Basin Now

Miracles still happen today and the angels at work are often the average men and women all around us. Tragedy struck Monday night when a young man crashed his vehicle on Highway 40 in the area known as hill top. When the vehicle came to a stop the driver was alone and unconscious but alive; likely not for long, however, as the car was suddenly in flames.

The stresses that COVID-19 has put on people can be overwhelming. TriCounty Health Department has released a statement to help the public know what would be considered an outbreak of COVID-19 in schools. So what would qualify as an outbreak?

One man died on Tuesday after an accident on Strawberry Reservoir. According to the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office, the 9-1-1 Center received a call on September 1st at approximately 11:30am reporting a boat that had capsized on Strawberry Reservoir near the Narrows.

U.S. Marshals caught up to a Moffat County man on the run. Craig Press reports that Moffat County resident Rick Barnes had a bench warrant out for his failure to file a consent of surety in early July. Hewas previously arrested August 6th, 2019 on felony charges of sexual assault, and sexual as sault on a child by one in a position of trust, and struck a plea deal.

Multiple wildfires have definitely put smoke into the air of the Uintah Basin and its effects could be far reaching. Doctor Cheryl Pirozzi, a pulmonologist at the University of Utah, has warned that the smoke from the fires could increase risk of lung infections, including COVID-19.

Senator Ron Winterton addressed a variety of current topics on the Newstalk AM 920 104.5 FM radio forum on Monday evening. When asked about the rumor that the Governor can withhold funding from schools that do not enforce his mask mandate, Winterton shared that that was never part of the discussions of the state appropriations committee which he serves on and that the Governor is not who issues the funding, that’s the legislature’s job.

In an effort to help local businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vernal Chamber of Commerce released some updates and information about a few grants that could be helpful.

As part of the Affordable Care Act, hospital organizations need to complete a Community Health Needs Assessment every three years. The Uintah Basin Healthcare assessment showcases what the community perceives as top health concerns.