This is your rundown of the daily news for Friday, July 26. In this edition:
- Two Utah reps co-sponsored a bill to help states cover search and rescue costs on federal land
- A small wildfire in Zion National Park has forced a popular trail to close
- A worker's mistake has killed nearly 200 trees in Salt Lake City since last year
- A historic Cache Valley farm will receive funding to conserve the area
- A driver has been charged after their intoxicated driving caused the death of one individual and injuries of two others
- Search and recovery efforts are underway in Toole County after an accident occurred Thursday night
Utah reps sponsor bill to help cover search and rescue costs
4:28 p.m.
Reps. Celeste Maloy (R-UT) and John Curtis (R-UT) co-sponsored new legislation in Washington D.C. that would help states cover the cost of search and rescue on federal land.
The Public Land Search and Rescue Act, also co-sponsored by Ed Case (D-HI), establishes a grant program designed to help with search and rescue activities on federal land specifically in remote areas, such as hiking in national parks.
According to Washington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby, all search and rescue costs are currently covered by Washington County and the state of Utah, even though the vast majority of calls are on Bureau of Land Management or U.S. Forest Service land.
To offset costs for these often rural communities, grants would cover up to 75% percent of equipment costs.
Small wildfire in Zion National Park closes popular trail
4:28 p.m.
A small wildfire in Zion National Park has forced the closure of the popular Hop Valley Trail.
The fire was sparked by lightning on Wednesday and has burned 24 acres in the northwest section of the park so far. The Hop Valley Trail in the area has been closed, but the Kolob Terrace road is still open.
Officials said Friday that 40 wildland firefighters are battling the fire. No information on containment of the fire has been provided.
Visitors to Zion National Park are urged to follow fire restrictions while recreating, especially with dry, hot weather expected this weekend.
Worker mistake has killed nearly 200 trees in SLC since last year
4:28 p.m.
A simple mistake killed nearly 200 trees along North Temple in Salt Lake City in the last year.
According to an ongoing investigation by the city, a worker sprayed a common herbicide called Milestone on the base of the trees, unaware the chemical wasn’t meant to be used on this kind of decorative tree.
Since then, over 175 trees have died while others are struggling. The city discovered the cause early this summer and has worked to tend to the remaining living trees.
The city plans to take steps to replace the canopy once they know if the herbicide still lingers in the soil. In the meantime, they’re considering bringing in medium-sized shade trees in planters to replace the lost shade in the area.
According to Toby Hazelbaker, director of the city’s parks division, they’ve also revamped training for those certified to spray herbicides and set up a double failsafe system with supervisors and warehouse staff to prevent this from happening again.
Historic Cache Valley farm to receive funding to conserve the area
7:06 a.m
This week the Cache County Council agreed to spend at least $1.25 million in funding to help conserve a ranch in Nibley. The Elkhorn Ranch is part of the original settlement of 1855 in Cache Valley. The Fuhriman family purchased the property in 1944 and manages an agricultural cattle operation there.
The funding is available through the county’s Open Space grant program and will partially fund a conservation easement to protect the 115-acre agricultural property from development.
Easements offer flexibility to allow landowners to continue using the property while providing a permanent guarantee that the land will not be developed.
The landowner, Joe Fuhriman, has volunteered to donate about 15% of the easement's value, estimated to be around $4.9 million dollars.
This is the first Open Space grant application the Cache County Council has approved since the program’s announcement in June.
Driver charged after intoxicated driving causes one death and injures two others
6:36 a.m
A 56-year-old semitruck driver accused of causing a crash that killed one person and injured two others while intoxicated has been charged.
Mauricio Maddox-Zavala was charged Thursday in 7th District Court with automobile homicide, a second-degree felony among other charges including DUI, marijuana possession, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Tracey Haeggstrom, 67, of Orange, California, was killed in the crash early Sunday. Prosecutors say Maddox-Zavala was driving a semitruck eastbound on I-70 about 10 miles west of the Colorado border in Grand County when he "drove off the right side of the roadway. He then overcorrected, causing his tractor trailer to overturn onto the passenger side," according to charging documents.
An oncoming RV hit the overturned semitruck. Haeggstrom — who was in the front passenger seat of the RV — died at the scene.
Search and recovery efforts underway in Tooele County after accident Thursday night
6:36 a.m
Tooele County sheriff's deputies and volunteers are returning to the Grantsville Reservoir this morning. They are conducting a search and recovery effort involving multiple boats and divers.
Authorities confirmed a swimmer at the reservoir has drowned.
According to Jon Smith, North Tooele Fire District public information officer, a 911 caller reported someone was in distress in the waters shortly after 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
At least two people were involved in the incident, one of whom was able to get to shore, Smith said. The other, who was in his mid-20s, did not.
