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BAR LICENSES SHORTAGE
Utah Alcoholic Beverage Control out of bar licenses again
(Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah liquor commission has announced it is running out of bar licenses for potential business owners again after a similar shortage two years ago.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control handed out its last 2019 bar permits Tuesday to two establishments in Lehi and West Valley City.
Department authorities say five other business were placed on the waiting list, some of them planning to open in November and December.
Officials say businesses must wait for a population increase after applying due to a state law allowing one bar for every 10,200 people.
Officials say three permits are expected before July 2020 following new population information.
Some owners say the Legislature should review the population quota.
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UTAH COLD WEATHER
Salt Lake City sets record low for date, month at 14 degrees
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Salt Lake City's official temperature of 14 degrees (-10 Celsius) at 3:37 a.m. Wednesday set a record low for Oct. 30 and for the month of October.
The National Weather Service's office in Utah's most populous city says the previous record was 16 degrees (-8.89 Celsius) on Oct. 30, 1971.
The office says its records date back to 1874.
ALLEGED TRUCK FRAUD
Utah FedEx manager charged in $1M suspected fraud scheme
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Federal authorities have charged a FedEx Ground manager on accusations that he accepted bribes from multiple Utah truck company owners who paid more than $1 million to secure hundreds of millions in revenue over the last 10 years.
Ten people were charged Monday in U. S. District Court including 47-year-old Bountiful resident Ryan Lee Mower.
Indictments say Mower was the highest-ranking FedEx Ground employee in the state from at least 2008 to October 2019. He faces 51 counts for exploiting his position for financial gain.
U.S. officials say Mower and others fraudulently obtained contracts for FedEx shipments, allowed unauthorized runs, boosted miles and accepted payments for ghost runs.
Mower doesn't have a listed attorney in court records.
FedEx Ground spokeswoman Meredith Miller said in a statement the company is disappointed by the "egregious" actions and is cooperating with authorities.
ZION NATIONAL PARK-CENTENNIAL
Centennial event scheduled Nov. 19 for Zion National Park
ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah (AP) — A centennial event celebrating Zion National Park's founding 100 years ago is planned Nov. 19 at Dixie State University in St. George.
The park's nonprofit partner, Zion National Park Forever Project , said the 7:30 p.m. event is free and open to the public, with tickets available online or in person at the university box office.
The event will include live performances by several artists, activities with National Park Service rangers and a screening of a new, Zion Forever film about the park.
ARIZONA OFFICIAL-ADOPTION FRAUD
Arizona official pleads not guilty in adoption fraud case
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — An elected official in Arizona accused of running a human smuggling scheme that brought pregnant women from the Marshall Islands to the U.S. has pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Arkansas.
Authorities say Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen illegally paid the Pacific island women to have their babies in the United States and give them up for adoption.
After entering his plea in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Tuesday, Petersen was released on $100,000 bond and ordered to wear an ankle monitor.
Petersen's trial in Arkansas on human smuggling and adoption fraud charges is set for Dec. 9.
He also faces charges in Arizona and Utah.
He entered his plea a day after the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted to suspend him without pay for up to 120 days.
VAPING ILLNESSES-UTAH
Utah's vaping rate 6 times higher than national average
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah health officials continue to see a steady stream of people suffering from vaping-related lung illnesses as the state's rate of cases is more than six times the national rate.
Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Utah had 26 vaping-related illness cases per 1 million people as of mid-October, compared to four per 1 million people nationally.
Utah health officials are expected to provide an updated tally Monday afternoon of the number of people sickened. It was 98 as of last week.
The 33-year-old Jeffrey Manzanares is among them. He lost nearly 50 pounds was hospitalized for 17 last month after vaping THC and nicotine.
Health care officials and law enforcement in Utah are trying to pinpoint why the state has been hit so hard.
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