KDXU up to the minute news

Senator Romney say no war with Iran

A war with Iran is "not going to happen."  That's what Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney said on CNN's State of the Union. The former GOP Presidential nominee said he doesn't believe President Trump or his hawkish national security adviser, John Bolton, want war with Tehran.  He said he doesn't believe for a minute that they want war in the Middle East.  Tensions have been building between the U.S. and Iran since Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Obama-era nuclear pact in 2018.

Orem man charged with Terrorist Threats

An Orem man is charged with making terroristic threats, after he posted comments saying he would come to YouTube's headquarters and shoot employees.  Authorities say 35-year-old David Swanson, who was arrested Saturday, posted the comments under YouTube videos four times starting in September of 2018.  Swanson also referred to murdering executives.

Victims in helicopter crash identified

The Utah County Sheriff's Office is identifying the two people who died in a helicopter crash near Alpine.  Benno and Megan Penna died Friday when the helicopter crashed between the Schoolhouse Spring Trailhead and Lone Peak.  The Pennas were both 32-years-old and were the parents of two children.  The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.

House fire in Iron County

An unknown number of animals died in a devastating house fire in Iron County Sunday evening, officials say. Fire crews responded to a house fire in Beryl, Utah, around 5 p.m. Sunday, according to Sgt. Jeff Humphries with the Iron County Sheriff's Office. The fire started in a patio attached to the home and the house is a total loss, he said. The four residents of the home escaped unharmed, but an animal rescue was being run from the house and an unknown number of dogs and cats died in the fire.

Racist photo posted on social media by Hurricane High students

An investigation is underway after Utah high school students posted a racist photo depicting blackface and a KKK hood.  The photo shows two students from the town of Hurricane wearing partial blackface and an adult behind them wearing a KKK hood.  The image was captioned with racist language and shared on social media.  On Friday, the Hurricane Police Department said they are investigating the incident.  The two students reportedly go to Hurricane High School.

Church building in Provo vandalized

Provo police are probing vandalism at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building.  They say the building and a fence around it on East 32-30 North in Provo were covered with spray-painted graffiti Saturday night.  The messages had profanity and slurs against President Trump and L-D-S founder Joseph Smith.  Church spokesman Eric Hawkins said the church was saddened by the damage to the building that serves as a place of worship and gatherings.

LDS missionary dies in Mexico City

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says a missionary from Texas has died in Mexico.  The Church released a statement saying 19-year-old Elder Andrew Carr of Fort Worth died early Saturday.  The statement says Carr died from asphyxiation, apparently due to a faulty water heater in his apartment in Mexico City.  Carr had been serving a mission for the Church since October of last year.

Horse hit, woman dies

A Juab County woman dies in Payson after her car collided with an escaped horse.  Payson authorities said that a horse got out of its enclosure and ran onto State Route 198, then collided with the car.  Witness Shari Tryfonas ran to the crash and tried to revive the woman, but she died.  Red Devil, the 10-year-old horse, also died.  The woman's husband and driver of the car had minor injuries.

Two men charged in St. George vehicle arson

Two men were charged with felony arson after they say they were paid to steal a truck and light it on fire, according to St. George Police. According to charging documents, Washington County Sheriff's Department deputies responded to a vehicle fire off Navajo Dr in St George on Monday. When they arrived, they found a pickup truck was fully engulfed in flames. Police contacted the registered owner, who was unaware his truck was not parked outside where he left it.