Monday morning, Sept. 13, 2021
Northern Utah
Hiking Tragedy In Little Cottonwood Canyon
A hiker died in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Salt Lake County Sheriff's Search and Rescue said the hiker was discovered by a group Sunday as they were attempting the Cottonwood Traverse, on the east face of Dromedary Peak. The hiker had died in a fall and was found on a steep scree field 200 feet below the summit. Two search and rescue members hiked to the victim who was then transported by a Department of Public Safety helicopter to Alta. — Pamela McCall
Former Boarding School Students Gather
Alumni from Intermountain Indian School in Brigham City gathered last week to repaint the letter ‘I’ on the nearby mountainside. For many, it was the first time they’d been back in years. Former students came from places like Utah, New Mexico, Washington, Montana, and Arizona. Lorina Antonio was a student at the boarding school in the early 1970s. She said a couple of months ago she learned someone had started a petition to get rid of the letter. For Antonio and other alumni, the white letter is a symbol of their experiences and the school's history. Now, the group plans on repainting the "I" again in the next two years. See the photo story. — Ivana Martinez
Fairmont Park Pond Set To Reopen
Salt Lake City officials announced Saturday the pond at Fairmont Park tested negative for mercury contamination. That was after the heavy metal was found in the water last Wednesday. It resulted in the pond closing. The city and the Environmental Protection Agency both conducted their own tests, and the pond is expected to open again Monday. — Emily Means
Southern Utah
BLM Seeks Input On House On Fire Development
The Bureau of Land Management wants to hear from the public about proposed improvements to the House on Fire site in Bears Ears National Monument. The popular attraction is an Ancient Puebloan ruin about 24 miles outside of Blanding. Officials said there isn’t enough infrastructure at the trailhead to support visitation, and the proposal includes installing a formal parking area, toilets and educational signage. The public comment period is open now through Oct 11. — Emily Means
State
BYU Breaks ‘Holy War’ Losing Streak
Brigham Young University football fans rejoiced when they bested the University of Utah Saturday. The Cougars beat the Utes in the “Holy War” rival game at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo with a final score 26 -17. Their win broke a nine-game losing streak against Utah that spanned more than a decade, and came just days after BYU announced it will be joining the Big 12 college athletics conference. BYU and Utah’s next rematch is scheduled for 2024. In other Utah college football news: Weber State University beat Dixie State 41-3, and Utah State topped North Dakota 41-24. — Emily Means
Region/Nation
Housing Cost Impacts Hospital Staffs
Skyrocketing housing costs in much of the West have made it tough for people to live here, including medical professionals. That’s contributing to staff shortages at hospitals overwhelmed with unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. Nurses have left some areas of the region because they simply can't afford housing. The staffing problems are compounded by nurses becoming sick or burned out. — Nate Hegyi, Mountain West News Bureau