Salt Lake County | featured news

Members of Utah Board of Education took the first step Friday to updating the state’s health education standards, a minimum 12-month process that could result in major revisions, minor updates, or no change at all to the lessons taught in public schools.
And the school board’s 14-2 vote begin a review and revision hinted at a looming debate, as health standards include statewide guidelines on teaching human sexuality, a flashpoint for controversy in the majority-conservative Beehive State.

The two men who died in a plane crash in Butterfield Canyon were identified Friday.
One of them, Capt. Nicholas Thomas, had been a member of the Utah National Guard.
He and Jacob McGoldrick, 37, were killed when their plane, an Aviat A-1B Husky, went down just before 10 a.m. Thursday.
Thomas, 34, had been with the National Guard since 2006, confirmed Lt. Col. Steven Fairbourn.
“Those who knew him spoke highly of him,” Fairbourn said.

The former emergency services director for Carbon County has pleaded guilty to stealing from money provided through grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Jason Thomas Llewelyn, 46, on Wednesday pleaded guilty in federal court to using at least $5,000 in grant money to buy personal items.
He faces up to three years in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 18 by U.S. District Judge David Nuffer.
Llewelyn admitted in court documents that from Dec. 16, 2011 through Aug. 19, 2015 — while ...

St. George • The picture is serene. A baby asleep in a car seat with a dog resting its head on top.
The text for the meme, a photographic message shared among strangers across the social media universe, offers polarity with its jagged-blade comment: “If you need to be told not to leave us alone in a hot car or we might die you’re too stupid to have either of us.”
The Facebook post was one of many responses to news that a 2-year-old boy died in Winchester Hills earlier in June after family member...

The lawyer for Jim Bennett and his new United Utah Party argued in federal court Friday that unreasonable state rules would have required them to magically read minds in order to qualify for a special election to replace Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz.
Only by foreseeing months early that Chaffetz would resign could UUP have met state deadlines, argued attorney David Sells.

A Weber County man — who was determined to have shot and killed his girlfriend last year in self-defense — has been sentenced to jail time and probation in connection with gun possession convictions.
Scott William Sandlin, 42, was cleared by prosecutors of the February 2016 shooting death of 30-year-old Jenna Manuel at their Riverdale home.
Police said evidence at the scene corroborated Sandlin’s account that Manuel had charged at him with a knife, prompting him to shoot her three times at close...

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A small, rural school in northwest Utah is hoping to boost attendance by keeping students home on Fridays.
The Utah Board of Education will vote Friday on whether to allow Park Valley Elementary and Secondary School to operate on a four-day schedule this fall.
Park Valley enrolls roughly 30 students in kindergarten through 10th grade.

Salt Lake County officials had hoped to improve their Operation Diversion program with a specialized court that would motivate low-level drug offenders to complete their fast-tracked, publicly funded treatment.
Instead, the future of that treatment option is in doubt.
The state has rejected the county’s bid for twice its per capita share of funds meant to reduce incarceration through supportive services such as mental health and drug addiction treatment, granting it $2 million of $3.6 million th...

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A former Cottonwood High School teacher will spend a year in jail for having a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old student.
Corbin Vance Robinson, 38, pleaded guilty in March to a single count of third-degree felony sexual abuse of a minor student. He was originally charged with nine counts, but the remaining eight were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
In court papers, Robinson admitted to having sexual contact with the girl on one occasion last October.

Third District Court Judge Bruce Lubeck affirmed Friday that Salt Lake County Recorder Gary Ott’s family will be his temporary guardian as the court continues weighing who will permanently oversee his care and finances.
An independent attorney at the hearing said Ott’s secretary and former caregiver, Karmen Sanone, has controlled Ott’s finances since 2014.
Sanone objected to an emergency court order granting custody of the man, who numerous documents show is suffering from mental health problems...