Daggett County was an often difficult region for coverage, sitting some 60 miles away from the nearest community with a newspaper or news radio station. So when the county attorney was suddenly fired, I was tasked with finding out what had happened. This yielded two stories about a month apart that tell two views into how the county commissioner and the county attorney saw their roles within county government.
This is a series of stories, each appearing on its own page. Please use the links below to navigate.
I was a working editor when I wrote this breaking news piece. I gained close access to the aircraft because I had a strong working relationship with the county sheriff, who drove me to the scene. The story and several accompanying photos were later picked up by statewide media.
By Les Bowen for Vernal Express | June 25, 2008 | Original source not available
Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Jon Gardiner documents damage to an airplane after the pilot made an emergency landing on U.S. Highway 191 and collided with a truck hauling gravel. The incident restricted traffic north of Vernal Wednesday morning until after 10 a.m. The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation report into the landing has not been released.
The occupants of a small plane suffered minor injuries last week when the pilot made an emergency landing on U.S. Highway 191 north of Vernal. The incident occurred just north of Steinaker Reservoir a few minutes before 8 a.m. Wednesday. Continue reading Two injured in emergency aircraft landing on U.S. 191→
I hadn’t been a professional news reporter for even six months when I walked into the office to be greeted by the editor and publisher. “Get in your car and head to Hiawatha,” the publisher told me. “Something is on fire down there – sounds like a structure.” Hiawatha is a small community, originally a mining town, that lies about 15 miles away from the closest city. A group of polygamists bought the town several years earlier. This was the only time I was allowed to set foot inside the gated compound.
By Les Bowen for Sun Advocate | June 12, 2005 | Original source
Firefighters from Price, Helper, Wellington and Huntington responded to a fire at the old cultural hall in Hiawatha last Thursday evening. Two fire trucks from each municipality, three ambulances and two water trucks from the county responded to the call.
