Editor’s Note: During impeachment inquiry hearings, KUER is offering news roundups from around the state and audio of those stories as a resource for our audience.
SALT LAKE COUNTY
Municipal Election Results Final
Utah municipal elections are being finalized this week. Here’s a round-up of the results, with a big surprise in the Salt Lake City Council race. Read the full story. — Nicole Nixon in Salt Lake City.
West High Students Walk Out Of Class In Support of Principal
More than a hundred West High students walked out of school this morning in support of their principal who was recently put on administrative leave.
The students say Principal Ford White was suspended for giving drunken students a ride home from school instead of calling authorities. High school senior Isi Kava told KUER he supports White’s actions and wants to see him reinstated soon.
A Salt Lake City school district spokeswoman said White was placed on administrative leave last Friday, but said she couldn’t discuss personnel matters. — Rocio Hernandez in Salt Lake City
Brighton First Ski Resort To Open For The Season
Brighton became the first of Utah’s 15 resorts to open for 2019-2020, making the announcement in a surprise move Monday night. With little snow, neighboring resort Solitude pushed back its opening back to next week. Read the full story. — Jon Reed in Brighton
UTAH COUNTY
Plain Speak: Provo City Council Rolls Out New Meeting Agendas
Provo City Council this week rolled out what council meeting agendas designed to be easier for everyone to understand. Each agenda item has a description that ditches complicated legal language and jargon in what are being called “Citizens Agendas.”
Karen Tapahe, Provo’s community relations coordinator, says she hopes it will get more people involved in city politics earlier in the decision-making process. — Jenny Goldsberry in Provo
SAN JUAN COUNTY
New Zoning Rules in Northern San Juan County Protect Night Skies, Plan For Growth
Few rules have existed to control growth in northern San Juan County. But that changed today, when the county commission passed a zoning map and building ordinances for the unincorporated area called Spanish Valley.
The new rules limit overnight rentals to certain areas and include lighting to protect dark night skies. The move coincides with water and sewer service coming to Spanish Valley, as well as increased development pressure from growth in Moab. — Kate Groetzinger in Monticello
CACHE COUNTY
Fallen World War II Soldier To Be Returned To Utah
The remains of a soldier killed in World War II will be returned to his home state of Utah Thursday. Max. W. Lower will be received by his sister, and will be honored with a full military funeral with a flyover this Saturday at Lewiston City Cemetery.
Lower was killed in 1943 during Operation Tidal Wave, a bombing mission against oil fields and refineries in Romania. He was identified through anthropological and DNA analysis. — Caroline Ballard in Salt Lake City
STATE/NATIONAL
Utah Collects Less Unemployment
Utah’s Department of Workforce Services announced it will collect less in Unemployment Insurance taxes from the state’s employers for 2019. Officials point to the strong health of the Utah’s trust fund and a decrease in filed unemployment claims as reasons for collecting less. 2019’s collection is projected to be around $156 million, 56% less than in 2013. — Caroline Ballard in Salt Lake City
US House Passes McAdams’ Consumer Protection Legislation
Rep. Ben McAdams’s legislation to help those impacted by investment fraud passed the House Tuesday. The bill provides more resources for high-powered federal securities investigators in complicated fraud cases. It’s a response to a 2017 Supreme Court Decision which put a time limit on repaying victims who had been defrauded. McAdam’s bill will extend time limits on repaying the full amount of money that has been defrauded. — Caroline Ballard in Salt Lake City