a statement following a mass shooting in Florida.
  
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• Bill increasing Utah police access to drug database advances after heated debate

  02-03-2018 06:40
  
  A bill allowing certain law enforcement officers to access the state's Controlled Substance Database without a warrant narrowly passed a Senate committee hearing following nearly an hour of heated debate.
  
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• 5 arrested after southern Utah chase reaches 115 miles per hour

  02-03-2018 06:31
  
  Two adults and three juveniles were taken into custody after a chase on I-15 that reached speeds of up to 115 miles per hour, officials said.
  
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• Dog found shot along highway, needs surgery to amputate leg

  02-03-2018 06:25
  
  A woman found a dog alongside a highway. It had been shot at point blank range and now needs surgery to amputate its leg.
  
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• Up to 8 inches of snow expected along Wasatch Front valleys this weekend

  02-03-2018 06:10
  
  Most of Utah will be covered in snow for the second straight weekend starting Friday morning.
  
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• Picture This: Take note of February’s top 50 photos, especially the jump shots

  02-03-2018 06:00
  Picture This: Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell celebrates mid-air after the team's 10th straight win against the San Antonio Spurs at the Vivint Smart Home Arena.One "Hamilton" fan jumps for joy after getting the golden tickets to the show at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater.Now, picture gliding instead.Members of the Sundance ski patrol and ski team carry Big Betsy, an American flag that measures 78 feet by 150 feet, down the slopes at Sundance Ski Resort to kick off the 201
  
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• Construction project on State Street set to begin in mid-March

  02-03-2018 05:59
  SANDY — Utah Department of Transportation crews are expected to begin work to revamp State Street between 11400 South and 10600 South as early as mid-March.The project, which aims to improve congestion and safety concerns, will include improving the intersections from 11400 South to 10600 South; installing sidewalks, curbs and gutters; resurfacing the section of road; and striping the road to six lanes.The construction schedule includes daytime work, nighttime work with lane restrictions a
  
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• The benefits and precautions of intermittent fasting

  02-03-2018 05:13
  
  Fasting with religious purpose is an ancient practice. But going without a few meals to improve your health is a recent trend gaining attention. Be aware of the pros and cons before committing to an intermittent fast.
  
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• Nextdoor app gives public a way to work together against burglars

  02-03-2018 04:39
  
  Neighbors in the Avenues in Salt Lake City are keeping their eyes peeled for suspicious activity after burglars made off with guitars, electronics and other valuables from a home in broad daylight Wednesday morning.
  
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• Police searching for woman who injured officers while fleeing in stolen vehicle

  02-03-2018 03:03
  
  Police are attempting to locate a woman Thursday who avoided arrest by fleeing the scene in a stolen vehicle, injuring two officers.
  
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• Utah Senate panel OKs reimbursing busing costs to rural districts, some charter schools

  02-03-2018 03:02
  SALT LAKE CITY — The Senate Education Committee approved SB232 Thursday, which would help reimburse busing costs of qualifying charter schools and those of sparsely populated but sprawling rural school districts.Sen. David Hinkins, R-Orangeville, sponsor of SB232, said the reimbursements would be limited to schools districts in counties with total populations under 31,000 residents.Charter schools seeking reimbursement must demonstrate that they have provided students transportation to and
  
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• UHP reminds public how unbuckled passengers put drivers at risk

  02-03-2018 03:00
  
  A tragic crash in Box Elder County showed how failing to buckle up can threaten the lives of other passengers in the car.
  
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• Creator of successful Humans of New York talks hard work, humanity at Roots Tech

  02-03-2018 02:55
  
  At 19 years old, Brandon Stanton had dropped out of college, done a lot of drugs and felt like an absolute and utter failure. Fifteen years later, he’s the creator of arguably the world’s “most followed” photography project: Humans of New York.
  
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• Gail Miller giving 10,000 employees $1K bonuses

  02-03-2018 02:43
  
  About 10,000 employees of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies will be getting an extra $1,000 in their next paycheck courtesy of owner and chairman Gail Miller.
  
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• Gail Miller giving 10,000 employees $1,000 bonuses

  02-03-2018 02:41
  SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's first lady of business is sharing some of her good fortune with the people who are helping to build her family's empire.About 10,000 employees of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies will be getting an extra $1,000 in their next paycheck courtesy of the owner and chairwoman, Gail Miller.The company confirmed the gift authorization Thursday. David Blain, president of Saxton Horne Communications, the advertising and communications agency for the LHM Group, said the
  
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• Trump Highway? Lawmaker proposes renaming southern Utah route

  02-03-2018 02:17
  SALT LAKE CITY — A state lawmaker known for fighting the federal government over public lands wants to rename a southern Utah highway after President Donald Trump.Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, introduced a bill Thursday that would rename a route winding through some of the state most spectacular scenery "Donald J. Trump Utah National Parks Highway."Noel sees the designation as a thank you to the president for shrinking the Grand-Staircase-Escalante National Monument, something he said other pre
  
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• Herbert: Republican bylaw change 'bad form'

  02-03-2018 01:57
  SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Gary Hebert said he was "dismayed" by a sudden bylaw change made by a small group of GOP officials last Saturday that lawmakers say they now want to fix with a legislative measure.The change, he added, was in "bad form.""The rules should not be changed in the middle of the game," Herbert said during a press availability.The change made by members of the Utah GOP State Central Committee rejects candidates who choose to collect signatures to get on the 2018 primary
  
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• Utah massage therapist sent to jail for sexually abusing 3 clients

  02-03-2018 01:25
  SALT LAKE CITY — A massage therapist at a Millcreek spa has been sentenced to jail after admitting he touched three clients inappropriately during multiple visits.Kevin Rand, 48, of Millcreek, was sentenced Feb. 23 to spend 90 days in the Salt Lake County Jail.Rand pleaded guilty in January to four counts of sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor. He was originally charged with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony punishable by one to 15 years in prison, and one count of sexual bat
  
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• Bill mandating warning of mammograms' limitations passes Senate

  02-03-2018 01:24
  SALT LAKE CITY — Advocates adorned lawmakers with pink flower boutonnieres Thursday in celebration of the Senate's unanimous support of a bill requiring a warning from health care providers to women with dense breast tissue that they are at risk of a mammogram not finding their cancer.HB258, sponsored by Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, requires a statement accompanying a woman's mammogram results that such a characteristic "can make it more difficult to fully and accurately evaluate your
  
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• Salt Lake summit to convene digital arts and entertainment gurus

  02-03-2018 01:21
  SALT LAKE CITY — In a world that's scrambling to keep up with the digitization of, well everything, few areas have been more disrupted than the realm of entertainment.Where once the lines were pretty clear between the creators and distributors of music, film, video games and television, now those borders have been erased. Video games are movies, movies are virtual reality play areas, everyone is a content creator and our phones are fast becoming the conduit through which we consume all of
  
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