Utah News

Two state inmates who escaped from the Uintah County Jail last week using nothing more than a plastic butterknife, are back in custody this morning  in Nebraska.

According to Uintah County Undersheriff John Laursen, 31-year-old Dallas Derrick and 21-year-old Jason Braham were arrested Sunday morning after they were found walking away from a broken down car along the highway near Lancaster, Nebraska. Local law enforcement separated the pair and after hearing conflicting stories, Derrick admitted to being wanted for escape.

It was on July 1, 1862 that Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act, creating the original Union Pacific Railway Company. Today Union Pacific Railroad is part of a corporation, linking 23  states in the western 2/3 of the country with cars carrying freight including automobiles and fruits and vegetables.

To mark the 150 year celebration, Union Pacific is traveling a steam engine throughout the country. The next stop is Ogden, Utah, for a day-long display and train-town presentation.

This month, investigators posing as homeowners in Utah and seven other states got bids for construction and handyman services from people they found on the Internet as part of a sting to catch unlicensed contractors.

In just one week, 21 were cited in two Utah counties. Mark Steinagel, who heads the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, says it's a new approach for his agency, which typically stays busy responding to complaints about contractors.

Wednesday night on UPR, we featured a debate between Republican Ed Redd and Democrat Doug Thompson. They’re vying for the Utah State House of Representatives' Fourth District, which serves a large portion of Logan. Moderator Mike Lyons put a lot of focus on education during Wednesday’s debate, which both candidates seem to agree is a major concern for voters. The two candidates, who are good friends, had similar views on issues such as emissions testing and school vouchers. But perhaps the candidates differed the most on the issue of public lands.