According to a statement from the Summit County Sheriff’s office, deputies responded to reports of a fight at 3:30 a.m. in the Pinebrook neighborhood in the Basin.

"Upon arrival, deputies located an adult male who had a life-threatening stab wound to the abdomen and had a deep cut on his leg," the report said.

The victim, whose name was not released, was transported to the University of Utah Medical Center and is in stable condition as of Friday afternoon.

Summit County Detective Sergeant Ron Bridge said the man suspected in the stabbing is Salt Lake City resident Patrick Ryan Flaherty, 26. Neither Flaherty nor the victim lived at the location of the party in Pinebrook and were visiting a friend.

According to the statement, the victim and Flaherty got into a verbal argument and as the fight escalated, Flaherty used a kitchen knife to stab the victim and then ran away on foot. Flaherty was contacted by deputies on the phone but refused to turn himself in.

"We figured out some locations where we thought the suspect may go after he fled," Bridge said. "We locked down his car and put surveillance at his place of work in lower Pinebrook. When he snuck into his work, we saw him and brought him into custody."

Bridge added that Flaherty did not sustain any injuries in the fight with the victim or while being taken into custody. He was booked into jail for felony attempted murder, possession of cocaine and criminal mischief, according to the statement.

-Sarah Moffitt

The post Man stabbed in Pinebrook appeared first on Park Record.

According to Utah Highway Patrol Corporal Todd Johnson, shortly after midnight on June 20, a male was driving under the influence of alcohol on U.S. 40 and drove the wrong direction onto the westbound I-80 on-ramp and hit a car head on.

"After hitting the first vehicle, the suspect then hit a second car, a truck, which became pinned against the wall," Johnson said. "Three other cars turning the corner and entering the on-ramp crashed into each other and the vehicles that were already stopped on the ramp."

Johnson said that the suspect was transported to a hospital in the Park City area and immediately released. He was then booked into jail for DUI charges. Further charges may be pressed against him as the investigation continues.

The other drivers involved in the accident sustained minor injuries, according to Johnson, but no one was transported to the hospital. Sections of the on-ramp were closed for several hours after the accident but Johnson said traffic was only minimally impacted.

More information will be posted at www.swiftcharge.net when it becomes available.

The post Drunk driver causes five car pile-up appeared first on Park Record.

"Negative things including DUIs, parties and sexual assault can be avoided if we keep people who are underage from drinking," Edmunds said. "Kids and alcohol do not mix."

In an effort to be proactive this graduation season, the Sheriff’s office has instituted a "shoulder tap" program to stop people from selling alcohol to minors.

The Sheriff’s department has hired underage kids to try to try to purchase alcohol from establishments, including restaurants and liquor stores, and to ask strangers to purchase alcohol for them.

Edmunds said they have hired teenagers to take part in the program.

"Due to interviews we have conducted, we know this is one way children are getting alcohol," Edmunds said. "We are hoping this will verify that employees are trained to not sell alcohol to minors and also make sure that residents know to not buy alcohol for minors."

Edmunds called the method "creative" and said it is common practice in other jurisdictions.

"The state actually partially funds projects like this," he said. "We take a hard stance involving underage drinking in Summit County. Kids have been successful buying alcohol this way and we want to stop it."

focusing on the people who provide alcohol for minors, Edmunds said the Sheriff’s department hopes to make it harder for kids to acquire alcohol and reduce the amount of underage drinking incidents that occur during high school graduation and the summer.

The post ‘Shoulder tap’ program introduced appeared first on Park Record.

According to Trails Project Manager for Basin Recreation Senta Beyer, the district is now back in front of the planning commission trying to figure out exactly what code guidelines Basin Recreation has to comply with when building trailhead parking.

"We have land we want to buy near Highland Estates so that we can put in parking spaces with access to Round Valley and we want to build trailhead parking near the Utah Olympic Park," Beyer said. "We want to be able to take cars off of the street and make it easier for people to access the trails, but with all the confusion surrounding the parking code, we are continuously delayed."

Last fall, some Summit Park residents complained about a dirt parking lot Basin Recreation had built, which led the planning commission to realize there was nothing in the County Code allowing for trailhead parking. The County Council created a code amendment to allow Basin Recreation to build trailhead parking after they go through a conditional use permit process and hold a public hearing.

Summit County Planner Amir Caus said some unforeseen side effects resulted from the code amendment, including the necessity for landscaping and open space.

"The recreation district is trying to figure out a way so that each of their parking lots can have different styles and be held to different standards," Caus said. "The Planning Commission has given the planning staff some direction on creating wording that addresses different parking lots, locations and material but there is still a lot to work out."

Beyer said that under the current code, Basin Recreation is mostly limited to 10 parking spots at each trailhead.

"Some of our really popular trails need a lot more space than that," she said. "Otherwise, people block the road and create chaos. We want each lot to have its own process. If the trailhead parking is in a neighborhood, we will do landscaping. If it is only a few spots near open space, we want to leave it alone."

Beyer added that Basin Recreation is waiting to purchase additional land for trailhead parking or construct parking lots until the process is worked out.

"We were hoping to have a few more trailheads by this summer, but now we need to get the code amended and then go through the CUP process for each trail," Beyer said. " the looks of it, we may not be able to add any parking until the winter. We have always done our due diligence with trailheads and want to continue to do so, but the drawn out process is getting frustrating."

The post Trailhead parking still an issue appeared first on Park Record.

According to Utah Highway Patrol Corporal Todd Johnson, a large piece of lumber fell off the back of another semi-truck traveling eastbound on I-80 around 9 p.m. A second semi-truck swerved to avoid the piece of lumber, crossed the median, traversing three westbound lanes, and flipped.

"No other cars were involved which is very surprising," Johnson said. "The lumber truck was pulled over about six miles further down the road and the driver will probably be cited for failure to secure a load."

The two occupants of the vehicle that crashed, a male and female, were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, Johnson said, adding that both were expected to recover. Their names have not yet been released.

Johnson said that the semi-truck began to leak fuel after it rolled but crews were able to contain it. Portions of east-and westbound lanes were blocked for two and a half hours as crews worked to clean up the debris and remove the truck.

The post Semi-truck rolls on Interstate 80 appeared first on Park Record.

A young girl was killed and her mother critically injured in a one-car rollover on U.S. 40 near Silver Creek Junction Monday afternoon. The two are refugees from Myanmar who live in Heber. Three other passengers in the car were also injured.

The accident occurred at 4 p.m. at the U.S. 40 and Interstate 80 intersection near Silver Creek Junction. According to a press release from the Utah Highway Patrol, five residents of Heber City were in the Saturn sedan when it veered off the road and vaulted into a culvert before rolling once. MuLa Er, of Heber City, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Utah Highway Patrol Corporal Todd Johnson. Hsar Kpaw Doh was taken by AirMed to the University of Utah hospital and remains in critical condition as of Tuesday morning. Me Htwe is also in critical condition at a Salt Lake City hospital. Tar Eh, the driver of the vehicle, is in serious condition and Way T Htoo sustained minor injuries, according to Johnson.

MuLa Er and her mother, Hsar Kpaw Doh, were refugees from Myanmar who had lived in Heber since the summer, according to Jeff Judd, principal at Rocky Mountain Middle School where MuLa Er was an eight grader.

"They were from the Karen Tribe which are enemies of the state in Myanmar," Judd said. "MuLa and her family have lived in a refugee camp in Thailand for 20 years since they cannot go back to their country. There is a large community of Karen people in Salt Lake City and we think they were coming back from visiting them."

Judd added that MuLa Er has a brother in fifth grade and a father who were not involved in the accident. Her family worked at a laundry facility in Heber that provides services for Park City hotels.

"They literally came with the shirts on their backs a few months ago and were just so grateful to be here," Judd said. "MuLa and the other 30 refugee students we have at our school are phenomenal students who sometimes surpass our other students in language class because they have such a drive to learn."

MuLa Er was described as an eager middle schooler who was enrolled in language acquisition classes.

"This is a real tragedy because they waited so long in the refugee camp to be able to come here and start a new life," Judd said. "Her parents were already involved in the process to become citizens."

The Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the accident. Johnson said Tar Eh was the only occupant of the vehicle believed to be wearing a seatbelt.

"As of now, we do not know what all the factors may have been," Johnson said. "We are still trying to determine that and speak with the occupants of the vehicle. We think speed was a contributing factor in the crash but we do not know how fast they were traveling."

U.S. 40 eastbound was closed for three hours following the accident, according to Highway Patrol.

Rocky Mountain Middle School will start a fund to help MuLa Er’s family pay for funeral expenses. For updated information on how to help visit www.swiftcharge.net.

The post One dead after rollover on U.S. 40 appeared first on Park Record.

Robinson was elected to the County Council in 2009 and said what he has learned in the past three years will help him represent the best interests of the Wasatch Back on Capitol Hill.

"I understand county government and I think I have worked hard and done my best to serve Summit County," he said. "I will be bringing a skill set to the table that includes an understanding of a lot of issues that the Legislature has to deal with often such as land use, natural resources and legal matters. I think the Park City and Wasatch Back area deserves direct representation."

Robinson is the CEO and co-owner of The Ensign Group L.L.C. which owns and operates farms and ranches throughout Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. They use the land for agriculture, mineral development, water resources and real estate development.

With his understanding of natural resources and agriculture, Robinson said he wants to focus on Utah’s long-term sustainability.

"We can’t sacrifice the golden goose in the long run for short-term economic gain," Robinson said. "We need to be good stewards of the land and focus on the drivers that will support an economy based on outdoor recreation and the environment."

If elected, Robinson also hopes to bring education reform to the State House.

"In the last several years, Utah has slipped in the educational standings and we need to promote and fund post-high school education and career path assessments. We need to make some changes in our education standards from kindergarten upwards to remain competitive, especially in science and math, which can drive a lot of industry to Utah," he said.

Robinson was born in Salt Lake City and moved to Summit County in 1998. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and is currently vice-chair of The Nature Conservancy of Utah.

"I interned in the Capitol Building in 1984 and have always been intrigued by it," he said. "As a County Councilmember I became involved in legislation and decided this was a good fit for me. I value reaching a consensus and bridge building more than politics and put the best interest of the county or country ahead of political parties."

If elected, Robinson would begin his term in January of 2013 and resign from the County Council in December of 2012, two years before his term ends. District 54 is currently represented by Kraig Powell (R-Heber City) and encompasses Wasatch County, Duchesne County and portions of Uinta County. The new district boundaries will take effect in January of 2013 when the new representatives take office.

The post Summit County Councilmember announces run for House appeared first on Park Record.

According to Lindsey Wolff, communications coordinator of the Utah Olympic Park, the celebration will feature the grand opening of Silver Bean Coffee Café, which is owned and operated by Olympian Shannon Burke, silver medalist in the women’s freestyle event at the 2002 Olympics.

"There will be the opportunity for guests to meet Olympic athletes from the 2002 games and get their autographs. They will have the opportunity to explore our 2002 Olympic Museum and watch athletes training on our multi-sport hills, as well," Wolff said.

The celebration will be held from 5-6 p.m. on Feb. 9 at the Utah Olympic Park and is free and open to the community.

The post UOP to celebrate 10-year Olympic anniversary appeared first on Park Record.

When the Summit County Council approved the 2012 budget in December a building department position along with two positions in animal control were cut. Since one building staffer was retiring no one was laid off, but the department is smaller.

Three Summit County builders and contractors appeared before the County Council on Wednesday and said the county’s expense-saving measure was costing them.

"There is not enough staff in the building to carry out the amount of building inspections we need done in a timely manner," said Richard Jaffa, a Park City-area builder. "The staff is expected to do plan checks, run the building department and complete continuing education programs and they can’t keep up."

But according to Summit County Community Development Director Don Sargent, four years ago, the turnaround time for building plan checks was four weeks; it is now almost always done in less than 10 days.

"We have half of the building inspectors we did in 2009 and just as many projects to inspect," Sargent said. "We have also moved the process online which we think will streamline things and save our staff time, but there is going to be a learning curve for both staff members and those using the site."

The building department has two employees in the office and three designated for field work.

Scott Stubbs, president of the Legacy Construction Group, said they were not there to attack the council members for their decision, but simply to find a way to make the system work since they were the ones affected by the decision.

"We are scared it may get worse," he said. "Some ways to make it work better for the building community, despite the lack of staff members would be to have one inspector on a house throughout the entire process."

Another suggestion was to give out the cell phone numbers of the inspectors so builders could check what time they would be showing up and not wait at a construction site all day.

Councilmember Sally Elliott reminded the builders that the budget had already been approved and suggested the county staff and building community work together to find creative ways to work within the confines of county’s limited budget.

Building inspections should not be rushed due to limited staff, Jaffa said. Adding that by cutting additional building staff, the County Council hurt the people that live in the community and are creating jobs.

The post Cut position creating hardship for building community appeared first on Park Record.

Councilmembers are examining the possibility of placing a cemetery on the 400-acre PRI parcel in Kimball Junction, adjacent to the soon-to-be-built Boyer Research Park. Councilmember Sally Elliott said that part of the deal in acquiring the PRI parcel through a voter-approved open space bond was to establish a cemetery district in the area.

"There is no cemetery for Basin residents now that Park City closed theirs to non-Park City residents," Elliott said. "As we were negotiating the deal for the PRI parcel it was presumed a portion of it would be available for this use."

Max Greenhalgh, Executive Director of the Basin Open Space Advisory Committee (BOSAC), said he was surprised the council has put the cemetery issue on the "front burner" and that they were already examining possible locations.

"The use agreement for the property does allow for a cemetery," he said. "But we are trying to draft a conservation easement that allows for it and keeps the recreational aspect of the parcel intact."

Greenhalgh added that BOSAC and the County Council may have found a suitable location on the property for a cemetery, but declined to say exactly where.

"We found an option that has its own access from the highway and is partially separated from the rest of the property," he said. "It will not get in the way of recreational aspect of the area and is not near sensitive lands like the wetlands or wildlife habitat. It is important to us the cemetery is placed somewhere that does not interfere with the trail system."

A cemetery district must be established and approved by residents prior to a cemetery being built, said Elliott. Greenhalgh guessed that the council is placing emphasis on the cemetery so that it can be placed on the November 2012 ballot.

"We want to establish a group of citizens to decide upon the location and other aspects of the cemetery," Elliott said. "The citizen input is most important because they will be the ones paying for it. We want a discussion to begin regarding the issue."

Elliott added that she isn’t 100 percent convinced a cemetery has to be placed on the PRI parcel, she just wants one to be available to residents in the Basin and said she made a promise to the voters that the council would focus on the issue.

The first draft of a conservation easement for the property which would allow for cemetery is in the early stages, according to Greenhalgh. He said BOSAC expects to have a final conservation easement ready for the County Council’s approval in February.

"The Basin has been emerging as a suburban area and we have town centers now and shopping areas, but have not focused on a cemetery," he said. "This issue has been on the backburner for a long time and I think the council is determined to get involved and establish a cemetery district."

The cemetery will be discussed at BOSAC’s meeting on Tues. Jan. 10 at Trailside Elementary School 8:30 a.m.

The post Open space eyed for cemetery appeared first on Park Record.