It was a record voter turnout for the 2018 General Election. Uintah County Clerk-Auditor Mike Wilkins reports a 71.4 percent voter turnout which is at least 30 percent higher than the average for a non-presidential election year. Wilkins also reported that 200 ballots were received in the mail on Wednesday and, in addition to the 269 ballots that need signatures verified, there are also 275 provisional ballots.
Month: November 2018
Duchesne County Woman Charged With Murder of 2-Year-Old Foster Son
A Duchesne County woman has been charged with the August murder of a 2-year-old foster son in her care. Court records show that on November 7th, 41-year-old Lisa Jo Vanderlinden was charged in 8th District Court with 1st Degree Felony Aggravated Murder.
Naples Elementary Enters Red Ribbon Contest; Needs Community Votes
They are at it again! Naples Elementary is a finalist in the National Red Ribbon Photo Contest and they are asking the community to show their support and vote for them online. Naples Elementary is the only Utah school in the competition and are competing against 10 other states to try and win one of the $1000 dollar prizes.
Ashley National Forest Prescribed Burn Near Ute Tower
Prescribed burning is scheduled to begin this week in the Ashley National Forest Flaming Gorge-Vernal Ranger District northeast of the Ute Tower. Depending on weather, burning will begin on Wednesday or Thursday, November 7th or 8th. The treatment area is 1,695 acres with an estimated 300 to 600 acres of that planned for completion during the operation.
Youth Orchestra Concert This Weekend; “You Won’t Know What You’re Missing Out On Unless You Come Watch!”
It’s been an amazing time of growth and reaching goals for the Uintah Basin Youth Chamber Orchestra. “I remember our first rehearsal three years ago and seeing everyone’s reaction to the sound they just heard,” shares organization founder and executive director Brad Vanfleet.
Supporters of Rail in the Uintah Basin Ask Locals to Sign Petition
An online petition in support of rail in the Uintah Basin has gathered steam the last few weeks and supporters are asking for more signers today before the petition is presented to the Community Impact Board. Within the petition is states, “We are showing our support for responsible spending of funds to extend a railroad to connect our neighboring states railway infrastructure.” It also states the belief that a railway will “bring stability to the community by sustaining employment through oilfield boom and bust” as well as “have a stabilizing effect on small business and growth to these businesses”, among other statements of support.
Preliminary General Election Results Locally
The preliminary General Election results are in with school board races the main focus locally. In Uintah County, the School Board District 1 race is close with Harlan Wilkins winning the popular vote at 50.42 percent of the vote ahead of Lori Gillman at 49.58 percent. As of Tuesday night, this was a difference of 17 votes which could be affected once all mail-in and absentee ballots are counted over the coming days.
269 Uintah County Ballots Need Signature Verification
A significant amount of ballots in Uintah County need signature verification and those contacted have a window of time to come to the Clerk’s Office with I.D. in hand to ensure their ballot is counted. Uintah County Clerk-Auditor Mike Wilkins shared on Wednesday that 269 ballots had signature questions.
Opioids Misuse Rising in Rural Areas of Utah
It is a well known fact that the Uintah Basin is suffering from the opioid crisis that is sweeping the United States. Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development are partnering to help address the rise of opioid misuse in Utah’s rural areas including northeastern Utah.
Serious Drought Conditions in Uintah Basin
Even though fire season is winding down, the lack of precipitation has had a very traumatic effect on the area. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, as of October 23rd, 2018, moderate to exceptional drought covers 20.4% of the United States, a slight decrease from last week’s 20.5%. Extreme and exceptional drought—the worst categories— cover 4.0% of the nation, down from 4.1% last week. 43.5 million people are experiencing these drought conditions.