Sunrise Stories: Utah Sending Support to Texas/Mexican Border

KDXU Sunrise Stories: Volume 150

Statewide News – 02/12/24

Utah Governor Sending National Guard to Texas Border

Utah Governor Spencer Cox is sending members of the Utah National Guard and Utah Highway Patrol to assist Texas officials with the southern border.

Cox is joined by several other governors in supporting Texas Governor Gregg Abbott and his Operation Lonestar which is meant to fend off illegal immigration.

Five members of the Utah National Guard will be in Texas for two weeks while troopers with drug investigation skills will spend about a month in the region. The deployment will start on February 26 and will cost about $150,000.

Lt Governor Calls Out Board Member for Transgender Controversy

Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson is calling for the immediate resignation of Natalie Cline, a member of the Utah State Board of Education who falsely accused a high school girl of being transgender.

The now-deleted Facebook post from Cline showed a picture of the student with a caption suggesting the female high school basketball player was a boy. The student has faced online harassment due to the post and required a police escort to get to class.

Lt. Gov Henderson said Cline has a history of controversial social media posts, but stated this new situation is a “startling new low.”

Utah Road Rage Bill Makes Headway

A potential Utah bill that would give greater punishment to acts of road rage in the state is stepping closer to reality due to a unanimous vote of approval by the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee.

An act of road rage in Utah is defined as a criminal offense by a driver or passenger of a vehicle where there is intent to endanger or intimidate another driver.

If the bill is passed, these reckless drivers will be issued another $500 in traffic ticket fines which would go toward spreading awareness for road rage in Utah.

Southern Utah/St. George News – 02/12/24

Passenger Dead After SUV Falls Off 200-Foot Cliff Near Hurricane

A fatal traffic accident occurred near mile marker 21 on State Route 59 at about 2 a.m. on February 11 involving an SUV that fell off a 200-foot cliff.

The accident which is still being investigated unfortunately took the life of at least one passenger with no confirmation of other passengers in the wreckage.

The SUV caught fire after falling off the cliff, causing issues for emergency responders due to the intensity of the flames and location of the wreckage.

Man Dies in Southern Utah After Wandering onto State Route 7

A man unfortunately died on the evening of February 9 near mile marker 13 of State Route 7.

A pickup truck with an attached trailer reportedly struck the man after the pedestrian wandered into the road. Another car traveling in the opposite direction then struck the man a second time.

Troopers from the Utah Highway Patrol declared the man dead at the scene. An investigation is currently underway.

Southern Utah Group Buys St. George Apartment Complex for Affordable Housing

The Utah Housing Preservation Fund has purchased Sunset Springs, an apartment complex in St. George to provide affordable housing in Southern Utah.

The group will keep the rent rates down for the complex for future tenants to accommodate those with lower incomes.

St. George Mayor Michele Randall said this will preserve housing in the city and provide the workforce a safe place to live which she says is welcomed and appreciated.

Other

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

Stockton didn’t watch the Super Bowl. I know, how un-American. Stockton just thinks American football is boring, and that he would rather play video games. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been to any Super Bowl parties, but he just didn’t have the energy this year.

Happy Monday!