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Snowy weather advised for Sunday in parts of Iron County, northern Washington County

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ST. GEORGE — If the forecast holds, it will be a snowy Sunday throughout eastern Iron County and northern Washington County.

Map shows the winter advisory areas between 5 a.m. and midnight on Sunday, December 8, 2019. | National Weather Service, St. George News

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for eastern Iron County — including a 10% chance of snow accumulation in Cedar City — and northern Washington County from 5 a.m. to midnight Sunday.

The greater amounts of snow are expected in the mountains to the east, with between 5 to 8 inches of snow expected at Brian Head.

Occasional winter driving conditions can be expected across mountain routes.

Precautionary and preparedness actions

For the most current conditions, warnings and advisories, go to the National Weather Service-Salt Lake City office website. Additional information on driving conditions can be found at the UDOT website, as well as UDOT’s Commuterlink for current road and weather conditions, or dial 511.

Download this printable PDF: Vehicle Preparation and Safety Precautions for Winter Weather – this is a project the whole family could participate in – make it a scavenger hunt with potentially lifesaving benefits.

Getting ready

  • Be aware of road conditions. UDOT recommends checking CommuterLink for road and weather conditions before leaving home.
  • Clear any frost and snow from the car’s lights and windows. Make an effort to see and be seen while driving.
  • Inspect the vehicle’s tires, fluids, wiper blades, lights and hoses. Preventative maintenance may save a car from breaking down and stranding drivers and passengers on the highway.
  • Allow for leeway in travel time. Expect to drive slowly in adverse weather conditions. High speeds can lead to skidding off the road and getting stuck in the snow.
  • Have emergency supplies in the car. A basic winter emergency kit may include items like a flashlight, batteries, snacks, water, gloves, boots and a first-aid kit.

When driving

  • Take it slow. Drive well below posted speed limits and leave plenty of space between cars.
  • Approach intersections, off-ramps, bridges and shaded areas slowly. These areas are hot spots for black ice.
  • Slow down in cases of limited visibility and be alert.
  • Whether someone drives an elevated SUV or a ground-kissing Toyota Prius, again, UDOT says to take it slow. Just because a truck has 4-wheel drive doesn’t change how it handles on the road, especially when traction goes out the window. Mother Nature is no respecter of automotive diversity.
  • Keep the vehicle’s speed down. The faster the car goes, the longer it takes to stop. Be slow on the accelerator or risk having the car skid when the next stop sign appears.
  • Do not use the car’s cruise control while ice and snow still abound.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.


Washington County search and rescue teams make 122nd save of the year count, carrying injured hiker almost 2 miles through sand, rocks

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ST. GEORGE — Search and rescue teams carried an injured hiker nearly two miles after he couldn’t complete a trail Friday afternoon.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue teams carry an injured hiker almost 2 miles through sand and rocks, Gunlock, Utah, Dec. 6, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, St. George News

Washington County Sheriff’s Sgt. Darrell Cashin told St. George News his team was contacted at 11:15 a.m. after a man slipped and injured his leg at the Vortex near Lower Sand Cove Reservoir in Gunlock.

This rescue marked the 122nd for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office this year. With 24 days left in 2019, Cashin said this year’s numbers are almost on par with last year’s numbers, which was a record 132 rescues.

The hiker Friday was attempting to complete the trail with a group when he sustained the injuries and reported that he could not walk or complete the hike. The Dammeron Valley Fire Department, a Gold Cross Ambulance and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue responded to the scene, stabilized his leg and helped him walk off of the rocks before a rescue basket arrived.

From there, rescue teams worked to carry the hiker 1.75 miles back to the road through sand and rocks over several hours until the hiker was loaded into the ambulance and rescue crews were demobilized just before 2:30 p.m.

“It took every bit of all 10 of my search and rescue, the three from Gold Cross and the two from Dammeron that shows up to get him out,” Cashin said. “When you’re carrying somebody, especially when you’re in sand and dirt, it takes a while.”

The hiker was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center via ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries to his leg.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue teams carry an injured hiker almost 2 miles through sand and rocks, Gunlock, Utah, Dec. 6, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, St. George News

Cashin said the best way for Southern Utah residents and tourists to avoid becoming rescue No. 123  is to be prepared.

Being ready for any possible situation can save lives — even if a rescue is necessary, he said. Hikers should carry water, head lamps and additional layers with them, when possible, and always let someone know where they’re going, what trail they will be on and when they expect to be back.

“Always let someone know where you’re going so we have an idea of where to start if you don’t come back on time,” he said. “Know the area you’re going into so you have a good idea of what types of things you’re going to need, but you’re going to need to plan for, if something goes wrong, you can sustain yourself until we can get to you.”

 

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Traffic Advisory: Semi rollover blocking southbound I-15 near Leeds

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ST. GEORGE — A rollover crash involving a semitractor-trailor blocked the left lane Saturday afternoon in the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 between Toquerville and Leeds.

A semitractor-trailer was rolled over on Interstate 15 north of Leeds, blocking traffic on December 7, 2019 | Photo by Ryne Williams, St. George News

The crash caused the far-left lane of the southbound I-15 to be closed around 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon according to the Utah Highway Patrol. It was causing a backup that was creating up to a 15-minute delay.

The incident, approximately six miles north of Leeds near Anderson Junction, was not expected to be cleared until around 8 p.m., according to the UHP.  

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Bipartisan Medicare drug bill revision aims to lower copays

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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (AP) —  A bipartisan Senate bill to curb prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients got a makeover Friday to lower copays and make it easier for seniors to budget for their expenses.

A U.S. Senate bill aims to bring Medicare drug copays down and allow for installment payments. Despite bipartisan support and President Trump indicating he would sign it, the current D.C. climate still has passage uncertain. | Stock image by Getty Photos, St. George News

The updated legislation unveiled by Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., would lower the standard copay to 20% from the current 25% for seniors enrolled in Medicare’s Part D prescription drug benefit.

It also introduces a feature that would let Medicare enrollees spread out their copays in monthly installments. Because of the current design of the system, seniors taking very expensive drugs can face unmanageable out-of-pocket costs in the first couple of months of any year.

The bipartisan Senate bill has the support of President Donald Trump, but it’s unclear if any significant drug pricing legislation can pass a Congress polarized by impeachment.

In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to bring her own, more ambitious bill to a floor vote next week. The California Democrat’s legislation would empower Medicare to negotiate prices with drug companies and plow the savings back into expanded dental, vision and hearing benefits for seniors.

But congressional Republicans are opposed to the government negotiating drug prices. Trump, who supported the idea as a candidate, has since dropped it.

And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, is reluctant to bring the bipartisan Grassley-Wyden bill to the floor. It could trigger Democratic amendments designed to create political headaches for Republicans on other issues, such as protecting people with pre-existing medical conditions.

In terms of policy ideas, there’s considerable overlap between the Senate bill and parts of Pelosi’s plan. Both would cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries and require drugmakers to pay rebates to the government if they hike prices above inflation. But the political challenges may be impossible to overcome.

The Grassley-Wyden bill would limit out-of-pocket medication costs faced by seniors to $3,100, starting in 2022. Currently there is no limit, and some Medicare recipients dealing with serious illness face copays rivaling a mortgage payment.

In a statement late Friday, the White House said “President Donald J. Trump applauds the work of Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Wyden to lower prescription drug costs and further improve their bipartisan legislation, such as adding a provision to limit monthly out-of-pocket spending for seniors with chronic high costs.

The White House called on Congress “to act now to give Americans the relief they need by sending bipartisan drug pricing reform to the President’s desk this year.”

Supporters of the Senate bill are hoping a deal can still be had, and that major prescription drug legislation can be incorporated in a budget bill expected early next year.

The pharmaceutical industry opposes both the Senate and House bills and has poured millions of dollars into a lobbying battle to block them.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Here & there: Lessons in frustration from snow monkeys and ducks

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FEATURE — Merīkurisumasu from Japan. It is the Christmas season after all. Even, apparently, in Buddhist Japan. Although, truth be told, it seems like all the signs I’ve seen around here wish you a “Magic Christmas,” not a “merry” one.

Decoration of street in Tokyo to celebrate Winter, Christmas, and New Year holidays. Date not provided. | Photo by Getty Images, St. George News

Speaking of magic, yesterday began mountainside at a traditional Japanese style inn in the small ski town of Nowazaonsen and then finished in a high-rise overlooking Tokyo’s 13 million people.

The intervening hours were filled with several trains of varying speeds, and buses of only slow ones. And one, unexpected and monstrous hike in the forest.

Yes, there are forests in Japan.

And no, hiking almost three miles straight up one of them was not in the original itinerary.

Somewhere along the way from the mountains to the city, I decided it would be a good idea for my family to stop and see the snow monkeys of Jigojudani. I mean, the map said it was only a two-hour detour and these monkeys are something special. Even National Geographic says so.

You see, these monkeys are hot tubbing monkeys. They like to bathe and socialize in natural hot springs, called onsens, during the freezing winter months. Kind of like their human Japanese counterparts.

So to witness the snow monkeys in their outdoor onsens is both a zoological AND a cultural experience. And something I felt suddenly compelled to witness.

It wasn’t until we reached the end of the tracks in the tiny town of Yudanaka (via a MUCH slower than expected train) when I realized three important facts:

1) The snow monkey park would be closing in just over an hour.

2) The regular bus schedule from the train station to the park wouldn’t start for two days, and…

3) The cute Australian family we had befriended on the train over our mutual desire to see the snow monkeys took the very last taxi while my youngest was in the bathroom. Even though there was room in the cab for my family, too.

Our only chance to salvage the outing and see those amazing monkeys? To walk the “2.5 kilometers” there. Which really turned out to be 4.7 kilometers.

But we still trekked it. Unprepared and in the cold. Through the small town, along the river, up a steep and windy road, to a ramshackle forest foot path and, eventually, to the entrance of the monkey park. Pink-faced, sweaty and spent.

Sometimes, trying to see the hot springs-loving snow monkeys of Japan can be a frustrating experience. Undated photo. | Photo by Getty Images, St. George News

And six minutes past closing.

I’m not going to lie. I had a few choice words on the tip of my tongue for the Australians. And I had a few more in the first kilometer or two of the hike. I mean, what jerks! How inconsiderate!

Ok, ok, it was more than a few words. Maybe it was a whole narrative. But they deserved it.

And I felt justified. And, of course, disappointed. About the monkeys. Even if I really did end up really enjoying that mountain hike in spite of myself.

Fast forward to today. While waiting for my oldest to compete at his gymnastics meet (the whole reason we are in Japan in the first place), my husband passes me the book he’s been reading about the human ego by best-selling author Eckhart Tolle — With a big chunk underlined in black pen.

The highlighted excerpt goes something like this: A lion tries to attack a duck but the duck escapes. As the duck walks away from his near ending, he stops, does a quick shudder, and then keeps walking. He doesn’t look back. He goes on his way. The end.

But then the author role plays what the scenario would look like if the duck had a human brain. He says, “This would probably be the duck’s story: ‘I don’t believe what he just did. He came to within five inches of me. He thinks he owns this pond. He has no consideration for my private space… I’ll teach him a lesson he won’t forget.’”

I immediately thought of the Australians. And me. About the narrative I’d invented about them along the first kilometer of the hike.

And about how, later, when they were denied entry to the café where me and my family were drowning our disappointment in apple pie, I felt ever so slightly vindicated.

Tolle goes on to say, “and on and on the mind spins its tales, still thinking and talking about [the narrative we created] for days, months, or even years later… You can see how problematic the duck’s life would be if he had a human brain. But this is how most of us humans live all the time. No situation or event is ever finished.”

But, instead, the duck goes on his way. And leaves that all behind. How liberating. How wonderful.

I suppose, that’s true for monkeys, too. Especially endearing snow monkey who like to migrate down to natural hot springs called onsens in the winter.

And so, I suppose, should I. It is the Christmas season after all. Even in Buddhist Japan.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Colorado City health clinic ready for first patient ahead of schedule

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ST. GEORGE — After over a year of preparation, Colorado City’s new medical facility is opening its doors and staff are ready to see their first patients ahead of schedule.

The newly renovated Creek Valley Health Clinic, Colorado City, Ariz., date not specified | Photo courtesy of Hunter Adams, St. George News / Cedar City News

Earlier this year, Creek Valley Health Clinic announced they would be opening a medical facility in Colorado City, Arizona, that would be ready to “inspire health and wellness through accessible and affordable health care” by the beginning of 2020.

Now, after a little over a year, Hunter Adams, project director and acting administrator for Creek Valley, told St. George News the facility is ready and appointments have already been scheduled.

“We established the organization on Dec. 10 of last year,” Adams said. “It’s crazy to think that in just one year, we’ve been able to go from a vision into a reality.”

The Creek Valley Health Clinic will welcome its first patient on Dec. 16 and administrators will be holding an open house from 3:30-7 p.m. on Dec. 18. During the open house, residents can meet their doctors and set up appointments as well as look around the new facility.

The newly renovated Creek Valley Health Clinic, Colorado City, Ariz., date not specified | Photo courtesy of Hunter Adams, St. George News / Cedar City News

Administrators are also planning to host a ribbon cutting ceremony and have invited a Life Flight helicopter that attendees can tour. Participants can also enjoy refreshments as they get help applying for health insurance.

About 10,000 people living in the Short Creek area have not had access to local medical clinics for about 10-15 years, Adams said in a previous interview with St. George News. Although the idea of the facility primarily began to service the Colorado City community, he said the organization is anticipated to serve anyone, including local residents and tourists, and regardless of their insurance status.

Since it’s announcement, Adams said the clinic has been met with an outpouring of support from the community.

The newly renovated Creek Valley Health Clinic, Colorado City, Ariz., date not specified | Photo courtesy of Hunter Adams, St. George News / Cedar City News

“Just the overwhelming amount of support kind of shows that this medical facility was really built by the community and for the community,” he said. “It has really been a huge project that has brought a lot of people together in order to see this come alive.”

Creek Valley Health Clinic earned its nonprofit designation earlier this year and is managed by a board of 11 directors representing the surrounding areas, including members from Apple Valley, Hildale, Colorado City, Centennial Park and Cane Beds.

Just before fall, the Health Resources and Services Administration awarded the clinic $650,000 as a part of the New Access Points program. Creek Valley Health Clinic was among three organizations to receive the award in the state of Arizona. This year, the program awarded over $50 million to 77 health centers across 23 states, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands.

The monetary award subsidizes some of the clinic’s operations and helps the clinic increase its Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, ensure eligibility for loan repayment for providers and lower pharmacy costs for clients.

The clinic is now open to scheduling appointments, which can be made by calling 435-900-1104.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Dominion Energy gives $10,000 boost to group trying to get equal opportunities for transgender students

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ST. GEORGE — A nationwide energy company said it is teaming up with a Utah nonprofit organization to ensure all students, regardless of gender identity, are given equal opportunities to succeed in the classroom.

Dominion Energy, which has nearly 7.5 million customers in 18 states and serves the Southern Utah area, announced it is donating $10,000 to Transgender Education Advocates of Utah. TEA Executive Director Candice Metzler told St. George News donations like this are imperative to the work volunteers are doing behind the scenes.

“This money will increase our ability to be effective in going out to places and starting to have more conversations with various school districts and various policy makers that can help us maybe improve things for the gender non-conforming and transgender students of our state,” she said.

Donations like the most recent one from Dominion Energy help the organization in their efforts to draft policy and work within schools.

“It gives us, more or less, the financial means to do that work,” Metzler said. “I think a lot of what we’ve been struggling with in the past in addressing the needs that are out there is just the financial ability to do a lot of that work.”

The organization, based in Salt Lake City, was founded in 2003 and officially earned its nonprofit designation seven years later.

Transgender Education Advocates of Utah’s 2019 Board Chair Sue Robbins speaks with event participants at the fifth annual Queer Continuum at the Utah Pride Center, Salt Like City, Utah, Sept. 28, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Transgender Education Advocates of Utah, St. George News / Cedar City News

Since then, the entity has been working with various government organizations and school districts around the state to create policy that supports transgender youth and ensure they have the same opportunities as their peers.

“A lot of the times, we find out about parents who are struggling with their child, looking for a school where they can take their child to be safe because their child is being bullied often because they’re gender non-conforming, they’re not what society expects,” she said.

Metzler said TEA has met with school officials to speak to the dangers and struggles transgender youth face each and every day, especially in schools.

According to GLSEN, a national organization against discrimination in education based on sexual orientation and gender identity, 76% of transgender students nationwide feel unsafe at school. Their National School Climate Survey also found another 65% experienced verbal harassment, while 25% have been physically harassed and 12% have been physically assaulted due to their gender expression.

Transgender students who experience discrimination at school are also at a greater risk for homelessness and suicide, according to the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey by the National Center for Transgender Equity.

“This work is more than trying to address policies, it’s trying to address what is a significant component of the suicide component in Utah and has been,” she said. “Unfortunately, it’s hard to talk about in this state.”

Transgender Education Advocates of Utah’s 2019 Board Chair Sue Robbins and Executive Director Candice Metzler partnered with Equality Utah’s Troy Williams and advocate Olivia Jaramillo to meet with Congressman Chris Stewart, Salt Like City, Utah, July 29, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Transgender Education Advocates of Utah, St. George News / Cedar City News

The key to finding an amicable solution is through building relationships, Metzler said, which is exactly what the organization is doing.

Throughout the years, TEA has joined with school administrators, teachers and parents to ensure students — especially gender non-conforming students — are treated with dignity and given safe spaces to learn and grow.

“We’re trying to figure out ways to make school safer for their children to go to school and address some of these issues, like bullying and people being — in some cases — threatened or even assaulted for being gender non-conforming,” she said.

More specifically, Metzler said, TEA is working to create policies that not only ensure students have a place to go when they’re feeling unsafe but that they also know where that place is. This might include establishing personnel in schools that are designated and have the experience necessary to work with at-risk students or transgender youth.

A large part of the policies the organization is trying to create would ensure students have safe access to facilities every student needs to be successful in Utah schools, including restrooms and places to change.

“There needs to be a series of things that acknowledge and address this problem in Utah,” Metzler said. “It’s a population that continues to fall through the cracks in significant and concerning ways.”

TEA, which can be found at www.teaofutah.org,  also helps gender non-conforming and transgender Utahns with employment, healthcare, identifying documents, housing and public accommodations as well as speaking out against the violent hate crimes against transgender residents.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Caroll Spinney, who brought Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch to life, passes at age 85

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LOS ANGELES (AP)— Caroll Spinney, who gave Big Bird his warmth and Oscar the Grouch his growl for nearly 50 years on “Sesame Street,” died Sunday at the age of 85 at his home in Connecticut, according to the Sesame Workshop.

In a May 21, 2000 file photo, Carrol Spinney, center, best known for his TV character “Big Bird” from Sesame Street, receives an honorary doctor of Humane Letters degree from Eastern Connecticut State University President David G. Carter, right, during commencement in Willimantic, Conn. Spinney, who gave Big Bird his warmth and Oscar the Grouch his growl for nearly 50 years on “Sesame Street,” died Sunday. | Photo by Steve Miller, Associated Press, St. George News

The Sesame Workshop said in a statement that the legendary puppeteer lived for some time with dystonia, which causes involuntary muscle contractions.

Spinney voiced and operated the two major Muppets from their inception in 1969 when he was 36, and performed them almost exclusively into his 80s on the PBS kids’ television show that later moved to HBO.

“Before I came to ‘Sesame Street,’ I didn’t feel like what I was doing was very important,” Spinney said when he announced his retirement in 2018. “Big Bird helped me find my purpose.”

Through his two characters, Spinney gained huge fame that brought international tours, books, record albums, movie roles and visits to the White House.

“Caroll was an artistic genius whose kind and loving view of the world helped shape and define Sesame Street from its earliest days in 1969 through five decades, and his legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending,” the Sesame Workshop said.

But he never became a household name.

“I may be the most unknown famous person in America,” Spinney said in his 2003 memoir. “It’s the bird that’s famous.”

Spinney gave “Sesame Street” its emotional yin and yang, infusing the 8-foot-2 Big Bird with a childlike sweetness often used to handle sad subjects, and giving the trashcan-dwelling Oscar, whose voice Spinney based on a New York cabbie, a street-wise cynicism that masked a tender core.

“I like being miserable. That makes me happy,” Oscar often said. “But I don’t like being happy, so that makes me miserable.”

To colleagues there was no question which character the kindly Spinney resembled.

“Big Bird is him and he is Big Bird,” former “Sesame Street” head writer Norman Stiles said in a 2014 documentary on Spinney.

It wasn’t easy being Big Bird. To play the part, Spinney would strap a TV monitor to his chest as his only eyes to the outside. Then the giant yellow bird body was placed over him. He held his right arm aloft constantly to operate the head, and used his left hand to operate both arms. The bird tended to slouch more as the years took their toll.

In 2015, Spinney switched to just providing the characters’ voices. That year, the longtime PBS show inked a five-year pact with HBO that gave the premium cable channel the right to air new episodes nine months before they air on PBS.

Big Bird’s builder Kermit Love always insisted that his design was a puppet, not a costume. But to many children, he was neither. He was real.

“Eight-year-olds have discovered to their horror that he’s a puppet,” Spinney told The Associated Press in 1987.

Born in 1933 in Waltham Massachusetts, Spinney had a deeply supportive mother who built him a puppet theater after he bought his first puppet, a monkey, at age 8.

He spent four years in the U.S. Air Force after high school, then returned to Massachusetts and broke into television. He teamed up with fellow puppeteer Judy Valentine for their own daily series, then worked on a Boston version of the clown show “Bozo’s Big Top.” Spinney in this period had three children, Jessica, Melissa and Benjamin, all from his 1960 to 1971 marriage to Janice Spinney. He later married his second wife Debra in 1979, and the two were nearly inseparable for the rest of his life.

Big Bird, played by Caroll Spinney, gets pointers from First Lady Barbara Bush during an October 19, 1989 of “Sesame Street.” Spinney passed on Sunday at age 85. | Photo courtesy Wikipedia via George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, St. George News

It was after a disastrous performance at a puppet festival in Utah that Spinney met Muppet master Jim Henson, who came backstage and told him, “I liked what you were trying to do,” Spinney remembered Henson saying, in his memoir.

Spinney would join the Muppet crew when “Sesame Street” was about to turn them from popular phenomenon into an American institution. Henson brought his signature character, Kermit the Frog, to the show. His right-hand man Frank Oz would become famous via Grover and Cookie Monster. Together they created Ernie and Bert.

But Big Bird would become the show’s biggest star, his name and image synonymous with not just “Sesame Street” but PBS and children’s television. The character was usually used for comedy, but his innocence and questioning was also useful when serious subjects needed addressing. When “Sesame Street” shopkeeper Mr. Hooper died, Big Bird had to get a lesson in accepting death, saying in the memorable 1983 episode that “he’s gotta come back. Who’s gonna take care of the store? Who’s gonna make my birdseed milkshakes, and tell me stories?”

When Henson died suddenly in 1990 at age 53, leaving the Muppet world devastated, Big Bird played the same part in real life. At the funeral, Spinney appeared alone on stage in full Big Bird costume and sang “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green,” Kermit’s signature song.

“It was extraordinarily moving,” Oz said in the Spinney documentary. “It tore people up.”

Spinney said he was crying under the feathers but he got through the song, looking at the sky and saying, “Thank you Kermit,” before walking off.

Sesame Street co-founder Joan Ganz Cooney said Sunday that Spinney, her longtime colleague and friend, “not only gave us Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, he gave so much of himself as well.”

“We at Sesame Workshop mourn his passing and feel an immense gratitude for all he has given to Sesame Street and to children around the world,” she said.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


Dixie State women’s soccer stopped by Western Washington in Division II Elite 8

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ST. GEORGE — The Dixie State women’s soccer team made a cinderella run into the Elite 8 after beating both the No.1 and No. 2 seeds along the way. They finally met their match in the seventh-ranked team in the nation, Western Washington.

The game was scoreless until the 15:50 mark in the first half when Western Washington was able to find the back of the net to give them the 1-0 lead. Western Washington outshot the Trailblazers 14-2, including a 6-1 advantage in shots on goal, in the first half of play. Western Washington then scored twice in the second half, getting the shutout victory over the Trailblazers. DSU had only three shots the entire game.

The Trailblazers finished the season 12-4-6 overall, with three victories in the tournament and a South Central region championship.

Western Washington moves on to play in the Division II women’s soccer Final Four in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Strong fall storm prompts flash flood warning for Washington County, Zion

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ST. GEORGE — Heavy precipitation has prompted officials from National Weather Service in Salt Lake City to issue a flash flood warning for east central Washington County in southwestern Utah until 5 p.m. Sunday.

Shaded areas denote regions subject to flash flood watch. | Image courtesy of the National Weather Service, St. George News

According to the National Weather Service website, at approximately 1:56 p.m., flash flooding was reported by park rangers in Zion National Park. Officials expect slot canyons and washes within the park to continue to see flash flooding conditions through late afternoon.

More rainfall is expected and authorities recommend remaining alert for flooding, even in locations that are not currently receiving precipitation.

Flash flooding is a rapid and extreme water flow of high water in a normally dry area. It is one of the most common hazard in the United States.

“Dry washes, streams and rivers can become raging killer currents in a matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall” the website stated. “It is important to know where you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become killers in heavy rains.”

Flooding is occurring now or is imminent. Campers and hikers are advised to seek higher ground and to avoid streams or creeks while the warning is in place.

As with any flood emergency, stay tuned to official weather reports via radio, television and social media. Cell phone users can also sign up to receive weather alerts as text messages. You can also follow St. George News and Cedar City News for weather alerts and updates relevant to Southern Utah.

For the most current conditions, warnings and advisories, go to the National Weather Service-Salt Lake City office website. Additional information on winter driving can be found at the UDOT website, as well as UDOT’s Commuterlink for current road and weather conditions, or dial 511.

Email: apinckney@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews 

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

‘It’s not normal’; UHP hopes to assess section of I-15 after 8 semis lose control over 2 weeks

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ST. GEORGE — Utah Highway Patrol is asking engineers to assess a section of Interstate 15 just north of Leeds after eight semi-trucks have rolled or slid off of the road over the past two weeks.

A semitractor-trailer is seen on its side near Pintura on the southbound side of Interstate 15 on the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. The incident and another nearby at around the same time were the seventh and eighth involving a semi in the last two weeks in the area. | Photo by Shane Brinkerhoff, St. George News

UHP Sgt. Jake Hicks told St. George News this many incidents is not normal but does seem to be following a pattern, which is concerning for UHP troopers. Most of the accidents have occurred near the Anderson Junction and Toquerville offramp of the I-15.

“It’s not normal to have this many crashes, especially with semi trucks, in this location,” he said. “This is uncommon, and I know it’s being looked into. We’re just like everyone else, we want to know why this is happening.”

UHP doesn’t engineer highways, Hicks said, but the organization is working with the Utah Department of Transportation to investigate the potential causes. The bottom line, he said, is that people need to slow down.

The latest two accidents involving semis in the general area took place right around the same time after 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

A semi hauling two trailers overturned at mile marker 33 near Pintura. The truck was overturned on the right shoulder but still effectively blocked the right lane of the southbound I-15.

Five miles further south, at mile marker 28, a semi jackknifed, with the trailer portion falling to its side. This time, the far left lane was blocked.

Earlier Sunday afternoon at 12:15 p.m., a FedEx semi pulling two trailers hit a patch of wet road during heavy rainfall and felt his trailers begin to jackknife on southbound I-15 near mile marker 30, Hicks said. The driver was able to keep the semi on its wheels as slid off of the road and into the median. There were no injuries, and traffic was not impacted, which Hicks said was very lucky.

On Saturday just after 4:30 p.m., a southbound semi lost control and rolled off the interstate. Troopers responded to the incident near mile marker 29 where the semi had traveled 30-50 feet off the roadway before falling 15 feet into the ditch.

The rear end of the semi’s trailer was blocking traffic in the inner lane, and the driver was stuck in the car due to the nature of the incident. Adams said troopers were able to get the 44-year-old man out of the vehicle before medical teams arrived. The driver was medically assessed at the scene and signed a waiver, ultimately choosing not to be transported to the nearest hospital.

A jackknifed semitractor-trailer at mile marker 28, 5 miles north of Leeds on the southbound side of Interstate 15 on the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. The incident and another nearby at around the same time were the seventh and eighth involving a semi in the last two weeks in the area.| Photo by Shane Brinkerhoff, St. George News

The driver told troopers he was traveling in the outside lane and although it wasn’t currently raining, the roads were wet from previous precipitation. The driver said he felt the trailer start to jackknife and attempted to correct to maneuver before he drifted into the left lane and lost control, colliding with the guard rail on the left shoulder.

The semi damaged about 300 feet of the guard rail before the truck rolled off the embankment. The truck — a 2017 Freightliner with a total weight of about 57,000 lbs. — landed on its right, passenger side.

Traffic in the area was reduced to one lane for upwards of six hours as troopers cleared the scene. Utah Department of Transportation Incident Management were on scene with electronic boards warning drivers of the slow down and asking them to reduce their speeds.

As drivers approached the scene and vehicles experienced stop-and-go traffic, two additional accidents at mile marker 31 occurred at 7:45 p.m. Adams said a vehicle in the left lane was barely able to stop after approaching a vehicle that had stopped to merge into the only open lane. Another vehicle couldn’t make the quick stop and rear-ended the driver, which in turn hit the car in front of it.

Moments later in the same lane, another vehicle collided into a different stopped vehicle. Five vehicles, in total, were involved in the two collisions.

“That’s due to the people who don’t pay attention to the traffic signs and the warning signs,” Adams said. “It’s a result of people not looking at those boards and looking ahead and paying attention to the roadway.”

The Hurricane Valley Fire Department, Hurricane Valley EMS, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the incident. The scene was cleared just before 10:30 p.m.

Officials respond to the scene of a single-vehicle rollover on Interstate 15 involving a semi, Toquerville, Utah, Dec. 7, 2019 | Photo by Ryne Williams, St. George News

Saturday’s incident is still under investigation as officials wait for the trucking company to send them information from the truck’s computer.

As winter approaches and with parts of Southern Utah already experiencing freezing temperatures, the roads become slick and more dangerous.

“We need to slow down and reduce our speeds in any sort of inclement weather,” Adams said.

While first responders were attempting to clear the scene of all three accidents, and even with the computerized signs from UDOT asking drivers to slow down, Adams said there were a number of vehicles that sped past officers well over the posted speed limit.

Updated Dec. 8 at 5:06 p.m. – Since the initial publishing of this story, two more incidents involving semitractor-trailers occurred Sunday afternoon in the same area that is delaying traffic. Motorists are advised to use caution and expect delays traveling through this area.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Magical moment from Knight helps Southern Utah men’s basketball beat Utah Valley

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CEDAR CITY — After a rare lapse on defense, the Southern Utah men’s basketball team needed late heroics to pull off a 73-72 victory over Utah Valley Saturday night at the America First Event Center.

John Knight III celebrates his game-winning shot against Utah Valley University at Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 7, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

SUU started off the game relaxed on defense, something that hadn’t really been seen from them, and the Wolverines jumped on them. UVU controlled the game up until about the 15-minute mark. The Thunderbirds were down by 12 but they continued to chip away at the lead. With five minutes left in the game, SUU was down one but they continued to fight.

With eight seconds left, SUU had the ball down by one. What happened next was magical.

John Knight III caught the ball, got to the rim and finished a layup to give the Thunderbirds the lead and the win.

“The original play was side zip, he (Dwayne Morgan) was supposed to screen down for me,” Knight III said. “When he saw number 11 on me, we pride ourselves on being big guards so when we get a little guard on us we have to take advantage. It just so happened that coach saw it and he believed me to get the ball.”

The Thunderbirds did not have any answers for UVU’s offense in the first half. The Wolverines were passing up good shots for great shots and they were converting. The Wolverines guards were abusing SUU defenders, and easily getting to the rim. That seemed to change when Damani McEntire got in the game. He immediately got a steal for a breakaway layup and forced the UVU guards to work more than they had been.

“He’s one of the better on ball defenders that I’ve ever coached. As he gets more experience, he’s going to be a significant weapon because nobody wants to go through him guarding you for any stretch of time.”

McEntire finished the game with a plus-minus of 13, which means that the Thunderbirds outscored the Wolverines by 13 when McEntire was on the floor. His performance was no surprise to Morgan and Knight III even said he looked like an upperclassmen, not a freshman.

“We deal with that every day in practice,” Morgan said. “It’s not really nothing new, we were just happy to see him actually show that in a real game and see what he’s capable of doing. When it comes to our freshman, the standard that we hold all of our freshman to, he probably gets held to the highest standard everyday. I’m proud of him.”

The Thunderbirds were down four at the half and then Utah Valley jumped on them early in the second half, getting their biggest lead of the game at the 14:15 mark. SUU was down 12, and it looked like the Wolverines weren’t going to stop.

At about the 10 minute mark, after a Wolverine flopping violation resulted in a technical foul, SUU went on a quick three-point swing and were down five. Maizen Fausett, coming back into the game after recovering from an elbow to the face, hit a quick three, took a charge and then got an offensive rebound that he laid back in.

“Felt good,” Fausett said of that string of plays. “I’ve been kind of struggling the last couple games. It felt good to finally do what I know I can do, perform and help my team out.”

All of the sudden, it was a one-point game with 4 minutes left. The America First Events Center was rocking, with the packed student section making an immense amount of noise.

Harrison Butler (15) faces the defense of Utah Valley University at Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 7, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“I honestly think that was the loudest the center has been since I’ve been here,” Morgan said.

The noise climaxed with a Cam Oluyitan breakaway dunk that brought the house down. SUU had their first lead since the beginning of the game. When asked about what he thought after that play, Morgan said he knew it was over.

“Seeing Cam dunk is a rare sight, so when I saw him dunk I was so happy for my boy,” Knight III said. “I haven’t seen him dunk since last year, and that’s including practice.”

It was a back and forth game for the last minute, ending with the Knight III layup that captured the victory for the Thunderbirds. The one thing that was consistent throughout the game was the energy that the student section and the fans brought. Head coach Todd Simon said that it was unlike anything he had ever coached.

Cam Oluyitan led the way with 19 points for the Thunderbirds, with Knight III, Morgan and Fausett all right behind with double-digit scoring.

As soon as the game ended, the whole team ran into the student section and posed for a picture.

“They gave us momentum,” Knight III said of the student section. “They were rocking the whole game so we had to show our appreciation for them coming out. They didn’t have to and they came out and supported us.”

After the game, everyone was in high spirits, but as Morgan was walking into the locker room he harped on the fact that they always take the tough road.

They dug themselves a big hole in the first half, and it started with their defense.

“That was the worst we played defensively in the first half,” Simon said. “We haven’t done that this year. We weren’t spectacular at [Loyola Marymount] but we were a little short handed. But here with our guys we just weren’t very good. We were a step late, just putting ourselves in bad situations. Luckily, they calmed down and kept those guys in front a little bit better and settled into a pretty big run after that.”

The shooting struggles also continued, regardless of the win, but it never seemed to faze the Thunderbirds. They continued to work, never showing any hesitancy.

“To be honest, it starts with the team,” Morgan said. “We all hold each other to a certain standard and we all instill confidence in each other. If some things don’t go right we all know that we’re all talented enough to get back on the right track.”

Maizen Fausett of SUU hits a 3-pointer, Utah Valley University at Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 7, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

After taking some close loses on a long road trip, this win was a big one for SUU. They were extremely close to getting a win against BYU, they almost got a win against UCLA and couldn’t quite handle LMU. This was their first home game against a Division I opponent on the season, and it was easy to see the team was happy to be back home.

“It means a lot because we let a couple games slip that we for sure know we weren’t supposed to let slip,” Morgan said. “It’s a long season, so with that being said we’ll enjoy today, but we got another home game Saturday. Just put on another show.”

That game, at 2 p.m. next Saturday at home, will be against a good UC Santa Barbara team. Some picked the Gauchos to win the Big West this season and they are currently on a five-game winning streak.

The tough non-conference schedule continues for SUU, but at least they’re home.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Flags in state to fly at half-mast Monday to honor soldier killed in Afghanistan

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ST. GEORGE — The governor of Utah has ordered flags in the state to be lowered to half-mast Monday to honor a Utah resident killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan.

Gov. Gary R. Herbert has ordered the lowering of the flag of the United States of America and the flag of the State of Utah on Monday to honor the life and service of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk T. Fuchigami Jr., who will be laid to rest that day at Brigham City Cemetery.

Fuchigami was killed in the line of duty on November 20 in Afghanistan. Military officials said his helicopter crashed while providing security for troops on the ground.

“I was deeply saddened to hear of his death during line of duty while defending and protecting our country,” Herbert said. “His sacrifice and dedication will never be forgotten.”

Flags will be flown at half-staff at all state facilities and public grounds from sunrise until sunset on Monday. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a mark of respect.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Pregnant woman transported by Life Flight from accident on Old Highway 91

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ST. GEORGE — A pregnant woman was transported by Intermountain Life Flight to Dixie Regional Medical Center following a two-vehicle head-on collision on Old Highway 91 Sunday afternoon.

Scene of a two-vehicle head-on collision near mile marker 7 on Old Highway 91, Utah, Dec. 8, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Santa Clara/ Ivins Fire Chief Randy Hancey, St. George News

Firefighters from the Santa Clara/Ivins Fire Department were alerted to an accident near the Utah-Arizona border at approximately 4 p.m. Fire Chief Randy Hancey said the accident happened close to a dangerous blind curve by mile marker 7.

When first responders arrived, they found a red Subaru station wagon with its front end destroyed stuck in the middle of the roadway and a Chevy four-wheel drive truck pulled off to one side, slammed into some bushes. Because initial reports indicated that a pregnant woman was trapped in the Subaru, first responders rushed to the scene with extrication equipment on standby. However, according to Hancey, just a little manual force opened the door and they quickly got her out of the vehicle.

Because of the nature of her injuries and condition, Intermountain Life Flight was called and she was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center for evaluation.

The driver of the Subaru also had to be manually extricated and was placed on a backboard and removed from the vehicle. The driver of the Chevy truck also suffered injuries as a result of the collision.

Scene of a two-vehicle head-on collision near mile marker 7 on Old Highway 91, Utah, Dec. 8, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Santa Clara/ Ivins Fire Chief Randy Hancey, St. George News

From what Hancey could tell, all of the injuries were non-life threatening and the drivers were transported by ambulance to Dixie Regional Medical Center.

“There’s some pretty mean turns right there coming up over the hill,” he said, adding that it was very fortunate that it wasn’t a worse accident. “People get going too fast. People think they can still go the same speed but you need to slow down, choose caution.”

At the time of this report, the cause of the accident was unknown and deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s office were on-site to help clear the accident and investigate.

Because of the increase in travelers on Old Highway 91 due to the ongoing construction on Interstate 15 in the Virgin River Gorge, Hancey said there have been several accidents in that same area because of those turns. With all of the steep and blind turns out on that stretch of road, he advised people slow down, especially when weather is bad.

“We’re very fortunate that it didn’t end up a fatality,” Hancey said. “Just be careful out there because it’s not really highway speed with all those turns on Highway 91.”

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Dixie State basketball teams sweep Black Hills State

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ST. GEORGE — The Trailblazers women’s team bounced back on Saturday after a tough overtime loss to get a big win over Black Hills State, 71-65. The men’s team controlled Black Hills State for most of their game Saturday night, and got a 76-54 win to cap off the weekend.

Trailblazer women respond to beat Black Hills State

After another slow start and a six-point deficit at the half, DSU was able to get their offense going and lock in on defense to get the win. Dixie had three players score in double figures, while every player who got on the floor scored at least twice.

Deshka Olson came off the bench with a career-high 14 points in only 13 minutes played while Ali Franks had 10 points and Keslee Stevenson had 12 points.

“We responded to being bad again in the first half,” head coach JD Gustin said of the game. “It was like four quarters last night and then two quarters tonight and you’re like, where’s the energy, the enthusiasm, the will to want to play. Then we got it from our bench in the second half, it was so fun. Deshka (Olson) and Bri (Breaunna Gillen) I thought, were the catalysts in the whole win.”

Gustin spoke a little bit about Olson and her story. It’s always telling of a player’s performance when they score more points then minutes played.

“Can’t beat that,” Gustin said. “She’s been out with a foot injury for a long time. She has a really unique story. She thought this was her junior year, now it’s going to be her senior year because we’re going Division I. For her to finally get a moment, she deserves it.”

Another player that stood out was London Pavlica, who had 8 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. She played a big role in the Trailblazers comeback win.

She also was a major contributor for DSU as they made a late push against South Dakota Mines on Friday.

“She’s just a tough kid that brings a ton of energy and just a toughness that we’re trying to get our whole team to have,” Gusting said. “She definitely gave us a spark last night and we tried to carry that over to tonight.”

On Friday against SD Mines, the Trailblazers dealt with a knee injury when freshman Emily Isaacson went down and could not continue. She was not dressed for their game on Saturday, but was on the bench wearing a knee brace. Gustin said that the injury had an effect on not only him, but his team.

DSU women’s basketball vs Black Hills State, St. George, Utah, Dec. 7, 2019 | Photo by Dave Larson, St. George News

He referred to his players as his kids, and he was quick to bring that loss up. She was one of their first bigs off the bench, and it will definitely be something to look for going forward. Luckily some bigs stepped up off the bench to fill the hole left with Isaacson out.

“Being at home, last night was a really tough loss, but to our team’s credit they could have folded tonight because Black Hills is better than that team last night,” Gustin said. “Just to respond to last night and then that first half is the main thing I’m taking away from it.”

The Trailblazers are on the road next week against New Mexico Highlands and Colorado State University-Pueblo.

Trailblazers men’s basketball locks down Black Hills State, gets blowout win

The Trailblazers started off the game a bit slow, similar to their game Friday, but they took off in the second half to get the win, 76-54. They were only up by seven at the half, but they outscored Black hills state by 15 in the second. DSU had complete control of the game for all 40 minutes.

“Tonight I felt like it was an all around good, great game,” head coach Jon Judkins said. “Defensively, offensively, the energy, it was probably the best we’ve played all year.”

DSU men’s basketball vs Black Hills State, St. George, Utah, Dec. 7, 2019 | Photo by Dave Larson, St. George News

Jack Pagenkopf and Hunter Schofield led the way with 19 points each, while Dason Youngblood was close behind with 10 points.

In the second half Black Hills was only able to attempt 20 shots total, which showed just how well DSU’s defense played. A key to that was their consistent switching between man-to-man defense and a matchup zone defense. This gave Black hills problems, and it showed both during the game and in the stat sheet.

“I think it’s fine for us we just confuse the other team,” Youngblood said of their defensive switches. “If we’re in man too long, they get comfortable and we switch to matchup zone, they don’t know what to do. It’s hard for them.”

When asked about how he chooses to switch defenses, Judkins said it’s all about reading a team’s rhythm during the game.

“I do that a lot when I see teams kind of get into that rhythm. You got to get them out, either by pressing or changing up your defenses and that’s kind of why I did that.”

The Trailblazers had such a large lead that they were able to clear out the bench and give some players who don’t get to see the floor some playing time.

The energy on the bench built up as those players came in, but one thing really stood out. Even with a large lead, the Trailblazers were still diving on loose balls and making hustle plays.

DSU men’s basketball vs Black Hills State, St. George, Utah, Dec. 7, 2019 | Photo by Dave Larson, St. George News

“It was fun for them,” Judkins said. “The starters gave them high fives and they came out. Jacob gets on the floor for a loose ball and the game is over but he’s still playing hard. Those are the things I tell my bench, when you come in the game, don’t try to show me that I made a mistake and you’re going to cast and start scoring. That’s not what I’m looking for, I’m looking for guys that will play defense, that’ll hustle, get rebounds and loose balls.”

With the Trailblazers currently ranked No. 16 in the coaches poll and No. 15 in the SID poll, they always have a target on their backs. They will see everyone’s best game, but Youngblood said he’s not too worried about that.

“It’s just a ranking, it doesn’t really matter,” Youngblood said. “We just got to take care of business.”

DSU goes on the road next weekend with another Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference  doubleheader against New Mexico Highlands on Friday and Colorado State University-Pueblo on Saturday.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.


SUU Community on the Go leads exploration to site of World War II battle

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CEDAR CITY — Southern Utah University staff recently helped educate a group of travelers visiting the site of a famous World War II battle in Belgium.

Travelers visit historical sites near the Battle of the Bulge during their Oct. 2019 trip with SUU Community on the Go | Photo courtesy of Southern Utah University, St. George News / Cedar City News

In what was once called “the greatest American battle of the war” by Winston Churchill, the Battle of the Bulge was Adolf Hitler’s last major offensive in World War II.

Almost 75 years to the day after this historic battle, SUU Community on the Go travelers took to the skies to revisit some of the most historical war sites from World War II. Beginning in Amsterdam, the voyage continued through Maastricht, Bastogne, Luxembourg, Cologne and concluded in Frankfurt.

The trip was led by SUU staff and faculty experts who guided the travelers through historic site battles, museums and local restaurants, while also getting some free time to spend with their loved ones.

“The main reason I took this trip was because of the educational aspect, and the professors and professionals who provided it — they were very knowledgeable and provided the right amount of educational instruction,” Roger Carter, Washington City manager, said in a press release from SUU. “But my favorite part was the way the other participants were able to share their personal stories of family members who served in this theatre of war. It was very moving.”

Travelers visit historical sites near the Battle of the Bulge during their Oct. 2019 trip with SUU Community on the Go | Photo courtesy of Southern Utah University, St. George News / Cedar City News

Located in the remote hills of Belgium, Hitler’s plot was to split the Allies during their trek toward Germany. The German troops failed to divide Britain, France and America, and the Allied victory in the Ardennes Mountains is often heralded as the beginning of the end for Hitler’s reign.

That same moving sentiment is what trip participant Valerie Turek remembers as well.

“To see the places our American veterans fought for the freedom of others in person, and to learn about the experiences they endured has been life changing for me,” Turek said. “I learned a lot about the character of a World War II American soldier and I am grateful I had this experience.”

The SUU Community on the Go program will take travelers to Italy in March and the savannas of Africa in May.

Community on the Go offers culturally immersive, international travel experiences led by SUU faculty experts four times a year. Trips accommodate approximately 20-30 travelers and are designed to explore various parts of the world in fun, affordable and educational settings.

Activities are flexible and designed using community feedback. More than 250 participants have traveled with the program since its inception in 2017.

For more information on upcoming trips, visit the Community on the Go website, email onthego@suu.edu or call 435-865-8259.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Hurricane pawn shop manager takes quick action to save falling baby

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HURRICANE — Surveillance video from inside a pawn shop in Southern Utah shows a store employee saving a child from what could have been a dangerous tumble.

According to a report from Fox13Now, two adult women were shopping for a firearm Saturday inside Family Pawn when the incident happened.

As they were looking over a gun, one of the women placed a young child on the store’s counter. The child is seen in the video starting to lose its balance and then falling toward the floor.

Luckily, store manager Bill Reel was walking a few feet away and noticed the child in the dangerous situation.

“I reacted, probably within an eighth of a second,” Reel said. “I saw the baby bob just enough to show me that it could barely hold itself up and I just ran toward it.”

The video shows Reel catching the child a few feet before hitting the ground.

Read the full story with video here:  Fox13Now.com

Written by JOHN FRANCHI, Fox13Now.com

Copyright 2019, KSTU. A Tribune broadcasting station

Top 5 weekend stories on St. George News

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ST. GEORGE — In case you missed it, here is your weekend recap of the top five most viewed stories published on St. George News from Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7-8.

See the related stories at the bottom of this page for five honorable mention stories.


‘It’s not normal’; UHP hopes to assess section of I-15 after 8 semis lose control over 2 weeks

Officials respond to the scene of a single-vehicle rollover on Interstate 15 involving a semi, Toquerville, Utah, Dec. 7, 2019 | Photo by Ryne Williams, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Utah Highway Patrol is asking engineers to assess a section of Interstate 15 just north of Leeds after eight semi-trucks have rolled or slid off of the road over the past two weeks.

Read complete story here.


The USS Utah; the ‘forgotten battleship’ of Pearl Harbor 

USS Utah Memorial, Hawaii, June 11, 2016 | Photo by Mark Miller via Wikimedia Commons, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Seventy-eight years ago at 8:01 a.m., Dec. 7, 1941, “a date that will live in infamy,” the USS Utah was broadsided as its first torpedo hit during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Moments later, a second torpedo slammed into the battleship causing serious flooding.

Read complete story here.


Pregnant woman transported by Life Flight from accident on Old Highway 91

Scene of a two-vehicle head-on collision near mile marker 7 on Old Highway 91, Utah, Dec. 8, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Santa Clara/ Ivins Fire Chief Randy Hancey, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A pregnant woman was transported by Intermountain Life Flight to Dixie Regional Medical Center following a two-vehicle head-on collision on Old Highway 91 Sunday afternoon.

Read complete story here.


Search and rescue makes 122nd save of the year, carrying injured hiker almost 2 miles through sand, rocks

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue teams carry an injured hiker almost 2 miles through sand and rocks, Gunlock, Utah, Dec. 6, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Search and rescue teams carried an injured hiker nearly 2 miles after he couldn’t complete a trail Friday afternoon.

Washington County Sheriff’s Sgt. Darrell Cashin told St. George News his team was contacted at 11:15 a.m. after a man slipped and injured his leg at the Vortex near Lower Sand Cove Reservoir in Gunlock.

Read complete story here.


Typo results in Utah home getting overvalued to nearly $1 billion, and Wasatch County taxpayers are on the hook

Stock image | Photo by Getty Images, St. George News

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah officials say a possible dropped phone resulted in a typo that overvalued a home for almost $1 billion.

Read complete story here.


The top five honorable mention stories can be found below in the related stories.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

‘Things could have been a lot worse’; Officials investigate rollover in Washington City

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ST. GEORGE — Washington City officials responded to the scene of a single-vehicle rollover as the fog began to lift Monday morning.

Washington City officials respond to the scene of a single-vehicle rollover, Washington, Utah, Dec. 9, 2019 | Photo by Ryann Richardson, St. George News

Washington City Police Lt. Kory Klotz told St. George New that first responders were called to the incident after the driver of a silver Jeep Cherokee traveling south on North Playa Della Rosita lost control and collided with a parked vehicle. The force of the collision caused the Jeep to spin before rolling.

The Jeep came to a stop on its roof, and the driver of the vehicle was trapped inside when officers arrived at the scene. The driver was wearing his seat belt, which Klotz said kept him from being ejected during the roll.

“Things could have been a lot worse without a seat belt.”

Although the cause of the rollover is still under investigation, Klotz said the driver has a history of diabetes and could have been having an insulin reaction when he lost control of the vehicle. No citations have been issued at this point as the investigation is still ongoing.

The driver was transported to Dixie Regional Medical Center via Gold Cross Ambulance with a possible chest injury. Once he has been cleared, police will speak with him about the incident as a part of their investigation.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

Break the ‘revolving’ cycle of addiction; find solutions at Shadow Mountain Detox

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CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — “Hopeless. Helpless. Paralyzed. Rock bottom. A disappointment. Failure.” Sound familiar? These are a few of the words used by those affected to describe one of the most common, yet treatable diseases: a substance use disorder, more commonly known as addiction.  

Shadow Mountain Detox Hospital, Oct. 2, 2019, St. George, Utah | Photo by Andrew Pinckney, St. George News

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website, people from all backgrounds experience addiction. Addiction doesn’t care how old you are, how much money you make or the color of your skin; it has no bias. 

While the initial choice to use a drug is often voluntary, the powerful effects of addiction makes it very hard to stop, even if someone wants to.

Addiction is a chronic and treatable disease. Using drugs repeatedly changes the brain, including the parts that help exert self-control, and that is why someone may not be able to stop using drugs even if they know the drug is causing harm or they feel ready to stop. Treatment helps people disrupt addiction’s powerful effects on the brain and behavior and regain control of their lives.

Shadow Mountain Detox Hospital has been serving the Southern Utah and surrounding areas for over five years and is a premier provider of substance abuse recovery services in the western United States. It is the only Joint Commission accredited inpatient specialty medical detox facility between Las Vegas, Nevada, and northern Utah.  

“Over the past five years we have seen the dramatic impact substance abuse has had on our community,” said Justin Brinkerhoff, attending physician for Shadow Mountain Detox. “The biggest impact we have experienced, despite our best efforts with community partners, has been the ‘revolving’ nature of this epidemic.”

It has only been a few years since the Center for Medicare Services defined substance abuse and dependence as “a disease,” Brinkerhoff said. Since then, there has been a major paradigm shift in treating substance use disorders.  

This shift includes a major transformation from an abstinence/psychotherapeutic-only based approach to treating individuals with these disorders as having a disease, like a chronic medical condition. Evidence has shown tremendous efficacy to treating individuals in this manner.  

Shadow Mountain Detox Hospital is excited to announce the addition of outpatient medication assisted therapy  to the current spectrum of detoxification services at their St. George campus. 

“With the addition of this vital aspect of substance abuse recovery, we will continue offering cutting edge, evidence-based treatment for this devastating disease,” Brinkerhoff said, adding that treatment options for substance use disorders are as unique as the individuals being treated.  

For years, the basis for treatment has been detox, followed by a psychotherapeutic and supportive approach. These treatment modalities are still an integral part of the recovery spectrum and are still needed for successful recovery. However, the addition of medication-assisted therapy can specifically target brain receptors that are causing  the involuntary drive to use these substances.   

Like other chronic diseases, it is possible to manage addiction, but finding the right solution may take a few attempts to get things right. 

Don’t let the tentacles of addiction control your life and the lives of your family. The full spectrum of detoxification services is available right now in Southern Utah at Shadow Mountain Detox Hospital. 

Call for more information at 435-222-0778 or 1-800-203-8249.

• S P O N S O R E D   C O N T E N T •

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