Rural interests, including those of the Uintah Basin, were given focus during Friday’s Rural Legislative Caucus that takes place weekly during the legislative session. While HB441 had already been tabled for the current session, rural broadcasters still took the opportunity to go on the record, each sharing information about the devastating effects that the proposed sales tax on services would have on their rural communities.
The investigation continues into an apartment fire in Vernal in which a person was found deceased. According to Uintah County Fire Marshal Jeremy Raymond, an odor smell was called in at 355 East 100 North in Vernalon Friday night. Vernal Fire crews responded around 10:00pm and a fire was discovered in the upstairs of a unit where a 35-year-old female was pulled from a bedroom.
Those that have had a sneak preview agree: you do not want to miss Uintah High School’s musical this year. Mistalyn Leis says watching the show come together “has been pure magic! Starlight Express will keep you enraptured from start to finish!” The lighting, costumes, makeup, and special effects are fantastic and this is a rare opportunity to see a play performed 100 percent on roller skates!
This Saturday, March 9th, is the 2019 Marvelous Bull Madness scholarship event. This will be a wonderful family night while supporting the Colby Lofthouse Memorial Scholarship, awarded to students throughout the Uintah Basin each year. The main event is bull riding but there will also be a trick rider, named Kate Flitton, and the Basin Wild Bunch Mounted Shooters.
Utah has been ranked the most adventurous state in the nation! The life insurance company TermLife2Go wanted to identify what state was the most adventurous while acknowledging that everyone’s definition of adventurous might be different. A state’s interest in adventure-seeking activities were measured using proprietary prediction models based on purchases and subscriptions related to adventure sports such as rock climbing and scuba diving.
Education is a vital component of community and personal growth. As such it is at the forefront of many of the Basins discussions. Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the 4th annual Uintah Basin Education Summit. The summit’s theme is “Growth Mindset in the Digital Age” with the keynote speaker Dr. Christy Kane speaking on Electronics and the Effect on the Brain.
Uintah County Community Development has added their voice to those urging residents to prepare for spring runoff. The SNOTEL report from March 4th shows that snowpack for areas of the Uintah Basin range from 112 to 155 percent of normal. “If the wet pattern continues through the spring we could see a significant amount of runoff,” shares Uintah County Community Development.
Utah Highway Patrol has released the names in Wednesday’s fatal accident near Strawberry Reservoir. The deceased driver is Esteban Rivas-Dimas of Roosevelt and the deceased left rear passenger is Pascual Navarro of Mexico. The accident took place on Highway 40 at 3:15pm at Mile Post 52 about 1 mile east of the Soldier Creek Turn. “SR-40 in the area of the crash was snowy and icy,” shares Highway Patrol. “A green Ford Expedition was eastbound on SR-40 when the driver lost control of the vehicle.
Tax reform bill HB441 was officially pulled from the Utah legislative session on Thursday afternoon after a week of push back and outcry from the business community and citizens critical of the bill. The announcement does not mean that Governor Herbert’s plan to broaden the tax base is over but it does give more time for all involved to offer input and hopefully work together to form the best version of tax reform possible.
The snow is still on the ground but spring is around the corner. Blue Stakes of Utah 811 wants to remind homeowners, professional excavators, and everyone in between that before you dig, locate the utility lines. To aid in the process, there is an online form for simple requests at www.bluestakes.org. You will need to have a valid e-mail address to receive a number that validates your request.