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KNEU 1250Local news from across the Uintah Basin.
The Daggett County Commission reports that the transition of the new Daggett County Sheriff is going well and that Sheriff Erik L. Bailey is working very hard on all aspects of his oversight. Sheriff Bailey was officially sworn in on May 12th and he was immediately charged to have inmates returned to the jail as soon as possible.
The drive to Strawberry Reservoir will be worth it for the chance to observe the cutthroat trout as they migrate out of the reservoir and up the Strawberry River to spawn. The river runs past the visitor center at Strawberry and into the fish trap and egg-taking facility operated by the Division of Wildlife Resources operated behind the visitor center.
A commercial real estate company is breaking into the Utah market with a major purchase in Uintah County. Regency Properties owns properties in 15 states and recently acquired the Vernal Towne Center which adds 161,695 square feet of property to the company’s portfolio. The Vernal Towne Center was built in 2013 and despite downturn in recent years, the shopping center maintains an over 90 percent occupancy rate.
Plans for repair to the Steinaker Dam won’t take place until 2018. In September of 2014, a crack was observed in the dam. While it has been taken seriously, the Bureau of Reclamation stated from the beginning that the dam was never in danger of failing but that repair work would eventually need to be done.
A child sex solicitation sting performed by a Vernal Police officer has resulted in criminal charges for a man in Florida. According to court documents, Detective Shaun Smith began an undercover investigation on February 17th, 2015 as a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce in which he joined a chat room and began interacting with a subject later identified as Richard Terry.
Progress is being made as crews battle the Mile Marker 166 Fire in eastern Uintah County. According to fire information officer Kelsey Birchell, GPS mapping of the fire shows that it is 2400 acres as opposed to the previously reported 900 acres. Birchell also reports that as of Thursday, the fire was 40 percent contained.
There is officially a new city manager in training for Vernal City, though a formal announcement has yet to be made. According to Vernal City Mayor Sonja Norton, eight applicants were interviewed in May for the position in the second hiring attempt. After several decades serving as the Vernal City Manager, Ken Bassett officially made the announcement last August of his retirement scheduled for June 2017
The case of three missing Vernal men continues to be an absolute mystery. According to Vernal City Assistant Police Chief Keith Campbell, there is unfortunately no update on the case.
The Mile Marker 166 Fire continues to burn though crews are working hard towards containment. According to fire information officer Kelsey Birchell, the goal for containment is today, June 1st.
The opportunity to be part of a historical event in Dinosaur National Monument opened Wednesday and has a narrow window. The Utah Symphony is making their final stop this summer on their “Great American Road Trip” within the boundaries of the actual monument on September 2nd.
Trails in Uintah County are getting plenty of attention and focused trails committee members are doing all they can to see a usable, interconnected trail system developed for the Ashley Valley. Among the recent announcements has been an App that will make using local trails even easier. The STRAVA running and cycling App can be used to navigate routes for walking, biking, running, hiking or any kind of challenge.
Fish are being caught, tags are being turned in, and prizes are being doled out. Fishing with the Fox and the Division of Wildlife Resources are incentivizing family fishing this summer. Over 400 fish have been tagged in Pelican Lake alone while over a hundred more are tagged in Moose Pond and the lower Stillwater Pier Pond.