KDXU Sunrise Stories for November 15, 2023: Over A Dozen Residents Flee From Hurricane Attic Fire

KDXU Sunrise Stories: Volume 95 

Statewide News – 11/15/23 

Mike Schultz Elected as Utah House Speaker 

Representative Mike Schultz has been elected as the Utah Speaker of the House following a short electoral bout with Melissa Garff Ballard. 

The race for the new Speaker of the House in Utah started after Brad Wilson left the seat to pursue the upcoming senate election in 2024. 

Schultz said he’s humbled that he was chosen for this prestigious position, and he claimed he will be put the residents of Utah first in the coming years. 

Funeral Plans for President Ballard 

Representatives from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have announced funeral arrangements for the late M. Russell Ballard from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 

The Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles passed away on November 12, leaving many members of the church saddened by the news. 

The funeral services will be open to the public on November 17 at the Tabernacle on Temple Square, right by the Salt Lake City Temple. 

Southern Utah/St. George News – 11/15/23 

Dozens Flee from Hurricane Attic Fire 

Over a dozen residents had to evacuate from a home in Hurricane due to a fire that had broken out in the attic. 

The fire started just past midnight in the early hours of November 14, where a fire started near an exterior gas fireplace in the front courtyard which spread to the attic of the home. 

All 14 residents were safely evacuated save for one who had to be medically evaluated due to inhalation of smoke. 

Crews from Hurricane Valley Fire District, Washington City Fire Department, Hildale – Colorado City Fire Department, and Hurricane City Police Department responded to the fire. 

Fire Safety Tips from St. George Fire Chief 

The St. George Fire Department responded to a structure fire around 7:30 a.m. on November 14 at a mobile home park at 1040 East 740 South. 

The fire started in a shed which spread to the connected garage and would have spread to the main area of the home if not for the fire workers led by the St. George Fire Chief Robert Stoker. 

The fire was quickly extinguished to halt the spread of the flames. In the aftermath of the fire, Chief Stoker offered some fire safety tips going into the Winter months. 

Chief Stoker said it’s absolutely vital to perform maintenance on your heating appliances before you turn them on, and that the dust buildup from over the summer can cause smoke to fill your home. You can find more details in our full article. 

Rockfall Halt Traffic in Zion 

A rockslide near Weeping Rock halted traffic in Zion National Park for over an hour on November 14. 

The rockfall occurred around 3:30 p.m. which threw a large cloud of dust into the way of shuttle buses in the area and forced the vehicles to stop. 

It wasn’t until approximately 5 p.m. when traffic finally started to move again. The Weeping Rock Shuttle Stop, the nearby parking area, and the hiking trail that is also nearby are currently closed to the public until park scientists and maintenance staff have concluded their survey of the area. 

Free Pre-Diabetes Screenings in Southern Utah 

Residents of Southern Utah can now partake in free pre-diabetes screenings courteous of the Southwest Utah Health Department. 

These tests can determine if a person’s blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. 

According to the Southwest Utah Health Department, a third of Americans have pre-diabetes, and 80% of that third haven’t been diagnosed. 

The free A1C tests are available from now until November 22, and you can find more details by checking out the official website. 

Other 

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

Stockton has an obsession with everything Peanuts. No, not actual peanuts. He’s talking about Charlie Brown. Stockton has been in two different productions of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown where he played Snoopy and Schroeder (blonde kid with the piano). Ever since then, he’s purchased plenty of merchandise showing his love for the two characters he portrayed, and he’d play them again if he could. 

Happy Wednesday!