MISSION - The Salt Lake Tribune

Frances Monson, wife of Mormon church leader, dies

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:14:02 MDT

Frances Monson, wife of Mormon church leader, dies

By peggy fletcher stack The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 20, 2013 10:14AM MDT

It was love at first sight — or at least first meeting — for the tall, loquacious Thomas S. Monson and the slender beauty, Frances Beverly Johnson. Soon, he was smitten, Monson later recalled, “I knew I’d found the right one.” Now, after nearly 65 years of marriage, Monson, the LDS Church’s 16th president, has lost the woman who walked in dignity beside him, providing quiet strength, support and encouragement as he performed his church duties. Frances Monson, who had been hospitalized for sev...

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sandy girl, 7, raises donations, hands out gift bags to needy kids

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:28:02 MDT

Sandy girl, 7, raises donations, hands out gift bags to needy kids

By DJ Summers The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 13, 2013 11:28AM MDT

When Alia Leonard’s little sister had a birthday party earlier this year, the 7-year-old from Sandy brooded until she broke down in tears. “You can’t be happy if you know other people out there don’t have good birthdays,” Alia said. Alia’s subsequent donation campaign, Simply 7, started with the a modest goal to procure seven bags of basic necessities to hand out as birthday gifts to seven homeless and working poor children every month. Since her first event in Easter, the young philanthropist...

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Utah police chief resigning to serve LDS mission in Africa

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:43:44 MDT

Utah police chief resigning to serve LDS mission in Africa

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 9, 2013 02:43PM MDT

Saratoga Springs Police Chief Gary Hicken announced he is retiring May 17 to serve as a mission president for the LDS Church in the Kenya Nairobi mission. Hicken was hired in December 2006 to start the city’s police department, which was up and running by July 2007, according to a news release. Eddie Christensen will serve as acting police chief until a new chief is hired. “I have loved the good people I have worked with and served and really hate to leave,” said Chief Hicken in a written state...

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

Former U.S. official describes deadly Benghazi, Libya attack

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:44:46 MDT

Former U.S. official describes deadly Benghazi, Libya attack

By DONNA CASSATA The Associated Press

Updated May 8, 2013 01:44PM MDT

WASHINGTON • A former top diplomat in Libya on Wednesday described a 2 a.m. call from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton during the deadly assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, and amid confusion about the fate of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and fears about the safety of additional American personnel. “She asked me what was going on and I briefed her on developments. Most of the conversation was about the search for Ambassador Stevens,” Gregory Hicks, the former dep...

Interior secretary: Cuts hurting mission of national parks

Tue, 07 May 2013 22:26:56 MDT

Interior secretary: Cuts hurting mission of national parks

By Thomas Burr The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 7, 2013 10:26PM MDT

Washington • Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told a Senate committee on Tuesday that the automatic spending cuts now hitting her budget are distracting the department from carrying out its mission. “I know it’s not where you want us to go; it’s not where we want to go,” Jewell told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee. “It’s very, very difficult,” Jewell continued. “It’s hard on employees who are hard working, to all the things that you care about as well. They’re really taking it on the chin....