This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Vicki Varela named 'National State Tourism Director of the Year'

Vicki Varela, Utah Office of Tourism managing director, is the U.S. Travel Association's "National State Tourism Director of the Year."

Association President and CEO Roger Dow praised Varela's "leadership and destination marketing acumen," adding her "incredibly effective advocacy for the travel industry has greatly benefited not just the people of Utah but our nation's economy as a whole."

Varela helped develop Utah's "The Mighty 5" campaign highlighting the state's five national parks and its successor, "Road to Mighty," that emphasized the state parks that travelers could visit on their way to national parks.

She also led development of the Office of Tourism's latest ski-promotion campaign, "Find Your Greatest," and collaborated with her colleagues in Idaho and Wyoming to create "The Yellowstone Loop."

Gov. Gary Herbert said Varela "epitomizes the Utah spirit." Governor's Office of Economic Development Executive Director Val Hale said her efforts generate nearly $1.1 billion annually in state and local taxes.

AARP praises new fed rule allowing states to help with retirement-savings plans for small businesses

A federal rule that confirms states can help create automatic enrollment retirement-savings plans for small businesses has been praised by AARP Utah.

Alan Ormsby, AARP Utah's state director, said the U.S. Department of Labor ruling will give Utah legislators looking at the issue "more certainty that state-run retirement plans will pass scrutiny."

One of those lawmakers, Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, said in an AARP news release that "a voluntary retirement savings plan, offered at the workplace, will help Utahns become financially secure and reduce the need for government assistance for those with inadequate resources. It makes fiscal sense for employers, employees, the state and the taxpayer."

Last year, AARP's Public Policy Institute said 90 percent of participating households felt payroll deductions at work make it easier to save, said AARP Utah spokeswoman Paula Polacheck.

Earlier research showed 18 percent of Utah retirees in the next 15 years will end their working career with more debt than savings. The result is $3.7 billion in government assistance spending.

Piute County has lowest tax burden of any Utah county

Piute County has the lowest tax burden of any Utah county, according to SmartAsset, a New York City-based financial technology company that recently released its second annual tax study.

The study measured what people making a median-income wage pays in income, sales, property and fuel taxes during the year.

Piute residents pay $12,266 in those four taxes, the least amount largely because its property and fuel taxes are lightest. Property tax levels accounted for most of the difference in tax payments per county.

Following Piute were Garfield ($12,453), Emery ($12,476), Wayne ($12,478), Millard ($12,538) and Carbon ($12,565) counties. Residents of the 10th least-taxed county, Sanpete, paid $12,694 a year in those taxes, said SmartAsset spokesman Steve Sabato.

16 non-fatal accidents occurred in Utah coal mines since October

Sixteen non-fatal accidents have occurred in Utah coal mines since last October, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration said Monday, when it issued a call to safety to coal miners and companies nationwide.

The 16 accidents were among 1,124 around the country — including eight fatalities — that prompted MSHA to initiate a series of "walk and talks" throughout September. MSHA inspectors will remind employers and miners to "stop and take a breath" before doing the next task, said MSHA director Joe Main.

Almost one fourth of the accidents involved injuries to backs, shoulders, knees and fingers, he said. The most serious near-fatal mishaps involved powered haulage, electricity and machines.

Ten states had more accidents than Utah, led by West Virginia (419), Kentucky (191) and Pennsylvania (130).