This is your daily news rundown for Monday, September 30. In today's edition:
- A new fire in the Uinta Mountains has burned 1,500 acres in one day
- Salt Lake City has opened a micro-shelter community to house those experiencing homelessness
- A group of South Jordan residents wants to build a bridge over Mountain View Corridor for safe crossing
- Utah charter schools are getting $44 million in federal funds to expand
Fire in Uinta Mountains burns 1,500 acres in one day
A new fire sparked in the Uinta Mountains over the weekend, prompting campground evacuations and a nearby highway closure.
The Yellow Lake Fire, which sparked Sunday morning southeast of Mill Hollow Reservoir, burned approximately 1,500 acres in its first day and remains uncontained.
All campers have been asked to leave the surrounding area, including Duchesne Ridge, Mill Hollow, Soapstone Basin, and Wolf Creek. Highway 35 has also been closed around mile marker 12 after the blaze crossed onto the east side of the road.
An array of air and ground crews are fighting the fire, with more reportedly being ordered.
New micro-shelter community opens in SLC
A new micro-shelter community has opened in Salt Lake City to house up to 50 people experiencing homelessness.
The community, constructed near I-15, will provide beds, heating, lighting, air conditioning, and outlets for its residents as Utah prepares ahead of the winter months. The site is fully enclosed and staffed with full-time personnel. Members of the new community began moving in over the weekend.
A temporary micro-shelter community was launched last December as a pilot program, after which the project was funded by Utah lawmakers in the last legislative session.
South Jordan residents want a bridge over Mountain View Corridor
A group of South Jordan residents is asking city and state officials to create a safe crossing option over Mountain View Corridor, a road residents say is dangerous to cross.
Mountain View Corridor is currently being constructed into a freeway, and the newly formed group “Safe Streets for South Jordan” have created a petition to build a bridge across it.
They say existing crossings are insufficient for safety due to the corridor’s width and high speeds, an issue the proposed bridge could alleviate.
The group also claims having a bridge will increase connectivity between neighborhoods and reduce traffic and pollution by giving more opportunities to walk or cycle instead of using cars.
Utah charter schools receiving $44 million in federal funds to expand
The Utah Association of Public Charter Schools is receiving $44 million in federal funds to expand charter schools in Utah.
The grant, which comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s Charter School Program, will be administered over five years to develop new charter schools and help existing ones open new campuses.
Each new school is expected to receive $2 million each during their start up and implementation phases for things like renting office space, getting technology and supplies, and hiring a director. How funds are used is governed by federal law.
