Rockfall in Bryce Canyon blocks Navajo Loop
Thousands of pounds of rock fell onto a trail in southern Utah last week, according to officials from Bryce Canyon National Park.
The rockfall was reported along the Two Bridges side of Navajo Loop in Bryce Canyon on Dec. 8. Officials said they cleared the trail within two days and the trail will remain open until the spring when they will need to repair damaged retaining walls. They said the rockfall is part of natural processes that constantly reshape Utah’s natural landscapes.
Utahns reported over 3,000 incidents of wildlife killed by vehicles in 2023
The Utah Department of Transportation and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources said they have received over 3,000 reports of wildlife killed by vehicles through their Utah Roadkill Reporter app, one year after its release.
The app was designed to help officials remove dead animals from Utah roadways more quickly and provide wildlife migration information for biologists.
The DWR said 98% of reported animals killed by vehicles were mule deer, though they estimate around 10,000 deer are actually hit and killed by vehicles annually.
Conservation organizations call for permitting of the Lake Powell Pipeline to be ejected
A group of conservation organizations from the Colorado River Basin are calling on the Department of the Interior to stop the Bureau of Reclamation’s permitting of the Lake Powell Pipeline, a water diversion project designed to transport water from Lake Powell to Washington County.
The group said there is not enough water in the Colorado River to support the project.
Supporters of the pipeline said, with the dramatic population growth projected for Washington County over the next 30 years, the pipeline is an important part of a long-term water supply plan for southern Utah.
Logan City finishes election recount and announces city council members
After a recount took longer than expected, the ballots are in, and Logan City can now say for sure who will fill three seats on the city council.
Recount results show Mark Anderson, Mike Johnson and Jeannie Simmonds are the three winners, as Joe Needham, Katie Lee-Koven and Erin Bennett fell short.
The race was tight between Simmonds, Needham and Lee-Koven, as the latter two were within the state-outlined margin to request a recount. Lee-Koven ultimately requested the recount.
Simmonds and Anderson won their reelection bids, while Johnson will be a new face on the council. The council is expected to hold its canvass and finalize the results during a meeting Monday afternoon.
