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SKI DEATH-TV PRODUCER SON
Son of television producer dies in ski accident in Utah
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The son of television producer Jenji Kohan, who created the series “Örange Is the New Black," died in a New Year's Eve ski accident in Utah. Authorities said Thursday that 20-year-old Charlie Noxon was pronounced dead after hitting a sign Tuesday on an intermediate-level trail at Park City Mountain resort. Authorities say he had experience skiing and was wearing a helmet. The cause of death is under investigation. He was a native of Los Angeles and a junior at Columbia University, studying philosophy, economics and Chinese.
BLM-UTAH STATE DIRECTOR
Roberson retiring as Utah head for Bureau of Land Management
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The state director for a federal agency that manages land accounting for about two-fifths of the state of Utah is retiring. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's state office for Utah announced that State Director Edwin Roberson would retire Friday from a post he has held since 2016. The announcement statement released Thursday said Roberson was leaving “a legacy of collaborative problem-solving" and that his tenure with the state office saw it build long-lasting relationships and accomplish numerous projects. Associate State Director Anita Bilbao will serve as the acting state director until the BLM fills the post permanently. The BLM manages 35,625 square miles of public land in Utah, which represents 42 percent of the state.
WILDLIFE AS PETS-WARNING
Utah officials warn against keeping wild animals as pets
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Wildlife officials are warning people against keeping wild animals as pets after a 5-year-old boy from Uintah County was badly scratched by his family’s pet raccoon. The Deseret News reports Thursday that the boy had to undergo surgery as a result of the scratches he suffered on Dec. 11. Tonya Kieffer-Selby, outreach manager for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, says the raccoon was euthanized and sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be tested for diseases. Raccoons may carry diseases such as rabies, canine distemper, raccoon parvoviral enteritis and infectious canine hepatitis.
UTAH MINE-LIFE EXTENSION
Utah copper mine seeks extension with acid-based extraction
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Operators of a Utah copper mine have announced plans to extend operations by using an experimental method of extraction they say is safe despite concerns about potential groundwater contamination. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that officials with the Lisbon Valley Mine are seeking permits for an acid-based extraction method that involves pumping diluted sulfuric acid underground northeast of Monticello. Officials say the new process could extend the mine's lifespan for at least another 25 years. Environmentalists have raised concerns about long-term water contamination for nearby residents reliant on groundwater for drinking and livestock.
NAVAJO NATION TRANSPORTATION NEEDS
$8B needed in transportation repairs on Navajo Nation
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Transportation officials for the Navajo Nation have reported it would take 116 years and $7.9 billion to meet current infrastructure needs. Gallup Independent reported Tuesday that officials from the Navajo Nation Division of Transportation reported the figures as part of a $320 million bonding plan drafted to fund bridges, pavement preservation projects and earth road improvements. Officials say the Navajo Nation Council’s Budget and Finance Committee unanimously accepted the plan in early December. Officials say the plan identified $1.4 billion in needs to address pavement deficiencies and $6.5 billion for upgrades to the existing roadway system.
AP-US-WOMEN-IN-POLITICS-CHILD-CARE
As more women run for office, child care remains a hurdle
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Women are expected to run for office in high numbers in 2020, but many of them face financial hurdles paying for child care while they campaign. Candidates for federal office can tap their campaign accounts to pay for it, but it's a patchwork at the state level. Just six states have laws specifically allowing the use of campaign money for child care. In most states, the law is silent on the issue and up to interpretation. Female candidates say the expense is an unnecessary barrier and shows why more women are needed in positions of power.
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