This is your daily news rundown for Wednesday, Feb. 12. In this edition:
- Avian flu has been confirmed in wild birds in three more counties
- A task force focused on missing and murdered Indigenous people could be extended
- New footage shows a crash in Layton between a FrontRunner and an SUV
Avian flu confirmed in wild birds in three more counties
Avian flu has been confirmed in wild Utah birds in three more counties, bringing the total to 16 counties.
Officials with the Division of Wildlife Resources said the virus was found in Box Elder, Emery, and San Juan counties. Ten counties have had a confirmed case since November, and 16 since the outbreak started in April 2022.
The birds most impacted by the latest increase in avian flu cases have been eared grebes, geese, hawks, gulls, and owls. Between 15,000 and 25,000 eared grebes have died along Great Salt Lake since November, primarily due to the avian flu.
Other animals affected by the virus include domestic birds, skunks, and red foxes.
Visit the Division of Wildlife Resources' website for more information about the current avian flu outbreak.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Task Force could get extended
A task force to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people could be extended for two more years.
The Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Task Force, originally the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force, was established by the Utah Legislature in 2020.
Its responsibilities include consulting with Tribal governments, identifying best practices for investigations and prosecutions, and doing community education and outreach.
The task force was originally set to end Nov. 30 of last year, but House Bill 125 would extend it for another two years. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Angela Romero, a Democrat from Salt Lake City, noted that COVID-19 delayed efforts to assemble the task force.
Romero said she wants eventually for the executive branch to take over the initiative for a more comprehensive, long-term approach.
The bill has been introduced to the Legislature but has not yet been debated or voted on.
New footage shows FrontRunner hitting stalled SUV on train tracks
The Utah Transit Authority has released footage from a crash between a FrontRunner train and an SUV last week.
The crash occurred on Feb. 4 at the railroad crossing on Hill Field Road in Layton. According to the footage, the car was hit from behind by a pickup truck and pushed onto the railroad tracks as the crossing arms came down.
The car attempted to back up, but didn’t get through the crossing arm, and the driver quickly got out and ran to safety.
Less than 10 seconds later, the train hit the SUV, demolishing it and taking out both the crossing arm and the warning lights. The FrontRunner also sustained damage in the collision.
Gavin Gustafson, spokesman for the Utah Transit Authority, told KSL that anyone caught on a railroad track should drive through the safety arm to prevent incidents like this one.
