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ATTORNEYS GENERAL-INVESTIGATION
Report looks at AG's handling of fraudster's case
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A new report from the Utah attorney general's office says a jailed businessman did not suffer from former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff's influence in his case.
But the investigation released Tuesday says Shurtleff's behavior during the case dating back to 2005 "defies explanation," and faults him for allowing businessman Marc Jenson to set up "back channel" talks directly with Shurtleff.
The report comes from two outside attorneys hired by Attorney General Sean Reyes to review Jenson's allegations that the case against him was prejudiced.
Jenson says Shurtleff tried to exploit the businessman's legal troubles for favors and has pushed for a hearing on the matter.
Investigators say that to ensure public trust, Utah should allow that hearing to happen.
Shurtleff's attorney Max Wheeler did not immediately respond to messages Tuesday.
SHOT FIRED-HIGH SCHOOL
Teen shot self at school, is in stable condition
(Information in the following story is from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldextra.com)
PROVO, Utah (AP) — Police say a Provo High School student shot himself on school grounds but was not critically injured.
Authorities say surveillance cameras capture the 14-year-old about 2:30 p.m. Monday with a handgun on a remote corner of campus.
Provo Police Detective Chris Chambers says the shot grazed his cheek before the boy then called 911 from a school bathroom.
Chambers says he answered police questions but had a hole in his cheek.
The Daily Herald reports school officials told the boy's parents, who visited him in the hospital.
Police recovered the gun. They say they have not found anyone who heard or saw the shot.
Students were scheduled to resume their normal school week on Tuesday.
HUMAN REMAINS IDENTIFIED-UTAH CANYON
Police identify 1 of 2 people's remains in canyon
(Information in the following story is from: KSL-TV, http://www.ksl.com/)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Police have identified a 41-year-old man whose remains were discovered in Provo Canyon over the weekend.
Investigators Tuesday said Jakub Gorowski was a native of Poland and graduate of Brigham Young University.
A hiker spotted the remains of a person Saturday afternoon below Squaw Peak.
Provo police arrived to find others of a second person about 50 feet away.
Investigators say Gorowski went missing in 2012.
They say it appears both people fell off a high cliff, and an investigation continues into the deaths.
KSL-TV reports belongings recovered from a nearby backpack helped investigators to identify Gorowski.
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
Democrats eye 15 cities for 2016 convention
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic National Committee has asked Chicago, New York and 13 others to make a pitch to host the presidential nominating convention in 2016.
The DNC on Tuesday said the party will accept proposals through June 6 and will pick a host city either late this year or early in 2015.
In addition to Chicago and New York, the cities under consideration include: Atlanta; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Miami; Nashville; Orlando; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City.
Some cities seem more likely than others. For instance, President Barack Obama, who will be leaving the White House in 2017, calls Chicago home and his potential successor Hillary Rodham Clinton is from Illinois. Clinton also represented New York in the Senate.
CALL CENTER OPENS
Vivint opens new call center in Logan
(Information in the following story is from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldextra.com)
LOGAN, Utah (AP) — Provo-based digital security company Vivint, Inc. has added a new call center to its Logan campus.
Human Resources Vice President Starr Fowler tells the Herald Journal the center opened Monday.
Fowler says 70 to 80 employees there are setting up new accounts and fielding help requests from customers.
The company last week brought on about 70 more employees to staff the facility on Main Street in Logan.
The company sells a digital tablet that helps homeowners control security, heating, light and other systems.
SCHOOL GRADING
Proposal: Revamp grading of Utah schools, colleges
(Information in the following story is from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The governor's education adviser says Utah should use a new system to assess its public schools and colleges.
Tami Pyfer's proposal says the state should drop its letter grade system, which gives schools a mark of A-F.
It says officials should also score higher education.
The proposed method would track grade school reading and math proficiency rates and show kindergarten readiness.
Assessment of high schools would consider ACT and statewide tests scores.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports the new evaluations would also spell out demographic factors in each school.
Utah schools in fall received official state letter grades for the first time in a system designed to be more transparent. Opponents contend it is oversimplified.
Any final changes to the current system need approval from legislators and the governor.
PROVO ARSON FIRES
3 new arson fires reported in Provo early Tuesday
(Information in the following story is from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldextra.com)
PROVO, Utah (AP) — Provo officials say crews found and extinguished three more fires that appear to be set by arson early Tuesday.
Provo Fire Marshal Lynn Schofield says the first fire started around 3:45 a.m. near a vacant home in southwest Provo.
The Daily Herald reports a burning car was found nearby about an hour later, followed by fire set to a nearby pile of tree trimmings ten minutes later.
Schofield says firefighters extinguished the blazes quickly before much damage was done.
He says investigators are trying to determine if the fires are linked to a series of blazes over the weekend near a vacant duplex of homes in north Provo.
HOUSE FIRE DEATH
Hearing set for Utah man held in Murray slaying
(Information in the following story is from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A judge scheduled a three-day preliminary hearing beginning Nov. 18 for a Utah man who could face the death penalty in the slaying of an 84-year-old Murray woman before her body was found in her burning home.
Christen James Spencer is facing aggravated murder, burglary, kidnapping, robbery and arson charges, along with failure to stop for police.
The 49-year-old Spencer was arrested Feb. 6.
He's accused of killing Shirley Sharp and setting her house on fire Jan. 25.
Medical examiners say Sharp died of a head injury.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Spencer was found driving the woman's car, with her DNA on his clothing and property missing from her home.
He's being held at the Davis County Jail pending his next appearance in 3rd District Court.
TRAILER UNHINGED
Road open after tanker fell on intersection
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Authorities say they are reopening a stretch of Salt Lake City highway where a tanker carrying compressed hydrogen came unhitched.
Police say no injuries were reported after the trailer separated from a truck Tuesday near the intersection of Redwood Road and California Avenue.
Salt Lake City Fire Department spokesman Jasen Asay says none of the hydrogen leaked.
Police closed off the intersection Tuesday afternoon until emergency crews moved the tanker. They did not evacuate any nearby buildings.
COMIC-CON
Attendance swells at Salt Lake Comic Con
(Information in the following story is from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — More than 100,000 people turned out for Salt Lake City Comic Con over the weekend.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports the convention takes first place as the biggest in state history after breaking its own record in September.
The springtime event, known as FanX, was the follow-up to September Comic Con, which drew a crowd of 70,000 to 80,000.
Show producer and Salt Lake Comic Con founder Dan Farr in a statement praised the city for what he said is an avid fan base.
Many convention-goers sported the costumes of their favorite heroes.
Organizers say the three-day event, which began Thursday, shows off the best in movies, television shows, gaming, sci-fi/fantasy and comic books.
Last year, the convention drew about 75,000 attendees, with more than 52,000 tickets sold.
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