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GANG-RIGHTS VIOLATION
Judge rules Utah county violated rights with gang injunction
(Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A federal judge has ruled a Utah county violated the rights of two men who were targeted using an injunction restricting the actions of suspected gang members.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports the ruling in U.S. District sided with Leland McCubbin and Daniel Lucero of Ogden, who both were convicted of violating the injunction.
Ogden City settled its portion of the case with McCubbin and Lucero in 2018, but the American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit against Weber County continued.
U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups says in the ruling that the injunction did not include any way for people to challenge government assertions they were Ogden Trece gang members.
The Utah Supreme Court overturned the injunction in 2013 and found the county did not properly serve summons to gang members.
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ELECTION 2020-GOVERNOR-UTAH
Salt Lake County councilwoman enters race for Utah governor
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton is entering the Utah governor's race.
Winder Newton announced her candidacy Wednesday, joining current Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and businessman Jeff Burningham in the race for the Republican nomination.
Other possible candidates reportedly include former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes, former Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Utah Republican Party Chairman Thomas Wright.
Current Gov. Gary Herbert has said he does not plan to seek a third term.
Winder Newton said Utah is a "pivotal moment" with its economy doing well but the state facing challenges in retaining quality of life while accommodating population growth.
She also said education would be another priority for her as governor.
BANK LAYOFFS
Utah bank to lay off 500 employees after revenue declines
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah-based bank has announced plans to lay off hundreds of employees and close branches across multiple states in the coming months.
Zions Bancorporation started notifying employees Tuesday of a 5% workforce reduction. The company employs about 10,000 people in 11 western states.
Executives say about 30% of the layoffs would be employees dealing directly with the public, while the remaining 60% would be in enterprise activities and behind the scenes.
Company executives say the cuts are necessary after declining revenue.
Executives say banks across the country are losing money because of lower interest rates.
Executives say the company would close or relocate a small number of branches, but only one in Utah previously announced would shut down.
Some executives say they took a pay cut to trim expenses.
HOMELESS TAI CHI
Tai Chi classes for the homeless bring community, stability
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A retired couple in Utah spends five mornings a week teaching a free Tai Chi class to Salt Lake City's homeless population, encouraging them to find community and stability in their lives.
Bernie and Marita Hart began teaching the class three years ago after moving to Utah.
The Harts said their first class had one participant, but now more than 60 people regularly crowd the downtown library's front lawn to practice the ancient martial art.
There's a clear demand for such programming. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Utah's homeless population has steadily increased in the last three years. State officials have cited increasing housing costs, stagnant wage growth, the opioid epidemic as possible causes.
Participants say the exercise has helped them make friends and relax.
EX-IRS EMPLOYEE-TAX EVASION
Ex-IRS agent from Utah gets federal prison in Vegas tax case
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A 72-year-old former Internal Revenue Service attorney from Salt Lake City has been sentenced in Las Vegas to almost three years in federal prison for tax evasion and obstruction.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich (tru-TAN'-itsh) said Wednesday that a judge also ordered Craig Orrock on Tuesday to pay $924,000 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release.
Orrock says he lost money helping Ponzi scheme victims recover losses and always intended to settle his government tax obligations.
A jury convicted Orrock in May after Trutanich says evidence showed he failed to pay taxes for 22 years and used bank accounts, trusts and other names to hide assets from IRS collection agents.
Prosecutors say Orrock used an entity called Arville Properties LLC to hide a $1.5 million property sale in 2007.
WILD HORSES-TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
Official: Solving wild horse problem will take $5B, 15 years
RENO, Nev. (AP) — The acting head of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management says it will take $5 billion and 15 years to get an overpopulation of wild horses under control.
William Perry Pendley told reporters Wednesday several developments have made him more optimistic about his agency's ability to eventually shrink the size of the herds from 88,000 to the 27,000 he says the range can sustain ecologically.
Pendley says the agency adopted out more than 7,000 mustangs and burros captured last year — the most in 15 years. He says that helps clear space in government holding pens so they can accelerate roundups while scientists develop new fertility-control drugs.
He says a new coalition of animal welfare advocates and ranchers is helping promote new solutions and Congress appears willing to help.
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