Box Elder News Journal's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Box Elder News Journal
The Box Elder County Commission approved a lease at their July 22 meeting giving Rodatherm Energy Corporation access to geothermal resources beneath county-owned property and rights-of-way for a proposed 10-megawatt power project in the Brigham City area. The agreement covers approximately 186.4 acres of county property within a broader geothermal area extending roughly from west of Honeyville to west of Brigham City. Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons said Rodatherm has been securing subsurface leases from private landowners and needs the county agreement to connect those properties beneath county roads. The commission also approved an associated memorandum that...
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The Willard City Council reconsidered plans for a fire station expansion at a July 23 work session after estimates came in hundreds of thousands of dollars above the approximately 0,000 the city had expected to spend. The project would provide more room for the department’s existing fire apparatus, house the city’s ambulance and leave space for a second ambulance as backup. “Our cheapest option of 0,000 is still 0,000 more than what we anticipated,” Willard City Manager Jeremy Kimpton said. The estimates covered masonry, pre-engineered metal and steel-frame construction. The masonry option alone was estimated at approximately 5,000 for materials...
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Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of the Forest Street overpass were finally opened last week a couple of weeks following the official ribbon cutting. The approximately million project, funded entirely through a state tax on railroad diesel fuel, brings to a close a decades-long transit frustration and public safety concern posed by train switching operations at the Union Pacific station.
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The Willard City Council unanimously voted at its July 23 meeting to renegotiate Connext’s fiber franchise agreement before it expires Dec. 8. Willard City Attorney Amy Hugie said Connext paid the city a one-time fee under the existing agreement, while a replacement could include a franchise fee of about 3.5%. The nonexclusive agreement allows Connext to install and operate fiber infrastructure in city streets and other public rights-of-way. Without at least 90 days’ notice from the city, the agreement could automatically renew for two additional eight-year terms. The approved notice says the city values its partnership with Connext and...
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The Willard City Council unanimously approved funding a new municipal website and text-alert system at its July 23 meeting after city staff said the existing site could not be brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Willard City Manager Jeremy Kimpton said the city had worked with a web designer and tested several tools in an effort to bring the site into compliance. “We can’t quite get where we need to be to meet the federal government requirements,” Kimpton said. The city will pay Munibit ,408 annually, including [post_excerpt],908 for the website and [post_excerpt],500 for up to 27,500...
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Perry's oldest redevelopment project is nearing the end of the financing obligations created after the city assumed infrastructure costs when the original developer defaulted, according to the Perry Redevelopment Agency's annual report. Financial adviser Jason Burningham of LRB Public Finance Advisors presented the Perry Redevelopment Agency's annual report during Thursday's City Council meeting, reviewing the status of the city's two community development areas as the Pointe Perry project nears the end of its reimbursement obligations. The annual report states the Pointe Perry Community Development Area was created in 2007 to help finance roads, water and sewer infrastructure for the Pointe...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved an agreement at its July 22 meeting to transfer fire protection, fire suppression and emergency medical first response in Thatcher and Penrose to county control after learning the existing operation could no longer legally be funded through the local water entity and was nearly out of money. County Fire Marshal Kevin Lloyd said the agreement would bring Thatcher-Penrose Fire “completely underneath” the county. He said the local water department had overseen the operation but could not legally fund it and no longer wanted responsibility for its liability. “Thatcher’s pretty well broke,” Lloyd said. The...
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The Johnson Canyon Fire, which ignited Saturday, remained at 6,889 acres and 65% containment Monday after racing across thousands of acres over the weekend, prompting evacuation warnings for Portage and Washakie and drawing donations for firefighters from communities across northern Utah and southern Idaho. The fire reached 6,889 acres and 65% containment by Sunday evening. Box Elder County reported at noon Monday that neither figure had changed. Crews continued patrolling the fire area, monitoring conditions and extinguishing remaining hot spots Monday, according to Box Elder County Public Information Officer Lynnette Crockett. The cause remained under investigation. Level 1, or “ready,”...
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Summer monsoons have brought much-needed precipitation to some parts of the state, but the moisture has also come at a severe cost, as these intense weather events have unfortunately resulted in the destruction of property and, tragically, the loss of life. As we navigate the remainder of the summer, we urge all residents to remain vigilant and prioritize safety. “While the rains have arrived, our reservoirs have seen a significant decline” Laura Haskell, drought coordinator for the Utah Division of Water Resources said, “The median drop between May and July is typically 1%, but this year it reached 13%. This...
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The Willard City Council recognized a 2023 improvement deferment agreement for a subdivision in the city at its July 23 meeting, but postponed decisions involving a proposed third lot. Willard City Planner Madison Brown said the city reviewed the agreement after noticing construction in the subdivision and found no record that the council had approved it or that an authorized city representative had signed it. The agreement covers two lots and postpones construction of curb, gutter and sidewalk until the city formally requires the work. The owners would then have 60 days to complete the improvements. If they fail to...
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Mantua celebrated its community with Little Valley Days last week, which included the Mr. Mantua contest and the Little Miss Mantua and Miss Teen Mantua contests. (left) Spencer Jepson hoists the Golden Boot as the winner of the 2026 Little Valley Days Mr. Mantua contest seconds after completing his railroad spike setting. Other events included watermelon eating, wheelbarrow navigations and shoveling skills and feats of strength. (inset) Clare Hansen, Demonstrating her Karate skills with nunchucks during the Miss Teen Mantua contest. See more photos from the week’s events on page 6.
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Dozens of residents gathered at Utah State University Brigham City for a public forum on the proposed Stratos data center, where scientists, legal experts, local officials and referendum organizers offered sharply different perspectives before fielding more than 30 minutes of questions from the audience. Hosted by Grow the Flow, with participation from Box Elder Accountability Referendum, the forum was intended to give residents an opportunity to hear multiple viewpoints on the proposed development and ask ques- tions directly of the panelists. Moderator Jake Dreyfus urged attendees to remain respectful despite strong differences of opinion before introducing Brigham Young University ecologist...
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Following much discussion of the proposal to turn Mantua Reservoir into a state park, Mantua Mayor Annette Ash has announced that on Saturday, Aug. 22, community members can hear directly from Utah Division of State Parks officials and ask questions concerning the proposal. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., representatives from Utah State Parks will present tentative plans and answer questions from residents. The day will consist of four one-hour sessions, with presentations starting over each hour to allow residents multiple opportunities to attend at their convenience. Ash said she intended to reach out to see if Mantua could receive...
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The Brigham City Council voted 4-1 Wednesday to amend the city's general plan and transportation master plan, adding two future roadway connections. The amendment adds proposed future connections extending 100 West from 700 South to Fishburn Drive and extending Lakeview Drive east from 200 West toward Main Street. According to the staff report, the changes are intended to improve longterm transportation connectivity, access and rede- The red bars show roads approved for inclusion in the city’s transportation master plan, including a north–south connection along 100 West between 700 South and Fishburn Drive, and an east–west connection along Lakeview Drive between...
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The Brigham City Council approved compensation increases for the mayor, council members and executive municipal officers July 16, adopting the city's fiscal year 2026-27 pay schedule following a public hearing required under state law. The ordinance establishes compensation of 7,000 for the city administrator; 0,000 for the city attorney; 3,388 for the assistant city administrator/public power director; 2,752 for the community and economic development director; 1,441 for the police chief; 7,510 for the public works director; 6,069 for the finance director; 5,108 to 9,083 for the public power superintendent; 1,788 for the fire chief; 8,534 for the information technology director;...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved two monthto month agreements Tuesday allowing privately owned horse walkers to remain at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds. Annie Hansen of the Box Elder County Attorney’s Office said the agreements establish terms for keeping the privately owned horse walkers at the fairgrounds while protecting the county. Each agreement includes a 30-day termination clause. The horse walkers must be removed beginning Aug. 1 during preparations for the county fair and may be reinstalled after the fair. They also require fencing and safety covers over the gearboxes. Before approving one of the agreements, commissioners confirmed the...
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The Box Elder County Commission completed a months-long legal process Wednesday by restructuring the Box Elder Special Service District to administer federal mineral lease funds, adopting new bylaws and appointing an administrative control board to oversee the district. Federal mineral lease funds are generated from oil, gas and other mineral production on federal lands and returned to counties under state law for qualifying public purposes. The county began the restructuring process in March to formally authorize the special service district to administer those funds and comply with state requirements. Box Elder County Deputy Attorney Glen Thurston told commissioners the resolution...
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BE United U16 girls battled in the extreme heat over the weekend at the Cache Cup where they finished in second place. BE United had won a match 2-0 against the Strikers the day before, and the two teams matched up for the championship, but the United squad could not repeat the results and lost 4-2. Team members pictured are: (front) Cambree Rudd, Kyra Gibby, Makinley Meyers, Genesis Sevella, Mia Elegante, Paitley Prescott, (back) coach Nick Browne, Brianna Legua, Brooklyn Lloyd, Emmie Browne, Emersyn Thiness, Hope Page, Kylie Carr, Tessa Gilbert, coach Kelly Nelson and coach Shalisa Elegante. Not pictured:...
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New requirements from the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) will bring several updates to Box Elder County's Rural County Grant program before Sept. 1, including new oversight requirements, a board restructuring and a revised grant application process. Sean Milne, economic development director for the Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG), outlined the updates July 7. The state agency has returned to using the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) name after briefly operating as the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. Box Elder County receives 0,000 annually in Rural County Grant funding through GOED. The CEO Advisory Board reviews funding...
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Attendees of the U.S. 250 Tour—an event touted as showcasing American history and patriotic performances that will visit every U.S. state—enthusiastically cheer on one of the several musical acts of the night. The event was held on the Utah State University Brigham City campus last week. While the crowd was generally excited and appreciative of the historical performances, messages from speakers, and musical acts, some were much less enamored. A visitor from Cache County mentioned how out of touch with reality the AI presentations of historical Americans felt. Another attendee said, “Videographers like Pvt. Frank Switka didn’t die to get...
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A danger advisory issued July 8 for Mantua Reservoir remains in effect after testing detected harmful algal toxins at levels that pose a risk to people and animals. The advisory was issued after testing found "the algae is producing high levels of dangerous toxins," the Bear River Health Department said. Issued by the health department, the danger advisory is Utah's highest recreational health advisory for harmful algal blooms. Health officials advise the public not to drink reservoir water or enter the water to swim, wade, paddle or jet/water ski. They also advise people not to boat in areas where algae...
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Box Elder County has declared a 30-day local state of emergency as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to sweep through the county’s dairy industry, triggering steep milk production losses and affecting a significant share of local operations. The declaration, which took effect July 9, is meant to pull together local, state and federal resources as the county confronts an outbreak officials say has touched nearly half of its dairy farms. According to the county news release, the first positive test came from a local dairy around June 25. What followed was a rapid decline in milk output and a...
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Box Elder County's financial condition improved during 2025 while independent auditors found no significant deficiencies in its financial controls or compliance with state and federal requirements. Presented to the Box Elder County Commission on July 7, the audit report included an unmodified opinion, meaning independent auditors concluded the county's financial statements fairly present the county's financial position in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. "There were no material weaknesses identified, there were no significant deficiencies, and we didn't have any non-compliance material at the financial statements," John Hatterley, an audit partner with Larson & Co., said. An audit for 2024...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved a request Tuesday by Gardner Francis of Westland Development to rezone about 861 acres near Snowville from unzoned to MG-EX (mining, quarry, sand and gravel excavation), a designation that would make the property eligible for future mining proposals. Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons said the five parcels, located near Interstate 84 Exit 12, have historically served as a gravel source for the Utah Department of Transportation and Box Elder County, but not as a commercial gravel operation. Lyons said the county's land use code limits gravel operations to property zoned MG-EX....
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The Perry City Council unanimously approved amendments to the city’s current fiscal year 2025-26 budget, updating revenues and expenditures to reflect year-end financial activity while shifting planned Class C road fund transfers into the next fiscal year. Several revenue categories exceeded the city’s original projections, Perry City Finance Director Shanna Johnson said. Tax revenue is expected to finish ,689 above budget, licenses and permits 4,075 higher, intergovernmental revenue 3,864 higher and charges for services ,161 above projections. Miscellaneous revenue, primarily interest earnings, is expected to finish ,172 below budget because of changing interest rates. The amendment also postpones transfers from...
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Following its decision to not renew the existing contract with the Central Box Elder Fire District in June, the Honeyville City Council is set to begin new negotiations to adjust terms. The decision to end the previous contract came during last month’s council meeting amid disagreements over costs and feelings that Honeyville residents were bearing costs for other parts of the district. The council expressed frustration, believing that Honeyville has been effectively subsidizing Bear River City, Deweyville, and parts of Elwood, by providing a facility with amenities like a training room and decontamination shower that other district buildings lack. Under...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved a fairgrounds fee waiver July 7 allowing the Northern Box Elder Special Olympics program to hold a community meet-and-greet at the fine arts building on July 23. Organizers hope the event will introduce the program to more families, recruit volunteers and encourage more athletes to participate. Kayla Bingham, who recently became head of delegation for the Northern Box Elder Special Olympics program, said she accepted the role after being asked to rebuild what she described as a "compromised program." "People don't even know we have a program," Bingham said. "I myself have a son...
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Willard City received a low-risk rating in its annual fraud risk assessment, a state-required review of internal financial controls presented to the city council on June 25. Ryan Child of Child Richards CPAs & Advisors said the annual assessment evaluates the city’s policies, procedures and safeguards designed to prevent and detect fraud. He said the report is required to be presented to the council each year but does not require formal approval or other action. Willard earned 325 of 395 possible points, placing it “pretty safely” in the low-risk category. Child said the city could improve its score by documenting...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved an agricultural protection area for a 12.01-acre parcel near Tremonton following a public hearing July 7. The proposal originally included five parcels totaling 40.38 acres, but four were removed because they were located in an unzoned area and were not eligible for inclusion. Community Development Director Scott Lyons said the resolution ultimately covered only the remaining 12.01-acre parcel. During the public hearing, Box Elder County resident Deanna Hardy argued agricultural protection areas are unconstitutional because, she said, property owners already have constitutional protections. The designation approved Tuesday, however, was requested by the landowner rather...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved a [post_excerpt],200 reimbursement July 7 to Myers Mortuary for services provided through the county’s indigent burial program. Utah law authorizes counties to fund burial and cremation services for qualifying indigent individuals. Box Elder County operates one of those programs. The reimbursement included [post_excerpt],043 for professional services and a 7 Utah cremation/transit permit. During the discussion, Commissioner Lee Perry said the county plans to contact Lindquist Mortuaries, which now operates Aaron’s Mortuary and Gillies Funeral Chapel in Brigham City, to ensure the company is aware of the county’s indigent burial program following the ownership changes....
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The Box Elder County Commission appointed former Brigham City Police Chief Michael Nelson to the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission on July 7. The three-member commission administers the sheriff’s office merit system, including rules governing appointments and procedures for employee appeals and grievances. Nelson will fill the remainder of the term vacated by Danny Earl, who resigned after about two years on the commission because of family circumstances, Commissioner Lee Perry said. Perry said he spoke with Nelson, citing his law enforcement experience and describing him as “a great choice and a great replacement.”
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The Box Elder County Commission denied a request Tuesday from Karen Jensen to rezone 96 acres in the Mantua area from MU-160 (multiple use-160 acres) to RR-5 (rural residential-5 acres), following a recommendation from the planning commission that identified existing roads as inadequate to support additional residential development and that the proposal would not represent the orderly development of the county. Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons said the planning commission initially tabled the request in April to allow Jensen time to pursue annexation into Mantua City. After the city rejected the annexation request, the planning commission reconsidered...
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The first human case of West Nile virus in the Bear River Health District, which includes Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties, has been found in Box Elder, prompting officials to remind residents how to stay safe this summer. The culex species of mosquitos, the transmission vector of West Nile virus to humans, benefitted from an extremely mild winter that allowed them to survive in adult form with little mortality. “Because of such a healthy head start, combined with favorable environmental conditions, mosquito populations have been able to thrive,” said Tyson Packer, director of Box Elder County Mosquito Abatement District....
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As the Bear River Health Department transitions to a managed-care Medicaid model, current Medicaid patients receiving substance abuse treatment will be able to continue seeing their existing providers, under certain conditions, according to Bear River Health Department Director Jordan Mathis. "Everyone who's currently receiving substance abuse treatment will be able to continue with their provider," Mathis said, so long as those providers enter into a single-case agreement with Bear River Behavioral Health and comply with Medicaid treatment standards. In a June 18 email to the News Journal, Mathis wrote that the agreements are intended to ensure continuity of care during...
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The decade-long effort to build the Forest Street overpass reached another milestone Tuesday morning as city officials, state lawmakers, contractors and community members gathered atop the bridge for a ceremonial ribbon cutting ahead of its expected opening later this month. Mayor DJ Bott called the overpass a “generational project,” comparing it to other landmark public works that have shaped Brigham City. He said the bridge would serve the community for “hundreds of years” and noted the Utah Legislature initially appropriated million for the project about five years ago before approving an additional million this past spring to offset...
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Reed Kirkland raises an American Flag during a dramatic live retelling of the birth of the United States of America as part of a 250th Independence Day stage show in Corinne on Friday, July 3. Kirkland, Colton Smith, Colby Nelson, and Heston Morris all played roles of the Founding Fathers. At the conclusion of the festival—which was dreamed up and brought into reality by Beulah Wells—members of the EMS, police, fire, and the armed services were asked to the stage. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines were asked to stand each of the military branches’ songs were played. This included wildland...
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The Willard City Council approved year-end amendments to the city's 2025-26 budget June 25, updating revenue and expenditure estimates across the general, capital projects, and water and sewer funds to reflect the city's financial activity as the fiscal year came to a close. Ryan Child of Child Richards CPAs & Advisors said the amendments primarily reflected routine differences between budgeted and actual revenues and expenditures rather than any single significant financial event. Several general fund revenue estimates were revised to reflect stronger-than-expected collections. The largest adjustment was a ,000 increase in road tax revenue. Building permit revenue increased ,000, while...
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During its June 25 meeting, the Willard City Council unanimously adopted a fiscal year 2026-27 budget totaling about .35 million across the city's general, capital projects, water and sewer funds after discussing concerns that police spending has increased faster than inflation and city growth. The adopted budget includes .4 million in general fund expenditures, 0,000 in capital projects fund expenditures, 3,700 in the water fund and [post_excerpt].1 million in the sewer fund, for total planned expenditures of .35 million. The capital projects fund includes 0,000 for fire capital projects, ,000 for administrative equipment and ,000 for information technology equipment. The...
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Strained resources With critical fire danger escalating across the state and drought conditions straining water supplies, officials are urging all residents to exercise extreme caution. As fire activity intensifies, please recreate responsibly to help prevent new wildfire starts while crews manage ongoing incidents. Statewide precipitation in valley locations was 51% of normal for the month of June, causing Utah’s water-year-to-date precipitation to drop to 96% of normal. Soil moisture in Utah’s valleys averaged around 35% saturation as of July 1, but that varies widely by location. The Uinta Basin, for example, has record dry valley soil moisture conditions, and the...
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Utah entered the 2026 fire season with record-low snowpack and heightened concerns about wildfires, which are already burning across the state. As of early July, there have been 390 wildfires across Utah burning 296,063 acres. Of these fires, 278 have been human caused, 73 caused by lightning, and 39 with the a cause yet to be determined. While the earlier fires were at mid-elevation in grass, brush, and pinyon-juniper woodlands. As the fire season continues, fire activity is starting to move into higher elevations. This was seen near Beaver, Utah, where the Cottonwood Fire is moving higher up into timber,...
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A 44-year-old Salt Lake-area man was killed June 23 when a small aircraft crashed in Box Elder County near the Willard area foothills, according to the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies, assisted by a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter, located the wreckage after receiving a report of a possible aircraft crash. The pilot, who was flying solo, was found deceased at the scene. The identity of the pilot is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. The aircraft involved, a Cessna 172S, is listed in an NTSB accident...
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A Brigham City police officer assigned as a school resource officer at Box Elder Middle School has been charged with one count of Class B misdemeanor assault following an interaction with a student earlier this year. The charge against Officer Casey Carlsen was filed June 18 in Box Elder Justice Court. Court records show Carlsen is scheduled to be arraigned July 21 before Judge Dustin Ericson. The publicly available court register does not include the charging document text. According to a Brigham City Police Department news release, the student’s parent reported the incident to the Box Elder School District. The...
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In 2021, Idle Isle Café on Main Street in Brigham City celebrated its 100th anniversary. At that time, the restaurant, a centerpiece of the community—everyone in the community seemingly had a connection to it— was touted as Utah’s longest continually operating restaurant. But in May 2025, that record came to an end when owners announced the restaurant’s closure amid financial difficulties that included tax liens, accusations from former employees about an allegedly toxic workplace and abuse and inappropriate conduct by the owners, and complaints about food quality and schedule. However, despite the restaurant’s previous years of decline—and amid a nationwide...
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A headline in last week’s edition on a story about the Box Elder School District budget contained an error. The district did not bond million for two elementary school projects. The district used a different debt instrument: A lease-purchase agreement. We regret the error.
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The Box Elder County Commission approved revisions to the Bear River Health Department's interlocal agreement Wednesday and appointed Bear River Mental Health Executive Director Trevor Cook as the region's behavioral health director, continuing a restructuring of behavioral health services that has been underway across Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties since 2024. The revised agreement clarifies responsibilities established when the three counties reorganized the Bear River Health Department in 2025 as a multicounty, united local health department responsible for public health, mental health and substance abuse programs. It also delegates additional administrative duties to the health department, including authority to...
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Box Elder County municipalities took different approaches after Gov. Spencer Cox’s wildfire emergency order temporarily prohibited consumer fireworks statewide unless cities designated areas where they could still be discharged. Four of Box Elder County’s eight incorporated municipalities chose to designate areas where consumer fireworks remain legal, while the other four did not designate any discharge areas, effectively prohibiting personal fireworks within their city limits. On June 25, Cox declared a state of emergency because of extreme wildfire conditions. The executive order authorized the Utah State Forester to temporarily prohibit consumer fireworks statewide during the Independence Day holiday period while allowing...
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Perry Police Detective Zachary Waddoups was presented the department’s Medal of Valor Thursday in recognition of his actions during what officials described as a “chaotic family disturbance” on Nov. 7, 2025. Police Chief Scott Hancey read the department’s Medal of Valor policy, saying the award may be presented to an officer “who in the line of duty distinguishes themselves by the performance of any act of courage that involves risk or imminent serious personal injury for the purpose of saving or protecting human life,” or for “an extraordinary, creditable, and unusual police accomplishment.” Hancey then asked Sgt. Mark Jordan to...
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Republican primary voters reshaped Box Elder County government Tuesday, denying three incumbent county officeholders another term and selecting new nominees for sheriff and two county commission seats, according to unofficial election results. Mike Allred won the Republican nomination for sheriff, receiving 5,716 votes, or 61.1% of the unofficial vote, compared with 3,341 votes, or 35.7%, for three-term incumbent Kevin Potter. Vance Smith won the Republican nomination for Box Elder County Commission Seat A with 4,737 votes (50.7%) to incumbent Boyd Bingham’s 4,384 (46.9%), while Nathan Tueller, a Perry City councilmember, captured the Seat B nomination with 4,908 votes (52.5%) to...
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This pie was an entry in a baking contest held as part of Brigham City Rec Fest activities at Pioneer Park on Friday as part of the city’s America 250 events. For more photos from the event see page 4. For more upcoming Independence Day activities schedule of events calendar see page 5.
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Last week’s edition included an incorrect fire restriction map for Perry City. This is the correct map. We regret the error.
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A ribbon cutting will be held on Tuesday, July 7, to celebrate the near completion of the Forest Street overpass. The public is invited to attend the ribbon cutting and are encouraged to park at the swimming pool. The ceremony itself will take place at the top of the overpass. The public is invited to attend the ribbon cutting and are encouraged to park at the swimming pool. The ceremony itself will take place at the top of the overpass.
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The Perry City Council unanimously adopted the city’s fiscal year 2026-27 budget Thursday, approving a .9 million general fund without increasing the city’s property tax rate. In a separate action, the council also approved utility rate increases that will add about .28 per month to the average residential utility bill while leaving garbage rates unchanged. A typical bill will include .13 for water, about [post_excerpt].03 for sewer and about [post_excerpt].12 for storm drain. Perry City Finance Director Shanna Johnson said the general fund budget is 8% higher than the amended fiscal year 2025-26 budget but 0,693 lower than the tentative...
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Prosecutors presented evidence over a two-day preliminary hearing in 1st District Court last week in the case of Ryan Michael Bate, the man charged in the killings of two Tremonton–Garland police officers, building directly on amended allegations filed days earlier in the case. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court allowed the case to move forward to trial, finding sufficient probable cause to proceed on the charged offenses. No charges were dismissed or reduced. The June 24–25 hearing in Brigham City focused on whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial on capital aggravated murder...
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Virginia-based artist Layton Scarbrough’s largest scale mural, to date, can now be seen at Tremonton’s Midland Square. The fiveday project honors military members and also pays tribute to the fallen officers Sgt. Sorensen and Officer Estrada who were killed in the line of duty last year, along with a tribute to the historic Midland Hotel of Tremonton. Estrada and Sorensen’s last names are seen on the leaves of roses being handed to a young girl by an officer with a black memorial band across his badge. Scarbrough is a mural artist and children’s book author-illustrator, who graduated from Utah Valley...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a five-year contract with City of Fun Carnival to continue operating the exclusive carnival midway at the Box Elder County Fair through 2030. Under the agreement, City of Fun will pay the county ,000 annually plus 30% of presale ticket revenue while retaining exclusive rights to operate carnival rides, games, and food trailers during the fair. The county will continue providing the midway site along with portable restrooms, trash service and water hookups. Jan Rhodes, Box Elder County’s fairgrounds manager and fair director, told commissioners the company has served the fair for...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday reappointed members to administrative control boards and boards of trustees for several special service districts across the county, recognizing volunteers who oversee services ranging from flood control and watershed management to cemetery maintenance. County Clerk Marla Young thanked those willing to continue serving, telling commissioners the positions are unpaid volunteer roles that require a significant commitment of time and effort. The commission reappointed Scott Douglass, Reed Stokes and Colby Roberts to Box Elder Service District No. 1 in Howell; David Morris and Melissa Larsen to Box Elder County Service Area No. 2 in...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved two Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Invasive Species Mitigation Grant Program agreements totaling ,077 for continued control of rush skeletonweed and knapweed across Box Elder County. Darren McFarland of the county’s Weed and Road Department told commissioners the county received ,000 for its annual rush skeletonweed mitigation program and ,077 for knapweed control. Both grants are funded through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Invasive Species Mitigation Grant Program. According to the grant applications, the rush skeletonweed project focuses on infestations across eastern Box Elder County, particularly the Promontory Peninsula,...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a low-income property tax abatement for a resident who narrowly exceeded the program’s income limits because state law required the inclusion of a deceased spouse’s income from earlier in the tax year. The resident told commissioners she applied for the abatement because of her limited income but was pushed over the eligibility threshold after her husband’s income for January and February of the previous year had to be included. She said her income remains very low and that paying the property taxes is a significant burden. Marcy Powell of the Box Elder...
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The Perry City Council unanimously approved an updated compensation schedule June 11 establishing compensation schedules and salary ranges for elected officials, appointed officials and city employees as required under state law. Finance Director and City Recorder Shanna Johnson told the council the ordinance complies with a requirement created by Senate Bill 91, passed in 2024, which requires municipalities to hold a public hearing and adopt an annual compensation schedule. Johnson said the published figures represent compensation schedules and salary ranges that include salary, benefits, bonuses and vehicle allowances where applicable, rather than simply wages. “The salaries include benefits,” Johnson said....
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The base for a new traffic signal is blocked off by traffic cones on Main Street and 100 North in Brigham City. State crews are working to install new traffic signals on five intersections between100 North and 990 South. Officials say the new signals will bring improved traffic flow and accessibility. In addition to entirely new traffic signal infrastructure, the project includes improvements to sidewalk ramps. Work is expected to continue into September. More information is available at udotinput.utah.gov/ brighamcitysignals
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The Willard City Council approved a new no-parking ordinance for 300 North on Thursday, citing concerns about gravel truck traffic, the road’s narrow width and emergency vehicle access. Under the ordinance, parking is prohibited at any time on both sides of 300 North from U.S. Highway 89 to the Willard Canyon trailhead approximately 0.58 miles to the east, regardless of whether “No Parking” signs are posted. The restriction also prohibits leaving trailers or other property within the area. Vehicles parked in violation remain subject to the city’s existing parking enforcement rules, including removal and impoundment at the owner’s expense. One...
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The Perry City Council unanimously voted June 11 to adopt the certified tax rate, abandoning a proposed 13.33% property tax increase for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The decision reversed the course set on May 14, when the council accepted a tentative .05 million general fund budget and scheduled an Aug. 11 Truth in Taxation hearing to fund rising fire contract costs, police compensation adjustments, enhanced information technology support and legal expenses. Instead, the council adopted the certified tax rate. Under Utah’s Truth in Taxation system, the certified rate is designed to generate the same property tax revenue as the previous...
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The Box Elder County Commission unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium Wednesday on new data center and data center power plant applications, giving the county time to develop land use regulations for an industry that has drawn intense public scrutiny. The temporary pause is intended to give county officials time to study how such projects should be reviewed and regulated, including potential zoning changes and development standards. “In this particular case, it would be specifically data centers and data center power plants to give us time to look at how those should be reviewed and handled, what codes would need to...
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The Box Elder County Commission voted Wednesday to begin removing county lands from the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) Golden Spike project area after hearing there is no active development activity involving those properties. The action directs the county attorney’s office to send correspondence asking UIPA to remove Box Elder County’s participation while allowing Garland, Tremonton, Brigham City and Willard to remain part of the project area. Although the Golden Spike project area is administered by the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA), the vote comes amid broader public criticism of state development authorities after the proposed Stratos data center project...
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A recent survey of 515 registered Box Elder County voters found that 71% of those polled opposed the proposed Stratos data center project, compared to 23% in support of it. The survey, commissioned by Stewardship Utah and conducted in partnership with the Box Elder Accountability Referendum (B.E.A.R.) campaign, showed that respondents found issues related to water and agriculture, tax breaks and incentives, and the decision-making process were “very convincing” or “somewhat convincing” reasons to support efforts to place a referendum about the project on the ballot for voters to decide. The survey also indicated potential political fallout for sitting Box...
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A woman folding laundry on her couch was injured Thursday afternoon when an 18-year-old driver’s white pickup struck a Buick Enclave, left the roadway and crashed through the front of her Perry home, according to Perry City police. Officers responded shortly after 2:30 p.m. to a reckless driver call that escalated into a personal injury crash near 2235 S. U.S. Highway 89. According to a Perry Police Department incident report, witnesses reported seeing a white pickup swerving, failing to maintain a single lane of travel and nearly striking another vehicle before colliding with a Buick Enclave. The truck then left...
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Perry City celebrated two recreation milestones Saturday with ribbon cuttings for the central segment of the Historic Orchard Pathway and the all-new Kiwanis Gravity Bike Park, expanding recreation opportunities for walkers, cyclists and mountain bikers. The morning began along 1200 West, where city officials and residents gathered to celebrate the newest section of the Historic Orchard Pathway. Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill said the trail traces the former Bamberger Railroad alignment. “The concept for this trail originated back in 2016, 2017 when Perry, Willard, Brigham City, and the county got together and created the Southeast Box Elder Active Transportation Plan,”...
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The Perry City Council unanimously voted June 11 to ease e-bike restrictions on the Historic Orchard Pathway and other shared-use trails while keeping Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes prohibited at the Kiwanis Gravity Bike Park. The amendment revises an ordinance adopted two weeks earlier establishing rules for the Historic Orchard Pathway, the Kiwanis Gravity Bike Park and future city trails. While the ordinance retained the 20-mph speed limit and restrictions on other motorized vehicles, councilmembers revisited whether all classes of e-bikes should be treated the same on every trail. The council’s discussion reflected concerns that a classbased ban on...
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With June temperatures rising, Utah is facing a deepening drought that has accelerated the drying of soils and vegetation across the state. Wildfire season has already been active with over 230 fires so far this year, a majority of which were human caused. Reservoir storage averages 68% full, which is 7% lower than the normal for this time of year, and 18% lower than this time last year. In the Bear River basin, streamflows remain higher than those observed during the same period in 2021, but much of the runoff arrived earlier than normal due to warmer spring temperatures. Very...
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Responding to a FOX 13 investigation that questioned whether two meetings in March related to the Stratos data center project should have been publicly noticed, Box Elder County Attorney Stephen Hadfield said Wednesday he is not aware of anything that constituted an illegal meeting. The comments came during the June 10 Box Elder County Commission meeting, one week after FOX 13 reported that meetings on March 25 and 26 between county commissioners and representatives of the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) regarding the project were held without public notice and questioned whether they should have been noticed under Utah’s Open...
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Brigham City officials used two budget work sessions to weigh aging infrastructure, new staffing requests and a proposed 12.93% property tax increase as they continued work on Mayor DJ Bott’s 2026- 27 budget proposal. The proposed increase is expected to generate an estimated 5,000 in additional revenue and would fund three personnel initiatives: replacing the city’s contracted attorney with a full-time employee, creating a police administrative IT sergeant position and adding seasonal parks department staffing. Officials also reviewed a wage restructuring proposal for animal services employees intended to improve recruitment and retention. Before turning to staffing requests, officials spent much...
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A physician who practiced in Brigham City has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he obtained and sold misbranded peptide drugs to patients, with a jury trial scheduled for next year. Justin Bradley Watkins, 39, of Pleasant View, entered the plea April 22 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jared C. Bennett, waiving a formal reading of the indictment. A jury trial is scheduled to begin June 1, 2027, before U.S. District Judge David Barlow. The case stems from an April 1 federal grand jury indictment accusing Watkins of receiving misbranded drugs in interstate commerce and delivering them for pay with...
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U.S. House District 2Kariann Lisonbee Box Elder County Commission-Seat ABoyd BinghamVance Smith Box Elder County Commission-Seat BNathan Tueller Box Elder County School Board-Dist. 3Krisha Petersen Decoursey Box Elder County School Board-Dist. 4Michelle Mund
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Brigham City emergency vehicles now have the ability to communicate with traffic signals, allowing first responders to safely clear intersections while reducing the risk of crashes. During a demonstration Thursday morning, Brigham City Fire Engine 221, driven by Capt. Race Black made multiple passes through the Fifth West and Forest Street intersection. On each approach, the traffic light changed from red to green while the cross-street signal completed a normal green-to-yellow-to-red cycle, allowing the emergency vehicle to continue through the intersection without stopping. As an emergency vehicle approaches, equipment installed on the vehicle communicates wirelessly with equipment at the intersection....
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In a letter to Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, Stratos data center developer Kevin O’Leary said he plans to reduce the proposed project footprint as opponents pursue two lawsuits challenging county actions related to the project. In the letter, written in response to “demands” from Adams, O’Leary said the proposed project area would be reduced from approximately 40,000 acres to about 20,000 acres. The developer also said a majority of the remaining land would be preserved as open space. According to O’Leary, approximately 19,430 acres surrounding the Locomotive Springs Waterfowl Management Area and another 620 acres near I-80 have been...
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Box Elder County contributed 0,000 to a project centered on a 43-foot statue of the Golden Spike planned for an eight-acre site in Brigham City, but that money is gone after the monument park idea was abandoned and the statue is now headed to This Is The Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City. The move follows years of public investment and planning that envisioned the monument as a gateway to Golden Spike National Historical Park. The Golden Spike Foundation promoted the project as a new landmark west of Interstate 15 on Forest Street. The site combined five acres purchased...
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A Weber County judge on Monday sentenced former Box Elder County Justice Court Judge Kevin Christensen to three consecutive prison terms, leaving him facing up to 15 years in prison after determining his public office warranted a harsher sentence. Second District Judge Catherine Conklin imposed three consecutive indeterminate prison terms of up to five years for one count of enticing a minor and two counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor. Under Utah’s indeterminate sentencing system, the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole, not the sentencing judge, determines how much of a sentence an inmate serves. Because the...
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Following much debate on Mayor Bruce Nelson’s proposed water rate increase, the Honeyville City Council approved a compromise of stepped increases over the next four years. The council ultimately passed a stepped increase plan which will see the city’s standard 3/4-inch home connection increase from to beginning Aug. 1 this year. In August of 2028 it will increase to and finally increase to in August of 2030. The city’s agricultural connections between 2-inches and 6-inches will increase by the same percentage at the same interval. As part of the measure, the city eliminated its field tap...
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The Box Elder News Journal invited every candidate in this month’s Republican Primary Election to submit answers to the following set of questions: · Why have you decided to run for this office? · What do you see as the top three issues facing your respective constituencies, and how would you address them? · In your opinion, what distinguishes you from your opponents? · What do you really want residents to know before casting their vote? After sending emails to addresses listed with their candidate information, the News Journal attempted to contact unresponsive candidates by phone and social media. Despite...
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Voting Requirements To vote by mail or in person, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day and a resident of Utah and of the relevant precinct for at least 30 days. You must be a registered voter. The deadline to register to vote online or by mail is June 12, 2026. Utah also allows same-day voter registration during early voting and on Election Day. Those voters must cast provisional ballots and provide identification and proof of residency. For in-person voting, valid photo identification is required. Mail-In Voting Ballots will be mailed to active...
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Brigham City earned 375 out of 395 possible points on Utah’s annual Fraud Risk Assessment, placing the city in the state’s “very low” risk category for undetected fraud, abuse and noncompliance. The assessment, developed by the Utah Office of the State Auditor, evaluates whether local governments have policies, procedures and internal controls designed to reduce the risk of undetected fraud, abuse and noncompliance. According to the assessment presented Thursday to the Brigham City Council, the city received full credit for maintaining separation of duties, adopting written policies covering areas such as conflict of interest, procurement, ethical behavior, fraud reporting, information...
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Several major Brigham City infrastructure projects continue to move forward, including a Box Elder Canyon water pipeline replacement, the Forest Street overpass and a planned power line relocation above the Parsons gravel pit. During Thursday’s city council meeting, Mayor DJ Bott said the Box Elder Canyon project is nearing completion and will bring both culinary and secondary irrigation water through new pipelines designed to serve the city for the next 100 to 150 years. Bott also said the Forest Street overpass remains on schedule. A tentative date for a ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected to be announced in the coming weeks,...
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State officials last week pivoted from their previous stances regarding a proposed 40,000-acre data center in Box Elder County, with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issuing an executive order changing how large data center projects are evaluated and developed in Utah, and Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, a board member of the Military Installation Development Authority, calling for a 75% reduction in the size of the 40,000-acre project (see related story below). The shifts from Utah’s highest leaders came following a public forum held Tuesday, May 26, at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds, where a panel of experts discussed the potential...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved an ,500 grant agreement May 27 to help fund efforts to monitor and control invasive weeds throughout the county. Box Elder County Weed Department Supervisor Wyatt Freeze said the funding comes through the Utah Weed Supervisors Association and has been awarded to the county annually for about a decade. The grant reimburses weed-control activities during the 2026 calendar year. Freeze said the program focuses on Class 1A and 1B noxious weeds, species that are either not yet established in Utah or are beginning to spread and are targeted for early detection and control. Examples...
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The Perry City Council unanimously appointed Jim Kern as chairman of the city’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The volunteer organization helps Perry prepare for emergencies and disasters by providing trained community members who can assist with response, communications, logistics and other support functions when needed. Mayor Kevin Jeppsen said Kern has been involved with the CERT program and has also served as a range safety officer at the local gun range. Jeppsen said outgoing chair Paula Smith recommended Kern for the position. The council approved Kern’s appointment unanimously.
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The Box Elder County Commission voted May 27 to table a proposed annexation of a 3.7- acre parcel into Garland City, citing concerns about emergency access, road conditions and the possibility of additional residential development. The parcel, located near 12800 North and 7000 West, is already served by Garland City water. Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons said the property owner is seeking annexation so a single-family home can be built using an existing city water connection. Garland City approved the annexation on May 20. Because the annexation would create a small island of Garland City surrounded by...
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A proposed ordinance that would prohibit parking along much of 300 North between U.S. 89 and the Willard Canyon trailhead is headed to a public hearing after discussion by the Willard City Council on May 28. The proposal would make it unlawful to park on either side of 300 North from U.S. Highway 89 east to the Willard Canyon trailhead. The draft measure describes the affected area as extending approximately 0.58 miles and states the restriction would apply “regardless of whether ‘No Parking’ signs are posted or not posted.” Willard City Attorney Amy Hugie said the language was included to...
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The Perry City Council approved an ordinance establishing rules, regulations and enforcement provisions for city trails, including the Historic Orchard Pathway and the Kiwanis Gravity Bike Park. The ordinance prohibits Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes, motor vehicles and powersport vehicles on city trails, establishes a 20-mph speed limit where no other limit is posted, and creates criminal and civil penalties for violations. The rules apply to the Historic Orchard Pathway, the Kiwanis Gravity Bike Park and any future trails developed by the city. The council approved the trail ordinance on a unanimous vote. Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill said...
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Voters eligible to participate in the Republican Primary Election will receive their ballots this week after being mailed on Tuesday. See next week’s edition of the Box Elder News Journal for a voter guide on the candidates.
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The suicide rate across the Bear River Health District, which includes Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties, fell nearly 22% in 2025 while the number of people receiving mental-health services nearly tripled, according to the Bear River Health Department’s annual report presented to the Box Elder County Commission. Bear River Health Department Executive Director Jordan Mathis and Public Information Officer Estee Hunt presented the report on the agency’s work in Box Elder, Cache and Rich counties, which together make up the Bear River Health District. The report showed the district’s suicide rate declined from 17.8 deaths per 100,000 residents in...
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Less than a month after the Box Elder County Commission approved resolutions related to the proposed Stratos data center project, a series of developments have reshaped the debate surrounding the project, including a rejected referendum effort, a statewide executive order, calls for major changes from Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams and discussion of a possible county moratorium on future data center development. The proposed Stratos Project would allow development of a large artificial intelligence and data-center campus in western Box Elder County near Corinne within a Military Installation Development Authority, or MIDA, project area. Supporters have promoted the project...
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What began as a review of residential beehives following two swarming incidents in a Perry neighborhood ultimately led city officials to conclude that state law, not local ordinance, largely governs how beehives are regulated. The Perry City Council unanimously approved a code amendment May 28 after city officials determined state law governs residential beekeeping in communities such as Perry. Instead of considering tighter restrictions following the incidents, officials concluded state law required Perry to remove its existing residential beehive regulations and defer to state standards. The review was prompted by two incidents involving a beehive kept on residential property that...
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The body of a 27-year-old man who went missing after falling from a WaveRunner at Willard Bay Reservoir was recovered Monday evening. Capt. Chase Pili, public information officer for the Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, said rescuers located and recovered the body of Isaac Maiquema Vasquez of Ecuador at approximately 5:50 p.m. Monday. Vasquez had been missing since Sunday evening after he and two other occupants fell from a WaveRunner. The other two occupants resurfaced, but Vasquez did not. According to Pili, a report of a missing person was received at about 5:15 p.m. Sunday. Search efforts...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved a request May 27 to rezone approximately 22 acres in the Corinne/ Bear River area from agricultural 20-acre zoning to 5-acre rural residential zoning. Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons said the property, located near 5350 West and 4800 North, is surrounded primarily by agricultural land, with some nearby residential development. Lyons told commissioners the landowner plans to build a home on the property and may eventually create additional five-acre lots for family members who want to remain in the area. The planning commission reviewed the request during a public hearing May...
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An independent investigation has found insufficient evidence to support allegations that Box Elder County Sheriff Kevin Potter drove under the influence of alcohol during a Jan. 19 encounter with citizens in the northern part of the county. The investigation did find that Potter violated county and sheriff’s office policies, resulting in a formal letter of censure from the Box Elder County Commission. The commission released its findings May 27 after reviewing a report prepared by outside investigators. According to the commission, investigators cited conduct unbecoming and possession of alcohol in a county vehicle, along with its routine transportation and storage....
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The Perry City Council unanimously approved a zoning change request for property at approximately 2210 S. Highway 89, clearing the way for a new home on the rear portion of the parcel. Perry City Administrator Bob Barnhill said the approximately 1.5-acre property is currently zoned neighborhood commercial. The approved change affects the rear portion of the parcel, where owner William Bowden plans to build a single family home, while retaining commercial zoning along the highway frontage. Barnhill said the property is surrounded primarily by existing homes, making residential development of the rear portion more appropriate. He also noted the city...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved several agreements and code updates May 27, including adoption of updated fire codes, approval of a wildfire cost-sharing agreement with the state and a contract bringing the Utah Horse Pullers Association back to the county fairgrounds. Box Elder County Fire Marshal Kevin Lloyd said the county is adopting the 2024 International Fire Code after the state approved it. The updated code takes effect July 1 and includes adoption of the code appendices. The 2024 code includes updated fire-safety standards addressing issues such as lithium ion battery storage, charging of e-bikes and other micromobility devices,...
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The Willard City Council approved an interlocal agreement May 7 tied to a proposed five-mile shared-use pedestrian and bicycle trail along the UTA-owned Historic Orchard Pathway corridor. The agreement between Willard City, Box Elder County and the Utah Department of Transportation outlines development and operation of the Historic Orchard Pathway shared use path that would extend south from Willard City toward hot springs near 8700 South in unincorporated Box Elder County. The trail would begin near 800 North and 200 West in Willard, continue south along 200 West for about two miles before transitioning onto the edge of UTA property...
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Perry City will host ribbon cuttings on June 13 for both the new Kiwanis Gravity Bike Park and a newly completed section of the Historic Orchard Pathway trail along 1200 West. According to information provided by Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill, the Historic Orchard Pathway ribbon cutting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m., followed by the Kiwanis Gravity Bike Park grand opening at 10 a.m. The trail through Perry has now been completed from the Willard border north to 2250 North. During council reports May 14, Councilmember Dave Walker said construction on the bike park was progressing well, with new jumps,...
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The Brigham City Council approved an ordinance amendment Thursday restricting future self-storage development along portions of the city’s western industrial corridor. The amendment removes self-storage facilities as a conditional use west of 1200 West and Watery Lane and clarifies that storage of shipping containers for wholesale or retail sale is prohibited within city limits. City officials said the proposal is intended to preserve the 1200 West corridor for future industrial, commercial, manufacturing “and other beneficial uses” as Brigham City continues expanding westward Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley said the planning commission approved the recommendation on a unanimous 6-0 vote earlier...
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Looking ahead to the next fiscal year, Mantua is facing a 3,000 deficit that they hope to balance with cuts and restructuring. The deficit originated from a combination of lost revenue sources, rising operational costs, and long-standing utility imbalances. The main driver of that lost revenue growth comes from the loss of grant funding. Several grants the town had consistently received in previous years were not renewed for the coming fiscal year. Former council member Karen Nelson, who has played an instrumental role in securing these grants, reported that it had become harder to qualify for grants because rising median...
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Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared a statewide drought emergency Thursday as state officials warned runoff conditions in northern Utah are already trailing parts of the severe 2021 drought. The governor’s executive order states all 29 Utah counties are now in severe drought conditions, with 22 counties classified in extreme drought. The order also says statewide snowpack peaked about three weeks early at just 53% of normal and that projected water supplies around Utah range from 20% to 55% of normal. Speaking during a news conference at Little Dell Reservoir near Salt Lake City, Cox said Utah is coming off “the...
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Brigham City police are again asking the public for help identifying the driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run that killed 65-year-old Angela “Angie” Kjar last year. The Brigham City Police Department renewed its appeal this month, saying investigators believe someone in the community may have information about the Sept. 29, 2025, crash near 425 East and 850 South. Police Chief Chad Reyes previously said officers were dispatched about 7:50 p.m. on reports of a person down in the roadway. Responding officers found Kjar with injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. She was transported to Brigham City Community Hospital,...
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A Gold Star Family Walk was held at the newly updated Midland Square Park in Tremonton the grass was filled with white crosses and lined with flags for Saturday’s event. The walk was a 2-mile excursion which visited the two area cemeteries and the Borgstrom Brothers monument. In Brigham City the Gold Star Memorial Monument groundbreaking was held at the Box Elder County Courthouse to unveil the artwork which will be featured on the monument when it is placed in the fall. See photos on page 5.
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Brigham City discussed the hiring of approximately 110 seasonal employees during the May 21 City Council meeting as departments prepare for the city’s busiest summer months. The seasonal workers support operations including parks, recreation programs, the city swimming pool, golf course maintenance and other summer services. Mayor DJ Bott said the city relies on employees “to take care of the problems when they happen as well” while discussing the importance of maintaining city operations and infrastructure.
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Utah agricultural producers in all 29 counties are now eligible to apply for emergency drought relief loans through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food after Gov. Spencer Cox issued a new statewide drought emergency declaration. Applications will be accepted for six months, from May 21 through Nov. 21. According to UDAF, the loans are intended to help agricultural operations cover disaster-related losses that are not reimbursed through insurance or other indemnity programs. Producers seeking assistance through both the drought relief program and UDAF’s crop failure relief program must submit separate applications and document separate expenses. Under the program, qualifying...
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About 20 employees of Post Consumer Brands in Tremonton assembled food packs for the Tremonton Food Pantry last month that provided 2,650 meals to local families facing food insecurity through Post’s Ingredients for Good volunteer initiative. The Tremonton plant also intends to donate ,000 this year to help fight hunger in the community. Post’s Tremonton employees have participated in the Ingredients for Good initiative since 2022, and including this year’s donation, have volunteered over 250 community service hours and donated more than ,000 to provide hunger relief locally. “Through Ingredients for Good, employees of Post Consumer Brands foster a strong...
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Following discussion of the issue in April, Honeyville Mayor Bruce Nelson last week put forward a proposal to increase Honeyville’s water rates. Honeyville’s water rates have remained unchanged since February of 2017, resulting in those rates lagging behind the rate of inflation. At present, Honeyville has water rates that range from to ,560 depending on the size of the pipe, from field taps and the standard residential connection of three-quarters of an inch, to agricultural connections between two and six inches. The focus is the residential size, which accounts for an estimated 90% of the connections in the city....
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The Willard City Council approved a tentative 2026- 27 budget Thursday that includes proposed employee raises and planned use of reserve funds for future city projects, but no proposed property tax increase. Ryan Child of Child Richards CPAs presented the budget proposal, which projects about .19 million in general fund revenue against roughly .36 million in planned spending. Child told the council the city’s unrestricted general fund reserve is projected at about 5,000, or roughly 38% of annual revenue, by the end of the current fiscal year. That balance is higher than expected because the city is projected to finish...
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A construction contract to expand Discovery Elementary was approved by the Box Elder School District Board of Education on Wednesday, May 13. According to BESD Facilities Director Corey Thompson, the addition includes 12 new classrooms; two to replace the portables, one for functional skills, one for a preschool, with the rest being used by whatever grade or class needs more room. Plans also call for more parking, a bus lane, playgrounds, and gym. The project is estimated to cost around .5 million total, with the air conditioning costing about million and the fire suppression system about 0,000- 0,000. The...
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Just three months ago, the Box Elder High School boys volleyball team was picked to finish second in Region 5 behind Clearfield after graduating four seniors who led the team in many statistical categories. The Bees were also adjusting to a new head coach for the third time in as many years as the season began. But the play on the court told a different story. Box Elder cruised to its first region championship since boys volleyball was officially sanctioned three years ago. The Bees stormed through region play without dropping a single set and clinched the title after sweeping...
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It was a season of ups and downs for the Box Elder High School baseball team as the Bees finished with a 10- 17 overall record, including a 9-9 mark in region play, before their season ended with a first-round playoff loss to Woods Cross. The season got off to a rocky start for the Bees as the team dropped its first six games and was shut out in four of them. Box Elder did not earn its first win until March 20 when the offense finally broke through in a 14-4 victory over Farmington in the final tuneup before...
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Tremonton-Garland police arrested a Tremonton couple earlier this month in connection with the death of their 11-year-old child, but the pair was later released after prosecutors did not file formal charges within Utah’s required filing deadline. Interviews with both the Tremonton-Garland Police Department and the Box Elder County Attorney’s Office show the answer lies in the different legal standards, constitutional obligations and procedural timelines that separate police investigations from criminal prosecution. Brigham Young Merrell, 35, and Melinda Marie Merrell, 36, were arrested May 6 following a months-long investigation into the September 2025 death of the couple’s 11-year-old child and allegations...
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Different methods to help save fruit crops following an early bloom had limited success. Jordan Riley owner of Grammy’s Fruit Stand said, “We did catch one small break due to our efforts: one block of our peaches made it. But for everything else, it was a complete loss. However that wont be the end of the story. We’ve partnered with a trusted neighboring farm just outside of Utah to bring you good quality peaches. Grown with the same care, just a little further down the road.” Governor Cox recently declared a state of emergency due to the widespread loss, allowing...
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With four first-place finishes, the Box Elder High School girls track team’s depth was on display as they put up 83 points to claim the 5A Utah State Championship over runners up Salem Hills and Springville, who scored 58 points. The state title came after a tough season, and the Bees performed strongly throughout the competition, leading to dominant performances across sprints, field events, and relays. The relays offered a chance for the girls’ team to come together with a first-place finish in the 4x200 with a season record time of 1:42.09 for Kassidee Kidd, Kaylan Anderson, Sevia Sommer, and...
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The Box Elder County Commission defended its approval of the Stratos data center project Wednesday during a tense meeting at the county’s justice court building, where heightened security measures followed threats and disruptions tied to the controversial vote. Attendees entering the May 13 meeting passed through metal detectors and were subject to courthouse security rules after the county moved the meeting from the historic courthouse to the court facility. The agenda warned that weapons, pepper spray and large bags would be prohibited, though handheld signs would be allowed in the back row if they did not disrupt proceedings. Much of...
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See our graduation special section in this edition. Approximately 478 members of the Box Elder High School Class of 2026 will celebrate graduation at a commencement ceremony on Tuesday, May 26, at 6 p.m., in the Dee Events Center at Weber State University. Teachers will often ask colleagues of lower grades about the up-coming class so they have an idea of what to prepare for. Are the students known for mischief? Service? Involvement? Being inclusive? Every class has a “personality” that is best known by those who deal with them every day. The evidence and anecdotes of those people evident...
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The Perry City Council accepted a tentative .05 million general fund budget and approved a Truth in Taxation hearing schedule during its May 14 meeting as the council weighed a proposed property tax increase tied to rising operational costs. The council unanimously accepted the tentative 2026-27 budget, with Councilmember Nathan Tueller absent, before later approving a resolution set- ting a Truth in Taxation hearing for Aug. 11, 2026, at 7:15 p.m. during the council’s regular meeting. Perry City Recorder and Finance Director Shanna Johnson said the proposed budget would require a 13.33% property tax increase that would generate approximately 4,354...
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Crews began preparing the Brigham City Cemetery for Memorial Day on Monday, May 18. Preparations including mowing, trimming and weeding usually take the entire week to complete. Sprinklers will be turned off Friday afternoon through the end of Memorial Day to allow for the placement of decorations. Family and friends of those interred are welcome to decorate graves and leave flowers throughout the year. Brigham City and the cemetery will not be responsible for flowers or other decorations left at the cemetery. The following will be strictly enforced: All flowers must be in a container attached to the monument. Flowers...
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The fight over the proposed Stratos hyperscale data center and power plant project intensified in the days following the Box Elder County Commission’s May 4 vote, with opponents launching a referendum effort, developers withdrawing a closely watched water use change application after thousands of protests were filed, and county officials reporting threats tied to the emotionally charged proceedings. What began as a packed and often tense public meeting inside the Box Elder County Fairgrounds Fine Arts Building has quickly evolved into a broader debate over local control, environmental impacts, water use and what authority Box Elder County may still have...
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott proposed a 12.93% property tax revenue increase last Thursday, telling the city council that rapid growth, rising infrastructure demands and expanding operational costs are placing increasing pressure on city services. The tentative 2026-27 budget proposal would generate an estimated 5,000 in additional property tax revenue. Bott said the estimated increase on an average owner occupied home valued at 0,000 would be about .96 annually. The budget presented Thursday is only the starting point for the council’s annual budget process. Over the coming weeks, councilmembers are expected to hold work sessions, review departmental requests and make...
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The Box Elder High School girls and boys track and field teams both claimed yet another region championship from the Region 5 meet held last week at Box Elder High School. The girls took home their 13th consecutive title while the boys extended their championship streak to 5. See our website for story and other Box Elder High School sports coverage. For this week only, the paywall will be removed for any stories that appear on the website that were not published in the paper.
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a new long-term agreement with the Box Elder School District for school resource officer services, extending a partnership city officials described as beneficial for both schools and law enforcement. The agreement continues Brigham City Police Department staffing at Box Elder High School and Box Elder Middle School while shifting the arrangement from annual renewals to a five-year structure intended to reduce repetitive approvals. Police Chief Chad Reyes told councilmembers the agreement itself remains largely unchanged from previous years. Under the agreement, Brigham City will continue assigning one full-time school resource officer to Box...
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The Box Elder High School boys and girls track and field teams continued their dominance in Region 5 with the girls winning their 13th consecutive championship and the boys winning their fifth last week at the region championship at Box Elder High School. The Box Elder girls dominated— as has been the trend over the years—outpacing runner-up Westfield by 137 points, 257-120. The boys had some key events and performances help separate them from Clearfield for a much tighter 35-point margin of victory, 182-147. The championships are the latest accomplishment in a successful season where the team faced face inclement...
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Girls results 100-meter dash: 1. Kassidee Kid, 8. Sevia Sommer; 100-meter hurdles: 5. Oaklee Wylie; 200 meter dash: 1. Kaylan Anderson, 6. Sevia Sommer; 300-meter hurdles: 3. Ariana Poll; 400-meter dash: 1. Kaylan Anderson, 4. Kyra Gibby; 800-meter run: 1. Maya Lee, 2. Ma cie Lee, 6. Kathryn Agren, 7. Brynlee Cragun; 1,600-meter run: 1. Maya Lee, 2. Macie Lee, 5. Leilanne Castillo Rivera, 8. Kathryn Agren; discus: 1. Emma Nelson, 3. Kelsie Palmer, 6. Keisha Anderson, 7. Lindsay Bott, 8. Maycee Hales; shot put: 1. Maycee Hales, 3. Emma Nelson, 4. Grace Dooley, 5. Kelsie Palmer; javelin: 1. Helayna...
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The Box Elder High School boys lacrosse team enters the 5A state playoffs with momentum after closing the regular season with dominant victories over Northridge and Clearfield, pushing the Bees to a 13-4 overall record and the 11th seed in the state tournament. Box Elder hosted No. 22 Hillcrest in the opening round yesterday with a spot in the second round against Timpview on the line (results not available by press time). The Bees capped their regular season last Wednesday with a convincing 9-2 win at Northridge, to complete a season sweep of the Knights. The Knights entered the week...
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The Box Elder High School girls lacrosse team wrapped up the regular season last week with a key 7-6 senior night win over Northridge on Wednesday before falling 19-5 to fourth-ranked Brighton, giving the Bees an opportunity to sharpen their play before opening the 5A state playoffs against Woods Cross. The Bees have battled the injury bug all season long and had more than their fair share of bumps and bruises when they took the field against the Knights. The team was also looking to snap a six-game losing streak dating back to mid-April when the Bees were upended by...
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Bees capture first region tennis title in four decades The Box Elder High School boys tennis team completed a historic season last week by capturing the program’s first region championship since the mid-1980s. The Bees capped an undefeated run through Region 5 play by winning four of the five individual titles at the region tournament hosted by West Field High School. Box Elder finished the season 15-5 overall and a perfect 11-0 against region opponents. The title marked another step forward for a program that has steadily improved over the past several seasons after finishing second in region a year...
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A Tremonton couple accused in the death of their 11-year-old child was ordered held without bail this week after investigators alleged the father staged the scene to resemble a suicide and uncovered what court documents describe as years of abuse involving multiple children in the home. Brigham Young Merrell, 35, was booked May 6 into the Box Elder County Jail on first-degree felony charges of child abuse homicide and child torture. Melinda Marie Merrell, 36, was booked on a first-degree felony charge of child torture, according to probable cause statements filed in 1st District Court. Judge Lee Edwards ordered both...
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On Monday, from a small antechamber of the Box Elder County Fairgrounds’ Fine Arts Building, the Box Elder County Commission made a controversial vote to approve two resolutions that set the stage to begin the process of developing the proposed Stratos hyperscale data center campus. The two resolutions made official an interlocal agreement between the county and the State of Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority regarding the project area of the proposed 40,000 acre data center, and the county’s consent of the project area. MIDA’s procedures require landowner participation and county consent to add any non-military owned land into a...
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The first computer mouse was rectangular and made of wood It was invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1964. The mouse consisted of a single or pair of wheels to translate motion into movement on a screen. Engelbart patented the mouse as the ‘X- Y Position Indicator for a Display System’. The first ever computer virus was developed in 1971, named Creeper It was created as an experiment to see how it could spread between computer. It had no malicious intent other than to display the message ‘I’m the creeper, catch me if you can!‘. With each new computer infected, Creeper...
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The Box Elder High School softball team continued to roll through region play last week as it picked up convincing wins over both Northridge and Fremont. The Bees quickly dispatched the Knights 15-0 in just four innings on Tuesday afternoon, then knocked off the Silverwolves 9-2 on Thursday. The Bees had employed the mercy rule against the Knights last month and were expecting another dominant win the second time around as the visitors came into the game with just a 4-13 record on the year and were just 1-10 in region play. Even with the odds heavily in their favor,...
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The road teams reigned supreme last week as the Box Elder High School baseball team took both games they played at Roy on Tuesday and Friday while the Royals came out on top on Wednesday in Brigham City. Tuesday’s game was shaping up to be a high-scoring affair early as the Bees jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings behind senior slugger Korbin Jeppesen, who went 3-for-4 from the plate with one run batted in. Fellow senior Porter Francom also drove in a run while sophomore Cam Christensen reached on the lone extra-base hit of the game for...
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Brigham City will host a rabies vaccination and dog license clinic on Saturday, May 9, from 10 a.m. to noon at the city’s parks and recreation building at Pioneer Park, 203 N. 600 West. Animals must be secured; dogs on leashes and cats in carriers. Proof of vaccination and spay/neuter (if applicable) are required. Only cash and check will be accepted. The fee schedule is as follows:
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The Box Elder County Commission on April 22 approved transportation corridor preservation funding for projects in Willard and Garland, approving a rightof way purchase for Willard’s future 300 East corridor and partial funding for a Garland roadway reconstruction project on 300 South. Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons presented both requests during the meeting. Willard City’s request focused on acquiring right of way for the future 300 East transportation corridor, intended to preserve a future roadway connection as development continues in the area. Lyons said the total acquisition cost was ,400, with Willard proposing to cover 25% and...
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A 19-year-old Brigham City man is being held without bail after prosecutors filed 10 felony counts alleging he possessed child sexual abuse material following an FBI investigation. Kyler Yodi Glover is charged in First District Court with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, all second-degree felonies. The charges stem from an investigation in which FBI agents used peer-to-peer software to download hundreds of files from an internet connection tied to a Brigham City residence between March 28 and April 22, 2026. Investigators later obtained subscriber information from an internet service provider and used driver’s license records to identify...
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The Box Elder County Commission on April 22 approved another ,000 for sheriff’s department handheld radio encryption, adding to earlier spending tied to the county’s emergency communications split. Box Elder County Auditor Shirlene Larsen told commissioners the sheriff’s department requested the additional money “for the same radio situation” so agencies can continue communicating with one another. The commission approved using Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund money. Commissioner Lee Perry, who made the motion, said the latest request stems from agencies now operating on different radio systems after Brigham City, Tremonton, Garland and Perry moved emergency dispatch operations to Weber...
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Box Elder County Sheriff Kevin Potter is responding publicly to allegations that he was impaired during a January encounter that has drawn widespread attention, saying he did not break the law and expects ongoing investigations to confirm that. “I wasn’t intoxicated,” Potter said. The Jan. 19 incident began as a dispute along a public road leading to a trailhead across the Kingston ranch, where Potter said he had parked on the shoulder partway up the road due to muddy conditions and was hiking. It escalated into a 911 call and a Utah Highway Patrol investigation. James Knight, who approached the...
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With tryouts complete and a week of practices behind them, the Box Elder High School boys basketball team is ready to take the court for the first time tonight when the Bees travel to Loganfora7p.m.matchup. The Bees are coming off a tumultuous season that saw their head coach dismissed midway through the year. They finished 6-17 and missed the postseason. To fill the vacancy, Box Elder hired former Bonneville head coach Kyle Bullinger, who spent the last 10 seasons leading the Lakers. Bullinger said he was energized by the opportunity in front of him. “I have a lot of familiarity...
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A Brigham City man who admitted to assaulting a woman during a sexual encounter has been sentenced to jail and three years of supervised probation. Travis Wade Smith, 38, appeared before 1st District Court Judge Brandon Maynard on Nov. 10 and received a suspended prison term along with an order to serve 60 days in the Box Elder County Jail. He received 11 days of credit for time previously served and must report to the jail no later than Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. According to the police affidavit, the case began on June 19, 2024, when a woman told...
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Willard’s City Council appointed attorney Amy Hugie as the city’s new legal counsel Thursday, approving her se- lection unanimously before hearing brief remarks from both the incoming and outgoing attorneys. Mayor Travis Mote introduced the appointment by calling Hugie “the most qualified,” noting that she lives in Willard and has been involved in local planning issues. Public legal directories show she has practiced law in Utah since 1998 and earned her law degree from the University of Utah. The appointment passed unanimously on a motion and second. After the vote, Hugie addressed the council directly. “I’m excited,” she said. “I’m...
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Willard resident Sharon Newland told the city council during public comment Thursday that a new fiber line was installed behind homes without a recorded easement and at a low height she considered unsafe. Newland said the line was “wrapped with a steel cable” and hung “maybe fourteen feet off the ground” along a decades old utility route that crosses property expected to develop commercially. She also described confusion over responsibility for the installation, outlining a history that began with Brigham City Telephone Company and moved through AT&T, Mountain Bell, and Lumen before returning to AT&T, which she said was routing...
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The third annual Veterans Day Banquet was held at the Brigham City Community Center on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with 320 guests in attendance. Every veteran in attendance was gifted a pin, and those who had not attended the two previous years also were gifted the pin or coin from the year(s) they had missed. Five Distinguished Veterans were honored for not only their time in service but also their willingness to continue to serve within the community. They were: Amanda Keller, Sidney Bodily, Paul Buck, Jimmy Sanders, and Barry Vincent. Each was presented with an award as well as a...
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Brigham City officials told the Willard City Council on Thursday that rising fire and ambulance costs, shifting reimbursement rules, and expanding regional service demands have pushed the city to a point where it can no longer subsidize emergency response outside its boundaries without additional support. Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott opened the presentation by saying he and his staff were meeting with neighboring cities to correct misunderstandings that had surfaced during recent public discussions elsewhere. He said some statements made in other meetings had not accurately reflected Brigham City’s position, and the purpose of the visit was to speak directly...
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A public meeting organized to explain a new broadband transparency law quickly expanded into a wide ranging discussion about water, growth, school funding, land access, and housing as residents pressed officials on long standing concerns in Box Elder County. Former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes said he agreed to help host the event after being approached by a group running the No Gov Internet education campaign. “This is something I wish when I was serving I would have had an opportunity to do,” Hughes said. Hughes said the Legislature had passed a law requiring earlier disclosure when cities consider municipal...
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Brigham City will be the inaugural site of a first-of-itskind nuclear energy hub intended to serve the Mountain West and help power an emerging “arms race for AI,” state leaders and company executives announced Monday. Gov. Spencer Cox, state and local officials, and executives from Holtec International and Hi Tech Solutions detailed the plan at a press conference at the Brigham Academy Center, calling it a major step in Cox’s “Operation Gigawatt” initiative to expand Utah’s energy capacity and build end-to-end, domestically sourced energy systems. Holtec, which designs and manufactures small modular nuclear reactors, and Hi Tech Solutions, a nuclear...
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A powerful solar storm pushed the Northern Lights far enough south last Tuesday that they were brilliantly visible to the naked eye. This photo of the lights was taken from the hills east of Brigham City, above Eagle Mountain Golf Course. The lights resulted from a surge of solar activity, including multiple coronal mass ejections launched from the Sun on Nov. 9–10 that hit the Earth’s magnetosphere and triggered a severe G4-level geomagnetic storm. Charged particles funneled along Earth’s magnetic field lines into the upper and atmosphere ignited dazzling auroral displays that lit up skies as far south as Texas...
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The Perry City Council has amended its fiscal year 2025–26 budget to recognize a ,000 state grant that will allow the police department to purchase an undercover vehicle at no cost to the city. Perry City Recorder and Finance Director Shanna Johnson introduced the amendment, saying it adds the new grant revenue to the police grants and donations fund and creates a matching expense line to authorize the purchase. “This is a budget amendment to add a grant that the police secured for ,000 for equipment,” she said. Police Chief Scott Hancey explained that the award came through a competitive...
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In 1996, the dischordant tones of dial-up Internet echoed through Utah living rooms, “Macarena” refused to give up its place on the music charts, and families wandered the aisles of video rental stores debating whether to bring home “Independence Day” or “Twister.” Brigham City was beginning to look ahead in new ways, balancing its small-town steadiness with the early hints of growth that would define the next few decades. Into that moment walked Paul Larsen, a Montpelier, Idaho, native who had just spent six fast-paced years planning development in West Valley City. He thought he was coming to a quieter...
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The Box Elder high school football team had a motto this season: “We, Us and Ours,” signifying not only unity as a team, but focusing on controlling the things they had control over and leaving the rest. That slogan proved effective all season as they rode the momentum of some early successes to a 9-3 record, which earned them the sixth seed in the 5A state playoffs. A firstround bye and a second-round win over West Field propelled the team to the quarterfinals, where they narrowly lost 28-21 to Springville. The Bees raced out to a 3-0 record during their...
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team wrapped up its first week of practice and stands poised to take the court tonight in its season opener, when the Bees host Sky View at 7 p.m. The Bees saw significant changes from last year’s team, starting at the top with a new coaching staff. Brigham City native and Box Elder alumnus Brooke Bown took over the program last spring and has been looking forward to making her mark. The roster also features many new faces after the graduation of five seniors who played key roles a season ago. The team...
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The Brigham City Council has approved a general-plan amendment and zoning change aligning the zoning for Big J Milling & Elevator Co. with the company’s existing grain-handling and storage operation on the city’s west side. City Planner Mark Bradley told the council the request covers 0.78 acre at 705 West Forest Street, rezoning the property from General Commercial to Manufacturing-Distribution and updating the future-land-use map to match. Bradley said Big J Milling already operates as a manufacturing business, and the change simply brings the site’s zoning into conformity with its existing use. Councilmember Dave Hipp asked whether the rezone would...
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Art’s power to heal and connect took the spotlight at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, where the Fine Arts Center introduced new leadership and shared its growing community reach. Lisa White, the Fine Arts Center’s new executive director, thanked the council for its continued support and said the organization remains focused on providing affordable, creative opportunities for residents of all ages. “We keep our fees low and affordable to help teachers with their costs,” White said. She told the council that recent building upgrades, including a new HVAC and sound system, have improved comfort and quality for audiences and performers....
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Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered. Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to...
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Seventh- and eighth-graders at Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning in Perry kicked off a months-long project on Friday, Nov. 7, that combines science, public health, and advocacy related to an invisible health threats. In partnership with Utah- Radon.org, students will study and address radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that causes lung cancer and is found at dangerous levels in nearly half of Utah homes. The project will combine fieldwork, data analysis, and civic engagement. Radon specialist TJ Mellars gave a presentation to students to kick off the project which will continue from now to January, aligning with Lung Cancer...
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Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning hosted a Veterans Day program Friday that included guest speakers, military displays, and presentations focused on service and civic duty. Administrative Assistant Darcy Young said the daylong event “carried a sense of gratitude, reverence, and connection that we will all remember for a very long time.” The school welcomed Jennie Taylor, widow of North Ogden’s late mayor Maj. Brent Taylor, who was killed in Afghanistan, along with U.S. Rep. Blake Moore, members of the Box Elder Veterans of Foreign Wars, Utah State Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), and several local veterans and active service members....
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The Box Elder High School swim team kicked off their season last Saturday by hosting the Box Elder Invitational, where both the boys’ and girls’ teams took first place. The Bees also traveled to the Nebo Invitational last Saturday in Springville. The Bees found some stiffer competition in Utah County and wound up in second place overall, with the boys taking second and the girls finishing third. At their own meet, the Bees brought in Davis, Weber, Riverton, Syracuse, Layton, Farmington, Desert Peak, and Bear River. Even against so many other schools, the Bees easily found their way to the...
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The Box Elder High School football team’s season came to an end last Friday when they fell 28-21 in a hard-fought quarterfinal playoff game against Springville. The Bees had already achieved one of their season goals and avenged last season’s first round upset loss in the first round of the playoffs by earning a bye through the first round, then taking down Region 5 rival West Field in the second round to earn their spot in the quarterfinals. The Red Devils also came into the game with momentum as winners of seven straight, including a perfect 6-0 run through Region...
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Rocky Mountain Power has announced it will match donations from customers to help pay the power bills of needy families. For every [post_excerpt] donated to the company’s Lend a Hand Program, RMP will donate , up to 0,000. In 2024, the program raised 5,081 and helped 992 households throughout Utah. Donation envelopes will be included with the statement of those customers who receive their bills by mail. Those who pay electronically can request a donation envelope. Customers can also enroll to give recurring donations by calling 1-888- 221-7070. The program allows customers to make a monthly contribution, starting at [post_excerpt]...
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The Bureau of Reclamation has closed the road on the west side of Willard Bay Reservoir through December as crews continue dike repair work, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources announced this week. The closure, which began Nov. 5, affects the Bureau-owned road on the reservoir’s south and west sides. Officials said the closure is necessary for construction and public safety. Hunting access in the area remains available. The main parking lot at the Harold Crane Waterfowl Management Area is open, though drivers are urged to watch for construction equipment when entering and exiting. The road to the south boat...
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The Box Elder County Commission has waived rental fees for a Nov. 14 fundraiser at the county fairgrounds to benefit Hayden Pence, who was seriously injured in a riding accident. During the commission’s Nov. 5 meeting, Dottie Jensen presented the request for the fee waiver. Commissioners required proof of insurance and cleanup after the event but expressed full support for holding the benefit.
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The Box Elder County Commission has unanimously approved a temporary flag display on the courthouse lawn in early December to honor victims of school shootings. During the commission’s Nov. 5 meeting, local resident Aurelia Saunders asked to install 405 stand-up American flags representing each U.S. school shooting since 2020. She said the display would be up from Dec. 6 through Dec. 13 and that her group would take it down at week’s end. The free-standing flags would not damage the lawn. “They are going to be stand-up flags. They’re not going to go into the lawn… we’ll coordinate with the...
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Box Elder County commissioners voted to refund a taxsale purchase after a Tremonton buyer discovered the land he bought did not legally exist. Scott Robinson told the board he had paid ,800 for a small strip near the Bear River Canal, only to learn through a post-sale survey that the parcel actually belongs to the canal company. “It appears that property is owned by the canal company…so it’s not an actual parcel,” he said. County Attorney Steve Hadfield confirmed the mistake, saying the issue “wouldn’t have been discovered absent the survey.” He recommended a refund since “we sold a piece...
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Two ranching brothers told the Box Elder County Commission that a stretch of Faust Valley Road near the Northrop Grumman complex has become dangerous for both motorists and livestock, and asked the county to share the cost of fencing or other safety improvements. During the commission’s Nov. 5 meeting, Tim Douglas said the open-range roadway has seen repeated close calls and several animal strikes. “There have been several wrecks up there, people swerving around cattle,” Douglas said. He added that GPS navigation often routes unfamiliar drivers through the narrow, unfenced section. Arthur Douglas told commissioners that ranchers and the defense...
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Box Elder County commissioners have approved partial property-tax abatements for two elderly residents whose reported incomes were a few dollars above the state’s qualifying limit. County Auditor Shirlene Larsen told commissioners that one applicant was 6 over the state’s 2025 eligibility ceiling of ,623, was requesting “the half that the county could forgive.” Larsen said the homeowner’s normal county tax bill was ,352. Commissioner Tyler Vincent asked whether the request covered half of the county’s portion, and Larsen replied, “Correct … around just below [post_excerpt],200 forgiveness.” Larsen next presented a second case for another senior whose income exceeded the same...
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A photo/caption accompanying a story about Brigham City seeking to have Weber County handle its dispatch operations contained an error. Box Elder dispatch, operated by the state, is housed in the new Utah Highway Patrol /Drivers License Division building at 445 W. 1200 South. We regret the error.
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Brigham City Museum Staffmembers are pictured with the “Uncovering the Journey: Japanese American Pioneers in Box Elder County” which just won the Utah Historical Society’s Outstanding Achievement Award. Alana Blumenthal said, “Thank you to the award committee for this recognition. This work would not have been possible without the support we have received from the community and the Brigham City Corporation. We are excited to continue our work of preserving Utah’s past and sharing our community’s rich history for years to come.”
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Five years after first briefing Box Elder County officials on its plans to revive gold mining in the Black Pine range, Liberty Gold Corp. returned to the county commission this month with an update that the project is still moving forward and that its influence could reach well across the Idaho line. The Black Pine deposit, about 20 miles northwest of Snowville, has long been tied to Box Elder County’s economy. From 1992 through 1997 it produced roughly 435,000 ounces of gold under Pegasus Gold, which halted operations after prices collapsed and reclaimed the site, closing the open-pit and leachpad...
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Box Elder County commissioners responded to online rumors claiming the commission quietly approved a ,000 raise, saying their salaries have not increased in two years, During the commission’s Nov. 5 meeting, Commissioner Lee Perry addressed those rumors and the continued circulation of flyers and social-media posts encouraging residents to withhold property tax payments. “We’ve heard from some people that have shared some information that the county commissioners received a ,000 pay raise last year,” Perry said. According to a document titled “Changes in Expenses and Revenue for 2025,” emailed to the News Journal by resident DeAnna Hardy, the commissioners were...
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Box Elder County’s Planning Commission is asking the county commission for permission to begin zoning the county’s remaining unzoned areas, citing problems enforcing the 2021 general plan. “Box Elder County is the only county in the state of Utah that still has unzoned property,” Planning Commission Chair Melanie Wilding told commissioners. “It complicates our duties.” Wilding said the commission’s role under state law is to prepare and recommend zoning maps consistent with the general plan, but the lack of zoning has made that impossible. In unzoned territory, nearly anything can be built, from small subdivisions to industrial yards, and planers...
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The Brigham City Council has approved the creation of a new zoning district that will guide development of Avian Shores, a 260-acre planned community proposed for the area around 400 South and 1200 West. The action creates a framework for one of the largest coordinated housing efforts in Brigham City’s history and marks a major step in westside planning. Officials said the new district is intended to manage future utilities, traffic, and public amenities as growth continues toward the I-15 corridor. Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley said the measure combines two linked actions: rezoning the land from agricultural and manufacturing...
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Most Box Elder County incumbents held their seats Nov. 4, but voters in several cities signaled they were ready for change, replacing mayors in Tremonton and Garland. According to the county clerk’s Nov. 5 unofficial summary, 9,226 ballots had been counted from 25,258 registered voters, a turnout of 36.53%. Box Elder County Clerk Marla Young said at that time there were 47 provisional ballots left to cure, 12 damaged ballots, and a small number of signature issues still to be resolved. Those remaining ballots are spread across the county rather than concentrated in any single race, and while totals could...
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Students at the Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning crafted poppies to decorate the school’s walls as part of a day-long Veterans Day celebration that included patriotic programs and musical numbers, presentations from visiting dignitaries about service, sacrifice and civic duty, veterans and service members visiting classrooms, and a military vehicle display. Poppies symbolize remembrance and honor for military personnel who died in service. The tradition originates from World War I-era poem “In Flanders Fields.” The symbol was adopted by the American Legion Auxiliary in 1921 as the official memorial flower of the United States. See story about the school’s event...
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A 2001 tax-sharing agreement between Brigham City and Perry City continues to shape development along their shared border more than two decades after the Walmart opened that prompted the agreement’s creation. According to language in the interlocal agreement signed Jan. 4, 2001, it remains in effect for 50 years. It gives Perry 60% of the sales tax revenue from the shared commercial zone and requires the city to remit the remaining 40% to Brigham City each month. Perry serves as the tax collection agent and land-use authority, while Brigham retains utility rights and planning input. The amounts shared under the...
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As freezing nights return to northern Utah, fire officials are asking residents to use heaters, lights, and cooking equipment with extra care. “Utahns are more likely to have a home fire during the winter months of November through February,” the Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) warns. The department says portable heaters, holiday cooking, and candle use are the leading causes of winter home fires statewide. Heating safety begins with distance and power. Utah’s checklist instructs residents to “place heaters 3 feet away from anything that can burn” and to “plug them directly into a wall outlet.” The U.S. Fire...
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Pictured are some of the winners of the 17th annual Beehive Mile— sponsored by Dan Price, State Farm Insurance agent and the Box Elder High School cross country team—held Oct. 10. The top five fourth and fifth graders were awarded medals. Winners pictured are: (front row) Austin Yates, Scott Farley, Hunter Anderson, Max Wiley, Oliver Greenhalgh, Kade Flitton, Peter Knight, Jefferson Nelson, (back row) Morgan Kotter, Sarah Rees, Lindsey Miller, Taya Schwab, Ameliz Garcia, Amya Majors, Mikarde Willard, and Sydnee Kaminska. Also pictured are Dan Price and Coach Andrew Miller. More photos and complete results can be found at www.beehivemile.com.
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Kohyn Van Komen Kohyn was nominated by Gregg Cefalo, who taught Kohyn in both AP physics and astronomy. Cefalo said Kohyn “is a great student” who exemplifies the “hard work” aspect of the school’s H.I.V.E. characteristics. Because of Kohyn’s dedicated work ethic, Cefalo said he was able to help him with what was supposed to be homework. Additionally, Cefalo said Kohyn has a great understanding of science and picks up the concepts of physics and astronomy quite quickly, and that he is a very well-rounded student. Despite having a busy schedule and an after school job, Kohyn makes no excuses;...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team had its share of ups and downs this year, finishing the season with a 15-14 overall record, including a 6-6 mark in region play, before bowing out to Olympus in five sets in the first round of the state tournament. As the season began, the Bees had high hopes for success in a newly aligned Region 5 that saw perennial powerhouse Bountiful move south to Region 6. With the Redhawks out of the way, the region title seemed up for grabs, and the Bees had big dreams of competing for that title...
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Although the stakes were higher than in their first meeting, the result was largely the same as the Box Elder High School football team took care of business against West Field for the second time in as many games and advanced in the 5A playoffs. The Bees topped the Longhorns, 39-12, two weeks ago to close out the regular season and, last Friday, on their home field, the Bees ended the Longhorns’ season in a similar fashion with a 35-13 win. The Bees left little doubt in the outcome as they scored the game’s first 35 points through three quarters...
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Fielding Town’s proposal to raise property tax revenue by about ,264 was one of 35 statewide that the Utah State Tax Commission declined to certify in September 2025. According to the commission’s certification record, the denials resulted from non-compliance with notice and hearing requirements contained in Utah Code Sections 59-2-919 and 59-2- 919.1. The statutes, amended through Senate Bill 29 in 2024 and Senate Bill 202 in 2025, require every taxing entity that seeks a higher rate to meet specific procedural steps before approval. Those steps include detailed public notice, a standalone Truth-in-Taxation hearing, and public disclosure of how much...
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The building that housed Brigham City’s Idle Isle Café for more than a century has been sold, but questions about the future of the building, and the name of the iconic eatery, remain unanswered. A warranty deed filed June 27 in the Box Elder County Recorder’s Office shows that Sugar Plum Holdings BC L.L.C., the company connected to former café owners Corinna and Jonathan Harris, sold the property at 24 S. Main Street to M4 Real Estate L.L.C. of Harrisville. The deed lists the sale price as , a nominal figure commonly used in recorded deeds to acknowledge value exchanged...
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A letter sent to the Box Elder News Journal claiming that Brigham City is seeking to have Weber County take over its public safety dispatch operations has been confirmed by city officials, who cite police officer and firefighter safety among other reasons for seeking the switch. Meeting minutes and recordings of the Weber County Dispatch Administrative Control Board last month include discussions about the feasibility, logistics and potential cost of absorbing Brigham City’s dispatch needs. Emergency dispatch operations in Box Elder County are currently overseen by the state Department of Public Safety. Until recently, the state covered 60% of the...
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First District Judge Spencer Walsh has set a new scheduling date in the capital-murder prosecution of Ryan Michael Bate, the Tremonton man accused of killing two police officers during an August 2025 domestic violence call. Meeting by WebEx on Thursday, Walsh scheduled a decision-to-preliminary-hearing conference for Dec. 18 at 9 a.m., after defense attorneys said mitigation work and evidence review are still underway. The short hearing brought together prosecutors and three defense attorneys representing Bate in two linked matters. Appearing virtually were Chief Deputy County Attorney Blair Wardle, of the Box Elder County Attorney’s Office, for the state; Jonathan Nish...
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Perry City has adopted a master plan for U.S. Highway 89 that aims to slow traffic, add crossings and paths, and guide future development along the corridor. The plan, prepared in partnership with the Wasatch Front Regional Council and the Utah Department of Transportation, lays out how the corridor through Perry should evolve to improve safety and livability while maintaining regional traffic flow. The council’s unanimous 3-0 vote makes it part of the city’s general plan, establishing a long-term framework for how Highway 89 and neighborhoods along it will develop and connect over time. The plan calls for a new...
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At the Oct. 16 Brigham City Council meeting, officials approved a new three-year interlocal agreement with Perry City for continued fire and ambulance services, the first contract to reach the council since Brigham City began renegotiating how it funds coverage for neighboring communities. Brigham City Administrator Derek Oyler said the agreement increases Perry’s annual payments from 5,000 in the first year to 0,000 in the second and 5,000 in the third. Brigham City Fire Department will continue to provide suppression, emergency medical, and fire marshal services for Perry. “We’re excited. Our fire department’s excited to continue to serve Perry,” Oyler...
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Former Box Elder County jail deputy Jonathan Larsen says his 2024 firing was unjust, arguing the county used outdated disciplinary actions to label his termination “for cause,” and that officials took actions that prevented him from finding employment in public safety following his termination. In a series of Facebook posts published in mid-October under the title “Justice for All,” Larsen, an Iraq War veteran who has been diagnosed with PTSD, announced that he would share what he called the full story behind his firing. He claimed county officials “stacked” old discipline into his personnel file to make his dismissal appear...
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Months after railroad workers discovered a body stuffed inside a trash bag along State Road 13, police have identified the victim as Brandy M. Hickey, 42, of St. George. The body was discovered April 2 near 2600 West Highway 13 by Union Pacific Railroad workers performing cleanup along the tracks. Police said the remains were inside a black plastic bag lying in nearby weeds. Officers secured the area, and search-and-rescue teams with K9 units from Box Elder and Weber counties conducted an extensive search but found no additional remains. The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy the...
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In what coaches are calling a “tremendously successful” season, the Box Elder High School girls tennis team claimed the Region 5 championship— the school’s first in more than 50 years—and had a strong showing at the Utah 5A State Tournament. At the start of the region tournament, Box Elder trailed both Bonneville and Fremont, but not even a five-hour delay and rainy, cool conditions could stop the Bees, led by seniors Millie Brown and Megan Hansen. Hansen, at first singles, advanced to the semi-finals before falling in a close match to the eventual region champion from Bonneville. In second singles,...
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In their only match before fall break last week, the Box Elder High School girls volleyball team was upended by Fremont in straight sets in Brigham City on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The Silverwolves came into the match ranked No. 2 in the 5A classification with just two losses on the season and once again proved why they will be one of the teams to beat in the state tournament, which starts next week. Fremont came out quick in the opening set and maintained solid play throughout the match as they finished off the Bees in the first set, 25-16. The...
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The Box Elder High School football team made a strong case for finishing the year as a top-eight team in the 5A classification as it closed the season on a high note with a 39-12 win over West Field last Friday. The Longhorns are limping into the postseason as a slew of injuries has pushed them from the top of Region 5 early in the year to the middle of the pack. The loss to the Bees was their third straight region loss and leaves them looking for answers heading into the playoffs next week. The Bees capped their opening...
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All in all, if the Box Elder High School girls soccer team’s season had to end short of the state championship, a hardfought and narrowly contested quarterfinal loss to Spanish Fork seems appropriate for the Bees’ record-breaking season. The battle with the Dons last Thursday ended with no goals scored through regulation, nor through two overtime periods. In a shootout, Spanish Fork squeaked by on a single goal, 5-4. In the game that sent the Bees to the quarterfinals, on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at sixth-ranked Hillcrest High School, Box Elder’s ability to shift as a team allowed them to maintain...
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With 61 candidates running for positions in 12 municipalities, ballots for mayoral and city council seats in Box Elder County are packed in this year’s municipal elections. Following are the responses from candidates to a request for information. The News Journal emailed the request to all candidates, and if no response was received, tried to contact candidates by phone. See the list of requested information in the accompanying box. How to vote To vote (by mail or in person), you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and a resident of Utah (and of...
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The first of three consecutive supermoons prepares to drop below the horizon on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 7. Full moons on Nov. 5 (Beaver Moon) and Dec. 4 (Cold Moon). “Supermoon” informally describes a full moon that occurs when the moon is at or near perigee (its closest point to Earth), making it appear slightly larger and brighter than an average full moon.
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The Box Elder High School football team suffered its first region setback of the year when the Bees tangled with Fremont in Brigham City last Friday and the Silverwolves come away with a 48-30 win. The first half looked like it was shaping up to be a classic as the two teams traded blows with contrasting offensive styles. The Silverwolves opened the scoring when senior quarterback Manase Tuatagaloa hit fellow senior Salesi Moa with a 34-yard strike for a touchdown. Fremont followed that up with a 48-yard field goal by Cam Graves to take an early 10-0 lead. The Bees...
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The Brigham City Council voted Oct. 2 to join the Fremont Solar and Battery Project, a large renewable energy development planned in Iron County through the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS). The project combines a 99-megawatt solar array with a 49.5-megawatt, 198-megawatt-hour battery system designed to provide roughly four hours of output. UAMPS will manage the battery’s charge and discharge cycles, allowing participating cities to draw stored solar power during evening peaks. The Fremont Solar project is one of several new resources UAMPS has identified to provide long-term stability for its member cities as older coal-fired contracts expire over...
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Brigham City police are still seeking information in a hit-and-run that killed a 65-year-old woman on Sept. 29. Police Chief Chad Reyes said officers were dispatched about 7:50 p.m. to the intersection of 850 South and 425 East on a report of a person down. When they arrived, they found a woman in the roadway with injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. Paramedics from the Brigham City Fire Department treated the victim at the scene before she was transported to Brigham City Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Family members later identified the victim as Angela “Angie”...
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Utah lawmakers approved new congressional boundaries Monday, adopting Map C, a Republican plan that divides Salt Lake County into two districts instead of four, as the previous map did. The vote came in an Oct. 6 special session ordered after courts struck down Utah’s 2021 map. The Legislature passed the plan 22-7 in the Senate and 55- 18 in the House, according to official roll calls. All Democrats and the chamber’s lone Forward Party member opposed the bill. One Senate Republican, Dan McCay of Riverton, and five House Republicans — James Dunnigan, Steve Eliason, Karianne Lisonbee, Grant Miller and Raymond...
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Following several years of steady growth, the Box Elder Composite Mountain Bike Team started competing in Division 1—the highest level of competition in the state—where they finished fourth overall in Region 1 out of 15 teams. The team had 104 racers this year—74 high school athletes and 30 in junior high—and in the three region races this year, the team had an average of 35% of its racers place in the top 10 of their respective categories. In the region championship race at Vernal, two Box Elder racers took first. Lacie Munns won the varsity girls race, and Kassedee Kidd...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team picked up crucial region wins last week when they outlasted the Royals on the road in five sets before hosting Clearfield and winning in straight sets on Thursday. The Bees easily dispatched the Royals in their first meeting last month, and things seemed to be headed in a similar direction the Bees cruised to a 25-12 win in the first set. The Royals showed some fight and kept the second set tight and eventually ended up evening the match with a 25-22 win. The Bees reasserted their dominance in the third with...
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The Brigham City Council signed off Oct. 2 on a plan for 32 new townhomes on six acres at 1255 N. Main Street, clearing the way for more housing on the city’s growing north side even as members raised questions about density, parking, and infrastructure. Heritage Land Development, represented by Garth Day, plans to build Cardamine Village, a cluster of two- and three-bedroom townhomes arranged around public streets and private drives. The neighborhood includes about two acres of open space, a trail connecting 50 West to Main Street, and landscaped fencing along the highway. Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley said...
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Leaders of the Box Elder County Republican Party presented thousands of petition signatures to the school board last month, urging trustees to reconsider a property tax increase approved in August that raised the district’s levy by 36.6%. The board voted 5-1 after a five-hour Truth in Taxation hearing on Aug. 14, where more than 60 people spoke in front of an overflow crowd. Box Elder School District Business Administrator Neil Stevens said rising costs for salaries, insurance, utilities and supplies had outpaced state funding, leaving the district dependent on local revenue. On a 0,000 home, the district’s portion of the...
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A 36-year region title drought has come to an end, and the first year, “2025,” will be placed on the girls soccer region championship banner hanging in the Box Elder High School gym. “It’s hard to describe how proud I am of this group and what they’ve accomplished this season,” said head coach BJ Barber. The race for the region title was closely contested all season long and the outcome wasn’t clear until the Bees lost their last game of the season, 1-0, to West Field, resulting in the Bees sharing the title with Clearfield and West Field. While the...
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Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes formally introduced two veteran officers to the city council during an Oct. 2 badge-pinning ceremony, highlighting the department’s closeknit culture and ongoing success in attracting experienced personnel. Reyes introduced Master Officer Robert Palmer, who came to Brigham City from the Logan City Police Department, and Master Officer Kevin Bennett, formerly of the Cache County Sheriff’s Office. Both joined the department earlier this year but were recognized publicly at Thursday’s meeting. “These new officers are actually not very new,” Reyes told the council with a laugh. “They’ve been with us for quite a while, but...
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The Utah Inland Port Authority is reporting steady industrial growth across Box Elder County, including a major new steel project in Brigham City and expanded rail capacity that could reshape regional shipping. Speaking to the Brigham City Council on Oct. 2, Stephanie Pack, associate vice president for regional development project area for the Utah Inland Port Authority, outlined recent milestones in the Golden Spike Project Area, which includes Brigham City, Garland, Tremonton, Willard and parts of unincorporated Box Elder County. The project area was created in August 2023, and Pack said its second year has already seen major investment. “We...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team tightened its grip on first place in Region 5 and extended a winning streak to seven games with an 8-1 rout of Northridge last Thursday. The Bees’ domination began from the opening kickoff, when they took possession and moved the ball into the Knight’s half. A little over two minutes later, Maddison Barber placed a corner kick in the goal box that Taylor Nye volleyed into the net. The Knights responded with an effective possession and a few shots, but center backs Ellie Young and Milley Barber, and keeper Emma Nelson prevented...
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…in 1908, the first production Model T Ford is completed at the company’s Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit Between 1908 and 1927, Ford would build some 15 million of the cars. It was the longest production run of any automobile model in history u til the Volkswagen Beetle surpassed it in 1972. Before the Model T, cars were a luxury item: At the beginning of 1908, there were fewer than 200,000 on the road. Though the Model T was fairly expensive at first (the cheapest one initially cost 5, or about ,000 in today’s dollars), it was built for ordinary...
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The Box Elder High School Key Club helped increase the fundraising efficiency of the Box Elder School District Foundation’s annual golf tournament on Sept. 18 by bringing in nearly 0 more through a contest on the eighth hole at Eagle Mountain Golf Course. The money raised by the club will go toward the foundation’s student health and wellness goal, which supplies food pantries for needy students in addition to clothing, shoes, school supplies, and more. The foundation has several fundraisers annually that raise money to support students and teachers in four areas: fine arts clinics and workshops, STEM projects and...
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Editor’s note: This story deals with an explicit sexual crime. Although it has been edited for publication, some people may find the subject matter and events described disturbing. Portions of this story may have been omitted and/or obscured in order to protect public sensibilities and the identity of the victim( s). Travis Wade Smith has pleaded guilty to a reduced felony charge and will be sentenced in October. Smith, 38, entered the plea Sept. 15 in Brigham City’s First District Court before Judge Brandon Maynard, admitting to one count of third-degree felony aggravated assault with a domestic violence designation. He...
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A Perry man who pled guilty to methamphetamine and fentanyl charges earlier this year and was accepted into drug court is facing new felony prosecutions for allegedly smuggling and distributing fentanyl while incarcerated at the Box Elder County Jail. David John Wilson, 22, was first arrested on March 4 after a search of his Perry trailer uncovered drugs and paraphernalia. In his affidavit, Perry Police Officer Zachary Waddoups wrote, “This substance was later field tested back at the office and tested positive for both methamphetamine and also fentanyl.” He added, “There were also 10 loaded syringes found, containing a clear...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team continued their pattern of splitting matches last week as the Bees hit the road twice, suffering straightset loss against Fremont on Tuesday, Sept. 23, before sweeping Bonneville on Thursday. The Bees knew they’d have their work cut out for them against Fremont, No. 2 team in the 5A classification with just one loss this season. The Bees played with grit and hustle, but were forced to scramble due to the Silverwolves’ serving, which netted 12 aces, led by junior Daphne Moyes with four. Fremont’s offensive attack was also potent, with junior outside...
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The Box Elder High School football team raced out to an early 21-point lead last Friday against Bonneville and never looked back as the Bees claimed a decisive 60-27 win over the Lakers. The Bees converted three short runs on their first three possessions of the game to build a comfortable margin early in the first quarter. Junior quarterback Kadyn Reyes scored from 3 yards out to cap the first drive and finished the night with 64 yards rushing on seven carries. Fellow junior Judd Howells plowed in from a yard out on the second series for his first of...
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(Lunch served between 11:45 a.m. 12:30 p.m. reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance, by noon the business day before the meal by calling 435 226 1457.) Menu Wednesday, Oct. 1Building will be closed foremployee training Thursday, Oct. 2Potato w/ ChiliChuck wagon VeggiesPotato SaladApple Slices w/ PeanutButter Friday, Oct. 3Hot Ham & CheeseCroissantHash Brown PattyAsparagus w/ LemonPeaches Monday, Oct. 6Pork EnchiladasSpanish RiceMalibu VeggiesHoney Lime Fruit SaladChurro Tuesday, Oct. 7Chicken Sandwich w/ Fixins Potato ChipsOrange Tapioca SaladVeggie SticksSalted Caramel Cookie Wednesday, Oct. 8Myers LunchHamYummy PotatoesGreen BeansSalad w/ Ranch RollPeach Cobbler Activities Wednesday, Oct. 1 Closed for employee training...
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Alan Dale Jeppesen, 63, has been convicted of four first-degree felony sex crimes and will be sentenced Sept. 29 in Box Elder County’s First District Court. Prosecutor Blair Wardle of the Box Elder County Attorney’s Office filed the case on Sept. 21, 2022, after an investigation by the Brigham City Police Department. Jeppesen was charged with two counts of sodomy on a child, first-degree felonies, and two counts of forcible sodomy, also first-degree felonies, with alleged incidents spanning from 2005 to 2008. An amended filing in February 2023 retained all four counts. According to a probable cause statement, Jeppesen is...
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Former Tremonton Fire Chief Ned Hansen is confronting two criminal prosecutions and a civil lawsuit, with key hearings set for Oct. 2 in Weber County. Hansen, 41, has pleaded not guilty in both criminal cases and remains held without bail at the Weber County Jail. On Aug. 25, Hansen entered not guilty pleas to eight counts of first-degree felony aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor in a case originally filed in Box Elder County and later transferred to Weber County. Court records show the charges stem from alleged possession of child sexual abuse material. A disposition hearing, a status setting...
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Brigham City police are investigating a fatal hitand run that claimed the life of a 65-year-old woman Monday night. Police Chief Reyes said officers were dispatched at 7:50 p.m. Sept. 29 to a report of a “person down” at the intersection of 850 South and 425 East. They arrived three minutes later and found the woman in the roadway with serious injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. According to Reyes, paramedics from Brigham City Fire Department treated the victim at the scene before she was transported to Brigham City Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Detective Crystal...
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Planning for the second Brigham City Open Billiards Tournament was well on its way—with Road Warriors for the Missing selected as beneficiary of the charitable event—when news broke on Aug. 17 that two Tremonton Garland Police officers had been killed responding to a domestic violence call and a sheriff’s deputy and his K9 partner had been injured. Tournament organizer, Erica Sandberg, along with Road Warriors’ co-founders Jason Clark and Josh Lancaster, quickly decided that the tournament would benefit two additional groups: The wife and children—the domestic violence victims—of the alleged shooter, and the families of the officers involved: Sgt. Lee...
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Utah lawmakers will meet Oct. 6 in a special session to adopt new congressional boundaries after a district court struck down the state’s 2021 map and the Utah Supreme Court refused to halt that decision. On Aug. 25, Third District Judge Dianna Gibson invalidated Utah’s 2021 congressional map, ruling that lawmakers unconstitutionally dismantled Proposition 4, a 2018 initiative that sought to prevent gerrymandering by creating an independent redistricting commission. Gibson gave the Legislature 30 days to produce a new map that complies with the initiative’s standards. When lawmakers asked for more time, Gibson denied the request on Sept. 3, saying...
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Community members helped a local business get back to business after a fire resulted in damage to the lobby. The Brigham City Fire Department responded to a call Sunday morning at Old Grist Mill Bread Co., located at 750 W. 1075 South in Brigham City, where they quickly put out the blaze. Brigham City Fire Chief Brandon Thueson reported that the first calls came in at 7:43 a.m., with flames visible inside. As the business was closed on a Sunday, fire crews forced entry through the main door and found the building filled with smoke. “It was an ice machine,...
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Recent court filings show the capital case against Ryan Michael Bate, accused of killing two Tremonton police officers and wounding a sheriff’s deputy and K-9 in August, has formally advanced with multiple new developments. In addition to the 20 charges tied to the Aug. 17 shootings, prosecutors have refiled a 2024 domestic violence case that had previously been dismissed. Together, the two cases bring the total number of charges to 25. Judges in both matters have entered protective orders on behalf of the victims, and Bate has been ordered held without bail at the Weber County Jail. The Aug. 17...
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A former Box Elder County justice court judge charged in a child exploitation case has asked a Weber County judge to release him on strict conditions while prosecutors and federal investigators finish reviewing electronic evidence. On Sept. 18, defense attorney Ryan J. Bushell filed two motions on behalf of Kevin Robert Christensen in 2nd District Court in Ogden, Utah, one seeking conditional release and another asking for a bill of particulars, a request for prosecutors to provide more detail about the charges. The filings come more than six months after Christensen’s March 6 arrest and follow his waiver of a...
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On Sunday, Sept. 21, Brigham City Pride in the Park was held at Horsley Park. This event had evolved through community input over the past several months to coordinate with state groups and and resources, including Mama Dragons, Dragon Dads, PFLAG, and other organizations that support efforts toward equality, acceptance and safety for members of the queer community. Organizers of this family-friendly event made sure to include activities suitable for all ages like making bracelets, tote bag, and buttons. Flag making was also an option. There were colorful beach umbrellas, balloons and inflatables throughout the park to mark the event...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team split region matches last week as the Bees were upended by Northridge on Tuesday, Sept. 16, in four sets, then came back Thursday and defended the Hive with a four set win of their own against West Field. On Tuesday, the Bees fell victim to some of the same pitfalls they have experienced in previous matches where they stayed competitive early before making some key mistakes late to let an opponent gain the upper hand and ultimately secure the frame. The two teams battled in a tight first set before the Knights...
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The last unbeaten team in the 5A classification went down last Friday as the Box Elder High School football team traveled to Herriman to take on Mountain Ridge and came out on the wrong end of a 61-7 route. The Sentinels wasted no time putting points on the board as senior wide receiver Kohen Cunningham took a handoff from 10 yards out to paydirt for the first score of the game. The Sentinels team then turned to their aerial attack as junior quarterback Jaxon Hunt dropped bombs of 58 and 56 yards to McKrae Renteria and Cunningham, respectively. The defense...
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The Box Elder High Schol girls soccer extended their current win streak to six games—the longest of any Region 5 team since 2019-2020, according to Max Preps—following a shutout win over Clearfield, 2-0, last week. Clearfield was in first place in the region when they hit the road to take on the second place Bees last Thursday, but by the end of the game, the two had switched places in the region standings. The game also marked the third shutout in a row, and sixth overall this season, for Box Elder goalkeeper Emma Nelson. “The girls are on a sixgame...
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The Brigham City Council voted Thursday to approve a participation agreement with the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) and Nucor Towers & Structures, linking the city to a tax increment plan supporting Nucor’s expansion. Speaking remotely, Brigham City Attorney Nicole Cottle called the agreement an exciting step for Brigham City. She said UIPA’s project area provides “exceptional tools that are meant to assist in economic development… especially when we have projects that require a significant upfront effort for infrastructure.” Cottle praised Nucor as a longtime community partner, adding, “To bring this great new addition of their towers and structures entity...
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A Box Elder County property owner and a century-old canal company are locked in a legal battle that pits private property rights against canal easements the company says date back more than a century, raising questions that could affect homeowners and farmers across northern Utah. Brandon Hansen purchased his home at 3220 North Highway 38 in November of 2023. The parcel came with a visible canal running through it, but Hansen said the only recorded easement was a 25-foot strip dating back to 1976, and neighbors told him canal workers typically walked the ditch when maintenance was needed. That changed...
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The Brigham City Council has delayed action on a resolution that would impose percall fees for fire and ambulance services provided outside city limits, giving staff more time to negotiate with neighboring municipalities and Box Elder County. Brigham City Finance Director Tom Kotter told the council that about 26% of Brigham City’s calls for service come from outside the city. He said the imbalance leaves local taxpayers covering about [post_excerpt].4 million each year. “Really, what’s happening is Brigham City residents are subsidizing fire and EMS services in the other areas,” Kotter said. Kotter explained that the city’s intent was to...
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The Mantua Town Council is exploring the best way to enforce all the town’s ordinances following years of letting ordinance violations slide. The change comes following a notice to residents to undertake weed removal as part of broader fire safety measures. While 85% were in compliance, 15% were not. Seeking to close that gap, Councilmember Ken Jones urged the council to undertake a stricter enforcement of ordinance. Highlighted during the discussion were nuisance ordinances, which prohibit residents from things like neglecting property, abandoning vehicles, and excessive noise; and sewer and water connection ordinances for accessory dwelling units. City staff have...
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Following an announcement last week that the Bear River Health Department detected measles in wastewater samples within its boundaries, the department confirmed its first human case of the disease. According to a press release from BRHD, public health conducted contact tracing to notify individuals who may have been exposed and to prevent further spread of the virus, and identified two locations where public exposure may have occurred: - Intermountain Budge Clinic, 1350 North 500 East in Logan on Sept. 15, between 3 and 6:30 p.m. - Chick-fil-A, 40 South Highway 165 in Providence on Sept. 11, between 6:30 and 9:30...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team climbed to second place in Region 5 after another winning week where they extended their win streak to four with wins over Fremont and Bonneville, both on the road. Box Elder exploded for three goals in the second half to beat Fremont, 4-1. At 10 minutes into the second half, Milley Barber took a set piece just outside the penalty box and bent a shot into the goal’s left side to give the Bees a 2-1 lead. With just under 3 minutes in the game, Desarae Elegante lifted the ball over Fremont’s...
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Dozens of Willard residents came together Saturday morning for the city’s Day of Service, focusing this year on improvements to Central Park. The city has been participating in the 9/11 National Day of Service for several years. Created shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the observance was designed to honor those lost by turning the anniversary into a time when people of all ages serve together in their communities. Councilmember Jordan Hulsey said the Willard event was well attended, with young and old turning out to lend a hand. “We probably had around 30–40 residents show up to...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team had a busy end to their week as the team dropped a match to Clearfield last Thursday, before coming home for two matches each on Friday and Saturday as they hosted Weber, American Fork, and Viewmont in a quads tournament that saw the Bees go 1-3. On Thursday, the Bees and Falcons seemed nearly inseparable as every set came down to the last few points in determining the outcome. The home team made just enough plays late during the first two sets to take the wins 25-22 and 25-23 before the Bees...
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Brigham City’s Museum of Art and History reported a banner year, with both overall attendance and youth participation reaching record levels, according to a presentation given to the city council last week. Museum Director Alana Blumenthal present- ed the museum’s annual report for fiscal year 2024–2025 to the council earlier this month. “Overall visitation was up 35% over FY 2024, and we are particularly proud of our increase across youth categories,” she said. “In the end, our numbers show that we actually increased those categories by a total of 33%.” The growth was fueled by a slate of new and...
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After months of negotiations, the Willard City Council voted Sept. 11 to approve a series of land, water, and easement agreements with Granite Construction that will shape both the company’s gravel pit operations and the city’s longterm water infrastructure. The agreements mark the culmination of lengthy negotiations between the city, Granite, and the Wells family. While the documents secure key land for future water storage and clarify Granite’s operational rights, trail access and dust control remain ongoing concerns for residents and city officials. The meeting opened with Granite officials addressing dust control at the south pit. Brad Sweet of Granite...
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Box Elder County has joined two more national opioid settlements, expanding the county’s role in ongoing litigation over the opioid crisis. The first settlement considered Sept. 10 involved Purdue Pharma. County Attorney Steve Hadfield told commissioners the agreement had just arrived and had to be approved by Sept. 30. The second settlement was with eight pharmaceutical companies: Alvogen, Amneal, Apotex, Hik- ma, Indivior, Mylan, Sun and Zydus. Counties must sign on by Oct. 8 to be eligible for payments. According to county financial records, Box Elder has received [post_excerpt].09 million in opioid settlement funds from different settlements through June 30,...
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Mantua and Brigham City have both approved a new fiveyear wastewater services agreement, replacing a contract that had governed the small town’s sewer service since the late 1970s. The Mantua Town Council voted unanimously during an Aug. 25 emergency meeting to adopt the updated interlocal agreement, which raises fees for new connections, sets limits on sewer flows, and increases Brigham City’s oversight of Mantua development. Comments from that meeting were taken from an audio recording, which did not always identify speakers by name. The Brigham City Council previously approved the agreement on May 15. At that meeting, Brigham City Administrator...
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At the top of mind during September’s city council meeting in Honeyville was planning participation for this year’s 9/11 Day of Service. The 9/11 Day of Service is a national event where communities across the nation devote a day to improving their towns, cities, or states. Honeyville has participated for the past three years, contributing to the more than 10,000 hours of service logged statewide last year. This year, Honeyville had scheduled their Day of Service for Sept. 13. However, as planning progressed, the city’s volunteer groups at the local stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
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Box Elder County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Allred and his K-9 partner, Azula, appeared at an assembly at Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning to thank students for letters they sent expressing thanks and support—and for treats for Azula—while he was recuperating after being injured during a domestic violence incident in Tremonton last month where two Tremonton-Garland officers were killed. “I feel the love and appreciate it,” Allred told students before challenging them to make sure they ate all their vegetables. That challenge has turned into a larger effort, as the school is now challenging local businesses, organizations and agencies to eat...
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Saturday was the annual Suicide Awareness walk in conjunction with American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Brigham Suicide Prevention. Above right and left are messages and symbols of hope.
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The Box Elder County Commission has approved a contract to implement a new fire and EMS reporting system, contingent on the county’s IT department signing off before it is finalized. During the Sept. 10 meeting, the county’s fire marshal, Kevin Lloyd, told commissioners the First Due platform would replace the county’s outdated server based reporting system, which has been in place for more than a decade. “Our server’s about 10 years old,” Lloyd said. “It’s a pretty big risk.” He added that the web-based system would also integrate with the county’s Spillman records software, something the existing program does not...
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The Box Elder High School football team extended their current winning streak to five as the Bees flew past Roy on the road last Friday night 49-14. The first half looked as though the game might be a defensive struggle as both offenses were searching for answers on how to most effectively move the ball. Box Elder found an answer on their second drive of the game when junior running back Judd Howells broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown. Howells finished the game with 129 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns. Senior tailback Jaxen Cool added to the lead...
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At the Sept. 4 Brigham City Council meeting, a longtime trail runner asked the city to step in and defend public access to a trail running along the south side of U.S. Highway 89/91 between Brigham City and Mantua, raising arguments that echo a recent dispute in Willard where residents ultimately prevailed in restoring access to a wellused trail into the canyon. City officials cautioned that the matter involves private and federal land ownership and could require court review. During open public comment, Brian Connor of Brigham City said he discovered the trail he had used for more than 15...
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With residents already upset from a 37% increase in school district property tax, the Willard City Council last month reduced its own proposed tax increase by nearly a third before adopting a final 2025–26 budget that delays vehicle purchases and funds police body cameras. On Aug. 14 the council cut back its plan to raise an additional 1,000 in property taxes, settling instead on ,000. The move lowered the impact on a 5,000 home from about 3 per year to , with councilmembers citing the burden of the school district’s hike as the reason for the change. When the council...
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Residents are being advised to expect a sharp increase in mosquito populations in the coming couple of weeks due to recent rains that have increased mosquito habitat. The increased populations come as the Utah State Public Health Laboratory has recently discovered positive results for West Nile virus in five mosquito pools. Box Elder Mosquito Abatement District has now had WNV positive pools from traps located near the following locations: · Rocket Road near Tremonton (4) · 800 North and I-15 in Brigham City · 1600 North and 5600 West in Corinne (2) · 400 North and 6400 West in Corinne...
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The Perry City Council welcomed a new police officer at its Aug. 28 meeting, with officials praising her training and commitment to public service. Chief of Police Scott Hancey introduced officer Tiana Navarrete, noting she had recently graduated from the Weber State Police Academy. “I might be a little biased, but that’s the best academy in my humble opinion. That’s where I came from,” Hancey said. “So we’re excited to have her.” Following the oath, Navarrete’s parents pinned on her new badge while councilmembers and audience members applauded. Mayor Kevin Jeppsen remarked afterward that the swearing in was “our most...
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Brigham City’s police and fire chiefs publicly thanked the city council and community last week for their support following the murders of two Tremonton-Garland police officers. Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes opened his remarks by acknowledging how much the backing of city leaders meant to his department during a painful week. “I just wanted to take a few minutes, um, to thank the mayor, city council, and city staff for the support that was shown to us last week.” Reyes went on to describe the strain his department faced and also thanked his own officers and staff for their...
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Former Willard City planning commissioner, Diana Baker, is returning to city service, rejoining the planning commission as an alternate after the Willard City Council approved her appointment Aug. 28. Mayor Travis Mote said Baker will fill the seat vacated by Ruth Beebe, who stepped down, while Commissioner John Pierce also resigned recently to travel. Councilmembers voted unanimously to confirm Baker on a motion from Rod Mund and a second by Jacob Bodily. The council also clarified the status of Ken Ormond, who had been serving as an alternate before stepping into the chair role following Pierce’s resignation. Mote asked if...
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The Willard Judicial Nominating Commission has selected four nominees for the city’s justice court to replace Judge Kevin Christensen who resigned in March. The nominees are: Dustin D. Ericson, J.D., Attorney at Law, resident of North Logan; Bryan J. Memmott, J.D., Attorney at Law and Justice Court Judge in Plain City, South Ogden, South Weber, Uintah and Woods Cross, resident of Fruit Heights; Colt R. Mund, Attorney at Law, resident of Brigham City; and Paul H. Olds, Attorney at Law and Justice Court Judge in Farr West, Pleasant View, Riverdale and Washington Terrace. Residents may comment on the nominees through...
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At the Sept. 4 Brigham City Council meeting, a state legislator, Brigham City’s former emergency services director, and another resident voiced objections to the proposed Blue Heron Crossing development, while the city council voted to table a subdivision plat amendment until the project’s final plat is recorded. The proposal would amend lot one of the Blue Heron Crossing subdivision so that 106 townhome units, including 12 designed with ground-floor commercial space and housing above, could be individually platted for ownership. While the project itself has already been approved as part of the 1100 South and 1100 West planned district, the...
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Box Elder junior quarterback Kadyn Reyes capped the game-winning scoring drive with the only touchdown of the game as the Box Elder High School football team edged out Northridge, 7-3, last Friday in the region opener for both teams. The visiting Knights got on the scoreboard first at the end of the first quarter on a 30-yard field goal from senior kicker Ryker Horne, but couldn’t break through again as the Bees’ defense held the Knights out of the endzone. It was the third time in their four games this season that the Bees haven’t allowed a touchdown. The difference...
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Shutout wins over Northridge and West Field last week helped the Box Elder High School girls soccer team move into third place in Region 5. Dominant possession through efficient, accurate passing helped the Bees dominate Northridge last Tuesday, Sept. 2, and come away with a 6-0 win. Desirae Elegante recorded four assists as five different Bees scored in the game. Oakley Norman scored the first goal of the game, just four minutes in, after Milley Barber sent a pass right to Norman’s feet. Norman took two touches before finding the back of the net. An exhibition in passing led to...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team picked up two straight-set victories last week at home, beating Roy on Thursday night in a region match and Cottonwood on Friday. The Royals came into Thursday’s match as winners of seven of their previous eight outings and were hoping to ride some of that momentum. The Bees also came in confident after sweeping the Royals in both matches a season ago. The Royals battled early but had trouble containing the Bees’ athleticism. Box Elder took the first set 25-17, then had to scrap for a win in the second as the...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday, Sept. 4, approved a revolving loan program to help the city’s historic Main Street property owners pay for site improvements, advancing the plan after a spirited debate and pointed criticism from a resident who argued the city was overstepping its role. Juliana Larsen, a Brigham City resident who comments regularly at council meetings, urged the council to reject the proposal. “Are we a bank? What are we doing?…Why are we putting all of this money into something that is only going to benefit the businesses and the owners on Main Street?” she said during...
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A proposal to rezone nearly 200 acres in west Brigham City was sent back to the city’s planning commission on Aug. 21 after councilmembers cited the need for more review of the development agreement and planning details, along with concerns raised by residents. The application was submitted by Heritage Land Development, the same company involved in redeveloping the former golf course site on the north side of Brigham City and a major subdivision proposal in Willard. Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley introduced the request, which sought to change zoning on about 192 acres near 400 South and 1200 West from...
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Editor’s note: This follow up story deals with an explicit sexual crime. Although it has been edited for publication, some people may find the subject matter and events described disturbing and/or triggering. Portions of this story may have been omitted and/or obscured in order to protect public sensibilities and the identity of the victim( s). A Brigham City man accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a planned sado-masochistic encounter remains in the pretrial phase of his criminal case more than a year after his arrest, with another hearing set for later this month. Travis Wade Smith, 38, has pleaded...
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Prior to the Brigham City’s Peach Days celebration, signs will be placed along the parade route stating that a specific area is “Closed for Maintenance” which allows for grounds maintenance. Any object or device placed prior to completion of this maintenance will be removed and disposed of by City personnel. Please remember no staking, ropes or rocks will be allowed in the public right of way. Signs will be removed at approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4. Sidewalk areas must remain unobstructed and clear for pedestrian use. Please be aware that the area between 300 and 400 South, both...
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As part of the city’s Peach Days celebration, the Historic Brigham City Association will host guided pictorial history tour of Brigham City at the Capitol Theater, 53 S. Main Street on Friday, Sept. 5. The event is free and will begin at 2 p.m.
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The Box Elder County Commission approved a partial fee waiver last week for the Miss Wilderness Circuit Rodeo Pageant at the county fairgrounds in Tremonton. Commissioners voted Aug. 27 to reduce rental costs by about 0 after pageant director Tammy Berry said rising expenses and fundraising challenges had left organizers short. She noted the nonprofit invests its proceeds back into the program and contributes labor at the fairgrounds to help offset costs. Current titleholder Jenessa Sullivan described the pageant as a regional rodeo queen competition representing Utah, Idaho and Nevada. She said the county’s fairgrounds have been “a beautiful place...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved the county’s 2026 predator control contract last week, continuing participation in a state program that supports aerial predator management. The agreement commits Box Elder County to pay ,800 into the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food’s Predator Damage Control Fund, with the state matching up to half that amount. Funds are pooled with contributions from livestock producers and overseen by the Utah Wool Growers Association to help manage coyotes and other predators that threaten herds. The commission approved the renewal unanimously on Aug. 27, with a motion from Commissioner Lee Perry seconded by Commissioner...
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The Box Elder County Commission has approved a letter of support for the Bear River Health Department (BRHD) as it seeks to shift substance use treatment from a fee-for-service model to a Medicaid capitation system. “Right now, we’re one of the only regions left in the state that still has a fee-for-service model for substance abuse treatment,” BRHD Director Jordan Mathis told commissioners Aug. 27. He added, “Capitation allows us to integrate our mental health and substance use programs more effectively and gives us stability in funding.” Mathis said BRHD was asking its three member counties, Box Elder, Cache and...
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Brigham City announced five new employees during the Aug. 21 City Council meeting, including two experienced police officers, a city planner, and two staff members in finance. The police department hired Robert Palmer and Kevin Bennett as lateral master officers. A lateral officer is one who transfers from another agency with prior law enforcement experience, rather than entering as a new recruit. Although the city usually holds an oath and badge-pinning ceremony for police and fire hires, none was conducted for the two officers at this meeting. Based on past city practice, the formalities are expected to be scheduled later....
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The Brigham City Council has approved a minor amendment to the North Point Planned Unit Development at 1100 North along Main Street/State Route 38, adding four townhomes and removing a fencing requirement. The change increases the number of units in phase four from 20 to 24. City staff explained the adjustment was needed after earlier amendments in phase three left two single-family lots in phase four disconnected from the rest of the subdivision. Those lots will be replaced with townhomes that front on 1100 North, with the developer agreeing to provide two additional parking stalls for each new unit. The...
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Michael Begaii and Mariana show their local pride as they pose for a photo with a recent edition of the Box Elder News Journal, while hanging out in Rzeszow, Poland.
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“Twist” Project Quilting Tuesdays, 6 - 8 p.m. Oct. 21 - Nov. 18 Instructor: Barbara Foote Location: 989 S. Main, Room C114 Cost: (pattern included) This three-color quilt pattern only has two different blocks, the twist and the snowball. These are simple to sew and have a great impact. See you in class! Crypto Trading 101: What, Why and How Wednesdays, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Oct. 8 - Nov. 19 Instructor: Kevin Young Location: 989 S. Main, Room C114 Cost: Why do cryptocurrencies have value? Why might I want to invest in them? How can I safely buy...
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Two Tremonton-Garland police officers killed in the line of duty were praised as selfless heroes at funeral services last week. Services for Officer Eric Estrada and Sgt. Lee Sorensen were held at the Spectrum on Utah State University campus in Logan on Thursday and Friday last week. State and local elected representatives were present at the funeral, as were police officers, firefighters and first responders from across Utah and the nation. A public viewing held Wednesday at Bear River High School prior to funeral services was so well-attended that people were being turned away from Bear River High School by...
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The Box Elder County Commission has approved the rezoning of more than 570 acres in the Thatcher area into the county’s newly created Agricultural Heritage Zone, clearing the way for the landowner’s pending application for agricultural protection status. Commissioners voted unanimously Aug. 27 to change the land from unzoned status into the heritage zone after the planning commission held a public hearing and recommended approval. According to the planning commission’s Aug. 14 agenda, the rezoned property is part of the Summers Family Agricultural Protection Area petition. The commission heard the rezone and the APA request together, forwarding both with unanimous...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved partial property tax abatements last week for two residents facing unusual financial circumstances, underscoring the strain many homeowners are feeling as overall tax bills climb. During its Aug. 27 meeting, commissioners heard from residents who had been disqualified from low-income tax relief after one-time income events pushed them over eligibility thresholds. In one case, a disability recipient received retroactive Social Security payments, inflating their 2024 income. “She got like, all the back Social Security hit this past year…overall, she was over about ,000,” Box Elder County Auditor Shirlene Larsen told commissioners. In the other,...
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The 105th consecutive meeting between Box Elder and Bear River high schools on the gridiron went the Bees’ way for the fifth straight time as they ran away with a 58-14 win. The Bees posted 30 unanswered points in the first two quarters of play while the Bears couldn’t find any answers on either side of the ball. Box Elder junior running back Judd Howells scored on a pair of short runs in the first quarter, then broke free for a 64-yard score in the second to propel the offense for the home team. Howells was again the leading rusher...
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Caralee Elegante harvested this large two-point deer from Blacksmith Fork in Cache County during the state’s general archery deer hunt. Also pictured is her father, Shaun Elegante (left).
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team took down Bonneville in straight sets last Wednesday in their lone match of the week. The match against the Lakers was originally scheduled on Thursday, but was moved to accommodate the football game against Bear River. The Bees started out with a strong opening set and looked to be poised for an easy win after they took the opening frame 25-13. The Lakers couldn’t find an answer for senior outside hitter Lucy Braegger, who led the charge with 14 kills on the night. The Bees also found more success in the middle...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team dropped their only contest last week, 3-1 against Clearfield. “There are definitely areas we need to sharpen up, particularly with consistency and finishing our chances,” said coach Anthony Esparza after the loss. “With that being said, I don’t believe we’ve seen this team’s full potential yet. The effort and talent are there, and I trust this group to keep growing as the season goes on. I know we’re capable of competing at a higher level and turning games like this into wins.” The lone goal the Bees scored was a glimpse of...
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Editor’s note: It is the policy of the News Journal not to identify victims of sexual crimes. Events in this story may have been omitted and/ or obscured in order to protect the identity of the victim. A Perry couple initially ordered held without bail following their June arrests on rape and abuse allegations are now out on bond and under court supervision, and each is facing a new, separate case on weapons and drug charges. The original case stems from a May 2 incident at the home of Ryan and K’Dee Wood involving a longtime acquaintance. According to affidavits...
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A 2023 accident involving a Box Elder County sheriff’s deputy led to a recently approved 0,000 settlement agreement, according to county records and the attorney’s office. The Box Elder County Commission voted July 23 to approve the agreement with Christine Prisbrey and her family, following a closeddoor discussion recommended by Box Elder County Attorney Stephen Hadfield. The commission emerged from closed session and voted unanimously in favor, without offering details at the time. The settlement releases the county and the deputy from any future claims connected to the accident, which occurred July 28, 2023. Prisbrey received ,000 from the settlement,...
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With Willard residents already reeling from a nearly 37% school tax increase, the city council on Aug. 14 backed away from two of its own proposed hikes, reducing a planned property-tax levy and softening utility rate increases, while warning the decisions may leave the city playing catch-up in the years ahead. After holding a Truth-in-Taxation hearing at its last meeting, the council was set to approve about 1,000 in new property-tax collections, a 45% increase intended in part to fund a needed additional police officer. That increase would have raised the tax bill on a 5,000 home by 3.50. But...
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Rather than a horse parade as part of Box Elder County’s 100th county fair, the streets of Tremonton hosted a more somber procession Monday as the bodies of two Tremonton Garland police officers were brought home. American flags, trees with blue ribbons and thousands of people lined the route in Tremonton as the bodies of Sgt. Lee Sorenson and Officer Eric Estrada were transported from the state medical examiner’s office to local mortuaries after being killed while responding to a domestic violence call on Sunday, Aug. 17. A Box Elder Sheriff’s deputy, Mike Allen, and his K9 partner Azula were...
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After more than five hours of public comment that drew more than 60 speakers and an overflow crowd, the Box Elder School District board voted 5-1 just after midnight on Thursday to approve a property tax increase that will raise the district’s revenue by 36.54%. On a home valued at 0,000, the district portion of the property tax will rise from 3.18 to [post_excerpt],266.71, an increase of 3.53 a year. On a 0,000 business, the district portion will rise from [post_excerpt],678.50 to ,303.10, an increase of 4.60 a year. A rough estimate of those who spoke indicated opponents outnumbered supporters...
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Preliminary results from the Aug. 12 municipal primary show early leaders in several cities and towns, but some contests remain close enough that outstanding ballots could change the outcome. In Utah, municipal primaries are used to narrow the field of candidates ahead of the general election in November, with the top finishers moving forward to appear on the final ballot. Box Elder County Clerk Marla Young said Wednesday that 38 ballots and 50 signatures requiring verification remain outstanding across all cities combined. The current vote totals reflect only ballots that have already been counted and do not include these unresolved...
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Corinne Mayor Shane Baton pressed Box Elder County Commissioners on Aug. 13 to act on two growing concerns: the county’s animal shelter agreement with Brigham City and the looming shortfall in ambulance coverage. “I’m just trying to get caught up on what we’re doing for animal control,” Baton told commissioners. Brigham City shut its shelter to outside animals on July 1 after more than a year of warning that the move was coming, citing that nearly half of the animals taken in came from elsewhere in the county. Intake logs show 725 dogs and cats in the first half of...
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The 74th annual Junior Peach Queen Pageant, sponsored by Brigham City Women’s Club is seeking five-year-old girls from the Box Elder High School area to enter this year’s pageant. The theme is “Let’s go Fly a Kite, Once Upon a Peach Days”. The pageant will be held Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Box Elder Middle School auditorium. A donation will be accepted at the door. The deadline for applications is August 29, and includes a entry fee. Applications are available in the Box Elder News Journal or at the Chamber of Commerce office. Applications must...
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Following recent increases in unlawful dumping along Salt Creek Road, the Honeyville City Council has elevated the charges for the crime to a Class B misdemeanor. The change allows the city to implement a fine to punish those caught and found guilty of the crime. The fine was set at 0. While some cities have fines lower or higher than Honeyville’s, the council believed it pertinent to set the fine high enough that its cost exceeded fees to dump lawfully at the county landfill. Unlawful dumping has proved an ongoing problem in the city as infractions have piled up. From...
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A new judge has been selected to fill the vacancy left on the Box Elder County Justice Court bench following the resignation of Kevin Christensen. Dustin Ericson, a Box Elder County native who grew up in Tremonton, was appointed to the bench during the county commission meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 13. He will officially take the bench in October. Ericson graduated from Utah State University in 2003 and earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific’s Mc- George School of Law in 2007. Since then, he has practiced law full-time in Northern Utah. A press release from the...
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Two cases of West Nile Virus have been discovered in individuals from Cache County, and officials from the Bear River Health Department are urging all residents within the district, which includes Cache, Rich and Box Elder counties, to take precautions. WNV is transmitted via mosquitos and the virus can cause illness ranging from mild, flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches, to severe neurological problems in rare cases. Mosquito abatement districts in Box Elder and Cache Counties have reported multiple traps where mosquitos have tested positive for WNV and more positive traps are expected in the coming days...
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The Box Elder High School football team has finished summer practice sessions and will kick off its season on the road Friday against new high school Deseret Peak. The Golden Eagles attend school in Tooele and are in the 4A classification, competing in Region 11. While the Golden Eagles find their footing in their first-ever game, the Bees will also be feeling some things out with plenty of fresh faces taking the field for the first time at the varsity level. There are 20 seniors listed on the roster this year, and many of them will be looked to first...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team got its season off on the right foot with a four-set win over Riverton last Thursday in Brigham City in the season opener for both teams. The Bees used their home crowd to their advantage in the first set and overwhelmed Riverton on their way to a 25-13 opening-set win. The Silverwolves found more rhythm during the second set as their height advantage and power on the outside helped them draw level, taking the second set 26-24. The match stayed tight in the third, but the Bees regained momentum after making enough...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team started their season off with a 7-0 victory over Morgan High school on Tuesday, Aug. 5, in Morgan. Senior Emma Nelson held strong in the goal with sophomore Mia Page seeing some varsity time in the goal and helping with the shutout. “Great way to start off the season by beating the defending 3A state champs,” said coach BJ Barber. “We had seven goals with four different goal scorers. Most importantly we played as a team with support all over the field and from the sidelines. Looking forward to an amazing season.”...
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A small wildfire that sparked Thursday on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest southwest of Mantua Reservoir was fully contained Sunday evening after burning 5.2 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Named the Perry Fire, the blaze was visible from Interstate 15 but did not trigger evacuations or road closures. Initial estimates Friday morning placed its size near 10 acres in heavy timber. Final mapping reduced that figure, and crews spent the weekend securing fire lines and mopping up hot spots. The cause remains under investigation. The fire comes during a period of hot, dry weather. As of Aug. 1, the...
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A group of former teachers seeking to unseat the director and executive committee of the governing board of a Perry charter school suffered a setback in their efforts after the Utah State Board of education found no evidence of actionable offenses in a list of grievances the teachers submitted to the state. Eight former teachers submitted a 23-page document to the school’s board and the USBE that detailed accusations of unethical and potentially illegal conduct by Amber Edelman, director of the Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning, and executive committee members of the school’s governing board. The document came following public...
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A proposal to raise Brigham City property taxes by 4.35% drew divided reaction from 13 residents during a Truth in Taxation hearing that lasted a little over an hour Thursday. According to the city’s notice, the Brigham City portion of the bill on a 0,000 primary residence would increase from 4.42 to 0.70, an annual change of .28. For a 0,000 business property, the city line would increase from 4.40 to 4.00, or .60 per year. Finance Director Tom Kotter told the audience the city began its budget work in January and held numerous work sessions before arriving at the...
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Willard City officials heard nearly an hour of public comment Wednesday night during a state-required Truth in Taxation hearing, with residents focusing on how multiple increases could land all at once and what the city should prioritize if taxes rise. Under Utah law, a Truth in Taxation hearing is required when a city proposes to collect more property-tax revenue than the certified rate would generate. Willard’s proposal, read into the record at the start of the hearing, would raise the city’s tax on a 5,000 primary residence from 1.35 to 4.85 per year, and on a same-value business or non-primary...
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Box Elder County officials say a ransomware attack locked multiple government systems but did not breach any personal data, and election equipment remained unaffected. A ransomware attack is a type of malicious software that encrypts computer files or systems, locking out users and demanding payment, often in untraceable cryptocurrency, to restore access. In an Aug. 6 statement, the county said it immediately took “extensive remediation action” and began working with the FBI, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Utah State Cyber Crimes Task Force to determine the scope of the incident. Officials stressed that primary election systems are never...
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With the season bumped up to start a week earlier than normal, the Box Elder high school girls volleyball team has felt the squeeze to get in the necessary repetitions and practices before their first match of the year, which will be tomorrow night in Brigham City against Riverton. The Bees have good reason to be optimistic about their upcoming season and are excited to get their first opportunity to show what they can do as a group. Bees’ head coach Kristine Harding shares their enthusiasm. “We’ve got a very talented group this year,” Harding said. “The work has been...
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Box Elder School District will begin the 2025-2026 school year on Monday, Aug. 25, but there is much that can be done to prepare students for school, including registration and Back-to-School nights. Perhaps the most important aspect that parents can encourage is creating a healthy, happy routine with ample sleep and good nutrition. Superintendent Steve Carlsen said, “We feel like we need parents to stress good sleep, good nutrition and attendance. If we have those three things we can really helps young people.” The school district has made adjustments to the general student fees, which generally result in lower fees...
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A windstorm on Saturday capsized an inflatable raft at Willard Bay State Park, killing one occupant and injuring another, Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials said. Ryan Staggers, 41, of Clearfield, disappeared just before 5 p.m. after both adults were thrown into the reservoir near Pelican Beach. Search boats, divers, sonar and an underwater drone located his body around 11 p.m. The second person was pulled from the water by another boater and taken to a hospital in stable condition. Neither person wore a life jacket. “Lifejackets, whenever you’re on the water, they save your life,” Lt. Travis Hancock...
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Steves & Sons, the oldest millwork manufacturer in the United States under continuous family ownership and management, has finished a 100,000-square-foot expansion at its door production facility in Brigham City, company officials said. The facility, which originally opened in January 2022, now employs 135 workers across manufacturing and warehousing operations after the latest build-out. The expansion features a state-of-the-art robotic prime line designed to boost efficiency as housing demand continues to rise across the Mountain West. “This expansion is more than just additional space—it represents our growth, our forward looking strategy and, above all, our dedication to the customers we...
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A planned story on recent controversies and allegations leveled against the administration and school board of the Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning has been delayed as we await responses to questions and requests for documents. The story will be published next week, notwithstanding any further delays. We are still taking comments or information from staff, former staff or parents by email at editor@benewsjournal.com or by calling 435-723- 3471.
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Voters can still register and vote on Election Day under Utah’s same-day registration rules: · Go to one of the two county vote centers (Posse Museum in Tremonton, or the Utah State University Brigham City campus). · Fill out a voter-registration form provided by poll workers. · Show two forms of ID, one proving identity and one proving current residence, such as a Utah driver license plus a utility bill, bank statement or pay stub with the voter’s name and address. Once verified, the voter casts a provisional ballot, which is counted after the clerk confirms eligibility, usually within a...
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With the municipal primary election coming up on Tuesday, the News Journal reached out to all candidates running for office in Box Elder County cities and towns. Candidates were asked about their background and any personal or family information they wanted to share with voters. We also asked why they chose to run, what the top issues are that they’d like to address, and what they wanted voters to know before casting their ballots. Many of the candidates responded, but some either did not get our emails, social media posts and phone calls, or chose not to respond to requests...
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Box Elder County voters have until 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1 to register ahead of the Aug. 12 municipal primary, but those who miss the cutoff can still register and vote on Election Day under Utah’s same-day registration rule. Voters must: · Go to one of the two county vote centers (Posse Museum in Tremonton, or the Utah State University Brigham City campus). · Fill out a voter-registration form provided by poll workers. · Show two forms of ID, one proving identity and one proving current residence, such as a Utah driver license plus a utility bill, bank statement or...
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On Thursday, July 31, Brigham Implement Co. will be closing the doors to its agricultural machinery sales business as agricultural land on the Wasatch Front has been lost to development over the past 10 to 15 years. “Historically Brigham Implement has done a lot of business between Brigham and Salt Lake,” said Paul Munns, owner and sales manager of Brigham Implement. “There ain’t a whole lot of farm ground between there anymore. So, when your customers are no longer there to buy machinery and parts or have their machines fixed that makes things tough.” Munns also noted the role decreasing...
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Services to manage stray or abandoned dogs and cats in the southern part of the county are reaching the breaking point, after Brigham City stopped providing shelter services to neighboring communities, and those communities were forced to find stop-gap measures to handle stray animals collected in their jurisdictions. The issues are many, but the most important being a lack of space, and the extreme costs that can be incurred when a stray is taken in. Brigham City officials closed the shelter to animals outside Brigham City’s boundaries on July 1 after more than a year of warnings to neighboring governments....
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Brigham City officials are taking action to bring balance into how its fire and ambulance services are funded to ease what they consider to be an unfair burden on Brigham City taxpayers. Formal notices ending all current agreements are scheduled to go out this week, triggering a negotiation window even as mutual-aid support continues to avoid service gaps. “We officially have to end the old agreements, get the notices out and start our negotiations of how this will work going forward. In the meantime, we’re going to continue to provide the services we can,” Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott said....
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Box Elder County property owners have three chances next week to comment on proposed 2025 tax increases that combined would collect almost .6 million in new revenue. The hearings themselves do not lock in the rates; each governing body may vote on the higher levy immediately afterward or at a later meeting. Because the Box Elder School District levy is charged county-wide, every home and business will feel that jump on top of whatever a city decides. Officials say the added revenue is needed to cover inflation-driven costs and maintain services. Residents may speak in person, submit written comments in...
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A July 23 Brigham City Council story on curbside waste changes misstated the vote tally. The motion to eliminate yard waste pickup and extend recycling passed 3-2, with Councilmembers Ryan Smith and Robyn Troxell voting no. We regret the error.
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Box Elder County commissioners on July 23 granted agricultural-protection status to nearly 55 acres northwest of Brigham City, pared a Bothwell request down to 20 acres, and rejected a third petition after finding the land lacked proper zoning. Agricultural Protection Areas are 20-year covenants that shield working farms from nuisance lawsuits, down-zoning and certain special assessments. The process starts when a landowner files a petition. The county clerk then publishes legal notice and opens a 15-day window for objections or modifications. Next, the agriculture protection area advisory board—a five-member panel drawn from the county’s soil conservation district supervisors—and the county...
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The body of man discovered in the remote Silver Island Mountains of western Box Elder County on July 12, 2025, has been identified as 62-year-old Michael Steven Comstock of Sandy, the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office announced July 28. Preliminary findings indicate Comstock died of exposure coupled with a cardiac event. His vehicle and an empty UTV trailer were found off Interstate 80 in Tooele County, and his body was located roughly 20 miles north of that site, suggesting he rode his 2008 Polaris Ranger UTV into the mountains and then became separated from it while attempting to walk back...
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A Brigham City man whose body was recovered at Stinking Springs on May 9 died accidentally after methamphetamine intoxication left him unable to stay afloat, according to the medical examiner’s report. Box Elder County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Cade Palmer said authorities found no signs of foul play and responded alongside the Corinne Fire Department and Brigham City EMS after visitors discovered 69-year-old Eusevio Leyva floating face-down in one of the open-air pools at approximately 8:35 a.m. The medical examiner’s report stated that the “Manner of Death” was accidental, the “Immediate cause of Death” was “Toxic effects of methamphetamine,” that led...
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Mantua will be hosting a “popcorn social” on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. for residents to get to know candidates for city council. The primary election for Mantua has been cancelled due to the withdrawal of Bryce Coy from the race.
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Box Elder County has officially withdrawn from the District 1 Local Mental Health Authority, a move triggered by a major reorganization of behavioral health services across the region. In February, the three counties—Box Elder, Cache and Rich—approved a 50-year interlocal agreement giving the Bear River Health Department direct oversight of mental health and substance abuse programs. That agency will now develop regional plans, coordinate funding, and work directly with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Because the new structure assumes all funding and oversight duties, the decades-old District 1 agreement became obsolete, prompting the formal withdrawal. The dissolution...
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Utah farmers are turning to conservation easements to keep fertile ground in production as land prices soar and subdivisions press against farm and ranch operations. Nearly 100,000 acres have been placed under permanent protection since 1999, up from fewer than 10,000 acres two decades ago, according to the state-backed LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund. A stretch of U.S. 89 known as the Fruit Way shows how the tool works on the ground. Thayne and Cari Tagge have locked 130 acres of peaches, tomatoes and berries into a legacy trust and conservation easement. “They call this the ‘milliondollar view,’...
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A longtime firefighter was sworn in as Brigham City’s new assistant chief, and two newly hired paramedics were sworn in during Thursday’s City Council meeting. Fire Chief Brandon Thueson introduced assistant fire chief Jeremie Poppleton, saying, “It’s my honor to be able to present our new assistant fire chief…I’m happy to have him alongside helping me day to day run the department.” After the oath, Thueson invited Poppleton’s wife, Christy, to pin on his new badge as the council and family members applauded. Poppleton then welcomed paramedics Katie Stotts and Alex Munoz to the lectern, calling them a welcome addition...
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Organizers of the Brigham City Community Center’s annual Veterans Day Banquet are seeking help from the community in preparation of 2025’s banquet. This year, a website has been developed for the banquet, where residents can get information and submit nominees for honors. The website address is: www.bcutah. gov/o/brighamcity/page/veterans-banquet. Information or assistance needed for this year’s banquet includes: · Nominations of veterans who have served in any of the U.S. Armed Forces and who, after being discharged, have continued to serve their communities. Nominees will be interviewed and a select number will be chosen to be recognized at the banquet. To...
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Brigham City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a matching façade-improvement grant of up to ,000 for a historic commercial building at 20 South Main Street, now owned by Julie Campbell and Malone Molgard, doing business as Molton Holdings. According to the handwritten grant application, Campbell and Molgard intend to complete the unfinished restoration of the 1900-era façade, patching and repainting brick, securing the windows, updating the entrances and adding ceramic tile so the building better reflects its 1920 appearance. The owners describe the structure as the original Brigham City Bank, noting that past attempts to renovate the exterior stalled before...
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At this point, 100% of the state is in moderate to severe drought. On average, our reservoirs have dropped around 10% between June 1 and July 1. Typically, reservoirs drop around 2% during the same period. This is due to increased demand and an inefficient spring runoff earlier this year. “We have seen some water restrictions go in place around the state,” Candice Hasenyager, director at the Utah Division of Water Resources, said. “Restrictions are very localized and we rely on Utahns to be in touch with their water provider for any restrictions that may be in place.” Water restrictions...
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Brigham City added 169 acres of farmland and budding industrial ground at 300 North and 1700 West to its corporate limits Thursday. “Mayor and council, this was presented to you previously; it just…goes through a process to get to this point,” Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley said during his staff presentation. He added, “It’s property within a current island … there would be a remainder portion of the Larsen property that would be an island in the county.” The properties being annexed include an 8-acre parcel owned by Richard Smith, a 20-acre parcel owned by Brigham City Corporation, and two...
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Residents and visitors stroll through Mantua’s Little Valley Days celebration on Saturday. The park was filled with vendor booths, activities
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The Bank of Utah, through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Member Impact Fund, awarded grant funding to the Box Elder School District Foundation to provide updated technology, hands-on STEM tools and wellness resources designed to foster creativity, problem-solving and well-being among students. Additionally, Bank of Utah team members recently assembled and donated more than 300 hygiene kits to the school district. Each kit included essential personal care items, financial literacy resources and handwritten notes of encouragement from employees—offering practical help, as well as a reminder that students are supported and valued by their community.
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As Utah’s summer recreation season peaks, state outdoor recreation and public safety leaders are urging the public to stay safe while enjoying Utah’s lakes, trails and open spaces. At a press event today at Jordanelle State Park, officials highlighted troubling trends and shared simple but critical steps all Utahns can take to prevent tragedies. “This summer, we’ve already seen preventable fatalities on the water and serious off-highway vehicle accidents,” said Chief Todd Royce. “Our message is simple: wear a life jacket, wear a helmet and never operate under the influence.” So far this year, Utah has experienced six boating-related deaths...
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The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah was awarded grant money from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation support the club’s hands-on STEM projects to make learning enjoyable and engaging and sparking curiosity and a passion for STEM subjects. The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation awarded 9,200 to 78 nonprofits and community groups that enhance education and strengthen STEM learning opportunities throughout Utah. The education and STEM grants are distributed through one of the four annual grant cycles offered by the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation.
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Brigham City councilmembers on Thursday rejected a request to pause the city’s effort to leave the Bear River Water Conservancy District, voting 5-0 to keep their petition moving toward a decision by the water district board. Councilmember Matthew Jensen shared that Brigham City Administrator Derek Oyler had ended a May presentation to water-district leaders with a blunt challenge: “Why would a Brigham City resident want to be part of this conservancy district?” He quoted Oyler further: “They haven’t got any benefit for 30 years. Your plan shows no benefit for 20 more years. Why would our residents want to stay...
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The Brigham City Council adopted a new outdoor lighting ordinance in a 4-1 vote following more than an hour of debate. The measure had been tabled once previously. Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley began by outlining changes made in response to community feedback, including concerns raised by Representative Tom Peterson, a Brigham City resident. “We met with Tom Peterson on the concerns and there were various concessions and discussions that took place for modifications to be brought back for the council,” Bradley said. He explained that the draft removes the strict 100,000-lumens-per-acre cap in favor of fully shielded fixtures, confines...
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Brigham City residents will pay less on their August power bills, even though base energy rates increased for electricity used in July. On Thursday the city council approved a new rate resolution, the final step of a two-year catch-up plan that lifts residential and small-commercial base rates roughly 4%. At the same meeting, it held the Power-Purchase Adjustment Clause (PPAC) at [post_excerpt].00 per kilowatt-hour, canceling the hike. Under the updated rate schedule, the first residential summer tier rose from 11.46 to 11.68 cents per kWh, the second tier from 13.98 to 14.18 cents, and the top tier from 15.36 to...
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Brigham City will stop collecting yard clippings at the curb after Oct. 31, eliminating a 13-year-old curbside yard-waste program. Known locally as the “green can” service, it used distinct green cans designated for compostable waste. In the same vote Thursday, the city council agreed to keep the blue-can recycling service for an- other year but raised its fee to a month. Brigham Public Works Director Tyler Pugsley told the council the city’s compost facility already receives enough material without driving a separate truck to 1,500 green cans each week. He added that most of the green cans’ contents end...
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Brigham City officials received a 2.5% pay bump effective July 1 after the city council wrapped up a state-mandated public hearing Thursday and adopted its annual compensation ordinance without opposition. Brigham City Finance Director Tom Kotter told the council that the hearing was “in an effort to be transparent and fair,” citing Utah Code 10-3-818, which requires cities to publish the proposed salaries for at least seven days and then take public input before raising pay for elected or statutory officers. When Mayor DJ Bott opened the hearing, no residents offered testimony, and the council closed it in under one...
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The Box Elder County Commission voted July 9 to close county buildings along Main Street in Brigham City at 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, in anticipation of Peach Days traffic and parking congestion. Commissioner Lee Perry explained that the early closure is needed to prevent access issues caused by crowds using county parking lots for parade viewing and festival access. “By about three in the afternoon, we have a complete bottleneck,” said Perry. The motion passed unanimously.
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Brigham City Power Department crews spent about six hours over two days last week installing competition-grade lighting at the Brigham City pickleball courts, funded by a ,000 donation from the Northern Utah Pickleball Club. The new lighting will allow for play in the cooler hours after dark at the 24-court complex. Brigham City Assistant Public Works Director Mike Waite said, “Working on projects like this are one of my greatest joys, it is easy to get excited about improvements like this.” This is the latest in a series of donations the club has made to the city over the past...
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The Perry City Council has amended its current budget to allocate 8,271 in restricted water impact fees toward infrastructure work tied to the city’s planned mountain bike park. Approved unanimously on July 10, the budget amendment allows the city to proceed with erosion control, stormwater and overflow pipe connections, and construction of a water collection basin east of Mountain View Park at 1200 West 2250 S. The work targets Region 3 of the proposed bike park, a 40- acre area known as the Open Range. The bike park has been in development since early 2024, with input from a volunteer...
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The Box Elder Mosquito Abatement District has confirmed the season’s first detection of West Nile virus in a mosquito pool trapped near Rocket Road and 9200 North in Tremonton, according to results from the Utah State Public Health Laboratory. While only one trap has tested positive, officials warn the virus is “very likely” present across the county. They are urging residents to take special precautions, especially during dawn and dusk, the peak mosquito activity periods, by wearing lightweight longsleeved shirts and pants, and applying repellents containing DEET or Picaridin. The Box Elder Mosquito Abatement District urges residents to follow the...
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At its July 9 meeting, the Honeyville City Council began looking ahead to city improvements, city fees and more as they pass the half-year mark of 2025. Day of Service With just a couple of months to go, the city is preparing projects for the 9/11 Day of Service tentatively scheduled for Sept. 13. Honeyville has participated for the past three years, contributing to the more than 10,000 hours of service logged statewide last year. “There’s a bunch of manpower there to do some good and do our part,” said Bruce Bowers a liaison for the organization who has worked...
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If you think you’ve noticed the beaches at Willard Bay getting larger, you’re right. They are. The Weber Basin Water Conservancy District has begun pumping the 9,900-acre reservoir to roughly half its normal volume so crews can cut through the south dike and replace two steel siphon pipes that have delivered fresh water to Compass Minerals, the Harold Crane Waterfowl Management Area and other users since the 1970s. “Those siphons help feed several of the users out there— Compass Minerals as well as the bird refuge,” district General Manager Scott Paxman told Salt Lake City’s KSL-TV. “They’ve been corroding from...
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The Perry City Council has approved a one-year agreement allowing police to board stray or seized dogs at Ellie’s Pet Hotel in Willard following the loss of access to Brigham City’s animal shelter. “Brigham City has indicated they’re no longer providing animal shelter services to non-Brigham residents. This agreement outlines what that cost would be, it’s located in Willard, a day,” Perry City Administrator Bob Barnhill explained to the council. Police Chief Scott Hancey warned that costs could rise quickly. “Again, this is not for the public, and this is only for dogs. It’s a day…a dog that...
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The Box Elder County Commission on July 9 approved a package of land use changes aimed at protecting agriculture while clarifying development rules in rural areas. The actions include the creation of a new agricultural heritage zone, a consistent slope standard for buildable land, and a revision to the county’s annexation policy. All three passed unanimously following presentations from Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons. “We found that kind of a safe slope to be putting in our code for a buildable slope would be 20%,” Lyons said. “Some of those regulations say 15%, some of them say...
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On June 30, the Bear River Health Department issued a warning advisory for Mantua Reservoir after state samplers confirmed a harmful algal bloom capable of producing cyanotoxins. “Algae in the water is producing high levels of dangerous toxins,” the department warned. “Accidentally drinking this water may hurt or kill hu- mans and animals. Any exposure to this water may cause illness.” The Utah Division of Water Quality reiterated the caution that same day: “BE CAREFUL: A harmful algal bloom is present at Mantua Reservoir. Algae in the water may be producing dangerous toxins that can make humans and animals sick.”...
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The Willard City Council on July 10 postponed a five-year schedule of utility-rate increases after Councilmember Jordan Hulsey pressed officials to explain why city sewer bills already exceed those in nearly every peer community in Utah. “We’re way above even what the high end of a sewer bill in the state of Utah is,” Hulsey said during a 30-minute discussion that dominated the meeting. “I don’t feel like we have enough information to comfortably vote yes on another rate increase without knowing if we have really looked at all of our other options— income options, efficiency options, everything.” The tabled...
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A development agreement for a proposed 96- home subdivision in Willard stalled at its first city council review July 10 after officials found that key exhibits were missing and one section of legal wording needed clarification. The project, called The Orchards at Willard, would create 96 residential lots on 48.13 acres, an average of two lots per acre, under the city’s master planned community zoning. That designation allows some flexibility in lot sizes and layouts as long as the overall density stays within the agreed cap. Project engineer Greg Day of Wasatch Civil asked the council to approve the agreement...
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Perry residents can preview draft concepts for the city’s first parks master plan at an open-house workshop Thursday, July 31, in the event center inside Perry City Hall, 1950 S. U.S. Highway 89. “We haven’t dialed in the time yet; it’ll probably be like 5-to-7 p.m.,” Perry City Administrator Bob Barnhill told the City Council while announcing the event. Poster boards will outline proposed park upgrades, trail connections and other amenities. Attendees may review the options, speak with the consultant team and leave written comments that will shape the final plan, which is expected to reach the council for adoption...
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The Box Elder County Commission on July 9 approved the annual renewal of a long-standing funding agreement with the Utah State Courts to partially reimburse the county for courthouse security services. While state law requires county sheriffs to provide courtroom bailiffs, the state is not obligated to fund screening or perimeter security. Sheriff Kevin Potter said the practice of using local deputies for both was established years ago to keep security consistent, with the state reimbursing counties for a portion of the cost. “This is our yearly bill,” Potter said, citing a reimbursement amount of 6,104. He noted that the...
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Eight parcels that make up two and a half acres located south of the Brigham City Cemetery have been rezoned from single family dwelling to multiple family units, up to seven per acre following action taken by the city council on Thursday. The properties are located between 300 East and 400 East, and between 500 and 600 South. According to Brigham City Associate City Planner Tony Ekins, the zone change request is consistent with the city’s general plan, as the lots border property zoned the same to the east, and the neighborhood currently contains several legal but nonconforming multiple dwelling...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved two resolutions on Dec. 18 to allocate remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to local projects and programs, ensuring compliance with federal spending requirements. ARPA, passed in 2021, provided federal funding to state and local governments to mitigate the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To comply with federal rules, the funds must be obligated to specific projects by the end of 2024 and fully expended by the end of 2026. Box Elder County Auditor Shirlene Larsen explained the need for formal resolutions to meet federal guidelines. “We have to have them officially...
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According to a year-end report, tourism in Box Elder County experienced measurable growth in 2024, with increased visitor numbers and spending contributing to the local economy. Tourism Director Joan Hammer appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Dec. 18, presenting an annual review on behalf of the county’s Tourism Council. Hammer reported over 1 million visitors to the county’s primary attractions, including Willard Bay State Park, Golden Spike Historical Park, the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, and Crystal Hot Springs. The county recorded a 7% increase in overall visitation and a 5% rise in visitor spending compared to 2023....
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Amendments to Brigham City’s recreation fee schedule and other rules approved by the Brigham City Council last month include a change to what was once a major point of contention and one of the city’s biggest controversies. Included in the changes to rules governing use of the city’s various recreational facilities, as well as updates to the fees residents and non-residents are charged to use those facilities and other recreation programs, is language that will allow the city’s pool to be open on Sundays, if staff can be found to work that day. In its time, the discussion about whether...
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It’s something heard often, especially when it comes time to consider—and perhaps increase—the wages of people doing the public’s work in government jobs: They’re just trying to get rich off of taxpayers. “I wish I took home that much,” is a common refrain heard at nearly every city and county meeting where employee salaries are publicly disclosed. Traditionally, the perception was that private sector professionals earn more money, but government professionals have better benefits, more job security, and a better work/life balance for a better quality of life. That perception, however, runs counter to an emerging one, now that the...
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The Box Elder County Commission honored two long-serving public servants during its Dec. 18 meeting, with Commissioner Stan Summers stepping down after 12 years of service, and County Assessor Rodney Bennett retiring following a 34- year career. Commission Chair Lee Perry opened the recognition by presenting commemorative plaques to both men, celebrating their contributions to the county. Summers, who began his tenure in January 2013, received not only a plaque but also a symbolic gavel. “I’m not sure that Michelle [Summers’ wife] will let you use this at home, but we thought it was appropriate,” said Commission Chair Lee Perry....
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County property owners disagreeing with the county’s tax valuation of their homes or businesses will face a new hearing officer at the county’s board of equalization, following the approval of a contract at the Dec. 18 Box Elder County Commission meeting. When a property owner feels that the county assessor has set the value of their property too high, thereby increasing the amount of property tax owed, that owner may appeal the valuation to the board of equalization, which by state law is the county’s legislative body, the Box Elder County Commission. That same state law allows the commission to...
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At its meeting on Dec. 18, the Box Elder County Commission unanimously approved the reappointment of Kevin Hall to a three-year term on the Bear River Health Department board. Hall, a co-owner of Peach City restaurant, has served on the board for three years and expressed his willingness to continue. Commission Chair Lee Perry, who represents the county on the health department board, proposed Hall’s reappointment, citing his valuable contributions. Hall’s background in the restaurant industry was noted as a beneficial perspective for the board, which oversees public health matters in the region. Commissioner Stan Summers praised Hall’s dedication and...
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There was little from Mother Nature last week to make it a traditional white Christmas, but the area was blanketed in fog for days throughout the holiday. The fog added a different element to Golden Spike National Historic Park’s annual Winter Steam Festival held Dec. 28-30, as fog-obscured bystanders watched locomotives materialize. See more foggy photos from around Box Elder on page 9.
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Willard City Councilmember Mike Braegger has been appointed to sit on the governing board of the Bear River Water Conservancy District, following a vote by the Box Elder County Commission at the Dec. 18 meeting. Braegger replaces Richard Day, who represented Willard, South Willard, Perry and Mantua on the board since November of 2005. The Bear River Water Conservancy District was created by a court decree made under the guidelines of the Utah Water Conservancy Act. It currently serves the communities of Harper Ward, Bothwell, Beaver Dam and parts of South Willard with culinary and agricultural water. The water district...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved amendments to the 2024 budget following a public hearing on Dec. 18, incorporating specific adjustments for state and federal funding allocations. County Auditor Shirlene Larsen provided an overview of the budget changes, highlighting key adjustments. Among the most significant was an increase in the ARPA funded broadband grant budget, which grew from 5,000 to .6 million to account for newly awarded state grants. These funds will be reimbursed by the state once related invoices are paid. Additionally, LATCF funding was reallocated to cover the full cost of an emergency management storage facility. Initially budgeted...
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The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) presented Box Elder County with a ,461 check on Dec. 18 for the 57,000 acres of untaxable land it owns in the county. The payment in lieu of taxes, or PILT, is a practice both state and federal governments undertake in an effort to keep solvent those counties with a high percentage of untaxable public land. PILT programs help make up a portion of the loss from untaxable public land. The DWR uses a portion of the money it collects for hunting and fishing licenses for PILT. A 1999 study by the U.S....
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team dropped its final preseason game of the year last Saturday in Brigham City as West Field escaped with a 63-58 overtime win. The Longhorns were the early aggressors, racing out to a seven-point lead at the end of the first quarter, which grew to 11 by halftime behind a balanced scoring attack. Four West Field players finished in double figures, led by junior guard Daxton Laughter with 18 points. Fellow junior Jaden Fowers added 15, including three shots from beyond the arc. The Longhorns also got 12 points from senior Jaxon Slaugh...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved the sale of one of the city’s old fire engines to Willard City. The engine, a 1993 Pierce Dash fire truck with ladders, was replaced earlier this year with an updated 2023 Pierce model. The 1993 truck had been in service continuously with the city for nearly three decades, recently serving as the third backup. Both Brigham City and Willard officials researched the value of the older truck and settled on the ,000 price. The sale will leave Brigham City with the new Pierce, a 2002 Pierce Dash, as well as a 2007...
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The 900 North and 500 East, Brigham City, corner home of Jeremy and Sheila Tingey is the most frequently nominated for the News Journal’s holiday home decoration contest. See other honorable mentions on page 4.
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Compared to the previous few years, 2024 felt much more subdued. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things worth looking back on. There was a busy election with plenty of controversy, contentious issues important to the communities they impacted, and a high number of strange deaths and grizzly discoveries. Following are the biggest stories that impacted Box Elder County and its communities in the last 12 months. The stories are generally listed chronologically, with some exceptions made for coherence or thematic elements. Cyber kidnapping The year started off with a bang when Brigham City’s police and fire departments found themselves...
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In the first several months of the year, Mother Nature made her presence obvious. (above) a January squall that brought inches of snow toppled a tree on to a Brigham City home. (middle) In March, violent winds were deemed responsible for damage to six cars parked outside Skywalker Trampolines. The strongest gust was initially thought to be 102 mph, but that was before a 113- mph gust was reported from the Brigham City airport, where the wind caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage. In other areas of the city people assessed wind caused damage, including downed trees, blown...
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For the past 37 years Brigham City Corporation has received the Government Finance Officers Association achievement award (GFOA) for excellence in fiscal reporting, and with the presentation of the 2023 fiscal audit, the city has again received that award for the 38th consecutive year. Receiving the award signifies that a city has demonstrated the highest standards of financial reporting and transparency in its financial documents. This recognition indicates that the city’s reports adhere to stringent guidelines and best practices in areas such as clarity, organization, and completeness, reflecting a commitment to financial integrity and accountability. This most recent independent audit...
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Following the rejection of the Box Elder School District (BESD) bond in the November 2024 election, district leaders are searching for new ways to meet the growing needs of the student population and the necessary infrastructure that accompanies that growth. Voters rejected the 0 million bond in the general election, by nearly 68%, with 18,578 of the 27,410 votes cast opposing the proposition. Despite the defeat, district officials emphasized the problems the bond was going to solve still exist. “We had a handful of things we were trying to solve,” said Keith Mecham, the district’s assistant superintendent of secondary education....
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An unusual odor filled Box Elder High School on Dec. 18, sending student rumors buzzing about the distinct smell of marijuana, and raised concerns about its presence and the potential health impacts and well as the distraction it caused. While rumors were rampant, BEHS Principal Jamie Kent was quick to clarify its origin as outside of the school, and attributed the smell to the True North Organics, a medical marijuana and hemp plant on the northwest side of Brigham. There isn’t much Box Elder High School can do to prevent the smell from invading the hallways and surrounding areas, according...
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The Box Elder High School swim team picked up an early Christmas present over the weekend as both the boys and girls teams finished first at the Springville Holiday Invitational last Saturday. The event featured seven of the state’s top high school swim programs, including last year’s 4A girls state champions from Ridgeline and fourth-place boys finisher and tournament host, Springville. Despite the stiff competition and an early 5:30 a.m. bus ride to Utah County, the Bees dominated. The boys team scored 510 points, far ahead of second-place Ridgeline’s 295. The girls team tallied 435 points, outpacing second-place Springville’s 342.5....
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team suffered a 70-46 loss to Fremont last Wednesday at home, then bounced back on the road Friday to secure their first win of the season with a 51-47 victory over cross-county rival Bear River. On Wednesday, the Bees were outmatched by the Silverwolves, who have four players over six feet tall on their roster. Fremont used its size advantage and quality interior passing to jump out to a 21-10 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, cruising to its eighth win of the year. Sophomore center Abigail Christensen led all...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team was denied its first victory of the season in its lone outing last week, falling to Mountain Crest 72-53 last Tuesday at home. The Bees were outscored 16-9 in the opening period and trailed by eight points at halftime. The Mustangs used a 26-17 run in the third quarter to blow the game open and put the result out of reach. On offense, the Bees got a lift from senior Carter Buchanan, who posted a career high 18 points. Fellow senior Mason Jeppsen controlled the paint, finishing with 13 points and eight...
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A requested zone change that would allow a proposed 63-acre housing development at Perry’s southern border with Willard has been recommended for approval by the Perry Planning Commission, but has not yet been approved by the city council. The project, located at 3600 South and running between U.S. Highway 89 and 1200 West, would require a special development overlay zone to move forward, as it includes greater housing density than the existing R 1/3 (residential one-third acre) zoning allows. In its current incarnation the development, known as Olsen Orchards, would consist of 133 single family homes and 75 town homes,...
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Perry City’s newest police officer was introduced to the city council and given his oath of office on Thursday. Officer Jordan Hastings comes to Perry from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) where he served as a resource officer for nine years. “I’ve been trying to convince him for the last three years to come over here,” said Chief Scott Hancey. “We finally got him, and I’m really excited.” The addition of Hastings brings the department to a full complement of nine officers.
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Perry City’s first responders recently held elections for leadership positions within the unit. Brian Moser was elected as chief, Monica Taylor as assistant chief, Mike LaPierre as medical officer, Destry Roskelley as treasurer, and Misty Moser as secretary.
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The Higgins home at 3865 W. 2300 North, Corinne, is an example of those who go all out with their annual outdoor Christmas decor. The Box Elder News Journal is holding a contest for Box Elder County residents to nominate their own, or their neighbors home to demonstrate the Christmas spirit. The winner, chosen by staff selection, will receive a year long print subscription to the News Journal and be published in next week’s edition. Honorable mention photos will also be published. Submit photos to reporter@benewsjournal.com or through our Facebook messaging.
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A Willard teen’s Eagle Scout project is going to make it easier for residents of Brigham City and Willard to properly, and respectfully, dispose of their damaged or worn American flags. Eagle Scout candidate Jayden Bodily appeared before the Brigham City Council on Dec. 5, and the Willard City Council on Dec. 12, to gain those cities’ permissions to construct and place flag disposal boxes on city property. “The boxes will be used to put retired flags in, and Post 1695 of the VFW [Veterans of Foreign Wars] will come once a month-ish to get the flags,” said Bodily. The...
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Following an irreverent and at times humorous discussion on Thursday night, the Willard City Council voted unanimously to direct city staff to write a resolution that will do away with dog licensing requirements in the city. The move comes nine months after Perry City did the same thing. Several city officials, chief among them Mayor Travis Mote, have expressed beliefs that the dog licensing requirements in the city go largely ignored, cost city staff time—and therefore the citizens money—and are basically more trouble than they’re worth. “There are some pluses and minuses to licenses,” said Mote. “The big plus to...
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In an effort to secure a land corridor for a future light rail extension into Box Elder County, a representative of the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) appeared at the Willard City Council meeting on Thursday, asking the council to consider amending open space requirements for subdivisions going up along the corridor. UTA outlined a problem with subdivisions be- ing developed near the corridor, which runs along the Union Pacific tracks west of the city. UTA would like to widen the existing corridor to 50 feet, which would allow it to put down separate rails from Union Pacific, freeing the state-run...
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Beginning next fall, Box Elder High School will be competing in a Region 5 that looks dramatically different from the last several realignments. The Utah High School Activities Association Board of Trustees will meet this week to finalize the realignment of schools into regions, a realignment about which Box Elder High School Athletic Director Jesse Roberts said, “I think it’s a really good thing, personally. We’re really excited about it.” The most obvious benefit, according to Roberts, is of course the reduction in travel. Under the new realignment consideration, the furthest teams will travel for region competitions is the approximately...
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By Jeremy Jones Staff writer Slim_ Jonezy@yahoo.com The Box Elder High School boys basketball team suffered two more setbacks last week, falling 73-62 to Weber at home last Tuesday, then dropping a 73-60 decision on the road to Green Canyon on Friday. Weber used a big second quarter run to produce the bulk of its lead, holding Box Elder to just five points in the period. Sophomore guard McKay Deem got hot from beyond the arc and finished with 18 points, hitting six 3-pointers. Box Elder senior forward Carter Buchanan added 15 points, and junior Kason Anderson contributed 12 to...
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Star players took center stage last week as the Box Elder High School girls basketball team faced three quality opponents and suffered losses to Wasatch, West Field, and Olympus, each by double digits. Last Monday, the Bees traveled to Heber City to face Wasatch. The Wasps, undefeated entering the game, extended their streak with a dominant performance, racing out to a 20-9 lead after one quarter. A 22-3 second-quarter run sealed the outcome as Wasatch cruised to a 79-24 victory. Sophomore center Mahala Speredon powered the Wasps with 15 points and nine rebounds. First-team all-state selection Peyton Behnke added 13...
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In last weeks’ “Supporting those who give” article the information provided as contact for the Soup Kitchen was taken from their Facebook page which is outdated, the best contact is Susie Poulsen at 435-695-7448 or susanpoulsen@hotmail.com. We regret the error.
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Entries for this year’s Brigham City Recreation Gingerbread Contest are now on display at the Brigham City Museum of Art and History,24N.300 West Brigham City, now through Jan. 3, 2025, during regular business hours.
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A packed room greeted candidates for Honeyville City Council as they stood for selection to fill the vacancy left by Kory Wilde, who was elected Box Elder County assessor in November. The candidates included former zoning administrator Codey Illum, current planning commission member Jacob Jaques, Honeyville Freedom Run organizer Kami Anderson, Northrop Grumman engineer Austin Granger, and 2023 council candidate Anna Dammer. Each candidate spoke about their qualifications and hopes for the city’s future, expressing a shared desire to become more involved in the com- munity. All candidates cited concerns about growth and development, with a common goal of maintaining...
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In a recent report, the Perry City was updated on planned expenditures from the city’s impact fee funds. The city has [post_excerpt].2 million in impact fees combined from all funds, according to an accounting and spending plan offered by Perry City Recorder Shanna Johnson at Thursday’s city council meeting. The city currently charges impact fees for police protection, fire protection, public parks, sewer infrastructure, water infrastructure and storm drain infrastructure. Impact fees are charged as part of the permitting process to build within a city, and are intended to help the city pay for the added use of city infrastructure...
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Robert Smithson’s iconic Spiral Jetty, a massive land art installation at Rozel Point on the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake in Box Elder County, has been officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This designation, announced in November 2024, cements the jetty’s status as a cultural and artistic landmark, celebrated for its innovative merging of art and nature. Created in 1970, the Spiral Jetty is a 1,500-foot-long, counterclockwise spiral composed of basalt rocks and earth, extending into the lake’s red- hued waters. Smithson, a pioneer of the land art movement, designed the work to reflect the...
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team struggled to get anything going last week, Tuesday, Dec. 3, in Cottonwood Heights, falling to Brighton 69-33 in their lone game of the week. The Bengals relentlessly pressured the ball, forcing 19 steals as a team and converting them into easy baskets on the other end. Senior guard Ruth Larsen led the defensive charge with six steals but deferred the scoring to a trio of her teammates who finished in double figures. Senior guard Sophie Nelson led all scorers with 20 points while also grabbing seven rebounds. Olivia Stephens added 15 points,...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team lost both its games last week, falling to Sky View, 51-46, on Tuesday, Dec. 3, in Smithfield, and 70-33 to Fremont at home on Friday. After trailing 30-22 at halftime, the Bees used a second half run to make things interesting against the Bobcats. Box Elder senior wing Carter Buchanan led a trio of double-digit scorers for the Bees with 12 points, while senior Mason Jeppsen and sophomore sharpshooter Ryan Jenson each added 11. However, the comeback attempt fell short as Sky View made enough plays down the stretch to preserve its...
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A story in last week’s edition about human trafficking charges filed against three members of the Roche family of Garland contained an error. Dusty Roche sent an unsolicited email to the News Journal following his preliminary trial on Nov. 14. The News Journal did not seek comment at that time. The News Journal reached out to the Roches for comment in January, when the charges were first brought forward, but received no response. The family had said through another media outlet that legal counsel had advised them against commenting on the case. We regret the error.
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A new Brigham City firefighter was sworn in at Thursday’s city council meeting, while two others were recognized for earning new certifications. Brigham City Fire Department Paramedic Clinton Miner, who has been working at the department for several weeks, took his oath of office and had his badge pinned in front of the mayor and city council members on Dec. 5. Earning supervising fire officer designations from the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy were Paramedic Eric Lofthouse, Fire Captain Race Black, and Paramedic Nate Newman. A supervising fire officer designation is a professional credential signifying that a firefighter has achieved...
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A text amendment to the county’s land use code has clarified the difference between “allowed use” and “permitted use.” According to Community Development Director Scott Lyons, the clarification in the county’s land use map specifies that an allowed use, designated with an “A” on the map, does not require a permit, while a permitted use, designated with a “C1” on the map, requires review by county officials and a conditional use permit. The amendment also included updates to the county code, eliminating references to zoning and uses that no longer exist. The Box Elder County Commission approved the text amendment...
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At Wednesday’s Box Elder County Commission meeting, Jay Capener of the Bear River Canal Company was renominated to serve another four-year term on the Bear River Water Conservancy District Board of Trustees. In addition to Capener, Kelly Lemon from Collinston was nominated to replace Mark Larson, whose term expires at the end of December. The nominations were unanimously approved by the commissioners. The Bear River Water Conservancy District was created by a court decree under the guidelines of the Utah Water Conservancy Act. It serves the communities of Harper Ward, Bothwell, Beaver Dam, and parts of South Willard with culinary...
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Mark Suchan, director of Post Consumer Brand’s Tremonton facility, was honored for his community service at Wednesday’s Box Elder County Commission meeting. Reading a proclamation that stated Suchan has been a community leader for more than 20 years, that he oversaw the construction of the Post plant, and has been involved in various community organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, United Way of Northern Utah, and the Box Elder Community Pantry, Commissioner Stan Summers expressed the commission’s gratitude. “Mark W. Suchan is recognized for his many years of dedicated service,” said Summers. “Let it be proclaimed that the...
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The costs to build in Brigham City will soon be significantly higher, as the city council on Thursday adopted a new impact fee facilities plan, and with it a new impact fee schedule. Impact fees are charged as part of the permitting process to build within a city, and are intended to help the city pay for the added use of city infrastructure that comes with new development. Impact fee funds raised are restricted to pay for expansion to city facilities, with each fee restricted to be used for the infrastructure for which it was charged. The last time the...
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Out-of-state property owners illegally subdividing remote west-desert parcels and selling off the land piece-by-piece are still causing issues in Box Elder County. In an effort to educate the public on how to make an illegal parcel legal, the process was enshrined in the county code at last week’s Box Elder County Commission meeting. The issue started several years ago when multiple out-of-state landowners began illegally selling off multiple small parts of their land, generally located between the Great Salt Lake and the Nevada border, for what appeared to unsuspecting buyers to be “dirt cheap” prices. These buyers would find the...
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Access to American Way from Forest Street will be closed beginning Monday, Dec. 16, to accommodate work being done on the Forest Street overpass. No traffic will be permitted onto American Way from Forest Street for any reason. Those who need to access Associated Brigham Contractors or Autoliv will need to access American Way from 600 North. The closure will remain in effect until the overpass project is complete.
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The Box Elder County Commission approved a million 2025 budget on Dec. 4, weeks after approving scaled-back property tax increases. Of the .3 million approved across all county funds, approximately .1 million is accounted for in the form of cash transfers between funds, making actual spending closer to .1 million. That total relies on .2 million of spending coming from existing fund balances. County budgets are generally planned for worst case scenarios, however, with revenues estimated low and expenses estimated high. The commission approved the property tax adjustments on Nov. 19 following significant public opposition at a Truth in...
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Heritage Theatre, in Perry, celebrated their grand re-opening with the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce after a series of remodeling efforts have been completed. With funding through donations from the community and individuals Heritage Theatres was able to raise enough funds to complete the redesign on our arena. When stepping into the Heritage Theatre you will find a new coat of paint on our main lobby wall as well as being welcomed by new doors into the arena. Once in the auditorium you will find new flooring and seating to help enhance your viewing experience as well as new lighting...
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Born with a rare disorder, every day is a fight to breathe for 8-year-old Eloise. Diagnosed with the respiratory disorder at only a few weeks old, her life has been completely shaped by efforts to manage the abnormal build-up of mucus in her lungs. From daily respiratory treatments to multiple rounds of medication and antibiotics, countless hours have been spent trying to keep her lungs clear. She follows strict routines, takes extra precautions to avoid germs, and attends frequent specialist appointments to monitor her health. Despite all the missed school due to medical appointments, “she does her best to keep...
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The Brigham City Christmas Village was bustling on Saturday evening as large crowds await the opportunity to see the new 20 ft. Christmas tree, donated by Kiwanis Club, light up for the first time. Santa arrived on a Brigham City Fire Department engine before joining the crowds and giving the countdown for the official lighting. Attendees lingered to check out the village, purchase cookies and hot cocoa, and to wait their turn to sit on Santa’s lap.
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team couldn’t snap their skid against Bear River, and the Bears extended their current winning streak over the Bees to five straight with a 69-46 win last Tuesday in Garland. It was a first half to forget for the Bees as they were outscored 18-5 in the first period and were bested 18-9 in the second quarter to give Bear River a commanding lead at the half; a lead they never surrendered. heading into the halftime break that they never surrendered. Junior guard Kaser Thurgood ran the show for the Bears as he...
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A request to re-zone 40 acres located south of State Route 13 and west of Watery Lane from agricultural to general industrial was approved by the Brigham City Council at the Nov. 21 meeting. According to Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley, the property is directly adjacent to a general industrial zone, and therefore would be compatible with the city’s current land use map. The city’s planning commission issued a recommendation for approval at their Nov. 4 meeting. Without a need for discussion, the council approved the request on a unanimous vote.
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The Brigham City Police Department (BCPD) is looking for individuals who want to learn more about the neighborhood watch program. The department will be holding a meeting on Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. to educate and assist members of the community set up neighborhood watch programs in their area. The meeting is expected to last an hour. BCPD officers will be present to answer questions.
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The Mantua City Council voted unanimously to take police chief Dakota Midkiff off administrative leave following an investigation into a use of force incident on Oct. 5. Midkiff resumed his duties on Nov. 22. “After reviewing similar incidents in other Utah police departments with findings that the force used was justified, the council saw that Remedial Training was often mandated,” wrote Mantua Councilmember Karen Nelson in an email response to a request for information. Nelson continued that while not making any finding of “wrongdoing” on the part of Midkiff, the council issued a disciplinary sanction requiring Midkiff to complete at...
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The Willard Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing 15-year-old girl considered to be an endangered person. Constance Doyle, who also goes by “Ace” or “Z,” is described as a white female, 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds, with black hair and black eyes. She was last seen wearing a brown jacket, shorts of an unknown color, and a green bandana. Constance was last in contact with her family on Nov. 30, 2024. She is currently without medication she requires to manage mental health issues. Authorities believe she may be heading to Montana....
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UPDATED Dec. 4, 9:20 a.m.: This story has been edited to correct a previous error. Dusty Roche sent an unsolicited email to the News Journal following his preliminary trial on Nov. 14. The News Journal reached out to the Roche's for comment in January, when the charges were first brought forward, but received no response. The family had said through another media outlet that legal counsel had advised them against commenting on the case. We regret the error. A Box Elder County judge has again found sufficient probable cause to bind three members of a Garland ranching family over...
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As part of the city’s ongoing efforts to work toward a secondary water system, on Nov. 21 the Brigham City Council approved a new ordinance amendment that requires developers of subdivisions to provide secondary irrigation systems or, short of that, convey water entitlements to the city sufficient to meet the needs of the development. In cases where no water entitlements are present, developers would be required to pay a fee in lieu to the city. “What this new ordinance does is take the burden off of our drinking water system and allow us to have water shares, or water rights,...
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As required by state law, on Nov. 21 the Brigham City Council held its twice-yearly public hearing to allow comment on the city’s storm water management plan. The plan, adopted in 2021 in response to Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) mandates, outlines actions the city takes to control pollutants flowing into, and out of, the city’s stormwater drainage system, in order to remain compliant with both state and federal environmental regulations. “It’s required by the state to keep pollutants from going into the waters of the state,” said Brigham City Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager Bryce Lofthouse back in 2021....
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Following months of planning sessions, online surveys, and public meetings, the first draft of an update to the Brigham City General Plan has been released for public review and comment. A general plan is the legally required blueprint from which a city bases land use planning and zoning to guide future growth. Typically, the plan lists both near- and long-term goals for various aspects of urban planning, including land use, housing, transportation, natural resources, and public services. It ensures that the community develops in a sustainable and organized manner. The plan also establishes a future land-use map to guide development...
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A chain-reaction crash on a stormy stretch of Interstate 15 on Tuesday, Nov. 26, left one person dead and another critically injured. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the incident occurred around 10:02 p.m. when a blue Toyota Prius, traveling southbound near milepost 354, struck the concrete barrier on the left shoulder of the highway. The vehicle came to rest sideways on the shoulder, likely due to poor weather and road conditions. The driver, an adult male, exited the vehicle to assess the damage. Meanwhile, the female passenger opened her door but remained seated inside the car. Moments later, a...
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team dropped their final game before the Thanksgiving break on Tuesday, Nov. 26, when they traveled to Hyrum and fell to Mountain Crest, 68-41. The two teams battled through a close first quarter in which the Mustangs took a two-point lead before the Bees cooled off and scored just five points in the second quarter. The Mustangs exploded for a 34-11 run in the third period to all but seal the win as the Bees were never able to mount much of a comeback in the final frame, despite holding their opponents to...
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The Flying M Ranch, sitting amid the rugged beauty of northern Utah’s Hansel Valley, has become a beacon of environmental stewardship, and was recognized for their efforts with the 2024 Utah Leopold Conservation Award for their innovative and sustainable approach to land management. The award, presented at the Utah Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting Nov. 20-22, includes a ,000 prize and a legacy of excellence. “This award is a testament to their leadership and vision in preserving our natural heritage for future generations,” said David Brown, President of Western AgCredit. The honor, named after conservationist Aldo Leopold, celebrates farmers and ranchers...
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As called by the News Journal on Nov. 12, challenger Stephanie DeFilippis has defeated incumbent Connie Archibald for the Box Elder School Board District 2 seat. DeFilippis carried the election by a very narrow margin of 93 votes, gaining 1,942 votes to Archibald’s 1,849. The contest was the only county race that wasn’t able to be called on election night.
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team unveiled their squad for the 2024–25 season last Saturday during their annual Purple and White scrimmage. The Bees will officially take the court for the first time tonight on the road against Sky View. After graduating six seniors last year, this year’s team will have a very different look, with only one returning player logging more than 10 minutes per game last season. Discussing the challenge of preparing a team with so many new faces, Bees head coach Aaron Dooley said, “I usually don’t like to play before Thanksgiving, but this year,...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team wrapped up tryouts last week, got a quick feel for game play Monday night during their annual Purple and White scrimmage, and wasted no time starting the season, squaring off against Payson on the road last night. This season’s Bees will have a much different look than the squad that went 9-15 last year, as seven players from that team graduated in May. This year, the team will aim to blend youth with experience, featuring four returning seniors, two juniors, and a large sophomore class working to take the program further. Senior...
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The Brigham City Museum of Art and History invites artists of all ages, backgrounds, skills and experience to participate in the 2024 Plein Air Competition Exhibit. Plein Air competitions are a chance for painters of all skill levels to flex their creativity by creating works of art out in the open air during a specific period of time. Stamping for this competition begins on Nov. 23, and the entry deadline will be on Dec. 7, at 5 p.m. In keeping with the spirit of plein-air competitions, artists have only three weeks to paint, frame, and submit their entries to the...
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A collaboration between North Park Elementary fifth graders and Bear River High School art students has reimagined and reinvigorated the elementary school’s playground area. According to North Park Principal Ryan Greene, an asphalted area adjacent to the school’s playground was an underutilized asset at the school. Or, as fifth grader Korhgan Neil said, the area was “normal” like a “road,” and “boring.” Due to that, the asphalt remained largely unused for recess activities, with the exception of a faded four-square court and an aging basketball hoop. Neil was among a handful of fifth graders selected to form a committee and...
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Two very visible police raids occurred in Brigham City on Friday, as the Brigham City Police Department (BCPD) aided members of the Box Elder Narcotics Strike Force to serve search warrants on gas stations located along Main Street. According to BCPD Operations Commander Chris Howard, the warrants served on the Tesoro convenience store and gas station at 249 N. Main Street, as well as Schifty’s Sinclair at 472 N. Main Street, happened simultaneously with another raid on a Perry home belonging to the owner of one of the businesses. “There were two search warrants served, on Tesoro, and one on...
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Box Elder School District is seeking feedback from residents on the recent bond proposal that voters rejected in the general election as well as for future planning. The survey, at https://besd.az1. qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ 42Tt5EiXJvGU4HY (or see QR code accompanying this story) takes about 5-10 minutes to complete and will be available until Nov. 30.
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The Friends of the Children’s Justice Center received an ,500 donation from Peach Days events. Representatives from the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce and organizers of the Peach Days Harley and Custom Bike Show and Brigham’s Beard Contest were on hand to present the donation, which was raised by sponsorships, donations and T-shirt sales at the bike show and beard contest. Pictured are: Ken Doutre with DL Evans Bank, bike show organizer Kelly Driscoll, Sterling Marx with the Box Elder Children’s Justice Center, Cortney Gregory with American Family Insurance and Randy Christensen with DL Evans Bank.
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The Willard City Council on Thursday discussed future culinary water rights allocations for supporting growth in the city while ensuring the city held enough of those water rights in reserve for existing residents and infrastructure. The discussion is prerequisite to passing a culinary water allocation capital facilities plan, which will be done in a future meeting. It’s important to note that a water right is different from actual water availability. Water rights are the permission to use certain amounts of water from a city’s sources, but there are no guarantees that those water sources will deliver the full amount of...
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Much of the discussion at the Honeyville City Council’s November meeting revolved around the fate of a city-owned property located at 2620 W. 6900 North. The home has been under consideration for much of the past year following a vote to sell the home by the council in March and a reconsideration of that decision in May at the urging of Councilmember Dusty Bingham. Since then, the council has grown divided on what the best path forward is. Councilmember David Hougaard would prefer to sell the house outright and invest that money. Councilmember Kory Wilde would prefer to keep the...
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A proposed program with the stated purpose to “increase teacher retention in the classroom, especially in high-poverty schools, and simultaneously increase the recruitment of new teachers into the system,” got a somewhat frosty reception from the Box Elder School District Board of Education last week, with board members and administrators saying they liked the idea of rewarding effective teachers, but that the law comes with a lot of drawbacks. S.B. 173, passed in 2024, sets the process for identifying and selecting teachers for awards, as well as allocates million to fund a tiered award structure. The program is about...
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Investigators from the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office (BESO) recently sat down with the News Journal, along with Sheriff Kevin Potter and Deputy County Attorney Blair Wardle, to discuss one of the most difficult and high-profile cases in county history, the murder of 19-year-old Dylan Rounds. In May of 2024 James Brenner, 60, pleaded guilty to murdering Rounds as part of a plea deal approved by Rounds’ family, and is currently serving up to 30 years in the Utah State Prison. As part of the plea deal, Brenner agreed to lead authorities to where he had hidden Rounds’ remains in...
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On Wednesday night, Box Elder County officials presented their case to the public for two property tax increases during a legally required Truth in Taxation public hearing held at the county courthouse. The first increase, a 21.91% property tax increase would help shore up the county’s general fund, the balance of which has been steadily decreasing as the county’s obligations in the face of inflation and other factors has outstripped revenue. At the hearing, Box Elder County Auditor Shirlene Larsen explained that the balance in the county budget’s general fund, from which most government operations are paid, has been steadily...
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Visitors stroll through the entries at the Box Elder Box Elder School District Foundation’s Jubilee of Trees in 2022. Through the next few weeks, Box Elder County will be a veritable forest of decorated evergreens with traditional events and attractions like the Jubilee of Trees, as well as a couple of newcomers. See page 5 for more information.
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team made strides, both individually and as a team, throughout their season. The team finished with a 16-15 overall record, including a 7-7 mark in region play, and earned a trip to the second round of the state tournament before bowing out in the consolation round against Alta. Coming into the season, Bees head coach Kristine Harding said the team had specific goals they wanted to achieve and nearly reached all of them. “Early on in the season, we set goals to host our firstround playoff match, get down to [Utah Valley University],...
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Box Elder County has proposed a .83 million tentative 2025 budget that includes significant increases in property taxes and personnel costs. Due to proposed tax increases, the county anticipates a 21.91% increase in property tax revenue for the general fund and a 25.34% increase for the library fund. This will result in million in general county property taxes, an estimated increase of million, and 0,000 for the library fund, including a 0,000 estimated increase. This proposed tax increase will impact homeowners with a residence valued at 2,000 by an additional .87 annually, while businesses with the same property...
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Those who live outside of Brigham City, but are connected to Brigham City’s water and/or sewer systems, are going to be paying more following action taken by the city council on Thursday. The base water rate for non-residents is increasing from to per month, while the non-residential sewer rate is doubling from per month to per month. Commercial sewer outside of Brigham City limits will be raising to 5 per month, while the overage rate will increase from [post_excerpt] to per 1,000 gallons. According to Finance Director Tom Kotter, the changes to non-resident rates were...
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In an effort to pay the county back for its administration over the landfill for the last 16 years, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved the transfer of [post_excerpt] million from the landfill enterprise fund into the county’s general fund. According to an audit performed by the county auditor’s office dating back to 2008, the county had undercharged the landfill, which is operated as a stand-alone fund similar to a business balance sheet, up to [post_excerpt].16 million during that time. “In comparing what actually happened in the past years since 2008, comparing it to what would have been...
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott wants residents to share what they’re grateful for this month and has invited them to the community center to write it on a poster. “The invitation is to just go down there and write one word, or one sentence, of what you’re grateful for,” Bott said at Thursday’s council meeting. “There’s been so much—angst is a good word—because it’s election season, and a lot of pessimism. Usually when that happens, you have to count your blessings one by one, even the small ones. That’s why I’ve invited the community to go down and write what...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday voted to waive fees for the Tremonton Women’s Civic League to use the Fine Arts Building at the fairgrounds to host a pickleball tournament fundraiser on Feb. 28 and March 1. League President Terri Fridal appeared before the commissioners to discuss her organization’s activities that benefit the community, including helping the Boys & Girls Club, supporting the Tremonton Garland Library, the Tremonton Senior Center, the Hope Crisis Center, and providing student awards at Bear River High School. The commissioners voted unanimously to waive the -per-hour fee.
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Note: This story has been updated. There was an error in the original story. In researching the team’s history, head coach Jeff Rawlins missed that the school’s girls cross country team won state in 1990, when Box Elder High School was in the 3A classification. We regret the error. Forty-one seconds. In a cross-country race that took nearly 20 minutes to complete, it took 41 seconds for Box Elder High School runners to win the first girls’ state championship trophy since 1990 for Box Elder High School. At the Utah 5A Cross Country State Championships on Oct. 30,...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team gathered for their awards banquet on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Utah State University Brigham City. At the event, the following varsity players earned awards: Desarae Elegante, MVP; Amber Murray, Best Teammate; Ariana Poll Effort and Attitude Award; Brooklynn Hadfield, Defensive Player; Halli Wright, Offensive Player. Pictured above are members of the 2024 Box Elder High School girls soccer team: (front) Mia Abrams, Ellie Young, Amber Murray, Payton Mund, Rachel Esparza, Desarae Elegante, Madisyn Johnson, Annaliese Christensen, Prestann Orton, (middle) Cariela Casas, Adrie Young, Madisen Murray, Lily Tonioli, Sofia Libert, Maddison Barber, Milley...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team defeated Kearns in straight sets last Tuesday in the first round of the 5A state tournament in Brigham City, then lost in straight sets to Maple Mountain before exiting the consolation bracket with a 2-1 loss to Alta on Thursday. As the No. 11 seed in the 5A classification, the Bees earned the right to host the first round and entered Tuesday’s match with energy, knowing it would be their final match at home this season. That energy, fueled by a spirited student section dressed in black, gave the Bees the confidence...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a request by the Kiwanis Club to have Santa Claus make an appearance on the steps of the Historic County Courthouse on Nov. 30, officially ushering in the Christmas season.
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a 3,166 Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF) payment request from Garland City for the reconstruction and repaving of West Factory Street. The LCPF was created in 2005 by an act of the Utah Legislature and allows counties to charge up to extra for each vehicle registered in that county. Proceeds are held by the state and administered by local county councils and commissions. The funds are earmarked for property acquisitions in the county where they are raised. Funds may also be used for planning and road construction projects.
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Principal partners in making the Box Elder Community Campus a reality broke ground on Wednesday. Pictured are: Mark Thompson, Commissioner Lee Perry, Mayor DJ Bott, Monica Holdaway, JeuneElle Jeffries, State Representative Tom Petereson, State Senator Randall, Representative Blake Moore, Comissioner Stan Summers, Mayor Lyle Holmgren, Commissioner Boyd Bingham and Commissioner elect Tyler Vincent. See story and photos on page 4.
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There were no major surprises in Box Elder County during last Tuesday’s general election: Republicans won; Those on the ballot won over those not on the ballot; And even with an estimated 4,000 ballots left to count as of Monday, according to County Clerk Marla Young, every race save one has been conclusively decided. The only race still in contention is for the District 2 seat on the Box Elder School District Board of Education. As it stands now, the race could result in a minor surprise in a state where incumbents tend to be re-seated by voters. Currently the...
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Brigham City has announced that trucks and equipment are set to arrive in the Forest Street overpass construction area by the end of next week, with storm drain work beginning on the south side of Forest Street which is expected to take four to six weeks. Once work on the south side is completed, crews will shift to the north side of Forest Street. American Way will close temporarily during this phase to allow for storm drain connections and sewer work. A full closure of Forest Street is tentatively scheduled for early January. Once closed, Forest Street will remain shut...
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These potatoes were a very popular choice for trick-or-treaters to one Brigham City residence as the spooky holiday appeared to have a resurgence this year. With Halloween on a Thursday and kids having Friday off, as well as seasonally mild temperatures, residents said they saw more trick-or-treaters this year than in others, and that there were more houses dressed up for the holiday than in the past. Caitlyn Hanks, whose home was featured in a story earlier this year for the efforts of Josh Powers and KC Simmons haunted walk, now known as “The House,” said that is seemed like...
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A French bakery company will not be opening a plant in Brigham City after all following the cancellation of a land deal by the landowner. Bridor North America, a leading manufacturer of European bakery products, was poised to open a plant in the Reeder Ranch area of Brigham City’s inland port, which is located south of State Road 13 and west of Interstate 15. The plant would have provided up to 400 jobs for the county, as well as providing local farmers and mills with a potential customers for their eggs, flour and grain. The company had signed a letter...
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At the conclusion of Utah’s water year on Sept. 30, the results were mixed following a dry September, according to a report by Jordan Clayton of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Clayton, NRCS’s snow survey supervisor, said that despite an above-average snowpack last winter, the water year ended “pretty close to normal,” though regional disparities in water availability remain. Following a wet August, September brought minimal precipitation, with valley locations across Utah averaging just 0.3 inches of rain, well below the seasonal average. Utah’s mountain areas fared slightly better with 0.7 inches of rain, about 42% of the norm....
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UPDATE (Nov. 7, 2:25 p.m.): The video referenced in this story can be found here. We apologize for any inconvenience. Editor's note: The News Journal was notified a previous video was removed by YouTube due to "copyright concerns." Those types of complaints must be issued by companies or individuals. We are currently working to resolve the issue and restore the public's access to the video through other means. An Oct. 5 incident that happened during a police response in Mantua has left a community divided, a police chief suspended and under investigation, and a 76-yearold man injured, arrested and...
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Editor’s note: It is the policy of the News Journal not to identify victims of sexual crimes. Events in this story may have been omitted and/or obscured in order to protect the identity of the victim(s). A Perry man who was found incompetent to stand trial for two separate rape cases has been restored to competency and will now face those charges. Joseph Danial Lobato, now 25, was originally charged with first-degree felony rape and second-degree felony sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl in January of 2020. He was subsequently charged in October of 2022 with three more felony counts...
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Getting bigger, faster, and stronger has been the motto of the entire athletic department at Box Elder High School for the last couple of years, and the football team this season did their best to adopt that philosophy as they went 4-7 this year before bowing out in the first round of the 5A state playoffs. The Bees got off to a flying start, blasting Kearns 52-7 in the first game of the season. Box Elder senior Carter Buchanan said one of his favorite memories was scoring his first touchdown at the varsity level, which came against the Cougars. “Scoring...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team finished their regular season schedule in thrilling fashion with a wild five-set win over Viewmont last Tuesday in Bountiful. The momentum swung back and forth throughout the match as the Bees grabbed an early 25-17 win in set one, only to fall 25-17 in set number two. The Bees bounced back in the third with a 25-20 win before the pressure really ramped up as neither side was willing to concede the match. The teams battled to 24-all in the fourth before the Vikings found some clutch plays down the stretch to take...
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Box Elder High School students will honor those serving, and who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces with a special assembly on Veteran’s Day, Monday, November 11. The assembly will take place in the school’s gym and will feature speakers from the faculty, members of each branch of the armed forces, and a special guest. Students will open the assembly by singing the National Anthem, and the school’s marching band will give a performance. A moment of silence will also be observed to remember and give thanks to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country....
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person( s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential. Law enforcement contact information Adult Probation and Parole (435) 734-2066Brigham City PD (435) 734-6650Box Elder Sheriff’s Office (435) 734-3800Tremonton/Garland PD (435) 734-3800
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(left) The Eph Jensen Livestock sheep herd made its way from summer to winter pasture on Saturday, the path took them from Mantua, through Brigham City and ended in Corinne. The herd followed a sheep herder (below right) through Brigham City’s streets with the assistance of some helpful canines to keep the sheep on track. (bottom left.) This annual event draws crowds all along the way to view the spectacle that has become a family tradition for many.
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved an ,500 payment to Elwood Township from the Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF). The approval was reimbursement for funds that Elwood had paid to improve 10400 North. The project had been previously approved last May.
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Thousands of trick or treaters flocked to Tremonton’s Main Street and Midland Square on Friday. Local businesses, families and organizations handed out candy to the throngs of trick or treaters during the annual event. (left) Trick or Treaters lined the hill near Kent’s Market as they waited patiently for their treats. (right) Those businesses and organizations who do not have a brick and mortar location or who are off the treat path provided goodies at Midland Square.
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Although no official word has been released by Willard City or Box Elder County, it appears that the dispute between Willard residents wanting access to Willard Canyon, and the Wells family, which fenced off the canyon access trail running across their land in September of 2023, may soon be resolved. According to Mlynn Murphy, who, along with husband, Mark, has been spearheading the effort to restore access, Box Elder County has declared the trail to be public. “The county has acknowledged a public easement, it will eventually be recorded,” stated Murphy at Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting. “In the meantime,...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved updates to the county’s business license fee schedule at Wednesday’s meeting. “We haven’t raised business license fees since the early 2000s, so it’s been a significant amount of time,” explained County Clerk Marla Young to the commissioners. The new fee structure includes increases across various business categories. Home occupations will now be charged , up from , while agriculture industry fees will rise from to . Service, retail, and entertainment businesses will see their fees increase from to . Additionally, construction, manufacturing, transportation, and communication businesses will now pay , plus [post_excerpt]...
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Hansen Motor Company brought out its “Mater” tow truck for the Big Blue Pumpkin Walk last Saturday, sponsored by Utah State University Brigham City. The car dealership was among dozens of businesses, organizations, or private citizens to set up displays at the Halloween event designed to showcase the area’s spooky holiday spirit. The walk was one of numerous holiday events held Saturday throughout the county. See more photos beginning on page 5.
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The Box Elder High School football team got three touchdowns from senior Carter Buchanan, but it was not enough as the Bees fell 26-23 to Granger in the first round of the 5A state playoffs last Friday in Brigham City. The Bees got off to a flying start as Buchanan intercepted an errant pass on the first play of the game and ran it back 25 yards for a touchdown. Junior Korbin Jeppesen ran in a two-point conversion to put the Bees up 8-0 before either side had even really broken a sweat. Buchanan broke free on the Bees’ next...
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The Box Elder Jr. bantam eighth grade A-class football team of the Wasatch Front Football League ended their season with a trip to the league’s championship game, where they fell to Sky View, 6-31. The team earned decisive wins on their way to the title game, beating Ridgeline, 23-6 in the opening round, and Kaysville, 20-8, to earn their chance to compete for a championship. The team is coached by head coach Trevor Davis, and assistants: Cade Mund, Colt Mund, and Troy Merrill. Team members pictured are: (front) Dempsey Mund, Jett Jeppsen, Hunter Harding, Evan Barker, Ethan Olson, Mack Davis,...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team suffered two setbacks last week, when they were upended by Clearfield on Tuesday, Oct. 22, in straight sets, then dropped a five-set marathon to Northridge at the Hive. On Tuesday, the Bees were trying to make it three-in-arow over the Falcons in one season as the teams met in the first tournament of the year, then again a few weeks ago in Brigham City for a regular season match. In both previous meetings, the Bees picked up straight-set wins and were hoping to find the same level of success in their trip to...
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With ballots for this year’s election being cast by voters and Election Day less than a week away, the Box Elder County Clerk’s Office has issued guidance about electioneering. Under Utah Code, 20A-3a-501 electioneering activities are prohibited within 150 feet of a polling place or ballot drop box. Electioneering, under the law, is any oral, printed, or written attempt to persuade persons to refrain from voting or to vote for or against any candidate or issue. Furthermore, according to the law, an individual may not: · Circulate cards or handbills of any kind; · Solicit signatures to any kind of...
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A Perry City Planning Commission proposal to pause townhome development in the neighborhood commercial (NC) zone along U.S. Highway 89 was tabled on Thursday, as councilmembers wanted to hear input from two councilmembers unable to attend the meeting. According to Perry City Administrator Bob Barnhill, the planning commission unanimously wanted to stop new townhome development “in order to preserve the limited remaining properties that could be viable for commercial development and to take some time to assess any issues with the developments that have been approved and are under construction.” The city has approved numerous townhome developments over the last...
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Plans to construct a 240-unit apartment complex west of Interstate 15 and south of 1100 South in Perry have been changed, as the property is being sold to a different developer who wants to build townhomes instead of apartments. Conceptual plans for the townhome development call for 97 units, but that is subject to change as the developer refines their site plan. In order to make the development a possibility, the Perry City Council needed to amend the density grid map allowing for 125 units within three quarter-mile grids, and add multi-family dwellings as a permitted use in the city’s...
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Following a public hearing, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday voted to close several seasonal mountain roads for the winter. The Dairy Valley Road off State Road 38 near Collinston, the Willard Peak Road south of Mantua, the Rocky Dugway Road running southeast of Mantua Reservoir, and the Short Divide Road between Plymouth and Clarkston have been officially closed for 2024-25 winter season. New this year, the Long Divide Road between Fielding and Newton in Cache County will also be closed. “There have been some real challenges with our side and the Cache County side in the past,” said...
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Citing the cost savings realized last winter when the county entered into a contract with Summit Energy to pre-purchase natural gas to heat the Box Elder County Jail, the Box Elder County Commission has again approved a pre-purchase for this winter, this time at an even lower price. “From November 24 to April of 2025 it’s .49 per dekatherm,” said Commissioner Boyd Bingham. “In the wintertime it’s usually about per dekatherm more than that. By contracting early, they’re locked in at that price for the whole winter.” Last winter the county locked in a price of .53 per dekatherm,...
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Faced with higher than anticipated costs for a rural broadband project build-out, and to meet a 25% matching funds requirement in order to access remaining state grant funds, on Wednesday the Box Elder County Commission allocated an additional 5,000 in funding from the county’s redevelopment agency for economic development for the project. That additional money will finish the build-out in northern Box Elder County. The plan is to provide access to highspeed fiber optic internet to the communities of Grouse Creek, Park Valley, Snowville, Howell, Thatcher, Penrose, Elwood, Bear River City and Mantua. The build-out is nearly complete, with only...
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Emergency responders were called out on Friday to the second fatal aerial accident in a month in the county. On the evening of Oct. 25, the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office initiated a search operation for a missing para-glider reported overdue after flying in the Willard area. The call came in at approximately 7:30 p.m., leading to immediate action from the county’s Search and Rescue team and the deployment of a Department of Public Safety helicopter. The search efforts led to the discovery of a debris field near Willard Peak, confirming a fatal accident. The Box Elder County Search and...
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The Perry City Planning Commission is working on proposed regulations on short-term rentals in the city, such as those offered through AirBnB or VRBO. According to Perry City Administrator Bob Barnhill, the intent of the regulation is to address concerns shared by neighbors of those renting out spaces in their homes and, surprisingly, driveways. “We had a few complaints pop up, kind of all at once,” said Barnhill. “Some came from neighbors, but actually one came from someone who had reserved a short-term rental in Perry. They thought they were reserving part of a house, but they showed up and...
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Senior placekicker Ethan Barber made good on a 39- yard field goal with just over two minutes left to help propel the Bees to a 30-28 win over Bonneville last Wednesday in Washington Terrace in the team’s final game of the regular season. The game was always going to be a battle of two contrasting styles: the Bees aiming to maintain possession and control the clock with their potent ground game, while the Lakers looked to air it out and score quickly. The Bees struck first when senior running back Jay Macias broke free for a 26-yard touchdown run, though...
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Mantua Police Chief Dakota Midkiff is at the center of a growing controversy after what some neighbors and observers called a violent arrest of an elderly resident on Oct. 5. Richard Schulze, 76, sustained significant injuries during a physical altercation with Midkiff, prompting outrage from the community and leading to the chief being placed on administrative leave. The altercation occurred after Midkiff responded to a 911 hang-up call related to a domestic dispute. Schulze, a former officer for the Division of Wildlife Resources, arrived at the scene, stating he was related to the family involved. According to Midkiff’s report, Schulze...
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The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah announce an Open House to commemorate the groundbreaking of the Box Elder Community Campus, the first of its kind, combining state, federal, and private funding. Hosted by longtime supporters of this project, Senator Scott Sandall and Congressman Blake Moore, this exciting event will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 1 p.m. at the campus location, 650 E. 700 S. in Brigham City. The Box Elder Community Campus is a three building, multi-agency project that will include a Community Services Building, an Events & Recreation Center, a Family Education Center, a Domestic...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team lost in straight sets in their lone match against Woods Cross last week, as the Wildcats completed the season sweep over the Bees. Bees’ head coach Kristine Harding was wary heading into Wednesday’s match, explaining that she felt the Wildcats were the most complete team top to bottom in the very competitive Region 5. In the first match between the two teams last month in Woods Cross, the Bees never topped 13 points in any set as the Wildcats cruised to an easy win. With the scene shifting north, the Bees were hoping...
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What began as a chaotic weekend for the Utah High School Cycling League’s mountain bike state championship ended with standout performances from the Box Elder Composite team, who placed third in Division 2 despite severe weather disruptions. The event, held in Cedar City, saw devastating conditions on Friday, leading to the cancellation of races scheduled for that day. According to Box Elder Composite head coach Jason Munns, the combination of high winds, temperatures in the 20s, and six inches of heavy, wet snow made the trails unsafe. “Friday was absolute carnage for teams that set up their pit zone areas...
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One of the more interesting races this year is between a well-established Republican candidate and business owner with over a decade of local government experience, and a local rancher who has never held elected office running a write-in campaign. Former Brigham City Mayor Tyler Vincent has served on the Brigham City Council, and was elected twice as mayor by substantial majorities. In June’s Republican primary, Vincent came out on top in a three-way race between himself, Steven Zollinger and Sam McMurdie, taking 37.3% of the vote to Zollinger’s 32.3% and McMurdie’s 30.4%. As there is no Democrat running for the...
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As temperatures drop outside and people begin turning up the heat inside, the risk of residential fires increases significantly. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is the second-leading cause of U.S. home fires, behind only cooking fires, with an average of 48,530 fires occurring annually between 2015 and 2019. These fires result in approximately 500 civilian deaths and over [post_excerpt] billion in property damage each year. A major contributor to these fires is the improper use of space heaters, fireplaces, and other heating devices. Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at the NFPA, notes...
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Brigham City Recreation hosted the Pumpkin Float at Pioneer Park along with the Brigham City Corporation entities and local organizations who supported the event with the Trunk or Treat portion. Families were able to take photos, gather treats and see the illuminated pumpkins float on the pond. See more photos on page 10.
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Brigham City has selected local attorney and realtor Malone Molgard as the recipient of this year’s Jim Davis Extraordinary Service Award. Each year since 2002, the city has bestowed the award on an employee or citizen whose time and talents have been used to benefit others in the community “in a way that goes above and beyond their duties.” The award is offered in memory of former Brigham City Public Power Director and City Councilmember Jim Davis, who died suddenly in 2002 from an aggressive form of cancer. Nominations for the award are taken each fall, with the council and...
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As a way to keep up with the costs of continued growth, and to prevent those costs from falling solely on existing homeowners, the Brigham City Council is currently in the process of considering changes to the city’s impact fee structure. Impact fees are charged as part of the permitting process to build within a city. The funds raised are restricted to pay for expansion to city facilities for which they are charged. The last time the city revised its impact fees was in 2018. Currently the city charges impact fees for fire protection, parks and recreation, police, power infrastructure,...
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Friday, Oct. 18 Free Pumpkin Walk The Box Elder Family Support Center will host a pumpkin walk from 5 - 7 p.m. at 276 N. 200 East, Brigham City. The evening will have tricks, treats, games and all things halloween. RSVP through their Facebook page. Harry Potter Downtown There will be a Third Friday Live Harry Potter themed event in downtown Brigham City from 5 - 8 p.m. with activities, food, costume contest and merchandise. Saturday, Oct. 19 Bingo Dinner Night Box Elder Eagles 2919 is hosting a Bingo and Dinner Night on Saturday, Oct. 19, beginning with dinner...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team took care of business last week, completing season sweeps over two region rivals, both in straight sets. The Bees knocked off Bonneville on Tuesday, Oct. 8, on the road, then came home on Thursday and finished off Roy in three sets as well. The Bees were ready for a battle on Tuesday as the Lakers pushed them to five sets last month in Brigham City and always seem to play their best against the Bees. And battle they did, as the Bees edged out the Lakers 25- 21 and 25-23 in the...
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The Box Elder High School football team narrowly fell to Woods Cross last Thursday in Brigham City as the Wildcats scored with just nine seconds remaining in the game to secure a 23-17 win. Neither side could break the deadlock in the opening period before Woods Cross punched through a 22-yard field goal midway through the second quarter. The Bees grabbed the lead just before halftime as senior quarterback Carter Buchanan found junior tight end Maddox Earnest for a seven yard strike and a 7-3 lead. The defensive battle continued in the third quarter with the only points coming off...
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Box Elder Family Support Center is partnering with the Brigham City Peach Queen, Lydia Donaldson, in an effort to provide pajamas for 300 children in need for Christmas. “We are beyond excited that we’ll be working closely with Lydia Donaldson, your 2024 Peach Queen, throughout the year! Her platform, ‘Children Without a Voice,’ aligns beautifully with the work we do here at the Box Elder Family Support Center, and we can’t wait to see the amazing things we’ll accomplish together,” said the BEFSC Facebook page. Together they have set a goal of raising ,000 which in turn can purchase pajamas...
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Perry City signed on to an agreement with Box Elder County, Brigham City and Hyde Park City in Cache County on Thursday to provide building inspection services between the governments if one or more is unable to perform a building inspection within three days of a developer’s request. The agreement was in response to S.B. 185, passed by the state legislature this year to address concerns from real estate developers. “The state legislature didn’t feel like the cities were doing their part to make sure that building officials were available to developers and builders,” said Perry City Recorder Shanna Johnson....
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Representative John Curtis (R-UT) has introduced a bill that he hopes will help close the housing affordability gap for some citizens. The Home Ownership, Mortgage, and Equity Savings (HOMES) Act, would allow individuals with self-directed IRA accounts to use those retirement savings to purchase a primary residence for themselves or an immediate family member. A self-directed IRA operates similarly to a traditional IRA but allows the account holder to control their own investment decisions, including real estate. Under current rules, funds from a self-directed IRA are restricted to investment properties, with limitations that prevent renting to family members. The HOMES...
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It appears that Willard City will soon be 35.5 acres larger following a provisional approval of an annexation request by the city council on Thursday. The approval is for four parcels located at approximately 7150 South and 300 East in South Willard, with two narrow parcels on the west coming off of U.S. Highway 89, and the majority of land on the east located behind existing development. Landowners Nathan and Brian Rose are planning to put a residential housing development on the property and could possibly provide hillside space for a new Willard City culinary water tank to service the...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team pushed their first game of the state playoffs into overtime, which Alta ended with a goal two minutes in to the extra frame to advance, 3-2. The Bees started the game with an advantage in possession, but Alta struck first off a free kick resulting from a handball call nine minutes into the first half. Ten minutes after Alta’s score, the Bees’ Marlie Barber fought off an Alta defender to maintain possession of a crossing pass from Taylor Nye and was able to find the back of the net. With just over...
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Residents can take advantage of double trash collection beginning Monday, Oct. 21, through Friday, Nov. 1. Additional collection days will be the day following normal pickup. For example, the first additional collection day will be Tuesday, Oct. 22, for those residents whose normal garbage collection day is Monday. The last additional collection day will be Friday, Nov. 1, for those residents whose normal collection day is Thursday. For more information, visit www.bcutah.gov/ seasonal-collection-programs or contact public works at 435-734-6615.
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Winter parking restrictions, which prohibit overnight parking on Brigham City streets or during and in the hours after a snow event, go into effect Nov. 1. Brigham City’s ordinance, prohibit parking on the city’s streets between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. and during or in the 48 hours following a snowstorm from Nov. 1 through March 15. Exemption from the ordinance is available on a limited basis via special permit. Permits issued last year are no longer valid, and those who obtained a permit last year will need to reapply this year. Up to two permits may be granted to...
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At Thursday’s meeting, the Willard City Council adopted a new fee schedule for various city services, including development, planning, business licenses, and other municipal operations. According to city officials, the updated fees reflect the changing costs of performing services and providing public benefits. The new schedule includes several updates for development and planning-related services. Building permit fees will follow the International Building Code (IBC) as adopted by the State of Utah, with an application fee set at . Professional service fees for items such as engineering, legal, and public health will be passed on to the applicant. Additionally, the first...
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The Honeyville City Council appointed Kellie Shaw to the city’s planning commission last week to fill a vacancy left by the resignation of Kenny Funk. Funk resigned from the commission to become the city’s new planning and zoning administrator. Even as the state of Utah took much of the process of building permitting out of the hands of commissions and city councils, most of the commission’s work revolves around ordinance revision and ensuring city codes are aligned with state requirements. In both areas, Shaw has experience. A senior loan officer at D.L. Evans Bank, Shaw began a career in banking...
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A young bull rider gets dumped during his ride at the 2021 Honeyville Fourth of July rodeo. With declining participation from local youth, there is concern that donations meant to benefit local youth are going more to participants from outside the city.
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A Utah district court has voided Amendment A, a proposed constitutional change to remove a requirement that state income tax revenue be earmarked for public education, after ruling that the Utah Legislature failed to meet constitutional requirements for publicizing the amendment. The ruling, delivered by 3rd District Court Judge Laura Scott on Oct. 9, came just weeks before the Nov. 5 general election. “In light of that controlling opinion, legislative defendants acknowledge that there is no basis to argue that the newspaper publication requirement of Article XXIII of the Utah Constitution was met with respect to Amendment A,” Scott stated...
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Willard Mayor Travis Mote has directed staff at the public works department to go ahead and install signage and hire a contractor to create three crosswalks for children walking to and from Willard Elementary School. The mayor’s direction came with council approval, although no vote was taken. The first crosswalk will be located from the north corner of South Street crossing 100 West. A second crosswalk will go across 50 North between the park gazebo and the church parking lot. The third crosswalk will again cross 100 West from the church parking lot. The project is expected to cost around...
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The nighttime skies put on quite a show last week with the aurora borealis (Northern Lights) extending abnormally to southern latitudes (above) and comet C/2023 A3, “Atlas,” (inset right) being visible to the naked eye. The aurora borealis resulted from a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun that reached G5 (extreme) intensity. The aurora was visible as far south as parts of California and the Midwest. Such intense storms are rare, with the last G5 event occurring in 2003. Atlas, discovered earlier this year, has been passing through the inner solar system and is expected to be visible with...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a lot-line adjustment, adding a triangular sliver of land located just north of 1125 S 400 West and south of 1100 South to Lot 1 of the Power Sports subdivision. Applicant Justin Messick with Interstate Auto Group recently purchased both areas in order to square off the entire lot, which will now be known as lot 3. The area is currently under asphalt, and no changes will be made to any city easements or rights of way. The council approved the lot adjustment on a unanimous vote.
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In honor of National Fire Prevention Week, the Brigham City Fire Department will be hosting an open house for the public on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brigham City firehouse, 442 West Forest. The fire department will be joined by representatives from Brigham City Public Power and the Brigham City Police Department, to address public safety issues that residents should be aware of.
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Three-term Box Elder County Commissioner Stan Summers (second from right) was honored by Governor Spencer Cox (second from left) and Lieutenant Governor Diedre Henderson (right) on Monday night for his nearly 12 years of public service. Cox presented Summers with a certificate of recognition while attending the One Utah Summit, held in Cedar City, noting that Summers was the only three-term county commissioner that he knew of. Summers was first elected in 2012, taking office in January of 2013. He was re-elected in 2016 and again in 2020.
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday announced its intent to raise personal property taxes by 21.91% for fiscal year 2025. For those areas in the county not served by a municipal library, the notice will also include the county’s intent to raise library taxes by 25.34%. The tax increase is expected to raise an additional million in revenue, which Box Elder County Auditor Shirlene Larsen said is needed to shore up the balance carried in the county’s general fund, which has been decreasing since 2018. “It’s to stabilize the balance in general fund to a reasonable level so...
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Although details remain scarce, the News Journal has confirmed that the new owners of the Ruby Pipeline have officially filed an appeal of their state property tax valuation with the Utah State Tax Commission. A notice from the company’s tax firm, KE Andrews, was sent out to Box Elder County officials informing them of the appeal in late September. No documents were made available by the county specifying how much the company was seeking to reduce valuations, and no information regarding the appeal has yet been listed on the Utah Tax Commission website. “The original Ruby Pipeline fund that they...
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Following some confusion among the public regarding county policy that requires owners wanting to develop their properties to seek annexation into nearby cities, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday held a discussion to try and clarify the matter for property owners. Scott Lyons, the county’s community development director, explained that the change was made in 2023 at the request of multiple municipalities. It was part of a discussion where cities wanted more communication about, and input into, developments adjacent to their boundaries, and to have those developments comply with the city’s regulations. It was also a way for the...
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Box Elder School District Assistant Superintendent Keith Mecham appeared before the Brigham City Council last Thursday to pitch why voters should approve the district’s 0 million bond initiative on Nov. 5. On Aug. 14 the school board unanimously approved putting the bond on the ballot, proposing to use the money raised to build two new junior high schools; expand learning spaces at both high schools to accommodate ninth grade students; update CTE (career and technical education) and core subject classrooms at both high schools; consolidate grades K through 5, 6 through 8 and 9 through 12 into their own schools...
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A human skull of undetermined age was found on Sept. 27 by a man hunting for shed deer antlers in the area of the “B” on the mountain east of Brigham City. According to Officer Crystal Beck of the Brigham City Police Department, the man documented where the skull was found and went to the police department to report it. Two patrol officers and a detective went to the spot, and determined it was a human skull. Cadaver dogs from Rocky Mountain Search Dogs were deployed to the area around the skull on Oct. 3 in an attempt to locate...
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Brigham City Administrator Derek Oyler reported during Thursday’s council meeting that the city has closed on its million utility bond, and he had good news to report. “It’s really, really good news,” said Oyler. “A 3.17% interest rate on our bond. As we’ve talked about this over the last six months, a lot of the numbers the council has seen was 4.5 or 5%, so we’re really excited about that. It’s going to be roughly a [post_excerpt].8 million bond payment.” Oyler said that the bond had not yet been funded, but he expects that to happen in the next...
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Brigham City Recorder Christina Boss has announced her retirement, and will be turning over the reigns of her office to Assistant City Recorder Kristina Rasmussen. Boss has been with the city for the last nine years, keeping the power and community development departments organized, and serving as city recorder since 2020. She will be leaving at the start of the new year, staying on with the city until then to ease the transition. Rasmussen has been a Brigham City employee for the last 6 1/2 years, serving in utility billing and becoming the deputy recorder in 2020. Well acquainted with...
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Senior running back Jay Macias ran for two touchdowns last Friday night, though the Box Elder High School football team were unable to slow down Bountiful’s high-powered offense as the Bees lost 50-21 on the road. The Redhawks extended their unbeaten streak to four straight games using a balanced offensive attack that kept the defense on their heels. Bountiful scored three times on the ground in the first quarter with junior running back Siaki Fekitoa opening the scoring in the game on a 19-yard burst. He also capped off the second drive for the Redhawks with a three-yard plunge. The...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team split their home region matches last week as the team topped Viewmont on Tuesday, Oct. 1, in straight sets, before being swept by Bountiful. During Tuesday night’s match, the Bees asserted their dominance right from the opening whistle and never let the Vikings eclipse 15 points in any set as the Bees cruised to the win, 25- 15, 25-13, 25-14. Senior outside hitter Nataya Valenzuela led the offensive charge for the Bees with 12 kills and two aces on the night. Fellow senior Jocelyn Vranes added seven kills and served up four aces...
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In a continuation of their up and down season, the Box Elder High School girls soccer team unleashed an offensive showcase and earned a measure of revenge in a 5-2 win over Viewmont on Tuesday, Oct. 1, and lost 2-1 in a shootout against eventual region champs, Bountiful, on Thursday. The Bees’ Halli Wright netted all five goals against Viewmont in Box Elder’s last regular-season home game. In the teams’ previous match-up, Viewmont came out on top after a shootout. Wright’s first goal came three minutes into the game when Desarae Elegante sent a beautifully weighted ball through the defense,...
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Early in the fourth quarter of Box Elder High School’s football game against Clearfield on Sept. 20, senior running back Easton Beauregard took a handoff from four yards out and ran it through the line and into the end zone to help build a dominant lead for Box Elder’s varsity team. In the end, Beauregard finished the game with 37 yards on seven carries and a touchdown. For many high school running backs, 37 yards and a single touchdown is a paltry performance. But Beauregard isn’t a typical running back, and those 37 yards and a touchdown are the result...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person( s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential. Law enforcement contact information Adult Probation and Parole (435) 734-2066 Brigham City PD (435) 734-6650 Box Elder Sheriff’s Office (435) 734-3800 Tremonton/Garland PD (435) 734-3800
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Elevate Credit Union will sponsor its annual pantry drive through October. “As the holiday season and colder weather approach, the need in our community grows, and we’re asking for your help to make a difference,” wrote Elevate Chief Marketing Officer Tonya Gail in a press release. Elevate Credit Union locations in Logan, Brigham City, and Garland will collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations. To make contributions go even further, Elevate Credit Union will match every monetary donation, dollar for-dollar, up to [post_excerpt],000. Every contribution will directly benefit local food pantries to ensure individuals and families in need have access...
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Approximately 41 acres located on both sides of Green Rock Canyon Road running north from State Road 30 in Park Valley have been re-zoned from MU-40 (multiple use 40 acres) to RR-1 (rural residential 1-acre). “The property owner had originally requested that the whole parcel, 150 acres, be re-zoned to RR-1, but there was some opposition at the planning commission level when the public hearing was held,” said the county’s community development director, Scott Lyons. “The planning commission told the applicant to go back to the drawing board and see what he could come up with.” Lyons continued that in...
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Box Elder County has approved an amendment to its administrative and development review procedure, allowing department staff to approve several types of conditional use permit applications rather than going before the Box Elder Planning Commission. “An administrative conditional use permit is one that’s administered by staff,” explained Scott Lyons, the county’s community development director. “So instead of going to the planning commission, generally lighter uses in zones that have been administrative conditional uses, now staff would administer those conditional uses.” “So if they meet the requirements the staff approves them, and they don’t come before the planning commission?” asked Commissioner...
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Box Elder County residents who want to add a swimming pool to their properties will no longer have to go through the conditional use permit process, following action taken by the county commission on Wednesday. The change moved swimming pools from a conditional use, which required several meetings along with a public hearing, to an allowed use, provided property owners adhere to specific requirements. Swimming pools must be at least 10 feet away from property lines and adhere to all existing setback requirements. Swimming pool locations must be approved by the Bear River Health Department. Outdoor pools must be enclosed...
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It was by the slimmest of margins that Ogden High School won the regular-season ending race for Division 2 of the Utah High School Mountain Bike League’s Region 1. Ogden came out on top in the race with 2,268 points, while the Box Elder Composite Mountain Bike team missed out on sweeping the season series, by one point, with 2,267. But one point was not enough to rob Box Elder of the Division 2 region title after a season noteworthy for its consistency. Box Elder had won the first three races of the season by margins that could be considered...
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Preparations are underway For Brigham City’s second Veterans Day banquet and awards ceremony scheduled for Nov. 11. Nominations are being sought for the five veterans who will be recognized at this year’s banquet. This year, the nomination area has been expanded to include all of northern Utah. Nominations can be made online at the website below, or forms can be picked up at the Brigham City Community Center. Nomination forms should be completed in detail. The community’s help is required honor these Veterans for their courage and sacrifice. The community is invited to attend the banquet, which includes dinner and...
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Box Elder County is joining with Cache, Rich, Morgan, Davis and Weber counties in switching from CodeRed to Everbridge for emergency text notifications beginning this week. “We’re switching from CodeRED to EVERBRIDGE for emergency notifications,” wrote Box Elder County on its Facebook page. “It’s crucial that every resident signs up to stay informed and safe. Keep an eye out for more details on how to register in the coming days, but you can get a head start by signing up now” The Everbridge app can be downloaded from the Google App Store or Apple Store, or click on https://member.everbridge.net/index/107856829349909 to...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team split results again last week, sweeping Clearfield on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at home before losing a match in straight sets on the road at Northridge. The Bees and Falcons fought tooth and nail for every point, with neither side able to gain much breathing room in any set throughout the match. But the Bees found just enough late in each sets to secure the wins and ultimately take the match. The Bees opened with a 25-22 win in the first set before riding their high-powered offense to a 25-18 win in the...
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Willard City is now 48.076 acres larger, after the city council approved a final annexation request for property located in South Willard. The two parcels, located west of I-15 at approximately 7700 South, will form yet another “island” of Willard City surrounded by land in unincorporated Box Elder County. Landowner Bob Davis has said he intends to use the property for residential building lots for four of his children, and also to set aside 11 acres to create a nature park that would eventually be turned over to the city. Box Elder County already approved the annexation request, with Willard...
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With enrollment continuing to increase at Willard Elementary, and a possible realignment of the school to host Kindergarten through fifth grade rather than splitting students with Perry Elementary, the safety of children going to and leaving school has become a concern for parents and public officials alike. Wanting to do something soon to prevent accidents, the city council has been discussing creating anywhere from one to three crosswalks onto the school block, along with signage, but the final locations of those crosswalks has yet to be determined. According to state law, the establishment of a reduced speed school zone must...
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Brigham City Community Hospital will be under new leadership following the appointment of Box Elder County’s Jami Cottle as the hospital’s chief executive officer. Cottle has been serving as CEO since March when Richard Spuhler retired, and has spent the majority of her career healing patients and leading colleagues as the hospital’s chief nursing officer since 2021. She will continue serving in that role in addition to her duties as CEO. Cottle was a nurse and clinical supervisor for more than 10 years before accepting a promotion to be director of women’s services at Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful. In 2021,...
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Investigators are blaming excessive speed and alcohol for a fatal crash between a Polaris Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) and a Chevrolet pickup truck that took place on the evening of Sept. 23. Colten Naef, 28, of Tremonton, was pronounced dead at the scene after being ejected from the UTV when it ran into a pickup hauling a flatbed trailer. Naef was travelling southbound from a dirt road “at a high rate of speed” across State Road 102 toward a church parking lot, and impacted against the right rear tire of the pickup, which was westbound on S.R. 102 at approximately...
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Perry City Police Chief Scott Hancey and Sgt. David Freeze were honored at Thursday night’s Perry City Council meeting by the United States Department of Defense for their support of the military in general, and of one of their officers in particular. In 2022, Perry Police Officer Hyrum Anderson, a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve, was called to active duty. Largely through the efforts of Hancey and Freeze, but also with the permission of the Perry mayor and council, Anderson’s position with the Perry Police Department has been reserved for him until he returns from service. Under the Uniformed...
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The body of a 27-year-old Alabama man was recovered from a mountainous area below Willard Peak on Friday, following an apparent base-jumping accident. According to the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office, Jonathan Bizilia of Opelika, Alabama, an experienced base jumper, had told a friend he would be jumping in a wingsuit from the area of Willard Peak on Friday morning, but when he failed to check in, the friend contacted authorities. The friend provided crucial information regarding potential jump locations and flight routes. Upon receiving the information, a coordinated effort was initiated to locate the individual. The Weber County Sheriff’s...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved an amendment adding .1 million to the 2025 fiscal year budget, but only [post_excerpt].4 million of that total was new spending. The general fund budget was increased by 1,480. Of that, 5,821 was a transfer of unspent Rural Opportunity Grant funds from 2024 to the current year to be available for building maintenance and improvements. Also transferred was ,000 in Early System Intervention grant funds. New spending for the city included ,089 for new exterior lighting at the city office building, ,870 for increased spending at the city’s 4th of July and Halloween...
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Following two public meetings, as well as online surveys and a meeting with county residents residing within Brigham City’s future annexation areas, the first rough draft of the city’s update to its general plan is in the process of being compiled. A general plan is the legally required blueprint from which a city bases land use planning and zoning to guide future growth. Typically, the plan will list both near- and longer-term goals, as well as set a future land use map deciding what kind of development is wanted in different areas. The general plan is then used to help...
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Dealing yet another rebuke to Republican state legislators, the Utah Supreme Court last Wednesday upheld a Sept. 12 district court ruling that effectively voided Amendment D. Although the amendment will still appear on the ballot due to printing timelines, any votes cast for or against it will not be counted. Both courts found that the legislature did not publish constitutionally required notices in state newspapers to place the measure on the ballot, and also that the language on the ballot used to describe the amendment to voters was misleading. Although Amendment D would have granted the legislature the power to...
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Local volunteers and members of Niagrara Cares, the charitable division of Niagara Bottling, gathered at Box Elder High School on Friday, Sept. 27, to plant about 40 trees at the school. The project, completed through a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and TreeUtah, was designed to “help bring cool, clean air and shade” to the school by increasing the amount of tree canopy in the area and reduce the urban heat island effect resulting from development of the school’s campus and new construction in the area. “These trees will provide necessary shade for students around the buildings and sports...
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An easement for sewer service running across a Willard property owner’s land was officially vacated by the city on Thursday, as the easement was never used by the city. A public hearing held on the matter drew one question, with a resident asking what the easement vacation was. “So what this is, when the sewer line went in there was a designed path,” said Mayor Travis Mote. “The laid sewer didn’t follow the designed path exactly. The sewer plan was to cut through several of the west side field properties behind the houses there on Main Street, and when the...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team suffered a scoring drought last week in losses to Woods Cross and Northridge where the Bees only scored a single goal. Maddison Barber notched a beautiful goal off an assist from Taylor Nye on the road against Woods Cross, but it was not enough as Woods Cross walked away with a narrow win, 2-1, last Tuesday. In the Bees’ second game on the road last week, Northridge’s stout defense forced a shutout while the Knight’s Sophie Slvulich put on an offensive showcase with a hat trick as the Knights secured a 4-0...
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The deer you shot on public land ran onto private property and then died. You shot and killed what you thought was a spike elk, only to discover that it was actually a cow elk. You just finished filleting the six rainbow trout you caught before realizing the catch limit at the reservoir was four. Before you find yourself in any of these scenarios, learn what Utah Division of Wildlife Resources conservation officers want you to know so you can have a safe and legal hunt or fishing trip. Do your research before hand Just like you’d never fly a...
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The Box Elder High School football team gave up four touchdowns in the first quarter without an answer as Viewmont opened up a 29-0 lead and never looked back, cruising to a 49-21 win last Friday in Brigham City. Viewmont senior quarterback Titan Longson threw four of his six touchdown passes in the first quarter to four different receivers, blowing the game open early. Longson found Drez Jensen deep down the sideline for a 63-yard score to open the game, then hit Jordan Jones from 10 yards out on their next possession. Benji Tolmon was the recipient of the third...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved another request from a property owner to submit an annexation petition to Willard City. The new request, for a 6.7-acre parcel located at approximately 7458 South and 875 West, would create another annexation island, meaning the property would be a part of Willard City but surrounded by unincorporated Box Elder County land. The landowner would like to build a home on the property By county ordinance, any landowner who wants to develop property in the unincorporated county that is located within a city’s future annexation zone must first apply to annex into...
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The State of Utah has increased funding for the Box Elder County Children’s Justice Center (CJC) by 6,895 to 8,469.98 through June 30 of 2027. “This is decided by the state Children’s Justice Center program, they have a formula that determines the amount that each county gets for their contract,” explained Sterling Marx, director of Box Elder’s CJC. “They’ve done an awesome job going to the legislature and getting some more funds for victim services, and so the amount that I have to work with has increased, which allows me to help provide more trainings for members of the multi-disciplinary...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday increased the city’s 2024-25 budget by 0,090, in part to pay extra personnel wages, but mostly to replace boiler and ultraviolet equipment at the community swimming pool. A portion of that increase, ,000, will come from lower-than-anticipated costs for budgeted projects, including for re-carpeting the museum, heaters and fencing in the power department, and roofing at the wastewater treatment plant. Higher-than-budgeted interest income of ,700 will make up another ,700 of the increase, and 7,200 will be pulled from existing fund balance. This will balance the wage increase of ,700, the 5,000 cost of...
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As part of a large water conservation and sustainability bill, S.B. 211, Utah Governor Spencer Cox last week appointed Box Elder County’s Joel Ferry as the state’s water agent, in addition to serving as executive director of the state’s Department of Natural Resources. The bill, as described by Cox, goes beyond water conservation and efficiency of use, and Ferry will seek ways to increase the state’s supply. The bill, co-sponsored by Senate President J. Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz last session, establishes a cohesive strategy to tackle water scarcity, optimize usage and ensure the resource’s sustainability. The bill...
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The body of James Puuri, a 64-year-old man from Kalispell, Montana, was discovered at the Interstate 15 rest stop in Perry on Friday. Puuri had been reported missing on Sept. 14. Utah Highway Patrol troopers were alerted to a suspicious vehicle at the northbound Perry rest stop. Upon arrival, they found Puuri deceased inside his vehicle, which had Montana registration plates, The Utah State Bureau of Investigation is currently handling the case. Preliminary reports indicate no signs of foul play, but authorities are awaiting autopsy results to determine the exact time and cause of death. Puuri’s disappearance had been under...
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HCA Healthcare, which runs Brigham City Community Hospital and Ogden Regional Medical Center, has honored several Brigham City firefighter/EMTs, and another from Corinne, for their efforts in saving a patient’s life. Jeff Comeau, HCA’s director of EMS relations, appeared before the Brigham City Council on Thursday to thank the firefighters for their professionalism and skill. “A couple of months ago we had a 61-year-old male collapse in your service area,” said Comeau. “The patient received immediate bi-standard CPR before emergency crews arrived. Brigham fire crews worked on the patient for about 20 minutes, transporting the patient to Brigham City hospital....
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Brigham City is changing some titles and job descriptions for current city officials, and raising their pay rates. The city’s public works director, Tyler Pugsley, will take on additional responsibilities in becoming the assistant city administrator while retaining his position at public works. In order to take up the slack in public works, Pugsley will be getting his own assistant public works director, current public works superintendent, Michael Waite. “It was brought up by a councilmember during a budget session as to why we don’t have an assistant city administrator,” said Mayor DJ Bott. “We’ve been talking about that for...
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Four parcels that were part of the Proctor and Gamble Economic Development Area (EDA) have been removed from that project and added to the Golden Spike Utah Inland Port Authority Project Area, along with the inclusion of other parcels in Tremonton’s future annexation area. The shuffling between project types and areas is being done to support the possible economic development of the properties by two new businesses, officials say, although who and what those businesses are is being held as a secret until agreements have been reached. The four parcels near Proctor and Gamble comprise 191 acres west of Bear...
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Utah State University celebrated the grand opening of its second aviation training facility in northern Utah on Tuesday, welcoming students, faculty and the public to an open house at the Brigham City Regional Airport. Bruce Miller, head of USU’s Aviation Technology Department, explained the reasoning behind the expansion, “We now have about 680 students enrolled in our aviation programs for fall 2024, which is about 90 more students than last year,” he said. “With our program’s growth, the airspace for flight training in Cache Valley has become more congested, so opening a training location in Brigham City made sense. It...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team split matches last week with a straight set win over Roy last Tuesday night on the road, followed by a three-set loss in another road match against Woods Cross. The Royals had some fight early in the first set against the Bees and made the visitors work for everything they got. The Bees responded with some quality play late in the first set to win, 25-20. From there, things seemed to get easier for the Bees as Roy struggled to find any rhythm or consistency as the Bees cruised to the sweep...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team ended a five-game losing streak with a win over Roy, 2-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 17, in Roy. “It was good for us to get the win against Roy,” said Bees assistant coach, Anthony Esparza. “These girls have been working hard, battling through injuries and were in need of a midway win to start off the second half of the season. Although it wasn’t the prettiest game, we got the shutout as well as two goals from Halli Wright. Another positive takeaway was seeing Desarae Elegante getting back on the field after missing...
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The Box Elder High School football team picked up their first region win of the season in a big way last Friday night as the Bees blasted Clearfield 49-7 on homecoming night in Brigham City. The Bees got a pair of three-yard touchdown runs in the opening period from a pair of seniors to set the tone early. Tyeson Hansen scored first, then Carter Buchanan plowed in just before the end of the first quarter to put the Bees up 14-0. Box Elder got their aerial attack involved as sophomore quarterback Kaydn Reyes found senior tight end Maddox Earnest from...
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The Box Elder County Commission meeting previously scheduled for Oct. 16 will now be held Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. Commissioners will be attending a meeting in Salt Lake City, necessitating the change. The meeting scheduled for Nov. 20 has been moved to Nov 19 in order to complete the election canvass on time. That meeting will begin at 11 a.m. Lastly, the meeting scheduled for Dec. 4 will now start an hourly early, commencing at 4 p.m.
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In an effort to make sure nothing delays developers, the Utah legislature is forcing municipalities to approve alternate building inspectors that contractors can hire in case the municipality’s own inspectors are too busy to respond to requests within three days. For Box Elder County, those alternates will be inspectors from Brigham City, Perry City, and Hyde Park in Cache County. “This has been required of us by the state legislature, that we have an agreement with those around us to fulfill the requirements if we aren’t able to meet inspections within a timeframe that is required,” explained Codey Illum, the...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a request from Garland City to let that city begin making land use decisions on two properties which are in the process of annexation into Garland. “These properties are still in the county until the annexation is complete,” explained Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons. “Garland has requested that they have the ability to work with the landowners going through site plan approval, building permit approval, and that sort of thing.” The request submitted by Garland has met with the approval of the county attorney’s office, and was approved by...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday appointed Jon Bunderson, Tim Munns and Bill Myers to the Box Elder County Deputy Sheriff’s Merit Commission. The merit commission was established by the legislature in 2009 for Utah counties with more than 20,000 residents. Its purpose is to ensure fairness and merit-based selections for promotions within the sheriff’s office. Merit commission members are tasked with organizing job classification plans, conducting examinations to assess applicant qualifications, addressing appeals and grievances related to officer disqualification or disciplinary actions, maintaining eligible registers for appointments and promotions, and overseeing the promotion, transfer, demotion, suspension, or removal...
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Two individuals were hospitalized on Sunday after a single-vehicle accident on State Road 83 near Corinne. According to Agent Leo Flores of the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), the incident took place in the westbound lane of State Route 83 at 8025 West, approximately five miles east of Corinne. The male driver of an older model Ford F-250 pickup was taken to Brigham City Community Hospital with life-threatening injuries, and later transferred to Ogden Regional. A female passenger was also hospitalized but with non-life-threatening injuries. The female passenger informed the UHP that the vehicle veered off to the right and into...
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Fresh from a debate last month over the problems deferral agreements for curb, gutter and sidewalk have caused the city, on Sept. 5 the Brigham City Council approved a request to end deferral agreements signed with developers in 1996 and 2003, and require those improvements to be made. The two greements signed with Brent and Kenneth Dickamore allowed the developers to delay building curb, gutter and sidewalk along 100 South between 1050 West and 1000 West, where the county jail and mosquito abatement offices are now located. In that agreement no timeline was specified when the improvement would need to...
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In a presentation replete with graphics from the Hollywood movie Transformers, Brigham City Library Director Elizabeth Schow told the Brigham City Council that the library offers “more than meets the eye” at the Sept. 5 meeting. Giving examples of the library staff helping children develop a love of reading, helping patrons with their English skills, helping patrons master email and internet skills, Schow told the council that the library offers more services and help to the community than people realize. “There are lots of different situations in which our library can help our community,” Schow said. “Our library can help...
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The Box Elder Composite mountain bike team is on a hot streak after winning their second race, this time on their home course in Mantua, and is favored to win the region championship later this month. For the third consecutive year, the team took the top spot at Mantua, further cementing their place as a dominant force in the region. The team, composed of 88 athletes, competed against 1,200 total riders. Despite making up just 7% of the field, 35% of Box Elder riders finished in the top 10 of their respective categories, with 21% of the team making it...
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In a game that remained close through three quarters, the Box Elder High School football team was unable to capitalize on a few late drives as Roy High School gained momentum and took home the win, 37- 10. “We are a gritty football team and we just want to continue to focus on us,” said Box Elder head coach Carson Mund. “One area where we need to improve is finishing drives and getting the ball in the end zone. Probably the biggest thing for us is, we can go on eight, nine, ten-play drives and we just need to be...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team came out on top in both of their matches last week, starting with a win in four sets against Mountain Crest in Hyrum on Tuesday, Sept. 10, followed by a five-set thriller at home against Bonneville on Thursday. Against the Mustangs, the Bees set the tempo early, taking the first set 25-16. Mountain Crest responded in the second set, pushing the game into extra points as neither side could pull away. In the end, the Bees found just enough to claim the win, 29-27, but couldn’t carry the momentum into a sweep, dropping...
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The Box Elder High School girls soccer team fell 2-0 to the Bonneville Lakers on Tuesday, Sept. 10, despite dominating possession and creating multiple scoring opportunities. The game remained scoreless at halftime, with Bonneville’s goalkeeper, Lily Atkinson, delivering a standout performance to keep the Bees off the scoreboard. Early in the second half, the Lakers managed to break through with a goal and added a second later to secure the win. “We are doing the ba- sic parts of the game better than most of the teams we play, but we need players to step up and be big in...
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The message from Box Elder School District administrators regarding the need for a proposed 0 million bond that would fund a significant expansion and reorganization of the district’s schools was clear during a public hearing held last week: The need is not going to disappear, so neither will the bond. Assistant superintendent Keith Mecham said that if the current bond fails in November, the district would propose a new bond; that they would be forced to keep trying. While it might not have swayed enough voters to earn approval in November, it was noted that a video explaining Box Elder...
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An article in last week’s edition about the Box Elder County Democratic Party’s booth at Peach Days incorrectly identified local candidates. Former Republican Bill Campbell running for Utah Congressional District 1 as a Democrat against incumbent Blake Moore. Democrat Brian King is running for Utah governor. We regret the error.
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Multiple area wildfires, two in Box Elder County and another in Tooele County, led to hazy skies and seriously unhealthy air last Wednesday, as firefighters struggled against high winds to control the blazes. Discovered at approximately 12 p.m. on Sept. 11, the South Willow Fire in Tooele County quickly grew to 48 acres, prompting evacuations of several homes in or near South Willow Canyon. A total of 16 firefighters from local and state agencies contained the lightning-caused fire by Thursday evening. The Willow Springs Fire was discovered burning on the western slopes of the Promontory Mountains on Sept. 11 at...
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In order to comply with H.B. 257, commonly known as Utah’s “bathroom bill,” the Perry City Council on Thursday passed amendments to city code that would restrict use of all public bathrooms, changing rooms, locker rooms and showers to an individual’s gender as recognized by state law, which is the gender as recognized at birth on an individual’s birth certificate. Passed on a largely party-line vote during the 2024 Utah legislative session, the state’s bill criminalized use of gender-restricted public facilities by transgendered individuals who do not identify with the gender of their birth, or who haven’t undergone both medical...
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With the estimated cost of a powerline project now deemed too low, Brigham City Financial Director Tom Kotter advised the council that the city is now looking at borrowing the full million in bonds rather than the .5 million the city thought would be enough. It now appears that the West Forest power line project, budgeted in the current year at 0,000, will now cost [post_excerpt].5 million, according to Kotter. Although that project wasn’t originally included in the utility bond the city is seeking, Kotter now wants to include it, dipping into the [post_excerpt].5 million cushion the Brigham City...
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Volunteers paint the concession stand at Willard’s baseball park during the city’s Day of Service event on Sept. 14. Throughout the county last week, volunteers gave their time to complete multiple projects that benefited their communities and area non-profits. See page 5 for a story and more photos.
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Sue and Glenn Anderson were recognized by Mayor Travis Mote, the Willard City Council, and Utah Lt. Governor Diedre Henderson for their many years of service to Willard City since organizing and managing the city’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The mayor read a letter from the Lt. Governor’s office stating that the couple had started the CERT program in Willard in 2003 and have been leading it ever since. The letter noted that Sue, Glen and their three adult children completed the national CERT training course in 2003, after which Sue began to manage the new Willard CERT team....
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Motorists traveling through Honeyville City along Highway 89 can expect a new stop along the way—a four-way stop. The Utah Department of Transportation is moving ahead with the new traffic pattern at the intersection of Highway 89 and 6900 N. Motorists can expect some notice before the change as signs alerting drivers will be posted before the new stop signs are installed.
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Officer Kelton Bronson was sworn-in as Perry City’s newest police officer at Thursday’s city council meeting. Bronson, a Plymouth native and life-long Box Elder County resident, had served with the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office for the previous 10 years as a corrections and patrol deputy, as well as serving on the narcotics strike force. After being introduced to the council by Perry’s police chief, Scott Hancey, Bronson was administered the oath of office by deputy recorder, Anita Nicholas. In attendance were Bronson’s wife, children and parents. The addition of Bronson has brought the Perry City Police Department to its...
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A public hearing was held at Thursday’s Perry City Council meeting to seek public input on the city’s plan to apply for a ,000 matching grant to be used to fund a master plan for the city’s parks. The grant, funded by federal mineral lease revenues distributed to the Permanent Community Impact Fund, would require a 50% match from the city for a total spend of ,000. “This grant that we’re asking for would be for planning assistance to develop master plans for each of our parks that we have,” said Perry City Administrator Bob Barnhill. “So we have something...
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Another portion of South Willard is on its way to becoming Willard, as the city council accepted a petition for annexation on Thursday for 16 acres located at 8190 S. U.S. Highway 89. If eventually annexed into Willard City, the property would create another island of Willard City in South Willard, meaning it would be an actual part of Willard City but surrounded by land that’s located in the unincorporated county. Developer Brian Robbins wants to create 22 or 23 residential half-acre lots on the property. Due to county rules, any development proposed within a city’s annexation zone must now...
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A 50% revenue-sharing agreement with the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce has netted Brigham City ,997, after costs, over the first year of the chamber’s contract to manage the Academy Conference Center. That figure still leaves a projected loss of 7,320 for fiscal year 2023-24, slightly higher than last year’s loss of 4,555, according to figures presented by Brigham City Financial Director Tom Kotter. In the last 10 years the center has only been in the black twice, netting 3,925 in 2015, and ,100 in 2017, for a combined loss of [post_excerpt].75 million in that time. Kotter said the losses...
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Box Elder County Democratic Party chair, Josh Hardy, speaks with a visitor at the Democratic Party booth during Peach Days. Party officials say the booth had more visitors this year than any since the party started having a booth at Peach Days in 2017.
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Following the implementation of extensive noise mitigation efforts at their Brigham City door manufacturing facility, Steves and Sons is reporting that noise levels emanating from their plant are now at or even slightly below background noise levels overall. Two company officials and a third-party audiologist appeared before the Brigham City Council on Thursday night to report what had been done to lower noise levels, as well as how much those noise levels have been decreased. “Unfortunately, we did not hear about any noise issue until the April 4 city council, after that we were notified by the newspaper,” said the...
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From Peach Days organizers to the Box Elder Democratic Party, this year’s celebration was “really good.” While it’s unlikely that visitor numbers this year reached those of 2022, when pent-up demand following the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in record-setting attendance, this year “felt big,” according to Box Elder Executive Director Monica Holdaway. Official attendance estimates won’t be available until later this month. Holdaway said the Peach Days Car Show continued its reputation as one of the biggest in the Western United States with 1,071 vehicles registered. Similarly, a record was set on the 50th anniversary of the Peach Days 10k with...
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Brigham City Corporation is accepting nominations for the Jim Davis Extraordinary Service Award. The award is presented annually by the Brigham City Council to a city employee or citizen who has performed extraordinary service to the community. Nominations should include specific examples of the nominee’s extraordinary service. Submit written nominations by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, to Brigham City Corporation, Attn: Mayor’s Office, 20 N. Main Street, Brigham City, Utah 84302, or by email to dpett@bcutah.org. The award honors Jim Davis, the city’s former director of public power and a city council member, who passed away from cancer in...
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Brigham City Fire Department Engineer Race Black has been promoted to the position of fire captain. Black took the oath of office at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, where his wife, Shelby, pinned his new badge and insignia. A fire captain is typically the highest-ranking responder at a fire or accident scene, directing responders and ensuring their safety while serving the public. The captain also oversees station duties. Captain Black received congratulations from the council, Mayor, and Fire Chief Brandon Thueson following the pinning ceremony.
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday granted a request by county employee and Miss Wilderness Circuit Rodeo Pageant Director Tammy Berry to waive 0 in fees for use of the museum, home arts building, and large exhibit center at the fairgrounds in Tremonton for Friday and Saturday. Berry explained that the pageant has been held at the fairgrounds for seven years, and they’ve previously paid the full fee, which would be [post_excerpt],200 this year. However, rising costs made it difficult to afford the full amount. Commissioners Lee Perry and Boyd Bingham granted the request unanimously. Commissioner Stan Summers was...
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The Bear River Health Department and Bear River Mental Health, which have separately provided joint services to Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties since 1971 and 1977, respectively, are set to undergo restructuring to comply with state regulations. According to a memorandum of understanding approved by the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday, Bear River Mental Health, currently classified as a private nonprofit agency, will be incorporated into the health department. The three counties will work together to restructure the unified health department to best serve residents. The memorandum sets a target date of July 2025 for completion and calls...
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In an effort to minimize canceled meetings due to lack of quorum, the Box Elder County Planning Commission has requested that its members be required to attend at least eight of the 12 scheduled meetings each year or face replacement. Box Elder Community Development Director Scott Lyons brought the proposal to the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday, seeking inclusion of the requirement in county code. “I think it’s a good suggestion,” said Commissioner Boyd Bingham, who motioned to approve the amendment. Commissioner Lee Perry seconded, and both voted in favor. Commissioner Stan Summers was absent.
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New requests to zone half-acre properties as agricultural (A 1/2) in unincorporated Box Elder County will no longer be considered following action by the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday. Existing parcels with A 1/2 zoning will remain as such until the property is re-zoned. Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons said a public hearing was held in August, with no comments received. The planning commission recommended the change to the county commission. Commissioners Lee Perry and Boyd Bingham approved the change by a 2-0 vote.
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A request to re-zone two acres of rural residential land in West Corinne to neighborhood commercial was denied by the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday. Located at 6100 West and 4000 North, the landowner sought the re-zone to build an event center. A public hearing in August drew concerns from some area residents, though others spoke in favor of the re-zone. The planning commission recommended denial due to concerns that other commercial uses, such as a gas station, could be built if the property were sold. Commissioners Lee Perry and Boyd Bingham upheld the planning commission’s recommendation, voting 2-0...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a five-year gravel lease agreement with Park Valley landowner Bruce Pugsley, allowing the county to use gravel from his property for road projects. Under the agreement, the county will pay Pugsley [post_excerpt] per ton of mined gravel and will restore the land after the lease ends. County Attorney Steve Hadfield advised removing a provision in the agreement that guaranteed the landowner’s tax status, as future land uses could not be predicted. Commissioners Perry and Bingham approved the contract, subject to Hadfield’s final approval.
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The Box Elder Composite mountain bike team has seen early success this season after taking home the team title from a race at the Manti High School track west of Gunnison Reservoir in Sanpete County on Aug. 31. The BEC team had 88 members race the course that has earned such a positive reputation that the Utah High School Cycling League uses it race several region races. The top racers for the BEC team at the race were: Izzy Rupper (sixth place, varsity; 295 pts.), Thomas Baron (sixth place, varsity; 295 pts.), Lacie Munns (eighth place, varsity; 293 pts.), Jace...
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If a game against Viewmont last week is any indication, the Box Elder High School girls’ soccer team is ready to turn their season around as they hit the midway point in region play. The Bees’ started the preseason well, winning their first two games, one of which earned them the County Shield from their annual Bear River rivalry game. From the Bear River game on, the Bees have had their struggles. With just minutes left in the Bear River game, Box Elder junior Desarae Elegante took a hard fall that resulted in a broken wrist and time away from...
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Northridge quarterback Tre Nye threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns as Northridge cruised to a 35-7 win last Friday over Box Elder in both teams’ first region game of the season. The Knights capped off their first drive with a six-yard touchdown run by junior tailback Andrew Ortiz, though a failed extra point attempt left the score at 6-0. The Bees responded and took the lead later in the first quarter when senior running back Tyeson Hansen broke through the Knights defense and went 15 yards to pay-dirt. That would be all the scoring the Bees could muster as...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team lost in straight sets to Bountiful last Wednesday night on the road and then dropped three of their four matches at the Quad Matches tournament hosted by Green Canyon. Bees’ head coach Kristine Harding has said all season that her team has experienced some highs and lows as they have searched for their identity. The team has shown the ability to play at a high level but has struggled with the consistency needed to compete with some of the best teams around. Those trends continued last week as the Bees displayed moments...
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Willard citizens are being asked to help the city paint the well house and concession stand at the city’s ballpark on Saturday, Sept. 14. Volunteers are asked to show up at 9 a.m., and to wear clothing they aren’t concerned about getting paint on. Questions should be referred to the Willard City Offices at 435-734-9881. The city has been participating in the 9/11 National Day of Service for several years now. Created shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the event is meant to memorialize those lost on that day, and turn it from a day of mourning into...
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In recognition of the 9/11 National Day of Service, Perry City has organized two separate events where citizens can honor those lives taken on Sept. 11, 2001 by improving their community. On Sept. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. the city will be removing rings of sod around trees at various city parks and then filling the rings with mulch. Residents are asked to meet at Perry Park, 2450 S. 900 West, for assignments, and to bring gloves, shovels, wheelbarrows, garden tools, rakes, etc. On Sept. 14, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. the city will be doing some basic yardwork...
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The cities of Perry and Willard have both signed on with Xpress Bill Pay to handle online utility payments. Residents who want to pay their city bills online will need to go to www.xpressbillpay.com to set up their accounts. Once there, click on the “sign up” button on the top of the home screen. Users will then be asked to provide an email address and password, and verify their humanity. After completing a short registration form, users will be sent a verification email. Click “verify email” in the email, and then select “continue” to log in. You’ll then be prompted...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team took another step forward last Tuesday night in Brigham City when the team claimed the Battle of the Valley Cup with a 3-1 win over Sky View. The match had its ups and downs for both teams as the Bees typically found a way to build a lead early, only to see the Bobcats claw their way back to make things close. The Bees built early leads in both the first and second sets before Sky View made runs to tie the score. In both sets, the Bees found enough plays down...
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A preliminary hearing for Dusty Roche, his brother, Justin Roche, and father, Jeffrey Roche, to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial on upgraded first-degree felony aggravated human trafficking charges has been set for Nov. 14 at Brigham City’s 1st District Court. The brothers and father initially had a preliminary hearing in March, where they were bound over for trial on second-degree felony charges. Those charges have since been upgraded to first-degree felonies, necessitating a new preliminary hearing. The Roches are being prosecuted by the Utah Attorney General’s Office for alleged physical abuse, mistreatment, denial of pay,...
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The Box Elder High School football team’s 1000th game as a program was destined to be an epic affair when the Bees traveled to Garland to take on their long-standing rivals, Bear River. The Bees’ Jay Macias scored twice in the third quarter to secure the lead and give his team the win, 21-10. The game between the Bees and Bears was recognized in the U.S. Marine Corps’ national Rivalry Series, and the awarded Macias with the MVP trophy following the win. After the game, with chants of “MVP!” from his teammates, Macias said, “I don’t even know what to...
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Upset over a Utah Supreme Court ruling that the Legislature does not have the power to fundamentally alter or repeal voter-approved citizen initiatives, state lawmakers called themselves into a special session last month and cleared the way for a constitutional amendment to be placed on November’s ballot, an amendment that would specifically grant them those powers. Lawmakers also adjusted election rules, temporarily changing the deadlines imposed on introducing constitutional amendments to allow the measure to appear on the ballot in this year’s Nov. 5 general election. Supporters of the constitutional amendment, S.J.R. 401, argue that democracy in Utah is better...
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Defense made several big plays last Friday, like this sack that turned into a fumble and recovery, in Box Elder High School’s 21-10 win over Bear River in Box Elder football’s 1,000th game as a program. See story on page 3.
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The race for Box Elder County Commissioner Seat C isn’t over yet, as Tremonton rancher Sam McMurdie has filed to run as a write-in candidate. McMurdie finished in third place behind Steven Zollinger and Tyler Vincent in the Republican primary in June, with Vincent, the former Brigham City mayor, going on to win the primary and become the official Republican nominee with 3,806 votes to McMurdie’s 3,102. Zollinger had 3,298 votes. While it’s difficult for write-in candidates to win an election, as it requires voters to take the extra step of legibly writing down that candidate’s name, it’s still a...
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Out-of-state property owners illegally subdividing remote west desert parcels and selling off their land piece by piece is still causing issues in Box Elder County, even if the issue isn’t as prevalent as it was 10 years ago. In June 2014, the News Journal published a story on the issue, finding that there were an estimated 5,000 “non-conforming” parcels suspected to be in the county at that time. The issue was created when multiple out-of-state landowners began illegally selling off multiple small parts of their land, generally located between the Great Salt Lake and the Nevada border, for what appeared...
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Following the lead of this year’s Peach Days’ theme, “Picture Perfect Peach Days,” a group of local history buffs have organized a photo display on buildings along Forest and Main Streets throughout the celebration. Historical photos of Brigham City will be placed on the windows of buildings from the south side windows of the UPS store on 100 South, to the former Loveland Cyclery building on 100 North, and also in the south-facing windows of the Davis and Bott building. Organizer Ken Bott said it is anticipated that there will be 17 sites, with photos that depict the buildings upon...
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Brigham City is reminding residents about the process to save space along Main Street for the Peach Days parade on Saturday, Sept. 7. Brigham City public works will place signs along the parade route indicating that areas are “closed for maintenance.” Any objects placed in areas designated as “closed for maintenance” will be removed and disposed of by city personnel. No staking, ropes or rocks will be allowed in the public right of way. Once the signs are removed at approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, residents may save space on the park strip, but sidewalks must remain unobstructed...
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The Brigham City Council tabled a proposal to annex 6.34 acres at its Aug. 15 meeting, over a request to defer requirements for curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements. An elderly resident currently living in an existing pioneer-era home on the property in the area of 500 West and 1500 North, doesn’t want the improvements as they would cut her front yard down to 12 feet from the sidewalk. Landowners requesting the annexation, Marcie and Alan Shakespear, are seeking a deferral agreement on the improvements be reached with the city prior to annexation, so as not to inconvenience the resident. They...
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Issues related to safety and technology will be among the biggest changes this year in Box Elder School District. Both issues have been prominent in national and state discussions, with some members of Congress looking at national standards, and the Utah State Legislature and state school board mandating requirements. Regarding cell phone use in schools, the state has yet to pass any restrictions or bans, although there will likely be bills filed on the issue in the 2025 Legislative General Session. Box Elder School District has not made any decisions on cell phones in schools, instead giving schools the responsibility...
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Citing skyrocketing calls and inconsistent coverage, the Willard City Police Department is asking the city council to expand the number of officers in Willard. Officer Jordan Harper, backed by Chief Theron Fielding, addressed the council on Thursday, outlining the need to hire more personnel. “As you know, I’ve met with all of you about a police proposal,” Harper began. “We’re growing, and calls for service are skyrocketing. So I sat down with the chief to figure out a game plan for the future, and that’s why we’re here.” Harper presented some statistics for the councilmembers to consider. Currently, the Willard...
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While county residents and visitors were out enjoying the Box Elder County Fair and Rodeo last weekend, the county official chiefly responsible for organizing them was working day and night, with any spare time she managed to find spent picking up the pieces after a catastrophic fire claimed her north-county home. Jan Rhodes, Box Elder County’s fairgrounds director and president of the county fair board, suffered the total loss of her home due to fire on Aug. 20. While no human was injured, Rhodes lost everything she owns, and worse yet, a family pet. “The Garland Fire Department responded to...
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A Box Elder County Fair parade entry announces that a portion of proceeds from the Box Elder Junior Livestock Auction would benefit long-time fair director, Jan Rhodes, after her home and all her belongings were destroyed by fire. The community has rallied to help out Rhodes, as indicated by a Gofundme campaign that had raised more than ,000 by Monday. (inset) Pictured is the damage caused to Rhodes’ home. No person was injured in the fire, but a family pet was killed.
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The Willard City Council has voted to accept an annexation petition for four parcels totaling 35.5 acres in South Willard. The adjacent parcels are located at approximately 7150 South and 300 East, with two narrow parcels on the west adjacent to U.S. Highway 89, and the majority of land on the east located behind current development. The annexation, if ultimately approved, would create another “island” of Willard City surrounded by unincorporated county land, and required the approval of the Box Elder County Commission, which was granted at the Aug. 14 commission meeting. Landowners Nathan and Brian Rose are planning to...
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After posting 52 points in their season opener, the Box Elder High School football team found itself in a defensive struggle in their second game of the year last Friday against Mountain Crest. The Mustangs booted three field goals to keep the game close and found the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter to secure a 15-14 win. The Bees drew first blood in the second quarter when senior running back Jay Macias found pay dirt for the second time this season, giving the home team the lead. The Mustangs got two of their field goals off the foot...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team picked up its first win of the season in convincing fashion on Tuesday, Aug. 20, on the road against Bear River, where they took the match in straight sets. The Bees then headed further north to compete in a tournament at Sky View High School on Friday and Saturday, where they posted a 3-2 record across five matches. Against the Bears on Tuesday, the Bees asserted their dominance early behind powerful attacks from senior Jaylee Chappelle, who led the team with nine kills. Sophomore Kennadie Blackmer served up two aces in the...
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Brigham City Ace Hardware wins national contest with enormous octopus made of 5 gallon Ace Hardware buckets which sit atop the store. The award for winning the popular vote contest is a ,500 donation in the store’s name to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
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Just a few years after a legislative mandate was approved seeking to improve literacy rates for young Utah students, data shows Box Elder School district is making dramatic strides. SB127: Early Literacy Outcomes Improvement, sought to have 70% of third grade students reading at or above grade level by 2027. There were adjustments to what would be considered “proficient.” According to changes in Utah State Board of Education rules, reading at grade level means third grade students are scoring above benchmark. To achieve that lofty goal, Box Elder School District is following state guidelines to support teachers and students, including...
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Editor’s note: Due to the graphic nature of this case, certain details have been omitted and/or obscured in order to protect public sensibilities and the identity of the victim(s). A Brigham City man is facing first degree felony object rape charges after a woman alleged a consensual sexual encounter went too far, and the man refused to stop when the woman indicated she no longer wanted to participate. According to a probable cause statement filed in First District Court, On June 19, Travis Wade Smith, 37, and his girlfriend of several months had arranged for a sado-masochistic sexual encounter. During...
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The Brigham City Council has approved an agreement allowing the city to act as an intermediary on a milloin U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rural economic development loan to the Young Automotive Group. The USDA’s rural economic development loan program, part of the department’s Rural Utility Service division, was specifically set up by the federal government to stimulate economic activity in rural areas of the country and is available to cities under 50,000 in population that either run their own electric utilities or are a part of a rural electric cooperative. The USDA loan program requires the funds to...
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At the top of the Honeyville City Council’s meeting last week, the city’s public works director, Troy McNeely rose to voice concerns about the trajectory of the city following the passage of an RV ordinance last month. “When my parents moved out here, one of the big selling points was how [Honeyville residents] took care of everybody. Didn’t matter whether you were rich or poor, religious or not, didn’t matter if you needed the help, you [were] checked in on... Things have changed.” McNeely’s primary concern was that the RV ordinance regulates the extended use of recreational vehicles for residential...
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Brigham City is warning residents about unlicensed solicitors claiming to be contracted by the city to sell fiber internet. The city has received multiple reports of residents being approached by unlicensed solicitors. There was even one report that a solicitor said Brigham City was requiring residents to sign up and that he would contact the sheriff’s office if she didn’t. The city has not contracted with a third party to sell fiber internet, and will never require residents to sign up for any fiber internet service. Residents should be aware that solicitors that have registered with the city are required...
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Goods and services purchased in Box Elder County will soon cost slightly more than they once did after the Box Elder County Commission approved a new sales tax on Wednesday. An amendment to the Utah Code passed by the 2024 legislature allows counties to implement a new sales tax of 0.3% (three cents on ) for the purposes of funding public safety agencies such as law enforcement, firefighting and emergency medical services. According to Utah Code 59-12-2216, as amended, the sales tax applies to all sales made in a county, including those made within incorporated cities and towns. “The legislature...
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The Box Elder School District is proposing dramatic changes to address a number of issues, including having the district align with state-standard grade band recommendations, which come with a hefty price tag. In November, voters will have the chance to approve or deny a 0 million bond that would fund the changes. The most visible difference will be the reduction in the number of schools, since the district will move to an elementary (K-5th grade), middle school (6th-8th grades), high school (9th-12th grades) model. The bond would fund new middle schools for both the north and south areas of the...
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Tendrils of lighting fork from the clouds during a severe storm that hit southeastern Box Elder Monday night. The storm brought extreme winds and large hail to some parts of northern Utah. Throughout the duration of the storm, lightning was frequent, including ground strikes. A video circulating on social media showed that a house in Mantua was struck by lightning.
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In the third weather-related fatality on the water in three weeks, an Ogden man was killed Sunday night when a boat on the Bear River was struck by lightning. According to the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office, 24-year-old Skylar Granath was boating with two companions when an active lightning storm passed over the area, with one bolt striking the boat and capsizing it, throwing the three into the water. “Two of the individuals were able to make it to shore and were transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” wrote Chief Deputy Cade Palmer in a press release. “The third...
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A request by Nucor Building Systems for the county to forgive ,153 in personal property tax late fees and interest was denied by the Box Elder County Commission at Wednesday’s meeting. Nucor, which operates five separate divisions in Box Elder County, has had some difficulties getting their county property bills paid on time. In 2018 the commission forgave ,821 in penalties for a late-paid tax bill of 8,212, while still charging [post_excerpt],001 in interest. Tyler Godfrey with Nucor Building Systems addressed the commissioners, saying that local executive turnover rate with the company has been the root cause of the property...
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Box Elder County’s broadband project to extend highspeed internet to rural, remote areas of the county, which is approximately halfway complete, has run into financial difficulties due mainly to inflationary pressures, and will need an additional 0,000 from the county for completion. That was the news that Brian Carver with the Bear River Association of Governments, who has been managing the project, brought to the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday. The project began in 2021 when the State of Utah awarded the county a .6 million rural broadband access grant, which was intended to build out high-speed fiber-optic access...
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A public hearing at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting drew no public comments on the city’s plans to issue a million dollar utility revenue bond, but it did allow Brigham City Finance Director Tom Kotter the opportunity to offer a public explanation on why the bond is needed and how it will be spent. Kotter began his presentation by speaking about debt, stating that it can be a useful tool when managed responsibly. “When we go and buy a home we may not have enough cash available personally, so we go and do a mortgage,” said Kotter. “This is...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved a plan that would keep county computer servers up and running in the event of a power emergency without having to spend nearly 0,000 on a backup generator for the historic Box Elder County Courthouse. At the Aug. 1 meeting the commission approved spending approximately 5,000 to install three natural gas-powered emergency backup generators at the Utah Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the county justice center and the county landfill. A fourth generator was requested for the county courthouse, where the servers are currently located, but the commission’s concerns over the structural viability of...
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The Box Elder High School football team got their 2024 season off to a flying start against Kearns last Friday, jumping out 31-0 at halftime before cruising to a 52-7 win in Brigham City. The Bees scored 17 points in the first quarter before ultimately posting 45 unanswered points as they dominated on both sides of the ball. Senior quarterback Carter Buchanan ran for 57 yards and three touchdowns to pace the offense for the Bees, though many of his teammates also found the end zone. Fellow Box Elder senior Tyeson Hansen led all ball carriers with 82 yards on...
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The Box Elder High School girls volleyball team gave their fans everything short of a win last Thursday at the Hive when the Bees fell to Alta in five sets, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22, 20-25, 17-15. The match was filled with runs and lulls by both sides as each team started figuring out their lineups and rotations early in the season. Box Elder’s biggest offensive contribution came from senior outside hitter Taya Valenzuela, who totaled 12 kills. Fellow senior Jaylee Chappelle also reached double digits in kills with 10. Junior middle blocker Jo Oki held down the center of the court...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved three requests from three different South Willard landowners to begin the process of annexation into Willard City. According to state law, the county must first approve any annexations that will result in the creation of a municipal island, an area which will be part of a city but not located adjacent to that city’s established borders. None of the properties currently border with Willard City proper. Bob Davis owns three parcels at approximately 7700 South on the west side of I-15. He intends to create a park in honor of his late...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday appointed Eva Petersen from Beaver Dam, and Kellie Ward Kunzler from Park Valley to the county’s library board, which oversees operations of the Bookmobile, a mobile lending library. Peterson will be replacing Snowville’s Rod McGary, who had served on the board for eight years. Kunzler is filling a spot that has been vacant for years on board. She is the author of ‘A Different Kind of Same: A Country Girl’s View of the World’ and has been a Bookmobile patron for 15 years. Visit https:// www.boxeldercountyut.gov/ bookmobile for information regarding Bookmobile services and...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday cleared the way for residents to legally offer short-term, vacation style rental of their homes or properties, but also implemented regulations designed to allow the city a measure of control regarding health, safety and impacts to neighborhoods from the practice. The measure is intended to address residential properties rented out through AirBnB, VRBO or similar services, where guests pay to stay and have use of the properties for periods of less than 30 days. Prior to the action taken by the council, short-term rentals were technically illegal in the city, although the practice was...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team will kick off their 2024 season tonight at home where they’ll be taking on Alta. The Bees had a very senior heavy team a season ago and will have lots of new faces on the court tonight as the team will start to carve out their own identity and prepare for region play. The senior tandem of Taya Valenzuela and Kylie Palmer will be leaned on most for their varsity experience early in the year while Jocelyn Vranes and Julie Reeder will be expected to supply some senior leadership and offensive fire power...
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The 2024 version of the Box Elder High School football team will look quite a bit different from last season’s team that finished with a 9-3 overall record and tied for second place in Region 5. Last year’s team also advanced to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs before being up-ended by Olympus. Among the biggest changes for the team comes on the sidelines where Carson Mund took over for long-time head coach Robbie Gunter. Mund was an assistant at Box Elder before becoming the head coach at West Jordan in 2019 and 2020, and taking the head coaching spot...
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The owner of a 640-acre parcel in White’s Valley is seeking to protect his land from encroachment or development by obtaining a conservation easement agreement with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF). Ryan Marriott appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Aug. 1, asking the commissioners for a letter of support in obtaining the conservation easement agreement. “Our family has a long-standing history of responsible land management for five generations of conservation practices on our ranch,” wrote Marriott. “By entering into this easement agreement, we are not only safeguarding the integrity of the property but also contributing...
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With continued development around Perry Park, and a number of small fires ignited during last month’s Fourth of July celebration, Perry City Recorder Shanna Johnson told the city council at Thursday’s meeting that, according to the Fourth of July committee, the city may need to look at alternatives next year. “There may be some changes as we develop over near the Perry Park, I don’t know if fireworks can continue there,” said Johnson. “Maybe we can look at another location, or a drone show instead.” A recommendation to move the fireworks show was given by the city’s fire marshal, Mike...
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In an effort to save the city significant money in the future, on July 25 the Willard City Council authorized Mayor Travis Mote to enter into agreements with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to upgrade water pipes crossing under U.S. 89 during the department’s highway reconstruction project set for next spring. Willard currently has five locations inside the reconstruction area where culinary water lines cross under the highway. The water lines are aging, some upwards of 40 years, and will need to be replaced. As the city grows some of those old lines will need to be upgraded to...
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Utah State Parks officials are urging boaters to wear life jackets at all times when on the water, whether swimming outside the boat or not, after a sudden storm with strong winds claimed another life at Willard Bay, marking the second drowning incident in as many weeks. According to Utah State Parks, 38-year-old Andre Leon Debose from Layton was swimming and boating with his 17-year-old son and others on Sunday afternoon when a storm impacted the northwest area of Willard Bay State Park near Eagle Beach. During the outing, a 19-year-old woman in the group began struggling in the water....
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The Perry Police Department has become the first law enforcement agency in Box Elder County to achieve accreditation from the Utah Chiefs of Police Association (UCOPA). In order to become an accredited agency, a department has to prove compliance with 176 separate standards covering federal, state and local regulations, including use-of-force policies, organizational structure, records and evidence keeping, and command protocols. UCOPA standards include guidelines on the use of firearms, less-than-lethal weapons, and the use of deadly force, as well as prohibitions on chokeholds and “knee on neck” techniques. UCOPA standards are updated yearly as new regulations are passed and...
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In an effort to ensure county government can still function in the event of a power emergency, on Aug. 1 the Box Elder County Commission approved the purchase of three natural gas generators for the Box Elder County Justice Center, the Utah Department of Motor Vehicles office building and the Box Elder County Landfill for a total of 4,926, including installation. A fourth generator for the county courthouse, projected to cost 8,691, was held up by the commissioners to see if a less expensive option could be found. “Do you have any idea what it would cost just to put...
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The 99th annual Box Elder County Fair is right around the corner with early carnival ticket sales ongoing now, and rodeo and livestock events taking place this weekend and early next week. Some events that take place prior to the parade’s unofficial opening of the fair with Wednesday’s parade include the Golden Spike Rodeo Slack/Timed events which will take place beginning on Saturday from 8 a.m. on. These events include girls barrel racing, steer wrestling, team roping, tie down and ladies breakaway; a free event for fans. Another rodeo arena event is the draft horse show which takes place on...
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A guest at last year’s Box Elder County Fair gives a little love to an entry in one of the fair’s goat competitions. The fair gets started Saturday with rodeo slack/timed events that are free to the public, and shifts into high gear on Monday with sheep and goat shows. See schedule on page 8.
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A contract renewing an agreement with a Cache Valley vehicle automation company has been tentatively approved by the Box Elder County Commission at Thursday’s meeting. Autonomous Solutions Incorporated (ASI) has been leasing approximately 10 acres east of the Box Elder County Fairgrounds since October of 2022, using the land to test driverless yard-shifting trucks, which resemble small semi-trucks with a robotic arm in the back. The driverless trucks are used to pick up and move loads from one area to another. “Box Elder has been a true partner for us for the last couple of years, we’re operating our autonomous...
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July was a disappointing month for precipitation, leading to very dry soils according to a summary of the month from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, but annual precipitation is still above normal, even though there are concerns about water availability in the future. General summary July precipitation in Utah’s valleys was poor. Just 0.5 inches of precipitation was received at SCAN sites, which was limited to the north-central, northeast, southeast, south-central, and western Utah regions, while the Uinta Basin and St. George area received 0.1 inches or less. This brings statewide water year accumulation (October-July) to 107% of median for...
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Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting began by welcoming new public safety personnel to the city, as one police officer and three firefighters were introduced to the council and administered the oath of office. Officer Chris Fowler, a 12-year veteran of the Logan City Police Department, was sworn into his new position at the Brigham City Police Department by Chief Chad Reyes. As is tradition at the BCPD, Fowler then had his Brigham City badge pinned on him by wife Sage as the couple’s four children looked on. Chief Reyes also introduced the department’s new volunteer chaplain, Brigham City resident Spencer...
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Following a largely successful algae treatment last September, last week Brigham City applied a second, albeit much smaller, treatment to the cityowned Mantua Reservoir. The reservoir was closed to the public on Tuesday, July 30 while city workers distributed a second dose of Lake Guard pellets, created by Israeli company BlueGreen Technologies. The city received last September’s supply at no cost as a proof-of-concept test, but had budgeted ,000 for a second treatment this year if the harmful algae bloom came back. And come back it did. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality identified the tell-tale signs of a harmful...
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Testing has detected West Nile Virus present in several mosquito traps in Bear River Health Department’s jurisdiction, including three in Box Elder County. Traps at Calls Fort Cemetery, 6800 West and 6800 North, and 800 North and I-15 in Box Elder County all tested positive for WNV, and the health department is advising all residents to take appropriate precautions since mosquitoes can travel several miles. WNV can cause mild to severe illness, including flu-like symptoms, fever, headache, body aches, and in rare cases, neurological complications. Residents are reminded to follow a few precautions: · Use insect repellent: Use an EPA-registered...
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A Brigham City manufacturing plant located near a residential neighborhood is taking steps to reduce the sound levels emanating from the factory, but city officials caution that the factory’s operation will never be silent. The Steves and Sons door manufacturing plant, which began operations in northern Brigham City last year, has been the subject of numerous complaints to the Brigham City Council for what residents have been calling excessive noise. “It’s the noise, it’s unbearable most of the time,” said Brent Chamberlain, a resident in the Kotter Canyon neighborhood, to the council in April. “On cloudy days it’s even worse,...
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The body of a 51-yearold Weber County man was found Tuesday morning following a swimming incident during a storm at Willard Bay State Park on Saturday evening. According to a press release issued by Utah State Parks over the weekend, Robert Mittendorf was swimming with his son near their boat when a sudden storm swept through the area, separating them from their vessel. While Mittendorf’s son managed to swim back and attempted to retrieve a life jacket for his father, Mittendorf went under the water and did not resurface. As of Sunday, State Parks officials believed the operation to find...
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South Willard has the best tasting water in the state out of about 35 rural water systems, according to the Rural Water Association of Utah. Every year, at the RWAU conference, a contest is held to determine who in the state of Utah has the best tasting water, and this year, the Bear River Water Conservancy District’s South Willard system earned the honor. Preliminary judges carefully taste test each entry out of numbered jars to ensure impartiality and three finalists are selected.In the final round, the three finalists compete live, where their water is judged based on taste, clarity, and...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person( s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential. Law enforcement contact information Adult Probation and Parole (435) 734-2066 Brigham City PD (435) 734-6650 Box Elder Sheriff’s Office (435) 734-3800 Tremonton/Garland PD (435) 734-3800
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A joint ceremony between Willard City and the Northwest Band of the Shoshoni Tribe to dedicate a petroglyph boulder found in a nearby housing development will be held at the city’s Pioneer Cemetery on Friday, Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. The boulder, which is covered in what are believed to be Fremont Indian glyphs, was found by construction crews in the Fall of 2022 in the Granite Ridge subdivision, after having fallen from the cliffs above. The event will include a ceremony by the Shoshoni, and the unveiling of the boulder along with a plaque that was designed by the...
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Traffic on southbound I-15 was brought to a halt on the morning of July 24, when a 46-year-old man from Roy stepped out in front a semi near mile marker 372, located directly between Bear River City and Honeyville. The man, identified as Matthew M. Grover, had been pulled over to the side of the road with his hood raised at approximately 9:30 a.m. “A 46-year-old male stopped his truck in the right emergency lane of I-15 near mile post 372,” read the incident report from the Utah Highway Patrol. “The male exited the truck and opened the hood. The...
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Attendees of Sons of Utah Pioneers celebration for Pioneer Day take a look into the past to learn about arms for protection and hunting, there were furs on display at one of many interactive booths held at Dennis Vincent Memorial Park in Brigham City. Additional Pioneer Day activities were also held in Bear River City, additional photos of festivities can be found on page 4.
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The break-in and vandalization of a Brigham City furniture store in late June has put a spotlight on increasing levels of property defacement and damage in the city over the past few years. According to Brigham City police, in the early morning hours of June 28 a group of teenagers or young adults broke into The Room Loft furniture store at 475 E. 1000 South, with the seeming sole purpose of destroying property. The perpetrators smashed windows and sprayed furniture with fire extinguishers, with at least some of their actions caught on a surveillance camera. In videos provided by the...
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A Main Street optometrist’s office is the latest business to receive an exterior makeover thanks in part to Brigham City’s façade grant program. Box Elder Vision, formerly the Box Elder Family Vision Clinic, at 34 S. Main Street, will be replacing the water-damaged exterior stucco façade of the building, as well as failing tiles and adding signage, in a project projected to cost ,183.67. Dr. Gavin Johnson, the owner, has applied to the city’s program for half that amount, or ,091.83. “Our building has not been updated since 1997, the tiles falling off the building are a hazard to anyone...
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Willard City wants more than verbal assurances that access to the city’s sewer plant, as well as landowner access to their properties, will never be blocked by Willard Bay State Park. During its recent expansion, the state park re-routed the access road into the park, and at first made no provision for local traffic. After discussions with Willard City, and some intervention by Representative Matthew Gwynn (R-Roy), access to the sewer plant and privately owned properties was preserved, in practice, with a new road configuration. But that road still belongs to the state park, and there is nothing recorded in...
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In an apparent about-face on plans to hire a new full-time city attorney, Brigham City has entered into a two-year contract with a retired West Valley City assistant administrator to provide legal counsel and direction to the city on a part-time basis. Nicole Cottle was introduced to the council and Brigham City residents at the July 18 council meeting. Cottle currently serves as the director of government affairs for UTOPIA, and has served West Valley City as their general counsel, chief sustainability officer, economic development director, assistant administrator, and that city’s representative on the board of the Utah Inland Port...
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The Brigham City Council has voted to amend city code in order to allow the mayor’s office or a designee the ability to sell advertising on city property. The change was made specifically to allow sponsorships for the city’s annual Christmas Village display, which would let local businesses or individuals adopt or sponsor individual buildings, helping alleviate costs to the city for their creation and/or maintenance. “Mr. Daniel Kennedy, which has been helping the city with our Christmas Village, would like to entertain some potential fundraising with signage from community members and business partners and home sponsors for that event,”...
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A request to rezone 44.87 acres off of 200 West and approximately 3700 South in Willard has once again been tabled by the Willard City Council at Thursday’s meeting. The property in question is directly adjacent to the Perry City border, on the west side of 200 West (Perry’s 1200 West). Developer Dan Jones and Lync Construction are proposing to zone the land from agricultural to half-acre residential in order to put a large housing development on the four parcels comprising the property. When questioned about utilities, Jones said he is planning on using Perry City water and Willard City...
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Box Elder County Commissioner Lee Perry announced at Wednesday’s meeting that the county would be receiving .037 million in annual PILT (payments in lieu of taxes) funding this year. PILT is a federal program designed to help states and counties recover from their inability to tax federal lands within their borders. Of Box Elder County’s 5,746 square miles of land (excluding bodies of water), approximately 2,008 are owned and managed by the federal government, exempting just over a third of county lands from paying any property taxes. In the state of Utah, 66.5% of all land is owned by the...
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Box Elder County has agreed to waive any individual claims and join with the state of Utah and 41 other states, five U.S. territories, tribal governments and the District of Columbia in accepting a settlement negotiated with Kroger for its part in the opioid crisis. The agreement has Kroger, the parent company of Smith’s Food and Drug, paying out [post_excerpt].4 billion over an 11-year period. Kroger has agreed to pay up to [post_excerpt].2 billion to states, an additional million to Native American tribes, and approximately 7 million to cover attorneys’ fees and costs. The calculations for how much of...
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Non-complying property in the remote western portion of the county made up the largest portion of land recently auctioned off at the Box Elder County tax sale in May, with all but 12 of the 105 parcels up for sale fitting that description. The parcels are illegally subdivided by the property owners and then sold piecemeal to inexperienced and/or unknowledgeable buyers. These buyers later find they cannot develop their land due to zoning and/or access issues. The vast majority of tax sale properties in the county are these non-conforming parcels that are simply abandoned by the new owners. “We talked...
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The Mantua Police Department, the Box Elder County Fire Marshall and Utah State Fire Marshall’s Office are investigating a string of suspicious early morning fires occurring on Rocky Dugway Road in Mantua. According to Mantua Fire Chief William Hodgins, the fires began in early June when an abandoned depression-era barn on Rocky Dugway Road began burning, with firefighters responding and putting down the blaze. That same barn then caught fire again on two subsequent occasions. Fire department records have the barn fires occurring on June 2, July 6, and July 12. “We put it out, and about a month later...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday took the first step toward obtaining a utility bond for up to million to pay for long-term infrastructure upgrades and a contractual obligation to move power lines. Projects the city plans to complete with the bond proceeds are replacement of the 60-year-old Penstock line, which brings culinary water from springs above Mantua into the city’s hydroelectric plants; the relocation of electrical lines from land belonging to Staker Parsons, as required by contract; the installation of a 46kV “loop” line between the West Forest Street substation and the Reeder substation; an extension of the...
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A lightning-caused fire that burned up to 473 acres in the Hogup Mountains of western Box Elder County was officially listed as fully contained on Thursday, July 18. According to Utah Fire Info, a staterun information site that tracks Utah’s wildfires, the Tangent Peak fire began on the previous Monday, the result of a lightning strike from a small storm system that moved across the area. The area is uninhabited and very remote, located approximately 57 miles due west of Brigham City, overlooking the western shore of the Great Salt Lake. No structures were threatened as the blaze grew from...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a preliminary plat for the commercial subdivision planned at 1100 South and 1100 West, giving an idea of what the new development will look like as it moves forward. Preliminary plats are subject to change, and are meant to establish lot division, road access and infrastructure needs. They also express the developer’s general vision for the properties, however, and can be indicative of what the final product will resemble. Now called the Blue Heron Crossing commercial subdivision, current plans envision eight development lots that will house 47 townhomes; four apartment buildings and a...
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The Diamond Dogs 14U fast pitch softball team, featuring four local girls, claimed the Triple Crown World Series championship in Ogden last week. The tournament featured nearly 50 teams from Idaho, Utah, Montana, California, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Nevada, and Hawaii, and the Diamond Dogs went 8-1 on their way to the title. The Dog’s lone tournament loss was a 6-7 affair in the final game of pool play against the Boise Blast. Prior to the loss at the World Series, and Blast had beat the Dogs by one run in a tournament earlier in the year. So, when the two...
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Box Elder County has renewed an operating agreement with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to allow cooperation on investigating and prosecuting crimes that use the internet to entice and target children. The agreement, in the form of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), allows the coordination and cooperation of the county attorney’s office with the Utah Attorney General’s ICAC task force, including the sharing of investigative records and evidence, and participation of county law enforcement officials in ICAC operations. Madison Cordova, who has been the county’s ICAC investigator since last November, addressed the county commission regarding the agreement...
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On Tuesday, July 9, the Box Elder County Commission, acting as the county’s Board of Canvassers, certified the final results of the June 25 Republican Primary Election. There were no surprises in the Box Elder County races, with those candidates who were ahead on election night eventually winning their respective races. In statewide races, Box Elder County voters hewed with voters throughout the state. In a closely contested race, Tyler M. Vincent will head to the November general election for Box Elder County Commission after receiving 3,806 votes (37.3%), ahead of Steven R. Zollinger with 3,298 (32.3%), and Sam McMurdie...
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On Tuesday, July 9, the Box Elder County Commission approved a request by the county’s planning and zoning department to temporarily hold all applications for agricultural subdivisions for up to six months, or until staff can close a development loophole in the county code. Agricultural subdivisions are reserved for land that is zoned for and used for farming and ranching, and don’t require a plat or adherence to many residential subdivision regulations in order to put a single-family dwelling on the property. According to Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons, developers are using the agricultural subdivision code as...
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On Thursday, July 11 a health warning was issued for the Mantua Reservoir due to a Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB). According to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, HABs can produce dangerous toxins that pose serious health risks to humans, pets, and livestock. These blooms develop when naturally occurring cyanobacteria in the water multiply very quickly to form green or blue-green water, scum, or mats. There is new signage in place which will indicate the risk level. If you visit the Mantua Reservoir: · Do not swim or water ski · Avoid areas of algae when boating · Clean fish...
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A landowner in Devil’s Gate Valley, located southeast of Mantua near Camp Cumorah, has asked the Box Elder County Commission if a county-owned dirt road that crosses next to the area’s only beaver pond can be partially relocated in order to protect the animals’ habitat from disrespectful ATV drivers. “There’s been a lot of destruction at this particular beaver pond, it has a road that partially goes around it, so the beavers don’t really have a chance to actually really live decently,” said Skip Warner at last Tuesday’s commission meeting. Warner continued that ATV riders have left building debris on...
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The Honeyville City Council cemented work by the city’s planning commission this month with a slate of new ordinances regulating accessory dwelling units (ADU) and recreational vehicles (RV). First up was an ordinance setting standards on the construction of new accessory dwelling units. The new regulations place size limits on ADUs to no more than 40% of the primary residence, not including garage space. For each bedroom in the ADU, there must be parking space allocated on the property. Further, ADUs will need a separate water meter for new construction, which will allow for the city to charge impact fees...
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The ability of Utah lawmakers to subvert the ballot initiative process was dealt a blow on Thursday, with the Utah Supreme Court ruling that the legislature doesn’t have the constitutional authority to fundamentally change voter-approved initiatives when they are intended to reform state government. While the ruling is too narrow to apply to all ballot initiatives approved by voters and later repealed or changed by state lawmakers, it directly affects Proposition 4, approved by voters in 2018 to prevent the gerrymandering of voting districts by vesting the power to draw those districts in an independent commission. In 2020 the legislature...
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A Garland man already facing trial for felony drug possession with intent to distribute in a May 2023 case has been arrested again, and now faces additional felony charges of drug possession and distribution. Damon Vasquez, 61, was originally arrested on May 4, 2023, by agents of the Box Elder Narcotics Strike Force after a search warrant executed on his Garland residence turned up “multiple items of drug paraphernalia - pipes, scales, small plastic baggies, needles, torch lighters, methamphetamine, marijuana dab, pills, and an unknown substance found inside a small plastic baggie” inside Vasquez’s residence. The unknown substance was later...
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Following a brief hiatus, the BE United Football Club revived the Golden Spike Classic last year, and this year the tournament grew by 10 teams, bringing 64 teams with more than 1,000 players from Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and Colorado to play at the Brigham City Sports Complex, Box Elder High School and Box Elder Middle School. Five BE United teams brought home medals from the tournament: 2011 boys (gold), 2009 boys (gold), 2008 boys (silver), 2011 girls (silver), and 2013 girls (silver).
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A 27-year-old Tremonton man is being held in the Box Elder County Jail after police found multiple video files depicting acts of sexual abuse against children on his cloud account. According to a probable cause statement filed by Tremonton/Garland police, on April 5 of this year the internet cloud storage company Dropbox contacted the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), alerting them that their customer Donald Reed Halliday had uploaded multiple files depicting child sexual exploitation to his account. NCMEC contacted the Box Elder County Attorney’s Office, which assigned the case to the county’s Internet Crimes Against Children...
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The National Weather Service (NWS) in Salt Lake City has issued an excessive heat warning for northern Utah, beginning Wednesday July 10. The warning states that from today through Sunday there will be “dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures forecast between 100 and 105 degrees each afternoon. Overnight recovery will be poor with minimum temperatures forecast in the mid to upper 70s.” With temperatures forecast between 101 and 106 from Wednesday to Sunday before dropping down to a relatively cool 99 degrees on Monday, health officials are warning residents to take special hot weather precautions. “This is a long duration,...
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The time has come: Box Elder Chamber of Commerce accepting parade applications, seeking nominations for grand marshals. See page 2.
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In a remarkable turn of events, Utah has successfully overcome a five-year-long battle with drought. The state, for the first time since August 2019, is now entirely free of drought conditions. The latest drought map, released on July 3, reveals that 74.02% of Utah is no longer under any drought status, with the remaining 25.98% experiencing “abnormally dry conditions.” The turnaround lies in stark contrast to the situation last year when only 52.81% of Utah had no drought status, 47.89% was “abnormally dry,” and 10.43% was in moderate drought. In 2022, the situation was even more dire, with 75% of...
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(above) City Impact held their annual fundraiser car show and food/clothing giveaway on Sunday, July 7 at Pioneer Park. (below) Volunteers prepare clothing donations for a free shopping experience.
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Fireworks light up the sky over Brigham City’s Pioneer Park on Thursday, July 4. It was just one of a number of events, activities and attractions in local communities that drew large crowds. See photos on page 5.
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Steves & Sons, Inc. is a family-owned and operated business known nationwide for manufacturing quality interior and exterior doors. Their 100,000 square foot facility in Brigham City, Utah, which opened in 2023 at 1080 N. Main Street, focuses on interior doors and is a strategic location for getting product throughout the western United States. Steves & Sons doors focus on quality craftsmanship, sustainability, and beautiful, innovative doors for the American residence. Their hundreds of styles of doors for any home design can be found at Home Depot and sold by wholesalers around the country. Getting involved in the community in...
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The Box Elder Chamber of Commerce is preparing for this year’s Peach Days celebration, and issued the following information: Parade applications Applications for Saturday’s parade and Friday’s Kick-Off parade are now available online at www.peachdays.com. The application deadline for Saturday’s parade is Friday, July 26. The deadline is strictly adhered to so the line-up can be published in the Peach Days magazine. The deadline to submit applications for the Kick-Off parade is Friday, Aug. 23. Nominations sought for grand marshals Nominations are now being accepted for both the grand marshal for the Peach Days parade on Saturday, Sept. 7, and...
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The Brigham City Fire Department had only four fireworks related calls between July 2 and July 6, and actually only rolled to three. According to data received from the department, Brigham City firefighters responded to one call on July 2 for fireworks debris that was still burning, a small grass fire on July 4, and another small grass fire on July 5. A July 4 mountainside fire in Perry was put out by residents before the firefighters responded. A couple of small grass fires that ignited during the Perry City fireworks show were stamped out by attendees. Utah allows Class...
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Enbridge Gas Utah, the company that took over Dominion Energy’s business in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho on June 1, has announced that residential natural gas prices will drop by 29.53% effective July 1. The decrease will lower the typical residential customer’s monthly bill by .12 and annual bill by 7.44. Most customers should start seeing the decrease in their bill at the end of July or early August, depending on their billing cycle. “We are pleased to be able provide such a large decrease for customers and return our rates to some of the lowest in the nation,” said Judd...
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A group of young ladies from Box Elder County recently found themselves in the unexpected situation of having to be treated for rabies after the Soda Springs, Idaho cabin they were staying in during a church-sponsored activity turned out to be a dwelling for numerous bats. According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 10-15% of bats in Utah are found to be rabies-positive, and therefore any large-scale exposure prompts immediate action. Rabies is a lethal disease impacting the nervous system of both humans and animals. Once symptoms appear in humans, the fatality rate is nearly 100%,...
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A story in last week’s edition about a house fire in Brigham City contained an error. Neighbors used the front door of the home to assist the disabled resident to safety. We regret the error.
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It used to be that the city councils of Brigham City, Perry and Willard would pass fire and firework restriction ordinances every year, but all three municipalities have chosen to implement restrictions that automatically go into effect each year in certain high-risk areas of their town. In Perry, restricted areas are easy to understand: everything east of U.S. Highway 89 and west of 1200 West, and including the Perry Nature Park, as ordered by the city’s fire marshal. Perry City Code has empowered the fire marshal to enact restrictions as conditions warrant. Willard also is easy: anything east of Highway...
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There were few, if any, surprises in the results of last Tuesday’s Republican primary election, unless the broad rejection of convention winners by voters is surprising. The results have again raised questions as to whether delegates at state and local conventions accurately represent the mainstream of the Utah Republican Party. In Utah, the Republican primary is generally considered more consequential than the November general election, at least for state and local seats, as Republicans heavily outnumber Democrats, especially in rural counties like Box Elder. According to election numbers compiled by the county clerk’s office, of 28,848 registered voters in Box...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday denied a request by a developer to move 12 townhouses from the center of an approved site plan and group them with eight other townhouses on the western portion of the development. The request is at odds with Perry City’s multi-family housing grid system, which specifies how many townhouses can be built in a quarter-mile section. Moving the 12 townhouses would have surpassed the number of units the grid is zoned for, putting a total of 20 multi-family units within the same quarter-mile grid section. The development in question, the Perry Landing subdivision at...
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Respecting a negotiated plea agreement, First District Court Judge Brandon Maynard on Monday sentenced 60-year-old James A. Brenner to spend between 3 and 30 years in prison for the murder of then 19-year-old Dylan Rounds in 2022, as well as for two charges of possession of a firearm by a restricted person. The plea deal required Brenner to lead law enforcement to the body of Rounds in April in exchange for dismissal of an unrelated February 2021 third-degree felony aggravated assault charge, dismissal of one of three second-degree charges of felony gun possession by a restricted person, dismissal of a...
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The introduction of all-day kindergarten for all students last fall is the primary reason for improved literacy scores in end-year-testing, according to Box Elder School District officials. The district’s assessment director, Jeremy Young, reported that in May, 88% of kindergarten students demonstrated proficiency on the Acadience Benchmark Assessment, which is the highest percentage of students scoring at or above benchmark in the last 12 years. Additionally, 71% of those students scored above benchmark on the assessment, which is substantially higher than past years. According to district assistant superintendent, Heidi Jo West, many of the individual elementary schools out-performed the district...
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Originally anticipating 0,000 in property tax revenue but receiving only 7,091 after applying the official certified tax rate, the Willard City Council approved a final budget on June 20 that cut the revenue in the tentative budget passed in May by approximately ,000. The cut brings the total 2024-25 Willard City budget to .3 million across all city funds, with ,231,091 in general fund spending, including a 3,730 transfer to capital projects, where the cut in property tax revenue was made. Willard is still planning 2,700 in capital projects spending, however, with the difference coming out of the city’s existing...
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Ten girls living within Box Elder High School boundaries showed the country what Box Elder softball is about when their team, the 14U squad of the Mountain West Softball Club took third place at the Tennessee World Series last month in Nashville, Tennessee. The trip to Nashville was a first for the team, which, in addition to the 10 girls from Box Elder, has three other members from other areas of northern Utah, north of Layton. The girls who will be attending Box Elder Middle School as ninth graders next year are: Olivia Daniels, Lexi Jackson, Khloe Quintero, Rayden Roberts,...
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A road and stormwater drain construction project along Garland’s West Factory Street has caused multiple frustrations for residents living and farming in the area, with the group banding together to call for better communication between the city, contractors and residents, among other things. The project is part of a development agreement between Garland City, the Utah Inland Port Authority and Lakeshore Learning Materials, which is building a 1.22 million square-foot distribution facility in Garland that officially broke ground last October. Lakeshore is investing an estimated million in the facility over the next decade, which is expected to create approximately...
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A new medical services building is being planned on the east side of Medical Drive, located just southeast of Brigham City Community Hospital. In order to make the plan possible, two separate lots on the corner of Medical Drive and Westland Drive needed to be combined into one parcel, and a storm drain easement running between them had to be vacated and moved to the southwest corner of the combined property. “The desire of the owner is to be able to combine the two lots together, and build a Brigham Medical Center,” explained City Planner Mark Bradley at Thursday’s city...
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With only slight changes from the fiscal year ending June 30, Honeyville City has adopted a 2024- 25 budget. The changes were the result of anticipated versus actual spending over the past 12 months. The budget quickly received council approval, but with the numbers before the public, councilman David Hougaard took the opportunity to raise awareness about property tax the city government receives from residents. “When people’s property tax goes up, everybody complains,” Hougaard said. “Honeyville doesn’t get that.” His comments aimed to address citizens desire for greater city projects such as parks improvements or a green waste facility. Hougaard...
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Box Elder County has been awarded ,300 in grant funding to combat various strains of Knapweed, and ,500 for Rush Skeleton mitigation efforts from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food’s Invasive Species Mitigation Fund. Both grants have been applied for and received for a number of years, with the state using Box Elder County’s success against Rush Skeleton as proof of the program’s value. “The state has highlighted on our success within this project,” said Box Elder County Weed Supervisor Wyatt Freeze. The Box Elder County Commission voted unanimously to accept both grants at Wednesday’s meeting.
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As part of its state-mandated moderate income housing plan, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday once again renewed a pledge not to charge impact fees on moderate income housing developments, or on accessory dwelling units. As charitable as that sounds, however, it doesn’t really mean all that much, as the county doesn’t charge impact fees in the first place. Impact fees are charges that local governments attach to building permits, meant to fund the future fiscal impact that development has on municipal infrastructure. As the county doesn’t really have any power, water or sewer infrastructure in its unincorporated areas,...
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Following a 2-1 vote at the previous commission meeting that resulted in cancelling plans to build a new ticket booth, concession area and bathroom building in the rodeo area at the county’s fairgrounds, on Wednesday the commission reallocated 8,755 in ARPA funds earmarked for that original project to repair asphalt in the fairground’s vendor and concession areas. An additional 6,691 was also taken from the original project and reallocated toward fairgrounds maintenance, safety and improvements. Commissioner Stan Summers voted against cancellation of the project at the May 29 meeting, feeling that the project was only going to get more expensive...
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For just under ,000 per year, Box Elder officials have access to high-resolution aerial images of every property in the populated areas of the county, with shots taken from different angles to create an accurate picture of what improvements each property contains. The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday unanimously renewed the contract with a company called Eagle View for another six years. Box Elder County Assessor Rodney Bennett explained to commissioners that while the costs hadn’t gone up much in the new contract, the coverage area and resolution of photography taken from the Eagle View airplane had. “We’re getting...
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Detached accessory dwelling units, which are separate housing structures sharing the same lot as a residential house, are now allowed once again in Brigham City. The city passed a six-month moratorium on detached ADUs last December to allow staff to research the best way to regulate impact fees, building permit fees and utility connections. Following a final public hearing in front of the planning commission the prior week to seek input on these regulations, staff put together an ordinance for the council to approve. The ordinance states that detached ADUs cannot be subdivided or sold separately from the primary residence,...
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The Brigham City Fire Department was dispatched on Thursday night to a structure fire in the 400 North block of 300 East. The initial call received at 8:09 p.m. stated that a female resident of the home was trapped inside, but she was able to escape through a window with the help of neighbors prior to the fire department’s arrival. “The fire involved the attic space of the home and was difficult to extinguish due to the over-built roof structure which prevented direct access to the fire,” wrote the department in a statement. Fire crews were on the scene until...
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After 15 years of using the same fee schedule for community development services, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday updated that schedule to better reflect current costs. The new fee amounts come at the recommendation of Roybased consulting firm Planning Outpost, which undertook a fee study beginning in January of this year. “It’s been a while since the fees have been updated, 15 plus years, so they’re a little stale,” said Fred Turnier, the company’s principal planner. Turnier outlined some of the study’s key findings, stating that fees should be looked at and updated every three to five years....
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a budget for 2024-2025 that doesn’t include a property tax increase, and is very close to the 0.8 million total budget initially proposed by Mayor D.J. Bott back in May. Changes from the mayor’s budget include a temporary increase in employee wages designed to offset an increase in required retirement contributions through the Utah Retirement System, as well as a 0,000 increase in the police department budget. Those increases are paid for with commensurate cuts in other departments, as well as a ,000 decrease to the capital projects budget. “The changes that have...
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Election 2024 candidates are raising anywhere between thousands of dollars to several millions of dollars for this year’s campaign, depending on the race. The News Journal recently looked into campaign donations received by candidates running in the June 25 Republican Primary, in an effort to help voters better understand who is paying to see a particular candidate gain, or remain in office. Aside from the three local Box Elder candidates running for county commissioner, what is presented below barely scratches the surface when it comes to overall campaign contributions. Fundraising totals are the most recently reported to Box Elder County...
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A local entertainment business will not be hosting outdoor activities this summer, as their plans ran against both city code and the federal government’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On June 10, social media posts made by Vinci’s Bowling and Entertainment drew dozens of angry reactions from readers when the business stated it would not be hosting outdoor miniature golf or other activities in their parking lot because of restrictions by Brigham City. “Unfortunately, Brigham City will not allow us to do an outdoor miniature golf ANYWHERE on the property even if it’s temporary,” read the post. “They also will...
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Forty-nine candidates for United States citizenship gathered at Golden Spike National Historical Park on Friday, June 14, with the United States Citizen and Immigration Services for their Naturalization Ceremony. The candidates, from 23 countries, were joined by friends and family who welcomed them to citizenship at the historical spot made possible by the efforts of so many immigrants before them. Group Superintendent Brandon Flint congratulated the new American citizens and their families, emphasizing how our diverse cultures and experiences make the nation stronger. “It’s fitting that we host Naturalization Ceremonies at Golden Spike National Historical Park as many of the...
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Willard residents will be paying more for sewer services in the fall, following action on Thursday by the Willard City Council to increase rates by .50 per month. City officials say the move is necessary to allow the city to both invest in needed wastewater treatment maintenance, as well as help the city make the yearly bond payment to the state. “I asked our accountants to analyze our sewer system and our repayment on the loan for the sewer system,” said Mayor Travis Mote at Thursday’s meeting. “That loan [payment] increases as time goes on. It was anticipated when the...
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Willard resident and long-time gravel-mining opponent Clyde Westley appeared before the Willard City Council on Thursday, airing grievances against actions taken by Willard officials, past and present, in pursuit of a gravel mining agreement between the city and Granite Construction. Granite wants to lease land that Willard City owns in the unincorporated county on the north side of Willard Canyon for the purpose gravel extraction. An agreement would not only allow for extraction of gravel deposits owned by the city, but also allow the company to extract more gravel from land it is currently mining directly below the city’s land,...
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On June 10, restaurateur Dustin Brent Rallison was sentenced by 1st District Court Judge Brandon Maynard to serve 200 days in the Box Elder County Jail, and to spend four years on probation, following a plea arrangement reached in April. Rallison, 38, of Roy, the owner of the Rusted Spoon restaurants in Perry and Ogden, was originally charged in March of 2019 with one count of first-degree felony object rape, three counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse, three third-degree felony counts of aggravated assault, and four class A misdemeanor charges of sexual battery, stemming from multiple accusations from five...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved a combined 2024-25 budget of .1 million across all city funds, while not increasing property taxes for the second year in a row. The new budget, which takes effect when the new fiscal year begins on July 1, anticipates .2 million in general fund spending, [post_excerpt].31 million in utility fund spending, [post_excerpt].4 million in the sewer fund, and 9,797 in redevelopment agency (RDA) spending. In the city’s general fund, which covers the majority of government expenses, .1 million has been earmarked for roads and streets, including .4 million for the 1200 West road...
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In last week’s “Remember the Borgstrom brothers: memorial in Tremonton” the name of the cemetery was incorrect, it is the Riverview Cemetery. We regret the error.
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It appears that the cost of dying is keeping pace with the cost of living, as Brigham City approved fee increases at the city’s cemetery, especially for non-residents. Weekday interments for regular and large child vaults are increasing from 0 to 0 for residents, and from [post_excerpt],000 to [post_excerpt],300 for non-residents. Infant and small child vaults are increasing from 5 to 0 for residents, and from 0 to 0 for non-residents. Saturday interments are going up as well, with regular and large child vaults going from 0 to 0 for residents, and from [post_excerpt],500 to [post_excerpt],800 for non-residents. Infant and...
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Brigham City, and the state, lost a dedicated public servant last week when former mayor and state senator, Peter C. Knudsen, 87, died last Wednesday. In a social media post announcing Knudsen’s death, his son wrote, “He dedicated his life to serving the public, putting it before his own needs time and time again…He was a giant in [t]his world and very few of us will leave that kind of legacy.” Knudsen was an orthodontist by trade, but service was his passion. His extensive academic career took him to several schools on his way to his master’s degree and certificate...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday gave preliminary and final plat approval for a Jack in the Box fast food restaurant on the northwest corner of 1100 South and 1100 West. Initial access to the property would come directly off 1100 West, with future plans for secondary access once the road to the north, 1075 South, is constructed and put to use. Access at that point will be in the form of a loop coming south off of 1075 South into a development of three potential restaurant or retail establishments, as well as right in, right out (right turn only)...
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Hyrum City’s power superintendent Tom Cooper has been hired as Brigham City’s new director of public power, replacing the retired Dave Burnette. Cooper was introduced to the Brigham City Council at Thursday’s meeting, with councilmembers giving unanimous consent for the hire. “Tom comes from Hyrum, but he hasn’t been there a full year,” said Mayor DJ Bott. “He was with Spanish Fork for 25 years. He actually helped with the interviews and did not apply for the job. But during the course of the interviews, Mayor Pro Tem [Matthew] Jensen turned to him and said ‘why don’t you apply?’ And...
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With the June 25 primary election just around the corner and ballots in the hands of voters, the News Journal attempted to reach out to the candidates featured on those ballots and ask some basic questions. While some candidates received our inquiries and chose to respond, others may have possibly missed our questions, or decided not to respond. For those from whom we didn’t receive a reply, we gleaned information from previous news stories, election submissions or campaign materials. In each case we tried to use the candidate’s own words as much as possible, listing the source. All of the...
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As required by state law, on Thursday the Brigham City Council held its yearly public hearing to allow comment on the city’s stormwater management plan. The plan, adopted in 2021 in response to Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) mandates, outlines actions the city takes in order to control pollutants flowing into, and out of, the city’s stormwater drainage system, to remain compliant with both state and federal environmental regulations. “It’s required by the state to keep pollutants from going into the waters of the state,” said Brigham City Wastewater Treatment Plant Manager Bryce Lofthouse back in 2021. “Some of...
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The Box Elder High School softball team surpassed even their own expectations as the team finished with a 24-6 overall record on the year, including a 12-2 mark in region play, and went on to push the eventual 5A state champion to the brink in the semifinals of the state playoffs. The Bees only had four seniors on their roster this season, so they knew early on they’d have to rely on some underclassmen to fill in some big gaps and contribute significantly if the team was going to be successful. Several players were ready and able to answer that...
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Like most teams, the Box Elder High School baseball team had its ups and downs during the season, but was able to peak at the right time with a deep post-season run that saw the Bees advance to final eight. The Bees started the season with three wins in the first week of play, including an 8-3 victory over cross-county rival Bear River. The team hit their first stretch of adversity as they dropped their next five games and won just one more preseason game, entering region play with a 4-5 record. Things didn’t get any easier for the Bees...
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In the traditional gesture, Box Elder High School students toss their mortarboards into the air in recognition of being officially graduated following ceremonies at Weber State University on Tuesday, May 28.
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday eased, somewhat, the restriction on participation in the city’s utility billing deferral program, allowing people who had defaulted on a payment arrangement back into the program if they’ve maintained their accounts in good standing for five years. Before the change, defaulting on a payment arrangement at any time would disqualify participation in the program. “A deferral is a tool that we have for when someone falls behind on their bill,” explained financial director Tom Kotter. “Instead of going into shut-off, they’re allowed to defer the amount that they owe for the next 12 months.”...
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The Box Elder High School boys volleyball team figured out the right combination at the right time of year to pick up their first win over Woods Cross on the year as the Bees took down the Wildcats in straight sets in the first round of last week’s 5A playoffs last Tuesday night. The team then lost to Maple Mountain in the second round and were bounced out of the playoffs later on Thursday by Alta. The Bees just missed out on having the home court advantage in Tuesday’s match after coming in as the 17th-ranked team in 5A. The...
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At the end of two overtimes, the second-round state playoff game between the Box Elder High School boys soccer team and Woods Cross remained without a winner, and despite the Bees’ hot start in the game, Woods Cross finished strong in the shootout to advance in the state tournament and end the Bees’ season. Box Elder had beat the Wildcats twice in the regular season, and early on, it looked like the Bees would score one more win against them. Box Elder scored the first goal of the match inside the first two minutes when Nate Walker crossed to fellow...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved an ,500 funding request from the local corridor preservation fund (LCPF), to resurface 10400 North from S.R. 13 to the Tremonton border. In the proposal, Elwood Township will supply 2,500 of its own money for the project, which is 75% of the 0,000 cost. With the town putting up so much of its own money, the project won approval at the COG meeting, but still needed county approval to move forward. The LCPF was created in 2005 by an act of the Utah Legislature, and allows counties to charge up to ...
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A developer’s request to rezone 7.7 acres located off of Faust Valley Road in the Bothwell area was denied by the Box Elder County Commission at Wednesday’s meeting. The proposal was to remove the acreage from the current A20 (agricultural, 20-acre) zoning, and put two acres into general commercial, with the remaining 5.7 acres put into rural residential. Community development director Scott Lyons told the commissioners that the planning commission held a public hearing on the proposal at their last meeting, receiving universal condemnation from the public that attended. “We had between 10 and 20 people that showed up and...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved amendments to the county’s tax sale ordinance that tightens eligibility requirements for bidders. The county has the right to seize and auction off properties whose owners are delinquent on their property tax bills, but typically waits until those unpaid taxes are five years in arrears. Proceeds from that sale are then used to pay back taxes and late fees owed on the property, with any remaining money above what is owed refunded back to the property owner. The new requirements are that bidders must be at least 18 years of age, cannot...
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BEHS Lacrosse The Box Elder High School boys lacrosse team made their way all the way to the quarterfinals of last week’s 5A playoffs with a 25-0 win over West last Tuesday at home, then picked up a 15-13 win on the road over Wasatch on Thursday before bowing out of the playoffs on Saturday with a 17-10 loss to Brighton on Saturday. The Bees and Panthers squared off against each other in the first game of the season, with the Bees winning that first matchup, 16-1, and found even more success in the playoffs as 15 different players found...
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A bridge over the Bear River Canal in Tremonton, located on 12000 North east of State Road 13, has failed and is under repair, necessitating a road closure expected to last the majority of the summer. Box Elder County is advising motorists to use alternative routes, such as 11600 North or Tremonton’s Main Street (State Road 102), for eastbound travel from S.R. 13.
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At Wednesday’s Box Elder County Commission meeting, a new chapter was added to the county’s land-use ordinance specifying what types of outdoor lighting can be used in efforts to limit negative impacts on migratory birds. According to Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons, the change was proposed by a board member of Friends of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. “It [the proposed change] initially came with concerns about outdoor lighting, and the effects it has on migratory bird patterns.” Lyons told the commissioners. The person did a lot of research on the issue, and provided the county...
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On Thursday, members of the Brigham City Youth City Council (YCC) presented their experiences to the official Brigham City Council, recounting that the past year had been full of opportunities for growth and community engagement. The YCC, mirroring the structure of the Brigham City municipal government, comprises high school students who assume various roles: mayor, council members, directors, recorder, and treasurer. Under the guidance of advisor Linda Baugh, the group actively participates in community service projects while gaining insights into the workings of local and state governments. During their presentation, the youth council members described their activities from the previous...
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In a plea arrangement with prosecutors, on Wednesday, May 15, murder suspect James Brenner stood before First District Court Judge Brandon Maynard in Brigham City and admitted to killing young Lucin farmer Dylan Rounds in Box Elder County’s remote west desert in May of 2022. The plea deal required Brenner to lead deputies to Rounds’ body in exchange for dismissal of an April 2021 third-degree felony aggravated assault charge, dismissal of one of three second-degree felony charges of gun possession by a restricted person, the dismissal of a third-degree felony desecration of a human body charge, and a reduction on...
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Bear River Health Department executive director Jordan Mathis appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday, telling the commissioners that the department is financially stable and performing well in its mission to promote health and wellness for the residents of Cache, Box Elder and Rich counties. “The Bear River Health Department is fiscally responsible, we always operate within our budget,” said Mathis. Last year the health department spent .5 million, with revenues of .3 million. Of that total, 26% was expended on individual and family health services, 22% on strategy services, 19% on behavioral health services, 11% on environmental...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved a tentative 2024- 25 budget of .2 million across all four of the city’s funds. The total breaks down to ,267,361 in general fund spending, including a 0,000 transfer to capital projects, with 2,700 in capital projects spending, [post_excerpt],649,200 additional for the water department, and [post_excerpt],230,500 in the sewer department. A tentative budget is a framework where cities gather the needs and wants of various departments, match those up against anticipated revenues, and create a starting point for the mayor and city council to begin negotiating a final budget. Some cities’ final budgets...
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The Box Elder High School girls lacrosse team saw the deepest playoff run the team has ever had come to an end on Saturday in a 20-3 loss against Olympus. Before that, the Bees earned a bye in the first round, then took down Skyline, 14-11, last Thursday in Brigham City. The Bees and Eagles squared off in Brigham City after Skyline knocked out Region 5 competitor, Northridge, by a score of 19-5 in the first round of the 5A playoffs. The Bees came out as the early aggressors in the game and built a quick 4-1 lead in the...
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On Wednesday, May 29, officers from the Brigham City Police Department will join with officers from other county law enforcement agencies and local special athletes to carry the Special Olympics torch through town. The event will begin at 2 p.m. starting at 850 N. Main Street, and will run south from there to the church parking lot located west of McDonalds on Fishburn Drive. Local law enforcement agencies have been supporting the torch run, and the Special Olympics program, for 40 years. Residents are invited to come out and show these athletes their support. The torch will have passed through...
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Homeowners along the west side of Brigham City’s 700 West between 400 and 500 North now have more freedom to do what they’d like with their backyard property, as on Thursday the Brigham City Council voted to vacate the 16-foot backyard utility easements along that street. With the completion of 700 West, new utility easements adjacent to the public right-of-way were obtained, negating the need for the existing backyard easements. With proper permitting, property owners along the route may now place sheds or accessory dwellings in the former easement area. In addition to the easements along the west side of...
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Perry City’s council meeting last week was abruptly ended after hackers transmitted explicit videos in an increasing, and alarming, practice known as “Zoom-bombing.” Hackers with access to an online Zoom meeting will log in and disrupt it with racist or profane words, or graphic sexual messages and images. Many attacks originate from overseas, limiting law enforcement’s ability to track down the perpetrators. In this instance there were only two online participants, but recent events in Utah have attacked elementary schools, government meetings, and even a virtual poetry conference. Perry’s police department did try to investigate, but was unable to identify...
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Brigham City no longer owns the Tournament of Champions professional pickleball tournament, and will not sponsor or host it following action taken at the May 2 Brigham City Council meeting, where the council voted unanimously to terminate the contract for the tournament. Brigham City had strongly pursued the tournament, not only hosting it beginning in 2015, but taking ownership of it in 2019 from founder John Gullo. In 2020 the city constructed seven new courts in its pickleball complex at Rees Pioneer Park, bringing the total number to 24 lighted courts. City officials at that time believed that the future...
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The Brigham City Council has approved a resolution expressing “support” for expanding the Golden Spike Inland Port Project Area to include additional property, but just which property might be affected, and what company may be coming to develop them, were not disclosed to the public, or even council members. Brigham City’s economic development director, Paul Larsen, told the council the resolution was a request to add land to the inland port project area for “Project Charm.” He said discussions were ongoing about the project, but that he was not at liberty to disclose the name of the company involved in...
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The side roads are finished, most of the utility relocations have been completed, and physical construction of the actual bridge over the Union Pacific tracks on Forest Street is set to begin on time and under budget. Those were the pronouncements given by Brett Jones of Jones and Associates, the city’s engineering firm, to the Brigham City Council at the May 2 meeting. Jones said the 2020 engineering estimate for the entire project was million. The total raised slightly to .1 million with pre-construction estimates, but has now dipped to .8 million with all the bids returned, including .5...
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A Tremonton restaurant that has been serving patrons for nearly 60 years suffered extensive damage from what began as a kitchen fire on Saturday night. Customers and employees were all able to safely evacuate from Mack’s Family Drive In, located at 80 E. Main Street, when the blaze started shortly before 9:30 p.m. Firefighters from the Tremonton Fire Department responded immediately, and were soon joined by Garland firefighters, as well as law enforcement personnel from several departments who performed crowd and traffic control. “Crews found heavy smoke and fire immediately after entering the building,” said Tremonton Fire in a statement....
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As Honeyville grapples with plans to remove lead from the city’s water infrastructure over the next 10 years, other plans surrounding the city’s water use have been taking shape. First are updates to the city’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system which allows the city’s public works team to observe and maintain the city’s water tanks and pumps. Should trouble arise, the SCADA system would allow the city’s public works to quickly resolve the issue. Terry Wyatt of Golden Spike Electric was in attendance to answer council questions on the matter. He explained that the city’s water system is...
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A successful regular season culminated in championship trophies for both the boys and girls Box Elder High School track and field teams at the Region 5 meet held May 8-9 at Viewmont High School. The girls won their 11th consecutive region title by dominating the competition, and coming in 109 points ahead of their closest competitor. The boys rose to the challenge in a tight competition with Woods Cross and came away with their third consecutive region title. Next up for the championship Bees is the state meet this week, in which 30 Box Elder athletes have qualified to compete,...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team finished their regular season schedule on a high-note last week as the Bees swept Bonneville in their twogame series, securing a 6-0 win last Wednesday, and picking up a 15-9 win on the road on Thursday. The Bees then started their playoff run on Saturday and fell 8-3 to Cedar Valley in the opening game of the three-game series. Defense was the storyline for the Bees in their first game against the Lakers as three Box Elder pitchers combined to allow just one hit while ringing up 13 strikeouts. Senior Ryan Griffin picked...
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The Box Elder High School softball team finished up their regular season schedule with a dominant performance over Woods Cross last Wednesday, winning on the road in three innings, 17-2. The Bees posted 10 runs in the first inning alone behind a home run from senior Stevie Checketts, who went 2-for- 3 from the plate with three RBIs, and another two hits and four RBIs from junior Alexis Hales. The second inning was much the same for the Bees offense as they piled up seven more runs before the home team finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the...
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In their final game of the regular season on Tuesday, May 7, the Box Elder High School soccer team earned a win over Woods Cross, 3-2, and with it a share of the Region 5 title along with Roy. The Bees controlled the ball on the field most of the game, but their first goal didn’t come until the 27th minute when junior Colin Loveless crossed the ball from the outside. It hit two players and ricocheted to senior Jackson Faerber who found the back of the net. With only 1:15 left in the first half, a Box Elder defensive...
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Brigham City cemetery crews will begin preparing the cemetery for Memorial Day next Monday, May 20. Preparations including mowing, trimming and weeding, and usually take the entire week to complete. Sprinklers will be turned off beginning Friday afternoon and through the end of Memorial Day. The cemetery office will be staffed on Memorial Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to assist the public in finding graves. Due to heavy traffic those days, cemetery staff will not be able to assist in family genealogy. Cemetery cleanup will begin the Monday following Memorial Day. Anyone wanting to pick up decorations should...
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The Perry City Council voted to renew a ,000 contract with the Salt Lake lobbying firm Hemmco at last Thursday’s meeting. Under the terms of the contract, Hemmco will assist the city in procuring state funding for water infrastructure/development/ conservation from the Department of Natural Resources, expansion of the Perry City gun range, and funding for and development of a road connecting Williard Bay State Park to Forrest Street along the west side of I-15, as well other requests and projects. The firm helped the city obtain 0,000 in state grants last year that went for renovations of the new...
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Someone has been dumping construction debris in the retention basin in Granite Ridge subdivision, and Willard City wants it cleaned up. “Because the Granite Ridge subdivision has changed hands several times over the years, there’s some argument about who’s responsible for that,” said Mayor Travis Mote. “They’re being really slow and not coming to a conclusion to take care of it.” Mote suggested the city send a letter to the current owner, giving a deadline to have it cleaned up. If it’s not taken care of by that date, the city would clean it up and charge the cost to...
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The skeletal remains of a Fort Hall, Idaho, man who has been missing since 2019 were found by a shed antler hunter in the remote mountains southeast of Snowville on April 27. According to a press release by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office, the hunter came across the skeletal remains and called authorities. Deputies from the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office responded to investigate. Search and Rescue was called and recovered the remains, which were taken to the Utah Medical Examiner’s Office in Salt Lake City for identification and further investigation. Through dental records, the remains were identified as...
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The body of a 50-year-old Brigham City man that was reported as missing last November has been located in Idaho’s Bear Lake County. According to a press release from the Brigham City Police Department, Paul Illum’s body was found by the Bear Lake County, Idaho Sheriff’s Office, located in his car on private property on May 2. “The Bear Lake County Sheriff’s office reported that they had located Paul Illum inside his vehicle on private property,” read the release. “Paul was reported missing in November 2023 by his family. The Brigham City Police Department, Bear Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and...
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A series of small earthquakes centered east of the Promontory mountains and west of Little Mountain shook the Bear River Valley on Saturday, with the strongest of the tremors hitting 4.4 magnitude on the Richter scale late Sunday afternoon. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, earthquakes below 2.5 magnitude are not generally felt by humans, with those measuring between 4 and 5 capable of causing varying degrees of minor damage. Each point higher on the Richter scale equates to a tenfold increase in the strength of an earthquake. Measurements taken by University of Utah seismologists show the recent noticeable earthquake...
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Brigham City Mayor D.J. Bott introduced a proposed 0.8 million 2024-25 budget to the city council on Thursday, funding major construction of an overpass on Forest Street and other city needs, without an increase in property taxes. “We—meaning myself, city staff and our families—believe it or not, have listened to the public’s comments, in this meeting, at the grocery store, at my business, home, at church, and we’ve even dabbled into the frankly harsh and misinformed rumor mill we call social media,” said Bott. “We’re ever mindful of the impacts this budget will have on our community.” A large chunk...
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At Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, the council approved a request by a developer to narrow the frontage road north of 1100 South from 106 feet wide to 80 feet, essentially abandoning use of the road as a possible route to connect 1200 West and 1100 West. The decision will move a necessary future crossing between 1100 West and 1200 West further north across what is currently agricultural land, a scenario vehemently opposed by landowners in the area. That future road, which will eventually host the Historic Orchard Pathway Trail and become a major north/south traffic artery, will enable west-side...
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Box Elder Middle School in Brigham City was placed under lockdown on Thursday for approximately 10 minutes due to an “abundance of caution.” According to the Brigham City Police Department, dispatch had received calls regarding a possibly suicidal person present at the park adjacent to the school, and the lockdown was implemented in order to prevent any situations from getting out of control. The individual was located within a few minutes, and the situation was resolved without incident. “The Brigham City Police Department is dedicated to the safety of our community and children,” wrote BCPD’s Detective Crystal Beck. “Therefore it...
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When Ryan Griffin sent the ball over the fence on Tuesday, April 30, it was more than just a two-RBI homer that contributed to Box Elder’s 10-0 win over Northridge. That ball marked a significant milestone for the fouryear varsity starter since it was Griffin’s 100th hit of his career. Only two other Box Elder players to record 100 career hits, as far as the school’s existing records show, are Connor Udy and Dylan Rodriguez. The Utah high school state record for career hits is 158, and the top 10 of that list starts at 131 hits. In the Bees’...
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After the Box Elder High School recognized the seniors on the team, they managed to earn a narrow victory over Northridge, 2-1, in overtime. Three days later, the Bees earned a measure of revenge over Bonneville with a 5-0 victory. Box Elder dominated play, but the Bees’ first goal wasn’t scored until 10 minutes remained in the first half, when Landon Lloyd passed from the outside to a charging Nasch Palmer, who put it past the Knight’s keeper. Minutes later, the Knights won a penalty shot and a chance to tie the game, however, the try sailed high and Box...
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Editor: As a part of honoring our veterans and in conjunction with Brigham City Community Center, we are seeking individuals and groups who quilt and who would like to participate in honoring our veterans. In 2023, Brigham City Community Center sponsored a Veterans Banquet and Award Ceremony for local veterans where they were honored with a meal, entertainment and a small token of our community’s appreciation. Each year, local veterans are nominated to receive an award for their continued service to the community and other veterans after their original service discharge. Last year we had 15 interview nominations with approximately...
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The Box Elder High School boys tennis team earned a third-place finish at the Region 5 tournament last Wednesday and Thursday. It is the highest region finish since joining the region with Woods Cross, Bountiful and Viewmont. The Bees got contributions from all five varsity spots to earn their team finish. At first singles, freshman Ryan Jenson lost a first-round match, but bounced back with two victories in the consolation bracket and finished fifth. Second singles player, senior Kyler Hankins, won his first-round match and had a good showing against two talented players to finish fourth. At third singles, senior...
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Beehive Mile set, location changed The annual Beehive Mile race for 4th and 5th graders, sponsored by Dan Price State Farm Insurance and the Box Elder High School cross country team will be held Friday, May 10, at 5:30 p.m. This year, the race will be held on 200 East and approximately 900 South, behind the Utah State University Brigham City building located at 989 S. Main Street. There is no cost to participate in the race, and pre-registration has already occurred at individual schools, but late registration will be available from 4:30 to 5 p.m. the day of the...
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The Box Elder High School girls lacrosse team picked up two more seemingly easy region wins last week as the team dispatched of Northridge, 13-5, last Wednesday in Layton, before celebrating senior night on Friday before blasting Bonneville 17-3. The Bees took an early lead against the Knights on Wednesday, but couldn’t find enough offensive consistency to put the game away until the fourth quarter. The Bees were up 5-2 at the halftime break and carried a slim lead into the final quarter before the offense started clicking and racked up four goals in the first four minutes to give...
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The Box Elder High School boys lacrosse team split a pair of region games last week, suffering a 15-6 loss at the hands of Northridge last Tuesday on the road, before bouncing back with a 16-1 trouncing of Bonneville at home on Thursday. The Bees struggled to find much offensive rhythm against the Knights throughout the game and were held to single-digit goals for just the third time this season. Senior Nathan Pugsley and junior Seth Ashcroft each scored twice in the game to lead the Bees, but couldn’t ever mount much of a comeback late in the game after...
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It is not unusual to find a baby bird on the ground during this time of year. Many birds are hatching and often leave their nests before they are able to fly. Some may also be blown out of nests during spring thunderstorms. The most common baby birds that people find are robins and swallows. If you find a baby bird on the ground, there are a few things you should do. Put it back in the nest if it doesn’t have feathers If the bird is very small and still featherless, place it back in its nest. If the...
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Visit Golden Spike National Historical Park May 10 and 11, for the commemoration of the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. Hear the incredible stories of those who came before as we take an opportunity to learn about and reflect on how an event over 150 years ago still holds lessons for us to today. Special guests include Northwestern Band of Shoshone, Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association, Hibernian Society of Utah, Spike 150 Foundation, and many more. The Golden Spike Monument will be installed in Brigham City will have a stop on the Jupiter Tour at the National Historical Park. Park entrance...
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Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes took some time at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting to introduce a new officer to the city, and to conduct the traditional badge-pinning ceremony welcoming the officer to the community. Reyes told the council that the department had been fully staffed until a newly-recruited officer found that policing wasn’t for him. “It was actually a stroke of luck for us, because we’re trading a new officer who was just barely out of the academy for an officer who has a vast amount of experience. He’s a lateral master officer for us from Logan City...
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Brigham City Recreation Manager Jackie Wardle has been recognized as an “Outstanding Recreation Professional” by the Utah Recreation and Parks Association (URPA). Wardle was honored at a St. George banquet held by the association in March, and again at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting. URPA is a 73-year-old professional organization whose goal is to support and promote the growth, development and preservation of recreation, leisure, parks, and natural resources in the State of Utah. “As you know, you have a tremendous employee in Jackie Wardle,” former URPA President Jamie Young told the council. “She was selected from a very long...
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Judge Kevin Christensen, who serves in the Box Elder County, Tremonton City, Brigham City, Garland City, and Willard City justice courts, was recently selected as Justice Court Judge of the Year at the 2024 Justice Court Judge Conference. Nominations recounted the acts of service Christensen has performed throughout his community, including taking on the responsibility of coaching Box Elder High School’s mock trial team for many years, among many, many, other acts of service that he performed anonymously. In presenting the award, it was said that “Judge Christensen is a man of integrity, and a stellar example of an extraordinary...
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For the second city council meeting in a row, multiple Brigham City residents rose during the May 2 public comment period to complain about noise from the Steves and Sons door factory on north Main Street. Les Barker told the council that he lives near the factory’s loading dock, and is awakened by the facilities fan as early as 3:20 a.m. on some days, and 4:30 a.m. on others. Barker said the sound is like “jet engines that are beginning to ignite,” and continued that the noise continues late into the night, as late as 10:30 p.m., and “often to...
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A small gathering of approximately 20 Brigham City residents attended a meeting on Thursday night at the Brigham Academy Conference Center, learning about the city’s plans to organize, and eventually spin-off, its Main Street revitalization program. Operating in conjunction with the Utah Main Street Program, sponsored by The Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, as well as the national Main Street America, the goal of the city’s program is to create a core group of small business owners and community leaders that will band together to push through changes and improvements that will lead to a rebirth of the city’s downtown...
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At Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting, Willard resident Mark Murphy brought a pothole outside his home to the council’s attention. “This pothole resides at 200 West, just north of 100 South,” Murphy began. “This pothole has reached the dimensions of 28 inches by 15 inches by four inches deep. Many times during the night I’ve heard vehicles right outside my window hitting this pothole and making a lot of noise.” Mayor Travis Mote addressed the pothole issue, telling Murphy that the city had been waiting for the local asphalt plant to open before it could begin filling them in, which...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved three separate road maintenance bids totaling 9,865 for upkeep of city streets. The first bid of 0,235 was from Staker & Parson for chip and seal along 200 West, the Bailey subdivision, 300 East, Granite Ridge, Deer Run, Three Peaks, 250 West and 1050 North. A second bid of 9,417 from Post Asphalt is for road expansion, mill and overlay for 200 South from U.S. Highway 89 to 100 East. The third bid, also from Post Asphalt for ,213, is for milling edges, leveling and overlay along 200 South from 100 East to...
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The Southwest corner of 100 East and 100 South is getting a new look. The old Trailside convenience store has been demolished to make room for a new mixed-use building that will house office space on the bottom level and residential units on upper floors.
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Brigham Suicide Prevention, Intermountain Healthcare, Young Ford Brigham and AFSP Utah are pleased to announce that they will be hosting Dr. Matt Townsend, who will discuss Promoting Positive Family Communication and Teen Resiliency, on Tuesday, May 7, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. at Utah State University Brigham City, 989 S. Main Street. This is event is family friendly and refreshments will be served. Door prizes will also be awarded. For more than two decades, Dr. Matt Townsend has been energizing and educating audiences with his unique lessons on life, love and leadership. Known as one of America’s top presenters in...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team found themselves on opposite sides of a pair of 5-3 games last week, beating Woods Cross on the road on Monday, April 22, and losing at home on Wednesday by the same score. In Monday’s game, the Bees were able to bookend their performance with two runs in the first inning and two more in the sixth to push themselves over the top. Senior Ryan Griffin made his lone hit of the game count as he blasted his first home run of the season and had two RBIs with one swing of the...
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Over the past two very busy weeks, the Box Elder High School boys tennis team piled up the victories, going 3-1 in region dual matches before taking third place with a 3-1 record at a 10-team tournament in Spanish Fork. The Bees pulled off an upset against Bountiful on April 16, with wins at first and second doubles and third singles. Preston Braegger and James Lee have held down the first doubles spot most of the year, consistently showing they can win big matches. Second doubles, now with Trevor Wilkinson and Tate Klein, are expected to make a deep run...
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The past week brought a little more clarity to the national and state Republican races, while the decision of a Box Elder County Commissioner to withdraw from consideration for a fourth term has shaken up the local race. Current Box Elder County Commissioner Stan Summers, first elected to sit on the three-member commission in 2012, issued a statement on Monday citing personal reasons for leaving the race. “After much thought and discussion with my family, I am writing to share my decision to withdraw from the Box Elder County Commissioner race,” wrote Summers on his social media page. “This has...
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The Box Elder High School soccer team won big and lost small in two contests in Bountiful last week, putting up their highest winning margin of the year, 4-1, against the Redhawks before dropping a one-goal affair, 1-2, against the Vikings. Prior to the Bees’ game against the Redhawks, each of their seven victories have been by one goal, but a dominant performance by the Bees changed that. The scoring began in the 20th minute when a shot ricocheted off the cross bar and hung in the air long enough for Box Elder senior Spenser Saunders to put his head...
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Nucor celebrated the opening of a significant expansion to its operations in Brigham City last Tuesday with a public event. Nucor Corporation has been a member of the Box Elder County business community for more than 40 years after opening its Vulcraft steel joist facility in Brigham City in 1981. The newest addition, a Metl- Span insulated metal panel manufacturing facility, will be joining several existing operations on Nucor’s growing Brigham City campus, including, Nucor Buildings Group-Utah (metal buildings), Nucor Cold Finish Utah (cold finished bar products) and Nucor Wire Products Utah (steel mesh). The 127,000 square-foot Metl-Span addition represents...
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In 1988, George Bush Sr. was campaigning against Michael Dukakis for President of the United States, George Michael had the biggest song of the year with “Faith,” at the box office “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” was the must see movie, the Ford Escort was America’s best-selling car, and Dave Burnett began his career with Brigham City in the power department. Thirty-six years later, Burnett is hanging up his pole hooks for good and retiring as Brigham City’s director of public power, a position he’s held for the last 15 years. “It was just time, really,” Burnett told the News Journal...
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By Nelson Phillips Staff writer nphillips@benewsjournal.com Following years of legal maneuvering, the owner of a local restaurant has entered into a plea arrangement with Box Elder County prosecutors, admitting to two third-degree felony charges in exchange for several more serious charges being dropped. Dustin Brent Rallison, 38, of Roy, owns Rusted Spoon restaurants with locations in both Ogden and Perry. Rallison was originally charged in March of 2019 with one count of first-degree felony object rape, three counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse, three third-degree felony counts of aggravated assault, and four class A misdemeanor charges of sexual battery,...
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The Box Elder High School boys volleyball team suffered a pair of region setbacks last week as the Bees fell to Woods Cross in five sets last Tuesday, and lost to Viewmont in four sets. Tuesday’s match against the Wildcats played out in a game of runs as each side found success for stretches followed by lulls that allowed the other team to climb back in it. Woods Cross drew first blood by taking the first set 25-19 behind senior outside hitter Khang Tran, who finished with a team-high 11 kills. The Bees fired back in the second set behind...
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The Box Elder High School boys soccer team fell against Roy in the Bees’ first shutout loss of the year last week, before earning their second win of the season over Clearfield. On Tuesday, April 16, the Royals scored the only goal of the match in the 23rd minute off a free kick that came from five yards behind the center field line. A Royal’s defensive back kicked the ball 55 yards in the air while all players were sprinting toward the goal. A Royal striker managed to get his head under the ball, and it bounced to the only...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a request by Tremonton City and Box Elder County for ,000 in Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF) money to create a transportation master plan for the city, and adjoining county areas surrounding it. The Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF) was created in 2005 by an act of the Utah Legislature, and allows counties to charge up to extra for each vehicle registered in that county. Those proceeds are held by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and administered by local county councils and commissions. The funds raised in a county are...
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A renovation project will close the northern parking lot at Brigham City Hall for approximately six weeks, which will prohibit access into the building from the north side. Two spots in the southwest corner of the eastern lot have been reserved for ADA parking and to ensure access to the ADA ramp. It is recommended that the public enter the building through the south doors if possible. Those who want to use the walk-up payment drop box or need to avoid stairs will need to access the north side of the building from the east.
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Responding to a News Journal inquiry regarding several noise complaints raised by residents in at the most recent Brigham City Council meeting, Steves and Sons Vice President Tres Steves issued the following statement: “At Steves & Sons, we are committed to being great neighbors. While we are in compliance with city code, we are taking proactive steps to address the concerns recently raised at the Brigham City Council meeting. We are working with an external company to conduct a comprehensive noise assessment and determine how we could reduce noise levels. We will also relocate an outdoor common area away from...
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The Box Elder County Commission awarded 9,800 in Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB) grants on April 3 to various recipients. The grants are funded through two separate taxes, a 4.25% tax on hotel stays and a 1% tax on restaurant bills. One-fifth of the taxes collected each year can be used to issue grants to support projects which promote tourism within the county. Each year the advisory board, made up of a mix of elected and appointed county officials and local business leaders, looks through and ranks applications received for the grants, and then recommends to the county commission...
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A Roy man with an extensive history of drug and theft charges has been arrested following several car thefts in Tremonton, a highspeed police chase, and an area manhunt on the outskirts of Brigham City involving multiple local law enforcement agencies. Joshua Andrew Sotomayor, 32, Roy, is currently being held at the Box Elder County Jail facing multiple felony charges including auto theft, evasion, reckless driving, drug possession, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of a firearm by a restricted person. The charges stem from several incidents that took place on the morning of Thursday, April 18, when Tremonton/Garland...
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Brigham City Recreation presented the Diamonds and Denim daddy-daughter dance, which was held at the Brigham City Community Center on Saturday evening. There was a large crowd in attendance and promises for an even better event next year from Brigham City Recreation.
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Business and civic leaders from all over Box Elder County gathered for the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce’s 118th annual awards banquet on Friday night, honoring several notable people and organizations in business and public service. The event was held in the Fine Arts Building at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds in Tremonton, where well over 120 chamber members came to see their peers and colleagues recognized for their contributions to the communities and economy of Box Elder County. Business-Person of the Year Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah JeuneElle Jeffries was selected as...
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A study partially funded by Box Elder County has concluded that the Bear River generates an estimated [post_excerpt].95 billion in economic activity across the 10 Utah, Idaho and Wyoming counties that comprise the river’s watershed. The study, titled “Regional Economic Values of the Bear River,” was conducted by Conservation Economics and ECONorthwest, and was commissioned and funded by Cache Water District, Bear River Water Conservancy District, Utah Division of Water Resources, Great Salt Lake Advisory Council, Box Elder County, Blacksmith Fork Conservation District, North Cache Conservation District, Northern Utah Conservation District, Bear River Water Users Association, and Cache County. Its...
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The Box Elder High School girls lacrosse team secured a pair of region wins last week with a 15-2 victory over Roy at home on Tuesday before beating Clearfield on the road, 8-5, on Thursday. The Royals came into Tuesday’s game with a 1-8 record and the Bees made sure not to give them any confidence early as they went up 5-1 by halftime, then poured in 10 goals in the second half to blow the game open. Senior attacker Brielle Braegger owned the offensive end of the field while recording five goals and four assists to lead the charge...
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The Box Elder High School boys lacrosse team picked up two key region wins last week, beating Roy on Tuesday, April 16, 13-12, and dispatching Clearfield, 11-3, at home. The game against the Royals was a back-and-forth affair until the final horn as each team scored three goals in every quarter until the end, when the Bees were able to find a fourth goal that proved to be the game winner. Senior Nathan Pugsley led the way with three goals and three assists on the night while fellow seniors Christian Gardner and Tucker Peterson joined in with hat tricks of...
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Brigham City is beginning the process of updating its general plan, and the public will have a variety of opportunities to participate over the next several months. A general plan is a detailed document that outlines what a city wants to become and sets a path to guide decisions about future development, including parks and open space, transportation corridors and traffic management, housing, commerce, and more. Brigham City’s current general plan was created in 2017. Mayor D.J. Bott challenges residents to become engaged in the process through available workshops, surveys, and public meetings and to get out and “dream” about...
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An extended break in the middle of the season can either help or hurt a team, and in the case of the Box Elder High School boys soccer team, it appeared to have the latter effect. In their first game following spring break, on Tuesday, April 9, the Bees looked a bit sluggish and lethargic against Bonneville, with the Lakers coming out on top, 5-2. It also didn’t help that three of the Bees’ starting defensive players were sitting on the bench against the region’s second-ranked and highest scoring team. The Lakers were in top form against the then-undefeated Bees,...
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In a highly successful week, the Box Elder High School boys tennis team won two region duals and went undefeated in their own multi-team tournament. On Tuesday, April 9, the Bees were on the road and swept Roy, 5-0. Bryce Brotherson, Isaac Dutson and AJ Jex all competed in varsity matches and won. On Thursday, the Bees defeated Clearfield 3-2. The Bees lost at first and second singles, but won the three other matches to take the team win. Saturday Box Elder hosted Tooele, Morgan and Richfield in a four-team tournament. The Bees cruised through the tournament, completing a perfect...
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Brigham City is beginning the process of updating its general plan, and the public will have a variety of opportunities to participate over the next several months. A general plan is a detailed document that outlines what a city wants to become and sets a path to guide decisions about future development, including parks and open space, transportation corridors and traffic management, housing, commerce, and more. Brigham City’s current general plan was created in 2017. Mayor D.J. Bott challenges residents to become engaged in the process through available workshops, surveys, and public meetings and to get out and “dream” about...
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An extended break in the middle of the season can either help or hurt a team, and in the case of the Box Elder High School boys soccer team, it appeared to have the latter effect. In their first game following spring break, on Tuesday, April 9, the Bees looked a bit sluggish and lethargic against Bonneville, with the Lakers coming out on top, 5-2. It also didn’t help that three of the Bees’ starting defensive players were sitting on the bench against the region’s second-ranked and highest scoring team. The Lakers were in top form against the then-undefeated Bees,...
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In a highly successful week, the Box Elder High School boys tennis team won two region duals and went undefeated in their own multi-team tournament. On Tuesday, April 9, the Bees were on the road and swept Roy, 5-0. Bryce Brotherson, Isaac Dutson and AJ Jex all competed in varsity matches and won. On Thursday, the Bees defeated Clearfield 3-2. The Bees lost at first and second singles, but won the three other matches to take the team win. Saturday Box Elder hosted Tooele, Morgan and Richfield in a four-team tournament. The Bees cruised through the tournament, completing a perfect...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team knew they’d have work cut out for them coming off spring break as the team was scheduled to hit the road to face the top team in 5A, Viewmont last Monday and Wednesday. The Vikings proved why they sit at the top of the RPI rankings as they took both games from the Bees 10-0 and 11-4. The Bees came back on Friday and knocked off Bountiful in the first game of their region series, 7-3, then took a break from region play and beat Mountain Crest, 11-9, on Saturday. The Vikings found...
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The Box Elder High School softball team got a rude welcome back from spring break last Tuesday when Bonneville came into Brigham City and left with a 9-2 win. The Bees bounced back later in the week with convincing wins over Sky View, Woods Cross, and Viewmont In Tuesday’s game, the Bees had a hard time stringing hits together against senior ace Chandlyr Noble. Noble pitched a complete game and gave up just seven hits while striking out six batters to record her 10th win of the year. Bees’ senior ace Kellie Malan got in the largest amount of work...
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This rendering (top left) shows the concept for the visitor’s welcome center that will be built on the newly established Golden Spike State Monument in Brigham City. The welcome center was announced at a ceremony last week where Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed a concurrent resolution to create the state monument, which is about 40 miles east of the Golden Spike National Historic Park. The building, made possible by a [post_excerpt].5 million donation from Utah philanthropists Karen and Scott Keller, is intended to “serve as a destination for visitors to learn about attractions and adventures throughout the state,” and be...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team knew they’d have work cut out for them coming off spring break as the team was scheduled to hit the road to face the top team in 5A, Viewmont last Monday and Wednesday. The Vikings proved why they sit at the top of the RPI rankings as they took both games from the Bees 10-0 and 11-4. The Bees came back on Friday and knocked off Bountiful in the first game of their region series, 7-3, then took a break from region play and beat Mountain Crest, 11-9, on Saturday. The Vikings found...
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The Box Elder High School softball team got a rude welcome back from spring break last Tuesday when Bonneville came into Brigham City and left with a 9-2 win. The Bees bounced back later in the week with convincing wins over Sky View, Woods Cross, and Viewmont In Tuesday’s game, the Bees had a hard time stringing hits together against senior ace Chandlyr Noble. Noble pitched a complete game and gave up just seven hits while striking out six batters to record her 10th win of the year. Bees’ senior ace Kellie Malan got in the largest amount of work...
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The Utah Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed that skeletal remains found in the Lucin area of Box Elder County’s west desert are those of Dylan Rounds. An announcement made April 9 by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office stated that remains presumed to be Rounds had been located and were being identified by the medical examiner. The FBI assisted the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office in processing the area for evidence and recovering the remains. On April 10, the remains were positively identified as Rounds. Although there has been no official confirmation from Box Elder County authorities, family members have...
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The first public meeting on developing a county-wide water master plan (CWMP) was held Thursday evening at the Utah State University campus in Brigham City. A 2022 Utah law requires counties and municipalities to have water master plans integrated into their own general plans by December 2025. Box Elder County, however, together with the Bear River Water Conservancy District, is striving to come up with a county wide water plan that can then be adopted by each municipality, if they choose, to fulfill that requirement. County planning for future water sourcing and use has been going on for some time...
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It was standing room only for Honeyville’s city council meeting, but it wasn’t for an item on the agenda. Rather, it was the concerns of resident Earl Taylor regarding enforcement of a city ordinance that asked residents to clean up their properties, that brought out the crowd. The city’s ordinance, “Nuisances on Property,” stipulates that any resident found to have “lumber, junk, trash or debris” or “abandoned, discarded or unused objects” on their property must remove the offending nuisances within 30 days of receiving notice. Failure to comply can result in a class C misdemeanor charge for each offence. During...
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The Utah Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed that skeletal remains found in the Lucin area of Box Elder County’s west desert are those of Dylan Rounds. An announcement made April 9 by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office stated that remains presumed to be Rounds had been located and were being identified by the medical examiner. The FBI assisted the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office in processing the area for evidence and recovering the remains. On April 10, the remains were positively identified as Rounds. Although there has been no official confirmation from Box Elder County authorities, family members have...
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The first public meeting on developing a county-wide water master plan (CWMP) was held Thursday evening at the Utah State University campus in Brigham City. A 2022 Utah law requires counties and municipalities to have water master plans integrated into their own general plans by December 2025. Box Elder County, however, together with the Bear River Water Conservancy District, is striving to come up with a county wide water plan that can then be adopted by each municipality, if they choose, to fulfill that requirement. County planning for future water sourcing and use has been going on for some time...
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It was standing room only for Honeyville’s city council meeting, but it wasn’t for an item on the agenda. Rather, it was the concerns of resident Earl Taylor regarding enforcement of a city ordinance that asked residents to clean up their properties, that brought out the crowd. The city’s ordinance, “Nuisances on Property,” stipulates that any resident found to have “lumber, junk, trash or debris” or “abandoned, discarded or unused objects” on their property must remove the offending nuisances within 30 days of receiving notice. Failure to comply can result in a class C misdemeanor charge for each offence. During...
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This rendering (top left) shows the concept for the visitor’s welcome center that will be built on the newly established Golden Spike State Monument in Brigham City. The welcome center was announced at a ceremony last week where Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed a concurrent resolution to create the state monument, which is about 40 miles east of the Golden Spike National Historic Park. The building, made possible by a [post_excerpt].5 million donation from Utah philanthropists Karen and Scott Keller, is intended to “serve as a destination for visitors to learn about attractions and adventures throughout the state,” and be...
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Fortunes for the once-embattled Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) fiber-optic internet network continue to dramatically improve, but both Brigham City and Perry are still on the hook for a significant portion of original bond debt dating back to 2004. In 2024 Brigham City will have a bond payment of 4,699, and Perry will make a payment of 1,169 on that original bond debt. Payments will continue to rise each year until those bonds reach maturity in 2041. UTOPIA Chief Financial Officer Jason Roberts appeared before the Brigham City Council on Thursday, and along with Chief Executive Officer Roger Timmerman...
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The above photo, taken in Rangeley, Maine, shows the “diamond ring” from Monday’s eclipse, while Brigham City got a fraction of totality, as seen through a colander.
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A steering committee dedicated to creating a mountain bike park on city-owned land in the area surrounding Perry City’s Mountain View Park unveiled an initial draft plan for the project at the March 28 city council meeting. The draft plan was put together by an advisory council consisting of Perry councilmembers David Walker and Nathan Tueller, Perry City Po- lice Chief Scott Hancey, local teen riders and amateur jump builders Daemon Davis and Kenny Riding, coach Jason Munns of the Box Elder Mountain Bike Team, experienced rider and jump builder Philip Barker, and Aaron O’Brien with local bike shop Pronghorn...
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A Riverdale man died on Saturday after his car drove through a brick wall of a building on Forest Street in Brigham City. According to the Brigham City Police Department, at approximately 10:30 p.m. a car being driven by 20-year-old Brendyn Miller crashed into a building located at 807 W. Forest Street. The car went through the wall, struck a gas line in the building, causing a fire. A portion of the building collapsed onto the car. When Brigham City police and firefighters arrived on the scene, the car and building were fully engulfed in fire. The cause of the...
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Two women who have spent countless hours bettering their communities and making children’s futures brighter will be honored at the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet on Friday, April 19. Beth Allen, who has lived in Box Elder County for the past 58 years will be honored as Total Citizen of the Year, and JeuneElle Jeffries, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah will receive the chamber’s Businessperson of the Year Award. Throughout her 58 years in the county, Allen has been fiercely dedicated to kids and her community. As an employee at Box Elder...
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Fortunes for the once-embattled Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) fiber-optic internet network continue to dramatically improve, but both Brigham City and Perry are still on the hook for a significant portion of original bond debt dating back to 2004. In 2024 Brigham City will have a bond payment of 4,699, and Perry will make a payment of 1,169 on that original bond debt. Payments will continue to rise each year until those bonds reach maturity in 2041. UTOPIA Chief Financial Officer Jason Roberts appeared before the Brigham City Council on Thursday, and along with Chief Executive Officer Roger Timmerman...
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The above photo, taken in Rangeley, Maine, shows the “diamond ring” from Monday’s eclipse, while Brigham City got a fraction of totality, as seen through a colander.
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A steering committee dedicated to creating a mountain bike park on city-owned land in the area surrounding Perry City’s Mountain View Park unveiled an initial draft plan for the project at the March 28 city council meeting. The draft plan was put together by an advisory council consisting of Perry councilmembers David Walker and Nathan Tueller, Perry City Po- lice Chief Scott Hancey, local teen riders and amateur jump builders Daemon Davis and Kenny Riding, coach Jason Munns of the Box Elder Mountain Bike Team, experienced rider and jump builder Philip Barker, and Aaron O’Brien with local bike shop Pronghorn...
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A Riverdale man died on Saturday after his car drove through a brick wall of a building on Forest Street in Brigham City. According to the Brigham City Police Department, at approximately 10:30 p.m. a car being driven by 20-year-old Brendyn Miller crashed into a building located at 807 W. Forest Street. The car went through the wall, struck a gas line in the building, causing a fire. A portion of the building collapsed onto the car. When Brigham City police and firefighters arrived on the scene, the car and building were fully engulfed in fire. The cause of the...
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Two women who have spent countless hours bettering their communities and making children’s futures brighter will be honored at the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet on Friday, April 19. Beth Allen, who has lived in Box Elder County for the past 58 years will be honored as Total Citizen of the Year, and JeuneElle Jeffries, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah will receive the chamber’s Businessperson of the Year Award. Throughout her 58 years in the county, Allen has been fiercely dedicated to kids and her community. As an employee at Box Elder...
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Brigham City has contracted with an audiologist to assist the city in addressing noise produced at the Steve’s & Sons manufacturing plant at 1080 N. Main Street, which has generated complaints from area residents. The residents spoke during public comment period at the council meeting, asking the city to help the company abide by the city’s noise ordinance. “It’s the noise; it’s unbearable most of the time,” said Brent Chamberlain, a resident in the Kotter Canyon neighborhood. “On cloudy days it’s even worse, it really carries up the mountain. You can hear it on walks if you go up the...
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Brigham City has contracted with an audiologist to assist the city in addressing noise produced at the Steve’s & Sons manufacturing plant at 1080 N. Main Street, which has generated complaints from area residents. The residents spoke during public comment period at the council meeting, asking the city to help the company abide by the city’s noise ordinance. “It’s the noise; it’s unbearable most of the time,” said Brent Chamberlain, a resident in the Kotter Canyon neighborhood. “On cloudy days it’s even worse, it really carries up the mountain. You can hear it on walks if you go up the...
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The U.S. Air Force will begin this month destroying old or obsolete rocket motors from the U.S. Department of Defense at the Utah Test and Training Range. Occasionally, residents can hear or feel those explosions, despite efforts to not alarm or disturb residents. “We want to do this work without adversely affecting our neighbors and the environment,” said Amanda Burton, the 75th Civil Engineer Group’s environmental branch chief. Using current atmospheric and weather conditions and predictive modeling, the Air Force determines if conditions are acceptable for a detonation. If the model predicts that sound is going to be louder than...
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Overcrowding issues at the Brigham City Animal Shelter resulted in the Willard City Council approving a limited agreement for animal control services at its March 28 meeting. A two-year contract was supposed to have been approved last year, but Willard never got around to ratifying it. Brigham City will honor the bulk of the original contract, but only for one year instead of two. Willard Mayor Travis Mote reported that he had received a letter from Brigham City indicating that the animal shelter was at capacity for dogs and that Brigham City is not agreeing to any new contract renewals....
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On recommendation from Police Chief Chad Reyes, the Brigham City Council has made changes to the city’s bail schedules, both increasing and decreasing the severity of various violations. “Recently we re-codified all of our codes, and that prompted me to go through and look at our ordinances that we have,” said Reyes at Thursday’s council meeting. “In that process, we recognized that some of our ordinances haven’t been updated in 20 years, and a lot of them had penalty levels that were out of line with the level of offense.” Working together with Mayor D.J. Bott, city attorney Mike Christiansen,...
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On recommendation from Police Chief Chad Reyes, the Brigham City Council has made changes to the city’s bail schedules, both increasing and decreasing the severity of various violations. “Recently we re-codified all of our codes, and that prompted me to go through and look at our ordinances that we have,” said Reyes at Thursday’s council meeting. “In that process, we recognized that some of our ordinances haven’t been updated in 20 years, and a lot of them had penalty levels that were out of line with the level of offense.” Working together with Mayor D.J. Bott, city attorney Mike Christiansen,...
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Overcrowding issues at the Brigham City Animal Shelter resulted in the Willard City Council approving a limited agreement for animal control services at its March 28 meeting. A two-year contract was supposed to have been approved last year, but Willard never got around to ratifying it. Brigham City will honor the bulk of the original contract, but only for one year instead of two. Willard Mayor Travis Mote reported that he had received a letter from Brigham City indicating that the animal shelter was at capacity for dogs and that Brigham City is not agreeing to any new contract renewals....
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In order to accommodate construction of the Forest Street railroad overpass, Brigham City and Big J Mills are trading two parcels of land. The parcel that Brigham City is giving to Big J, approximately 0.781 acres of Watkins Park property along Forest Street, is to allow the company to continue to have road access in and out of their yard once the overpass is built. In return, Big J is ceding a 0.067 acre parcel located to the south of their yard back to the city, in order to allow for the construction of a city roadway. As part of...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a corridor preservation funding reimbursement request by Perry City for [post_excerpt].8 million. The previously approved funding was to allow Perry City to purchase property for a road extension along 1200 South from 450 West to U.S. Highway 89. “The funding awarded was [post_excerpt],787,000, but they came in about ,000 under budget on the project,” said Community Development Director Scott Lyons. “They’ve provided all of the appropriate paperwork for the reimbursement, having completed the project.” The Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF) was created in 2005 by an act of the Utah Legislature, and...
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The May 1 public meeting for the Box Elder County Commission will not take place as scheduled, as the commissioners will be attending a Utah Association of Counties meeting. In order to accommodate this change and still hold two meetings in May, the commission will hold the May 15 at 5 p.m., with another meeting scheduled for May 29 at 11:30 a.m.
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The U.S. Air Force will begin this month destroying old or obsolete rocket motors from the U.S. Department of Defense at the Utah Test and Training Range. Occasionally, residents can hear or feel those explosions, despite efforts to not alarm or disturb residents. “We want to do this work without adversely affecting our neighbors and the environment,” said Amanda Burton, the 75th Civil Engineer Group’s environmental branch chief. Using current atmospheric and weather conditions and predictive modeling, the Air Force determines if conditions are acceptable for a detonation. If the model predicts that sound is going to be louder than...
Article Link
In order to accommodate construction of the Forest Street railroad overpass, Brigham City and Big J Mills are trading two parcels of land. The parcel that Brigham City is giving to Big J, approximately 0.781 acres of Watkins Park property along Forest Street, is to allow the company to continue to have road access in and out of their yard once the overpass is built. In return, Big J is ceding a 0.067 acre parcel located to the south of their yard back to the city, in order to allow for the construction of a city roadway. As part of...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a corridor preservation funding reimbursement request by Perry City for [post_excerpt].8 million. The previously approved funding was to allow Perry City to purchase property for a road extension along 1200 South from 450 West to U.S. Highway 89. “The funding awarded was [post_excerpt],787,000, but they came in about ,000 under budget on the project,” said Community Development Director Scott Lyons. “They’ve provided all of the appropriate paperwork for the reimbursement, having completed the project.” The Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF) was created in 2005 by an act of the Utah Legislature, and...
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The May 1 public meeting for the Box Elder County Commission will not take place as scheduled, as the commissioners will be attending a Utah Association of Counties meeting. In order to accommodate this change and still hold two meetings in May, the commission will hold the May 15 at 5 p.m., with another meeting scheduled for May 29 at 11:30 a.m.
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday waived 0 in county fees for use of the arena at the fairgrounds in order to hold a fundraiser for Tanner Haviland. Haviland, a well-known horse trainer in the county, recently underwent transplant surgery for a kidney and a pancreas, and his friends in the equestrian community are holding a team branding competition at the fairgrounds on April 11, with proceeds going to help the Haviland family with medical bills. More information about this and other fundraisers can be found at the Tanner Haviland Transplant Fund page on Facebook.
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At the March 28 meeting the Perry City Council gave special recognition to one young citizen, as well as a long-time city employee, for achievements made in their lives and careers. Gage Jorgensen was honored by the council for earning the Gold Medal Achievement with the Royal Rangers, a young men’s group similar to the Boy Scouts of America and sponsored by the Assembly of God youth organizations, with the Gold Medal Achievement similar to earning the rank of Eagle Scout. “He started this when he was eight years old, and has done different spirit challenges, food drive collections, mission...
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The skeletal remains found in a remote wetland area at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on March 30 have been identified as 42-yearold Elijah Peck, a Garland resident. The remains were identified by the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office through the use of dental records, according to a news release issued Saturday by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators say that Peck was last seen in May of 2023, but was not reported as missing. A cause of death has not yet been determined, but the sheriff’s office is treating the death as suspicious, according to established protocols...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday waived 0 in county fees for use of the arena at the fairgrounds in order to hold a fundraiser for Tanner Haviland. Haviland, a well-known horse trainer in the county, recently underwent transplant surgery for a kidney and a pancreas, and his friends in the equestrian community are holding a team branding competition at the fairgrounds on April 11, with proceeds going to help the Haviland family with medical bills. More information about this and other fundraisers can be found at the Tanner Haviland Transplant Fund page on Facebook.
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At the March 28 meeting the Perry City Council gave special recognition to one young citizen, as well as a long-time city employee, for achievements made in their lives and careers. Gage Jorgensen was honored by the council for earning the Gold Medal Achievement with the Royal Rangers, a young men’s group similar to the Boy Scouts of America and sponsored by the Assembly of God youth organizations, with the Gold Medal Achievement similar to earning the rank of Eagle Scout. “He started this when he was eight years old, and has done different spirit challenges, food drive collections, mission...
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The skeletal remains found in a remote wetland area at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on March 30 have been identified as 42-yearold Elijah Peck, a Garland resident. The remains were identified by the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office through the use of dental records, according to a news release issued Saturday by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators say that Peck was last seen in May of 2023, but was not reported as missing. A cause of death has not yet been determined, but the sheriff’s office is treating the death as suspicious, according to established protocols...
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The five Republicans vying for the seat of retiring Senator Mitt Romney gathered in Brigham City on Friday night, making their pitch as to why they should win the Utah GOP nomination. In front of approximately 300 voters, the candidates mostly hit on hot-topic themes as they made their statements and answered questions from the audience and posed by Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott, who moderated the event. A group that has become a strong voice in local politics, the Box Elder County Republican Women sponsored the gathering. As is the standard practice in local Republican races for the last...
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The five Republicans vying for the seat of retiring Senator Mitt Romney gathered in Brigham City on Friday night, making their pitch as to why they should win the Utah GOP nomination. In front of approximately 300 voters, the candidates mostly hit on hot-topic themes as they made their statements and answered questions from the audience and posed by Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott, who moderated the event. A group that has become a strong voice in local politics, the Box Elder County Republican Women sponsored the gathering. As is the standard practice in local Republican races for the last...
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In a process that began back in 2021, the Willard City Council has approved an updated general plan and future land use map for the city. A city's general plan is a document that outlines the city's vision, goals, and policies for the next 10 to 30 years. It's an advisory tool that helps city leaders legislate and administer ordinances, and forms the foundation for all land use decisions in a city. The current plan has incorporated community feedback from two public workshops, as well as online surveys, into the document. The last time Willard updated its general plan was...
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Monica Holdaway, executive director of the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, appeared before the Brigham City Council on Thursday to make residents and businesses aware of a new data portal on the chamber’s website. The portal gives information, updated every 30 days, on county population centers, demographics, commuter trends, as well as employment data in the county’s various industries. “This is kind of an overview economic dashboard,” said Holdaway. “If you want to do a deep dive you can go to jobs. utah.gov, they have great economic information.” The current snapshot shows that the population of the county, the Brigham...
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It’s going to cost more to participate in Brigham City’s recreational programs following fee increases approved by the Brigham City Council at the March 21 meeting. Not only are the fees increasing, but the new fee structure approved does away with a flat, set fee, and replaces it with a fee range that the recreation department can charge depending on costs and participation levels. “You’ll notice that we put a range on there instead of just a flat fee,” said Brigham City Recreation Director Jacolynn Wardle. “The reason for doing that is so we can have a little bit of...
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In a process that began back in 2021, the Willard City Council has approved an updated general plan and future land use map for the city. A city's general plan is a document that outlines the city's vision, goals, and policies for the next 10 to 30 years. It's an advisory tool that helps city leaders legislate and administer ordinances, and forms the foundation for all land use decisions in a city. The current plan has incorporated community feedback from two public workshops, as well as online surveys, into the document. The last time Willard updated its general plan was...
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Monica Holdaway, executive director of the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, appeared before the Brigham City Council on Thursday to make residents and businesses aware of a new data portal on the chamber’s website. The portal gives information, updated every 30 days, on county population centers, demographics, commuter trends, as well as employment data in the county’s various industries. “This is kind of an overview economic dashboard,” said Holdaway. “If you want to do a deep dive you can go to jobs. utah.gov, they have great economic information.” The current snapshot shows that the population of the county, the Brigham...
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It’s going to cost more to participate in Brigham City’s recreational programs following fee increases approved by the Brigham City Council at the March 21 meeting. Not only are the fees increasing, but the new fee structure approved does away with a flat, set fee, and replaces it with a fee range that the recreation department can charge depending on costs and participation levels. “You’ll notice that we put a range on there instead of just a flat fee,” said Brigham City Recreation Director Jacolynn Wardle. “The reason for doing that is so we can have a little bit of...
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In a press release issued late in the afternoon on Saturday, March 30, the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office announced that skeletal human remains have been found at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, near Willard Bay. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office responded to the location and confirmed that the skeletal remains were human,” read the release. “The Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office and Weber Metro CSI responded and assisted with processing the area and collecting evidence.” The remains have been transported to the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office for examination and...
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A thunderstorm that rolled through the county on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 26, caused some minor issues at the Historic Box Elder County Courthouse when the building was stuck by lightning. In a social media post put out the same day, Box Elder County said the building suffered minimal damages. “A strong thunderstorm rolled through Brigham City shortly after 1:30 p.m., and our building was struck by lightning,” read the post. “No serious damage occurred to the building, however, some minor electrical issues affected phones and internet in some offices. We are grateful for no serious building damage or...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Tuesday waived rental fees of the event center at the county fairgrounds to allow the Children’s Justice Center to host a pickleball fundraising tournament there. The event, held April 26 and 27, will cost per person, and will feature a mixed doubles tournament on Friday beginning at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday at 8 a.m. there will be a men’s doubles tournament, with a female’s doubles tournament held beginning at 1 p.m. A total of 13 teams per event are scheduled. All proceeds raised will be used to support the center. For more information...
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The Box Elder County Commission has once again given permission for Historic Downtown Brigham City to use the county courthouse grounds and parking lot for its Art On Main and Third Friday Live activities this summer. Currently in its ninth year, Art On Main is a multi-venue art festival held Memorial Day weekend in Brigham City’s downtown area. The festival is organized by Historic Downtown Brigham City and sponsored by city, county and state tourism resources. Third Friday Live is a merchant-led downtown activity, also organized by Historic Downtown Brigham City, that has been taking place on the third Friday...
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In a press release issued late in the afternoon on Saturday, March 30, the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office announced that skeletal human remains have been found at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, near Willard Bay. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office responded to the location and confirmed that the skeletal remains were human,” read the release. “The Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office and Weber Metro CSI responded and assisted with processing the area and collecting evidence.” The remains have been transported to the Utah State Medical Examiner’s Office for examination and...
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A thunderstorm that rolled through the county on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 26, caused some minor issues at the Historic Box Elder County Courthouse when the building was stuck by lightning. In a social media post put out the same day, Box Elder County said the building suffered minimal damages. “A strong thunderstorm rolled through Brigham City shortly after 1:30 p.m., and our building was struck by lightning,” read the post. “No serious damage occurred to the building, however, some minor electrical issues affected phones and internet in some offices. We are grateful for no serious building damage or...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Tuesday waived rental fees of the event center at the county fairgrounds to allow the Children’s Justice Center to host a pickleball fundraising tournament there. The event, held April 26 and 27, will cost per person, and will feature a mixed doubles tournament on Friday beginning at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday at 8 a.m. there will be a men’s doubles tournament, with a female’s doubles tournament held beginning at 1 p.m. A total of 13 teams per event are scheduled. All proceeds raised will be used to support the center. For more information...
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The Box Elder County Commission has once again given permission for Historic Downtown Brigham City to use the county courthouse grounds and parking lot for its Art On Main and Third Friday Live activities this summer. Currently in its ninth year, Art On Main is a multi-venue art festival held Memorial Day weekend in Brigham City’s downtown area. The festival is organized by Historic Downtown Brigham City and sponsored by city, county and state tourism resources. Third Friday Live is a merchant-led downtown activity, also organized by Historic Downtown Brigham City, that has been taking place on the third Friday...
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It’s going to cost a little more to rent fairground venues, or tie the knot, in Box Elder County following action taken by the Box Elder County Commission on March 19. Rental fees for the museum building at the fairgrounds are going from per hour or 0 per day to per hour or 0 per day. Day use fees for the fine arts building at the fairgrounds are increasing from 0 to 0. The cost of getting married is also increasing, with marriage licenses going from to , to cover the increased costs of personnel, paper and...
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The Brigham City Council has approved a change to the city’s facade grant program that would cut the maximum allowable grant from ,000 to ,000 if the recipient could use local contractors and suppliers for their building upgrades, but chooses not to. According to Brigham City Community Development Director Paul Larsen, the intent of the change is to promote local businesses and keep those construction dollars circulating locally. “It’s basically stating that it’s our policy to improve the local economy, support local sourcing, when reasonable, of materials and labor,” said Larsen, addressing the council at the March 7 meeting. “The...
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The Box Elder County Commission declared April 2024 as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Sterling Marx, director of the Box Elder County Children’s Justice Center, appeared before the commission at the March 19 meeting, asking that a proclamation be passed that would bring awareness of and attention to the problem of child abuse in our county. “April is Child Abuse Prevention Month,” said Marx. “Different counties have done a proclamation, and so I sent that out as a way for our county to acknowledge that we have child abuse in our county, that it’s something we can be aware of, and...
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It’s going to cost a little more to rent fairground venues, or tie the knot, in Box Elder County following action taken by the Box Elder County Commission on March 19. Rental fees for the museum building at the fairgrounds are going from per hour or 0 per day to per hour or 0 per day. Day use fees for the fine arts building at the fairgrounds are increasing from 0 to 0. The cost of getting married is also increasing, with marriage licenses going from to , to cover the increased costs of personnel, paper and...
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The Brigham City Council has approved a change to the city’s facade grant program that would cut the maximum allowable grant from ,000 to ,000 if the recipient could use local contractors and suppliers for their building upgrades, but chooses not to. According to Brigham City Community Development Director Paul Larsen, the intent of the change is to promote local businesses and keep those construction dollars circulating locally. “It’s basically stating that it’s our policy to improve the local economy, support local sourcing, when reasonable, of materials and labor,” said Larsen, addressing the council at the March 7 meeting. “The...
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The Box Elder County Commission declared April 2024 as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Sterling Marx, director of the Box Elder County Children’s Justice Center, appeared before the commission at the March 19 meeting, asking that a proclamation be passed that would bring awareness of and attention to the problem of child abuse in our county. “April is Child Abuse Prevention Month,” said Marx. “Different counties have done a proclamation, and so I sent that out as a way for our county to acknowledge that we have child abuse in our county, that it’s something we can be aware of, and...
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The Box Elder High School boys soccer team successfully defended their undefeated record in two games last week with shutouts in defensive battles against Viewmont and Northridge, both by the score 1-0. On Wednesday, Viewmont’s second best ranking in the coach’s pre-season poll didn’t intimidate the Bees, and in the seventh minute of the match, Landon Lloyd found fellow senior, Nate Walker, cutting into the Viking box with only the keeper to beat. Walker’s strike to the lower right corner was true to put the Bees up 1-0. It would be the only goal of the game as both defenses...
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The Box Elder High School boys lacrosse team left March like lions with two convincing non-region wins, beating Mountain Crest last Tuesday, 20-5, before trouncing Bear River 16-7 on Thursday. Box Elder’s relentless attack propelled them over the Mustangs as the Bees controlled the bulk of the possession, leaving the visitors scrambling on the defensive side for much of the game. Senior leaders for the Bees did the bulk of the damage as Christian Gardner, Nathan Pugsley, and Tyson Kotter all scored four goals each while the team put 32 shots on the Mustang goal. In the back, senior goaltender...
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The Box Elder High School girls lacrosse team split results last week with a close 10-11 loss to Viewmont on Wednesday followed by a resounding 16-2 win over Northridge on Friday. The Bees came into Wednesday’s game knowing they’d be in for a tough test as the Vikings hadn’t yet lost a region game and had a 5-0 record on the year. To compound matters, the Bees were without a couple of key starters due to injury and faced an uphill battle from the opening draw. Despite the challenges, the Bees took the adversity head on and were nearly able...
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The Box Elder High School boys volleyball team ran their current winning streak to three straight last week as they picked up two region wins heading into spring break. The Bees knocked off Northridge on the road last Tuesday in straight sets before dispatching Clearfield 3-1. The Bees jumped on the Knights early in Tuesday’s matchup and put them away early in the first set as the Bees cruised to a 25-12 win. The Knights showed more resistance in the second set and battled the Bees all the way down the stretch. But in the end, the Bees made enough...
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The Box Elder High School boys soccer team successfully defended their undefeated record in two games last week with shutouts in defensive battles against Viewmont and Northridge, both by the score 1-0. On Wednesday, Viewmont’s second best ranking in the coach’s pre-season poll didn’t intimidate the Bees, and in the seventh minute of the match, Landon Lloyd found fellow senior, Nate Walker, cutting into the Viking box with only the keeper to beat. Walker’s strike to the lower right corner was true to put the Bees up 1-0. It would be the only goal of the game as both defenses...
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The Box Elder High School boys lacrosse team left March like lions with two convincing non-region wins, beating Mountain Crest last Tuesday, 20-5, before trouncing Bear River 16-7 on Thursday. Box Elder’s relentless attack propelled them over the Mustangs as the Bees controlled the bulk of the possession, leaving the visitors scrambling on the defensive side for much of the game. Senior leaders for the Bees did the bulk of the damage as Christian Gardner, Nathan Pugsley, and Tyson Kotter all scored four goals each while the team put 32 shots on the Mustang goal. In the back, senior goaltender...
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The Box Elder High School girls lacrosse team split results last week with a close 10-11 loss to Viewmont on Wednesday followed by a resounding 16-2 win over Northridge on Friday. The Bees came into Wednesday’s game knowing they’d be in for a tough test as the Vikings hadn’t yet lost a region game and had a 5-0 record on the year. To compound matters, the Bees were without a couple of key starters due to injury and faced an uphill battle from the opening draw. Despite the challenges, the Bees took the adversity head on and were nearly able...
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The Box Elder High School boys volleyball team ran their current winning streak to three straight last week as they picked up two region wins heading into spring break. The Bees knocked off Northridge on the road last Tuesday in straight sets before dispatching Clearfield 3-1. The Bees jumped on the Knights early in Tuesday’s matchup and put them away early in the first set as the Bees cruised to a 25-12 win. The Knights showed more resistance in the second set and battled the Bees all the way down the stretch. But in the end, the Bees made enough...
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The Boys & Girls Clubs Utah Alliance gathered staff, volunteers, and board members from all four Utah Clubs for a special awards ceremony held at the Interform Club at America First Field in Salt Lake City. The evening celebrated the exceptional contributions made by individuals who dedicate their time and energy to empowering Utah’s youth. The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah which serves Box Elder and Cache Counties proudly presented its annual service awards, recognizing: Outstanding Staff of the Year: Pennie Greenlee; Outstanding Administrator of the Year: Carleigh Ballard; Volunteer of the Year: Marcie Powell; and Board Member...
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The Boys & Girls Clubs Utah Alliance gathered staff, volunteers, and board members from all four Utah Clubs for a special awards ceremony held at the Interform Club at America First Field in Salt Lake City. The evening celebrated the exceptional contributions made by individuals who dedicate their time and energy to empowering Utah’s youth. The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah which serves Box Elder and Cache Counties proudly presented its annual service awards, recognizing: Outstanding Staff of the Year: Pennie Greenlee; Outstanding Administrator of the Year: Carleigh Ballard; Volunteer of the Year: Marcie Powell; and Board Member...
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The Brigham City Council, acting as the city’s redevelopment agency, voted on Thursday to finalize the sale of the former Mountain View Elementary property to the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah for the sum of [post_excerpt] million. The Boys & Girls Club was awarded [post_excerpt] million in county ARPA funds in November of 2022, and another million from the state of Utah, for the purpose of purchasing the property and turning it into a community campus housing multiple nonprofit organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, and the New Hope Crisis Center, among others. Construction at...
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The Brigham City Council approved a request to redraw the property lines in the IMT subdivision on north Main Street, and has granted allowances for the business to keep in place existing iron parking lot barriers which are encroaching on the city sidewalk right of way. Previously, the two parcels in the subdivision, located at approximately 816 North Main, formerly the Hansen Chevrolet dealership, had property lines drawn closely around IMT’s new office building, with the second lot encompassing the rest of the old car dealership property. Under the new configuration the two parcels will be bisected east to west...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday voted to accept a petition from landowner Bob Davis to annex approximately 45 acres of his land located just west of I-15 at approximately 7700 South. The two parcels are currently in unincorporated Box Elder County and would become an island of Willard City if the annexation is completed. Acceptance of the petition is only a first step toward the actual annexation. Details and plans for the property will need to be agreed upon by the city and the landowner prior to final approval. According to City Planner Bryce Wheelwright, the property owner would...
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(clockwise from top left) Security camera footage catches a shed being blown across the property of the Eagles Aerie in the north part of the city. This basketball standard appears to have just given up in its fight against the wind. Similarly, this fence in the Lindsay Park area of Brigham City couldn’t hold up under strong constant winds and violently strong gusts over Thursday and Friday. And, of course, this downed tree in Brigham City was just one of many that were toppled in the area.
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The Brigham City Council, acting as the city’s redevelopment agency, voted on Thursday to finalize the sale of the former Mountain View Elementary property to the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah for the sum of [post_excerpt] million. The Boys & Girls Club was awarded [post_excerpt] million in county ARPA funds in November of 2022, and another million from the state of Utah, for the purpose of purchasing the property and turning it into a community campus housing multiple nonprofit organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, and the New Hope Crisis Center, among others. Construction at...
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Due to recently passed legislation that will dramatically change class fee schedules for secondary schools in the 2025-2026 school year, the Box Elder School District Board of Education rejected a proposal to itemize class fees for 2024-2025. For the past 15 years the Box Elder School District has used a flat fee system, but following an audit report, was considering a proposal to come into compliance with Utah State Board of Education requirement that class fees be itemized. The school district required teachers to decide on an amount that should be charged to each student who took their class and...
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The Utah Legislature adjourned its 45-day session on March 1, having passed a record 591 bills, as well as a record .4 billion budget that included major investments in sports infrastructure, and 0 million in tax cuts. Other notable bills passed in this year’s session included several culture wars bills restricting transgender access to public restrooms, dismantling diversity and equity requirements in public universities, and a bill allowing the state legislature to stop Utah officials from enforcing federal mandates that Utah lawmakers feel over-reach constitutional authority. Budget highlights · Nearly billion was allocated in public financing toward a new...
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Brigham City’s Eagle Mountain Golf Course is an asset to the city, and has turned a profit for 11 of the last 14 years. That was the message from Golf Course Director Chris Marx to the Brigham City Council during his annual report, delivered in the council chamber on March 7. Marx related that in 2010, after the golf course had lost ,000 for the previous 10 years, then Mayor Dennis Fife called a meeting to find a solution to the problem. In the 14 years since, “there have been three years where we’ve operated in the red, not deeply...
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The Brigham City Council approved a request to redraw the property lines in the IMT subdivision on north Main Street, and has granted allowances for the business to keep in place existing iron parking lot barriers which are encroaching on the city sidewalk right of way. Previously, the two parcels in the subdivision, located at approximately 816 North Main, formerly the Hansen Chevrolet dealership, had property lines drawn closely around IMT’s new office building, with the second lot encompassing the rest of the old car dealership property. Under the new configuration the two parcels will be bisected east to west...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday voted to accept a petition from landowner Bob Davis to annex approximately 45 acres of his land located just west of I-15 at approximately 7700 South. The two parcels are currently in unincorporated Box Elder County and would become an island of Willard City if the annexation is completed. Acceptance of the petition is only a first step toward the actual annexation. Details and plans for the property will need to be agreed upon by the city and the landowner prior to final approval. According to City Planner Bryce Wheelwright, the property owner would...
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Every year, employees of local Zions Bank branches spruce up an area home with a fresh coat of paint on the exterior and landscape improvement, and the bank is currently seeking nominations for its Painta Thon service project. Typically, homes are referred to the bank by city and state housing agencies, aging services, community organizations and local churches. This year, the public is invited to nominate up to half of the 35 homes that will benefit from the project. Nominations are due by April 15. The service project benefits low-income elderly, disabled, and vet- eran residents in communities across Utah...
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Despite a preseason coach’s poll that picked the Bees to finish dead last in Region 5, the Box Elder High School boys soccer team set out to prove that poll wrong when they beat Roy—the 6A Region 2 champs with an impressive record of 11-1—by a score of 4-3 in overtime. A season ago, the Royals finished ranked fifth in the 6A RPI, and were upset in the second round of the state playoffs by Syracuse. The Royals came out on fire, and Aiden Hart scored off a corner kick in the first minute, his first of two goals in...
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The Box Elder High School boys tennis season got off to an early start this year with the team traveling to St. George for a twoday tournament on March 8 and 9. At the tournament, every varsity player recorded at least one victory and the squad missed out on a team trophy by two points, or two more wins out of 25 matches they played. Freshman Ryan Jenson played first singles and first doubles and compiled a 4-1 record. Tate Klein, in first doubles, third singles and second doubles, went undefeated, 5-0. Drew Low went 3-2 in second singles and...
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Every year, employees of local Zions Bank branches spruce up an area home with a fresh coat of paint on the exterior and landscape improvement, and the bank is currently seeking nominations for its Painta Thon service project. Typically, homes are referred to the bank by city and state housing agencies, aging services, community organizations and local churches. This year, the public is invited to nominate up to half of the 35 homes that will benefit from the project. Nominations are due by April 15. The service project benefits low-income elderly, disabled, and vet- eran residents in communities across Utah...
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Despite a preseason coach’s poll that picked the Bees to finish dead last in Region 5, the Box Elder High School boys soccer team set out to prove that poll wrong when they beat Roy—the 6A Region 2 champs with an impressive record of 11-1—by a score of 4-3 in overtime. A season ago, the Royals finished ranked fifth in the 6A RPI, and were upset in the second round of the state playoffs by Syracuse. The Royals came out on fire, and Aiden Hart scored off a corner kick in the first minute, his first of two goals in...
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The Box Elder High School boys tennis season got off to an early start this year with the team traveling to St. George for a twoday tournament on March 8 and 9. At the tournament, every varsity player recorded at least one victory and the squad missed out on a team trophy by two points, or two more wins out of 25 matches they played. Freshman Ryan Jenson played first singles and first doubles and compiled a 4-1 record. Tate Klein, in first doubles, third singles and second doubles, went undefeated, 5-0. Drew Low went 3-2 in second singles and...
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The Box Elder High School boys lacrosse team’s offense has been cranking on all cylinders and their defense has been stifling opponents en route to winning two of their first three outings of the year. The Bees started the season with a bang as they routed West, 16-1, on March 6 before falling to Brighton, 20-4, last Tuesday. They bounced back in a big way two nights later with a 22-5 shelacking of Layton. The West High School Panthers never had an answer for the Bees on either end of the field as the visitors scored six goals in the...
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The Box Elder High School girls lacrosse team started their season with two wins, taking down Roy on the road, 18-6, last Friday, and beating Layton, 16-5, on Saturday in the Bees’ first home game of the year. On Friday, it took the Bees a quarter or so to find their rhythm as the Royals were able to keep things close early behind senior Ta’niya Joiner, who scored four of the six goals for the home team. But from the second period on, the Bees were in complete control of the game as the Royals struggled to maintain possession long...
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Following a successful “spare change” campaign where shoppers were invited to round up the cost of their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate it, Kent’s Market presented the Brigham City Fine Arts Center with a check for ,700. Pictured (L to R): Autumn Hess, BCFAC office manager; Kati Calhoun, Kent’s Market marketing director; Jon Fawson, Kent’s Market CEO; Susan Niedert, BCFAC executive director; Jared Turner, BCFAC chairman of the board; and Hal R. Allen, BCFAC treasurer.
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The Box Elder High School boys lacrosse team’s offense has been cranking on all cylinders and their defense has been stifling opponents en route to winning two of their first three outings of the year. The Bees started the season with a bang as they routed West, 16-1, on March 6 before falling to Brighton, 20-4, last Tuesday. They bounced back in a big way two nights later with a 22-5 shelacking of Layton. The West High School Panthers never had an answer for the Bees on either end of the field as the visitors scored six goals in the...
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Brigham City’s Eagle Mountain Golf Course is an asset to the city, and has turned a profit for 11 of the last 14 years. That was the message from Golf Course Director Chris Marx to the Brigham City Council during his annual report, delivered in the council chamber on March 7. Marx related that in 2010, after the golf course had lost ,000 for the previous 10 years, then Mayor Dennis Fife called a meeting to find a solution to the problem. In the 14 years since, “there have been three years where we’ve operated in the red, not deeply...
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March decided to come in like a lion this year, which continued last week with four days of windy conditions, including exceptionally strong winds on Thursday and Friday. The strongest gust was initially thought to be 102 mph, but that was before a 113-mph gust was reported from the Brigham City airport, where the wind caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage. In other areas of the city people assessed windcaused damage, including downed trees, blown over fences and sheds, and more. (pictured) Employees at Sywalker Trampolines had to contact insurance providers after strong gusts blew gravel that shattered...
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With Brigham City’s newest fire engine having arrived and about to be put into service, the Brigham City Fire Department is inviting the public to take part in the time-honored ceremony of “pushing” the engine into the firehouse. It’s a tradition that began among American fire services sometime in the 1800s, when new firefighting apparatus consisted of horse-drawn steam pumpers which needed to be “pushed in” to fire stations. The physical need for pushing ended in the 1920s, when horses were replaced by engines, but the tradition has stuck, with community residents being invited to get a hands-on look at...
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The Box Elder High School girls lacrosse team started their season with two wins, taking down Roy on the road, 18-6, last Friday, and beating Layton, 16-5, on Saturday in the Bees’ first home game of the year. On Friday, it took the Bees a quarter or so to find their rhythm as the Royals were able to keep things close early behind senior Ta’niya Joiner, who scored four of the six goals for the home team. But from the second period on, the Bees were in complete control of the game as the Royals struggled to maintain possession long...
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Following a successful “spare change” campaign where shoppers were invited to round up the cost of their purchases to the nearest dollar and donate it, Kent’s Market presented the Brigham City Fine Arts Center with a check for ,700. Pictured (L to R): Autumn Hess, BCFAC office manager; Kati Calhoun, Kent’s Market marketing director; Jon Fawson, Kent’s Market CEO; Susan Niedert, BCFAC executive director; Jared Turner, BCFAC chairman of the board; and Hal R. Allen, BCFAC treasurer.
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March decided to come in like a lion this year, which continued last week with four days of windy conditions, including exceptionally strong winds on Thursday and Friday. The strongest gust was initially thought to be 102 mph, but that was before a 113-mph gust was reported from the Brigham City airport, where the wind caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage. In other areas of the city people assessed windcaused damage, including downed trees, blown over fences and sheds, and more. (pictured) Employees at Sywalker Trampolines had to contact insurance providers after strong gusts blew gravel that shattered...
Article Link
With Brigham City’s newest fire engine having arrived and about to be put into service, the Brigham City Fire Department is inviting the public to take part in the time-honored ceremony of “pushing” the engine into the firehouse. It’s a tradition that began among American fire services sometime in the 1800s, when new firefighting apparatus consisted of horse-drawn steam pumpers which needed to be “pushed in” to fire stations. The physical need for pushing ended in the 1920s, when horses were replaced by engines, but the tradition has stuck, with community residents being invited to get a hands-on look at...
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The Utah Legislature adjourned its 45-day session on March 1, having passed a record 591 bills, as well as a record .4 billion budget that included major investments in sports infrastructure, and 0 million in tax cuts. Other notable bills passed in this year’s session included several culture wars bills restricting transgender access to public restrooms, dismantling diversity and equity requirements in public universities, and a bill allowing the state legislature to stop Utah officials from enforcing federal mandates that Utah lawmakers feel over-reach constitutional authority. Budget highlights · Nearly billion was allocated in public financing toward a new...
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Due to recently passed legislation that will dramatically change class fee schedules for secondary schools in the 2025-2026 school year, the Box Elder School District Board of Education rejected a proposal to itemize class fees for 2024-2025. For the past 15 years the Box Elder School District has used a flat fee system, but following an audit report, was considering a proposal to come into compliance with Utah State Board of Education requirement that class fees be itemized. The school district required teachers to decide on an amount that should be charged to each student who took their class and...
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(clockwise from top left) Security camera footage catches a shed being blown across the property of the Eagles Aerie in the north part of the city. This basketball standard appears to have just given up in its fight against the wind. Similarly, this fence in the Lindsay Park area of Brigham City couldn’t hold up under strong constant winds and violently strong gusts over Thursday and Friday. And, of course, this downed tree in Brigham City was just one of many that were toppled in the area.
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Box Elder County was buzzing with excitement as United Way of Northern Utah orchestrated a delightful Read Across America event, bringing together volunteers, community leaders, and eager young readers. This initiative not only touched the hearts of children in Box Elder County but also extended its reach to schools in neighboring Weber County. In celebration of United Way’s 90th birthday this year, the organization set ambitious goals for Read Across America—aiming to engage with nine schools and 90 classrooms. However, the community response surpassed all expectations, with nine schools participating and an overwhelming 157 classrooms filled with the joy of...
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Candidates for the open Box Elder County Commission seat gather at a Meet The Candidates event on Thursday at USU Brigham City. Pictured are (L to R) Rodney Bennett, Tyler Vincent, Stan Summers, Sam McMurdie, Dusty Roche, Steven Zollinger, and moderator Rob Bishop.
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Utah Republican Congressman John Curtis, who is running for Mitt Romney’s seat in the U.S. Senate, held a campaign event in Brigham City on Saturday to introduce himself to local voters. The meet and greet took place in the backroom of the Idle Isle Café, where approximately 50 residents came to listen to the candidate speak and pose questions of their own. The questions seemed to indicate that the audience was made up of many different types of Republicans, from devoted Trump supporters to “Reagan Republicans” and perhaps even a few undercover Democrats. Curtis began the encounter by explaining who...
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Candidates for the open Box Elder County Commission seat gather at a Meet The Candidates event on Thursday at USU Brigham City. Pictured are (L to R) Rodney Bennett, Tyler Vincent, Stan Summers, Sam McMurdie, Dusty Roche, Steven Zollinger, and moderator Rob Bishop.
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Utah Republican Congressman John Curtis, who is running for Mitt Romney’s seat in the U.S. Senate, held a campaign event in Brigham City on Saturday to introduce himself to local voters. The meet and greet took place in the backroom of the Idle Isle Café, where approximately 50 residents came to listen to the candidate speak and pose questions of their own. The questions seemed to indicate that the audience was made up of many different types of Republicans, from devoted Trump supporters to “Reagan Republicans” and perhaps even a few undercover Democrats. Curtis began the encounter by explaining who...
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The reigning Mrs. Utah, who is also the wife of former Box Elder County Commissioner Jeff Hadfield, appeared before the Box Elder County Commission meeting on Wednesday to speak about some of the lesser-known harms of the international drug trade. Jamie Hadfield told the commissioners that not only do drugs and drug dependency create issues with users, but there are also related crime issues that are more difficult to quantify. “Over 20 years ago, when I was travelling in my home country of Mexico, I was run off the road and men with machine guns surrounded my vehicle,” said Hadfield,...
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Six of the seven candidates vying for a seat on the Box Elder County Commission gathered at the Utah State University Brigham City campus on Thursday, answering written questions gathered from the audience and posed by moderator Rob Bishop. Republicans Rodney Bennett, Tyler Vincent, incumbent Stan Summers, Sam McMurdie, Dusty Roche and Steven Zollinger all appeared on the stage, with Democratic Party candidate Josh Hardy not in attendance. The 90-minute event was sponsored by the civic group Box Elder County Republican Women and drew roughly 200 residents. At the beginning of the question and-answer session, Bishop gave the candidates an...
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Rob Johnson, director of financial services for Bear River Mental Health, appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday to deliver the results of the two-year financial audit of his agency, for 2022 and 2023, reporting that no anomalies were found and that the agency’s books are in good order. Johnson read directly from the audit report, put together by the accounting firm of Carver, Florek and James which gave a clean opinion of the agency’s statements, meaning no discrepancies were found, and no reporting processes or financial controls showed any problems. “In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements...
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The reigning Mrs. Utah, who is also the wife of former Box Elder County Commissioner Jeff Hadfield, appeared before the Box Elder County Commission meeting on Wednesday to speak about some of the lesser-known harms of the international drug trade. Jamie Hadfield told the commissioners that not only do drugs and drug dependency create issues with users, but there are also related crime issues that are more difficult to quantify. “Over 20 years ago, when I was travelling in my home country of Mexico, I was run off the road and men with machine guns surrounded my vehicle,” said Hadfield,...
Article Link
Six of the seven candidates vying for a seat on the Box Elder County Commission gathered at the Utah State University Brigham City campus on Thursday, answering written questions gathered from the audience and posed by moderator Rob Bishop. Republicans Rodney Bennett, Tyler Vincent, incumbent Stan Summers, Sam McMurdie, Dusty Roche and Steven Zollinger all appeared on the stage, with Democratic Party candidate Josh Hardy not in attendance. The 90-minute event was sponsored by the civic group Box Elder County Republican Women and drew roughly 200 residents. At the beginning of the question and-answer session, Bishop gave the candidates an...
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Rob Johnson, director of financial services for Bear River Mental Health, appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday to deliver the results of the two-year financial audit of his agency, for 2022 and 2023, reporting that no anomalies were found and that the agency’s books are in good order. Johnson read directly from the audit report, put together by the accounting firm of Carver, Florek and James which gave a clean opinion of the agency’s statements, meaning no discrepancies were found, and no reporting processes or financial controls showed any problems. “In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements...
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In an unsurprising result, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump both won the vast majority of their party member’s votes during the Utah Democratic Primary and the presidential preference poll held at Republican caucuses on Tuesday, March 5. The Democrats, running a traditional primary mostly through mail-in ballots collected and counted by county elections officials, had a relatively weak turnout statewide, with 24.83% of registered Democrats in the state casting ballots. Box Elder County Democrats turned out with slightly higher numbers at 28.51%. Of the 67,758 statewide ballots cast in the Democratic Primary, 58,635 (86.54%) went for President...
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The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources presented Box Elder County with ,461 for the 58,000 acres of land it owns in the county that that are not taxable otherwise. The money is a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILT, a practice that both the state and federal governments undertake in an effort to keep counties with a high percentage of public land solvent. Counties rely on property taxes to fund government services, but when the land is owned by a state or national government it can’t be taxed, leaving the county at a disadvantage. PILT programs help to make...
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Tara Roche from Box Elder Strong appeared before the county commission on Wednesday, asking permission for her group to use the courthouse grounds to a 5K charity race. “We invite all of the nonprofits that are present in Box Elder County to come and share their resources with our citizens, and we do a 5K for a fundraiser,” said Roche. The event will take place on June 8 at 7:30 a.m. and begin 81 North Main in Brigham City. Registration for the run can be completed online at www.boxelderstrong.org/5k_ registration. The cost to participate is for adults over 18,...
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Utah’s water outlook for March is marked by encouraging developments and notable records. Alta recently experienced its wettest February on record, showcasing the dynamic nature of our climate and its potential impact on water resources. “Our statewide snowpack has been consistently above normal since the beginning of February, which has really put Utah in a good position as we head into spring,” said Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service in their March 1 water supply report, the state received 157% of our typical amount of snow water equivalent (SWE) for...
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In an unsurprising result, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump both won the vast majority of their party member’s votes during the Utah Democratic Primary and the presidential preference poll held at Republican caucuses on Tuesday, March 5. The Democrats, running a traditional primary mostly through mail-in ballots collected and counted by county elections officials, had a relatively weak turnout statewide, with 24.83% of registered Democrats in the state casting ballots. Box Elder County Democrats turned out with slightly higher numbers at 28.51%. Of the 67,758 statewide ballots cast in the Democratic Primary, 58,635 (86.54%) went for President...
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The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources presented Box Elder County with ,461 for the 58,000 acres of land it owns in the county that that are not taxable otherwise. The money is a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILT, a practice that both the state and federal governments undertake in an effort to keep counties with a high percentage of public land solvent. Counties rely on property taxes to fund government services, but when the land is owned by a state or national government it can’t be taxed, leaving the county at a disadvantage. PILT programs help to make...
Article Link
Tara Roche from Box Elder Strong appeared before the county commission on Wednesday, asking permission for her group to use the courthouse grounds to a 5K charity race. “We invite all of the nonprofits that are present in Box Elder County to come and share their resources with our citizens, and we do a 5K for a fundraiser,” said Roche. The event will take place on June 8 at 7:30 a.m. and begin 81 North Main in Brigham City. Registration for the run can be completed online at www.boxelderstrong.org/5k_ registration. The cost to participate is for adults over 18,...
Article Link
Utah’s water outlook for March is marked by encouraging developments and notable records. Alta recently experienced its wettest February on record, showcasing the dynamic nature of our climate and its potential impact on water resources. “Our statewide snowpack has been consistently above normal since the beginning of February, which has really put Utah in a good position as we head into spring,” said Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service in their March 1 water supply report, the state received 157% of our typical amount of snow water equivalent (SWE) for...
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Volleyball fans got their first look at the inaugural Box Elder High School boys team last week when the Bees went 2-1, with a season-opening loss to Ridgeline, 3-1, on Tuesday, March 5, before picking up a pair of straight set wins over Bear River and Mountain Crest on Thursday and Friday respectively. Emotions ran high as the team took the court for the first time ever on Tuesday night, but the Riverhawks were a little better able to channel those emotions into points on the scoreboard as they took the first set 25-19. The Bees came back to win...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team got their season off to a hot start, winning their first three games of the year, before getting cooled off a bit toward the end of their weekend trip to St. George as the team dropped their last two games to end their first week of play with a 3-2 record. In their first game of the season last Wednesday, the Bees hosted Green Canyon. The Bees team went through seven pitchers against the Wolves with senior slinger Damon Rodriguez ultimately recording the win for the Bees. Across the pitching arsenal, the team...
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The Box Elder High School softball team came out of the gates on fire to begin the year as the team picked up five wins in their first six games. The Bees bested Mountain Crest, 9-5, and Spring Creek, 19-0, before losing to Taylorsville, 3-1. The team came back with three more wins, topping Riverton, 6-5, West Jordan, 4-2, and Timpanogos, 15-1. The Bees kicked-off their season at home on Tuesday, March 5, when the Mustangs came to Brigham City. In that game, Bees’ senior slugger Justy Pritchard hit a home run and drove in four runs to help propel...
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Volleyball fans got their first look at the inaugural Box Elder High School boys team last week when the Bees went 2-1, with a season-opening loss to Ridgeline, 3-1, on Tuesday, March 5, before picking up a pair of straight set wins over Bear River and Mountain Crest on Thursday and Friday respectively. Emotions ran high as the team took the court for the first time ever on Tuesday night, but the Riverhawks were a little better able to channel those emotions into points on the scoreboard as they took the first set 25-19. The Bees came back to win...
Article Link
The Box Elder High School baseball team got their season off to a hot start, winning their first three games of the year, before getting cooled off a bit toward the end of their weekend trip to St. George as the team dropped their last two games to end their first week of play with a 3-2 record. In their first game of the season last Wednesday, the Bees hosted Green Canyon. The Bees team went through seven pitchers against the Wolves with senior slinger Damon Rodriguez ultimately recording the win for the Bees. Across the pitching arsenal, the team...
Article Link
The Box Elder High School softball team came out of the gates on fire to begin the year as the team picked up five wins in their first six games. The Bees bested Mountain Crest, 9-5, and Spring Creek, 19-0, before losing to Taylorsville, 3-1. The team came back with three more wins, topping Riverton, 6-5, West Jordan, 4-2, and Timpanogos, 15-1. The Bees kicked-off their season at home on Tuesday, March 5, when the Mustangs came to Brigham City. In that game, Bees’ senior slugger Justy Pritchard hit a home run and drove in four runs to help propel...
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Hannah and Dallen Wheelwright, from Brigham City, have experienced the bitter and the sweet as they have started raising their young family. Both their young children have faced physical and medical challenges, but the young couple have focused on the sweet parts of family life instead of becoming bitter. Before their first child, Elsie, was born, it was discovered she had spina bifida, a birth defect in which the spinal cord fails to develop properly. At the time, Hannah and Dallen were living in Arizona while they attended school. Due to the diagnosis, Hannah went to Houston, Texas, where a...
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Hannah and Dallen Wheelwright, from Brigham City, have experienced the bitter and the sweet as they have started raising their young family. Both their young children have faced physical and medical challenges, but the young couple have focused on the sweet parts of family life instead of becoming bitter. Before their first child, Elsie, was born, it was discovered she had spina bifida, a birth defect in which the spinal cord fails to develop properly. At the time, Hannah and Dallen were living in Arizona while they attended school. Due to the diagnosis, Hannah went to Houston, Texas, where a...
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Box Elder County was buzzing with excitement as United Way of Northern Utah orchestrated a delightful Read Across America event, bringing together volunteers, community leaders, and eager young readers. This initiative not only touched the hearts of children in Box Elder County but also extended its reach to schools in neighboring Weber County. In celebration of United Way’s 90th birthday this year, the organization set ambitious goals for Read Across America—aiming to engage with nine schools and 90 classrooms. However, the community response surpassed all expectations, with nine schools participating and an overwhelming 157 classrooms filled with the joy of...
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With a feeling that most dog owners weren’t complying anyway, and that dog licensing had little to do with problem canines in the community, the Perry City Council decided to repeal the city’s dog licensing ordinance in a close vote on Feb. 22. With one councilmember not in attendance, the vote to repeal ended up tied 2-2 by council members present at the meeting. Mayor Kevin Jeppsen broke the tie in favor of doggie deregulation. Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill explained to the council the reasoning behind the proposal. “Here in the office, when January comes along, it’s time to...
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Municipalities across Box Elder County have submitted priorities for projects to be funded by the Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF), which has been accepted by both the Box Elder Council of Governments and the Box Elder County Commission. Inclusion on the priority list is necessary before a project can be submitted for consideration of funding, but does not mean that the project has been approved, or even that it will be submitted. “Each year the state requires that county adopt a priority list for the Local Transportation Corridor Preservation Fund,” said Scott Lyons, the county’s community development director, at the...
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball season came to an end last Wednesday afternoon when the Bees fell 53-61 to Bountiful in the semifinals of the 5A state tournament. The Bees pulled out all the stops to try and snatch a win over their region rivals and made a big run in the second quarter that turned a seven-point deficit into a three-point advantage heading into the halftime break. That run was largely fueled by senior point guard Ashlyn Wight, who led all Bees’ scorers with 20 points in the game. Even once the Redhawks changed their defensive strategy...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team has completed their tryout process and are ready to take the field this week to kick-off their 2024 season. Expectations will be high for a team returning eight seniors—including several starters—from a team that finished 13-10 a year ago and ended up bowing out of the playoffs in the regional round to Woods Cross despite winningest is going two to of do,” the three Wight regular said. “We’ve season been games getting against better the and Wildc ats.better and it’s beenThetogether,returningso I thinkexperience that has beenfor athebig Beeshelp forstartsus andon the mound where...
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The start of the final trimester of the school year also brings around the start of the spring sports season at Box Elder High School and the Bees are anxious to get back on the field and defend their region championship from last season. A year ago, the Bees posted an 18-8 overall record, including a 9-1 region mark that was good enough to split the region title with Bountiful. The downside came in the playoffs when number 15 Bonneville upset the Bees in two straight games to take the super regional win and knock the Bees out of the...
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A service project at Box Elder High School helped put shoes on the feet of 700 needy and vulnerable people. The school’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America partnered with Soles 4 Souls and organized a drive to collect shoes. Over two weeks, students at BEHS donated new and used shoes. All the school’s clubs participated, even hosting collection areas and having an unofficial competition to see which club could collect the most. The school’s Key Club came out on top with 300 shoes donated. According to a statement from the school’s FBLA, “It does seem like bad business...
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Two Box Elder High School students were selected as district Key Club officers at the district convention last week in Salt Lake City. Student Rian Schmitz, son of Samantha Clevland, and James Nelson, son of Dr. Dan and Heidi Nelson, were voted governor and lt. governor, respectively. In their roles, the two will serve as the top representatives for the Key Club in Utah and Idaho, as well as visit different clubs in the district in hopes of inspiring club members to greater levels of service. ““It’s really exciting to have an active Key Club, and have Utah, and more...
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The start of the final trimester of the school year also brings around the start of the spring sports season at Box Elder High School and the Bees are anxious to get back on the field and defend their region championship from last season. A year ago, the Bees posted an 18-8 overall record, including a 9-1 region mark that was good enough to split the region title with Bountiful. The downside came in the playoffs when number 15 Bonneville upset the Bees in two straight games to take the super regional win and knock the Bees out of the...
Article Link
A service project at Box Elder High School helped put shoes on the feet of 700 needy and vulnerable people. The school’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America partnered with Soles 4 Souls and organized a drive to collect shoes. Over two weeks, students at BEHS donated new and used shoes. All the school’s clubs participated, even hosting collection areas and having an unofficial competition to see which club could collect the most. The school’s Key Club came out on top with 300 shoes donated. According to a statement from the school’s FBLA, “It does seem like bad business...
Article Link
Two Box Elder High School students were selected as district Key Club officers at the district convention last week in Salt Lake City. Student Rian Schmitz, son of Samantha Clevland, and James Nelson, son of Dr. Dan and Heidi Nelson, were voted governor and lt. governor, respectively. In their roles, the two will serve as the top representatives for the Key Club in Utah and Idaho, as well as visit different clubs in the district in hopes of inspiring club members to greater levels of service. ““It’s really exciting to have an active Key Club, and have Utah, and more...
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Many basketball games can be described as a series of runs. A similar analogy could be used to describe the entire season of the Box Elder High School boys basketball team. The Bees went 1-8 through the preseason schedule, but turned around and won six of their first seven region games before finishing out the regular season winning just two of their final seven region contests. Even before the season began, the Bees knew they’d have their work cut out for them with one of the tougher preseason schedules in recent memory. The season started out with a game at...
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Swans are one of the unique bird species that migrate through Utah each year. If you are an avid birdwatcher and they are on your bucket list, there are two spots in northern Utah that are great places to see these magnificent birds as they wing their way through the state during their spring migrations. BRMBR Swan Day Swan Day will be held on Saturday, Mar. 9, at the education center of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. which will present the opportunity to engage with experts and participate in free family-friendly activities at...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team has completed their tryout process and are ready to take the field this week to kick-off their 2024 season. Expectations will be high for a team returning eight seniors—including several starters—from a team that finished 13-10 a year ago and ended up bowing out of the playoffs in the regional round to Woods Cross despite winningest is going two to of do,” the three Wight regular said. “We’ve season been games getting against better the and Wildc ats.better and it’s beenThetogether,returningso I thinkexperience that has beenfor athebig Beeshelp forstartsus andon the mound where...
Article Link
The Box Elder High School girls basketball season came to an end last Wednesday afternoon when the Bees fell 53-61 to Bountiful in the semifinals of the 5A state tournament. The Bees pulled out all the stops to try and snatch a win over their region rivals and made a big run in the second quarter that turned a seven-point deficit into a three-point advantage heading into the halftime break. That run was largely fueled by senior point guard Ashlyn Wight, who led all Bees’ scorers with 20 points in the game. Even once the Redhawks changed their defensive strategy...
Article Link
Municipalities across Box Elder County have submitted priorities for projects to be funded by the Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF), which has been accepted by both the Box Elder Council of Governments and the Box Elder County Commission. Inclusion on the priority list is necessary before a project can be submitted for consideration of funding, but does not mean that the project has been approved, or even that it will be submitted. “Each year the state requires that county adopt a priority list for the Local Transportation Corridor Preservation Fund,” said Scott Lyons, the county’s community development director, at the...
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More than 50 Utah businesses will participate in a free online job fair hosted by the Utah Department of Workforce Services on Thursday, Mar. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The nearly 1,500 jobs at the fair, include positions in health care, banking, education, government, construction, e-commerce and more. Find a complete list of participating employers at jobs.utah.gov. Online workshops will be available the day before at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to help job seekers get the most out of the virtual job fair.
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A preliminary hearing on one charge of human trafficking against Tremonton rancher, financial advisor and county commission candidate Dusty Roche, has been set for March 19 in Brigham City’s First District Court. Roche, along with his father and brother, are being prosecuted by the Utah Attorney General’s office in connection with the alleged mistreatment and denial of necessary medical services to a migrant worker who was injured on their ranch. Roche has publicly denied the charge.
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A project to increase both security and parking areas at the Box Elder County Public Safety Building has received two winning bids which were approved by the county commissioners at the Feb. 21 meeting. “This is to do some upgrades to the jail site to better utilize the parking lot, and also to fence in the jail,” said Codey Illum, the county’s building official. Illum explained that the fencing would establish secure areas that would prevent interactions between inmates and the general public, and keep members of the general public away from sensitive areas of the jail grounds. The winning...
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Tremonton rancher, financial advisor and county commission candidate Dusty Roche appeared before the Box Elder County Commission at the Feb. 21 meeting to solicit county funds for four ventilation fans to be installed in the livestock buildings at the county fairgrounds. Roche sits on the board of the Box Elder Junior Livestock Auction, an organization supporting youth in agriculture by allowing the kids to exhibit and sell animals at the county fair they have personally raised. The auction has gotten to be big business, raising over million for young livestock owners at last year’s fair. The issue, according to...
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A preliminary hearing on one charge of human trafficking against Tremonton rancher, financial advisor and county commission candidate Dusty Roche, has been set for March 19 in Brigham City’s First District Court. Roche, along with his father and brother, are being prosecuted by the Utah Attorney General’s office in connection with the alleged mistreatment and denial of necessary medical services to a migrant worker who was injured on their ranch. Roche has publicly denied the charge.
Article Link
A project to increase both security and parking areas at the Box Elder County Public Safety Building has received two winning bids which were approved by the county commissioners at the Feb. 21 meeting. “This is to do some upgrades to the jail site to better utilize the parking lot, and also to fence in the jail,” said Codey Illum, the county’s building official. Illum explained that the fencing would establish secure areas that would prevent interactions between inmates and the general public, and keep members of the general public away from sensitive areas of the jail grounds. The winning...
Article Link
Tremonton rancher, financial advisor and county commission candidate Dusty Roche appeared before the Box Elder County Commission at the Feb. 21 meeting to solicit county funds for four ventilation fans to be installed in the livestock buildings at the county fairgrounds. Roche sits on the board of the Box Elder Junior Livestock Auction, an organization supporting youth in agriculture by allowing the kids to exhibit and sell animals at the county fair they have personally raised. The auction has gotten to be big business, raising over million for young livestock owners at last year’s fair. The issue, according to...
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A Bear River High School student is being treated for multiple skull fractures in a Salt Lake City hospital after falling from the hood of a moving pickup truck on Friday morning. According to Tremonton Fire Chief Brady Hansen, the incident happened near Bear River High School in Garland just after 11 a.m. on March 1. Police, fire and medical personnel from Tremonton were dispatched to the incident scene, where the victim was taken by ambulance to Bear River Valley Hospital, and then transported by helicopter to Primary Children’s Medical Center. Details about the condition of the victim were not...
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Many basketball games can be described as a series of runs. A similar analogy could be used to describe the entire season of the Box Elder High School boys basketball team. The Bees went 1-8 through the preseason schedule, but turned around and won six of their first seven region games before finishing out the regular season winning just two of their final seven region contests. Even before the season began, the Bees knew they’d have their work cut out for them with one of the tougher preseason schedules in recent memory. The season started out with a game at...
Article Link
Swans are one of the unique bird species that migrate through Utah each year. If you are an avid birdwatcher and they are on your bucket list, there are two spots in northern Utah that are great places to see these magnificent birds as they wing their way through the state during their spring migrations. BRMBR Swan Day Swan Day will be held on Saturday, Mar. 9, at the education center of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. which will present the opportunity to engage with experts and participate in free family-friendly activities at...
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The Brigham City Police Department is investigating the death of a woman who was reported missing on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 27, and was found soon afterward in Box Elder Creek. According to Detective Crystal Beck, the woman, now identified as Fanny Escalona-De Angola, 61, of Brigham City, was reported missing from her residence at 10:37 a.m. last Tuesday morning. Officers responded to the residence, located in the area of 500 West and 300 North, and began a search for the woman, eventually finding her lying in the water of Box Elder Creek running near her home. Police were...
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Following the failure of two restaurants at Brigham City’s Academy Center, the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, who now manages the building, is set to try and make the third time the charm. On Friday the Chamber sent out a request for proposal trying to lure a restaurateur to lease the space. The Chamber is proposing a two-year lease at ,000 per month, with a 90- day grace period, and options to extend the lease for 5 or 10 years. The News Journal has reached out to Chamber Executive Director Monica Holdaway with questions as to why the Chamber feels...
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To add perspective to a story that ran in last week’s edition of the News Journal, Box Elder County Assessor Rod Bennett wants residents know that appeals against the tax valuation of properties in the county aren’t very common, that the vast majority of those get resolved quickly through an administrative process, that his office seeks to assess the actual fair market value of property for tax purposes, and that he wants residents to reach out if they feel there is a valid problem with their valuation. The numbers back Bennett’s contentions. For the previous tax year, the county received...
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More than 50 Utah businesses will participate in a free online job fair hosted by the Utah Department of Workforce Services on Thursday, Mar. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The nearly 1,500 jobs at the fair, include positions in health care, banking, education, government, construction, e-commerce and more. Find a complete list of participating employers at jobs.utah.gov. Online workshops will be available the day before at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to help job seekers get the most out of the virtual job fair.
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A Bear River High School student is being treated for multiple skull fractures in a Salt Lake City hospital after falling from the hood of a moving pickup truck on Friday morning. According to Tremonton Fire Chief Brady Hansen, the incident happened near Bear River High School in Garland just after 11 a.m. on March 1. Police, fire and medical personnel from Tremonton were dispatched to the incident scene, where the victim was taken by ambulance to Bear River Valley Hospital, and then transported by helicopter to Primary Children’s Medical Center. Details about the condition of the victim were not...
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The Brigham City Police Department is investigating the death of a woman who was reported missing on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 27, and was found soon afterward in Box Elder Creek. According to Detective Crystal Beck, the woman, now identified as Fanny Escalona-De Angola, 61, of Brigham City, was reported missing from her residence at 10:37 a.m. last Tuesday morning. Officers responded to the residence, located in the area of 500 West and 300 North, and began a search for the woman, eventually finding her lying in the water of Box Elder Creek running near her home. Police were...
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Following the failure of two restaurants at Brigham City’s Academy Center, the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, who now manages the building, is set to try and make the third time the charm. On Friday the Chamber sent out a request for proposal trying to lure a restaurateur to lease the space. The Chamber is proposing a two-year lease at ,000 per month, with a 90- day grace period, and options to extend the lease for 5 or 10 years. The News Journal has reached out to Chamber Executive Director Monica Holdaway with questions as to why the Chamber feels...
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To add perspective to a story that ran in last week’s edition of the News Journal, Box Elder County Assessor Rod Bennett wants residents know that appeals against the tax valuation of properties in the county aren’t very common, that the vast majority of those get resolved quickly through an administrative process, that his office seeks to assess the actual fair market value of property for tax purposes, and that he wants residents to reach out if they feel there is a valid problem with their valuation. The numbers back Bennett’s contentions. For the previous tax year, the county received...
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With a feeling that most dog owners weren’t complying anyway, and that dog licensing had little to do with problem canines in the community, the Perry City Council decided to repeal the city’s dog licensing ordinance in a close vote on Feb. 22. With one councilmember not in attendance, the vote to repeal ended up tied 2-2 by council members present at the meeting. Mayor Kevin Jeppsen broke the tie in favor of doggie deregulation. Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill explained to the council the reasoning behind the proposal. “Here in the office, when January comes along, it’s time to...
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The closure of the breach in the Great Salt Lake railroad causeway last year is having a positive impact on the lake’s ecosystem supporting brine shrimp, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is reporting. After years of drought, state agencies were concerned about rising salinity levels in the lake, especially the southern area, where higher salinity levels from the north arm had been mixing from a breach across the causeway created in December of 2016. In February of 2023, the salinity levels in the southern portion of the lake had gotten so high they were threatening the brine shrimp...
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott poses with Ethan Kafton after reading the proclamation declaring Tuesday, Feb. 1 3, 2 024, Ethan Kafton D ay. Ethan was recognized for his jovial spirit and serving as an unpaid ambassador for the city through his friendly interactions. Business owners rallied to support Kafton after learning that his family’s financial stability had changed. A large-scale effort to sell chance drawing tickets was undertaken and many businesses donated prizes to the cause. Winners were drawn at a special event at Idle Isle Cafe on Feb. 13. See more on page 4.
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Corinne City, population 809 as of the 2020 Census, is facing an immediate need to make critical upgrades to its sewer system to become compliant with current state regulations, as well as accommodate projected growth rates. A January 2024 report put together by the city’s engineering firm, Sunrise Engineering, showed that the city’s sewer system, initially installed in 1969, is suffering from inflows of non-sewer water getting into the main sewer line, accounting for 35 to 57 percent of the total flows released into the city’s sewer ponds. The reinforced concrete sewer main line, which is now five years past...
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A proposed fee adjustment as required by the state board of education could make paying for school more expensive for 6th-12th graders in Box Elder School District next year. Sometime around 2008, Box Elder School District decided to move from an itemized school fee schedule to a lump sum for basic class fees, which made it possible for students to take any courses they desired, whether or not they could afford the fees for individual courses. However, during the last audit of the district, it was brought to the attention of the school board and district administration that the Utah...
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott poses with Ethan Kafton after reading the proclamation declaring Tuesday, Feb. 1 3, 2 024, Ethan Kafton D ay. Ethan was recognized for his jovial spirit and serving as an unpaid ambassador for the city through his friendly interactions. Business owners rallied to support Kafton after learning that his family’s financial stability had changed. A large-scale effort to sell chance drawing tickets was undertaken and many businesses donated prizes to the cause. Winners were drawn at a special event at Idle Isle Cafe on Feb. 13. See more on page 4.
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Corinne City, population 809 as of the 2020 Census, is facing an immediate need to make critical upgrades to its sewer system to become compliant with current state regulations, as well as accommodate projected growth rates. A January 2024 report put together by the city’s engineering firm, Sunrise Engineering, showed that the city’s sewer system, initially installed in 1969, is suffering from inflows of non-sewer water getting into the main sewer line, accounting for 35 to 57 percent of the total flows released into the city’s sewer ponds. The reinforced concrete sewer main line, which is now five years past...
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A proposed fee adjustment as required by the state board of education could make paying for school more expensive for 6th-12th graders in Box Elder School District next year. Sometime around 2008, Box Elder School District decided to move from an itemized school fee schedule to a lump sum for basic class fees, which made it possible for students to take any courses they desired, whether or not they could afford the fees for individual courses. However, during the last audit of the district, it was brought to the attention of the school board and district administration that the Utah...
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The Box Elder wrestling team had a strong finish to their season, crowning three individual champions and taking home the second-place team trophy at the state tournament held at the UCCU Center on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem last weekend. The Bees finished 16.5 points behind Spanish Fork, 256-272.5, in what was a back-and-forth battle between the two winners of the divisional tournaments. “I’m very proud of what the kids accomplished this year,” said head coach Jed Craner. “They showed great resiliency throughout the season. I’m grateful for each of them and how they responded to the adversity...
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A Draper mother of five and self-described “constitutional conservative” is hoping to break the men’s club in Utah, and take the seat of the retiring Mitt Romney in the United States Senate. Republican candidate Carolyn Phippen made a campaign stop in Brigham City last week, appearing in front of delegates at the Idle Isle Café to introduce herself to Box Elder County. Following that appearance, Phippen gave a telephone interview to the News Journal to better help local voters understand who she is, what she stands for and why she’s running. “I’ve been in Utah for 35 years, coming here...
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The closure of the breach in the Great Salt Lake railroad causeway last year is having a positive impact on the lake’s ecosystem supporting brine shrimp, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is reporting. After years of drought, state agencies were concerned about rising salinity levels in the lake, especially the southern area, where higher salinity levels from the north arm had been mixing from a breach across the causeway created in December of 2016. In February of 2023, the salinity levels in the southern portion of the lake had gotten so high they were threatening the brine shrimp...
Article Link
The Box Elder wrestling team had a strong finish to their season, crowning three individual champions and taking home the second-place team trophy at the state tournament held at the UCCU Center on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem last weekend. The Bees finished 16.5 points behind Spanish Fork, 256-272.5, in what was a back-and-forth battle between the two winners of the divisional tournaments. “I’m very proud of what the kids accomplished this year,” said head coach Jed Craner. “They showed great resiliency throughout the season. I’m grateful for each of them and how they responded to the adversity...
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A Draper mother of five and self-described “constitutional conservative” is hoping to break the men’s club in Utah, and take the seat of the retiring Mitt Romney in the United States Senate. Republican candidate Carolyn Phippen made a campaign stop in Brigham City last week, appearing in front of delegates at the Idle Isle Café to introduce herself to Box Elder County. Following that appearance, Phippen gave a telephone interview to the News Journal to better help local voters understand who she is, what she stands for and why she’s running. “I’ve been in Utah for 35 years, coming here...
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Jacob Wayne Shinkle DOB: 05/22/1979 Weight: 233 Height: 5’11” Race: Caucasian Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Offense: Distribution of Controlled Substance, 1st Degree Felony (4 counts); Theft by Receiving Stolen Property, 2nd Degree Felony; Receive Stolen Vehicle, 2nd Degree Felony; Multiple other felony and misdemeanor charges. Known to frequent the Tremonton/Box Elder County areas. First District Court Judge Brandon Mayard issued a warrant for his arrest. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential.
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team picked up two more region wins in their final two games last week, routing Clearfield, 57-38, on Wednesday followed by a narrow victory over Roy, 45-44, on Friday to run their current streak to six-straight wins heading into the state tournament, which will begin for them tomorrow at home in a second round matchup. On Wednesday, the Bees came out firing on all cylinders and used a 21-4 first quarter run to put the game away early. Senior point guard Ashlyn Wight led the charge with 24 points, including four three-pointers, while...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team wrapped up their regular season last week with a 55- 52 win over Clearfield on the road on Wednesday, before suffering a 65-63 loss at home on Friday against Roy. The Bees got a big lift from Trevor Wilkinson on Wednesday as the senior knocked down five three-pointers and led all scorers with 20 points. Max Isaacson also filled up the stat sheet as he recorded his first triple-double of the season with 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots. Elijah Kersey also added 13 points as the Bees were able...
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Last month, the FBI issued a warning to the public that they are seeing an increase in “sextortion” cases, in which suspects threaten or coerce them into sending sexually explicit videos and images and then threaten to release the content unless the victim produces more or pays a “ransom.” Special Agent Curtis Cox in the FBI’s Salt Lake City office said they receive dozens of calls a month about such cases, which typically involve male victims between the ages of 13- 17, and in some cases younger. The issue prompting the FBI to issue the warning was the increase they...
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Jacob Wayne Shinkle DOB: 05/22/1979 Weight: 233 Height: 5’11” Race: Caucasian Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Offense: Distribution of Controlled Substance, 1st Degree Felony (4 counts); Theft by Receiving Stolen Property, 2nd Degree Felony; Receive Stolen Vehicle, 2nd Degree Felony; Multiple other felony and misdemeanor charges. Known to frequent the Tremonton/Box Elder County areas. First District Court Judge Brandon Mayard issued a warrant for his arrest. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential.
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team picked up two more region wins in their final two games last week, routing Clearfield, 57-38, on Wednesday followed by a narrow victory over Roy, 45-44, on Friday to run their current streak to six-straight wins heading into the state tournament, which will begin for them tomorrow at home in a second round matchup. On Wednesday, the Bees came out firing on all cylinders and used a 21-4 first quarter run to put the game away early. Senior point guard Ashlyn Wight led the charge with 24 points, including four three-pointers, while...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team wrapped up their regular season last week with a 55- 52 win over Clearfield on the road on Wednesday, before suffering a 65-63 loss at home on Friday against Roy. The Bees got a big lift from Trevor Wilkinson on Wednesday as the senior knocked down five three-pointers and led all scorers with 20 points. Max Isaacson also filled up the stat sheet as he recorded his first triple-double of the season with 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots. Elijah Kersey also added 13 points as the Bees were able...
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Last month, the FBI issued a warning to the public that they are seeing an increase in “sextortion” cases, in which suspects threaten or coerce them into sending sexually explicit videos and images and then threaten to release the content unless the victim produces more or pays a “ransom.” Special Agent Curtis Cox in the FBI’s Salt Lake City office said they receive dozens of calls a month about such cases, which typically involve male victims between the ages of 13- 17, and in some cases younger. The issue prompting the FBI to issue the warning was the increase they...
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A 41-yearold Perry man with a prior sex offense conviction was sentenced to two concurrent terms of five years to life in prison after pleading guilty to two first-degree felony counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. Zon Steven Delaurier Knudsen was taken into custody on July 7 following an investigation by the Logan, Utah Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, which had identified Knudsen’s computer sharing child sexual abuse material on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing network. According to a probable cause statement filed with Utah’s First District Court, on May 10 of 2023 Logan ICAC investigators...
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By mid-February, Utah’s water supply exhibits promising signs of resilience and abundance. The state’s snowpack, consistently above normal levels for most regions, sets an optimistic tone for water conditions. “Above-normal snowpack is a significant win for our state as a whole, especially with our rocky start,” said Candice Hasenyager, director of the Utah Division of Water Resources. “It positions us well for the coming months and emphasizes the positive impact of recent weather patterns.” Statewide, reservoirs are currently at an impressive 82%, marking a stark contrast to a year ago when reservoirs were less than 50% full. This reinforces the...
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A 41-yearold Perry man with a prior sex offense conviction was sentenced to two concurrent terms of five years to life in prison after pleading guilty to two first-degree felony counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. Zon Steven Delaurier Knudsen was taken into custody on July 7 following an investigation by the Logan, Utah Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, which had identified Knudsen’s computer sharing child sexual abuse material on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing network. According to a probable cause statement filed with Utah’s First District Court, on May 10 of 2023 Logan ICAC investigators...
Article Link
By mid-February, Utah’s water supply exhibits promising signs of resilience and abundance. The state’s snowpack, consistently above normal levels for most regions, sets an optimistic tone for water conditions. “Above-normal snowpack is a significant win for our state as a whole, especially with our rocky start,” said Candice Hasenyager, director of the Utah Division of Water Resources. “It positions us well for the coming months and emphasizes the positive impact of recent weather patterns.” Statewide, reservoirs are currently at an impressive 82%, marking a stark contrast to a year ago when reservoirs were less than 50% full. This reinforces the...
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A Garland man has announced his plans to run a write-in campaign for Utah governor in the hope of putting “Morality Over Monarchy” in state government. “I just felt like, ‘I gotta do it,’” said 38-year-old Matthew Field about his decision. He said current politicians are corrupt and ignore their constituents; they bind citizens and free government. Government is free to pass laws and citizens must “bow and obey,” Field said, “when it should be the opposite. In the daily course of a normal Utahn’s day, Field said they will unknowingly violate seven different laws due to the sheer volume...
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The Perry City Council experienced a little sticker shock at work meeting last Thursday after receiving the results of the city’s first water and park impact fee studies since 2013. Currently, the city’s water impact fee is ,400, which is not out of line with those of nearby cities at about ,000. But under two scenarios presented by representatives of consulting firm Lewis, Roberts and Burningham— one scenario that anticipates the city supplying water for indoor use only, and one that anticipates the city supplying water for indoor and outdoor use—impact fees were proposed at ,000 per equivalent residential connection...
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The Box Elder High School swim team validated years of dedication and hard work—from their early years with the Barracuda Aquatic Club all the way to being a member of the high school’s team—when both the boys and girls claimed championship trophies from the Region 5 meet last Friday. It was the ninth consecutive region title for Box Elder’s boys and the sixth for the girls. The boys beat second-place Woods Cross by more than 150 points, 517-344. Viewmont finished in third with 276. The girls racked up a whopping 601 points over Woods Cross’ 409. Viewmont was third with...
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Another week brought another pair of wins to the Box Elder High School girls basketball team as they blew past Northridge, 60-47, at home on Wednesday, and took down Bonneville, 81-58, on Friday in Washington Terace. Against the Knights, the Bees deployed their pressure defense and turned mistakes into easy baskets on the other end. Three Bees finished the night in double-digits, led by senior point guard Ashlyn Wight with 13 points. Senior forward Kamri Andersen netted 11 points and also recorded four blocks in the game while fellow senior Kaydence Barber scored 10 points while coming up with eight...
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Northrup Grumman will be expanding in northern Utah, which is projected to create more than 1,200 new jobs. The news came as part of the announcement that Northrup Grumman inked a 20-year post-performance tax reduction deal as part of a tax increment financing program with the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. Northrop Grumman has been in Utah more than eight decades and is now the largest private sector aerospace and defense employer in Utah, with locations across the state. Northrup Grumman declined to answer where it would be expanding its operations.
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A developer has withdrawn plans for a proposed 121- unit development following a public hearing with a less than supportive tone and concerns voiced by the Willard City Planning and Zoning Commission. “We had a lot of people pretty much against it,” said planning and zoning chairperson, Alex Debrov, in a report to the city council last week. The public’s concerns largely centered around the proposed development’s impact on traffic in the area, since it would entirely empty on to 200 West. In addition to negative public sentiment, commission members had problems with a few lots in the Heritage housing...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team dropped a home game last Wednesday against Northridge, 55-48, then hit the road and completed a season sweep over Bonneville, 55-51, on Friday. On Wednesday, the Bees found themselves up against a very disciplined defense as the Knights visitors focused on protecting the basket and forcing the Bees to beat them from the perimeter. Both teams struggled to find their rhythm from the field until the Knights found their shooting stroke in the second half and connected on enough three-pointers to push themselves ahead and secure the win. As a team, the...
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Another week brought another pair of wins to the Box Elder High School girls basketball team as they blew past Northridge, 60-47, at home on Wednesday, and took down Bonneville, 81-58, on Friday in Washington Terace. Against the Knights, the Bees deployed their pressure defense and turned mistakes into easy baskets on the other end. Three Bees finished the night in double-digits, led by senior point guard Ashlyn Wight with 13 points. Senior forward Kamri Andersen netted 11 points and also recorded four blocks in the game while fellow senior Kaydence Barber scored 10 points while coming up with eight...
Article Link
Northrup Grumman will be expanding in northern Utah, which is projected to create more than 1,200 new jobs. The news came as part of the announcement that Northrup Grumman inked a 20-year post-performance tax reduction deal as part of a tax increment financing program with the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. Northrop Grumman has been in Utah more than eight decades and is now the largest private sector aerospace and defense employer in Utah, with locations across the state. Northrup Grumman declined to answer where it would be expanding its operations.
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team dropped a home game last Wednesday against Northridge, 55-48, then hit the road and completed a season sweep over Bonneville, 55-51, on Friday. On Wednesday, the Bees found themselves up against a very disciplined defense as the Knights visitors focused on protecting the basket and forcing the Bees to beat them from the perimeter. Both teams struggled to find their rhythm from the field until the Knights found their shooting stroke in the second half and connected on enough three-pointers to push themselves ahead and secure the win. As a team, the...
Article Link
A developer has withdrawn plans for a proposed 121- unit development following a public hearing with a less than supportive tone and concerns voiced by the Willard City Planning and Zoning Commission. “We had a lot of people pretty much against it,” said planning and zoning chairperson, Alex Debrov, in a report to the city council last week. The public’s concerns largely centered around the proposed development’s impact on traffic in the area, since it would entirely empty on to 200 West. In addition to negative public sentiment, commission members had problems with a few lots in the Heritage housing...
Article Link
At a presentation recognizing the achievements of the Perry City Youth City Council, it was announced that the structure and operation of the youth council will be modified to provide a more meaningful experience. Councilmember Blake Ostler reported that while the youth city council will accept any youth volunteers wishing to help out, leadership of the council will be limited to 12. The hope is to make the council “inclusive and exclusive,” so that leadership on the council can benefit students as they move on to college or other opportunities. Additionally, the council will become much more organized with a...
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The public comment portion of last Thursday’s Willard City Council lasted nearly 40 minutes as residents and non-residents alike beseeched the council to find a way to restore access to a trail up Willard Canyon in a continuation of a topic that has dominated public discussion since it was closed. The trail, which traverses private property but has been open to the public continually until its recent closure, was closed by the property’s owners, who cited a public safety issue due to nearby gravel mining operations by Granite Construction. The owners have said they would be amenable to reopening the...
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There were at least a couple of relieved—or surprised—gasps at last Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting when the council tasked city staff to make preparations for the formal adoption of the city’s long-suffering general plan. “I’m getting excited here,” said Councilmember Mike Braegger, who has been a member of the council for the approximately two years that the council has been working and re-working and debating the plan that directs future growth in the city. At times, the debates have been lively, particularly related parts of the plan that addressed large, multi-unit developments. At last week’s meeting, the most recent...
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At a presentation recognizing the achievements of the Perry City Youth City Council, it was announced that the structure and operation of the youth council will be modified to provide a more meaningful experience. Councilmember Blake Ostler reported that while the youth city council will accept any youth volunteers wishing to help out, leadership of the council will be limited to 12. The hope is to make the council “inclusive and exclusive,” so that leadership on the council can benefit students as they move on to college or other opportunities. Additionally, the council will become much more organized with a...
Article Link
The public comment portion of last Thursday’s Willard City Council lasted nearly 40 minutes as residents and non-residents alike beseeched the council to find a way to restore access to a trail up Willard Canyon in a continuation of a topic that has dominated public discussion since it was closed. The trail, which traverses private property but has been open to the public continually until its recent closure, was closed by the property’s owners, who cited a public safety issue due to nearby gravel mining operations by Granite Construction. The owners have said they would be amenable to reopening the...
Article Link
There were at least a couple of relieved—or surprised—gasps at last Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting when the council tasked city staff to make preparations for the formal adoption of the city’s long-suffering general plan. “I’m getting excited here,” said Councilmember Mike Braegger, who has been a member of the council for the approximately two years that the council has been working and re-working and debating the plan that directs future growth in the city. At times, the debates have been lively, particularly related parts of the plan that addressed large, multi-unit developments. At last week’s meeting, the most recent...
Article Link
A Garland man has announced his plans to run a write-in campaign for Utah governor in the hope of putting “Morality Over Monarchy” in state government. “I just felt like, ‘I gotta do it,’” said 38-year-old Matthew Field about his decision. He said current politicians are corrupt and ignore their constituents; they bind citizens and free government. Government is free to pass laws and citizens must “bow and obey,” Field said, “when it should be the opposite. In the daily course of a normal Utahn’s day, Field said they will unknowingly violate seven different laws due to the sheer volume...
Article Link
The Perry City Council experienced a little sticker shock at work meeting last Thursday after receiving the results of the city’s first water and park impact fee studies since 2013. Currently, the city’s water impact fee is ,400, which is not out of line with those of nearby cities at about ,000. But under two scenarios presented by representatives of consulting firm Lewis, Roberts and Burningham— one scenario that anticipates the city supplying water for indoor use only, and one that anticipates the city supplying water for indoor and outdoor use—impact fees were proposed at ,000 per equivalent residential connection...
Article Link
The Box Elder High School swim team validated years of dedication and hard work—from their early years with the Barracuda Aquatic Club all the way to being a member of the high school’s team—when both the boys and girls claimed championship trophies from the Region 5 meet last Friday. It was the ninth consecutive region title for Box Elder’s boys and the sixth for the girls. The boys beat second-place Woods Cross by more than 150 points, 517-344. Viewmont finished in third with 276. The girls racked up a whopping 601 points over Woods Cross’ 409. Viewmont was third with...
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team picked up two wins last week as the Bees used a late run to put away Woods Cross, 47-39, at home on Wednesday, then found enough key plays late to escape Bountiful with a 47-45 win over Viewmont on Friday. Against Woods Cross, the Bees couldn’t find their usual offensive rhythm in the early going and the Wildcats built a 14-9 lead after the first quarter. Senior forward Katie King did all she could do to keep the Wildcats in the game as she pumped in 18 points and connected on five...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved Mayor D.J. Bott’s appointments of Kristen Bogue and Kristina Lenderman to the Brigham City Planning Commission, as well as the promotion of Roger Manning to the commission’s vice-chair position. Commission member Cindy McConkie was also approved as a member of the planning commission’s joint advisory board with Perry City. The planning commission serves as an advisory body to the city council, recommending actions on land-use development and regulation.
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As has been done in cities and counties all over the state, the Brigham City Council on Thursday amended the city’s land use code in order to comply with S.B. 174, Local Land Use and Development Revisions, passed last year by the legislature. Sponsored by Senator Lincoln Fillmore, (R-Salt Lake City), and by Representative Stephen Whyte, (R-Mapleton), the bill requires municipalities to streamline the subdivision approval process, taking legislative bodies out of the decision-making process for single family homes, duplexes and townhomes, while reducing the number of approvals applicants must go through. The legislation also shortens timelines for what review...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team wasn’t able to muster the magic from the first half of region play, where the Bees beat both Woods Cross and Viewmont in the same week, as the Bees fell to the Wildcats 58-65 in Brigham City on Wednesday, and the Vikings were able to avenge the earlier defeat, 63-47, on Friday. The Bees looked strong to start Wednesday’s matchup with the Wildcats and raced out to a 10-point lead behind some hot shooting from senior wing Elijah Kersey. Kersey finished the game leading all scorers with 29 points and knocked down...
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A program that more than 73,000 Utahns are using to make internet more affordable may be coming to an end by April, unless congress renews its funding. For several years, congress has appropriated billions of dollars to the Affordable Connectivity Program to help low-income families be more affordable. Last month, a group of bipartisan congressional leaders introduced legislation to appropriate billion to the program, but no action has been taken. In Utah, where most of the state is rural, the program has become essential to connect families, especially in areas not served by commercial providers, allowing them to access...
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A season with a tragic beginning is ending with triumph after the Box Elder High School wrestling team won its 5A divisional tournament in dominating fashion and qualified 24 wrestlers for the state tournament. “It was very challenging for the team,” head coach Jed Craner wrote in an email about the loss of teammate Colton Mosser on Nov. 18, 2023, and coach Dan McKenzie a month later. Overcoming the deaths took effort, Craner said, but the team found inspiration in the losses. “We did our best to change the mindset of the boys,” Craner wrote. “I believe it had a...
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Engineer Doug Higgins and Captain Bryan Fawcett (center) of the Brigham City Fire Department received the Supervising Fire Officer Designation during Thursday night’s city council meeting. Dave Owen (right) from the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy presented the designation, which requires a combination of certifications, education, experience, and training to achieve. Also pictured is Brigham City Fire Department Chief Brandon Thueson .
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team wasn’t able to muster the magic from the first half of region play, where the Bees beat both Woods Cross and Viewmont in the same week, as the Bees fell to the Wildcats 58-65 in Brigham City on Wednesday, and the Vikings were able to avenge the earlier defeat, 63-47, on Friday. The Bees looked strong to start Wednesday’s matchup with the Wildcats and raced out to a 10-point lead behind some hot shooting from senior wing Elijah Kersey. Kersey finished the game leading all scorers with 29 points and knocked down...
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team picked up two wins last week as the Bees used a late run to put away Woods Cross, 47-39, at home on Wednesday, then found enough key plays late to escape Bountiful with a 47-45 win over Viewmont on Friday. Against Woods Cross, the Bees couldn’t find their usual offensive rhythm in the early going and the Wildcats built a 14-9 lead after the first quarter. Senior forward Katie King did all she could do to keep the Wildcats in the game as she pumped in 18 points and connected on five...
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A season with a tragic beginning is ending with triumph after the Box Elder High School wrestling team won its 5A divisional tournament in dominating fashion and qualified 24 wrestlers for the state tournament. “It was very challenging for the team,” head coach Jed Craner wrote in an email about the loss of teammate Colton Mosser on Nov. 18, 2023, and coach Dan McKenzie a month later. Overcoming the deaths took effort, Craner said, but the team found inspiration in the losses. “We did our best to change the mindset of the boys,” Craner wrote. “I believe it had a...
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Engineer Doug Higgins and Captain Bryan Fawcett (center) of the Brigham City Fire Department received the Supervising Fire Officer Designation during Thursday night’s city council meeting. Dave Owen (right) from the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy presented the designation, which requires a combination of certifications, education, experience, and training to achieve. Also pictured is Brigham City Fire Department Chief Brandon Thueson .
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Team members, coaches and managers of Box Elder High School’s wrestling team celebrate after winning their 5A divisional tournament last week. The team wrestled hard in honor of Colton Mosser, a teammate who died in November, and a coach, Dan McKenzie, who they lost a month later. See story on page 3.
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February is the best time of the year to see America’s most iconic bird right here in Utah as the eagles fly through Utah on their migratory journey. By the time February arrives, hundreds of eagles are typically in the state. In northern Utah, there will be an event on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the DWR’s George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Wildlife Education Center at 1157 S. Waterfowl Way in Farmington. Activities, crafts and a live bald eagle encounter will also be offered at the event. While the event and activities at the...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a ,000 grant to upgrade the exterior of one of the city’s historic buildings. The grant was approved for a building at 70 S. Main Street that used to house Palmer Jewelry. “There was a cupcake store there more recently, if you are a cupcake aficionado you’ll know where that was,” said Brigham City Community Development Director Paul Larsen. “Right now, the building is vacant. There are two storefronts, and an upstairs space that is being remodeled for a residence.” The grant, applied for by building owner Chad Greer, will help pay to...
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Citing the need to bring costs in line with expenses, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a resolution that both simplifies and raises fees for reserved, exclusive use of the city’s sports fields and courts. Recreation manager Jackie Wardle appeared before the council to explain the changes sought in the resolution, drafted jointly by her and Tyler Pugsley, the city’s director of public works. “We were tasked with going through this resolution and going over the prices for our field use. It was recommended last year during budget that we needed to address some of these numbers that have...
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Team members, coaches and managers of Box Elder High School’s wrestling team celebrate after winning their 5A divisional tournament last week. The team wrestled hard in honor of Colton Mosser, a teammate who died in November, and a coach, Dan McKenzie, who they lost a month later. See story on page 3.
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February is the best time of the year to see America’s most iconic bird right here in Utah as the eagles fly through Utah on their migratory journey. By the time February arrives, hundreds of eagles are typically in the state. In northern Utah, there will be an event on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the DWR’s George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Wildlife Education Center at 1157 S. Waterfowl Way in Farmington. Activities, crafts and a live bald eagle encounter will also be offered at the event. While the event and activities at the...
Article Link
The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a ,000 grant to upgrade the exterior of one of the city’s historic buildings. The grant was approved for a building at 70 S. Main Street that used to house Palmer Jewelry. “There was a cupcake store there more recently, if you are a cupcake aficionado you’ll know where that was,” said Brigham City Community Development Director Paul Larsen. “Right now, the building is vacant. There are two storefronts, and an upstairs space that is being remodeled for a residence.” The grant, applied for by building owner Chad Greer, will help pay to...
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Citing the need to bring costs in line with expenses, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a resolution that both simplifies and raises fees for reserved, exclusive use of the city’s sports fields and courts. Recreation manager Jackie Wardle appeared before the council to explain the changes sought in the resolution, drafted jointly by her and Tyler Pugsley, the city’s director of public works. “We were tasked with going through this resolution and going over the prices for our field use. It was recommended last year during budget that we needed to address some of these numbers that have...
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A program that more than 73,000 Utahns are using to make internet more affordable may be coming to an end by April, unless congress renews its funding. For several years, congress has appropriated billions of dollars to the Affordable Connectivity Program to help low-income families be more affordable. Last month, a group of bipartisan congressional leaders introduced legislation to appropriate billion to the program, but no action has been taken. In Utah, where most of the state is rural, the program has become essential to connect families, especially in areas not served by commercial providers, allowing them to access...
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An area in the North Point Subdivision, currently being constructed on the old golf course property in northern Brigham City, will be trading eight planned single-family homes for 15 townhomes, following the discovery of power line access issues by the city’s power department. The plat and development agreement as originally approved last May was for 34 homes and 171 townhomes. During the approval process, city officials recorded on the plat that changes may need to be made to allow access to overhead power lines along the north end of the property, a need which was later confirmed by the power...
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Applications are being accepted for grants through the Box Elder County Tourism Tax Advisory Board for projects and events that support tourism in Box Elder County. There are two types of grants available, standard grants and quick grants. Projects or events that are likely to result in overnight stays are particularly encouraged to apply. All communities and non-profit organizations in the county are welcome to apply for funds for projects they feel will promote visits to Box Elder County. Grant applications are available online at visitboxeldercounty.com. Standard grants, for nonprofits and municipalities are due by Feb. 29. Quick grant applications...
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Box Elder School District Business Administrator David Roberts thanked the Brigham City Council for approving the donation of a bus last November to the district’s adult special education program. “You guys could have sold that and made some money, and yet you made a decision to make a donation to the school district,” said Roberts. “It’s going to be a tremendous lift for us with our special ed students in the area, as it allows us to put a lot of our students in a school or in a program in the same vehicle.” Roberts also presented two plates of...
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An area in the North Point Subdivision, currently being constructed on the old golf course property in northern Brigham City, will be trading eight planned single-family homes for 15 townhomes, following the discovery of power line access issues by the city’s power department. The plat and development agreement as originally approved last May was for 34 homes and 171 townhomes. During the approval process, city officials recorded on the plat that changes may need to be made to allow access to overhead power lines along the north end of the property, a need which was later confirmed by the power...
Article Link
Applications are being accepted for grants through the Box Elder County Tourism Tax Advisory Board for projects and events that support tourism in Box Elder County. There are two types of grants available, standard grants and quick grants. Projects or events that are likely to result in overnight stays are particularly encouraged to apply. All communities and non-profit organizations in the county are welcome to apply for funds for projects they feel will promote visits to Box Elder County. Grant applications are available online at visitboxeldercounty.com. Standard grants, for nonprofits and municipalities are due by Feb. 29. Quick grant applications...
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Box Elder School District Business Administrator David Roberts thanked the Brigham City Council for approving the donation of a bus last November to the district’s adult special education program. “You guys could have sold that and made some money, and yet you made a decision to make a donation to the school district,” said Roberts. “It’s going to be a tremendous lift for us with our special ed students in the area, as it allows us to put a lot of our students in a school or in a program in the same vehicle.” Roberts also presented two plates of...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved Mayor D.J. Bott’s appointments of Kristen Bogue and Kristina Lenderman to the Brigham City Planning Commission, as well as the promotion of Roger Manning to the commission’s vice-chair position. Commission member Cindy McConkie was also approved as a member of the planning commission’s joint advisory board with Perry City. The planning commission serves as an advisory body to the city council, recommending actions on land-use development and regulation.
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As has been done in cities and counties all over the state, the Brigham City Council on Thursday amended the city’s land use code in order to comply with S.B. 174, Local Land Use and Development Revisions, passed last year by the legislature. Sponsored by Senator Lincoln Fillmore, (R-Salt Lake City), and by Representative Stephen Whyte, (R-Mapleton), the bill requires municipalities to streamline the subdivision approval process, taking legislative bodies out of the decision-making process for single family homes, duplexes and townhomes, while reducing the number of approvals applicants must go through. The legislation also shortens timelines for what review...
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Elevate Credit Union will sponsor a book drive through February for new and gently used books that will be donated to area children. The credit union is seeking donations of books appropriate for children up to the eighth grade. Books should be in good condition with no broken bindings, writing, or missing pages. Spanish and Bilingual books are needed and greatly appreciated. Book with religious themes, adult romances, or encyclopedias/ textbooks can not be accepted. For more information, contact Tonya Gail at (435) 723.3437 or email info@elevatecu.com.
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The Bear River Health Department is seeking groups or individuals with which to partner to help prevent substance misuse in Box Elder County. The Box Elder Safe Communities Coalition, which will use evidence-based processes to ensure successful outcomes and wise use of resources, will unite a variety of community groups to examine local data, recognize risk and protective factors influencing youth, formulate an action plan, and implement community policies, programs and strategies. The coalition has been around for more than two decades, and has been responsible for major campaigns, including a highly visible effort in association with Parents Empowered to...
Article Link
At Tuesday’s meeting, the Box Elder County Commission renewed an agreement with Utah State University allowing the university to manage the county’s USU Extension office, and set the office budget amount for the current fiscal year at 1,160. USU Extension is a cooperative effort between Utah State University, the United States Department of Agriculture and the 29 Utah counties to provide statewide access to university resources and research. As an agricultural land-grant university, those resources and research tend to focus on agriculture, but also extend to small business consulting, human interaction counseling, and sponsorship of youth 4-H groups. Under the...
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The Box Elder County Commission took some time out of Tuesday’s meeting to honor two recently retired board members from the county’s water conservancy district. Charles Holmgren sat on the Bear River Water Conservancy District board for 23 years, while David Forsgren held the position for 35 years. Both men retired from their seats at the beginning of January. “We just wanted to take a moment and express our gratitude for their service,” said Commissioner Boyd Bingham. “Usually when you talk about recognition, you talk about service in years. With these two gentlemen, it’s decades.” The commissioners voted unanimously to...
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Due to scheduling conflicts, the Box Elder County Commission has cancelled its scheduled meeting set for February 7. Rather than reschedule that meeting, the commissioners voted to hold a single meeting for the month, which is scheduled for Feb. 21 at 11:30 a.m.
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A proposal to approve a draft of the new Willard City general plan became bogged down in discussion on Thursday, as city officials attempted to define how proposed zoning in the future land use map would regulate housing density in master planned communities. Some councilmembers, along with the mayor, felt the underlying zoning plan should regulate a master-planned community, allowing for the average lot size to be equal to the underlying zone for the community, meaning some lots could be bigger and some smaller than the requirements of the underlying zone. For example, if a 10-acre master planned community were...
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Due to scheduling conflicts, the Box Elder County Commission has cancelled its scheduled meeting set for February 7. Rather than reschedule that meeting, the commissioners voted to hold a single meeting for the month, which is scheduled for Feb. 21 at 11:30 a.m.
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A proposal to approve a draft of the new Willard City general plan became bogged down in discussion on Thursday, as city officials attempted to define how proposed zoning in the future land use map would regulate housing density in master planned communities. Some councilmembers, along with the mayor, felt the underlying zoning plan should regulate a master-planned community, allowing for the average lot size to be equal to the underlying zone for the community, meaning some lots could be bigger and some smaller than the requirements of the underlying zone. For example, if a 10-acre master planned community were...
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Following the retirement of Chris Davis in December, Willard City has hired Jeremy Kimpton as their new city manager. Kimpton brings with him years of experience in administrating small cities, having served as the mayor and city administrator of Franklin, Idaho, as well as serving as the public works director and city administrator in Richmond, Utah.
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Willard Mayor Travis Mote announced changes to the city’s current six-member and two alternate member planning commission at Thursday’s meeting. Current commission members Blake Harrop and Zack Hulsey will be stepping back into the role of alternate planning commissioners, while current alternates Chad Braegger and Brian Gilbert will move to regular commission seats. Mote said that Hulsey expressed reservations about remaining on the planning commission, now that his wife, Jordan Hulsey, is a member of the Willard City Council, as he wasn’t sure whether that was a conflict of interest. “I don’t know whether that’s a problem, really,” said Mote,...
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Box Elder Community Pantry, the Acts Six Soup Kitchen and the Tremonton Food Pantry will be the local beneficiaries of efforts to save food from an industry trade show in Salt Lake City. Under the organization of Waste Less Solutions, from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, about 50 volunteers will collect surplus food from approximately 700 vendor booths at the 2024 KeHE Summer Show at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The food rescue is anticipated to benefit upwards of 40,000 needy Utahns. Locally, Waste Less Solutions has coordinated the Kiwanis Club to pick up the food. Waste...
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“Tank you for finding my daughter’s birth announcement. A lot of life has happened in the 21 years since your paper’s story. In that time, my hard copy was lost to the ages. I was so grateful to share that special day in the history of her life with her. I feel it’s important we continue having access to archives for moments like these history of all of us matter, thank you for finding it and making her birthday even more special. Much appreciation, Erica Asta (Brenna Shay Howard’s mom)
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With all the requirements and expectations on children in order to enter kindergarten, preschool is becoming increasingly important. For example, children are given an entrance exam upon entering kindergarten, and they need to: know 80% of their letters, uppercase and lowercase; be able to count to 20 and recognize numbers; be able to write their name; and know their colors and shapes. The Box Elder Early Childhood Coalition will be hosting an event to educate parents about the preschool options in Box Elder County on Thursday, Feb. 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Utah State University Brigham City, 989...
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The Box Elder High School wrestling team only had one meet last week, but it was for no less than the Region 5 title, and by the end, the Bees had earned their sixth consecutive championship under coach Jed Craner. Since Viewmont entered the region in 2017-2018, the title has come down to Box Elder and Viewmont. The Vikings won the first title fight, but Box Elder won the next five years and the Vikings were hoping to break the Bees’ winning streak. Viewmont got the first win of the night but forfeited the 285 lbs. and 106 lbs. weight...
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Willard Mayor Travis Mote announced changes to the city’s current six-member and two alternate member planning commission at Thursday’s meeting. Current commission members Blake Harrop and Zack Hulsey will be stepping back into the role of alternate planning commissioners, while current alternates Chad Braegger and Brian Gilbert will move to regular commission seats. Mote said that Hulsey expressed reservations about remaining on the planning commission, now that his wife, Jordan Hulsey, is a member of the Willard City Council, as he wasn’t sure whether that was a conflict of interest. “I don’t know whether that’s a problem, really,” said Mote,...
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Box Elder Community Pantry, the Acts Six Soup Kitchen and the Tremonton Food Pantry will be the local beneficiaries of efforts to save food from an industry trade show in Salt Lake City. Under the organization of Waste Less Solutions, from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, about 50 volunteers will collect surplus food from approximately 700 vendor booths at the 2024 KeHE Summer Show at the Salt Palace Convention Center. The food rescue is anticipated to benefit upwards of 40,000 needy Utahns. Locally, Waste Less Solutions has coordinated the Kiwanis Club to pick up the food. Waste...
Article Link
“Tank you for finding my daughter’s birth announcement. A lot of life has happened in the 21 years since your paper’s story. In that time, my hard copy was lost to the ages. I was so grateful to share that special day in the history of her life with her. I feel it’s important we continue having access to archives for moments like these history of all of us matter, thank you for finding it and making her birthday even more special. Much appreciation, Erica Asta (Brenna Shay Howard’s mom)
Article Link
With all the requirements and expectations on children in order to enter kindergarten, preschool is becoming increasingly important. For example, children are given an entrance exam upon entering kindergarten, and they need to: know 80% of their letters, uppercase and lowercase; be able to count to 20 and recognize numbers; be able to write their name; and know their colors and shapes. The Box Elder Early Childhood Coalition will be hosting an event to educate parents about the preschool options in Box Elder County on Thursday, Feb. 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Utah State University Brigham City, 989...
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The Box Elder High School wrestling team only had one meet last week, but it was for no less than the Region 5 title, and by the end, the Bees had earned their sixth consecutive championship under coach Jed Craner. Since Viewmont entered the region in 2017-2018, the title has come down to Box Elder and Viewmont. The Vikings won the first title fight, but Box Elder won the next five years and the Vikings were hoping to break the Bees’ winning streak. Viewmont got the first win of the night but forfeited the 285 lbs. and 106 lbs. weight...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team pushed their latest winning streak to three games last Wednesday when they took a 59-56 win at Roy before Bountiful ended that streak on the Bees’ home court on Friday, 89-58. Wednesday night’s game against the Royals saw ebbs and flows from both teams as a series of runs gave each side a chance to pull ahead, only to see the other come back to keep things close. The Bees gained one of their biggest advantages from the free throw line as they hit 17 of their 21 attempts while the Royals...
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Box Elder High School swim team seniors had a lot to celebrate during senior night following a dual meet against Tooele on Jan. 23. Not only did both Box Elder squads win—the boys defeated the Buffalos 239-158, and the girls came out on top, 244-148—but it capped a successful season for the Bees. The girls won all their meets and the boys won all but one, a multi-team event where they finished second. The team’s seniors, as well as two foreign exchange students who are on the team this year, were recognized. Pictured are: (front) Adelaide Wilson, Taylor Nielson, Abby...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team pushed their latest winning streak to three games last Wednesday when they took a 59-56 win at Roy before Bountiful ended that streak on the Bees’ home court on Friday, 89-58. Wednesday night’s game against the Royals saw ebbs and flows from both teams as a series of runs gave each side a chance to pull ahead, only to see the other come back to keep things close. The Bees gained one of their biggest advantages from the free throw line as they hit 17 of their 21 attempts while the Royals...
Article Link
Box Elder High School swim team seniors had a lot to celebrate during senior night following a dual meet against Tooele on Jan. 23. Not only did both Box Elder squads win—the boys defeated the Buffalos 239-158, and the girls came out on top, 244-148—but it capped a successful season for the Bees. The girls won all their meets and the boys won all but one, a multi-team event where they finished second. The team’s seniors, as well as two foreign exchange students who are on the team this year, were recognized. Pictured are: (front) Adelaide Wilson, Taylor Nielson, Abby...
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team split last week’s games behind an impressive defensive performance on Wednesday that led to a 43-27 road win over Roy, followed by a 70-61 loss at home to region leader Bountiful on Friday. The Bees forced 31 turnovers in the contest, 20 of which were steals. Box Elder senior point guard Kaydence Barber led the charge, swiping 11 passes in the game and posting a game-high 13 points. Barber also collected seven rebounds in the win. Box Elder forward Kamri Anderson also cracked double figures as she chipped in 10 points of...
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Following the retirement of Chris Davis in December, Willard City has hired Jeremy Kimpton as their new city manager. Kimpton brings with him years of experience in administrating small cities, having served as the mayor and city administrator of Franklin, Idaho, as well as serving as the public works director and city administrator in Richmond, Utah.
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team split last week’s games behind an impressive defensive performance on Wednesday that led to a 43-27 road win over Roy, followed by a 70-61 loss at home to region leader Bountiful on Friday. The Bees forced 31 turnovers in the contest, 20 of which were steals. Box Elder senior point guard Kaydence Barber led the charge, swiping 11 passes in the game and posting a game-high 13 points. Barber also collected seven rebounds in the win. Box Elder forward Kamri Anderson also cracked double figures as she chipped in 10 points of...
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A story in the Jan. 24 edition about the current Utah Legislative session stated that Representative Matthew Gwynn abstained from a vote on HB 261, restricting implementation of DEI in Utah, and did not vote on HB 261, restricting transgendered people from public locker rooms or bathroom facilities that conform to their gender identity. Public record at the time listed Gwynn as “not voting” on those bills, the News Journal has since learned that Gwynn was not present for the votes, as he was attending a family event. When the two bills came back to the House of Representatives for...
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This high-flying shot of Mantua in December could just as well be a Valentine with the heartshaped reservoir dominating the picture. The photo was taken while the photographer was flying over the area.
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A Tremonton rancher who has filed to run against incumbent Stan Summers for a Box Elder County Commission seat has been facing a first-degree felony aggravated human trafficking charge since last May for incidents that took place in 2019. Dusty Chris Roche, 41, together with brother, Justin Roche, and father, Jeffrey Roche, stands accused by the Utah Attorney General’s Office of mistreating, abusing and not paying a legal foreign farm worker who was laboring for the family on their ranch near Tremonton. According to a probable cause statement, the migrant worker, identified as “A.S.” in the court documents, came to...
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Perry Mayor Kevin Jeppsen proclaimed that Perry is in excellent shape in his seventh State of the City address, delivered to the city council on Thursday. “It’s that time of year again, and I’ll just say right up front that the state of the city is excellent,” said Jeppsen. “I’m exceedingly pleased with the performance of the staff.” In a presentation, the mayor detailed the city’s highlights, including: · The city’s gun range was maintaining good participation from both shooters and volunteers. · The city completed 9,178 worth of road repairs in 2023, including chip sealing on 100 West, an...
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A group of Willard residents are organizing in order to restore public access to Willard Canyon, and are threatening legal action if necessary to enforce a prescriptive easement they contend exists along the trail into the canyon. Access to the canyon trail was cut off last September when the owners of the property the trail crosses through, the Wells family, and the company mining gravel from their land, Granite Construction, erected a wire fence blocking off the trailhead. The family asserts that they have the right to control access through their land, and that with active mining operations taking place...
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This high-flying shot of Mantua in December could just as well be a Valentine with the heartshaped reservoir dominating the picture. The photo was taken while the photographer was flying over the area.
Article Link
A Tremonton rancher who has filed to run against incumbent Stan Summers for a Box Elder County Commission seat has been facing a first-degree felony aggravated human trafficking charge since last May for incidents that took place in 2019. Dusty Chris Roche, 41, together with brother, Justin Roche, and father, Jeffrey Roche, stands accused by the Utah Attorney General’s Office of mistreating, abusing and not paying a legal foreign farm worker who was laboring for the family on their ranch near Tremonton. According to a probable cause statement, the migrant worker, identified as “A.S.” in the court documents, came to...
Article Link
Perry Mayor Kevin Jeppsen proclaimed that Perry is in excellent shape in his seventh State of the City address, delivered to the city council on Thursday. “It’s that time of year again, and I’ll just say right up front that the state of the city is excellent,” said Jeppsen. “I’m exceedingly pleased with the performance of the staff.” In a presentation, the mayor detailed the city’s highlights, including: · The city’s gun range was maintaining good participation from both shooters and volunteers. · The city completed 9,178 worth of road repairs in 2023, including chip sealing on 100 West, an...
Article Link
A group of Willard residents are organizing in order to restore public access to Willard Canyon, and are threatening legal action if necessary to enforce a prescriptive easement they contend exists along the trail into the canyon. Access to the canyon trail was cut off last September when the owners of the property the trail crosses through, the Wells family, and the company mining gravel from their land, Granite Construction, erected a wire fence blocking off the trailhead. The family asserts that they have the right to control access through their land, and that with active mining operations taking place...
Article Link
The Box Elder County Commission amended the county’s subdivision code on Tuesday, making the approval process easier for developers and to comply with a state law passed by last year’s legislature. The law, S.B. 174, Local Land Use and Development Revisions, was sponsored by Senator Lincoln Fillmore (R- Salt Lake City), and by Representative Stephen Whyte, (R-Mapleton). The main effects of the bill on municipalities is to streamline the subdivision approval process, taking legislative bodies— like a city council or county commission—out of the decision-making process while reducing the number of approvals applicants must go through, and shortening timelines for...
Article Link
The Box Elder County Commission amended the county’s subdivision code on Tuesday, making the approval process easier for developers and to comply with a state law passed by last year’s legislature. The law, S.B. 174, Local Land Use and Development Revisions, was sponsored by Senator Lincoln Fillmore (R- Salt Lake City), and by Representative Stephen Whyte, (R-Mapleton). The main effects of the bill on municipalities is to streamline the subdivision approval process, taking legislative bodies— like a city council or county commission—out of the decision-making process while reducing the number of approvals applicants must go through, and shortening timelines for...
Article Link
A story in the Jan. 24 edition about the current Utah Legislative session stated that Representative Matthew Gwynn abstained from a vote on HB 261, restricting implementation of DEI in Utah, and did not vote on HB 261, restricting transgendered people from public locker rooms or bathroom facilities that conform to their gender identity. Public record at the time listed Gwynn as “not voting” on those bills, the News Journal has since learned that Gwynn was not present for the votes, as he was attending a family event. When the two bills came back to the House of Representatives for...
Article Link
The Box Elder County Commission on Tuesday approved a ,000 donation from county LATCF funds to the Box Elder Family Support Center. The local center provides families with emergency childcare drop-off services, as well as case management to provide instruction and access to needed federal and state programs, job search training and assistance, help finding housing assistance, childcare necessities such as food, diapers and clothing, parenting and family life course instruction, and family therapy sessions provided by licensed clinical social workers. The center’s funds were cut last July when the group that now handles state grant funding, Family Support Centers...
Article Link
Elevate Credit Union will sponsor a book drive through February for new and gently used books that will be donated to area children. The credit union is seeking donations of books appropriate for children up to the eighth grade. Books should be in good condition with no broken bindings, writing, or missing pages. Spanish and Bilingual books are needed and greatly appreciated. Book with religious themes, adult romances, or encyclopedias/ textbooks can not be accepted. For more information, contact Tonya Gail at (435) 723.3437 or email info@elevatecu.com.
Article Link
The Bear River Health Department is seeking groups or individuals with which to partner to help prevent substance misuse in Box Elder County. The Box Elder Safe Communities Coalition, which will use evidence-based processes to ensure successful outcomes and wise use of resources, will unite a variety of community groups to examine local data, recognize risk and protective factors influencing youth, formulate an action plan, and implement community policies, programs and strategies. The coalition has been around for more than two decades, and has been responsible for major campaigns, including a highly visible effort in association with Parents Empowered to...
Article Link
At Tuesday’s meeting, the Box Elder County Commission renewed an agreement with Utah State University allowing the university to manage the county’s USU Extension office, and set the office budget amount for the current fiscal year at 1,160. USU Extension is a cooperative effort between Utah State University, the United States Department of Agriculture and the 29 Utah counties to provide statewide access to university resources and research. As an agricultural land-grant university, those resources and research tend to focus on agriculture, but also extend to small business consulting, human interaction counseling, and sponsorship of youth 4-H groups. Under the...
Article Link
The Box Elder County Commission took some time out of Tuesday’s meeting to honor two recently retired board members from the county’s water conservancy district. Charles Holmgren sat on the Bear River Water Conservancy District board for 23 years, while David Forsgren held the position for 35 years. Both men retired from their seats at the beginning of January. “We just wanted to take a moment and express our gratitude for their service,” said Commissioner Boyd Bingham. “Usually when you talk about recognition, you talk about service in years. With these two gentlemen, it’s decades.” The commissioners voted unanimously to...
Article Link
The Box Elder County Commission on Tuesday approved a ,000 donation from county LATCF funds to the Box Elder Family Support Center. The local center provides families with emergency childcare drop-off services, as well as case management to provide instruction and access to needed federal and state programs, job search training and assistance, help finding housing assistance, childcare necessities such as food, diapers and clothing, parenting and family life course instruction, and family therapy sessions provided by licensed clinical social workers. The center’s funds were cut last July when the group that now handles state grant funding, Family Support Centers...
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team notched two more region wins last week as the Bees beat Bonneville, 48-43, on Wednesday, and Clearfield, 61-53, on Friday. On Wednesday, both teams struggled from the field and baskets came at a premium, especially in the second half. Box Elder got out to a relative fast start while the Lakers struggled to find their offensive rhythm. But the Lakers battled back behind their defense and made things close down the stretch. The Bees didn’t do themselves any favors going just 1-for- 8 from the free-throw line during the final period, but...
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Box Elder School District announced last week that it will be discontinuing enrollment in its Chinese Dual Language Immersion program after enrollment numbers did not meet the threshold to keep the program financially viable. At a meeting in December 2023, the board of education extended the Chinese DLI application deadline until Jan. 15 to try to meet the 50-applicant threshold. By Jan. 15, the district only received 29 applications, leaving the program at similar enrollment levels as had been seen the past few years. On Jan. 16, the district announced that enrollment would be ended for new classes, but Chinese...
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A request from a developer and city staff to amend the city’s general plan, moving a future traffic corridor from their intended development area to a site further north where it would instead cross several farms, was denied at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting. The city’s general plan currently calls for a 106-foot wide traffic corridor to connect 1100 West and 1200 West that runs just north of, and parallel with, 1100 South. Connecting the roads would create a transportation corridor that could move traffic all the way from Promontory Road (State Route 13) along Watery Lane and 1200 West...
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County residents waking up last Wednesday morning were greeted with several inches of new snow covering walks, driveways and roads, prompting the closure of all schools in the district, as well as many local government offices. Local weather stations reporting to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network showed that between Jan. 16 and 18, Brigham City received 5.9 inches of new snow, bringing snow depths to 14 inches. Tremonton reported 5.1 inches from the same storm. The Box Elder School District sent messages out to students and parents that Jan. 17 would be a “virtual learning day,” with...
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Box Elder School District announced last week that it will be discontinuing enrollment in its Chinese Dual Language Immersion program after enrollment numbers did not meet the threshold to keep the program financially viable. At a meeting in December 2023, the board of education extended the Chinese DLI application deadline until Jan. 15 to try to meet the 50-applicant threshold. By Jan. 15, the district only received 29 applications, leaving the program at similar enrollment levels as had been seen the past few years. On Jan. 16, the district announced that enrollment would be ended for new classes, but Chinese...
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The first week of the 2024 Utah legislative session saw Republicans push three controversial bills through committee, a legislator file a bill to display the “10 Commandments” in Utah schools, and another seeking to bar school employees from promoting or disparaging topics like religion, politics or sexual orientation. HB 261, sponsored by Representative Katy Hall (R-South Ogden) would undo diversity programs in universities, colleges and governments in Utah, removing state funding from programs or offices that offer services or support to students or state employees based on their individual race or gender. The bill aims to rollback or prevent programs...
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The first week of the 2024 Utah legislative session saw Republicans push three controversial bills through committee, a legislator file a bill to display the “10 Commandments” in Utah schools, and another seeking to bar school employees from promoting or disparaging topics like religion, politics or sexual orientation. HB 261, sponsored by Representative Katy Hall (R-South Ogden) would undo diversity programs in universities, colleges and governments in Utah, removing state funding from programs or offices that offer services or support to students or state employees based on their individual race or gender. The bill aims to rollback or prevent programs...
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Two area men are lucky to be alive after the snowmobile they were riding broke through the ice on Mantua Reservoir and deposited them into the freezing water. According to a news release from Detective Crystal Beck of the Brigham City Police Department, the men, identified as Todd Hansen, 51, of Brigham City and Hunter Trowbridge, 29, of Logan, were riding the snowmobile near the northeastern shore of the reservoir at approximately 10:40 a.m. on Friday when they broke through the ice and went into the water. Box Elder Dispatch received calls reporting the incident, and units from the Brigham...
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Mantua’s first city council meeting of 2024 began with the swearing in of two council members. Ken Jones and incumbent Matt Jeppsen took the oath of office from recorder Sherita Schaefer. In a mid-year budget report, Mantua financial clerk Ronald Wallace said he was being conservative designating funds as being in good status since there are projects scheduled in the spring, but most revenues are higher than anticipated, other than taxes. He said he hoped property tax revenues were coming in more slowly than in the past and the numbers would catch up. Expenses in most categories, except professional services,...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person( s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential. Law enforcement contact information Adult Probation and Parole (435) 734-2066 Brigham City PD (435) 734-6650 Box Elder Sheriff’s Office (435) 734-3800 Tremonton/Garland PD (435) 734-3800
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team picked up two wins on their home floor last week as they blasted Bonneville, 69-36, and followed that up with an impressive 61-44 win over Clearfield. The Lakers never had much of a chance on Wednesday as the Bees played with intensity right out of the gate while opening up a 24-6 advantage after the first quarter and never looked back. The benches were cleared pretty early in the second half and 10 different players for the Bees scored at least one basket, led by senior guard Kaydence Barber who netted 17...
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For the past 36 years Brigham City Corporation has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Achievement Award for Excellence in fiscal reporting, and with the presentation of the 2023 fiscal audit the city has again received that award for the thirty-seventh consecutive year. An independent audit of Brigham City’s books performed by accounting firm Keddington and Christensen for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2023 has shown no material errors or misstatements, and that the city has once again accurately reported its financial condition. The results of the audit were delivered during Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting. Brigham City...
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Two area men are lucky to be alive after the snowmobile they were riding broke through the ice on Mantua Reservoir and deposited them into the freezing water. According to a news release from Detective Crystal Beck of the Brigham City Police Department, the men, identified as Todd Hansen, 51, of Brigham City and Hunter Trowbridge, 29, of Logan, were riding the snowmobile near the northeastern shore of the reservoir at approximately 10:40 a.m. on Friday when they broke through the ice and went into the water. Box Elder Dispatch received calls reporting the incident, and units from the Brigham...
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Mantua’s first city council meeting of 2024 began with the swearing in of two council members. Ken Jones and incumbent Matt Jeppsen took the oath of office from recorder Sherita Schaefer. In a mid-year budget report, Mantua financial clerk Ronald Wallace said he was being conservative designating funds as being in good status since there are projects scheduled in the spring, but most revenues are higher than anticipated, other than taxes. He said he hoped property tax revenues were coming in more slowly than in the past and the numbers would catch up. Expenses in most categories, except professional services,...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person( s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential. Law enforcement contact information Adult Probation and Parole (435) 734-2066 Brigham City PD (435) 734-6650 Box Elder Sheriff’s Office (435) 734-3800 Tremonton/Garland PD (435) 734-3800
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The Box Elder High School boys basketball team notched two more region wins last week as the Bees beat Bonneville, 48-43, on Wednesday, and Clearfield, 61-53, on Friday. On Wednesday, both teams struggled from the field and baskets came at a premium, especially in the second half. Box Elder got out to a relative fast start while the Lakers struggled to find their offensive rhythm. But the Lakers battled back behind their defense and made things close down the stretch. The Bees didn’t do themselves any favors going just 1-for- 8 from the free-throw line during the final period, but...
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The Box Elder High School girls basketball team picked up two wins on their home floor last week as they blasted Bonneville, 69-36, and followed that up with an impressive 61-44 win over Clearfield. The Lakers never had much of a chance on Wednesday as the Bees played with intensity right out of the gate while opening up a 24-6 advantage after the first quarter and never looked back. The benches were cleared pretty early in the second half and 10 different players for the Bees scored at least one basket, led by senior guard Kaydence Barber who netted 17...
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For the past 36 years Brigham City Corporation has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Achievement Award for Excellence in fiscal reporting, and with the presentation of the 2023 fiscal audit the city has again received that award for the thirty-seventh consecutive year. An independent audit of Brigham City’s books performed by accounting firm Keddington and Christensen for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2023 has shown no material errors or misstatements, and that the city has once again accurately reported its financial condition. The results of the audit were delivered during Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting. Brigham City...
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The Kiwanis Club of Brigham City will accept grant applications for its 2024 grant cycle through March 2. Several small grants will be offered, generally 0 and under, and one larger grant of around ,000. Anyone can apply, but preference will be given based on how much an organization or project impacts the children of the area. Interested parties need to apply online at https://kiwanisbc.org/awards-grants-and-scholarships/grants-history/. Applicants will be notified by March 29, 2024, and successful applicants will likely be asked to join the club at a weekly meeting, if possible, to make a short presentation concerning their proposed use of...
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The Kiwanis Club of Brigham City will accept grant applications for its 2024 grant cycle through March 2. Several small grants will be offered, generally 0 and under, and one larger grant of around ,000. Anyone can apply, but preference will be given based on how much an organization or project impacts the children of the area. Interested parties need to apply online at https://kiwanisbc.org/awards-grants-and-scholarships/grants-history/. Applicants will be notified by March 29, 2024, and successful applicants will likely be asked to join the club at a weekly meeting, if possible, to make a short presentation concerning their proposed use of...
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Assessing Utah’s water conditions in mid-January reveals a unique narrative. While much of December witnessed scarce precipitation, the trajectory shifted with early January storms, bringing our snowpack to normal levels for much of the state. “These fluctuations highlight the dynamic nature of our terrain and weather patterns,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “It s imperative to stay aware and responsive to our changing water supply conditions to ensure the resilience of our water supply.” Despite a dry December, reservoirs statewide stand at a robust 80%, a significant 23% higher than the usual levels for this...
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The Box Elder High School wrestling team had another busy week, starting with wins in dual meets over Fremont and Bountiful, before facing off against tough competition in Idaho Falls. The Bees traveled to Skyline High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to compete against 23 teams from Idaho, Wyoming and Utah in the Tiger Grizz Invitational. In the team race Westlake High School took first, Meridian took second place and Minico took third place. Box Elder placed middle of the pack in 15th place and was never in contention for a team title. Individually, Cody Kaleikini (285 lbs.) continued his...
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Assessing Utah’s water conditions in mid-January reveals a unique narrative. While much of December witnessed scarce precipitation, the trajectory shifted with early January storms, bringing our snowpack to normal levels for much of the state. “These fluctuations highlight the dynamic nature of our terrain and weather patterns,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “It s imperative to stay aware and responsive to our changing water supply conditions to ensure the resilience of our water supply.” Despite a dry December, reservoirs statewide stand at a robust 80%, a significant 23% higher than the usual levels for this...
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The Box Elder High School wrestling team had another busy week, starting with wins in dual meets over Fremont and Bountiful, before facing off against tough competition in Idaho Falls. The Bees traveled to Skyline High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to compete against 23 teams from Idaho, Wyoming and Utah in the Tiger Grizz Invitational. In the team race Westlake High School took first, Meridian took second place and Minico took third place. Box Elder placed middle of the pack in 15th place and was never in contention for a team title. Individually, Cody Kaleikini (285 lbs.) continued his...
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County residents waking up last Wednesday morning were greeted with several inches of new snow covering walks, driveways and roads, prompting the closure of all schools in the district, as well as many local government offices. Local weather stations reporting to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network showed that between Jan. 16 and 18, Brigham City received 5.9 inches of new snow, bringing snow depths to 14 inches. Tremonton reported 5.1 inches from the same storm. The Box Elder School District sent messages out to students and parents that Jan. 17 would be a “virtual learning day,” with...
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A request from a developer and city staff to amend the city’s general plan, moving a future traffic corridor from their intended development area to a site further north where it would instead cross several farms, was denied at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting. The city’s general plan currently calls for a 106-foot wide traffic corridor to connect 1100 West and 1200 West that runs just north of, and parallel with, 1100 South. Connecting the roads would create a transportation corridor that could move traffic all the way from Promontory Road (State Route 13) along Watery Lane and 1200 West...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team picked up an important region win last Wednesday night at home when they knocked off Roy in straight sets ahead of competing in a tournament hosted by Ridgeline high school over the weekend, where the Bees played six matches over two days. Against the Royals, the Bees leveraged their home crowd and set the tempo early, rolling to a 25-13 first set victory. The Royals found a little better rhythm as the match progressed, but the Bees found answers time and again behind senior middle blocker Addi Olsen, who led the way with...
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DOB: 04/07/1989Weight: 150 Height: 5’1”Race: CaucasianEyes: Hazel Hair: Brown Offense: Attempted Distribution/ Offer/Arrange to Distribute a Controlled Substance, 3rd Degree Felony. Known to frequent the Brigham City/Box Elder areas. The Board of Pardons and Parole has issued a warrant for her arrest. Justin Case Gould DOB: 03/11/1984Weight: 145 Height: 5’5”Race: CaucasianEyes: Blue Hair: Brown Offense: Violation of a Protective Order, Class A Misdemeanor (2 counts), Possession of Firearm by Restricted Person,3rd Degree Felony (2 counts); Possession of Controlled Substance, Class A Misdemeanor (2 counts). Known to frequent the Brigham City/Box Elder County areas. First District Court Judge Brandon Maynard has...
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An accident on the morning of Sept. 5 claimed the life of a 17-year-old Bear River High School student. According to Tremonton/ Garland police, the student, SoRaya Niesha Manakaja, was riding her bicycle in the area of 1500 East Main Street when she was struck by a garbage truck exiting a parking lot at approximately 5:30 a.m. last Tuesday. “First responders attempted life-saving measures, and there just wasn’t anything they could do at that point,” said Chief Dustin Cordova. “It’s really devastating to a small town like ours. It really hurts everyone in this community, including our first-responders.” Tremonton Mayor...
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An estimated 5,000 proposal to erect vehicle barriers in front of Brigham City Hall has been put on hold for now, with the Brigham City Council wanting to study the proposal and explore the possibilities of less expensive alternatives. The recommendation made by city staff is to install five cement and steel bollards, as well as a reinforced concrete planter box, along the north side of the city office building. The measure is designed to prevent a recurrence of a vehicle ramming through the front entrance, as happened on June 8 of this year. In that incident, a Ford F-150...
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With a July power bill from UAMPS (Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems) of nearly .2 million, the largest bill Brigham City has ever seen, nearly half of the rate stabilization fund the city had built up through the use of its Power Purchase Adjustment Clause (PPAC) surcharge has now been spent. Brigham City Finance Director Tom Kotter appeared before the city council on Wednesday, offering an update on where the city is in its power fund. Brigham City recouped [post_excerpt],082,667 in regular power sales, and an additional 1,974 in PPAC charges, making July’s deficit between what the city received and...
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Mantua residents have until the end of this month, Sept. 30, to sign up to connect for free to the fiber optic network currently being installed throughout the city. After that time, it will cost approximately 0 to connect to the network. That was part of the information presented at last week’s city council meeting, where Rebecca Dillg from the Utah Broadband Outreach Center was on hand to answer questions and address concerns of council members. The project, which is providing fiber optic networks to several smaller rural communities in the county, is being paid for with a combination of...
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Three Box Elder communities held municipal primary elections last week, with most of the races favoring incumbents. But there were a few surprises as well. In Tremonton and Willard, relative newcomers earned large percentages of the vote, and a sitting councilmember did not move on to the general election. Tremonton City Council Blair Westergard received 584 votes, incumbent Connie Archibald received 469, incumbent Lyle Vance received 468, Jeffrey Hoedt received 421, Sarah Mohrman received 362, and Paul Fowler received 300 votes. These six candidates are moving on to the November 21 general election. Candidate RJ Henry was eliminated from contention...
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After facing manpower shortages for several years now, Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes announced at a special Wednesday meeting of the city council that his department is finally fully staffed. The city has struggled to maintain officer numbers in recent years mainly due to competition from other departments, and set out to solve the problem by adopting competitive pay structures in recent city budgets, including an across-theboard 8% pay increase in fiscal 2024. It appears those decisions have paid off, with the city swearing in three new officers at the meeting, bringing the total number of officers in the...
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Brigham City Corporation is accepting nominations for the Jim Davis Extraordinary Service Award. The award is presented every year by the Brigham City Council to a city employee or citizen who has performed extraordinary service to the community. Nominations should include specific examples of how a nominee’s extraordinary service to the public. Submit written nominations by 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29 to Brigham City Corporation, attn: mayor’s office, 20 N. Main Street, Brigham City, Utah 84302, or by email to dpett@bcutah.org. The award is given in memory of the dedication and commitment rendered by Jim Davis as the city’s...
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According to information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Utah has the second highest rate of fatal automobile accidents where speeding is a contributing factor. Of all fatal accidents in the state, speeding contributes to 27% of them. Out of 293 fatal accidents, 78 involved speeding, a rate 53.41% above the national average. Wyoming has the highest proportion of speeding-related fatal accidents in the country with 28%. Wyoming’s rate is 64% higher than the national average, which stands at 17%. Idaho has the lowest at just 4%. Speed-related factors include a driver exceeding the speed limit, driving too fast...
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The Brigham City Museum of Art and History invites painters of all levels to share their vision of Utah in the 2023 Plein Air Competition. Plein Air competitions are community challenges for artists of all ages, backgrounds, skills, and experience levels to celebrate the beauty and wonder of Utah’s natural world. The spirit of Plein Air requires artists to paint their entries entirely “out in the open air” with only a very short time in which to paint, frame, and submit their entries. Judges place a high value on pieces with strong design, defined focal points, balanced use of darks...
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The Box Elder High School football team faced one of their toughest tests of the season so far last Thursday when they Roy, and were able to keep their perfect season intact with a 42-34 win. In a game that only saw six combined fourth downs, two punts, and no turnovers, Box Elder’s key defensive stops and time of possession proved key in the contest. In the second quarter, Box Elder was able to keep Roy of the scoreboard while putting up 14 points of their own to take a 21-7 lead into the half. As for time of possession,...
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Nathan Blaine and his son, Bronco, had left their home in Mantua ready for an adventure in the Tetons, and planning to meet up with the rest of the family to celebrate Labor Day weekend. Instead, they returned home late Saturday night, reeling after an automobile accident in Idaho claimed the lives of three of their family members, including Nathan’s wife, Jennifer, and two of Nathan’s daughters, as well as a son-in-law. Two of Blaine’s sons, Ben and Deven, will come home from their missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to spend time with family....
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As disasters have been occurring with increasing frequency the local chapter of the American Red Cross is urging residents to be prepared in case the next one hits close to home. “Severe weather events continue to escalate across the nation, with the American Red Cross responding to nearly double the number of large-scale disasters compared to a decade ago. As we witness the increasing impact of these disasters every year, we are grateful for the community’s generosity and partnership in expanding our capacity and services to help those in great need,” said Heidi Ruster, Chief Executive Officer of the American...
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Even on a normal day, being a law enforcement officer is a tough job; but it gets more difficult still when dealing with suspects experiencing a mental health crisis. On those calls, officers must not only try to protect the public from possible dangers, but must also try to protect both officers and suspects from escalations that could put either in harm’s way, as well as try to protect agitated suspects from themselves. Mental health calls, including family conflicts and domestic violence calls, as well as suicide threats, are highly volatile situations that could easily spiral out of control if...
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In the Aug. 30 edition, a story was published about the Brigham City Police Department’s decision to end their SWAT agreement with Box Elder County. Brigham City Police has a SWAT agreement with Logan City police, but not with Cache County. The Cache County Sheriff’s Department also has a SWAT agreement with Logan City, but not with Brigham City. At this time, Cache County and Brigham City SWAT personnel will not be responding to incidents within the other’s jurisdiction.
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In the first region contest of the year, the Box Elder High School football team imposed their will on Northridge, putting up 613 total yards and seven touchdowns on their way to a 42-12 victory. The Bees went to their rushing attack early and often and got three touchdowns from senior back Dax Sumko before the Knights were able to find any points at all. Sumko had a pair of oneyard dives in the opening period before busting loose on a 30-yard scamper in the second quarter to set the score at 20-0. The Knights found some success through the...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team suffered a straight-set defeat last Tuesday on the road at the hands of Woods Cross, before beating Viewmont in four sets on Thursday at home. Head coach Kristine Harding said her team came out against the Wildcats full of energy and confidence, but lacked the necessary execution to find the success they hoped for. “Our energy was great and our chemistry was really positive, but we lacked discipline and we didn’t really follow our game plan,” Harding said. The Wildcats exploited holes the Bees left open for them and ran away with the...
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Box Elder County residents supported nonprofits to provide school supplies for those in need. Elevate Credit Union’s generous cash donation of 26.18, along with the additional contributions from various sources, is truly commendable. Elevate matched donations up to [post_excerpt],000. (top and bottom left) The Kiwanis Club donated 0 and the community donated the rest. (bottom right) The collaboration between Elevate Credit Union, the Kiwanis Club, and other local businesses like Smiths, Kents, Ace, and Habitat for Humanity, showcases the power of community unity and support and brought in 7.50 in school supplies. The recipients of these donations and efforts, included...
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The sheer number of scams, hustles and cons residents of Box Elder County are being subjected to has increased dramatically and targets anyone who uses a telephone, a cell phone or a computer. According to Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans lost .8 billion to fraud in 2022, the most recent year that statistics were compiled. That’s up 30% over 2021. In Utah, cases of fraud were reported 17,208 times in 2022, costing residents ,270,305 in losses. That number is up 67% from 2021, when Utahns were defrauded out of ,346,855. Experts at the FTC attribute the rising numbers to the...
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Flanked by representatives from the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, 2022 Peach Queen Olivia Powell (fourth from right) issues the annual invitation to attend Peach Days to the current Governor Spencer Cox (third from left), and present to him peaches and peach-themed swag. Chamber representatives are (from left) Kim Reeder, Malone Molgard, chamber CEO Monica Holdaway, Cortney Gregory and Brent Gillies.
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School is back in session for Box Elder School District, where teachers and administration are pleased to get the new school year going. Superintendent Steve Carlsen shared with the News Journal some of the changes that parents and students may notice as the 2023-2024 school year begins. An interview with the superintendent gave some insight into the goals of the district for this school year. “We are really trying to focus on our BESD Mission Statement: ‘At BESD will ensure high levels of learning for all students.’ We are doubling down on making connections with kids and letting them know...
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If people don’t already know, heavy rains earlier this month have resulted in exploding mosquito populations throughout the county. “Box Elder County as a whole is seeing a large spike in the mosquito populations from the rain water that we received two weeks ago,” reported the Box Elder Mosquito Abatement District on its social media page. “As always, the majority of our efforts are to control the mosquito larvae population before they emerge out of the water as adult mosquitoes. Because of the large amount of increased mosquito-producing habitat, 100% larval control is not possible, although mosquito populations are drastically...
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Willard City has accepted, but not yet approved, an official annexation request for 81.05 acres of land located in South Willard. The parcels are located at approximately 8470 South U.S. Highway 89, just south of the existing stake center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, between the highway and Interstate 15. If approved, the annexation would create another “island” of Willard City surrounded by unincorporated county land, and would be the second such instance in a year. The proposal received approval from the Box Elder County Commission during their Aug. 16 meeting, clearing the way for its...
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In an effort to reduce light pollution in Willard City, the city council on Thursday approved a “dark skies” ordinance that placed additional regulations on new construction. Highlights of the approved ordinance include provisions that all outdoor lighting be shielded so that light point downward and does not directly shine onto neighboring properties; that lighting be kept to under 100,000 lumens per acre on commercial properties wherever possible unless necessary for safety; that “non-essential” commercial lighting be turned off by 11 p.m., or when the business closes; that parking lot lights be no higher than 17 feet; and that flagpole...
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A towing fee that the city will never receive was added to the Perry Police Department fee schedule on Thursday, after being approved by the council at the request of Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. The fee will be collected by TowPro, the company that both Brigham City and Perry use to manage their police initiated towing requests, and that fee will then be forwarded by TowPro directly to the state. But in order to legally charge the fee, it must be on the city’s books. “We won’t even see it. We just need to have it on the
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In an effort to increase available resources during an emergency situation, the Brigham City Police Department (BCPD) has signed a mutual aid agreement with the Logan City Police Department and Cache County Sheriff’s Department, partnering with them for SWAT training and response. SWAT, an acronym for Special Weapons and Tactics, is a team of highly trained officers who respond to certain crisis situations, including police responses to snipers, barricaded subjects, hostage situations, arrests of armed or dangerous suspects, or any other form of police response which may require additional expertise. Prior to joining with Cache County SWAT in May, the...
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Editor’s note: Willard City Council candidate Rex Christensen missed the deadline for submitting a profile for the Box Elder News Journal’s voter’s information guide. We are publishing it here in the interest of fair and equal coverage for candidates. Rex Christensen is nearly a lifelong resident of Willard whose experiences growing up in that community shaped who he is, and gives him much of his motivation to run for the Willard City Council. “I want my children and the children of Willard to have that same hometown quality of life and experiences,” Christensen wrote in response to a request for...
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A contract that was being negotiated between Willard and Perry cities that would have allowed a developer building in Perry to tie into Willard’s sewer lines appears to be dead. At Thursday’s Perry City Council meeting, Mayor Kevin Jeppsen announced that the developer has run into opposition from landowners whose properties he would need to cross to build the sewer connection. “They’ve had some problems with agreements with the landowners that were involved with that, and so unless there’s some change there we’re probably through with this particular agreement,” said Jeppsen, who then tabled the item without objection. books so...
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It was a busy week for the Box Elder High School volleyball team as they played a match against Sky View last Tuesday before playing seven matches at the Servin’ Up North Side tournament at Sky View, over the weekend. On Tuesday, things started out rough for the Bees, and while their play improved from game to game, the Bobcats had all the answers they needed en route to a straight set win, 25-12, 25- 16, 25-21. Senior outside hitter Anne Reese led the way for the Bobcats with 10 kills in the match while Ryen Smith and Makena Smart...
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For the third year in a row, the Box Elder High School football team hoisted the Golden Spike trophy after they defeated Bear River, 49-28, last Friday in the latest contest of the longest-running rivalry in the state. There weren’t too many surprises to either teams’ offensive script as the Bees found the bulk of their success on the ground while the Bears did a lot of their damage through the air. Box Elder senior tailback Mason Jeppsen led all rushers in the game with 127 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns, including breaking free for a 68-yard run...
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A water conservation committee, initially formed by the Bear River Water Conservancy District to participate in the Growing Water Smart conference organized by the Utah Department of Natural Resources and held in Logan last June, has remained together to push for a master water plan that would encompass all of Box Elder County. The committee consists of Honeyville Mayor Bruce Nelson, County Commissioner Boyd Bingham, Tremonton Mayor Lyle Holmgren, County Planner Scott Lyons, Willard City Planner Bryce Wheelwright, Chamber of Commerce Executive Monica Holdaway, realtor Stefanie Tugaw-Madsen, West Corinne Water Company President Steve Norman, Bear River Canal Company General Manager...
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In a report to the Box Elder County Commission earlier this month, Box Elder County Victim Services Director Cheryl Burgan said case numbers handled by her office have been dramatically increasing. In the first quarter of 2022, Burgan reported that her office aided 261 victims of crimes, with 97 of those cases being new. This year, over the same time, there were 429 victims that her office helped, with 154 of those being new cases, an increase of 60% in caseload work and 62% in new crimes. That trend continued through the second quarter, with 281 total victims in 2021,...
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The Box Elder County Municipal Building Authority is in discussions to sell 156 acres of land it owns above the Little Mountain Landfill to partners interested in mining the parcel for gravel. Jay Harwood and Stacey Webster appeared before the county commissioners in their role as the county’s municipal building authority, and expressed interest in purchasing the property, provided they could perform testing to ensure the quantity and quality of gravel, and could get favorable zoning to allow for gravel extraction. “We’d need to drill for the gravel before we purchase it, to see if there’s substantial and correct materials...
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A planned concession stand, ticket booth and restroom building to be located near the rodeo arena at the fairgrounds will need to be re-bid, after the existing [post_excerpt].35 million bid expired. The expired bid for the project was nearly 0,000 more than had been budgeted, prompting the Box Elder County Commission to explore alternative construction styles, replacing cinder blocks with steel, and any other ways to cut costs. At Wednesday’s meeting, Commissioner Stan Summers told Box Elder County Chief Building Official Codey Illum that he would look into receiving a donation of a steel building from Nucor in order to...
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At a special meeting held Monday afternoon at the Utah State University campus in Brigham City, the Utah Inland Port Authority’s (UIPA) board of directors approved the creation of the Golden Spike Inland Port Project Area in Box Elder County. The unanimous vote was the culmination of months of courting and negotiations, although who was courting whom was not always very clear. The process began back in January, when Box Elder County, Brigham City, Tremonton and Garland approved cooperative agreements with UIPA to begin the formal process of creating a project area, or areas. An inland port is a logistics...
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Brigham City will no longer offer senior transportation services beginning Saturday, Sept. 2, after working with UTA to provide alternative transportation for seniors to frequently visited locations. According to Brigham City officials, the city and UTA worked on minor adjustments to UTA’s F638 route, “which made Senior Transit services redundant.” The revised route will provide access to the places most commonly served by senior transit. The route runs in a counter-clockwise loop and stops at the Brigham City Community Center, Brigham City Community Hospital, Walmart, BC House, and more. Current users of Senior Transit who choose to utilize UTA will...
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The failure of a cooling fan inside the control board of a pump that sends water from Mantua’s main well to its storage tanks resulted in a few days of limited water use by the town’s residents. The situation was compounded by a public notice from the state warning that the town’s main well had outdated water quality information. The woes began on Wednesday, Aug. 16, at 4:30 a.m., when the pump sending water from the primary well to storage tanks was not running. Word to limit use was issued to residents through various channels, but not every resident received...
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At Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting a fiscal 2024 budget totaling approximately .6 million across all city funds was approved, including a 3.6% property tax hike. This year’s property tax increase was significantly lower than increases over the last five years, and was implemented solely to help pay for sidewalks to and around the new Golden Spike Elementary School. The increase was 17.1% in 2023, 8.6% in 2022, 7.42% in 2021, and 69% in 2020. Prior to that, Brigham City had not increased property taxes since 2001. The final approved budget was close to what Mayor Bott had originally proposed...
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The Box Elder County Clerk’s office mailed ballots to all eligible voters on Tuesday, Aug. 15, ahead of the Sept. 5 municipal primary elections being held in Honeyville, Tremonton and Willard. Early voting: Voters can cast their ballots early at a polling location beginning Aug. 29 until Sept. 1. Locations and times for early voting are as follows: Honeyville: City hall, 2635 W. 6980 North from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday Tremonton: City hall, 102 S. Tremont Street, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday Willard: City hall, 80 W. 50 South, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday-Friday Each...
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Brigham City Councilmember Alden Farr has resigned his position, approximately four months prior to his latest term ending. Farr initially served on the council from 2004 to 2008, and was again appointed to the council in August of 2014 to fill out the term of Brian Rex, who resigned. He ran and was elected in 2015, and re-elected in the 2019 municipal election. Farr also had extensive experience with Brigham City prior to serving on the council, working as an energy conservation specialist for the city’s municipal power department from 1993 to 1998. He went on to become a financial...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team opened their 2023 season on a very positive note as the Bees blasted Bear River Tuesday, Aug. 15, in Brigham City, picking up a straight set victory, 25-12, 25- 15, 25-4. The Bees looked sharp, especially for their first match of the season, and raced out to early leads in all three sets, which seemed to wear their opponents down even faster as the night went on. A pair of seniors led the offensive attack for the Bees as Brinley Southwick and Chaylie Larkin recorded six kills apiece. Southwick and fellow senior Mia...
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When the dust settled last Friday, it was special teams that stood in the spotlight as a blocked PAT and an extra long extra point made the difference in Box Elder High School’s 21-20 win over Mountain Crest. With the score tied at 14 to start the second half, Mountain Crest took their first lead of the game late in the third quarter off a two-yard run. But the Bees’ Nathan Puglsey turned that score into two field goals when he blocked the extra point kick. Down six points and with the game into its final minutes, Box Elder was...
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Box Elder County has renewed its contract with City of Fun Carnivals to provide rides, games and concessions at the county fair. “City of fun has a history with the county fair,” said Jan Rhodes, fairgrounds manager. “They also do Peach Days in Brigham City, so if people have leftover tickets from the fair they can use them at Peach Days.” Rhodes also said that City of Fun has been great to work with in the past, and gives the county a portion of ticket sales. “That’s one of the reasons the county fair hasn’t cost us anything in a...
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Members of the BE United U14 girls team show off the gold medals they earned at the Layton Strikers Cup held Aug. 9-12. The team made it into the semifinals as underdogs. Mia Elegante’s goal in the first half held up as BE United pulled off the upset, earning them a spot in the finals against NUU Driven. After regulation and an overtime period, the two teams were tied, 2-2. In a shoot-out, BE United keeper Maycee Hales did her job by blocking several NUU shots, while Madisen Murray and Olivia Nelson both found the back of the net to...
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For the fifth straight season, the Box Elder High School football team last Friday opened up their season against Kearns, and for the second straight year, the Bees found plenty of offense and posted a 55-26 win. The first half was a seesaw battle as both squads found the end zone early and often to set up what looked to be a track meet from start to finish. But following the frantic start, the Bees found their groove on the defensive side of the ball in the second half and stymied the Courgar offense while continuing to pile on the...
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Three municipalities will hold primary elections on Sept. 5 this year: Honeyville, Tremonton and Willard The News Journal sent out requests to all the candidates running in the three Box Elder County cities holding a primary, asking for brief biographies as well as information on perceived issues and ways the candidates would like to address them. Of the 21 candidates involved in local primaries, 13 responded to our inquiries. Not all submissions complied with the requested format; efforts were made to provide equitable space for each candidate. Tremonton Tremonton City has three four-year seats on the city council up for...
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A special session of the Brigham City Council was held on Thursday in order to hold a public hearing on a proposed property tax increase. Brigham City is considering a 3.69% overall increase in property taxes this year, ostensibly looking to at least partially fund sidewalk projects around and leading to Golden Spike Elementary School. By Utah law, any proposed property tax rate different from the certified tax rate requires several public notices and a public hearing. The certified tax rate is calculated so a taxing entity, like a city, receives the same dollar amount as the previous year from...
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Followers of local social media pages were led to believe that on Saturday evening a man pulled a gun on other passengers while riding a UTA bus near Kent’s grocery store on Main Street in Brigham City. Other accounts had a fight breaking out between bus passengers, where a man pulled a gun. Still other accounts had a man simply showing a gun, alarming other passengers. Police say none of that is true. According to Public Information Officer Crystal Beck of the Brigham City Police Department, the BCPD was contacted by UTA police on Saturday afternoon, and asked to pull...
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Willard resident Mike Wetzel stood up during the public comment period of Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting, asking city officials what was being done to prevent a recurrence of the flooding that buried his yard under feet of mud on Aug. 3. Wetzel’s home along 300 East was one of several in the city that experienced damage due to a flash flood brought on by an unusually strong rainstorm, sending torrents of water and mud from Willard’s canyons into east side neighborhoods. “I was wondering what the council here has planned to mitigate any further issues, or rectify the issues...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved the transfer of 6,765 from the city’s general fund into the capital projects fund for the fiscal year 2024 budget, to help pay for exterior refurbishment and wood staining on the new Perry City Hall building on U.S. Highway 89. The city is renovating the building located south of Maddox Ranch House, known as The Lodge, to become its new city government building. The Lodge was purchased in 2022 for .85 million, with Perry City taking out a revenue bond to cover those costs. Current refurbishment and remodeling costs, including the latest transfer,...
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The Box Elder School District voted to approve a tax increase last Wednesday, following a Truth in Taxation public hearing where residents passionately expressed varied opinions about the proposed increase. The school district approved a tax rate of .005805, which is higher than the certified tax rate set by the county auditor. While most such hearings attract mostly those opposed to a tax increase, two residents showed to express support for it, which will help the district cover increased costs resulting from inflation. Bob Baker said that even though he was a senior citizen and the tax increase would take...
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A competitor in last year’s Golden Spike Rodeo at the Box Elder County Fair. Tickets for the rodeo on Friday and Saturday are already sold out, after going on sale earlier this month. See more information about the fair, including a full schedule on page 5.
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There may be a little less room to park or wait at county facilities in the coming weeks, after the Box Elder County Commission voted on Wednesday to approve an ordinance creating zones at those facilities that must be kept clear at all times to allow for emergency vehicle access. The ordinance allows the county fire marshal and facility managers to work together to designate areas at each county facility where it would be illegal to park, wait or otherwise obstruct access with a vehicle. The ordinance applies to all county facilities, while specifically mentioning the Box Elder County Fairgrounds,...
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The public meeting of the Box Elder County Commission has been moved from Sept. 6 at 5 p.m. to the following Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. The move is to allow the commissioners to attend a Utah Association of Counties conference being held in Bryce Canyon. At Wednesday’s meeting all three commissioners voted to reschedule the Sept. 6 meeting in a unanimous vote.
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Many Box Elder County residents are still digging out and drying out their yards and basements from flooding that occurred when a monsoonal rain system hit the area on Thursday. As reported by Meteorologist Alana Brophy of KTVX news in Salt Lake City, between 12 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3 to 12 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 4, Honeyville received 5.83 inches of rain, while Corinne received 3.76 inches, and Brigham City 2.31 inches. To put that in perspective, Honeyville averages eight tenths of an inch of rainfall for the entire month of August, meaning the area received 663% of their...
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A special meeting of the Brigham City Council has been set for August 10 at 6 p.m. in the council chambers to hear public input on a proposed 3.69% property tax increase to partially fund the construction of sidewalks around and to the new Golden Spike Elementary School. If approved, the property taxes on a 0,000 residence would increase from 9.27 to 1.98, which is .71 per year. The Brigham City tax on a 0,000 business would increase from 5.04 to 8.14, which is .10 per year. The council will not be voting on the new budget and tax increase...
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The Box Elder High School football team is looking to build off the momentum from last season, in which the Bees finished with a 9-4 record overall and went toeto toe with eventual 5A state champion Lehi in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. When looking back on last year, Bees’ head coach Robbie Gunter said, “Our team played hard and really came together at the end of last season. We improved each week into the playoffs and gave ourselves a chance to win the Lehi game.” The Bees have plenty of reasons to be excited about their upcoming season...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team is in their final week of preparation before their first match of the 2023 season, which will be Tuesday, Aug. 15, at home against Bear River beginning at 6:30 p.m. Despite losing five seniors from last year’s team, the Bees are returning several varsity-level contributors who will be looking to take on even bigger roles this season. Senior defensive specialist Hallie Reeder led the team last season with 45 aces and 537 digs on the back line. Brinley Southwick also contributed to last season’s offensive production with 43 aces from the service line...
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The Bees’ Kaydence Barber works against an opponent from Bear River in the Bees’ first game of the year on Aug. 1. The Bees exploded offensively in the second half and put up four goals. Barber led the team with a hat trick as the Bees won, 5-1. Madison Thurgood and Olivia Godfrey both netted a goal in the game, in which the Bees never trailed. Two days later, the Bees lost their ssecond game of the season when they were shutout by Morgan, 1-0.
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Jonathan Mendoza Llana has been sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison, with the possibility of remaining behind bars for the rest of his life. At an Aug. 1 hearing in Brigham City’s First District Court, Judge Brandon Maynard sentenced Llana, 49, of Los Angeles, California, to an indeterminate term of 15-years-to-life on a first-degree felony charge of murder, an indeterminate term of 3-years-to-life on a first-degree felony charge of attempted murder, and two indeterminate terms of 5-years-to-life on two first-degree felony charges of discharging a firearm. Maynard ordered that the murder and firearm sentences are to be...
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An attempted traffic stop on a wanted fugitive in Brigham City on Friday turned into a high-speed chase that ended in Tremonton. Police say that Jonathan Randall Hurley, 22, Tremonton, was already wanted on two felony warrants when members of the Box Elder Narcotics Task Force tried to pull him over at a Brigham City gas station. “Officers tried to stop him at about 500 North Main, and he took off,” Assistant Chief Brian Crockett of the Tremonton/Garland Police Department told the News Journal. “He went on Main Street to S.R. 13 to I-15. A highway patrol trooper was able...
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The power cost situation in Brigham City has greatly improved, and the surcharge being paid by residents has been reduced, but the city is heading into the three highest power billing months, so nothing is settled yet. Keeping a promise to provide monthly updates on Brigham City’s power costs, and the additional Power Purchase Adjustment Clause (PPAC) rate being charged to residents, Brigham City Financial Director Tom Kotter shared that message with the city council on Thursday. The city adopted an additional PPAC charge of 5.23 cents per kilowatt hour beginning in March of this year to help the city...
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For the first time since February of 2017, when the Box Elder County Commission decided to do away with public comment periods during regular meetings, the Box Elder County Commission held an open public comment period during their regular twice-monthly meeting last Wednesday. It was as if no time at all had passed, with prolific public commenter, DeAnna Hardy, once again using the public comment period to admonish elected officials to uphold the constitutions of Utah and the United States, and Fred Hayes sharing his concerns with mail-in ballots and machine counting of votes during county elections. With the adoption...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved an agreement with Box Elder County giving permission for the city to annex 203 acres from the county located west of Interstate 15, between approximately 300 North and 800 North. The agreement with the county was necessary, since the proposed annexation would create an island of unincorporated county located to the east of the newly annexed property. The agreement with the county does not annex the land into Brigham City, but fulfills an obligation between the city and county that allows the annexation petition to proceed. According to Brigham City Attorney Michael Christiansen,...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved an amendment to the city’s ambulance billing cost recovery ordinance that creates a discount for those experiencing financial hardship. According to Brigham City Fire Chief Brandon Thueson, the amendment would provide some relief, up to 50% of the bill with a ,000 maximum discount, for humanitarian reasons. Thueson explained that when the ambulance responds to a call, the patient receives the bill, or at least a portion of the bill after insurance. “It’s a difficult situation because we listen to a lot of difficult things that have happened with that person or their...
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A new study ranks Utah 20th for investment fraud, with residents losing million in 2022. Nationally, a record .82 billion was stolen in 2022, up from [post_excerpt].6 billion the previous year. From large scale fraudsters to small time scammers, investment fraud has become the top type of fraud in America. The unprecedented rise is due to crypto-investment scams and artificial intelligence deep fake videos. According to an analysis of data from the FBI and the FTC released in 2023: · Utah victims lost an average of 5,531 (32nd most) and there were 8.9 investment fraud complaints filed with the...
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Opponents of removing fluoride from Brigham City’s culinary water supply gathered at a dentist’s office in Brigham City on Friday, in an effort to sway Brigham City voters, and public officials, on the benefits of keeping fluoride in the city’s culinary water. Although listed as a public conference, attendees at Randell Capener’s office were mostly dental professionals from the county, the state, and the country. Those in attendance included Dr. Brent Larsen, a recently retired Salt Lake City dentist; Dr. Steve Blanchard, a Brigham City orthodontist; Dr. John Torghele, a dentist in Perry; Matt Jacob and Dr. Johnny Johnson with...
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In yet another sign that 1100 South in Brigham City and Perry is turning into the area’s prime commercial district, Heritage Automotive Group will relocate its Main Street dealership into the Pointe Perry commercial subdivision just west of Interstate 15. A site plan for the new dealership was presented to the Perry City Council at Thursday’s meeting, receiving conditional approval from the city pending a final review by Brett Jones and Associates, Perry’s engineering firm. The plan calls for a 5.8-acre development located in between I-15 and the Tractor Supply Co. store on the west side of the freeway. A...
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A proposed new 149-unit residential development on the southern border of Perry City, in an area lacking municipal sewer infrastructure, may yet be built, as the developer, Perry City and Willard City attempt to hammer out an agreement to tie the development into Willard’s sewer system. The property in question is located between U.S. Highway 89 and 1200 West, from 3600 South to approximately 3900 South, on the border with Willard City. According to Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill, the developer, White Rock Partners, L.L.C., originally planned to connect the subdivision to the existing Perry City sewer trunk line that...
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All of the booth space for the upcoming Peach Days celebration in Brigham City has been sold, but a scammer, or group of scammers, is sending out fake emails that there is still space available. “There is a group out there using this year’s Peach Days logo and our board members names saying they have booths to rent for this year’s Peach Days event,” wrote the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce in a news release. “This is a scam, all our booths are full.” The release went on to say that the email comes from a group that calls itself...
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With the high temperatures the county has been experiencing over the past couple of weeks, it was only a matter of time before the first major wildfire of the season ignited, which it did on Wednesday, July 26. The Bettridge Fire (named for Bettridge Creek) began from a suspected lightning strike on the east slope of the Pilot Mountain Range, approximately 20 miles north of Wendover, Nevada, in a very remote part of Box Elder County. On that first day the blaze grew to about 100 acres. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) crews responded with three large air tankers, four...
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The driver of a semi-truck was killed Thursday evening in a rollover accident on State Road 30 near Rosette. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the driver, who was traveling westbound hauling a load of hay bales at approximately 6 p.m, drifted off the road for an unknown reason near milepost 28. The driver over-corrected and rolled the semi, blocking both lanes of travel as it came to rest. As the truck rolled, the top of the cab was partially torn off, and the driver, who has not yet been identified, was ejected and died at the scene. The highway...
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Accused murderer Jonathan Mendoza Llama has been restored to competency, and has entered guilty but mentally ill pleas to amended charges in First District Court. Llana, 47, of Los Angeles, had been charged with aggravated murder for the death of 50-year-old Dennis Gwyther, whom Llana shot on the night of May 22. 2019 while both men were driving on I-84 near Snowville. Gwyther, the driver, suffered fatal gunshot injuries, while his unidentified passenger took a bullet in the arm. Llana was charged with attempted aggravated murder in the case of the passenger. Under a plea arrangement, Llana has now pleaded...
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A fund collected from fees paid at the Brigham City Cemetery that had mostly been set aside for future maintenance and upkeep can now also be used for cemetery improvement and development. “Previously, we were only allowed to use the interest off that fund for maintenance in our year-to-year budget,” said Brigham City Financial Director Tom Kotter, explaining that the new city code amendment would allow the entire perpetual care fund to be used for both maintenance and improvements as the city sees fit. “It is not used to repair markers and other things that are private, it’s just for...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday expanded the city’s parental leave policy to include fathers or same-sex spouses to be able to take up to three weeks of paid leave upon the adoption, fostering or birth of a child. Previously the benefit was available only to mothers, who can take up to 12 weeks. An employee must have been with the city a minimum of six months to qualify for the parental leave benefit. “We feel this is something that’s really going to benefit our employees,” said Angie Johnson, the city’s human resources manager. Councilmember Robyn Troxell commented that she...
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Two older fire trucks used by the county’s Central Fire District, but owned by Box Elder County, have now been officially transferred to that fire district. According to Commissioner Lee Perry, the move was made so that the costs of maintenance and repair on the trucks, a 1993 and a 2004 model, could be spread across Deweyville, Honeyville, Bear River City and the county, the entities that make up the Central Fire District. “Those fire trucks are in our name, so anytime they break down and anything goes wrong with them, Box Elder County pays to have them repaired,” said...
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Fulfilling a campaign promise made by then-candidate Lee Perry before the 2022 election, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday voted to adopt meeting rules that will reinstate the open public comment period during regular commission meetings. The public comment period was removed from commission agendas in February of 2017, with then-commissioners Jeff Hadfield, Jeff Scott and Stan Summers citing disruptive commenters as the reason for ending the practice. The move, made with no public input or discussion, drew criticism from the News Journal at the time. “Taking away the public’s opportunity to speak is never the right answer,” read...
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Those interested in hunting for the first time this fall or winter will need to either take a hunter education class or participate in Utah’s Trial Hunting Program. To hunt in Utah, everyone born after Dec. 31, 1965, must complete a state-offered hunter education class or participate in the Trial Hunting Program. Here’s what you need to know to enroll in either: Hunter education Hunter education courses are offered either in-person in a class led by an instructor or online, followed by an in-person field day. Both options include a final written test and the “field day” with hands-on skills...
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Hotter outdoor temperatures mean an increased customer demand for electricity. The demand for electricity typically reaches its highest point on a hot summer weekday afternoon, generally from about 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. That’s the same time power is needed to operate the summertime irrigation systems and the ever-increasing number of air conditioners. While power suppliers take steps to provide reliable electric service for its customers, Rocky Mountain Power says there are steps power customers can take to increase efficiency and reduce use. Taking steps will not only reduce pressure on the power grid, but also help keep summer power...
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Handcarts—an iconic symbol of the western migration of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1800s— were on display at Dennis Vincent Memorial Park in Brigham City on Monday during the state’s 24th of July holiday marking the date saints entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. See more photos from community events in Brigham City and Bear River City on page 4.
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The Box Elder County Commission approved two separate state contracts last week, one obtaining funding for the Children’s Justice Center (CJC), and the other renewing the county’s commitment to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force. According to the terms of the contract between the Utah Office of the Attorney General (AG) and the Box Elder County Children’s Justice Center, the state will cover 75% of the center’s 2024 budget, providing 5,438. Box Elder County will provide the remaining 15%, or ,703. The mission of the CJC is to provide a safe space for child victims of physical and/...
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With an impasse over profit sharing resolved, the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce and the Brigham City Redevelopment Agency have signed an 11-month agreement to let the Chamber lease and manage the city’s beleaguered Academy Conference Center. At the previous council meeting on July 6, the city tabled a vote on the contract following objections raised by Chamber officials Monica Holdaway and Courtney Gregory, saying that the 50/50 profit split needed to be calculated after expenses, not before. According to last year’s figures, the Academy building took in ,000 in event revenue, which Holdaway used as the basis for her...
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Following a precedent set by Brigham City on July 6, the Box Elder County Commission, acting as board members of the Box Elder County Redevelopment Agency, voted on Wednesday to dissolve part of an existing but not yet active community reinvestment area (CRA)–if that area becomes part of a Utah Inland Port project area. A CRA, also called economic development areas, are designated geographic areas designed to attract businesses, and help cities or counties pay for necessary infrastructure to support those businesses, and thereby increase the tax base. The funding mechanism for an EDA/CRA is called tax increment. In an...
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On the heels of a busy Little Valley Days week, members of the Mantua Town Council recognized and thanked the committee in charge of the festivities during their meeting on July 20. The Loosli family headed up the planning, with other residents helping as well. Council members expressed their appreciation for the time and effort that went into the events. Councilmember Karen Nelson said records were broken for the number of sponsors and donors and the popular Dam Race had more participants than in the four previous years. The council also decided that Little Valley Days will be held July...
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Higher-than-anticipated costs forced the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday to explore alternative designs for a planned concession stand, ticket booth and restroom building near the rodeo arena at the fairgrounds instead of selecting a bid on the project. Appearing before the commissioners, Box Elder County Building Official Cody Illum said that the lowest bid received on the 170-foot by 25-foot masonry construction project was about [post_excerpt].4 million, nearly double the previously approved budget of 5,000. “The issue that we have is that we’re short approximately 0,000,” said Illum, and explaining that approximately 0,000 of the budget was a buffer...
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A previous Mr. Mantua winner, Phil Anderson, holds on for a ride on a mechanical bull as he demonstrates that event as part of the Mr. Mantua contest, which included competitions like balloon shaving, hatchet throwing, a lip sync battle, and a muffin eating contest, among others. Nate Bailey won the contest and the coveted Mr. Mantua Boot. The week-long Little Valley Days included a Ms. Mantua contest, pickleball and dodgeball tournaments, and a bike race, celebration culminated on Saturday with fireworks over Mantua Reservoir. See more photos on page 4.
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A public hearing to present and discuss the new draft general plan for Willard City has been set for tomorrow, Thursday, July 20, during the regular planning commission time slot at 6:30 p.m. A city’s general plan guides future zoning and land-use decisions, allowing the city to grow as residents want it to grow, and sets a community’s priorities. The city has been formulating a new general plan for more than two years and has completed a draft, or preliminary, plan that city officials want public input on. Land use goals set in the general plan draft include consistently evaluating...
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Despite the school board voting unanimously to ratify a tentative new pay schedule for building administrators at a meeting on June 14, questions remained and extensive discussion continued at the Box Elder School District Board of Education meeting last week. A new pay schedule for principals and other school building administrators has been in the works for a few years according to Superintendent Steven Carlsen, who presented the recommendation to the board. The new schedule differs from the previous one in that it uses steps and lanes rather than years of service. It also includes a stipend adjustment of ,626...
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Utah’s water supply continues to benefit from a stellar winter as of the beginning of July. The state has experienced a gradual meltoff, which has helped replenish water reserves. “Last year, we were facing unfavorable records. Now, we are achieving positive milestones,” Candice Hasenyager, the director of the Division of Water Resources, said, “This year’s exceptional snowpack offers us a unique opportunity to enhance our resilience to drought by continuing to conserve and preserve our water supply…Continued conservation is essential to stretch the water supply. Precipitation isn’t promised, and we don’t know what next year will bring.” According to the...
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A 40-year-old Perry man with a prior sex offense conviction is being held without bail at the Box Elder County Jail after being arrested by officers from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, and charged with collecting and sharing images and videos of children being sexually abused. Zon Steven Delaurier Knudsen was taken into custody on July 7 following an investigation by the ICAC bureau out of Logan, Utah, which had identified Knudsen’s computer sharing the material on BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer file sharing network. According to a probable cause statement filed with Utah’s First District Court, on May...
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The Town of Mantua was one of seven recipients of ,500 in total grant awards from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation to nonprofits and community organizations that support education and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning opportunities. Mantua received money for construction of an outdoor classroom pavilion at Danes Park, a heritage park that helps students learn about local history. “We’re honored to help our local organizations prepare kids and adults to thrive and succeed on their own terms through these education, STEM and workforce development opportunities,” said Kirk Nigro, Rocky Mountain Power regional business manager. “We are inspired...
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The Brigham City Council approved a zoning request to change 43.63 acres on west Forest Street to a one-acre rural residential zone at the July 6 meeting. The three parcels involved in the request are located at approximately 2865 West Forest Street. Applicant Steve Bingham would like to develop the property into single-family home lots at some point in the future. The rural residential designation would allow for the development of homes while still allowing agricultural uses on the properties. According to City Planner Mark Bradley, the city’s general plan for the area allows low-density housing, and the proposal received...
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A late-night fire on Sunday destroyed an abandoned and vacant home on a rural Brigham City street. According to Brigham City Assistant Fire Chief Mike Young, a call for a structure fire at 2900 North and 2800 West was received at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. When Brigham City fire crews arrived at 11:41 p.m. the home was fully engulfed, with fire spreading into an adjacent grain field. “The progressing fire into the grain field was halted by the quick actions of the landowner by means of a tractor and a disc implement,” wrote Young in a news release. There were...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday discussed the city’s ordinances on curb, gutter and storm water drainage requirements, expressing support for a recommended change in the ordinances to fit the city’s public works standards. The changes were drawn up by the city’s planning commission and City Attorney Colt Mund. According to Mund, wording in the city’s ordinances were at odds with the public works standards, and the changes were necessary to clean up the ambiguity. “There’s been this evolution where our supplementary ordinances talked about requiring curb and gutter with any development or subdivision, up until last year it talked...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person( s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential. Law enforcement contact information Adult Probation and Parole (435) 734-2066 Brigham City PD (435) 734-6650 Box Elder Sheriff’s Office (435) 734-3800 Tremonton/Garland PD (435) 734-3800
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Snowville Township has been approved to receive corridor preservation funding from Box Elder County to pay for its first and only stop light. The original request for ,724 was made in July of 2020, and was approved by the county’s Council of Governments (COG), a group made up of elected representatives of various municipalities throughout Box Elder. The project is now substantially finished, save for placement of the actual stoplight pole, and the town has made the request for payment from the Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF). The LCPF was created in 2005 by an act of the Utah Legislature,...
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At Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, City Recorder Christina Boss administered the oath of office to two newly hired firefighters, as well as a new battalion chief for the city’s fire department. Mark Steele and Scott Best were added as dual-role firefighters and paramedics, while current firefighter/paramedic Jeremie Poppleton was promoted as a battalion chief to oversee firehouse administration. As is tradition in Brigham City’s emergency services departments, an insignia change ceremony was held for Chief Poppleton that had wife, Cristy, pin two crossed bugles on each side of his collar. “The bugles that firefighters wear on their collars as...
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What first appeared to be a minor housekeeping item turned into something more at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, as the subject of police assigning towing companies turned into a question of supporting local business and vehicle owner convenience. The question before the council was to amend the city’s towing ordinance, to strike language from the ordinance that limited towing companies to storing towed vehicles at yards located within Brigham City’s corporate limits. The council had approved the changes, or thought they had approved the changes, last January when they passed an amendment allowing the city’s police chief wider administrative...
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Following public hearings in their respective city council meetings on Thursday, both Brigham City and Perry City voted to approve the annexation of 9.2 acres of land from Brigham to Perry. At issue was that existing city limits running along 1200 South, from 400 West across U.S. Highway 89, almost to Dentwood Drive, cut across several land parcels in the area, where owners had their northern property line in Brigham City while their southern boundary was in Perry. The annexation now makes the properties wholly in Perry. The issue was presented to the cities in May, and “There’s been a...
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The town council introduced a resolution that would turn authority of assigning addresses within Mantua over to the county. Currently, address assignment has been handled by developers and a company. However, as the town is seeing more development, problems have arisen in this process, especially where two subdivisions created by different developers meet. There are several residents who either have two different addresses or addresses that are not viable according to the post office. While it is unclear if the resolution for the Inter local Cooperation Agreement: Addressing Authority will fix existing problems, it is hoped that such issues can...
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Like other communities in the area recently, fire and public lands officials from the state visited the Mantua Town Council to discuss the Cooperative Fireland Agreement. Unlike other communities, Mantua learned it has to “make up” to the state after agreeing to be on the program in 2016, but failing to meet the requirements. In a presentation by Tracey Swenson from Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands and Dusty Richards of the Utah Department of Natural Resources on July 6, council members discovered Mantua had been put on probation and eventually dropped from the program, which could save...
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Following a problematic financial audit received for fiscal year 2021, Box Elder County has fixed identified problems, and received a clean opinion on its books and processes for fiscal year 2022. According to independent accounting firm Larsen & Company, the county “complied in all material respects” with state and federal rules governing accounting methods and practices for the year ending Dec. 31, 2022. Unlike cities and towns, the county’s financial year follows the calendar year. “Last year there was a finding for trial balance, bank accounts receivables that were incorrect,” said Jon Haderlie, a partner at Larsen & Company. “When...
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Perry Police Officer Mark Jordan was sworn in as the department’s second sergeant in front of the Perry City Council on Thursday. Sgt. Jordan is a Brigham City native with 14 years of law-enforcement experience. He began his career as a deputy with the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department, starting in the jail and serving later as a patrol deputy. He joined the Perry City Police Department five years ago as a patrol officer, advancing to a detective position in 2018. During the meeting, Jordan was administered the oath of office by Perry City Recorder Shanna Johnson. He was then...
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On Thursday the Brigham City Council approved shutting down an existing economic development area, contingent on whether the area can become part of a new Utah Inland Port project area. The council had two economic development areas on the agenda, one at the Brigham City Airport EDA and the other the Reeder Ranch EDA, but Community Development Director Paul Larsen asked for the airport item to be tabled while some additional details were worked out. An EDA, and also a CRA (community reinvestment area) is a designated geographic area designed to attract businesses, and help cities pay for necessary infrastructure...
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Box Elder County will be organizing a working group with local stakeholders, including cities, water districts and farming and ranching interests, to discuss water use issues and help create a county-wide water use master plan. “There’s been a lot of discussion about water issues in the county,” said Commissioner Boyd Bingham at Wednesday’s meeting. Bingham explained that he has been meeting with stakeholders to discuss issues concerning the governor’s order for Area 29, which encompasses a large portion of Box Elder County, and prohibits new water resources from being developed in areas where waters feed into the Great Salt Lake....
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Perry’s Freedom Bell and two American flags stand in the glow of a Box Elder sunset at the city’s Fourth of July celebration last week, as residents enjoy a well-lit bowery at the city’s park. See photos from other celebrations in the area on page 6.
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Box Elder County Landfill Director Gina Nelson reported on Wednesday that the joint wastewater disposal project the county began with Proctor & Gamble last November has proven to be a success, providing the county with both revenue and landfill cover, while giving P&G an economical and environmentally safe way to dispose of wastewater generated at its plant during paper product manufacturing process. Nelson told the Box Elder County Commissioners the Class 1 landfill does not accept hazardous materials of any kind and doesn’t accept any liquid waste at the landfill itself in order to prevent leachate filtering through buried waste...
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It used to be that the city councils of Brigham City Perry and Willard would pass fire and firework restriction ordinances every year, but all three municipalities have chosen to implement restrictions that automatically go into effect in certain high-risk areas of their town. In Perry, restricted areas include everything east of U S Highway 89 and west of 1200 West, as ordered by the city’s fire marshal. Perry City’s ordinances empower the fire marshal to enact restrictions as conditions warrant. Willard’s fire restriction area includes anything east of Highway 89 recurring each year from June 1 through Sept. 30....
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A proposed Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule change that would allow conservation leases on public lands has drawn the ire of several western governors, as well as local offials in Bo Elder county. T epropoedruewuldeeateconservation to the same level as recreation and mineral or energy leases in the agency’s land-use hierarchy. The concern for some is that the rule could pave the way for environmental groups to keep public lands free from development of any kind. Western governors, whose states have large portions of their land controlled by the BLM, see the rule change as an end-run around existing...
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A court hearing to set a date for a preliminary trial has been scheduled for July 11 in the case of a Tremonton man facing first-degree felony attempted murder charge, as well as numerous other felony and misdemeanor charges. In the early morning hours of May 7, Tyler Blake Rose, 32, was taken into custody by deputies from the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department, and officers from Tremonton/ Garland police, after Rose allegedly caused serious injury to his mother, with whom he was living. According to charging documents filed in First District Court, earlier that night Rose was expressing paranoid...
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The drivers of two vehicles suffered minor injuries on Monday, June 26 following a motorhome ver sus water truck accident on Highway 30 in western Box Elder County. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, a motorhome being driven by a 68 year-old Florida man was traveling westbound on State Road 30 near Park Valley when it drifted from its lane of travel at approximately 4:27 p.m, causing it to veer into the path of an eastbound water truck on the narrow, two-lane highway. “The driver of the motorhome appears to have fallen asleep while driving and left his travel lane,”...
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The Box Elder County Commission appointed two replacement board members for the Willard City Cemetery District at the July 21 meeting, and provided a reminder to the public that the commission doesn’t manage operations at any cemetery. Karla Parsons and Roger Lee were appointed to sit on the cemetery board, replacing Shirlene Farley and Tollison Beams. Farley is stepping down from the board after serving for over 35 years, while Beams passed away in March. “Contrary to popular belief, the only thing we [commissioners] do with cemetery districts is appoint and re-appoint,” said Commissioner Stan Summers. “We have nothing financially...
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With mosquito season starting, the state veterinarian ofJunUtah2 is encouraging horse owners to get their horsesJune 27vaccinated12 for the West11 Nile Virus1 (WNV) to avoid being infected by the virus, which affects 2 6horses, birds, and humans. “In the pastJunethree29 years,6 Utah has 19had 24 reported 0 cases of WestT tal Nile Virus in horses,” said interim state veterinarian,cases Dr. Amanda1 4 Price. “44In an effort to4 keep any more T t horses from contracting this disease, l b fir it o it is importantCOVID 1 forsinc horsedata startedownersbeing gath tored vaccinatend inc udes recoveredtheirp horses against this virus.” Signs...
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BE United girls went undefeated in the Utah Summer Games tournament playing in the high school gold division. They brought home the gold and only allowed 3 goals through the entire tournament. Team members are: (front) Abigal Julander, Alyssa Gilbert, Allie Low (middle) Kaydence Barber, Ellie Groll, Halle Moffitt, Serey Prom, Maddie Johnson, Desarae Elegante (back) Coach Kelly Nelson, Coach Shalisa Elegante, Marlee Christensen, Kamri Andersen, Rachel Esparza, Baylee Simpson, Brooklynn Hadfield, Oakley Norman, Annaliese Christensen, Coach Jed Christensen and Coach Nate Groll.
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Spectators enjoy Brigham City’s Fourth of July fireworks display at Pioneer Park last year. See page 4 for a full holiday calendar with events in communities throughout the area.
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Following the June 8 Perry City Council meeting where a property tax rate was passed but the final budget itself was tabled, on Thursday Perry City adopted the fiscal year 2023-24 budget as proposed. Questions over employee pay rates, and a desire to give the budget one last look prompted the two-week delay, but those questions were resolved as the council approved the budget unanimously. The city’s budget was adopted without passing a property tax increase this year, the first time the city has not gone through a truth in taxation process since 2019. Adopting the certified tax rate will...
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Box Elder County has 8,088 left in unallocated ARPA funds, and [post_excerpt].95 million left in unallocated LATCF funding, according to County Auditor Shirlene Larsen. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), was passed by Congress in March of 2021 as an emergency aid package to states, counties and cities to help them deal with the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Box Elder County received ,886,278 out of the [post_excerpt].9 trillion set aside nationally. That funding has to be committed by December of 2024, or those funds will need to be returned to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The county has...
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Walmart store manager Kyle Pusateri cuts the ribbon at the store’s grand reopening celebration last Friday. The event marked the end of a months-long project to update the store with major changes to the floor plan as well as new paint and signage. As part of the celebration, the store gave ,000 in grants to local organizations. The Box Elder Community Pantry, Kiwnais Club and Box Elder Family Support Center each received ,000; and the Boy’s & Girl’s Club and Brigham City Animal Shelter each received [post_excerpt],000. The store’s remodeling work is not yet complete, with two ongoing construction projects....
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Willard Mayor Travis Mote nominated two Willard citizens to serve as “alternate” members of the city’s planning commission at Thursday’s council meeting. Alternate members do not vote unless the planning commission lacks a quorum, in which case they can step in a fulfill the role of a voting commissioner. Mote nominated Chad Braegger and Brian Gilbert to serve, with the council approving both nominations unanimously. The planning commission is an advisory body to the city council, making recommendations on land use policies and applications.
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Perry City has announced this year’s winners of its annual community awards, the recipients to be honored during Perry’s Independence Day celebrations. This year’s grand marshals are Robert and Reva Anderson. Citizen of the year will be Misty Moesser. Business of the year honors are going to Right Deal Auto. The Boyd White service awardee will be Rory Pyatt, and the mayor’s award is going to Bryce Thurgood. For a list of the city’s Fourth of July activities, see the calendar in this week’s edition.
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At Thursday’s meeting of the Perry City Council, the city approved the contingency sale of its interest in a parcel located at 2544 S. U.S. Highway 89. The parcel, known by locals for the “Perry Ice” snow cone stand there every summer, is jointly owned by Perry City, members of the Francis family, and a company called MMF Investments, LLC. Perry City owns one-sixth of the 2.8 acre parcel. As part of the 0,000 purchase contract, buyer Bradon Capener had an addendum added stating that “Buyer and seller agree that this purchase shall be contingent on buyer getting preliminary plat...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved a renewal of the agreement with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) that provides the city with state resources to combat wildfires that begin within city limits. The new two-year Cooperative Wildfire System (CWS) agreement, in place since 2017 and expiring last year, has the state agreeing to pay firefighting costs for large and “extended attack” blazes, in exchange for the city implementing proven wildland fire prevention and mitigation strategies valued at approximately ,059 per year. Without the agreement, the city is responsible to pay the costs for any...
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With Box Elder County now referring developers to request annexation into cities if projects fall within a city’s future annexation area, Willard City has decided it needs to set a policy about how, or if, it wants to add subdivisions to its corporate boundary. Willard Mayor Travis Mote discussed the issue with the Willard City Council at Thursday’s meeting. “We are going to start getting peppered with annexation requests,” said Mote. “Number one, we probably need to decide if annexation of portions or all of South Willard is in the city’s interests, and number two, what approach do we take...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday directed city staff to proceed in negotiating an agreement with Perry City for Willard to provide sewer service to a new housing development going up on the Perry side of the city limit. Perry City had requested Willard City to provide sewer service to the planned development since Willard has sewer lines more accessible to the property than Perry. The agreement would incorporate a “wheeling” contract into an inter-local agreement between the two cities, where Perry would pay Willard for the use of its sewer line and treatment of the sewer effluent coming off...
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In the municipal election story that ran in the June 14 edition of the News Journal, we inadvertently identified Willard City Council candidate Chad Braegger as an incumbent running to retain his seat. This is incorrect. Braegger is running, but is not currently a councilmember. Willard incumbents running again are Councilmembers Kaleb Kunzler and John Seamons. Citizen candidates running for a council seat are Jordan Hulsey, Rich Kunka, Todd Richards, Peter Rona, Rex Christensen, Jacob Bodily, Chad Braegger and Kenneth Braegger. Incumbent Councilmember Fred Ward has decided not to run again. The field of 10 candidates will be narrowed to...
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The purchase of a trailer and whether or not a sitting council member benefited from the transaction generated lively discussion at the Mantua Town Council meeting on Thursday, June 15. At a meeting two weeks prior, the council had approved the purchase of a trailer to transport a mini-excavator that the town planned on buying for the development and maintenance of the parks and trails. The council set a limit of ,000 for the trailer, and Councilmember Justin Brown offered to help procure a trailer. At the meeting on June 15, it was brought to the attention of the council...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved a fiscal year 2023-24 budget that contains ,942,437 in spending across all city funds, and did not seek to raise the property tax rate. Willard adopted the county auditor’s certified tax rate, which is designed to provide the city with the same amount of property tax revenue as the previous year, not including any increase resulting from new growth and development. The certified tax rate is determined by totaling the current taxable value of properties and dividing that total by the amount of property tax the city received the previous year, plus adding...
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Box Elder County has been approved for two grants totaling 9,400 from the Utah Indigent Defense Commission (IDC), and has applied for an open-ended grant to pay for the defense of James Brenner, who is charged with the murder of Dylan Rounds. The first grant, totaling ,000, will be used to provide ,000 bonuses to each of the county’s four public defenders; ,000 for defense investigators and expert witnesses, and ,000 for office supplies, office equipment, and transcription services. The second grant of 5,400 requires the county to match 6,055 of its own funds, for a total of 1,455, and...
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A loud boom heard all over Box Elder County and northern Utah early Monday afternoon that was the cause of concern for many residents was the result of a military operation at the Utah Test and Training Range. With no obvious source—no one saw a plane that could have caused a sonic boom, and no evidence of space debris or meteor trails were present in the clear sky—Many area residents took to social media to try to find the sound’s origin, stating that it shook their windows. A Twitter post by the National Weather Service’s Salt Lake City office, claimed...
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In keeping with the plan adopted last year to slowly raise electrical rates in the city, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved an approximately 7.7% rate increase for a 1,300 kilowatt hour (kWh) user, effective July 1. The percentage of increase to individual residential power users will vary depending on how much power is used in a billing cycle. “This is a continuation of what we lined out last year, the plan, taking what needed to be done in a big way and spreading it out over four years in order to make sure we remained solvent,” said Mayor...
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BE United Girls U15/HS Bronze division went undefeated and took home the gold at the Utah Summer Games in Cedar City. Pictured are: (front) Karli Andersen, Abby Reeder, Adrie Young, Amber Murray, Payton Mund, Lily Matthes, Kamee Manning, Kenley Anderson (back): Head Coach Monica Mund, Jocelyn Gardner, Ellie Young, Aida Schwab, Olivia Saunders, Halie Palmer, Aria Putnam, MaKaya Nelson, Lindsay Bott, Asst. Coach Dave Putnum.
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In March, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed S.B. 152 Social Media Regulation Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Mike McKell. The bill places restrictions on social media companies and provides parents with additional tools to protect teens from the harmful effects of social media. Utah is the first state to begin restricting how minors can use social media apps. According to the Utah Senate website, since 2010, rates of depression and mental health crises in American teens have nearly doubled. Before that, the rates remained stagnant. Social media has been linked to these increased rates. “In Utah, we care deeply about our...
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Stills from a video shot Wednesday, June 14, in the northeast of Brigham City capture the lightning that accompanied a very bright, loud and wet storm—just one of several that have rolled through the county in recent weeks. See next week’s edition for a story about how wet and cold the spring of 2023 was.
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On July 1, the fees for getting a certificate of eligibility from the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI)—a mandatory part of the criminal record expungement process—are about to increase substantially. Expungement fees were reduced in 2022 as part of HB 392’s one-year pilot program that eliminated all BCI certificate fees. Until June 30, the only government fee still imposed in Utah is the application fee. After June 30, individuals trying to expunge their records will pay a application fee, plus approximately 0 in additional fees for every case they wanted to expunge. More than 800,000, or one in...
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Utah ranks second in the country for overall child well-being, moving up from last year’s fourth-place ranking in the annual Kids Count Data Book. Martin Munoz, Kids Count director for the group Voices for Utah Children, said while Utah scored well across the board in this year’s Data Book, lack of affordable and accessible child care is making it difficult for parents. Many have to miss work or even resign, and those who do find care pay a hefty price. Utahns live in what he called a “child care desert.” While the Beehive State ranked second overall, it ranked first...
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Tiny Paws Rescue held a Box Elder County dog and cat food giveaway event on Sunday to help the residents of Box Elder County. Tarsha Murray, Vice President/Canine Foster Coordinator, said, “ Basically, we get food donations and we sometimes get some that are getting close to expiring. So we decided to help our local Box Elder Residents. We help out a lot of other rescues sometimes with food. But, with the current economy not everyone can afford to buy dog or cat food right now and we are getting an influx of calls asking to owner surrender their animals...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a renewal of the agreement with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) that provides the city with state resources to combat wildfires that begin within city limits. The two-year Cooperative Wildfire System (CWS) agreement, in place since 2017, has the state agreeing to pay firefighting costs for large and “extended attack” blazes, in exchange for the city implementing proven wildland fire prevention and mitigation strategies valued at approximately ,691 per year. Without the agreement, the city would be responsible to pay the costs for any fire that starts in...
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The Brigham City Yard of the Month committe has named June’s yard of the month declaring Reed and LuAnn Hancey’s yard Junes honoree. The Hancey home is located at 656 N 675 W. Lu- Ann and Reed stated “It was a big surprise to be honored with yard of the month. There are so many beautiful yards across the city that I was amazed that the spot light landed on us this time. Thanks to the rest of you who provide inspiration and motivation to keep us going.” Their joint statement continued, “Gardening is a form of mental therapy for...
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The Brigham City Museum of Art and History is honored to host the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) “Light the World” Global Exhibition. The SAQA art quilts will be on display starting Saturday, June 24. A Free Adult Night Out Opening Reception will take place at the Brigham City Museum on Saturday, June 24, from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Light is our primary tool for perceiving and understanding the world around us. Without light, there is no vision. Light allows us to appreciate the world through shape and form and evokes emotions. Common qualities of light are intensity, quality,...
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Box Elder School District’s Chinese Dual Language Immersion program (DLI) is seeing declines in enrollment this year, and officials are wondering why. The number of new students enrolling in the program as first graders at the new Golden Spike Elementary has dropped significantly, prompting the school board and other administrators to take a hard look at the program. During the first five years of the program, enrollment hovered around 60 kids per year, but that number has plummeted to only 30 students for the upcoming school year. The attrition of former Chinese DLI students is adding to the scrutiny as...
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An extended cooler and wetter weather pattern has delayed the onset of fire season in northern Utah so far this year, but with expected higher temperatures predicted in July, officials expect the fires to eventually come. When they do come, there will be plenty of fuel, as new-growth grasses and brush benefiting from last winter’s record snowfall and the wet late-spring weather, begin to dry out. “We tend to see our bigger [fire] seasons in years where we’re not in drought, and that’s where we’re heading this year,” said Basil Newmerzhycky, the lead meteorologist with Predictive Services for the Great...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday moved forward on a proposed property tax increase, passing a tentative instead of a final budget for 2023-24, and setting a truth in taxation public hearing for Aug. 17. The tax increase is anticipated to be in the neighborhood of 5%, or approximately an additional 0,000 for the city, with those funds earmarked to improve sidewalks and walking paths to the new Golden Spike Elementary School. The city has not yet released its proposed property tax rate, but the tentative budget expects ,192,230 in property taxes, versus ,045,097 in the current year. The tentative...
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Unforeseen costs for wholesale electricity, as well as the revenues raised to pay for them, were responsible for the major portion of a more than million revision to the 2022-23 budget approved by the Brigham City Council on Thursday. The revision includes ,697,610 in additional power costs from the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems over the current budget year, paid for with dollars generated by the city’s Power Purchase Adjustment Clause (PPAC) fee it began assessing on utility bills in March. Other increases in the budget were caused by emergency projects that needed attention; unbudgeted revenues from grants; increased...
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Continuing a decades-long practice, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a ,006,776 transfer from the city’s utility and storm drain funds into the city’s general fund to help finance government operations. The transfer included ,971,976 from electrical and water, as well as ,800 from storm drain, which came to approximately 12% of those funds’ revenues. In years past the transfer was set at 15%. The resolution also included a 1,208 transfer from storm drain revenues into the utility fund. The annual transfer of funds has been a point of controversy over the years, with many residents expressing that the...
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Box Elder County Sheriff Kevin Potter addressed the county commissioners on Wednesday, letting them know that the way the county has handled animal control up to this point may need to change. “We’ve historically used an agreement with Tremonton and Brigham City to use their animal shelters, but they’re full,” said Potter. “We’ve had some discussions with them, and our number one preference would be that as they’re adding beds, we somehow add into that. It seems like an obvious choice. If for some reason that falls through, though, we’re going to have start doing something on our own.” Potter...
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Applications for Peach Days’ parades and grand marshal nominations are now being accepted. Applications for both Saturday’s parade and Friday’s parade are available online at www.peachdays.com. Applications for Saturday’s parade are due by Friday July 28; no late applications will be accepted. The application deadline for the Kick-Off parade is Friday, Aug. 25.
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Nominations for grand marshal of the Peach Days parade on Saturday, Sept. 9, are now being accepted from members of the community. Nominations are open to current area residents. A signed, one-page nomination letter with a brief description of the candidate’s community involvement, impact on Brigham City and its surrounding areas, and longevity of volunteer contributions should be sent to the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, 6 N. Main Street, Brigham City UT 84302 or emailed to monica@boxelderchamber.com. The deadline for submitting nominations is Tuesday, July 25. Nominees may be leaders in business, arts and cultural groups, religious and/or charitable...
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The Utah Public Service Commission designated CenturyLinkThe Utah Publicas anServiceEligibleCommissionTelecommunicationsdesignated CenturyLinkCarrier withinasits servicean Eligiblearea forTelecommunicationsuniversal service purposes.Carrier withinCenturyLink’sits service basicarea forlocaluniversalserviceservicerates purposes.for residentialCenturyLink’svoice lines basicare .00local perservicemonthratesand businessfor residentialservicesvoicearelines.50are .00per month.per monthSpecificand businessrates will servicesbe providedareupon.50request.per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request. CenturyLink participates in the Lifeline program, whichCenturyLinkmakesparticipatesresidential intelephonethe Lifelineor qualifyingprogram, broadbandwhich makesserviceresidentialmore affordabletelephonetooreligiblequalifyinglowincome broadbandindividualsservice moreand families.affordableEligibleto eligiblecustomerslowincome may qualifyindividualsfor Lifelineand families.discountsEligibleof .25/customersmonth mayfor voicequalifyor bundledfor Lifelinevoicediscountsservice ofor .25/9.25/month for voicequalifyingor bundledbroadbandvoice orservicebroadbandor .25/bundles.month Residentsfor qualifyingwho broadbandlive on federallyor broadbandrecognizedbundles.Tribal LandsResidentsmay qualifywho livefor onadditionalfederallyTribalrecognizedbenefits ifTribalthey participateLands may qualifyin certainfor additionalTribalfederalbenefitseligibilityif they programs.participateThein Lifelinecertain discountadditionalis federalavailableeligibilityfor only oneprograms.telephoneThe...
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Although Perry City didn’t adopt the proposed 2023-24 fiscal year budget at Thursday’s meeting, members of the city council did approve next year’s tax rate, as well as an adjustment on garbage collection fees. The council agreed in a unanimous vote not to implement another property tax increase on Perry residents, as has been done since 2020, but rather to forego a truth in taxation process and approve the certified tax rate as provided by the county. The certified tax rate is designed to provide a taxing entity, such as a city, with the same amount of property tax revenue...
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The third annual Box Elder Runs Strong 5k Charity Run and Nonprofit Organization Event took place Saturday, June 10 at Bill of Rights Plaza. The 5k had 46 runners, ranging from age 5 to 55+. We had a tie for first between Richard Fairbourn and Kelsey Braitwaite, both of Brigham City, with a time of 18.20. Coming in second was Vulcraft employee Trevor Sackett, of Brigham City with a time of 19.13. Winners of age categories were as follows: 0-12 Hyrum (33:56), 13-19 Cody Criddle (23:15), 20-50 Joey Hislop, of Brigham, (20:50), and 50+ Marcus Leonard, of North Logan (27:23)....
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The Intermountain Power Superintendents Association Brigham City Lineman Rodeo was held at Rees Pioneer Park in Brigham City on Thursday, June 8. Power employees and apprentices were invited to attend to showcase the skills that are needed to be successful linemen, with elements of competition such as speed adding to the challenge. The public was invited to attend to watch as linemen used climbing spikes and straps to climb the wooden poles which were temporarily planted into the lawn south of the Brigham City Recreation building. While competition is at the heart of the rodeo, safety is always at the...
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Golden Spikers Special Olympic athletes (clockwise from above left) Jacob Baird, Jesse Eden, Ben Fagen, Tate Hadfield and Krista Ross competed in the Utah North Area track meet held at Ben Lomond High School on May 20. The Golden Spikers delegation earned three gold medals, five silver medals, two bronze medals, and five fourth place ribbons.
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler and members of the Jazz Youth program visited Box Elder Middle School on Saturday, June 10, to meet with young athletes who had participated in the Junior Jazz program along with Jazz fans of all ages. A brief clinic was held where youth had the opportunity to practice and engage in games of skill alongside Kessler, the 21 year old, 7 footer who was the 22nd overall draft pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Kessler went on to participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend as part of the Jordan Rising Stars Challenge. He won the...
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The Bear River Health Department is in a good financial position right now but expects both revenues and budgets to tighten over the next year as both pandemic funds, and subsequently, expenses, drop. That was one of the assessments offered to the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday, as health department Director Jordan Mathis and public information officer Estee Hunt delivered the department’s 2022 year-end report to the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday. “The department is doing fine financially,” said Mathis. Referencing a budget line item, “Emergency Preparedness and Public Health Response” totaling ,160,463, or 28% of the department’s...
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Candidates for the 2023 municipal election have turned in their declaration forms in cities and towns throughout Box Elder County, setting the stage for voters to decide who will lead residents for the next two or four years. This year’s election has been pushed back by two weeks, however, after Utah Governor Spencer Cox issued a proclamation adjusting the dates to allow for a special election to replace Congressman Chris Stewart, who will resign his position effective Sept. 15. According to the Governor’s June 7 news release, primary elections throughout the state will be held on Sept. 5, and the...
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For the first time since 2020, the proposed 2023-24 budget for Perry City does not include a property tax increase, and actually lowers overall spending across all city operating funds by an estimated 3% over the current year. The budget numbers do include increased fees for garbage and culinary water, however, as costs for the city to provide those services keep going up. Culinary water rates will rise by 3% in an automatic yearly adjustment, and garbage collection fees will rise by .55 for the first garbage can, [post_excerpt].20 for each additional can, and .40 per recycling can. The increases...
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A Brigham City man who drove his truck through city hall last week is being held without bond in Box Elder County Jail, with police claiming ongoing deterioration of his mental health poses a threat to the safety of the public, his family and police. Michael Leland Woodruff, 63, was charged with second-degree felony criminal mischief and reckless endangerment of human life, third-degree felony aggravated assault and a class B misdemeanor driving under the influence, after police say he intentionally drove his truck through the north entrance of Brigham City Hall at about 3 p.m. on Friday, June 9. The...
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Neighbors gathered to welcome home Ogden Police Department officer and Brigham City resident Joseph Wilson, who was injured in a shootout during a response to a domestic violence call. See photos and story on page 4.
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The local office of the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), Box Elder Communications (dispatch), and the Brigham City location of the Utah Driver’s License Division will soon be moving in together into a brand new building being constructed by the Utah Department of Public Safety. The building site, located behind Hunan Village on the border between Brigham City and Perry, approximately 450 West and 1200 South, is currently being excavated for construction, and will soon be home to a modern 20,800 square foot facility housing all three state agencies under one roof. “The advantages to the county are that it will...
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Staffing shortages affecting the Box Elder County Auditor’s Office have led to a 400% increase in overtime payments, as well as increased consultant fees, prompting the county to pad that office’s budget with ,000 the county is holding from the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA. County Auditor Shirlene Larsen told the county commissioners at a meeting on Tuesday, May 30, that she needs ,000 in overtime funds, ,000 for consultant fees, and an additional ,000 for furniture to create office space for six employees rather than five. “I don’t have a problem with that as long as it’s fitting...
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With strict controls as to storage, tracking and methods of use, the Box Elder County Commission approved the use of confiscated narcotics for the training of drug-sniffing dogs used by law enforcement agencies. According to County Attorney Stephen Hadfield, by state statute the commission has the authority to designate that the use of controlled substances for training purposes are “in the public’s interest,” but must pass a resolution in order to allow it. Lt. James Summeril of the Sheriff’s Department explained that small quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and mushrooms from adjudicated cases would be used for the training....
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Funds that Box Elder County receives from the state of Utah’s settlement with opioid drug manufacturers will be distributed between the Bear River Health Department (BRHD) and the nursing program at the Box Elder County Jail. Utah joined with 41 other states, five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia in suing pharmaceutical companies Cardinal, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Johnson & Johnson, ostensibly to reimburse the states for costs associated with fighting the current opioid epidemic. In July of 2021 an agreement was reached where the four companies would collectively pay out billion in damages over 18 years, with payout...
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The Brigham City Museum is developing a new exhibition, to open in 2025, about the Japanese and Japanese American pioneers here in Brigham City and Box Elder County. The Japanese community has contributed to the success of our region for over 100 years, and the Museum seeks to collect and share their stories. The research for this project has been underway since November of last year after initial input and support from Norio Uyematsu and his family. Ongoing input from the Uyematsu, Yamasaki, and other families with connections to Box Elder County have helped shape the research and exhibition plan,...
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The Box Elder County Commission upheld several recommendations from the Box Elder Planning Commission on Tuesday, May 30, denying county code amendments and approving a zone change. One proposal would have widened the allowable driveway entrance of a development along a county road from a maximum of 50 feet, to 70 feet in some cases. According to Box Elder Community Development Director Scott Lyons, the applicant sought the change for a 70-foot entry width to accommodate heavy truck traffic. “The planning commission recommended denial. Their findings were based primarily on the road supervisor’s recommendation of 50 feet, feeling that was...
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The Box Elder County Commission wants Utah Governor Spencer Cox to amend a proclamation he issued last November that prohibits new water uses in areas that drain into the Great Salt Lake, including a very large chunk of Box Elder County designated as “Area 29.” The Governor’s proclamation states that existing water rights will be respected, but that “the right of the public to appropriate the surplus and unappropriated water” both surface and underground, would be suspended, with narrow exceptions. “Extreme drought, climate change and increased demand continue to threaten the Great Salt Lake,” said Gov. Cox in a press...
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In the event that the historic Box Elder County Courthouse is damaged beyond repair due to fire, flood, earthquake or some other disaster, the county will get a new, modern building to replace it, rather than trying to reproduce the historic building. The Box Elder County Commission on Tuesday chose to insure the county’s historic courthouse for the replacement cost of .7 million, rather than the .3 million it would cost to reproduce the building using older, period construction materials and methods. The decision will save county taxpayers approximately ,500 per year. Those figures came from a 2023 insurance study...
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Mantua residents have one more item to add to their to-do lists following a presentation to the town council about backflow prevention devices, their purpose, and the responsibility of residents to maintain their own systems. A backflow prevention device prevents contaminated water from feeding into the drinking water system. Situations that can result in backflow include back pressure and back siphonage. Mantua Public Works employee Marcus Abel told the council residents’ responsibilities include having their backflow prevention devices checked at least once per year by a certified tester. The policy requiring the annual check can be found on mantuautah.org/water-and-sewer and...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Tuesday voted to move ahead with a county-wide, quarter-cent sales tax to help fund both county and municipal roads, which will go into effect Oct. 1, 2023. The implementation of the tax makes the county—and cities and towns within it—eligible to receive a portion of million in one-time state road funding, as well as a share of ongoing car registration funding of per vehicle. The money would be distributed by a weighted lane/ mile/population formula to rural Utah counties and municipalities. Estimates by the Utah Association of Counties show that the county...
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A distraught ““Mamma Daisy” (far left), which nests in the flower beds at Brigham City’s Community Pool, caught the attention of city employees, who discovered that her ducklings had fallen into a storm drain. Employees of the city’s Waste Water Department were contacted and Brad Jeppsen, Bryce Lofthouse, Trevor Nelson and Amber Moore safely retrieved the ducklings (left and right), and reunited them with Mamma Daisy, which then led them safely to Pioneer Park Pond (far right).
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A site plan application that was tabled by the Perry City Council on April 27 over drainage concerns into the Bear River Migratory Game Bird Refuge was approved on Thursday after the city received the OK from its engineering firm, Jones and Associates. The Maverik Truck Stop, formerly a Flying J, located at 1674 W. 1100 South, is planning to add additional fuel pumps to the west and north of the main building, move and expand parking for semi trucks beyond those new pumps, and re-route the drive-thru lane for the onsite Dairy Queen to allow for more vehicles in...
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The 14th annual Beehive Mile, sponsored by Dan Price, State Farm Insurance and the Box Elder Cross Country Team, was held Friday, May 12, for 4th and 5th graders. There were 155 runners this year. The first five runners in each heat were awarded medals and all that participate receive a ribbon. (front) Brianna Patterson, Grace Droubay, Stella Burt, Jackson McAdams, Thomas Daines, Nolan Larson, Kedric Lee, Lila Brophy, Olivia Howard, and Emily Miller. (back) Dan Price State Farm, Brooklyn Lloyd, Sadie Lifferth, Beckem Mason, Luca Zito, Charles Rees, Megan Yates, Amie Kaminska, and Aiden Black. The sponsors would like...
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Beginning this week the Box Elder News Journal will no longer mail the Box Elder Shopper to residents. The Shopper was originally the vehicle through which the News Journal distributed the Kent’s Market ad to every home in the News Journal’s distribution area. Changes in local printing and distribution markets have caused a chain reaction affecting several stores, and forcing Kent’s Market to pivot from their traditional printed circular. In an effort to continue providing residents and loyal customers with printed advertising, select pages of the Kent’s Market ad will appear within every weekly edition of the Box Elder News...
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The local response to a fatal rollover on a rural road near Promontory last year has earned several local first-responders recognition from the Utah Office of Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness, a division of the Utah Department of Public Safety. On the night of April 1, 2022, five young adults from Davis County were involved in a rollover accident on a lonely stretch of East Promontory Road. A call was placed by one of the accident victims to 9-1-1, who was unable to give an exact location. Local dispatchers at Box Elder Communications were able to ping the victim’s cell...
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On Tuesday, June 6, officers from the Brigham City Police Department will join with officers from other county law enforcement agencies and local special athletes to carry the Special Olympics torch through town. The event will begin at 9 a.m. starting at 500 North Main Street, and will run south from there to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ ward building parking lot on Fishburn Drive west of McDonalds. Local law enforcement agencies have been supporting the torch run, and the Special Olympics program, for 38 years and counting. Residents are invited to come out and show...
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Brigham City’s annual Pride Clean-up will be held this year from June 1 through June 9, after being rescheduled from earlier this spring due to snow and flooding concerns. The annual event allows city residents to dispose of items that are too large to fit into trash cans, such as furniture, batteries, etc. The city has placed restrictions on tires, refrigerators, freezers, appliances containing Freon, or household garbage. Paints can be accepted if it has been poured out and dried prior to taking it to the collection point. Green waste such as grass clippings or branches must be taken to...
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At a budget work session on Tuesday, May 23, Brigham City officials clarified that while the additional rate charged under the city’s power purchase adjustment clause (PPAC) is temporary and subject to change, the PPAC itself—the policy that allows for rate adjustments—is not. Currently, Brigham City is charging an additional 5.3 cents per kilowatt-hour under the PPAC resolution. That charge was approved on Feb. 16, and appears on residents’ utility bills under the PPAC line item. Even if the PPAC rate drops to zero, or below zero, the line item on the bill itself was added last July by resolution,...
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Veterans from the VFW Post 1695 salute after building a battle cross to recognize those fallen in action at the annual Memorial Day event at the Brigham City Cemetery. The event gives an opportunity to honor those who have served and lost their lives. See more event photos on page 5.
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Utility work for side streets, as well as construction on a new east/west road across the southern edge of Watkins Park, has officially begun as Brigham City makes preparations for a raised overpass spanning the Union Pacific rail lines on Forest Street. According to Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott, who addressed the current state of the project and tentative timelines during his official State of the City address on May 9, construction on the bridge itself could begin in the summer of 2024. “You’ll see a new road on the south side of Watkins Park, in order to accommodate Big...
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From the early season weather woes down to their playoff exit at the hands of region rival Woods Cross, the Box Elder High School baseball team had their ups and downs this season and saw themselves finish with an overall winning record for the first time since 2017. This year, the Bees picked up 13 wins against 10 losses with one tie coming in their preseason tournament in St. George against Maple Mountain. The Bees used a mixture of youth and experience in their line up as six seniors made their last trips around the bases and led the team...
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In a season where St. Patrick’s Day looked more like Christmas than springtime, the Box Elder High School softball team ended up putting together a year that exceeded even their own expectations when all was said and done. The Bees had just five seniors on their roster this season and knew coming in that they would have several holes to fill after losing some multi-year starters from the year before. Bees’ head coach Brian Merrill explained, “We actually thought we would be in something of a rebuilding year this season. We didn’t have a ton of experience coming back from...
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In facing a do-or-die situation after dropping the first of their best-of-three series against Woods Cross, the Box Elder High School baseball team rose to the occasion in the second game of the series on Monday, May 15, picking up a 7-5 win. But the comeback fell short as the Wildcats secured the series with a 7-5 win of their own later that same day. The first game of the day stayed tight throughout, and the Bees weren’t able to take the lead for good until posting three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior Tyler Redington launched...
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The Box Elder High School track and field team celebrated the close of a momentous season last week, with the boys’ squad finishing second at the UHSAA 5A state championship, and the girls ending in fourth out of 26 teams. The Bees’ successful season really started taking shape with a win at Cache- Box, followed by region championships for both boys and girls. At the state competition, held at Brigham Young University on May 18-20, Both the boys and girls came home with high rankings after setting a slew of team and individual records. One of the most valuable parts...
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The Brigham City Police Department welcomed a new officer at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, introducing him to the council before swearing him in and holding the department’s traditional badge-pinning ceremony. Officer Jonathan Esparza comes to Brigham City from the Weber County Sheriff’s Department, where he worked in corrections as a jailer. “We were able to steal him out of the jail, luckily, as he’s decided he’d much rather work on the road,” said Police Chief Chad Reyes. Esparza will spend the next 16 weeks training in the departments’ in-house academy and then field training program, and will be assigned...
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Mantua residents will see a increase to their sewer bill—from -—beginning July 1, 2023, after the town council voted unanimously for the change at a meeting on May 18. Town officials had warned that an increase was coming after Brigham City, which provides waste treatment services for Mantua, raised their prices in 2022. However, that increase was offset by an overbilling error that returned money into Mantua coffers and allowed the town to absorb the increase for residents until now. The increase was needed to keep revenue and expenses balanced in the town’s sewer fund. A special event permit...
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At its May 11 meeting, the Willard City Council approved a tentative fiscal year 2023-24 budget spending ,011,437 across all of the city’s four funds. A tentative budget is a framework where cities gather the needs and wants of various departments, match those up against anticipated revenues, and create a starting point for the mayor and city council to begin negotiating a final budget. Some city’s final budgets vary wildly from the tentative budget. Historically over the last decade, Willard’s final budget has tended to be in the general neighborhood of the tentative budget, although that could easily change. Cami...
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Brigham City Financial Director Tom Kotter told the city council on Thursday that the city had stopped losing ground on power costs for the March bill from UAMPS, thanks to some moderation in wholesale power costs, and the city’s implementation of the temporary power purchase adjustment clause (PPAC) which raised electrical rates by 5.3 cents per kilowatt hour on top of regular power rates. “The bill from UAMPS [the city’s power supplier] for March, which came in at the end of April, was 8,614,” said Kotter. “With that, the price per kilowatt was just under 52 cents. That was a...
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Members of the Brigham City Youth City Council reported to the actual Brigham City Council on Thursday that the previous year had been filled with opportunities to learn and to offer service. The Youth City Council (YCC) is modeled after the Brigham City municipal government, with high school students filling the roles of mayor, councilmembers, directors, recorder, treasurer, etc. Under the supervision of advisor Linda Baugh, the group focuses on community service projects while learning how local and state governments function. The group gave the council an update on their service project for the city which they had been planning...
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Trees are being removed from Watkins Park in Brigham City as part of preparations for the construction of an overpass on Forest Street at the Union Pacific Railroad switching yard. The work at Watkins Park is to facilitate access for Big J Milling and to other streets as work on the overpass progresses. The city is also currently completing necessary utility work along Forest Street to accommodate the overpass.
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A 3,300 pound hunk of steel, glass, plastic and rubber screaming down the interstate at freeway speeds can be one of the deadliest weapons known to exist, if operated carelessly. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic thinned out traffic in 2020, there has been a growing subset of drivers on Utah highways operating their personal vehicles in what officials say is an unreasonable manner, not only being careless with their own lives, but the lives of their passengers and anyone else on the road. These are the drivers you see on the freeway weaving in and out of traffic, passing you...
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With the warmer weather, rattlesnakes will begin emerging from their dens and you may encounter one while hiking or spending time outdoors. Rattlesnakes in Utah Native snakes are an important part of Utah’s ecosystem. There are five rattlesnake species in Utah, the most common of which is the Great Basin rattlesnake. Rattlesnakes help to reduce diseases spread by rodents, and their dens may provide shelter for other snakes. Individual rattlesnakes move around a large area (known as their “home range”) and will usually move on from a specific location within a short period of time. Rattlesnakes are most active during...
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Your backyard is the ideal location to create a summer full of memories for you, your family, and community, and its potential is really only limited by your imagination and willingness to roll up your sleeves to create a sensational space for summer enjoyment. According to a recent poll conducted online by The Harris Poll, more than three-quarters of Americans (76%) who have a yard say the family yard space is one of the most important parts of their home. Here are seven ideas to turn an ordinary yard into a summer oasis for fun and relaxation: 1. Give your...
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Food security and nutrition security are closely related but are distinctly different concepts. Food security ensures that people have enough food to avoid hunger. In contrast, nutrition security goes beyond having enough food to eat and focuses on food quality for a healthy life. A healthy diet will help achieve nutrition security and includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, lowfat dairy, and healthy fats. These foods provide essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants necessary for maintaining good health. Proper nutrition is a fundamental component of good health. It also plays a critical role in reducing the...
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After sweeping the regular season series over the Lakers, the Box Elder High School softball team had the favor returned when it mattered most when Bonneville—entering as the number 15 seed in the 5A state tournament last Thursday and Friday— walked away with their ticket punched into the bracket round as the Lakers upset the Bees 12-7 and 14-10 to take the best-of-three series. Thursday’s game appeared early to be a defensive struggle as neither side scored through the first three innings. In the fourth inning, the Lakers found a run and the Bees burst out to a 5-1 lead...
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Whether employees should be able to use city-owned vehicles for personal errands, and if they do, whether employee family members would be allowed to ride in them, was a topic for discussion at Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting. The discussion of what vehicle policy the city should approve exposed two different lines of thought on the issue, with Mayor Travis Mote and what seemed like a majority of the council seeing private use of city vehicles as a recruitment and retention tool, as well as a benefit to the city with faster responses from on-call employees, and Councilmember Fred Ward...
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Brigham City police are investigating the cause of a child’s injury after using a slide at Dennis Vincent Memorial Park, and whether vandalism or other malicious intent is to blame. Last Wednesday afternoon, Teresa and Colin Anderson took their 4-year-old daughter to the park to play before they were supposed to pick up an older brother from school. The family was having a fun time together, with Teresa taking photos of her little girl while she enjoyed the playground. The fun stopped, however, once the little girl came out of the tube slide. “She started going down the slide, but...
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Members and coaches of the Box Elder High School girls’ track and field team celebrate last week after winning the Region 5 championship for the 10th time in as many years. See story on page 3.
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The Box Elder High School baseball team dropped two of their final three regular season games last week in a series against Bountiful, and dropping their first game of the state playoffs, against Woods Cross on Saturday, 11- 6. Against Bountiful, the road team seemed to have the advantage as the visitors in each game took the win. The Redhawks took Monday’s game in Brigham City, 16-6, and the Bees bounced back on Tuesday with a 9-8 win in Bountiful. In Brigham City on Wednesday for the last game, the Redhawks found more offense and won 15-10 to spoil the...
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In their final regular-season game, the Box Elder High School boys’ soccer team notched a loss against Bonneville, 2-1. The Bees’ only goal came off the foot of Landon Lloyd on a penalty shot. The loss knocked the Bees out of first place in the region and into a tie for second. Despite the loss, the Bees found a way to bounce back and earn a measure of revenge against Viewmont in the first round of the state playoffs. The Vikings beat the Bees twice this season, both times by a score of 3-1. The Bees hit the road for...
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The Box Elder High School softball team sent their seniors off with a bang on Tuesday, May 8, in the team’s final regular season game as the Bees took down Northridge 10-4 and secured a share of the region championship. The Bees started the game a bit sluggish and trailed 4-3 through three innings. Box Elder’s bats came to life in the bottom of the fifth where the team posted seven runs and took the lead for good. After the game, Bees’ head coach Brian Merrill said he was happy about getting the win, though also voiced some frustration with...
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Box Elder High School Athletic Director Jesse Roberts (center) and students Ryan Griffin (left) and Tallin Chappell (right) pose with golden shovels at the groundbreaking for Box Elder High School’s new turf field on Monday. Requests for more information about the field including funding and timeline were not responded to by press time.
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The Box Elder High School track and field teams reached one of their most important season goals, when both won Region 5 titles in dominant fashion last week, with both boys and girls outpacing the runners-up by more than 100 points. At the end of the twoday event, Box Elder boys scored 236 points to top second place Woods Cross’ score of 132. The girls scored 256, ahead of Viewmont’s 140. The girls’ win marks the 10th consecutive title for the squad, and is the second consecutive title for the boys since winning their first region title since 2008 last...
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On Monday, construction crews began work on utility relocations and site preparations in conjunction with the Forest Street railroad overpass project. Work will initially take place around the Watkins Park area between 600 West and 700 West, and from Forest Street to 100 South. Watkins Park will be closed to the public during the construction. This work around Watkins Park will last into the summer.
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Councilmember Mike Braegger, who also sits on the flood control board, reported to the Willard City Council that the city has been handling the high runoff this year without any real issues. “It hasn’t been too bad, and it’s alleviated a lot down in South Willard,” said Braegger. He did note that two of the gravel pits in South Willard have had to temporarily shut down portions of their operations due to flooding, but that Willard City itself was doing well. “I think we’re past everything up here, there’s not that much [snow] left up there.” Braegger did report that...
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An eight-mile stretch of Hwy 89 from 750 North in Willard to 3600 South in Perry is scheduled to be completely rebuilt beginning in the fall of 2024, with wider shoulders and better drainage added to the roadway. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has scheduled an open house and public hearing on Thursday, May 25, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Willard Elementary School located at 40 South Street, to educate residents about the project, and take their comments into consideration prior to settling on a final design for the project. At the public hearing, UDOT will provide a...
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At Thursday’s Perry City Council meeting, Councilmember David Walker reported that he had met with a group of mountain bike enthusiasts the previous Saturday to look at land the city owns east of Mountain View Park and see if it could be used for a mountain bike recreational area. Walker said the meeting was attended by Jason Munns, the coach of the Box Elder Mountain Biking Team; Phillip Parker, who has been involved building mountain bike trails and jumps in the area; Andrew O’Brian of Pronghorn Bicycles, and two teenage residents who live near the park and have a passion...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved an additional ,620 in the fiscal 2022- 23 budget to cover higher than expected costs to purchase recycle cans. The city was recently forced to switched garbage collection companies and will need new residential cans to work with the collection trucks run by Republic Services. The old provider, Econo Waste, told the city it wasn’t interested in renewing their contract. “We came to you in the last budget amendment asking for ,000 for garbage cans,” explained Perry City Recorder and Financial Director Shanna Johnson. “When we went to purchase those garbage cans the...
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Brigham City will host a rabies vaccination and pet licensing clinic at Pioneer Park bowery on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Rabies vaccinations will cost . Other vaccinations will not be available. Pet license fees are as follows: Fixed animal (one year):. Unfixed animal (one year):. Fixed animal (three year):. Unfixed animal (three year):. 0 The cost for senior citizens for fixed animals only is for one year or for three years. Residents will need to provide proof their pet has been spayed or neutered to receive prices listed above. Cards will...
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Highlighting what may be seen as a generational shift in city leadership, Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott delivered the annual state of the city address on Tuesday, May 9, digitally through You Tube, following a several-days long Facebook campaign designed to generate public interest in the presentation. The format of the state of the city presentation also changed. Typically used to rundown perceived accomplishments over the previous year, this year’s address used resident input to inform the subject matter. “We typically don’t get a large attendance in city council chambers,” said Bott, standing in front of a white wall with...
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After working for the last five months with the city’s various department heads and staff, Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott on Thursday presented his proposed 2023-2024 budget to the city council, calling for ,196,842 in spending across all city operations, aside from the city’s redevelopment agency. If that total seems a bit high, it’s because it includes million in state grant funding and spending for the Forest Street overpass project. The budget also includes a wage increase for the city’s police officers, new positions at the city’s fire department, and nearly million in utility infrastructure upgrades. The budget...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team picked up three hard-fought, yet very important wins last week as the Bees swept their series with Northridge by scores of 11-9, 7-1, and 8-6. In the process, the Bees moved themselves into second place in Region 5 heading into the last week of the regular season. On Tuesday, May 1, in Layton, the Bees asserted their dominance early on and took an 11-3 lead into the final inning. After getting blanked in the top of the seventh, the defense for the Bees bent way more than they wanted to as they gave...
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The Box Elder High School softball team suffered a heartbreaking setback on Monday, May 1, as they lost 7-6 in nine innings at Ridgeline, before bouncing back in a big way on Tuesday, May 2, in a 17-2 win over Woods Cross and following that up with one of their biggest performances of the season as the team took down Bountiful 11-6 in eight innings on Thursday. On Monday, the Bees came up just short in a backand forth affair that required nine innings to decide a winner. The Bees took a 6-3 lead at the end of the top...
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Adding to the many wins already under their belt, the Box Elder High School track team brought home another victory for both the boys and girls at Bonneville on May 5. Following that performance, the Bees competed at Brigham Young University in a large competition involving schools from all classifications. The Box Elder girls tied for 11th, while the boys finished in 33rd place in the 4A-6A competition. At Bonneville, Box Elder, Viewmont and Bonneville competed against each other. In convincing fashion, the girls took 1first by 225 points, far ahead of second-place Bonneville. The boys won too, 31 points...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ tennis team finished the 2023 regular season with a 3-2 victory over Bear River at home on Monday, May 1. Box Elder won at both first and second doubles and captured the third singles match to secure the win. Bear River took first singles and came out on top of a tight battle at second singles. With the victory the Bees end their 2023 season with a 10-4 record, which they carried into the first round of the state competition, held at Brighton High School on Saturday, May 6. The Bees’ Preston Braeger came...
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The Brigham City Council has taken the next step in its agreement with Perry to move the city limit further north, ceding approximately 9.2 acres to its southern neighbor. At issue are several properties on the border with Perry between 450 West and across U.S. Highway 89 where the current city limit cuts across the parcels, with the northern sections in Brigham and the southern sections in Perry. “You have some ownership that has been split between the two cities,” said City Planner Mark Bradley. “There’s been a lot of consideration that has gone into this, and it can be...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved the final plat for the first phase of the North Point Subdivision, located on the north end of town on property previously occupied by The Willows golf course. The first phase of the development consists of 32 townhouses, which will later be joined by an additional 139 townhouses and 34 single-family homes in three more phases. “It’s gone through the review, and staff recommends approval,” said City Planner Mark Bradley. The preliminary plat for the development was approved by the council last May. “Everything is pretty straightforward with this project, it’s almost more...
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The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has awarded Box Elder County with ,000 to combat the spread of Rush Skeleton weed, which has been moving south from Idaho, and also an additional ,250 to mitigate Box Elder Knapweed. “Box Elder County is one of the only counties in Utah that has this, and so we’ve been receiving this funding to help landowners treat this,” said the county weed department’s Wyatt Freeze, referring to Rush Skeleton weed at Wednesday’s county commission meeting. “Our border to the north has plenty of it,” said Commissioner Stan Summers. “If you went up to...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved several agreements for the Box Elder County Fire Marshall’s Office, providing fire and ambulance services to an annual Element 11 gathering as well as well as mutual aid agreements with Snowville and Raft River, Idaho. The county has provided fire and ambulance services for Element 11 in the west desert near Park Valley for the last seven years, and will again be providing services this year, between June 21 and 25, for a fee of ,250. “It’s an interesting party out in Park Valley,” said Commissioner Lee Perry, when questioned by Commissioner...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved 0,476 in corridor preservation funding for Garland City, which will use the money for road and drainage improvements along Factory Street, from 350 West to 1388 West. Garland City will put up matching funds of ,324 toward the project, which was approved by the Council of Governments at their April meeting. The Local Corridor Preservation Fund (LCPF) was created in 2005 by an act of the Utah Legislature, and allows counties to charge up to extra for each vehicle registered in that county. Those proceeds are held by the Utah Department...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday granted permission for courthouse grounds to be used during the annual Peach Days celebration in September, and also gave permission for the courthouse parking lot to be used by Historic Downtown Brigham City for its 3rd Friday Live activities over the summer. Peach Days, sponsored by the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, is a harvest festival and carnival that has taken place in downtown Brigham City since 1904, save for two years during World War II when it was re-named “War Bond Days,” and in 2020 when it was canceled due to the...
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Facing an increase of complaints about “backyard breeders,” the Box Elder County Commission approved a new chapter in the land use code regulating dog kennels. Box Elder County Community Development Director Scott Lyons said that demand for dogs increased during the pandemic, resulting in a dramatic rise in prices. Some, seeking to capitalize on the opportunity, decided to become “dog breeders.” “Because of that we’re receiving more complaints on kennels that aren’t actually kennels, they’re just backyard breeders essentially,” said Lyons. The new regulations confine kennel creation to rural residential lots of one-acre or more, ensure adequate ventilation, food and...
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While flooding concerns have largely centered around rivers and streams, ground water was the culprit for a flooded basement in Mantua Town Hall. At town council meeting on April 20, it was revealed that the sump pump in the basement of the building malfunctioned, causing four and a half feet of water to collect there, submerging the boiler and its controls. Harper Johnson, Mantua’s public works director, said a contractor was called in to disconnect all electrical lines in the area. He reported that the boiler will need to be replaced before fall. Currently, space heaters are being used to...
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Box Elder County, Brigham City and Tremonton have taken the next step toward the creation of a “satellite” Utah Inland Port project area, with the county commission approving a resolution on Wednesday directing the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) to formally begin the process of creating a project area plan and budget, and the two cities approving resolutions of support for the process during their respective council meetings last week. An inland port is a logistics hub that operates much the same way that an ocean port does – it receives goods and processes them through customs for tax collection...
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Retirements, budgets and a desire for a change in direction has led the Brigham City Police Department to re-align its command structure, morphing the assistant chief position into a commander position, adding a second commander position, and getting rid of two positions at the rank of lieutenant. According to Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes, the restructuring was due to a sense of fiscal responsibility to the city, taking three command positions down to two, and moving the department in a “new direction.” “We’ve had three individuals who served very gallantly in those positions for many years, and they were...
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Fruit trees in South Willard have finally burst into color as spring appears to have officially arrived. More ‘typical’ spring temperatures and weather are forecast this week ahead of a warming trend. See weather on page 7. See more spring more photos page 3.
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Pacificorp announced last week that it was planning to increase flow into the Bear River from Cutler Dam to about 8,000 cubic feet per second, with daily increases anticipated through May 7. At that time, according to data from the Bear River Commission, Cutler reservoir was at 93% of capacity with more than 8,000 cfs of water flowing into it. Later in the week, the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for property along the Bear River, in Box Elder County, saying the river will remain above flood stage “until further notice,” putting local agriculture operations in a similar...
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In a more heated contest than most meets, the sophomore and freshman girls of the Box Elder High School track and field team won a meet at Wasatch High School on April 25 with a score of 186.5. The boys tied with Wasatch at 137 points, with Uintah trailing them by only two points. In the girls’ 400-meter, three Bees took the top three places. Oakley Norman took first with a time of 1:03.32, followed by Kaylan Anderson at 1:03.42 and Brooklynn Hadfield with 1:05.08. That event alone tallied 28 points for the Bees. In both girls’ discus and shot...
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Local officials are citing lingering cool temperatures this spring, improved drainage infrastructure, and vigilance by municipalities in keeping river and creek beds clear as reasons Box Elder County has thus far escaped major flooding after record snowfall this year. According to the Utah Division of Water Resources, Utah’s snowpack typically peaks around the first of April, with a 30-year median of 15.8 inches of water. This year, the peak was 30 inches. This breaks the previous record high, making this year Utah’s deepest snowpack ever on record. Even with the warm up last weekend, Box Elder County Emergency Manager Mark...
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The construction of a car dealership and expansion of an established truck stop were both topics of discussion at the April 27 meeting of the Perry City Council, with one project getting the city’s approval and the other one put on hold until water drainage plans can be resolved. A proposal to build a Ford auto dealership on 1100 South was approved, or at least Perry City’s portion of it was approved. A development group called Stokes Stevenson is proposing to build the dealership off of 1100 South and the newly stubbed 1100 West, to the west of Walmart and...
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While heavy winter snowfall and a cool spring will likely delay Utah’s wildfire season, it may actually make it worse once it finally arrives later this summer. Soils saturated with moisture from unprecedented precipitation over the last six months are ideal for plant growth, and if the weather turns hot and dry, which is likely, there will be an abundance of new-growth fuel just waiting for a lightning strike, a ricochet, a tire blow-out, or a careless camper. “Soil moisture is well above normal in many areas of the Great Basin for late April heading into May,” states the National...
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Power for approximately 170 Brigham City households was knocked out early Monday afternoon after a restaurant supply delivery truck snapped a power pole. Witnesses said that the driver of the truck, which was making a delivery to Peach City at 300 North Main Street, accidentally backed into the pole, shearing it from its base and leaving it hanging by the power lines. There were no reported injuries from the incident, but the driver of the truck was told to remain in the cab until power lines that had fallen on the truck could be cleared. Many customers in the area...
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Brigham City officials do not believe “there is any immediate health concern at this time,” but are taking steps to complete an EPA-mandated audit of all water main lines connected to buildings built in or before 1990. The purpose of the audit is to inventory any water lines that may contain harmful substances, such as lead. Residents and business owners can self-report their water main material here: https:// arcg.is/0mf4WW0. Lines that are not self-reported will require an in-person inspection. City representatives will be visiting homes and businesses over the next several weeks to conduct these inspections. In most cases, the...
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Perry City will grow by 9.2 acres, and Brigham City will shrink by the same amount, after an agreement was reached between the two cities to allow Perry to annex a strip of land at approximately 1200 South, running from 400 West across U.S. Highway, almost to Dentwood Drive. According to Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill, existing city limits cut across several properties in the area, where owners had their northern property line in Brigham City while their southern boundary was in Perry. Barhill said that all the properties are served by Perry City streets and utilities. Barnhill expressed appreciation...
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Perry City is asking for volunteers to help spruce up the city’s parks on Saturday, June 3, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. According to Councilmember David Walker, who is organizing the event, the main focus will be on playground improvements at Perry Park, and reclaiming trails at Dale Young Nature Park. Residents and others wanting to volunteer can now signup online at www.justserv.org . On the main page enter your zip code, and then type in “Perry City Service Day” on the projects page.
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The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has announced it has begun installing an Intersection Conflict Warning System on State Road 30, near Riverside in Box Elder County at the intersection of State Road 30 and State Road 81 (Garland Road). “The purpose is to eliminate cross-street crashes by adding vehicle detection and alert equipment, flashing beacons, and enhanced area illumination,” read a UDOT press release. Work began last Wednesday, and is expected to be completed in late May. Question or concerns about the project can be directed to the UDOT Hotline at 435-990-1050.
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Brigham City will be accepting nominations for Yard of the Month awards from city residents this this year. To nominate a yard, find the yard of the month nomination link on the city’s website at www.bcutah.org. Nominations for June’s award are due Wednesday, May 17. Winners receive a coupon to Brigham City’s compost site, a coupon to Alpine Gardens, a gift card to Peach City, and a goodie basket from Ace Hardware. For more information, contact the Brigham City Public Works Administrative Offices at 435 734-6615
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Season passes for the Mantua Reservoir boat ramp are now available for sale at the Brigham City Public Works administrative offices, 980 W. Forest Street. The office is open Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fees for season passes are: Brigham City/Mantua Resident: Senior citizen season pass (65 and older) General season pass: The fee to launch from the boat ramp without a pass is . All launch fees are used to maintain the reservoir and its facilities. For more information, call 435-734-6615.
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday voted to clean up a county ordinance that restricted accessory dwelling units (ADU) from being more than a single story tall. ADUs, which are housing rental units that share the same property as the owner’s main residence, are now allowed to be as tall as the main residence. “Currently the maximum height for an ADU is limited to one story,” explained Scott Lyons, the county’s director of community development. “From a staff perspective, I think it would clear up some issues where we see a common ADU over a garage or inside of...
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The Utah Division of Emergency Management has awarded Box Elder County a grant of ,500 to be used for flood mitigation efforts. The money can be used for items such as sandbags, sandbagging machines, water walls, channelizing devices, signage, water pumps, generators, community outreach activities, supplies and equipment for CERT groups, hand tools and personal protective gear, mitigation projects, and other activities as approved by the division.
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The Box Elder County Commission, acting as the Box Elder County Redevelopment Agency, approved a ,000 contract on Wednesday with the Utah Regional Growth Association (URGA) to provide economic development management services to the county. The county had been relying on the Utah Association of Counties (UAC) to fill the role of overseeing the county’s economic development efforts since early 2021, when the county did away with its own in-house economic development position. According to Commissioner Stan Summers, earlier this year UAC decided to no longer provide those services, and URGA was formed from UAC personnel to take over those...
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Cooler than usual temperatures are tempering some concerns about flooding following Utah’s record breaking winter, but wet and cold that extended farther than normal into spring affected agriculture around the state, with delayed planting pushing back expected harvest dates, and some farmers beginning to wonder if they’ll get a crop in at all this season. As previously reported in the News Journal, many fields are too wet to be planted, with delays pushing onion crops out four weeks and sweet corn two weeks, which is causing some worry. But it’s not all bad news. Steve Pettingill, who grows fruit and...
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Efforts to get a historic district designation for a large portion of Brigham City is in the final stages, and the Brigham City Museum of Art and History has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, May 17, at 5:30 p.m. to inform residents within the proposed area what a designation might mean for them and their properties. As previously reported in the News Journal, if approved by the U.S. National Park Service, the designation would allow owners of qualifying properties access to historic preservation tax credits for renovation or restoration projects that comply with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team cruised to three easy wins over Bonneville (10-0, 10-0, and 12-4), but were tripped up in the middle of the week in a non-region game by Green Canyon 9-7. Junior pitching ace Ryan Griffin drew the start on the mound in Tuesday’s game against Bonneville and only gave up two hits through five innings of work while racking up eight strikeouts en route to his second win of the season. Senior Tommy Greer picked up the save, pitching the final inning. Greer also gave the Bees a big lift on the other side...
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A painting by local artist Kelly Donovan that will become Brigham City’s first large mural on Main Street was unveiled at a fundraiser Saturday. Approximately 250 gathered for a dinner catered by Idle Isle and a concert from the Bread tribute band, Toast. See more photos on page 5.
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Brigham City’s State of the City address will be given virtually this year, on the city’s YouTube channel by Mayor D.J. Bott on Tuesday, May 9, at 6 p.m. Residents can watch the address given from the mayor’s office live at that time, or later via recording on YouTube or the city’s Facebook page. Normally, the State of the City address is delivered during city council meetings, but attendance at those meetings is typically sparse. “So many of us connect more now online,” Bott said. “With the added ability to watch at your leisure because of our busy lives, this...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ tennis team took home a fourth-place finish from the Region 5 tournament on Thursday, April 27. The host Bees competed well in all of the matches, with the first doubles team of Kale and Tate Klein going 2-1 and finishing third after defeating Bonneville and Bountiful and losing to Wood Cross. Drew Low in third singles and the second doubles team of Seth Mortenson and James Lee finished fourth after going 1-2 for the tournament. Both beat Northridge in the first round before falling to Bountiful and Viewmont. At first and second singles, Trevor...
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In another jam-packed week, the Box Elder High School softball team picked up region wins over Viewmont and Bonneville before winning three of their four games over the weekend at the Cache Valley Invitational tournament. On Wednesday afternoon, the Bees needed all the firepower they could muster to get their second-straight win over Viewmont after beating them 19-3 last Friday. Last Wednesday’s game in Bountiful gave spectators their money’s worth as the Bees were able to generate runs throughout the game and came away with a 21-15 win. Junior Kellie Malan led the way with five RBIs and two hits...
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The aroura borealis can be seen glowing behind the clouds from Forest Street near the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on early Monday morning. A major solar event resulted the traditioanlly “northern” lights to be seen as far south as central Utah.
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Offense was never going to be an issue for the Box Elder High School baseball team last week as the Bees put up 37 runs on their way to winning the three-game series against Woods Cross, 2-1. On Tuesday in Brigham City, the runs came fast and furious for both teams. The Wildcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead after just two innings. The Bees battled back, but were still trailing 7-11 heading into the final frame. The Bees continued to fight, and put up four runs in the bottom of the seventh to force an extra inning. In the...
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The Box Elder High School track team celebrated a victory at Cache-Box, the northern Utah Invitational meet they hoped to win from the beginning of the season, on April 18. Box Elder’s boys won in incredibly convincing fashion, scoring 228 points to second-place Sky View’s 85.5. The girls scored 201.5 points, beating the host school, Green Canyon, by 35.5 points. Combined, the Box Elder boys and girls beat Green Canyon, the second-place team, by 188 points. Box Elder athletes took first in boys’ and girls’ hurdles, girls’ 4x800-meter, boys’ 100-meter, girls’ and boys’ 4x200-meter, and several others. Green Canyon often...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ tennis team split results in four matches last week. The team hosted a threeteam meet last Saturday with 6A schools, Kearns and Weber. The Bees started Saturday’s event against Kearns and won a decisive 6-0 team victory. Against Weber, it all came down to the final match, second doubles. Unlike a traditional meet with three singles matches and two doubles matches, Saturday’s match included third doubles. Box Elder had won both first and third doubles and lost at third singles. Box Elder was close throughout the match but couldn’t quite finish, leaving the Bees...
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The Box Elder High school boys’ soccer team volunteered at the Brigham City cemetery cleaning up pine cones last week. Their schedule following school was busy and included team practice, coaching the junior Bees soccer club, and the service project.
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While flooding concerns have largely centered around rivers and streams, ground water was the culprit for a flooded basement in Mantua Town Hall. At town council meeting last week, it was revealed that the sump pump in the basement of the building malfunctioned, causing four and a half feet of water to collect there, submerging the boiler and its controls. Harper Johnson, Mantua’s public works director, said a contractor was called in to disconnect all electrical lines in the area. He reported that the boiler will need to be replaced before fall. Currently, space heaters are being used to heat...
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Four Northern Utah Youth ensembles will present their season finale concert on April 27, at Bear River High School, starting at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend and support these talented young musicians from throughout Northern Utah. Admission is free as the concert is sponsored by many generous local businesses and individuals. The Northern Utah Youth Preparatory Strings, directed by Elizabeth Marsh, will open the concert featuring young string players performing Ode to Joy, Rock Candy, and Happy Wanderer. The Northern Utah Youth Chamber Orchestra, directed by Nathan West, will feature excerpts from “Carnival of the Animals,” Zooster’s “Breakout,”...
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In November Utah will hold another municipal election, where voters will choose who represents them in city or town councils across the state. This year the candidate filing period will go from June 1 through June 7, with potential candidates required to file a declaration of candidacy with their local city office or town hall between those dates during regular office hours. Requirements for candidates are fairly simple and governed by Utah law. A candidate for any municipal office in the state must be a United States citizen at the time of filing, must be a resident of the municipality...
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Box Elder County has decided to hire public safety consulting firm AP Triton to perform an assessment of county-wide fire and EMS services, and come up with recommendations on how county residents, both inside cities and in unincorporated areas, could best be served. According to County Commissioner Lee Perry, the ,873 scope of services study would examine taxes and budgets, service areas, dispatch, response times, firefighter/EMT recruitment and retention, and come up with plans on how resources could be maximized across the county. Perry was careful not to frame the study as a starting point to a county-wide fire district,...
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The towns of Bothwell and Snowville are mostly done with state-funded fiber-optic internet build outs, with Marble Hill, Thatcher, Penrose, Howell, Bear River City, Elwood, Mantua, Willard and South Willard scheduled to be completed within the next two years. That was the message delivered to the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday by Cameron Francis, CEO of Beehive Broadband, which has received just over .8 million in grant funding from the Utah Broadband Center to connect communities in rural Box Elder County to broadband internet networks. That money was part of a million program funded through the American Rescue...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved [post_excerpt].89 million in funding requests from the Local Corridor Preservation Fund for projects benefiting both Perry City and Mantua. A proposal by Mantua Township to re-do the threeway intersection at south Main Street, Fish Hatchery Road and Willard Peak Road was also approved for 2,051. The town will put up ,339 of its own funds for the project as well, which will completely resurface the intersection, put in better signage and road markings, and make the intersection less confusing for motorists. The largest portion of the award, nearly [post_excerpt].8 million, went to...
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No matter how bad it gets this year, remember, it could be worse. Much, much worse. When it comes to mosquitoes, it’s all a numbers game. The first number is water, and this year, that’s a big number. “There’s more water than we’ve seen pretty much ever,” said Tyson Packer, assistant director of the Box Elder Mosquito Abatement District. As has been well-documented, Utah had a record-breaking winter; the level of the Great Salt Lake had risen by three feet above its historic low before spring runoff had even begun. In short, there’s “water everywhere,” Packer said. The second number...
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April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and one of the local organizations serving to assist the child victims in Box Elder County, and their families, is hoping to send a message of speaking up and protecting the vulnerable minors in our communities. Sterling Marx is director of the Children’s Justice Center (CJC) of Box Elder County, this relatively young nonprofit organization was formed as a separate entity in 2020, separating itself from the Cache Valley organization where it originated. “Child abuse prevention month is a reminder that protecting children is everyone’s responsibility. It is important for individuals, families, communities, and...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ soccer team dropped two region matches last week, including a controversial game against Northridge. Following a 2-0 loss to Viewmont on Tuesday, April 18, the Bees hit the road for a rainy game against the Knights on Friday, April 21. The Bees looked sharp in the game, and the Bees generated several opportunities early in the game. About 9:24 into the first half, the Knights’ keeper was caught outside the box, when Bees’ junior Warren Hansen, surprised the Knights with a shot from 35-yards out to give the Bees a 1-0 lead. Just 58...
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A full slate of games for the Box Elder High School softball team got off on the wrong foot last week as the Bees fell to rival Bear River 7-2 on Monday and lost a second meeting against Bountiful, 8-6, on Tuesday. The Bees were able to right the ship the rest of the week and picked up wins against Green Canyon (5-2), Northridge (22-7), and Viewmont (19-3). The game against the Bears was always going to be tough for the Bees, since Bear River, the number tworanked team in 4A, brought a 9-2 overall record into Monday’s game along...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday made a 9,657 revision to the current year’s budget, most of which involved transferring money from one fund to another, as well as making some accounting corrections, and accounting for donations the city received. The revision included a 1,368 transfer from the administrative budget to the debt service fund in order to make the bond payment on The Lodge, which the city purchased to serve as its new city hall. The amendment also applied 9,179 to the budget for Mountain View Park due to a correction on the beginning fund balance and the re-application...
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A delegation from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) gave a presentation to the Box Elder County Commission that showed agriculture remains an important and still growing component of the county’s economy. The presentation also identified some challenges for the future of agriculture in the county and the state and made suggestions on how their department and local governments could help address them. “The average age of someone in agriculture is 65,” said Deputy UDAF Commissioner Kelly Pehrson. “That’s a difficult statistic. We have to find ways to get new and young people into agriculture, and the only...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ tennis team continues to find ways to play matches, and split results in two region matches last week. Even after two inches of snow fell Thursday morning, the courts were ready for play by afternoon. On Tuesday, April 11, the team traveled to Layton to challenge the Northridge Knights and took home a 4-1 win. The Bees won two of the three singles matches and both doubles matches. On Thursday, the Bees hosted Bountiful, a team that, in the previous four meetings over the past two years, has won 19 out of 20 matches...
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Athletes of the Box Elder High School track and field team ran, hurdled, jumped, and threw their way to victory at a meet hosted by Woods Cross High School on Wednesday, April 12. The Bees prevailed with a combined score of 300.5, beating second-place Viewmont High by 80 points. The Bees took first place in the boys’ 100-meter, boys’ hurdles, and girls’ long jump. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams performed well in javelin, as both squads took first in their respective events. Seniors Jackson Kuchinski, and Sarena Mackley, led the Bees with first-place finishes in boys’ 100-meter and girls’...
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The Box Elder High School baseball squared off against Viewmont last week and lost three highly competitive games. Viewmont is the preseason pick for the Region 5 championship and the highest-ranked Region 5 team in the RPI rankings Even with the odds against them, the Bees battled wire-towire in a 5-4 loss on Tuesday, a 7-6 loss on Thursday, and a 12-9 loss in extra-innings on Friday. After the series, Bees head coach Travis Mumford said he saw a lot of positives to build on. “We made a few too many errors and those are definitely things we want to...
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After a two-week absence, due to snow and Spring Break, the Box Elder High School boys’ soccer team started slowly but finished strong, in wins last week over Bountiful and Woods Cross. Prior to the game against Bountiful on Tuesday, April 11, the Bees had not played a game for two weeks, and were only able to practice outdoors the day before facing the Redhawks in Bountiful. The Bees started and finished the first half sluggish, committing multiple errors on defense, and in midfield, but Bountiful was unable to capitalize and the first half ended in a 0-0 tie. The...
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Applications for Brigham City Community Impact Grants are now being accepted and are due by May 19. For details about submitting a grant application, contact Brigham City Executive Assistant Donna Pett by email at dpett@bcutah.org. The Community Impact Grant Board, under the direction of the Brigham City mayor and city council, funds projects, activities and programs that serve and benefit citizens of the Brigham City area, with a particular focus to “build healthy families and a healthy community.” Applicants are encouraged to collaborate and coordinate with existing programs to maximize resources. Grant reviewers will prioritize projects that promote partnerships with...
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Easter Falls (above), with its trailhead located above Highland Boulevard near 700 North in Brigham City, had a pair of strong streams on Wednesday as a couple of hikers take in the scene. Many families and individuals have taken the trail to get a closer look at the falls, which are running stronger and later than normal with runoff from this year’s record-breaking winter. (right) A loon is seen swimming in Mayor’s Pond where the water is high along the banks, and is in a controlled release plan to prevent flooding. According to the Box Elder County Emergency Manager Mark...
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As the spring snow finally relented, the Box Elder High School softball team took full advantage of their time on the field last week, picking up four wins in four outings in their first action since an 11-1 loss to Sky View on March 21. Last Tuesday, April 11, the Bees traveled to Washington Terrace to take on Bonneville and looked to be cruising to an easy win after taking an 8-0 lead after two and a half innings. But the Lakers had other plans and fired off five runs in the bottom of the third and another four in...
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At their meeting on Thursday, the Willard City Council voted unanimously to join with both Perry and Brigham City in putting a question of whether to repeal a quarter cent Utah Transportation Authority (UTA) transportation sales tax on the November ballot. The tax was approved by voters of all three cities in 2007 as a means to fund expansion of UTA’s Frontrunner commuter rail service, linking Brigham City, Perry and Willard with other Wasatch Front communities to the south. The project, first slated to begin in 2012 and later changed 2020, has now been indefinitely postponed by UTA. The tax...
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Utah House District 6 Representative Matthew Gwynn (R-Farr West) addressed the Willard City Council on Thursday, delivering a brief overview of this year’s legislative session—and offering his help on state-related issues brought up by city officials. Gwynn, a former Farr West City planning commissioner and city council member, told Willard officials he understood the unique needs of rural Utah communities, especially those “succumbing to development” like Willard, and promised to do everything he could to “ease some of those burdens” at the state level. Gwynn said this year the legislature dealt a lot with water issues, committing 0 million in...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a third option for developers in the city to guarantee their work, aside from posting cash deposits into escrow accounts at a bank, or cash deposits held by the city. The new option is one the city used previously but did away with: the posting of a surety bond and bond agreement. A surety bond is similar to having someone co-sign a personal loan, where a third-party guarantees that payment will be made should the developer not live up to its obligations to the city. As explained to the council by Community Development...
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A snowstorm that hit the area April 3- 5 was a record breaker for the month of April. The storm, particularly a 24-hour stretch between Tuesday, April 4, and Wednesday, April 5, dumped between 10 and 24 inches in the Brigham City area, depending on where measurements were taken, according to Bryce Lofthouse, who manages weather and climate data for Brigham City. “I measured at Highland yesterday [Wednesday, April 5] and got 17 inches,” Lofthouse said. Periodical measurements on Brigham City’s bench area came in between 16 and 24 inches. Lofthouse acknowledges that the official amount that will be reported...
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Beer sales are now an approved land use in Brigham City’s commercial and industrial zones following actions by the city council on Thursday. “Right now, in the commercial zones there is no allowance for beer sales,” said Community Development Director Paul Larsen, addressing the council. “Our beer retailers are dangling out there a little bit because of that, so we are adding to our commercial zones the allowance for beer sales, subject to the restrictions in state code.” At the March 16 meeting the council amended the city’s beer licensing ordinance to mirror state code in an attempt to clean...
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Brigham City has installed a new columbarium to allow for 96 additional niches at the city’s cemetery, and is raising cemetery fees to recoup costs and be more in-line with neighboring communities. The changes approved at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting also update the cemetery’s days of operation, with the city no longer providing interment services on city-recognized holidays or on Peach Days or Memorial Day weekends. According to Public Works Director Tyler Pugsley, the new interment rates for the columbarium are a direct result of higher prices the city had to pay to get the structure built. “Currently we...
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Post Consumer Brands cashed in a portion of the good will the company has banked in the county over the last 19 years, and was forgiven by the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday for ,500 in penalties for a late property tax payment. “I don’t have a problem with it, seeing what Post does every year for the community,” said Commissioner Stan Summers about forgiving the penalty. The late payment was the result of a clerical error at the company’s headquarters in Minnesota, and the tax bill was paid as soon as the late notice was received in March....
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If the only topic being discussed is water, this year’s winter bounty is obviously a good thing; even before spring has begun to turn the hundreds of inches of snow in Utah’s mountains into water, the Great Salt Lake is three feet higher than the historical low reached last November. Certainly, if water is the only consideration, the verdict on this year is obvious: The winter of 2023 was an unprecedented win for Utah and will put a significant dent in restoring the state’s depleted lakes, reservoirs and other aquifers. However, water, like lunches, are never free, and this winter...
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The long winter and excessive snowfall have already caused some problems in Mantua, such as potentially delayed responses from the fire department, and will likely cause more as the snow starts to melt. Councilmember Matt Jeppsen reported that a leaking roof at the fire station has shorted out the automatic door, which requires firefighters to flip the breaker on and off in order to operate the door. He also relayed that many fire hydrants are buried deeply in snow, which can delay response by several minutes. The canal owned by Brigham City may need to be cleaned out before runoff...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday awarded 0,000 to the two senior citizen centers located in the county in an effort to help plug budget shortfalls. The Brigham City Senior Center will receive ,000 and the Tremonton center will receive ,000 in one-time county support, to be paid out of the county’s ARPA funds received from the federal government. According to the commissioners, the budget shortfalls were a result of the two cities continuing to provide support and Meals on Wheels services for elderly residents living outside of Brigham City’s or Tremonton’s city limits, and a failure on the...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday awarded 0,000 in Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB) grants to various recipients throughout the county. The grants are funded through two separate taxes, a 4.25% tax on hotel stays and a 1% tax on restaurant bills. One-fifth of the taxes collected can be used to issue grants to support projects that promote tourism within the county. Each year the advisory board looks through and ranks applications received for the grants, and then recommends to the commission which projects to fund from the total available. The sport of pickleball was the big winner...
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The potential flooding along the Bear River, particularly the area between Collinston and Corinne in Box Elder County, is very high, and even “likely to exceed” the events in 1983-84, 2011 or 2017 because current snowpack levels are much higher than those years. The forecast comes from Rocky Mountain Power, the hydroelectric system operator of the Bear River system in northern Utah and southeastern Idaho. RMP has been closely monitoring spring runoff conditions in the Bear River basin and has concluded that the potential for flooding is very high all along the Bear River below Bear Lake. “Based on runoff...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved the creation a 4.8 acre public utility subdivision, as well as a purchase contract, for land in the western part of the city to provide future drainage and flood mitigation options as the area grows. The parcel, located at approximately 200 South and 1400 West, is currently owned by the Walker family. The city has negotiated a purchase agreement for 4,000 with the Walkers, payable over two years. Once owned by the city, the parcel will be the site of a regional water retention basin the city will build to control runoff during...
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The Box Elder County Commission has waived fairground fees for a national carriage exposition and a fundraiser for an ill Tremonton girl. The Carriage Association of America (CAA) will be holding an event showcasing over 350 carriages, buggies, coaches and sleighs over three days beginning on Friday, April 28, through Sunday April 30. The carriages have been restored by Tremonton’s Eli Anderson, who owns the largest private collection of horse-drawn vehicles in North America. In addition to the carriages, a special display of Roy Roger’s horse “Trigger,” will be presented on Sunday at the fairgrounds, free of charge to the...
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A land trade and purchase agreement between Brigham City, Box Elder School District and the Boys and Girls Club of Brigham City has the city gaining additional parking to the east of Constitution Park, giving up Davis Park at some future point to the school district, and acting as a pass-through buyer of Mountain View Elementary School, which it would then sell, minus the parking area, to the Boys and Girls Club for the same dollar amount paid to the school district. It’s a confusing interaction, made even more so by the city’s plan to transfer Davis Park to the...
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While the current structure of the Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) continues to move toward profitability through its sister company, Utah Infrastructure Agency (UIA), Brigham City’s debt obligation for the original bonds to launch the project still amount to over million as of last November. In 2023 the city will owe 4,000 in bond payments, which will continue to rise by 2% each year to 4,000 for the last payment scheduled to be made in 2040. But with the continued growth of the system and the success of UIA, a small but increasing portion of that debt obligation...
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A portion of a story in last week’s edition (“BEHS alum, now USU assistant professor awarded grant”) was unintentionally omitted from the newspaper. See the complete story on our Facebook page or on our website at www.benewsjournal.com.
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Despite the continuing challenges posed by this year’s weather, the Box Elder High School boys’ tennis team continues to find ways to play matches. After finding success and wins through their first nine matches, the Bees collected their first loss last week, when they got shut out by Viewmont, 0-5. Prior to the loss, the Bees defeated Northridge, 3-2. Against the Knights, the Bees got a convincing win from Preston Braegger in second singles (6-2, 6-2), and dominant victories from both doubles teams. At first doubles, brothers Kale Klein and Tate Klein didn’t give up a single game on their...
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One of the best days so far this year accompanied the return of the Brigham City Kiwnais Club’s annual Easter egg hunt, which had not taken place since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Both factors played into a successful event that drew a very large crowd. Many more activities are still planned for the holiday this week. See photos and calendar on page 4.
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Box Elder High School students, staff and local law enforcement agencies were the victims of a prank last Wednesday morning, as an anonymous overseas caller reported to local dispatch that an active shooter was roaming outside the school. Not having any other choice, law enforcement agencies including the Brigham City Police Department, Perry Police Department, Tremonton/Garland Police Department and the Utah Highway Patrol engaged the pre-existing active shooter protocol and responded to the report, while school officials put students on lock down. Law enforcement officers cleared the school room by room, as well as swept the grounds and nearby areas...
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With the winter of 2022-23 extending past the beginning of spring into April, and storm after storm has piled new snow on top of already record-breaking amounts, state, city and county officials, as well as property owners, are praying for a gradual warm-up in order to avoid a quick melt leading to severe flooding issues. On Monday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox declared April as “Flood Safety Awareness Month,” urging all Utahns to help their cities, towns and neighbors prepare for potential flooding. “Another winter storm is here, and the likelihood of heavy spring runoff during the warming spring months is...
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This November, Brigham City residents will be given the choice whether the city should continue to fluoridate its culinary water supply, as it has done for the last 57 years, or remove added fluoride from the system altogether. The ballot question was approved by the Brigham City Council at its March 16 meeting, leaving the choice up to voters whether the practice should continue or be ended. At that meeting, City Attorney Michael Christiansen warned city officials that they should not publicly express any opinions on the ballot measure, since taking a position could be construed as an effort to...
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Members of the Golden Spikers Special Olympics team claimed a good haul of medals from the 2023 Snowshoeing Invitational at North Fork Park in Eden, Utah in February. Athletes (pictured front to back, L to R) Jason Stocks, Jesse Eden, Daniel Wahlquist, Ryan Dilg, Brian Poulsen, Alex Beard, Alina Dumling, Matt Richards, and Jacob Baird competed in 25-, 50-, 100-, 200- and 400-meter races, depending on their abilities, and won a combined 11 gold medals, eight silver medals and seven bronze medals.
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While many kids will be enjoying some extra sleep this week during spring break, one eighth grader will start her mornings at 5 a.m.—like she always does— at the gym with her mom and dad. Strength training has been a way of life for the Miller family of Brigham City since dad, Jason, has participated in strong man competitions for over eight years after developing a lifelong love of strength and fitness in his youth. That love has rubbed off on his oldest daughter, Kynzlee, who has been training for the last three years to be able to compete in...
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Brigham City's Eagle Mountain Golf Course had its best year ever in 2022, generating more revenue for the city at the highest dollars-perround earned of any year since it opened in 1989. According to a presentation offered by Golf Course Director Chris Marx at the March 16 Brigham City Council meeting, Eagle Mountain grossed [post_excerpt],085,010 for the 2022 season, besting 2020's previous record of 8,811 by nearly 11%. The course also improved on the previous year's earnings per round by [post_excerpt].90, taking in .34 per round of golf played. Marx reported that the revenue record was broken even though the...
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Utah State University Assistant Professor of Social Work Brian Droubay was recently awarded ,000 for a project focused on developing religious and spiritual competency among students pursuing advanced degrees in mental health. “While academic training of practitioners has increasingly, and rightfully, emphasized utilizing a multicultural perspective,” Droubay said, “the area of religion and spirituality has been neglected in the mental health field even while it is a central part of people’s lives and identities and a crucial component of diversity.” The project started in the fall of 2022, but curricular dissemination is taking place this semester in Droubay’s SW 6750...
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Snow and ice-covered roads, as well excessive speeds and failure to follow at a safe distance turned deadly for drivers in the county, with four people losing their lives in accidents over the last week. On March 21 a 28-year-old Cache County man died after his Ford F-250 pickup was involved in a crash and rollover on State Road 38 near Collinston. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, at approximately 9:10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 21, the driver of the F-250 was headed northbound near mile marker 18 when he and the driver of a southbound 2005 Mazda 3 sideswiped...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ soccer team was victorious over the Logan Grizzlies, 3-1, last Friday on a field that was a muddy mess. The team spent a whole day’s practice prior to the match shoveling snow from the field. By game time, the snow was gone but the field was still boggy. In some places, the players sunk into the ground as much as four inches, which made both teams sluggish at first. Only a few minutes in, the Bees’ defense broke down and gave up an own goal. In the 22nd minute, Box Elder senior defenseman, Daxton...
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In an effort to keep up with changing state codes, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved amendments to the city’s beer sales ordinance. The amendment is primarily a housekeeping measure, removing references to the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and replacing it with the agency’s new name, Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services, as well as updating references to state codes that have changed locations over the years. “We regulate alcoholic beverage sales in Brigham City primarily through our business license and zoning ordinances,” explained Community Development Director Paul Larsen. “The actual issuance of beer licenses is through...
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With the announced retirement of long-time planning commission member Kevin McGaha, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday appointed planning commission alternate Jennifer Jacobsen to take his seat. Lonnie Jensen, who recently took over Mike Udy’s seat on the commission, has agreed to serve a full term, and was re-appointed. One term commissioner Steve Zollinger has also agreed to serve another term and was re-appointed. The Box Elder County Planning Commission is the land-use authority for the county and makes recommendations to the county commissioners on planning and zoning codes, development applications and other land-use topics.
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The Brigham City Museum of Art & History has put out a call for junior rock collectors in the area. Children ages 5-18 may each submit one rock of their choosing (any size) to the museum between April 11-15. Each rock submitted will be identified and cataloged by local rock expert Ron Cefalo. Cefalo will meet with participants on Friday, Apr. 14 from 3-4:30 p.m. Every rock entered will be put on display at the museum starting Apr. 22, the exhibition will end May 30, and the rock can be retrieved on or after that date. There is no charge...
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The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge has announced that due to rain and snow conditions on the Auto Tour will continue to be bumpy, muddy, and uneven. Until the ground thaws and dries, Refuge staff won’t be able to the grade the road to improve conditions. Please drive with caution if you choose to go on the Auto Tour in the coming weeks. Moreover, the majority of open water on the Refuge is still frozen. While tundra swan migration has started locally, only small numbers of swans are currently on the Refuge due to the icy conditions. The best place...
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Signs were out on the street to let passerbys know that a special event was occuring in downtown Brigham City. Every third Friday of the month there are evening events and extended store hours for many Main Street merchants.
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In challenging economic times, many people ponder the purchase of chickens as part of their domestic safety net. Successfully raising chickens, however, requires thoughtful consideration and research. It is distinctly different than stocking up on food storage and bottled water. “As a veterinarian, I have seen birds that are not properly cared for,” said David Frame, Utah State University Extension poultry specialist. “Most of this is simply due to lack of knowledge and is seldom caused by willful neglect, but it is important to be aware of all the requirements and responsibilities before you jump into raising backyard chickens.” Frame...
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A real estate representative warned the Brigham City Council on Thursday that the rising price of homes has far outpaced residents’ incomes, denying the dream of home ownership to many. “The last three years have pushed a lot of our first-time home buyers out of the ability to purchase a home,” said Bonnie Harding from the Realtor’s Association of Northern Utah. “The last three years in Brigham City, home prices have pretty much doubled. It was unforeseen and unexpected, but here we are.” According to Harding, industry data shows that the average home price in Brigham City is now 4,000....
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Following last month’s revelations that several teen boys attending Bear River High School were targeted in a social media ‘sextortion’ scheme, the Box Elder County Attorney’s office has scheduled two seminars for parents to help educate them on internet risks to their children. The scheme had threatened to expose sensitive photos the boys had been duped into sharing online, unless money was paid to the extortionists. A seminar will be held March 27 at Box Elder High School in Brigham City from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Agent Ryan Staats, who works as an investigator for the Box Elder County Attorney’s...
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In addition to the .8 million received in regular ARPA funding by Box Elder County, the county is also slated to receive an additional [post_excerpt].974 million dollars from the U.S. Treasury Department through the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF). Described by the Treasury Department as “a general revenue enhancement program that provides additional assistance to eligible Tribal governments, eligible revenue sharing counties and eligible revenue sharing consolidated governments,” the funding can be used for “any governmental purpose” aside from lobbying activity. The fund was appropriated by Congress as part of the American Rescue Plan Act and gives recipients...
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Four Box Elder High School basketball players earned five spots on this year’s Region 5 All-Region basketball team. Jackson McKee and Elijah Kersey were named first team All-Region, Cole Mortensen made second team, and Cooper Stevenson was an honorable mention and was named co-Defensive MVP of the region. While the four Bees selected for the All-Region team contributed more than three-quarters of the Bees’ total points this season, Box Elder boys’ basketball coach Jace McKee had particular praise for their defensive play. “Those three are the best defenders I have ever coached,” coach McKee said about Jackson McKee, Cole Mortensen...
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The storied career and wide-reaching legacy of former Box Elder High School wrestling coach Mike Ripplinger will become permanently enshrined in history when he is inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame as a Distinguished High School Coach on April 5. Ripplinger’s statistics compiled over his 34 years as head coach at Box Elder, would alone be enough to earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame. During his career, his teams won six state championships and 13 state runnerup for a total of 19 trophies from state championships. “To put that in perspective, can you imagine a...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team took advantage of a window of sunshine late last week and got in two games, picking up a 5-4 win at Mountain Crest on Friday morning, before heading home to beat Weber, 13-6, later that afternoon. Against the Mustangs, the Bees opened up a 2-1 lead after the first inning and held that margin until the bottom of the fifth, when the Mustangs posted three runs. That lead held until the top of the seventh, when the Bees again found some offense and scored three runs to retake the lead for good. Junior...
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With some sunnier, drier days towards the end of last week, the Box Elder High School softball team was able to get in one game last week, when they traveled to Grantsville and came away with a 9-5 victory on Thursday. The Bees took charge of the game early and put up eight runs in the first two innings behind a strong outing from junior Grace Hodgson, who hit two doubles, drove in two runs, and scored one herself while going two for four from the plate. Senior slugger Malena Benson also had a big day from the plate and...
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Brigham City’s wholesale power bill from the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) was down slightly from December, but not down enough to stave off a temporary power cost increase for residents. “At 8.4 cents [per kilowatt hour] we were still above the rate we had built-in to our rates,” explained Finance Director Tom Kotter. “For the month of January, even though the rate came down from previous months, we still fell behind another 4,000.” In December the rate the city paid for wholesale power was 9.1 cents per kilowatt hour. Historically the rate the city paid should have been...
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Despite just one practice due to snow—which team members cleaned off the courts with brooms and squeegees in order to be ready for the season— the Box Elder High School boys’ tennis season started on a strong note last week with wins over Fremont and Bonneville. The matches showcased what is anticipated to be a strong season for the Bees as they are returning all but one of their top 14 players from last year. In addition to the players who competed in the first two matches of the year, returning players expected to get varsity experience this year include...
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Despite the cold weather, snow, and wind, members of the Box Elder High School track and field team are preparing for what many hope is a fantastic season. In addition to winning an early season meet against West Side, and Malad, Idaho, on Friday, March 17, more than 60 Bees showed well against 6A competitors at a tournament in St. George on Saturday, March 11, justifying the feelings of coaches Tom Davidson and Jeff Rawlins that they are leading outstanding teams. Against Malad and West Side, Box Elder had a combined boys’ and girls’ team score of 365, while Malad...
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Record snowfall along with warmer temperatures and rain accompanying the start of spring have caused flooding in some areas of Box Elder County, but so far, widespread issues like the county experienced in the spring of 2017 haven’t materialized. Surface flooding has primarily occurred in northern and western communities, with Snowville seemingly bearing the brunt of the snow melt, while other issues have been reported in Tremonton, Garland, Elwood, Bothwell, Thatcher, and some limited flooding in the Collinston and Deweyville area. In Snowville, the Deep Creek Canal began overflowing early on Wednesday, March 15, near North Stone Road, filling a...
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Following a vote by the city council last Thursday, Brigham City voters will have the opportunity to decide the fate of a transportation tax and culinary water fluoridation. Currently, anyone who buys anything in Brigham City pays two taxes dedicated to Utah Transit Authority operations. One is a third of one percent (0.3%) tax that is used to fund UTA bussing operations in the area. The other is a one-quarter of one percent (.25%) sales tax dedicated to funding a UTA Frontrunner light-rail connection to the city. It is the fate of the second tax that will be put to...
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The 2023 Box Elder Business Summit both educated and motivated local business leaders, with attendees receiving economic data about the county and state, and hearing a story about triumph over tragedy and learning to rise above expectations and limitations. The annual event, put on by the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce, serves primarily as a gathering where local businesses can make connections with other businesses, learn about current and future trends in Utah business, and celebrate/facilitate the economic freedom and success of Box Elder County. One of two keynote speakers, athlete, author and motivational speaker Jeff Griffin told summit attendees...
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Limited space in Mantua’s cemetery prompted a recommendation to the town council to put a moratorium on selling plots to non-residents, and limits on sales to residents, which the council approved unanimously. With available plots estimated at less than 100, sales to non-residents will not be allowed for 12 months, and residents limited to two. A resident is defined as someone currently living within town boundaries, and who has lived there for more than six months. Exceptions will be made for those residents who have been away at college, on a church mission, or in a long-term care facility. The...
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Following action by the Brigham City Council on Thursday, residents who get behind on paying their utility bill will no longer have to pay a late fee. “As you’re all very aware, the city has instituted the PPAC (power purchase adjustment clause) for electric rates,” said the city’s finance director, Tom Kotter. “The staff heard the concerns from the council and the community at large, discussing ways we could help make it not as painful. During our budget meetings we reviewed some of those things, and we came across the late fee. As we discussed it, we felt...
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A tire-retread and training facility for Love’s Truck Care, owned by Love’s Travel Stops, came a step closer to becoming reality on Thursday, after the Brigham City Council approved a request to amend a commercial/industrial subdivision and join two parcels into one. The amendment at the Wayneco Subdivision, located at 1265 West and 300 N., was needed in order to fit the size of the anticipated facility at 238,610 square feet. “There are no easements between the lots, so it makes combining them a lot quicker and a lot easier,” said City Planner Mark Bradley. “It’s pretty straightforward and was...
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A family receiving help from Habitat for Humanity to get into a home located near Brigham City Community Hospital has received some additional help from Brigham City, with the council voting to waive impact and permit fees on the project. “There is language in our impact fee ordinance, and in state code, that enables the council to waive impact fees for projects like this that provide affordable or low-income housing,” said Community Development Director Paul Larsen. “That’s exactly what’s being requested, that we waive the impact fees for the home, as well as the building permit fees that would normally...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team saw their first action this season at the Dixie Sunshine Classic in St. George last weekend, and came away with a win, a loss, and a tie in their three games. The season didn’t have the best start as the Bees took on cross-county rivals, Bear River, hoping to replicate the magic from last year when the Bees took home a thrilling 16- 15 win. But the Bears had other plans and posted 10 runs in the first inning on their way to a dominant 17-2 win. Junior slugger Gehrig Marble was the...
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While the weather in Northern Utah continues a tumultuous pattern, the Box Elder High School softball team found a reprieve from the elements in St. George last weekend, where they got in three games at the March Warm Up Elite tournament, and walked away with a 2-1 record. Things got off to a rocky start in their first real game of the season as the Bees squared off against Herriman. The Mustangs had both their offense and defense clicking right from the opening pitch while the Bees struggled to find their footing. Box Elder’s senior ace, Ashley Hammers, got the...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ soccer team opened their season in a battle against Bear River for the County Cup, with the Bees taking the 6-3 decision. With snow covering both teams’ fields, it looked as though the match would have to be cancelled. But at the last minute, they were able to get time in Logan at the Hansen Family Sports Complex, an indoor soccer facility previously owned by Real Salt Lake. Early on, it seemed as though both the teams were shaking off the cobwebs of a long off-season, and the rust from not being able to...
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Faced with higher-than-estimated costs to renovate the building it purchased to serve as its new city hall, Perry City has officially requested 5,000 in Box Elder County ARPA funding to help pay for the project. ARPA, the American Rescue Plan Act, provided [post_excerpt].9 trillion in federal money to states, counties, cities and towns to help them pay for increased costs of weathering the COVID-19 pandemic. Box Elder County has received approximately .9 million in ARPA funding, but after approving funds for numerous projects over the last two years, has around 0,000 left. Perry has been scrambling to find funding to...
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On March 3, the 2023 general session of the Utah legislature adjourned just before 9:40 p.m., having both introduced and passed the most bills ever in the body’s 126- year history. This year’s session saw the introduction of 929 different bills, 87 more than the previous record of 842 in 2019. Of those, 575 were passed and sent to the governor for his signature, one more than in 2019. During the 45-day session lawmakers broke another record, passing a billion budget that included tax cuts, increased funding for water conservation, increased education funding, and enticements for taxpayers to support...
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With a predicted rise in temperatures last Friday, coupled with a forecast of heavy rain on an abnormally high snowpack, local county and city officials were in full alert mode last week, warning Box Elder County residents to prepare in case of surface flooding. Although flood-prone low-lying marsh areas in the county are currently under some surface water, as of Monday the situation seems to be largely under control. The News Journal has received no reports of widespread flooding coming out of the county’s populated areas. The warnings began on Monday, March 6, with Box Elder County Emergency Management issuing...
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Willard City is considering hiring a consulting firm to create a comprehensive economic development plan, and to help facilitate and manage economic growth along 750 North and also along the city’s Main Street. Jason Burningham of the Salt Lake City-based financial consulting firm, Lewis Young Robertson and Burningham appeared before the council at Thursday’s meeting to offer a presentation on what his firm could do for the city. “A particular expertise our firm has is in economic development planning,” said Burningham. “That goes well with what we also do, which is investment banking. We raise capital for projects, public infrastructure,...
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For the first time in a few years, the Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team will look a lot different next year as the team will be graduating five seniors from a team that finished 14-9 overall this season, including a 6-4 mark in region play, and one playoff game over region rival, Viewmont, before bowing out of the state tournament in the second round at the hands of Lehi. The Bees came into the season with high hopes for themselves as they returned all their starters along with some key role players from the prior year and were...
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With inflation rising, post-high school education tuition may seem out of reach to many without taking out substantial loans. Often predatory student loans have become a heated topic for debate and are even seeing their day in court as the Student Loan Forgiveness Plan is still under review by the Supreme Court. Traditional financial aid programs remain an option and student loans may be available to those who can commit to paying them back, plus interest. But, what about funding options that don’t require repayment? What do parents of current students need to know to ensure that their child has...
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Organizers are asking the Todd Morrison Alumni Tournament to do double duty this year, with two local families named as beneficiaries: Cutler and Bailli Clay and Mike and Lyndsi Frandsen. Tournament organizers had already identified the Clay family as a beneficiary when the Frandsen family’s conditions dramatically changed. “We also wanted to rally around the Frandsens during this difficult time,” wrote tournament spokesperson Kyler Mecham in an email response to a request for information. “Mike and Lyndsi and their family are part of our TMAT family. There was no debate. We were going to try to help them as much...
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In the late-fall of 2022, while constructing a phase of the Granite Ridge subdivision on the hillsides above southeastern Willard, a construction crew noticed that a boulder they needing to remove from a building lot was more than it seemed. In the end, markings on the rock were identified as a petroglyph, ancient rock art drawings thought to be left by members of the indigenous Fremont culture 1,000 or more years ago. They are similar in appearance and design as other examples of ancient rock art previously found in the mountains above the Bear River Valley. According to Willard Mayor...
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After months of discussion, Mantua Town Council unanimously passed an ordinance regulating the use of golf carts on the town’s streets. The ordinance allows golf carts to be operated on roads and streets in Mantua, with a few provisions. Anyone operating a golf cart on a road in town limits must have a driver’s license or be accompanied by a licensed parent/ guardian; passengers must ride on a seat designed for passengers; all traffic laws must be obeyed; and golf carts may only be operated during daylight hours unless equipped with head and tail lights. The ordinance had been considered...
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Continuing a push to move decisions regarding subdivision development to the county’s cities and towns, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a planning commission recommendation removing the Master Planned Community (MPC) zone from the county’s land use code. The decision, carried out in a unanimous vote by all three commissioners, was an about-face from a vote taken in March of 2022, when the previous commission voted to reject the same recommendation, allowing an application for The Orchards, a 70-acre master planned community development in South Willard, to move forward. That development had secured an agreement with Willard City...
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Attendees at this year’s Box Elder Business Summit will be treated to one man’s inspirational tale that demonstrates that attitude truly can determine altitude. At 14 years old, Mike Schlappi’s life was forever changed when a shooting accident left him with a hole in his chest and paralyzed. Prior to the accident, Schlappi had a bright future; he was student body president, was an Eagle Scout, and was a promising and talented athlete. Following the accident, Schlappi promised himself that if he lived through the it, his future would be no less bright, and he would share his story to...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person(s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential.
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Box Elder County students took top honors from the Northern Region Poetry Out Loud competition, with Aliya Purcell from Bear River High School winning and earning the honor of competing at state, with Box Elder High School’s Lucy Matthews being named runner-up. At the competition, each student presented three poems; one poem had to be pre-19th century, one had to be less than 25 lines, and one of the student’s choice . The winner of the region competition will now go on to compete at the state level. Pictured are competitors at the region competition: Zerin Campbell, Aliya Purcell, Lucy...
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Katie Hewlett, of Bear River High School, was awarded one of 150 scholarships from the Coca- Cola Company, she will be traveling to Georgia to be recognized as a recipient of the ,000 educational prize. Hewlett was selected from over 91,000 entries for the scholarship competition. Katie is an excellent student, with a 4.0 average, she has numerous leadership skills which she has earned through opportunities all over the country. She attended General Tommy Frank’s International Four Star Leadership Program in Oklahoma, attended Georgia’s National Congress, The National Youth Summit Series in Washington, 4-H Nationals in Colorado and FBLA Nationals...
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Even though no body has yet been recovered, investigators with the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department, as well as prosecutors with the county attorney’s office, believe they know what happened to Dylan Rounds and filed first-degree aggravated murder charges against a man described as a “squatter” who lived near Rounds’ trailer in a remote area near Lucin, Utah. Rounds, 19, formerly of Rigby, Idaho, was reported missing by family members on May 30 of 2022, two days after he’d had a brief telephone conversation with his grandmother. That call was the last known contact the young man had with friends...
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Despite freezing temperatures and band after band of winter storms, the Box Elder High School baseball team has been formed and is eager for their first chances to take the field this spring. The Bees will lean on their experience as the team lost just five seniors last season, when they went 13-15 on the year and were sent home by Orem in the second round of the 5A state playoffs. There was one significant change in the offseason as former head coach Jesse Roberts was named the school’s athletic director, and opened up the spot for longtime assistant coach...
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The Box Elder high school softball team finished tryouts last week and is excited to kick-off their 2023 season, just as soon as the weather allows it. The Bees will have a lot of familiar return to the field this season as the team only lost four seniors from last year’s team that finished ranked 11th in 5A with a 19-13 overall record. Two of the main returners will be senior pitching ace Ashley Hammers, who went 12-6 from the circle last year, and senior center fielder Sydney Stokes, who earned an honorable mention on last year’s 5A All- State...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball season ended up coming down to a few plays here and there, when the ball didn’t bounce their way. The team finished with an 8-15 overall record, including a 2-8 mark in region play, and ended with a first-round playoff exit at the hands of Jordan. An even tougher pill to swallow is that the team went 3-8 in games decided by seven points or less; situations where another play here or there could have changed their fortunes and the entire outlook of the season. Bees’ head coach Aaron Dooley talked about all...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday unanimously approved a contract with Hemmco LLC to represent the city in trying to secure 0,000 in grants from the state of Utah to go toward renovations at Perry’s new city hall. The contract will cost the city a flat ,000, and comes with no guarantees that Hemmco’s lobbying efforts will be successful. With one of the two principals at Hemmco, David Stuart having established a track record with Brigham City, and the other, Dan Hemmert having just stepped down in December as the director of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED),...
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(left) Friday, Feb. 24, was the annual ‘Drive your tractor to school day’ for members of Future Farmers of America at Box Elder High School. This year, however, a special tribute was paid to the late Case Holmes, who was killed in a single vehicle crash in December of 2022. (right) His friends made arrangements with his family to bring his tractor as well as his FFA jacket to represent him in what would have been his final year participating in the tradition.
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The Utah Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control (WMRC) intends to deny a second application from Promontory Point Resources (PPR) to haul in and bury out-ofstate waste at its landfill facility located on the north shore of the Great Salt Lake on the Promontory Peninsula. According to the division’s director, Doug Hansen, the 2020 application failed to show a need for a Class V landfill in the area, just as the failed 2017 application failed to show the same need. “The Director intends to deny the 2020 Application for reclassification,” reads a notice released by the WMRC on Wednesday,...
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Detectives with the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of a 19-year-old Layton man following an automobile accident on Wednesday, Feb. 22. There are plenty of questions yet to be answered in the death of Samuel Slade, whose car was found empty with minimal damage after it had apparently slid off the road and into a ditch near milepost 16 on State Road 13 between Corinne and Elwood. His cellphone was later discovered in a parking lot of a Tremonton apartment complex, and his body even later within half a mile of the original accident site. Utah...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday, Feb. 23, approved a budget revision that adds an additional 5,340 to fund renovations on The Lodge building, which the city purchased last year to be made into the new Perry City Hall. The revision takes the [post_excerpt],352,660 set aside in last year’s budget for renovations and moves it into the 2023 budget, adding 5,508 from the capital projects fund, ,918 from the unassigned general fund, 7,377 from the general fund balance, and ,537 from public safety impact fees, bringing the total renovation budget for 2023 to ,018,000. When asked by Councilmember Blake Ostler...
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At Thursday’s council meeting Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill announced that the city’s garbage collection company, EconoWaste, has given notice that it wants to terminate its contract with the city. “Our contract with them will end at the end of June,” said Barnhill. “We need to put out a request for proposals and get a new contractor lined-up to begin on July 1.” “They’re just canceling? They don’t want to negotiate at all?” asked Councilmember David Walker. “Not anymore,” said Barnhill, who explained that the company had initially asked for a price increase, but then followed that up with a...
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After freezing conditional use permits in the fall, Willard City is nearly ready to start allowing them again, but with some changes in how permits are both issued and enforced. Conditional use is defined as a listed use that, because of its unique characteristics for potential impact on a city or town, may not be compatible in some areas or may be compatible only if certain conditions are required that mitigate or eliminate any detrimental impacts of the business’s operation. Allowing an active business, such as a daycare, into an area that is zoned as residential, for example, would require...
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A proposal to consolidate community services and programs provided by local non-profits and government agencies took a big step to becoming a reality last week when a state budget proposal included a large chunk of money for the project. The Utah State Legislature’s Executive Appropriation Committee recommended a nearly billion budget for 2023-2024 that included million for New Hope Crisis Center, which, along with the Boys & Girls Club, will be the permanent organizations at the proposed Box Elder Community Services Campus at the former Mountain View Elementary School. Another million was included in the appropriation to...
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Heavy valley snowfall returned to Utah last week, with a winter storm depositing approximately a foot of snow across the Bear River Valley, and 18 inches in Mantua, between Tuesday afternoon and Friday morning. While the storm was welcome news for hydrologists and water managers across the state, it caused numerous traffic issues, delayed school start times by two hours on Wednesday morning, and kept street crews, EMS workers and law enforcement very busy. According to local troopers with the Utah Highway Patrol, it seems that a lot of drivers forgot that snow-packed roadways require slower speeds and caution in...
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Faced with unprecedented volatility in the electrical power market, and skyrocketing costs that have already eaten through .5 million more than budgeted to this point for this fiscal year, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved an emergency 5.23 cent surcharge per kilowatt hour used by customers of Brigham City Power. The surcharge, called a power purchase adjustment clause (PPAC) will bring the city’s lowest pricing tier to 15.92 cents per kilowatt hour, adding approximately per month to the average Brigham City electric bill, which would now be around 0. Prior to the decision made during Thursday’s council meeting,...
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Box Elder County has joined with several neighboring governments to help fund a study of the regional economic benefits derived from the Bear River before its waters enter the Great Salt Lake. Nathan Daugs, manager of the Cache Water Conservancy District, has been the driving force behind getting the study done, as he’s concerned that legislators are discounting the importance of agricultural uses of Bear River water, favoring industrial and municipal uses while they attempt to prevent the continued shrinking of the Great Salt Lake. “We’re trying to get funding together to do a study on the entire Bear River...
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The Forest Street overpass project in Brigham City is in the final design phase, with some utility relocation projects set to begin and land acquisitions already underway. Those were some of the key points in a presentation given to the Brigham City Council on Thursday by the design and engineering firm planning the overpass, along with Brigham City’s long-time engineering firm, Jones and Associates. Adam Birdsall, the Parametrix project manager for the overpass, known as the Brigham City Connection Project, began the presentation with a progress update. “We’re on phase four of the project,” said Birdsall. “In this phase we’re...
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The Brigham City Police Department stationed extra officers at Box Elder Middle School on Friday, Feb. 10, responding with “an abundance of caution” to an unconfirmed threat of violence against the school. “Brigham City Police Department is aware of and investigating potential threats related to Box Elder Middle School that we were alerted to last night (02/09/2023),” reads a statement released by the department. “At this time, we have not substantiated an evident danger; however, with an abundance of caution, we have coordinated efforts and enacted a safety plan with the school and school district to mitigate the risk even...
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Box Elder High School’s dominance in Region 5 continued with both the boys and girls claiming championship trophies at the region swim meet the first week in February. The boys took home their eighth consecutive region title with a 57-point win over second-place Woods Cross, 497-440. The girls’ fifth consecutive title was earned in convincing fashion with the Bees outscoring Woods Cross by 200 points, 507-307. Box Elder’s efficient scoring was fueled in large part by team members hitting their stride through their taper phase at the right time, resulting in improvements in swimmers’ times. A significant majority of both...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team responded in the face of adversity and picked up close wins over Bonneville, 55-54, on Wednesday, and 53-52 over Bountiful on Friday, when the Bees’ seniors were honored. Both games started out similarly in that the Bees fell behind early on. The Lakers raced out to an eightpoint lead after the first quarter behind hot shooting from senior forward Nathan Burdett. Burdett hit four 3-pointers and finished the night with 23 points to pace the Lakers. Fellow senior Judd Fawbush knocked in a pair of 3-pointers and chipped in 12 points to...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team split results last week with a narrow 40-38 loss to Woods Cross on Tuesday, Feb. 7, before recovering with a 52-42 win over Bonneville on Thursday. Against Woods Cross, Box Elder junior guard Kaydence Barber led the offensive charge for the Bees with 12 points, the only player to eclipse doublefigures in the game for either team. A pair of seniors stepped up for the Bees on the inside as Madison Reeder chipped in five points and collected nine rebounds while Sarena Mackley added four points and eight rebounds. The Wildcats got...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved the version of the city’s municipal code being uploaded to the city’s new hosting provider, CivicLinq. The new provider is taking the city code as hosted on Municode, and reformatting it to upload to the new service. Because the posted code is a legal document, the reformat and re-post required the council’s approval. The current contract with Municode ends in April. Links on the city’s website will be re-directed to the CivicLinq version sometime prior to that date. The council approved the new version on a unanimous vote.
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Applications for Brigham City Kiwanis Club grants for the 2023 funding cycle will be accepted through March 5. Several small grants of 0 and less and one for [post_excerpt],500 will be available. Anyone can apply for a grant, but preference will be given to organizations or projects that have the greatest impact on children in the area. For more information, or to apply for a grant, visit http://Kiwanisbc.org.
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For the last 21 years, Linda Baugh has been an important influence on some of the best and brightest youth in Brigham City in her role as the volunteer director of the Brigham City Youth City Council (YCC). “Linda has had a lasting impact on the lives of numerous youth in Brigham City and surrounding communities,” read the letter nominating Baugh for the award. “She has taught them about service and leadership and what it means to really be a member of the community.” Baugh’s dedication will be formally recognized at the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet...
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Faced with rising costs to remodel the former Lodge building for city hall, Perry City is considering following Brigham City’s lead, and using that city’s lobbyist to try and gain more state funding for the city. “Our bids for The Lodge came back high,” explained City Administrator Robert Barnhill. “We put our heads together and said ‘what can we do? Can we find some change in the couch cushions? Where can we find some funding?’” Barnhill told the council that Perry City’s engineering firm suggested talking to Brigham City, which uses a consultant, or lobbyist, who finds opportunities for money...
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A Brigham City man is being held without bail in the Box Elder County Jail after causing multiple neighborhood disturbances the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 8. Kyle Anderson, 33, was taken into custody by Brigham City police after neighbors reported that Anderson had attacked one of their cars with a crowbar, and then briefly entered a dif- ferent neighbor’s doorway while carrying a “rifle or a shotgun.” According to police the incidences happened at approximately 2:20 p.m. in the area of 300 North and 400 West. “He went across the street from his house and was threatening a neighbor with...
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With their current garbage collection contract with Econo Waste expiring at the end of February, Willard City approved a new contract with a different service provider at Thursday’s city council meeting. But even though the city chose the least expensive option available, garbage collection rates passed on to Willard residents will be increasing soon. Out of three bids received, Republic Services offered the lowest price at per can, (with an additional fuel surcharge of three cents for every 10 cent increase in fuel prices) which is up from .37 on the current contract. The city also pays a dump...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team did not lack any motivation last Friday in their rematch with region leader Woods Cross after suffering a narrow 45-44 defeat in Brigham City last month. However, Woods Cross built an early lead, then tightened the clamps on the defensive end in the second half to stay unbeaten in Region 5 with a 55-49 win. The Bees got good contributions from their bench and used a balanced scoring attack to keep the game close all the way. Junior post Maxwell Isaacson bested his career-high by one point with 13 on the night...
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After years of campaigning to be the administrator of the state’s Main Street program in Brigham City, the founder of Historic Downtown Brigham City formally announced that the organization would no longer be seeking the appointment. During the public comment portion of the council meeting, David Walker, Historic Downtown founder and co-owner of two businesses on Main Street with his wife, Donna Walker, addressed the council. He expressed his love for the community, saying “We have something very unique here in this community. We have a very unique Main Street.” He said that he had not done enough to persuade...
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The Brigham City Council welcomed its newest member during its regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 2, following an interview process on Tuesday. David Hipp was selected out of 13 applicants to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Tom Peterson, who was appointed to complete the term of State Representative Ben Ferry after Ferry won the election in November, but was unable to take the seat due to having been named as director of the state’s Department of Natural Resources earlier in the summer of 2022. Peterson, who had lost his reelection bid in 2021, was appointed by...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team saw their current losing streak stretch to three games as the Bees fell to Bountiful last Thursday, 56-40, in the team’s only game of the week. The Bees went toeto toe with the secondranked team in 5A through the first period before a 19-11 run in the second quarter pushed Bountiful ahead for good. The Bees cut into the lead in third, but couldn’t slow down the Redhawks offense enough in the final period. Jordyn and Taylor Harvey have been the leaders for the Redhawks all season and the sisters were on...
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The realization of a longsuffering community campus for community services and charitable non-profits in Brigham City took a concrete step forward Thursday when the Brigham City Redevelopment Agency signaled its intent to purchase Mountain View Elementary School from Box Elder School District. Brigham City’s interest in the 6.3 acre property is limited to a small portion on the east side that will be used to supplement parking at Constitution Park. As for the rest of the property, the hope is that the existing 43,296 square foot building will serve as an anchor on the campus that would house organizations such...
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It’s a well-known internet blackmail scam, but with a newer twist—the targeting of inexperienced high school boys who just don’t know any better. According to officials, some of the “at least 15” victims in the cases—mostly male students at Bear River High School—or their parents, have lost thousands of dollars in the extortion scam. The situation prompted Box Elder School District to recently send an email to parents warning of the sexually oriented extortion scam (sextortion). “The Box Elder School District Leadership Team has been in contact with law enforcement about some concerns that are arising with teens in our...
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The Brigham City Council last Thursday opted to continue its participation in a Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems’ nuclear power project, citing the need to secure reliable, affordable sources of power to help reduce Brigham City’s exposure to a volatile wholesale power market. The decision came despite an updated budget and finance plan and development cost and reimbursement agreement released last month that predicts a higher cost of power than originally intended for the Carbon Free Power Project planned to be built at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory in Idaho. New estimates put the cost of electricity from...
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Editor’s note: It is the policy of the News Journal to follow crime and court cases it has reported on until defendants are either convicted or exonerated. This is an update on all the cases the News Journal is following. It is the policy of the News Journal not to identify victims of sexual crimes. Some events in certain stories below may have been omitted and/or obscured in order to protect the identity of the victims. Chris David Malan A Brigham City man charged with three seconddegree felony counts of distribution of a controlled substance, as well as a class...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person(s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Persons with any information on these subjects are asked to call the following law enforcement agencies. Any and all information received is confidential. Law enforcement contact information Adult Probation and Parole.(435) 734-2066 Brigham City PD.(435) 734-6650 Box Elder Sheriff’s Office.(435) 734-3800 Tremonton/Garland PD................... (435) 734-3800
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Box Elder County Commissioner Boyd Bingham raised concerns in a meeting last Wednesday that the county could be held liable if it didn’t have enough contracted defense attorneys to provide indigent defense in cases requiring more than one lawyer. “There’s a shortage of attorneys, and they’re leaving because they are getting paid substantially more other places,” said Bingham, relaying a conversation he recently had with defense lawyers from Box Elder and Cache. “Sometimes there are particular issues where they need four attorneys... If the county doesn’t figure out a way to fund that, and don’t have somebody hired and on-staff...
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At Wednesday’s meeting of the Box Elder County Commission, the commission approved a contract with Deweyville to provide building inspection services for that township. The contract does not list a specific dollar amount per service, rather it bases fees on what Deweyville itself charges for inspection services. Deweyville will pay the county 75% of the building permit fee, and 100% of the building permit fee for plan review on residential permits and 60% on Commercial permits. Several smaller Box Elder County communities, including Deweyville, Howell and Corinne were left without a building inspector after Tremonton’s inspector, Steve Bench, retired. Tremonton...
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Non-residents who want to participate in Brigham City recreational programs will now have to pony-up a fee in order to play. That decision was made at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, following some discussion about research requested when the city amended its recreation fee schedule last November. Non-residents don’t pay Brigham City property taxes, some of which go to support the city’s recreational programs. At the November meeting, former Councilmember Tom Peterson asked Recreation Supervisor Mandy McClean to research what fees, if any, nearby cities charge non-residents to participate in their programs. “Time and time again we’ve supplemented these...
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A driver navigates snow drifts on 2400 North into Corinne on Sunday. A snow storm dropped several inches of snow in the area, and steady winds on Sunday and through Monday created road conditions that forced Box Elder School District to hold school virtually, despite Box Elder County road crews clearing roads continuously for more than 24 hours. The system also brought bitter temperatures through Tuesday, that prompted county officials to “recommend that all Box Elder residents check on neighbors, especially those vulnerable, to ensure those who are vulnerable to make sure they are staying warm and have the basic...
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Perry Mayor Kevin Jeppsen on Thursday delivered his sixth annual State of the City address, providing an overview of the accomplishments of 2022 and continuing goals for 2023. The mayor concentrated on six different categories in his address: roads, water projects, the city hall purchase, staff retention and replacement, parks and trails, and economic development. “We had a lot of [road] projects that were completed in 2022...we’ll start with 2,000 spent there,” said Jeppsen. He noted chip seal projects completed on 1500 South, 750 West, 2700 South, 1700 South, 900 West, 3275 South, Hargis Hill Road, and 385 West. A...
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Box Elder County has approved a cooperation agreement with the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) to start the process of creating an Inland Port Project Area in the county. An inland port is a logistics hub that operates much the same way that an ocean port does; receiving goods and processing them through customs for tax collection and legal inspection, and then distributing them into the supply chain. The port also facilitates exporting, providing a regional collection hub for locally produced goods and helping to distribute them into national and global markets. An inland port reduces bottlenecks present at the...
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A varied and complex set of circumstances has put the squeeze on Brigham City’s power budget, and residents could get pinched in the process as city officials are considering increasing rates in March. Currently, the city is .5 million over the amount officials expected to pay for power through the first six months of the fiscal year. The city’s total budget for power purchases in 2022-2023 was set at .5 million, with current total purchases coming in at 454 million. Depending on what the market does through the end of the fiscal year, the city could end up at 50% or...
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A long-time opponent of new gravel mining operations along Willard’s east bench addressed the Willard City Council on Thursday, urging city officials to “slow down” when it comes to allowing gravel mining on city-owned property on the mountainside, and perhaps allow for better uses of the land. As reported in the Nov. 16, 2022, edition of the News Journal, Willard has been considering entering into an agreement with Granite Construction to allow the company to extract gravel at some future point in time from parcels Willard City owns on the bench above the city. City officials have expressed the hope...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team split results last week with a tight loss on the road against Woods Cross, 51-46, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, before beating Bonneville in a rout, 66-37, on Thursday in Brigham City. The game against the Wildcats stayed relatively tight throughout, although Woods Cross was able to build a double digit lead midway through the third quarter behind 16 points from senior Georgia Hatton. The Bees kept fighting and were able to cut the deficit down to just two points late in the fourth, but couldn’t find enough plays down the stretch to...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a land-swap and cash deal where the city gains control of a property along West Forest Street, and gives up two properties located further west. The parcel that the city will gain in the deal is located at approximately 900 West Forest Street, which the city will need while constructing the Forest Street overpass over the Union Pacific train tracks. The two parcels the city is giving up are located adjacent to each at approximately 950 West and 400 South, west of Box Elder High School. According to an independent appraisal, the city’s...
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Bear River Health Department, local hospitals and health care providers are encouraging their communities to join them in taking steps to prevent respiratory illness. Despite an early start this year to the cold and flu season, cases of influenza and other respiratory illnesses have been increasing the past few months. According to Bear River Health Department epidemiologist, Tanesha Stoker, the total number of reported positive flu tests so far this season in the Bear River Health District has already surpassed totals in the previous five seasons. Influenza-associated hospitalizations never reached a “critical point,” and positive flu tests are beginning to...
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A road vacate request that was tabled in July for property access issues was been denied by the Brigham City Council at the request of City Administrator Derek Oyler and City Attorney Michael Christiansen. The original request was for the city to vacate a 3.34-acre roadway located at 3301 West Forest Street that had been long-abandoned. The road had been used before Forest Street was extended further to the west toward the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. During the July council meeting, Michael Dunphy from the bird refuge asked the council to delay approval of the vacate request until he...
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The Brigaham City Council on Thursday voted to raise the fee charged for the city’s recycling program, citing higher costs being passed on to the city due to higher fuel prices. The total cost will go from .43 per recycling can per month, to .75 effective on Feb. 1, an increase of [post_excerpt].43 per can. “As you’re aware, Econo Waste handles [curbside recycling] for the city,” said Brigham City Financial Director Tom Kotter. “We entered into a contract with them back in 2017, and we just renewed with them this past summer. Because of the rising cost in fuel, Econo...
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...in 1890, journalist and adventurer Nellie Bly completed her world-record trip around the world in 72 days, beating mark set by Jules Verne’s fictional character Phileas Fogg. Bly got her start in journalism when, angered by a sexist article in The Pittsburgh Dispatch, 18-year-old Bly wrote a pithy, powerful response. The editor not only published her rebuttal, but he also offered her a job writing for the newspaper. Using the pen name Nellie Bly, she quickly became a popular contributor to the paper. She reported on poor working conditions for children and women in factories. Bly pioneered a brand new...
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Still involved in an ongoing dispute with the city’s residential solar power customers, the Brigham City Council on Thursday made a change to the city code that regulates larger commercial solar systems, and passed a resolution establishing a baseline for what the city will pay for electricity a commercial customer generates moving forward. According to City Administrator Derek Oyler, both the resolution and ordinance were needed to accommodate a commercial customer that wants to build a larger solar system than currently allowed for in the municipal code. “The main reason that the council is seeing this is we have a...
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The Brigham City Council approved an ordinance amendment on Thursday that changes the start time of its twice-monthly public meetings from 7 to 6 p.m. As discussed during a work session held prior to the Jan. 5 council meeting, the change is intended to aid city workers, who have already been at work all day, in returning to their homes at a more reasonable hour. A consensus was reached by council members at that work session that a 6p.m. start time wouldn’t interfere with residents’ ability to attend the public meetings, and would help city employees, especially those that travel...
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The Corinne City Council last week denied a zone change request that would have allowed the owners of the Corinne Elementary School to turn the building into an event center. At a public hearing last week held to assess community members’ opinions of the request to change the zoning from residential to commercial, Jennie Harris voiced adamant disagreement with the proposal. She shared a petition of 53 neighborhood residents who agreed with her. Kim Wright said moving to Corinne gave them the country atmosphere they were seeking and changing the zoning would not benefit them. Krista Hardman said they moved...
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An effort to help incentivize the preservation of Brigham City’s notable number of “historically significant” homes and businesses is a step closer to reality. A nomination to create a local historic district was sent to the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, and on Thursday, Jan. 19, “Passed unanimously and enthusiastically, I would say,” said Alana Blumenthal, Director of the Brigham City Museum of Art and History. The nomination designates a large portion of the city, roughly centered on historic Main Street, as a historic district. “We’re over the moon about this,” said Blumenthal. “It’s been a labor of love.” The...
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Despite questions about the source and veracity of a recommended policy change that would increase the total health insurance benefit for some full-time employees while reducing it for others, the Mantua Town Council voted 4-1 to approve the change at a meeting last Thursday. With the policy change, the town will pay the monthly health insurance premiums for its employees, then, whatever is remaining of the town’s budgeted health insurance allowance will be divided evenly for distribution in to the health savings accounts (HSA) of its six fulltime employees. Under the town’s previous policy, each of the town’s full-time employees...
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Resident Esther Hatch, who lives in the Maple Springs subdivision on the south end of Mantua, made an emotional plea for help, saying that the town, its engineers, and the subdivision developer created problems for up to about 20 residents whose addresses may not even exist. Hatch said that when she purchased her home on a corner lot, she could choose which way her home faced. She chose to have the home face Lakeview Drive, which changes directions, running east to west in some areas and north to south. Google Maps says that Hatch’s home is located at the intersection...
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A proposed ordinance that was tabled last November was brought back in Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, and this time it was approved. The ordinance changes city code, putting the mayor or city administrator in charge of overseeing and implementing the city’s towing contracts instead of being under the direct purview of the council, something that then Councilmember Tom Peterson objected to without having further study. In November, the details in the ordinance were introduced to the council immediately prior to the meeting, with Peterson convincing Councilmembers Ryan Smith, Robin Troxell and Matthew Jensen to hold off on approving it...
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Wow. Still reeling from holiday happenings; And the weather; And the early night darkness; And the three months ahead that show no relief. Winter is not my favorite season! Hope you did not see the vandalism at the old Methodist Church. There is never an excuse for such behavior. Progress continues at the restoration of the building. At the recent meeting of the Corinne City Council, members agreed that two unisex rest rooms would be a needed addition to the building, even though there were no such facilities in the original building. The restrooms will be housed in the small...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team proved themselves roadtough last week as they earned double-digit wins faced in two region games, besting Bonneville last Wednesday, 56-42, then topping Bountiful, 65-49, on Friday. The Lakers hung with the Bees throughout the first half on Wednesday and got 12 points on the night from their leading scorer, senior guard Bo Dixon. But the second half was a very different story as the Bees gave up just 18 points in the final two periods, including a the final frame where the Lakers scored just three points. With the Lakers struggling to...
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Box Elder County’s three Republican legislators expect the 2023 Utah legislative session to implement a significant tax cut, as well as find ways the state can better utilize existing water resources. State Senator Scott Sandall, Utah House Representative Matthew Gwynn and newly elected/appointed Utah House Representative Thomas Peterson all agree that a tax cut is going to happen this year, although the final form of that tax cut, whether an across-theboard cut for all taxpayers, targeted tax cuts for certain constituencies, or a combination of the two, still remains to be seen. The shrinking Great Salt Lake, and how the...
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Paving the way for the future Forest Street overpass, the Brigham City Council has listed as surplus 4.7 acres of city-owned property in order to make a trade for land adjacent to the overpass. The property listed as surplus, along 400 South and approximately 950 West, was purchased in 2022 as the city was looking at widening 400 South on the west side of the rail road tracks, explained City Administrator Derek Oyler at the Jan. 5 city council meeting. As part of the purchase agreement, the previous owners of the property sold additional acreage to the city that would...
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At a two-hour long meeting Thursday, Jan. 5, the Mantua Town Council had plenty of items to address, including some that prompted extensive discussion, such as a contentious golf cart ordinance that has been on the agenda in previous meetings. In 2022, Mantua repealed its ordinance governing the use of golf carts on public streets after a citizen ordinance review committee discovered portions of the 2012 ordinance were not in compliance with state code. Writing an ordinance to replace it has taken months of discussion by the committee and town council. The latest draft was presented to council members by...
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Brigham City Councilmember, and current Utah District 1 Representative Tom Peterson officially resigned his city council position as of Friday, Jan. 6. On Jan. 4, Republican delegates from District 1 voted Peterson in as their choice by acclimation to take the legislative seat won by former Representative Joel Ferry in November’s election. Although Ferry was on the ballot, as the current director of the Utah Division of Natural Resources, he was unable to take the seat unless he resigned his position in the governor’s cabinet. Peterson was chosen by delegates in August to serve out the remainder of Ferry’s term,...
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Due to a Utah Association of Counties meeting during the 2023 legislative session, the regularly scheduled Box Elder County Commission meeting for on Jan. 18 has been rescheduled to Jan. 25. That meeting will take place in the commission chambers at 11:30 a.m.
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In one of their first actions of the year, the new Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a 10-year contract with Bear River Mental Health (BRMH) to remain as the county’s mental health services provider. BRMH provides mental health services for low income individuals, families and other targeted populations such as inmates and students. The agency is funded in part by the individual counties, with the majority of funds provided by state and federal sources. The new contract has Box Elder County contributing 7,400 toward the agency’s operations for the 2023 fiscal year, with the amounts for subsequent years...
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The Brigham City Council has tentatively decided to change public meeting times to 6 p.m. on Thursdays instead of 7 p.m., which the city has used for years. That decision was reached in a work session held prior to Thursday night’s meeting, although the city cannot make it official yet as it was not on the agenda for a formal vote. In discussion held during the work session, Mayor DJ Bott said the reason for the change was to accommodate city workers, some of whom live too far away to drive home after the workday and then return for a...
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The Brigham City Police Department (BCPD), along with most city officials and many members of the public, welcomed philanthropists Caesar and DeAnna DePaco (DeePAHso) to Brigham City Hall on Friday, honoring them for their support of law enforcement around the nation, and particularly for their ,000 donation to Brigham City for the purchase and training of a second police dog for the city. When Police Chief Chad Reyes was with the Unified Police Department in Salt Lake County in 2017, he was the handler for a police dog named Dingo that died in the line of duty. “In 2017 my...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team had their latest winning streak end at two games last Tuesday when Green Canyon came in to Brigham City and left with their eighth straight win of the season with a 74-55 win over the Bees. The Bees were aggressive early on and took a nine-point lead into the second quarter. The biggest offensive spark for the Bees came from junior point guard Ashlyn Wight, who finished the game with a new careerhigh with 25 points. The Bees also got a lift from their interior players as senior forwards Maddie Reeder and...
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At a special Richardson Memorial that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the wrestling tournament held at Box Elder High School, the Bees took seventh out of 24 teams with one individual champion and two placers. Box Elder’s Jackson Ricks earned a 6-2 decision over Payden Woolsey from Corner Canyon in the championship bout on Saturday to claim the title. Other Box Elder placers were Cody Kaleikini (285 pounds), who took second place after losing by fall to Ridgeline’s Caysen Dana, and Mason Bingham (106 pounds) who finished in fourth. The family of the tournament’s namesake, Oscar Richardson, celebrated the anniversary...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team started 2023 off with a bang as the team picked up three wins last week at the end of their non-region schedule. On Tuesday, Jan. 3, the Bees beat Provo, 70- 61, before demolishing Mountain Crest, 72-44, on Wednesday, and ending the week with a hardfought 48-45 win at Logan on Friday. The brightest spot for the Bees all week was senior post Jackson McKee, who led the team in scoring in each game. Against the Bulldogs, McKee had the best offensive game of his career, posting 26 points and pulling down...
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Judge Kevin Christensen (far left) administers the oath of office to (L To R) County Commissioner Boyd Bingham, County Clerk Marla Young, County Attorney Steve Hadfield, County Commissioner Lee Perry, County Sheriff Kevin Potter and County Auditor Shirlene Larsen on January 3 at the Box Elder County Courthouse.
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Newly elected Box Elder County Commissioners Boyd Bingham and Lee Perry joined with third-term Commissioner Stan Summers on Wednesday, Jan. 4, to divide oversight responsibilities, elect a commission chairman, and make committee assignments for 2023. The three had met on Jan.3, prior to the new commissioners being sworn in, to hammer out the details for this year, and so discussion on the assignments at the meeting was held to a minimum. In the first order of business, Summers was selected as commission chairman for 2023 by a unanimous vote. In the past the commissioners have taken turns serving as the...
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Known affectionately by many in the county as ‘the Jeffs,’ former Box Elder County Commissioners Jeff Hadfield and Jeff Scott, both of whom left office on Jan. 1, sat down in the commission chamber one more time last week, recounting their time in office, and telling the News Journal about their future plans. Both men are products of Box Elder County, both graduating high school in 1986, Scott from Bear River and Hadfield from Box Elder. Scott was born in Brigham City, began life in Perry and was raised in Fielding. Hadfield was born and raised in Brigham City. Both...
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Box Elder County has entered into an agreement to have its indigent defense services managed by Cache County. Currently the county manages it’s own program to provide legal counsel for those who could not otherwise afford it. “The U.S. Constitution and Utah Constitution requires the county to provide assistance to indigent individuals if they’re involved in criminal proceedings,” explained Deputy Civil Attorney Anne Hansen at the Dec. 21 Box Elder County Commission meeting. “To do that, the county attorney’s office can’t really be involved. Right now we have an existing contract with the Box Elder Defender’s Association, which provides those...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a text amendment clarifying that small animals and fowl could be kept on a small residential, non-farm lots in the county. “This is what regulates animals in our residential zones,” explained Community Development Director Scott Lyons. “We’ve had issues with both the keeping of animals and the ability to regulate that with regard to smaller lots in the county. As we see more of the urban and rural mix, more urbanites continuing to come north, I shouldn’t say they’re the ones causing the problems, but usually they are.” The revision states that...
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Box Elder County has chosen the Cache Valley accounting firm of Larson and Company to perform independent audits of the county’s books and financial controls for the next five years. The principals at the county’s current audit firm, Wiggins and Company, are retiring, necessitating the change. An audit committee consisting of Box Elder County Commissioner Jeff Scott, county treasurer Shaun Thornley, and county auditor Shirlene Larsen selected Larson and Company due to their experience—they audit seven other counties—and their philosophy to “help,” said Larsen. Scott noted at the meeting that the audit firm is Larson “with the ‘o-n’ not the...
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Members of Utah’s federal delegation have made successful efforts to get federal assistance in solving the emerging environmental and economic crisis posed by a shrinking Great Salt lake. The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act that was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 23, included several provisions from Utah Senator Mitt Romney, one of which is designed to help save the Great Salt Lake. The NDAA is annual legislation that Congress uses to establish defense priorities, make organizational changes to military agencies, and provide guidance on how military funding should be used. Of the 7.9 billion authorized to...
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Golden Spike National Historic Park held its annual Steam Festival on Monday, where train lovers gathered to watch the park’s locomotives billow away. See photos on page 3.
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team finished 2022 just how they wanted as the they picked up a 36-13 win over Roy last Thursday afternoon. While the 36 points was their second-lowest offensive output of the season, the Bees were able to use their defense to easily pick up their sixth win of the preseason over the winless Royals. Box Elder junior Maddie Thurgood used her length and quick hands to give the Royals fits on the defensive end, coming up with seven steals and six rebounds to lead all players in both categories. As a team, the...
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Gail Halvorsen, a Box Elder native, was one of the most recognized veterans of the historic Berlin Airlift, who gained notoriety for dropping candy to German children behind the Soviet blockade from 1948-1949. “Operation Little Vittles,” as he called his candy drops, was born when he met 30 kids at a barbed wire fence in Berlin. “All I had was two sticks of gum,” he once said. “I broke them in two and passed them through the barbed wire,” and the children who received them broke them into smaller bits to give to the others. Halvorsen promised to drop enough...
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Pickleball made the news this year with the announcement that the Brigham City-owned Tournament of Champions reached an agreement to be an official tour stop—one of 20 professional events—on the Pro Pickleball Association’s tour. TOC director, Kyle Klein, weighed in on the new alliance, saying that “Brigham City, home of the TOC, will continue its tradition of presenting one of the premier pickleball tournaments in the country. We look forward to welcoming fans and players from all over and giving them the chance to experience where pro pickleball began.” The TOC was the first tournament to offer prize money, the...
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The office of Utah Governor Spencer Cox sent a representative to honor two Box Elder County commissioners during their last official meeting, which was held on Wednesday at the county courthouse. Commissioner Jeff Scott, who has served for nine years, and eight-year Commissioner Jeff Hadfield both chose not to run again, and will be replaced on the three-seat commission in January, when former State Representative Lee Perry and Honeyville Mayor Boyd Bingham will be sworn-in to take their places. “I get to travel around the state a lot,” said Mike Mower, community outreach advisor with the Governor’s office. “I view...
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Making only minor adjustments to the preliminary budget presented at the Dec. 7 meeting, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved an overall budget of ,403,514 for the 2023 fiscal year, which be- gins on Jan. 1. The final budget reduced the proposed cost of living adjustment for county employees and elected officials from 8.5% to 7.5%, and made some adjustments on ARPA spending and revenue, which increased the final budget over the presented preliminary budget by less than 0,000. The 2023 budget anticipates that the county will receive .79 million in total revenue against .4 million in expenditures,...
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Coming off a successful and productive trip to North Carolina, the Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team couldn’t make enough plays down the stretch as Bear River won 51-46 to notch their third consecutive victory against the Bees, dating back to 2019. Neither team was able to gain much separation throughout the contest on Tuesday, Dec. 20, as both sides showed just how much a win in the rivalry game would mean to their school. The Bees got the best game of the season so far from senior wing Cooper Stevenson, who connected on four 3-pointers and finished with...
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After two-years of drama resulting from a global pandemic, it initially felt as though 2022’s apparent return to normal would have little to offer for our annual year in review, but as News Journal staff perused the events in the newspaper’s pages from the past 12 months, there was plenty of significant news. Here in Box Elder County, we had an active and, at times, contentious election cycle; several municipalities raised taxes and fees in response to inflationary pressures; and a local, world-famous hero died, among so much more. Following below is the 2022 year in review. These stories are...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team overcame a slow start Tuesday, Dec. 20, in Garland to earn a 55-40 win against Bear River. The Bees struggled early and found themselves in a double-digit deficit as the Bears went on a 16-5 run to start the game. Much of the Bears’ offense throughout the night came from senior point guard Gracie Riley. Riley has hit double-digit scoring in every game so far this season, and came up with her best performance to date, putting up 20 points against the Bees to lead all scorers in the game. Riley also...
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If anyone wondered how bad Utah’s drought and the situation of the Great Salt Lake really is, here’s this: Elected officials and others have floated the idea of using an unused gas pipeline that runs along the north edge of the Great Salt lake in Box Elder County to pipe water from the ocean to the lake. While water conservationists and advocates for the lake’s wetland ecosystem spoke enthusiastically of the idea, it was panned as a ridiculous, unrealistic pipe dream from other corners. Of particular note were the potential costs of the project, which some guessed would be into...
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Locals responded to the crisis faced by Ukrainians trying to escape or survive Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Students at Sunrise High School donated money and critical items to help refugees. In order to make it so a students’ financial situation did not restrict them from participating, items were made available for students to purchase using their school reward points. One particular item resonated with students. A blanket with the school’s mascot—the phoenix—would provide not only warmth for refugees, but hope that they, like the phoenix, would rise from the ashes. Another resident, Solomon Smith, of Brigham City, a disabled veteran...
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A single-car accident on a foggy county road Friday morning took the life of a local teen. According to a report from the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department, 17-year-old Case Holmes, from Corinne, was driving south along 4000 West in Corinne at approximately 6:30 a.m. when he failed to stop at the “T” intersection at 3600 North. His car continued down an embankment and landed upside down in the Bear River. “It was reported that there was dense fog in the area at that time, which likely contributed to the cause of the crash,” wrote Chief Deputy Cade Palmer. The...
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Information in a story and accompanying photos in last week’s edition about the Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team contained an error. In the Bees’ game against Green Canyon, at the end of the second half, Cooper Stevenson threw up a 3/4-court shot and banked it in at the buzzer. We regret the error. The Bees’ Cooper Stevenson, pictured in a game against Green Canyon where Stevenson hit a 3/4-court shot at the first half buzzer.
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team picked up a 48-41 overtime win over Layton on Tuesday, Dec. 13, but couldn’t keep the momentum through the rest of the week as the Bees fell to Sky View, 50-36, on Thursday, and to Syracuse, 56-40, on Friday. The week got off to a great start for the Bees when the team topped the 6A Lancers and proved to themselves that they could compete in, and come out on top of, a close game. Tuesday’s game needed an extra period to decide a winner after junior guard Ashlyn Wight hit a...
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Brigham City’s newest police officer, John Juarez, was introduced to the Brigham City Council at Thursday’s meeting. Juarez, a fresh graduate of the police academy, grew up in Salt Lake County. Brigham City will be his first department. Juarez thanked the council for the opportunity to serve, saying he has been made to feel very welcome by the people of Brigham City. “I’m actually really excited to be here in Brigham City. It feels very home-like to me, very welcoming. There’s a lot of other departments out there, but this just spoke to me. I’m excited to be a part...
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“Please stop parking on the streets” was the final request of a Facebook post from the Mantua Police Department on Dec. 12, in response to concerns from residents about parking violations on Mantua town streets. In an email dialogue last week, Mantua Police Chief Dakota Midkiff wrote that enforcing parking ordinances is a “double-edged sword”; the town gets complaints about illegal parking, but when ordinances are enforced, there are also complaints. Currently, Mantua has four different ordinances that prohibit street parking in one form or another. Ordinance 2019-08-15B states that there shall be no on-street parking between 12 a.m. and...
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Historic Downtown Brigham City (HDBC), a non-profit downtown revitalization group led by Consignology owners David and Donna Walker, will need to wait a while longer before being adopted as the city’s official Main Street program. The city seemed poised to turn over administration of its Main Street revitalization program (formed in conjunction with the Utah Main Street Program from the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity in 2020) to the non-profit, but concerns over HDBC’s by-laws, overall business representation, and its ability to achieve set goals within specified deadlines caused the council to table the agreement until more information could be...
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On Friday, Dec. 16, Winnie Richman drove herself from the home of a family member where she was staying to her ranch in Promontory in order to feed the numerous “barn cats” that had become more like pets—dear little friends—to her. By Monday, Dec. 19, Richman, 80, whose name often peppered the Promontory News column that appeared in the Box Elder News Journal and Tremonton Leader before she took over writing duties, had died. Richman, who graduated from Box Elder High School after being born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and living in Delaware and Alabama before her family settled in Utah,...
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Brigham City Corporation is in good financial shape, implements adequate financial controls to ensure its books are in order, and faces struggles to keep up with the costs of providing residents with electricity. Those were the main points delivered in a report of the city’s annual audit given at Thursday’s city council meeting. Accounting firm Keddington and Christensen reviewed the city’s financial statements for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021 and ending June 30 of 2022, giving the city an “unmodified opinion” for its handling of public money, which is the best result for an audit. Brigham City Financial...
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Perry City has appointed new Public Works Director Zach Allen to sit on the city’s wastewater treatment board, which Perry jointly runs with Willard City. Allen takes the place on the board of former Public Works Director Tyler Wagstaff. On the Perry City Planning Commission, Marcus Wager has been selected as chair, with Stephen Moss serving as vice-chair. Monica Taylor has been appointed as the chief of the Perry City first responders, with Brian Moser being appointed as assistant chief. Both Taylor and Moser have served on the city’s first responders for 11 years. Kami Brewer, a sixyear veteran, was...
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Perry City has joined other county law enforcement and government agencies to enter into an agreement with Cellebrite Digital Forensics to provide data extraction on cellular phones seized as evidence when prosecuting crimes. “Anytime we take a cell phone as evidence from somebody, we send it to a crime lab to have the data extracted and sent to us,” explained Perry Police Chief Scott Hancey at the Dec. 8 city council meeting. “In the past we have used Dixie State University or the Ogden Police Department, and they’re great, super helpful, but it’s getting time that we do our own...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team picked up wins in two close games and lost once on a trip to North Carolina last week. The Bees fell to Wake Forest, 72-68, in overtime on Wednesday, Dec. 14, then beat Wakefield 52- 48 on Friday and finished up their week with a 51-49 win over Hoggard on Saturday. On Wednesday night, the Cougars from Wake Forest needed an extra period to best the Bees as regulation finished with the teams knotted at 60. The game was close throughout and neither side was able to build more than a five-point...
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At the end of the Utah High School Activities Association’s realignment effort, Region 5 will welcome two new teams, but lose none from the current configuration. Currently, Region 5 consists of: Bonneville, Bountiful, Box Elder, Northridge, Viewmont, and Woods Cross. Beginning in fall of 2023, Clearfield with join Region 5, and on-again, off-again region member, Roy, will make a return. The new alignment for Region 5 will be used for all UHSAA-sanctioned events. Some regions have different alignments for football and other activities. A public hearing was held Wednesday, Dec. 14, to receive feedback from districts and schools on the...
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An early Tuesday morning crash on Hwy 30 near Beaver Dam has taken the life of a Mendon man. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, at approximately 1 a.m. on Dec. 20, a 2015 Chevrolet pickup being driven by 38-year-old Tyler Burgin westbound on State Road 30, drifted out of his lane at mile marker 99, striking an eastbound Kenworth semi truck in a head-on accident. Burgin was killed instantly. The driver of the semi, a 24-year-old male from Lonetree, Wyoming, sustained serious injuries and was transported by ambulance to Bear River Valley Hospital in Tremonton. He was later transferred...
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A committee of Willard citizens, tasked to come up with recommendations for the use of 10.76 acres located above East Park that the city purchased in 2021, has proposed the city use at least some of the land for a new baseball diamond and to provide an additional 40 parking stalls at the park. “As we talked about it, we felt that we needed another baseball diamond,” said former city council member Brad Robb, speaking for the committee. “And then we needed parking. Everybody that’s been up there on a baseball night in the summer knows there’s not enough parking...
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Following the same “worst case scenario” budgeting practice that Box Elder County has implemented over the last decade, on Wednesday, County Auditor Shirlene Larsen presented the county commissioners with a more than million preliminary county budget that draws .54 million from existing fund balances to cover costs. Larsen, however, expressed reservations about continuing the worst casestyle of budgeting, saying she felt the budget could, and should, be used as a better planning tool heading into the future. “As the new auditor, I went with the historic approach of how we’ve been doing budgets, and that’s to plan for the...
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The Box Elder High School swimming team continued what has been a highly successful season so far with wins at the Silver Rush Invitational for both the boys and girls. The tournament, hosted by Riverton High School on Dec. 2-3, included teams from Westlake, Skyridge, Alta, and Jordan high schools. Box Elder boys and girls won in convincing fashion. The girls scored 459.5 points ahead of second-place Riverton’s 416, and the boys beat second-place Skyridge by more than 100 points, 515.5-407. The Bees have taken no worse than second in most meets so far this year. At the first meet...
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Box Elder students react to a buzzer beating bomb in the first half as the Bees’ boys’ basketball team dominated Green Canyon. See story on page 8.
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Brigham City’s Christmas Village—which includes a growing number of displays constructed to represent iconic Brigham City buildings, such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Tabernacle (see story on page 4)—set a magical holiday scene on Monday morning following a snow storm that put down several inches.
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team firmly put themselves back in the win column with a 66-39 drubbing of Green Canyon last Wednesday in Brigham City in the team’s only game last week. The Bees came out strong and built an eight-point advantage through the first quarter behind hot shooting from the perimeter and tough defense on the other end of the floor. The Bees’ lead stretched to 15 by halftime when a shot by Cooper Stevenson from nearly half court just beat the halftime buzzer, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Another crowd-pleasing play came in...
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An early morning crash of a passenger bus on I-84 on Monday sent multiple passengers to area hospitals, some with critical injuries. According to the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), the bus, operated by Rexburg, Idaho, company Salt Lake Express, was carrying 33 passengers en-route to Salt Lake City when it encountered slippery road conditions on eastbound I-84 near mile marker 36 (three miles west of the Bothwell/ Garland exit) at approximately 4:30 a.m. “Road conditions were slushy and snowy, and the driver stated he went to change lanes and lost control,” said UHP Sgt. Brian Nelson. “He said the bus...
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After a difficult run in St. George, the Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team bounced back last week with a 56-46 win over Farmington on Tuesday, Dec. 6, followed by another victory Friday, 47- 41, over Weber. On Tuesday, the story line proved to be junior guard Ashlyn Wight, who hit shots from all over the court and finished one point shy of her career high with 23 points. Wight’s hot hand kept the Bees ahead in a tight contest until the fourth quarter, when they were able to make a run and put the game away. Another big...
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With four water conservancy board positions opening up to due to members resigning or terms expiring, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday made three appointments to that board. The Bear River Water Conservancy District was created in 1988 by a court decree made under the guidelines of the Utah Water Conservancy Act. It currently serves the communities of Harper Ward, Bothwell, Beaver Dam and parts of South Willard with culinary and agricultural water. The water district also provides wholesale water services to companies serving Garland, Riverside, Thatcher, Bothwell, Tremonton and South Willard. The board, 11 members of which are...
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An ordinance passed by Willard City in June requiring street lighting to be “dark sky” compliant didn’t go far enough for Mayor Travis Mote, who brought the discussion before the city council on Thursday to see if the city could expand if further. Dark sky lighting is designed with narrow beams pointing downward so as not to cause light pollution that blocks out vistas of the night sky—or disturbs nearby residents with lights shining in their windows. “We passed an ordinance several months ago basically requiring dark skies lighting,” said Mote. “In my mind I thought we did that for...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved the annexation of an additional 3.7 acres on both sides of U.S. Highway 89 to facilitate access to a future site for a culinary water tank. The annexation consist of three parcels located at approximately 7045 South Main, which are contiguous to and would be included with the Old Farm subdivision on the west side of the highway, which the city has already annexed. In addition to providing road access for a future water tank, the developer would also create four one-third-acre housing lots, and larger fifth housing lot on the property. “It...
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Agricultural businesses in Willard that process meat from poultry and small animals will now also be able to process game animals and livestock after the city council expanded the table of uses in its ordinance. The current ordinance allows properly zoned businesses to process chickens, turkeys or other fowl, or poultry, fish and frogs. The amended ordinance adds livestock and game animals to that list. The amendment passed with a unanimous vote by the council.
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We sympathize with the Gary Petit family and friends in his recent passing away. He was a good friend and a wonderful neighbor. He was always willing to help out anytime someone needed help. He was knowledgeable about many things. He was a member of our community for many years. He was with his daughter, Wendy Menlove, for about a week before he passed. He will be missed. The Zane Wheatley family celebrated Thanksgiving day with Laura’s and Zane’s family at two different places. Daughter, Kyra, was sick that morning so Zane stayed home with her while Laura and her...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday voted to clear the way for the sale of unclaimed firearms held by the city’s police department, using those proceeds to help pay for mental health services provided to the city’s police officers. The unclaimed firearms, seized and held as evidence in criminal cases, will only be sold to licensed federal firearms license holders, who would then retail the guns according to federal and state laws. “The department has a number of firearms that have been held, either as evidence or have been unclaimed,” said Assistant Chief of Police Chris Howard. “They’ve been sitting...
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The Mantua Town Council addressed a laundry list of housekeeping items at its regular meeting held Thursday, Dec. 1. Clean audit Ryan Child, from Child, Richards CPA and Advisors, reported to the council last that there were no negative findings in an audit of the town’s financial statements and internal controls for fiscal year 2022, which ran from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022. Child said the town earned an “unmodified clean opinion,” which means that the financial statements represent what truly happened, and is the highest rating that can be given an audit. A few highlights that he...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday held a public hearing to hear proposals for organizations to receive Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), a federally-funded program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designed to aid cities with housing and needed infrastructure. “The purpose of this first public hearing is to gain input from citizens on projects they want considered for application for funding through the Community Development Block Grant,” said Brigham City Community Development Director Paul Larsen. “In 2023, approximately 6,520 is expected to be available in the Bear River region for CDBG projects. A portion of that...
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Cindy Cisney, formerly of Perry, currently of Pleasant View, has been volunteering her free time since January to assist those without permanent addresses in collecting the government stimulus that often went unreceived during the pandemic. Cisney is a tax preparer, in addition to her career in real estate. During the pandemic she realized that while all United States Citizens were entitled to government stimulus money that was created as financial aid during the pandemic, many had no means of receiving the funds. Those who had not filed taxes or those who did not have a steady permanent address may have...
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Kent’s Market is one of the few remaining family-owned grocery stores around, and has been providing world-class quality and service in northern Utah for more than 41 years. Sixty years ago, Kent Beckstrom, the founder of Kent’s Market, quit his job and took one at Albertson’s while waiting to continue his education in engineering. He fell in love with the grocery business and decided he wanted to own his own store. From a small grocery store in Plain City to their newest store built 41 years later, also in Plain City, they serve thousands of people everyday at their current...
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An Ogden, Utah-based chemical company that intends on moving to Brigham City is the impetus behind a change in the city’s land-use ordinance, adding an entirely new category of permitted use in Brigham City’s industrial and manufacturing zones. Sky Blue Chemical manufactures cleaning agents for the automotive and janitorial industries. Currently located on Exchange Road in Ogden, the company plans on relocating its operations along 1200 West and 100 South in Brigham City, necessitating a change in the city’s zoning ordinances. “The purpose is to include the use category manufacturing, processing, packaging, and distribution of the following: All-purpose cleaners, tire...
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An arrest warrant has been issued for a Brigham City man after being charged with several drug distribution counts by the Box Elder County Attorney. Chris David Malan, 23, faces three second-degree felony counts of distribution of a controlled substance, as well as a class B misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, following an investigation carried out by the Box Elder County Narcotics Strike Force. The Narcotics Strike Force is a partially federally funded, multiagency effort between county law enforcement agencies, including the Box Elder Sheriff’s Department, Brigham City Police Department and Tremonton Police Department, all of whom contribute...
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After scoring 84 points against Weber in their first game of the year, the Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team barely eclipsed that total in two games last week as the Bees lost to Sky View, 58- 40, on Tuesday, Nov. 29, and Olympus, 60-50, last Friday. The Bobcats used a 17-2 first quarter run to bury the Bees early in the contest. It was a hole from which the Bees could not recover. Jackson McKee, Elijah Kersey, and Cole Mortensen each finished the night with 10 points for the Bees, but no one could find a good rhythm...
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The warmer weather in the southern part of the state didn’t exactly help the Bees’ cause as the Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team took three tough losses in St. George over the weekend, falling to Richfield, 56-37; Snow Canyon, 54-41; and Juan Diego 34-31. In the first game of the tournament on Thursday, the Bees found themselves in an early hole against the Richfield Wildcats as Box Elder’s offense struggled to find their footing. The Wildcats went on a 19-6 run in the first quarter and held the Bees to just another six points in the second as...
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Maise Technology specializes in a wide range of services, including tailored IT services, compliance, risk management, and solutions for small and medium businesses and their owners. Maise is committed to providing each and every one of their clients with high-quality service and support. Their unique IT team can help every step of the way in growing a business. Maise expertly combines its services in order to provide businesses with customized help and support so they only get what they need and what they want. Maise’s innovative approach starts with a thorough investigation of what a company needs to succeed to...
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A growing population and related expansion in Utah have increased the number of wildlife encounters in recent years, but not every encounter or sighting needs to be reported. Increasing sightings are a combination of a few things: · Building in foothill areas and canyons, and, · More security cameras on people’s homes. So what kind of wildlife sightings or encounters should be reported? Here is a simple breakdown of some that should be: Cougars Cougars are found throughout Utah, usually in the foothill and canyon areas, but also sometimes in the valleys, especially during winter months. Report cougar sightings if:...
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Editor’s note: It is the policy of the News Journal not to identify victims of sexual crimes. Events in this story may have been omitted and/or obscured in order to protect the identity of the victim. A preliminary trial for a 56-year-old Brigham City man accused of numerous felony sexual crimes against a child has been set for Dec. 19 in Brigham City’s 1st District Court. Taylor Joseph Miles stands accused on three counts of first-degree felony rape of a child, six counts of first-degree felony sodomy upon a child, and one count of first-degree felony rape for incidents that...
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There were barrels for roasting and marshmallows for toasting during the Holiday Extravaganza, a community Christmas celebration at Midland Square in Tremonton last week. In Brigham City, Heritage Auto hosted the annual Reindeer Games event, which raises funds for New Hope Crisis Center. See photos for both events in the Happenings section, beginning on page 4.
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A new hearing to determine if a man accused of murder, Jonathan Mendoza Llana, has regained competency to stand trial has been set for Dec. 6 in Brigham City’s 1st District Court. Llana has been receiving mental health treatment at the Utah State Hospital since October of 2019 after being found incompetent by state examiners. In May of this year his attorney, Richard Gallegos, reported to the court that Llana was doing well with his treatment, and was “headed in the right direction.” Llana, 47, of Los Angeles, is charged with aggravated murder for the death of 50-year-old Dennis Gwyther,...
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Kevin Lloyd, a 22-year veteran and captain of the North Davis County Fire District, has been named as Box Elder County’s new fire marshal. Lloyd replaces Corey Barton, who stepped away from his Box Elder County position in August after serving as fire marshal for nearly 10 years. The News Journal has requested additional information from Lloyd, and will publish more details in an upcoming edition.
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With millions of dollars in ARPA funds and other federal and state grants earmarked to provide broadband access to rural Box Elder County residents, the Box Elder County Commission on Tuesday called for local municipal entities to cooperate with the county and contractors in the completion of the project. At issue, according to Commissioner Stan Summers, is that some local entities have imposed significant fees on the construction project, though Summers did not divulge which entities he was referring to. “It has come to our attention that there are some people in the county that are charging more fees than...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Tuesday approved a contract between the county and the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity to receive and spend 0,000 in rural county economic development grants. The Rural County Grant program was created by the state legislature in 2020 when it passed Senator Scott Sandall’s SB 95, which phased out enterprise zones while ending Rural Fast Track grants and the Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) program. To replace those programs, Sandall’s bill earmarked a guaranteed 0,000 to go toward local rural county economic development programs, with the option to compete for further grants with a...
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Editor’s note: It is the policy of the News Journal not to identify victims of sexual crimes. Events in this story may have been omitted and/or obscured in order to protect the identity of the victims. A trial date for a 47-yearold West Valley City man accused of sexually abusing multiple Box Elder County children over a period of 10 years will be set at a Dec. 5 hearing in Brigham City’s 1st District Court. Dario Alejandro Vilchez is facing six counts of first degree felony aggravated sexual abuse of a child for incidents that prosecutors say took place while...
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A time-honored and long-standing tradition in Box Elder County is once again returning to activity. The Box Elder Symphonic Choir, which has been out of commission for several years, is back— albeit in limited numbers— preparing for its much-anticipated Christmas concert, and choir directors are inviting all who have the desire to “raise a joyful noise” to join in the singing. In the late 1940s, Harold B. Felt was asked to organize a choir to sing for sessions of the stake quarterly conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It soon expanded from church conferences and began...
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Junior wing Elijah Kersey pumped in 23 points and led three Bees in double figures as the Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team cruised to an 84-60 win over Weber on Tuesday, Nov. 22, in both teams’ first game of the season. The Warriors hung tough during the first half behind 26 points from junior sharpshooter Hunter Schenck. But Schenck was largely on his own to shoulder the offensive burden for the visitors as no other Warrior scored more than six points in the game. The Bees found the most success on their guard line as senior point guard...
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Editor’s note: It is the policy of the News Journal not to identify victims of sexual crimes. Events in this story may have been omitted and/or obscured in order to protect the identity of the victim. A 62-year-old Brigham City man is now residing at the Box Elder County Jail, having been arrested for perpetrating multiple sexual crimes on a minor. Herbert Fountaine Murray was arrested by Brigham City police on Sept. 8 following a report from a witness stating that she had seen multiple surreptitiously filmed videos on Murray’s cell phone of a minor female getting undressed. Police identified...
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Pioneer Park’s resident ducks traverse the ice to the shore, blanketed with fresh snow that fell in the area from a storm that began on Monday, Nov. 28 and continued through the early morning of Tuesday, Nov. 29. According to data from local weather stations part of the Community Collaborative Rain. Hail and Snow Network, Brigham City received 3.3 inches from the storm and Mantua got 6.5 inches, adding to an already wetter and colder November than normal. As usual, the first major snow storm of the year made for a lot of work for public safety and emergency responders....
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On Friday, Nov. 4, Brian Head Ski Resort opened its lifts and slopes, marking the fourth-earliest start to the ski season in the state’s history. That early opening was the result of what seemed like a colder and wetter start to the water year, which began on Oct. 1. Data from the weather station at Brigham City’s waste water plant shows that while it might be a colder year than normal, it has not been wetter, at least not yet. Temperature October ended up being a little warmer than the historical average, despite a change that brought in chilly temps...
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Region 5 would see a significant change if the first draft of the Utah High School Activities Association’s classification realignment proposal is finalized at a board of trustees meeting on Dec. 8. The board approved the draft earlier this month, in which Region 5 schools Bountiful, Bonneville, and Northridge would drop into the 4A classification. Box Elder High School, with an enrollment of 1,076, is middle of the pack for 5A schools. Roy High School, an on-again, offagain member of Region 5 that has spent the last two years in the 6A classification, will return to 5A under the proposal....
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Applications are now being accepted for Box Elder School District’s dual immersion language programs. The open enrollment period ends at 4 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2023. Applications are available by logging into parent’s account at www.portal. besd.net/Passport/loginp. aspx. The district has five schools offering dual immersion courses: Golden Spike Elementary has the only Chinese program, and Garland, North Park, Lake View, Willard elementary schools each have Spanish programs. Dual immersion provides an opportunity for students to learn academic skills and concepts necessary at their grade level, while also learning a second language. In Utah, dual immersion programs use a 50/50...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person(s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Tammy Dean Garcia DOB: 08/07/1973 Weight:120 Height: 5’3” Race: Hispanic Caucasian Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Offense: Domestic Violence (Assault), Class A Misdemeanor (two cases); Burglary, 3rd Degree Felony, Domestic Violence, Class B Misdemeanor and two other offenses. She has three total warrants. She has new charges of Child Abuse with Injury, Assault, and Domestic Violence in Presence of a Child. All these charges are Class A Misdemeanors. Known to frequent the Willard/Box Elder County areas....
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It’s still unknown how a Spanish-speaking male that was admitted to Brigham City Community Hospital on Nov. 21 received a gunshot wound to the leg. Brigham City police turned the investigation over to Willard City after they were told that the incident occurred in Willard. An investigation by Willard police, however, has been unable to confirm that the incident happened in their town, with the victim in the case providing evasive and imprecise information. “There’s a bit of a language barrier in this case,” said Willard Police Chief Theron Fielding. “It’s now sounding like it may have actually happened in...
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It was a successful year for Brigham City youth football, including a significant first for the program. Out of 10 teams meeting age requirements to participate in the playoffs, eight teams made the post season. Out of those eight teams, four went to the semifinals, three of which had appearances in the Mini Bowl, the championship games for the Wasatch Front Football League. Out of the three teams who played championship games, two took home titles, a first for Brigham City’s program, according to Brigham City Youth Football Director Melissa Christensen. Following are Brigham City results from the Mini Bowl:...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team used a balanced scoring attack and big fourth quarter run to overcome a double-digit deficit in the first half to topple Mountain Crest, 41-38, on Tuesday, Nov. 22, in Hyrum in the season opener for both teams. The Bees struggled early on the offensive end of the court and scored just three points in the opening quarter of play. After the game, Bees’ head coach Aaron Dooley chalked the early scoring woes up to some nerves in the first game of the season. “I think the jitters got to us a little...
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Rocky Mountain Power this month will double donations from customers—up to 0,000—to its Lend a Hand program, which helps pay power bills for those in need In 2021, the program raised a total of 6,508, and helped 3,047 people in 802 households in need throughout Utah. Customers can donate any dollar amount, beginning at [post_excerpt] per month, which is added to their monthly bill. Customers can enroll and/or request a contribution envelope by calling 1-888-221-7070. All donations are distributed to eligible customers through the Salvation Army Customers in need can call Rocky Mountain Power at 1-888-221-7070 to receive help with...
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Brigham City Council will hold a public hearing at its meeting on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. to provide information about the Community Development Block Grant program and discuss potential projects for which applications could be made for grant funds. Brigham City is eligible to apply to the Utah Department of Workforce Services for funding under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Small Cities Program, a federally funded program administered by the Utah Division of Housing and Community Development, provided projects meet the applicable program requirements. The public hearing will cover eligible activities, program requirements, and expected funding allocations...
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Utah is accepting applications for a program that will pay up to [post_excerpt] per a square foot to replace grass with drought resistant landscaping. The Utah State Legislature approved million to fund the statewide grassremoval rebate program. Those accepted into the program will have a year to complete their landscaping project, which includes removing turf and replacing it with drought-resistant vegetation approved for their part of the state. The state is starting this fall with a pilot program in Washington County, but it will be fully implemented next spring. Even changing a small area of turf can bring considerable...
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An amendment to towing company regulations requested by Brigham City Police Chief Chad Reyes was tabled by the city council on Thursday, with council members wanting more time to review the proposed changes, which were amended shortly before Thursday’s meeting. The change would remove the need for legislative action by the council, and give decision-making regarding towing company requirements to a policy that could be administered by the mayor’s office. “If we had to make a change to administrative policy we wouldn’t have to present that to the council,” said Reyes. “It would just go through the city administrator and...
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The health insurance marketplace open-enrollment period opened Nov. 1 and will continue to accept sign-ups and coverage changes through Jan. 15, 2023. Utah residents have up to seven insurance providers to choose from, depending on the county where they live, and it’s important to do some research when deciding on a coverage. Subsidies for people with incomes less than 400% of the federal poverty level will again be in effect. They’ve been extended through 2025 as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. That caps the monthly premium for those families at no more than at 8.5% of household income. Looking...
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Mantua’s Town Council, at the request of Public Works Director Harper Johnson, voted to close Maple Springs Park between the hours of 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. for snow removal during the winter. Signs will be put in place to notify residents of the restriction. The council decided not to specify dates since snowfall is unpredictable. Some years, snow removal is needed in early October and until late April. Other years, it follows a more normal pattern. It was briefly discussed if there needed to be signage prohibiting parking on the street around the park as well but Johnson mentioned...
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As of November 2022, Box Elder County has committed nearly .2 million in spending out of ,886,278 received under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), leaving the county with a remaining ARPA balance of [post_excerpt].69 million. On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed ARPA into law, authorizing Congress to spend an estimated [post_excerpt].9 trillion, or approximately ,724 for every man, woman and child in the United States, in a landmark package designed to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 0 billion of that total was split between local and state governments, with the rest going toward...
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While pickleball might be seen by some as a game for older people in retirement communities, it is picking up steam and popularity across the nation among all age groups at all levels of play, mostly due to the ease of entry and increasing availability of courts throughout the country. When he was eight years old, Box Elder High School senior Kale Klein’s grandparents discovered pickleball in Arizona. They immediately fell in love with the game and taped some lines on their local tennis courts back in Brigham City. From those humble beginnings 10 years ago, Klein has worked week...
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A teen driver from Salt Lake City overturned a pickup truck in a Willard Bay area marsh sometime over the weekend, but didn’t report the accident, and evidently found a ride home. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, a trooper on patrol noticed the red Chevrolet pickup on its side in a ditch west of I-15 at about 7:15 a.m. on Sunday. “Medical from Willard and Brigham were called as UHP troopers began looking for victims of the crash,” said UHP Sgt. Arik Beesley. “The vehicle had been there for a few hours, but was hidden by all the foliage....
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The Box Elder Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its annual awards banquet. Business of the Year nominees in the following categories: home-based, small (1-5 employees), medium (6-24 employees), large (25 or more employees), and businessperson of the year, must be a member of the chamber. Businesses should have some of the following qualities: business stability, community support/service, special recognition within industry sector, great customer service, and/or recent expansion or growth. Nominees for businessperson of the year should have a variety of qualities that make them an outstanding business person, including, but not limited to: running a strong business,...
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The Perry City Police Department has issued a statement laying responsibility for last week’s vandalism of a Perry church on local kids. According to the statement, the department received several tips from the public regarding the incident, which helped to identify the culprits. “We have received numerous tips from the public and we’ve conducted several interviews,” wrote Perry Police Chief Scott Hancey. “We have served search warrants which have resulted in the seizure of evidence. With all of this, we have identified the juveniles who we believe are responsible for the burglary/vandalism.” Once police have finished processing the collected evidence,...
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While green Jell-O might maintain a certain popularity in Utah, a recent compilation of geotagged Twitter data shows that Utahns are not fans of all green foods. According to the data gathered and compiled by cookoutnews.com, Utah is one of 13 states where green bean casserole is the most “hated” Thanksgiving food. The data, gathered since Nov. 1, tracked tweets, hashtags, and direct keyword phrases like, “I hate turkey,” “I hate green bean casserole,” “I hate cranberry sauce,” as well as negative phrases like, “cranberry sauce is gross,” “green bean casserole is disgusting,” etc. Cranberry topped the list as data...
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As hospitals across the country are seeing increases in patients with severe respiratory illnesses like flu and RSV, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging residents to get vaccinated against those diseases. The highest rates of hospitalization are being seen in children and older adults. In the past two weeks, Utah’s Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital has seen a rapid increase in the number of children who require hospitalization with RSV. When the DHHS issued the press release on Nov. 15, all pediatric hospital beds were filled across the state. Brittany Glas, director of media relations and communications...
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Perry City has entered into an agreement with the Utah Office of Regulatory Relief and automobile towing facilitator TowPro to provide automated towing dispatch services to the city. The agreement makes use of a newer provision in Utah law called a “sandbox” which was passed in 2021. The sandbox temporarily allows an approved business to circumvent existing state regulations that may hamper their ability to profitably operate. In this case, the sandbox circumvents provisions in state law that regulate towing fees, allowing TowPro to charge a fee of about to the vehicle owner for the use of their automated...
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After a few weeks of consistent storms, Utah’s snowpack got off to a strong start for the water year that started on Oct. 1. With 95% of our water coming from snowpack, the state needs the trend to continue in order to make a dent in the drought. “People tend to think one good storm will pull us out of drought, but it actually takes many storms over the entire winter to reach average,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “With several years of drought behind us, it will likely take several years to recover.” Soil...
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Two Box Elder County built solid-fuel rocket boosters lit up the early morning Florida sky on Wednesday, Nov. 16, and performed flawlessly as they lifted Artemis 1 from the Earth and set it on course for the moon. Wednesday’s launch from the Kennedy Space Center was the first realworld test for NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS), the rocket that will power America’s return to manned space flight. “The SLS rocket was launched by a powerful 7.2 million pounds of thrust from our solid rocket boosters which are largest, human rated solid rocket boosters ever built,” said Wendy Williams, vice...
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It’s been two winters since horse-drawn sleigh and wagon rides were offered through the middle of hundreds of wild elk at the Hardware Wildlife Management Area. Starting Dec. 2, the rides are back! COVID-19 concerns canceled the rides in 2020, and the popular activity was again canceled last year due to extreme drought conditions impacting the hay production on the wildlife management area. (Hay is needed to feed the elk during the winter months.) This year, Haviland’s Old West Adventures — a long-time business in Cache County — will offer the rides on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Starting Dec. 2,...
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As temperatures drop across the state of Utah and energy costs continue to rise, Utahns may be eligible for heat utility assistance to stay warm as winter fast approaches. Jamie Castleton, manager of the Utah Community Action HEAT Program, said it provides water and energy assistance throughout the year to households considered to be low-income and encourages Utahns who need help to apply. “People who are living with a documented disability, age 60 and over, and then young children under the age of 6, are our three main target populations,” Castleton pointed out. “But anyone who is really struggling with...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved spending ,400 for the purchase of an additional 2.09 acres of land surrounding city-owned springs on the east side of Mantua Reservoir. Public Works Director Tyler Pugsley told council members the land would help protect Rock Spring. “If we continue to take the approach that we have in the past, with this property around our valuable water resources, than we’re asking the council to approve this agreement so we can purchase this property for source protection up in the Mantua Valley,” said Pugsley. The city purchased 14.46 acres in the same area at...
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There were very few surprises in the 2022 general election, both in Box Elder County and the state of Utah as a whole, with Republicans dominating the vote up and down the ballot. The closest thing to a surprise in last Tuesday’s election was the margin of victory for Republican Senator Mike Lee, who outperformed polling, beating independent candidate Evan Mc-Mullin by over 11 points. Most polls heading into election day had the race as a virtual tie. Statewide, Lee garnered 53.94% of the vote against McMullin’s 42.14% . In Box Elder County, Lee’s received 72.2%, while McMullin got 24.06%....
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A proposed master planned community (MPC) in South Willard finally received approval on a re-zone request from the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday. The Orchards subdivision, a planned mixedhousing development on 70 acres in the South Willard area of Box Elder County has faced multiple hurdles since it’s inception, but the path toward development now seems to have been cleared. In January, the Box Elder Planning Commission had denied a text amendment request- ed by the developer that dropped the minimum acreage requirement for an MPC zone from 100 acres to 50 acres, if the development in question would...
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A report to the Mantua Town Council last week described the progress being made at Maple Springs Park, a park that is envisioned to serve as a centerpiece of outdoor recreation. The park, located in the Maple Springs Subdivision, has two main purposes: as a trailhead for the area’s biking trail system, as well as being a “winter wonderland” for town residents with a sledding/ tubing hill and an ice-skating rink. Keith Johnson, who developed the concept for the park and who is overseeing the design and development of the area, gave the report to the council. Johnson volunteers many...
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By any measure, it’s been a rough last several weeks for Drewes Floral owner Kelly Driscoll. In September Driscoll suffered a major heart attack, the type that most people don’t survive. But after emergency heart surgery which involved the placement of several stents, and even being diagnosed with COVID-19 while re- covering from that surgery, Driscoll did survive, returning home on Oct. 6 to a hero’s welcome as dozens of well-wishers lined Brigham City’s Main Street to show their support. The Brigham City community’s outpouring of love for one of their favorite adopted sons did not end there, with residents...
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Participating in citysponsored recreation programs is going to cost residents a bit more after the Brigham City Council approved several fee increases at Thursday’s meeting. Recreation Supervisor Mandy McClean told the council that the fee increases are necessary to cover increased costs to the city in providing recreational services. “Gym costs are increasing, umpire fees are increasing, and we’re seeing that every year,” McClean said. “The current fees that we’re working from haven’t been updated since 2018, and going into our 2023 season it’s starting to hurt us pretty bad.” Mayor DJ Bott told the council that in addition to...
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Norio Uyematsu has been a familiar face in the Southern California Japanese American veteran community for many years, but his high school years were spent at Box Elder High School, from where he graduated in 1948. Uyematsu, who now lives in Anaheim, California, will speak to the Brigham City Kiwanis Club today about a friendship that began in November of 1945—when Earl Anderson of Brigham City, Utah, offered an opportunity to Niroku Uyematsu, Norio’s father—and continues to this day. Norio’s father, Niroku Uyematsu, brought the family to Brigham City 77 years ago, after they lost everything they owned resulting from...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person(s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Kristy Ann Wolford DOB: 11/18/1989 Weight: 115 Height:. 5’6” Race: Caucasian Eyes: Hazel Hair: Blond Offense: Possession with Inten controlled Substance, 1st Degree Fel Child Exposure to Controlled Subs demeanor; Possession of controlled A Misdemeanor and other charge rants. Known to frequent the Bear Ri er City/Box El der County areas. Second District Court Judge Cristina Ortega and First District Court Judge Angela Fonnesbeck have issued warrants for her arrest. Jack Dillon Yoder DOB: 6/21/1999...
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Admissions to Brigham City’s municipal swimming pool were down slightly in 2022 versus 2021, but the current year saw modest increases in private party and shade structure rentals. The numbers were reported by Swimming Pool Supervisor Amber Moore in her annual report, delivered to the city council at Thursday’s meeting. According to Moore, the overall decrease in admissions, going from 35,899 to 32,859, was primarily related to weather. “We had a comparable season to previous years, with our drop for last year at about 3,040 people. That is mostly attributed to the fact that we did not open on Memorial...
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While it’s true that internet users in both Brigham City and Perry have access to some of the fastest speeds in the country, those users are still being heavily subsidized by city taxpayers, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. According to Perry City Recorder Shanna Johnson, the current remaining UTOPIA (Utah Telecommunications Open Infrastructure Agency) debt for Perry City is .75 million, after already having paid [post_excerpt].32 million since 2011. Perry City paid its UTOPIA bond payment of 6,075 in fiscal year 2022, which is scheduled to rise each year until 2040 when the payment...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team picked up a win on the road at Alta last Tuesday in the first round of the 5A state tournament before taking two losses on Thursday that ended their season. In the second round, the Bees were swept by top-ranked Bountiful, then bowed out of the tournament with loss to Skyline in the consolation bracket. The Bees found themselves on the road for a tournament match for the first time since the 5A classification was expanded to a 24-team tournament. But the team drew from all the adversity they faced and the experience...
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Heading into the 5A state tournament quarterfinal game against Box Elder High School, Lehi High School had completely dominated nearly every opponent they had faced so far this year, largely behind the arm of Pioneer quarterback Jackson Brousseau, who had put up gaudy numbers throughout the season. On the second play from scrimmage, it was clear Box Elder—the heavy underdogs coming into the game—were not going to be pushovers, when Cole Mortensen intercepted a pass from Brousseau. From that moment on, the Bees gave Lehi, the top-ranked team in the 5A classification, all they could handle. They intercepted Brousseau three...
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For the first time since 2006, the Box Elder High School football team has earned a spot in the quarterfinals of the state tournament after coming out on top of a fiercely-contested rematch against Provo last Friday. The game was close throughout. The teams were tied at 14 at the end of the first half, and it took until the opening moments of the fourth quarter for the tie to be broken, when Provo when ahead, 21-14. From there, Box Elder scored 10 unanswered points to secure the win, 24-21. Those 10 points came amid a flurry of crowd-wowing moments;...
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Braylon Majors celebrates a key defensive stop in Box Elder High School’s 24-21 win over Provo in the second round of the state tournament last Friday, punching the Bees’ ticket to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2006. The game was tightly contested from the opening whistle, and had more than one crowd-wowing moment, including big defensive plays, a diving touchdown, and desperation laterals in the game’s final seconds. See stories and photos on page 10.
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A 4.5 acre site within the Pointe Perry commercial subdivision that was reluctantly re-zoned in July of 2021 to accommodate a self-storage business was the subject of another zone change request at Thursday’s Perry City Council meeting, but this time the council was less amenable. The original zone change request, from interstate commercial to light manufacturing, was approved with the condition that building permits were to be obtained within one year of the zone change, and that retail space was to be built along the frontage. When that did not happen, the two parcels reverted back to interstate commercial zoning....
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A large crowd filled the parking lot at Members First Credit union in Brigham City on Saturday during a free holiday-themed community event. It was just one of several such events held throughout the area last week, all of which reported big crowds and betterthan expected turnout. In one example, the Bear River Valley Co-op anticipated a few hundred people showing up to its trunk-or-treat, but ended up running out of bags for popcorn, cups for hot chocolate, and when the candy ran out, they had to start taking it from the store’s shelves. The trunk-or-treaters at the event were...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved the partial re-zone of an 11.25- acre parcel along U.S. Highway 89 in southern Perry from neighborhood commercial to residential 1/3 acre. The zone change encompasses six acres of the parcel located at approximately 3700 South along Highway 89, with the applicant, White Rock LLC, wanting to match the same residential zoning as the remainder of the parcel, as well as adjacent parcels to the west, which they also own. “The council adopted a policy of not granting quarter-acre and thirdacre zones in order to encourage conservation subdivisions, however in this case I...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team wrapped up their regular season last Tuesday at Northridge, suffering a loss in straight sets to the Knights for the second time this season. But the Bees gave Northridge all they could handle and were competing hard for every point, going toe-to-toe with the fourth-ranked team in the 5A classification. The Bees had some chances late in every set, but just couldn’t find a way to come up with the right runs at the right times as the Knights took the win 26-24, 25-22, 25-22. The win moved the Knights to 24-5 on...
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The Willard City Council has approved a contract with Lewis Young Robertson and Burningham to conduct an impact fee study and recommendation to support the city’s parks. Under the contract, the firm will handle information gathering necessary to perform an impact fee analysis, including the study of current capacity and future needs, cost associated with those needs, ensure legal compliance with state regulations, conduct necessary public hearings and recommend a new impact fee schedule. The contract cost is ,280. “They’ve done a great job with our other impact fees,” said City Manager Chris Davis, “they’re the people who have done...
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A proposal allowing Willard City to apply for a conditional use permit from the county to mine gravel from a portion of city-owned land located behind, and adjacent to, the existing Wells gravel pit has been set for a public hearing on Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Willard City Hall. Gravel mining around Willard has been a contentious issue for years, with many residents vehemently opposed to any new mining operations being allowed in the area, citing health concerns from dust, public safety issues with heavy trucks, possible aquifer disturbances, and continued scarring on the once-picturesque slopes to the...
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In an effort to decide whether to continue to allow conditional use permits, or to pass specific land-use rules that spell out what types of businesses would or would not be allowed in certain zones, the Willard City Council on Thursday passed a six-month moratorium on issuing new conditional use permits. The issue follows a resident’s complaints in a previous meeting about an events center near their home, and accusations that the business has been violating the conditions of their operating permit. The business maintains it is, and has remained, in compliance. “The handbook from the Utah League of Cities...
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A 36-year-old Brigham City man is in the Box Elder County Jail without bail after leading Utah Highway Patrol troopers on a miles long chase that reached speeds of 125 miles per hour. The incident began at approximately 10:59 p.m. on Saturday when troopers were notified of a possible fight between a man and a woman at the Willard Flying J, with the male suspect possibly stabbing himself and others with a knife, and then driving away with a different female still in his car. According to a probable cause statement filed in First District Court, the suspect, identified as...
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A special Brigham City Council meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. for the council to consider extending the deadline for the city’s solar power customers to sign new agreements. The council had originally set the end of October as the deadline for solar customers to sign new agreements or be forced into an agreement that would pay less money for electricity generated by them and put back on the city’s grid. Solar customers contend that they already have legally binding net metering agreements with the city that offer a one to one credit for each...
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Following a public hearing, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday voted to close several seasonal mountain roads for the winter. The Dairy Valley Road off of State Road 38 near Collinston, the Willard Peak Road south of Mantua, the Rocky Dugway Road running southeast of Mantua Reservoir, and the Short Divide Road between Plymouth and Clarkston have been officially closed for 2022-23 winter season. All four roads have normally been closed through the winter for decades, but due to a change in state law passed by the legislature last year, rather than just voting to close seasonal roads, county...
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This sheep takes a moment to appreciate the flora on Saturday during the long annual trek from summer grazing land on the mountains above Mantua to the herd’s winter home in the West Desert. The reprieve didn’t last long, as the sheep was soon ushered back among its 2,400 herd mates as they made their way down 200 South on their route through Brigham City. See more photos of the annual migration on page 4.
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The Box Elder High School football team had an explosive first half against the Highland Rams last Friday, scoring 21 unanswered points in the first half before holding on to the win with an interception in the final minute of the game to advance in the 5A state tournament. While Box Elder’s running backs again did the bulk of the work—putting up 147 of the team’s 254 total yards—the Bees’ first two scores came through the air. With a little more than four minutes left in the first quarter, Box Elder quarterback Ryan Griffin found Mason Jeppsen from 21 yards...
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An effort to raise funds to create a turf field at Box Elder High School has brought about a joint effort by parents, players, coaches, the Box Elder School District Foundation and the community. Concerns about whether athletes at Box Elder High School have the same competitive advantages as other school athletes in Northern Utah is the driving force to start the fundraising campaign to purchase a turf field. “Acquiring a turf field would create equality and give all of our athletes an opportunity to thrive. It will give our soccer and lacrosse teams better times to have games because...
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A meet-the-candidates breakfast on Oct. 13 organized by the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce drew few candidates and none of their opponents. Republican Senator Mike Lee’s campaign sent a recorded video in which Lee criticized the U.S. Congress for delegating their lawmaking responsibilities to un-elected bureaucrats, blamed record deficit spending and the inflation that accompanied it on the Biden administration and congressional Democrats, and alluded that his opponent, Independent Evan McMullin, would be another vote for Democrats. The McMullin campaign was not represented. In the race for U.S. House District 1, Democrat Rick Edwin Jones from West Haven offered a...
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A fishtailing double trailer caused a driver to lose control of his pickup on Friday, injuring two passengers as the truck and both trailers rolled down an embankment in Dry Canyon north of Mantua. According to Lt. Bryce Kohler of the Utah Highway Patrol, the single-vehicle accident happened at approximately 2:13 p.m. on Oct. 21 near milepost 8 on southbound U.S. Highway 89/91. “A three-quarter ton pickup was towing a 23 foot camper trailer with a 10 foot ATV trailer driven by a 79-year-old male,” said Kohler. “The rear trailer started to sway and he lost control. After jackknifing the...
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In each of the last two years, the number of clients seeking assistance through Bear River Mental Health has increased 13%, according to a report given to the Box Elder County Commission last Wednesday, Oct. 19. “That’s a 27% increase in two years without a 27% increase in staff,” said Beth Smith, chief executive officer of Bear River Mental Health (BRMH), who appeared before the commission to present the agency’s 2023 area plan, as required by state statute. “Our staff works very hard, and I think they’re doing a really good job.” To illustrate this, Smith shared results of client...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a 5,788 amendment to the fiscal year 2022-23 budget in order to fund three additional firefighter/paramedics for the city’s fire department. The amendment came following a presentation given by Fire Chief Brandon Thueson at the last city council meeting, wherein he made a case that the department simply didn’t have enough staff to handle current run rates without calling back off-duty firefighters to the station on a daily basis. “The reason for this amendment is to add additional paramedics into the fire department EMS [emergency medical services] budget,” said the city’s financial director,...
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Cooper Stevenson goes airborne to celebrate teammate Cole Mortensen’s 75-yard punt return that put Box Elder High School up 21-0 against Highland in the first round of the state playoffs last Friday. Stevenson supplied some of his own heroics in the game when he pulled down an interception that secured the Bees’ win. See more photos and story on page 8.
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team couldn’t capitalize on their lone opportunity last week to improve their standing before the state tournament starts next week as the team fell to top-ranked Bountiful in straight sets last Thursday night in Brigham City. In spite of knowing they had an uphill battle in front of them, spirits were high in the gym during warmups and that energy heightened when the five seniors on this year’s team were honored and recognized for their time and effort put in before the match. That energy quickly faded once play began as the Redhawks proved...
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As many municipalities have put requirements or outright prohibitions on the use of bounce houses and inflatable toys at the urging of municipal insurance company, Utah Local Governments Trust, the Mantua Town Council last week heard a presentation about the safety of such amusements. Dave Gordon from Adventure Zone told the council he has more than 20 years in the amusement ride industry and pointed out that the state of Utah does not have any safety requirements or regulations for bounce house or inflatable amusement companies, even though injuries happen on a regular basis, especially if the attractions are not...
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Cortney Gregory of Northern Utah Habitat for Humanity appeared before the Brigham City Couuncil on Thursday to announce that a fundraiser for the group will be held Nov. 18. Habitat For Humanity uses donated money, materials and labor to construct homes at costs well below market value, and then finances those homes with interest-free loans for families who need them. Qualified applicants must show an ability to pay the loan installments, have incomes between 30 and 60 percent of median pay for an area, and show a willingness to partner with Habitat For Humanity in providing ‘sweat equity’ by helping...
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In appearances before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday and the Brigham City Council on Thursday, Megan Tala- mantez of the New Hope Crisis Center shared some sobering statistics with local officials, and asked them to declare October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. From July of 2021 through June of 2022, Talamantez reported that New Hope responded to 3,994 crisis calls, serving 524 women, 71 children and 219 men who have been impacted by domestic violence, child abuse, stalking or dating violence in Box Elder County. “Our staff provided assistance to 49 victims of sexual assault, seven victims of...
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A Deweyville man was able to escape without injury on Wednesday afternoon when his pickup truck was struck by a train. According to Chief Deputy Cade Palmer of the Box Elder Sheriff’s Department, at approximately 2:34 p.m. the 42-year-old man was attempting to cross the railroad tracks at 118000 North and 3400 West while hauling a utility trailer. “While beginning to cross the train tracks the driver noticed a train heading southbound,” said Palmer. “The driver stopped the vehicle partially on the tracks, then attempted to reverse off of the tracks but was too slow.” The train, traveling at an...
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The future Orchards subdivision in South Willard is a step closer to obtaining Willard City sewer services after Willard and the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) approved an agreement allowing Willard City to place pipes under UTA’s land adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The Orchards, which will feature 106 single-family homes, eight 6-plexes, ten five-plexes, seven 4-plexes, four 4-plexes, four 3-plexes and six duplexes on 70 acres, is being constructed in Box Elder County’s Master Planned Community (MPC) zone, in spite of attempts by the Box Elder Planning Commission to deny the project. In January of 2022 the planning...
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A proposed 165-unit apartment complex is in the works to replace the old Shopko building in Brigham City. The Brigham City Council was given a preview of the plans for the property at Thursday’s regular meeting, and the council approved the creation of a new planned zoning district as well as a zone change request for the property, which is required before the construction of residential units would be allowed on that portion of Main Street. “The [current] zoning is general commercial, as well as most of the entire corridor of Main Street, so this will be a little unique;...
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Members of the Brigham City Fire Department appeared at a work session of the Brigham City Council on Thursday to once again share concerns that the department is under-staffed, saying that if the issue is not addressed it would adversely impact public safety in Brigham City and surrounding communities. In July, the council was presented with the results of a nine-month study conducted by consulting firm AP Triton that recommended adding administrative staff and raising the number of firefighters from 15 to a bare minimum of 21, as well as other goals such as revising and standardizing physical agility tests...
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A Woods Cross defender falls on a fumbled ball at the end of last week’s game at Box Elder. The Bees had four costly turnovers in the game that resulted in four of the Wildcats’ five touchdowns See story on page 11.
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A new landscaping supply company may soon be operating on unincorporated county land near the Brigham City airport after the Box Elder County Commission approved a zone change request at their Sept. 20 meeting. The re-zoned 55.4-acre parcel, which is part of a 92-acre parcel, is located just north of the Brigham City limit at approximately 1650 North and 2400 West, accessible from 2400 West heading north off of State Road 13. The property owner, Shand Hardy, had originally requested that all 92 acres of the existing parcel, which straddles both sides of 2400 West, be re-zoned for commercial purposes,...
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Election to decide controversial, hotly contested fights for U.S. Senate, Utah House seats With the Nov. 8 general election fast approaching, and ballots set to be mailed out in less than two weeks, undecided Box Elder County voters don’t have a lot of time left to make up their minds regarding candidates and issues. Several of the local races have already been decided due to a lack of opposition party candidates. Republican State Senator Scott Sandall is running unopposed, as are Republican candidate for Utah House District 6 Mathew Gwynn, Republican candidate Lee Perry for Box Elder County Commission Seat...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team knew at the beginning of the week they’d have their work cut out for them as they faced what could be considered their toughest week of the season with matches against the top-ranked Bountiful, and fourth-place Northridge. The Bees on Tuesday were out-gunned by the Redhawks right from the opening whistle as the undefeated region leaders made quick work of the visiting Bees in straight sets, 25-10, 25-12, 25-13. After the match, Bees’ head coach Kristine Harding said, “We didn’t play to our potential tonight. Obviously we knew we had a tough opponent...
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Four costly turnovers by the Box Elder High School football team gave Woods Cross enough short fields to make the difference as the Bees were upended last Friday, 35-21. All of the touchdowns by the Wildcats came from inside 10 yards, but four of their five touchdowns came right after a turnover by the Bees. The Wildcats picked up their fifth win of the season and sent the Bees to their third loss, including their second- straight in Region 5 play. Wildcats’ senior wideout, Josh Bennion, opened the scoring when he caught a pass from fellow senior Bradley Bailey from...
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The only suspect in the 2019 murder of a Bothwell woman has been restored to competency and will stand trial in Brigham City. Jose Gutierrez-Torres, 44, is charged with the March 3, 2019, stabbing death of 53-year-old Maria De Jesus Cervantes in the Bothwell home the two shared. In November of 2019 Gutierrez Torres was deemed incompetent to stand trial after a mental evaluation was ordered by the Judge Brandon Maynard of Brigham City’s First District Court. Utah law states that in order to be considered mentally competent, a defendant must have the ability to engage in the defense process....
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The ongoing dispute between Brigham City officials and the city’s existing solar power customers has entered the legal realm, with solar customers retaining a lawyer who spelled out the customers’ position in a letter sent to City Attorney Michael Christensen. The 11-page letter, composed by Salt Lake attorney Michael Bostwick, basically tells Christensen that his clients still have valid and legally binding contracts with Brigham City, and that the city’s attempts, beginning last May, to alter or replace those contracts without the consent of his clients is a breach of the contracts. The original net-metering agreements signed by Brigham City...
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A Washington state man has died, and his female passenger was injured, after the motor home he was driving drifted from northbound I-15 early Friday afternoon. The accident happened shortly before 1 p.m. near mile marker 378 in the Tremonton area. According to Sgt. Arik Beesley of the Utah Highway Patrol. For an as-yet unknown reason, the motor home left the freeway on the east side, went through a fence, clipped some trees and then rolled down an embankment, tearing the cab roof of the vehicle off in the process. “The driver and passenger were both taken to the local...
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In a game that some thought would serve as the unofficial coronation of the eventual Region 5 champion between the only two unbeaten teams in the region, a few mistakes made all the difference as Box Elder High School lost a one-point contest to Bountiful, 13-14. “In a one-point game there are a lot of individual plays that we can point to as the reason [for the loss],” wrote head coach Robbie Gunter in an email. Some are bigger and more glaring than others, however. Twice in the game, the Bees had the ball on Bountiful’s one-yard line, when false...
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September is National Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness Month, and one Brigham City family is sharing their story as they make preparations to commemorate the milestone of 100 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after a battle for survival for both mother and baby. While there are still many milestones to come before bringing their new son home, Mandy and Mat Ellis, are looking forward to celebrating their first 100 days with Maverick who is currently residing at Primary Children’s Hospital’s NICU. Maverick’s older siblings have yet to be able to meet their new brother, but they are just...
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Perry Mayor Kevin Jeppsen made a statement during Thursday’s city council meeting that there was no conflict with Willard City and its intentions to provide sewer service to a proposed subdivision in South Willard. During the Sept. 7 Box Elder County Commission meeting, County Attorney Stephen Hadfield cautioned the commissioners about approving a rezone request for The Orchards development that would change the property to a master planned community zone because of a dispute brewing between the two communities. Hadfield said at the commission meeting, “It’s been brought to the county’s attention by Perry City, that sewer is jointly owned...
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Perry City unanimously approved on Thursday increases to the fees charged for various services offered by the city’s police department. The new higher fees will cover records requests and other incidental services such as fingerprinting and dog licensing, as well as penalties for code violations and parking infractions. “We’ve been getting a ton of records requests lately,”said Police Chief Scott Hancey, addressing the mayor and council. “We’re noticing it’s getting kind of pricey, we’re losing a good bit of money, so we’re looking to at least cover our expenses and to simplify things a little bit. It’s been a while...
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After applying for a FEMA grant to replace aging air packs and being rejected for the last 15 years in a row, Fire Chief Van Mund announced on Thursday that the Willard City Fire Department received news on Friday that their application had been approved. The 1,085 grant to purchase the air packs will require matching funds of either 5% or 10% from the city, but it will allow the city’s emergency services the continued ability to lift heavy objects such as cars by inflating a bag underneath the object. Following the announcement by Mund at the council meeting, the...
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A city ordinance that would prohibit the feeding of wild turkeys has been set for a public hearing on October 13 during the regular city council meeting. The ordinance in its current form would prohibit the feeding of the birds, and provide for penalties after a warning had been issued. The wild turkey population in Willard has become a concern, with several residents appearing before the council earlier this month to complain about property damage caused by the large birds. The city is also working with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on plans to reduce the turkey population, whether...
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RV parks and vacation rentals in Willard City will need to begin collecting a 1% tax for the city on nightly fees charged for stays up to 30 days, after the Willard City Council approved the adoption of a transient room tax on Thursday. The question of whether the city can charge the tax on overnight stays at Willard Bay State Park remains to be seen, however, as the city is unsure whether a municipality can require a state agency to collect a municipal tax. “This would apply to places like RV parks, either hotels or motels, air BnBs and...
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott appeared with Brigham City Assistant Fire Chief Mike Young at Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting to express appreciation to the Willard Fire Department for all the support Brigham City has received from Willard’s department through the years. “I just want to acknowledge and express our appreciation to Willard, and the cooperation that we’ve had, basically multi-generational, in emergency services,” said Bott before turning the time over to Young. “We just wanted to present [Willard fire chief] Mund with recognition,” said Young. Reading from a plaque they would present to Mund, Young continued. “To the Willard...
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The afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 21, was a busy one for local Utah Highway Patrol troopers, who responded to five different accidents all within minutes of the others. Two crashes on southbound I-15, one near mile marker 367, and the other near mile marker 372 began the string of accidents at approximately 2:20 p.m. While troopers were responding to those crashes, a third occurred between two semi trucks on I-84. And then, due to the traffic backup caused by the first two I-15 accidents, two more southbound I-15 accidents occurred. Only one of the I-15 accidents caused minor injuries. One...
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The findings of an independent financial audit of Box Elder County for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2021, were released last week, highlighting some serious issues found with the county’s accounting practices, while ultimately concluding that no fraudulent activity had occurred. According to Kolton Bragger with the accounting firm Wiggins & Company, the issues found in the audit were primarily due to a lack of adequate staff in the county auditor’s office; lack of cross-training among staff members to handle issues outside of their normal functions; the loss of key personnel with years of institutional knowledge; new accounting software...
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On Thursday the Utah Supreme Court denied an emergency ruling request from candidate Josh Hardy and the Utah Democratic Party to remove former House District 1 Representative Joel Ferry from the November ballot. Ferry resigned his legislative seat in August, and has now been confirmed as the new director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Ferry was nominated for the position by Governor Spencer Cox in June, and has been serving as the interim director since July. Because Ferry, who is still the Republican nominee for the House seat, cannot simultaneously hold a position in the Governor’s cabinet and...
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A leader in Brigham City’s business community and advocate for historic downtown, Kelly Driscoll, is still in the hospital recovering from a serious heart attack. Driscoll had just finished ensuring another year of the Peach Days Harley and Custom Bike Show went off without a hitch, all the while managing homecoming and funeral orders for flowers through Drewes Floral. Additionally, what few knew prior to this incident was that he was far along in the process of creating a fundraiser to get a custom mural painted in downtown Brigham City. The community’s response to news was shock, followed quickly by...
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On Tuesday, Sept. 20, Republican delegates from Box Elder and Cache counties gathered at Utah State University’s Brigham City campus and selected Brigham City Councilmember Tom Peterson to complete the remaining term of Utah House District 1 Representative Joel Ferry, which ends on Dec. 31. Ferry resigned from his legislative seat in August after being chosen by Governor Spencer Cox to head up the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Under Utah law, the decision for filling a vacancy in the legislature falls to the political party of which the departing representative was a member. Peterson was one of four Republican...
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As the irrigation season winds down, the state’s reservoirs are near the same level as they were this time last year. Reservoir levels started the season much lower, which means Utahns have drawn less water from our reservoirs when compared to last year. “The efforts that the legislature, residents and municipalities have made are working,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “This helps us keep water in our reservoirs for future years.” Communities across the state are responding to proactive community outreach and education for the need to conserve water. “Water usage did increase during the...
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Box Elder High School’s long-time and recently retired athletic director, Kim Peterson, was honored as the 2022 homecoming dedicatee at Friday’s football game. Peterson left behind a storied legacy in education and athletics when he retired this year. In all, he spent 45 years teaching and coaching, 35 of which were at Box Elder High School, and 27 of those as athletic director. Peterson grew up on a dairy farm in Marion, Utah, at the base of the Uintah mountains in the Kamas Valley. He developed a solid work ethic on the farm that still continues to this day. As...
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A federal judge has denied a request by the Utah Democratic Party and Utah House District 1 candidate Joshua Hardy to issue a preliminary injunction to remove former representative and current Republican candidate Joel Ferry from the ballot while the case is adjudicated. Ferry, who resigned his House District 1 legislative position last month after receiving a favorable recommendation from a Utah Senate committee to become the new executive director of the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), is still on the ballot and the Republican nominee for his former seat, even though he would be unable to fill the...
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The Box Elder High School football team celebrates their homecoming victory over Viewmont last Friday. The Bees’ offense provided plenty of fireworks for the big game with a lot of scoring and explosive plays in the 55-31 win. See story on page 8.
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Brigham City officials have received reports of scammers sending residents fake emails offering rebates from Brigham City Power. “Our records indicate that you have not made a claim to your pending Brigham City power rebates. Please confirm your profile and submit by (date) to see if you are eligible,” the email reads. People are then directed to a page where they are supposed to submit personal information, which can be used by scammers to steal identities or hack into personal accounts. “This is a scam and has nothing to do with Brigham City or Brigham City Power,” announced the city...
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A photo of the 2022 Peach Queen Royalty in last week’s edition omitted names of the winners. We regret the error.
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The Make-A-Wish of Utah organization got a big boost in its efforts to brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families thanks to the dedication of the Brigham City Kiwanis Club in its mission of “improving the world one child and one community at a time.” At a meeting earlier this month, the Club presented officials from Make-A-Wish with a ,000 donation, thanks to what club officials claimed was one of the biggest—if not the biggest— fundraising efforts of the club to date. At first, officials set a goal of ,000 for their annual golf tournament, but after...
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott and members of the city council are planning on holding a series of town hall-style meeting with residents to hear their concerns and discuss issues facing the city. “This is not mandatory for anybody,” said Bott, speaking to the council at Thursday’s meeting. “The mayor is probably going to do...two each year.” Bott suggested that if council members wanted to participate in their own separate meetings they could pair up, thereby reaching more residents without triggering Utah’s open public meeting regulations requiring posted notices, agendas and minutes. “That way we wouldn’t have any open meeting...
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Mantua Town officials claimed in a meeting last week that they were misrepresented in an article published Sept. 14 in the Box Elder News Journal. At the town council meeting on Sept. 15, Mayor Terry Nelson and Councilmember Karen Nelson said the article, “County wants Mantua to fix parking on Willard Peak Road in exchange for help with speeding,” misrepresented them in their meeting with the Box Elder County Commission. The Nelsons felt the article wrongly portrayed that they attended the Box Elder County Commission meeting to strike a deal to opening the parking lot at the south end of...
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The Procter & Gamble manufacturing plant in Bear River City will soon begin delivering manufacturing wastewater to the Box Elder County Landfill after a contract was approved at the Sept. 7 Box Elder County Commission meeting. The company will pay the county for wastewater disposal, which the county will turn around and evaporate into ground cover fill for use at the landfill. “It’s going to be a great thing for our county, a great thing for the landfill, a great thing for Procter & Gamble, a huge environmental plus; this is the best thing we could hope for, for a...
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Ownership for the planned Brigham Crossing mixed-use commercial and residential subdivision on 1100 South west of the Walmart property has changed hands again, with the Brigham City Council, in their role as the redevelopment agency on Thursday assigning the participation agreement to the new owners, while extending the deadline for the project to begin. The project has actually been in process since 2009, with the city approving the Upland Square mixed-use development for the area. That original approval was never acted upon, however, and the land was acquired by Ryan and Jacalyn Wilde in 2014. The Wildes revived the project,...
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With seven touchdowns and 510 total yards, the Box Elder High School football team’s offense supplied plenty of fireworks last Friday for a large homecoming crowd as the Bees upended region foe Viewmont, 55-31. Box Elder’s Cole Mortensen, Easton White, and Mason Jeppsen each scored two touchdowns as the Bees racked up a staggering 682 all-purpose yards in the win. White and Daxton Sumko combined for 272 yards rushing, with both putting up more than 100 yards each. But the Bees weren’t just about quantity in the game. They also brought plenty of quality in the form of crowd-pleasing big...
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A disagreement between Willard and Perry— two communities that jointly run a sewer system—may derail a planned development set to go up in South Willard. The Orchards, a development that received special consideration and approval from the Box Elder County Commission, is facing a permission dispute for hooking up to the sewer system. The Box Elder Planning Commission denied a text amendment requested by the developer in January that dropped the minimum acreage requirement for a master planned community (MPC) zone from 100 acres to 50 acres, if the development in question would be serviced by a municipal sewer. The...
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The Utah Democratic Party has filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to remove Republican nominee Joel Ferry from the ballot for the District 1 Utah House of Representatives. Ferry, who has served Box Elder and Cache counties in the state legislature since 2019, was appointed to head the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by Governor Spencer Cox in June. Although functioning as the active DNR director since that time, Ferry did not resign his legislative position until Aug. 26, when his nomination received a favorable recommendation from the Utah Senate confirmation committee. Ferry still remains only one of...
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The annual Peach Days Celebration drew enormous crowds, seemingly surpassing any pre-Covid attendance numbers. Food booths reported having long lines throughout the entirety of the two-day celebration. The car show reported a record number of 1,158 cars registered and several more that were not officially registered by Saturday afternoon. Motorcycle show organizers also reported a record number of bikes, and the beard competition also brought in a whopping 54 entries. According to Box Elder Chamber of Commerce Director Monica Holdaway, it was a “record breaking” year for the annual celebration. Despite the huge crowds and participation, everything went smoothly. “The...
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After discussions with the developer during Thursday’s city council meeting, Willard City eventually approved both the development and water agreements for a planned 268-home subdivision recently annexed into the city. The annexation of the 143-acres where the subdivision will be constructed created an “island” of Willard City inside unincorporated South Willard, separated from the contiguous city limit by four parcels of land south of the city. The new part of Willard will be located on the west side of U.S. Highway 89, beginning at approximately 6868 South and extending to 7290 South. While there are still contingencies to be worked...
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A request from Mantua officials to have Box Elder County provide traffic calming devices may open the way for a resolution to parking issues along Willard Peak Road. In September of 2020 Mantua officials disallowed parking in an area on the south side of town that was heavily used by snowmobilers and other recreationists to load and unload their vehicles. That decision caused those seeking to access the forest to park to the side of Willard Peak Road, in many cases blocking homeowner access and causing traffic and space issues that have yet to be fully resolved. In July, Mantua...
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Willard residents will pay a little more to license their dogs after the city council on Thursday approved a fee increase. Yearly license fees for each spayed or neutered dog will rise from to , with fees for un-spayed or un-neutered dogs going from to . The city council did carve out a fee discount for senior citizen dog owners aged 65 or older. The proposal passed the council unanimously.
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team lost in straight sets against Green Canyon last week before playing six matches over in a weekend tournament at Ridgeline High School in Millville. At the tournament, the Bees gained some confidence as they grabbed four wins over two days. On Wednesday, the Wolves came out swinging early and never let up as they cruised to a dominant victory over the Bees, 5-9, 25-15, 25-11. Despite the loss, the Bees appeared to keep their fighting spirit alive and turned their grit and determination into success at the tournament, recording wins over Roy, Murray...
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Junior quarterback Ryan Griffin threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as the Box Elder High School football team upended Northridge 25-13 last Friday in the region opener for both teams. Big plays were the difference makers for both sides as Griffin connected with receiver Cole Mortensen twice in a two-minute stretch just before the halftime break. Griffin first found Mortensen for a 53-yard touchdown, and the Bees’ defense then forced the Knights to punt with enough time left in the half to again find Mortensen, this time for a 63-yard score and an 18-7 halftime lead. Mortensen led...
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The yearly financial audit performed on county finances by accounting firm Wiggins & Company is running into unforeseen issues this year, prompting the company to ask the county for both an extension on the completion date, and an hourly rate on top of the contract. According to a letter the accounting firm wrote to the commissioners, the bid of ,500 was based upon certain assumptions, including “cooperation from your personnel” and that there would be no “unexpected” issues. “[The bid] did not include the additional time we have incurred for accounts not being reconciled or assistance with preparation of the...
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Due to a conflict with a Utah Association of Counties conference, the scheduled Nov. 21, Box Elder County Commission meeting has been rescheduled to Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. The canvass for the Nov. 8 general election will also be held during that meeting on Nov. 22. The Sept. 21 meeting has been rescheduled to Sept. 20 at 10 a.m. due to scheduling conflicts among the commissioners.
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As part of its efforts to shore up city revenues, Willard City is considering establishing a transient lodging tax on RV lots, as well as other short-term rentals. The state of Utah allows a municipality to implement up to a 1% tax on overnight stays within its borders. Willard City Manager Chris Davis has been tasked with following up with the Utah State Tax Commission to find out whether the city has the authority to assess those taxes on overnight stays at Willard Bay State Park, which is located within the city’s borders. Davis will also be investigating if Willard...
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A Sunday morning fire in Park Valley resulted in the total loss of a home, but no injuries to any people. According to the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department, a call came in to dispatch at approximately 10:12 a.m. on Sept. 4 reporting a residential structure fire. When fire crews from Park Valley arrived on scene they found visible flames coming from the home. Park Valley units were soon joined by firefighters from Snowville, Grouse Creek and Box Elder County, with firefighters managing to keep underground propane tanks from exploding while the house burned. At first it was feared that...
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In what amounts to a housekeeping budget amendment, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved moving ,000 it had budgeted in the previous year for police radios into the current fiscal year, to pay for additional police radios. “In previous years’ budgets the city had actually budgeted ,000 for in-car radios. That was going to be part of a match for a grant that the city was planning to receive,” said the city’s financial director, Tom Kotter. “We were awarded that grant and it was fully funded, so there was no match required. So what happened was that ,000 rolled...
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On a trial basis during the 2022-23 waterfowl hunt season, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge and Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge are changing how reservations are made for hunt blinds. The current reservation process has become increasingly challenging and lengthy with limited staffing capacity. Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is changing to an online reservation system using Recreation.gov to increase efficiency and customer service. Hunt blind access will remain the same, one all-hunter blind and one ADA-accessible blind. Hunters will be able to access the most current and up-todate information by looking at the availability calendar, there will be no...
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It was a week of tough lessons for the Box Elder High School volleyball team as the Bees were swept in two straight home matches last week against Ridgeline and Sky View. On Tuesday, Aug. 30, the Riverhawks seemed to get stronger as the match wore on. The Bees couldn’t find an answer and lost the match, 25-18, 25-21, 25-15. On Thursday, things didn’t get any easier for the Bees as Skyview came out firing from the opening whistle on their way to their 11th straight win with a 25-13, 25-22, 25-10 victory. Talking about the match with the Bobcats,...
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With a defense that seemed to find their way into the backfield at will, the Box Elder High School football team beat Bear River 29-13 last Friday to claim the Golden Spike trophy for the second consecutive year. Led by lineman Tallin Chapell with six tackles— including two and a half sacks and another tackle behind the line—Box Elder’s defense limited the Bears to just 12 rushing yards and 165 yards of total offense. In all, the Bees recorded nine tackles for loss, five of which were quarterback sacks. The defense’s showing did not go unnoticed. “Offensively, I don’t think...
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As is tradition, officials from the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce and the reigning Peach Queen, Hailey Crabb (center left), visited with Governor Spencer Cox (center right) last week to tell him about this year’s celebration and present him with a basket full of peaches and other peach goodies. Accompanying her were members of the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce: Malone Molgard, Kim Reeder, Chamber Director Monica Holdaway, Joan Hammer, and Cortney Gregory; and Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott. See this week’s edition for the Peach Days magazine and Peach Days Baby contest entries.
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A 24-year-old Tremonton man is being held without bail at the Box Elder County Jail after allegedly shooting and seriously wounding two Box Elder County men the night of Aug. 31. Richard Matthew Barlow has been formally charged by the Box Elder County Attorney with three first-degree felony counts of discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, and one Class B misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon, following an incident that took place at the former La-Z-Boy parking lot, 400 West 1000 North in Tremonton, at approximately 9:43 p.m. on Wednesday. According to a probable cause statement filed...
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The debut launch of America’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket has been delayed twice now due to an engine bleed malfunction and two separate leaks found in separate areas of the launch vehicle. The first scheduled launch on Aug. 29 was canceled when NASA engineers found they couldn’t cool one of the four liquid propellant engines to sufficient temperatures for liftoff. “Once we got through the propellant loading on the rocket, both on core stage and the upper stage, they started the engine bleed,” said Artemis Manager Michael Sarafin. “We talked in our flight readiness review about the engine bleed....
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Saying he wanted to come up with a “fair compromise” for solar customers accustomed to receiving a one-to-one credit for power they put into the city’s grid, Brigham City Councilmember Alden Farr was successful in urging the council to extend from 10 to 15 years a grandfather clause approved at the last city council meeting. The original net-metering contracts signed by Brigham City solar customers stated that “if the energy supplied by Customer- Generator to Brigham City is greater than the energy supplied by Brigham City, Customer-Generator shall be billed for the appropriate monthly charges and shall be credited for...
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A semi hauling cars on northbound U.S. Highway 89/91 near Michelle Drive in Brigham City, had a car burst into flames early on Wednesday morning, destroying four of six cars and setting the hillside on fire. According to a press release by the Brigham City Fire Department, the blaze began as the semi was making its ascent into Box Elder Canyon at 4:21 a.m. on Aug. 31. “Upon the arrival of fire crews at 4:25 a.m. a semi-truck pulling a car hauler, was found to be on fire, with fire spreading from the roadway up the hillside in the heavy...
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Willard Mayor Travis Mote has announced that this year’s city service project will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 9 a.m. at the Willard Nature Park. Residents who want to help improve the safety and appearance of the park are welcome to participate. Work will include removing stumps, spreading wood chips and cleaning up brush and vegetation from the trails leading from the park. “The goal is to work from nine to noon,” said Mote at Thursday’s city council meeting. “We’ve probably got projects that could fill up a day for people, but I think the goal is to...
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The Box Elder High School football dominated on both sides of the ball last Friday as the Bees blanked Mountain Crest, 27-0. Heading into last Friday’s game, the Mustangs hadn’t allowed a touchdown in either of their first two games. The Bees broke that streak in the first quarter when junior quarterback Ryan Griffin found a wide open Mason Jeppsen streaking down the field. Once Jeppsen had the ball in his hands, there was no stopping him and he went 81 yards for the opening score of the game. The long touchdown catch propelled Jeppsen into the top receiver spot...
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Developers building subdivisions in Perry City now have a few more hoops to jump through, but also gained some protections that didn’t exist before, after the city council approved several revisions to city code on Thursday. To ease the burden on developers when a subcontractor damages city property, the council expanded possible exemptions for developer warranties from just sidewalks to also include curb and gutter, meter lids and other infrastructure improvements, and place responsibility on the subcontractor rather than the developer. Currently developers are required to provide a oneyear warranty on the work at a subdivision, but the change allows...
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Without taking a formal vote, the Willard City Council on Thursday again suggested that Dr. Mark Mackley look to Perry City to provide sewer service to his proposed 44 townhouse development in southern Perry. Mackley’s development is being proposed to go in just across the border from Willard, in an area of Perry that hasn’t been built-out for sewer. He first approached the Willard Council in 2019, but was told that it would be too difficult to collect sewer fees from residents outside of the city without the ability to shut off water. Those same concerns were cited this time...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team will have plenty of talking points after a busy weekend, getting in six matches at the Servin’ Up Northside Tournament hosted by Sky View High School last week. The Bees went 4-2 with losses to Ogden and Idaho’s Owyhee High School, and wins over Cyprus, Kearns, Clearfield, and Hillcrest High School from Idaho. On Friday, the Bees secured a straight-set win over the Pirates from Cyprus before falling to Ogden in straight sets. The team finished their day with an intense match against the Owyhee Storm from Meridian, Idaho. Each team took a...
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There’s trouble in Willard City, with a capital “T” and that stands for “Turkey.” Several Willard residents attended Thursday’s city council meeting to address the growing number of wild turkeys taking up residence in the city, destroying property and possibly spreading disease. “They seem to wander around and not be super intrusive to a lot of us, but there are a few houses they seem to roost on at night, and hammer those guys,” said Mayor Travis Mote. He noted that many of the residents have been working with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to try and trap...
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The 2022 Box Elder County Fair concluded with a heart-pounding, anxiety-inducing performance by professional bull jumper, Manu Lataste at the end of the Golden Spike Rodeo on Saturday. Letaste’s bullfighting is a mix between French bullfighting and Spanish bull jumping. Lataste’s show is essentially him and an aggressive more than half-ton bull that he avoids hits with leaping, twisting somersaults. See more photos from the fair on page 4.
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved a slightly scaled-back property tax increase, dropping from 25.5% to 18%, following public outcry against the measure, which is the city’s fourth tax increase in four years. Instead of generating [post_excerpt].14 million in revenue, the adopted tax rate of 0.002045 will generate [post_excerpt].07 million, which is still 3,585 more than last year, and fully funds spending plans in the 2022- 23 budget. The main difference between the previously proposed tax rate and the one that was approved will be less money going toward the city’s fund balance, dropping from 4,795 to ,634. During...
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Saving space along the Peach Days parade route is strictly prohibited until approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8. City staff will place signs on Main Street indicating that the area is “Closed for Maintenance.” Anything placed along the route in those areas with a sign will be removed and disposed of. Even after the signs are removed, no staking or ropes are allowed in the public right of way. The sidewalk areas between 300 and 400 South on both the east and west side of Main Street will be blocked to public use from Thursday through Saturday. For more...
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Brigham City’s compost, green waste and recycling facility will be closed due to the Peach Days celebration beginning at noon on Friday, Sept. 9, and all day on Saturday, Sept. 10. For more information, call Brigham City Public Works at 435-734-6615.
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The Willard City Council on Thursday gave its approval on the annexation of 143 acres of property located in unincorporated South Willard, with conditions that separate development and water agreements acceptable to the city also be approved before the annexation becomes legal. The annexation area is separated from the Willard City limits by four parcels, creating an island—a part of Willard City that would not be adjacent to the rest of the city—on the west side of U.S. Highway 89 beginning at approximately 6868 South and extending to 7290 South. The developer, Willard Land LLC, intends to construct 264 single...
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So far this year, Utahns have saved billions of gallons—again—programs such as Flip your Strip across all agencies have seen a 200% increase in applications when compared to last year and many municipalities have passed ordinances that will conserve water. Due to the ongoing drought conditions, water conservation is a top priority for the state. “Efforts to advance water conservation are having a significant impact on our ability to stretch the water supply,” said Joel Ferry, acting executive director of the Department of Natural Resources. “Utah communities are responding by implementing waterwise ordinances, and residents are turning off their sprinklers...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team got their season off to a great start last week, topping Bear River in straight sets last Tuesday in Brigham City. While the Bees and Bears share a fierce rivalry across many sports, the Bees volleyball team has held a distinct advantage over their cross-county foes and has won every match the two have played since at least 2008. The Bears battled and showed many reasons why their team is hopeful to be able to improve on their 8-21 mark from a season ago, but weren’t ever able to completely close the game...
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After serving residents of Box Elder County in emergency fire services at one position or another for the last 37 years, Box Elder County Fire Marshal Corey Barton has stepped down. Barton’s last day as fire marshal was Friday, where he was honored by friends, county officials and coworkers at a reception held in his honor at the Box Elder County Fire Department office in Brigham City. Holding true to Barton’s character, there were no speeches or honors given, just a lot of handshakes, hugs, slaps on the back, and yes, a few tears. “It’s sad,” said Tiffine Jensen, the...
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With little debate but an abundance of anguish, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a 2022- 2023 general fund budget of ,181,371, which includes a 17.1% hike in property taxes, the fourth tax increase in as many years. Following a Truth in Taxation public hearing held the previous Thursday that garnered nearly unanimous opposition from the public, council members took some time to explain why they felt the latest tax increase, which will net the city approximately 4,000 in additional tax revenue, was necessary. “I will be voting to accept the budget as it’s currently presented,” said Councilmember Robin Troxell. “I...
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Current solar power customers in Brigham City will get a 10-year reprieve from a change adopted in May to the way the city credits excess energy produced by solar customers. The decision came following a 30-minute work session on Thursday during which Brigham City Attorney Michael Christiansen gave his opinion that the city was not in breach of contracts held by solar customers when it changed how solar energy credits are paid out earlier this year. The council then voted to restore—or nearly so—what the council felt the intent of the original contracts were: a one-to-one trade for energy put...
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At a time when many municipalities are increasing fees and costs, the Mantua Town Council opted to spare residents a sewer fee hike. Brigham City, which provides Mantua with sewer treatment service, raised its fees by .21 per residence. However, Mayor Terry Nelson suggested using ,000 Brigham City recently refunded to Mantua due to overpayment to offset the increase to residents through the end of this fiscal year, June 30, 2023. While fees to Mantua residents will eventually need to be increased, for now, sewer bills will remain at per month. Currently, Mantua charges their residents at least ...
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In a back-and-forth affair that required an extra period to determine a winner, the Provo High School football team edged out Box Elder, 44-38, last Friday in Provo. The game seemed destined for overtime even early on as neither defense could find a lot of answers for the other’s offense. Both teams averaged over six yards per play and combined for over 800 yards of total offense. The Bees did the bulk of their damage on the ground with effective work from the line and tough running by junior tailback Daxton Sumko, who finished the game with 239 yards on...
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The Utah Democratic Party, along with Democratic Party candidate for Utah House District 1, Joshua Hardy, are calling on current District 1 Representative Joel Ferry to immediately resign his legislative position and withdraw his name from the November ballot, or face possible legal action. Ferry is currently serving as the acting director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR), while simultaneously holding his seat in the legislature and his position as the Republican nominee for that legislative seat, after Governor Spencer Cox appointed him to head the DNR last month. Democrats insist it is a violation of the Utah...
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Box Elder County Victim Advocate Cheryl Burgan appeared before the county commission on Wednesday, offering her twice-yearly report on crime victim statistics for the first half of 2022. The victims services office is funded in part by a grant passed through the Utah Office For Victims of Crime which is awarded by the Office For Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice. A condition of the grant requires local victim services offices to report to the county commission bi-annually on services provided to victims of crime. In the first half of 2022, the victim advocate’s office served 542...
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Several years of ongoing drought conditions have impacted mule deer populations across the state. Here are a few things people hunting deer and elk in Utah this fall should know. Drought impacts deer by decreasing their body fat (because there are fewer plants and available food sources on the landscape). If the does have poor body fat and nutrition, it leads to smaller fawns, and those fawns have a decreased chance of surviving. If an adult deer has too little body fat at the beginning of the winter — especially a severe winter — it will often not survive the...
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The Box Elder County Fair kicked off last week with an Eddie Montgomery concert that brought the crowd to its feet. The concert, which has by now become the traditional beginning to fair, is a fundraiser to benefit Nucor’s Honor Flight program that pays to send U.S. war veterans to Washington D.C. to visit war memorials. See more photos from the concert on page 7. A calendar of fair events is on page 5.
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Perry City’s proposal to increase property taxes for the fourth year in a row drew rebukes from some residents on Thursday, as one citizen after another offered comment at the city’s Truth in Taxation public hearing. The city has proposed to once again keep the same tax rate it has held since 2019, raising property taxes in the city by approximately 21% due to sharply increasing prices of homes in the community. According to the Box Elder County Auditor, the average value of a home in Perry is now 5,000. Under the certified tax rate of 0.001733, a calculation designed...
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An Aug. 13 accident at the Bear River Bottoms on State Road 102 resulted in several bystanders lifting and holding a pickup truck off of a driver who had been pinned underneath. “Upon arrival we found several bystanders had stopped and were holding the vehicle off of the driver who was partially ejected,” wrote the Tremonton Fire Department in a social media post. “Rescue 31 [Tremonton fire engine] was able to stabilize the vehicle and remove the roof to extricate both patients. Both patients were transported to the hospital with injuries.
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A story last week about a culinary water rate increase in Corinne misidentified the position of an official with the Bear River Canal Company. Trevor Gardner is the general manager of the canal company. Jeff Hardy is the president. We regret the error.
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In the last month, the state has received nearly 2 inches of rain, when the typical amount is 1.5 inches. The precipitation has helped reduce demand, keep more water in lakes and reservoirs, and improve soil moisture that will benefit storage next spring as more water will reach lakes and reservoirs. However, not all areas of the state have benefited equally from the rain; some have missed out completely on monsoon activity, while others, like Logan and Tooele, received above-average rainfall. Following the recent storms, soil moisture has improved and is trending slightly above normal for this time of year....
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Nucor, a custom steel building manufacturer operating in Box Elder County, received an incentive package from the state of Utah to expand operations here. On Thursday, Aug. 11, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (Go Utah) awarded Nucor Insulated Panel Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nucor Corporation that manufactures and sells insulated metal panels, a temporary, marginal tax reduction for the expansion. The postperformance corporate incentive is part of the Legislature’s Economic Development Tax Increment Financing (EDTIF) program. As part of the deal, Nucor plans to bring up to 60 new high-paying jobs and spend .8 million in capital...
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The Box Elder High School football team opened their 2022 season with a bang last Friday when they dominated Kearns on both sides of the football en route to a 47-7 win. One big key to the Bees’ win was forcing turnovers and turning those opportunities into points. The defense did that twice with interceptions returned for touchdowns. The ballhawking Bees finished the night with three interceptions. The Bees blew the game open early with three unanswered touchdowns in the first quarter. Junior quarterback Ryan Griffin ran it in from a yard out to put the first points on the...
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With a declaration from the White House two weeks ago that spreading and increasing monkeypox infections has become a public health emergency, the Utah State Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement regarding conditions in the state. The infection can be spread to anyone through close skin-to-skin contact. In Utah, local health departments have been working to identify infections early, limit exposure, and vaccinating those at highest risk. The infection can be spread to anyone through close skin-to-skin contact. As of Aug. 3, Utah has had 43 confirmed or probable cases of monkeypox since May. As of last...
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Corey Barton, who has served as the Box Elder County Fire Marshal for over a decade, will be leaving that post at the end of the week. Barton currently also serves Ogden City as a battalion commander in its fire department, a position that he will maintain for a while longer. The News Journal will profile Barton and his 37-year firefighting career in an upcoming edition. Friends and well-wishers are invited to a farewell ceremony honoring Barton’s service to the county to be held on Friday, Aug. 19 between 1 and 3 p.m. at the fire marshal’s office, 49 S....
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A years-long effort to buy property from the Town of Mantua in order to secure ownership of a driveway culminated last week with the town council approving the sale. The property, 0.196 acres, is adjacent to the property on which his home sits, and serves as the driveway to the home. The land is also adjacent to other property owned by Mantua, as well as land owned by Brigham City. Over the years, Blaine has received mixed responses from town councils, but the current council decided on March 17, that if Blaine could obtain assurances that Brigham City wasn’t interested...
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Willard residents appeared to understand the city’s justifications for a property tax increase at Thursday’s Truth in Taxation public hearing, voicing their concerns and requesting additional information from city officials without actually condemning the proposal. Truth in Taxation is a process required whenever taxing entities chose not to adopt the certified tax rate as established by the state and county. It consists of publishing what the proposed increase would cost the average homeowner, as well as a commercial business of the same value, and holding a public hearing to let those who would pay the additional taxes voice their opinions....
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved an amendment to the city’s culinary water rate table which lowers the number of gallons available for each pricing tier, in hope of promoting conservation and raising funds to help pay for future maintenance and expansion of the system. Based on usage statistics from the current year presented at the May 26 council meeting, water costs for residents are expected to rise by 7%, while costs for commercial users will go up by 8%. The new rate plan approved by the council keeps the residential base rate of per month, but reduces...
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Less than a week after its grand opening, where officials touted a lack of swimmer’s itch and harmful algal blooms, The Pond at Willard Bay has tested positive for algae toxic to people and animals. According to a warning issued by the Bear River Health Department on Aug. 11, samples collected in The Pond on Aug. 8 showed “high concentrations of toxin-producing algae,” stating that “toxins may be present in the water.” The general public is advised not to swim or ski in the water, to steer clear of visible algae when boating, to clean any fish caught in the...
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Faced with two of Willard City’s four patrol officers taking positions with other cities last month, the Willard City Council on Thursday approved increasing the starting wage for a rookie officer from to per hour, and bumped all officers’ pay by 3% per year. The increase will be budget neutral in the current year, as the city had budgeted for four officers, but is now only paying two. The new rates are intended to help the department be more competitive in its search to attract and retain police officers. “We’re not as high, but closer to other agencies,”...
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A spirited and at times contentious Truth in Taxation public hearing on Thursday drew dozens of citizens to speak, most of whom firmly opposed Brigham City’s fourth tax hike in as many years. A vote on the 17.05% property tax increase is scheduled for the regular city council meeting on Aug. 18, allowing the council time to consider what was said during the public hearing. The city’s financial director, Tom Kotter, began the hearing by delivering an overview of the city’s tax proposal. “In Brigham City the average home has an appraised value of 3,000,” began Kotter. “In Utah you...
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In what Mayor Shane Baton described as proactive measures to deal with growth in Corinne City, the city council approved two ordinances at a meeting last week that increased overage rates for culinary water users, and will allow the city to enact a moratorium on water connections if deemed necessary. In a public hearing about the water overage increases, several citizens living in Country Meadow Estates subdivision voiced opposition to the measure, saying it unfairly targeted residents who don’t have access to secondary water. In Corinne, only a portion of the city has the infrastructure to access to secondary irrigation...
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With Brigham City, Perry and Willard set to hold public hearings on a property tax increase on Thursday, Aug. 11, and Garland set to hold its public hearing on Aug. 17, residents might have questions about how property taxes work. The News Journal collected information from official sources, including the Utah State Tax Commission and the Box Elder County Auditor’s office, in an attempt to present a basic overview of how tax rates are determined, as well as how property taxes are assessed and collected in Utah and Box Elder County in particular. County collects for multiple entities Although your...
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Due to ongoing drought conditions and wildfire concerns, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is temporarily restricting recreational target shooting on 25 wildlife management areas across the state. Effective immediately, target shooting with firearms or the possession of explosives, incendiary or chemical devices or exploding targets is not allowed on both Box Elder County WMAs, Coldwater Creek and Brigham Face, in addition to 23 other WMAs across the state. See the state DWR website for a complete list and current restrictions. Violations of the restrictions could result in fines of up to [post_excerpt],000. The temporary restriction only applies to target...
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A county-owned 10-acre lot located east of the Box Elder County Fairgrounds will soon used for testing autonomous vehicles after a tentative agreement was reached between the county and ASI (Autonomous Solutions Incorporated) on Wednesday. ASI is a Cache Valley company working in the field of automated vehicles, providing driverless solutions for companies such as Rio Tinto mining and Ford Motor Company. “This [test is for] autonomous yard-shifting trucks, so the top speed will be about 15 miles per hour,” said ASI representative Doug Taylor. “We’ll use the lot to simulate distribution center environments.” The testing is set to begin...
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The Box Elder High School volleyball team is in their final week of preparation ahead of their first match of the season, which will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 16, in Garland against cross-county rival Bear River. The varsity match against the Bears is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Last Friday, the Bees got their first chance to take the court in their annual Purple and White match. Bees’ head coach Kristine Harding said after the match that she was pleased with the team’s effort and progress they have made over the summer. “The girls looked good,” Harding said....
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Even with temperatures continuing to soar into the 90s most days, August marks the home stretch of summer and also the beginning of the high school football season. Last Friday, the Box Elder High School football team played their annual Purple and White game, which saw the Purple team come out on top 14-7. During the game, junior quarterback Ryan Griffin connected with fellow junior AJ Bushnell to open the scoring and put the Purple team up 7-0. That lead doubled when senior fullback Kellan Christensen plowed over the goal line from three yards out. The White team found the...
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A large swath of land located just north of the county’s gravel pit in Bothwell has been zoned to allow for mining and gravel extraction. The 639 acres at approximately 14000 North and 9700 West was moved from an unzoned status to MGEX, which will allow for the mining operation, at Wednesday’s Box Elder County Commission meeting. “If you’re familiar with the county’s gravel pit on the east side of I-84, this property is just north of that,” said Community Development Director Scott Lyons. “It went to the planning commission at their July meeting, a public hearing was held, there...
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The Pond at Willard Bay, which has technically open for a year now, had its grand opening Thursday, Aug. 4, drawing many local dignitaries as well as state officials to its manicured beach for the ceremony. “We had a soft opening last year,” said Devan Chavez, public affairs manager with the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “The plan was originally to have a big kickoff like this, but there were some things that weren’t done yet—this group pavilion, the shade shelters, we didn’t have all the electricity running, the concessionaire wasn’t completely open. Instead of holding off and waiting...
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John Pierce with Utah Honor Flight appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday, announcing that Nucor Steel would once again be sponsoring the Honor Flight program for local applicants, and asking to use county facilities to aid in fundraising for the event. Utah Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization dedicated to flying war veterans and their caregivers to Washington D.C. in order to allow them to visit the war memorial erected for their particular conflict. Nucor Steel will sponsor a flight on Oct. 4-5 “We as a Nucor One Team do fundraisers to help offset some of the...
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Editor’s note: The News Journal does not typically cover stories dealing with suicide or attempted suicide. This story received enough press that clarifications are required. Certain details have been omitted to respect the subject’s privacy. On July 26, a 64-year-old Brigham City woman drove her car onto Willard Peak Road south of Mantua, and one-mile outside the town limit intentionally went off the dirt road into a 300-foot ravine. The woman spent the next five days in her car at the bottom of the ravine, suffering from internal injuries received in the crash, while becoming dehydrated from a lack of...
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Municipal water customers in Willard will soon need to conserve culinary water or pay more after the city council on Thursday agreed to a change in water rates that lowers the base amount of water received for the monthly rate. The item wasn’t listed on the agenda, so an actual vote was not taken, but the message from the council was clear that the rate adjustment would be passed at the next meeting. Based on usage statistics from the current year, water costs for residents are expected to rise by 7%, while costs for commercial users will go up...
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The Brigham City Fire Department, which by contract also acts as the Perry City Fire Department, took a few moments at Thursday’s Perry City Council meeting to honor Perry’s first responders. “We’re very grateful for Perry City and your first responders,” said Brigham City Fire Chief Brandon Thueson. “They assist us on so many calls every single year, and have done so for a long time. We have a very unique relationship with your first responders and with your city. In reality, we are your fire department, and we hope you view us that way. We have a great working...
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A head-on collision in Corinne the morning of July 27 put two Brigham City residents in the hospital. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, at approximately 6:22 a.m., a 2013 Toyota Corolla being driven by a 34-year-old Brigham City woman was eastbound on State Road 13 at 2700 West when she crossed into the westbound lane and impacted a 2021 Ford Mustang head-on. Both the woman and the driver of the Mustang, a 41-year-old Brigham City man, required extrication from their vehicles following the crash. The woman was life-flighted to McKay-Dee hospital in Ogden with injuries described as “very serious.”...
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A proposal to go after grant funding from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for the creation of a secondary water system moved ahead in Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting, with the council approving a plan to try and partner with local flood boards and Perry City in coming up with a joint application for funding of water projects. If the application proves successful, Willard City could have threequarters of a secondary water system paid for with federal dollars, freeing the 121 million gallons of culinary water currently used every year for lawns and landscaping. Total culinary water usage in...
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After a dry, hot summer so far, Box Elder County finally got a shot of much-needed moisture from a storm system late Monday night, early Tuesday morning that in places brought heavy rains and strong winds. In Tremonton, one neighborhood was flooded due to the amount of rain that fell in a relatively short period of time.
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A request by a developer to squeeze 19 townhouse units rather than 18 on a single-acre lot in Perry was denied by the Perry City Council on Thursday. The proposed townhouse development at 2925 S. U.S. Highway 89 has been approved by the Perry City Planning Commission for 18 units, in keeping with the city’s density grid that limits the number of multi-family dwellings allowed within a quarter-acre grid overlay. Currently in that particular grid, 12 units out of a possible 30 have been used, leaving 18 available to be built. The developer wanted to increase that number by a...
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Perry City’s annual 4th of July fireworks show held at Perry Park needs to undergo some changes in order to make the event safe, according to Brigham City Fire Marshal Mike Young, who also acts as Perry’s fire marshal. “Where we do the fireworks each year in Perry City Park, there are some parameters there where they aren’t quite where they need to be,” said Young, speaking to the Perry City Council at Thursday’s meeting. “Where we have all the building that has come to the west of (the park), and where we have spectators that view the fireworks, we’re...
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Evan McMullin, an independent candidate challenging Mike Lee for a seat in the U.S. Senate, will host a meet and greet for Box Elder County residents on Thursday, Aug. 11, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pioneer Park bowery, at about 800 W. Forest Street.
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Willard resident Brandon Jacobsen addressed the Willard City Council at Thursday’s meeting, wondering if anything could be done about speeding vehicles on U.S. Highway 89, which runs through the middle of the city, as well as 750 North. “I’ve lived here for almost 23 years, and I’m getting sick and tired of dodging 70-mile-an-hour traffic while trying to get on the highway,” Jacobsen said. “I’ve got teen drivers, and my neighbors have teen drivers, and it scares the hell out of me.” Jacobsen continued that the same problem exists on State Road 315 (750 North) between the Flying J and...
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Storms over the past couple of weeks are not benefiting the state as they normally would due to long-term drought conditions. However, soil moisture has seen improvements and is trending slightly above normal for this time of year. The monsoon is helping parts of the state hold off further drought degradation According to the US Drought Monitor, 83.56% of the state is in extreme drought or worse. “Despite recent monsoons that have brought much-needed rain to some areas of the state, hot, bone dry conditions continue to bake our parched vegetation,” said Joel Ferry, acting executive director of the Department...
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Earlier this summer, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources fisheries biologists offered some tips to help minimize impacts to fish while fishing at lakes and reservoirs during a drought. If you are heading to a river or stream instead, here are some tips to decrease stress on a variety of fish species and increase their survival when releasing them: · Use single hooks on lures and bend down the barbs for easy release. · Minimize the time you spend “fighting” the fish while reeling it in. Tired and stressed fish have higher death rates. · Try to minimize handling of the...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person(s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Trevor Steinlicht-Haws DOB: 11/16/1988 Weight: 215 Height: 5’9” Race: Caucasian Eyes: Brown Hair: Red-Auburn Offense: Retail Theft (2 counts), Class A Misdemeanor; Possession of Controlled Substance, 3rd Degree Felony, 5 total warrants. Known to frequent the Tremonton/Box Elder County areas. First District Court Judge Brandon Maynard has issued a warrant for his arrest. Elizabeth Reyes DOB: 08/07/1986 Weight: 110 Height: 5’0” Race: Hispanic Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Offense: Attempted Theft, 3rd Degree Felony. Known to...
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The general-season buck deer archery hunt and the general spike and anybull elk archery hunts are the first big game hunts of Utah’s fall season, and they all begin Saturday, Aug. 20. If you will be archery hunting this fall, there are several ways you can prepare for the hunt and stay safe while out in the field. While archery hunting doesn’t involve firearms, it does present some unique risks that hunters should be aware of. “Every year, we receive reports of hunters getting injured falling from trees or jabbing themselves or other hunters while carrying arrows in their hands,”...
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Faced with losing two of the four Willard City Police Department patrol officers, the Willard City Council on Thursday voted to use ,000 of the city’s ARPA funds and use it to create a signon and longevity bonus to help attract and retain new officers. ARPA, or the American Rescue Plan Act, was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March of 2021. It provided 0 billion in funding for local and state governments across the United States, from which the state of Utah was to receive approximately [post_excerpt].7 billion. Willard’s share of that funding was 1,731. The city...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday placed another 139.28 acres of county farmland into an agricultural protection area. The land, 10 separate parcels located between Forest Street and 800 North at approximately 2800 West, is owned by the Paddock family, who sought the designation to protect their agricultural businesses from encroaching residential and commercial development. An agriculture protection area is a special designation in state law that offers some protection from nuisance lawsuits arising from the sights, sounds and smells common to agricultural operations for farms and ranches operating within a declared area. A public hearing held on the...
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Town of Mantua officials, worried about the influx of motorists using Willard Peak Road during the summer months, appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday to ask for the use of a data collector to measure vehicles and speeds. Mantua Councilmember Karen Nelson, along with husband and the town’s mayor, Terry Nelson, told the commissioners that the speeding issue seems to be attributed to “recreationists” heading out of the town into the mountains. “By and large, the citizens are keeping within 20 to 30 miles an hour up there,” said Councilmember Nelson, citing a traffic study performed last...
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Approximately 3,080 people per month are boarding the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) bus routes running inside Brigham City, and also between Brigham City, Perry, Willard and Ogden. “That’s the average monthly for 2022,” Beth Holbrook, the northern Utah trustee for UTA told the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday. “It’s fluctuated, and has actually grown a little bit. We’re all facing these inflationary issues as well as gas prices.” UTA Route 630 makes three stops in Brigham City, one in Perry, one in Willard, one in Pleasant View, and three stops on Wall Avenue in Ogden approximately 17 times per...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday tabled a proposal to vacate ownership of a designated roadway that was abandoned decades ago when Forest Street was extended westward into the bird refuge. The old roadway extends south and then north in a curve from approximately 3301 West Forest, and encompasses 3.34 acres. “With the establishment of Forest Street, this road went away many years ago,” said Mark Bradley, city planner for Brigham City. “The county recorder’s office recognized that this was an old road the city inherited as property was annexed into the city, and has not been used for years.”...
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The most recognizable icons of Box Elder County’s past and present were captured together in a single photo taken last Thursday at Golden Spike National Historic Park. With the steam engines No. 119 and Jupiter in the foreground, visitors to the park watch as an exhaust plume rises high during a rocket test at the Northrup Gumman facility in Promontory last Thursday. See story on this page.
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For the second meeting in a row, Brigham City residents who have invested thousands of dollars in solar power systems for their homes took over the public comment section of the July 21 city council meeting, raising objections to the city’s new net metering rate adopted in May. During daylight hours, solar customers generally put more electricity onto the city’s power grid than they are using, electricity the city then provides to other customers. From May through September the city charges customers [post_excerpt].1011 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the first 400, [post_excerpt].1155 per kWh for the next 600, and [post_excerpt].1315 for...
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The Brigham City Council voted on Thursday to donate to the City of Wendover surplus lighting parts that the city can no longer use at its airport. “As most of you have been aware, we’ve been in the process of some major projects going on at our airport the last several months,” said Tyler Pugsley, Brigham City’s director of public works. “We did a runway rehabilitation project, where we milled an inch and half of surface off our runway, and then came in and did a three-inch overlay for the whole 100-foot wide, 8,900-foot long runway.” A second project the...
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For those who grew up in northern Utah, the thunder of space shuttle rocket boosters, the sustained inferno of flame scorching and scouring a Promontory mountainside, and the billowing cloud of smoke visible for a hundred miles was a traditional Box Elder County event. Space shuttle boosters were test-fired in Utah 52 different times between 1977 and 2010. Those days have now returned to Promontory with NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). On Thursday another test, the fourth since March of 2015, saw the world’s most powerful rocket booster, strapped to the ground with 13 million pounds of concrete and steel,...
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Preparing for future annexations of property 27, along2022Forest Street on the west side of the city and allow property owners there flexibility in how they use and develop their land, the Brigham City Council on Thursday amended the city’s general plan. Currently, the city’s land use map has parcels located west of I-15 generally zoned as rural residential, which precludes many agricultural uses. “The city has heard a lot of interest from the residents and owners out there that they would like the opportunity to have an agricultural zoning if they’re annexed into the city,” Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley...
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The Utah Department of Motor Vehicle office in Brigham City will relocate to 35 E. 100South (the old America First Credit Union building) beginning Aug. 1. The current location at 81 N. Main Street, in the Box Elder Justice Court building, will be closed on July 28-29 to prepare for the move. Box Elder County Treasurer and DMV manager Shaun Thornley said the new building will provide improved convenience for residents, as the drive-through at the former financial institution will be used for routine transactions such as simple renewals and handicap placards. For more information, call the Box Elder County...
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Mantua residents will see higher utility bills from the town after Aug. 1 due to a rate increase for garbage removal from EconoWaste. Despite hours of negotiation by Councilmember Justin Brown for a lower price, EconoWaste maintained that high fuel prices and inflationary forces have forced the company’s hand. Currently, residents pay per month for their first garbage can and for a second. Garbage cans are emptied every week. Recycling cans cost .50 per month, and are picked up every two weeks. The new rates charged by the town will be per month for both the first...
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Testing performed on July 11 by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has confirmed the presence of harmful cyanobacteria densities in the waters of Mantua Reservoir, prompting the Bear River Health Department to issue a harmful algae bloom warning advisory. Under the warning residents are advised to refrain from swimming or water skiing; avoid areas of algae when boating; clean any fish caught well and discard guts; keep animals away; and prevent ingestion of reservoir water. High concentrations of toxin-producing algae of 8,000,000 cells per milliliter were detected in the water as part of the DEQ’s recreational water monitoring...
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Citing continuing drought, and an infestation of grasshoppers eating what crops are still growing in the west desert area, the Box Elder County Commission approved a declaration of a local emergency for western Box Elder County at the July 6 meeting. “We’re gotten a couple of emails, and have been talking with people throughout the farming community. Out west it’s been horrible, not only with drought, but with Mormon crickets and now grasshoppers,” said Commissioner Stan Summers. “I received some pictures today from Brent Rose out trying to bale what is left of his hay out there. He figured he’s...
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In a turnaround from previous years, the July 4 weekend this year did not bring with it any fires in unincorporated Box Elder County, but county fire crews did respond to two firework-caused grass fires in Brigham City, working alongside the Brigham City Fire Department. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t been busy, however. According to Box Elder Fire Marshal Corey Barton, illegal burning and controlled burns that got out of control have been keeping county firefighters on their toes. On July 5 at 10:30 a.m., fire crews from Box Elder County, Tremonton, Corinne, and Thatcher/Penrose responded to a fully involved...
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Mantua Reservoir helped make the fireworks display marking the culmination of another Little Valley Days twice as magnificent. See more photos from the weeklong celebration on page 4.
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The official canvass results for the June 28 Republican primary election are in, and there were no last minutes surprises. Out of 19,685 registered Republican voters in the county, 10,156 cast their ballots for a participation rate of 51.59%. In the race for U.S. Senate, incumbent Mike Lee took 69.78% of the vote with 7,039; Becky Edwards came in at 20.41% with 2,059; and Ally Isom at 9.81% of the vote with 990. Lee will face Unaffiliated candidate Evan McMullin, Libertarian James Hansen, and Independent American candidate Tommy Williams in November’s general election. Utah’s 1st Congressional District was won by...
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The Willard City Council made no decision on a developer’s request to annex 143 acres of land currently located in unincorporated South Willard into Willard City at Thursday’s meeting, telling those gathered for a public hearing that they wanted to consider the input prior to taking action. The proposed annexation area is separated from the Willard City corporate limits by four parcels, creating an island—a part of Willard City that is not contiguous with the rest of the city—on the west side of U.S. Highway 89 beginning at approximately 6868 South and extending to 7290 South. The developer, Willard Land...
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Over the past couple of months, the state has seen a climate split between the north and south. There is more of a northwest to southeast split as the monsoon season settles in. The northwest portion of the state is trending toward higher temperatures compared to the rest of the state. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 83.03% of the state is in extreme drought or worse. “Utah is playing the precipitation lottery, with monsoons hitting some areas of the state harder than others,” said Joel Williams, deputy director of the Utah Division of Water Resources. “If the trend we’ve...
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A report given to the Willard City Council at the July 14 meeting warned that the city’s small police force could lose two officers—half its current force—in the next 30 days. Officer Crystal Holmes blamed the situation on two issues: pay and staffing. “Police departments all over the state of Utah have started going to a pay scale that shows officers how much they will make each year,” said Holmes, who analyzed pay scales of several different agencies and developed a pay scale she felt was appropriate for Willard in February. She said it was her understanding that the city...
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First-time home buyers that work for Box Elder County will now have some help getting into a home of their own, as the county has approved participation in the Rocky Mountain Homes Fund (RMHF). The county has been talking with RMHF since January, and is now ready to begin offering services through the program. “It’s a program that is privately funded that we can be a part of, and actually send employees to, whether it be deputies, clerks, auditors, emergency management, anybody like that for first-time home buyers,” explained Commissioner Stan Summers at Wednesday’s meeting. “They have an opportunity to...
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Public comment is being sought on a proposal that would change fees at 119 developed recreation sites in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The changes being proposed include adding, increasing, reducing or eliminating fees. Following are some of the proposed changes. Reducing the number of managed sites. Currently, 235 of developed sites are managed without user fees. If proposed changes are implemented, 38% of the sites would remain non-fee. Increased the number of days when fees are waived at day-use sites from five to eight. A fee increase for the Forest Pass, which includes the three-day pass from to ...
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott and Brigham City Fire Chief Brandon Thueson pose with Corinne Fire Chief Clint Norman, who was recognized for leading the Corinne Fire Department with competence and professionalism as the departments often partner together to fight area fires.
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The 90-foot tall dual-pole sign outside of Love’s truckstop near Forest Street and I-15 will be getting one additional business beckoning travelers. The Love’s RV Park, which will be located just south of the Holiday Inn Express, will be allowed to place a sign at the bottom of the existing six-sign structure. The existing sign ordinance allows the city council to amend sign plans within 1,000 feet of an existing freeway. The council held no debate on the proposal, approving the plan change on a unanimous vote.
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48 property owners who had not paid county property taxes in five years had their land auctioned off in May, in Box Elder County’s first-ever online tax sale. According to County Auditor Shirlene Larsen, all 56 properties up for sale received bids at the auction, but eight requested that their bids be rejected after finding out the properties were nonconforming, or properties that do not fit legal zoning requirements. Box Elder County has a plethora of non-conforming properties in the west desert, usually purchased sight unseen over the internet with the intent to “flip” the property and make a quick...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a preliminary plat for a more than 100-unit subdivision to be built along the south side of 400 South between the railroad tracks and 1200 West. Preliminary plats offer a concept design for the council to approve, and allow city departments to go over planning details such as drainage, culinary water and sewer service, fire flow, traffic flow and road connectivity. All of the details and department approvals will be worked out prior to a final plat being submitted for approval. Preliminary plans for the subdivision, called the Beeton Path Subdivision, show 114...
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A plan unanimously approved by the Brigham City Council in May that significantly cut the rate the city credits residential solar customers for excess power put back on the city’s grid was a subject of contention at Thursday’s council meeting. Several current solar customers turned up to speak during the public comment segment of the meeting, all of them saying that their original contracts signed with the city had a clause that required the agreement of all parties before they could be amended. They contend that the city violated those contracts when it lowered power credits from a one-to-one ratio...
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A bounce house was an attraction at Pioneer Park for the City Impact event on Sunday, but following a recent decision by the Brigham City Council, such features will no longer be allowed on city property or at city-sponsored events, such as Peach Days. See news briefs on page 2.
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Following news reports about the hiring, qualifications, experience and history of Mantua’s most recent chief of police, Mantua Mayor Terry Nelson recently issued a letter sent to the homes of Mantua residents to explain the decision to promote former part-timer officer Dakota Midkiff. “This is a letter to each of the residents of Mantua,” the letter began. “Since you voted me in as Mayor, I hope you can see, that I have been working tirelessly to serve you. Recently, I chose not to give quotes to the local paper or media outlets about our change in Police Chiefs but rather...
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The Brigham City Police Department announced at Thursday’s city council meeting that Cpl. Joe Thomas has been promoted to the rank of sergeant. Police Chief Chad Reyes introduced the department’s newest sergeant by reading a certificate of promotion for the council. “This is to certify that Joseph Thomas has distinguished himself by having successfully completed the requirements and evaluations needed for promotion, and as such is hereby promoted to the rank of sergeant, effective this 9th day of July of 2022,” read Reyes. “Joe has been with us for several years. He’s been a corporal for some time now, but...
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On a split vote last Thursday, The Mantua Town Council approved a more than ,000 increase to the police department for additional staff at the request of new police chief, Dakota Midkiff. Midkiff presented the council with three options as to what the future will look like for the department. The first, and Midkiff’s preferred option, is to hire a full-time officer for /hour and a benefits package. He said that the Box Elder County Sheriff’s office suggested - per hour with benefits for a full-time officer since Mantua’s call volume isn’t high enough to meet the criteria...
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The Brigham City Council was presented with the results of a nine-month, ,541 study of Brigham City Fire Department (BCFD) operations at a work session held prior to Thursday’s council meeting, and later approved a non-binding motion to “recognize” the recommendations contained in the 200-page study as a “master plan” for the fire department. Recognition of the document is an acknowledgment that the study and recommendations were received, but do not commit the city to taking any particular actions implementing those recommendations. Bill Boyd of AP Triton, a public safety consultancy agency out of Sheridan, Wyoming, told the council that...
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The Bear River Health Department at 817 Parker Lane in Brigham City will be joining its two existing buildings with an addition, as well as creating a drive through service and adding a second addition on the south building. The plans were revealed at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting when the health department applied to vacate the utility easement that currently runs between the two buildings. According to Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley, the department will pay to relocate gas and power lines currently routed between the two buildings. The proposal has been approved by the planning commission, Brigham City...
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With an ever-growing number of kids participating in youth sports, one niche expanding in the Brigham City area is the PGA Junior League at the Eagle Mountain Golf Course. Eagle Mountain formed their first team just four years ago with around 10 players. This season, they have formed two teams with nearly 30 kids registered to compete. The youngsters in the league range from 8 to 13 years old, and in addition to getting consistent practice and match play, the participants also have the opportunity to be coached by a PGA professional. Chase Hansen has worked at Eagle Mountain for...
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Citing safety concerns and liability issues, the Brigham City Council on Thursday banned the use of inflatable structures anywhere on Brigham City property. “Currently Brigham City does allow inflatables in our parks through a special event application,” said City Administrator Derek Oyler, prior to the vote. He added that although Brigham City gets a liability release as part of the permit process, claims related to bounce houses are being seen in other cities through the city’s insurer, Utah Risk Management Agency. City Attorney Mike Christiansen told the council that cities have been faced with liability claims when the event holder...
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The BE United U14 girls' team coached by Monica Mund was undefeated on their way to winning gold at the Utah Summer Games in June. Pictured are team members: (front) Kenley Anderson, Adrie Young, Cariella Casas, Abby Reeder, McKaya Nelson, Aida Schwab, (back) Olivia Saunders, Kaylan Anderson, Izzy Nelson, Lindsay Bott, Ellie Young, Monica Mund, Payton Mund, Khloe Christensen, Jocelyn Gardner, Kennadie Blackmer, and Hallie Wright.
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The BE United FC girls U13 team made it to the semifinals of the Presidents Cup regional tournament held in Phoenix, Arizona, after winning the local Presidents Cup tournament. There they competed against and beat teams from all over the western United States.
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott, Fire Chief Brandon Thueson, and Assistant Fire Chief Mike Young, paid a visit to the Corinne City Council to award the Corinne Fire Department a plaque and “a very heartfelt thank you to your community and to your fire department.” They explained that over the years there’s been many times when they have large incidents and fires that the Corinne Fire Department is there to help them, and that they can always count on the Corinne Fire Department’s professionalism and competence level, and “without them we wouldn’t be able to manage as well as we...
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Sifting through precinct by precinct data on last Tuesday’s Republican primary election revealed some interesting trends, including a definite divide between Brigham City and southern Box Elder and the rest of the county in the race for County Commissioner Seat A. Candidate Tyler Vincent, the former mayor of Brigham City, handily won 15 of Brigham City’s 16 voting districts, as well as Mantua, Perry 1, Perry 2, Perry 3, Perry 4, South Willard 2, Willard 1, and Willard 2, Vincent’s opponent, Honeyville Mayor Boyd Bingham, took the rural northwest district of Brigham City, as well as Beaver Dam/Collinston, Bear River,...
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A Tuesday, June 28, accident along 200 South and 200 East in Brigham City has left two men critically injured, both being treated in Ogden-area hospitals. According to Brigham City police, at approximately 9 a.m. that morning a white pickup truck was traveling westbound on 200 South, at a “high rate of speed.” Initial reports say the pickup drifted out of its lane, striking an eastbound Chevrolet Suburban nearly head-on. Both drivers required extrication from their vehicles. The driver of the pickup truck, identified as Alexander Wayne Kunz, 27, Ogden, was life-flighted from the accident scene. The other driver, identified...
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Potential development of properties bordering Brigham City’s newest intersection at 1100 West and 1100 South prompted a special work session of the Brigham City Council on Thursday, with the city’s staff and engineering firm discussing with the council access to 1100 West from adjacent properties, and how far back from 1100 South those access points should be. The concern is that if east/west access to 1100 West is put too close to 1100 South, potential traffic snarls could occur when cars crossing or entering 1100 South are backed up. “Staff has been recommending, up to this point in time, that...
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Beginning this week, the Box Elder News Journal will be printed in color throughout the entire paper. The change is the result of decreasing print business for the News Journal as well as the highly competitive labor market. The News Journal will now be printed by the print division of the Ogden Standard- Examiner. Due to the fact that all ads will now be printed in color, the News Journal is increasing its retail ad rate from .50 per column inch to per column inch.
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The Box Elder Community Pantry was the beneficiary of the Vulcraft Charity Golf Tournament, which raised ,000 for the non-profit. Twenty-eight teams of four comprised of employees from Vulcraft Utah and Nucor Cold Finish participated in the fundraising. A spokesperson for the company said, “This was a great opportunity for our team at Vulcraft Utah to come together in support of our local food pantry at a time when families in our communities may need it most. We are extremely proud of our team and could not be more grateful for their generosity and helping make the event a success.”...
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A Lucin man missing since May 28 has still not been located, in spite of hundreds of law enforcement and volunteer hours spent searching and investigating, and the offer of a 0,000 reward posted by his family. Dylan Rounds, 19, formerly of Rigby, Idaho, had been dry farming near Lucin, Utah, in Box Elder County’s west desert for the past two years. He last had contact with his grandmother by cell phone early in the morning on May 28. When no one in the family had heard from Dylan by May 30, family and friends became concerned. When they could...
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Participants in the Corinne Fourth of July parade showed appreciation for the military with floats resembling a helicopter and tank. Several communities in Box Elder County had celebrations for the national holiday. See photos on page 7. Additional photos will also be posted on the News Journal’s Facebook page
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Perry City Recorder Shanna Johnson was presented with her Master Municipal Clerk certification from representatives of the Utah Municipal Clerk’s Association (UMCA) at Thursday’s city council meeting. “It’s an advanced continuing education program that prepare clerks and recorders to perform more complex municipal duties,” saidWendy Downs, associate director of the UMCA, and Sandy City Recorderduring the presentation. “This program has an extensive and rigorous educational of 60 advanced educational points of university-level education ” The certification requires more than 120 hours of class time, along with 40 points of social contributions. “As you can imagine, it takes several years to...
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Willard City, Perry City and Brigham City have set the dates for hearings to receive public input on plans to raise property taxes. All three cities have proposed keeping the same tax rate for fiscal year 2022-23 as they had in 2021-22, but due to increased property values that rate will cost citizens more money. According to figures calculated by Box Elder County, should the proposed tax rates pass, property taxes in Willard will rise by approximately 16.67%, in Perry by 25.5%, and in Brigham City by 17.1%. The cities are trying to preserve buying power as inflation and higher...
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The Box Elder Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for grand marshal of the 2022 Peach Days parade, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10. The deadline for submitting nominations is Tuesday July 26. Any current resident of the area may be nominated as grand marshal, and nominations need to be submitted by citizens in the area. Nominations should include a brief description of the candidate’s community involvement, impact on Brigham City and its surrounding areas, and longevity of volunteer contributions. Nominees may be leaders in business, arts and/or cultural groups, religious and/or charitable organizations, or individuals who personify the spirit...
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Applications to enter a float in either of the Peach Days parades are now available at www.peachdays.com. Deadline for the traditional Saturday parade is Friday, July 29. The deadline will be strictly adhered to. The Peach Days Kick Off Parade, scheduled for Friday, Sept. 9, will be a great opportunity to see local organizations and entries. The deadline for applications for the Kick Off Parade is Friday Aug. 26. Immediately after the parade the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Utah will have free children’s games under the arch and entertainment on the Main Street Stage.
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The Box Elder Riverdawgs 11U took home the championship trophy and rings from the Triple Crown Slumpbuster Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska, June 20-22, 2022. Riverdawgs stole the lead late in the game in a 7-5 victory over Missouri Mavericks to claim the trophy. Pictured are team members: (front) Camden Christensen, Jarom Ficklin, Tyke Thompson, Braxton Turner, (back) Nate Holland, Daxtin Dallin, Easton Golmon, Jack Stewart, David Stewart, and Kessler Ward. Coaches are: Tom Holland, Kevin Golmon, Kory Stewart, and Colin Ward.
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Willard City Police Chief Theron Fielding reported to the Willard City Council on Thursday that in the early morning hours of June 21, eight citizens reported that their cars had been broken into and various items taken. “I got called out Tuesday morning at 2:30 a.m. for eight vehicle burglaries,” said Fielding. “It was a string of vehicle burglaries that happened in Deer Run [subdivision], and the same type of thing just happened in Granite Ridge [subdivision]. They were going through cars that were left unlocked. If people left garage door openers they were opening garages. So I had three...
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Following a public hearing held at Thursday’s Perry City Council meeting, the city has approved an increase in monthly storm drain fees from to . According to City Administrator Robert Barnhill, the increase in fees is necessary to address a ,091 budget shortfall in the city’s storm drain fund. “In 2008 our storm drain fee was adjusted from to , the monthly fee that everybody pays on their utility bill for stormwater,” explained Barnhill. “In 2014 we became subject to MS4 requirements, based on our population density. The state says ‘hey you’re a big enough city now, we’ve...
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A Box Elder County weed control worker was seriously injured, and a second one was killed, in two separate but consecutive UTV (utility terrain vehicle) rollovers that happened on the afternoon of June 21 in a mountainous area of the Promontory Peninsula. According to an initial press release by Deputy Box Elder County Attorney Anne Hansen, both were seasonal workers for the county. “This afternoon, Box Elder County seasonal workers were involved in two separate worksite accidents in the Promontory area,” wrote Hansen. “In the first accident, a worker sustained a serious injury and was transported to the hospital and is...
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A story in last week’s edition included incorrect information about Brigham City’s upcoming Truth In Taxation public hearing. Brigham City will hold its Truth in Taxation public hearing on Thursday, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. in the council chamber at Brigham City Hall, 20 N. Main Street. The dates in last week’s edition for the Box Elder High School and Box Elder Middle School Honor Rolls were incorrect. The Honor Roll lists were for the third trimester of the 2021-2022 school year. We regret the errors.
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Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced on Friday that he has tapped Utah House Representative Joel Ferry (R-Brigham City) to be the his new director for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “From water conservation to air quality to public lands, Joel has been an effective voice for wise stewardship of the rich natural resources in our state,” the Governor said. “His legislative experience as well as his foundation as a farmer and rancher will help shape our vision around natural resources and I’m grateful he’s willing to take on this new challenge.” Ferry has represented District 1 (Box Elder County,...
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In time for Independence Day—and as part of a decades-old tradition—the American flag was once again raised on Middle Peak, overlooking Willard, by residents Josh Braegger and Zeke Post. The flag was first raised on that peak in 1956 as a joint effort between World War II veterans and Willard Boy Scouts.
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The Bees 12U softball team ended up on top of a pile of 24 teams from Utah and Idaho, taking home the championship from the Bear Lake Tournament. Team members are: (front) Rayden Roberts, Rylee Sanford, Liv Mueller, Avery Carter, Jamie Ingersoll, Kynzlee Miller, (back) coach Chris Jeppsen, Maddy Jeppsen, Maycee Hales, KJ Blackmer, Tatum Vaughn, and coach Jason Miller.
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A promised repeal of a deadline set in state law for Utah counties to pass local animal feedlot regulations never actually happened, and now Box Elder County may have very little say regarding what types and sizes of feedlot operations may move into the county, and where they can be located. The feedlot topic generated a lot of controversy in the county in late 2021 and early 2022, with Box Elder County officials rushing to abide by a Feb. 1, 2022, deadline set in S.B. 130. Local farmers and ranchers interpreted the county’s move as an attack on existing agricultural...
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After long-time youth baseball coordinator Sid Bodily signaled his desire to step down after this year, the Willard City Council is looking at forming a committee to address the future needs of the baseball program, as well as create a plan for how East Park should be developed. The city acquired 11 acres on the hill above the park last year, and wants a group of involved citizens to determine the needs of the city, incorporating those into a plan on how to best use that land. Council discussion on land use included building a new baseball diamond, adding parking,...
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As has been the city’s policy since 2019, the Brigham City Council on Thursday again approved a Truth in Taxation process for fiscal year 2022- 23, proposing to keep the same tax rate as the previous three years, which would result in higher property taxes for residents due to increased property values. Property tax rates are proposed to increase by 17% over the previous year, or .51 on a home valued at 3,000, which, according to Box Elder County, is the average home value in the city. Property taxes on a primary residence are figured by taking the assessed value...
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The annual blossoming of the poppies in Box Elder Campground near Mantua has drawn crowds for photography opportunities or to simply enjoy the brightly-colored blooms with a spring-time stroll. Those who visit the field are encouraged to use existing paths and not to pick the blooms so that other visitors can also enjoy the beauty of the field.
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The town’s Ordinance Review Committee presented three ordinances that need revisions, clarifications, or to be brought into compliance with state code. Proposed changes to the curfew ordinance would take out parts that are not enforceable and to give law enforcement a stronger framework to effect enforcement. Changes were also proposed for an ordinance concerning vehicles with steel tracks/lugs, and an ordinance regarding golf carts and off-highway vehicles. According to state code, golf carts fall under the same category as bikes, e-bikes, and other vehicles with engines smaller than 50 cubic centimeters. The town has the option of going by state...
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A joint SWAT operation between the Brigham City Police Department and Box Elder Sheriff’s Department early on Wednesday morning ended with the arrest of a Brigham City man for threatening his neighbors with an AR-15 rifle. Michael Richard Nelson, 39, a combat veteran of the United States Army, was booked into the Box Elder County Jail on charges of making terroristic threats, a second-degree felony; threatening with a dangerous weapon in a fight, a class A misdemeanor; making threats of violence, a class B misdemeanor; and a charge of interference with a police officer, a class B misdemeanor. According to...
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A proposed merger between two healthcare systems operating in Utah, including the parent company of Brigham City Community Hospital, has been called off for the second time in a week after the Federal Trade Commission called the deal anti-competitive. The FTC unanimously voted, 5-0, to file an administrative complaint and to authorize staff to seek a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the merger. The FTC takes such action “when it has ‘reason to believe’ that the law has been or is being violated.” The issuance of the administrative complaint marks the beginning of a proceeding in which the...
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Elevate Credit Union’s Chief Marketing Officer Tonya Gail (second from right) presents Katy Bonds (third from right), director of the Box Elder Family Support Center, with a check for [post_excerpt],000 to benefit center's school supply program, which helps supply 600 children in Box Elder County with backpacks and supplies. Also pictured are (from left): Josie the dog, Jill Scharrenberg, and Maria Escobedo. To learn more about Box Elder Family Support Center, visit befsc.org.
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In the event of an emergency or disaster that affects the power grid, cell phone towers will likely go offline, leaving the county’s emergency CODE RED alert system offline and the public without reliable sources of local information. In cooperative agreements with various municipalities across the county, Box Elder County Emergency Management soon have a backup system consisting of several fixed low-power AM radio stations, and one portable broadcast station, that will be able to deliver official information to residents in case of an emergency. Called RadioSAFE systems, the 10-watt broadcast stations have been installed in Willard, Thatcher, Howell, Fielding,...
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Of the 6 million settlement the state of Utah is set to receive from drug makers Cardinal, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Johnson & Johnson, Box Elder County will be awarded [post_excerpt].9 million, payable over 18 years. Utah joined with 41 other states, five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia in suing the pharmaceutical companies, ostensibly to reimburse the states for costs associated with fighting the current opioid epidemic. In July of 2021, an agreement was reached where the four companies would collectively pay out billion in damages over 18 years, with payout levels to the states dependent upon population...
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Mantua’s controversial and turbulent history with police chiefs added a new chapter last week after the resignation of Craig Hamer and the quick appointment of a new head of the town’s police department. Dakota Midkiff was sworn in at the town council meeting last Thursday, which prompted Councilmember and former police chief, Justin Brown, to issue a public statement about the situation. Brown expressed concern about what he said is a lack of experience, and recommended victims of crimes that need to be investigated to protect “anything” should “call a more experienced agency to handle those calls.” Midkiff has worked...
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Beginning next year, candidates running for county elected offices will need to disclose who has contributed money, services or material support to their campaigns, and make an accounting of how those funds were expended, before voting begins. The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved Ordinance 563, closing a loophole in the state code that didn’t require local candidates to issue financial disclosures until weeks after the primary elections were over. “This new ordinance that’s been drafted includes all of the required dates and rules from the state statute, but will add three additional reporting requirements,” said Deputy County Attorney...
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The Box Elder Sheriff’s Office issued a statement last week defending the work that has been done to locate a teenager missing from Lucin, Utah, as well as the methods used. The statement came after numerous statements and social media posts from the family of missing teen, Dylan Rounds, claiming that the Box Elder Sheriff’s Office lacks sufficient dedication and/or professional skills to mount an effective search. “The Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office is making continual efforts to locate Dylan Rounds and to investigate the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. This is an active law enforcement missing person/criminal investigation. Only updates...
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A 78-year-old Brigham City woman accidentally drove her car through the front glass and into the Brigham City Dollar Tree store on Tuesday afternoon, June 14. According to Brigham City police, the woman, who was driving with her husband, was attempting to park at the store at approximately 1:30 p.m. when she mistakenly pushed the accelerator instead of the brake. “They went through the front entrance and into the store,” said Lt. James Crapse of the Brigham City Police Department. “They did strike a customer that was inside. The customer was seen by medical personnel but refused transport, so it...
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Following a burglary at Studio 360 Salon in Brigham City that resulted in the loss of many necessary tools and products, a Gofundme page has been set up to help the salon’s stylists recoup some of the items including shears, hair clippers, straighteners and blow dryers. “Studio 360 is a second home to many of us and it’s how most of us provide for our families,” said McKenzie Madsen, a nail tech and esthetician at Studio 360, “I want to help my salon family get back on their feet and be able to replace some of these essential items. This...
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A graphic in last week’s edition accompanying a story about Mantua Town Council contained an error. A zero was omitted from the dollar amounts on the graph. The amounts should have been: 0,000, 0,000, 0,000 and -0,000. (Corrected graphic accompanies this correction). We regret the error.
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved a rezone request for a 2.4 acre parcel on the southwest corner of 750 North and 200 West from agricultural to general commercial. The owner, Shane Barthlome, plans to put a youth sports complex on the property that would offer gymnastics and similar activities. “They had a public hearing on the planning commission level,” said City Planner Bryce Wheelwright. “There was a little bit of concern about population, but there wasn’t any real objection. They recommended that you approve this.” Wheelwright continued that the request was consistent with future land use plans for...
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In anticipation of the upcoming Fourth of July and Pioneer Day holidays, the Willard City Council on Thursday passed fire and fireworks restrictions inside city boundaries east of U.S. Highway 89. Effective immediately, open fires of any kind are prohibited unless they are campfires within facilities provided for them in permanently improved places of habitation. Any kind of firework, pyrotechnic device or tracer ammunition is banned, including exploding targets. Cutting, welding or grinding metals in places with dry vegetation is also forbidden in the fire-restricted zone. The restrictions will remain in effect from June 1 through Sept. 30 every year,...
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Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Big Blue, the Utah State University mascot, display good sportsmanship with a hug following an exhibition match at the Sagebrush Spectacular pickleball tournament in Brigham City on Saturday. In the exhibition, Cox showed off his competitive nature and brutally dispatched his out-matched opponent. The event, sponsored by USU Brigham City as a way to raise scholarship funds, drew hundreds for the pickleball and various other family-friendly events. See more photos on page 10.
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On Thursday the Perry City Council again voted to keep the same property tax rate for fiscal year 2022-23 that it has charged since 2019, increasing property taxes and setting in motion the Truth in Taxation process. Although the rate of 0.002175 remains unchanged, due to increased property values in the city homeowners can expect to pay an average of 1 more in 2023 than they did this year. Municipal property taxes on a primary residence are calculated by taking the county-assessed value of the home, subtracting 45%, and multiplying the result by the adopted tax rate. Had Perry chosen...
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Approximately 35 Willard residents assembled at Willard City Hall on Wednesday to hear Mayor Travis Mote discuss issues the city is facing. Mote called the meeting as part of his effort to improve communication between city government and residents. “Communication between city government and the city is important,” said Mote as he began a presentation on water availability, sewer capacity, managed growth and development, emergency response and gravel pits—subjects which Mote said generate most of the questions he receives as mayor. For residents who fear the city may be running out of water, both in sourcing and storage capacity, the...
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The Willard City Council was all set to pass a budget for 2022-2023 and accept the certified tax rate at a meeting on June 9, but last-minute discussion about labor woes facing the city prompted officials to at least explore the possibility of a property tax increase. The certified tax rate is calculated every year to provide municipalities with roughly the same property tax dollar amount as the previous year, not including revenue resulting from new growth and or improvements to property that might increase its value. If property values go up in a city, the certified tax rate goes...
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Approximately 28 firefighters from the Central Box Elder Fire District, Tremonton, Corinne and Box Elder County Fire responded to a straw stack fire in Deewyville on Sunday night at approximately 10:30 p.m. “The fire was threatening several buildings when crews arrived,” reported Box Elder County Fire Marshal Corey Barton. “It was very difficult getting enough water to manage the fire because the farm yard sits over 1,000 feet from the nearest fire hydrant.” Crews set up a relay pumping operation and were able to get enough water to be effective. There was one minor injury to a firefighter when part...
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Two photos were inadvertently switched in the 2022 primary election candidate profile section in last week’s newspaper. The corrected photos and identifications accompany this corrections. We regret the error.
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Sgt. Dave Freeze was recognized as Officer of the Year for the Perry City Police Department on Thursday evening in front of the Perry City Council. “A few months ago I asked our guys to nominate somebody for Officer of the Year for 2021,” said Chief Scott Hancey. “I finally just got the award.” Freeze was chosen by four of Perry’s seven police officers. In their joint nomination letter they wrote that Freeze goes “above and beyond” for the employees he supervises and citizens he serves. They noted how Freeze adjusts his schedule to cover shifts for other officers so...
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Residents in Willard requesting a land-use variance on their property or appealing a land-use decision will now need to pay a filing fee to the city. The filing fee is in addition to whatever fees the appointed hearing officer charges in order to hear and consider a request, and will be charged regardless of whether the variance application is successful or not. The fee was adopted on a unanimous vote.
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A joint operation between the Perry Police Department and the Weber County Sheriff’s Department has resulted in the arrest of four Weber and Davis county men for solicitation of a prostitute. According to probable cause statements filed in First District Court, the June 3 sting involved Weber County detectives placing an internet ad for escort services, with detectives directing those respondents who negotiated for sexual services to meet them at a Perry, Utah, hotel. Once at the hotel, suspects were captured on hidden camera attempting to solicit an undercover female deputy for prostitution, and subsequently arrested. “I witnessed the male...
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Following a mass shooting that took the lives of 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, Box Elder County officials want to review safety and response plans to prevent a similar tragedy from happening here. “We were called by Sheriff Kevin Potter and Commissioner Hadfield after the shooting in Texas,” said Commissioner Stan Summers at Wednesday’s Box Elder County Commission meeting. “Both of them said they really wanted to do something instead of waiting for the state and feds to try to keep our kids safe. We’re going to have a safety...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday said it would “accept” a plan to annex non-contiguous parcels currently located inside unincorporated county limits into Willard City, should the petition be approved by Willard. “This annexation into Willard leaves some gaps,” explained County Clerk Marla Young to the commissioners. “It’s not right against the border of the city. And so by statute you guys have to accept that you’re going to allow these people to annex from the county, and leave islands or holes.” “The state approved those I think two years ago, that we’d actually be able to do an...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a request to re-zone a .37-acre property at 7125 South U.S. Highway 89 from residential single family to general commercial. “They’re going to continue to operate as Karen’s Kars, basically a small used-car dealership,’ said Community Development Director Scott Lyons. “There’s two-bay garage there as part of the structure, and they would like to be able to operate a repair shop.” Lyons explained that the original dealership was a non-conforming legal use in the residential zone, as it had been there for a long time, but the repair shop would constitute a...
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Brigham City’s Salon 360 was broken into during the night of June 3 or early morning hours of June 4, with the approximately ,650 in hair styling tools and equipment being stolen. According to the Brigham City Police Department, a call came in reporting a burglary at the salon, located at 60 South Main Street, at approximately 10:46 a.m. Saturday morning. When police arrived, employees at the salon stated they found an unlocked door on the west side of the building. Officers questioned other businesses located in the building whether they also had items stolen, but the initial reports made...
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As the weather transitions from spring to the heat of summer, Rocky Mountain Power is asking customers to be prepared for possible fire-related service outages. “We’re building our system to be more resilient long term – for all seasons and weather conditions – providing value to our customers for years to come,” said Curtis Mansfield, senior vice president of power and delivery. “We’re investing nearly half a billion dollars across our system in wildfire mitigation strategies over the coming years. This includes roundthe clock reporting of weather conditions; rebuilding portions of the grid with equipment upgrades; and using technology to...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a 2,603 contract to replace the waterline running from the county’ landfill at Little Mountain to State Road 83, as well as construct a new pump house. “We are wanting to replace the waterline, which is approximately 25 years old, from Highway 83 up to the top of the water tanks, which is approximately 11,500 feet,” said Kirk Ward with the county’s building department. “We’ve had some breaks, and those costs and time, let alone the wasted water, we want to get that taken care of.” “By contract, we’re supposed to supply...
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Rather than conduct a regular city council meeting on Thursday, June 2, the Brigham City Council instead chose to hold an extended work session to set a tentative budget that can be passed at the council’s June 16 meeting. Although no firm decisions were made, the city is facing increased costs across the board in its mission to provide public services to residents, it seems likely that city rates, fees and property taxes will all increase to one degree or another. The work session began with consultant David Berg presenting some of the results of an electrical rate study that...
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A ,000 reward has been offered for information that leads to finding Dylan Rounds, 19, who was reportedly last seen on his family’s farm in Lucin, Utah, on Wednesday, May 25. He made contact with family via phone on Saturday, May 28, and he was confirmed seen in Montello, Nevada, the same day, but has since been reported as missing. According to information from the family included on information disseminated publicly, a pair of boots belonging to Rounds was found five miles from the farm. Since Rounds was reported missing multiple agencies and volunteers have been performing searches. Box Elder...
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At the end of a budget work meeting on June 2 where city officials learned about a projected ,000 deficit in the justice court budget, Councilmember Justin Brown asked his fellow council members to consider getting rid of the court and contracting those services to the county. During discussion about the amended budget for 2021-2022 and the proposed budget for 2022-2023, Brenda Dixon showed that revenue from fines and forfeitures was less than projected. Brown said it costs the town a substantial amount to have a justice court, and projections show a ,000 deficit for the fiscal year 2022, which...
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Following a June 1 News Journal opinion piece calling on county officials to pass an ordinance requiring local candidates to disclose campaign contributions and expenses prior to a primary election, the Box Elder County Commission announced on Wednesday that it will be taking up the issue. “There was an editorial that was in the paper this last week talking about finance disclosures,” said Commissioner Jeff Scott. “We’ve talked about that in the past. State law right now does not have financial disclosure deadlines before ballots go out.” “Before the primary,” added Commissioner Stan Summers. “And so people are voting and...
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After a row with the Utah Debate Commission on Republican input into primary debates, the Utah Republican Party has decided to host its own debates. Tonight, Wednesday, June 1, at 6 p.m. the party will stream a debate for Republican candidates for United States Senate. Incumbent Senator Mike Lee will be appear with primary candidates Ally Isom and Becky Edwards. The debate will be live-streamed on the Utah GOP’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/UTGOP/ .
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The post-Memorial Day clean up at the Brigham City Cemetery will begin at 7 a.m. on Monday, June 6. According to the city, patrons who wish to pick up their decorations should do so before that time. Flowers properly arranged around headstones and in good condition will not be removed until such time as they become unsightly. Artificial flowers stuck in the grass will be removed and disposed of at that time. Any shepherd’s hooks that were placed during this time should be removed before June 6. The Brigham City Police Department wants to make the public aware that removing...
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The Willard Fourth of July committee is still in need of volunteers to help with activities for the city-sponsored celebration. “For those citizens that are so inclined, they really, really need help with the foot race program,” said Councilmember Kaleb Kunzler at Thursday’s council meeting. “Your city staff can let you know who to contact if you’re interested in helping out.” Willard City can be contacted at (435) 734-9881, or in-person at 80 West 500 South.
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The 2022 Box Elder High School baseball team used a combination of senior leadership and youthful exuberance to improve on last year’s 9-19 mark, finishing this season with a 13-15 overall record and a trip into the second round of the state playoffs. The Bees had some ups and downs early on, with the highlight of the preseason being a wild, come-from-behind, onepoint win over rival Bear River in St. George, 16-15. The team’s successes were sometimes accompanied with setbacks, as the Bees went 5-5 in their preregion schedule before dropping their first five region games, three to Bountiful and...
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While some portions of the state are seeing improved conditions over the same time last year, other parts—including Box Elder County—are worse, and according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 99% of the state(Average is in the of all second reservoirs and third-in Utah)worst categories: severe and extreme drought. On May 25, 2021, most of Box Elder County was in extreme and severe drought, with a northwest portion of the county in the lower, moderate drought category. This year, all of Box Elder is in severe or extreme drought. This comes as spring runoff dwindles and Utah begins its drying out period....
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A nationwide shortage of infant formula that has been alarming parents for the past several weeks may soon be easing, as formula producers ramp up production and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) eases restrictions on imports. “We’re pulling a bunch of levers at the same time,” said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, testifying before a U.S. House subcommittee last week. “Within days it will get better, but it will be a few weeks until we’re back to normal,” he said. The normal American supply chain was disrupted in February, after Abbot Nutrition, makers of Similac, closed production at their Michigan...
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As part of the city’s ongoing quest to simplify and streamline its municipal code, the Perry City Council on Thursday discussed, but did not yet pass, an ordinance modifying allowable land uses within planning zones. The goal of the ordinance, as recommended by the city’s planning commission, is to continue to do away with conditional uses, and instead specify in code what types of uses will be allowed in different zones, allowing for faster administrative approvals. If a proposal meets established requirements for a particular zone, it would be approved by city officials. “A lot of times conditional use permits...
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At a public hearing held at Thursday’s Willard City Council meeting, several residents stood up to offer objections to a plan to increase the city’s culinary water rates, while others supported it, and most were simply seeking information. The current plan being considered by the council would keep the base rate of per month, but reduce the amount of water received for that rate from 25,000 gallons to 17,000 gallons. From 17,001 gallons used to 50,000 gallons, the new rate would be [post_excerpt].10 per 1,000 gallons. From 50,001 to 70,000 gallons the rate would be [post_excerpt].20 per 1,000 gallons....
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A car that struck the side of a semi while entering southbound Interstate 15 on Friday night resulted in a wreck and vehicle fire that shut down the freeway near Brigham City for nearly an hour. According to reports from the Utah Highway Patrol and the Brigham City Fire Department, on May 27 at approximately 10 p.m. a passenger car was merging onto southbound I-15 at the 900 North interchange when it struck the front wheel of a semi truck, causing both drivers to lose control. The semi, which was hauling household belongings for two families moving to Arizona, hit...
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At least 40 Perry residents showed up at Mountain View Park on Saturday, May 21, to volunteer their labor in an effort to clean up and maintain the park. “We had a great turnout,” reported Councilmember Dave Walker at Thursday’s council meeting. “We ended up having at least 40, probably more like 50 or maybe even 60 people. There were lots of people coming in and out. We were able to clear up the trails that are up above in the sagebrush, and widen those out so you can walk side by side now.” Residents also cleaned weeds out of...
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Several Box Elder County communities reported numerous vehicle burglaries and vehicle theft in the early morning hours of May 24, with several valuables, including guns, stolen from the vehicles. In Perry, a homeowner’s security camera system was able to catch a good image of the perpetrators, showing two males exiting a car in the street and rifling through an unlocked sedan parked in a driveway. “We have good information to follow up on, but we are needing help identifying the suspects caught on camera,” said Perry City Police Chief Scott Hancey. “It appears one of the males is wearing a...
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Adversity and challenges seemed to be the theme of the season for the Box Elder High School softball team,but time after time they rallied together to overcome and persevere. The injury bug bit several team members throughout the season, creating opportunities at the varsity level for girls who may not have been expecting them at the start of the year. Despite all that, the Bees posted a 19-13 overall record, which is their best since 2018, when the team won the state championship. The Bees mixed some tough losses with some convincing wins during their pre-region schedule and started region...
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Athletic Director Kim Peterson’s replacement is head baseball coach, Jesse Roberts, who also works as a student government advisor, work-based learning coordinator and driver’s education teacher. Roberts said he is excited for his new role as athletic director/ assistant principal, but will always be in Peterson’s debt, who he considers a “symbol here at Box Elder who will surely be missed.” Roberts has been both assistant and head coach over BEHS baseball for 16 years, and credits “amazing assistants” for making his job easier. “I can’t wait to work with the coaches here at the best school in the world...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team saw their season come to an end last Monday in Orem as the ninth-ranked Tigers completed the best-of-three series against the Bees in a 5-2 win. The Tigers took the first game of the series the previous Saturday with a 7-4 win and the Bees knew they’d have to tighten up their defense and find some magic behind the plate in order to advance in the state tournament. The offensive side of the game looked promising for the Bees early as they put up the first run of the game in the top...
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The Box Elder High School softball team’s season came to a close last Friday in Springville as the Red Devils swept their thirdround series against the Bees with a 9-8 victory. Springville picked up their first win of the series on Thursday in an 11-4 game. On Thursday afternoon, the Red Devils jumped on the Bees early and raced out to a 9-0 lead after just three innings. The Bees found some offense in the fourth inning and got home runs from Tegan Mecham and Maygen Kaleikini, but it proved to be too little, too late, as the hosts continued...
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After 35 years as a teacher, coach and athletic director at Box Elder High School, Kim Peterson has announced his retirement with the thanks and praise of his colleagues in the school district. His career spans 45 years that include other school districts before he came to Brigham City as the head basketball coach at BEHS from 1987 to 1996. During that time, he also coached as an assistant or head coach for the football, softball and golf teams. He was named athletic director at the school in 1995-96, and has held that position for 27 years, during which he...
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Following the results of a wetlands study showing that reclamation of certain portions of a planned unit development in northern Brigham City would be cost prohibitive, developers of the North Point Subdivision submitted a slightly scaled-back site plan to the city council on Thursday. The planned development, which is proposed on 34.26 acres formerly occupied by the Willows Golf Course at 909 N. Main Street, is shrinking from 48 to 34 single family homes, from 178 to 171 townhouses, and open space on the property is increasing from 14.05 acres to 17. “Visionary Homes came before the city in 2020...
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In an effort to reassure voters that the current vote by mail system used in Box Elder County is both accurate and secure, County Clerk Marla Young offered a detailed presentation at Wednesday’s County Commission meeting describing the processes and safeguards in place to preserve election integrity. “Obviously we all know that the confidence in elections has gone down significantly across the nation,” began Young. “I hope today that some of the questions that some of you may have will be answered, and give you a little bit of ease that, at least here in Box Elder County, your election...
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A 10-year veteran of the county auditor’s office has been appointed by the Box Elder County Republican Party to fill out the remaining time of former auditor Tom Kotter’s term. Shirlene Larsen has worked as an accountant for the county since 2012. Prior to Box Elder County, Larsen worked as a tax preparation accountant for Holman Tax Company out of Brigham City, a level two accountant for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and an auditor for the State of Utah. She graduated from Utah State University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, following that up...
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A zone change request for 59.5 acres of land located at 3125 West Forest Street was approved at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting. The parcel, located on the south side of Forest Street, was originally zoned as A5 (agricultural 5-acre), but received a recommendation to approve it for RR-1 (rural residential 1-acre) at the May 5 planning commission meeting, as it meets the city’s general plan guidelines for the area. “The adjacent properties are RR-1 for the most part, on the west and east,” reported City Planner Mark Bradley. The property borders the Bear River Migratory Game Bird Refuge to...
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The Brigham City Fire Department has been in the spotlight lately, as two of its members have earned back-to-back recognitions as the Utah Rural Paramedic of the Year from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. In 2021, paramedic/ firefighter Braden Toone was chosen to receive the award. In 2022, paramedic/firefighter Karl Walker was honored with the same award. “This is the second year that someone from Brigham City has received this award,” said Brigham City Assistant Fire Chief Mike Young. “We’ve just got good people. It’s from all the rural departments throughout the state, so we just have...
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Using the same recipe that won them the Region 5 Championship— momentum-building performances early in the meet, and strong showings in jumping and throwing events—the Box Elder High School girls’ track and field team won their third state title in less then 10 years at the Utah 5A State Championship last week at Brigham Young University. The Box Elder girls had what coaches qualified as a dominant performance at a state meet, scoring 79.5 points, 21.5 points more than 58 points scored by second-place Timpanogos. By comparison, the next highest margin was the 10-point difference between third-place Lehi and fourth-place...
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A former Utah lawmaker has floated an idea to use an existing, but currently unused, natural gas pipeline that stretches from Wyoming to Oregon to bring in water from the Pacific Ocean to fill the shrinking Great Salt Lake. The idea was disclosed in Wednesday’s Box Elder County Commission meeting, with Commissioner Stan Summers crediting its inception to former State Representative Lee Perry, who is himself running for a commission seat. “About four or five months ago we were talking, Lee Perry and the commission. We had a pipeline running through Box Elder County that was going to go bankrupt,...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team saw their season come to an end on Monday after suffering a second-straight loss Monday in a three-game regional series against Orem in the Utah 5A State Championship. The Bees cleared their first hurdle in the state tournament last Friday with a 9-5 win over Cedar Valley in the first round. The win moved the Bees into the regional round and match up with Orem, who won the first game of the best-of-three series on Saturday, 7-4. Orem won the second game on Monday, 5-2. The Bees finished 24th in the final 5A...
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The Brigham City Council has given preliminary approval for a new 11-lot single family home subdivision west of Box Elder High School. The Reeder Farm subdivision will be located at approximately 800 West and 260 S., west of the high school’s football field. Access into the subdivision will be from 800 West, via a road being build through a vacant property. “It’s pretty straightforward, with decent sized lots,” said City Planner Mark Bradley. “The planning commission recommended approval, subject to [the developer] addressing some staff review comments.” Preliminary plats offer a concept design for the council to approve, and allow...
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The Box Elder High School softball team advanced into the next round of the state tournament after handing Alta two blowout defeats on Friday and Monday, 12-2 (five innings) and 10-3. Prior to playing Alta, The Box Elder High School softball team suffered an extra-innings loss against Bear River, 9-4, in their final game of the regular season, but they bounced back on Saturday in their first game of the state tournament. Monday’s game against the Bears was much closer than the score might suggest as the game was tied at four going into the bottom of the seventh inning....
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Perry residents who would like to help the city clean up Mountain View Park can show up there at 9 a.m. on May 21. Projects will include removal of overgrown bushes and fence, removing broken tree rings, removing grass from intact rings, cleaningup sidewalks and park boundaries, weeding and tilling the volleyball pit, and improving nature and biking trails. To participate residents may register at JustServe.Org or use the direct link at www.forms.gle/TASgCJDgQr8nN58S9v.
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Low income families across Utah and the rest of the country may be eligible to have all or most of their cost for internet service paid through a government program. The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service. The benefit provides up to /month discount for internet service; up to /month discount for households on qualifying Tribal lands; and a one-time discount of up to 0 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider. A household is eligible if one member of the household meets...
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Perry resident and EMS first responder Bryce Peterson has been appointed as the city’s new emergency manager by Mayor Kevin Jeppsen. Peterson has served with the city’s emergency responders for nearly two years, operating as its secretary. He holds a Basic EMT certification, as well as certifications as Firefighter 1 and 2, and a hazardous materials certification. Emergency mangers typically prepare plans and procedures for responding to natural disasters and other emergencies. They also help lead the response during and after emergencies, often in coordination with public safety officials, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies Peterson’s appointment received unanimous...
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After approving 6,112 to order a new fire engine at the April 7 meeting, the Brigham City Council has approved a budget revision specifying how the city is going to pay for it. Brigham City Finance Director Tom Kotter appeared before the council at the May 5 meeting, presenting a plan to loan the money from the city’s utility fund to the fleet fund, with a payback period of 10 years, and an interest rate of 2.385%, which is the current 10-year treasury bond rate. “If we go full-term on the loan, we’ll pay just under 7,000 in interest,” said...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ track and field team cruised to a dominant win to earn their ninth consecutive Region 5 championship last week, while their male counterparts posted an even more impressive margin of victory to earn the title for the first time since 2008. Both the girls and boys dominated field events and hurdles, with the girls putting up 236 points to outpace Viewmont’s 143.5, while the boys’ team posted 247.5, which was more than 100 points better than runner-up Northridge’s 116 points. Both the boys and girls took eight first-place finishes out of 17 events. On...
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The Brigham City Council approved a lot-line adjustment and vacated an easement on the parcel currently home to USA Gasoline on the corner of 1100 South and Commerce Way, in order to allow Walmart to build its own branded station and convenience store on the site. Walmart has been leasing the space to USA Gasoline for several years, but once the lease is up, it plans on moving ahead with the project. “The fuel tanks will be removed, and the site will be built as brand new,” said Mark Bradley, the city’s planner. Walmart will need to relocate a sewer...
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The Brigham City Council has reduced the rates paid to the approximately 160 solar power customers who put excess electricity back into the city’s power grid. In a process known as “net metering,” power generated by a customer’s solar system in excess of the power used by that customer results in a credit on their monthly bill. Currently, the credit for those customers is equal to what customers would have been charged for that electricity, with rates varying depending on peak usage times. The new payout system, effective on the June 1 bill, will only credit customers what the city...
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Two landowners who together own 142.86 acres in South Willard have turned in a petition to Willard City to have their properties annexed into the city. The request is unique, as neither property actually shares borders Willard’s current city limits, which would create an island of Willard City land inside Box Elder County, should the proposal be accepted. “This is the first in a number of steps; you are not annexing property tonight,” said City Administrator Chris Davis at Thursday’s council meeting. “Assuming you would make a motion allowing the annexation to proceed forward, you’d have this on the agenda...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved a development agreement for a 54-lot, 14.3 acre subdivision to be located on 1200 West and approximately 3225 South. As part of the agreement, the developer will install a new 10-inch water line as opposed to a required 8-inch line, and be reimbursed by the city for the extra costs. The larger diameter line will help the city accommodate future growth along 1200 West. “To meet fire flow, we required that they upsize the water line along 1200 West, which is currently six inches,” said Bob Barnhill, Perry’s city administrator. “To meet that...
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Willard City may follow in the steps of Perry City and receive Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) funding to expand its existing Historic Orchard Trail south along 200 West. “The state legislature this year has approved million for non-motorized transportation projects,” said City Planner Bryce Wheelwright at Thursday’s council meeting. “As you know, Willard has this trail out on 200 West. The plan is—on the county master trail plan—to have that trail go all the way from Brigham City to the Weber County line, and tie into the rail trail down there. With this opportunity for funding, this trail...
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Editor’s note: The News Journal does not endorse any candidate. Congressman Blake Moore reached out for an interview, which we granted in order to inform voters. The News Journal allows equal access. Sitting down for an interview and a bite to eat at J&Ds Restaurant on May 4 in Brigham City, first-term Congressman Blake Moore described himself as a “quintessential little-league dad” with the background and experience necessary to properly represent the people of Utah’s 1st Congressional District. Moore is facing former Morgan County Councilmember Tina Cannon, as well as risk-assessment consultant Andrew Badger, in the June 28 primary, the...
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Brigham City will host a rabies clinic on Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Pioneer Park bowery, where vaccinations and dog licenses will be available for purchase. Rabies vaccinations cost per dog and/or cat. Brigham City dog licenses cost for one year or for three years for spayed/neutered dogs, or for one year or for three years for unaltered animals. Only cash or checks can be acceopted as forms of payment at the clinic.
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Santaquin resident Scott Morgan began a quest to drive a riding lawnmower across Utah, from the Idaho to Arizona border, on Saturday morning. Morgan is raising awareness and money for the Ronald McDonald House in Salt Lake City, a charity that offers parents of hospitalized children a free place to stay, including meals and transportation, while their child is being treated. As he drives at the breakneck speed of six to seven miles per hour through cities and rural stretches, canyons and valleys, Morgan is closely followed by wife, Tess, and best-friend, Robert Lindsay, who are in a pickup truck...
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Willard Mayor Travis Mote has scheduled and open house meeting at Willard City Hall for June 8 to discuss with residents issues the city is facing. “Some of the items that we’re going to discuss will be basic water and sewer availability. I get a lot of questions on how our water system is doing, so I’ve asked the staff to pull some information on our well levels and our tank levels. We’ll talk about how we’re going to manage that through the drought this year.” Other items to be covered will be the city’s emergency preparedness plan, progress on...
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Box Elder Runs Strong, an annual event to benefit Box Elder nonprofits, is seeking to add a corporate presence with teams from local companies participating in the first “Company Run” on June 11. Any local business, office, or company can enter a 1-4 member relay team to run 3-4 laps around the County Court House while wearing attire representing the company’s product or services. There will be prizes for winners, and a special award for the company with the most unique presentation. The cost to register is . Registrations must be received by Tuesday, May 31. There will be limited...
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The Brigham City Police Department will participate in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Utah Special Olympics on Thursday, May 12. The run will begin at approximately 900 North at around 1:15 p.m. and will continue down Main Street to Fishburn Drive. The community is invited to line the route and cheer the runners. Pictured are: detective, Matt Knudson; chief, Chad Reyes; Matt Richards; Sgt. Jared Glover; Alina Dumling; detective, Cody Herbert; detective, Stephen Johnson; ACO, Levi Tarver; and Sgt. Ryan Hill; Alina will travel to the National Special Olympics in Florida on June 4 to participate in the...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday once again rejected the recommendation of the county’s planning commission, and directed county staff to move ahead with crafting a development agreement to accommodate a mixed density residential development in South Willard. Developers of The Orchards subdivision in South Willard had petitioned the Box Elder Planning Commission at last month’s meeting to approve their 70-acre parcel for a zonechange from R-1-20 (minimum 20,000 square foot) residential zoning to an MPC (master planned community) zone, which allows for smaller lot sizes and higher densities through the use of a negotiated and approved site plan...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team picked up three important wins last week as they swept their three-game series against Bonneville last week: 10- 0, 5-3, and 11-1. Coming into the week, the Lakers had yet to pick up a region win and the Bees made sure to keep it that way as the Lakers fell to 3-16 overall on the year and 0-12 in region play. On Tuesday afternoon in Brigham City, the Bees pitched their first shutout of the season as Braden Merrill drew the start and got the win. Merrill pitched all six innings and gave...
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Beehive Mile set for Friday The annual Beehive Mile race for fourth and fifth graders will be held on Friday, May 13, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Watkins Park, 600 West Forest Street in Brigham City. Registration has been ongoing at area elementary schools, but registration will be available the day of the race from 4 to 4:30 p.m. at the park. Participants must have a release form signed by a parent or legal guardian. Entry is free. The race, now in its 13th year, has continued to grow, according to Dan Price of Dan Price Insurance, who co-sponsors the...
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A bill signed into law by President Joe Biden on April 29 is being hailed as a win for outdoor enthusiasts who want to take advantage of federally-owned public lands. Utah Congressman Blake Moore (R-Dist. 1) introduced the legislation— Modernizing Access to our Public Land Act—along with a bi-partisan support from other states, including Representatives Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Joe Neguse (D-CO), and Kim Schrier (D-WA). The law directs federal land management agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and others, to digitize and standardize mapping records. The digitization of records “will allow hunters, hikers, bikers,...
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Brigham City Mayor DJ Bott submitted his 2022-2023 budget proposal on Thursday to the Brigham City Council, with spending across all city funds totaling ,616,635. That total includes a state grant of .5 million to construct a railroad overpass on Forest Street, as well as .4 million in transit sales tax fees and expenses that the city never actually sees, but passes through to UTA. Mayor Bott gave a presentation in front of the council going over the highlights of his budget, beginning with the general fund. “Public safety has been a moving target,” said Bott, explaining that many municipalities...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved two new agricultural protection areas for farms and ranches located west of Brigham City on Forest Street. An agriculture protection area is a special designation in state law that offers some protection for farms and ranches operating within a specified area from nuisance lawsuits that might arise due to the sights, sounds and smells common to agricultural operations. Bonnie Robinson, representing several families with farms and ranches on west Forest Street, appeared before the commissioners during the open public hearing to state her case. “My neighbors and I, a bunch of us,...
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Brigham City and Box Elder County have approved a proposal to trade a city-owned parcel of land in downtown Brigham City for two county-owned parcels located on west Forest Street. The county-owned parcels include a .41-acre lot located on the southeast corner of Forest Street and 950 West, as well as a larger .66-acre lot located at approximately 975 West Forest Street. In exchange for that land, Brigham City will grant Box Elder County a .26-acre parcel currently being used as a parking lot, located directly north of the former America First Credit Union building on 100 South and 100...
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An early morning fire on May 7 caused significant damage to a shed, a parked truck and a home located just north and west of the Brigham City limit. According to Brigham City Fire Marshal/Assistant Chief Michael Young, a call came in at 5:40 a.m. on Saturday morning reporting a structure fire at 3000 North 2650 West. When fire crews from Brigham City arrived at 5:51 a.m. they found the shed fully engulfed, and flames had spread to a parked truck and the home itself. “Due to gusting winds and limited hydrants, the fires were difficult to contain and extinguish,”...
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The driver of a motorcycle was seriously hurt when a car making a left-hand turn pulled out in front him on Friday morning. The motorcyclist, identified as 45-year-old Tyler Judkins of Farmington, was heading northbound on U.S. Highway 89/91 near Willard Bay Gardens when a Toyota Camry being driven by an elderly Perry man pulled out in front of him. “The motorcycle impacted the right front fender area of the Camry. The rider was thrown over the car onto the pavement, suffering severe injuries,” said Sgt. Brian Nelson of the Utah Highway Patrol. Judkins was taken by ambulance to Brigham...
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The community is invited to help celebrate the memories and legacy of two Brigham City Police Officers in the Memorial 5k run/1-mile walk on Saturday, May 14, beginning at Brigham City Hall, 20 N. Main Street, at 8 a.m. The event will honor former Brigham City Assistant Police Chief Dennis Vincent and Sgt. Chad Panter. Vincent served the community for nearly 30 years before he died unexpectedly after he suffered brain aneurysm during his annual law enforcement physical fitness test. According to the event’s organizers, “His impact and legacy were far-reaching and he was beloved beyond measure. A helpful hand,...
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Utah’s ongoing drought is continuing to impact the state’s natural resources, stressing wildlife, rangeland, recreation and reservoir storage. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 99% of Utah is in the second and third-worst categories: severe and extreme drought. Utah’s reservoir levels are 10% lower than they were at this time last year. Storms earlier this spring, particularly in northern Utah, are helping reservoir levels (see map), but could exacerbate what is anticipated to be an already active wildfire season. “Our lands are tinder dry...with May and June forecasted to be hotter and drier than previous years,” said Brian Steed, executive...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday amended the land use management code to allow for administrative approvals of agricultural subdivision requests. The change will reduce the time it takes to approve an agricultural subdivision from 4-6 weeks to a matter of days. “Historically with agricultural subdivisions, we have had each subdivision request go to the planning commission for approval, and then the county commission,” explained Community Development Director Scott Lyons. “The way the law is written in state code is it allows the county commission to approve an ordinance outlining the process of how this is to be done....
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A man who allegedly shot a North Ogden man with two arrows on Saturday night was found dead in a pickup camper near Willard Bay early on Sunday morning. According to North Ogden police, the victim in the case was shot with two arrows, one in the chest and another in the abdomen. The alleged shooter, who fled the scene on foot, was identified as the ex-boyfriend of the victim’s girlfriend. Police were able to track the suspect to a camper in the bed of a pickup truck, parked in the Harold Crane Area south of Willard Bay. Members of...
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The American Red Cross is making a push for blood donations now, ahead of when they typically see a decline in donations in the summer months. To show appreciation, all blood donors through May 19, 2022, will receive a e-gift card to a merchant of choice and will also be automatically entered to win a travel trailer camper. Those who come to give May 20-31 will receive an exclusive 20-ounce Red Cross aluminum water bottle and customizable sticker set, while supplies last. The Red Cross is testing all donations for COVID-19 antibodies for a limited time to identify donors...
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An Brigham City man has been booked into the Box Elder County Jail after causing a violent domestic disturbance at his home and assaulting police officers when they tried to take him into custody. Luis Garcia, 29, was arrested on Sunday morning after showing up intoxicated to the residence he shares with several family members, and getting belligerent and violent with them when told to leave and not come back until he was sober. According to a probable cause statement filed by Brigham City Police, witnesses testified that after Garcia was told to leave he became angry and started trying...
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The Box Elder High School softball team couldn’t have scripted a better ending to their regular season than happened last week as the Bees went 3-0 with wins over Woods Cross on Tuesday, Bountiful on Wednesday, and Viewmont on Thursday. The Bees were expecting to top Woods Cross, but the Wildcats put up some resistance and held a 1-0 lead heading into the third inning. From there, the Bees’ found their stride and blew the game open, scoring seven runs in the next two innings, led by senior Maygen Kaleikini, who launched a home run and drove in three runs....
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Editor’s note: The News Journal will not endorse any candidate for elected office in the run to the primary election. The campaign for candidate Tina Cannon for U.S. Congress reached out for an interview, which we granted in our role of helping inform voters. The News Journal allows equal access to candidates. If you attended Box Elder High School in the mid-1980s, you probably knew Tina Parkinson (now Cannon). A Brigham City native-born at Cooley Memorial Hospital, Cannon grew up here, attending local schools until her graduation in 1986. She stressed those local roots when asked why she’s making a...
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While there’s seemingly little that Republicans and Democrats can agree on these days, a group of four Congressmen are uniting to strengthen the ability of private companies to trace robocalls. Utah Representative John Curtis (R-UT-03), along with Bob Latta (R-OH-5), Mike Doyle (D-PA-18), and Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ-01) introduced the Robocall Trace Back Enhancement Act, which provides protection for providers who share information relating to suspected fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful robocalls; illegally spoofed calls; or other illegal calls to registered organizations helping to trace back the origin of these suspicious robocalls. The bill’s sponsors said that as those engaging in robocalls...
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An additional case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in Cache County on Thursday at the Zootah facility in Logan by Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) officials. Zootah closed their facility down as soon as the case was confirmed and is under a state-ordered quarantine procedure. Utah has seen multiple cases so far this year, and UDAF officials are urging bird owners to be vigilant in checking their birds for symptoms and using good biosecurity practices. Symptoms include high death loss among flocks, nasal discharge, decreased appetite or water consumption, and lack of coordination in birds....
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The Box Elder High School baseball team picked up a much-needed win, 13-8, in the final game of their series against Woods Cross after the Wildcats took the first two outings 12-5 and 4-2. The win gave the Bees some much-needed confidence heading into their final two series of the regular season since they managed to deal the Wildcats their first region loss of the year. “We proved to ourselves and everyone else that we can play with the best teams around,” said Box Elder coach Jesse Roberts. “That’s going to help us out a lot to close out the...
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A zone change request by a the owner of a 30 acre parcel located on the southwest corner of 1200 West and 2200 South was rejected by the Perry City Council at Thursday’s meeting. The request was to allow either for quarteracre lots within the property, or for the granting of a conservation subdivision, with the open space requirement to be waived for a fee of [post_excerpt],000 per lot to go toward the upkeep and maintenance of Dale Young Nature Park, which is due east of the parcel. The council had rejected the quarter-acre request back in January of this...
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Box Elder County’s Children’s Justice Center (CJC) officially unveiled its new Brigham City home on Friday, April 29, with a ribbon cutting and speeches from local and state officials fighting to protect sexually and physically abused children. The center’s new home is literally an older home, now restored and renovated, offering young victims of abuse a relaxed atmosphere where they can feel more at ease when sharing traumatic details of abuse. The CJC in Box Elder County began as a satellite office of the Cache County CJC in 2007, but due to increasing case loads became an independent office under...
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Customer service seminar set The Box Elder Chamber of Commerce has organized a seminar for Thursday, May 12, to help businesses that are dealing with continuing worker shortages. Troy Lamb, an employment specialist with the Utah Department of Workforce Services will give the presentation, “Customer Service on a Skeleton Crew” from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Bridgerland Technical College, 356 W. 1100 South, Brigham City. The cost to attend is , which includes breakfast. Reserve a seat by emailing the chamber at shelley@boxelderchamber.com, or visit www.boxelderchamber.com/events. Chamber hosts job fair Numerous local businesses will be on hand for a job...
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Tyler Anderson, a Brigham City financial advisor with Edwards Jones, has been named a 2022 Best-In- State Wealth Advisor for Utah by Forbes. Anderson, who has been a financial advisor with Edward Jones for more than two decades, has lived in Box Elder County since 2001, when he and his wife moved their family to the area due to the access to outdoor recreation and that it “is a wonderful place to raise a family.” Anderson, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University and later completed a master’s degree in financial planning, has received numerous accolades from Edward...
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According to Box Elder head softball coach Brian Merrill, “Somebody locked our bats away last week. I don’t really know why or what happened.” It was that kind of week for the Box Elder High School softball team as the Bees were shut out by both Bountiful and Bonneville in region play, losing by scores of 6-0 and 4-0 before picking up two wins at the Cache Valley Invitational tournament on Saturday. The Redhawks came to Brigham City on Tuesday and held the Bees scoreless for just the third time this year. Junior ace Eva Stoddard kept the Bees guessing...
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Over the course of the season, the Box Elder High School boys’ tennis team has compiled a 7-7 record and currently sits in fourth in the Region 5 standings. The Bees have recorded wins over Clearfield, Northridge (twice,) Bear River, North Sanpete, Manti, and Bonneville, and have a chance to improve their region standing with a win at Viewmont this week. The team only has one senior, James Bott, who anchors the team at first singles. Second singles has been held down by sophomores Isaac Diehl and Trevor Wilkenson. Three players have largely managed duties at third singles, with Wilkenson,...
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The Perry City Council simplified and eased some requirements in its housing code on Thursday, passing amendments that would bring it into compliance with state law, and also encourage the creation of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to increase housing supply. The first proposed amendment dropped a requirement mandating that accessory dwelling units be made of the same materials and design of the main home. “Originally the idea was that this would make ADUs more palatable, more acceptable to neighbors,” said Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill. “The thought behind the suggestion... was, if we allow detached garages, and we don’t regulate...
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Perry City’s current budget for the fiscal year ending June 30 is more or less on track with projections, according to a report offered by city recorder Shanna Johnson at Thursday’s council meeting. “This is looking through March, so we’re 75% through the fiscal year,” said Johnson. “We have collected 109% of the revenues. We have collected most of the property taxes, and that’s what’s driving that number up.” Other factors resulting in higher than projected revenues included collecting more money from licenses and fees than anticipated (106%), more intergovernmental revenue (123%), and a major increase in miscellaneous revenues resulting from...
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Every year the Box Elder High School boys soccer team does a service project, this year their labor efforts went to improving the quality of the experience for local youth by refilling area playgrounds with wood chips. Heidi Grunander headed up the service project, she found out that Brigham City needed assistance with loading in fresh wood chips for the playgrounds and made arrangements for the BEHS boys soccer teams to be able to provide the physical labor for that load-in effort. The boys ranged from freshman to seniors, there are 44 members on the teams and more than 40...
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Some young Brigham City entrepreneurs got a big boost for their lemonade stand from an unexpected source. On Saturday, April 23, the Sober Riders motorcycle club stopped by the stand at 500 West 200 South. “The boys were smiling ear to ear when they saw the rolling thunder coming their way,” wrote the boys’ father, Steve Larsen, in an email. “Thank you to all riders and ride safe!”
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The Utah Republican and Democratic parties held their respective nominating conventions on Saturday in Salt Lake City, slightly narrowing the field of candidates for state and national offices. In years past, there would have had a better idea of who the eventual nominees were going to be at this point in the process, but due to the ongoing effects of 2014’s SB 54, which allows candidates to sidestep the convention process and appear directly on the primary ballot through the signature gathering process, there is still a lot of the 2022 election that has yet to be decided. Here’s where...
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The bats were on fire for the Box Elder High School softball team last week as they took advantage of the 10-run mercy rule in three convincing victories. The Bees shutout Morgan, 10-0, on Monday, then returned to region play and blasted Viewmont, 21- 11, on Tuesday, before beating Northridge, 15-0, on Thursday. The Bees scored early and often against the Trojans in their first game of the week, putting up three runs in the first inning and another four in the second to put the game out of reach. Freshman slugger Charly Marble launched the first home run of...
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Brigham City’s goal of receiving nuclear power through its partnership with UAMPS and NuScale Power took a step toward becoming a reality over the weekend, as NuScale announced it had contracted with South Korean firm Doosan Enerbility to produce forging dies for NuScale’s upper reactor pressure vessel, marking the start of power module production. “We expect that the materials produced will support NuScale’s first commercial deployment of its...power plant for Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems’ Carbon Free Power Project at the Idaho National Lab. In conjunction with Doosan, U.S.-based suppliers and others, NuScale and the CFPP expect to bring carbon-free,...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person(s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Austin James Fonnesbeck DOB: 02/17/1993 Weight: 160 Height: 6’1” Race: Caucasian Eyes: Hazel Hair: Brown Offense: Attempted Theft by Receiving Stolen Property, 3rd Degree Felony; Fail to Stop or Respond at Command of Police, 3rd Degree Felony. Known to frequent the Tremonton/ Box Elder County areas. The Board of Pardons and Parole has issued a warrant for his arrest. Sasha Rae Reyes DOB: 05/24/1989 Weight: 200 Height: 5’3” Race: Hispanic Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Offense:...
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In a departure to how city budgets were created in the past, Perry Mayor Kevin Jeppsen submitted a tentative 2022-2023 budget to the Perry City Council totaling .5 million in spending across all city funds. That total includes 0,392 in mass transit taxes that the city never actually receives but must account for on its books, as well as transfers of 1,588 out of the general fund into other city funds counted on the books in more than one location, bringing the actual proposed spending closer to .3 million across the city’s general, utility, sewer, capital projects and fleet funds....
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The Box Elder High School baseball team finished last week on a high note with a 6-2 win on Thursday over Viewmont. The Vikings maintained the upper hand in the series by taking the first two games 9-4 on Tuesday and 13-3 on Wednesday. The first game of the week, played in Brigham City, started out tight as each team posted a run in the first inning. The Vikings broke things open with a threerun second inning and five runs in the fifth that put the game out of reach. The Vikings scored their nine runs on just seven hits,...
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A Utah senator’s bill allowing local governments the ability to purchase federal lands to use for low-cost housing may hold opportunities for some counties across the west, but wouldn’t have any real impact on the market in Box Elder County. Senator Mike Lee introduced the legislation, the Helping Open Underutilized Space to Ensure Shelter Act (HOUSES Act) on April 8. If passed, HOUSES would allow states and local governments to purchase land from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at a reduced cost to use for the development of affordable housing, with the goal of increasing the available housing supply...
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At Wednesday’s meeting, the Box Elder County Commission re-appointed two members of the county’s planning commission, reappointed two alternates, while also appointing two new members. Commissioners Mellonee Wilding and Jared Holmgren will each be serving additional three-year terms, while Jed Pugsley was appointed for a three-year term to take the place of Laurie Munns. Lonnie Jensen was also appointed to fill out the remaining year of Mike Udy’s term. Both Jennifer Jacobsen and Vance Smith were reappointed as alternates. An alternate can attend and participate in meetings, as well as serve as a voting member if a quorum could otherwise...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday renewed a contract to provide bailiff services and perimeter security for Utah’s First District and Juvenile Courts in Brigham City. The contract pays the department .83 per man-hour up to a total of 7,074 dollars for the period between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. “It’s basically the same contract we’ve had for a very long time,” said Sheriff Kevin Potter to the commissioners. When asked by Commissioner Jeff Scott if hourly rates paid had changed through the years, Potter answered affirmatively. With approval of the contract from county attorney, Steve Hadfield,...
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An overloaded extension cord plugged into a multi-plug adapter started a fire in a Brigham City home on Sunday morning, according to the Brigham City Fire Department. A statement issued by Brigham City Fire Marshal/ Assistant Chief Mike Young said that the alarm came in on April 24 at 9:16 a.m. for a structure fire in the bedroom of home located at 274 North 400 West. “Upon arrival by the fire department heavy smoke was found coming from the front door of the home with occupants still reported inside,” wrote Young. “The fire department immediately initiated a rescue and successfully...
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Nonfarm businesses in 15 Utah counties that rely on agricultural customers are now eligible for low-interest loans from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), following a declaration of a drought emergency by Utah Governor Spencer Cox and declaration of an agricultural disaster by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Businesses located in Cache, Morgan, Utah, Wasatch, Box Elder, Carbon, Davis, Duchesne, Juab, Rich, Salt Lake, Sanpete, Summit, Tooele and Weber counties, as well as bordering counties in Idaho, are eligible for the loans “Utah has been suffering a terrible drought, and it is not just this year,” said Marla Trollan,...
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The News Journal can now confirm that Perry City was indeed awarded two separate grants for work along 1200 West, including expansion of the existing paved trail and a re-route of that street directly to 1100 south in Brigham City. According to Perry City Administrator Robert Barnhill, the city was just awarded .764 million from the federal government through the Wasatch Front Regional Council’s STP (surface transportation program) to connect 1200 West straight through to Brigham City’s stub street located west of Walmart. The grant requires a match from the city of 1,000. The project may not happen directly, however....
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For nearly 30 years, Murphy’s Appliance on Main Street in Brigham City has been supplying residents with dependable Whirlpool brand products and even more dependable customer service that’s reminiscent of a different era, when customers were family. Owner Richard Murphy spent 15 years managing Montgomery Ward stores in the Midwest when he took the opportunity to run the Montgomery Ward in Brigham City in 1981. Montgomery Ward pulled out of the area and Sears replaced it, which Murphy also managed. When Sears closed shop, Richard and wife, Barbara, decided to go it alone and in 1993 opened up an independent...
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Nate Christensen, owner of K&N Automotive in Tremonton, knows his way around cars since he’s been working on them “mostly forever.” But fixing vehicles was not the primary motivation behind him opening up his own shop in 2009. “I felt like we could do more... give the customers a better experience,” Christensen said. “We realize how inconvenient it is, so we’ve tried to make it as painless as possible.” That superior customer service, which includes a number of services designed to make vehicle maintenance and repair on all makes and models “as painless as possible,” is what Christensen credits for...
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Tom Peterson, the general contractor for the Habitat for Humanity home being built on 500 West in Brigham City, gives instructions to volunteers about setting forms for a new and innovative construction process that uses concrete poured into the forms to construct the walls of the home. For now, the method is cheaper than building with lumber, and easy and safe enough to allow kids 16 and older to participate in the construction process. See story on page 4.
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One resident’s long-suffering quest to purchase Mantua-owned property upon which the driveway to his home sits has finally reached a conclusion. With a long list of stipulations, the Mantua Town Council voted 4-1 last Thursday to sell resident Nathan Blaine a portion of a town-owned 0.72-acre parcel that sits adjacent to Blaine’s property, and includes land that Blaine has used as a driveway access to his home through an easement granted by the town. For nearly two years, Blaine has been trying to purchase a little less than half the property—0.354 acres—in order to build a shed and gain ownership...
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In its annual report to the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday, the Bear River Health Department (BRHD) announced that, with the notable exception of COVID-19, causes of death within Cache, Box Elder, and Rich counties remained similar to previous years. During the 2021 calendar year, Covid was the fifth-leading cause of death with the department’s jurisdiction, claiming 39.84 lives per 100,000 population. Heart disease, at 172.25 deaths per 100,000 was the number one killer, followed by cancer (110.83 per 100,000), Alzheimer’s disease (59.56 per 100,000), and unintentional injury (51.9 per 100,000). Strokes came in at number six, with 34.51...
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The Box Elder School District Board of Education Wednesday recognized students from Box Elder Middle School and Box Elder High School for their achievements in regional and state competitions. First up were members of the Future Business Leaders of America. Also, recognized were BEMS winners of the state Technology Student Association (TSA) competition and Box Elder High School’s regional theater competition, where BEHS won 48 medals and took first place in One Act Plays for the 16th year in a row. Boardmember Wade Hyde read the results (see below). FBLA Madison Alvarez, Caleb Birch and Amara Young – third place,...
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Willard resident Chad Braegger appeared before the Willard City Council at the April 14 meeting, asking that the city set up a schedule for puncture weed control on the 200 West walking trail, as well as come up with a solution for snow removal during the winter months. The trail begins along 1200 West in Perry, becoming 200 West in Willard, ending just before 750 North. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen walkers having to bend down and pick puncture weeds out of their dog’s feet,” shared Braegger, who lives near the trail. “A good sweep job...
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With another year of drought expected in Utah due to the abnormally dry second-half of winter and a dry spring so far, the Willard City Council is considering adjusting the city’s water rates in order to promote conservation, as well as put money away for needed maintenance of the water system. Although the council did not pass a resolution adjusting water rates at Thursday’s meeting, the delay had more to do with how and when to raise the rates, not whether to raise them at all. Councilmember Kaleb Kunzler said the city’s water system had been under-funded for years. “What...
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The day that African-American slaves in Texas were officially freed by federal troops entering the state on June 19, 1865, has been officially recognized as a paid holiday by Willard City. A blend of the two words: “June” and “nineteenth,” Juneteenth is believed to be the oldest African-American holiday, with annual celebrations held in different parts of the country dating back to 1866. In June of 2021, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation making Juneteenth ( June 19) a federal holiday. The city did not single out Juneteenth as an individual holiday, however, instead passing a resolution recognizing all official...
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Cynthia Tangren a therapist with Associated Psychotherapists will be taking a leave of absence to attend to the mental health needs of the Ukrainian refugees arriving at the border of Poland. Tangren will be gone from May 18 to June 1, and is taking the time off of work, at her own expense, to assist those who have had to flee for their lives and leave their livelihoods in Ukraine. “I normally don’t follow the news, I don’t follow the negative stuff. But, when the images started coming of the women and children leaving, that just really struck me. I’ve...
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The Box Elder High School softball team got a range of experiences last week with a 12-2 win over Woods Cross on Thursday, followed by a 7-6 loss to Bonneville on Friday and a 15-0 drubbing at the hands of Ridgeline on Saturday. Against the Wildcats, the Bees got nine hits from seven different players, led by junior Ashley Hammers, who went 3-for- 3 with an RBI. Hammers also picked up her eighth win of the season from the pitching circle while throwing a complete game that ended after five innings. In the win, Hammers gave up two earned runs...
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While the storms northern Utah has received last week helped snowpack levels somewhat, it’s not nearly enough to brighten what has turned out to be a very dim water outlook for this summer. The good news has been in the Bear River drainage basin which supplies water to most of Box ElderCounty. On April 11 the snowpack levels in that basins at at 73% of normal, but as of April 18 they are at 87%.The Weber/Ogden Drainage Basin, which provides water for the southern portion of the county through Pineview Reservoir, has gone from 64% to 77% of normal in that same time...
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At a public hearing last Thursday regarding the city issuing a bond for the purchase of property to be used as the city's new office building, public sentiment - was split about the proposal. At its March 24 meeting the council approved a resolution seeking to issue sales tax revenue bonds for up to .2 million with a term of 22 years, at an annual interest rate of 4% or less, with the proceeds reserved solely for the purchase and refurbishment of the new city offices. The city intends on purchasing the property known as The Lodge, a 26,007-square-foot log building...
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Editor’s note: The News Journal does not endorse any candidate for elected office in the run to the state conventions. Candidate Bill Campbell’s campaign reached out for an interview, which we granted in our role of helping inform voters. The News Journal allows equal access to candidates. Retiring late last year, the former long-time chief financial officer for Autoliv, William Campbell, is a familiar face to many Box Elder County residents. - Campbell is running to replace Congressman Blake Moore as the Republican nominee for the U.S. First Congressional District. “I was worried about the future,” Campbell said. “Listening to...
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The Brigham City Fire Department responded to reports of a structure fire at 774 E. 300 South during the early morning hours of April 18. According to a statement issued by Fire Marshal/Assistant Chief Mike Young, a call came in at 12:05 a.m. Monday morning about a fire that had started near the home’s carport. When Brigham City firefighters arrived at 12:13 a.m. they evacuated residents from the home. With the help of fire units from Corinne and Willard, the fire was extinguished by 1:30 a.m. “Damage to the home is estimated at ,000,” wrote Young. “No injuries were sustained.”...
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At Thursday’s meeting, Perry City Administrator Bob Barnhill announced that the city was awarded an 0,000 grant, with a 0,000 city match, that would pay to complete the middle section of the Historic Orchard Pathway trail along 1200 West. “In the not too distant future we’ll have a trail all the way through Perry,” said Barnhill, adding that Willard and Brigham City have plans to continue the trail through their cities. Currently the trail begins near 750 North in Willard and runs north to approximately 3600 South in Perry. The grant should take the trail through the rest of Perry...
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Despite the wintry blast that set in early last week, the Box Elder High School baseball team played their series against Bountiful, with the Redhawks having the upper hand in all three games, completing the sweep with wins of 8-1, 6-4, and 13-3. Instead of having the originally scheduled Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, series, the games had to be moved to the end of the week and the first game was played in Bountiful on Thursday afternoon. In that one, the Redhawks opened the game strong with a five-run first inning. Box Elder stayed competitive by getting runners on base with...
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Applications are currently being accepted for the Home Energy Assistance Target (HEAT) program that provides financial relief for low-income Utah households for heating, cooling, and water bills. Applications for assistance for cooling costs are accepted from April through September. This year, households may apply for cooling assistance even if they already received assistance for heating costs this season. Between inflation, fuel prices, steep housing costs, and continuing impacts of the pandemic, many Utah families have faced significant challenges this year. According to Sisifo Taatiti, housing, and community development division HEAT program manager, providing relief from energy costs helps families cover...
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At Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, Mayor DJ Bott signed a proclamation declaring Thursday, April 28, as Arbor Day, earning the city its 36 “Tree City USA” designation. The Tree City USA program started in 1976 by the Arbor Day Foundation to promote urban forestry. The foundation maintains that trees yield three to five times their cost in benefits to cities, including savings in reducing soil erosion, savings on energy costs for cooling, and higher property values. In order to qualify as a Tree City USA, a city must have a tree board or department responsible for caring for city-owned...
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The Brigham City Council has given approval to the final plat for the first phase of the Brigham Vista subdivision, which consists of 11 lots located just below U.S. Highway 89, extending Skyline Drive to the east of Michelle Drive. Two of the lots in the subdivision already have homes, so the first phase would add nine more. A future second phase of the development aims to add six more homes. According to Brigham City Planner Mark Bradley, the development agreement reached with developer Breck Anderson requires him to pay to upgrade the city’s culinary water line along Skyline Drive...
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An aging main fire engine that is getting expensive to repair has led the Brigham City Fire Department to request the city purchase a new one, and move the current main engine to light-duty status as a reserve unit. “In our fleet we currently have a 1993 Pierce Dash, Engine 23, that we refer to as our second out, or primary reserve engine,” explained Fire Chief Brandon Thueson. “Engine 22, that we’re here to talk about tonight is a 2002 Pierce Dash. It’s the primary response engine for our community, it’s the first out on any emergency that we have...
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The Box Elder Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards banquet on Friday, April 22, at 6 p.m. at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds, where Teresa “Tere” Moore will be honored as Total Citizen of the year for her lifetime of dedicated service to her community and numerous groups and organizations. Below are those people and businesses who will be honored at the banquet. All the information presented below is taken from the nominations submitted to the chamber. Total Citizen of the Year Teresa M. Moore Tere Moore’s lifetime of service started when she was a young girl and...
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The Box Elder County Commission has waived facility rental fees for a fundraiser benefiting the Children’s Justice Center (CJC) to be held in the Box Elder County Fairgrounds’ Fine Arts Building on May 13 and 14. “Each Children’s Justice Center has a fundraising board that helps to raise funds to cover things that the state budget and grant can’t cover,” said Stirling Marx of the Box Elder County Children’s Justice Center. “Those are things for families, and helping with trainings for law enforcement and other individuals that work with the center.” The following weekend, May 20 and 21, another fundraiser...
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Utah is home to five species of rattlesnakes and hundreds of thousands of outdoor-loving humans. As the weather begins to warm, both snakes and humans exit their winter lodgings, leading to more chances for the two to meet. While this is true in years with normal levels of water, due to Utah’s continuing drought, more snakes might seek out yards or irrigated fields for water and prey. While the snakes often give rise to fear in humans, that doesn’t have to be the case, say officials with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Knowing a little about rattlesnake behavior and...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a legal and scientific services agreement with the environmental law firm of Michael, Best & Friedrich, as well as science consulting firm, Trinity Consultants, with the goal of separating Box Elder County from the rest of the Wasatch Front when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) measures air pollution. The cost for the services will be paid for with a grant from the state. In this year’s legislative session, a bill sponsored by Representative Matthew Gwynn appropriated 0,000 into a grant for Box Elder County to hire professional firms to help with the...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday awarded 5,00 in Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB) grants to various recipients in the county. The grants are funded through two separate taxes: a 4.25% tax on hotel stays and a 1% tax on restaurant bills, and are intended to support projects that promote tourism within the county. The advisory board each year looks through and ranks applications for the grants, and recommends to the commission deserving projects to fund. Brigham City Corporation was the largest recipient, totaling ,000 in grants, including ,000 for downtown kiosk signs, ,000 for the pickleball Tournament...
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Four of the five Republican candidates for Utah’s First Congressional District appeared in front of delegates and concerned voters last Wednesday night, making a case about why they should be selected to replace incumbent Republican Congressman Blake Moore. Congressman Moore did not attend, as he was in Washington, D.C. participating in an open session of the House of Representatives. Former Autoliv chief financial officer, William Campbell; Vineyard Mayor Julie Fullmer; former Morgan County Councilmember Tina Cannon; and former officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency, Andrew Badger, did attend the event, which was sponsored by the Box Elder County Republican Women,...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday renewed its approval to allow weekend farmer’s markets, chalk art celebrations and music events to be held on county courthouse grounds this summer. “I’m here to request access and continuation of the use of the courthouse premises for three of our activities through the coming summer,” said David Walker of Historic Downtown Brigham City, which has held the events for the last seven years on the property. The first event requested, to be held Memorial Day weekend, is the Art On Main celebration, which showcases local artists and features a chalk art contest...
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Box Elder County Auditor Tom Kotter, who was first elected to his position in November of 2010, submitted his resignation to the Box Elder County Commission, and was hired by Brigham City last week. “This was not an easy decision to make,” Kotter wrote in his resignation letter. “The past 11 years have been very rewarding. I’ve enjoyed working for the citizens of Box Elder County. I will miss my interactions with my staff and other county employees. I am grateful for having the opportunity to have served as the County Auditor. I offer my best wishes for Box Elder...
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Brigham City police responded to 17 separate reports of vehicle burglaries, and three vehicle thefts, that took place in the city on Wednesday, March 30, and Thursday, March 31. Police are not releasing individual details on the crimes, as they are under active investigation. According to Lieutenant Tony Ferderber, the majority of the crimes, 10 burglaries and a car theft, took place in the northeast section of town, with the remaining crimes scattered throughout other areas of the city. Several of the vehicles were locked, with windows being forced open to gain access to the cars. Items taken included two...
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A photo on the front page of last week’s edition showing Utah Senator Mike Lee in a meeting with the Utah Rural Water Association after Honeyville, Utah, was honored as having the state’s best tasting water, also included Honeyville Public Works Director Troy McNeely, who was not identified in the cutline. We regret the omission.
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Part of the Eagle Rise trail system on the east side of Mantua Reservoir will be used as a race site for the Utah High School Cycling League after the required permitting process is completed and approved by the town council. The Utah High School Cycling League made the request to the Mantua Town Council last week, proposing the site for two races in September, one on Sept. 3, and the other on Sept. 24. The group’s representative and director of the league, Dallen Atack, as well as several members of the team from Box Elder High School, said sites...
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The Box Elder High School softball team picked up two more wins last week to run their current winning streak to five straight games. On Monday, March 28, the team ground out a 9-8 win over South Summit, then opened region play on Tuesday in a 14-2 route of Northridge. The Wildcats from Kamas came into the game ranked second in the 3A RPI, and gave the Bees all they could handle in the first game of the week. Alyssa Sargeant and Emma Olson each drove in two runs to lead the offensive attack for the Wildcats, who scored their...
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A single-car rollover accident on East Promontory Road on Friday April 1, immediately claimed the life of one teen and seriously injured four others, one of whom succumbed to his injuries the following day. River Manning, 18, died at the scene, while his cousin, 17-year-old Gage Manning, passed away from his injuries on Saturday at an Ogden area hospital. Both were seniors in high school, with River attending Clearfield High, and Gage attending Syracuse High. According to an investigation conducted by the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department, the teens were heading northbound in a 1997 Toyota 4Runner at approximately 10:39...
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Box Elder County’s own Honeyville occupied a place of honor during the Utah Rural Water Users Association’s annual trip to Washington, D.C., earlier this month. The association named Honeyville as having the state’s best tasting water this year, the second year Honeyville has earned the designation. The association presented Senator Mike Lee (left) with a bottle of “Honeyville’s finest,” and as is Lee’s tradition, he uses the state’s best-tasting water to make Jell-O to serve during the meeting. “The only thing that makes Jell-O better, is Utah’s best-tasting water. It was great meeting with the Rural Water Association of Utah...
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Optimism at the start of the 2021-22 water year has given way to somber reality, as a drier than normal January, February and March has left mountain snow levels seriously low across northern Utah. Current snowpack levels within the Bear River Drainage Basin, which supplies most of Box Elder County’s water, is sitting at just 65% of normal, not nearly enough to refill storage reservoirs depleted during last year’s hot and dry summer. The Weber/ Ogden Basin, which supplies irrigation and secondary water to southern Box Elder County, is faring slightly worse, at 63%. In mid-January snowpack levels were at...
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After more than two years, the state is making a dramatic shift in its public health operations as the COVID 19 pandemic is slowing down. The Utah Department of Health cited the broad availability of vaccines, tests, effective treatments and that “most Utahns have some immunity from vaccines or past infection,” according to state epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen. The pandemic is not over, Nolen said, but that declining case counts, hospitalizations and deaths have allowed the state to move into a new phase. “We will use local data to understand what the case and hospitalization trends are in Utah. If...
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Brigham City police, with the aid of multiple local police agencies, have taken a 47-year-old Brigham City man into custody after he allegedly threatened a man and his son at a city ballpark and then fled from police. The man, identified as Brandon Chappell, rammed several police vehicles and damaged another while trying to flee. He was apprehended on Interstate 15 after the Utah Highway Patrol performed two separate pit maneuvers to stop him. According to Chief Chad Reyes of the Brigham City Police Department, the whole series of events began at approximately 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at the...
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On Thursday, Northrop Grumman Corporation and Lockheed Martin conducted the final full-scale ground test of the abort motor of the launch abort system for NASA’s Orion spacecraft at Northrop Grumman’s Promontory test facility. The test concludes the verification of a new insulation formulation and completes qualification testing for the Orion’s launch abort system. It is the final full-scale ground test of the abort motor. The 17-foot-tall motor is one of three comprising the abort system designed to increase astronaut safety on the pad and through initial ascent. The motor burns three times faster than a typical motor of its size...
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It was a big week for the Box Elder High School track and field team as both the boys’ and girls’ squads won the Cache-Box Invitational— the first win for the boys since 2010, and the first time the boys and girls both took home first-place trophies the same year since about 2007. Both the boys and girls won the meet against eight other teams from Northern Utah and Southern Idaho with similar margins. The Box Elder girls outscored Green Canyon, 195-139, and the boys beat Bear River, 166.5-103.5. A large portion of those margins—especially for the girls— came from...
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Perry City has decided to pursue a sales tax revenue bond in order to fund the purchase of property along U.S. Highway 89 known as The Lodge, which it plans to turn into the new Perry City Hall. A tax revenue bond is financed by an investor or investors with a guarantee that bond payments will be made from city sales tax revenues, which can be attached or garnished if a municipality fails to make payments. In what is known as a “parameters resolution,” the Perry City Council approved seeking to issue sales tax revenue bonds for up to .2...
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Citing wildlife population numbers that are not meeting management objectives due to Utah’s ongoing drought, for the fourth year in a row, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists are recommending decreasing the number of general season deer hunting permits, and the DWR is asking for the public’s feedback. The current management plan includes an objective to have just over 400,000 deer across Utah, but current estimates that there are only 305,700 deer in the state. The DWR manages wildlife in accordance with management plans to help maintain healthy wildlife populations across the state. DWR biologists evaluate deer populations and assess...
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Willard City is beginning to take some action after residents of the Granite Ridge subdivision in southeast Willard reported several issues to Mayor Travis Mote. One of the main issues is that a street overlay in the original phase of the development is peeling up and leaving debris on the roadway. The mayor said he’s having city staff research who’s responsible to fix it, as ownership has changed a couple of times. “Non-functional streetlamps on 225 East, that is currently being resolved,” said Mote. “It’s been a problem for a while, but now it’s being worked on by the first...
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Every Republican county race headed to primary as candidates fail to reach 60% threshold After a long night filled with handshakes, speeches, and technical glitches, the Box Elder County Republican Party is no closer to putting candidates for county races on the general election ballot than it was a week ago. Saturday’s nominating convention, held at Box Elder High School in Brigham City, drew hundreds of delegates, six local candidates, and a multitude of GOP candidates for state and federal offices. The two candidates for Box Elder County Sheriff joined the four candidates for Box Elder County Commission in making...
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The Box Elder High School softball team was firing on all cylinders last week as the team won all three of their games last week on the road. On Monday, March 21, the Bees bested Mountain Crest, 7-2. Returning to Cache Valley on Thursday, the Bees took down Green Canyon, 10-4, and finished the week with an 18-4 drubbing of Corner Canyon on Friday. The Mustangs were able to keep the Bees off the scoreboard until the third inning when the team broke through with three runs. Another four runs in the top of the sixth secured the win as...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday decided not to reauthorize an emergency order allowing for all-electronic city meetings. The measure, which had been adopted to accommodate public health guidelines through the pandemic and reauthorized monthly, provided that the city council could hold official meetings online, whether or not there was a quorum physically present in the council chambers. By not reauthorizing the measure, council members may still attend and cast votes through electronic means, but there will need to be a quorum (a majority of council members) present at the city’s anchor location, which is typically the council chamber at...
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In the strains and uncertainties of modern times, Brigham City is fortunate to have a place to cultivate conscious community. - an abundance of opportunities for exploring the transcendental team at the Yoga Pit consists of a diverse and exceptional group of educators who aspire to use their unique backgrounds and talents to share practical spirituality. Come check out the spring schedule on your next stroll down Main Street.
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In order to compensate for an increase of per ton in tipping fees at the Box Elder County Landfill, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a request from Public Works Director Tyler Pugsley to raise garbage collection fees charged to residents by 3.69%. The change in fees will equate to an increase of 22 cents per month for customers with 90 gallon containers, and 72 cents a month for those with 300 gallon containers. Pugsley said it’s “pretty much the case” that the increase in tipping fees reflects recent inflation, and was just a pass-through measure and not...
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After months of discussion and compromise, the Willard City Council passed an ordinance allowing for the development of master planned communities (MPC) at the March 10 meeting. An MPC zone allows a developer to vary from standard municipal zoning regulations in a planned development by reducing minimum lot sizes and/ or allowing greater densities, while generally making allowances for open space to be incorporated into the project, as well as a portion of the project dedicated to affordable housing options. According to meeting notes, City Planner Bryce Wheelwright explained that “each development and development agreement become an individual zone with...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team started their final week before spring break with a 7-4 loss to Mountain Crest on Tuesday, March 22, before bouncing back with a 12-1 win over Sky View on Thursday and finishing the preseason on a high note with a 9-7 win over Cedar City on Friday. Against the Mustangs, the two teams battled to a 2-2 tie before the Mustangs offense came alive with four runs in the top of the fifth. Tallin Chappell led the Bees’ comeback effort on the offensive side of the plate, going 3-for-4 with a homerun and...
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The Brigham City Council approved a rezone request for 10.52 acres across two separate parcels, taking the land from agricultural 5-acre zoning and putting it into a manufacturing and distribution zone. The property, located on the west side of American Way at approximately 350 North, was recently acquired by RW Custom Inc., an Ogden-based home building company, which requested the zone change. According to City Planner Mark Bradley, the zone change fits into the city’s general plan for the area, and was approved by the planning commission at their last meeting. The council voted to approve the zone change request...
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Two roadway resurfacing projects are set to be carried out in Willard this year. The city will be leveling, edge milling and installing a two-inch overlay on 250 West from Center Street to 100 South. That project also includes raising a manhole and replacing its collar. The second project will be on 1050 North, from U.S. Highway 89 to the west end. It will also include leveling and installing a two-inch overlay, while lowering one manhole, raising another, lowering a water valve assembly while raising its access box and installing a standard collar. The roadway will also be paved to...
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In a very sparsely attended online nominating convention, the Box Elder County Democratic Party nominated two candidates to run for local office this year, both standing unopposed. Amber Hardy, a convenience store clerk who serves as the county party’s treasurer and secretary, was nominated to run for County Commission Seat A. In the November general election, she will run against the winner of the Republican nomination, which will either be former Brigham City Mayor Tyler Vincent or current Honeyville Mayor Boyd Bingham. Joshua Hardy, Amber’s husband, received the nomination for Utah House District 1, which is currently held by two-term...
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Rather than moving forward with a hodgepodge of streetlight designs in different developments across the city, the Willard City Council on Thursday voted to have Rocky Mountain Power both provide and maintain streetlights for the city, creating a uniform look while freeing city personnel from maintenance duties. According to the city’s engineering firm, Jones and Associates, existing design standards in Willard allowed developers to choose the types of poles and fixtures installed in new neighborhoods, resulting in varying styles in each development. The newly adopted standards specify the model of poles and fixtures to be installed, both provided by Rocky...
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With the passing of Helen Jane Lemon in 2019, the future of the annual Willard City Fourth of July celebration, at least in its usual form, is in doubt. Lemon served as the organizing force behind the celebration’s patriotic program for decades, and unless someone can be found to fill her shoes, that part of Willard City’s long-standing tradition may well end. At Thursday’s council meeting, Mayor Travis Mote reported that other long-time participants in the celebration are getting tired, and the city needs to find new volunteers to step up and help the event happen. “We’re going to need...
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The Utah High School Activities Association has sanctioned boys’ volleyball to begin in spring 2023-2024. Boys’ volleyball is the fifth sport the association has sanctioned since the 2016-17 academic year. Boys’ and girls’ lacrosse began state competition in the 2019-20 academic year, while girls’ wrestling held its first state championship event in February 2021. Competitive cheerleading will host its first sanctioned state championship event in the 2022- 23 academic year. Districts have a couple of years to prepare for and adopt the sport for their schools, which must be done through a vote of the district’s board of education. Box...
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Shelby Johnson stands atop the podium at the Snow Canyon Invitational earlier this month, where she took first in the high jump, an accomplishment that not only placed her with the top high jumpers in the state, but also earned her the MileSplit Performer of the Week Award when more than 8,000 people voted for her. Her jump of 5 feet 4 inches beat out 68 other competitors at the meet, and put her with a group of four girls sitting in first in 5A. Also at the meet, Johnson took second in the long jump, missing the first-place mark...
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The Brigham City-owned Tournament of Champions, which has occurred annually since 2012, will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Aug. 17-20, but this year will be bigger than any before after it was announced that an agreement had been reached with the Pro Pickleball Association. The TOC will now be one of the more than 20 professional events scheduled for the PPA’s 2022 tour. The association with the PPA will continue the TOC’s historic legacy as a professional tour. The TOC was the first tournament to offer prize money, the first tournament to use certified refs for all professional matches, and...
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A three-car accident on Wednesday evening at the intersection of 100 North and 500 West in Brigham City caused a broken arm and minor lacerations for one motorist, but it could have been much worse. According to Lt. Anthony Ferderber of the Brigham City Police Department, a 17-year-old male was driving his white Ford Ranger pickup eastbound on 100 North when just after 6 p.m. he failed to stop for the stop sign at the 500 West intersection. “He went through the intersection and struck a Jeep that was being driven south on 500 West. The Jeep then spun into...
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Mantua may have multiple options for broadband internet if ideas presented at town council meeting on March 17, come to fruition. Brad Gonzales from Rise Broadband, which already services a portion of the town through a tower on Mount Pisgah in Cache County, north of Mantua, is considering ways to expand service in the town. Rise Broadband is a direct line of sight internet provider, meaning that customers must have a direct sightline with the tower used to relay the service. The service uses microwave radio to provide internet. Not all residents in town have a line of sight to...
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For the second time in a month, the Box Elder County Commission has voted against a planning commission recommendation, this one to remove master planned communities from the county’s land use ordinance. A master planned community (MPC) zone allows a developer to vary from the county’s standard half-acre zoning regulation for a planned development by reducing minimum lot sizes and/or allowing greater densities, while generally making allowances for open space to be incorporated into the project, as well as a portion of the project dedicated to affordable housing options. At their previous meeting the commission voted to ease minimum acreage...
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The Brigham City Council has been discussing preliminary plans for future water, power and sewer needs as the city grows in the Forest Street area west of Interstate 15. A joint work session with the city’s planning commission was held just prior to the Mar. 17 council meeting to begin brainstorming on the issue. “A couple of years ago we started being approached by property owners west of I-15 on Forest Street about possible development on their properties out west,” said Public Works Director Tyler Pugsley. “It quickly became very apparent to city staff that we needed to have a...
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A student was taken into custody after being found in possession of a handgun at Bear River Middle School last Monday. According to a press release issued by Tremonton Garland Police Chief Nick Nessen, at approximately 2:20 p.m. on March 14, multiple students began contacting school administration reporting a classmate was in possession of a handgun. The school administrator immediately contacted resource officers with Tremonton Garland police, who contacted the student and located the handgun concealed on their person. “The student was taken into custody without incident, the handgun was recovered along with a large knife,” stated the release. “Parents...
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Property owners who are five years delinquent in their county property taxes will have their parcels seized and sold through an online auction this year, rather than an in-person auction at the county courthouse as in previous years. The county will use the Public Surplus platform, which is owned and operated by The Public Group out of Provo, Utah, to conduct the auction. Box Elder County Auditor Tom Kotter thinks the platform will help generate more interest in the tax sale. “I believe we’ll have more bidders, with more access to it,” Kotter said. Currently, there are 90 parcels eligible...
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Four Republican candidates for Box Elder County Commission, along with the two Republican candidates for Box Elder County Sheriff, appeared before party delegates and interested voters on Wednesday, March 16, taking part in a question and answer session. Hosted at Utah State University Brigham City by the Box Elder County Republican Women, the event was moderated by retired Congressman Rob Bishop, who posed each pair of candidates a mix of his own questions along with some submitted by the audience. The candidates themselves did not pose any questions or directly address their opponents. Attended by approximately 120 people, this was...
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At Wednesday’s meeting, the Box Elder County Commission approved multiple appointments, or reappointments to various boards the county oversees. All appointments or reappointments will serve a term of four years, and will expire on Dec. 31, 2025. Michael Moss and Kerry Kunzler were reappointed to the Box Elder County Special Service District (mineral lease); Scott Douglas and Reed Stokes were reappointed and Colby Roberts was appointed to the Box Elder Service District No. 1 (Howell) for a term of four years; David Morris was reappointed to, and Kerry Zundel was named to serve on, the Box Elder County Service District...
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Solomon Smith, of Brigham City, a disabled veteran with a mind for logistics and an ability to get supplies where they are needed has spent the last two weeks maneuvering between Poland and small cities in Ukraine, getting supplies to smaller areas that are not being supported by larger organizations, but that are seeing large numbers of refugees from larger cities. Smith is no stranger to war zones. He served in Afghanistan, as well as another classified deployment. His experiences overseas and serving in the Utah National Guard have given him empathy for people who are facing brutal conditions, and...
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A recent surge in text messages appearing to come from the Utah Department of Motor Vehicles are a ruse to get taxpayers to reveal personal information. The text messages include links to fraudulent websites that lead to an official-looking website mimicking the Utah DMV. Visitors are asked for images of their driver’s license, Social Security number, and other personal information. The sites may also carry malware, which can infect people’s devices and allow criminals access to more information. Anyone who receives a text message appearing to come from the DMV should not click on links or provide any personal information....
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The Box Elder High School softball team came up just short in both of their outings last week, suffering a 6-5 loss at the hands of Davis on Wednesday, and losing another one-run game, 3-2, against Sky View on Friday. Wednesday’s game against the Darts had been previously postponed due to weather. Both teams seemed ready to play as the Darts put up three runs in the opening frame, followed by four runs from the Bees in the bottom of the second. Box Elder sophomore Justy Prichard continued her hot streak from the plate, hitting two doubles and picking up...
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With the expanding crisis in Ukraine and good-hearted people wanting to help out how they can, scammers and criminals see an unprecedented opportunity, and the Better Business Bureau is offering tips to avoid troubles, as well as a list of BBB accredited charities. Tips for avoiding scams when giving to Ukraine: · Can the charity get to the impacted area? Not all relief organizations will be positioned to provide relief quickly. See if the charity already has a presence in Ukraine. · Should you send clothing and food? Local drives to collect clothing and food to send overseas may not...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team found themselves on either side of some lop-sided results last week as the Bees shredded the Logan pitching staff in a 20-1 win last Monday, then followed up with 13-1 and 9-2 losses to Green Canyon and Weber, respectively. It took a couple of innings for the Bees to warm up against Logan, but once they did, there was no slowing down as the Bees put up five runs in the third inning and a whopping 13 in the fourth to end any chance the Grizzlies had at a comeback. Tallin Chappell and...
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The Bear River Health Department was recently recognized for “achieving national standards that foster effectiveness and promote continuous quality improvement.” The health department been accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), a nonprofit organization that administers the national accreditation program. PHAB encourages and promotes performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation. “We are honored to be recognized by PHAB for achieving national standards that foster effectiveness and promote continuous quality improvement, “ said Jordan Mathis, health officer at BRHD. “
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In order to further protect the city’s culinary water sources, the Brigham City Council on Thursday approved purchasing 14.46 acres in Mantua for 1,320. “Brigham City was approached about a parcel of property by the Jeppsen family up in Mantua,” ex- plained City Administrator Derek Oyler. “This parcel is on the east side of Mantua Reservoir, and the corner of that parcel actually touches one of our spring culinary water sources in the area. City staff feels like it would be in the best interests of the city to protect that spring detention area from any agricultural growth over a...
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It was a classic case of David vs. Goliath when residents of tiny Grouse Creek in remote Box Elder County went up against the Box Elder School District Board of Education Wednesday to save an unsafe, yet historic and beloved, school built in 1912. Despite the 300-mile round trip district leaders made to Grouse Creek on March 1 to hear from those who wanted to keep the building, it ultimately maintained a decision made last May to demolish the old school and build a new one. Superintendent Steven Carlsen and board President Julie Taylor suggested it would be better to...
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The Box Elder High School baseball team had to travel all the way to St. George to find enough sunshine and dry weather to start their season last week after a late season snow squall last Tuesday put a damper on their season opener, a home game against Green Canyon. The game against the Wolves was moved to yesterday afternoon, although there was more rain in the forecast for Tuesday at the beginning of the week. Once the Bees made it to the Dixie Sunshine Classic, their first opponent on Friday afternoon was Maple Mountain. The game was tight through...
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The Box Elder High School softball team was scheduled to play two games last week against Davis and Ridgeline before their weekend trip to St. George. However, Mother Nature had other plans as a wintry week led to both games being rescheduled. The game against the Darts was moved to this afternoon and is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. while the game against the Riverhawks is now on the calendar for Saturday, March 26. Over the weekend, conditions were good enough at the March Warm-up Elite Tournament in St. George to get in their five scheduled games. On Friday...
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Four Box Elder High School basketball players were recently named to the All-Region 5 Team. Players from Woods Cross and Bonneville earned top honors, with the Wildcats’ Mason Bendinger earning MVP, and the Lakers’ Joe Tesch being named Defensive Player of the Year. The Bees’ Jackson McKee,who led the team with 15.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, was named first team All-Region. Sophomore Elijah Kersey was named second team All-Region with an average of 13.2 points per game. In February, Kersey scored 34 points in a game against Bonneville. Cole Mortensen also earned a second-team nod. Mortensen led the...
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MVP Mason Bendinger. Woods Cross Defensive Player of the Year Joe Tesch. Bonneville Coach Of the Year Kyle Bullinger. Bonneville First Team Carson Jones. BonnevilleJackson McKee. Box ElderJaxon Smith. WoodsCrossBo Dixon. BonnevilleRadek Pulsipher. Viewmont Second Team Sam Sivulich. NorthridgeElijah Kersey. Box ElderZach Robison. Viewmont Sam Stevenson. BountifulCole Mortensen. Box Elder Honorable Mention Bountiful: Carson Smith, Trevin Ostler; .Bonneville: Joe Tesch,Jake Williams; .Box Elder: Cooper Stevenson, Matt Low; .Northridge: Kade Sparrow, Landon Woll, Ben Harward; .Viewmont: Gavin Siddoway; .Woods Cross: Zach DeLange, Nic Hogan
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Deputy County Attorney Blair Wardle, who also serves as Perry City’s prosecuting attorney, appeared before the Perry City Council on Thursday offering an update on last year’s statistics. According to Wardle, in 2021 Perry City received 1,027 in fines from the justice court it runs jointly with Box Elder County. The city resolved 478 cases last year, consisting mostly of traffic citations. Wardle said that in the coming year he plans to implement changes to how he receives information from the Perry Police Department, increasing his own online access to digital documents, photographs and video evidence that will help him...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Kevin Jeppsen to appoint attorney Brandon Johnson to represent the city during a bonding process to raise money for the purchase of its new city office building. The city approved a .85 million purchase contract for the property known as “The Lodge” at the previous meeting. Acting as a bond counsel, Johnson will walk the city through the entire bonding process, helping the city find funding for the purchase and any needed renovations, as well as meeting legal requirements to ensure the city stays compliant with state and federal...
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Since Jan. 19, when Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox launched the More Than A Flag initiative, asking residents to participate in a statewide conversation about a new state flag, more than 1,700 designs and themes have been submitted through workshops, mail, and the Flag. Utah.gov website. The initiative—a consideration of Utah’s current identity, the governor said—is a conversation about the big questions — the themes, colors and ideas — that unite Utahns, while honoring and building upon the state’s history. Recently, to make sure ideas are received from all corners of the state, the Utah State Flag Task Force is...
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Utah Governor Spencer Cox spoke to residents and municipal, county and state officials at Sydney’s Restaurant in Mantua announcing the first round of grant awards that will fund the deployment of fiber optic networks to rural and underserved areas of the state. Box Elder County received the biggest award from the Utah Broadband Center—.86 million— which, combined with local funds and in-kind donations from service providers, will bring a total investment of nearly million to deploy fiber optic cable. State officials have compared broadband internet to essential services such as electricity, and at the event, Cox said broadbrand brings...
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The 2022 general session of the Utah Legislature wrapped up on March 4, with state lawmakers approving 512 bills for Utah Governor Spencer Cox to sign, veto, or allow to become law without a signature. Highlights of this session saw legislators further restrict local governments from enacting COVID-19 regulations, partially address Utah’s homeless problem, study ways to save the Great Salt Lake, promote water conservation, cut taxes, ban certain alcoholic seltzer beverages from grocery store shelves, and in a last-minute change prior to the sessions ending, as transgender athletes from competing in girl’s high school sporting events. Mask mandates On the...
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A three-year-old Willard girl lost her life in a car crash last week, and the community is responding with love, support and financial donations to ensure that she has the burial she deserves. The multi-vehicle crash took place early in the morning on Wed. Mar. 9, due to icy conditions. Nine vehicles were involved, and Jax Phillips was critically injured and flown to Primary Children where she later succumbed to her injuries. Jax, born with hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy, will be remembered for her bright smile and funny personality. Danni Phillips is the parent known to Jax as “Dada.” As...
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Students at Box Elder School District’s alternative and adult education school are finding meaning, purpose and confidence as they do their part to help refugees escaping the war in Ukraine. In conjunction with a service initiative presented by Governor Spencer Cox and Gail Miller’s Utah Driven to Assist Ukraine project, students at Sunrise High School joined the effort to provide cash and critical items for the refugees. History and current issues teacher Heather Watts, and fellow teacher Leslie Fridal, discussed ways that they could involve students in an effort to aid the Ukrainian people. Watts and Fridal, who have paired...
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With the Russian invasion of Ukraine and retaliatory economic sanctions imposed by the west destabilizing world energy markets, the price of crude oil has shot up dramatically over the past few weeks. Brent Crude, generally the world standard along with West Texas Crude, was selling for .81 per barrel in mid-February. By March 8, oil had shot up to 7.98 per barrel. The price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Brigham City, Utah, was .36 a month ago. As of Tuesday morning that same gallon of gas now costs approximately .30, an increase of 28%. And this is...
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Accounting for developments that are approved or already in progress, at the end of 2021 Willard City had enough storage capacity in its existing tanks to supply culinary water to approximately 130 additional single-family homes. That was the conclusion offered by Chris Breinholt of Jones and Associates, the city’s engineering firm, at the Feb. 24 city council meeting. Breinholt cautioned that commercial developments use more water than a normal home would, and that would need to be taken into account as Willard grows and develops. Willard City currently sup- plies culinary water to 786 “equivalent residential connections,” (ERCs) which is...
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Telling city officials and staff that he is taking an outside position in order to advance his career, Brigham City Administrator Jason Roberts, who has spent the last 13 years with the city, has tendered his resignation effective March 14. Roberts departure was publicly announced by Mayor DJ Bott at the Mar. 3 Brigham City Council meeting. “Our dear City Administrator Jason Roberts is going to be leaving Brigham City’s employment,” said Bott. “He’s taken a fantastic job that he’s had his eye on for some time, and we are totally excited for him. He’s going to be sorely missed.”...
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Mantua is one of several locations that will benefit from the grant received by the Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG) to bring fiber optic internet access to underserved and rural areas of the state. Brian Carver from the Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG) shared details with Mantua’s Town Council at a meeting last Thursday. BRAG serves Rich, Cache, and Box Elder County as a social service delivery agency and helps with planning and development. Carver said that BRAG had been invited to pursue the grant in 2021 and spent most of the last calendar year identifying gaps in...
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Wanting to stay competitive in a very tight labor market, Brigham City has restructured how it pays police officers, moving away from ranges of wages into a fixed annual step plan. The move is estimated to cost the city an additional 6,000 per year, but according to Police Chief Chad Reyes, the investment is necessary, and will attract and retain better officers. “Currently our competitors have already established a step plan or they’re moving to a step plan,” said Reyes. “It’s not only a trend around the state, but around the country to move into a step plan for public...
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The Box Elder Business Summit will be held Friday, March 18, at Utah State University Brigham City, 989 S. Main Street, Brigham City. Registration for the summit begins at 8 a.m. and costs per person to attend. Speakers Cody Veibell, an entrepreneur and investor, and Jamie Barney, director of test and research operations at Northrup Grumman will give presentations on “Leadership in Today’s World,” and panel discussions include state of the workforce and diversity, equity and inclusion. The summit will end with the Taste of Box Elder lunch, including Lyle Holmgren’s Ribs, The Grille, Sydney’s Restaurant, Hunan Village, Healthy...
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Box Elder County has signed on to an operating agreement with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to allow cooperation on investigating and prosecuting crimes that use the internet to entice and target children. The agreement, in the form of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), allows the coordination and cooperation of the county attorney’s office with the state’s ICAC task force, including the sharing of investigative records and evidence, and participation of county law enforcement officials in ICAC operations. Deputy County Attorney Anne Hansen said, “Through this MOU we will be able to properly investigate crimes against children...
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Despite the snow flurries over the weekend and more in the forecast this week, the Box Elder High School baseball team was excited to start their 2022 season, with their first game scheduled for yesterday against Green Canyon. The Bees will blend some underclassmen with their returning seniors to find a winning formula that will hopefully improve on last season’s 9-19 record. The Bees will also look to make a deeper run into the state tournament, which was cut short last year by Murray in the second round. The Bees’ offense will be fueled by speed between the bases, especially...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday moved to dissolve the city’s Urban Beautification Commission, intending to replace it with volunteer task forces. Mayor DJ Bott had asked city staff to examine the city’s commissions and committees to see if there was any work being duplicated or unnecessary staff time expended, and staff noticed the Urban Beautification Commission. “It really started as part of Tree City, USA [the city’s designation from the Arbor Day Foundation],” said Roberts. “When we became Tree City, USA, there was a requirement that we had to have a commission that was set up by ordinance, and...
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After finishing in last place in Region 5 with a 3-18 overall record a year ago, the Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team had a much better season this year, posting a 6-4 region record and a 15-9 overall record. That record earned the Bees a 10th seed in the state tournament, where they knocked out region rival Northridge in the first round before getting knocked out in the second round by fellow region foe Woods Cross. Overtime games were common for the team this season as the Bees suffered some heartbreaking losses along with some exhilarating wins, going...
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Even with a wintry chill in the air, spring is right around the corner and the Bees were hoping for some early warming as the Box Elder High School softball team was scheduled to take the field for the first time yesterday afternoon at home against Ridgeline. The Bees have a group of four seniors returning from a team that went 12-16 last season, including a 3-6 mark in region play, and will be looking to find even more success this year. In last year’s state tournament, the Bees played their way into the third round before being beat out...
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If a person didn’t know any better, 18-month-old Gemma Winn, daughter of Shaleese Kroeger and Dylan Winn, is nothing more than a cheerful, outgoing and highly-affectionate toddler. “She’s the most easygoing and kind-hearted [kid],” said Kroeger. “She always wants to give everyone kisses.” Gemma is also starting to talk. A lot. She has far surpassed the verbal skills her brother, Zayken, had when he was the same age, and there is no reason to think she’ll be anything but successful in school. “She’s definitely so smart,” said Kroeger. But Gemma is facing a lifetime of medical treatments, intervention and monitoring...
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A Catholic organization that sponsors prayer rallies across the country was given ongoing permission to use the county courthouse steps on Saturdays, as long as the schedule was reviewed and approved by county officials. George Fuller from America Needs Fatima appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday to ask permission to hold the rallies on an ongoing basis, saying that sometimes the rallies are scheduled on short notice. America Needs Fatima has been conducting public square rosaries in Brigham City for five years, Fuller said, adding that sometimes rallies had to be cancelled as they were scheduled on...
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Wild swans are winging their way through Utah, making March one of the best times of the year to see them. Both tundra swans and trumpeter swans stop in Utah’s wetlands for rest and refueling during their annual spring migration. The DWR will not be hosting any viewing events this year, but two places in Box Elder County—Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge—are typically great places to see swans. The Salt Creek WMA is about 12 miles northwest of Corinne. The Compton’s Knoll viewing area is an excellent place to view swans and other...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team will look significantly different for the first time in a few years as the team says goodbye to four seniors who have all at least contributed on the varsity level for the past several seasons. This year, the Bees put up a 12-12 overall record, including a 4-6 mark in region play, and advanced to the second round of the 5A state tournament before getting knocked out by Region 5 champion and eventual state tournament semifinalist, Bountiful. The Bees kicked off their season for the second straight year with a win over...
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As the state seeks to bridge the “digital divide” and expand broadband networks throughout the state, the Utah Broadband Center has launched a statewide internet speed test campaign to identify and map areas with no internet access or low speeds. In partnership with GeoPartners, a geospatial engineering firm, the Utah Broadband Center will use the data to guide projects that will increase access to high-speed internet for all Utahns and augment the state’s database of internet availability across Utah. All Utahns are encouraged to go to speedtest.utah.gov to self-report their internet speed. Individuals can also identify areas with low or...
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The 2022 election season is now officially underway as various candidates for local, state and federal offices have filed their intention to run with the Box Elder County Clerk and Lt. Governor’s offices. The candidates faced an abbreviated filing period this year after the Utah Legislature moved up the deadline from March 11 to March 4, a full week earlier than in past years. As is often the case in Box Elder County, many local candidates are facing no challengers, and will win their respective offices by default unless successful write-in campaigns are waged. Even so, there are some new...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday approved the appointment of Tyra Bischoff to be the city’s new treasurer, taking the place of Jolene Eddington, who has retired after serving Perry City for the last 35 years. Bischoff has worked for Perry City since October of 2019, beginning as a part-time office assistant. In October of 2020 she was promoted to deputy city recorder, a full-time position, before being promoted as city treasurer last week. The vote on Bischoff’s nomination was passed unanimously by the council.
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No cases have yet been found in Utah, but state officials are monitoring the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in several states, and are advising owners of all sizes of flocks to be on the lookout for symptoms. The states of Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Maine, Delaware, New York, and Michigan, all of which have confirmed cases in both commercial and backyard flocks. “This disease poses a threat to our poultry industry, backyard hobby flocks, and human health,” said Dr. Dean Taylor, Utah’s state veterinarian. “Care should be used in handling poultry or wildlife.” Indicators of infection are incidents...
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As omicron case counts and hospitalizations have significantly decreased, and the state prepares to enter the “Steady State” of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Bear River Health Department announced it will begin updating COVID-19 cases weekly. The pandemic dashboard at brhd.org will be updated each Monday by 10 a.m. with case numbers from Sunday to Saturday of the previous week. Jordan Mathis, Health Officer of the Bear River Health Department, said, “...we are getting to a point where a daily case count isn’t providing people with meaningful information any longer.” Daily reporting has become less meaningful as the virus has become...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball season came to an end last Friday night as Woods Cross took a 59-53 overtime win in the second round of the 5A state playoffs. The Bees advanced to the second round after posting a 63-53 win over Northridge in the first round of the tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 23. The Bees beat the Knights for the third time this season on Wednesday behind a 19-8 run in the first quarter, which the home team never relinquished. The Knights made a push late in the game behind 15 points from senior forward Ben...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team made it to the second round of the state tournament for the first time since the 2018-2019 season with a 75-62 win over Maple Mountain last Tuesday in Brigham City, before suffering a 39-62 loss to Bountiful. The Bees got off to a hot start against Maple Mountain and took a 26-16 lead after the first quarter. Another big run in the second pushed the lead out to 18 points by halftime, and allowed the Bees to cruise the win in the second half. Nine different players got in on the scoring...
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The Box Elder County Sheriff’s Department has reported that an inmate has died while in custody at the county jail. According to a press release by Chief Deputy Cade Palmer, the inmate, identified as Jed Stephen Collatz, 45, was found unresponsive in his cell late Monday morning. “On February 28, 2022 at approximately 11:15 a,m, during a safety and security check by jail deputies, Mr. Collatz was found in cardiac distress,” wrote Palmer. “He was alone in a locked cell. Box Elder County Jail deputies and medical staff immediately began providing emergency medical care. Brigham City Emergency Medical Services responded...
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The head of the Perry Canyon Trail, which begins at the retention pond on 3000 South, may soon be getting some improvements after an inter-local agreement was approved at Thursday’s meeting of the Perry City Council. The agreement with the Box Elder County/Perry City Flood Control Special Service District, which owns the retention pond, would allow Perry City to make improvements to the trailhead, provided both parties agree on the location and scope of improvements, and would hold each harmless from the other in the event of an accident and civil litigation. “We have an agreement to be on the...
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A 76-year-old Brigham City man was seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident Saturday evening while trying to cross Main Street in front of the 7-11 convenience store at about 700 South. The unidentified man was struck at approximately 7:20 p.m. on Feb. 26 while crossing the southbound lane in a dimly-lit area where there was no crosswalk. The driver that hit the victim did not stop to check his condition and drove off, but left some evidence behind—a driver’s side mirror and fog light that had come off during the accident. “My officers were able to piece together with the...
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A story last week about Mantua’s Town Council meeting noted that Police Chief Craig Hamer was not present at the meeting, despite being on the agenda. According to Mantua Mayor Terry Nelson, Chief Hamer was delayed “fixing a flat tire on the highway” on his way to the meeting.
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Revenue-wise, Brigham City’s municipally owned golf course had its second best year ever in 2021, and collected the most per round since the course opened in 1988. Brigham City Golf Director Chris Marx appeared before the Brigham City Council at the Feb. 17 meeting, giving his regular annual report while updating city officials on the current situation at Eagle Mountain Golf Course. “I told you last year that Covid has been good to the golf course revenues,” began Marx. “The last couple of years have been great. The rounds have been up, the usage at the golf course has been...
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Former Councilmember Tom Peterson has been selected to complete the remaining term of Brigham City Councilmember Joe Olson, who resigned last week after moving into a home outside Brigham City’s boundaries. Peterson, an electrician by trade, served on the council from January 2014 through Dec. 31, 2021, winning both the 2013 and 2017 municipal elections. His bid for a third term came up just short in last November’s election, narrowly losing to Ryan Smith and Matthew Jensen, both of whom were seated on the council in January. The former council member was one of seven applicants vying to complete Olson’s...
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At their Feb. 17 meeting, the Willard City Planning Commission tabled consideration of an ordinance establishing a master planned community (MPC) zone until written public comments that had been submitted about the proposal could be considered. Prior to holding a public hearing on the matter, City Planner Bryce Wheelwright gave some background on the ordinance. “Last year we rescinded the planned development ordinance which allowed for smaller lot sizes and more of a clustered housing development,” said Wheelwright. “We came up with this master planned community zone, not to take its place, but as a different idea concerning higher density...
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Perry City’s offices will be moving from their current location at 3005 S. 1200 West, to a much larger, and much nicer, building sometime in the near future, after the city council on Thursday authorized Mayor Kevin Jeppsen to enter into a purchase contract for the building known as ‘The Lodge,’ located on U.S. Highway 89 just south of Maddox Ranch House. The 26,007 square foot log and wood frame building was constructed in 2000, and has served as a banquet hall and reception center through the years. The total property covers 3.8 acres, with paved parking for up to...
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So far this year, there have been three highlyvisible threats at schools in Box Elder School District, a notable increase over previous years, which is in line with a dramatic increase in violations of the district’s Safe Schools policy this year. The Safe Schools policy has three primary violation categories: vaping, alcohol, and illegal drug use; willful disobedience; and threats to harm students or do damage to school property. These categories include a long list of specific behaviors as detailed in the district policy 5005: Safe Schools - Student Discipline/Behavior. District Assistant Superintendent Gary Allen said there has been an...
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In 1977, Jimmy Carter became the 39th President of the United States, Americans were lining up outside movie theaters to see the original “Star Wars,” Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night” was being played on boomboxes everywhere, the Chevrolet Impala was America’s best-selling car, a gallon of gasoline cost 59 cents, and 20-year-old Dale Ward was sworn-in as a deputy sheriff just across the Utah border in Oneida County, Idaho. On March 1 of 2022, Ward will retire from law enforcement after a career that has spanned 45 years, the last 37 of which were spent in Box Elder County. Ward,...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved 9,553 in additional spending for the city’s current budget, accounting for projects that were already funded and approved in the previous year, as well as ongoing adjustments to current year spending. “At the end of each budget year sometimes we have items that are in transit, they’re budgeted in a prior budget year, the project doesn’t get completed, and we get those projects taken care of in the current budget year,” explained Derek Oyler, Brigham City’s finance director. “The funding was in a prior budget year, so we have to move those monies...
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In a heavily debated topic at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, council members ultimately approved spending ,000 to hire a lobbyist to help influence state officials and legislators to award the city more grant funding. “There’s been a lot of federal stimulus and relief spending,” said City Administrator Jason Roberts, framing the issue for the council. “If you look at what the federal government has done, it’s .8 trillion. One of the senators on the Hill, I believe it was Senator Lee, said ‘never has the government redistributed more wealth than it has the last two years.’ We all believe...
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In a rare disagreement with a recommendation from the Box Elder County Planning Commission, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday voted to approve a text amendment lowering the acreage requirement necessary for a developer to apply for a master planned community (MPC) zone, under one condition. An MPC zone allows a developer to vary from the county’s standard half-acre lot sizes in a planned development by reducing minimum lot sizes and/or allowing greater densities while generally making allowances for open space to be incorporated into the project, as well dedicated a portion of the project to affordable housing options....
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After being ousted from the 2020 primary election ballot in a tightly contested Republican state convention, Tina Cannon announced last week she will again challenge for the Utah’s 1st District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Cannon will take on incumbent Congressman Blake Moore, who narrowly defeated Cannon in the 10th round of voting by just 1.5 points. Moore and former commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Kerry Gibson made it to the primary election ballot with 47% and 57%, respectively, of the delegate vote. Moore advanced to the general election ballot with a narrow primary...
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The Box Elder County Commission, acting as the redevelopment agency (RDA), renewed a contract with the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce to provide business services to county businesses for the second year in a row. For the sum of ,000 the chamber will conduct visits with Box Elder County businesses and provide written reports upon request from the county; organize visits/tours with specific industries in which county commissioners, city government officials, and economic development staff along with chamber staff will be invited to attend; assist with the county’s annual business summit; assist existing and new businesses with service in regards...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a request by Brigham City for a 7,291 reimbursement payment from the corridor preservation fund (CPF) after completing a land acquisition project. The original request was approved by both the commissioners and the local Council of Governments (COG) back in 2018 for the purpose of future widening of 400 South. The CPF was created in 2005 by an act of the Utah Legislature. The CPF act allows counties to charge up to extra for each vehicle registered in that county. Those proceeds are held by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT)...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team split their final week of region games last week with a 74-60 win over Northridge last Wednesday, followed by a 73-58 loss to Viewmont on Friday night. Box Elder used a balanced attack to upend the Knights for the second time this season as four Bees posted double figures in scoring. Junior point guard Cole Mortensen led the way with 22 points and did the bulk of his damage from the charity stripe as he connected on 11-of-13 free throws. Matthew Low and Elijah Kersey each knocked in 14 points and Jackson...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team will enter the state tournament looking to build momentum rather than riding it after they lost their last two games of the regular season last week. The Bees went to Northridge on Tuesday, Feb. 15, and walked away on the short end of a 58- 49, then finished the regular season at Viewmont, where the Vikings edged them, 53-49. The Bees used a 10-2 first quarter run to get off to a good start before Northridge answered with a big second quarter and another run in the third to put the game...
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At his last Brigham City Council meeting as a member of the city council, Joe Olson bid farewell to his fellow city officials and Brigham City residents as he moves out of the city and resigns his seat. “I look forward to seeing how you guys do,” said Olson. “I think you guys have a great council going forward and I’m excited for what the future has to bring.” Olson thanked his wife for her support and encouragement, and said he was fortunate to be able to count his fellow council members as friends. “I still do feel very connected...
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The Box Elder Community Garden will accept applications for the 2022 growing season through March 25. The garden provides 20 foot by 4 foot raised planting beds with automatic drip irrigation for individuals or organizations. The cost is for a bed for the season, and individuals or organizations may apply for more than one planting bed, although first-time applicants are usually limited to a single bed. After their first season, if they are deemed to be “successful,” meaning following garden rules such as weeding and harvesting in a timely manner, among others, more plots could be allotted them. Those...
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Several communities in Box Elder County will get a boost in their efforts to connect to, or build, highspeed internet networks thanks to a grant from the Utah Broadband Center (part of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity) to Box Elder County. The .85 million grant to Box Elder is far and away the biggest of five grants issued by the UBC out of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. The grant money will be combined with .11 million in matching funds and in-kind labor for a total of nearly million to connect fiber optic networks in Bear River...
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The Mantua Town Council signaled at a meeting last week its intention to not extend a moratorium on new water connections that was put in place in September 2021 due to concerns about the town’s water supply. The moratorium will expire in March. On Sept. 2, 2021, the council approved the six-month moratorium through proclamation on a split vote, with then-mayor Paul Nye, Pam Eaves, and Jon Nelson voting to accept the proclamation, George Wouden voting against, and Matt Jeppsen abstaining from voting. The proclamation stated that “no new connections to the Town’s culinary water system shall be issued or...
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A Box Elder High School student identified as the creator of an ill-advised Valentine’s “prank” will not be allowed back to on-campus learning for the remainder of the year for violation of the school district’s Safe Schools Policy. In an emailed newsletter, Box Elder High School principal Jamie Kent advised that following an investigation by police, “they do not feel there is a threat towards Box Elder High School students or the community.” The investigation was prompted by sacks given to some students on Valentine’s Day that included cookies and a card with a link to a video. The video...
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A hometown boy and American hero known as the “The Berlin Candy Bomber,” died Feb. 16, at the age of 101. Gail S. Halvorsen, raised in Garland and a Bear River High School graduate, is one of the most recognized veterans of the historic Berlin Airlift who gained notoriety for dropping candy to German children behind the Soviet blockade from 1948-1949. “Operation Little Vittles,” as he called his candy drops, was born when he met 30 kids at a barbed wire fence in Berlin. “All I had was two sticks of gum,” he once said. “I broke them in two...
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The Box Elder County Commission approved a request from the United Way of Utah to use county property at the courthouse to host the second annual ‘Box Elder Runs Strong’ fundraiser. The activity is meant to raise funds to help support the county’s various nonprofit service organizations, and will feature a 5K race, a company sponsor race, a bicycle race, as well as booths for crafts, science demonstrations and art displays. The event is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 11. The commission voted to approve United Way’s request unanimously.
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The Bear River High School girls’ softball team is hoping to honor a long-time coach, who died from COVID-19, but a Box Elder School District policy prohibits “memorial plaques, mock headstones, etc.” on school property or “memorials by school sponsored groups during school sponsored activities or during a school day.” According to Carly Miller, who addressed the Box Elder School District Board of Education last Wednesday on behalf of the team, said they want to hang a banner recognizing and thanking coach Stan Haramoto for his 29 years of coaching, as well as bringing his family onto the field to...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team picked up another region split last week when the team knocked off Bonneville, 49-46, in overtime before getting blasted 73-43 on Friday night by Bountiful. Tuesday night’s game against the Lakers marked the second overtime win for the Bees over the Lakers this season as the two battled to two overtimes last month. The defenses on both sides of the court were much more effecive than in the first meeting and baskets were at a premium. Each team had nine players get on the scoresheet, though Bees’ senior forward, Tegan Mecham, was...
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Clyde Wohlgemuth was named as the eighth board member to the Box Elder School District Board of Education Wednesday, making it the largest school board in the state. Wohlgemuth was appointed after redistricting created new school board precincts, which put two board members in the same precinct, leaving one without representation by a resident living within its boundaries. By law, each of the district’s seven precincts can only have one representative. Prior to redistricting, board members Bryan Smith and Nancy Kennedy represented precincts 5 and 6, but new boundary lines put Smith and Kennedy in the same precinct. Only one...
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The cardiac kids of the Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team finally saw their overtime mojo run out last Wednesday night as the Bees battled to their fifth overtime game of the season, but came up just short as Bonneville took the win 77-76 in double overtime in Brigham City. The team played on Friday in their last home game of the regular season and picked up a 55-46 win over Bountiful. On Wednesday night, the starters were the only players to score for the Bees, and were led by a monster night from sophomore wing Elijah Kersey. Kersey...
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Both the boys’ and girls’ Box Elder High School swim teams celebrated claiming Region 5 titles for the second consecutive year. The boys had a run-away victory, scoring 536.5 points, over Woods Cross and Bountiful, who tied for second with 392.5 points each. Viewmont, Bonneville and Northridge rounded out the bottom three. The girls earned their title in a tighter competition, besting second-place Viewmont by 39 points, 460-421. Bountiful, Woods Cross, Northridge, and Bonneville finished third-sixth, respectively. The 5A state meet will be held at Brigham Young University Feb. 18-19.
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Governor Spencer Cox last week signed into law a bill that changes the filing periods for running for elected positions. The bill, S.B. 170, changes the candidate filing period from March 7 through 11, to Feb. 28 through March 4, a full week earlier. “The caucus night this year falls on the second day of the filing period,” said Sen. Wayne Harper, the bill’s sponsor. “That’s a problem, because the people attending their neighborhood caucuses do not know who the candidates may be.” Harper continued that working with the state parties and the lieutenant governor’s office, he crafted a bill to...
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Nearly million in capital improvement projects for the fiscal year 2023 budget was approved by the Box Elder School District Board of Education Wednesday, with projects designed to improve school safety put on the top of the list. Director of Facilities Corey Thompson listed each project in terms of a four-tier priority system: extreme priority– Facility safety and prevent building/ property damage; high priority–critical repairs for building, property and systems longevity; medium priority–high effect on the greatest number of students; low priority–improve situations. Boardmember Connie Archibald praised Thompson for making projects dealing with safety at the extreme priority level....
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The Willard City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday to receive input on the city’s long-suffering master planned community zone ordinance, but it’s unlikely to be the last word on the issue, since the city council opted to schedule a work meeting to discuss the ordinance, and hold another public hearing on the proposed ordinance. In continued discussion about the ordinance, the city council concluded that maybe they didn’t have as many of the details ironed out as they thought. The ordinance is designed to regulate large developments within the city and meet the city’s master plan...
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Editor’s note: While technically inaccurate, this story refers to U.S. Highway 89/91 as Sardine Canyon due to its widespread use. The actual route of Sardine Canyon, between Brigham City and Wellsville was abandoned in 1960 following the construction of the current highway through Box Elder Canyon, Dry Canyon and Wellsville Canyon. Although incorrect, referring to the highway between Brigham City to Cache Valley as Sardine Canyon has remained the norm. It’s a question that has long been debated by motorists who regularly travel between Box Elder and Cache counties: is it safer to take Sardine Canyon (U.S. 89/91) or Valley...
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In an unexpected turn of events at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting, Councilmember Joe Olson announced he is moving out of Brigham City and will need to resign his position. Elected in November of 2019, Olson has served just over 25 months of a four-year term. “We have found a place out in the county, and I will no longer be a resident of Brigham City, and so I have to resign my position as a city council member when that does take effect, which will be in the near future,” said Olson. “We’ve been kind of caught off guard...
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At a meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 2, the Box Elder County Commission renewed an agreement with Utah State University allowing the university to manage Box Elder County’s USU Extension office, and to set the office budget amount for the current fiscal year at 1,650. USU extension runs programs like 4-H and provides agricultural expertise and assistance to local farmers and ranchers. Other than a ,000 increase over 2021, the contract with Utah State was not changed from the previous year. The new contract runs through December 31 of 2022.
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The Carbon Free Power Project, a subsidiary of the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, recently announced reaching a significant milestone with the completion of site investigation activities at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL) near Idaho Falls, Idaho. The field work was initiated in August, 2021, which involved detailed investigations into the geologic properties of the site and support analysis of any volcanic and seismic hazards. There was also a groundwater monitoring network set up to support protection of the Eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and commissioned a monitoring station to collect site-specific atmospheric data. Analysis of...
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New-comer to the Mantua Town Council, Justin Brown, had a concern about a bill that ended up as a bigger question about a police badge. As the council reviewed the town’s bills, Brown inquired regarding a 5 bill for a police badge inscribed with “Retired Police Chief.” Current Police Chief Craig Hamer reported that the badge was for former chief Jim Jones and had been approved by the previous mayor, Paul Nye, and previous council member, Pam Eaves. Brown asked if Jones was still certified through POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training), saying it was important to find that out...
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If you’re thinking about running for political office in this year’s election cycle, you might have less time to decide than you think you have. A bill currently in its third reading in the Utah Senate, S.B. 170, will, if passed, change the candidate filing period from March 7 through 11, to Feb. 28 through March 4, a full week earlier. The bill, which appears to have strong bipartisan support in the legislature, would make clarifications and technical amendments to the candidate selection process in addition to changing the filing date. “The caucus night this year falls on the second...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday approved a final plat and development agreement for a nine-lot industrial park located at approximately 245 N. 1200 West. The approved agreement for the industrial subdivision has the developer, Wayneco LLC, improving 48.98 acres of land located north of the existing True North cannabis operation, and investing an estimated .3 million for roads, road improvements, storm drain, culinary water, secondary water, power and sewer. That sum will be deposited by Wayneco into an escrow account to ensure funding and completion of the project according to Brigham City standards. The agreement also includes a deferral...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved a request by Landfill Director Gina Allen to increase tipping fees at the facility by per ton. A tipping fee is the price charged to a large waste disposal company, not an individual taking a truckload to the dump. “We are still less than the Weber County Transfer Station, and less than the Logan City landfill in Clarkston,” said Allen. “Our residential fee of per vehicle weighing less than 10,000 GVW [gross vehicle weight] is unchanged and will not increase.” The commissioner’s approved the request on a unanimous...
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Box Elder County has passed amendments to two economic development project areas building solar power plants, allowing both plants to expand their power generating capacity. Under the original agreements approved by the county in February of 2020, Project Rocket and Project Steel, solar power farms located near Northrup Grumman and Nucor, respectively, would both allow their developer a 70% local property tax rebate for a period of 20 years, generating approximately .1 million in taxes for the county during that time. If undeveloped, that land would have generated approximately 0,000 in county taxes over that same time period. According to...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday approved final plans for a housing subdivision located west of Tremonton City. The Bekam’s Edge subdivision, located at approximately 8400 West 11050 N. will feature nine building lots ranging in size from threequarters of an acre up to 1.9 acres. In the development agreement with the county, M&D Allred Development, Inc., will deposit 9,792 into an escrow account to be used for street, water and drainage infrastructure to bring the property to county standards. “This has been reviewed and approved by all applicable departments,” said Community Development Director Scott Lyons. The final plat...
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Former Brigham City Mayor Tyler Vincent, who left that office at the start of this year, has officially announced that he will run for Box Elder County Commission Seat A, currently held by Jeff Hadfield, in this year’s election. Vincent has already filed his intent to gather signatures with the county clerk’s office, and plans on hitting the ground running. “I feel that I have a lot more to give to the citizens of Box Elder County,” wrote Vincent in a statement. “I believe my terms as a councilmember and mayor have given me the knowledge and skills necessary to...
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A group of ducks that has taken up permanent residence at Rees Pioneer Park wait on the ice for their morning meal which has been delivered by a couple of Brigham City residents for a couple of years. The service to the flock of water fowl has been seen as a response to the difficulties imposed on senior citizens by the covid pandemic. See story on page 11.
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Enforcement of Mantua Town ordinances once again dominated discussion during regular council meeting, with a proposed ordinance enforcement policy tabled so council members could review it prior to a vote. While the creation of the proposed policy was prompted by a recent debacle over the town’s efforts to enforce its dog licensing requirements, the policy would provide guidance to town officials in the event of any “mass enforcement” operation. Providing backstory for the policy’s creation, Mayor Terry Nelson, said that the town’s process of comparing lists of those who had licensed dogs from one year to the next and notifying...
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Rocky Mountain Power will double any donations to the company’s Lend a Hand program, which helps cover energy bills for income-limited customers—particularly important during winter. For every dollar donated, RMP will add , up to 0,000, to the program. In 2021, the program raised a total of 4,125. Lend a Hand contribution envelopes will be included for customers who receive their monthly bill by mail. Those who pay electronically can request a donation envelope and send a check or enroll in the fixed donation program. The Lend a Hand program allows customers to contribute any dollar amount, starting at [post_excerpt] per...
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In a split vote, the Willard City Council on Thursday approved a motion to sell a city-owned parcel without offering considerations to homeowners who had been using city property to access their homes. The three homes, located on the 300 South block of 200 East, had all been built facing east, even though the official frontage to their properties is located on the west. The homeowners have been using an unofficial dirt road crossing city-owned property on the east to access the front of their homes since they were built in about 2005-2006. The homes do have driveways in their...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team split results in two home games last week, picking up a 53-50 win over Northridge on Tuesday, Jan. 25, and losing to Viewmont on Friday, 54-43. On Tuesday, a trio of seniors led the Bees to their ninth win of the season. Tegan Mecham recorded a game-high 15 points and seven rebounds while Ashlyn Reeder added 13 points and eight assists while Kamryn Peterson netted 10 points. Those seniors fueled a 14-6 run in the opening quarter to put the Bees in the driver’s seat early. From there, the Knights fought back...
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Willard City’s books are in good order and accurately reflect the financial position of the city, according to an independent audit performed for the fiscal year ending June 30 of 2021. Chuck Palmer of the accounting firm of Christensen, Palmer & Ambrose appeared before the city council on Thursday to present the results of the audit, saying that his company found no issues with the financial statements prepared for Willard by Child Richards CPAs, and also found no issues with the city’s financial controls. “We’ve come to the conclusion that these financial statements are materially correct, with no significant errors...
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All public transportation services offered by the Utah Transit Authority will be free to use throughout the month of February anywhere UTA operates, for all bus and rail service. The effort for free fares was led by Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and supported by numerous local governments and private businesses with the goal of improving air quality while increasing access to UTA’s services. Find more information on UTA’s social channels, @RideUTA on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or on their website at www.rideuta.com.
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Perry City police are dealing with increases in the number of property crimes, intoxicated drivers, drug offenses, violent crimes, and uses of force. Police Chief Scott Hancey appeared before the Perry City Council on Thursday to go over statistics from 2021, most of which are trending the wrong way. Last year saw total calls increase from 4,178 in 2020 to 4,668 in 2021, a jump of nearly 12%. This was still down from a high of 5,038 calls logged in 2019, however. According to Hancey, the problem isn’t necessarily the number calls his department is seeing, but the types of...
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Local schoolchildren, parents, and teachers on a field trip to Mantua Reservoir Friday morning, experienced a frightening moment as three of the children fell through the ice into the freezing water. No one was injured, as the children were immediately pulled from the water by nearby adults accompanying the group, with no children actually slipping below the surface. According to a statement issued by the Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning in Perry, the children, first and second graders, were on a field trip to the reservoir to learn about ice fishing. “After verifying the safety of the ice with local...
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With the 2022 Region 5 wrestling championship on the line and facing a deficit in team points, Box Elder freshman Cody Kaleikini didn’t appear to let the pressure get to him. Just 28 seconds into the 285-pound bout, Kalei- kini pinned Viewmont’s Zealand DeGray to give the Bees a 38-37 win and secure the team’s fourth straight region title. According to Box Elder head coach Jed Craner, he was “confident” that Kaleikini could get the job done, despite never having faced his opponent from Viewmont prior in the season. Kaleikini has a 19-9 record, according to information available on Trackwrestling.com....
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The Perry City Council on Thursday amended the city’s fee schedule to add a registration fee for people on the sex offender registry that live in the city. “We’ve been handling these registrations, but we didn’t have anything in the fee schedule to charge them,” said City Administrator Robert Barnhill. Police Chief Scott Hancey explained that there are approximately 8 to 10 offenders living in the city at a given time, and that each one of them needs the local police department to register them with the Utah Department of Corrections each year. “It does take quite a bit...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team kept their fans on the edge of their seats last week with their second straight double-overtime win, this time over Northridge, 70-63, on Wednesday before cruising to a regulation win over Viewmont, 82- 53, on Friday. Already riding high after a double overtime win over Bountiful the Friday before, the Bees and Knights treated everyone to another thriller on Wednesday night in Brigham City. Sharp-shooting Sam Sivulich led the Knights with 30 points, five assists, and five steals on the night. Big man Jack Terry added 11 points and 12 rebounds for...
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The hours donated, miles driven and taxpayer dollars saved figures presented by Chief Deputy Dale Ward for a story in last week’s edition about the Sheriff’s Posse represented only the Search and Rescue Unit. The Mounted Posse and Scuba Team have not presented figures totaling the extent of their volunteer efforts.
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved a request to pay police officers who are “on call” to cover the city outside of their scheduled shifts [post_excerpt].50 per hour, and grant them the right to use their patrol vehicles for personal use while on-call. Previously the city had been paying the officers per month. The new rate would increase officer pay by about per month. The vote approving the request was unanimous.
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A story in the Jan. 19 edition (“Perry’s strong balance sheet lauded in clean audit report”) contained an error. While the audit was performed and presented by accounting firm Christensen, Palmer & Ambrose, the financial statements being audited were prepared by Davis & Bott, as in previous years. “David Rogers of Davis & Bott was not able to make our meeting, so Chuck Palmer (of Christensen, Palmer & Ambrose) presented both, which I am sure is what caused the confusion,” wrote Perry City Recorder Shanna Johnson. We regret the error.
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Dr. Bruce Parker with Planning and Development Services, the firm hired to create Willard City’s new general plan, appeared before the Willard City Council on Thursday to update city officials on progress. Parker said that since the city has opted not to go through with any additional public surveys, his team should have a rough draft of the general plan ready for inspection by the council no later than Feb. 21. Parker anticipates they will need two or three work sessions with the council to get the document into a final draft stage to be presented to the public.
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The Perry City Council on Thursday took no action on a proposed zoning amendment that would have further regulated how multi-family housing developers in the city could develop their properties. The proposed amendment would have allowed the city to dictate to a developer where a multi-family housing unit could be located on a property; established a fourplex as the maximum development size for multi-family units that could be built in a residential zone; limited the number of fourplexes in a residential development to one, adding an additional fourplex for every 10 single-family homes to be built; and forced a development...
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On Thursday, Perry City Mayor Kevin Jeppsen offered a brief snapshot of the city’s financial and administrative health while delivering his fifth official State of the City address. Jeppsen didn’t offer any personal characterizations or summations encapsulating his opinions, choosing to dive right in with facts and figures instead, beginning with the city’s finances, pointing to the city’s net position of .5 million, an estimated increase of .25 million. A city’s net position is the sum of all city assets, such as cash and property, minus debt and liabilities. Jeppsen shared that Perry’s long-term debt decreased by 2,467 from the...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved a request from Box Elder County Emergency Manager Mark Millett to install a lowpower AM radio transmitter on top of the Willard City office building. The transmitter, once operational, will be used to broadcast critical information and instructions for citizens to follow in the event of a disaster or emergency. Millett said that radio could be used by Willard to provide community information during city events, so it would be a benefit to the city above and beyond the emergency information for citizens. After hearing Millett’s presentation, the council voted to approve the...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team opened their region schedule with a loss to Bonneville, 55-48, but turned things around with a doubleovertime win over Bountiful 72- 67 on Friday night. On Wednesday night, the Lakers showed off why they are one of the favorites for a Region 5 championship as they jumped on the Bees early and never let up with some intense defensive pressure. The Bees responded in the second quarter and took a threepoint lead into the half, but the Lakers’ defense cranked up another notch in the third quarter and held Box Elder to...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team split results in the first two games of their region schedule last week, with a double-overtime win over Bonneville on Tuesday, Jan. 18, before losing to Bountiful on Friday. On Tuesday, the Bees and Lakers proved that Region 5 may be one of the most competitive regions in the state night-in and night-out as neither team was willing to give the other an inch from wire to wire. The Lakers got their biggest offensive lift on the inside as senior forward Courtnie Porter poured in a career-high 27 points. Libby Jensen added...
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The Box Elder County Commission has officially put its policy complying with an OSHA vaccine/testing mandate on hold, following a stay against the mandate issued by the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 7. The three commissioners had grudgingly rushed through a policy change enforcing the mandate at the Jan. 5 meeting, struggling to meet a Jan. 10 deadline set by OSHA requiring all employers with 100 or more workers to require vaccinations or weekly tests for each employee. The policy was adopted at the behest of County Attorney Stephen Hadfield, who explained that the county would have faced possible penalties...
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A Brigham City motel with some notoriety as a magnet for police calls has been closed due to an electrical fire in the early morning hours of Jan. 21. According to Assistant Brigham City Fire Chief Mike Young, a call came in at 2:08 a.m. on Friday morning saying there was smoke in a second story room. When fire crews from Brigham City, Willard and Corinne arrived minutes later, they found smoke and active flames in the attic above the room. “Fire was extinguished by 4 a.m. and all residents will be displaced as the power was discontinued to the...
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A group of homeowners along the 300 South block of 200 East in Willard are petitioning the city to create a road easement running along the eastern edge of their properties, or sell them a narrow strip of land, prior to the city selling the adjacent property. At issue is how the homeowners access the front of their homes. Although the homes in question have their official frontages along 200 East, all three of the existing homes were built on the eastern edge of their lots with the front of the homes facing east. The homeowners have been utilizing an...
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The number of calls responded to by the Willard City Police Department broke a record in 2021, according to Police Chief Theron Fielding. “Last year we broke a record on how many calls we had,” said Fielding at the Jan. 13 council meeting. “The last couple of years we’ve had around 700 calls, but last year we cleared 1,203 calls with four full-timers. To give you an idea, UHP (Utah Highway Patrol) runs two different crews with four people on each crew, and they cover all of Box Elder County. They only covered 1,199 calls. So with four full-time people...
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Box Elder County Victim Services Supervisor Cheryl Burgan appeared before the county commission on Wednesday, Jan. 19, offering some sobering statistics for the second half of 2021. “Since July of 2021, victim services has served 390 victims,” Burgan stated. “Of those 390 victims, there were 52 victims of identity theft, fraud or other financial crimes, 71 victims of domestic violence, 61 victims of adult physical assault, 12 victims of adult sexual assault, 20 victims of child physical abuse, 29 victims of child sexual abuse, 20 victims of burglary, 24 victims of DUI incidents, four victims of stalking or harassment, 13...
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Box Elder High School’s Kylie Hadfield solidified her position as one of the fastest girls in the state last week when she took first in the 400-meter sprint at the Brigham Young University Indoor Invitational track meet. Hadfield entered the BYU meet as the fifth fastest athlete in the event, but finished with the top time—and personal record this year—of :58.96. It was a big win in a big event that has been a long time in the making for Hadfield, a junior at BEHS. Despite being in high school for three years, and being a highly-anticipated contributor for the...
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It appears that Brigham City’s investment of 5,000 from redevelopment agency tax increment funding to upgrade the electrical system in a commercial building in northern Brigham City, and provide it with an upgraded substation, is about to pay off. On Jan. 13, Texas-based residential door manufacturer Steves & Sons, Inc announced that it will be opening an interior door manufacturing facility inside a building at 1080 North Main, bringing with it 200 jobs over the next five years. The agreement was reached with GOED, the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, with the state offering a rural economic development tax...
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In 2021, the volunteer teams that make up the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Posse traveled 38,649 miles, donating 2,353 hours to help county residents and visitors. Chief Deputy Dale Ward addressed the Box Elder County Commission at its Wednesday meeting, detailing for the commissioners what the posse did last year. “I’d like to start the comments by saying we are very blessed at the sheriff’s office to have actually three volunteer units that help us throughout the year, those being the search and rescue unit, the scuba team and the horse posse,” said Ward. “With each of them having their...
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Former Brigham City Councilmember Tom Peterson and resident Brandon Broadhead have been appointed to sit on the Brigham City Golf Course Commission. “We’re happy to have them both, they have great heads on their shoulders, and they’re both avid golfers, so they’re a great addition to our Golf Course Commission,” said Mayor DJ Bott at Thursday’s meeting. The commission oversees operations and planning at Brigham City’s Eagle Mountain Golf Course, making recommendations to the Brigham City Council on budgets, prices, and priorities.
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Discussion of a proposed resolution with the intent of acknowledging errors and seeking accountability in a case where multiple Mantua residents were charged for harboring unlicensed dogs resulted in one person being ejected, and concluding with the town’s council getting an earful of heated comments from residents. At last week’s council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 20, Councilmember Justin Brown proposed a resolution that would acknowledge the town’s mistakes in charging residents with class C misdemeanors for violations of the town’s animal licensing requirements, and commit to help affected residents. The resolution stated: “The Mantua Town Council would like to publicly...
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The senior members of the Box Elder High School swim team were honored at their final home meet of the season, where both the boys and girls beat Weber, 136-31 and 120-50, respectively. Box Elder seniors pictured are: (front) Kirsten Keller, Brooklyn Beeton, Alexis Jensen, Sariah Hansen, Bailey Hodgkinson, Ellie Dixon, Rachel Sparks, (back) Travis Martin, Ethan Ward, Cale Bodily, Garrett Thomson, David Draney, Jacob Ferguson, Logan Berry, and Thomas Silva. The region meet will be held Feb. 5.
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A survey of 10,000 small businesses in 47 states showed that significant labor shortages are severely impacting their profitability, and that they “are being pushed to the brink with an unprecedented set of challenges hurting their bottom line.” In Utah—and Box Elder County is no exception—there are other factors as well, such as incredibly low unemployment rates and a housing crisis that puts additional pressure on an already difficult situation. “This country is facing something... that has never been faced before,” said Shane Sessions, human resources manager at West Liberty Foods in Tremonton. “It’s unprecedented.” Before West Liberty ordered a...
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A story in last week’s edition about a meeting of the Box Elder School District Board of Education referenced comments from Assistant Superintendent Keith Mecham regarding a COVID-19 vaccine requirement issued by the district’s provider of substitute teachers, Kelly Education, a division of Kelly Services. Mecham’s comments at the meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 12, were related to an email he received from a Kelly representative earlier that week. The email indicated the company would require vaccines or a negative Covid test for anyone seeking employment through Kelly. The email also indicated Kelly was taking such a position based on the...
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Rob Johnson, director of financial services for Bear River Mental Health (BRMH), appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Jan. 19 to deliver the results of the 2019-20 financial audit of his agency, reporting that no anomalies were found and that BRMH’s books are in good order. Johnson read directly from the audit report, put together by the accounting firm of Carver, Florek and James (CFJ) which gave what is known as a clean opinion of the agency’s financial statements, meaning no discrepancies were found, and no reporting processes or financial controls used by BRMH showed any problems. According...
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Box Elder’s Justin Christensen beat Bonneville’s Isaiah Terklesen by fall in the second round of the 215-pound bout in the teams’ region dual meet last week. In an incredibly one-sided affair that had as many forfeits as contested bouts, the Bees routed the Lakers, 76-6. Box Elder earned 36 points by forfeit, and Bonneville’s only points of the meet came via the same route. Of the seven weights that had two wrestlers, Box Elder won all but one by fall, with Kaden Murdock winning the 150-pound bout by major decision, 12-1.
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The U.S. supreme Court last Friday struck down a temporary emergency rule from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration that would have required businesses with more than 100 employees to require vaccinations or masking and testing for all employees. While OSHA has authority to enact worker protections against workplace hazards, the majority opinion essentially found that since COVID-19 can be spread and caught anywhere, it is not a workplace-specific hazard and therefore beyond the scope of OSHA’s legislated purview. Along that same line of reasoning, however, the court upheld a mandate requiring vaccinations for healthcare workers in facilities that accept...
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Many said it couldn’t be done when Corinne City Council Member Karen Caldwell said she was going to raise 0,000 to restore the Corinne Historical Methodist Church Museum, once the community hub in the tiny 800-person hamlet of Corinne. Dedicated more than 150 years ago, in 1870, placed on the National Historic Register in 1971, and deeded to Corinne City in 2020, the building is the oldest church building not built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah. It had been used as a museum and a place for weddings, funerals, civic meetings, and recitals when...
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The sudden rise in COVID-19 cases across the state of Utah has now impacted the Box Elder High School basketball teams as both the boys’ and girls’ games scheduled last Friday against Woods Cross had to be postponed. School administrators from Woods Cross contacted Box Elder earlier in the week to let them know the games would have to be rescheduled because the Wildcats wouldn’t be able to field a full varsity team due to too many players testing positive for the coronavirus. The games against the Wildcats for both the boys and girls have been moved to Tuesday, Feb....
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Nominations are being accepted for the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet, scheduled to be held Friday, April 22, in the fine arts building at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds. Nominations need to be submitted to the chamber by Tuesday, Feb. 22. Submit via email at: monica@boxelderchamber.com, or deliver in-person or by mail to 6 N. Main Street, Brigham City, UT 84302. The award categories and criteria are: · Businessperson of the Year: Nominees should have a variety of qualities, including, but not limited to, business success, community service and leadership, dedication to business and career. Nominees must...
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A single-engine Cessna 172 made an emergency landing on a stretch of northbound Interstate 15 running through Brigham City late on Sunday morning. The plane had taken off from Ogden Municipal Airport at approximately 11:26 a.m. when it ran into engine trouble just a few miles shy of the Brigham City Municipal Airport. The pilot, flying alone, was able to land the plane on the freeway near mile marker 365 near the Brigham City 900 North exit, touching down at approximately 11:44 a.m.. “Troopers arrived on scene and saw that a smaller airplane had landed on the freeway and was...
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Due to a boundary change in Box Elder County school board precincts, there soon will be eight school board members instead of seven. That’s because the new boundary between school board precincts five and six cuts right along the property line of Boardmember Bryan Smith, who is now in the same precinct as Boardmember Nancy Kennedy. Only one person can live within the boundaries of each of the seven precincts. As a result, the school board will decide which one will represent precinct five and which one will continue as a board member at-large, with the same board responsibilities but...
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Box Elder County has not been able to avoid the surge in cases seen across the country and the world due to the omicron variant of COVID-19, with incident rates skyrocketing. Lines for the Test Utah site in Brigham City have been growing since the beginning of 2022, and forced its move from the health care campus by Brigham City Community Hospital, to Utah State University Brigham City, were lines have stretched for blocks and onto Main Street. According to Bear River Health Department epidemiologist Caleb Harrison, on Dec. 27, 2021, Box Elder County was seeing an average of 11...
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COVID-19 is rearing its ugly head again in the Box Elder School District and district officials are seriously considering going to virtual learning for five days as a way to “reset.” “It’s on us like stink,” said Assistant Superintendent Keith Mecham to the school board Wednesday as he told them there are 41 students and 24 teachers with active cases. “The fact that we went from seven to 41 cases in two and a half days means it’s here at school and it’s here in our community.” Board members suggested going virtual for five days as a way to slow...
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Editor’s note: The Bear River Health Department has modified the Covid data they provide, including less information by county. This chart has been updated to reflect those changes. COVID testing locations: TestUtah sites are available to test for COVID-19 in Box Elder County for residents one year and older. The test site is located at: Brigham City Community Hospital, 950 Medical Drive, Brigham City, Wednesday, Jan. 19. 13 and Friday, Jan. 21. 15, 12 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 23, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. .Visit www.testutah.com/en to register.
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Former Utah House Representative Lee Perry has officially announced his intention to seek a seat on the Box Elder County Commission in this year’s election. Perry, who retired from the Utah Highway Patrol in December of 2019, represented House District 29 (southern Box Elder County and northern Weber County) in the Utah Legislature from 2011 through 2020. “While I realize the election is still a ways off, the caucus and convention will be in March and April,” said Perry in a statement released to the News Journal. “So with the support of many friends and Box Elder County residents I...
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Utah’s position along traditional migratory bird routes provides residents with ample opportunities to see one of America’s most iconic birds. Bald eagles fly to Utah to find food and escape winter conditions farther north, and typically by February, hundreds of eagles are in the state. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will hold several viewing events in February, where DWR employees will be on hand to help and teach visitors about the birds. At DWRsponsored events, free, collectible Bald Eagle Month pins will be available. The pins can also be obtained at regional DWR offices, while supplies last. DWR events...
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A California-based electric scooter rental company wants to provide services in Brigham City, pitching a plan to the Brigham City Council at Thursday’s meeting. According to Mike Butler of Bird Rides Inc., his company currently provides stand-up scooter rentals to 375 communities, including Kaysville, Ogden, Sandy and Tooele. The rental process includes downloading a smartphone application, signing a user-agreement and age verification, adding a pay- ment option, and completing an educational tutorial that instructs customers on how to ride. Users would then be free to ride wherever they wanted following existing bicycle laws, returning the scooters to different designated return...
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Commissioner Jeff Scott will chair the Box Elder County Commission for the 2022 calendar year, continuing an agreement reached between the three commissioners that they will rotate that duty on a yearly basis. The three-seat county commission functions as both the county’s legislative and executive authority, with all ordinances, resolutions and approvals requiring a majority vote. Oversight and executive functions are divided between them. The commission chair generally conducts meetings and signs certain official documents for the county, but has no more authority than the other two commissioners. Scott was voted in unanimously at the Jan. 5 meeting, taking over...
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With the retirement of Chief Deputy Dale Ward coming in March, and JC’s Diner restaurateur Jim Able wanting to step down, the Box El- der County Commission has appointed Deputy Cade Palmer and Peach City owner Kevin Hall to the Bear River Health Department governing board. “As we were talking on the board seven years ago, we thought it would be invaluable to have someone from law enforcement on there,” said Commissioner Jeff Scott, who also sits on the board. “Dale has given a lot of service, and a lot of expertise we wouldn’t have had otherwise.” Scott also said...
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DOB: 01/19/1996 Weight: 175 Height: 6’2” Race: Caucasian Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Offense: Unauthorized Control of a Vehicle, Class A Misdemeanor; Possession of Controlled Substance, Class A Misdemeanor; Theft, Class A Misdemeanor (two counts). Known to frequent the Brigham City/Box Elder County areas. First District Court Judge Spencer Walsh has issued a warrant for his arrest. DOB: 08/23/1959 Weight: 200 Height: 5’9” Race: Caucasian Eyes: Blue Hair: Brown Offense: Aggravated Assault, Class A Misdemeanor. Known to frequent the Brigham City/Box Elder County areas. First District Court Judge Spencer Walsh has issued a warrant for his arrest. Persons with any information...
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A new single-family residential neighborhood may be going up near the Brigham City Sports Complex after the Brigham City Council approved a preliminary plat for the project on Thursday. Preliminary plats offer a concept design for the council to approve, and allow city departments to go over planning details such as drainage, culinary water and sewer service, fire flow, traffic flow and road connectivity. All of the details and department approvals will be worked out prior to a final plat being submitted for approval. Early plans have 41 building lots being created on a 12.59 acre parcel located at approximately...
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If you’re a teacher, a firefighter, a law enforcement officer or healthcare worker that is having a difficult time finding an affordable home in Box Elder County, there may be help on the way— if your employer or municipality chooses to participate in a new program. Utah House District 8 Representative Steve Waldrip appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday to speak about the Rocky Mountain Homes Fund (RMHF), a nonprofit organization whose goal is to help essential workers get into a home. “Rocky Mountain Homes Fund is a social benefit fund that I started with a couple...
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In continuing reverberations from a proposed but denied attempt at animal feedlot regulation, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday heard from a local sheep rancher, as well as the Utah Farm Bureau. The controversy stems from the county’s attempt to comply with a deadline set by the legislature in S.B. 130 last year, which was passed with the goal of limiting local regulation of agriculture in Utah. That bill stated that if counties were going to deny areas where animal feeding operations could take place, they had to provide alternative areas for feedlot operations. It also provided that counties...
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The Brigham City Council approved budget amendments for the 2021-22 fiscal year amounting to 4,433 at Thursday’s council meeting. Speaking primarily to new Councilmembers Matthew Jensen and Ryan Smith, Finance Director Derek Oyler explained that budget amendments were required by state law when adding additional revenues and expenses. “The Utah State Auditor requires us throughout the budget year, as things change or new things come up, new grant revenues or new expenditures come up that weren’t necessarily anticipated, that we adjust those budgets throughout the budget year,” said Oyler. Additional spending of ,276 was requested for new financial software, to...
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Beware of a new phishing scam targeting people in Weber and Morgan counties, warned the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Utah Department of Health (UDOH). Scammers send fake text messages, from what claims to be the “UTAH COVID-19 Vaccine Status Validation,” that asks recipients to validate their vaccination status on an embedded form on a website. People are asked for personal information that includes Social Security and driver license numbers but nothing about COVID-19. The text claims the CDC and Utah DMV require this as a “Waiver Validation Update.” “The DMV does...
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Former Herriman Assistant Police Chief Chad Reyes was officially sworn-in as the new chief of the Brigham City Police Department at Thursday’s meeting of the city council. Reyes, a 23-year law enforcement veteran, began his career with the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Department, which became the Salt Lake County Unified Police Department, and transitioned to the Herriman Police Department when the city formed its own department in 2018. After consent to the appointment of Reyes was given by the city council in a unanimous vote, he was administered the oath of office by 1st District Juvenile Court Judge Kirk Morgan....
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Fraudulent emails appearing to be sent from the Utah State Tax Commission are surging as the new year and tax filing season begins. The tax commission said the emails are designed to trick taxpayers into thinking they are official and ask for a wide range of personal information. They also may direct people to fake websites that imitate an official-looking tax commission website, such as tap.tax.utah.gov. That’s when people are asked for Social Security numbers, login or other personal information. The sites may carry malware, which can infect computers and allow criminals to access personal files or track keystrokes to...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team started 2022 off with a bang, picking up three straight wins in their final three preseason games. The Bees won 72-63 over Logan on Tuesday, Jan. 4, then got road wins over Green Canyon, 73-59, and Provo, 65-50, on Wednesday and Friday, respectively. On Tuesday night, the Bees used runs in the second and fourth quarters to help send the Grizzlies to their eighth loss of the season. The Bees also got a more balanced scoring effort than in previous games as junior center and the Bees’ leading scorer this season, Jackson...
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Collinston resident Richard Garrett appeared before the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday to request that another seat be added to the Bear River Water Conservancy District board of directors, and that it be filled by someone from Collinston or Beaver Dam. “We pay taxes to Bear River Water Conservancy, but we have no representation,” said Garrett. “Quite frankly, they’ve been very predatory in their nature as far as acquiring water, and redistributing water, as you’re probably aware by the upset citizens. They demonstrate a total disregard for private water rights, in spite of their mission statement that says they...
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Mantua’s new town council wasted no time in addressing a few hot-button agenda items at their first meeting of 2022 on Thursday, Jan. 6, including the status of the parking lot on Willard Peak Road used traditionally for OHV unloading, dog licenses, and the town’s water connection/building moratorium were all discussed in a meeting that lasted over one and a half hours. After discussing and passing housekeeping type issues, such as approving a social media policy for the town and its officials, the meeting schedule, and the purchase of a new public address system for the council chambers and other events,...
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In their only game last week, the Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team ran into some serious competition against Riverton, the fifth-ranked team in the 6A classification, as the Silverwolves came to Brigham City last Wednesday and left with their 10th win of the season in an 81-50 drubbing. The game started tight, but some hot shooting from Riverton coupled with some turnovers and mental mistakes from the Bees led to a big run across the second and third quarters that put the game away for the Silverwolves. Senior guard Belle Christensen poured in a career-high 27 points to...
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Second-year Councilmember Robin Troxell has been elected as Brigham City’s mayor pro tempore following a vote of the Brigham City Council at the Jan. 6 meeting. The mayor pro tempore, or mayor pro tem, acts in the capacity of the mayor when he or she is unable to conduct official business. The mayor pro tem conducts city meetings and can sign official documents in the absence of the mayor, and may assume the powers of the mayor should he or she become incapacitated. Troxell replaces former mayor pro tem Tom Peterson, who no longer serves on the council. It is...
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Re-elected Perry Mayor Kevin Jeppsen, new Councilmember Dave Walker and new Councilmember Ashley Malan Young are administered the oath of office by Judge Kevin Christensen Tuesday night at Three Mile Creek Elementary School.
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team ended up on opposite ends of two blowouts over the Christmas break, falling 60-33 to Ridgeline on Thursday, Dec. 30, before cruising to a 59-24 win over Roy on Friday. On Thursday, the Riverhawks provided plenty of justification for their perfect 12-0 record this season as the home team won every quarter, including an 18-4 run in the second to blow the game open for good. Ridgline’s freshman standout, Emilee Skinner, led all scorers in the game with 17 points while sophomore forward Macie Brown added 15 points and nine rebounds in...
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State and local public health officials have released updated COVID-19 isolation and quarantine guidelines following the announcement of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated guidelines last week. The guidelines are available at coronavirus.utah.gov. The CDC has indicated it is considering additional changes to isolation and quarantine guidance for the general public and for school settings. If the CDC changes its guidance the UDOH will also revisit its guidance. “We’ve worked with many different groups this week to review the changes CDC recommended. Together with the Governor’s office, state and local public health leaders, healthcare leaders, and education...
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The question of what to do with a 4 million budget surplus left over after the end of the 2021 fiscal year will probably be the dominant issue during the 2022 Utah legislative session, according to all three of Box Elder County’s representatives. Legislators will need to grapple with how much of that surplus is “one time” money, spurred on by federal COVID-19 spending, before deciding what to invest it on, whether it be tax cuts, targeted low-income tax rebates on food, increased spending on public education, “generational” investments in infrastructure and/or public works, or a combination of all of...
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A 23-year veteran of the Salt Lake County Unified and Herriman City police departments has been named as the new chief of the Brigham City Police Department (BCPD). Chief Chad Reyes had actually retired from his position as deputy chief of the Herriman Police Department in Salt Lake County in September of 2020, but came out of retirement to take the position with Brigham City. A native of Murray, Utah, Reyes joined the United States Navy after graduating from high school. Returning to Utah after his enlistment, he joined the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Department, which later changed into the...
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Brigham City officially has a new mayor and two new council members, after incoming officials were given the oath of office by Utah 1st District Juvenile Court Judge Kirk Morgan shortly after 12 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 3, in the council chamber at Brigham City Hall. The ceremony was the last official city business conducted by outgoing Mayor Tyler Vincent, as he congratulated Mayor-elect DJ Bott, and Coucilmembers-elect Ryan Smith and Matthew Jensen on being willing to serve. “We’re grateful for those who are willing to run for office,” said Vincent. “It’s kind of a scary thing to do, but...
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Following a year of controversy and divisiveness in Mantua, a new mayor and council are set to move the town forward from the issues of 2021, which included a budget crisis, issues about policing, the passing of ordinances, and ordinance enforcement. Those issues mentioned above were just a few of the things that the town’s everchanging governing body dealt with. The year started with a new town council member, Pam Eaves, who had been appointed to fill a vacancy left by elected town council member Sandra Russell. In the next six months, Mayor Mike Johnson resigned with council member and...
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A county ordinance intending to regulate animal feedlot operations, spurred on by a soon-to-be removed deadline in a state law passed last year, has caused a fair amount of controversy and fear among the agricultural community in Box Elder County. The draft ordinance was opened to a public hearing on Dec. 16 in front of the Box Elder County Planning Commission, which drew dozens of comments from concerned citizens who were all vehemently opposed. According to county officials, however, the draft ordinance was never intended to be passed in the form presented. Rather, it was intended merely as a starting...
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A request to vacate a county right-of-way running through several agricultural fields in Riverside was formally denied by the Box Elder County Commission during a December 2021 meeting. The request to vacate the county right of way at approximately 15400 North and 5475 West was originally tabled at the Nov. 17, 2021, meeting, in hopes that two opposing sides within the community could come to some sort of accommodation with each other. At that meeting several local landowners argued both for and against vacating the right of way. Those in favor contended that there was no actual road there, and...
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The Box Elder School District Board of Education Wednesday approved an 840-acre expansion of two community reinvestment projects (CRP) that will net the school district about .3 million over 20 years. The Box Elder County Redevelopment Agency will rebate 30% of the tax increment from the two solar farm projects directly to the school district, which made approval by the board a no-brainer. Expanded acreage for the Steel 1 and Rocket 1 CRPs—originally approved by the board in February of 2020—mostly involve personal property, which operates differently than other redevelopment agencies that use tax increment financing to encourage real estate...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team got their Christmas break off to a sour start on Tuesday, Dec. 21, when Bear River came to Brigham City and picked up an overtime win, 61-49. The old adage that anything can happen in a rivalry game proved true again as the Bears had posted just two wins so far this year coming into Tuesday’s showdown while the Bees were riding a three-game winning streak, including a big victory over Sky View, who is currently ranked third in the 4A classification. But prior results didn’t factor in too much as the...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team started strong and never let up on their way to picking up a 66-41 win over Bear River on Tuesday, Dec. 21 in the team’s only game before the Christmas break. The Bees kicked things off on the defensive end, holding the Bears to just four points in the first quarter before picking things up on the offensive end and posting 45 points in the second and third quarters to cruise to their sixth win of the season. Box Elder senior guard Kamryn Peterson led all scorers with 17 points and fellow...
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On Aug. 6, 1979, Jimmy Carter was serving as the 39th president of the United States, the biggest movie in theaters was “The Amityville Horror,” the number one song in America was “Bad Girls” by disco artist Donna Summer, the Oldsmobile Cutlass was America’s best-selling car, and 24-year-old Michael Nelsen joined the Brigham City Police Department as a patrol officer. Nearly 42 and a half years later, on Dec. 31, 2021, Nelsen, now the department’s chief of police, will retire from law enforcement work. Nelsen sat down with the News Journal last week to share some of the highlights, and...
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It’s likely safe to say that following the difficult first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were hoping that 2021 would be better. But such was not to be as the pandemic dragged on, thanks in large part to a mutated variant of the virus—delta—that not only caused breakthrough infections in those who had been vaccinated or had natural immunity from a previous infection, but that resulted surges of infections among the unvaccinated that have overwhelmed hospitals. Delta is not only more infectious than the original strain of COVID-19, but causes more severe illness in younger people. Since delta hit...
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A major snowstorm entered Utah the night of Dec. 14, bringing with it 6-10 inches of much-needed snow across Box Elder County communities, as well as numerous accidents, power outages and even fires. From 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday through 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the Utah Highway Patrol reported it had responded to 41 slide-offs and 29 different accidents in Box Elder County alone, seven of which caused injuries. Fortunately no fatalities were reported. Mantua Police Chief Craig Hamer was counted as one of those accidents, after his patrol vehicle was struck on I-15 while he attempted to assist a motorist...
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An independent audit of Brigham City’s financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021 has found no material errors or irregularities, finding that the city is in good financial shape with adequate accounting controls. The results of that audit, performed by the accounting firm of Keddington and Christensen, were delivered to the city council at Thursday’s meeting by Brigham City Finance Director Derek Oyler, and by Steven Rowley, a partner at Keddington and Christensen, appearing via video conference. Oyler began the presentation by presenting a financial snapshot of the city as of June 30. The city improved its...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday appointed two new trustees to the Bear River Water Conservancy District’s governing board, replacing two members with expiring terms. Brigham City Mayor-elect DJ Bott has been selected to fill the vacancy created by retiring Brigham City Mayor Tyler Vincent. The commissioners initially had two applicants for the position, but chose Bott as he is an elected representative of the city. Joe Summers has also been chosen to represent the Bothwell area on the water board. Summers replaces Russell Howe, who had served since 2014. The new appointments are effective on January 1, 2022....
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Box Elder County has donated the second of two ambulances it retired earlier this year to Bear River City, to help first responders provide faster responses in the area. The request by Bear River City came two weeks after the county donated a surplus ambulance to Corinne City. Both ambulances had been in service in the Park Valley area, and had been replaced with newer models. “Today I’d like you to donate the surplus ambulance to Bear River City so we can use it for our fire department,” said Skylar Limb of the Central Fire District at Wednesday’s Box Elder...
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A bill sponsored by Utah Senator Mike Lee to honor U.S. Air Force Col. Gail S. Halvorsen by renaming a veterans center has passed the senate. The bill seeks to rename the veterans center in Orem, Utah, to The Col. Gail S. Halvorsen “Candy Bomber” Veterans Center. Halvorsen, a graduate of Bear River High School, gained recognition while serving as a Berlin Airlift pilot in1948. While on mission at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport, Halvorsen noticed a group of German children standing just outside the barb wire fence. The children were destitute and clearly had very little to eat. Halvorsen gave the...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team picked up two wins last week as the Bees beat Taylorsville on the road, 56- 49, last Tuesday, and at home on Friday over Sky View, 68-62. The Bees knew what to expect against the Warriors on Tuesday as the teams had clashed the previous Saturday at the Northern Utah Shootout where the Bees picked up a 57-43 win. In the first meeting, the Bees did a lot of damage on the offensive end inside and Jackson McKee led all scorers with 21 points and nine rebounds. On Tuesday, the Warriors did...
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Crystal-clear air revealed a deep blue sky following a storm that put down about six inches of snow at this Brigham City residence.
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After receiving statewide attention for charging some residents with class C misdemeanors for failing to license their dogs, the Mantua Town Council on Thursday updated their ordinance to bring the town into compliance with state law. As was previously reported by the Box Elder News Journal, it is against Utah code (10-3-703) to charge a pet owner with anything more severe than an infraction unless particular requirements are met. The council unanimously approved the amended ordinance. The licensing period for dogs will begin June 1 each year and licenses are good until June 1 of the next year. As listed...
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With no further refinements made to a budget presented for a public hearing at the Dec. 1 meeting, on Wednesday the Box Elder County Commission voted to approve a .4 million dollar budget across all county departments and the redevelopment agency for 2022. “No changes were made from the public hearing to now,” said Box Elder County Auditor Tom Kotter. “As we go throughout the year and if we need to make a change, we’ll just re-open the budget and put it through at that time.” As approved, next year’s budget has the county collecting ,584,950 in its government funds,...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team squared off last week against some of the best individual talent in the state this year as the Bees fell to Davis on Tuesday, Dec. 14, in Kaysville 47- 42, before picking up a dramatic 53-50 overtime win against Skyline on Friday in Salt Lake City. The Bees knew the Darts would present some unique challenges. Topping that list was containing Utah Valley University commit Kylee Mabry. Mabry is leading the Darts in every major statistical category through seven games this season with 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 4.8 steals...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team picked up two wins last week as the Bees beat Taylorsville on the road, 56- 49, last Tuesday, and at home on Friday over Sky View, 68-62. The Bees knew what to expect against the Warriors on Tuesday as the teams had clashed the previous Saturday at the Northern Utah Shootout where the Bees picked up a 57-43 win. In the first meeting, the Bees did a lot of damage on the offensive end inside and Jackson McKee led all scorers with 21 points and nine rebounds. On Tuesday, the Warriors did...
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With no further refinements made to a budget presented for a public hearing at the Dec. 1 meeting, on Wednesday the Box Elder County Commission voted to approve a .4 million dollar budget across all county departments and the redevelopment agency for 2022. “No changes were made from the public hearing to now,” said Box Elder County Auditor Tom Kotter. “As we go throughout the year and if we need to make a change, we’ll just re-open the budget and put it through at that time.” As approved, next year’s budget has the county collecting ,584,950 in its government funds,...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday appointed two new trustees to the Bear River Water Conservancy District’s governing board, replacing two members with expiring terms. Brigham City Mayor-elect DJ Bott has been selected to fill the vacancy created by retiring Brigham City Mayor Tyler Vincent. The commissioners initially had two applicants for the position, but chose Bott as he is an elected representative of the city. Joe Summers has also been chosen to represent the Bothwell area on the water board. Summers replaces Russell Howe, who had served since 2014. The new appointments are effective on January 1, 2022....
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Box Elder County has donated the second of two ambulances it retired earlier this year to Bear River City, to help first responders provide faster responses in the area. The request by Bear River City came two weeks after the county donated a surplus ambulance to Corinne City. Both ambulances had been in service in the Park Valley area, and had been replaced with newer models. “Today I’d like you to donate the surplus ambulance to Bear River City so we can use it for our fire department,” said Skylar Limb of the Central Fire District at Wednesday’s Box Elder...
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A major snowstorm entered Utah the night of Dec. 14, bringing with it 6-10 inches of much-needed snow across Box Elder County communities, as well as numerous accidents, power outages and even fires. From 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday through 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the Utah Highway Patrol reported it had responded to 41 slide-offs and 29 different accidents in Box Elder County alone, seven of which caused injuries. Fortunately no fatalities were reported. Mantua Police Chief Craig Hamer was counted as one of those accidents, after his patrol vehicle was struck on I-15 while he attempted to assist a motorist...
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A bill sponsored by Utah Senator Mike Lee to honor U.S. Air Force Col. Gail S. Halvorsen by renaming a veterans center has passed the senate. The bill seeks to rename the veterans center in Orem, Utah, to The Col. Gail S. Halvorsen “Candy Bomber” Veterans Center. Halvorsen, a graduate of Bear River High School, gained recognition while serving as a Berlin Airlift pilot in1948. While on mission at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport, Halvorsen noticed a group of German children standing just outside the barb wire fence. The children were destitute and clearly had very little to eat. Halvorsen gave the...
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On Dec. 17, 2021, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati reinstated the COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which created mandates for companies with 100 or more employees to require those employees to either be vaccinated or wear a facemask and provide weekly COVID-19 test results showing they are not infected. The ETS mandated that businesses be in full compliance with the rule by Jan. 4, 2022. Due to the Nov. 12 stay on enforcement ordered by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, however, OSHA has extended that deadline. OSHA will not issue citations...
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Box Elder County has given notice to Brigham City that the terms of their revenue sharing agreement for fines and forfeitures collected by the county’s justice court will be changing in 2023. The county and city have had an agreement in place since 2011 that split the revenues collected to 55% for Brigham City and 45% for the county, after state costs were subtracted. Under the new proposal by the county, revenues will be divided equally to both governments. According to Box Elder County Auditor Tom Kotter, the revenue sharing agreement as it stood required a lot of extra work...
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An independent audit of Brigham City’s financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021 has found no material errors or irregularities, finding that the city is in good financial shape with adequate accounting controls. The results of that audit, performed by the accounting firm of Keddington and Christensen, were delivered to the city council at Thursday’s meeting by Brigham City Finance Director Derek Oyler, and by Steven Rowley, a partner at Keddington and Christensen, appearing via video conference. Oyler began the presentation by presenting a financial snapshot of the city as of June 30. The city improved its...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team squared off last week against some of the best individual talent in the state this year as the Bees fell to Davis on Tuesday, Dec. 14, in Kaysville 47- 42, before picking up a dramatic 53-50 overtime win against Skyline on Friday in Salt Lake City. The Bees knew the Darts would present some unique challenges. Topping that list was containing Utah Valley University commit Kylee Mabry. Mabry is leading the Darts in every major statistical category through seven games this season with 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 4.8 steals...
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After receiving statewide attention for charging some residents with class C misdemeanors for failing to license their dogs, the Mantua Town Council on Thursday updated their ordinance to bring the town into compliance with state law. As was previously reported by the Box Elder News Journal, it is against Utah code (10-3-703) to charge a pet owner with anything more severe than an infraction unless particular requirements are met. The council unanimously approved the amended ordinance. The licensing period for dogs will begin June 1 each year and licenses are good until June 1 of the next year. As listed...
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The Brigham City Council welcomed a new police officer to the city on Thursday. Officer Preston Clawson, a recent graduate of the police academy, was sworn-in for duty on Monday morning. Clawson grew up in Clifton, Idaho, and currently lives in Logan. As is tradition at the Brigham City Police Department, though, he was introduced to the council by Police Chief Mike Nelsen during Thursday’s meeting, and had his badge pinned by his wife Kimie. “I’m excited to work here, excited to serve the people of Brigham City,” said Clawson. “I spent a lot of time here growing up, with...
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Crystal-clear air revealed a deep blue sky following a storm that put down about six inches of snow at this Brigham City residence.
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Utah State Senator Scott Sandall (R-Dist. 17) and State Representative Matthew Gwynn (R-Farr West) accepted an invitation to meet in an hour-long special work session with the Perry City Council on Thursday, ostensibly to discuss ways the legislators could aid, or at least not hinder, the city in meeting its goals and obligations. The conversation was dominated by discussion about the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), and the city’s issues with collecting local sales taxes in excess of 0,000 annually for a service that Perry officials say offers very little value to the city’s residents. “I do not like the UTA,...
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The Perry City Council on Thursday voted to table a rezone request on 27 acres located just west of Dale Young Nature Park. The rezone request would change the property from the agricultural limited zone to low-density residential with a quarter-acre minimum lot size, making it eligible for future housing developments. According to City Administrator Robert Barnhill, the zone change request was consistent with the city’s general plan and future land use map, which planned on the area becoming residential. “They’re kind of on the border there, anticipating going from agricultural to residential,” said Barnhill. “The planning commission held a...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team picked up two convincing home wins last week, over Clearfield, 64-43, on Wednesday, and 76-60 over Farmington. The Falcons were still in search of their first win of the season when they came to Brigham City and those struggles showed early on as the Bees jumped out to a 15-4 lead after the first quarter. The Bees struggled to put the game away in the second period and the Falcons showed some fight behind senior guard Miranda Mansfield, who finished with a team-high 12 points. The visitors trimmed the lead to seven...
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State Representative Joel Ferry (RCorinne) and Scott Sandall (R-Dist. 17) told the Box Elder School District Board of Education Monday that the generous state funding for education appropriated during the last session of the Utah Legislature is likely to continue in 2022. Sandall said the Executive Appropriations Committee voted to put money into a rainy-day fund for education. Ferry acknowledged how much the legislature has tried to support teachers, “which will only benefit us all.” District Superintendent Steve Carlsen said that handling growth in the county will be a challenge. The district had 400 new students this school year, “and...
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Two teens who told police they were joking when they decided to make threats of violence against Bear River High School (BRHS) have been arrested. The two, believed to be students at Bear River High School, have been charged for making the threats, according to a statement issued by the Tremonton Garland Police Department (TGPD) on Monday. The situation began on Friday, when a representation of a handgun and Monday’s date, 12-13-21, was found etched in a bathroom stall at the high school. Students at the school found the implied threat, and began sharing photos of it with their phones....
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Mantua Town officials have taken issue with two recent stories published in the Box Elder News Journal, claiming not only inaccuracies, but also misleading the public in at least one case. The stories in question detailed criminal charges against town residents for keeping unlicensed dogs, and a request by resident Nathan Blaine to purchase some property owned by Mantua that is bisected by the driveway to Blaine’s residence. The stories did contain two errors, one of which was corrected on the News Journal’s Facebook page as soon as the error was identified. One of the errors was that all 16...
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The Willard City Council on Thursday approved a pay increase for the city’s elected officials, even though the majority of council members that voted for it will not benefit from it, as their terms expire at the end of December. Prior to the change, the mayor was paid 0 annually, while members of the city council received 0. The new figures as passed by the council will have the incoming mayor receiving ,000, while council members will receive ,000. Council members who serve on external boards will receive an additional 0 per year. By way of comparison, neighboring Perry City...
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If Box Elder School District fees for sports and extracurricular activities appear considerably lower than neighboring school districts, it’s because BESD is “nickel and diming” parents with added costs not included in the overall number. District Assistant Superintendent Keith Mecham presented a comparison of the school district fees which prompted him to seek board approval for a more inclusive fee schedule. The board agreed to review his suggestions and then put it on the Jan. 12, 2022 agenda. For instance, BESD students participating in baseball are presented with a fee of 0, compared with 0 in Cache, 0 in Logan,...
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After breakfast at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles #2919 Santa waves to the children selected to participate in this year’s Shop with a Cop program before leading the parade to Walmart on Saturday morning.
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The Willard City Council approved a fee increase for residents with more than one garbage can at Thursday’s meeting. The rate for additional garbage cans is now .50 per can. Willard had been charging 50 cents per extra can for the last 20 years, which hasn’t kept up with the cost of collection, which is currently being borne by Econo-waste, the city’s garbage collection contractor. “That’s been great for Willard residents, but it’s been a money losing proposition for Econo-waste,” said City Manager Chris Davis. “I still think it’s a steal at .50,” said Mayor Kenneth Braegger. “Honestly, you’re still...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team had a full schedule last week, beating Mountain Crest on the road, 55- 41, before playing three games at the Northern Utah Shootout hosted by Davis High School: losing 51-52 to West Jordan and 49-65 to Weber before beating Taylorsville, 57-43. On Tuesday, the Bees found themselves in a dog fight until they were finally able to get some separation in the fourth quarter behind 20 points from junior center Jackson McKee, and 15 points from sophomore wing Elijah Kersey. Oliver Nethercott put in 18 points, but no other Mountain Crest player...
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A photo in last week’s edition accompanying a story about the boys’ basketball team was misidentified as current player Jackson McKee. The file photo was of Jaron McKee, who graduated last year. We regret the error.
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While many children get a brief opportunity to sit on Santa’s lap this time of year, families had an opportunity for more engaged conversation with the jolly old elf at the Breakfast with Santa event held Saturday at the Brigham City Community Center. The event was sponsored by Brigham City Community Activities and Services and Gilles Funeral chapel. See more photos on page 5. Photos from the annual Shop with a Cop event are on page 2.
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The snowstorm that began last Thursday night into Friday morning resulted in numerous crashes on Box Elder County roads, at one point stretching the county’s emergency response services beyond their capacity. According to Sgt. Brian Nelson of the Utah Highway Patrol, there were 26 accidents with property damage, seven with injuries, and numerous slide-offs within a period of just a few hours Friday morning. “The most severe accident was a three-car crash right at the summit in Sardine Canyon,” said Sgt. Nelson. “The driver of a northbound passenger car lost control and spun into the southbound lanes. That driver was...
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Brigham City issued a warning that there have been reports of attempted phone scams targeting Brigham City residents. According to a statement issued by the mayor’s office, a few Brigham City utility customers have received calls claiming that their utilities would be disconnected, and telling them to speak to a representative for payment. “This is NOT Brigham City utilities calling,” read the statement. “Brigham City will never call you and ask you to pay your bill over the phone.”
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A 9,000 grant from the Erate program is going to allow Box Elder School District to install Wi- Fi on school buses to help students work on homework to and from school. Internet access on buses is just part of an overall network upgrade at the school district from its current 1 gigabyte on 250 devices to 10 gigabytes for every access point. The grant is part of [post_excerpt].6 million the school district can spend over the next four years. The money represents a 70% discount through E-rate, a program under The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), that makes certain...
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An additional 11 homes could soon be added to neighborhoods growing near 300 South and 200 West, after the Willard City Council on Thursday gave preliminary approval for a second phase of The Orchards subdivision. “This came in front of the planning commission, and the planning commission asked to have a traffic study done,” said City Manager Chris Davis, filling in City Planner Bryce Wheelwright, who was ill. The traffic study along 200 West concluded that with the additional 11 homes it would raise the daily trips along 200 West to 440, on a road that could handle 3,700 trips...
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With the budgeting process becoming more defined as revenue numbers and expenses are drilled down, Box Elder County Auditor Tom Kotter presented a budget of .42 million across all funds for a public hearing held at the Dec. 1 county commission meeting. The budget as presented on Wednesday cut expenditures by .6 million from the tentative budget presented on Nov. 10, and reduced a projected revenue shortfall from .2 million to .3 million, falling within or near what Kotter believes the actual numbers will be. “We budget very much worst-case scenario,” explained Kotter. “Expenses are high, revenues are low. In...
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A northern Utah competitive softball program with roots in Box Elder County practiced something other than the sport they love at an event last week: Giving back. According to Ryan Jackson, whose wife, Tiffani, and Tiffani’s cousin, Aimee, founded Mountain West Softball three years ago, “...it was important to Aimee and Tiffani to build a program that not only produces good players but also good members of the community.” Under a partnership with the Little Lambs Foundation out of Logan and the Brigham City Rotary Club, and with the help of several local dentists and “great neighbors” in the community,...
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Box Elder High School swimmer Ellie Dixon was named the outstanding female swimmer at the Silver Rush Invitational in Draper, Utah, on Dec. 3 and 4, where both the boys’ and girls’ teams secured dominant wins over four other schools. The boys’ team scored 619.5 points, outpacing Westlake High School, which came in second with a score of 398.5. The Box Elder girls put up 607 points, which topped second-place Westlake’s 455-point performance. Other teams at the meet included Riverton, Jordan and Hillcrest high schools.
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An idea to ease Brigham City’s restrictions on the development of cul-de-sacs within new city neighborhoods didn’t gather a lot of support during discussion at Thursday’s council meeting. Community and Economic Development Director Paul Larsen appeared before the council to provide background information on the topic to facilitate the discussion, brought on at the request of Councilmember Tom Peterson. “There are two aspects to our planning documents that involve cul-de-sacs in one way or an- other,” Larsen began, identifying those aspects as road connectivity and accessibility. “How easy is it to find an address, how well does it connect into...
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Sitting inside a shepherd’s trailer hitched to his white pickup truck, Robert Child recounts a lifetime spent running sheep in the pastures of northern Utah. Wind gently rocks the compact trailer as Child, who is 75, describes the grazing rotations for his 2,000-head flock. Winters in Wendover, near the Nevada border. Summers in the high country above Logan. On a mid-October day he is here at the mouth of austere Whites Valley, where about five families harvest dryland grain, and where Child has leased grazing land for two decades. “I don’t know any different,” Child says about his occupation, his...
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A young girl gets an up-close look at a reindeer while getting a photo taken with her family during the annual Reindeer Games Christmas event held at Heritage Motors in Brigham City. Unlike previous years, the reindeer was simply held on a leash, rather than being in an enclosure. The event, a fundraiser for the New Hope Crisis Center, had one of the biggest turnouts in recent years. See page 11 for more photos from Reindeer games, and page 4 for photos of Brigham City’s Christmas Village. Also, community Christmas events are stacking up. See calendar on page 4.
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After replacing two ambulances serving the Park Valley area earlier this year, Box Elder County was going to declare them as surplus and hold an auction for the sale of the old vehicles. Corinne City made an official request to receive one of the two surplus ambulances at Wednesday’s Box Elder County Commission meeting, and saw that request granted. “Our fire department specifically covers fire calls for Corinne City, West Corinne and the Corinne Industrial Park,” stated the official request from Corinne Mayor Brett Merkley, Fire Chief Clint Norman and Assistant Fire Chief Von Sorenson. “Our department also actively supports...
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The Box Elder High School girls’ basketball team started their season last week the exact same as last year, with a 68-53 win over Hillcrest in both teams’ first games of the season. The team then got to participate in the Desert Hills Holiday Classic tournament, which was suspended last year due to the pandemic, and won their first game over Snow Canyon, 49-42, before falling to tournament host Desert Hills, 51-75, and finishing with a dramatic last-second loss to Hurricane, 45-46. The Huskies came to Brigham City this year and kept things close throughout the first half behind some...
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Long lines to see Santa Claus were a welcome sight for the return of Reindeer Games, a fundraising event that supports The New Hope Crisis Center of Box Elder County. Attendees walked through the trail of hope, a line of sponsored, decorated trees before getting to Santa and Mrs. Claus on Thursday, Dec. 2.
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At its Dec. 1 meeting, the Box Elder County Commission approved a [post_excerpt].79 million COVID-19 relief funding request from the Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG). ARPA, the American Rescue Plan Act, to assist local and state governments respond to, and recover from, the effects of the pandemic, was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March of 2021. It provides 0 billion in funding for local and state governments across the United States, from which the state of Utah is to receive approximately [post_excerpt].7 billion. During a special session in May of 2021, the Utah Legislature approved receiving...
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The junior bantam (purple) little league football team from Brigham City made the most of their last trip to the USA invitational football tournament in Mesquite, Nevada, by bringing home the first-place trophy. Pictured are team members: Landon Gabrish, Julian Torres, Logan Cefalo, Matix Earnest, Gavin Noyes, Gunnar Gunderson, Aaron Taylor, Colton Snell, Rigdon Earnest, Dylan Russo, Korbin Jeppesen, Easton Walters, Jayse Pruett, Bosten Steacie, Stratton Winters, Drayson Dietrich, Judd Howells, Quaid Murray, Chance Richards, and Gray Davis. They were coached by Stetson Jeppesen, Trent Howells, Nate Davis, and Jay Snell. According to a statement from the coaches, the team...
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The Box Elder High School boys’ basketball team kicked off their season at home last Wednesday with an 80-63 loss against last year’s 5A semifinalists, Olympus, before grabbing a win, 40-33, over Roy last Friday. The Bees kept within striking distance of the Titans through three quarters—down by three at the end of the first and seven at the end of the third—behind a balanced scoring attack from a trio of juniors. Jackson McKee led the way with 16 points, point guard Cole Mortensen added 15, and Matthew Low chipped in 10 to help the Bees stay close and give...
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A completed fraud risk assessment for Mantua showed the town at “high risk” for the fiscal year 2020-2021. At the Mantua Council meeting on Dec. 2, the town’s financial clerk, Brenda Dixon, presented the results of the fraud assessment, which resulted in a score of 265. Scores in the low to mid 300-point range come with “low” and “moderate” fraud risk designations. The areas of concern noted in this year’s fraud assessment— which is a state requirement— were identical to the previous year’s assessment and included: lack of a licensed or certified accounting/ financial expert as part of the management...
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The Brigham City Council on Thursday held a public hearing to hear proposals from organizations hoping to receive funding from Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), a federally funded program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designed to aid cities with housing and needed infrastructure. Brigham City Community Development Director Paul Larsen introduced the public hearing as a first effort to gain input from citizens on projects they want to be considered for funding through the program. “In 2022 approximately 6,520 is expected to be available in the Bear River region for CDBG projects,” Larsen said. “A portion...
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With temperatures dropping and the first real snowfall of the year predicted for Thursday evening, Brigham City Fire Marshal Mike Young wants county residents to be aware of the unique safety challenges that winter weather brings. Young, who also serves as the city’s assistant fire chief, and also as a part-time investigator for the Utah Fire Marshall’s office, has been with the Brigham City Fire Department since 1999, beginning as a volunteer when the city had an all-volunteer force. In that time on the job he has been on countless fire and medical calls, and has identified many common mistakes...
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Northrop Grumman in Promontory, Utah, has been awarded a .19 billion contract for booster production and operations in support of NASA’s Space Launch System through 2031, which includes nine SLS launches, including a planned return to the moon. The award includes production and flight sets for Artemis IV through Artemis VIII, as well as production of the booster obsolescence and life extension boosters for Artemis IX. The award supports design, development and testing of five-segment solid rocket boosters to supplement and replace the eight remaining reusable Space Shuttle-era assets. The new boosters will replace the steel cases used for the...
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Several Mantua residents now have criminal records for failing to license their pets on time, but the town may have violated state law by issuing misdemeanor charges for the offense. On Oct. 18, Mantua filed Class C misdemeanor criminal charges against 16 different residents for failing to license their canine companions with the town by the required deadline. All 16 indictments were based upon probable cause information attested to by Mantua Police Chief Craig Hamer, and signed by the town’s attorney, Kelly Smith. According to Ordinance 19-07-18C of the Mantua municipal code, all dogs over four-months old must be licensed...
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Chief Michael Nelsen of the Brigham City Police Department will be retiring at the end of December after serving the citizens of Brigham City for 43 years. That announcement was made at Thursday’s Brigham City Council meeting by Mayor Tyler Vincent, who will also be leaving office at the first of the year. Vincent said that Nelsen is a “great example of a great leader, a hard worker, a very dedicated officer. The last two years have been a struggle as we have lost two of our officers. I just appreciate the chief and the stability that he provides. He’s...
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Like the well-known advertising campaign for a brand of batteries, the COVID-19 pandemic that began in earnest in March of 2020 just keeps going, and going, and going. A grim reminder that the Coronavirus is still here and still deadly came last week, as the state reported that the pandemic has now claimed 100 people from Box Elder County. The latest victim was identified by the Utah Department of Health as a woman between the ages of 45 and 65 who had been hospitalized prior to her death. As of Monday there have been 3,508 Utahns who have died from...
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The Brigham City Council had a change of heart at their Nov. 18 meeting, approving a 5,000 project to install a 250 kilowatt generator on the grounds at city hall, as well as remodel the north entrance of the building to accommodate wiring and improve access to the city’s police department. The project also includes the installation of three generators to power the city’s sewer lift stations, keeping the sewer system, police department and city administration functional in the event of a prolonged power outage. The proposal was tabled at the council’s Nov. 4 meeting over objections raised by Councilmember...
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Fourteen members of the Box Elder High School football team earned a nod from coaches to be named to the 2021 Region 5 All-Region team. Bountiful and Bonneville dominated the MVP list with two players each, while Box Elder’s offense gained the most attention for All-Region first team honors. “Our team got better each week of the season, especially running the football,” said Box Elder head coach Robbie Gunter. “These guys on the all region team really represent that ability to run the football effectively against our region opponents.” Both of the Bees’ tight ends were named to the first...
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The Brigham City Youth City Council has set its sights on helping the city’s parks as an ongoing service project, beginning with Constitution Park Youth city council Mayor Katelyn Dalton and Councilmember Katia Hadfield appeared before the Brigham City Council on Nov. 18 to present and seek approval for their plans to upgrade some of the aging park equipment. “We’re asking for your support in this endeavor that we hope can be a long-term plan that we can work on, and be a part of and help the city” said Dalton. “As we’ve gone through and started this project, we’ve...
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While an incident last month at Box Elder Middle School in Brigham City resulted in some parents questioning school safety and student culture in Box Elder School District, a survey of students shows that the district is doing well in making students feel safe physically, mentally and emotionally. The concerns of about 40 people who identified themselves as students or parents of students in the district were gathered through a limited, informal online survey. Those concerns included school access, and threatening, violent or criminal behavior. The survey came after a threat including a list of names was found in a...
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Former Congressman Rob Bishop, who served Utah’s 1st District for 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, was honored Monday by the Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG). From amusing anecdotes about his reputation as a dapper dresser, to praises for his stellar service to Utah, local leaders and former staffers sang his praises. “I can’t imagine anybody with a longer list of service,” said BRAG Director Roger Jones about Bishop, who retired in January 2021. “He’s done an amazing job for Utah.” Jones outlined Bishop’s life of service which included teaching government and history for 27 years at...
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Historic Downtown Brigham City has announced the winners of the Nutcracker Celebration window displays. Pictured is Edward Jones - Daniel Kennedy's display which features a nutcracker and artwork contributed by Box Elder High School art students.
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A Salt Lake woman who last year fatally injured an elderly Brigham City man with her car while attempting to evade police has been sentenced to spend up to 30 years in prison by 1st District Court Judge Spencer Walsh at a Nov. 8 hearing. Ryanna Kerry Ramcke, 22, had initially pleaded innocent to several felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from an incident on Sept. 22, 2020, that ended up taking the life of 72-year-old Paul B, Stringham, but changed her pleas just prior to a jury trial scheduled for October of this year. According to court documents, Ramcke had...
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Following an incident at Box Elder Middle School in Brigham City last week, that resulted in an increased police presence, parents and students took to social media outlets to speak out about what they perceive as unsafe schools and a culture of violence and drugs that educators and administrators are either ignoring or unable to deal with. In an email sent to parents of Box Elder Middle School students last Thursday, Nov. 18,—there were complains that the email ended up in their spam folder—Principal Lewis Whitaker communicated that a student wrote a threatening message in a female bathroom that was...
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An ordinance that would have created a zoning overlay for planned housing developments in Willard City was tabled at the Nov. 16 council meeting, allowing for the matter to be taken up by newlyelected city officials after they take office in January. The city has been without a planned development ordinance since February of 2021, when the old ordinance was repealed by the council. A master planned community, or planned unit development, is a zoning designation that can be placed over existing zones to allow for the design, development and construction of a planned subdivision which may vary from the...
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The Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday voted to close several seasonal mountain roads for the winter. The Dairy Valley Road off of State Road 38 near Collinston, the Willard Peak Road south of Mantua, the Rocky Dugway Road running southeast of Mantua Reservoir, and the Short Divide Road between Plymouth and Clarkston have been officially closed for 2021-22 winter season. All four roads have normally been closed through the winter for decades, but due to a change in state law passed by the legislature this year, rather than just voting to close seasonal roads, county governments must now send...
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Brigham City’s Meals on Wheels program doesn’t have enough drivers to fill needed routes, and is asking the community for help in feeding elderly and vulnerable populations in southern Box Elder County. Brigham City Senior Center Supervisor Nancy Green told the News Journal that she could really use about eight more drivers to run routes, which range from South Willard to Honeyville/Deweyville, and West Corinne to Mantua. “Except for the Perry Route, all routes are easily under an hour—some only take 30 minutes or less,” Green said. “Our increased numbers and the additional routes we had to add to deal...
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Giving Tuesday is an effort launched in 2012 designed to support charitable efforts in a time when much focus is given to acquiring new items as the Christmas Shopping Season opens. The popularity of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday was taken an additional step farther by the initiation of Giving Tuesday. According to Charities.org, “Giving Tuesday is a worldwide movement to encourage giving and celebrate generosity. Harnessing the collective power of charities, businesses, and individuals, the goal of this initiative is to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in giving all year long --...
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A chain-reaction accident on southbound Interstate 15 last Wednesday caused a major pile-up, but luckily no one was seriously injured. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, at approximately 3:16 p.m. a 39-year-old male had stopped on the right shoulder near mile marker 374 at the river bottoms to remove a ladder that had fallen onto the freeway. As traffic came to a stop, a semi in the right lane could not stop in time, and swerved into the left lane to avoid hitting a car, and instead hit a Buick Regal driven by a 16-year-old Honeyville boy, who was also...
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A request to vacate a county right-of-way that runs through several agricultural fields in Riverside has been tabled by the Box Elder County Commission because of flood control infrastructure located within the right-of-way. Typically, the county will grant vacate petitions when there is no actual paved road, granting the land rights to the adjoining properties, but in this case there were several objections raised. “I believe vacating the county road at approximately 15400 North 5475 West is not in the public’s best interest, and will cause problems for the town of Riverside” stated Jodie Grover, during the public hearing on...
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As COVID-19 cases are surging in some places across the nation, attributed by public health experts to the more contagious delta variant and low vaccination rates, changes are being seen in which age groups the virus is having severe or fatal outcomes. Box Elder County is no exception. The county doubled in deaths from 2020 to 2021, and, as a percent of total deaths by age, younger age groups are bring hit harder this year. In the last 28 days, people who are unvaccinated are at 15.6 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19, 9.8 times greater risk of being...
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The question of whether the Brigham City Community Center is actually a location for community events, or simply a center for senior citizens was posed to, and answered by, the Brigham City Council on Thursday. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the community center was available for public rental at a heavily subsidized price of per hour for residents, and per hour for non-residents. City Administrator Jason Roberts explained to the council that the very low prices were not covering city costs in making the space available for activities. Roberts asked the council to consider whether the city should...
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Brigham City Mayor Tyler Vincent has declared a local emergency by proclamation that will be in place until Dec. 25, 2021, “due to active and increasing numbers of Covid-19 cases in Box Elder County and Brigham City,” according to a legal notice published by the city. “The Mayor and readily available City Councilmembers found it is necessary to enable Brigham City to utilize electronic meetings so that City Councilmembers may attend City Council meetings virtually if asked to quarantine, and that a quorum may be available virtually,” the proclamation reads. A copy of the entire proclamation is available for review...
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The Mantua Town finances received a clean opinion with just one note for corrective action during a report of the annual audit at the council’s meeting on Nov. 18. Nicole Nelson of Child, Richards CPA and Associates presented the report, stating that the financial statements were sound, all funds were operating with a positive balance, and no weaknesses in internal controls were found. The one negative finding was that the town council needs to sign a fraud risk assessment each year. It was supposed to be signed by June 30, 2021, and needs to be submitted by Dec. 31. This...
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With a little bit of drama at the public hearing notwithstanding, the Box Elder County Commission on Wednesday adopted the first update made to the county’s general plan since 1998. A general plan is the legally required blueprint from which a city or county bases land-use planning and zoning decisions. Typically it will list both near- and long-term goals, as well as set a future land-use map, all of which are then used to help guide decisions by local officials. Box Elder County’s general plan update is the result of a yearlong “visioning process” that incorporated public online workshops, open...
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The Perry City Council has declared 25.51 acres the city owns west of Interstate 15 as surplus, clearing the way for it to be sold. According to council discussion held at the Nov. 16 meeting, an offer has been made for a portion of the parcel owned by the city in the Pointe Perry commercial subdivision, but because the entire parcel has not yet been subdivided, the council needed to declare the entire 25 acres as surplus in order to facilitate the sale. “The parcel is larger than what the offer is for, and so in order to execute a...
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Property taxes are one of the most complex and often misunderstood taxes that the government levies. Sadly, Schoolhouse Rock never produced a video to explain how property taxes work. Without a video of a singing tax notice, I’ll try and explain all about how Utah’s property tax system works. Property taxes in Utah are managed through the collaborative effort of several elected county offices. The Recorder’s Office records the boundaries and ownership of each property in the county. The Assessor’s Office values the fair market value of each property. The Auditor’s Office calculates the property tax rate based on budget...
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Editor’s note: It is the policy of the News Journal not to identify victims of sexual crimes. Events in this story may have been omitted and/ or obscured in order to protect the identity of the victim(s). A registered sex offender has pleaded guilty to violating his probation when he took a young Willard girl alone with him to a local store. On April 3 of this year, Chad Jackson Ewing, 46, Ogden, was said to be performing handyman services at a home in Willard when he asked the mother if he could take her daughter, a seven-year-old girl, with...
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Byron Hansen (fourth from left), owner of Hansen Motors in Brigham City, was notified of his induction into the New Car Dealers of Utah Hall of Fame in September, and will be honored at the Utah New Car Auto Show in January. Also pictured are (L to R): Executive Director Craig A. Bickmore, Assistant Executive Director Jason Bickmore, and President Danny Labrum of the New Car Dealers of Utah; Chevrolet Regional Manager Scott Roberts; and Byron’s sons, Matt, Cam and Dan Hansen.
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The Box Elder County Commission has approved a ,983,893 tentative budget for the 2022 fiscal year, while projecting a .2 million revenue shortfall. But that number is still preliminary, and according to County Auditor Tom Kotter, not as drastic as it seems. The tentative budget does not include all expected revenues for ARPA, the federal American Rescue Plan Act, from which the county expects to receive just over million. It also estimates personnel costs high, and tax revenues low, as the county always does. Kotter also expects further revisions to be made before a final budget is passed. “Besides...
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Update: This article has been updated to correct an error. The OSHA order applies to businesses with 100 or more employees. Despite a legal challenge that has resulted in a temporary stay of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s emergency temporary standard (ETS) related to COVID-19 prevention for businesses with 100 or more employees, businesses are being advised to err on the side of caution and prepare to be in compliance. According to Monica Holdaway, executive director of the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce has been leading the charge on analyzing the OSHA order...
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With a roster featuring nine seniors and six juniors, experience was always going to be a strength for this year’s Box Elder High School volleyball team. Several of those seniors had at least one year of varsity experience under their belt coming into the season, and the team started the season with high hopes of challenging for a region championship and making a deep run in the state tournament. When asked how she was able to develop and maintain such a large senior class, Bees’ head coach Kristine Harding explained, “Some of it has been the number distribution with smaller...
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A Brigham City man currently being held in the Weber County Jail on first-degree murder charges has been sentenced in federal court on a drug distribution charge. Brian Christopher Jenson, 30, was charged in the United States District Court of Utah with distributing 109 grams of methamphetamine on Jan. 1, 2020, a month prior to his alleged involvement in a North Ogden murder. Jenson pleaded guilty to the distribution charge in March of 2021, and last month Judge Jill Parrish sentenced him to seven years in federal prison. Jenson is still being held without bail in the Weber County Jail...
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Law enforcement agencies within the county are asking the public to help them in apprehending the following wanted person(s) that frequent the Box Elder area. Tammy Dean Garcia DOB: 08/07/1973 Weight: 125 Height: 5’2” Race: Hispanic Caucasian Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Offense: Assault, Class A Misdemeanor (two counts); Burglary, Felony 2; and multiple other misdemeanor offenses (case nos. 181901415, 191901179, and 211901188). Known to frequent the Willard/Box Elder County areas. Second District Court Judge Reuben Renstrom has issued multiple warrants for her arrest. Zackary Thomas Johnston DOB: 10/08/1993 Weight: 130 Height: 5’11” Race: Caucasian Eyes: Hazel Hair: Blond (possibly bald)...
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Brigham City and Perry are both wrestling with mandates from the state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to comply with municipal storm water system regulations, at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. The regulations are intended to protect natural waterways and aquifers from contaminants, but with no reimbursement from the state or federal governments for running the storm water programs, they are proving to be costly. With the threat of fines for failing to meet the regulations, however, the cities can’t afford not to comply. Since approximately 2016 both cities have been designated as MS4...
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Those who had hoped for a nonpartisan result in Utah’s congressional redistricting process were disappointed last week, after the Utah Legislature adopted a map splitting Democrat-leaning Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City, from three into four different districts, combining each of those four sections with large swaths of heavily Republican rural Utah. HB 2004, sponsored in the House by Republican Representative Paul Ray (Clearfield), and in the Senate by Box Elder County Republican Scott Sandall, passed each body on a largely party-line vote, with the only defectors being a handful of Republicans that joined with Democrats to oppose the...
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