Utah news

• Herriman High 'hurting' after 5 suicides in past year

  30-03-2018 22:26
  HERRIMAN — In the past year, five students have died by suicide while enrolled at Herriman High School, and community members are trying to cope with an especially pronounced version of a statewide crisis.A Jordan School District representative confirmed the number of suicides after anecdotal reports were shared this week at a school board meeting and on social media, and state and local officials announced a multiagency response team Friday.In addition to those five students who died by s
  
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• Russia expels 60 US diplomats. What does that mean for Jon Huntsman Jr.?

  30-03-2018 22:18
  U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. will lose some staff starting in April after Russia announced Thursday that it will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and close the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, according to CNN.Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that 58 diplomats from the U.S. mission in Moscow and two more from Yekaterinburg would be declared "persona non grata" and would be given "incompatible with diplomatic status."The diplomats have until April 5 to leave the country, according to CNN.
  
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• Medical examiner confirms bodies pulled from Utah mine are missing Eureka couple

  30-03-2018 21:55
  
  The Utah State Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Friday that two bodies pulled out of an abandoned mine earlier this week are Brelynne "Breezy" Marie Ottesen and Riley Lee Powell.
  
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• Police arrest teen found hiding in wheel well of airplane

  30-03-2018 21:41
  SALT LAKE CITY — A 16-year-old boy faces potential federal charges after he was found hiding in the wheel well of an airplane early Friday at the Salt Lake City International Airport.The series of events began about 10:20 p.m. Thursday when an airport police officer made a routine traffic stop on Wright Brothers Drive near the International Center, said Salt Lake Airport Police Chief Craig Vargo.Two 16-year boys were in the vehicle. Based on their demeanor, the officer asked the teens to s
  
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• Medical examiner confirms bodies in mine are missing Eureka couple

  30-03-2018 21:41
  PROVO — The Utah State Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Friday what police and family member suspected — that two bodies pulled out of an abandoned mine earlier this week are Brelynne "Breezy" Ottesen and Riley Powell.The bodies of the young Eureka couple, who had been missing for about three months, were discovered Tuesday about 100 feet down the Tintic Standard No. 2 mine near Mammoth, Juab County. They were recovered on Wednesday.Jerrod William Baum, 41, was arrested for invest
  
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• Neighbor dispute led to murder-suicide in Murray complex, police say

  30-03-2018 21:00
  MURRAY — Police believe a Murray man found shot to death in his apartment was killed by his downstairs neighbor, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his own apartment a short time later.Murray police were called to a report of shots fired at the Birkhill Apartments, 4263 Jummer Way, about 3:15 p.m. Thursday. They arrived to find Brad Gukeisen, 59, dead just a few feet inside his doorway, officer Kenny Bass said.Investigators spent the evening going door-to-door and interviewing p
  
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• Westbound I-80 closed in Tooele County after rollover crash

  30-03-2018 20:49
  
  Westbound I-80 is closed near Aragonite in Tooele County following a rollover crash, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
  
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• Man charged with fraud after police find $50K in counterfeit cash, fake IDs

  30-03-2018 20:40
  
  A stolen vehicle investigation led police to a Salt Lake apartment where they found $50,000 in counterfeit money, fake Social Security and identification cards, and a handgun.
  
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• Syracuse project to limit business access on 2000 West

  30-03-2018 20:26
  SYRACUSE — Business access on 2000 West between Antelope Drive and 1275 South will be closed Monday through Thursday as Utah Department of Transportation crews do utility work as part of the 2000 West reconstruction project. The access will also be closed April 9 to allow crews to repave the area.Businesses in the area may still be accessed via entrance points on Antelope Drive.Crews are also working in the 2000 West and 300 North intersection. Night work is scheduled to take place startin
  
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• Company hopes to lease 45-foot livable containers in Park City

  30-03-2018 19:48
  
  Affordable housing is a nationwide problem that is especially challenging in resort towns like Park City. But Blake Christian’s vision of a shipping container could be part of the solution.
  
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• Dixie professor chosen as Utah Art Fellow

  30-03-2018 19:46
  ST. GEORGE — D. McGarren Flack, a Dixie State University assistant professor of studio art, has been named a 2018 Visual Art Fellow for the state of Utah.Each year, the Utah Division of Art & Museums honors two visual artists who exhibit excellence to encourage their careers. The art fellow position comes with a $10,000 reward, and artists must demonstrate professionalism in their practice through quality images and documentation.Flack was introduced to art while fulfilling prerequisit
  
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• S.L. man charged with fraud after police find $50K in counterfeit cash, fake IDs

  30-03-2018 19:25
  SALT LAKE CITY — A stolen vehicle investigation led police to a Salt Lake apartment where they found $50,000 in counterfeit money, fake Social Security and identification cards, and a handgun.All of the fraudulent IDs from various states had a photo of Pitshou Yunga Kafuku, 35, on them, according to court documents. He now faces various federal fraud charges.Police also found a credit card embossing machine, credit card reader, equipment to make fake IDs, 10 credit cards with limits up to
  
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• Murray man killed upstairs neighbor before shooting himself, police say

  30-03-2018 19:15
  
  A man allegedly shot his upstairs neighbor before shooting himself in a Murray apartment complex Thursday night, police said.
  
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• Couple shares story of 'miracle' baby’s birth, rare genetic condition

  30-03-2018 18:57
  
  Although years has passed, for Kaydi and Garrett Jones it’s still hard to talk about. Their son, Gibson, wasn't expected to survive long after birth, but he beat the odds and is thriving seven years later.
  
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• A.M. notes: Utes fall in NIT Finals; UTA documents point to $50 million name change; Russia expels 60 U.S. diplomats

  30-03-2018 18:55
  Here's a look at the news for March 30.Utes fall in NIT FinalsPenn State powered through the University of Utah in the NIT Tournament Finals on Thursday night, winning 82-66.Utah would have taken its first title since 1947 if the team had won the game."It doesn't just happen. It's not like flipping a switch on," said Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak. "For us, in that case, it was all about defense."The Utes allowed both Penn State forward Lamar Stevens and guard Josh Reaves to shoot in double digits
  
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• State, national parks anticipate busy Easter weekend

  30-03-2018 18:31
  
  With spring break and Easter coinciding this weekend, officials are preparing for an onslaught of visitors in southern Utah.
  
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• LDS emeritus general authority named honorary consul to Belarus for Utah

  30-03-2018 18:21
  SALT LAKE CITY — An emeritus general authority is helping to foster friendly diplomatic relations among an eastern European country, Utah and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, granted emeritus status in 2009, was named an honorary consul of Belarus for the state of Utah by Oleg Kravchenko, deputy foreign minister of Belarus, and Pavel Shidlovsky, chief of mission in the Belarus Embassy in Washington D.C., in a small ceremony at the LDS Conferen
  
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• 20 events to celebrate Easter around Utah

  30-03-2018 18:16
  
  Don’t miss your chance to see the Easter Bunny this year with one of these events happening across Utah.
  
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• Teen arrested after hiding near wheel well of plane at SL airport, official says

  30-03-2018 18:06
  
  Police arrested two teenagers at the Salt Lake International Airport overnight, including one who was found hiding in or near the wheel well of an airplane, airport officials confirmed.
  
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• Poll final round: Who is the most prominent Utahn?

  30-03-2018 17:32
  
  As March comes to a close, so does our most prominent Utahn poll. Sad, really.
  
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• 2 assault trials for ex-USU athlete moved to new county

  30-03-2018 15:03
  
  A former Utah State University football player accused of sexually assaulting seven women will face two separate trials in a neighboring county after a judge agreed to move the case to find a more impartial jury.
  
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• Deck holding dozens of people collapses in North Logan

  30-03-2018 14:45
  
  A deck holding dozens of people came crashing down at a home in North Logan late Thursday, firefighters said.
  
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• April fool! Fake volcanoes and Frankenstein are among Utah’s classic pranks and hoaxes

  30-03-2018 14:30
  Editor's note: Portions of this article have been previously published on the author's website.It was a hoax of mountainous proportions: There was supposed to be a large volcano steaming in the north arm of the Great Salt Lake, northwest of Corinne, Box Elder County. That was the widespread word — initially.However, the Salt Lake Tribune of March 8, 1897, reported: "That volcano story; It is proved to be complete humbug. Nothing of the sort there."A Tribune reporter went out to the remote
  
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• Utah mascots bring smiles to 'miracle' kids

  30-03-2018 06:30
  Children with illnesses and disabilities, along with their families, got a chance to visit with more than just the usual wild creatures at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Thursday. The Jazz Bear, Spider-Man and Ariel from "The Little Mermaid" were among the characters who hung out with roughly 1,300 guests at the event hosted by the Mascot Miracles Foundation, a nonprofit organization seeking to provide moments of happiness and lasting memories for the children. Trina Ellis, the fou
  
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• New UTA documents detail $50M price tag for name change, project losses

  30-03-2018 05:11
  
  A detailed cost estimate that put a $50 million price tag on changing the name of the UTA also warns that a new law overhauling the transit agency could lead to drastic service cuts and the loss of up to nearly $61 million in federal funding.
  
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• New Butch Cassidy signs bringing hope to local communities

  30-03-2018 04:38
  
  A new sign was installed by the Utah Department of Transportation to alert drivers that a once hidden Utah treasure is just a half mile away.
  
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• New UTA documents detail $50 million price tag for name change, project losses

  30-03-2018 04:25
  SALT LAKE CITY — A detailed cost estimate that put a $50 million price tag on changing the name of the UTA also warns that a new law overhauling the transit agency could lead to drastic service cuts and the loss of up to nearly $61 million in federal funding.Documents the Utah Transit Authority submitted to lawmakers in the final days of the 2018 Legislature also says the transit agency's new governance structure, which includes a three-member management team, will cost at least $1.2 milli
  
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• Police: Man shot to death in Murray apartment

  30-03-2018 04:18
  MURRAY — A 59-year-old man was shot dead in an apartment in Murray on Thursday, authorities said.Murray police detective Kenny Bass said officers had not yet made an arrest in the case as of Thursday evening, but they do not believe the suspect is a threat to the public.The man in the apartment had died by the time police arrived about 4:30 p.m. at the building at 4263 Jummer Way, Bass said. His name was not immediately released.Tom Mitchell, who lives across the hall from the apartment 55
  
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• Salt Lake City seeking public input on 2 proposed tax increases

  30-03-2018 03:41
  SALT LAKE CITY — Faced with a list of underfunded needs — from catching up on road maintenance to funding new police officers — Salt Lake City leaders want to know what taxpayers think about two proposed sales tax increases.A series of public meetings are scheduled for next few weeks to gauge public appetite for the proposals, which could bring in about $120 million in new city revenue.That includes an estimated $33 million in annual funds from a 0.5 percent sales tax hike and
  
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• Utah's U.S. Attorney John Huber is helping investigate FBI, Justice Department concerns

  30-03-2018 03:00
  SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday he won't yet appoint a new special counsel to investigate how the FBI and Justice Department have handled high-profile cases. Instead, he has tapped Utah's top federal prosecutor to lead a review.Last year, Sessions directed U.S. Attorney for Utah John Huber to evaluate "certain issues," including whether a new special counsel is necessary, he said in a letter Thursday to three Republican committee leaders that was short on
  
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• Returning from mine search, Unified Fire crews respond in seconds to Elberta crash

  30-03-2018 02:49
  
  As they returned from assisting with a search and rescue effort Wednesday, Unified Fire Authority heavy rescue crews just happened to pass by a crash scene mere seconds after the rollover accident took place.
  
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• Utah governor vows to 'actively oppose' medical marijuana ballot initiative

  30-03-2018 02:39
  SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Gary Herbert on Thursday said he formally opposes the ballot initiative campaign seeking to broadly legalize the medical use of marijuana in Utah.The governor said in a prepared statement that he believes the initiative "will do more harm than good.""This initiative ... has significant flaws," Herbert said. "It lacks important safeguards regarding its production and utilization and would potentially open the door to recreational use."He went on to add, "I will activel
  
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• SLC man helps preserve plane once used for presidents, freeing Iranian Hostage Crisis

  30-03-2018 02:39
  
  Cougar Elfervig, owner of LUXE Auto Spa in South Salt Lake, has made a career restoring all sorts of vehicles, but his most recent project helped preserve a plane remembered during a tense moment in American history.
  
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• SLC man helps preserve plane once used for presidents

  30-03-2018 02:39
  
  Cougar Elfervig, owner of LUXE Auto Spa in South Salt Lake, has made a career restoring all sorts of vehicles, but his most recent project helped preserve a plane remembered during a tense moment in American history.
  
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• Herbert vows to 'actively oppose' medical marijuana ballot initiative

  30-03-2018 02:39
  SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Gary Herbert on Thursday said he formally opposes the ballot initiative campaign seeking to broadly legalize the medical use of marijuana in Utah.The governor said in a prepared statement that he believes the initiative "will do more harm than good.""This initiative ... has significant flaws," Herbert said. "It lacks important safeguards regarding its production and utilization and would potentially open the door to recreational use."He went on to add, "I will activel
  
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• Recount: Utah County election will be vote-by-mail after all

  30-03-2018 02:00
  PROVO — After facing a wave of angry city leaders and residents upset with their decision to not use mail-in ballots this year, Utah County officials have reversed course.Utah County will conduct an all vote-by-mail election in 2018 after all, Utah County commissioners announced on Thursday, after learning from the lieutenant governor's office they can legally change their decision."Our responsibility as representatives is to govern, to respond and to listen to constituents, and that's exa
  
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• Police: 1 dead after shooting at Murray apartment complex

  30-03-2018 01:56
  
  One person is dead following a shooting in Murray, police confirmed.
  
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• Construction underway of replica Vietnam Memorial Wall in Layton

  30-03-2018 01:49
  SALT LAKE CITY — Dennis Howland, president of the Utah chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America served as a Marine in the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1967.When he returned home, he "made promises" to his friends that he would remind the world that "all Vietnam veterans served with integrity and honor."A replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall being build in Layton this year by the Vietnam Veterans of America is a fulfillment of one of those promises, he said Thursday.On National Vietnam War Vetera
  
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• U. College of Architecture opens new high-tech lab

  30-03-2018 01:33
  SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah senior Ryan Clayton, an architecture major, hopes to someday design "beautiful" structures.He says he is passionate about the design side of structural engineering, and a new lab in the University of Utah's College of Architecture + Planning building will help him practice for his goals.With the help of Big-D Construction, the university has opened its new Digital Fabrication Lab, or "Fab Lab," in which students can see "the transition between digital in
  
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• Doug Wright to drop the mic in June after 40 years at KSL

  30-03-2018 01:23
  SALT LAKE CITY — When you've been at the top of your field for nearly four decades, making the decision to retire is a moment to savor, not lament.Utah's leading midday radio voice, Doug Wright, announced Thursday that he'll be stepping away from his daily talk show on KSL Newsradio in June, bringing to a close one of the most storied broadcasting careers in Beehive State history."It's a joyful thing for me and a celebration of a wonderful career that has been facilitated by some of the be
  
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• Doug Wright to drop the mic in June

  30-03-2018 01:23
  SALT LAKE CITY — When you've been at the top of your field for nearly four decades, making the decision to retire is a moment to savor, not lament.Utah's leading midday radio voice, Doug Wright, announced Thursday that he'll be stepping away from his daily talk show on KSL Newsradio in June, bringing to a close one of the most storied broadcasting careers in Beehive State history."It's a joyful thing for me and a celebration of a wonderful career that has been facilitated by some of the be
  
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• Sessions: No new special counsel yet for Republican concerns

  30-03-2018 01:15
  
  Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday he won't immediately appoint a new special counsel to investigate a number of Republican grievances involving the FBI and Justice Department, despite mounting pressure from members of his own party.
  
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• How a Second Amendment-loving Utah student decided to 'find real solutions' to school violence

  30-03-2018 01:04
  SALEM — High schoolers advocating for gun control aren't the only ones who have taken a stand against school shootings.James Nelson, 17, is a senior at Salem Hills High School who loves hunting, considers the Constitution a sacred document and feels strongly that the right to bear arms is "a real blessing." He does not think restricting access to guns will result in safer schools.But he was still deeply moved by the tragic slaying of 17 high school students in a February mass shooting in P
  
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• State Sen. Margaret Dayton resigning due to medical issues

  30-03-2018 00:59
  SALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, announced Thursday she is withdrawing from her re-election race and resigning from the state Senate effective June 1 due to what she described as recent medical issues."This was not an easy decision, but due to recent medical issues I will not be able to give my full attention to representing the citizens of Utah Senate District 15," Dayton said in a statement.Dayton, who said she was sad and "tearful about leaving the Legislature," did not di
  
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