Month: March 2019

This week is NGWA’s National Groundwater Awareness Week and the TriCounty Health Department wants to invite the Basin to get involved. Since water is such an everyday part of our life we often don’t think about it. Only 1 percent of the water on Earth is useable with 99 percent of that being groundwater. Not only that but 44 percent of the United States population depends on groundwater as its drinking supply. With such a dependence on groundwater and not much thought put into it, the NGWA has set the theme for the week to be THINK. Think big, in that the farmers rely on the groundwater to provide us with the food that we eat. Think small to how much water can be saved from fixing the leaky faucet. Take the time to think about excessive water use, for instance the times we leave the water running while we brush our teeth.Think safety by having your well inspected yearly to protect your water system. In our states of busyness, slow down and think about groundwater. For more information, visit www.tricountyhealth.com.

President Trump signed S. 47, a lands package significant to the Uintah Basin, into law on Tuesday. As the ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, Utah’s Representative Rob Bishop released a statement on this achievement that was years in the making. “Local voices impacted by public lands throughout our country have been heard,” shared Bishop.

As UBTech continues to bring opportunities of employment and education into the Basin the support of local companies grows as well. Recently, Simplot Phosphates has donated a 1999 Wilson CF900 48-foot flatbed to the Heavy Duty Diesel program. The trailer is no longer used and needs repairs to the ABS braking system and hydraulics. Simplot hopes that it can give students hands-on experience in repairs.

The Furever Buddy’s Dog Rescue in Roosevelt is seeking helping for one of their dogs who is in need of extra support. His name is Sammy and he is a beautiful black lab. Unfortunately, Sammy has a collapsed trachea and is in need of surgery. It is a specialized surgery that must be performed at a Veterinary clinic in Salt Lake City. The particular operation that Sammy needs will run a minimal of $3,000.00. Furever Buddy’s says that his operation is scheduled for Friday, March 22nd, unless things get worse. 

An inmate escaped from a correctional facility in Colorado is still missing, according to Monday’s last report, and citizens throughout the region are encouraged to be on the lookout. Adam Loehr escaped from the Delta Correctional Facility in Delta, Colorado on Saturday and the public has been asked to not approach him and call 911 immediately if he is seen.

A tragic fatal crash that took place early Monday morning on Highway 40 was followed by two people fleeing the scene and eventually being arrested. According to Utah Highway Patrol, a 2005 Chrysler Sebring was traveling westbound on Highway 40 about 15 miles west of Vernal around 5:30am when, for an unknown reason, the driver of the Sebring crossed over the center median nearly perpendicular to the roadway and was struck by a 2001 GMC Denali that was traveling eastbound.

Utah State Representative Scott Chew has penned an open letter to his constituents in Duchesne and Uintah County regarding HB441, explaining the need for tax reform. “You all know that I promised to do my best to represent the citizens of our district (#55), but with HB 441, a situation has arisen where representing the concerns of folks at home is in conflict with the oath when I became a Utah State Representative – ‘To keep Utah economically sound’,” shares Representative Chew.

When Andrew Lloyd Webber imagined a stage production of a little boy’s dream about his toy trains, he couldn’t have imagined that it would become one of the longest-running broadway shows in history. Nor could he have imagined, in 1984, that it would soon have its own purpose-built theatre in Germany, where it has now been performed for thirty years (and counting).

The Uintah Basin Education Summit was held over the weekend and with it, the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year honorees were recognized. Uintah Schools Superintendent, Mark Dockins, recognized the teachers from each of the district’s schools.

UBTech is spreading the word: There is a shortage of CDL qualified truck drivers with close to 51,000 drivers needed to make up for it. “Almost everything we use is moved across the country by truck, so without truck drivers our whole country would be at a standstill,” says Seth Taylor, CDL Instructor for UBTech. UBTech has a highly accredited program for CDL truck driver training.