Friday marks three years since three-year-olds Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson were hit by a car and killed while they were playing at stables in Eagle Mountain Utah (KUTV) — Friday marks three years since three-year-olds Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson were hit by a car and killed while they were playing at stables in Eagle Mountain This year's anniversary is different because a week prior, Kent Cody Barlow was found guilty of murdering the two boys Friends and family gathered to honor the children's memories in a special celebration The community came together at the spot where the accident happened to play games The number three has a lot of significance for Odin and Hunter’s families They were three years old when they were hit and killed three years ago They decided to fill a time capsule that they’ll open three years from now Theresa said they want to use it as a way to show the boys what they did and how they lived for them three years from now “It’s just been so nice to feel like we want to celebrate the power of three,” Theresa said Theresa said Barlow's verdict made the lead-up to this celebration of life much easier “It’s been really nice to feel a lot more present in day-to-day life and be ready for today rather than dreading today,” she said Theresa said she talked to Odin about this special anniversary “I told him about all his friends are coming and do all of his favorite things,” she said Theresa said they opened this up to the community because of all the support they’ve given them over the last three years Utah — Friday night marked three years since the families of Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson tragically lost their three-year-old boys The way that they were lost still can’t be comprehended by their loved ones But they say that they’re starting to see these stables in a different light with the trial and conviction of Kent Barlow behind them “This is my second home - it was Odin’s second home," said Odin's mother I have felt more drawn and connected to here and felt more connected to Odin.” Standing in the very corral where they played that night to take those really big deep breaths and allow them to come and connect through us,” Ratliff said This year‘s vigil was about ensuring that their memories live on through a time capsule for the boys that they’ll reopen every three years it’s been three years since they passed," said Ratliff "We want to celebrate the power of three.” Theresa Ratliff said she talked with Odin and told him he and Hunter could come to the celebration “This shows that they not only meant the most to us but they touched a lot of people,” said Ratliff With sentencing still to come, Theresa tells me she hopes that the time Barlow will serve gives him a chance to reflect on his actions and the ripple effect it’s had on their community she’s focused on celebrating these two boys and locking up their legacy in that time capsule to be remembered forever PROVO — A jury found a man who killed two 3-year-old Eagle Mountain boys guilty of murder The group of three women and five men found he acted with depraved indifference and rejected options for a lesser conviction Jurors weighed the case for about nine hours Kent Cody Barlow was driving over 120 mph on Tiffany Lane in Eagle Mountain when he hit a bump crashed through multiple fences and knocked down supports for horse stalls according to witnesses who testified over the six days of evidence in the trial multiple parents and grandparents of the two boys let out quiet gasps of relief that were hard to hold in they hugged each other and members of the prosecution team said it was a relief to finally hear the boys' names alongside guilty verdicts "They finally got their justice after three years," she said She said her family can finally move forward and won't have to try to bury their pain and be strong for others — "It's OK to say their names." said it was stressful waiting for the jury throughout the day but she was grateful the jury took their role seriously "Hearing the words guilty of depraved indifference murder is what we've been fighting for That's what we got because that is what he is guilty of," she said She expressed gratitude for the prosecution team and family and friends they have leaned on throughout the process Theresa Ratliff said the three-year process of the case has felt like both a lifetime and no time; some days she is "writhing in pain" while other days she doesn't believe she lost her son "I'm happy for this chapter of closure to start because now I can do more to celebrate him rather than feeling like I have to hold it in," she said Odin Ratliff's parents hug members of the prosecution team following a guilty verdict against Kent Cody Barlow on Friday was found guilty of two counts of depraved indifference murder and possession or use of a controlled substance In order to be found guilty of depraved indifference murder the jury would needed to determine prosecutors proved Barlow knew that what he was doing created a high likelihood that someone would be killed and Theresa Ratliff said she hopes he serves the maximum amount of time "He took two lives; they were 3 years old He should serve two full life sentences because that is what they would have lived if they wouldn't have died," she said deputy Utah County attorney Michael Starrs said Cedar Valley Stables was "bustling with life" the evening of May 2 grabbing chicken eggs and playing with toy trucks in a place where they should have been safe "The signs of life were there; the signs of life were ignored The signs of life were obvious; they weren't hidden We know that Kent Barlow would have seen all those cars," he said He said Barlow turned around and "gunned it," pointing his car toward the stables He said Barlow is not charged with knowingly killing the boys but with "depraved indifference murder," arguing it does not matter if Barlow saw the boys — he knew his actions were dangerous Starrs said depraved indifference is shown by Barlow going 120 mph on a 45 mph street stop," and causing danger to other drivers on the road who testified in the trial Starrs claimed Barlow was focused on his task of seeing how fast he could drive "Trust him when he says that he knows what he's doing — 'Let's race.' 'Let's see how far this car can go,'" the attorney said He said Barlow was not so intoxicated he didn't understand what he was doing citing a previous 2019 conviction he was still under probation for after traveling 107 mph in a populated area while having meth in his backpack A judge warned him that his actions were dangerous and could have resulted in deaths Starrs asked the jury to consider how large the zone of destruction was in front of Barlow on that fateful day when Hunter and Odin were killed told the jurors their job is to find Barlow guilty of a homicide He said prosecutors were "trying to force a square peg into a round hole" by pushing for murder convictions and "doing violence to the truth." Morrison said Barlow was not acting like he didn't care who lived or died "He would have to have been cold and depraved My client got high and he was having too good a time but he wasn't a cold-blooded killer," Morrison said He argued the facts of the case fit automobile homicide "like a glove," which requires negligent action They are not content to let the facts just speak for themselves He hit a bump and that caused the car to lose control," he said Morrison said everyone feels outrage for the boys' deaths He told the jury that justice does not change reality; it demands truth rather than exaggeration He said murder convictions in this case would be "vengeance disguised as justice." "Don't let the government's overreach twist this case into something that it's not … Hold him accountable for what he actually did that's what the law requires," he said Deputy Utah County attorney Ryan McBride responded to Morrison's analogy and said the murder charge does fit He said negligence is not yielding at a yellow light and recklessness would be weaving through traffic but what happened in this case is "a far cry from any of that." "The defendant could see the risk a mile away He accepted the risk when he pushed the launch button when he put his foot on that pedal and floored it … He knew of the risk when he floored it and went straight toward Cedar Valley Stables," McBride said He said the law did not require Barlow to see the boys but to see the risks he caused He said Barlow had driven past Cedar Valley Stables three other times that day He also said passengers in the car could see the risks Barlow was causing and they asked him to stop at least 11 times he made a decision to use meth and drive at insane rates of speed It's not that he didn't know; it's that he didn't care," McBride said McBride said the families of Hunter and Odin are "wonderful "It's our pleasure and our privilege to try to bring justice in some measure to them," he said Barlow's attorney declined to comment following the verdict Sports | May 3 Addison Mandeville, Chloe Greener and Alondra Ruiz weren’t quite ready for their prep careers to be over A year after leading Eagle Valley to its first play-off berth since 2017 the captains made more history on Saturday helping the Devils clinch the program’s first girls soccer league title — and punching another postseason ticket in the process “We knew what was on the line and we knew this could be our last game,” said Greener whose second-half corner kick header gave the Devils a 1-0 win over Battle Mountain “I think we went in with that mentality of ‘this could be it The Devils came into the contest ranked 34th in the CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index with the top-32 earning a spot in the 4A state bracket A tie or loss would cede the Western Slope title — and automatic playoff berth — to Battle Mountain Eagle Valley head coach Jess Platt said such win-or-go-home games “come down to intangibles.”   it’s more about the momentum and the mentality you come in with,” she said “We had a lot on the line for this game with winning the league making the tournament — these girls handled it super well.” the intensity was way high and same with this game,” Mandeville said “We’ve always been pretty evenly matched,” added Greener After Thea Armistead’s free kick from 30 yards out sailed just over the center crossbar 10 minutes into the second half Eagle Valley’s Izzy Hiatt received a beautiful through ball The senior’s shot on goal with 28:03 left looked good but Glendining stretched her leg out for an impressive save where she rocketed a pass to Greener in front of the net Such a perfect ball from Izzy,” Greener said “I did a little chicken move and aimed it to the left and it went in.” While Battle Mountain bottled up Mandeville who came into the game having scored six goals in the last five contests Eagle Valley’s defense tightened the screws to secure the victory who credited Riley Weatherred for setting the tone in that department especially at the end there,” Ruiz continued “There were a bunch of punts from Elle (Glendining) and Riley was there the whole time.” “When a team is winning balls out of the air like that it just helps build momentum and gives you the confidence,” Platt added the second touch and you’re going.” when they lost to Basalt in the regular-season finale Platt said she doubts her captains — all four-year varsity players — thought about the league title when they were freshman “They’ve been working towards that their whole high school career,” she stated “Every year it got a little closer.” “I’m kind of at a loss for words,” Mandeville said “Every year we’ve gone through league games and it’s never come to this point Mandeville, Greener and Ruiz also guided the Devils to their first league title on the hardwood this winter “We’ve all been together between basketball and soccer for the last four years, playing club together since we were 9 — I have goosebumps,” Greener said the way we left our legacy,” Ruiz stated “I wouldn’t want it with any other group of girls.” Show CaptionsHide Captions Northwest Utah County will soon have another Walmart Supercenter to serve the area The major retailer will open its newest location later this year in Eagle Mountain at the corner of state Route 73 and Spring Run Parkway The new 175,000-square-foot Supercenter is expected to bring expanded shopping options 300 new jobs and infrastructure improvements to one of Utah’s fastest-growing communities it will mark the second Walmart in northwest Utah County joining the Saratoga Springs location at the corner of Crossroads Boulevard and Redwood Road The new Eagle Mountain Supercenter is designed to make shopping quick and convenient with a wide range of products and general amenities such as: “We’re proud to bring a Walmart Supercenter to Eagle Mountain and to be part of this city’s incredible growth,” Eagle Mountain Store Manager Kevin Forsgren said as part of the release “We look forward to providing a shopping experience that meets the needs of local families while creating meaningful job opportunities We’re excited to build strong connections with the community and become a trusted partner in their everyday lives.” The new location also aims to boost the local job market with 300 new opportunities for employment in the community “Whether coming for a job or staying for a career Walmart associates have opportunities to build skills grow their earnings and use industry-leading benefits to help them flourish in both their personal and professional lives,” the press release said Walmart plans to begin hiring for those jobs in May Those interested can visit careers.walmart.com in efforts to support the anticipated growth infrastructure improvements are planned near the new Eagle Mountain Supercenter including dual left-turn lanes into the Walmart property on Spring Run Parkway and upgrades along Ranches Parkway to improve north-south traffic flow and access to Campus Drive “We are thrilled to welcome Walmart to Eagle Mountain,” Mayor Tom Westmoreland said “This new addition marks a significant milestone in our city’s growth and progress Walmart’s presence will not only provide convenient access to goods and services for our residents but it will also create jobs and strengthen our local economy We look forward to a successful partnership and a bright future together.” the new Eagle Mountain Walmart Supercenter is slated to open sometime in late summer LLC | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd Utah — Dash camera video shows a 16-year-old driver swerving off a Utah County road to avoid a wrong-way driver almost striking a cyclist to avoid getting himself you can see an oncoming vehicle cross into the opposite lane of traffic on the Corey B who hasn't even had his license for a year said he learned to drive defensively from his mother kind of quick decisions and if I had to pick the ditch over a head-on collision," he said Holiday's cousin happened to be driving in the opposite direction and saw the whole thing play out 'It's heartbreaking;' Community rallies to support Pleasant Grove family after 9-year-old hit and I am so glad and so proud of him."Talen's family shared the video in the hope that drivers will think twice about taking risks News | May 1 Even when Makena Thayer doesn’t put together a perfect round she usually finds a way to top the leaderboard it was pretty bad,” the Battle Mountain junior said after shooting a 77 to win the Eagle Valley Invitational at Eagle Ranch on Wednesday The six-stroke victory was Thayer’s sixth win of the season After bogeying three of the her last four holes she left with a slightly sour taste in her mouth “I had five three-putts,” she explained before shrugging off the round with a smile and demonstrating her trademark happy-go-lucky mindset: “But “I’ve never seen anyone like Makena,” said Aspen’s Lenna Persson who carded an 83 to finish second in the 41-person field “She’s just so calm and trusts herself that every shot she just swings like it like she normally goes it doesn’t work and she just plays the next shot.” While Thayer has been almost unstoppable all year — in addition to Wednesday’s win, she was victorious in her first four meets placed third at Aspen on April 15 and won the Glenwood Springs RVR the next day — the two-time all-state golfer was ‘just’ 15th at The Showcase Invitational at Cherry Creek Golf Country Club on Monday “That tournament is harder than states I think,” said Thayer “I just need to do better on my putting If it’s five strokes off that are easier to fix that’s already a 72 if I can just putt better.” who has been going back and forth with Thayer all year which definitely helped,” Persson said “It was my best showing this year.” “I managed to calm myself down a little bit,” she said regarding a seven-hole mid-round stretch where she made six pars and a birdie As reasonable weather gave way to a deceivingly cold wind Persson and Thayer both struggled to stay even lots of emotions and kind of upsetting,” said Persson Thayer made eight pars and birdied the par 5 at No She closed with a double on 12th hole and a bogey on 13 as well But whether she was smashing a drive right up the gut or watching a putt lip out “It seems like she doesn’t even care but she obviously does because she does so well,” said Persson who has been competing against Thayer since her junior club days “We go back and forth (and) you’re always looking to beat your opponents,” the future South Dakota State University golfer continued “I don’t treat it as much of a rivalry just because we’re in different divisions so I consider it more as she’s challenging me “I don’t think we really care about beating each other,” she added “I just think we want to shoot a good score.” Caleigh Kackman and Abby Harrison shot a 98 and 127 Julia Borejszo led Eagle Valley with an 89 to place fifth as Devils senior Ingrid Soltvedt shot 107 to come in 15th “Julia’s come a long way,” said Eagle Valley coach Zachary Haglin “She worked hard over the off-season.” Borejszo is one of the hardest-working athletes Haglin — who also coaches boys basketball — has been around comes to practice to get better,” he said The main area of improvement this year has been course management “She already strikes the ball really well,” Haglin continued “It’s just working on accounting for the wind going left to right — making sure we account for everything before she hits a shot.”  The 3A Region 4 tournament is May 13 at Gypsum Creek Haglin said his goal is to send an athlete or two to state “Regionals is tough to play,” he said “So having seen it (here) hopefully gives us a little bit of an advantage.” Easter events in the Vail Valley Church services An Easter tradition that’s been going on for over 30 years is the Vail Mountain Easter Sunrise Service bright and early on Sunday morning Après Madness Championship Party at Avanti F&B The NCAA College Basketball Tournament may have crowned a champion on Monday but Friday is when you can congratulate this year’s winner of Vail’s own form of competition:.. Après at The Amp For its third year in a row Ford Amphitheater has proven that it’s not just a summer venue the Swedish pop band that took the world by storm in the 1970s and early 1980s with its hits “Waterloo,” “Take a Chance on Me” and “Dancing Queen,” will virtually.. Project Funway Get ready to be wowed by the fashions at Project Funway which returns to Dobson Arena again this Saturday One of the most creative fundraisers in the Vail Valley PROVO, Utah — Nearly three years after two toddlers were killed while playing in an Eagle Mountain corral a jury found Kent Cody Barlow guilty for their murder The verdict was read about 10 hours after the jury began deliberations Friday Along with the guilty verdicts for the depraved indifference murder of 3-year-olds Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson Barlow was also found guilty of possession of methamphetamine Each of the murder charges carries a prison sentence of 15 years to life Judge Derek Pullan started the day by giving the jury its instructions before the prosecution began its closing statement in the trial Barlow's defense team never denied that their client was driving under the influence when he crashed into the Cedar Valley Stables in May 2022 killing 3-year-old boys Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson The defense has argued that the crash was an "unintentional accident" and not murder the first time it had been that way throughout the trial 'Panic and chaos;' Toddler's mother details moment of son's death in Barlow trial: Attorney Michael Starrs began his closing arguments by saying the boys were innocent victims of a man who was high on methamphetamine while driving towards the corral at a high rate of speed getting fruit snacks from their moms and playing with their tractors in the place that should have been safe for them," said Starrs Starrs ended his statement just after 10 a.m. followed by Barlow's attorney Justin Morrison "My client was high and having too good a time testified that he was "afraid of dying" with his friend's reckless driving as were others in the vehicle who claimed to have told Barlow to stop Morrison ended by saying that his client should be held accountable but that emotions should not determine the outcome or the jury's verdict took the stand and shared how her son would go to the stables where the corral was located 4-5 times a week and formed a quick friendship with Hunter "We are very happy with our prosecution team and the effort and the work that they had put in the countless family and friends that we've been able to lean on and just the jury doing their due diligence - they took all day and really thought about this," she said "I am happy for this chapter of closure to start because now I can do more to celebrate him rather than feeling like I have to hold it in and waiting." she heard something that sounded like "thunder like metal on metal for a solid 4 or 5 seconds." Not knowing what the sound was Theresa handed her horse to someone else so she could look for Odin Ratliff saw Odin had "no life in him" but performed CPR for a minute anyway Ratliff said she remembers screaming before sitting with Odin and holding him EAGLE MOUNTAIN — A new Walmart Supercenter will be opening in Eagle Mountain later this year The western Utah County city is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state Eagle Mountain has just two major grocery stores: Macey's and Ridley's Family Market "This new addition marks a significant milestone in our city's growth and progress Walmart's presence will not only provide convenient access to goods and services for our residents We look forward to a successful partnership and a bright future together," Eagle Mountain Mayor Tom Westmoreland said The 175,000-square-foot store is set to open in late summer at the corner of state Route 73 and Spring Run Parkway Walmart will start hiring for approximately 300 jobs in May the new Walmart will have a fresh sushi kiosk "We're proud to bring a Walmart Supercenter to Eagle Mountain and to be part of this city's incredible growth," said Kevin Forsgren Infrastructure improvements and upgrades are planned to be installed along the roads to ease commercial activity the new store will bring "We look forward to providing a shopping experience that meets the needs of local families while creating meaningful job opportunities We're excited to build strong connections with the community and become a trusted partner in their everyday lives," Forsgren said EAGLE MOUNTAIN — An Eagle Mountain woman is facing criminal charges accusing her of having an illegal relationship with a teenage boy was charged Tuesday in 4th District Court with three counts of forcible sexual abuse a second-degree felony; and three counts of unlawful kissing of a minor who was 15 when he began dating Funk's daughter Funk then told the boy "that she could help him through it and could help him through a dark time The two began to take walks together and began to be intimately involved," according to charging documents The teen's mother told police that Funk and her son "had a close relationship and that previously she trusted (Funk) and hoped that she would have a positive impact on fostering personal growth over (him) through personal adult guidance," the charges say Funk began to inappropriately kiss and touch the teen That began in 2024 and happened on multiple occasions for about nine months Funk later told the teen "to delete the messages between them The two used a vanish platform in order to delete approximately 87,000 messages between the two of them," according to the charges When the boy later began dating a girl his age he "disclosed to her the hardship that he has suffered from his past experiences with (Funk)," the charges state Utah (KUTV) — The debate over nuclear power is a hot topic in Eagle Mountain The city is looking to bring the alternative energy source to town and with it attract more businesses including those developing artificial intelligence It started when the city of Eagle Mountain proposed changes to its zoning to make way for nuclear power in December we have a few other high energy users and in order to support their full build-outs and in order to support what they are doing here in Eagle Mountain we need energy generation that can support that Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Corp have indicated that they are not going to be able to build out full generation capacity,” Tyler Maffitt They are looking at Small Modular Nuclear Reactors which come in forms like ceramic and molten salt It uses small amounts of water compared to traditional nuclear reactors will establish a Nuclear Energy Consortium to advise state leaders on nuclear energy development and would allow local municipalities to create "electrical energy development zones" to designate a site for new energy development Something the city of Eagle Mountain could then use as part of its nuclear power plan because the waste will be stored where the reactors are -and that poses environment risks Eagle Mountain held a town hall meeting to discuss the safety of nuclear power on Monday night at Cedar Valley High School really involved process of listening to our residents We are aware of the petition and we’re empathic to some of these concerns Part of the reason we are hosting this town hall tonight is to get these people answers,” Maffitt said Rasmussen went to the town hall and said she feels like "they made up their minds and they are just going through the motions to try and make us feel good but I’m hoping they listen.” The city will now formulate a policy that lines up with federal and state laws and regulations They will also incorporate resident feedback though rezoning is not on the table for that meeting It's unclear when the discussions on bringing nuclear power to the town will continue PROVO — Robert Ratliff was working when he received a call from his wife shortly after 7 p.m He testified on Wednesday that he had to ask her to repeat herself a few times before he eventually understood that their son was dead and he needed to get to Cedar Valley Stables He dropped what he was doing and drove the five minutes to the stables at 2333 N He said he ran past an officer who was setting up a roadblock to protect the scene of the deadly crash When the officer tried to stop him to see who he was he told her he was family and needed to get in Ratliff told the attorney questioning him that he was not going to stop for her; he didn't care about the crime scene as he climbed over a fence The father was seen running by in body camera footage taken by another officer "I was just dead set on finding my wife," he said Ratliff said he didn't leave the site until between 3 a.m the next morning because he was waiting for the bodies of two children were killed when Kent Cody Barlow drove a car into Cedar Valley Stables breaking down layers of fences and knocking down horse stalls Based on a ruling from 4th District Judge Derek Pullan shortly before his testimony The judge ruled that further testimony about Odin and his love of horses would not add information the jury needs for their decision and could cause additional risk for a decision based on emotion. Instead, Ratliff testified that he agreed with what his wife shared in her testimony on the first day of the trial Deputy Utah County attorney Ryan McBride said that he intended to call his final witness on Wednesday in Barlow's jury trial and although he has not yet officially rested his case it appears Ratliff may be that final witness The judge told jurors that defense witnesses are scheduled to take the stand beginning on Thursday is charged with two counts of depraved indifference murder along with possession or use of a controlled substance asked the jurors listening to the case to find Barlow guilty of lesser charges of manslaughter or automobile homicide instead of murder testified Wednesday about calculating the speed of Barlow's car from GPS locations on Barlow's cellphone and those of his passengers He said at an intersection right before the crash Barlow was moving 122 mph; as he left the road testified about looking over the crash scene He said it looked like the vinyl fence "exploded all over the road." "I've never seen destruction like this on an accident I've never seen a car as mangled," he said he needed to take a break from the emotions of the scene and went for a walk around the stable He said he didn't know what had hit the boys and he was not able to find a piece of the car with any biological material showing what had hit them Hall said all of the biological material investigators found was located within a few feet of where the boys' bodies were found He said he did not find anything on pieces of the roof that had fallen which might show they had hit the children The officer said he helped firefighters prop up the roof so they could retrieve the bodies after photos and scans of the scene were acquired were killed when a speeding driver crashed into the Eagle Mountain horse pen where they were playing on May 2 (Photo: Utah County Sheriff)Hit by the car or the roof said he ruled the boys' deaths accidental from blunt force injuries saying auto-pedestrian collisions would rarely be labeled as a homicide he said he found both boys had significant scalp skull and brain trauma — which would have required "a tremendous amount of force" and is not something he typically sees Blood in the chest cavity of one of the boys showed there was an energy applied to his chest that suddenly stopped which Davis said is common in vehicle crashes and he testified both boys had multiple lacerations going in the opposite direction of lacerations on their heads is consistent with a vehicle hitting them in the top of their heads and then them being thrown or drug," Davis testified Family members of the boys were crying in the courtroom as Davis pointed out lacerations on photos of the boys' bodies which were shown only to attorneys and the jury Odin Jeffrey Ratliff and Hunter Charlie Jackson were hit and killed by a car that crashed into the corral they were playing in in Eagle Mountain on May 2 The driver of that car is on trial for their murders (Photo: Cedar Valley Stables)Davis said the boys' clothing did not have any defects which would be unusual for being hit by a car but he said that could be due to the soft sand they were on when they were hit rather than hard pavement He said he does not think their injuries could have been caused by a collapsed roof Chris Chambers with the Provo Police Department disagreed He said the boys' shoes were right next to their bodies but it is his experience that shoes are often thrown off a person in an auto-pedestrian crash and found far away "I didn't feel like the vehicle had hit the children," he said Chambers said he thought the visible injuries on the boys matched more closely with support beams from the roof falling down on top of them He said he believes "with reasonable certainty" the boys were playing in the same place where their bodies were found Chambers helped reconstruct the accident and said that with the various textures of material the car went through after it left the road He said the car moved through different types of dirt and various structures testified on Tuesday that he found a 684 nanogram per milliliter amount of methamphetamine in Barlow's blood which was on the higher end of the range that he would expect to find but he believes that depending on someone's usage history He told jurors that meth can lead to hallucination increased heart rate and risk-taking behavior while not having many medicinal benefits a forensic scientist with the Utah Department of Public Safety testified that she found DNA matching Barlow on a glass pipe at the scene of the crash Another witness testified earlier this week that the same pipe tested positive for methamphetamine The pipe was found buried in horse manure over a week after the crash occurred by a volunteer who was helping clean up stables After nearly a two-week trial a jury inside Provo’s 4th District Court on Friday found Kent Cody Barlow guilty on two counts of depraved indifference murder for the deaths of Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson The verdict comes almost three years to the day after Barlow lost control of his car while driving high on methamphetamine and crashed into the Cedar Valley Horse Stables in Eagle Mountain where the 3-year-old boys were playing with their toy trucks, back on May 2, 2022 The jury’s decision came shortly after 8:30 p.m Prosecutors said Barlow was driving more than 120 mph on Tiffany Lane in Eagle Mountain on the night of the crash ignoring his passengers’ repeated requests for him to slow down “He also ignored the unmistakable signs of bustling life at the Cedar Valley Stables as he sped towards the facility Barlow also ignored the stern warning he received from the judge who had sentenced him in a previous speeding case — where Barlow was traveling over 100 mph — that such behavior was deadly,” the Utah County Attorney’s office said in a statement released after the verdict was read the defense never denied guilt on Barlow’s part but they argued that the incident was accidental and not an intentional murder Prosecutors Ryan McBride and Michael Starrs said it was a privilege to help bring some form of justice to the families of both Odin and Hunter “While these verdicts cannot begin to make those families whole we hope that they can find some peace knowing that a jury has held Barlow accountable under the law,” said McBride and Starrs as part of the Utah County Attorney’s press release Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray said he is committed to holding others like Barlow who “so flagrantly violate the law and endanger others,” fully accountable as well “This behavior needs to stop now,” he stated in the release “I plead with all who travel our roads to obey our traffic laws and turn the other cheek when confronted with rude motorists.” Barlow was also found guilty of one count of use of a controlled substance Barlow is expected to be sentenced on June 30 at the Provo courthouse (KBAK/KBFX) — Honky-tonk legend Dwight Yoakam and The Mavericks are scheduled to play at Eagle Mountain Casino on Saturday according to organizers.The announcement was made Tuesday by the casino on social media Dwight Yoakam's hits since his official start in 1986 include "Guitars & Cadillacs," "Honky Tonk Man," "I Sang Dixie," "It Only Hutrts When I Cry," and his feature on Buck Owens' "Streets of Bakersfield." Tickets range from $75 to $125, plus taxes and fees. Tickets go on sale March 28 at 10 a.m. HERE Pre-sale tickets will be available to Legacy Members of Eagle Mountain Casino on March 27, at 10 a.m. For more information on how to become a Legacy Member, click HERE.The show starts at 7:30 p.m PROVO — Theresa Ratliff was coaching vaulting while her son was playing nearby when she heard "what sounded like thunder like metal on metal" for about five seconds She checked to make sure the girls she was coaching were OK then went to find 3-year-old Odin — looking first in the round pen where he typically played with toy tractors The tractors were still there," she said Ratliff said she remembers screaming and running to her son "He was blue; there was no life in him," the mother testified on Thursday and then lifted a panel off the boy's friend Eleven jurors — three women and eight men — are hearing the testimony on the second day of trial, Friday. Eight of them will be tasked with deciding whether Kent Cody Barlow, 28, is guilty of two counts of murder, based on depraved indifference, as he is charged, or, as Barlow's attorneys have suggested guilty of lesser charges of manslaughter or automobile homicide Barlow was driving a car that left the roadway near Cedar Valley Stables The vehicle crashed through fences and came to a stop in a horse pen running over and killing Odin Ratliff and Hunter Jackson Odin and Hunter had been playing in a horse corral when they were hit Ratliff said it was normal for Odin to hang out around the area while she taught She said her son knew how to stay safe from the horses and she had never been fearful of the boys' safety Ratliff had recently met Hunter and decided he and her boy would be friends She had brought extra fruit snacks that day for Hunter talked about Hunter's "barn boots" that he considered a work uniform and how he took helping at the stables seriously picking up eggs and feeding carrots to the horses She had checked on the boys a few minutes before and was sweeping in the barn when she heard a loud sound felt the ground shaking and then heard a loud "bam" before silence and it just didn't make sense on what we were hearing because it was a sound and a feeling," Jackson said She went outside quickly and saw that the pen the boys were in wasn't there Jackson went to check for the boys inside before hearing Ratliff scream but she wasn't sure until later when she heard someone ask for new blankets to put over the boys' bodies testified about watching Barlow "thread the needle" as they followed him to Eagle Mountain Higbee said he and the two others with him got into Barlow's car to check out modifications Barlow had made Higbee said he was worried about Barlow's driving and told him six times to "chill out," getting louder each time until he was shouting remember repeatedly hitting his chair … asking him to slow down," Higbee said saying it was "like talking to a brick wall." Higbee said he felt the tires skid on curves and was afraid of dying before the car hit a bump went into the air and crashed through fences He said he thought the screaming from the people coming out of the stables was concern for their horses and didn't realize the car had hit the children until he was told after he left the hospital Barbara Brooks testified that she was in the arena when she heard the "awful metal crushing sound," and looked up to see if the metal roof was loose After an "eerie silence," she left the building and saw two men "stumbling around" and dirt in the air She asked what they were doing and saw a third man before noticing the car and calling 911 she audibly realizes the two boys are dead wiped tears from their eyes as she told the operator the boys are dead multiple times as help was on its way Deputy James Bingham was the first officer on the scene and said he was told by multiple people that "two babies" were dead He said he could tell the boys were dead when he first saw them and he went to check on the people who were in the car Bingham said he was focused on providing information to get sufficient medical care to those who were hurt placing a blanket over where the boys' bodies were lying Edwards testified Friday that many people were in shock and the dust from the crash was still settling when he got there "You could hear metal creaking from the stables you could smell vehicle fluids; it was just kind of eerie," Edwards said she said she was working when she thought the sound was a horse kicking metal panels When she went out to see if horses were fighting she said she saw a car upside down in the horse stalls and said she was in the horse stalls feeding a horse and saw the red lights of a perpendicular car coming toward her just one stall closer to the crash than where she was said the first thing he saw after hearing the crash and going outside was a vehicle on its top He helped multiple passengers out of the car and determined the driver was unresponsive but breathing my babies!" Winther said he saw the Tonka trucks in the round pen grabbed someone to stay with Barlow and went to Ratliff Winther began testifying about the condition the boys were in but then said he had repressed the event so much over the last three years He said he could tell the boys were dead but still checked for a pulse speaks during open arguments in Barlow's jury trial on Thursday (Photo: Pool photo)Melissa Chevrier was coming to the stables to care for a horse she boarded there and testified about seeing a car run through the stop sign where she should have had the right of way It wasn't until she pulled into the stables that she realized the dust wasn't just the car malfunctioning While checking to see if the horses were OK Chevrier heard Odin was hurt and followed directions to go inside the barn said she was afraid for herself and her son when Barlow's car went past them minutes earlier She testified that the car was near the middle of the road and going "extremely fast," saying it sounded like a tornado and shook her car when she saw pictures of the crash on Facebook Barlow is charged with two counts of murder Testimony in his trial will continue on Monday As the process to split the state’s largest school district continues to progress the Alpine School District Board of Education is pressing forward with plans to build two new schools in northwest Utah County The board during its meeting on Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of approving a $238 million revenue bond for the construction of a new high school in Saratoga Springs and a new elementary school in Eagle Mountain The school board has previously faced challenges in securing enough funding to build the new facilities despite concerns raised from residents in the western half of the district surrounding overcrowding at schools in the area The obstacles accelerated in early 2024 once the district split was initiated and restricted the board’s ability to issue bonds The passage of Senate Bill 188 during the 2025 General Election opened more options for school districts to amass funds for things like building new schools and other needed expenses through lease revenue bonding and the new facilities to be situated as part of the soon-to-be-formed “West District,” S.B 188 also states that monies owed on bonds will be at the responsibility of any new district associated with the debt — once operational in 2027 ASD in its current form will assume debts associated with the new bond The school board also stated that the lease revenue bond would not pose any further financial impacts to citizens, since Alpine School District previously approved property tax increases in 2023 and 2024 “I just want to point out that the nature of a lease revenue bond is that it is because of the financial health and strength of the entity,” board member Ada Wilson said during the meeting meaning that we’re not raising taxes with this LRB bond.” at least one resident argued the need for the bond at this time and criticized the board for previous tax implications placed on Utah County citizens “This hurts the taxpayers in the district; this hurts seniors who live on fixed incomes,” said John Gad of Pleasant Grove This hurts the moms and dads of the kids that you guys care about so much that you’re educating because they can barely afford their houses now.” Other residents spoke in support of the bond highlighting the need to combat overcrowded schools and the positive impact on students’ social connections and learning environments “I have seen firsthand the negative implications that overcrowded schools have,” said Eden Davenport of Saratoga Springs “I’ve seen the difficulties that some of our children face making social connections because our schools are beyond max capacity the board also approved a purchase of a total of 83 acres of land in both Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain for both proposed facilities the board says it hopes to break ground on the new schools sometime later this year Utah (KUTV) — A teenager is facing 31 charges after he allegedly broke into several vehicles with two juveniles The three tried to stop at McDonald's with one of the cards they stole on their way back Jones and two unnamed juveniles broke into at least 16 vehicles and attempted to break into two more across Eagle Mountain Jones allegedly stole more than $1,500 worth of property and unlawfully used a financial card on four separate transactions including McDonald's on their way home MORE UTAH CRIME: Woman found dead in Washington City vacation rental under suspicious circumstances Deputies with the Utah County Sheriff's Office obtained surveillance video from the area and identified three "light-skinned" suspects in a dark-colored Tesla One of the items Jones is accused of stealing had a tracking device installed and was tracked to a home in Tooele Deputies served a warrant on the house and found the remaining items from the burglaries EAGLE MOUNTAIN — The Eagle Mountain City Council decided Tuesday not to act yet on code amendments allowing for nuclear plants and other energy production projects in the city The code amendments would allow battery energy storage systems power lines and small modular nuclear reactors to be approved in areas in the city's regional All but the substations and power lines would only be permitted through special use meaning they have additional requirements to meet before the city would consider approval The amendments would also allow power lines in agriculture zones The amendments were first brought up in a December planning meeting during which the commission tabled the discussion so its members could learn more several city leaders toured a natural gas power plant in Vineyard and spoke with people from the Idaho National Laboratory on renewable energy research "We have an energy issue in our city and state and in our country," city planning director Brandon Larsen said "We are in a spot where we are looking for more energy." Other types of power sources could facilitate growth and improve the economic vitality of the city The amendments would allow for energy projects to be proposed, but Larsen assured that any proposed projects would still face layers of scrutiny at federal state and city levels before receiving approval it would be years before one would be built which provides backup power services to ensure power remains uninterrupted and diversify the local energy generation needs Larsen said this could help the city establish itself as a leader in clean energy production and aid the local economy by providing jobs The city's planning commission recommended denial on the amendments on Jan citing safety concerns and suggesting it should be a regional collaborative decision with the county and nearby cities On Tuesday, during a nearly four-hour meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to table the discussion further. Mayor Tom Westmoreland suggested following the Legislature during this year's session — which started Tuesday — as some proposed bills could drastically impact the discussion Enyo Energy initiated the amendment proposal and submitted an application to build a battery energy storage system that utilizes solar Enyo's application is the only energy proposal the city has received so far related to the energy amendments All future energy projects in Eagle Mountain require the ability to cool their systems without using water economic development director Evan Berrett said Changing code could give the city control and oversight on projects and the authority to dictate development requirements Westmoreland said Eagle Mountain is behind in energy He worries what happens when the demand for electricity starts outpacing production and fulfillment The mayor said while there are still a lot of unknowns he is trying to put the city in the best position so it can have some control over the future of the community's energy Tuesday's meeting is "just the beginning" of the city's discussion on energy solutions But comments during Tuesday's meeting were split on the decision Dozens of residents showed up to the meeting to share their opinions Many residents said they want energy solutions but they are concerned about the risk nuclear energy presents and how it could affect the community "We deserve to know what will happen to us," Reagan Peck said Carmen Valdez said including nuclear reactors in the amendments is risky for the community and should be taken out Some residents questioned where the nuclear waste would be stored and how that could impact the environment "It just needs to be done in a safe way," 21-year-old Dallin Hubbard said Although he isn't against nuclear reactors he worries about the location and the risk involved if one is built close to residential areas Joy Rasmussen spoke strongly against the amendments saying it isn't smart to "embrace radiation" from the nuclear plants She is concerned there are not enough regulations for the "experimental" power production and that the danger is much higher with nuclear than any other generation type Others voiced their endorsement of nuclear energy said salt reactor systems are "intrinsically safe" and the state is taking this topic very seriously in regards to regulations Resident Drew Curley said nuclear energy is safe and that the amendments should go further to allow full-scale nuclear reactors BYU engineering professor Matthew Memmott conducts research in nuclear and shared his approval of allowing nuclear plants Multiple chemical engineers also spoke in favor during the meeting The council decided it will host a town hall in the near future so leaders can gather informally with citizens and have deeper discussions about the viability of energy alternatives in the city The topic of nuclear energy continues to be a hot-button item in Eagle Mountain The city is exploring the idea of integrating small modular reactors among other forms of advanced power generation facilities within the city In January, the Eagle Mountain City Council halted on voting in favor or against a code amendment to the city’s Regional Technology and Industry overlay zone could open the door in facilitating the use of a variety of energy options in the city Eagle Mountain city leaders wanted to allow more time to gather information about nuclear technology the city hosted an energy town hall at Cedar Valley High School featuring a panel of energy experts with an abundance of experience in the field Expertise among the six panelists include coal Mayor Tom Westmoreland moderated the discussion and presented a slew of questions from community members to the panel “We’re not going to solve any problems tonight but we’re going to begin the discussion,” Westmoreland said during the town hall “Definitely the place to start is by informing and educating ourselves and learning all that we can about energy so that we can make good decisions going forward.” City leaders note the exploration of SMRs comes as Eagle Mountain examines sustainable and long-term energy solutions to meet the growing needs of its population and business landscape Matthew Memmott an associate professor in chemical engineering at Brigham Young University said nuclear technology such as SMRs are making headway but often face opposition from the public due to the perception regarding radiation and if we can’t handle even the slightest bit of radiation we should not be living on the planet,” Memmott said Panelists noted the need for a modernized power grid with a capacity to meet the future energy demands that Eagle Mountain anticipates With safety being top of mind for many who are skeptical of allowing such technology to enter the area due to the smaller footprint of modern SMRs only the boundaries of the nuclear site would be required to evacuate “So for large (nuclear) plants, they actually plan the escape for how traffic has to move; that is done out to 10 miles,” said Jess Gehin associate laboratory director at Idaho National Laboratory that is reduced down to the site boundary.” Panelists also discussed regulatory frameworks economic considerations associated with these energy solutions and potential health risks Eagle Mountain officials say nuclear energy particularly through the deployment of nonwater cooled SMRs is being considered for its potential to provide a stable and low-carbon power supply the city has not authorized any nuclear energy projects but they aren’t ruling it out for the future As Eagle Mountain continues to weigh the option leaders encourage citizens to get involved in the decision-making process by attending public meetings and connecting with elected officials The City Council’s next meeting will be held Tuesday at Eagle Mountain city hall The full video from Monday’s nearly two-hour long town hall can be viewed online at eaglemountain.gov Utah (KUTV) — A 5-year-old child was taken to the hospital after falling out of a second flood window in Eagle Mountain Emergency medical crews were called to a home in the Brylee Farms neighborhood on the west side of the city Sunday around 6 p.m Officials from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said the girlwas playing with other children when she fell out of the window and onto gravel below The child was suffering from severe bleeding from her head and hip Officials were unsure if there was a screen in the window Utah — An Eagle Mountain woman was charged with forcible sexual abuse after allegedly having a sexual relationship with a teenage boy who had broken up with her daughter The 41-year-old woman was charged Tuesday on multiple counts after a 17-year-old boy told police that the two had been in a relationship for nine months beginning in April 2024 after the teen broke up with the woman's daughter she told the boy that "she could help him through it and could help him through a dark time." The two went on walks together before becoming "intimately involved" in vehicles parked in mall and church parking lots later told the teen that "she lives in hell without him and that she would commit suicide if she were without him." the woman told the teenager to delete the approximately 87,000 text messages the two had sent to each other After telling a teenage girl he had started dating about "the hardship he has suffered from his past experiences with [the woman]," the girl said the boy should report the relationship to the police Along with three counts of forcible sexual assault the woman was also charged with three counts of unlawful kissing of a minor Eagle Mountain leaders haven’t been shy in expressing their desires to capitalize on the growth the city is experiencing Officials are working toward an ambitious goal of developing a downtown area for Eagle Mountain residents and those from nearby communities to enjoy MHTN Architects has worked closely with city leaders and the community to develop a preferred design for the downtown After garnering mounds of feedback and suggestions from the Eagle Mountain City Council members MHTN Architects drafted a “preferred downtown concept plan,” which was reviewed by the council last month Ryan Wallace, director of planning and urban design at MHTN, presented the near-final concepts of the Downtown Master Plan during the council’s Jan. 21 work session meeting The design shows how Eagle Mountain’s potential future downtown would be split into multiple districts — one that would include a civic center with a new city hall library and space for another civic building; another meant to serve as an all-season gathering place with a central feature a permanent amphitheater and multipurpose space; and a festival street primarily a pedestrian environment meant for small businesses Wallace described the concept’s goal of providing the desired amenities community members would want in a downtown area while also being mindful of access points for various transportation modes and incorporating key landmarks that citizens can easily familiarize themselves with you want a space to say — meet me at Basecamp Plaza those become important as people orient themselves in the downtown,” Wallace said as he outlined the design before the council The plan would support year-round activities creating an atmosphere for citizens to enjoy and businesses to thrive in The design was met largely with positive reaction by council members though some concerns about parking and accessibility for seniors were raised Eagle Mountain leaders said it also includes architectural and landscaping recommendations strategies for maintaining the area over time and detailed implementation planning “The vision we have for this downtown will bring many people to visit have great food and utilize a variety of amenities,” said Evan Berrett economic development director for Eagle Mountain The proposed design shows access points into the downtown area from Pony Express Parkway and Mid Valley Road The downtown plan would seemingly align with long-range transportation plans in the city With the upcoming extensions of Mid Valley Road westward to Eagle Mountain Boulevard (and the future Cedar Valley Highway) and east through the Lake Mountains to Mountain View Corridor and the connection of Old Airport Road to Cory Wride Highway later this year Berrett said the future downtown area is in a very convenient location for transportation access As one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, Eagle Mountain’s population surpassed 60,000 residents last year, according to census data The population could grow to more than 140,000 residents by 2050 according to projections by the Mountainland Association of Governments The downtown initiative is part of a larger effort to meet the growing needs of Eagle Mountain’s expanding population Neighboring Saratoga Springs and nearby Lehi both which are also exploding in populations are also exploring their own respective future downtown plans or revitalizations Berrett said Eagle Mountain plans to acquire about 20 acres of land to execute the downtown plan Following a discussion of the nearly-finalized concepts at the work session meeting last month MHTN is in the final stages of revising the Downtown Master Plan It is anticipated that the completed draft will be presented to the city’s steering committee in the coming weeks the City Council is scheduled to review the plan again for possible adoption at its Feb Eagle Mountain City will begin working on implementation of the plan immediately Buildout would happen in phases and would likely take several years before completion In the meantime, feedback remains paramount and residents are encouraged to stay informed and voice opinions on the project’s webpage is going to be fantastic and I can’t wait to walk through it in hopefully just a handful of years from now,” Barrett said 1,500 students will be going to the new Sage Canyon Middle School Utah (KUTV) — 1,500 students will be going to the new Sage Canyon Middle School Though the school now has an official name there are still many things left to be done before students can go through the doors in August MORE on APLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT: Parents lobby Alpine School District officials to keep schools on brink of shutdown open I like the name of it and the colors for it,” McDonald said supports the idea of the Eagle Mountain community growing so we try to be really supportive of things that come in and help out as much as we can with making things a positive Other parents said they’re looking forward to smaller class sizes and love the opportunity to be a part of building a positive culture from the ground up Sage Canyon Principal Brian Jolley said the campus is close to being finished there is more work to be done inside the school We’ve still got a handful of teachers that we need to hire and a truckload of support staff,” Jolley said Jolley said they’re up to about 55 teachers and need about seven or eight more to be fully staffed KUTV asked him about what the process has been like to find teachers “It’s all about just creating this clear vision of who we want to be as a school and I think that’s what attracts people,” he said Two schools from Eagle Mountain will be affected by Sage Canyon Ninth graders from Cedar Valley High School and some middle schoolers that would have gone to Frontier will be attending Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application In Loving Memory of CailaEmina “Mina” Keali’iholokahiki Brooks It is with heavy hearts and immeasurable sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved CailaEmina Keali’iholokahiki Brooks affectionately known as “Mina” who left this world too soon on February 23 to her devoted parents Stanley Brooks III and Christina “Sina” Lealaitafea-Brooks Mina was a radiant soul who brought joy and warmth to all who knew her and deep connections with those around her Mina was a student at Cedar Valley High School where she was a member of the Pacific Islander Club Her Hawaiian and Samoan heritage was a cornerstone of her identity shaping her spirit and inspiring her love of Polynesian dance and music later continuing her journey with Taualuga Productions and Taupou Dance Academy and her presence on stage nothing short of captivating She touched countless hearts with her talent and the light she carried within her Faith was an important part of Mina’s journey Sealed to her family in 2011 and baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 2018 she deepened her relationship with her Heavenly Father in the past two years drawing strength from her faith and the love of her ward family finding peace and purpose in her spiritual growth Mina is now joyfully reunited with her paternal grandfather Stanley Brooks Jr.; her maternalgrandmother Mechail “Caila” Lealaitafea; Uncle Tristan Nilssen; Aunty Star Alameda and hercousin She leaves behind a familywho will forever cherish her memory: her parents She also leaves behind hergrandparents Lester (Selena) Lealaitafea Patricia (John) Nilssen and Madeline Brooks alongwith countless Aunties and beautiful spirit will continueto shine in the lives of all who were blessed to know her please wear Aloha attire in honor of our beautiful flower in the East Lawn Memorial Cemetery located at 4800 Timpview Dr https://youtube.com/live/JgdJHkc0lDs?feature=share https://youtube.com/live/iy6mJK7jBSs?feature=share https://youtube.com/live/QQWWZwb1XSM?feature=share Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint Chapel Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors some students in Eagle Mountain will begin attending a brand-new middle school — and in the coming weeks that new school will officially have a name the Alpine School District Board of Education was presented with three names to be considered for the campus Once the boundaries for the new middle school were set last December Principal Brian Jolley began work on determining a name for the facility made up of students from other Eagle Mountain middle schools and parents of students within the new school’s boundary as well as Alpine School District staff members All sought feedback to gather ideas for the new school’s name Jolley said around 1,000 school name submissions were collected and another 800 submissions came in for mascot names The proposed options for Eagle Mountain’s new school are: Coyote Ridge’s proposed mascot would be the Mavericks while the other two school mascots would be known as the Coyotes Jolley noted the coyote theme throughout the three proposals that community members seemed to like the idea of “Coyotes are not just indigenous to the region problem solvers,” Jolley explained before the Board of Education Jolley said committee members wanted to come up with name ideas that capture the essence of Eagle Mountain Board of Education President Julie King commended Jolley on the efforts to explore options for a name of the school and inviting community involvement in the process the kind of principal and administrator that you are that you seek out and involve and make sure that everyone has a level of connection and input and it’s one of the things I’m really excited about working with you,” King said The Board of Education is expected to make a final decision on the new school name at its next meeting Feb Eagle Mountain’s new middle school is projected to open in time for the start of the 2025-26 school year Utah — As the city of Eagle Mountain continues to explore its energy future residents got the chance to sit down with experts Monday night to talk about all things nuclear power It comes after a January meeting in which their city council voted to table a number of zoning changes which would open the door to having small modular reactors (SMRs) and other energy sources built within city limits Community members then asked for more careful consideration and research of such a significant move “Mainly it’s the location - they want to put it inside the city limits,” said Rasmussen Taxpayers will be funding nuclear reactors.” So there were no shortage of questions for the panel on Monday which featured guests from the Idaho National Laboratory the state’s office of energy development and more and we want experts in the field to address them - so it’s not just city government doing this,” said Tyler Maffitt a spokesperson for the city of Eagle Mountain Matthew Memmott from BYU says these SMRs have made great technological strides but it’s typically the negative perception the world is awash with radiation and if we can’t handle the slightest bit of radiation who is an associate professor of chemical engineering The panel noted that large plants have an evacuation plan which plans out to 10 miles that can be sized down to the boundaries of the nuclear site “Not because they’re sacrificing safety - the standards are the same,” Dr that distance you can be from it and be safe is much Maffitt says they hope Rasmussen and others can walk away feeling more informed while the city can feel more confident in its decisions moving forward really good that this is a scientific approach and not just a political one,” Maffitt said With learning opportunities like these under their belt and the legislative session at a close Maffitt says the city will soon look to make its next steps from a policy perspective Utah (KUTV) — A man driving a pickup truck has died after he hit two homes in Eagle Mountain Ray Ormond from Utah County Sheriff's Office said the man was driving on Pony Express Parkway Monday afternoon The man left the roadway for an unspecified reason and hit two homes off Bald Eagle Way Officials suspect a medical emergency occurred in the older man Community members in the area said the crash was in the Overland neighborhood in Eagle Mountain Residents in the area said this isn't the first time this has happened People who live in the neighborhood said cars have come off Pony Express into the neighborhood several times over the last few years Although no one there blames the driver in this case it highlights a problem they’ve had for years It’s a tragic accident that people in the neighborhood never want to see “Four times total over a five or six-year span,” said Justin Higgins Higgins is talking about the number of cars that have come off the road for different reasons Neighbors showed KUTV pictures of other crashes from 2019 to 2024 One picture shows rubble that used to be a sign for the neighborhood which they said had hit been a couple times “The city’s been putting it up over and over again and I just think they’re probably just tired of putting it up,” Higgins said Higgins said Monday’s crash is the closest it’s ever come to hitting someone but he and the other residents think it’s only a matter of time because there’s kids that keep walking down this pathway home from school,” Higgins said “A lot of things can really hurt some kids or hurt anybody that’s walking through our neighborhood.” Some of the residents said they’re going to look into starting a petition to get a fence or wall built here KUTV reached out to the city after hours to see if there are plans to address residents' concerns and we'll update you when we hear back (KBAK/KBFX) — Eagle Mountain Casino announced that legendary rapper and actor Ice Cube will perform live in concert on April 4 Known for songs such as "It Was a Good Day," "Check Yo Self," and "You Know How We Do It," Ice Cube will deliver the hits in Porterville Tickets for the concert will go on sale on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 10 a.m HERE Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets early as the event is anticipated to be highly attended Tickets can also be bought in person at the box office For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Eagle Mountain Casino's website at eaglemtncasino.com EAGLE MOUNTAIN — The city of Eagle Mountain is looking into energy alternatives such as nuclear reactors and natural gas power plants to help with preventing an energy crisis as the city rapidly expands The Eagle Mountain Planning Commission tabled proposed amendments to city code that would allow small modular nuclear reactors battery energy storage systems and solar energy projects in the city The commissioners ultimately decided Tuesday they needed additional information on the energy plants before recommending code changes to allow them "This is something that is going to be inevitable We are facing an energy crisis right now," Commissioner Robert Fox said More investigation of regulations and safety impacts should be done and energy could be the factor that stops the city's growth if nothing is done a renewable energy company that focuses on developing wind solar and storage projects and aims to streamline the approval process and ensure safety for sustainable energy projects city planning director Brandon Larsen said The proposed code amendments would allow for new forms of energy generation power lines and small modular nuclear reactors to be approved in the areas that are in the regional The amendments would also allow for power lines to be in agriculture zones Larsen said these changes would support the governor's Operation Gigawatt initiative to increase in-state power production "The city recognizes that we need additional energy resources to facilitate some of the growth we need," Larsen said "The city just really wants to be make sure as it considers different types of alternative energy sources that we are determined to facilitate clean energy We are working to prioritize the public health and safety and we do not want to do anything to put anybody in harm's way," Larsen said Nuclear and natural gas plants typically emit less pollutants than most coal-powered plants Commissioner Craig Whiting emphasized the air quality in the Cedar Valley is a benefit many in Eagle Mountain enjoy and allowing power plants could have air quality repercussions the perception of danger and pollution could affect real estate values and cause people to not want to live in the city Whiting also voiced concern about battery leakage fire hazards of the various energy productions and how important it is to understand all consequences of having a plant in the city Resident Joy Rasmussen said this proposal feels motivated by corporate greed and should instead be voted on by citizens She was also concerned about where the nuclear waste would be stored "Allowing that in the city limits near a major population center is asking for trouble all of those can jeopardize any safety measures that are in place," Rasmussen said Roxanna Stone discussed the health impacts from pollutants in the air that would also soak into the soil As someone who used to live by a nuclear plant in California she is strongly against having one built in Eagle Mountain especially the small modular ones that she believes haven't been proven safe yet "We are going to be guinea pigs for these," she said "Give the citizens a chance to react to this We can't stop the progress of this technology and resources but it can be put in a place that's safer for all of us." Michael Bixler suggested the plant be built away from any housing adding that the city is already in "gridlock" and would be in trouble if people had to evacuate for an emergency from a power plant Commissioner Brent Strong commended the city for being proactive in looking into energy alternatives and said this proposal is a starting point for the city He suggested looking into the impacts Orem and Payson have experienced from their natural gas power plants "We have got to be careful about this," Strong said We as a city need to figure out how to get more power here The commission motioned for the proposal to be tabled and suggested a work session with the City Council to dive deeper into the topic In a statement released Monday, the city said code change is just a proactive measure to be able to enhance safety protocols and meet growing energy demands through a simplified approval process Any potential projects will undergo "rigorous vetting." "The city has been working alongside an energy service provider to update code that can accommodate future projects but the city is not anticipating any applications for major energy-related projects at this time," city communication manager Tyler Maffitt said "It is important for the city to be prepared to accommodate advancements in technology while keeping our environment and residents safe," the statement said The Eagle Mountain City Council is hitting the pause button on approving a code amendment that would allow nuclear plants and other forms of advanced power generation facilities within its city limits During their meeting Tuesday night the council decided to table the issue for the time being to weigh its pros and cons as well as potential risks that may impact the community The change would help facilitate the use of a variety of energy options in the city power lines and small modular reactors in the city’s Regional Technology and Industry overlay zone City officials say the current power demands are beginning to exceed Rocky Mountain Power’s capacity The city is exploring alternative energy options to match its rising population growth while meeting the needs of current and future economic developments “We’re growing super fast,” said Evan Berrett “We need to attract commercial and industrial development as soon as possible That’s obviously my primary focus as economic development director but it’s a hard sell if we don’t have the power and that’s obviously something we need to remedy.” Mayor Tom Westmoreland said he feels the city’s energy and transmission infrastructure is behind the curve and preparations for the future of energy generation should not be prolonged “Our appetite for electricity is growing at a huge rate and the technology is progressing very rapidly,” Westmoreland said He went on to say the city needs to address current energy challenges to maintain a high quality of life and support economic development The mayor said he fears that not taking action at some point could have bigger impacts years down the road “I can’t even begin to imagine what the impact would be on a city of our size just the blight that would begin to overtake us,” Westmoreland said following a lengthy and robust discussion about the need for more energy generation as well as the contribution of more than a dozen perspectives on both sides of the topic during a public comment period lasting to nearly 11 p.m. the council voted unanimously to not yet take action on the amendment The code change topic was previously discussed at a Eagle Mountain City Planning Commission meeting in December at which the issue was also tabled so officials could take more time to research information about energy plants before making a decision During the planning commission’s meeting on Jan its members recommended a denial of the amendments citing a list of safety concerns and indicating that the decision should be a more collaborative effort with other cities Tuesday’s city council meeting featured split opinions on the issue some of which were from experts in nuclear technology The council opted to revisit the proposed amendment to the city’s code possibly after the 45-day legislative session where state leaders have already begun discussing how nuclear power plants can fit into the future of Utah’s energy sources The Eagle Mountain City Council is also considering hosting a future town hall where city leaders stakeholders and people in the field can take a deeper look at how alternate forms of energy generation can exist within the city With the recent greenlight from Utah Gov. Spencer Cox of Senate Bill 188 the long-awaited build of a new high school in Saratoga Springs may finally come to fruition During their general meeting on Tuesday Alpine School District Board of Education members voted unanimously in favor of a resolution expressing the intent to issue lease revenue bonds in the amount of $238 million to build two new schools in the soon-to-be formed West School District The vote essentially starts the process for the board to potentially issue bonds for the projects It also sets up notice of a public hearing to be held in late April for citizens across all areas of the current district to weigh in on the matter The bonds would go toward constructing a new high school in Saratoga Springs and a new elementary school in Eagle Mountain The district previously purchased a 50-acre plot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where the new high school may be built The consideration for the issuance of bonds comes a week after the governor signed legislation that opens up more options for school districts to issue lease revenue bonds and general obligation bonds independently to fund capital projects Government entities can issue lease revenue bonds without resident voter approval to fund construction of new facilities One of the obstacles the school board faced was the ability to issue bonds once the district split was initiated Voters swung in favor of splitting Alpine School District three ways during the general election back in November three new districts will be operational in the central resulting in the dissolution of the present district director of communications for Alpine School District said the board has remained committed to ensuring students west of Utah Lake have the facilities they need to receive the best education possible “The split vote complicated that for a time 188 and current action from our school board has sort of worked through those complications,” he said If the board elects to move forward with passing the issuance of a new lease revenue bond it would not impact funding toward projects in the other two districts “It actually frees up dollars for South and Central to utilize if they so choose,” School Board President Julie King said during Tuesday’s board meeting King also clarified during the meeting that the bond would not impose any further debt on local taxpayers as the funds are already available Alpine School District previously approved property tax increases in 2023 and 2024 according to Alpine School District Business Administrator Jason Sundberg were slated to include the building of new schools in the west debt associated with a bond will be the sole responsibility of the respective district where the funds were utilized the current Alpine School District would be responsible for interest payments on the debt “The interest payments in the meantime will be paid with property tax but it’s already there,” Sundberg explained before the board on Tuesday Parents and community members have previously raised concerns on social media and at board meetings about overcrowding at Westlake High School Westlake currently has an enrollment of just over 3,000 students That number is projected to grow by nearly 300 additional students by the 2026-27 school year Cedar Valley High School has a student population of 3,300 Both cities continue to experience significant population growth Between 2022 and 2023, Saratoga Springs added more than 3,200 new residents, while Eagle Mountain added nearly 2,900 more residents, according to census data Although current board members admitted they were divided on the district split each one wanted to make efforts to set the new organizations up for success “The intent of our board is to make sure that we are creating three strong districts and that together we are unified and committed in that process,” said board member Sarah Beeson If the Alpine School District Board of Education and its Local Building Authority move forward with the bond the new high school could be up and ready for students by fall 2028 the second school year into the newly formed districts The public hearing for the lease revenue bond will be held at the Alpine School District office building in American Fork at 6 p.m EAGLE MOUNTAIN — An Eagle Mountain teen is breaking barriers and shattering stereotypes one challenge at a time — all while championing families battling cancer It all began when Alexandra Gates was just a kindergartener With a father in law enforcement who also taught judo jujitsu She would watch her dad at the gym until she finally convinced him she was ready to compete Alexandra isn't just dominating on the mat — she's commanding the stage "She's not your typical girl," said Andy Gates beaming with pride as he described his daughter Alexandra is fiercely competitive — a trait she clearly inherited from both her dad and her mom The Gates household is brimming with medals but they only tell part of Alexandra's story "She started doing competitions in judo and jujitsu when she was like 6," Andy Gates said Martial arts became more than a sport for Alexandra — it became a community "I found the people who were most like me." Alexandra took her skills to the wrestling team "She comes in day one and she's just throwing everybody," Andy Gates remembers (Photo: Family photo)But Alexandra's story is more than her prowess in combat sports Beneath her fierce exterior lies a compassionate heart "She's super competitive with sports but then also really loving and caring with others," said Erin Gates coupled with a personal connection to cancer led Alexandra to a new arena: the pageant circuit Alexandra chose childhood cancer awareness as her platform got diagnosed with leukemia," Erin Gates explains but the fight against cancer became even more personal last year "My dad was diagnosed with cancer last March," Alexandra said softly Alexandra Gates with her father Andy Gates in an undated photo as he fought a cancer diagnosis (Photo: Family photo)Her father — her rock and the man who taught her about resilience — was suddenly facing his toughest battle yet "It was definitely a really hard time for my family because I had to watch my dad go from perfectly normal perfectly healthy to not being able to stand and walk on his own," Alexandra shares She created Fight with Gates to help ease the stress and anxiety faced by families of children fighting cancer "Fight with Gates was created so that I could help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety that's put on cancer families when their child is going through cancer," said Alexandra She organized fundraisers and charity events From combat sports champion to pageant queen to devoted daughter She talked to KSL in Eagle Mountain on Wednesday her hard work and advocacy earned her the title of Miss Oquirrh Mountains Teen — her second crown after winning Miss Eagle Mountain a few years prior Alexandra is proving she is anything but ordinary Alexandra is also the Future Farmers of America (FFA) chairwoman on the livestock team advising and organizing events for her chapter his cancer is in remission and he is looking to make a full recovery pictured in this Google Maps image from October 2022 A 39-year-old teacher placed on leave from the school in December has been charged with more than 30 felony counts after prosecutors say he sexually assaulted two female students A 39-year-old Utah charter school teacher has been charged with 30 felony counts after prosecutors say he sexually assaulted two female students multiple times over several months both at the Eagle Mountain school where he taught and outside of it Ricardo Prins worked at Rockwell Charter School, a tuition-free, public charter school that enrolls children in seventh through 12th grade He allegedly “used his position to influence his victims,” the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Tuesday Prins is identified as a math teacher in a March 2024 agenda for a meeting of the charter school’s board. Mention of him has seemingly been scraped from the school website, but he was once listed on the school’s support staff directory page, archived search results indicate. Utah County prosecutors charged Prins, who is identified in court documents as Ricardo Margalho Prins, on Monday with 15 counts of forcible sodomy, ten counts of rape and a single count of object rape — all first-degree felonies. He is also facing three counts of forcible sexual abuse and one count of aggravated assault, both second-degree felonies, as well a misdemeanor count of unlawfully kissing a minor. School officials initially declined to comment on the case when reached Tuesday afternoon. Executive Director Ryan Dubois referred all questions to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, at the advice of law enforcement, because of the “active police investigation.” Late Tuesday, he along with the school board’s president and vice president sent an email to parents explaining the school’s response to the allegations. They wrote that Prins had been placed on leave after the school was notified, and that he was ultimately fired. “Rockwell’s teachers, administrators, support staff, and school board work diligently each day to establish a safe, positive, and productive learning environment for all students. When a colleague dishonors our profession by committing crimes and harming students, we all feel diminished,” the email read. “Students and families also feel less safe, and the trust between the school and community is weakened,” the statement continued. “We are completely brokenhearted by this.” The school will provide counseling services and support groups on campus, and its board members are exploring “additional safeguards and procedures” that they hope will “strengthen safety at the school.” Prins' court docket does not yet list a defense attorney for The Salt Lake Tribune to contact. Prins flew to Brazil on Dec. 16. Authorities say he remains abroad and he has not yet been arrested. On Dec. 15, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office received a report about Prins and “unlawful sexual relation” with two girls, according to the news release. That same day, schools officials put Prins on leave, according to court documents. Investigators later spoke to the girls, both teens, and went on to find evidence of prolonged abuse starting in September, after Prins asked one to come to his classroom to “hang out during her free time,” according to charging documents. After that day, Prins kept in touch with the girl through Snapchat, a messaging application. He would ask her to come to his classroom after school activities and then sexually assault her, charging documents allege. On at least one occasion, he also allegedly drove her to a “remote location” to sexually assault her, the documents state, then dropped her off in a parking lot away from her house to “so her home security cameras wouldn’t record him.” About two months after the assaults allegedly began, Prins told the girl he wanted to have sex with another student, charging documents state. Prosecutors say he later picked up both girls and drove them to the same “remote location,” where he allegedly raped them. The car encounters with both girls allegedly continued, including one instance where Prins is accused of choking one of the girls until she lost consciousness, charging documents state. He also allegedly sexually assaulted both girls in a classroom at the charter school that was being used for storage. The girls told investigators that Prins told them he had the ability to “hack their phones and erase security footage,” and that he’d previously worked with the Brazilian government and had “murdered 2,000 people,” charging documents state. During one encounter at a “remote area,” Prins allegedly told one of the girls “he could kill her because they were alone, and no one was watching,” prosecutors wrote. On Dec. 13, one of the girls came forward about the abuse and messaged Prins that she “had to do it.” He tried to arrange a meet-up to “give her a gift,” but the girl didn’t respond. He also tried to call the girl, but she didn’t answer, prosecutors noted. Prior to coming forward, the girls and their parents had denied the allegations against Prins, according to the letter from Rockwell officials. When one ultimately came forward and her parents notified the school, school officials said they took action “within the hour.” A school administrator told authorities that Prins had said previously said that “he would never return to Brazil because of issues with his past employment there,” and he mentioned that he had not requested any time off prior to being placed on leave on Dec. 15. On Dec. 18, two days after Prins flew to Brazil, investigators visited his home and spoke with his wife. She told deputies that Prins was in Brazil, but she didn’t know when he booked the flight nor when he was coming home, according to court documents. Soon after speaking with Prins' wife, deputies received a text message from Prins saying he’d return on Jan. 5. The next day, Prins reached out to deputies again and offered to talk to officers remotely, “explaining he went to Brazil on short notice because his mother was dying and he wasn’t aware of any investigation, just that he’d been put on leave.” He promised to talk to officers after he returned on Jan. 5. Two days before his scheduled arrival, he told officers he wasn’t able to return to the U.S. because of issues with his travel documents. Officers then went to his home on Jan. 7 to serve a search warrant and found Prins’ wife packing their belongings, prosecutors wrote. “She confirmed to officers that the defendant told her to start packing up their things but said they had not informed the landlord they were moving, nor did she know where they were moving to,” according to the prosecutors’ request for an arrest warrant. She told officers that Prins had discussed moving to Brazil when they spoke earlier that week, but they’d never talked about moving there before. Authorities are seeking a warrant to return him to the U.S. to face charges. Prosecutors are asking that Prins not be allowed the option of bail when he returns, arguing that he is a flight risk whose only connection to the U.S. is his wife and children, and that, if released on bail, he would pose a risk to the “public safety and welfare of the community or an individual.” Utah County deputies are asking anyone who may have more information about Prins as the case continues being investigated to contact their office at 801-798-5600. For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support 801-237-2900 or email subscribe@sltrib.com sltrib.com © 1996-2025 The Salt Lake Tribune Utah (KUTV) — Authorities are seeking the public’s help regarding the repeated theft of Pride and Transgender flags from the porch and lawn of an Eagle Mountain home The residence is located in the 9000 North and Ox Bridge neighborhood the Utah County Sheriff’s Office released surveillance footage from the home captured on March 24 at approximately 9:21 p.m One juvenile is seen removing a Transgender flag from the front lawn while two others approach the porch and tear down a Pride flag attached to the overhang The sheriff’s office said the suspects were seen leaving the area on a yellow electric bike and mountain bikes Anyone with information about these thefts or the individuals involved is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at (801) 798-5600 ------------------------------------------ EDUCATION + SCHOOLS Boundaries for the New Middle School in Eagle Mountain were officially approved BY ALLESSANDRA HARRIS GURR SALT LAKE CITY— Boundaries for a new Eagle Mountain middle school have been approved despite decisions about a splitting district and school closures The Alpine School District Board of Education unanimously approved the boundaries for New Middle School in a meeting Tuesday night The approval comes after months of parent surveys New Middle School Principal Brian Jolley said since announcing the news on Wednesday they’ve received positive feedback from families “We’ve heard from lots of people that are excited to finally know what school their kids will be attending next year,” he said “It’s been a really positive response.” While moving to a new school can be exciting Jolley expressed understanding for those who may find the change stressful “While they’re excited for the possibility of attending the new school or staying with their current school there’s also legitimate fears and maybe even sadness because they’ve been part of this Frontier Middle School community for years,” said Jolley. “We recognize that it can be an exciting but also a difficult time for kids.” is on track to open for the 2025-26 school year it will serve around 1500 students in Eagle Mountain and Hidden Hollow elementary schools will feed into the new school Setting the school boundaries opens the door to start working on other necessary decisions “We have reached out to every family that has students K through 8 in the new boundary and we’ve asked for them to provide us possible names and mascots and colors for the new school,” said Jolley they will make recommendations to the board of education Other decisions in the works include ordering furniture finishing construction and hiring a staff that they hope will be finalized in the spring “There’s just so much to do but it’s exciting,” he said Boundary decisions were discussed while the county was deciding whether or not to split the Alpine School District into three Principal Jolley said it didn’t disrupt their process “We knew … when we started the boundary process back in early fall that a vote was going to be happening and it didn’t impact the boundary at all,” explained Jolley “We haven’t let the new lines for a district impact what we’re doing No matter what district we’re going to be a part of we’re excited to serve students here in Eagle Mountain.” Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here Utah — Nuclear energy was the hot topic of discussion in Eagle Mountain Tuesday night as their city council considered a zone change ordinance that could open the door to alternative energy sources Growth and change have been a part of Eagle Mountain’s identity for years it feels like it’s doubled in growth,” said Brooks Benson until he learned last month that he may become neighbors with a nuclear power plant Eagle Mountain is proposing six zone changes to allow for alternative energy sources “Energy generation in cities is a hot topic right now and Eagle Mountain is at the cutting edge of this,” said Tyler Maffitt One of those sources could be a small modular nuclear reactor “We can be independent from the infrastructure grid that we currently have that we’re relying on,” said Benson City leaders say they need that new source to secure their energy future But the technology being so close to home concerns some citizens “I bring my kids out — they’re learning how to work a farm,” Peck said “I don’t want to bring them out to a farm that I have a nuclear reactor 100 yards away.” Those concerns range from health to public safety in the event of a leak or an emergency there’s two exits,” said Elbamaria Trujillo-Perez opponents feel these changes are being considered more for companies that may move in than for current members of this community A Meta data center already calls Eagle Mountain home and council members noted that similar projects have been put on hold because the current energy grid cannot support it ”They’re the ones that are going to store the energy,” Trujillo-Perez said “They’re the ones that are going to sell the energy City leaders wanted to assure those concerned that they will work toward a solution together “The reality of this valley — it belongs to all of us,” said Councilman Rich Wood “ We’re all impacted by the decisions that we make.” But Peck and others feel this option isn’t the right path “I really do believe nuclear power is a way of the future “But I don’t think it needs to be in our backyard Another sentiment shared within the crowded council chambers was that the process felt rushed and community members wanted more information and discussion on the reactors and energy sources after around three hours of discussion between the council the Eagle Mountain City Council voted to table their motion until March Even if the zone change does eventually go through officials say this is just the first step in a long process It could take years before any potential project comes to fruition (FOX26) — Eagle Mountain Casino and Tule River Tribe have donated over 200 boxes to the #EMCLovesLA Donation Drive Together they loaded up a 35ft semi-truck with over 15 pallets of donations to one of the official donation sites in Los Angeles County Anjelah Johnson Reyes helped kick off the campaign by encouraging her millions of social media followers to donate to the drive The donations are accepted through January 31st and guests at Eagle Mountain Casino can receive bonus cash-free play in return for a donation and unwrapped toys are accepted for donations Eagle Mountain Casino Facebook HERE (Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) A Meta data storage center in Eagle Mountain The city is considering a change that would permit the building of power sources like small nuclear reactors in some areas to power its data centers and growing population The city west of Utah Lake has seen its population skyrocket in past years, making it Utah’s third fastest-growing city. And Google and Meta, Facebook’s parent company are building energy-intensive data centers there To meet that demand, Eagle Mountain is considering allowing small nuclear reactors and other alternate power sources like natural gas power plants and battery storage systems But when the ordinance came up for a vote Tuesday night, the city’s planning commission didn’t endorse it “There’s a big power need in Eagle Mountain but it’s more of a statewide issue where we just don’t have the workforce here we don’t have a lot of the infrastructure necessary to actually support small modular reactors,” said Evan Berrett economic development director for the city “That doesn’t mean that we couldn’t at one time … but all those things have to be built up first,” he continued Though the planning commission ultimately voted against making the change the Eagle Mountain City Council will make the final decision on the proposed ordinance But several Eagle Mountain residents told the city’s planning commission that they don’t want any nuclear reactors in their city today or in the future “Small modular reactors are scary for any type of population,” said Daniel Foreman Brandon Larsen, the city’s planning director, said Eagle Mountain officials started thinking about this change while working with Enyo Renewable Energy LLC The company wants to build solar panels and battery storage in the city but Larsen said “there were some code challenges in approving that application” at Tuesday’s planning commission meeting it’s just a time when there are so many things going on with energy,” Larsen said to the commission Despite Enyo’s proposal for solar power and natural gas the commissioners and meeting attendees mainly discussed the possibility of small nuclear reactors in Eagle Mountain Larsen explained that any energy proposal in Eagle Mountain would require a lengthy process to approve “What this proposal would do is basically open the door for us to receive applications for those uses,” he said said that commercial small modular reactors are likely years away from reality and that Eagle Mountain doesn’t want to be a “test site” for the technology He said the proposed change would serve a longer-term need Commissioner Brent Strong agreed: “We need to leave the door open to make a decision and let technology guide us,” he said “If we wait 20 years to start” the process for permitting nuclear and other energy infrastructure “then we’re going to be behind the curve.” Strong ultimately voted not to recommend the ordinance change to the city council Berrett and Larsen both said having several energy sources in Eagle Mountain could attract more commercial and industrial projects providing tax revenue for the city and jobs for its growing population Commissioner Bryan Free supported the proposed change “I don’t want to live next to a [small modular reactor] either and I don’t want you to live next to a [small modular reactor] or a battery storage plant or solar panel,” he said Tuesday “but we do want to make sure we have those energy needs taken care of Several Eagle Mountain residents spoke against the proposed ordinance Tuesday night a grandfather and software engineer living in the city questioned the state’s push for nuclear energy: “Does that mean that shortcuts could be made or certain standards don’t need to be met?” “Why is Eagle Mountain so quick to raise its hand for this,” Wright continued this entire valley will be filled with people?” joined Wright in asking the commission if small modular reactors are safe She voiced concerns about increased risk of cancer from living near a nuclear reactor let’s wait 15 years to change the code,” Rasmussen said “Let’s wait until somebody else has borne the risk.” Carmen Valdez, a policy associate with the Salt Lake City-based Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, said she supports “more affordable and readily available energy projects” like solar and battery power over “costly, experimental [small modular reactor] technologies.” And, Valdez added, the reactors still produce hazardous radioactive waste, which could be stored on-site in Eagle Mountain. Larsen, the city’s planning director, noted potential issues with the water needed to cool small modular reactors and other projects. “Nearly any power generation project in Eagle Mountain would need to cool without water,” he said. “We only have so much water to go around that we are not intending to give away to a power generation facility,” Larsen continued. “We need that for other forms of commercial industrial development and residential development.” The Eagle Mountain City Council could discuss the proposed ordinance disapproved by the planning commission as soon as next week. City leaders in Eagle Mountain are considering revisions to an ordinance that would allow a diverse set of energy options as well as new transmission to meet growing electricity demand in the fast-growing community Among potential developments that would be allowed under the modifications is the addition of small modular reactors — or advanced nuclear technologies “There are no immediate plans to have a nuclear facility in Eagle Mountain I don’t think that even the state of Utah has the capability of taking in a nuclear power plant anytime soon just because there’s not really all the right pieces to bring one in — to kind of keep it simple So we’re not expecting to see a nuclear power plant probably several years from now,” said Evan Berrett opted not to pursue the ordinance revisions That comes as Berrett earlier stressed that the city wants to be able to use that energy source should it become viable and financially a good fit “If there’s anything that leads us to believe that they aren’t going to be appropriate for our community if there’s any reason to believe that they are not going to be safe or good for our environment Enyo wants to put in battery storage and solar panels in Eagle Mountain It requested a revision of the ordinance to make the project possible Enyo developed an 80-megawatt solar farm in Tooele County and has three other solar projects under development in Utah Berrett said aside from the existing Facebook facility and Enyo’s request three other high tech companies have expressed a strong desire to power up data or AI centers in Eagle Mountain which has already purchased land at the south end of the city and that’s difficult when you’re just sort of on the end of the line,” said Eagle Mountain Mayor Tom Westmoreland We don’t have an I-15 or anything like that So creating a strong local economy is a real challenge for us.” has grown from 250 residents when it was founded 28 years ago to a population of 71,000 I think last year we added somewhere around 5,500 people City officials say the revisions align with “Operation Gigawatt,” announced last year in which the state aims to double its energy production within a decade Revisions contemplate more zoning flexibility for not only solar and battery storage electrical substations and the small modular reactor option The Eagle Mountain City Council will now take up the proposal next week That component has a fueled a group of opponents fearful about the dangers of nuclear-powered energy who launched a petition to gather opponents to potential nuclear deployment in Eagle Mountain floods and potential terrorist attacks that could expose residents to undue risks of leaked radiation allowing a nuclear reactor in Eagle Mountain would be a dangerous proposition putting our community’s health at jeopardy,” she wrote in her petition “We urge you to recognize the gravity of this situation — the threat it presents to millions of lives and how it can potentially increase cancer risks in our community.” Both Berrett and Westmoreland stressed there is not a immediate plan to site a small modular reactor in the community and before that happens — if it does — it will be properly vetted Westmoreland added that even without the demand posed by data centers the city will be unable to meet energy needs of its residents without another resource and diversification City officials toured the Lakeside Natural Gas plant last week and also met virtually with representatives from the Idaho National Laboratory, the nation’s premier U.S Department of Energy laboratory researching nuclear technologies electricity really is at the core of modern life and I have not seen an alternative to that yet,” Westmoreland said " So we’ve had hydroelectric power and coal power you still still have exhaust and with our high air quality standards Westmoreland said the main concern for residents should be the ability to keep the lights on we’ve come to take electricity for granted we flip on the switch and it comes on but if the day comes that it’s not reliable that’s going to severely impact us in a negative way “It frightens me from a national security level It frightens me from a quality of life level.” A now-former teacher at Rockwell Charter High School in Eagle Mountain under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct with two students has reportedly left the country the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said in a release Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of a “possible unlawful sexual relationship with two underage females.” Court documents allege that, on multiple occasions, Prins sexually abused two students, a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old, KUTV reported In one of the alleged instances, a student told police that Prins wrapped his hands around her neck, then applied pressure until she reportedly passed out, Fox 13 reported An online search of Prins’ name lists him as a career and technical education teacher at Rockwell Charter High School, though as of Tuesday, his profile is no longer on the school’s website “It was alleged that Prins used his position to influence his victims,” the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said in the release they reportedly discovered that Prins left the country and returned to Brazil which was around the same time authorities learned of the allegations against him police allegedly found enough evidence to support a number of charges including 42 counts of criminal sexual misconduct with the juveniles one incident of aggravated assault and one incident of obstruction of justice While waiting for Prins to return to the United States and working with federal law enforcement partners police say they learned that his travel documents expired last year and he would not be able to legally return Some close to the school reacted dejectedly to the news noting it’s not the first time students and adults have complained about teachers at the school In 2022, students walked out of a classroom in protest due to a different alleged instance of inappropriate behavior by a teacher, and at the time they claimed school administration didn’t take action, ABC4 reported “This isn’t my first rodeo dealing with the school and sexual assault,” said Staci Sokol a grandparent of a former Rockwell student Sokol said not only did she complain to the principal at the time she also alerted Eagle Mountain Mayor Tom Westmoreland and Utah Gov Spencer Cox about alleged misbehavior by teachers at the school our children warned them (that) it’s going to happen again,” she told the Daily Herald The recent incident brought back some prior feelings for Sokol who said she’s thankful her granddaughter no longer attends Rockwell but expressed sorrow that more wasn’t done to protect the two students “I will continue to fight for these girls,” she said but I feel guilty because I should have stayed.” who said she’s also a survivor of sexual abuse praised the two students for coming forward about the alleged actions of Prins and proclaimed her commitment to support them “They’re not victims; they’re survivors,” she stated “We will stand beside them through everything.” investigators are asking for any other potential victims of abuse to contact Central Dispatch at 801-798-5600 and ask to speak with a deputy the case has been sent to the Utah County Attorney’s Office to obtain an arrest warrant for Prins The sheriff’s office says there are aspects of the case that are still under investigation Rockwell Charter High School declined to comment on the allegations when reached by the Daily Herald on Tuesday afternoon