St George News

ST. GEORGE – The Region 9 basketball season is taking off this week. The girls teams in the region are welcoming back much of last year’s talent. A poll was conducted by the region’s coaches as to predicted order of finish and to who the impact players would be in Region 9 this year. Cedar was picked to repeat as region champions by four of the six teams. Snow Canyon finished second in the balloting. Below are the results of the coaches’ picks:

1. Cedar 33 (4)
2. Snow Canyon 29 (2)
3. Desert Hills 23
4. Pine View 21
5. Hurricane 13
6. Dixie 7

In the ballots for players, coaches were asked to select five players in any order not on their team. Three girls were listed on each of the opposing coaches ballots. Below are the results of the player ballots:

1. Ashley Beckstrand, Desert Hills (5)
2. Courtney Morley, Cedar (5)
3. Madison Mooring, Snow Canyon (5)
4. Tayvia Ah Quin, Pine View (3)
5. Shana Foley, Cedar (3)

Others receiving votes: Claire Newby (Pine View) (2), Ellie Williams (Desert Hills) (2), Dream Weaver (Cedar), Morgan Myers (Cedar), Nikenna Durante (Snow Canyon). McKenzie Done from Desert Hills also received two votes but has decided not to play this year.

Below is a small preseason capsule for each team.

Cedar Lady Reds
Coach: John Elison
2014-15 record: 19-4 overall; 12-0 in region (1st)
Postseason result: Lost to Morgan in quarterfinals, 50-43
Returning players: Courtney Morley, Shana Foley, Morgan Myers, Prescilla Ziegler, Jessica Whetman.
New impact players: Carly Davis, Dream Weaver, Maisie Elison
Outlook: Cedar dominated region last year, finishing unscathed. The Lady Reds return a powerful nucleus from that squad and add more talent. It is hard to pick against them to win the region this year with so much depth and experience.

Snow Canyon Warriors
Coach: Dan Roden
2014-15 record: 10-13 overall; 7-5 in region (3rd)
Postseason result: Lost to Juab in first round, 59-32
Returning players: Madison Mooring, Nikenna Durante, Natalie Coulam, Shaylee Reed
New impact players: Lindsy McConnell, Sedale Sanden, Jaime Brown, Sydnie Hoskins, Sydney Bott
Outlook: Coach Roden has a senior-laden (8) and experienced roster. Snow Canyon’s strength is its backcourt. Mooring and Durante can both get to the basket. After a rough start last season, the Warriors finished strong, winning eight of their last 11 games.

Desert Hills Thunder
Coach: Ron Denos
2014-15 record: 15-8 overall; 8-4 in region (2nd)
Postseason result: Lost to Juan Diego in quarterfinals, 73-58
Returning players: Ashley Beckstrand, Rylee Jensen, Kylie Williams
Other impact players: Ellie Williams
Outlook: Two years removed from a state championship and a year removed from a tumultuous season that saw a coaching change midyear, the Thunder rebounded and won eight of their last nine heading into last year’s playoffs. Three-year starter Beckstrand returns, but Desert Hills will not have McKenzie Done back. Done is graduating early and is moving on. Coach Denos prioritizes defense and the Thunder get the ball up and down the floor quickly. The Thunder have several juniors on the team with good varsity experience.

Pine View Panthers
Coach: Chris Brinagh
2014-15 record: 10-9 overall; 6-6 in region (4th)
Postseason result: Lost to Carbon in first round, 50-48
Returning players: Tayvia Ah Quin, Claire Newby, Natasha Fiame, Sarrah Pierce, Stafanie Gleave, Brooklynn Kauvaka
New impact players: Breana Moeai
Outlook: The Panthers were picked in the top half on three of the ballots. They return vast amount of experience and depth. Four out of five starters return, including Ah Quin, who recently signed with Dixie State. Newby impressed many last year as a freshman. The Panthers are fundamentally sound and play disciplined. They will be strong inside with four players above 5-foot-10.

Hurricane Tigers
Coach: Franci Homer
2014-15 record: 3-18 overall; 1-11 in region (7th)
Postseason result: None
Returning players: Morgan Huntsman, Carrie Marshall, Taylor Anderson, Jayden Langford
New impact players: Lexy Lyons, Kylie Stevens, Holland Steglich
Outlook: The Tigers went through some growing pains last year and are maybe one or two years away, even still. This year’s team has four seniors and one junior. A talented sophomore class will get a bulk of the minutes.

Dixie Flyers
Coach: Jaime Araiza
2014-15 record: 11-10 overall; 3-9 in region (6th)
Postseason result: None
Returning players: Taylor Whitson, Kelsie Barker, Grace Killian
New impact players: Jessie Webb, Lexie Paxton, Kiesha Jones
Outlook: Dixie lost Alexis Estridge and Aubrey Challis to graduation. Coach Araiza believes this year’s team will have more balanced scoring. The Flyers plan to go 9-10 players deep and utilize a full-court press on defense and and up-tempo full-court offense.

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL MASTER SCHEDULE

***All times are 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

November 24-Water Canyon @ Hurricane, Beaver @ Dixie

December 1-Hurricane @ Beaver, Cedar @ Canyon View

December 2-Pine View @ Kanab

December 4-Centennial @ Cedar (5:00), Hurricane @ North Sanpete, Springville @ Pine View, Salem Hills @ Desert Hills

December 5-Springville @ Cedar (4:00), Hurricane @ Manti (5:00), Dixie @ Canyon View (5:00)

December 8-Canyon View @ Hurricane, Cedar @ Enterprise, Snow Canyon @ Virgin Valley

December 10-Canyon View @ Snow Canyon, Enterprise @ Pine View (PVMS)

December 11-Juab @ Hurricane, Richfield @ Pine View, Green Valley @ Dixie (DMS-5:15)

December 12-Wasatch @ Dixie (DMS-9:00), Richfield @ Hurricane (3:00), Spring Valley @ Dixie (DMS-5:00)

December 15-Hurricane @ Enterprise, Canyon View @ Cedar, Bryce Valley @ Pine View

December 17-Snow Canyon @ Richfield, Desert Hills @ Pine View (PVMS)

December 18-Cedar v. Delta (Richfield-4:00), Hurricane v. South Sevier (Richfield-5:30), Cyprus v. Pine View (Grantsville-6:15), Dixie v. Foothill (Virgin Valley), Desert Hills v Stansbury (Tooele), Snow Canyon v. Tooele (Richfield)

December 19-Hurricane v. Delta (Richfield-10:30), Grantsville v. Pine View (Grantsville-10:30), Cedar v. Juan Diego (Richfield-1:30), Stansbury v. Pine View (Stansbury-3:00), Snow Canyon v. Stansbury, Snow Canyon v. Ben Lomond, Dixie v. TBD (Virgin Valley), Desert Hills v. Tooele (Tooele)

December 22-Dixie @ Richfield

December 28-Hurricane v. South Summit (Cedar-1:00), Cedar v. North Sanpete (Cedar), Snow Canyon v. Juab (Cedar), Woods Cross v. Pine View (Cedar)

December 29-Hurricane v. Tooele (Cedar-8:00AM), Cedar v. Panguitch (Cedar-5:00), Snow Canyon v. Woods Cross (Cedar), North Sanpete v. Pine View (Cedar), Dixie v. North Sevier (Enterprise)

December 30-Hurricane v. Stansbury (Canyon View-2:00), Cedar v. Woods Cross (Cedar-3:30), Snow Canyon v. North Sanpete (Cedar), Pine View v. Canyon View (Cedar), Dixie v. TBD (Enterprise)

January 5-Enterprise @ Snow Canyon

January 7-Cedar @ Richfield

January 8-Desert Hills @ Arbor View (Las Vegas)

January 12-Desert Hills @ Hurricane, Cedar @ Snow Canyon, Dixie @ Pine View

January 14-Hurricane @ Dixie, Cedar @ Desert Hills, Snow Canyon @ Pine View

January 19-Snow Canyon @ Hurricane, Pine View @ Cedar, Desert Hills @ Dixie

January 21-Hurricane @ Cedar, Dixie @ Snow Canyon, Desert Hills @ Pine View

January 26-Hurricane @ Pine View, Cedar @ Dixie, Snow Canyon @ Desert Hills

January 28-Hurricane @ Desert Hills, Snow Canyon @ Cedar, Pine View @ Dixie

February 2-Dixie @ Hurricane, Desert Hills @ Cedar, Pine View @ Snow Canyon

February 4-Hurricane @ Snow Canyon, Cedar @ Pine View, Dixie @ Desert Hills

February 9-Cedar @ Hurricane, Snow Canyon @ Dixie, Pine View @ Desert Hills

February 11-Pine View @ Hurricane, Dixie @ Cedar, Desert Hills @ Snow Canyon

February 19-INTER REGION

February 25-27-STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Email: sports@stgnews.com

Twitter: @oldschoolag

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WASHINGTON COUNTY — A 200-pound buck crossed state Route 18 just north of Diamond Valley Wednesday morning, leaping over one car safely but landing on the hood of a small truck, sending the buck through the windshield and severely injuring the driver, who was subsequently transported to the hospital by Life Flight.

“There was an orange car coming. (The buck) jumped over her car and landed right on the windshield of (the truck),” eyewitness, Trevor Davenport, of Enterprise, said and added:

It was on (the east side) of the road running full speed (and) jumped from that side of the road. I never even saw it on the road. I thought she had hit it. Eight feet in the air and lands right on the hood of that truck.

“The deer had actually jumped over the northbound car,” Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Pastor said, “and landed on the southbound car immediately after.”

The buck landed on the left side of the truck’s hood, Pastor said, and rebounded into the windshield and roof of the truck, causing extensive damage to the structure of the vehicle.

The man, approximately in his 70s, driving the truck sustained a severe laceration on his neck, Pastor said, and was transported by Life Flight to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George to be treated for his injuries.

State Route 18 was completely shut down from 9:58 a.m. to about 10:30 a.m. in order for Life Flight to land its helicopter.

Speed was not a factor in the incident, Pastor said, and all occupants of the vehicles were wearing their seat belts. No other injuries were reported.

What happens to the meat?

When a deer is killed on the highway, 95 percent of the time the meat is unusable, Division of Wildlife Resources spokesman Lynn Chamberlain said.

“Once they’re hit by a car, they’re really not salvageable as far as eating the meat goes,” Chamberlain said. “Almost all of the time, the meat is wasted.”

Chamberlain said the trauma causes an instant release of a hormone that renders the meat unpalatable.

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

An elderly man was transported to the hospital by Life Flight after a buck jumped onto the hood of his truck on state Route 18 near milepost 14, Washington County, Utah, Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo by Ric Wayman, St. George News

Email: rwayman@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews | @NewsWayman

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SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — Latest: At least two heavily armed attackers opened fire on a banquet at a social services center for the disabled Wednesday, killing 14 people and seriously wounding more than a dozen others in a precision assault that looked “as if they were on a mission,” authorities said.

Hours later, police hunting for the killers riddled a black SUV with gunfire in a shootout two miles from the late-morning carnage, and a man and woman with assault rifles, handguns and “assault-style clothing” were killed, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said.

A third person who was spotted running near the gunbattle was detained, but Burguan said it was unclear if that person had anything to do with the crime.

It was the nation’s deadliest mass shooting since the attack at a school in Newtown, Connecticut, three years ago that left 26 children and adults dead.

Police shed no light on the motive for the massacre, but David Bowdich, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, said the bureau is looking at several possibilities, including workplace violence and terrorism. He did not elaborate.

Two women comfort each other near the scene of a shooting outside a Southern California social services center, where one or more gunmen opened fire, shooting multiple people, San Bernardino, Calif., Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo courtesy of KNBC via AP, St. George News

The attackers invaded the Inland Regional Center and began shooting around 11 a.m. They opened fire in a conference area that the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health had rented out for a banquet, said Marybeth Feild, president and CEO of the nonprofit center.

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Vicki Cervantes said witnesses reported seeing one to three gunmen.

“They came prepared to do what they did, as if they were on a mission,” the police chief said.

Burguan said that someone had left the county employees’ event after “there was some type of dispute,” but investigators were not sure whether that had anything to do with the subsequent massacre in the Southern California city of 214,000 people about 60 miles of Los Angeles.

Authorities also found a potential explosive device at the social service center.

As gunfire echoed through the large three-building complex, several people locked themselves in their offices, desperately waiting to be rescued by police. Some texted their loved ones or telephoned them and whispered to them what was going on.

“People shot. In the office waiting for cops. Pray for us. I am locked in an office,” Terry Petit’s daughter texted him.

Petit, choking back tears as the read the text for reporters at the shooting scene, said his daughter works at the center, where social workers find jobs, housing and transportation and provide other services to people with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

Ten of the wounded were hospitalized in critical condition, and three were in serious condition, Fire Chief Tom Hannemann said.

A first responder attends to a person outside a Southern California social services center, where authorities said multiple people were shot, San Bernardino, Calif., Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo courtesy of KNBC via AP, St. George News

That the violence happened at a place dedicated to helping people with developmental disabilities made it even harder for some to comprehend.

“These are all disabled kids, very disabled,” said Sherry Esquerra, who was searching for her daughter and son-in-law, both of whom work at the center. “She gets all the services she possibly could for these kids. So I just don’t understand why somebody would come in and start shooting.”

FBI agents and other law enforcement authorities converged on the center and searched room to room for the attackers, but they had apparently escaped.

One witness, Glenn Willwerth, who runs a business across the street, said he heard 10 to 15 shots and then saw an SUV with blacked-out windows pull out “very calmly, very slowly” and drive off.

Triage units were set up outside the center, and people were wheeled away on stretchers. Others walked quickly from a building with their hands up so that police could search them and make sure the attackers weren’t trying to slip out.

As the manhunt dragged on, stores, office buildings and at least one school were locked down in the city, and roads were blocked off.

About four hours later, with police looking for a dark SUV, officers staking out a home in the nearby city of Redlands saw a vehicle matching that description leave. They tried to pull it over, the SUV crashed, and a gunbattle broke out around 3 p.m., authorities said. One officer suffered a minor injury.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the attack by his homeland security adviser. He said it was too early to know the shooters’ motives but urged the country to take steps to reduce mass shootings, including stricter gun laws and stronger background checks.

“The one thing we do know is that we have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world, and there’s some steps we could take, not to eliminate every one of these mass shootings, but to improve the odds that they don’t happen as frequently,” Obama told CBS.

A swat team arrives at the scene of a shooting. Police responded to reports of an active shooter at a social services facility, San Bernardino, Calif., Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Doug Saunders/Los Angeles News Group via AP, St. George News

The shooting sounded like “an organized plot,” and preliminary information seems to indicate that “this is personal, and there seems to suggest some element of revenge and retaliation,” said Erroll G. Southers, director of Homegrown Violent Extremism Studies at the University of Southern California and a former FBI agent.

“What it says to me, it’s someone who’s familiar with the facility, it’s someone who knew exactly what room they were going to go to. They knew exactly which way they needed to escape,” Southers said. “They’ve done their homework. They know what the response time in this jurisdiction.”

Marcos Aguilera’s wife was in the building when the gunfire erupted. He said a shooter entered the building next to his wife’s office and opened fire.

“They locked themselves in her office. They seen bodies on the floor,” Aguilera told KABC-TV, adding that his wife was able to get out of the building unharmed.

The social services center has two large buildings that require a badge to get in, said Sheela Stark, an Inland Regional Center board member. However, the conference room where many public events take place — including the banquet on Wednesday — is usually left open when visitors are expected.

Written by AMANDA LEE MYERS, Associated Press, JUSTIN PRITCHARD, Associated Press

Contributing to this report were Brian Melley, John Antczak, Christopher Weber, John Rogers, Christine Armario, Gillian Flaccus and Sue Manning in Los Angeles; Amy Taxin in San Bernardino; Alina Hartounian in Phoenix; Michael Sisak in Philadelphia; and Hannah Cushman in Chicago.

Email: news@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

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COMMENTARY — BYU’s football team got a nice rivalry win in its final regular-season game — a stirring, big-play 51-28 victory over Utah State. So, while the gridders await their bowl fate (bowl invitations are issued this Sunday), let’s talk a bit about basketball.

I must confess — I’m scared.

To me, it seems as if this BYU team could beat any team in the nation … and could lose to just about any team in college basketball as well.

This past week is a perfect example. The Cougars struggled against Mississippi Valley State, pulling out a 75-68 win in the Marriott Center. These Delta Devils are not good. They are currently 0-8, losing to teams like Tennessee Tech (by 37), Gulf Coast (by 34), and New Mexico State (by 39).

And yet, BYU shot just 40 percent in the game and 20 percent from 3-point land. MVSU had the ball, down just five with a minute left before a missed 3 led to a clinching dunk by Kyle Davis.

All this against a very bad team.

BYU students had plenty to cheer about against Belmont. | Photo courtesy BYU Photo

Then Belmont visits Provo. The Bruins, out of the Ohio Valley Conference, aren’t exactly Duke or Carolina, but they are a good program with an NCAA Tournament resume (last year, they lost to No. 2-seed Virginia by 12 points in the first round of the Big Dance). Belmont had already beaten Marquette and were in the game late in a nine-point loss at Arizona State.

But the Cougars destroyed the Bruins in the second half. Down 42-40 at the break, Kyle Collinsworth and the Cougars spent eight intense minutes turning the game into a blowout. At the under 12 timeout, BYU turned that two-point deficit into a 70-56 lead — a 30-14 run that sent the Bruins packing (final score: 95-81). The Cougs hit 13 of 27 3-pointers in the game, 48 percent.

While Cougar fans should be thrilled that they are 4-1, the loss to Long Beach and the close game against Mississippi Valley State are good indicators that BYU is an inconsistent team.

So, what’s to be done about it. Well, nothing. That’s the way this team is set up. BYU’s heart and soul is offense, and particularly the 3-pointer. When it’s hitting (like in the second half vs. Belmont), the Cougars are nearly unbeatable. Chase Fischer and Nick Emery are streaky and when they get hot, well, batten down the hatches.

It’s fun to watch and it’s helped BYU gain some fantastic accolades over the past decade. Remember Jimmer Fredette and Tyler Haws? Those guys were great college players, but without the up-tempo, bombs-away system that Dave Rose runs, they don’t score as many points as they did, and thusly, don’t win as many awards.

So, for better or for worse, BYU is going to keep bombing away. Some nights, the buckets will come fast and furious.

But on other nights, the shots won’t fall.

And that can be downright scary.

Note: BYU plays Utah tonight at the Huntsman Center and then plays a day game at home vs. Weber State on Saturday (1 p.m. tipoff).

Blue Blood is a sports column written by Andy Griffin and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of St. George News.

Email: sports@stgnews.com

Twitter: @oldschoolag

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December 27, 1944 – December 1, 2015

Judith Louise Pfoutz Westerfield, age 70, returned to her Heavenly Father Dec. 1, 2015, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born Dec. 27, 1944, to Delbert Webster and Dorothy Louise Smith Pfoutz. Judy married Franklin R. Westerfield Dec. 31, 1959, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple June 9, 1978. Their union was blessed with five children.

Judy loved all animals. She had a special place in her heart for her horses. She was a lovable, fun person to be around. Judy was a caretaker of others, often putting their needs above her own. Once Judy got the red sand of Southern Utah between her toes, she felt at home.

Judy is survived by her husband, Frank Westerfield of Hurricane, Utah; her children, Ruth Westerfield and Cody M. Westerfield, both of Hurricane, Utah. She is also survived by one brother and two sisters; and many nieces and nephews.

Judy is preceded in death by three infant children, Rocky, Dorthy and Jody Westerfield; two brothers; and one sister.

Funeral services

Memorial services will be held Saturday, Dec. 5, 11 a.m. in the Hurricane 4th Ward Chapel, 1505 S. 700 West, Hurricane, Utah.

Arrangements were made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 435-673-2454.

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ST. GEORGE — Nerves and windows were rattled Wednesday afternoon as a Blackhawk helicopter flew low over Bloomington and St. George.

A resident of Bloomington identified the aircraft and said the helicopter was no more than 100 feet above the rooftops around 3:45 p.m. The walls and windows of the St. George News offices rattled as the helicopter flew overhead.

St. George Regional Airport operations supervisor Brad Kitchen said it could possibly be part of military exercises.

“The only thing I know is that Nellis (Air Force Base in Nevada) has got operations going,” Kitchen said. “For I don’t know how long, I don’t know when they started, but you know we’ve had a couple booms today and they are working out in the desert.”

Aaron Young at the Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs office was unable to offer immediate information on the matter.

Email: rwayman@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews | @NewsWayman

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SALT LAKE CITY — Sen. Evan Vickers’ bill SB 230, which secured a one-time $400,000 appropriation to relocate Utah prairie dogs this spring, has helped bring about the largest success yet for private property owners and state wildlife managers regarding the Utah prairie dog.

The latest numbers from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources show that 2,663 Utah prairie dogs were removed from 40 different areas in Southern Utah over the summer and relocated to protected federal land.

Of this, almost 1,500 UPDs were removed from residential/commercial conflict areas, which include subdivisions in Cedar City like Mountain Shadows, Equestrian Pointe, Iron Mountain, Country Meadows and Meadows Ranch/Spring Creek.

Over 1,000 UPDs were removed from agricultural properties. The spring count of the UPDs range-wide was the highest ever at 13,764, spread across Iron, Wayne and Garfield counties.

Vickers was the chief sponsor of SB 230, which was passed in the Utah Legislature in March. The bill made it possible to do two things: pay 14 state wildlife technicians to move the federally-threatened Utah prairie dog off non-federal lands and to pay farmers to delay killing prairie dogs on their land so the Utah Division of Wildlife could trap and relocate them.

In November 2014, the landmark ruling by Federal Judge Dee Benson in Salt Lake City handed the authority back to the state to manage Utah prairie dogs on all non-federal property.

Utah prairie dogs this summer being relocated by the Division of Wildlife Resources, location and date unspecified | Photo by Melissa Wagner, St. George News — Utah prairie dogs being relocated by the Division of Wildlife Resources, location and date unspecified | Photo by Melissa Wagner, St. George News

“The first thing I thought when I heard the ruling is, ‘Pinch me,’ Vickers said. “Then it was all systems go to put a viable plan in place to remove both the restrictions and fees for private property owners, as well as remove the actual prairie dogs to federal land.”

Kevin Bunnell is the southern region supervisor for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and took the lead to pull this group together.

“We had to hurry to make it in time to have something ready for the upcoming Utah legislative session,” Bunnell said. “It was particularly important we also had buy-in from all the stakeholders. So the group included Vickers, Rep. Mike Noel and Rep. John Westwood; county commissioners from Wayne, Garfield and Iron; and representatives from Beaver, Kane, Sevier and Piute counties.

“The ruling by Judge Benson cut through a lot of red tape for us. And because of that, we were able to deal with some long-standing issues that hadn’t been addressed.”

One of those issues included removing payments private property owners used to have to make if they had Utah prairie dogs on their land.

“Before the ruling, there was no mechanism (allowed by the federal government) to trap on residential land other than by way of mitigation or the 4(d) safety provision,” said Adam Kavalunas, Utah prairie dog recovery biologist in the southern region of the DWR.

Vickers, Bunnell, Kavalunas and Van Woeart, DWR Office, Cedar City, Utah, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of the DWS, St. George News

The 4(d) safety provision allows removal where prairie dogs create serious human safety hazards or disturb the sanctity of significant human cultural or human burial sites.

Kavalunas and Jessica Van Woeart, Utah prairie dog wildlife biologist, helped draft the plan with the stakeholders group and presented it to regional wildlife meetings and then to the state wildlife board for final approval.

They began implementation of the approved plan in the spring and summer of 2015.

“Prior to November 2014,” Kavalunas said, “the DWR had to use the Iron County Habitat Conservation Plan for Utah prairie dogs, which required landowners to pay a mitigation fee of $1,000 per acre to develop land where Utah prairie dogs lived.

“It also limited the number of UPDs that could be taken to less than typically 100 animals per year, and surveys had to be conducted on all land parcels within a 1,300 foot buffer zone around all mapped UPD habitat. If Utah prairie dogs were found in the buffer zone, all the rules of the Iron County Habitat Conservation Plan applied there, too.”

And now, Bunnell said, it’s a whole different story.

“The buffer is gone, the fees are gone, the number limits are gone,” he said. “It’s a 180-degree turnaround with the public’s perception, too. Unfortunately, prior to the court ruling, our DWR employees were viewed as the ‘bad guys’ because while the federal government made the rules, we as the state had to carry out their rules.

“The ruling in November, and the bill passed this spring, made it possible for the State of Utah Division of Wildlife to move forward with the Utah Legislature in helping to relocate prairie dogs off of private property, without expense to the property owners and without a lot of the extra difficulty that came with federal mandates.”

SB 230 was one-time money, so for the next Utah legislative session, Vickers will again request funding from the Natural Resources Appropriation Committee to continue the removal and relocation of Utah prairie dogs, along with Utah Gov. Herbert’s office, who also is looking at including in its budget an allocation to help the project continue.

“We have made more ground and have seen more progress this year on this issue than we have over the last 20 years combined,” Vickers said. “This year was unprecedented in our ability to move forward.

“I express the greatest appreciation to the DWR, the county and state elected officials and the other stakeholders for being able to quickly come up with a plan that all could agree on and then implement it with such success. A great win for Southern Utah, for state’s rights and especially for private property rights.”

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Twitter: @STGnews

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SOUTHERN UTAH — It’s here: the most wonderful time of the year. This month is full of countless winter activities. Want to find a celebration near you? See the list of celebrations below. Events are ordered by date.

Holiday book sale and silent auction

When: Nov. 30-Dec. 12
Where: Kanab City Library, 374 N. Main St., Kanab

Dickens’ Christmas Festival

When: Dec. 2-5, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Dixie Convention Center, 1835 S. Convention Center Dr., St. George
Tickets available here

Hurricane Valley Christmas Tree Festival

When: Dec. 3, 3-9 p.m.
Where: Hurricane City Recreation, 63 S. 100 West, Hurricane

“Toyland,” the holiday family musical

When: Dec. 3-5, 7, 10-12; 7:30 p.m. | Dec 5, 12; 2 p.m.
Where: Randall L. Jones Theatre, 300 W. University Blvd., Cedar City
Admission: $15, general; $7, youth

Christmas Market

When: Dec. 4, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Frontier Homestead State Park Museum, 635 N. Main St., Cedar City

Kanab Christmas Festival

Enjoy dinner and a concert by Symphony of the Canyons Friday and a vendor market Saturday with holiday shopping, a food court, entertainment and Santa Claus.

When: Dec. 4, 5:30 p.m.-Dec. 5, 3 p.m.
Where: Kanab Middle School, 690 S. Cowboy Way, Kanab

Symphony of the Canyons: Nutcracker Concert

When: Dec. 4-5, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Kanab

Run Run Reindeer 10K/5K/1 mile

Come join the fun with Santa, his elves, hot chocolate, doughnuts, prizes and giveaways. Registration ends soon.

When: Dec. 5, 9 a.m.
Where: Unity Park, 200 W. 400 South, Ivins

Vista School: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

When: Dec. 5, 1-3:30 p.m.
Where: Vista, 585 Center Street, Ivins

Rockville Christmas

When: Dec. 5, 6-7:30 p.m.
Where: Rockville Community Center, 43 E. Main St., Rockville

Holiday Swing Dance

When: Dec. 5, 7:30-10:30 p.m.
Where: Washington City Community Center, 350 N. Community Center Drive, Washington

Cedar Mountain Adventures Winter Kick-off Party

When: Dec. 5, 6-8 p.m.
Where: Aspen View Cottages, 715 Movie Ranch Road, Duck Creek Village

Symphony of the Canyons: Christmas Festival

When: Dec. 6-7, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Kanab

Southwest Symphony: Handel’s “Messiah”

When: Dec. 6-7, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Dixie State University Cox Performing Arts Center, 385 S. 700 East, St. George
Admission: Free

Christmas at the Homestead

When: Dec. 7-12, 5:30-8 p.m.
Where: Friends of the Frontier Homestead, 635 N. Main St., Cedar City
Admission: $1.50 per person, $5 per family

A Christmas Story: the Musical

When: Dec. 7-8, 10-12, 14; 7 p.m.
Where: Aladdin Theater, 27 N. Main St., Parowan
Admission: $5, adults and $3, children under 12 years

Cedar High Redmen Christmas band concert

When: Dec. 7, 7:30-10 p.m.
Where: Cedar High auditorium, 703 W. 600 South, Cedar City
Admission: Free

Christmas Benefit Concert: Variety Show

When: Dec. 8, 7-9 p.m.
Where: Randall L. Jones Theatre, SUU Campus, 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City
Admission: Suggested donation of $10 for adults and $5 for students/youth

In Jubilo Christmas Concert

When: Dec. 9, 7-9 p.m.
Where: Heritage Center Theatre, 105 N. 100 East, Cedar City
Admission: Free

A Merry Movie Christmas/Holiday Guerilla Shorts Showcase

When: Dec. 12, 12-3 p.m.
Where: The Electric Theater, 68 E. Tabernacle St., St. George
Admission: $5 per person, free for children 10 and under

Toys for Tots Show and Shine Fundraising

When: Dec. 12, 12-4 p.m.
Where: Ricardo’s Restaurant, 1110 S. Bluff St., St. George

Spirit of Christmas Festival

When: Dec. 12, 1-6 p.m.
Where: Stratum Real Estate Group, 365 S. Main St., Cedar City

6th Annual Light Parade

When: Dec. 12, 5:30-9 p.m.
Where: Sol Foods, 995 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale

Cedar City Creche Festival

When: Dec. 13, 4-9 p.m.
Where: Canyon View Stake Center, 1985 N. Main St., Cedar City
Admission: Free

Orchestra of Southern Utah: Handel’s “Messiah“

When: Dec. 13, 7:30-10 p.m.
Where: Heritage Center Theater, 105 N. 100 East, Cedar City
Admission: Free

Swimming with Santa

When: Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Sand Hollow Aquatic Center, 1144 Lava Flow Drive, St. George

Audubon Christmas Bird Count

When: Dec. 18, 8:30 a.m.
BLM Kanab Field Office, 745 US-89, Kanab
Admission: Free

Eric Dodge and Ryan Shupe Christmas Concert

When: Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Dixie State University, 225 S. University Ave., St. George
Tickets available online

Master Singers Christmas Concert

When: Dec. 20-21, 7-8:30 p.m.
Where: Heritage Center Theater, 105 N. 100 East, Cedar City
Admission: Free

Christmas Reflections with Christina Osborn and Friends

When: Dec. 22, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Roene B. DiFiore Center for Arts and Education, 307 N. Main St., St. George
Tickets available online

Know of any events we’ve missed?

Email us the details.

Email: ehammer@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post 2015 holiday activities in Southern Utah appeared first on St George News.

CEDAR CITY — As winter settles in and snow plows take to the streets doing their best to keep the roads clear, drivers are reminded that slowing down and paying close attention to their surroundings is paramount in stormy conditions.

If it isn’t absolutely necessary to go out when the weather is stormy, Cedar City Public Works Street Superintendent Jeff Hunter said, people should stay at home rather than risk an accident on the roads.

“I mean, obviously when people have to go to work, they have to go to work,” he said. “But if the public would slow down, it would help us immensely.”

Other tips Hunter shared about how to stay safe in icy and snowy conditions included planning more travel time than usual to reach destinations and avoiding the use of cellphones and other gadgets while driving.

“It’s getting more and more dangerous for us to be out there (working), because people are not paying attention,” Hunter said. “I put up the message signs for the parades, and I was doing that the other day, and I almost got hit twice — both times I looked up just as they about run me over and they were on their phones.”

Patience also comes in handy when considering the amount of space road crews are working to cover. Crews work some storms around the clock, he said, but can’t be everywhere at once, so sometimes areas don’t get plowed as quickly as he would like in a big storm.

“Everybody’s out,” he said. “But when you’ve got a big city and it’s snowing everywhere, it’s pretty hard to be everywhere all at once.”

It is important to note that not all of the roads within the city limits are city roads, Hunter said.

Some are state–owned roads that are the responsibility of the Utah Department of Transportation, he said, and others are county roads.

The entirety of Cedar City’s Main Street, a large portion of Center Street — from Cedar Canyon to Eccles Coliseum — and 200 North are all state snow removal areas.

It takes a lot for each entity to prepare for the winter season, Hunter said. Cedar City’s road crews start as early as October.

They make sure they have a full stock of road salt and cinder, a mixture that is spread on the roads to help melt icy snow and create a layer of grip for the vehicles to use for traction. Additionally, all of the plows are maintenanced to ensure they are ready to take on the storms, he said.

“The snow plows all have a blade on the front and a sander on the back that spreads the material,” he said. “We have eight large trucks and four small trucks, three of which of the small trucks have sanders in them as well.”

Southern Utah interstate

The state has 44 plows stationed on Interstate 15 from Scipio to St. George to meet the needs of interstate travelers, UDOT Region 4 Communications Manager Kevin Kitchen said.

“If resources are shifted from other routes to the interstate from outlying stations, that number could double,” Kitchen said.

The state is responsible for clearing snow on more than 17,600 “lane miles” of roadway, Kitchen said, adding that on- and off-ramps add an additional 360 miles of road to the already long list of terrain they cover.

A brine preparation system was recently installed in Cedar City by the state, Kitchen said. The brine is a salty solution that the state uses on the roads before a storm sets in, as a preventative measure to battling ice.

Thanks to the new system, Kitchen said, UDOT can produce 5,000 gallons of brine in only one hour, when it used to take seven hours or more in the past to produce the same amount.

The brine is only one method employed by UDOT to keep the roads safe and clear. In addition to plowing, UDOT goes through around 236,000 tons of “three types of high-performance salt” each year, according to their website. They also use about 24,000 tons of cinder across the state, with the exception of only a few counties.

Iron County is no stranger to covering a vast terrain, Iron County Road Department Director Neil Forsyth said.

Responsible for 224 miles of paved roads, 453 miles of gravel roads and 291 miles of dirt roads, he said snow removal at times can be quite a task.

“We have a lot of your subdivisions in the valley just outside of the Cedar boundaries,” Forsyth said. “But we also go places like, sometimes Hamblin Valley, all of Beryl, we go to Crestline — which is the other side of Enterprise — we have a lot of roads.”

The county manages all of this terrain with only 10 plows that have sanders on them to distribute a similar blend of salt and cinder as used by Cedar City, Forsyth said, and six graters that are used on dirt roads.

“There are times we work all day until two or three in the morning and then come back at five or six in the morning,” he said, explaining how small crews coupled with lots of terrain can take lots of man hours to clear.

Forsyth agreed with Hunter that it is difficult to be everywhere they are needed at once when a storm has hit, and simple safety precautions by drivers can help eliminate much of the danger when driving in the snow and ice.

In a recent article by St. George News, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Ryan Bauer gave tips on what a driver should do if they manage to find themselves in a precarious situation on the ice that they cannot get out of.

Tips like these, combined with the precautions listed at the top of the story, should offer winter drivers some hands–on knowledge on how to handle snowy and icy winter conditions.

Email: cmiller@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post Preparing for snow-covered roads appeared first on St George News.

WASHINGTON COUNTY — Hundreds of coats, blankets and hoodies flooded into the Washington County Youth Crisis Center after St. George News released the story Hundreds of homeless youth out in the cold on Nov. 12. So many, in fact, that an entire unused wing of the center became a receiving and sorting room just days after the story published.

For more than two decades, the Washington County Youth Crisis Center, or WCYCC, has helped troubled teens all over the county, offering an array of programs and services in Washington County, WCYCC’s Program Administrator Tami Fullerton said.

Most widely known is “the shelter,” which houses youth ages 10 to 17 who are abused or neglected, are picked up for minor offenses or dangerous behaviors, or who have nowhere to go once they are released from detention.

WCYCC also provides a youth outreach program with three highly trained counselors who are responsible for finding teens with limited resources, who lack a stable home environment or those who are homeless and have nothing at all.

Hundreds of homeless youth in Southern Utah have been in need of blankets, coats and winter clothing. Local outreach counselors continue finding teens who have nothing to keep them warm in the plummeting temperatures, Washington County Youth Crisis Center Director Tami Fullerton said.

Those characterized as homeless include families who are doubled-up and living with other families, she said, and kids who are couch surfing, staying with other friends and the like.

“The number of homeless youth is substantial,” she said.

Since WCYCC operates on a shoestring budget, providing warm clothing items for these youth is virtually impossible without the community’s help.

A generous community

That help came within hours, Fullerton said, when a flood of much needed winter items began arriving in boxes, bags, baskets and even through the mail.

“After the St. George News article ran about our needs and the cold weather,” she said, “the response was instantaneous and overwhelming.”

Not only did the youth connected to WCYCC receive warm coats, blankets and clothing, younger children also received winter coats and items from donations to the shelter. The surplus and smaller sizes were distributed to elementary schools, churches and other local programs, Fullerton said.

“We’ve counted in excess of 300 coats and we’ve given 70 or 80 away already,” she said. “Many of our elementary school counselors have come and picked up coats for kids.”

These donations helped in other ways too. Several teens who owed community service hours spent some of them sorting though items and assisting WCYCC staff, Fullerton said.

Not only did the outpouring of generosity fill a room full of warm winter items for kids who were cold, it filled it with something else.

“This is a room full of hope for some people who are hopeless at this really hard time of year,” Fullerton said.

Ongoing needs

Hoodies
New clothing items
Deodorant

The support continues through donations from businesses and nonprofit organizations like PAWS, who continue to donate clothing to WCYCC through their thrift store, PAWSitively Unique Boutique.

For more information on the Washington County Youth Crisis Center, needed donations and how to contribute, contact Tami Fullerton at 435-656-6133.

For information on the Youth Crisis Center and Family Support Center Fundraiser being held Friday, visit Youth Crisis Center and Family Support Center Fundraiser.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

Clothing, jackets and hoodies donated to WCYCC, St. George, Utah, Nov. 23, 2015 | Photo Courtesy of Red Rock Customz, St. George News

Hundreds of new and slightly used blankets donated to WCYCC, St. George, Utah, Nov. 23, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Red Rock Customz, St. George News

Clothing, jackets and hoodies donated to WCYCC, St. George, Utah, Nov. 23, 2015| Photo Courtesy of Red Rock Customz, St. George News

Hundreds of new and slightly used blankets donated to WCYCC, St. George, Utah, Nov. 23, 2015| Photo courtesy of Red Rock Customz, St. George News

Hundreds of clothing and bedding items are sorted as Crisis Center continues receiving donations, St. George, Utah, Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, , St. George News

Tables stacked high with clothing items, including new jackets and coats being sorted for those youth in need, St. George, Utah, Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, , St. George News

Hundreds of clothing and bedding items are sorted as Crisis Center continues receiving donations, St. George, Utah, Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, , St. George News

Hundreds of clothing and bedding items are sorted as Crisis Center continues receiving donations, St. George, Utah, Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

Coats, hats, and shoes are sorted for the youth in the Shelter and outreach programs, along with helping schools throughout the county, St. George, Utah, Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

Stacks of warm blankets cover the floor as donations flood into the Washington County Youth Crisis Center, St. George, Utah, Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

Hundreds of new and slightly used blankets donated to WCYCC, St. George, Utah, Dec. 2, 2015 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

Email: cblowers@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

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ST. GEORGE – A new study released last week warns the highly-potent strains of marijuana available on the market today could cause brain damage or even lead to psychosis, continuing the debate on whether or not marijuana triggers long-term neurological and psychological changes in a person.

As heated debates on the issue of whether marijuana should be legalized or whether we should continue to criminalize the drug continue, policymakers argue on scientific facts that marijuana has as many drawbacks as it has benefits for your health.

No matter where you stand on the issue, a team of scientists from King’s College London and Sapienza University of Rome warn smoking high potency ‘skunk-like’ cannabis can damage a crucial part of the brain responsible for communication between the two brain hemispheres — whether a smoker experiences psychosis or not.

Researchers have known for some time that long-term cannabis use has been linked to psychotic symptoms and multiple studies show it’s been linked to schizophrenia — recent evidence suggests that alterations in brain function and structure may be responsible for this greater vulnerability. However, this new research, published Nov. 26 in “Psychological Medicine,” is the first to examine the effect of cannabis potency on brain structure.

‘Skunk-like’ products have higher levels of the psychoactive compound Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, than “regular” pot. It has become much more prevalent in recent years, as people seek out more potent versions of the drug, making research on the impact of cannabis potency particularly important.

“We found that frequent use of high potency cannabis significantly affects the structure of white matter fibres in the brain, whether you have psychosis or not,” author Paola Dazzan said in a media statement. “This reflects a sliding scale where the more cannabis you smoke and the higher the potency, the worse the damage will be.”

The researchers used Diffusion Tensor Imaging, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique, to scan the brains of 56 people who had sought treatment for a first episode of psychosis, and 43 healthy participants.

The team examined the density in the brain’s corpus callosum, the vast network of white matter in the brain consisting of nerve cell projections that connect different regions of the brain and enable communication between them. Damage to the connections means less efficient communication between brain cells, which can be linked to cognitive problems.

The corpus callosum is particularly rich in cannabinoid receptors, the study said, on which the THC content of cannabis acts.

The study found that people with frequent use of high-potency cannabis had a greater likelihood of damage to their white matter than people who smoked less frequently or who smoked lower-potency version. Using high-potency cannabis was linked to white matter damage regardless of whether or not psychotic symptoms were reported.

“There is an urgent need to educate health professionals, the public and policymakers about the risks involved with cannabis use,” Dazzan said, and added:

As we have suggested previously, when assessing cannabis use it is extremely important to gather information on how often and what type of cannabis is being used. These details can help quantify the risk of mental health problems and increase awareness on the type of damage these substances can do to the brain.

Resources

The Lancet: Proportion of patients in south London with first-episode psychosis attributable to use of high potency cannabis: a case-control study – published February 2015
Psychological Medicine – published November 2015
Study shows white matter damage caused by ‘skunk-like’ cannabis
Is cannabis neurotoxic for the healthy brain? A meta-analytical review of structural brain alterations in non-psychotic users – published September 2013

Email: kscott@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

The post New study shows potent marijuana linked to brain damage, psychosis appeared first on St George News.

WASHINGTON CITY – A 28-year-old woman who allegedly stole a purse out of a Wal-Mart shopping cart was arrested Tuesday after authorities identified her by the WIC benefit checks she used at the store.

Officers responded to a theft report at Wal-Mart, 625 W. Telegraph Street in Washington, where a woman told police her purse was stolen out of her shopping cart, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Washington City Police Department in support of the arrest.

Megan Elisa Smalldon, of Washington, Utah, booking photo posted Dec. 1, 2015 | Photo courtesy of Washington County Sheriff’s booking, St. George News

The purse reportedly contained cash, finance cards, a cellphone, a driver’s license and other personal documents.

Authorities watched Wal-Mart surveillance footage and observed a woman steal a purse out of a shopping cart before leaving the store and placing the purse in a vehicle, the statement said. The woman was identified as Megan Elisa Smalldon, of Washington City, by the WIC benefit checks she used at the store to purchase formula.

As officers were driving to Smalldon’s residence, they noticed her travelling in the vehicle from the surveillance footage and initiated a traffic stop, the statement said. When Smalldon was searched, officers located several of the stolen credit cards.

“I asked Megan where the purse was and she stated she had hidden the purse at her home,” the arresting officer wrote in the statement. “While en route to recover the purse, dispatch notified me one of the credit cards had been used at Family Dollar in Washington. I asked Megan if she used one of the stolen credit cards and she stated she had.”

Officers recovered the stolen purse from Smalldon’s home and she was subsequently arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.

Smalldon was charged with a third-degree felony for unlawful acquisition of a financial card, a class A misdemeanor for possession of another’s identifying documents, and four class B misdemeanors for knowingly using a false financial card and theft.

She is scheduled to make her initial court appearance Thursday afternoon in 5th District Court.

Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.

Email: kscott@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

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May 8, 1947 – December 2, 2015

On Dec. 2, 2015, my beloved wife, our adored mother, cherished sister and grandmother quietly slipped into God’s garden of peace and love.

Linda was born in the old McGregor Hospital May 8, 1947, the second of seven children born to Robert Earl “Jack” and Barbra LaFevre Harper. Linda was raised in old Sand Town of St. George where she attended West Elementary, Woodward and graduated Dixie High School where she enjoyed enthusiastically being a Jetette. She attended Dixie Jr. College and was a member of the Rebelettes Marching Team.

She married her sweetheart, Jim Cottam, in St. George, Utah, Sept. 9, 1967. Their life together has truly been devoted to one another. They were just short of their 50th wedding anniversary.

Family meant everything to Linda as she multitasked a 30-year career at St. George Clinic in insurance and medical records where every patient got a “Hello” and “How are you?” Many true friendships were made over the years, and a “Secret Santa” was created by her and Jim.

Linda’s greatest achievements in life was being a grandmother, mother, wife and friend, in that order, as she enjoyed reading and playing with her grandchildren.

In spite of failing health the last few years, Linda’s life was made enjoyable with loving, doting care of her dear Jim, who would do anything for his “Birdie Sue.”

Linda was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings through the years. She looked forward to her visiting Relief Society teachers. Linda had a wonderful testimony of her Savior, Jesus Christ.

Linda is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, Jim; her children, Debbie Williams (Troy) of Houston, Texas, and Clint (Danielle) Cottam of St. George; grandchildren, Haylee, Brodey, Tucker, London, Layla, Vincent, Chance and Beckett; sisters, Gwyn (Joe) Moore, Chris (LaMar) Miller and Arlene Harper-Veith; and brothers, Robert (Wanda) Harper and Leonard Dale Harper.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Barbra Harper; her in-laws, Ed and Dixie Cottam; and a brother, Douglas Harper.

A favorite poem of Linda’s by Shannon L. Moseley:

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free.

I’m following the path God has chosen for me.

I took his hand when I heard Him call;

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,

to laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way;

I’ve now found peace at the end of day.

If my parting has left a void,

then fill it with remembered joys.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss;

Oh yes, these things, I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow.

Look for the sunshine of tomorrow.

My Life’s been full, I savored much;

Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.

Perhaps my time seems all to brief;

don’t lengthen your pain with undo grief.

Lift up your hearts and peace to thee,

God wanted me now — He set me free.

The family wishes to express our love and appreciation to Dixie Dialysis for their nonstop loving care shown for the “Cheetah Pod.” Special thanks to all her doctors and their staff.

Funeral services

Friends may call Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Spilsbury Mortuary Chapel.
A private family service will follow.

Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 435-673-2454. Condolences may be submitted online.

The post Linda Gail Harper Cottam appeared first on St George News.

ST. GEORGE – A four-vehicle accordion-style collision on River Road in St. George Thursday morning was allegedly caused by a 17-year-old driver who accelerated at a red light instead of stopping.

The crash happened at about 8:38 a.m., St. George Police Sgt. Sam Despain said, when the four vehicles were all southbound on River Road.

A gray Subaru and an orange Jeep were stopped at a red light at 1450 South, Despain said, and a white Subaru was in the process of coming to a stop when it was struck from behind by a Honda SUV driven by a 17-year-old boy.

“ … for whatever reason (the driver) thought that the light had changed and decided to accelerate,” Despain said, “when, in fact, the light had not changed.”

The Honda SUV smashed into the back of the white Subaru, which was pushed into the orange Jeep. The Jeep was then pushed into the back of the gray Subaru.

“Kind of a chain reaction,” Despain said.

The 17-year-old boy was issued a citation for “unsafe movement from a stopped position,” Despain said, adding: “We felt that was the code that best fit the circumstances.”

The Honda SUV had to be towed, but the other three vehicles sustained only minor damage and were driven from the scene. No injuries were reported.

Despain advises drivers to use caution while driving.

“Pay attention to your driving and what’s around you,” he said. “If cars are stopped in front of you, keep a safe following distance.”

This report is based on preliminary information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Click on photo to enlarge it, then use your left-right arrow keys to cycle through the gallery.

A 17-year-old driver triggers a four-car pileup Thursday morning, St. George, Utah, Dec. 3, 2015 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News

Email: japplegate@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

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SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Officials have confirmed the black Ford Expedition SUV suspects used in the San Bernardino mass shooting Wednesday had Utah license plates, however, the vehicle was rented in California days before the incident.

The shootings in San Bernardino were originally thought to have a possible Utah connection after it was reported the black SUV had Utah license plates.

The SUV is the suspected getaway car used by Syed R. Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, whom police said they believe opened fire inside the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, which left 14 dead and 17 wounded.

The pair later led police on a car chase that ended in a shootout. Both men were subsequently killed.

Thursday morning, California law enforcement confirmed the vehicle did have Utah tags, but that the vehicle was rented in California days before the shooting.

Email: news@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

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SOUTHERN UTAH — The weekend is almost here again! If you’re looking for adventure — maybe something fun, inspiring, educational or entertaining — take advantage of our snapshot of Southern Utah events and activities to enjoy with family, friends and maybe even make new friends. Keep the adventure going all weekend long!

Watch TGIF Show Co-hosts Sheldon and Hollie talk about their weekend picks:

Click play above

Weekend events | Dec. 4-6

Art

Friday, 6-9 p.m. | Joseph Carter Gallery Show | Admission: Donations | Location: The DiFiore Center, 307 N. Main St., St. George
Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | “Twisted, Woven, Spun and Wrapped” | Admission: $1-$3 | Location: St. George Art Museum, 47 E. 200 North, St. George
Friday-Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. | Psychedelic Haze Art Exhibition | Admission: Free | Location: Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, SUU Campus, Braithwaite Building, Lower Level, 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City
Friday-Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. | Senior BFA Portfolio Art Exhibition | Admission: Free | Location: Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, SUU Campus, Braithwaite Building, Lower Level, 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City
Saturday, 9:30 a.m. | Cars and Coffee | Admission: Free | Location: Perks! Espresso and Smoothies, 1515 W. Sunset Blvd., St. George
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Meet the Artists at Iron County Visitor Center | Admission: Free | Location: Iron County Visitor Center, 581 N. Main Street, Cedar City
Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | ARTS lab | Admission: Free, reservations required | Location: Gateway Preparatory Academy, 201 Thoroughbred Way, Enoch

Education/enlightenment

Friday, noon | BLM Brown Bag Lecture Series: Ron Swenson | Admission: Free, reservations recommended | Location: BLM Interagency Information Center, 345 E. Riverside Drive, St. George
Friday, 7 p.m. | Color Country | Admission: Free | Location: St. George Tabernacle, 18 S. Main Street
Saturday, noon | Ben Alder | Admission: Free | Location: St. George Tabernacle, 18 S. Main Street
Saturday, 7 p.m. | Desert Strings | Admission: Free | Location: St. George Tabernacle, 18 S. Main Street
Sunday, 7:30 p.m. | Southwest Symphony presents “Handel’s Messiah” | Admission: Free | Location: Dixie State University Cox Performing Arts Center, 325 S. University Avenue, St. George

Entertainment

Friday, 5: 30 p.m. | Symphony of the Canyons Dinner and Concert | Admission: $40 | Location: Kanab Middle School, 690 S. Cowboy Way, Kanab
Friday, 7:30 p.m. | Dixie State Symphony Band Concert | Admission: $5 | Location: DSU Eccles Concert Hall, 225 S. University Avenue, St. George
Friday-Saturday, 7 p.m., Saturday, 2 p.m. matinee | “It’s a Wonderful Life” | Admission: $23 | Location: Brigham’s Playhouse, 25 N. 300 West, Washington City
Friday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m. | St. George Musical Theater presents “The Christmas Bus” | Admission: Adult, $15, Under 18, $10 | Location: St. George Opera House, 212 N. Main Street, St. George
Friday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Saturday matinee 2 p.m. | “Toyland: The Holiday Family Musical Treat” | Admission: General admission, $15, youth, $7 | Location: Randall L. Jones Theatre, 35 S. 300 West, Cedar City

Family

Friday, 11 a.m. | Toddler Time with Mrs. Burton | Admission: Free | Location: Washington County Library St. George Branch | Telephone: 435-634-5737
Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Hurricane Valley Christmas Tree Festival | Admission: Free | Location: Hurricane Community Center: 63 S. 100 West, Hurricane
Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. | Dickens’ Christmas Festival | Admission: Adults, $7, seniors, $6, kids 4-12, $5, kids 3 and under, free | Location: Dixie Convention Center, 1835 S. Convention Center Drive, St. George
Friday, 3-8 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Southern Utah University Festival of Trees | Admission: Free | Location: Randall L. Jones Theatre, 35 S. 300 West, Cedar City
Friday-Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m. | Christmas in the Canyon | Admission: Free, Live Nativity, $2 or $15 for family (up to 10 family members) | Location: Tuacahn Center for the Arts, 1100 Tuacahn Drive, Ivins
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. | Holiday Social at Tonaquint Nature Center | Admission: Free, craft projects $1 | Location: Tonaquint Nature Center, 1851 S. Dixie Drive, St. George
Saturday, noon to 3 p.m. | Meet Santa, Free Bowling | Admission: Free | Location: Cedar Bowling Center, 421 E. Highway 91, Cedar City

Food/crafts/vendors

Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Homestead Christmas Market | Admission: Free, vendors vary | Location: Frontier Homestead State Park Museum, 635 N. Main Street, Cedar City
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Tuacahn Saturday Market | Admission: Free | Location:Tuacahn Center for the Arts, Ivins
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Christmas Festival Vendor Market | Admission: Free | Location: Kanab Middle School, 690 S. Cowboy Way, Kanab

Fundraisers/causes

Friday, 1-4 p.m. | Food Pantry | Admission: Free | Location: Solomon’s Porch, 1495 S. Blackridge Drive, St. George | Telephone: 435-669-9070
Saturday, 10 a.m. | Holiday Boutique for a Cause | Admission: Free, vendors vary, fundraiser | Location: Creative Touch Salon, 1410 S. Providence Center Drive #C, Cedar City
Sunday, 12:30 p.m. | Sunday Feast | Admission: Free | Location: Solomon’s Porch, 1495 S. Blackridge Drive, St. George | Telephone: 435-669-9070

Music

Friday, 8 p.m. | Dick Earl | Admission: No Cover, food prices vary | Location: George’s Corner Restaurant, 2 W. St. George, Blvd. St. George
Friday, 8 p.m. | Cory T | Admission: $3-$5 | Location: Jazzy’s, 285 N. Bluff Street, St. George
Friday, 9 p.m. | Alien Ant Farm | Admission: $15 advanced, $20 at the door | Location: FireHouse Bar and Grill, 1476 W. Sunset Blvd., St. George
Saturday, 8 p.m. | Wirelefant Live | Admission: No Cover, food prices vary | Location: George’s Corner Restaurant, 2 W. St. George, Blvd. St. George
Satruday, 8 p.m. | John Allred | Admission: $3-$5 | Location: Jazzy’s, 285 N. Bluff Street, St. George
Saturday, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Benefit Concert for Cody Turnbaugh | Admission: $5 plus donations | Location: Mike’s Tavern, 90 W. Hoover Avenue, Cedar City

Night life/social

Friday, 6 p.m. | George Streetfest | Admission: Free, vendors vary | Location: Main Street and Ancestor Square St. George
Friday, 8:30 p.m. PST | Comedy Machine | Admission: $15-$25 | Location: CasaBlanca Resort and Casino, 950 W. Mesquite Blvd., Mesquite, Nevada
Friday, 10 p.m. to midnight | Off the Cuff Comedy Improvisation | Admission: $5 | Location: Cedar City OTC Comedy | Telephone: 210-446-7768
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. | Holiday Swing Dance | Admission: $5, $6 with lesson | Location: Washington City Community Center, 350 N. Community Center Drive, Washington City

Outdoors/active

Saturday, 9 a.m. | Run Run Reindeer 10K, 5K, Fun Run | Admission: Varies, spectators free | Location: Ivins City Park, 100 N. Main Street, Ivins
Saturday, 9 a.m. | Southern Utah Cyclocross | Admission: Varies, spectators free | Location: Gubler Park, 2375 Rachel Drive, Santa Clara
Saturday, 9 a.m. | Lava Tube Guided Hike | Admission: Free, reservations required | Location: Snow Canyon State Park, Ivins | Telephone: 435-628-2255
Saturday, 6-8 p.m. | Cedar Mountain Adventures Winter Kickoff Party | Admission: Free, potluck | Location: Aspen View Cottages, 715 Movie Ranch Road, Duck Creek Village

NOTE: Changes in scheduled events may arise without notice to St. George News; links and contact information are provided for your convenience in confirming details.

Have a tip for something happening next weekend?

Send us the details to be considered for next weekend’s TGIF!

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REVIEW — “Creed” is a boxing film with its roots in the “Rocky” franchise, but film critics Adam Mast and Bruce Bennett discuss whether this update can stand on its own.

Click play to find out.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Thursday ordered the military to open all combat jobs to women, rebuffing requests by the Marine Corps to exclude women from certain front-line combat jobs.

Declaring that “we are a joint force,” Carter said that while moving women into these jobs will present challenges, the military can no longer afford to exclude half of the population from grueling military jobs. He said that any man or woman who meets the standards should be able to serve, and he gave the armed services 30 days to submit plans to make the historic change.

Carter’s order opens the final 10 percent of military positions to women, and allows them to serve in the military’s most demanding and difficult jobs, including as special operations forces, such as the Army Delta units and Navy SEALs.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Gen. Joseph Dunford, former Marine Corps commandant, had argued that the Marines should be allowed to keep women out of certain front-line combat jobs, citing studies showing that mixed-gender units aren’t as capable as all-male units. Carter said he came to a different conclusion, but he said the integration of women into the combat jobs will be deliberate and methodical and will address the Marine Corps concerns.

Dunford did not attend the news conference to announce the change, and when asked about that absence, Carter said he has discussed his decision multiple times with the chairman. In a prepared statement, Dunford said he provided his best military advice on the issue, and now his focus is “to lead the full integration of women in a manner that maintains our joint warfighting capability, ensures the health and welfare of our people, and optimizes how we leverage talent across the joint force.”

While noting that, on average, men and women have different physical abilities, Carter said the services must assign tasks and jobs based on ability, rather than on gender. He said that would likely result in smaller numbers of women in some jobs. Equal opportunity, he said, will not mean equal participation in some specialty jobs. But he added that combat effectiveness is still the main goal, and there will be no quotas for women in any posts.

The decision comes after several years of study, and will wipe away generations of limits on how and where women can fight for their country.

Only the Marine Corps sought any exceptions in removing the long-held ban on allowing women to serve in dangerous combat jobs. The Army, Navy and Air Force have moved steadily toward allowing women to serve in all posts, and only the most risky jobs remain closed.

A senior defense official said the services will have to begin putting plans in place by April 1. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Carter has hinted at this decision for months, telling U.S. troops in Sicily in October that limiting his search for qualified military candidates to just half the population would be “crazy.”

He had given Dunford until the end of October to forward his review of the services’ recommendations on which jobs, if any, should remain closed to women. As Marine commandant, Dunford was the only service chief to recommend that some front-line combat jobs stay male-only, according to several U.S. officials.

Carter had pledged to thoroughly review the recommendations, particularly those of the Marine Corps, but said he generally believes that any qualified candidate should be allowed to compete for jobs. But the senior defense official said that while Carter recognizes there may be difficulties in opening the jobs to women, he has made his decision and all the services will follow it.

Answering a question from a Marine in Sicily, Carter said, “You have to recruit from the American population. Half the American population is female. So I’d be crazy not to be, so to speak, fishing in that pond for qualified service members.”

For that reason, the defense secretary said the military should recruit women into as many specialties as possible.

Story by: LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press

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ST. GEORGE – St. George Mayor Jon Pike brought some closure on a long-standing issue Thursday night by announcing the city will keep its existing ordinances banning short-term rentals like those advertised on Airbnb.com and VRBO.com.

St. George City Council. Council chambers, St. George, Utah, Dec. 3, 2015 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News

“We’re going to go ahead and continue our existing ordinances and enforce them,” Pike said during the weekly City Council meeting.

The rentals advertised on sites have become increasingly popular throughout the city as they offer travelers an alternative to expensive hotels while providing additional income to the homeowners.

While the rentals offered on VRBO are entire homes managed by out-of-state owners and rented out to vacationers in the area, those offered on Airbnb are different in that they are owner-occupied and only a portion of the homes are rented out, such as a bedroom or a casita.

Both, however, are in violation of city code that prohibits short-term rentals in single-family neighborhoods other than areas zoned with a resort overlay.

“There are areas like in Green Valley that are zoned with a resort overlay and in those areas vacation home rentals and the Airbnb rooms are legal,” Councilwoman Michele Randall said after the council meeting.

The subject has been an issue among city leaders for several months during which time code officers have not enforced the ordinance.

In July, the council held a public hearing to take in arguments from both sides. While the room was packed with residents including those who live in the homes they rent out, St. George News reported at the time, no one spoke in favor of the so-called party houses managed by out-of-state property owners.

St. George City Council meeting, St. George, Utah, Dec. 3, 2015 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News

There were, however, several who argued the practice compromises the integrity of the neighborhood and contradicts the purpose behind dedicated zoning for residential areas.

Since then the subject has not publicly resurfaced until Thursday night when Pike made his announcement.

Besides St. George, the issue has taken the national stage with cities such as New York now wrangling with how to deal with a service that only seems to be growing.

“This is one of those new things that the law hasn’t caught up with yet,” Randall said. “There are cities all over the country that are grappling with it and cases in the courts and we want to see how those play out before we make any major changes.”

Many in the hotel and hospitality industry argue short-term rentals create an unregulated market where hosts do not come under the same requirements as licensed commercial businesses do.

“Hotels and motels are regulated big time. They have regulations on everything from ADA requirements they have to meet to regulations on the smoke detectors in the rooms, and the people in the industry don’t feel like it’s fair that these homeowners don’t have to abide by any of those same regulations,” Randall added.

Enforcing the law is also difficult Randall said as the city largely relies on neighbors to report those around them they believe are renting their homes and rooms illegally.

St. George City Council meeting, Council chambers, St. George, Utah, Dec. 3, 2015 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News

Fines for breaking the law are very low which also make it difficult to enforce the codes, Randall said.

“The city sends out a letter telling them they’re in violation of city ordinances and then they have so many days or they get fined and the fines are so small that they don’t care,” she said. “I mean if the fine is only like $50 or $100 and you’re making six grand a month it doesn’t matter. The law needs to have more teeth.”

Randall also believes the law needs to differentiate the vacation homes from the short-term room rentals with owners on site.

“They are different,” she said. “I have spoken with neighbors who have had vacation rentals near their homes and they say it’s a big party with loud music and cars coming and going all night. The other, the room rentals, are different. For one thing, the owner is there on the property and knows what’s going on at all times and because it’s their private residence they care about what goes on and aren’t going to allow these parties that are happen so often at the vacation rentals by owner. With the vacation rentals the owners sometimes don’t live in town.”

The council may readdress the issue later, but for now, council members have decided to stay with what is there and allow the issue to make its way through the courts, Randall said.

In other business Thursday night, the council approved a 107-foot aerial ladder truck for the St. George Fire Department.

The council also shot down a proposed zone change request by Dixie Endeavor LLC on 4.78 acres located at 450 North Street between the streets of 2450 East and 3050 East.

The applicant, who wanted to develop the property by building town houses, or town homes, wanted the council to rezone the property from R-1-7, which is single family residential with lots at a minimum of 7,000 square feet, to planned development-residential. The planning commission had rejected the request two times before the developer moved it forward to the council for approval.

Several surrounding neighbors spoke out during the meeting against the zone change stating they did not want the type of people moving into their neighborhood that they believed high-density town homes would bring in. Representatives from Dixie Endeavors said it was not their intention to move in “criminals.”

Residents also faulted Dixie Endeavors for changing their development plans after residents began speaking out against it; however, City Council members defended the developer’s actions saying he was only trying to find a compromise.

After more than an hour of listening to public comment Councilman Joe Bowcutt pointed out to the audience that he lives in a town home. On that note, he made a motion to approve the zone change – Randall seconded it but the other three council members overrode their motion by voting no to the proposal.

Map of town home development discussed at St. George City Council meeting, St. George, Utah, Dec. 3, 2015 | Photo by Tracie Sullivan, St. George News

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Virginia hired Bronco Mendenhall as its football coach in a surprise move Friday, luring him away from BYU after an 11-year run with the Cougars.

There had been numerous reports about various coaches such as Mark Richt and Sonny Dykes being linked to the vacancy at Virginia, but Mendenhall’s name had never come up.

“Bronco Mendenhall’s teams have consistently won at a high level and he’s demonstrated the ability to create a strategic vision to build a program and then implement his plan to be successful,” Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage said in a statement. “His emphasis on the overall development of student athletes and a commitment to academic achievement is in line with our goals of uncompromised excellence. We’re excited to begin a new era of Virginia football and support Bronco and his staff.”

Virginia finished 4-8 this season and fired Mike London after six seasons, during which he had only one winning record. Mendenhall was 99-42 with the Cougars, taking them to a bowl game every season and never having a losing record.

“Professionally and personally I seek to embrace the highest standards in college sports, on and off the field, and I love the high standards both academically and athletically at Virginia,” Mendenhall said. “I am excited to not only help provide the continual growth and development of the student athletes academically but also re-establish Virginia as a consistent winner with a fiercely competitive and winning product on the football field.”

BYU went 9-3 this season and Mendenhall will coach the Cougars in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 19.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to work with Bronco as our head football coach. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of our student-athletes to give them the best possible collegiate experience, on and off the field. Bronco has been loyal through and through to BYU,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said. “I’m grateful for everything he’s done for the football program.”

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