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HOMES EVACUATED-MUDSLIDE THREAT
South Weber evacuation lifts after mudslide threat
SOUTH WEBER, Utah (AP) — Residents of four South Weber homes that were evacuated amid threats of a mudslide have returned home.
Authorities say the residents were allowed back Friday morning after having left their homes the previous night after heavy overnight rains.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports residents were told to remain ready to leave if predicted weekend storms resurrect the threat.
Davis County Undersheriff Brent Peters says the overnight storm caused layers of soil to become loose but did not trigger full-fledged mudslides.
No injuries or damage have been reported.
GAY MARRIAGE-UTAH
Utah defends freeze on benefits for gay couples
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah state attorneys say they must wait for a federal appeals court to rule on the state's same-sex marriage ban before granting benefits to newly married gay couples.
More than 1,000 gay and lesbian couples married after a federal judge in Utah overturned the state's same-sex marriage ban on Dec. 20. Those weddings came to a halt on Jan. 6 when the U.S. Supreme Court granted Utah an emergency stay.
In January, the American Civil Liberties Union sued Utah on behalf of four gay and lesbian couples who claim the state's decision violates their vested rights and has created wrenching uncertainty.
PRINCIPAL MOLESTATION CHARGES
Former educator acknowledges more abuse victims
(Information in the following story is from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A former Utah charter school principal already in prison on sexual abuse charges has acknowledged abusing two other boys.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that two more victims emerged since 67-year-old Charles Weber was sentenced in May to consecutive terms of at least five years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing boys.
He has been sentenced to up to five years in prison for on each case, to run consecutively with his previous terms.
At his sentencing in 2013, a judge said Weber targeted and manipulated young boys dating back to the 1970s.
Weber was principal at the Soldier Hollow Charter School in Midway and an educator for 40 years.
UTAH BUDGET
Revised estimates show $58M more for state budget
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Updated budget projections show Utah will have $58 million more than initially expected to cover costs for projects next year.
The legislature's budget gurus delivered the news Friday so lawmakers know how much more money they can add to base figures already approved.
The new estimates mean there will be an additional $144 million for one-time use, such as construction projects.
In addition, there will be an extra $253 million for ongoing programs.
The new projections change the overall budget of about $13.5 million by less than 1 percent.
The Republican Senate budget chairman Lyle Hillyard tampered down excitement about the additional money, saying legislators are already struggling to find enough to cover all the current requests in the budget.
The new state fiscal year begins July 1.
MEDICAID EXPANSION-UTAH
Battle on 2 fronts for Governor's Medicaid plan
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has announced his plan for Medicaid, but he still faces a long road for it to become reality.
The first hurdle for the Republican governor will be convincing legislators, particularly those in his own party, that he's not seeking a full Medicaid expansion under the federal health law.
Republican legislative leaders say the governor's plan is essentially full expansion, which Utah's GOP legislators generally oppose.
Herbert said Thursday he's rejected expansion that adds more low-income people to the government program. Instead, he wants federal dollars to help those people buy private plans.
Beyond getting legislators to sign on, Herbert needs to win approval from a federal government that may be reluctant to approve a plan that appears to seek millions of dollars without strings attached.
BASKETBALL BRAWL
WAC suspends 2 players for postgame brawl in Orem
UNDATED (AP) __ New Mexico State junior guard K.C. Ross-Miller has been suspended two games, and senior forward Renaldo Dixon will miss one for violating the Western Athletic Conference's sportsmanship rules in a postgame brawl at Utah Valley.
Ross-Miller hurled the ball at Utah Valley's Holton Hunsaker seconds after the Wolverines' 66-61 victory Thursday night. The ball hit Hunsaker in the leg. Some of the fans who stormed the court after the victory got caught up in the chaos and punches were thrown.
New Mexico State guard DK Eldridge was in the middle of the scrum before he was dragged away by Aggies coaches as order was restored. With the victory, the Wolverines claimed the top spot in the conference standings.
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