In the past week, the Wells Fargo Bank in Tooele City has seen a large increase in counterfeit bills being deposited to the bank, according to manager Marc Hicks. 

The counterfeit bills, which have been found as $100 and $20, have been turning up with increased regularity, Hicks said. There were three found on Monday alone, according to Hicks; typically, they find one per month. 

Hicks said some of the counterfeit bills were discovered when vendors made deposits after the Tooele Arts Festival, which occurred over the weekend. 

The counterfeit $20 bill had backward letters and numbers on it, the same serial number and the word “copy” on it, Hicks said. None of the counterfeit bills had watermarks, and the counterfeit $100 bill lacked a proper 3D security ribbon. 

The counterfeit bills were reported to the Salt Lake office of the U.S. Secret Service, which handles investigation into counterfeit money. 

Hicks called the counterfeit bills obvious fakes but said most are used at in-and-out locations like gas stations and fast food restaurants, or small vendors, like at a festival. He said businesses should educate employees to be on the lookout for the fake bills. 

The U.S. Treasury website, treasury.gov, contains information on all seven denominations of U.S. Currency, including images and descriptions of the bills and their security features.

There was a local arrest in connection to counterfeit money, as well. 

On Friday, Wendover police arrested Edward Deyoung and Antonia Hernandez, both from Texas, for counterfeiting and fraud. Officers seized paper products, $100 bill engraving plates and several thousand dollars in counterfeit bills, according to the Wendover Police Department. 

If you suspect you may have a counterfeit bill, contact your local police department or the Salt Lake office of the Secret Service at 801-524-5910.

A husky, which killed more than two dozen animals in Tooele City, will not face euthanasia, according to the Tooele City Police Department. 

The husky, which got loose early on May 28, killed 15 chickens at one home and one cat, two ducks, two rabbits, five chickens, a turkey and a goose at another, according to Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen. Following an administrative hearing, the dog was deemed potentially dangerous and will face restrictions or be released to an animal rescue organization. 

The stipulations on the husky include maintaining a $25,000 liability insurance policy for any damages caused by the dog and participation in specialized training or a training program. The husky will also not be allowed to enter Tooele City limits, the owner cannot license the dog in the city, and the owner must pay all expenses related to its impoundment. 

The owner, Mackenzie G. Morton, can also choose to release the husky to an animal rescue organization instead of meeting the requirements laid out at the administrative hearing. She has four days to either reclaim her dog with the restrictions or sign it over to a rescue, Hansen said. 

If the husky had been deemed dangerous, it would have been euthanized by the city’s animal control division. 

Morton, 29, of Taylorsville, is charged in Tooele County Justice Court with misdemeanor animals running at large and five counts of misdemeanor animal bite of another domestic animal. She pleaded not guilty to all charges during arraignment on Tuesday before Judge John Mack Dow.

Firefighters battled a fast-moving wildfire Wednesday afternoon, which burned approximately 120 acres before it was contained, according to Tooele County Fire Warden Daniel Walton. 

The fire was reported before 1:30 p.m. south of Russell Lane on federal Bureau of Land Management property. Walton said firefighters from BLM, Stockton, Rush Valley and Tooele Army Depot fire departments responded to the fire, which sent up a large column of dark smoke visible from miles away. 

The fire stayed almost exclusively on BLM property but did some damage to private property as well, according to Walton. No structures were threatened by the fire, which was traveling east across open fields. 

The blaze was contained around 8 p.m. Wednesday night, but firefighters continued mop-up and were monitoring potential hot spots Thursday morning, Walton said. 

The cause of the fire is still under investigation but Walton said the fire was reported after a bird collided with a power supply, which possibly could have arced and sparked the fire.

The Grantsville City Council unanimously approved a $5.7 million final budget during its meeting Wednesday evening. 

The final budget represents a $362,250 increase over the 2017-18 budget, an uptick of 6.35 percent. The city’s certified tax rate decreased, however, from .002542 in 2017-18 to .002326.

Grantsville City residents shouldn’t see an increase in their tax bill this year, though growth is expected to increase the city’s property tax haul by $65,389 to $1.3 million. 

“Our property tax assessment hasn’t been adjusted this year, so no one’s taxes should actually go up,” Councilman Scott Stice said. 

“On behalf of Grantsville City,” Councilman Tom Tripp added. 

The budget allocates an additional $212,500 to the city’s police department, which includes hiring an additional officer and moving another officer from part-time bailiff duty to full-time police work. 

City employees will receive a 2-percent cost-of-living adjustment and eligible employees will average a 1-percent merit raise, though there will be no change to employees’ 401K. 

The city council voted to approve the raises, but excluded themselves from any raise. The council was expected to receive the cost-of-living adjustment but removed it at Wednesday’s meeting. 

Stice said he didn’t believe the council should get a raise, which would have amounted to $12 per month per council member. The city council will make $7,151 per council member during the 2018-19 fiscal year. 

Councilwoman Jewel Allen said she didn’t care for a raise but argued it would be better to make smaller raises to avoid a more significant raise all at once in the future. She also suggested comparing the city council’s salaries to those in similar communities. 

“I think it’s OK to raise it because it’s an across-the-board raise for the staff and elected officials,” Allen said. 

The city council also approved amendments to the 2017-18 budget for the city’s public works department to include the purchase of a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck for $27,700 on state bid and $5,300 to repair the engine of a 2013 Dodge Ram that had failed.

The Grantsville City Council approved a change order for $51,392 toward the drilling of an exploratory well near the site of the existing North Well during its meeting on June 20. 

The change order came on top of the contracted price of $120,765 with Aqua Engineering, who provides the city’s engineering services. It included $32,000 toward drilling efforts to attempt to stabilize the existing well borehole and $1,500 in cement installed for stabilization. 

Also included in the change order was $1,722 to abandon the existing well borehole, after the upper 140 feet could not be stabilized. 

Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall said the exploratory well is about 12 feet from the existing North Well site, and is about 1,000 feet deep. Both rotary and cable rigs were used to drill the new test borehole. 

The council approved the change order after it was agreed to by Marshall, which Councilman Tom Tripp pointed out during last Wednesday’s meeting. 

“I’m OK with what happened, but it would have been better, I think, if we would have had an emergency, on-the-phone approval,” Tripp said. “It’s better to approve it ahead, than approve it after it’s happened.” 

The city has not paid for the exploratory well or any of the work by Aqua Engineering on the well or change order yet, according to Grantsville City Finance Director Sherrie Broadbent. 

The Tooele City Fire Department plans to celebrate Fourth of July like many Tooele County residents — getting together with family and friends, having a barbeque and lighting off some fireworks. 

While fireworks and barbeque are linked with Independence Day, another reality for firefighters around the county is fire. Tooele City Fire Chief Rick Harrison said the department gathers on the holiday to share the day, but also be ready for 10 to 15 fire calls. 

“It really works out good for the department to be here, because the Fourth of July is our busy time of the year,” Harrison said. 

While it’s important to be safe when using fireworks any year, conditions this year are especially ripe for a significant fire, according to Harrison. A lack of precipitation over the winter and a wet early spring have combined for vegetation to grow quickly, but also dry out rapidly. 

Harrison said the peak of the dry season is usually closer to July 24, but conditions are ahead of schedule this year. 

“We’re already there,” he said. “We’re pretty much a month ahead of schedule.” 

Residents should remember to follow local laws about discharging fireworks, including where and when they’re permitted, Harrison said. 

In Tooele City, fireworks will be 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. 

Anyone who lives in the restricted area can use fireworks at Dow James and Elton parks, according to Harrison. 

Firework sales begin on Sunday and run through July 25. Fireworks can be used from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 2 through July 5, and July 22 through July 25.

The hours fireworks can be discharged are extended to midnight on July 4 and July 24. 

Harrison also said people using fireworks need to remember basic safety rules such as storing them in a cool, dry place, reading the directions on fireworks before lighting them, and always having an adult present.

Harrison also advised never pointing fireworks toward another person, keeping them away from dry grass, trees and other vegetation, and never experimenting or making your own fireworks. Anyone using fireworks should be careful not to put any body part over the firework when lighting it, stepping away from fireworks after they’re lit and to never attempt to relight a firework that doesn’t go off. 

When you collect used fireworks, place them in a bucket of water to ensure they’re extinguished, Harrison said, to avoid the possibility of them relighting. 

“It seems like every year we have a garbage can fire around midnight when fireworks get thrown away,” he said. 

It’s also important to be respectful of the time limit on fireworks, as there are some people that continue to shoot off fireworks after hours, Harrison said. 

“Have respect for your neighbors,” he said. “… We always have people lighting fireworks after midnight. And not only that, have respect for people’s pets.”

With so many people firing up their grill for the season, Harrison said it’s important to be safe when using them as well.  

Harrison recommended keeping grills outdoors and away from decks, railings, eaves and overhanging branches. Residents should also keep children away from grills and keep the cooking surface clean of grease. 

While it’s important to be aware of your surroundings when using fireworks or grills, Harrison said he hopes people can have fun on the holiday as well. 

“We’re hoping everybody is safe and enjoys their Fourth of July,” he said. 

For maps on fireworks restrictions in Tooele County, visit tooelecountysheriff.org on the Fire Warden page.

After a temporary move into a former auto parts store about 30 years ago, the Tooele City Police Department is planning a possible new location on Garden Street. 

The new station, which has an estimated construction cost of $6.7 million, is only in an early concept stage but Tooele City Police Chief Ron Kirby said it is needed. 

“We’ve needed it for years and I think you just keep growing and growing, and this building keeps getting older and older,” Kirby said. “You just reach a point, finally, where it has to be done.”

Kirby said he has been working with JRCA Architects on concepts for the new police station, the same architectural firm that built the Grantsville City Justice Center. Current plans call for a 23,200-square-foot building with a 3,192-square-foot ancillary building. 

As part of the tax hike approved by Tooele City Council in its June 20 meeting, Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn said the public safety department budget would increase $800,000 to hire new officers, increase their pay and provide other benefits. Additional tax revenue would also cover the projected $458,364 toward a bond for construction of the new police station. 

Including $671,879 in contingency for construction costs, the building could cost as much as $8.5 million with design and construction fees, building furnishings, and audio/visual costs. Kirby said he knows the police station is expensive but the cost, an estimated $324 per square foot, is appropriate for the type of building. 

“A police building is more than office space,” Kirby said. “We’re not just building office space for the officers.”

A preliminary site plan for the police station includes dedicated space for investigations, patrol, evidence storage, records and administrative offices. There would be a secure parking lot for police vehicles, a sally port to safely transport inmates to-and-from the county jail, and a locker room and fitness room for officers. 

The preliminary site plan also features public space, including multi-purpose rooms that can be used by community groups, Kirby said. The public space in the building, which also includes a lobby, interview rooms and restrooms, accounts for about 20 percent of the building, he said. 

Kirby said the layout of the building will increase efficiency, with administrative offices and records near the front of the station, which faces Garden Street, south of Tooele City Hall. Investigations and patrol are housed separately but adjacent, and evidence storage will be at the rear, where officers and staff will access the building. 

It should be a change of pace for the police department’s current location, which Kirby said is approximately 16,000 square feet and until recently only had two restrooms. 

“We literally had officers getting called that couldn’t get to the restroom before they left on a call,” Kirby said. 

The current station also has only one interview room, which makes handling two suspects at once or a suspect and a victim, difficult, according to Kirby. Anything that hampers efficiency can affect the job officers are able to do, he said. 

The building would be designed to meet the department’s needs for the next 10 to 20 years with no expansions or other changes, Kirby said. Four extra investigator desks and shared patrol space would allow for the hiring of more officers over the years. 

“I’ve heard some people talk about this building, ‘Well, the police need a new building,’” Kirby said. “No, we don’t need a new building. The community needs a new building so that we can be more efficient and serve the public better. That’s really what this is all about, is providing that service to the public, not about providing a building for the officers.” 

When Michael Dow went to check on the calves he leased to the Tooele Bit n’ Spur rodeo Wednesday morning, he checked the water trough out of habit. 

Inside the trough, he saw about 150 ball-shaped pellets, with about a third floating and the rest on the bottom, beginning to dissolve. Dow said he inspected one of the pellets and quickly determined it was rat poison. 

A Tooele City police officer responded to Bit n’ Spur and reached the same conclusion that the pellets were rat poison, according to Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen. The officer collected samples of the pellets, which could be analyzed by the state crime lab or another laboratory if the department gets some leads in the case. 

Dow said he leased 32 calves to Bit n’ Spur that were around one year old. He contacted the state veterinarian and was told the heaviest symptoms would be observed within 24 to 48 hours, but the prognosis of the calves is just a waiting game. 

“They haven’t gotten any better but they haven’t gotten any worse,” Dow said. 

Hansen said the police department is investigating the case as animal cruelty, but the condition of the calves, and if there was intent, will determine if charges would be felonies or misdemeanors. There are no surveillance cameras at the rodeo gounds, however, and no leads to follow or suspects to interview at this point. 

Dow said he doesn’t know who would have poisoned his calves, and whether it was random or directed at him or the Bit n’ Spur. 

“I have no idea,” Dow said. “I hope it’s just a one-time thing.” 

Dow said there is a $1,000 reward to anyone with information leading to an arrest and prosecution. Anyone with information on the poisoning of the calves can contact Tooele City police at 435-882-8900.

The Stansbury Service Agency board approved, with several stipulations, up to $35,000 for the installation of aeration equipment and microbiological treatment in Stansbury Lake during its meeting Wednesday evening. 

The cost would include running electric to aeration equipment on the bottom of the lake, the equipment, including blowers and piping, and a microbiological treatment, which is primarily bacteria. A motion by Trustee Mike Johnson, which was approved unanimously, also included the stipulation that manager Gary Jensen follow the service agency’s procurement policy. 

Michael Hughes of PureAg presented the possible solution, which was first introduced to the service agency board during its April 25 meeting. He said a pilot treatment on a Stansbury Park golf course pond that was heavily afflicted with algae has shown a reduction in the algae and is clear enough to see the bottom. 

Hughes said the bacteria treatment would help remove nitrogen and other biological load from the lake, which slows the growth of lake weeds and algae. Lawn fertilizer is one source of the biological load that enters the lake. 

During the April 25 meeting, Hughes said the bacteria for the treatment are grown in large vats, then applied directly to water in lakes or ponds. 

Installing the equipment for aeration, including approximately 9,000 feet of pipe, is expected to cost between $20,000 and $25,000, Hughes said, with an annual cost of about $2,000 each year to apply the biological equipment. 

Hughes told the service agency board it would take about one month to install the equipment and another month to see clear results from the treatment.

Two suspects have been arrested and charged after drugs, paraphernalia and forgery devices were discovered in a Wendover hotel room earlier this month. 

Antonia Esperanz Hernandez, 38, of Amarillo, Texas, and Edward Christopher DeYoung, 45, of Lehi, are both charged with second-degree felony possession with intent to distribute a Class C substance, third-degree felony possession of a forgery device, and misdemeanor counts of possession or use of a controlled substance, manufacture or deliver drug paraphernalia and use or possession of drug paraphernalia. 

The Wendover Police Department was dispatched to the Knight’s Inn on Wendover Boulevard on reports that a man arrested on charges of counterfeit money had a dog in his rooms at the inn, according to a probable cause statement. 

Hernandez answered the door to one of the rooms when the officer arrived to check on the dog, and observed what appeared to be ammunition on the bed in the room, the probable cause statement said. In a call to dispatch, the officer learned Hernandez was a restricted felon with a warrant for her arrest. 

Hernandez told the officer she had a gun in the room for protection and she knew she was a restricted person, the statement said. When asked by the officer, Hernandez said there was no one else in the room. 

After Wendover police obtained a search warrant for the rooms at Knight’s Inn, officers discovered DeYoung hiding in the shower in one of the bathrooms, the probable cause statement said. DeYoung was found to have a warrant out of Kansas for a parole violation. 

Both DeYoung and Hernandez were taken into custody while police completed their search of the rooms, the statement said. 

In the rooms, officers discovered two loaded needles on a night stand and two glass pipes on a microwave, according to the probable cause statement. Officers also found two additional glass pipes, two more needles containing heroin, a small baggie and container with methamphetamine, and three pellet guns. 

Inside the nightstand, officers found a black box with 12 grams of methamphetamine, the probable cause statement said. A wood chest found in the room contained printed $100 bills with matching serial numbers. 

DeYoung and Hernandez made their initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Monday, where they were appointed counsel and bail was set at $10,000. Both are scheduled to return to court for a scheduling conference on July 3 at 9 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates. 

A man in his 50s died after he ran a red light at the intersection of Bates Canyon Road and state Route 36 on Wednesday evening, according to the Utah Highway Patrol. 

The man who was driving a Ford Ranger pickup truck, struck another pickup truck pulling a landscape trailer broadside around 6:50  p.m., said UHP Lt. Todd Royce. The driver of the Ranger, whose name has not been released pending notification of next of kin, was declared dead at the scene. 

The condition of the occupants of the truck with the landscaping trailer was not available by press time Thursday. 

Following the accident, both directions of traffic on SR-36 were closed around 7 p.m. for the investigation and clean-up following the accident, according to UDOT. Traffic was diverted onto side streets during the closure, Royce said. 

The Transcript Bulletin will update this story when more information becomes available. 

Following a tradition dating back to the days of George Washington, a passing of the colors of Tooele Army Depot signified the arrival of new leadership during a change of command ceremony Wednesday morning. 

After two years at the helm, Col. Jimmy L. Brown is heading to U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida, to serve in the joint logistics office. His replacement, Col. Todd W. Burnley, last served as the Assistant for Deployment and Distribution for the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. 

In his remarks, Brown joked that he didn’t want to get into the vintage Dodge military truck that would bring them to the parade field for the ceremony. 

“This truly has been the most personally and professionally rewarding assignment of my career,” he said.

Brown had high praise for the civilian employees at TEAD and thanked his family, and theirs, for their support in completing the ordnance depot’s mission. He said he was proud and grateful to have been part of the team. 

“From my first visit in March 2016, I was then, and still remain, extremely impressed with the pride and professionalism of this all-star team,” Brown said. “Everyday you, our employees, impact strategic greatness in support of, and enabling, our national defense.”

The officiant for the change of command ceremony, Col. Michelle M. Letcher, highlighted some of Brown’s achievements while in command of TEAD, including the creation of a leadership development program and a current streak of 353 days without an accident. Letcher serves as the commander for the Joint Munitions and Lethality Life Cycle Management Command and Joint Munitions Command. 

“As the leader and commander of Tooele Army Depot, Col. Brown has believed in, and focused on, the mission of Tooele and has benefited from input from the leaders and the workforce to help him do his very best,” Letcher said. 

“Col. Burnley, as the new leader of Tooele, I urge you follow his suit to provide the best support, not just for Tooele but across our Army and the Department of Defense,” Letcher added. “And not just following the suit of Jimmy, but the people inside this organization, the entire workforce.”

In contrast to Brown’s reluctance to leave TEAD, Burnley said he was eager to begin his new assignment.  

“Unlike Jimmy getting on the truck, I was more than happy to jump on that truck,” Burnley joked. “I was on there I think probably 10 minutes early.”

Burnley said he knew about his assignment 18 months ago and used the time to discuss the mission at TEAD with Brown through phone calls, email and a visit to the depot. He thanked Brown for his help and support prior to taking command. 

“Jimmy is an incredible leader,” Burnley said. “He’s a great Army leader and he will do very well at his next assignment, but obviously he’s going to be missed by all of us here.”

Tooele Army Depot encompasses more than 43,000 acres of land, including the north area and the south area, which is the former Deseret Chemical Depot. The installation includes more than 1,100 storage, production, fabrication and administrative buildings.

TEAD’s mission involves ammunition logistics and the manufacture of ammunition-specific equipment. The depot issues, receives, stores, maintains, demilitarizes and tests ammunition.

TEAD was founded in 1942 as the Tooele Ordnance Depot to store supplies, ammunition and combat vehicles for the Pacific theater of World War II. The depot took command of the Deseret Chemical Depot in 1949, which became TEAD-South in 2013.

At its peak employment in 1985, TEAD had approximately 4,700 employees.

A 14-year-old boy is in stable condition in a Salt Lake area hospital after he suffered a gunshot wound Sunday afternoon in Tooele. 

Tooele City police were dispatched to 684 Mobil Ave. shortly after 1 p.m. on reports of a shooting, according to Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen. The victim suffered a neck wound and was transported by ground ambulance to a Salt Lake hospital in critical condition. 

Following the shooting, investigators secured a warrant for the property on Mobil Avenue and were able to recover the firearm they believe was used in the shooting, according to Hansen. 

There was no further update on the shooting Sunday, but on Monday morning, Hansen confirmed Tooele City police believe the victim likely suffered an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound but have not ruled out the possibility it was intentional. 

Due to the nature of his injury, the 14-year-old victim has been unable to speak with police about the shooting, Hansen said. 

Tooele City police are looking for 19-year-old Dylan Aragon, who they believe was in the room at the time of the shooting and has not spoken with police, Hansen said. Anyone with information about the Mobile Way shooting or Aragon’s whereabouts can contact Tooele City police at 435-882-5600. 

When Betty Drake found out she, along with Dale Mohler, would be Grantsville’s grand marshals in this year’s Fourth of July parade, she was elated. Now, a different emotion is beginning to settle in as Independence Day nears. 

“Well, it sounds good when they come and ask you,” Drake said. “You’re thrilled to death to be asked. And then, it gets closer and closer and you get more nervous.” 

“That’s right,” Mohler said, with a chuckle.

Both Drake and Mohler are no strangers to the Fourth of July festivities in Grantsville. Drake was born in Reno, Nevada, but her family moved to Grantsville when she was 2 years old, while Mohler came to teach at Grantsville High School more than 50 years ago. 

Drake said her family moved to Grantsville from Reno because they had a lot of family in the area. She said she still has lots of family in the area. About “half the town” are relatives, she joked. 

During his years at Grantsville High, Mohler also coached several teams, including football, track and field, basketball and golf. He was also an instructor for the school’s driver’s ed program. 

Now, both Mohler and Drake live at Diamond Jane’s Assisted Living, where they have rooms across the hall from each other. They reminisced about their time in Grantsville and connections to Fourth of July parades over the years. 

Mohler said he’s been in Grantsville’s Fourth of July parade before, but can’t remember the exact context. He said his candy-throwing arm was pretty strong back in the day. 

A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, Mohler said he remembers seeing an Independence Day parade when he was about 5 years old in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and noticing soldiers and police officers saluting. He said he remembers wanting to salute with them, so he did. 

“Fourth of July has always been something pretty important for me,” Mohler said. 

When Drake was 4 years old, she said she was on a float built by her father with her sister and two other neighborhood kids. She even knew where the photo from that day was located. Drake said that over the years, the Fourth of July celebration in Grantsville has remained similar to the original event. She said the events in Grantsville are special because there aren’t many days like it, when the community is brought together by a city-sponsored event. Drake said everyone gets together and the streets are lined on the Fourth of July

“When you do things every year about the same, everyone feels good about it,” Drake said. 

For both Mohler and Drake, who decided to call Grantsville home for the better part of their lives, it’s a community worth embracing

“I feel good about being in Grantsville,” Mohler said.

It’s that time of year — fireworks are legal to discharge in the state of Utah through Thursday. 

There are still various restrictions in place on where and when fireworks can be discharged, however. 

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. 

Grantsville City has three designated areas for fireworks, 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.  

Rush Valley permits fireworks in the parking lot shared by Town Hall and the fire department, and Vernon designated the fire department parking lot as the area where fireworks can be used. 

While Stockton had intended to allow residents to shoot fireworks from the parking lot north of the town’s ball field, it announced a ban on all fireworks for the rest of the year due to extreme fire weather conditions on June 29. 

In Tooele County, fireworks are prohibited on any federal and tribal land, including Bureau of Land Management, military and U.S. Forest Service property. 

Maps for fireworks restrictions are available on the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office website, tooelecountysheriff.org, on the Fire Warden page. Wendover City has no restrictions on firework use within its municipal borders, according to Tooele County Fire Warden Dan Walton. 

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.

The Utah Highway Patrol released the name of the Tooele man killed in an accident at the intersection of state Route 36 and Bates Canyon Road last Wednesday. 

Kendall J. Ogden, 52, was identified as the fatal victim in the two-vehicle accident, which occurred at approximately 6:50 p.m. on June 25. Ogden was pronounced dead at the scene, according to UHP. 

Ogden was driving a black Ford Ranger pickup truck southbound on SR-36 near the intersection with Bates Canyon Road, when it appears he ran a red light, UHP said. Ogden’s pickup collided with a full-size Ford pickup truck pulling a landscaping trailer that had entered the intersection. 

While Ogden was the only occupant in his vehicle, the other pickup truck contained three occupants, according to UHP. Two occupants were transported to a local hospital in fair condition and one suffered no injuries. 

Following the accident, both directions of traffic on SR-36 were closed around 7 p.m. for the investigation and clean-up following the accident, according to UDOT. Traffic was diverted onto side streets during the closure, UHP Lt. Todd Royce said.

A 14-year-old boy is in stable condition in a Salt Lake area hospital after he suffered a gunshot wound Sunday afternoon in Tooele. 

Tooele City police were dispatched to 684 Mobil Ave. shortly after 1 p.m. on reports of a shooting, according to Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen. The victim suffered a neck wound and was transported by ground ambulance to a Salt Lake hospital in critical condition. 

Following the shooting, investigators secured a warrant for the property on Mobil Avenue and were able to recover the firearm they believe was used in the shooting, according to Hansen. 

There was no further update on the shooting Sunday, but on Monday morning, Hansen confirmed Tooele City police believe the victim likely suffered an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound but have not ruled out the possibility it was intentional. 

Due to the nature of his injury, the 14-year-old victim has been unable to speak with police about the shooting, Hansen said. 

Tooele City police are looking for 19-year-old Dylan Aragon, who they believe was in the room at the time of the shooting and has not spoken with police, Hansen said. Anyone with information about the Mobile Way shooting or Aragon’s whereabouts can contact Tooele City police at 435-882-5600.

The Fourth of July may not be until tomorrow, but Grantsville City has been celebrating America’s founding since last week, with events for the entire community. 

Today’s lineup of events includes a tennis tournament, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and the Miss Grantsville Scholarship Pageant. Events over the weekend included a 4-on-4 volleyball tournament and 3-on-3 soccer tournament, both of which were held Saturday. 

The tennis tournament will be held tonight at the Cherry Street tennis courts at 7 p.m., with a cost of $10 per player. All proceeds from event will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. 

The basketball tournament, which will be held at Grantsville Elementary School, begins at 6 p.m., with registration at 5 p.m. The cost is $5 per player, with funds benefiting the Grantsville High School’s athletic programs. 

The Miss Grantsville Scholarship Pageant, which features 10 contestants vying for the crown, will begin at 6 p.m. at Grantsville High School. The pageant is free and open to the public. 

On the Fourth of July, however, Grantsville City will pull out all the stops, with events beginning early in the day and running until late in the evening. 

The day begins with a pancake breakfast at the Grantsville Fire Station from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The breakfast will be $5 per plate and payment will be cash only. 

There will be a flag ceremony at 8 a.m., also held at the Grantsville Fire Station. 

The Grantsville City 5K Scholarship Run, in memory of Ray Barrus, will be held at 7:30 a.m., beginning at Grantsville High School. There will also be a 1-mile fun run for kids aged 12 and under. Entry fees for the 5K are $13 per participant or $45 for families. 

The Fourth of July parade will be held at 11 a.m., with line-up beginning at 10 a.m. The parade route begins at Grantsville City Hall, heading west down Main Street. At Center Street, the parade turns south, then back east onto Cherry Street to Grantsville City Park. 

There will be a number of activities at Cherry Street Park throughout the day, including a car show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., a talent show from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and kids games, free bouncy houses, and a variety of food available from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

The day of activities is finished off by fireworks from the park at 10 p.m.

A 10-year-old boy from Tooele died after scuba diving at Blue Lake with his father Wednesday afternoon, according to the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. 

The boy was scuba diving with his father, who is dive-certified, by using an auxiliary line, according to Tooele County Sheriff Lt. Ron Johnson. They were about 25 feet down when the boy apparently broke free of the auxiliary line and ascended rapidly. 

Once at the surface, the boy mentioned to his father he was having trouble breathing and wasn’t feeling well, Johnson said. The boy then became unresponsive and his father gave him CPR. 

The father’s girlfriend drove them to U.S. Route 93 Alternate, where they met with an ambulance from Wendover, according to Johnson. Blue Lake, a popular diving spot, is accessed off U.S. 93 in Nevada, via dirt roads but is within Tooele County.

Despite efforts by the ambulance crew to revive him, the boy died, according to Johnson. His name has not been released by the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. 

Since the boy was in Nevada when he died, the Nevada Medical Examiner’s Office will handle the autopsy to determine the cause of death, Johnson said.

The Nevada man who threatened an employee at Vasa Fitness in Tooele, before fleeing to the roof of the gym and jumping off, was sentenced in 3rd District Court Tuesday. 

Randy Lee Gamwell, 56, was sentenced to one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison for second-degree felony aggravated burglary. Gamwell pleaded guilty to the amended charge on May 15; charges of third-degree felony aggravated assault and second-degree receive or transfer a stolen vehicle were dismissed as part of the plea deal. 

The charges stem from an April 9 incident, in which Gamwell pulled a BB gun on a maintenance employee at VASA Fitness and locked himself in the maintenance room at the gym, according to a probable cause statement. Tooele City police were dispatched to the gym at 2:10 p.m. on reports of a man with a gun. 

When officers arrived on scene, Gamwell was found lying on the ground near the northeast corner of the building on Garden Street, the statement said. During their approach, officers found a broken BB gun on the ground near Gamwell. 

Due to his injuries from falling off the roof, Gamwell was transported by ambulance to a medical helicopter pad, the statement said. An officer spoke with Gamwell after reading him his rights but Gamwell said he didn’t know what happened. 

The following day, Tooele City police spoke with Gamwell again, according to the probable cause statement. At this point, Gamwell admitted to knowing he was wanted by police and seeing his picture on the news. 

Gamwell told officers he saw a helicopter when he entered Vasa Fitness and assumed it was a police helicopter, the statement said. He said he was hiding in the maintenance room when the employee came in, which scared him and he yelled at them. 

Gamwell said he climbed onto the roof and noticed a small cable, which he thought he could use to swing to the pole and climb down, the statement said. When police asked about the BB gun, Gamwell said he purchased it at a local sporting good store. He said he was holding it when he yelled at the Vasa Fitness employee but denied pointing it at them. 

Gamwell said he bailed out of jail in Nevada and didn’t want to return, so he fled to Tooele, according to the probable cause statement.