TOOELETRANSCRIPT S T C BULLETIN S THURSDAY June 10, 2021 www.TooeleOnline.com Vol. 128 No. 4 $1.00 State of Utah bans open fires, fireworks SHUTTERSTOCK Tooele High school’s student government leaders are asking for drug testing for extracurricular activities. THS students ask for mandatory drug testing TIM GILLIE affected every athletic team and EDITOR extracurricular activity,” said the Tooele High school’s student student leaders. government says there is a drug The two student leaders told problem at their school and the school board that students they’re asking the school board to are losing long time friends “to a help them end it. seemingly inescapable addiction Brock Beer, THS 2021 Student to drugs.” Senate Leader and Luke Wilson, Drug use has created an unsafe THS 2021 student body presi- learning environment and drug dent, presented a bill approved by use at the school has created a Tooele High School’s student sen- reputation that THS students are ate to the school board on Tuesday avid drug users, the student lead- night. ers told the school board. The bill asks the Tooele County The Student senate passed the School Board to approve manda- bill in 2020 with a 24-0 vote, how- tory drug testing for participation ever due to COVID-19 they were in extracurricular activities and unable to follow up on the bill. sports. “Drug use and abuse has SEE TESTING PAGE A7 ® FILE PHOTO A pyrocumulus cloud over the Green Ravine fire in the Oquirrh Mountains east of Lake Point in 2019. State officials have issued an order Officer appointed to be prohibiting open fires and fireworks on state lands and unincorporated private lands as the 2021 drought and heat continue to dry things out. next Tooele City chief Prohibition includes state lands and CEILLY SUTTON all unincorporated private lands STAFF WRITER Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn has appointed Tooele City Police TIM GILLIE Capt. Adrian Day to succeed Chief EDITOR Ron Kirby upon Kirby’s retirement The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands has in July. issued two orders that prohibit open fires and fireworks In April, Tooele City Police on all state lands and all unincorporated private lands Chief Ron Kirby announced his throughout the state. retirement from the department The state ban for unincorporated private lands includes after 23 years as chief. the unincorporated areas of Tooele County, including — This sprung the mayor into but not limited to — Stansbury Park, Lake Point, Erda, action and she began looking for a and Pine Canyon, according to Randy Willden, chief of the FILE PHOTO new chief. North Tooele Fire District. The state has issued a prohibition on fireworks on state owned Winn announced her decision Restrictions in incorporated towns and cities are deter- lands and all unincorporated private lands. Persons with a display on June 4. She appointed Day to mined by each local government. operator license issued by the state Fire Marshal’s Office and any succeed Kirby on July 7, when the Adrian Day One fire restriction order issued by the state prohibits required local permits are exempt. decision will be before the City open fires of any kind on state lands and in unincorporat- Council for final ratification. “Many citizens have told me ed areas — except within established facilities in improved Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, trailer or Day decided to apply to become how they were helped by our campgrounds or day-use areas on public lands or fires in building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in the next police chief because of response and why they feel we permanently constructed fire pits at permanent private the inspirational work of Chief dwellings served by pressurized running water. SEE FIREWORKS PAGE A5 ® Kirby, he said. SEE OFFICER PAGE A8 ® April unemployment at 2.8% Unemployment, U.S, Utah, Tooele United States Utah Tooele County 9.1% ‘whopping’ job growth in Tooele County 7% 6% TIM GILLIE The April 2020 unemploy- Utah’s economy,” reported EDITOR ment rate in Tooele County Mark Knold, chief economist at 5% Tooele County’s unemploy- reached 10.1%. It immediately the Department of Workforce ment rate fell to 2.8% in April started to decrease, dropping Services. “Evaluating this 4% 2021, according to a report to 7.9% in May 2020 and con- year’s open economy against from the Department of tinuing to decline from there. last year’s partially closed Workforce Services. While unemployment is low, economy does not illuminate 3% April 2020 was the month the pandemic is still affecting Utah’s underlying economic that statewide unemployment Tooele County’s labor force. progression. We will be bet- 2% numbers increased due to pan- “A year ago, COVID-19 Nov 2020 Dec 2020 Jan 2021 Feb 2021 March 2021 April 2021 demic closures. closed significant portions of SEE UNEMPLOYMENT PAGE A7 ® BULLETIN BOARD B5 CLASSIFIEDS B7 Watch your step OBITUARIES A6 CORONAVIRUS TRACKER See A4 Data as of June 10, 2021. Source: Utah Department of Health TOOELE COUNTY- Known Cases: 7,526 UTAH- Known Cases: 408,741 Hospitalizations: 238 • Deaths: 44 Hospitalizations: 17,038 • Deaths: 2,319 A2 TOOELE TRANSCRIPT BULLETIN THURSDAY June 10, 2021 New daycare in old Harris Elementary 26-child day care proposed by Housing Authority CEILLY SUTTON residential with eight dwelling units per STAFF WRITER acre allowed in the zone. A new daycare may be coming to the old All of the surrounding properties are Harris Elementary building located at 251 zoned R1-7 single-family residential, with N. First Street in Tooele City. some non-conforming zones, explained During the Tooele City Planning Aagard. Commission meeting on Wednesday evening The applicant submitted a site plan to the the potential new daycare was discussed. Tooele Planning Commission which Aagard COURTESY UTAH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Andrew Aagard, city planner, presenting explained to them. UDOT reports that paving work on state Route 138 is ahead of schedule. the request by DeAnn Christensen, with the If approved, the daycare would be 3,000 Tooele County Housing Authority. square feet, have 26 children, and 20 park- Aagard explained that the Tooele County ing stalls south of the building. Housing Authority would be applying for a During the meeting a public hearing was conditional use permit to open the daycare held but no comments were made. UDOT project updates in the building. At the end of the discussion, all mem- “The conditional use permit would autho- bers of the planning commission voted to rize a commercial daycare to be conducted approve the daycare’s conditional use per- State Routes 112 and 138 getting some attention 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during non- on the property,” Aagard said. mit. commute times. The property is zoned R1-8 multi-family [email protected] CEILLY SUTTON 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” the UDOT One lane will be open to one STAFF WRITER press release states. “Drivers direction of travel at a time, Work on three Utah can expect uneven pavement with one-way flagging opera- Department of Transportation surfaces and up to 15-minute tions, according to the press projects is ongoing this sum- delays when traveling through release. mer. UDOT warns against road the area.” Drivers can expect up to and lane closures, as well as UDOT said that drivers 15-minute delays and travel on delays. are advised to take alternate uneven pavement surfaces. Paving work on SR-138 is routes, such as SR-36, SR-112 Area residents and busi- ahead of schedule and will be and I-80 during this work. nesses can expect temporary completed soon, according to a The SR-112/600 West inter- intermittent closures of side press release from UDOT. section in Tooele City will be streets for up to 20 minutes as Crews are currently pav- closed from June 25 to June 27 paving work passes through ing the road where SR-138 due to repaving work. the intersections. and SR-112 intersect by the The SR-112/ 200 W. inter- “Travelers, area residents, Maverik in Grantsville. section will be closed from July and businesses can expect To reduce traffic-related 9 to July 11, also due to repav- construction-related noise, noise for area residents, crews ing work. dust, and minor traffic delays,” have been permanently remov- “One-way flagging opera- UDOT wrote. ing the rumble strips along tions will be in place,” UDOT Those interested in learn- SR-138 between SR-36 and wrote in the press release. ing more about UDOT proj- Castle Rock Drive, according to “Drivers can expect delays ects happening now can the press release. when traveling through the visit the UDOT Tooele Valley “Brief, intermittent land area and are encouraged to Construction Projects Facebook closures for permanent strip- use alternate routes such as page, email SR112andSR138@ ing, utility work, and signage SR-138, SR-36, and I-80.” utah.gov, or call 435-213- CLAYTON DUNN/TTB PHOTO installation are scheduled to Work on SR-112 is expected 1637. Engine #11 sits outside Tooele City’s Tooele Valley Museum near Vine and Broadway streets. The city is celebrat- ing the engine’s 111th birthday on Friday. occur on weekdays during to continue through the fall. [email protected] non-commute times between The work will go on from Engine 11 at the Tooele Valley Museum turns 111 Grantsville Council wants CEILLY SUTTON city manager on board soon STAFF WRITER On Friday, Tooele City is throwing a birthday party at the Tooele Valley Museum for to learn from current mayor engine 11 — the oldest train engine in the county.