FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2008


A FORMER HURRICANE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WILL SPEND 30-DAYS IN

JAIL…PAY A 3-THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE…AND 25-HUNDRED DOLLARS

INTO A VICTIM RESTITUTION FUND…FOR HAVING SEX WITH A STUDENT.

CRIS LYNN MORRIS APOLOGOZED FOR HER ACTIONS BEFORE SENTENCING

IN 5TH DISTRICT COURT. SHE ADMITTED TO HAVING SEX WITH A 17-YEAR-

OLD BOY LAST YEAR.

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ST. GEORGE WILL PLAY HOST NEXT WEEK TO THE ANNUAL MEETING OF

THE WESTERN INTERSTATE REGION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF

COUNTIES. WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER ALAN GARDNER IS

THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A NON-

PARTISAN GROUP THAT PROMOTES COOPERATION BETWEEN COUNTIES IN

AREAS OF COMMON CONCERN. THE GROUP ALSO PROVIDES A UNIFIED

VOICE TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON ISSUES AFFECTING COUNTIES.

SOME 350-ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN STATES

WILL ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.

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THE ANNUAL BATTLE AGAINST THE NON-NATIVE, AND HIGHLY

FLAMMABLE, CHEAT GRASS, IS UNDERWAY IN SOUTHERN UTAH. THE

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT SAYS IT WILL STAGE PRESCRIBED

BURNS TO CONTROL THE GRASS. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY WE COULD SEE A

BUSY FIRE SEASON IN DIXIE.

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UTAH SENATOR ORRIN HATCH IS PUSHING CONGRESS TO FUND OIL SHALE

DEVELOPMENT. ADDRESSING A SENATE ENERGY AND NATURAL

RESOURCES COMMITTEE HEARING, UTAH OFFICIALS FOCUSED THEIR

ATTENTION ON THE UNTAPP[ED SUPPLY OF OIL SHALE. THEY CITED

RAPIDLY RISING FUEL PRICES AS ONE MAJOR REASON CONGRESS SHOULD

ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT OF OIL SHALE. HATCH INTRODUCED A

LETTER FROM GOVERNOR JON HUNTSMAN, JR., CALLING FOR THE LIFTING

OF A MORATORIUM ON OIL SHALE DEVELOPMENT. ENVIRONMENTALISTS

CONTEND SUCH DEVELOPMENT COULD HURT MORE THAN TWO-MILLION

ACRES OF WILD PUBLIC LANDS.

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THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS THE WARM TEMPERATURES

EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND WILL MEAN THE LONG-DELAYED SNOWMELT

WITH FINALLY KICK INTO HIGH GEAR. HYDROLOGIST BRIAN MCINERNEY

SAYS THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE STILL ISN’T THE LIKELIHOOD OF

SIGNIFICANT FLOODING…HOWEVER STREAMS IN THE NORTHERN PART

OF THE STATE WILL BE FULL AND MOVING FAST. STATE OFFICIALS ARE

CAUTIONING UTAHNS TO EXERCISE CAUTION AROUND STREAMS AND

RIVERS BECAUSE OF THE SNOWMELT.

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THERE IS GOOD NEWS CONCERNING THE UTAH BASIC SKILLS

COMPETENCY TEST. 80% OF UTAH’S HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS PASSED ALL

THREE SECTIONS OF THE TEST THAT DEALS WITH READING, WRITING AND

MATH. STUDENTS BEGIN TAKING THE TEST IN 10TH GRADE. ONCE A

SECTION IS PASSED, IT DOESN’T NEED TO BE RE-TAKEN. STUDENTS ARE

GIVEN FIVE CHANCES TO PASS THE ENTIRE TEST. IF THEY DON’T

SUCCEED, THEY WILL GRADUATE BUT WILL BE GIVEN A CERTIFICATE OF

COMPLETION RATHER THAN A REGULAR DIPLOMA. THIS YEAR’S SUCCESS

RATE IS A 2% IMPROVEMENT OVER LAST YEAR.

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>>Bryant Scores Big As MVP Pushes Lakers Past Utah

(Salt Lake City, UT) -- MVP Kobe Bryant scored 34 points as the Lakers remained perfect in the playoffs beating the Utah Jazz 120-110 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series. Deron Williams managed 25 points and 10 assists for Utah. Paul Milsap established a new career playoff high with 17 points he also pulled in 10 rebounds for the Jazz. Game 3 of the best of seven series is on Friday at Energy Solutions Arena. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. And both KJZZ and ESPN will televise the basketball contest.