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KNEU 1250Eight weeks of classes have paid off and judging by their smiles, the graduates of the first Duchesne County Citizens Academy found the course well worth their while. Eight cadets graduated from the course this week including JoAnn Evans, Ryan Bastian, Angel McRae, Jenelle Thomas, Michael Caton, Cesar Onton, Jeff Evans, and Juli Serawop.
The Office of the State Auditor officially released its audit of the Uintah Transportation Special Service District on Wednesday. The report, addressed to current Board Chairman Dan Dilsaver, includes 8 findings for the period of January 2015 through September 2017. The entire Audit Report can be found at www.auditor.utah.gov but the following were included among the findings and recommendations from the Office of the State Auditor.
An expanded ankle monitoring program in Duchesne County is literally offering new life for nonviolent offenders sentenced to the Duchesne County Jail. While GPS-equipped ankle monitoring has been in use since 2016, in August the Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office expanded the program to include post-conviction supervision, determined by a judge on an individual basis. As of November 1st, Duchesne County was monitoring 8 individuals on pre-trial release and 9 individuals on post-conviction release. “We can go up to as many as 30 people,” shares Sheriff’s Lt. Jeremy Curry, “without having to modify the system we have in place.” A screening process determines whether a person is accepted into the program and considers things like criminal history, their history of problems in the jail, and whether they have a support system outside the jail if released. Those accepted into the program are required to wear the ankle monitor 24/7, undergo drug and alcohol testing a minimum of 3 times per week, attend any treatment ordered by the court, and obtain or maintain employment. Funded by the state’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative, the program’s goal is to move the criminal justice system toward a model that imprisons those who are a danger to the public and provides treatment to those who pose little to no threat to Utah communities.
Vernal City and Uintah County officials are continuing their efforts to make the best decision regarding the street lighting on West Main Street and Aggie Blvd. Reports were provided during the October City/County meeting as officials hope they are getting closer to a clear direction moving forward.
Most people will never know what it is really like to serve their country as a soldier but a unique way to gain some additional appreciation for those who serve is coming up. The 3rd Annual UBTech Ruck Run offers the experience to run a 5k in a Veteran’s shoes and the event is appropriately being held on, you guessed it, Veteran’s Day. A ruck is what a soldier packs while serving.
TriCounty Health is tackling an important topic this week and one that most people exclusively associate with kids: Vaccinations. Vaccinations are important for not only the young but for adults as well.
Three Indiana men are in jail after close to 300 pounds of marijuana was discovered in the vehicle they were traveling in. According to Sweetwater County Sheriff Mike Lowell, a deputy stopped a grey Dodge van with Illinois license plates on I-80 east of Rock Springs on Sunday morning. The deputy’s K-9 Jara alerted to the presence of drugs and a search of the van uncovered $700 dollars in cash, a currency counting machine, and 293 pounds of marijuana. The Illinois men, 26-year-old Kyle Bolton, 61-year-old Mack Magee Jr. and 20 year-old Antres Holliness-Ransom were all arrested. The marijuana was packaged in 260 vacuum-sealed plastic bags between 10 suitcases and duffle bags. The marijuana’s street value was estimated at $1.4 million dollars.
For many hunters in the region, hunting season is a family affair. For one family hunting and camping near Trappers Lake in Rio Blanco County last week, this year’s hunt ended in tragedy. According to the Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office, a 9-1-1 call received at approximately 9:26pm on October 26th was a father reporting that his infant had been found unresponsive after having been laid down to sleep.
A study to determine the feasibility of constructing a rail line from the Uintah Basin into Colorado to connect with the national railway network is gaining regional support. While the great majority of the funding needed for the study is hoped to be given through a federal TIGER grant, the 7 County Infrastructure Coalition has been working with partners to gather the remaining $100,000 dollars that will be needed.
Uintah County Travel and Tourism Director Lesha Coltharp gave a report on Monday to the Uintah County Commissioners on the Utah Tourism Conference held in Uintah County in September. According to Coltharp, 350 people, made up primarily of tourism leaders throughout Utah, attended the 4 day conference.
It was a packed house at the Uintah County Commission meeting on Monday with many county employees attending as proposed changes to health benefits were considered. Uintah County Director of Human Resources Joe McKea presented the proposed changes. To date, the county has paid 95 percent of the insurance premium while employees paid 5 percent. The proposed change would increase the employee portion to 15 percent for those who do not participate in a county wellness program. “The world is going this direction,” explained McKea. “Think about car insurance…more accidents means higher rates. It’s kind of the same with health insurance as well so we are building in a wellness component to the health benefits.” County employees asked clarifying questions about the proposal and the percent breakdowns. The new wellness requirements include an annual physical, blood work, survey, and certain health commitments such as abstaining from tobacco use. The County Commissioners approved the proposed changes plus a survey to compare benefits to other entities to be used as a reference during budgeting in 2018.
A truly spooky fact for you this Halloween is that kids are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Safekids.org has tips that all parents and guardians should heed. Make it easier for drivers to see kids.