Month: September 2016

The mother of the 9-year-old girl raped by multiple men last spring pleaded Not Guilty to child abuse in 8th District Court on Wednesday. According to court documents, the 3rd degree Felony Child Abuse charge was filed against 32-year-old Natasha Alissa Billsie on August 23rd for the horrendous event that took place on March 26th. 

Heavy rains are taking their toll throughout the Basin and area agencies are asking for your help. Roosevelt city manager Ryan snow says the city is overwhelmed with flooding and volunteers are needed. Anyone who can handle a shovel and fill sandbags are asked to meet at the Roosevelt city maintenance shop at 300 E. 1st S in Roosevelt. Uintah County commissioner Mike Mckee also says volunteers are needed in Lapoint due to flooding. Please bring shovels and meet at the Lapoint fire station.

Flooding throughout the Basin has put local agencies, volunteers and support networks in action. National Weather Service reported that the Vernal area had received 1.27 inches of rain by about noon on Thursday and could expect another half an inch in the next 24 hours.

Those that remember the good ol’ days of stopping into the Vernal Drug to enjoy a root beer float at the soda fountain have the chance to relive that simple joy. The Vernal Drug exhibit is now at the Uintah Heritage Museum and an open house is being held today to celebrate. 

A former Uintah County Republican Party Chairman has accepted a position as the new Finance Director for the Utah Republican Party. In addition to her time as the Chairman in Uintah County, Joni Crane was active in local politics and volunteered in many organizations including the Boy Scouts of America.

Unemployment numbers are slowly trending down in the Uintah Basin. According to this week’s unemployment update through the Department of Workforce Services, Duchesne County shifted from 9 percent to 8.8 percent unemployment.

Uintah County Commissioners approved with apprehension the funding for indigent attorney services for the defense of one of the men facing charges for raping a 9-year-old Vernal girl on Easter Sunday. 8th District Court appointed Salt Lake attorney Loni F. Deland to represent the defense in the case. 

An accident on Roosevelt’s State Street sent one woman to a Wasatch Front hospital on Monday. 

Utah’s waterfowl hunt is quickly approaching and the Division of Wildlife Resources has tips to help put more birds in your bag this year. Even with drier conditions last spring, the duck population in Utah had good success even considering a hail storm that killed some of the new population, shares migratory bird coordinator Blair Stringham.