New light on old bones

Utahns last week were introduced to Omo I and Omo II, individuals whose skulls are now believed to belong to the earliest anatomically modern humans.

In a paper published in the journal Nature, Utah researcher Frank Brown sided with colleagues from New York and Australia in arguing that the skulls, originally unearthed in Ethiopia in 1967, actually are 195,000 years old, pushing back the date of the oldest modern humans by about 30,000 years.

Brown, now dean of the University of Utah College of Mines and Earth Sciences, played a pivotal role in the research by helping his colleagues find the remote Kibish rock formation where the skulls were found more than 30 years ago.

Brown was a graduate student working in Ethiopia when a team led by renowned anthropologist Richard Leakey found the fragments.

The researchers concluded the skulls were oldest human ancestors by using newer dating technology, coupled with Brown's examination of the rock layers where the bones were found.

LEGISLATIVE REVIEW

Bill to Utah: Assert yourself in talks with feds

A legislative committee last week approved a series of amendments to the state's land-use plan aimed at bolstering Utah's position in negotiations over federal resource management plans currently being crafted by federal agencies.

House Bill 264, sponsored by Rep. Michael Noel, R-Kanab, seeks to assert the state's interest in the areas of energy development, mining, grazing, wildlife management, water and rights-of-way issues on federal lands - which make up more than 60 percent of the state's geography.

Smoking in bars? No smoking? My heck

Lawmakers midweek revived a proposed ban on smoking in bars, bringing back a Senate bill that died in a floor vote Tuesday.

Sens. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo, and Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, changed their votes on Senate Bill 77, which would remove an exemption in the Indoor Clean Air Act for private clubs and taverns.

The bill was reconsidered and passed on a 15-14 vote.

Bill targets consumer panel

Rep. James Gowans, D-Tooele, is trying to drastically reform the state's utility regulation and eliminate the Committee of Consumer Services. His House Bill 320 proposes to quiet the committee - the voice of residential and small-business customers in utility-rate cases - in favor of a "ratepayer advocate," who it appears would represent primarily the interests of large industrial and commercial energy users.

BACTERIAL MENINGITIS

Education follows East High student's death

An East High School student died early last week from what probably was the rare disease known as bacterial meningitis, prompting some students to seek treatment to protect themselves against the contagious disease. The death of Madeline Hales - a cheerleader, actress and honors student at the Salt Lake City school - raised concerns that people who had been in close contact with her recently could be at risk. While bacterial meningitis is considered contagious, it is difficult to transmit, health officials said. Sitting in the same classroom or passing in the hallway is not enough to give the bacterial disease to another person. Dagmar Vitek, the health department's medical officer, said saliva must be exchanged to transmit the disease. Anyone who is determined to have had such contact is being asked to take antibiotics as a preventive measure.

ENVIRONMENT

The Nature Conservancy of Utah has a solution for one of the two idle scenic trams near Moab - tear it down.

The nonprofit group announced Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with the owner of the Moab Rim Adventure Park to buy 160 acres, which includes the former "Moab's Skyway" scenic tram, a downhill mountain-bike race course and an off-road obstacle course.

A road through the property connects the Moab Rim with the Behind The Rocks trail, a route popular with off-road enthusiasts, hikers and mountain bikers.

But the Conservancy is most interested in the land because of its location between a wilderness-study area and the Conservancy's 890-acre Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve - the Colorado River's only remaining natural wetlands - which provides refuge for about 220 bird species.

DRUG, MENTAL HEALTH STUDY

Mixed news on Utah's kids

Utah has the nation's lowest rate of illegal drug use and binge drinking among American youth but one of the country's highest rates of serious mental illness, according to a federal report released last week.

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found a total of 10.97 percent of Utahns age 18 and older have a diagnosable mental, behavioral or emotional disorder that substantially interfered with one or more major life activities. Only Rhode Island had a higher rate of serious mental illness, 10.98 percent, according to the report.

The agency used estimates from each state in compiling the data. The agency said 6.3 percent of Utah young people age 12 and older reported some sort of illicit drug use during the past month, compared to the national average of 8.25 percent. Illicit drugs included marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants and the non-medical use of prescription pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants and sedatives.

TRAIL SIGNS

Ups and downs in Kane

First they took signs down, now they are putting signs up. Almost two years after Kane County officials removed 31 signs delineating federally mandated trails, roads and travel restrictions on the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the County Commission has put up signs on some roads that cut across federal land - signifying they are open to motorized use. The move is the latest attempt by the southern Utah county to assert what it believes is its right to control local roads. The issue of who has control of the roads on federal land under Revised Statute 2477 has been slogging its way through the courts for the past 25 years, but apparently Kane County is not waiting for the courts to decide.

Noted

Owen Allred, the 91-year-old leader of one of Utah's largest polygamous groups, died in Bluffdale. The Apostolic United Brethren claim to have about 6,000 members.

Donald Dunn announced he will not seek re-election as chairman of the Utah Democratic Party. He will leave the post to become president of lobbying group Vigilant.

Brian David Mitchell, the man accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart, was in court for a competency hearing last week. After breaking into song for his third court appearance in a row, the judge had him removed.