Sunrise Stories: Pileup in Virgin River Gorge Kills Semi-Truck Driver

KDXU Sunrise Stories: Volume 249 

Statewide News – 07/17/24 

Federal Judge Blocks LGBTQ+ Rule That Would Affect Utah  

A federal judge has blocked an order from the Biden administration that would protect LGBTQ+ students from discrimination at hundreds of schools and colleges in the U.S. 

U.S. District Judge John Broomes made the decision which has caused a fair bit of discourse across the country, including here in Utah. 

The Associated Press said, “Broomes called the rule arbitrary and said it exceeded the authority granted to federal officials by Title IX. He also concluded that it violated the free speech rights and religious freedom of parents and students who reject transgender students’ gender identities.” 

More information can be read in the full story from The Associated Press. 

Southern Utah/St. George News – 07/17/24 

Pileup in Virgin River Gorge Causes Fatality 

A serious pileup and fatality occurred yesterday morning as traffic was held up for hours on the busy freeway. 

Authorities reported a collision in the gorge around 3:15 a.m. when a semi-truck carrying a trailer failed to stop for traffic and crashed into the back of a car hauler vehicle. The car hauler than rear-ended a horse trailer being pulled by a pickup truck. 

The driver of the semi-truck reportedly died instantly as the upper deck of the car hauler broke through the cabin of the truck. The identity of the truck driver hasn’t been released. 

Updates on Wildfires Across Southern Utah 

There are plenty of fires out there burning tens of thousands of acres this summer, and it can be difficult to keep track of them all. Here’s the status of all notable wildfires in and around the Southern Utah region. Information comes from Utah Fire Info. 

• Deer Springs Fire in Kane County: 11,783 acres burned at 80% containment. 

• Little Twist Fire in Beaver County: 5,367 acres burned at 60% containment. 

• Silver King Fire in Piute County: 17,648 acres burned at 20% containment. 

• Graff Point Fire in Iron County: 543 acres burned at 47% containment. 

• Quail Springs Fire in Mojave County: 1,635 acres burned at 15% containment. 

• Gulch Fire in Mojave County: 931 acres burned at 75% containment. 

Helmet Saves Motorcyclist in St. George 

An 18-year-old female motorcyclist was sent to the hospital yesterday afternoon after she was reportedly struck by a white Hyundai Sonata. 

The accident occurred at the intersection of Gateway Drive and Red Hills Parkway around noon when the Sonata failed to yield when turning left during a yellow light while motorcycle entered the intersection. 

The rider of the motorcycle was transported to St. George Regional Hospital with minor injuries and was protected by her helmet. The driver of the Sonata was cited for failing to yield. 

Smith's Offering 250 Positions at Job Fair in St. George 

A new Smith’s Food and Drug Store location is set to open in St. George in November, and the grocery store chain is looking to hire around 250 staffers at a job fair. 

The fair will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and tomorrow at the Dixie Convention Center. Many positions will be available, such as cashiers, fuel clerks, deli, and produce workers. 

More details can be found in our full article on the subject. 

Other 

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

Stockton bought a roomba. It wasn’t cheap. He’s been telling everyone about it, but the reason may be due to the fact it was very expensive. Granted, it was on sale, but the robot vacuum cleaner that he bought usually runs for $800. I guess Stockton’s going to eat a lot of ramen for the next two weeks, but at least he won’t have to vacuum. 

Happy Wednesday!