Chris Holmes

St. George police responded last week on a report of counterfeit money. The victim sold a motorcycle to the suspect and was paid with counterfeit $100 bills.

The suspect is described as a white male, 5' 7" tall, slender build, dark hair, and between the ages of 25 - 35 years old. He was driving an 80s model full-size blue van with a spare tire mounted on the back door. The name "Rambo" is written in red lettering across the front hood.

The Utah Shakespeare Festival has announced its largest gift in the theater company's history. The $5 million gift from the Engelstad Family Foundation of Las Vegas will go toward the proposed construction of a new theater.

Festival executive director R. Scott Phillips says the gift puts the project closer to groundbreaking by the end of 2013. Funding for the proposed $25.5 million facility now sits at about $24 million.

Sponsoring representative Patrick Painter of Nephi warns that the day will come with Utah will wish it did otherwise. Notwithstanding, fellow lawmakers shot down Painter's proposal to help fund a Lake Powell to St. George water pipeline by earmarking a portion of state sales taxes.

Under Painter's proposal, the state would set aside a portion of state sales tax to help pay for the $1 billion project. Water users would then repay the state for the loan.

Today on Access Utah is a rebroadcast of Wednesday night's House 2nd Congressional District debate on the Southern Utah University campus, in conjunction with the Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service. UPR Southern Utah Correspondent Chris Holmes moderates with Eric Kirby, Director of the Leavitt Center.   

 The candidates include: 

During the Great Recession Utah's institutions of higher learning generally saw significant increases as out-of-work individuals flocked to college campuses, and as students, unable to secure employment, decided to remain in school.

Southern Utah University was the exception, where enrollment dropped during the economic downturn, presumably as parents elected to save housing expenses by sending their students to commuter schools closer to home.

Using fingerprints and photos taken by motion activated wildlife cameras, authorities identified Troy James Knapp, a 45-year-old burglary fugitive from California, as the man responsible for a string of mountain cabin burglaries in southern Utah.

Kane County filed charges against Knapp earlier this year. Now Iron County has issued charges of its own, including four felony counts of burglary.

Rangers in Grand Canyon National Park are searching for 76-year-old Yoshikazu Yamada, a Japanese national who was last seen waiting to get on a commercial tour bus near Bright Angel Lodge nearly a week ago.

Yamada had been traveling with a companion and failed to board the bus Saturday afternoon. His companion reported him missing.

Mr. Yamada is 5'6" tall, weights 150 lbs, and has grey hair, brown eyes and wears glasses. He was last seen wearing a grey short sleeve button down short, light brown photography vest, black tennis shoes, and a brown sun hat.

It was a tumultuous and even deadly fire season throughout the state and it appears that Utah can add one more wildfire to the tally.

According to officials from the Color Country Interagency Fire management team, the Roundabout Fire has burned over 2,400 acres between Cedar City and Minersville.

The fire continues to grow in an area characterized by pinion, juniper, and grasses. As of Tuesday evening the fire was only 20% contained.

Nearly a year after a massive landslide closed SR-14 east of Cedar City, construction on the Restore 14 Project is complete. State Route 14 will continue to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

UDOT announced that that Wednesday, September 26, would mark the final day of construction, although workers are still clearing equipment from the area and mopping up the operation.

On October 8 of last year a major landslide wiped out a 1,000-foot plus section of the critical connector between Interstate 15 and US Highway 89.

A former Parowan police chief intends to sue the city claiming he was forced into retirement in 2011.

Preston Griffiths served as Parowan's chief of police for over 20 years. His sudden retirement came when Griffiths was charged with obstruction of justice and official misconduct after he shot and killed a Parowan resident's dog.

Griffiths initially denied shooting the dog, but later admitted to it.

In the notice of the claim, Griffiths says he shot the dog only after the dog attacked him. He does not give a reason for initially lying about the incident.