Around Tooele County and the nation, law enforcement agencies are calling on residents to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and get to know their neighbors Tuesday evening. 

It’s part of National Night Out, a nationwide event that raises crime prevention awareness and boosts relationships between police and the community. National Night Out, now in its 35th edition, is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored by local law enforcement. 

This year, Tooele County law enforcement agencies will come together with residents at the Dow James building at 438 W. 400 North this Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. 

Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen said local police agencies and sponsors have been working to create a great community event. 

“Crime affects all of us at some point, big or small, and this event showcases the resources available to combat local issues,” Hansen said. 

The nationwide event also focuses on generating support for local anti-crime initiatives and letting criminals know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back, according to a news release from Tooele City police.

National Night Out Tooele, in a partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake – Tooele, won’t just be about safety education, but fun for the whole family, the release said. Activities will include a bounce house, prize drawings, games, and a BB gun shooting range. 

Agencies involved in the event include the Tooele City Police Department, Grantsville City Police Department, Tooele County Sheriff’s Office and Dugway Police Department. 

“We look forward to interacting with partnering agencies, citizens, and businesses in an effort to reduce crime in our neighborhoods,” Hansen said.

The fire in Middle Canyon is out, and the roadway through the canyon reopened after being closed for over a week. 

After burning 171 acres and threatening two structures, fire crews from around the county and state were able to put the fire out and reopen Middle Canyon Road on Friday, according to Tooele County Emergency Management. 

The fire was at 90-percent containment on Thursday, according to the state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. The incident command team on the fire was transferred to a different assignment after the fire was downgraded from a Type 3 incident to a Type 4. 

The fire in Middle Canyon, which was first reported on July 26, has been deemed human caused but remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the cause of the fire should contact the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office at 435-882-5600. 

Within the first evening, the fire grew to 88 acres and threatened two homes, prompting evacuations on Grimm Hill Road and Cassity Drive, according to North Tooele Fire District spokesman Ryan Willden.

Fire crews from North Tooele Fire District, Tooele Army Depot Fire Department, Tooele City Fire Department, federal Bureau of Land Management, and state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands assisted on the Middle Canyon Fire, according to Willden. During the peak of operations, there were three airplanes and two helicopters dropping retardant and water on the wildfire.

A fire in the Cedar Mountains has burned more than 14,000 acres, according to the federal Bureau of Land Management. The wildfire, sparked by lightning on July 27, began as four separate starts and was left unattended for the first 36 hours due to its remote location, according to Tooele County Fire Warden Daniel Walton. 

As of Sunday, the Cedar Mountain fire was at 70-percent containment, according to the state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. Due to extensive high value resources surrounding the Cedar Mountains, the BLM requested full suppression on the fire. 

The fire was burning in bunch grasses and junipers, according to BLM. There were no threats to structures or major roads, though visitors in Skull Valley and driving on I-80 would be able to see the smoke. 

Crews are expected to end work on the fire as early as Tuesday evening, if the fire is completely contained, according to the state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.

Two of the petition sponsors behind a rezone referendum concerning high density housing in Stansbury Park have been charged with misdemeanors in 3rd District Court. 

Erin Giles, 33, of Stansbury Park, is charged with two counts of misdemeanor misconduct of electors and officers for a referendum. Rachel Torzillo, 27, of Tooele, is charged with one count of the same misdemeanor. 

A detective in the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office was assigned to investigate whether the verification signers on the referendum petition had signed the verification statement without observing citizens who signed, according to a probable cause statement. 

State law requires the person who gathers signatures on a referendum packet to sign a verification statement. 

The statement, located on the referendum packet, reads: “All the names that appear in this referendum packet were signed by persons who professed to be the persons whose names appear in it, and each of them signed his name on it in my presence.”

During the investigation, the detective spoke with an individual who said he had taken two signature pages, charging documents said. The individual collected signatures on one page and gave the second page to a corrections deputy with the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. 

The individual told police he obtained approximately 18 signatures from family members, according to charging documents. The corrections deputy collected the names and signatures of 9 people, including himself, and returned the page to the first individual. 

The first individual told investigators he returned one of the signature pages to “a girl in the ‘tent’” and the second was left in his mailbox and picked up by a person unknown to him, charging documents said. The signatures obtained by the individual were included in a packet that was signed by Torzillo on June 26. 

The corrections deputy was interviewed by investigators and told them he returned the packet to the individual he received it from with the nine signatures he gathered, the probable cause statement said. The signature page, which includes the signatures gathered by the corrections deputy, was signed by Giles on July 5. 

Investigators also spoke with another Tooele County Sheriff’s Office employee who said he, his wife and his son signed the referendum in front of a male signature gatherer, charging documents state. The employee’s signature was located in a packet that was signed and verified by Giles. 

Tooele County Attorney Scott Broadhead released a statement Tuesday regarding the criminal charges. In the statement, he said there have been inquiries into the filing of the charges. 

“It may seem like a harsh decision, but Utah Code does not leave me any discretion in this instance,” he said. 

Broadhead cited the section of Utah Code that outlines it is “unlawful for any person to sign the verification for a referendum packet knowing that … he has not witnessed the signatures of those persons who names appear in the referendum packet.”

In the statement, Broadhead also cited a subsection of the same section of Utah Code, which states the “county attorney or municipal attorney shall prosecute any violation of this section.” He said the attorney still retains discretion to how the violation is prosecuted. 

Broadhead also contended with the argument the “shall prosecute” language only refers to who should prosecute the charges, as opposed to directive to prosecute. 

“This argument is not supported by any law or any normal prosecutorial practices,” he said. 

In the statement, Broadhead also said the sheriff’s office investigation turned up false verifications on five separate signature packets but the investigation would not continue. 

Although the problem of false verifications appeared to be widespread, it was determined that further investigation was unnecessary at this time.  

The referendum effort was started to give voters the opportunity to overturn the Tooele County Commission’s decision to rezone 5.38 acres north of the intersection of Clubhouse Drive and Country Club Drive from commercial shopping and single-family residential to high density housing. 

Tooele County Clerk/Auditor Marilyn Gillette, in a statement to the sponsors, said Derald Anderson, the applicant for the rezone, made allegations the verifiers had not watched each person sign the petition on July 10. 

Petition sponsors were tasked with collecting 2,749 valid signatures to certify the referendum petition. Gillette checked the verification signatures on the submitted signatures and found 2,755 valid signatures, prior to the allegations by Anderson. 

State code states the county clerk cannot certify signatures in a referendum packet if the signatures were not witnessed and verified as specified in state code.

A Grantsville man is facing an aggravated assault charge and other felonies after he allegedly assaulted a woman, then assaulted three people who came to her aid. 

George C. Nevarez, 54, is charged with third-degree felony aggravated assault, three counts of third-degree felony domestic violence in the presence of a child, and three counts of misdemeanor assault. 

Grantsville City police were dispatched on reports of domestic violence in progress on Clark Street on July 26, according to a probable cause statement. When officers arrived on scene, they made contact with the victim, who had several visible injuries, including severe bruising, scratches on her chest, a cut below her left eye, and bruising on the left side of her face. 

The victim told police that Nevarez had choked her until she was in pain and had difficulty breathing, the probable cause statement said. Police observed scratches on the right side of her neck. 

There were three children in the house at the time of the alleged assault who witnessed the altercation, according to the probable cause statement. When officers arrived, the children were visibly upset and crying. 

Neighbors — a husband and wife and their juvenile son — came to the home after hearing the noise of the assault to try and stop Nevarez, the statement said. Nevarez allegedly pushed the female neighbor onto a couch, swung at the adult male and pushed the juvenile male, before fleeing. 

After Nevarez returned to the scene, he was taken into custody without incident, the probable cause statement said. 

During his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Monday, Nevarez was granted release on the condition he installs an alcohol monitor and does not use alcohol or drugs while his case is pending. He was also appointed a public defender and a no-contact order was lifted.  

He is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 21 at 1:30 p.m. before Judge Matthew Bates.

A Grantsville man is facing criminal charges, including two felony charges, after drugs were found in easily accessible areas in his home.

Dustin Donald Bagley, 38, is charged with two counts of third-degree felony endangerment of a child or elder adult and misdemeanor counts of possession or use of a controlled substance and use or possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Grantsville City police visited Bagley’s residence on Main Street on July 18 and obtained proof of possession of paraphernalia and drug possession, according to a probable cause statement. A warrant to search the home was obtained and the warrant was served on July 26 with assistance from the Tooele Major Crimes Task Force. 

During a search of Bagley’s home, police found multiple items of drug paraphernalia and marijuana, which were easily accessible to juveniles living in the home, the statement said. A plastic baggie containing a small amount of a white substance believed to be methamphetamine and a glass pipe were found on a shelf above the beds of the juveniles and Bagley. 

All of the drugs found in the home were easily accessible by the children and the room they were in had a strong odor of marijuana, according to the probable cause statement. When Bagley was interviewed by police, he admitted to using the drugs and paraphernalia found in the house and would test positive for marijuana and methamphetamine. 

Bagley made his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Monday before Judge Matthew Bates. His bail was set at $2,500 and he was appointed a public defender. 

Bagley is scheduled to return to court for a scheduling conference on Aug. 14 at 9 a.m. before Bates.

A fire that burned nearly 14,000 acres in the Cedar Mountain wilderness is now reported as out, according to UtahFireInfo.gov. 

The fire, sparked by lightning on July 27, began as four separate starts and was left unattended for 36 hours due to its remote location, according to Tooele County Fire Warden Daniel Walton. 

A team of eight smoke jumpers were initially dispatched to the blazes, but shortly after landing, their equipment was destroyed by fire and the team had to be evacuated from the mountains by helicopter, Walton said. None of the smoke jumpers were hurt.

As the fire continued to grow, the federal Bureau of Land Management requested full suppression on the fire to protect high value resources surrounding the mountain range. The fire burned primarily in bunch grasses and junipers. 

There were no threats to structures or major roads, though visitors in Skull Valley and driving on Interstate 80 would be able to see the smoke, according to the BLM.

More than 100 people attended a packed Stansbury Service Agency meeting Wednesday evening over concerns about Stansbury Lake’s private status. 

During the public comment portion of the meeting, which lasted more than two hours, residents described current problems with the lake and concerns that public status could exacerbate them. Complaints included excessive trash, unruly youth, profane language and a lack of signage. 

Some residents also argued the lake, which was originally constructed by private developer Terracor, had always been private and they had purchased homes in the community based on that understanding. 

Long-time resident Leslie Wanlass described problems with trespassing, littering and other problems for homeowners on the lake. 

“How many people have to consistently be policing every time they go in their backyard?” Wanlass said. “… We’re constantly having to police and go out and tell people to leave our yards.” 

The public comment period was occasionally raucous, with audience members interrupting board trustees and other speakers. 

The agenda item pertaining to the comments was listed as lake use policy update. A proposed amendment to the lake use policy under review by the board could remove specific references to the lake’s status as private. 

Under the “Enforcement” section of the current lake use policy, it states, “Stansbury Lake is a private lake.”

Trustee Mike Johnson cited a 2010 change to the Utah Code that could compel the service agency to make the lake public, based on his understanding the lake is a navigable water and the land under the lake is owned by the service agency. 

Terracor built the lake but following its bankruptcy, the developer’s assets were turned over to Tooele County, according to Johnson. The Stansbury Service Agency was created by the county to maintain those assets, including the lake.

The service agency is a government entity that sets a tax levy and collects tax revenue to pay for its operations, which include maintaining the lake, parks and other open space it manages. 

Despite concerns about whether it is legal for a governmental entity to operate a private lake, Johnson and the other trustees were adamant they did not want to make the lake public. 

“Here’s the concern,” Johnson said. “It’s not that we want to make the lake public. We got looking into this and the question was, isn’t the lake public already?”

When residents asked who challenged the private status of the lake, Trustee Cassandra Arnell said people came to the service agency with concerns the private status wasn’t being enforced. 

“As we looked more and more we realized … we’re a government entity,” Arnell said. “We’re publicly elected. We set a tax rate. The county collects taxes and gives them to us to use to maintain these things, and maybe it’s not appropriate.” 

“I want all of these same things that you want,” she added. “I just want to make sure we’re doing it the right way.”

Trustee Neil Smart said the board hopes the lake is private and doesn’t want to change its status. 

“We’re going to do everything that we can to say that it’s private,” Smart said. “We also want to make sure we’re doing it right. That’s it. We’re not trying to change it from being private. We’re not passing a resolution. We’re not even going to say let’s vote on it and make it public.”

The board tabled the lake use policy update in a unanimous vote, on a motion by Johnson, seconded by Smart.

A pair of Tooele residents are facing criminal charges after they allegedly used a stolen credit card to purchase $900 worth of items at Walmart. 

Justin Sherman, 27, and Shelly McGinnis, 43, are both charged with second-degree felony burglary, misdemeanor unlawful use of a financial transaction card, and two counts of misdemeanor theft. 

Tooele City police were dispatched to a residence on 100 West on a report of a residential burglary on July 27, according to a probable cause statement. The residents of the home told police that three credit cards, several gift cards and other items had been stolen while they were away for about three hours. 

While officers were at the residence, the victims were notified by their bank of a large purchase at the Tooele Walmart, the statement said. One of the victims verified with the bank that they had not made the purchases or given permission for anyone to do so. 

Video surveillance footage from Walmart of the transaction using the stolen credit card was obtained by police, the statement said. The footage showed a man with multiple tattoos and blond hair in a ponytail, as well as a woman with dark hair. The pair had a small brown dog with them and left the Walmart in a Chevrolet Tahoe pulling a white enclosed trailer. 

On July 30, two people matching the description from the surveillance video were observed at Mountain West Medical Center, according to the probable cause statement. A Chevy Tahoe with a white trailer were also located at the same time. 

The woman, identified as McGinnis, did not answer any questions during an interview with police, the statement said. When she left the interview room, McGinnis yelled to the male, identified as Sherman, that she didn’t tell police where they got the credit cards. 

Sherman told police he was at Walmart on July 27 and he had received the credit cards from a man he met at Walmart that day, the statement said. He said he traded a bottle of prescription pills for the credit card. 

Sherman and McGinnis appeared in 3rd District Court Monday before Judge Matthew Bates. Both were assigned $10,000 bail and appointed a public defender. 

Sherman and McGinnis are scheduled to return to court on Aug. 21 at 9 a.m. for a scheduling conference before Bates.

After a weekend of milling pavement along Village Boulevard in Stansbury Park, road construction crews are expected to pave the street this week. 

The construction is between the intersections of Aberdeen and Stallion ways to state Route 36 and is expected to cost $830,083. The scope of work includes installing storm drain, repairing the curb and gutter, and adding safety features including ramps for American with Disabilities Act compliance. 

This week, mill and pave began at the intersection with SR-36 on Monday, working west along Village Boulevard. Some concrete for the curb and gutter will be poured throughout this week and next, according to a release from PEPG Consulting, LLC. 

While concrete and grading are expected to continue throughout the week, the rest of the paving is expected to begin on Aug. 20, according to the release. The entire project is scheduled for completion sometime in September. 

The project will be completed in stages to reduce delays, according to Tooele County Road Department Director Rod Thompson, and businesses along Village Boulevard will remain open during construction.

With delays expected during construction, motorists should find alternate routes, Thompson said. The intersection is currently backed up by construction equipment and the roadway is rough where it has been milled.

The property tax rate in Stockton will rise 38 percent this fiscal year after the town council approved an increase during its meeting last Thursday. 

The tax rate increased from .002687 in 2017-18 to .003705 in 2018-19. The town should collect an additional $29,601 in property taxes, for a total of $88,802. 

It’s the first increase in the property tax rate for Stockton residents since 2002, when the rate increased from .002394 to .003287, a hike of 37 percent. 

Stockton’s total property tax revenue will increase approximately 50 percent as a result of the increase. 

The town’s portion of the property tax for a residential property worth $106,600 will increase from $144.82 to $217.22. A commercial property of the same value will will face an increase from $263.30 to $394.95. 

During the town council meeting Thursday, there was less than a dozen attendees, including town officials, and no one spoke in a public hearing on the property tax increase. The elapsed time between the opening of the public hearing and the passing of the tax increase was less than six minutes. 

Council members Vicki Nash and Nando Meli asked questions about the increase in revenue and if the tax rate was the same as previously discussed in a June 20 meeting. Stockton Mayor Thomas Karjola confirmed the increase in property tax and said the council approved a 50 percent increase during the June meeting. 

During its June 20 meeting, the town council discussed its general fund budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year, and in particular the disparity between the budget and actual spending. Minutes from the meeting show the council budgeted $323,186 for the general fund but spent about $382,463 in the previous year. 

At the same meeting, the town council suggested increasing taxes and covering the remaining deficit using funds invested through the state’s Public Treasurers’ Investment Fund or PTIF. As of today, the town has $221,550.70 in PTIF funds.

A Tooele man has been charged with a pair of felonies after he allegedly met an underage girl for sex and sent her illicit pictures. 

Thomas D. Ray, 39, is charged with second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor and third-degree felony dealing with materials harmful to a minor. 

Tooele County Sheriff’s investigators interviewed a juvenile female victim on July 25, according to a probable cause statement. The female victim told police she met a man through a chat app, whom she exchanged illicit pictures with. 

The victim also told investigators she and the man, later identified as Ray, agreed to meet at the intersection of Campbell Road and Erda Way on July 22, the statement said. The victim got into Ray’s vehicle and they drove to an address in Tooele. 

After arriving at a residence on Stansbury Avenue, the victim said Ray took her into his room and took his pants off, according to the statement. She said Ray climbed on top of her and she kicked him in the groin and said she didn’t want to do this anymore. 

The victim said Ray drove her to the place he picked her up and dropped her off, according to the probable cause statement. 

The victim and her father drove back the way she believed Ray had taken her and identified the house on Stansbury Avenue, the statement said. The victim picked Ray out of a photo lineup. 

After investigators met with Ray, he agreed to come to the Tooele County Detention Center for an interview, the statement said. Ray told police he met the victim through the chat app and they exchanged pictures. 

According to Ray, the victim sent a message to him saying she wanted to meet for sex and provided the address for meeting, the statement said. He also said the encounter ended in the living room of the residence after he realized the victim was likely underage and he told her he couldn’t do it. 

Ray made his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Monday before Judge Matthew Bates. He is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 18 at 1:30 p.m. for a scheduling conference. 

A Tooele couple is facing criminal charges after the husband struck an autistic child and his wife misled police. 

Gregory Karl Garcia, 29, is charged with third-degree felony intentional or reckless abuse or neglect of a disabled child and misdemeanor assault. Jennifer Parkinson Garcia, 35, is charged with two counts of third-degree felony obstructing justice. 

On March 19, Tooele City police responded to a report of child abuse, where an investigator met with the alleged victim’s mother, according to a probable cause statement. The mother told police her 11-year-old son, who is autistic and non-verbal, had returned home from the Garcia residence with bruising on his neck, a black left eye, and a swollen right cheek. 

The Garcias babysat the victim at their Vine Street residence, according to the statement. 

The victim’s mother said Jennifer Garcia told her that the bus driver said the boy hit his eye on the bus, the statement said. The mother requested surveillance footage from the bus from the Tooele County School District on the day of the incident and the footage did not show the victim hitting his eye. 

A Tooele City police detective also reviewed the footage and the victim can be seen clearly in the video and “nothing happens during the drive that would have caused the victim’s injuries,” according to the probable cause statement. The driver and bus aide were also interviewed by police and confirmed they saw nothing that could have caused the victim’s injuries.

Investigators met with Jennifer Garcia on April 13 and asked her why the victim had no marks or injuries when she took custody of him from the bus, but did when he was picked up by his mother, the statement said. She told police she had “no idea” how that happened. 

When the investigator said he didn’t believe her, Jennifer Garcia said she didn’t see it happen, the statement said. Police confronted her about inconsistencies between the story she told the victim’s mother. 

Then, Jennifer Garcia told police her 7-year-old son told her that her 5-year-old son had punched the victim after he pinched their 1-year-old niece, the statement said. She told police she wasn’t sure if it was true, as her 7-year-old son had anger problems and may have been the one who hit the victim. 

The same day, investigators interviewed Gregory Garcia, who admitted to becoming angry with the victim after he pinched Garcia’s 1-year-old niece, according to the probable cause statement. He also admitted to grabbing the victim by the neck and hitting him in the face. 

Gregory Garcia told police his wife was in the vicinity when it happened and she got in front of him to calm him down, the probable cause statement said. 

In the probable cause statement, prosecutors said they believe Jennifer Garcia told police her young sons hit the victim under the belief they would not be charged with a crime.

Gregory Garcia is scheduled to return to 3rd District Court for a waiver hearing on Oct. 2 at 9 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates. Jennifer Parkinson Garcia is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 2 at 1:30 pm. for a scheduling conference before Bates.

A fire caused extensive damage to a home in Grantsville City’s Anderson Ranch subdivision Tuesday afternoon. 

The Grantsville Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire on Bronco Court around 3:40 p.m., according to First Assistant Fire Chief Travis Daniels. When crews arrived on scene, the house was already on fire. 

Firefighters from Grantsville, North Tooele Fire District and Tooele City Fire Department responded to the fire. It took crews about a half hour to knock down the fire before crews could begin mop-up work and searching for hot spots. Firefighters used an internal and external attack to battle the blaze, which left several holes in the roof of the home. 

An investigation into the fire determined the homeowner had recently used a riding lawn mower, which was then placed in a shed against the attached garage on the home, Daniels said. The homeowner went into the house and it appears the grass clippings in the lawn mower bag spontaneously combusted, according to Daniels. 

The fire spread from the lawn mower, out of the shed and up the west-facing exterior wall of the home, Daniels said. The fire went into the attic space above the garage before spreading into the attic above the living space. 

Daniels said from the ceiling line down, there was no fire damage to the inside of the home. The family in the home was displaced by the fire but their insurance will pay for a temporary residence during repairs. 

Daniels said it could be 6 months before the displaced family will be able to return to their home.

The cost of sewer and water services in Grantsville City will increase, after the city council approved a change of rates during its meeting Wednesday night. 

The increase in the city’s water rate is the first since 1996; the sewer rate was last raised in 2014. 

Residential water users currently pay $15 for the first 7,000 gallons used, then 70 cents for each additional 1,000 gallons. The residential rate approved by the city council is now a base rate of $20.40, with the first 10,000 gallons billed at 50 cents per 1,000 gallons. 

The rate increases to $1 per 1,000 gallons from 10,001 gallons to 30,000 gallons. The price per 1,000 gallons increases to $1.50 for usage of 30,001 to 50,000 gallons, and $2 for every 1,000 gallons above 50,000 gallons used. 

A residential user who uses 8,000 gallons per month pays $15.70 under current water rates. Under the water rates passed Wednesday night, the user would pay $24.40 for the same usage. 

The city’s monthly residential sewer user fee will increase $3 to $28. The base fee for commercial users will rise to $25 from $20, with the commercial usage fee rising 25 cents to $1.75. 

Several Grantsville residents attended the meeting Wednesday and spoke out against the increase in water and sewer rates. 

Shane Ekins said his household of seven and landscaping needs could be stressed by the higher water rates. 

“I lived in West Valley for 18 years and never paid this much for water ever in my life,” Ekins said. “It’s crazy.” 

Steven Merrill said he was upset by the increase in water rates being put onto current users all at once. 

“I understand that money doesn’t come from thin air and the city has to grow,” Merrill said. “… To me, I think those numbers are a bit on the high side.” 

The water rate increase includes an annual increase of up to 2 percent each year, which will be reviewed by the city council during the budget process each year. Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall said the city council can determine to implement the increase or not every year. 

“It’s already built in so we don’t have to go through this fiasco again,” Marshall said. 

The city has been investigating a change to its water rates since 2016, when a change to state law required municipal water providers have an increasing water rate structure to encourage water conservation.

Marshall cited the city’s Main Street water and sewer project, which is expected to cost as much as $8 million, as a reason for the rate increases. In addition to the deteriorating condition of water and sewer lines, Utah Department of Transportation will place a three-year moratorium on digging up Main Street after it reconstructs the roadway in 2019. 

Marshall said the water and sewer lines under Main Street are cast iron in a variety of sizes and most were installed at least 70 years ago.

“This is the opportunity that we have to be able to fix something that is deteriorating and is constantly a maintenance nightmare,” he said. 

The city also plans to redrill the North Well, which has a deteriorating casing and dropping water levels. The redrill project is expected to cost more than $1 million. 

In addition to major projects, Grantsville City Finance Director Sherrie Broadbent said the city’s cost for electricity, labor, pipes and other utility necessities has risen since water rates were last raised more than 20 years ago. 

“Everything is costing us more than it did in 1996,” Broadbent said. 

Councilman Tom Tripp said the kind of increase in water rates shows the city has been subsidizing water costs in the city’s general budget. 

“Now we’re saying we’re going to avoid a general tax increase for water and make the people who are using more water pick up the slack,” Tripp said. “… What it’s doing right now is it’s putting the water costs back on the water user, rather than the general public who may not be using that much water.” 

Despite the rate increases passing unanimously, city council members said the changes were well-researched and difficult to make. 

“I just want everybody to know, we do not take this lightly,” said City Councilman Scott Stice. “Raising rates, raising taxes, is a serious thing. We have to look at what the reasoning is, if we’re going too much or not enough.”

City Councilwoman Krista Sparks said a potential failing of the Main Street line would be trouble for everyone in the city, but she had heartache over the increase. 

“This is a tough one,” Sparks said. “We’re going to pay the same rate as well. We’re not immune to the rates.”

City Councilman Neil Critchlow said the city council is very conservative in its approach to the city’s finances. 

“We are tightwads most of the time,” Critchlow said. “We have to do certain things to keep our city flowing the way that it’s supposed to.” 

You can’t have a Super Bowl without a little spectacle. So it was fitting that the game ball for Saturday’s Tooele County 911 Super Bowl was delivered by a University of Utah AirMed helicopter — and the delivery was performed by a veritable rock star. 

Makenna Roberts, 14, was the star of the show and the beneficiary of a new annual tradition — a charity flag football game between law enforcement and medical personnel. Makenna, who lives in Stansbury Park, was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in March. 

When Makenna disembarked the helicopter, which landed in the middle of the Stansbury High School football field, she was clutching the official game ball. She stopped for pictures with both teams prior to kickoff. 

On the sidelines, as the game began and the west bleachers neared capacity, Makenna cracked a smile. 

“It’s amazing,” she said. “It’s so cool.” 

Her father, Don Roberts, said turnout for the first-time event, in the midst of the Stansbury Days festivities, was more than he expected. 

“It’s incredibly humbling,” he said. 

Makenna’s mother, Shelli Roberts, described the support from the community for her daughter and her family as incredible. 

“It makes me want to cry,” she said. “The community has been so supportive of Makenna and everything that we’ve done … We’ve been blessed with so many prayers on our behalf, for our family and for Makenna.”

Makenna was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma on March 15, a date that sticks in the collective memories of the Roberts family. 

Ewing sarcoma is a rare form of bone cancer that is more common in teenagers and young adults, according to the Mayo Clinic. The disease most often occurs in the bones, but can also begin in soft tissue in the arms, legs or abdomen. 

Treatment for Ewing sarcoma follows the common pattern of many types of cancer, with rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Shelli Roberts said Makenna is about halfway through radiation treatments but has another year of chemotherapy ahead. 

Makenna’s battle with cancer has affected the whole Roberts family and has put their priorities into perspective, Shelli Roberts said.

“We’ve learned what’s important,” she said. “We’ve learned that our family is important and we’ve learned to roll with the punches.” 

With the adversity facing Makenna and her family, selecting the beneficiary of the first 911 Super Bowl wasn’t a difficult choice for Shelli Roberts’s co-workers at Mountain West Medical Center. Event organizer and emergency room nurse Mardi Munn said the idea for the game came first, but both teams wanted to give back to the community. 

“The medical personnel wanted to do a flag football game against law enforcement because they work together all the time,” Munn said. “But we didn’t want to just do the game, we wanted to do it for someone.” 

The idea for the game first came up during Tooele County’s high school graduations this spring, according to Munn. 

“So we really threw it together really fast,” she said. 

Despite how quickly the event came together, there was plenty to see and do throughout the evening. 

Debbie Winn, Tooele City mayor and Makenna’s grandmother, sang the national anthem. The Stansbury High School band performed throughout the game, as did cheerleaders from Tooele High and Stansbury High, and the Tooele High drill team. 

There were food trucks on site and a raffle with prizes including free skydiving, Utah Grizzlies tickets and a painting. 

Like any first-time event, it didn’t start without a few hitches, though some were beyond the control of organizers. 

The dramatic helicopter entrance featuring Makenna, for instance, came about an hour after the game was supposed to kick off. The Tooele-based medical helicopter had to respond to a call, so AirMed had to fly in another one from Bountiful to pick up Makenna and make it to the game. 

As a result of the late start, the game was shortened to 20 minute halves, down from the 30 minute halves that were originally planned. 

Despite the early hiccups, however, the Tooele County 911 Super Bowl rewarded the patient crowd with what they hoped — a football game and a couple hours of entertainment. 

 On the field, the game was a defensive struggle, featuring numerous interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. 

The law enforcement team featured representatives from Tooele City, Salt Lake City and West Valley City police departments, Tooele County Sheriff’s Office, and Utah Highway Patrol. Players on the medical team represented AirMed, Mountain West Ambulance, Mountain West Medical Center staff, and Tooele Army Depot Fire Department. The refs for the game were Salt Lake City police officers, according to Munn. 

When the dust settled on  the game, the medical team came away victorious, 13-0. Mountain West paramedic Mark Herrera said he expects the game, and experience surrounding it, to be even better next year.

“Beyond us wanting to win, of course, on both teams, I love that we were able to get everyone out here,” Herrera said. “And for this being the first year, it’s amazing to me. It gives me chills, the amount of support we have. It’s just amazing. So next year will be even better.”

While the law enforcement team didn’t manage to win, Tooele City Police Detective Jason Spencer said it was fun to play a friendly game of flag football with people they work with. 

“It’s an unfortunate loss but it’s for a good cause,” Spencer said. “I think it’s just fun to come together as a community and do this.” 

By the end of the game, the preliminary returns showed the game raised more than $3,000 for Makenna and her family. Munn said the goal is to make the Tooele County 911 Super Bowl an annual event, with a different individual, charity, or cause as the recipient.

A Grantsville man has been charged with multiple felonies after he was found to be in possession of drugs and a stolen firearm. 

Juan A. Rodas-Gonzalez, 18, is charged with second-degree felony theft by receiving stolen property, third-degree felony possession with intent to distribute a Class C substance, third-degree felony failure to stop or respond at command of police, two counts of third-degree felony possession of a firearm by a restricted person, two counts of misdemeanor tampering with evidence, and a count of misdemeanor driving with a measurable amount of a controlled substance. 

On Aug. 11, Grantsville City police pulled over a vehicle on state Route 112 for a traffic violation, according to a probable cause statement. As the vehicle was stopped, the driver, later identified as Rodas-Gonzalez, threw a glass jar of marijuana from the vehicle. 

Once stopped, Rodas-Gonzalez stepped out of the vehicle and threw a handgun, the probable cause statement. The firearm was later recovered and determined to have been stolen during a previous vehicle burglary. 

Following the traffic stop, detectives with the Tooele County Major Crimes Task Force and Grantsville City Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence in Grantsville, the statement said. During the search, detectives located other stolen property linked to other vehicle burglaries around Tooele County.

Investigators also found 10 ounces of marijuana, money and drug paraphernalia consistent with the distribution and sale of controlled substances, according to the probable cause statement. 

It is believed that Rodas-Gonzales is responsible for multiple vehicle burglaries throughout Tooele County and the investigation is ongoing, according to the Tooele County Sheriff’s Office. 

Rodas-Gonzalez is scheduled to make his appearance in 3rd District Court Tuesday at 9 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates.

A fire burned over 4 acres of land on the Stockton Bar Friday evening, but was quickly brought under control by firefighters. 

The fire was sparked by a lightning strike, according to Stockton Fire Chief Justin Huffman, and was reported shortly after 8 p.m. 

Stockton Fire Department brought multiple brush trucks and an engine for structure protection, according to Huffman. Tooele Army Depot, Rush Valley and Tooele City fire departments also responded to the fire, as well as Tooele County Fire Warden and a crew from the federal Bureau of Land Management. 

When the fire started, there were high wind conditions that pushed the fire toward homes in the Rawhide subdivision, Huffman said. A brief, heavy rain storm rolled in shortly after the fire began, which helped firefighters knock down the fire, he said.

Mop up operations on the fire took an additional two hours and the fire was watched overnight by Walton and the BLM crew. The fire was declared as totally controlled in the morning.

A former Grantsville High School football coach apologized to his victims and the community during sentencing Monday afternoon in 3rd District Court. 

A subdued Ware, 49, read from a prepared statement during sentencing before Judge Matthew Bates. He called his actions inappropriate and said he will work to be a better husband and father. 

“Today, I take full responsibility for my actions,” Ware said. 

In a defendant’s statement, Ware admitted to improperly touching a victim under her clothing on one occasion and directing the victims to send semi-nude photos to him.

One of Ware’s victims, and the mother of the other, spoke prior to the sentence being handed down. The victim who spoke said Ware used every opportunity to discredit her allegations against him and she was harassed and bullied by people at Grantsville High School and in the community.

“He took advantage of me when I was most vulnerable,” she said.  

The victim said she is still scared to drive by Ware’s house and she was surprised he admitted to the abuse. 

Deputy Tooele County Attorney Gary Searle said he hoped the victims would be able to move forward with counseling and therapy, and that he believed Ware took accountability for his actions in the plea deal. 

Searle said he was shocked by how quickly some people in the community picked sides regarding Ware’s innocence after the allegations came to light. He said they came after the victims, Grantsville City Police Department and the county attorney’s office. 

“As a community, Grantsville did come after people,” Searle said. “… That community should be ashamed.”

Before sentencing Ware, Bates said there is a wealth of studies that recognize youth are impressionable. He highlighted the fact Ware was approximately 30 years older than his victims and in a position of trust as a teacher and football coach. 

“What happened in this case was a gross abuse of that position,” Bates said. 

Bates said he hoped the members of the community critical of the victims stand corrected and realize Ware admitted his guilt in the plea deal.

Ware was sentenced for misdemeanor unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17-year-old, two misdemeanor counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor, and, in a separate case, misdemeanor tampering with a witness. 

The jail time for each of the charges — one year each — was suspended by Bates, and he was sentenced to 60 months probation and credit for the 499 days served in jail. Ware is required to complete 120 hours of community service in the next year and register as a Group B sex offender. 

Bates also required a zero tolerance policy regarding no contact with the victims or their families. He also forbade Ware from speaking about the victims to anyone, either in person or online. 

Grantsville City police arrested Ware in September 2016 after they were notified of alleged misconduct involving Ware and a juvenile female student, according to a probable cause statement. 

Ware was hired as an assistant football coach at Stansbury High School in September 2009 through December 2010. He was hired as an assistant football coach at GHS on August 2011 and transferred to the same position at SHS in April 2014.

Ware was hired as the GHS football head coach in February 2015 and was hired as a special education, long-term substitute teacher August 2015.

A Taylorsville man is facing felony charges after he allegedly punched a gas station employee following a robbery.

Helamen Tuakalau Makalio, 25, is charged with first-degree felony aggravated robbery, second-degree felony aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury and misdemeanor theft. 

Tooele City police officers were dispatched to the Maverik convenience store on 2000 North at approximately 2 a.m. on Aug. 15, according to a probable cause statement. A witness called dispatch and advised three male suspects had entered the store and stole several packs of beer. 

The cashier at the convenience store followed the men outside to attempt to obtain the license plate number of the vehicle, the statement said. One of the suspects, later identified as Makalio, got out of the vehicle and punched the cashier several times, breaking his nose and knocking out several of his teeth.

A witness followed the vehicle to an address near the intersection of 930 N. 680 West, where three men exited the vehicle and entered the home, the probable cause statement said. Officers contacted the homeowner who said several men were in the residence and sleeping, but denied officers entry to the home. 

Officers returned to the address and met with the homeowner at 4 a.m., the statement said. After being shown video surveillance from the robbery, the homeowner confirmed the identity of Makalio and another suspect. 

After providing a search warrant, officers were able to locate five packs of beer in the residence and clothing matching the description worn by one of the suspects. 

Later that day, Makalio turned himself over at the police department, according to the probable cause statement. He admitted to the robbery and said they were fleeing the store when they were confronted by a man who told them they shouldn’t have stolen the beer. 

Makalio told police he had been drunk and decided to punch the man who followed them from the store, along with another suspect. 

When asked to identify the other suspects, Makalio told police he wouldn’t give them any names, the statement said. 

Makalio made his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Monday, where his bail was set at $10,000 and he was assigned an attorney. He is scheduled to return to court for scheduling conference on Aug. 28 at 9 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates. 

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A Tooele man has been charged with a felony after he allegedly sexually abused an underage victim. 

Miguel A. Moreno, 38, is charged with first-degree felony aggravated sexual abuse of a child. 

Tooele City police were assigned a sexual abuse case involving a victim younger than 12 years old on Aug. 9, according to a probable cause statement. The incident was reported to have taken place the evening of June 15, or early June 16, at Moreno’s home on Coleman Street. 

The victim was sleeping at Moreno’s residence when the alleged abuse happened, the statement said. Moreno was known to the victim and in a position of trust. 

Tooele City police investigators witnessed an interview with the victim, who said they were asleep in a bunk bed when Moreno entered the bedroom and stood alongside the bed, according to the statement. The victim said Moreno rubbed their genitals for several minutes and they felt stressed and wondered why something like that would happen. 

Following the alleged sexual abuse, the victim said they texted their father, the statement said. The victim texted their father to say Moreno touched them and they wanted to leave the residence. 

Investigators were able to see the text messages the victim sent their father the night of the alleged incident, according to the probable cause statement. 

On Aug. 14, Moreno was interviewed at the Tooele City Police Department and admitted to entering the bedroom, the statement said. He said he moved a blanket to cover the victim while in the room and said it was possible he touched the victim inappropriately at that time. 

Moreno made his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Tuesday before Judge Matthew Bates. During the appearance, Moreno’s bail was set at $100,000 and he was assigned a public defender. 

Moreno is scheduled to return to court for a scheduling conference on Aug. 28 at 9 a.m. before Bates.