Monday evening, Feb. 17, 2020
STATE
Utah Slipping In Disability Care
Thousands of Utahns are living with a cognitive disability, but many don’t have great access to treatment and care. That’s according to the national Case for Inclusion 2020 report, which measures how well states are supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After having one of the country’s worst turnover rates for service providers in 2014, the state made big improvements. But now that progress is starting to slip. Read the full story. — Jon Reed
SOUTHERN UTAH
Kane County’s “Bellwether” Roads
Throughout February, attorneys in a federal courthouse in Salt Lake City have been debating the fate of 15 roads on public lands in Kane County. They’re known as the “bellwether” roads, and whatever Judge Waddoups decides to do with them will shape whether the federal government or states and counties control self-made roads on public lands throughout the west. Attorneys representing the United States will begin to make their case on Wednesday, after Utah's lawyers give their closing arguments. Read the full story. — David Fuchs, St. George
Correction 6:31 p.m. 2/19/20: A previous version of this story misstated the trial schedule.
Deer Poaching Hearing Set
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 24 in a poaching case involving a Washington County man. Twenty-nine-year-old Ethan Lebaron is facing a third-degree felony charge in the Fifth District Court for wanton destruction of protected wildlife, as well as a misdemeanor. After a witness called the Utip hotline, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources found that Lebaron illegally shot and killed a buck deer in Iron County back in August. Two other men are still being screened for charges as well. The agency said more than 1,000 animals were illegally killed on Utah lands in 2019.
NORTHERN UTAH
Pete Buttigieg Utah Town Hall
Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg is holding a town hall in Salt Lake City Monday night. Even though Bernie Sanders is polling at the top of the Democratic race in Utah, Buttigieg has been picking up endorsements. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill threw his support behind “Mayor Pete” Monday. He also received endorsements last week from Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and former Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson. Buttigieg’s campaign says it has roughly 2,000 volunteers in the state. — Elaine Clark
Bernie Sanders Utah Campaign
Meanwhile, candidate Bernie Sanders' campaign is hosting a Monday night “barnstorm” event Monday evening in Salt Lake City. While Sanders himself will not be in Utah, his campaign's Utah co-chairs are spearheading the rally. They are Elizabeth Payne of the Murray School Board, and Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. Utah is among the 14 states where voters will cast primary ballots on Super Tuesday, March 3. — Roddy Nikpour
Icy Roads Shut Down Parts of I-15 Early Monday
Icy roads caused multiple crashes and temporary highway closures. Utah Highway Patrol officials responded to at least 84 crashes across the state in the early hours of Monday. Many were in northern Utah and along the Interstate 15 corridor. I-15 experienced temporary closures early and traffic remained delayed Monday after I-15 reopened along the Wasatch Front. — Associated Press
REGION
Wyoming Travel
Interstate 80 in Wyoming was mostly closed last weekend and Monday due to high winds and whiteout conditions. A slow-moving storm shut down over 300 miles of the highway ... from the Utah state line all the way to Cheyenne. The Wyoming Department of Transportation began reopening parts of the interstate Monday afternoon, but warn blowing snow and cold conditions could linger into Monday night. — Nate Hegyi