Utah

Aug 13, 2008 -- SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman announced today that the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Department of Commerce are actively monitoring and analyzing Utah gas prices. In the most recent AAA gas report, the State's average price for unleaded gasoline was third highest in the nation.

"Gas prices are hitting everyone hard. As the rest of the country is seeing some relief from exorbitant gas prices, gas retailers in Utah have not shown Utahns a commensurate decrease at the pumps here at home," said Governor Huntsman. "We are asking these state agencies to monitor the situation within their enforcement powers to make sure Utahns are not being taken advantage of."    » read more »

First High Performance Building, State Energy Efficiency Initiative Report Released

Jun 03, 2008 -- Orem, UT - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman previewed the construction of the new energy efficient Digital Learning Center at Utah Valley State College today. The Digital Learning Center at UVSC is expected to save nearly $100,000 per year in utility costs and reduce energy consumption by 2,000,000 kWh, or the equivalent of removing 140 cars from our roads.

The Digital Learning Center is the first building using the State's new High Performance Building Standards. The estimated increase in energy efficiency is 65 to 90 percent better than a similar building built by today's code. This is a significant step in the State's efforts to improve energy efficiency in our state buildings.    » read more »

May 28, 2008 -- Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers today announced a settlement reached with iMergent, Inc., and its subsidiary, Storesonline, Inc., both Delaware-based companies operating out of Utah, for alleged violations of Oregon's Unlawful Trade Practices Act. In an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC) filed in Marion County Circuit Court, the company agrees to comply with state consumer protection laws and resolve any future complaints.    » read more »

Salt Lake City - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman has directed the Division of State Parks and Recreation to not move forward in negotiating an easement that would allow needed access for a proposed project on the east shore of Bear Lake, citing grave concerns for the well-being of the region.

Bear Lake, Utah: Photo by hanacy (CC)    » read more »

Salt Lake City - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman decided Tuesday to direct Bill Sinclair, who represents Utah on the Northwest Interstate Low-Level Waste Compact, to vote against any proposals for foreign nuclear waste to come in to Utah. The issue is on the Compact's May 8 agenda.

Skull Valley, Utah: Photo by Rylan S L (CC)    » read more »

April 16, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Interior Secretary, Dirk Kempthorne, and Jim Caswell, the Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), asking that they take all possible steps to protect the wilderness areas of southern Utah. The Utah BLM is developing plans which could open up three million acres of roadless land to mechanized vehicles and oil and gas development.

Tony Grove, Logan Canyon, Utah: Photo by mbush_utah (CC)    » read more »

Chicago, IL - Utah Democratic Party Chair and Democratic superdelegate Wayne Holland has endorsed Barack Obama, citing his ability to energize the Democratic Party and plan to strengthen the economy.

"Sen. Obama has helped to energize our State Party," said Holland. "Obama was clearly the choice of Utah Democrats on Feb. 5 and is the choice of the majority of Utah Democratic candidates to head the ticket in November."

Barack Obama in Bloomington, Indiana: Photo by Barack Obama campaign (CC)    » read more »

March 19, 2008 -- Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff wants to let some sunshine in on government records and meetings. The Attorney General’s Office has created “The Open Book,” a 27-page pocket-sized handbook to help answer questions on open records and open meetings.

“The Open Book is my commitment to the idea that open government is better government,” Shurtleff wrote in the preface. “It is my hope that The Open Book will help everyone make sure the public’s business is conducted in public.”

The Open Book has a simple question and answer format designed to help journalists, public officials and ordinary citizens. The handbook answers questions like:

● Can a meeting be held without people being in the same room?    » read more »

Utah Receives Highest Grade in National State Management Report Card

Salt Lake City - The State of Utah has been named the best managed state in the nation, based on the most authoritative and respected review of States, the Pew Center on States' 2008 report. Utah's top spot with the highest grade point average is an improvement over the State's previous No. 2 ranking.    » read more »

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008, SALT LAKE CITY – Attorney Dennis B. Evanson of Sandy, Utah, was convicted on tax and fraud charges after a two week jury trial, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. Investment broker Wayne F. DeMeester of Sammamish, Washington was acquitted of all counts.

Evanson, along with his co-conspirators, were indicted in November 2005 for conspiring to defraud the United States and to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. Evanson was also charged with tax evasion and assisting in the filing of false tax returns.    » read more »

February 12, 2008 -- Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has agreed to pay $22.7 million plus interest to settle claims that it defrauded state Medicaid programs by illegally inflating drug prices. Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced today that the Utah Medicaid Program has received a check for $66,955 from the settlement. The remaining money is being split between the federal government, District of Columbia and 37 other states.    » read more »

February 7, 2008 -- The manufacturer of Zocor, Vioxx and Pepcid will pay Utah $2,256,337 for failing to give rebates to the state Medicaid program. Merck is paying a total of $649 million as part of two separate global settlements involving 49 states and the federal government.

“Merck is paying a great price for failing to be fair to taxpayers. I hope this will send a loud message to all pharmaceutical companies to play fair and pay up in the first place,” says Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.    » read more »

February 6, 2008 -- The founder and president of VesCor Capital was charged today with nine felonies for allegedly bilking 817 investors out of an estimated $140 million. The Utah Attorney General’s Office charged Val E. Southwick with nine second-degree felony counts of securities fraud for his involvement in a commercial real estate investment scheme.    » read more »

January 24, 2008 -- Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is giving high praise today to the Utah Supreme Court for adopting the state’s first reporter privilege rule. The Utah Supreme Court adopted the draft of Rule 509 Reporter Privilege, a proposal that had been supported by the Attorney General. Shurtleff has been working with legislators, prosecutors, journalists and the Supreme Court for the past two and a half years to come up with a workable and reasonable rule that would allow reporters to protect confidential informants.    » read more »

Utah Joins Multi-State Effort to Track Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Salt Lake City - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman is pleased to announce today that five Utah businesses and two government entities have joined the state to be among the first to sign up for The Climate Registry, a multi-state initiative that tracks greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.    » read more »