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News Brief: Amazon Wages, County Taxes & Great Pyrenees

Officials hold three puppies.
Weber County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Facebook
Weber County Search and Rescue officers retrieved three Great Pyrenees puppies from the mountains. Officials say the pups and their mother probably were left behind by a sheep rancher. This story and more in the morning news brief.

Wednesday morning, December 4, 2019

Nation

Special Coverage

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Central Utah

Amazon’s Local Economic Impact

Amazon, one of the world’s largest and highest valued companies, has been expanding its operations all over the globe — including Utah. It was recently announced that a third operation will bring 300 new jobs to the state. But while state leaders have praised the company as an economic windfall, a recent report on the company’s impacts in Los Angeles is raising questions about those benefits. Read the full storyJon Reed

Salt Lake County Tax Hike

The Salt Lake County Council voted 7-2 to increase property taxes. Tuesday, the panel approved a 7.88% boost, according to KSL. That's about a half-percent lower than what was sought by Mayor Jenny Wilson. The hike translates to just more than an additional $30 a year on a home valued at about $368,000, according to Darrin Casper, the county’s chief financial officer.

Great Pyrenees Rescue

The plight of abandoned working dogs left in the mountains when sheepherders come down for the winter is a recurring problem. Shauna Thompson of Great Pyrenees Rescue said animal cruelty statutes don't apply to livestock animals like herding dogs. A trio of Great Pyrenees puppies were found over the weekend in the mountains of Weber County and rescued after snowmobiliers called search and rescue and wildlife officers. Weber County officials said the pups and their mother probably were left behind by a sheep rancher. Thompson said her rescue organization has long been working to change the law. — Diane Maggipinto

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