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OLYMPIC SKIER INJURED
Injured Brazilian skier continues care in Miami
MIAMI (AP) — A Brazilian Olympic freestyle skier who was on her way to competing at the Sochi Winter Games when she was paralyzed while training in Utah has completed her first week of rehabilitation in Miami.
In a statement released Thursday, Lais Souza said she's feeling better and ready to face the challenges ahead of her. She also expressed gratitude for the support she has received from around the world.
Souza participated in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics as a gymnast before switching to the winter sport. Another Brazilian skier took her place in Sochi.
Souza injured her spine Jan. 27 when she hit a tree. The 25-year-old is being treated at Jackson Rehabilitation Hospital in Miami.
Hospital officials said Souza is learning to use an electric wheelchair.
MAN PINNED UNDER CAR
Man dies after vehicle falls on him in Murray
MURRAY, Utah (AP) — Murray police say a man is dead after the pickup truck he'd been working on fell or rolled on top of him.
Murray officer Kenny Bass says rescuers were called to a home about 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Bass says the man's wife couldn't find him at the house and then saw he was pinned under the vehicle in the driveway.
Bass says the man was in his 50s and died at the scene. His name hasn't yet been released.
HIGHWAY-FALLEN OFFICER
Rural highway renamed after fallen officer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A stretch of highway will be named in honor of a Utah officer killed there earlier this year.
Both chambers of the Utah legislature unanimously passed the measure. A 15-mile stretch of Utah State Route 73 will now be known as the "Cory B. Wride Memorial Highway."
Wride, a Utah County Sheriff's sergeant, was fatally shot Jan. 30 while sitting in his patrol car on the side of the two-lane highway about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City.
The suspected shooter, 27-year-old Jose Angel Garcia-Juaregui, later died after a cross-county crime spree ended with him being shot by police. His girlfriend, 17-year-old Meagan Grunwald, is charged with aggravated murder. Prosecutors say she was the driver and an active participant.
Wride's family was honored this week at the Capitol.
SESSION ENDS
High profile topics stall as Utah lawmakers finish
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — After approving a budget and tearing through dozens of bills until midnight, Utah lawmakers are headed home after wrapping up this year's legislative session late Thursday.
Legislators adjourned without passing bills tackling several high-profile issues, including a sweeping school technology plan, Medicaid, gay marriage and liquor laws.
Lawmakers did pass measures related to the relocation of the state prison in Draper and the construction of a large, convention-sized hotel in downtown Salt Lake City.
Both sizable development efforts stalled last year.
Legislators this year also approved plans to overhaul the caucus convention system for electing candidates and took steps to restrict the drones.
AIR QUALITY-UTAH
Utah lawmakers OK clean air measures, end session
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah lawmakers this year approved a package of measures to cut air pollution before wrapping up their legislative session late Thursday night.
A proposal to cut down on wood burning in communities with especially poor air quality and another to hire more state regulators are among the measures headed to Gov. Gary Herbert.
The governor says it's clear lawmakers put air quality high on their list, even though they didn't fund each of his requests to clear wintertime smog in the state.
Some of the most ambitious proposals to curb pollution didn't make it through, including an optional local tax hike to fund better public transit and a fleet of clean-running school buses.
But advocates and others say this year's legislative effort is the best yet in addressing air quality.
VOTER INFORMATION
Utah legislators restrict voter information
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah legislators have passed restrictions to protect certain voter information from possible misuse.
The Utah Senate voted 28-0 to approve the measure Thursday night and send it to Gov. Gary Herbert.
Utah sells the list for $1,050.
New restrictions would protect email addresses, social security, identification card or driver's license numbers, and birth dates.
Anyone concerned about the rest of their information being publically available can petition the state elections office to classify it as private.
The measure allows birth dates to be obtained by qualified groups such as government officials, health care providers, financial institutions and political parties. Any unauthorized release of that information could result in criminal and civil penalties.
The bill allows elections officials to provide a birth date to reporters trying to verify an individual's identity.
LEGISLATIVE RETIREMENTS
Legislators announce retirements at end of session
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Soon after the Legislature wrapped up its 2014 session, several legislators announced early Friday morning that they would not seek re-election in 2014.
Rep. Ryan Wilcox, an Ogden Republican, announced he was resigning within days to work for U.S. Sen. Mike Lee.
His announcement was followed by statements from Democratic Reps. Lynn Hemingway of Salt Lake City, Tim Cosgrove of Murray, and Janice Fisher of West Valley City that they would not run again.
Republican Reps Ronda Menlove of Garland and John Mathis of Vernal made similar announcements.
Salt Lake City Democratic Rep. Jennifer Seelig, Bountiful Republican Rep. Jim Nielson and House Speaker Becky Lockhart of Provo had previously announced they were not running again.
In the Senate, Democrat Patricia Jones of Salt Lake City and Republican Stuart Reid of Ogden had earlier announced they were not running again.
COCKFIGHTING PENALTIES
Proposal to boost cockfighting penalty fails
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah legislators have once again shut down any attempt to boost cockfighting penalties to a felony.
The proposal would have made the activity a misdemeanor on the first offense and a third-degree felony on the second offense.
But House lawmakers changed the bill late Thursday to make all penalties misdemeanors and continued wrangling with the Senate over the changes.
They adjourned without resolving the issue or passing the bill.
Salt Lake City Democratic Sen. Gene Davis pushed for the measure last year. He argues Utah is the only Western state without a felony penalty for cockfighting, so it's a destination for the sport.
Others who breed game fowl say the current law is too vague and could dole penalties to those simply raising the birds for show.
CHRYSLER-GIVEAWAY WINNER
Utah man winner of 2013 Chrysler sweepstakes
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — A Utah man has won a $45,000 credit to be used toward the purchase of a Chrysler Group vehicle.
The Auburn Hills-based automaker says Lofton Tanner Harmon is the winner of its 2013 National Sweepstakes.
The St. George, Utah, resident was eligible to use the credit to buy a Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram or Fiat brand vehicle. Harmon chose a 2014 Ram 2500.
He was one of 945,000 people who entered the sweepstakes. A random drawing was conducted in January.
Harmon says he was in "complete disbelief" when he found out he'd won.
Chrysler is hosting the sweepstakes again this year. It wraps up Dec. 31. There's no purchase necessary to enter or win.
PROVO'S OLDEST HOME-DEMOLITION
Provo's oldest home saved from demolition
(Information in the following story is from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldextra.com)
PROVO, Utah (AP) — A house believed to be the oldest in Provo has been saved from demolition and shored up in an attempt to move it to the city's Pioneer Village.
The Daily Herald reports all the home's handmade adobe bricks were carefully removed by Wednesday night. The remaining timbers in the roof and walls were braced and covered in plywood, then hoisted onto a trailer Thursday.
The home was set to be rolled away to its new location in the historic village, where the adobe bricks would be placed on the structure once again.
The house was built in 1853 by Bishop James Loveless, but was stuccoed and modernized beyond recognition. It was scheduled for demolition when historians realized its significance.
Community members raised $70,000 in donations to save it.
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