There is expected to be a record-breaking number of motorists over the Independence Day holiday around the country, according to AAA. 

With myriad events, including parades, festivals and the Stadium of Fire on tap this week, the Utah Department of Transportation is advising drivers to plan ahead for heavy local traffic. The Wasatch Front is expected to be heavily impacted, especially in the Provo area. 

Due to the expected traffic, most UDOT construction projects will be suspended and lanes will be opened to reduce delays over the Fourth of July. Lane restrictions or traffic shifts needed to protect work zones or ensure safety will remain, however. 

Regardless of holiday traffic, UDOT reminds drivers to stay alert, use seat belts, put away distractions and take breaks to avoid drowsy driving. 

As many as 49 million Americans are expected to take an Independence Day getaway this year, according to AAA. That’s an increase of 4.1% over last year, or about 1.9 million people. 

Traffic is expected to be the worst on July 3, with nationwide delays as much as four times the normal commute, AAA said. The vast majority of expected travel is by automobile, with about 3.96 million people traveling by plane and 3.55 million by trains, buses and cruise ships. 

One thing spurring holiday traffic is lower gas prices, with the national average at $2.66 per gallon, according to AAA. 

Gas prices in Tooele County remain among the lowest in the state, with the Flying J and Shell in Lake Point and Maverik in Stansbury Park selling gas at $2.69. All three gas stations are within the top 10 lowest prices for gasoline in the state.

The Tooele County Commission approved two changes for roads in the gravel pit area east of Stansbury Park during its meeting Tuesday night.

“We have to modify the road dedication (for Center Street) because one of the property owners has withdrawn support for their portion of the property dedicated,” Jeff Miller, Tooele County planning staff told the County Commission.

Jesse Lassley, owner of the gravel pit south of Pole Canyon Road, has withdrawn his property from plans for the extension of Center Street south of its intersection with Pole Canyon Road.

The withdrawal will affect about half of the width of Center Street from that point until near where Stansbury Parkway meets state Route 36, according to Miller,

Lassley has also, for the time being, withdrawn his interest in extending Pole Canyon Road east of its intersection with Center Street, according to Miller.

“The property owner is interested in dedicating property when he finishes the gravel operation and we work on the future use of the property, Miller said.

The County Commission approved plans for the road dedications and the realignment of Pole Canyon Road and Center Street at a meeting last December. 

“The purpose of these road dedications is to get gravel trucks out of residential areas,” said County Commission chairman Tom Tripp.

In 2018, the County Commission referred to the new roads south of Pole Canyon Road and east of SR-36 as dirt haul roads for gravel truck use only.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Miller said the roads would be covered with road base, requiring “minimal maintenance.”

When gravel operations in the area cease and other uses are approved for the area, the roads would be paved and curb and gutter installed, he said.

The county will proceed with the realignment of Pole Canyon Road and Center Street for safety reasons, Miller said.

For one of the limited times each year, fireworks are legal in certain areas in Tooele County for the Fourth of July holiday.

While many have either shot off some fireworks or heard a neighbor doing so already, Tooele City Fire Chief Rick Harrison is cautioning residents to be careful, especially as grasses continue to dry out.

“I think one of our big concerns right now is the amount of moisture we had in the early spring and now our weeds are a lot higher than they usually are for the year,” he said. “And they’re drying out daily.”

While conditions should be dry for July Fourth, Harrison said wildland fire concerns will peak around July 24, when fireworks are legal again for Pioneer Day. 

In addition to the conditions, Harrison said it’s important residents know what fireworks they’ve purchased and how to safely use them. Last year, someone burned their hand on a fuse they misidentified, suffering third-degree burns. 

“We just want the public to be aware of what they’re buying and how to use them; making sure they read the directions before it’s night time,” Harrison said.

Fireworks should only be lit one at a time and the person lighting them should move away quickly, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Fireworks should never be relit and a bucket of water or garden hose should be handy in case of a mishap. 

Harrison said the department deals with issues with fireworks in plastic garbage cans every year, which melt or catch fire from partially extinguished fireworks. He said fireworks should be disposed of in metal containers with water. 

In addition to tips on safety, fireworks are only permitted in certain areas of Tooele County and at certain times. 

Fireworks can only be used from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. through July 5, then again from July 22 to July 25. The hours fireworks can be discharged are extended to midnight on July 4 and July 24. 

In Tooele City, fireworks are permitted in much of the downtown area. The borders for the firework approved area roughly follows 1000 West to the west and Droubay Road to the east.

The southern border of the firework area follows state Route 36, then Skyline Drive. The northern border is 2000 North west of SR-36, and approximately 1530 North until about 520 East, then to approximately 1480 North to Droubay Road. Fireworks are not permitted in Elton Park, however. 

Harrison said Elton Park has been excluded from the allowed area for fireworks due to the recent investment by Tooele City into the facilities there, including a new pickle ball court. Anyone who lives in a restricted area can light off fireworks at Dow James Park. 

There are three designated areas where fireworks are permitted in Grantsville City, including two parks in housing subdivisions. The main area permitted for fireworks is bordered by West Street to the west, Durfee Street to the south, Clark Street to the north and Matthews Lane to the east. 

Fireworks will also be allowed in the homeowners association parks in the Anderson Ranch and South Willow Estates subdivisions.  

The use of fireworks in the towns of Rush Valley and Stockton are fully restricted this year. Fireworks are only permitted in Vernon in the town’s fire department parking lot. 

There are no restrictions on fireworks in Wendover, aside from on state and federal lands. Throughout the county, fireworks are not allowed on any federal land, including Bureau of Land Management, military and U.S. Forest Service property. 

Most of northern Tooele County, including Stansbury Park and Lake Point, do not have firework restrictions.

An interactive, color-coded map of fireworks restrictions in the county is available at tooelecountysheriff.org/firewarden.htm. 

If anyone using fireworks causes or spreads a fire negligently, recklessly or intentionally, they are liable for the cost of fire suppression and any damages caused, according to state law.

“We just want to make sure everybody has a fun and safe Fourth of July and enjoy their family and barbecues,” Harrison said. “We’re hoping we don’t have many fire calls on the Fourth, but we’re usually hopping and busy.”

A tax increment reimbursement agreement by the Redevelopment Agency of Tooele City was approved on June 19, which helps pave the way for apartment housing in the former Broadway Hotel. 

The agreement allows the developer, Broadway-Heritage Village Apartments 2017, to be reimbursed a portion of the tax increment on the redeveloped property up to $360,000 or 10 years. The reimbursement would be used to meet the debt service coverage required by the bonds issued to fund the project to prevent default. 

Tax increment refers to the additional property tax revenue created by an increase in property value. The city’s RDA is entitled to a portion of the tax increment and the resolution approved last month allows the agency to reimburse some of the tax increment to support the project. 

According to the RDA resolution, the concept plans for the project include renovation and redevelopment of the former Broadway Hotel to create 30 bedroom units and construction of 18 new units, with a mixture of one, two and three bedroom units. 

RDA consultant Randy Sant said the developer will be required to submit a yearly budget including revenue, expenditures, net operating income, and debt service. If the project produces enough revenue to meet the debt service coverage, the developer won’t receive any reimbursement. 

Sant said based on projections, the increment will likely only be given for 3-4 years. The agreement also requires the developer to operate for at least five years after they receive the final tax increment payment. 

The agreement also requires the developer to begin construction on the project by April 2020. Sant said the developer has a buyer for the bond and an equity partner lined up and intends to begin construction shortly after those agreements are finalized in September or October. 

Construction will likely begin with the existing hotel building and is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. 

During the work session of the June 19 meeting, RDA chairman Brad Pratt thanked those involved in the Broadway Hotel redevelopment over the course of the project. The RDA board adopted a resolution approving the Broadway Community Development Project Area plan back in September 2007. 

“The improvement or rebuild of that hotel will be major,” Pratt said. “That will be a real boost to that area and I also appreciate the fact that it’s affordable housing.” 

During the RDA business meeting following the City Council meeting, Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn said tax increment agreements can be controversial but are necessary for some projects. Tooele County and the Tooele County School District are also involved in the tax increment agreement. 

“This will bring to our city some affordable housing … and we are very grateful to everyone that has seen the vision of this project and will help make it work,” Winn said. 

The RDA board unanimously approved the tax increment reimbursement agreement on a motion from board member Dave McCall, seconded by board member Steve Pruden.

Serria Leavitt won the 69th annual Miss Grantsville Pageant Tuesday night in Grantsville High School’s auditorium, with Autumn Wade as first attendant and Alexandria Wood as second attendant. The winners were selected by a panel of judges based on a review of their submitted paperwork, an interview, answering an on-stage question, attitude, the performance of a talent and a walk in a formal gown. The other contestants were: Audry Cayama-Rodriguez, Madisyn Francom, Sammy Hansen, Ericka Leyva, Lyndee Limburg, Trinity Pratt and Scout Sutton. The new royalty serves as representatives for Grantsville for the next year and will participate in several community and other related events. The pageant’s organization is a community-based volunteer effort that provides a $1,750 academic scholarship to the winner and a $750 scholarship to each attendant. The contestants, who range in age from 16-23, are required to submit a packet of paperwork and must meet minimum GPA and other standards. 

It was appropriate in the 25th annual Ray Barrus Memorial 5K that someone with the last name of Barrus finished first on Thursday.

Seventeen-year-old Abby Barrus was the winner of the women’s overall title with a time of 20 minutes, 9.3 seconds, finishing 10.3 seconds ahead of second-place Joelle Spilker and 33.8 seconds ahead of third-place Julie Griffith. 

Porter Whitworth won the men’s overall title in 15:49.4, with Hawk Call finishing second in 16:05.1 and Talmage Ricks third in 17:10.1. Whitworth won for the second consecutive year, crossing the line more than 48 seconds faster than he did in 2018. 

There were 317 finishers in the race, ranging in age from 3 to 73. Eighty-eight kids from age 3-12 took part in the annual one-mile run as part of the Fourth of July tradition.

Barrus Memorial Race

At Grantsville

5K

Editor’s Note: First names were not provided for competitors age 12 and under.

Male Open — 1, Porter Whitworth 15 minutes, 49.4 seconds; 2, Hawk Call 16:05.1; 3, Talmage Ricks 17:10.1

Female Open — 1, Abby Barrus 20:09.3; 2, Joelle Spilker 20:19.6; 3, Julie Griffith 20:43.1

Male 9 and under — 1, O. Limburg 26:51.7; 2, C. Scott 46:19.7; 3, L. Olney 1:05:39.3

Male 10-14 — 1, Blake Bunderson 20:24.4; 2, C. Ruebush 21:56.4; 3, Aaron Christensen 22:42.1

Female 10-14 — 1, Bethany Swallom 24:42.3; 2, Patience Garcia 24:58.7; 3, Genna Larsen 25:59.7

Male 15-20 — 1, Jeremy Ruebush 17:43.1; 2, Scott Ruebush 18:19.7; 3, Noah Hales 18:25.9

Female 15-20 — 1, Lindsey Palmer 21:07.8; 2, Desiree Garcia 24:28.7; 3, Ellie Lowery 24:54.9

Male 21-30 — 1, Paul Blackhurst 18:02.4; 2, Brandon Passey 19:35.9; 3, Miles Wilson 19:37.6

Female 21-30 — 1, Jadi Hancock 24:49.7; 2, Lucretia Stallings 25:01.3; 3, Chelsea Childs 25:01.5

Male 31-40 — 1, Scott Mouritsen 21:10.1; 2, Seth Paulson 23:10.5; 3, Brandon Orr 23:47.9

Female 31-40 — 1, Elisa Leary 24:41.3; 2, Brooke Gardner 24:49.2; 3, Brittany Poulson 25:31.4

Male 41-50 — 1, Jason Ruebush 18:37.5; 2, Quoc Tran 19:03.4; 3, Jeremy Biehn 20:36.1

Female 41-50 — 1, Julie Tripp 23:12.7; 2, Sandy Jefferies 26:49.7; 3, Angela Sumsion 27:15.1

Male 51-60 — 1, Sheldon Riches 23:50.4; 2, David Morgan 25:55.7; 3, Kelly Clark 29:12.7

Female 51-60 — 1, Karrie Middaugh 25:24.9; 2, Kristine Vera 25:56.3; 3, Lisa Schmollinger 31:36.1

Male 61 and over — 1, Ken Jones 27:07.2; 2, Bill Sullivan 29:03.7; 3, Curtis Johnson 33:03.6

Female 61 and over — 1, Brenda Petersen 40:31.1; 2, Rhonda Wells 44:42.7; 3, Sherry Barrus 51:43.1

Kids’ 1-mile

Male 7 and under — 1, J. Gardner 7:15.9; 2, K. Hammond 7:23.4; 3, R. Mouritsen 7:31.4

Female 7 and under — 1, R. Gardner 8:18.7; 2, R. Butler 8:37.4; 3, K. Amory 9:08.9

Male 8-9 — 1, Q. Jones 6:49.7; 2, C.Hansen 7:20.1; 3, J. Dutson 8:10.0

Female 8-9 — 1, K. Allen 7:18.3; 2, M. Purvis 8:06.8; 3, M. Butler 8:16.1

Male 10-12 — 1, P. Lawrence 6:13.4; 2, I. Ruebush 7:08.4; 3, C. Clark 7:19.5

Female 10-12 — 1, S. Thornton 7:07.6; 2, J. Whittle 7:07.8; 3, J. Eggett 7:19.9

The annual Tooele Kiwanis 5K Freedom Run had 250 competitors finish the traditional Fourth of July race on Thursday, but the Call family stood out.

Hawk Call was the men’s overall winner, clocking in at 16 minutes, 50.7 seconds, while Brooke Call won the women’s title in 21:32.7. Adding to the Call running legacy was Forest Call, the boys’ 9-13-year old champion in 21:12.7.

Hawk Call beat second-place Nick Norman by 1:13.9; as Norman clocked in at 17:04.6. Isaac Nelson finished third in 18:33.2. In the women’s race, Brooke Call finished 48.5 seconds ahead of Masche Osborn, who finished in 22:21.2. Brandie Hoban finished third in 23:07.2.

The youngest and oldest competitors in the field had a 77-year age difference between them — four-year-olds Nancy Hansen and Berek Nash were joined by 81-year-old Anne Smith. 

Runners still enjoyed the race despite an issue where some were directed down Coleman Street instead of Main Street. That caused them to cross the finish line in opposite directions, but the race was a success just the same.

Katie Peterson, the third-place finisher in the women’s 30-39 age group, won a drawing for the chance to run in the St. George Marathon on Oct. 5.

Tooele Kiwanis 5K Freedom Run

At Tooele

Thursday

Female Open — 1, Brooke Call 21 minutes, 32.7 seconds; 2, Masche Osborn 22:21.2; 3, Brandie Hoban 23:07.2

Male Open — 1, Hawk Call 16:50.7; 2, Nick Norman 17:04.6; 3, Isaac Nelson 18:33.2

Female 8 and under — 1, Nancy Hansen 36:59.2; 2, Lily Edmonson 42:06.2

Male 8 and under — 1, Logan Lucas 31:11.5; 2, Berek Nash 31:40.0; 3, Ashton Dynes 37:43.3

Female 9-13 — 1, Lorayna Howard 28:15.5; 2, Hadley Griffith 28:16.2; 3, River White 28:49.3

Male 9-13 — 1, Forest Call 21:12.7; 2, Mason Griffith 22:49.2; 3, Aaron Davis 23:20.2

Female 14-18 — 1, Olivia Lowery 23:26.8; 2, Alexis Dansie 25:00.7; 3, Dazren Osborn 25:24.3

Male 14-18 — 1, Harrison Duersch 19:27.2; 2, Elias Nelson 19:46.1; 3, Parker Hansen 20:25.1

Female 19-29 — 1, Kendra Asay 23:13.0; 2, Rylee Whitehouse 29:53.7; 3, Karla Velasco 30:00.1

Male 19-29 — 1, Joshua Wintch 19:45.9; 2, Jordan Gomez 21:44.2; 3, Isiah Schrubb 22:44.8

Female 30-39 — 1, Missy Bird 23:09.5; 2, Shalleece Clegg 23:12.2; 3, Katie Peterson 23:36.2

Male 30-39 — 1, Devin Terry 20:16.4; 2, Marshall Bellm 22:43.5; 3, Travis Williams 23:26.9

Female 40-49 — 1, Karla Staker 25:11.7; 2, Natalie Leavitt 27:10.1; 3, Samantha Osterud 27:41.4

Male 40-49 — 1, Mark Johansen 22:31.4; 2, Jeremy Schrubb 22:45.8; 3, Rich Shosted 23:47.0

Female 50-59 — 1, Monica Lee 28:35.5; 2, Leslee Whitehouse 29:54.1; 3, Tricia Allen 31:55.4

Male 50-59 — 1, Ray Colledge 21:56.7; 2, Tom Johnson 27:52.5; 3, Stuart Smith 28:48.5

Female 60-69 — 1, Janna Roberts 30:13.0; 2, Mary Ellen Ross 30:39.3; 3, Mickey Falkner 39:44.8

Male 60-69 — 1, Ken Spence 27:48.0; 2, Kenneth Carpenter 30:20.3; 3, Charlie Roberts 38:09.5

Female 70 and over — 1, Anne Smith 1:09:46.8; 2, Carolee Colovich 1:09:49.0

Braydin Evans is headed to the National High School Finals Rodeo next week in Rock Springs, Wyoming, but before he chases a national title in tie-down roping, he put on a show for his hometown fans.

The 18-year-old from Erda captured the tie-down roping title at the annual Bit n’ Spur Rodeo at Deseret Peak Complex, finishing first out of 42 competitors with a time of 11.2 seconds. Colton Kofoed was second at 11.7, followed by Kelly Elton (11.9), Kade Pitchford (12.1) and Shane Hancock (12.1).

Evans teamed with longtime partner Brodi Jones to finish fifth in team roping in 5.9 seconds. The team of Chaze Kananen and Tyler Whitlow finished first (4.7), followed by Hagen Peterson and Jace Nielson (4.9) and Brian Winn and Matt Liston (5.1). Jones and Hadley Cloward were fourth in 5.6 and Nelson Robinson teamed with Liston for a sixth-place finish in 6.2.

The bareback riding title went to Ryan Jessop, who posted a score of 81 points. He was followed by Ethan McNeill (79), Morgan Heaton (78) and Myles Carlson (77). Stewart Wright won the saddle bronc title with 83 points, with Clayson Hutchings second at 73, Scott Lauki third at 68 and Cahn Williams fourth at 64.

Colton Mooney was tops among the 15 entrants in steer wrestling, clocking in at 5.1 seconds. Zach Trapp was second at 10.8, with Trevor Knighton third at 14.3 and Payton Woolstenhulme fourth at 17.6.

Anna Bahe won the breakaway roping crown, clocking in with a time of 2.3 seconds. Raelyn Wakley was second, one-tenth of a second slower than Bahe, with Megan Burbidge third at 2.7 and Addy Haviland fourth at 2.9.

Katilyn Udy was the fastest barrel racer, clocking in at 16.071 seconds. She was followed by Kristen Stevens (16.208), Darcy Grant (16.638) and Lindsay Peterson (16.659).

There were no completed rides among the 23 bull riders who entered the rodeo.

Prize money totaled $21,925.60 for the rodeo.

A Tooele man is facing criminal charges for allegedly taking and selling a victim’s prescription medication. 

Johnathon Dacey Synhorst, 23, is charged with second-degree felony distribution of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor count of theft. 

Tooele City police were dispatched to a residence on 100 East on June 26 on reports of a burglary, according to a probable cause statement. The victim said she allowed Synhorst, who was a friend, into her home around 11 p.m. the night of the incident. 

After he was inside the residence, Synhorst broke into a lock box and stole three bottles of prescription methadone, the victim said. She told police she already confronted Synhorst about the theft and he admitted via text message he took the prescription drugs to sell them, the probable cause statement said.

When police located Synhorst, he admitted to taking the victim’s methadone and said he’d sold two of the bottles, according to the statement. He said he got one of the bottles back after the victim confronted him. 

The responding officer was provided two empty bottles of methadone that were located in Synhorst’s backpack, which had a prescription in the victim’s name, the probable cause statement said. 

Synhorst made his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Monday before Judge Matthew Bates. The court ordered he could be released on the case and a release order was sent to the Tooele County Detention Center. 

Synhorst is scheduled to return to 3rd District Court on Aug. 27 at 1:30 p.m. for a scheduling conference before Bates.

The history of community commitment and volunteerism of the Tooele City Fire Department will be honored this Saturday with a celebration of the department’s 100th birthday. 

Tooele City Fire Chief Rick Harrison said the celebration will include a reading about the department’s history, with history books and photographs available for visitors to peruse. The festivities will kick off at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Tooele City Fire Station by City Hall. 

Remarks by Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn and Harrison will also be a part of the agenda for the 100th year of the department. 

Attendees will be served cake and punch for the department’s birthday and will have the opportunity to socialize with members of the department. In addition to Tooele City residents, Harrison said the invitation to the event has been extended to fire departments around the state. 

Since it was founded as a permanent organization with 23 members in 1919, the Tooele City Fire Department has grown with the community, while remaining a volunteer unit. Now with 50 active members, the department has had a total of 269 members of its history, as well as 49 chiefs. 

The current fire department is comprised of a chief, two assistant chiefs, five captains, five lieutenants, and 37 firefighters. The captains in the department are former chiefs; all chiefs serve a two-year term at the head of the department.

The Tooele County Commission adjusted its general fund budget to accommodate the acquisition of a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit for the county’s Emergency Operation Center.

The County Commission approved an increase of $36,438 in the county’s $57.9 million 2019 general fund budget for the purchase of HVAC equipment and software for the EOC during its July 2 meeting at the Tooele County Building.

The equipment was purchased prior to the budget adjustment, because the equipment and software were anticipated in the 2019 budget, but the expense was included in a different fund, according to Tooele County Auditor Alison McCoy.

“The funds were already allocated in the budget and approved,” she said. “The equipment was purchased following the county’s purchasing procedures.”

The original 2019 budget, approved in December 2018, called for the expense for the HVAC equipment to be charged to the county’s internal service fund for equipment.

The internal service fund is used for major purchases, such as vehicles, for a department. When the equipment is purchased, the service fund is charged with the purchase, and then over a period of several years, the department that uses the equipment transfers money to the fund to cover the purchase.

“We reviewed this purchase and decided that since it was for the EOC building, it was a building maintenance item instead of an equipment purchase for the department,” said County Commission chairman Tom Tripp.

The resolution approved by the County Commission during its July 2 meeting increased the county general fund budget from $57,925,453 to $57,961,891, an increase of $36,438.

The resolution was approved after the first reading because the commission didn’t want to delay paying the vendor for another two weeks, according to Tripp.

“We are trying to make sure the budget is accurate and that it portrays what we are doing,” McCoy said.

Last month, the County Commission approved a general fund budget adjustment of $1.46 million that included $1.4 million for already underway construction of the Children’s Justice Center and $60,000 for the Tooele County Chamber of Commerce.

In the past the county and some other agencies made budget adjustments at the end of their fiscal year, according to Tripp.

“The state auditor is encouraging us not to do that anymore,” Tripp said. “We are supposed to hold a public hearing and make budget adjustments during the year and make changes as they are needed.”

A wildfire caused a closure of Interstate 80 and significant delays for travelers in Tooele County on Sunday afternoon. 

The fire was first reported at 4:45 p.m., according to Tooele County Fire Warden Daniel Walton. The right eastbound lane of I-80 was reported closed at milepost 100 by the Utah Department of Transportation’s traffic Twitter account. 

Congestion was reported in the eastbound lanes at Exit 99 of I-80 about an hour later, according to UDOT. The exit ramp at Exit 99 on westbound I-80 was listed as closed at 6:26 p.m.

The closures on I-80 lasted about an hour and 40 minutes, according to Walton. All told, the fire burned 15.8 acres and caused minor damage to railroad equipment. 

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Walton said. Crews from North Tooele Fire District, Grantsville City Volunteer Fire Department, United Fire Authority, federal Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and state resources all contributed to battling the blaze. 

The fire was ruled contained around 9:30 p.m., Walton said. 

Over the long holiday weekend, Walton said there were a total of five wildfires in Tooele County. None of the recorded fires were started by fireworks. 

Following Fourth of July, fireworks are restricted again throughout the state. Fireworks can be legally discharged in permitted areas again July 22-25, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The hours for firework use are extended to midnight on July 24 for Pioneer Day. 

Class C fireworks can be sold through July 25. 

For more information on where fireworks can be safely discharged in Tooele County, review the interactive map provided on the Tooele County Fire Warden page at tooelecountysheriff.org/firewarden.htm.

Two weeks after being installed, vandals have dismantled the upper gate placed by Tooele County in Middle Canyon.

When a Tooele County parks and recreation worker went to unlock the gate just past White Pine Campground in Middle Canyon on Tuesday morning, he found the gate cut from its metal post and lying on the ground, according to Mark McKendrick, Tooele County director of facilities.

“They cut the chain that held the lock and gained access,” said McKendrick. “And then it looks like they proceeded to cut the gate apart.”

The vandals also found the county’s trail security camera and took the memory card, McKendrick said.

McKendrick estimated the damage to be around $500 to $1,000.

“With some material and time we will weld the gate back together,” he said.

Tooele County trails and canyons coordinator Dave Brown said this doesn’t appear to be a normal act of vandalism.

“This wasn’t some juveniles riding around in a truck or somebody coming over from the other side that wanted access to go camping,” Brown said. “This looks like it was somebody that deliberately drove up the canyon with the equipment to cut the fence to make a statement.”

Tooele County opened a toll booth at the mouth of Middle Canyon on June 24 and started charging a $3 fee to drive up the canyon, similar to what the county has done in Settlement Canyon for several years.

The Middle Canyon gate is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

At the time the tollbooth was installed at the mouth of the canyon, the county installed a gate near White Pine campground. The gate is locked at the same time the gate at the mouth of the canyon is closed, to prevent people from the Salt Lake County side from accessing the canyon via Butterfield Canyon when it is closed.

Tooele County is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the damage, according to McKendrick. People with information should call the Tooele County dispatch non-emergency number at 435-882-5600, he said.

Tooele County received a thumbs up from its 2018 independent auditors, despite a few significant errors.

The County Commission received the annual independent audit report during its July 2 meeting at the Tooele County Building.

“Our opinion on your financial statements is unmodified,” said John Haderlie, audit partner from the certified public accounting firm of Larson & Company’s Spanish Fork office, the firm hired by the county to perform the required annual audit. 

“That is a clean opinion,” he said.

However, Haderlie also pointed out two material weaknesses:

He said there were deficiencies in internal controls of magnitude that there is a reasonable possibility that a misstatement on the financial statements may not be prevented, detected or corrected in a timely basis. 

The audit also disclosed a problem with budgetary compliance of enough significance that audit standards require it to be reported to the state auditor, according to Haderlie.

“Economic development expenses were over budget by $800,000,” he said. “The municipal services fund was over by $1.1 million and the Class B road fund was over by a couple hundred thousand.”

Haderlie suggested that the county should have a review process to make sure expenses are within the budget before they are incurred, or to decide if the county needs to open a budget hearing to amend the budget before expenses are incurred.

County Commission chairman Tom Trippp said the county has already taken action to correct budgetary noncompliance.

Starting in 2019, county management provides all departments with real time access to their budget status. Departments are also notified on a quarterly basis of accounts that are in danger of exceeding their appropriation, according to Tripp.

“We want to make those reviews of the budget on a monthly basis,” Tripp said.

The audit also found problems with the reconciliation of sub-ledgers with the general ledger and with the journal entry process.

“The general ledger and sub-ledgers need to get reconciled on a timely basis,” Haderlie said. “The general ledger drives financial statements. Without reconciliation, the statements could be incorrect.”

Internal controls need to require that journal entries, entries that bypass the normal ledger process, are completed by one person and reviewed by another, according to Haderlie.

“I expect with the processes that have already been put into place along with new staff that these issues will be taken care of,” he said.

Highlights of the county’s 2018 financial year included in the audit report and financial statements show an increase in the county’s net position.

The county’s net position, the residual value of all assets after satisfying liabilities  — similar to a private company’s equity — increased by $5 million in 2018, from $137 million to $142 million, a 3.7% increase.

The largest portion of the county’s net position includes its investment in capital assets such as land, buildings and improvements, furniture, fixtures, and equipment, and infrastructure. However, net position may serve as a useful indicator of whether the financial position of the county is improving or deteriorating, according to the audit report.

The county’s fund balance also increased in 2018.

The 2018 general fund year-end fund balance was $26.9 million compared to $15.2 million in 2017, which is $11.7 million more or a 77% increase. 

Out of the $11.7 million general fund balance increase, $9.2 million was from the net proceeds of the sale of the Utah Motorsports Campus, leaving $2.5 million from other general fund sources.

The 2018 year-end combined fund balance for all county funds was $67.7 million, an increase of $15.6 million or a 29.9 % increase over 2017.

The county’s total revenue for 2018 was $60.9 million, compared to $56.1 million in 2017, an increase of $4.8 million or an increase of 8.5%.  

The largest source of revenue for the county in 2018 were charges for services at $21.5 million and taxes — property, sales, and franchise fees — also at $21.5 million. The next largest revenue source for the county in 2018 was operating grants and contributions at $16.5 million.

The county has three enterprise, or business-type funds, that are maintained separate from the county’s general fund.

The three enterprise funds are: solid waste, Deseret Peak Complex, and the Wendover Airport. 

In 2018, the solid waste fund netted $394,122 from operating activities and the Wendover  Airport fund netted $439,971 from operating activities. The Deseret Peak fund lost $579, 543 from operating activities.

The Deseret Peak fund lost a total of $1.6 million, after including expenses from non-operating activities such as depreciation and interest expenses. 

After a $1.2 million transfer from the general fund, the Deseret Peak fund’s net position decreased by $421,000 in 2018.

The Deseret Peak fund was the only enterprise fund to receive a transfer from another fund in 2018, according to the audited financial statements.

Dr. Megan Shutts-Karjola, a Stockton resident and OB-GYN at Mountain West Medical Center, received her promotion to colonel in the Air Force Reserves during a ceremony at Stockton Veterans Memorial Park on Monday morning. 

The ceremony was presided over by Congressman Chris Stewart and was attended by Shutts-Karjola’s family and friends, as well as various local officials. Stewart, an Air Force veteran, served for 14 years as a pilot.

During his remarks at the promotion ceremony, Stewart talked about his first time meeting his wing commander, a colonel, while serving as a lieutenant and the intimidation and respect he felt. He said he appreciates the competence and sacrifice it takes to reach the rank in the Air Force. 

“I just think it’s worth recognizing here, that this is something kind of cool,” Stewart said. “That achieving this rank, achieving this responsibility and this position of leadership, is not something that everyone who enters the Air Force does.”

In her remarks, Shutts-Karjola thanked all of her family and friends who were able to make it to the ceremony. She said her husband, Stockton Mayor Thomas Karjola, told her there would be a ceremony to recognize reaching the rank of colonel because she owed it to the people who love and support her. 

“Until today, I’ve had exactly one promotion ceremony in my military career and that’s because it was part of my graduation,” Shutts-Karjola said. “I much prefer to work quietly and stay under the radar.” 

Shutts-Karjola is currently based out of Eglin Air Force Base, where she serves as an individual mobilization augmentee. She said in that role, she was assigned to an active duty unit and would fill in as needed. 

While she hasn’t received her new assignment yet, Shutts-Karjola said she’s looking forward to whatever comes next. 

“It will be a change,” she said. “It’s generally going to be something medical, obviously, and usually in more of a leadership-type position.”

Shutts-Karjola called the turnout for the ceremony crazy, but said Stockton is a very patriotic town and it was great to be able to see and feel it. 

“It’s pretty humbling, I think, but much appreciated,” she said.

Grantsville baseball coach Aaron Perkins used the summer to experiment with his lineup, putting players in new positions as the Cowboys will try to win a third consecutive region championship next spring.

That versatility helped Grantsville top Granger 9-5 in its summer finale Wednesday in West Valley City, as 13 players got to bat and played various spots in the field.

“My goal was to give a lot of kids a chance and kind of see where we’re at going into next year,” Perkins said. “A lot of kids got opportunities to play and we put some new kids in different positions to see what we’ve got moving forward. That’s all I even cared about with this varsity team.”

A.J. Herrera was one player who got the opportunity to show what he can do in a new position. The Cowboys’ regular starting shortstop this past season pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter Sam Daybell, allowing three earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk. Daybell, who figures to play a bigger role in Grantsville’s starting rotation next spring, allowed two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts, two walks and a hit batter.

Not only did Grantsville get solid pitching, but the Cowboys’ patient approach at the plate also paid off. After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, Grantsville tied the game in the top of the second on a bases-loaded walk by Tanner Hammond that scored Wilson Hunt. In the third inning, the Cowboys took a 3-1 lead with a bases-loaded walk by Hunt that drove in Jackson Sandberg, as well as a wild pitch that allowed Chace Gipson to score.

Not content to just walk their way to a win, the Cowboys’ bats came alive as part of a four-run fourth inning. Parker Thomas hit an RBI double to the center-field warning track, driving in Hammond, and Thomas came home on an RBI single to right by Taylor Wood. After Sandberg was hit by a pitch with two outs, Gipson ripped a two-run double to center field for a 7-1 lead.

Dalton Williams added an RBI single that scored courtesy runner Caleb Sullivan in the fifth, and Thomas came home in the sixth on a double-steal.

“You’ve seen (in) the past couple games, some of our older kids focused a little more, they started hitting the ball a little better — things like that,” Perkins said.

Wood was 2-for-4 with an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored, while Josh Staley was 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Sandberg was 1-for-3 with a stolen base and two runs and Gipson was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run. 

Thomas, who has spent most of his summer playing high-level club baseball, was just 1-for-4 at the plate, but that didn’t reflect how well he played. He had a pair of flyouts — one to left, the other to center — that had fielders backing up to the warning track, showing that he’s ready to take the next step after being named Region 13’s Most Valuable Player and a First Team All-State selection this past spring.

“Parker just sets the tone for our team, and the kids have a lot of confidence in him,” Perkins said. “Any time I can write his name down (on the lineup), it’s a good day for me.”

The Stansbury baseball team has turned to a younger lineup for this summer’s American Legion season, hoping to improve its depth for next spring.

The young Stallions aren’t just gaining valuable varsity-level experience — they’re winning some ballgames along the way, as well.

On Tuesday, Stansbury wrapped up the regular season with a two-game sweep against Timpanogos, beating the Timberwolves 12-3 in Game 1 and following up that effort with a 7-6 win in the nightcap. The victories clinched the No. 5 seed in the league tournament for the Stallions, who will travel to Salem on Thursday to face No. 4 Salem Hills in a first-round matchup.

“A lot of these kids didn’t get many at-bats over the course of the JV or freshman season (in the spring),” Stansbury coach Jason Jones said. “It’s good to get them more experience, and it’s good to get out during the summer — with the spring the way it was with all the rainouts and everything, we didn’t get a lot of games in.”

Stansbury led Game 1 11-0 after three innings, thanks to a nine-run outburst in the third. The Stallions took advantage of four walks and four Timpanogos errors in the inning, while Kimball Thorpe, Ethan Wayman, Ashtyn Blake and Peyton Bleazard each had RBI singles. Meanwhile, Jace Carroll battled through illness to give the Stallions three-plus solid innings on the pitcher’s mound, allowing two runs on two hits with three strikeouts and four walks. 

Zane Bryant pitched three innings of no-hit relief, allowing one run with one walk, three hit batters and two strikeouts. Blake was 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored, and Thorpe was 1-for-2 with two RBIs, a sacrifice fly and two runs scored.

“I think the biggest thing was that we were aggressive on the basepaths,” Jones said. “We made a lot of good decisions picking up balls in the dirt and putting pressure on the defense. That was the biggest thing that stood out.”

Stansbury also benefited from a big third inning in Game 2, scoring six runs. Thorpe hit a two-run single and Bleazard added an RBI single in the inning, while Timpanogos walked two batters, hit another and committed three errors in the inning to allow the Stallions to take a 6-2 lead. Waldy Torres drove in Nate Nunley with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 7-2.

The visiting Timberwolves rallied in the top of the seventh to make the game close, scoring four runs. The leadoff hitter reached on a fielding error, and the second hitter of the inning reached on a fielder’s choice. With runners on first and second, Jones opted to have reliever Devin Olsen walk the next batter, but on ball four, Olsen suffered an arm injury and had to be helped off the field.

Tayson Miller replaced Olsen on the mound and walked the first batter he faced before Bleazard turned an impressive double play at third base. Another walk led Jones to replace Miller with Nunley, who walked the next three batters to keep the Timberwolves’ hopes alive. However, Bleazard then came in to pitch and got the final batter to fly out to Thorpe at first base, preserving the victory.

Thorpe was the winning pitcher, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks in three innings. Olsen allowed two runs — one of which was unearned — on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in 3 1/3 innings. Bridger Shields had three stolen bases in Game 2.

“It’s a development league, but you also want to compete and do well in the league and the tournament,” Jones said. “We can build off of that and go into the spring on a positive note.”

The Stallions face Salem Hills at 6 p.m. Thursday. If they lose, they play either Judge Memorial, Springville or Timpanogos at 9 a.m. Friday at Salem Hills High School in an elimination game. If they win, they face one of those three teams in a semifinal game at 6 p.m. The top four teams from the double-elimination league tournament advance to next week’s state tournament.

Peter Breinholt, a popular Utah performer and recording artist, will again take the stage for Fridays on Vine this week.

This will be the fifth visit to the stage of Tooele City’s summer concert series at Aquatic Center Park. As someone who has played at venues around the state, Breinholt said he’s seen what it takes to have a good, successful concert series. 

“Tooele has one of those,” he said. 

Utah is the center point of Breinholt’s career, with most of the Salt Lake-based performer’s shows in the boundaries of the state. In addition to Fridays on Vine, Breinholt has at least seven shows scheduled through the end of the year along the Wasatch Front. 

The past year and a half were significant for Breinholt, who spent the winter and spring of 2018 in a coastal town in Ecuador with his wife and four children. It gave the family time to slow down and get away from the bustle of life in America, he said. 

Following the time in Ecuador, Breinholt recorded and released his first album of new material in 10 years last December. The album, “The Counting of Nothing,” was recorded primarily in his personal studio in his garage, with Breinholt playing almost all of the parts on the album by himself. 

The decade-long hiatus from a new, original album was partly do to where he was in his life, Breinholt said. With a young family and other responsibilities, he said he would keep trying to work on new music but would have to abandon it. 

“By the end of the time in Ecuador … I was ready to do something concrete,” Breinholt said. 

Armed with a new album worth of music, Breinholt said the Fridays on Vine crowd can expect to hear an almost entirely new slate of songs for the concert. Like any band, however, there will be a few songs they always perform, he said. 

Fridays on Vine begin every Friday at 7 p.m. at the Aquatic Center Park at 200 W. Vine Street. The concerts are free to the public, but seating is limited. Patrons are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair.

Erda will hold its annual celebration this weekend, highlighting what makes the Tooele County community special. 

The festivities kick off on Friday, with an $8 a plate dinner at the Erda Ballpark beginning at 6:30 p.m. There will be a variety show following dinner, as well as a silent auction and raffle. 

The events get off to an early start the following morning, with a 5K run and 1K kids run. The free race kicks off from the Beazer Home at 4336 Lidell Lane at 6:30 a.m.  

The annual parade begins at 10 a.m. on Liddell Lane, and continues to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church on Erda Way. Judging begins at 9:30 a.m. for the parade, which is open to the public. 

The Erda Ballpark will be the site of a number of activities, which kick off at 12:30 p.m. with a $1 entrance fee. There will be games, a jumbo slide, dunking machine and climbing wall available to attendees. 

There will also be food available from Erda Burgers, as well as drinks, treats and brownies. Erda T-shirts will also be available for sale during the annual summer celebration. 

Kickball teams will compete at 1 p.m. and can register with Shelley North at 801-455-7488. Bingo will be held from 2-4 p.m., with a raffle beginning at 4 p.m.

A semitrailer driver suffered substantial injuries after his vehicle caught fire on an exit to Interstate 80 near Aragonite. 

The semitrailer fire was first reported at 11:12 p.m. on Tuesday evening, when units were dispatched to a vehicle fire at exit 56. Utah Highway Patrol troopers responded to the scene and the driver was flown to a Salt Lake-area hospital with life-threatening burns, according to UHP. 

The driver of the semi had pulled over onto the I-80 exit and the male driver was using the sleeper berth when the fire started, according to UHP. He had to maneuver through the flaming vehicle to escape to safety. 

The driver was the sole occupant of the vehicle, according to UHP. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

Utah Department of Transportation did not mention any traffic delays or lane closures as a result of the accident, which occurred at the exit and not on the interstate.