KDXU Sunrise Stories for December 7, 2023: Cedar Man Arrested for Trying to Hire Contract Killer

KDXU Sunrise Stories: Volume 109

Statewide News – 12/07/23

28 Arrested in Sting Operation

A retail theft sting spanning across multiple agencies has resulted in the arrest of 28 people across the Wasatch Front.

“Operation Holiday Steals” focused on locations like Home Depot, Target, Nordstrom and other retail stores. About $12,000 of stolen property was recovered during the operation on top of the 28 arrests.

Salt Lake City Police Chief, Mike Brown, commended the work of those involved in the operation including his department’s officers and detectives.

Governor Calls for Solidarity During Pearl Harbor Remembrance

Flags will fly at half-staff across the many government buildings in Utah in honor of 82 years since the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox called for the community to participate by lowering flags at homes and businesses across the state.

The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7, 1941, and was the catalyst that sent the United States military into the trenches of World War II.

Utah Population Slows Slightly

According to a new report from the Utah Population Committee, about 56,000 new residents have moved to Utah between July 2022, and July 2023.

This marks a 1.6% growth across the state, which is slightly lower than last year’s 1.7% growth rate.

Growth from natural increase went up for the first time in ten years, partly due to declining deaths at the tail end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Utah Population Committee believes the current state population rests at about 3.4 million people.

Southern Utah/St. George News – 12/07/23

Cedar Man Pleads Guilty to Hiring Killer through Dark Web

A man from Cedar City has pleaded guilty to using the dark web to try and hire a contract killer to kill two people.

43-year-old Christopher Pence paid $16,000 in Bitcoin to a website that arranges killings. Pence was reportedly arrested before the killings or injuries could take place.

Pence now faces ten years in prison on top of a fine of $250,000.

Hannukah Begins with Menorah Lightings in Southern Utah

The Jewish holiday Hannukah begins tonight as families will light the first candle of the candelabrum known as a menorah.

The Chabad Jewish Community Center of Southern Utah will hold two public menorah lightings in Southern Utah this weekend.

The first will take place in St. George on December 10 at 5 p.m. at the Tech Ridge pavilion on the campus of Utah Tech University.

The second will take place on December 11 at 5:30 p.m. in Cedar City at Nosso Auto.

Reminder: Pearl Harbor Ceremony at Tonaquint Cemetery

The American Legion will host a short ceremony at Tonaquint Cemetery today at exactly 10:48 a.m.

The ceremony will feature some brief words from the American Legion Post Chaplain, Taps will be played, and the flags of the cemetery will fly at half-staff.

10:48 a.m. in Hawaii’s time zone is 7:48 a.m., which is when the bombing occurred at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Other

Fun fact about Stockton Myers, the writer of Sunrise Stories.

Stockton’s family has plenty of Christmas traditions, but arguably his favorite of the bunch is when his family travels around the neighborhood to carol for the neighbors. Stockton also adores the Myers family’s Christmas Eve party they have every year. It used to be a lot bigger with extended family, but now it’s more contained. Still great fun though.

Happy Friday Eve!