Utah News - The Salt Lake Tribune

Agents approached Shurtleff ally as probes heat up

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:35:04 MDT

Agents approached Shurtleff ally as probes heat up

by Robert Gehrke | The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 11:35PM MDT

Federal and state agents handling the investigation into alleged misconduct within the Utah attorney general’s office have met with a close friend of former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. Meanwhile, on another investigative front, the state has begun the search for a special counsel to examine whether Shurtleff’s successor, John Swallow, violated Utah election laws. Tim Lawson, a self-described “fixer” who is seen as a central figure in issues surrounding Swallow and Shurtleff, said he was ap...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Police locate missing Davis County teen after 2 brothers found dead

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:35:04 MDT

Police locate missing Davis County teen after 2 brothers found dead

by Michael Mcfall | The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 11:35PM MDT

Davis County Sheriff’s officers found a 15-year-old West Point boy who went missing after the suspicious deaths of two of his younger brothers. Aza Vidinhar was put in charge of the 10-year-old and 4-year-old boys when their mother took her other children to a dance recital, said Sgt. Susan Poulsen. Their mother was the last one to see the younger boys alive when she left her home near 25 N. 1600 West at 4:45 p.m. When she got home a while later, she found the younger boys deceased and Aza missi...

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West Jordan Council votes intent to expand mayor’s job

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:35:03 MDT

West Jordan Council votes intent to expand mayor’s job

by Cathy Mckitrick The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 10:35PM MDT

West Jordan • City Council members in Utah’s fourth largest city voted Wednesday to draft intent language that would reclassify the mayor’s job to reflect its full-time nature. However, they reached no agreement on how much the expanded role should pay. The 5-to-1 vote — Council member Clive Killpack voted against the motion and Councilman Chad Nichols was absent — came after vigorous discussion about the mayor’s role and what the change would signify. During public comments, former councilman ...

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Cross-dressing male robs Sandy bank

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:35:03 MDT

Cross-dressing male robs Sandy bank

by Michael Mcfall The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 10:35PM MDT

Sandy police are looking for a cross-dressing bank robber. The male walked into Zions Bank at 8955 S. 700 East on Wednesday at 4:53 p.m., right before it closed, wearing a white blouse, white hat and white sunglasses, according to a Sandy police news release. “He placed a light blue purse on the counter and told the teller to put all of the money in the purse,” the release adds. He did not threaten violence or show any weapons, the release adds. He then left with an undisclosed amount of money. ...

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Census says South Jordan is the country’s No. 2 boom town

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:04:02 MDT

Census says South Jordan is the country’s No. 2 boom town

by Tony Semerad The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 10:04PM MDT

South Jordan • As Doug Monroe explains why he relocated to Utah’s fastest growing city, cement trucks rumble by on their way to yet another new housing development. “It’s going crazy out here,” said Monroe, 57, who moved to South Jordan’s Daybreak subdivision from Pleasant View in Weber County eight months ago. “We loved the house but my wife wanted to be closer to the city,” Monroe said of leaving Pleasant View. After looking in Salt Lake City’s Sugar House neighborhood, he and spouse Rhea Gavr...

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Peg McEntee: Lessons of a ‘done deal’ streetcar in Sugar House

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:54:55 MDT

Peg McEntee: Lessons of a ‘done deal’ streetcar in Sugar House

by Peg Mcentee Tribune Columnist

Published May 22, 2013 09:54PM MDT

A few weeks ago, the Salt Lake City Council voted 4-3 to put a streetcar on a stretch of 1100 East in Sugar House, a popular and growing district that has become known as the city’s second downtown. At least in the early stages, the streetcar would run from 2100 South to 1700 South on a narrow, heavily trafficked street lined with homes, shops, restaurants and a busy post office. But city officials envision a more comprehensive public transit system that could reduce traffic and pollution in ye...

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Climber falls and dies near Provo Canyon waterfall

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:53:57 MDT

Climber falls and dies near Provo Canyon waterfall

by Michael Mcfall The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 09:53PM MDT

Investigators need help identifying a man who died Wednesday after taking a fall in Provo Canyon. At 8:07 p.m., Utah County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a man who fell about 200 feet at Bridal Veil Falls. When rescuers arrived they found him at the base of the falls, according to a news release. He appeared to have died from his injuries, the release adds. He didn’t have any identification, and in the absence of a missing person report from the area, investigators have not been a...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Utah paramedic suspected of forging prescriptions

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:53:22 MDT

Utah paramedic suspected of forging prescriptions

by Michael Mcfall The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 09:53PM MDT

For the second time this month, a member of the Unified Fire Authority has been arrested on suspicion of prescription drug charges. UFA Fire Chief Michael Jensen confirmed that paramedic Bruce Bergdahl, 44, was arrested Wednesday in Box Elder County, where the 18-year employee lives. Jensen could not elaborate on his alleged crimes, since he had not had a chance to read any police reports. A Box Elder County Jail employee said that Bergdahl was booked on three counts of forgery of a prescription...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Utah's new Education Task Force meets for the first time

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:12:08 MDT

Utah's new Education Task Force meets for the first time

by Lisa Schencker The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 09:12PM MDT

Utah would have to spend an additional $365 million a year to move out of last place for per-pupil funding, and $2.6 billion to reach the national average, legislative fiscal analysts told lawmakers Wednesday. Analysts presented the numbers, based on fiscal year 2010, as part of an exhaustive report on Utah education meant to help legislative leaders gathered for the first meeting of a new Education Task Force. The group, created under a law passed earlier this year, aims to come up with a plan ...

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West Valley City to alter how it reviews its police

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:46:00 MDT

West Valley City to alter how it reviews its police

by Pamela Manson The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 08:46PM MDT

West Valley City • A board that reviews complaints against police will begin issuing quarterly and annual reports on its operations under changes approved Tuesday by the City Council. In addition, citizens will be able to comment at the beginning of monthly meetings of the West Valley City Professional Standards Review Board (PSRB), the police will no longer have a role in appointing the body’s members and all seven members will be civilians. The police department had been appointing one of the ...

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Wife: Man shot by West Valley City cops “didn’t have the guts” to kill himself

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:46:00 MDT

Wife: Man shot by West Valley City cops “didn’t have the guts” to kill himself

by Janelle Stecklein The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 08:46PM MDT

The wife of a man who allegedly prompted a shooting inside the West Valley City Police Department lobby in April told detectives her husband went to the police department with an unloaded handgun because he wanted “someone to kill him because he didn’t have the guts to do it himself.” James Kammeyer, who was wounded but not killed, has been charged with threat of terrorism, three counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, all third-degree felon...

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Judge rules some alleged admissions of guilt can be used vs. Utah killer

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:45:40 MDT

Judge rules some alleged admissions of guilt can be used vs. Utah killer

by Jessica Miller The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 08:45PM MDT

Ogden • A judge ruled Wednesday that not all of one-time death row inmate Douglas Lovell’s admissions in court to a 1985 murder may be used at his new trial scheduled for next year. In April, 2nd District Judge Michael Lyon heard arguments regarding whether Lovell’s admission during his 1993 sentencing hearing about killing Joyce Yost while under oath and on the witness stand could be used at an upcoming trial. In a written ruling, Lyon said that while statements made by Lovell during questionin...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Solicitor arrested in Herriman for aggressive salesmanship

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:36:28 MDT

Solicitor arrested in Herriman for aggressive salesmanship

by Michael Mcfall The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 07:36PM MDT

Police arrested a solicitor after they say he was overly aggressive in his pitch. A group of solicitors, with permission from Herriman City, have been going around selling cleaning products — but for two days, Unified police have been receiving several calls about one aggressive salesman, said Lt. Justin Hoyal. Police went out looking for him Tuesday but couldn’t find him. Then a woman called Wednesday saying he’d tried to force his way into her home and was “very argumentative” with her, Hoyal ...

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On Mormon church’s Jerusalem set, the end (of filming) is nigh

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:55:27 MDT

On Mormon church’s Jerusalem set, the end (of filming) is nigh

the Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 06:55PM MDT

It’s the last days in “Jerusalem” — the last days of filming, that is, for a series of New Testament videos on the Mormon church’s Jerusalem movie set near Goshen, about 60 miles south of Salt Lake City. The Utah-based faith will wrap up shooting in the next few days. The massive facility — the size of two side-by-side football fields — was completed in 2011. The New Testament project is just one of many of church productions that have been shot on the movie set.

Salt Lake City congregation opts to divest endowment’s fossil fuel assets

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:54:43 MDT

Salt Lake City congregation opts to divest endowment’s fossil fuel assets

by Judy Fahys The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 06:54PM MDT

The First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, inspired by the fossil-fuel divestment movement underway at the nation’s universities, has voted to scrap any assets in oil, gas, coal, tar sands and oil shale from its endowment. In doing so, it became the first Unitarian congregation in the nation to take such a step, said the Rev. Tom Goldsmith. “We did the math,” he said, “and we realized that the difference between green investments and fossil fuels is miniscule.” The move follows a nationwide ...

Data drives UHP’s Memorial Day crackdown

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:41:02 MDT

Data drives UHP’s Memorial Day crackdown

by Michael Mcfall The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 06:41PM MDT

Utah Highway Patrol hopes to make this Memorial Day weekend one for their history books. No one died in a highway crash last Memorial Day weekend — the first time that had happened in more than 15 years — and if no one does this time, that would be “almost unheard of ” for UHP, said Cpl. Todd Johnson. To better ensure that happens, UHP is using data for the first time to strategize their patrol. “[We’ve been]looking at the data over the major holidays throughout the year, tracking where we have...

Judge: No hearing on warrant that led to death of Utah officer

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:57:39 MDT

Judge: No hearing on warrant that led to death of Utah officer

by Jessica Miller The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 05:57PM MDT

Ogden • Attorneys for Matthew David Stewart on Wednesday failed to convince a judge to hold a special hearing on their claim that a police officer lied to obtain the “knock-and-announce” warrant that led to the death of an Ogden police officer during a 2012 drug raid. Attorneys for Stewart, who is accused of killing Agent Jared Francom and wounding five others during a shootout at his Ogden home, had asked Judge Noel Hyde for a hearing to determine whether Weber Morgan Strike Force Agent Jason...

Man critical after fire heavily damages Tooele home

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:10:34 MDT

Man critical after fire heavily damages Tooele home

by Michael Mcfall and Bob Mims The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 05:10PM MDT

Volunteer firefighters pulled an unconscious man from a house that was engulfed in flames early Wednesday morning in Tooele. The man was transported to the hospital and the house suffered heavy damage. Tooele County Emergency Management spokesman Wade Matthews said the investigation into what caused the 3:50 a.m. blaze at the house on Isgreen Circle was just beginning, but it appeared the blaze began in the back of the house. A couple and their four children were staying in the home. When firef...

Willard Bay fish not tainted by diesel leak

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:20:03 MDT

Willard Bay fish not tainted by diesel leak

Published May 22, 2013 04:20PM MDT

If you can hook ’em, you can eat the fish from Willard Bay without worrying they might be contaminated from the March 18 Chevron petroleum pipeline leak. So says the Utah Division of Water Quality and the state Department of Health. They announced Wednesday their tests of 15 fish showed no signs of the 21,000 gallons of diesel fuel that seeped from a split seam in a 6-foot section of the Salt Lake City-to-Spokane pipeline. Walt Baker, director of the state water quality agency, said no diesel w...

Finalists named for Utah deaf, blind schools leader

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:59:03 MDT

Finalists named for Utah deaf, blind schools leader

by Lisa Schencker The Salt Lake Tribune

Published May 22, 2013 03:59PM MDT

Three men will vie for the job of superintendent of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, the State Office of Education announced Wednesday. It’s a position that’s long been mired in controversy. The state school board has named as finalists for the position: Joel Coleman, a state school board member, chairman of the board’s committee on the school and a charter school founder and trustee; Larry S. Taub, executive director of the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf & Center for Community an...