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CITY COUNCILMAN CHARGED
South Weber city official charged in fraud scheme
FARMINGTON, Utah (AP) — A South Weber city councilman has been charged in connection with a $200,000 fraud scheme at a Bountiful assisted living facility where he worked as a manager.
Prosecutors Thursday filed felony charges in 2nd District Court against 40-year-old William Michael Poff.
Prosecutors allege Poff from 2008 to 2010 put business funds into his personal bank accounts, paid off credit cards with facility earnings and used credit cards in the business's name.
The Standard-Examiner reports he has since been fired.
As a city councilman, Poff oversees South Weber business development, Eagle Scout and youth service projects and a board tasked with improving the district's sewers.
Poff and South Weber Mayor Tamara Long could not immediately be reached by phone Thursday.
Poff's is scheduled to appear in court April 30.
GOVERNOR'S NEWS CONFERENCE-MEDICAID
Herbert hopes for Utah Medicaid deal by summer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Gov. Gary Herbert says early negotiations over a Medicaid expansion plan with federal officials are progressing and he hopes to have a deal by summer.
Herbert discussed the negotiations Thursday during his monthly televised news conference on KUED.
The governor sent a team to Washington, D.C., last week to propose an alternative plan using a large chunk of federal money to cover thousands of low-income Utah residents.
Herbert, a Republican, says he believes federal officials are open to his plan, which enrolls people in private health care plans instead of on the government program.
He has not outlined the specifics about his proposal and how much flexibility he's seeking.
An agreement with federal officials will have to be approved by Utah's Legislature. There is no deadline to approve a plan.
ROBBERY SERIES-HISPANIC STORES
Hispanic stores targeted in Orem robbery string
OREM, Utah (AP) — Orem police are looking for suspects after a string of sometimes-violent robberies at Hispanic markets.
Police Lt. Craig Martinez says three robberies have taken place at Hispanic stores in the past month, although authorities aren't sure why the businesses are the targets.
The first incident happened Feb. 26 at El Centro Market in Orem. Two armed robbers reportedly entered the store wearing ski masks and dark hoodies, took money and fled on foot.
El Centro market was robbed again on March, 17, and the La Pequenita Market was robbed on Monday.
Martinez says the incidents have escalated, and the robbers hit a clerk in the back of the head in the most recent robbery, possibly with a gun.
Witnesses say the suspects speak fluent English and Spanish.
CAR DRIVES UP POLE
With child inside, SUV drives up wire on Utah pole
(Information in the following story is from: Standard-Examiner, http://www.standard.net)
OGDEN, Utah (AP) — An SUV with a 6-year-old boy inside drove up the supporting wire of a power pole and ended up nearly vertical.
Ogden police tells the Standard-Examiner nobody was injured in the incident, which happened Tuesday at about 9:30 p.m.
Lt. Scott Conley says the boy was in his mother's SUV when she ran back into the house to retrieve something and the boy somehow knocked the vehicle into neutral.
The SUV had been on an incline and rolled until it hit a utility pole's retention line and started rolling upward.
It took crews a small crane and more than an hour to remove the high-centered vehicle from the wire.
Officials say Rocky Mountain Power crews were sent to inspect the pole for damage.
COACH SEX ABUSE CHARGES DISMISSED
Former coach speaks on sex abuse charges dropped
MURRAY, Utah (AP) — A former Bountiful girls' soccer coach dismissed of felony sex abuse charges says accusations and months of legal proceedings took a toll on his family and damaged his reputation.
The Standard Examiner reports the 42-year-old Steven Dale Green told reporters Wednesday evening he never had sex with a 13-year-old player on his team.
Davis County Attorney Christina Ortega on Tuesday dropped charges that Dale maintained a three-year sexual relationship the girl that started when she was 13.
Ortega said she didn't see reasonable likelihood of a conviction at trial.
The teenager testified at a preliminary hearing that she and Green had sex repeatedly during the three-year window.
Green's attorney Greg Law says he provided evidence showing that Green was out of town during those periods of time.
STATE FAIR-UTAH
Utah audit: state fair pricey, poorly attended
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A new report says the Utah State Fair draws fewer of its residents but costs the state more, compared to a handful of its counterparts.
The report released Wednesday from the Utah Auditor's Office compares the annual celebration to those of Arizona, Idaho and New Mexico.
The audit says the three other states each hold their state fairs in their largest cities, but all three draw bigger crowds and avoid continuously dipping into state coffers.
The audit says the state could save money by using the Fairpark for other events, contracting out its operations, privatizing the grounds or selling them altogether.
But Utah State Fairpark Executive Director Michael Steele says Idaho and New Mexico draw more revenue by allowing gambling. He says Arizona's more modern facilities can handle bigger crowds.
UPSET OVER SHIRTS
Utah city officials call risque T-shirts offensive
(Information in the following story is from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldextra.com)
OREM, Utah (AP) — Municipal leaders in a conservative Utah city have sent a letter to the national clothing store PacSun telling them that a recent display of T-shirts featuring pictures of scantily dressed models in provocative poses was offensive.
The Daily-Herald of Provo reports that the mayor and most of the city council in Orem sent the letter Tuesday.
The letter comes just weeks after the Orem city attorney decided not to press charges against PacSun under the city's code that prohibits anyone from putting "explicit sexual material" on public display.
The issue was raised Judy Cox became so upset about the "indecent" T-shirts that she bought all of them and filed a complaint with the city. Cox says she's pleased city officials sent the letter.
PacSun was not immediately available for comment.
POLYGAMOUS SECT CUSTODY SUIT
Exile from polygamous sect gets custody of kids
ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — A Utah judge has awarded an exiled member of Warren Jeffs' polygamous sect sole custody of children who were being raised by his wives who remain members of the religion.
The Spectrum of St. George reports Thursday that Judge James Shumate has granted Lorin Holm custody.
The judge says it's more likely that Holm will allow his wives to visit the children. He says it the wives would have been less likely to allow Holm into their residence if they had custody.
During the two-day trial, one of Holm's wives, Lynda Peine, testified that she still follows Jeffs and the "Laws of God." Jeffs is serving a life prison sentence for sexually assaulting underage girls he considered brides.
Peine and one other wife are members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the Utah-Arizona border.
Holm sued to get custody in 2011 after he was kicked out of the sect.
POLYGAMIST SECT-JEFFS HOSPITALIZED
Polygamist sect leader Jeffs out of hospital
GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Department of Criminal Justice says polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs is no longer hospitalized and has been returned to prison in East Texas.
Agency spokesman Robert Hurst confirmed Thursday that Jeffs has been discharged from Hospital Galveston, a TDCJ facility southeast of Houston.
Hurst declined to provide the reason for Jeffs' hospitalization, citing medical privacy laws.
Jeffs was admitted March 11 and discharged Monday. He returned to the Powledge unit in Palestine (PAL'-uhs-teen) to continue serving a life sentence.
The 58-year-old Jeffs is the ecclesiastical head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was convicted in 2011 of sexually assaulting two of his child brides, ages 12 and 15.
He also was hospitalized shortly after his conviction when he became ill while fasting.
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