(435) 631-9555 - info@townlift.com Marina Knight May 1 A map showing the epicenter of a 3.9 magnitude earthquake that struck south of Heber City at 12:11 a.m HEBER CITY, Utah – A magnitude 3.9 earthquake rattled the Wasatch Back early Thursday morning, shaking residents awake from Park City’s Old Town to Jeremy Ranch and Heber City — the closest town to the epicenter near Strawberry Reservoir. The quake struck around 14 miles south of Heber, between Daniels Summit and Strawberry Reservoir, according to data from the University of Utah Several locals commented about the quake in a post on Facebook me the fan’s pull chain began to sway,” a woman from Heber said Hideout and Kamas said the earthquake woke them up Utah has several major fault lines. Among the most active include the Wasatch Fault along the Wasatch Front and the Needles Fault Zone in Canyonlands National Park The biggest earthquake in recent Utah history was on March 18 2020 when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Magna Contact: marina@townlift.com Marina Knight began her career in journalism working for The Stowe Reporter in 2003 where she was a staff writer and later the publication’s Web Editor She covered the Winter Olympic Games in 2006 and 2010 and has worked as a freelance writer covering outdoor topics as well as art criticism Knight was Editor-in-Chief of SkiRacing.com She has won multiple awards from the New England Newspaper Association for environmental reporting In her free time you’ll find her in the mountains Read more from Marina Knight Submit a news tip, Share a photo or video, or contact TownLift with your local Park City news and feedback 2 days ago     Full time     $20.00 - $22.00 hourly 3 days ago     Seasonal     4 days ago     Seasonal     4 days ago     Full time     $45,000 - $60,000 yearly 10 days ago     Seasonal     $5,500 - $6,800 yearly Post A JobView All TownLift 8 hours ago Marina Knight 15 hours ago TownLift May 4 Add Your Organization Don’t miss a beat in the Park City community—get the daily scoop delivered straight to your inbox. 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Get Todays News Today Sign up for our TownLift Daily Newsletter and get today's top local news stories in your inbox TownLift is a web and mobile-based Entertainment & News media outlet providing Park City and Summit County Utah with Breaking Local News & Community Updates info@townlift.com LOCAL NEWS 6:20 AM | Updated: 9:27 am A 4.2 magnitude earthquake rattled Utah just outside Heber on April 30 BY MARY CULBERTSON SALT LAKE CITY — In May’s first hour a 4.2 magnitude earthquake was felt and recorded near Heber early Thursday according to the United States Geological Survey The USGS said the earthquake’s center was located just three kilometers outside Independence at approximately 12:11 a.m the USGS reported the minimum distance the shockwaves traveled was at least 30 kilometers The quake’s depth reached 11.3 kilometers deep into the Earth’s crust Reports of feeling the earthquake rattle can be submitted to the USGS online for data collection By early morning on Thursday, no serious damage or injuries had been reported. The USGS initially reported the quake was magnitude 3.9 Follow @culbertreport_ HEBER CITY — A 20-year-old patient at an addiction recovery center in Wasatch County is facing a charge of attempted murder for allegedly stabbing another patient in the neck was charged Friday in 4th District Court with attempted murder Wasatch County sheriff's deputies were called to an addiction recovery center Wednesday where a patient was flown by medical helicopter to University of Utah Hospital to be treated for a stab wound to his neck who is a voluntary patient of the facility stabbed another patient in the neck with a knife," the arresting deputy wrote in the affidavit "I reviewed (security video) of the incident which shows the victim sitting on a couch in the common area of the facility when Hunter walks up behind him and starts swinging a knife at the victim's neck unprovoked Hunter attacks the victim from behind without warning and appears to be unprovoked The video depicts Hunter aggressively swinging the knife repeatedly at the victim's neck even after the victim slumps over to protect himself." investigators say Kluser appears to have stabbed the victim six times the victim was "stable" and "is expected to live." Utah — The new ‘Minecraft’ movie trend popularized through social media has made its mark in Utah’s theatres from Provo to Heber City causing chaos as owners work to find ways to respond a night out at the movies can be an escape for people of all ages “We’ve just really wanted to bring some good old-fashioned family fun to the people here in Heber City,” said Steve Anderson started up Heber Valley Entertainment around a year ago “The Avon Theatre was built in 1948,” Steve said “This theatre seats 350 people,” Karyn added with the big auditorium being a nod to the experiences the couple said they grew up with the fun got a little out of control as the theater filled up for the new Minecraft movie “We probably had less than 10 adults there including myself — we were just completely outnumbered.” When the talked-about “chicken jockey” scene from the film arrived Teenagers inside the theater were caught on video running around with shirts off The theater turned the lights on and shut the movie off within 30 seconds It made a mess for the Andersons and even put a dent in their big screen “The history of these theatres is something we’re trying to preserve and protect,” Steve explained the Andersons now require adults to be with children under 16 and we’ve had no problems since,” Steve added There was a silver lining to last week's abrupt curtain call “I had all these teenage boys looking at me The Andersons say they know what happened was just kids having fun but it’s something the couple wants to support in Heber Valley for years to come “We want to preserve the integrity of the theater," said Steve "and also make it a nice experience for the regular moviegoers that aren’t into the TikTok." For decades UDOT has been working on a Heber Valley bypass to improve regional and local traffic flow on US-40 from state Route 32 to US-189 The transit department also wants to provide walking and biking options and help Heber realize its vision for the historic town center Progress in determining a preferred route stalled in October 2024 when leaders admitted they’d taken so long to make a decision that none of its five proposals could meet Wasatch County’s needs without adjustments UDOT Region 3 spokesperson Wyatt Woolley said the agency hadn’t accurately predicted future congestion numbers “Every three or four years they update the travel demand model for the region and based upon where we were at it was 30% more than what we were anticipating,” he said.  traffic volumes on north US-40 are predicted to be similar to those today on Salt Lake County’s Bangerter Highway or Utah County’s University Parkway all options with signalized intersections were ruled out along with options that increased traffic on 1300 South Both options have grade-separated free-flow interchanges Both also feature two travel lanes on north US-40 in both directions with partial frontage roads and a free-flow connection to 1300 South The main difference between the two options is Alternative A stays on Highway 40 until 900 North where a bypass would be diverted from Main Street Alternative B features a bypass starting at Potter Lane which would go through the North Fields Woolley said both options have different impacts you're impacting more agricultural and wetland and farming agricultural areas.” Alternative A would require around 22 property acquisitions But Alternative B would impact around 51 acres of the North Fields and wetlands while Alternative A would impact only around 22 acres Many Heber residents have been vocal about avoiding the North Fields between Midway and Heber Utah Open Lands has been working to conserve land in the North Fields as open space Woolley said the current travel time on US-40 is eight to nine minutes UDOT estimates that time will more than double and it's built either the west side or the north 40 side it will cut that time almost in half so it's only about 11 minutes,” Woolley said.  UDOT plans to release the environmental impact study in the fall The release will be followed by public hearings where the community can provide feedback Woolley said UDOT hopes to complete the bypass before the 2034 Olympic Games HEBER CITY — A Heber City man was arrested Saturday after police say he intentionally hit and injured a bicyclist in a road-rage incident was booked into the Wasatch County Jail and charged on Monday in 4th Distinct Court with aggravated assault resulting in serious injury a second-degree felony; failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving serous injury a third-degree felony; and failure to yield the right of way Charges for aggravated assault and failing to remain at the accident were filed with road-rage penalty enhancements if convicted The incident occurred on April 13 after a cyclist was struck by a car near 600 South and 100 East in Heber City Police say the bicyclist suffered a broken leg in the crash Investigators later located video of the incident from a surveillance camera at a nearby business The video showed a bicyclist riding down a sidewalk and a truck failing to stop before the sidewalk "The cyclist appeared to ride around the truck striking its hood with his hand and continuing to ride away and left the area," the affidavit alleges Police say they observed "what appeared to be acceleration marks leading toward where the cyclist was struck" at the scene officers went to Russell's house and identified a truck matching the description that a witness had provided Russell allegedly said a bicyclist hit the side and hood of his truck and he felt threatened by the bicyclist and "left in a hurry." knowing the extent of the male's injuries and how damaged the bike was I don't believe (Russell) was unaware he hit the male," the arresting officer wrote Utah — A man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of a road rage incident that occurred several days prior in Heber City Police said they responded to a hit-and-run where a cyclist was struck on Sunday An officer said they noticed "acceleration marks" leading toward the spot where the cyclist was hit police obtained surveillance video from a nearby business The footage showed a gray Chevrolet truck with a white shell that failed to stop before the sidewalk outside the UPS Store near 600 South and 100 East he hit the hood of the truck with his hand The truck then turned and drove toward the cyclist an officer contacted the victim and learned that he had a broken leg and might need surgery The officer asked if he wanted to press charges A witness who saw the incident said they saw the same truck parked in a neighborhood and took down the license plate number Police contacted the property owner where the truck was seen and they informed police that the truck belonged to 43-year-old Loren Ray Russell He told them the cyclist hit the side and hood of his truck so he drove away in a hurry and didn't realize he had run the victim over I don't believe Loren was unaware he hit the male," the arresting officer wrote Russell was booked into the Wasatch County Jail on suspicion of aggravated assault The offenses also include a "road rage" enhancement BY KENNEDY CAMARENA SALT LAKE CITY — Police arrested a patient at an addiction recovery center in Wasatch County after officers say he stabbed another patient on Wednesday According to an affidavit, an officer with the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office reviewed footage that showed a voluntary patient, Hunter Ryan Kluser, stab a patient at the center. “The video depicts (Kluser) aggressively swinging the knife repeatedly at the victim’s neck even after the victim slumps over to protect himself,” the affidavit stated. “(Kluser) appears to make contact with this victim’s neck at least six times.” According to police, Kluser was unprovoked when he came up behind the patient who was stabbed, and “starts swinging a knife at the victim’s neck.” The patient who was stabbed was transported to the hospital and is expected to survive their injuries, the affidavit stated. Police said Kluser was charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, a second-degree felony, when he was arrested. This story is breaking and may be updated as more information becomes available.  TownLift Apr 11 Savanah Ridpath was last seen around 1 p.m in the area of Baxter Drive and Airport Road in Heber City Utah — Authorities in Heber City are searching for a missing 12-year-old girl who was last seen Friday afternoon The Heber City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Savanah Ridpath Ridpath is described as 5 feet 3 inches tall “If you have seen Savanah or have any information, please call Heber City Police at (435) 654-1411,” the department said in its public announcement Authorities are urging the public to share the information to help bring Ridpath home safely No additional details about the circumstances of her disappearance have been released at this time Contact: info@townlift.com The TownLift News Desk specializes in delivering concise Our expertise is in covering local stories that matter most to the Park City community Read more from TownLift The Heber City Police Department is asking for your help in locating 20 year old Hendrix Rodriguez Laura M Dec 5 TownLift 7 hours ago police log, police siren, flashing lights, blotter Heber has used ranked choice voting in two elections four candidates ran for two seats on the city council councilmembers will decide whether to keep the system for the 2025 election when the mayor and two councilmembers will be on the ballot Ahead of Tuesday’s discussion and decision, city leaders say they want to hear from residents about the voting method. Heber spokesperson Ryan Bunnell said residents can email the city council at citycouncil@heberut.gov including their address to verify they are city voters The city mailed out fliers last week about emailing feedback to the city council with a link to information about ranked choice voting Mayor Heidi Franco told KPCW that neither she nor city councilmembers signed off on the mailers or the information posted to the city website. But Bunnell said the fliers were in response to the council’s directive last month to educate voters about ranked choice voting and gather more feedback about what residents prefer He said reaching out by mail ensured everyone would have the opportunity to weigh in and the city was “fiscally responsible” with the printing costs And he said the city website has long had information about ranked choice voting Now it has been consolidated to one page with an added explainer video During the city council’s first discussion about ranked choice voting city recorder Trina Cooke told leaders the system saves Heber about 50% of the cost of running a primary “The feedback that I have received has been positive,” she said “I find that the better understanding you have of the process the more support you have for the ranked choice voting ballot.” Franco said she’s seen about 160 messages from Heber voters about 120 of which are opposed to ranked choice voting Residents have also taken to social media to share views on the voting method – including Franco She published two blog posts on her personal website, “The Mayor’s Report,” one calling on citizens to “VOTE NO” and analyzing the results of the 2023 election Franco writes that ranked choice voting “forces you to vote through all rounds… or your ballot is NOT COUNTED.” She also says the majority of ballots in 2023 were thrown out “Is this the point of RCV – to sadly discourage voters from voting and eliminate their ballots?” The mayor points to results from the first round of vote counting in which roughly 2,900 people voted for their first choice for city council About 90 others cast “overvotes,” meaning they ranked more than one candidate as No and around 70 people cast “undervotes” and didn’t rank anyone first voters can’t rank multiple candidates with the same number just like voters can’t choose two candidates for the same race on a conventional ballot the rest of the ballot’s valid selections are tallied It doesn’t mean the whole ballot is thrown out ballots are counted for as many candidates as a voter chooses to rank About half of Heber voters ranked only their top five out of the 11 candidates who ran for city council in 2023 and those tallies were counted In another blog post, Franco asked citizens to oppose ranked choice voting in a survey on an anonymous website called Heber Vote The page’s web developer declined to tell KPCW who was running the survey and KPCW’s email to the group requesting more information was not returned Monday The Heber City Council decision Tuesday comes on the heels of two other Wasatch Back towns discussing whether to use the method: Park City opted to try ranked choice voting at a meeting in March and Hideout chose not to use the system at its meeting Thursday The lieutenant governor’s office requires municipalities to decide how they’ll run their elections by May 1 For the agenda for Tuesday’s council meeting, as well as a link to attend online, visit the city website the Heber City Police Department announced on Facebook that the missing juvenile Savanah Ridpath had been located TownLift reached out to HCPD and has not received additional information as of the publishing of this article Heber Police seek public’s help in finding missing 12-year-old girl Meredith is a midwesterner that came to Park City in 2014 to pursue her dream of becoming a ski-bum She retired at the top of her field and began her career as a freelance writer Meredith has written for many local publications as well as start-ups and large corporations covering topics from technology to food and dining Post A JobView All Don’t miss a beat in the Park City community—get the daily scoop delivered straight to your inbox Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Sign up for our TownLift Daily Newsletter and get today's top local news stories in your inbox TownLift is a web and mobile-based Entertainment & News media outlet providing Park City and Summit County Utah with Breaking Local News & Community Updates The land in question includes about 3,500 acres owned by the Christensen family, as well as 720 acres of state trust land. Philo Development, a Utah company, is partnering with the landowners. In October, developers described their vision for homes, shopping and municipal buildings on the land. About half the acreage would be dedicated open space. The landowners told Heber they wanted to become part of the city. But for them to apply for annexation, the city would need to amend the map that governs what land is eligible to join the city. However, on March 4, the Heber City Council declined to move forward with that process, saying members wanted to instead focus on collaboration with Wasatch County. Greg Whitehead, a partner at Philo, said his team has tried to shape the plans to match what Heber leaders said they wanted for the development. He said Philo approached the city on the advice of county representatives. “During our meetings with the county, we told them that we were working with the state and with the Christensen family,” he said. “And at the end of the meeting with the first group, they understood what we were trying to accomplish, and they felt like maybe the zoning in the county doesn’t work, and they said it’s probably a better idea to go work with the city of Heber and work for an annexation.” But the county has shared a different public message. When the Heber City Planning Commission heard Philo’s presentation a few months back, the Wasatch County Council wrote to Heber leaders asking them not to amend the city’s annexation map to allow an application from Philo and the Christensens. Heber planning commissioners recommended moving forward with the map change, to avoid the property owners trying to form a town and to give the city more of a say in what kind of development happens on the land. But city councilmembers decided to instead sign an agreement with the county, promising not to change the expansion boundaries. In turn, the county will include Heber in conversations about how new development east of town will affect the valley’s infrastructure and utilities. “I would love if this involvement with the county ends up being more density than the P-160, but significantly less than 5,500 units, and comes out to something that’s really cool, that’s a good use of the space, respectful of the land and the property rights,” Heber City Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood said. P-160 is the current zoning for the land. It allows one home for every 160 acres. Whitehead said Tuesday his team has no intention of building thousands of units. “Just to be clear, I’m not advocating — nor have I ever advocated — for 3,000 to 5,000 units,” he said. “I’ve always said, let’s do a plan that we can do together and be proud of. That still is the same today.” County Councilmember Erik Rowland, who’s also a Heber resident, attended Tuesday’s meeting. He said he hoped the agreement marked a new start for city-county relations. “This is such an amazing opportunity for us to mend old wounds, to continue to move forward and to work together,” he said.  County Councilmember Kendall Crittenden was also at the meeting. He said the county has every intention of collaborating with the developer and the state. The memorandum of understanding is on the agenda for Wednesday’s county council meeting as well. Marina Knight Apr 21 Utah – The Heber City Council has voted unanimously to end the use of ranked choice voting for the upcoming 2025 municipal election choosing instead to return to the traditional voting system The city had previously used ranked choice voting in 2021 and 2023, but during the meeting councilmembers said the decision to switch back came largely in response to widespread public opposition County officials said more than 300 emails were sent to city leaders ahead of the vote—many of them critical of the ranked choice system who made the motion to discontinue ranked choice voting said that while the system had benefits—like encouraging civility in campaigns and increasing engagement—it had also become a source of confusion and contention within the community thanked the council for aligning their decision with the majority of public input She said the additional cost of holding a primary election—estimated at more than $16,000—was a worthwhile investment to preserve voter confidence and clarity The council’s 5-0 vote means Heber will return to traditional ballots for the November election A primary will be held if more than two candidates file to run for any of the three open seats—two on the City Council and the mayor’s seat The Park City Council voted unanimously in March to implement ranked choice voting for the city’s 2025 municipal elections Contact: marina@townlift.com Marina Knight Apr 22 Marina Knight Apr 18 Ballot drop box located on Marsac Avenue next to City Hall Ballot drop box off of Marsac Avenue next to City Hall Laura M Mar 17 The council voted unanimously April 15 to return to conventional voting for the 2025 municipal elections when the mayor and two city council seats will be on the ballot The decision followed weeks of often-heated public discussion about which system better serves Heber voters The issue prompted a deluge of public feedback Mayor Heidi Franco said the city got over 300 comments about ranked choice voting KPCW obtained and reviewed roughly 80 of those emails and found similar opinions Franco also published two blog posts advocating against ranked choice voting Those posts were fact-checked by Utah Ranked Choice Voting Executive Director Kelleen Potter in an email sent to Heber leaders and staff hours before the council vote Potter described the mayor’s recent blog posts as “misleading at best” and accused Franco of “[trying] to undermine this system of voting as well as her colleagues who support it.” Potter – who previously served as Heber’s mayor – called out Franco’s comments that “over half of the voters’ ballots were not counted” in the 2023 city election “It’s just simply not true that their ballots were not counted,” she told KPCW in an interview Monday “Every ballot that had a vote on there that was discernible She said it’s not true that ballots are thrown out if they don’t rank every candidate available – voters can rank as many or as few choices as they want Franco declined to comment on Potter’s fact-checking email “The people have spoken and that’s what is important.” Misconceptions about uncounted ballots showed up in many of the dozens of emails sent to the Heber City Council ahead of their decision “I had to vote for someone I DIDN’T [sic] want or my ballot would not be counted.” He said he believed people who only voted for a few of the 11 candidates in the 2023 City Council race had their ballots discarded without their knowledge Potter said misinformation about uncounted ballots created unnecessary “fear and frustration and anger.” She said it’s upsetting to see growing election distrust in Heber “People who don’t really understand how ranked choice voting works now believe that perhaps their ballot didn’t count – and they feel like somehow people at the city are manipulating the process to hurt them and to not have their voice be heard,” she said and it creates an atmosphere where there’s a lack of trust in the people and the process Potter also pushed back against Franco’s claim that ranked choice elections can’t be audited stating local elections officials can and do audit ranked races Concern about voting equipment also showed up in the public comments Voter Gaylyn Latimer said she didn’t trust a system that “depends on a machine to ‘tabulate’ each round which cannot be audited.” And Nancy Hart said she talked to other Heber residents who “felt that the computers can be adjusted to favor some candidates more than others.” Officials conduct public tests to ensure the voting machines’ integrity and help residents understand the ballot counting process. It’s called a logic and accuracy test, and it’s required by law Machines are used to tally the ballots in every election Potter said she thought the city council voted the only way it could “They certainly don’t want people feeling like they’re not being listened to; they want people to trust the election,” she said “But I think it was unfortunate that the mayor would send something out to create that kind of misinformation and mistrust of her colleagues.” Some councilmembers hinted during the discussion April 15 they thought ranked choice voting worked well but they were voting in line with the public comments they received said he was supporting traditional voting “not because I think it’s better but because I think the fighting needs to stop.” Phillips previously called Franco out for spreading false information at multiple city council meetings this spring “Are you comfortable with over 55% of the people trying to vote saying ‘I’m not voting anymore’?” Franco said on March 4 during a discussion of ranked choice voting “If you’re comfortable with over half of them — that’s fine I’m not lying — you’re slandering me,” she said “I can’t listen to any more lies,” Phillips said “I wonder if this is the kind of leadership that Heber City wants when you accuse like this in a public meeting.” they picked up the disagreement where they left off “I think there’s debate on that,” Franco replied the city also received one legal threat from a group of 10 residents or continue the implementation of ranked choice voting in Heber City’s municipal elections we intend to pursue legal action to challenge such a decision as unconstitutional.” They argued that ranked choice voting is “coercive.” Marianne Meek said she likes the system because it saves time and money And JoyLynn Jeppson said she likes ranked choice voting because she thinks it “more accurately reflects the voice of citizens.” And she said it makes campaigns more civil and more open to third-party candidates Heber’s door to ranked choice voting is closed – at least for the foreseeable future the Utah legislature declined to extend the ranked choice voting pilot program Utah — Heber City is considering a proposal that would allow taller cell towers in commercial and industrial zones raising the current 35-foot height limit to as much as 100 feet in certain non-residential areas The change is outlined in a staff report prepared for the Heber City Planning Commission which will hold a public hearing on the proposal Tuesday April 22 before making a recommendation to the City Council The proposed amendment is aimed at improving cellular coverage especially in underserved parts of the city while limiting the visual impact of towers in residential neighborhoods The application was submitted by APC Towers a telecommunications infrastructure company that argues the current height restrictions are too limiting towers can typically accommodate only one provider which could lead to more towers being built to meet growing demand The amendment also specifies that lattice and guyed towers would not be allowed in any zone towers would only be permitted on government property or private land used for non-residential purposes and must include stealth elements to blend in visually While some residents have raised concerns about potential health effects of cell towers, the staff report references information from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality and the National Cancer Institute both of which have found no consistent evidence linking cell tower radiation to cancer or other health issues The Federal Communications Commission sets limits on RF exposure from telecommunications equipment, according to its website however some studies suggest potential associations between RF exposure and health issues.​ A review in Environmental Research indicated possible links between living near base stations and symptoms like headaches City staff argue that allowing taller towers in appropriate locations could reduce the overall number of towers needed while improving service reliability as the city continues to grow The Planning Commission’s public hearing is scheduled for Monday after which the commission will make a recommendation to the City Council A final decision will be made at a later date She has won multiple awards from the New England Newspaper Association for environmental reporting Laura M Mar 21 Utah – Heber City is moving forward with plans for a new park after the City Council approved a $1.7 million construction contract earlier this month The new Coyote Springs Park will be built by Perco Rock Co City officials hope to have the park ready for the public to enjoy by Memorial Day weekend “The overall project is anticipated to be complete by May 26 2025 to facilitate opening of the park to the public on Memorial Day,” states the council report though it cautions that weather could affect the timeline The park has been in the works since the city acquired the land through an agreement with developers The total cost will be about $2.43 million which includes about $450,000 for playground equipment The City Council also considered adding a bridge and trail that would connect the new park to nearby Cove Park at an additional cost of about $290,000 The project is being paid for with money collected from development impact fees with $2.52 million already set aside in the city’s current budget Heber City officials began planning for the park in 2021 as part of their Parks and Trails Master Plan and hired Sunrise Engineering last year to design the project Contact: laura@townlift.com Laura studied at the University of Washington earning a degree in economics with a focus on political science Having lived in mountain towns for the past 20 years You can find her enjoying everything Park City offers from mountain biking to Pilates and powder days Read more from Laura M Laura M Apr 9 jordanelle reservoir Jordanelle Ridge Inhabit Park City heber summer Rebecca Brenner Mar 20 The Provo River runs through the Northfields in Heber Valley Marina Knight Dec 20 2025 – A four-hour standoff in Heber City ended with the arrest of Billy Tiedemann and Jason Carlston after police responded to reports of domestic violence and gunfire late Tuesday night According to the Heber City Police Department (HCPD) officers were called to a residence near 200 W 300 S after neighbors reported hearing gunshots Authorities say the incident began when Tiedemann assaulted his partner and two children after an argument about toothpaste Tiedemann allegedly fired multiple rounds in an act of intimidation and officers used tear gas to force him from the home and allegedly made threats toward officers Both men were eventually taken into custody a convicted felon with five prior felony convictions was found in possession of a .45 caliber handgun and additional ammunition while in jail A lethality assessment determined his victim was at high risk due to the presence of a firearm domestic violence in the presence of a child Prosecutors have requested that he be held without bail due to the severity of the incident and his criminal history who actively resisted officers and remained inside the home was also arrested and charged with interfering with a peace officer The operation involved multiple law enforcement agencies including the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office A DPS helicopter and drone units from Summit and Heber City assisted in securing the scene and locating the suspects HCPD commended the coordinated response that led to a safe resolution of the standoff and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring community safety A map showing the area in red where fireworks are banned Utah — The Heber City Council has approved a ban on the use of fireworks in designated wildland areas citing ongoing hazardous environmental conditions and fire risk The decision, made in accordance with Utah Code The restriction also applies to the Wildland Urban Interface where residential areas border undeveloped land and certain limited zones beyond those high-risk areas City officials emphasized that the ban is necessary to protect lives and natural resources during the dry season HEBER CITY — Two men were arrested in Heber City Tuesday night following a four-hour standoff with police that began as a domestic violence investigation was booked into the Wasatch County Jail for investigation of a dozen crimes two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child was arrested for investigation of a half-dozen charges interfering with police and disorderly conduct police were called to a residence near 200 West and 300 South in Heber City where Tiedemann's ex-wife told officers "that an argument had erupted when Tiedemann made their children brush their teeth with an essential oil toothpaste which reportedly caused a burning sensation," according to a statement from police As the woman attempted to leave the residence with two of their children Tiedemann allegedly discharged a firearm multiple times Several neighbors called 911 reporting hearing gunshots," police said A police booking affidavit further notes that Tiedemann "shot a firearm multiple times into the air." No injuries were reported from the gunshots Officers who responded to the house attempted to talk to Tiedemann by phone but said he refused to cooperate Police then attempted to take Tiedemann "into custody using less-than-lethal force" but were unsuccessful Officers and Tiedemann were separated by a chain-link fence and while he was outside his residence he ran back inside the house before officers could get to him A SWAT team was called and a four-hour standoff ensued the Utah Department of Public Safety and the Summit County Sheriff's Office also provided resources law enforcement deployed tear gas into the home where Tiedemann had barricaded himself," police said Tiedeman and Carlston came outside and surrendered about 1 a.m "Tiedemann is a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history He is currently serving probation for prior misdemeanor offenses," Heber City police said "actively prevented officers from engaging with Tiedemann" and "despite being offered the opportunity to leave the premises .. refused to comply and interfered with the investigation," police noted (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The sun sets on Heber City on Thursday Heber City • Thursday evenings are special in Heber City’s summer months The community’s Main Street Park — a few green acres right off the highway — becomes the town’s main social hub their songs accompanied by small talk and the smells of a collection of foods from a variety of vendors — 12-inch corn dogs drizzled with honey among them businesses and public employees advertising with games or pamphlets or — occasionally — free pens What became the Heber Market on Main was started in 1998 organized by a radio DJ who was sick of having to drive to Park City to emcee events some point to it as evidence that their community is looking for community — a downtown revitalization; a renaissance of local businesses on pedestrian-friendly paths festivals and gatherings — and the public infrastructure to support it Kaysville’s city manager said its leaders are working to revitalize areas that haven’t seen reinvestment in decades Helper has brought new life and an artistic flair to its Main Street with the help of grant funding (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A steady flow of traffic moves along Main Street in Heber City A proposed pedestrian corridor known as "C Street” is being pitched between Main Street and 100 West Right now, 18 communities across Utah, including Heber City, are working with the Utah Main Street Program which works with communities to preserve and revitalize local historic districts the program’s manager and state coordinator said the organization aims to help locals “highlight the unique assets that their communities already have.” These projects can help people feel more connected as leaders from many cities that have embarked on redevelopment efforts can attest the excitement can also draw discomfort about potential growing pains Lifelong Heber City resident Di Ann Duke Turner thinks the city’s plans are too catered to tourists and too inviting to wealthy people looking to move here while locals continue to struggle under rising costs of living She said her family mourns for their once much-smaller community Would reimagining the heart of Heber City compromise its soul (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Matt Brower talks with members of the community about a proposed pedestrian corridor known as “C Street” on Thursday Though Heber City’s downtown was once “a place to go to be seen,” Heber City’s manager said it’s become little more than “a place where people stop only for a tank of gas a hamburger or a bag of ice before driving on some place else.” it was updated to include a specific proposal for downtown business owners and other community members shared what they wanted better tourism and recreation opportunities To help finance projects and purchase property that could reach those goals the city aimed to create a Community Reinvestment Agency (CRA) and asked other taxing entities to support it The idea was to allow taxing entities — like Wasatch County and the Wasatch County School District — to continue to receive a set amount of property tax dollars from Heber City’s downtown area But should tax revenue increase with redevelopment most of that expected increase — or increment — would instead go toward investing in more CRA projects Heber City asked to take 75% of that expected increment from both Wasatch County and the Wasatch County School District for 20 years each taxing entity would once again receive the entirety of their tax revenue earned from the downtown area The hope was the wait would be worth the investment because the CRA improvements aim to increase property values and business opportunities and subsequently raise the area’s tax base (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A steady flow of traffic moves along Main Street in Heber City on Thursday Through the CRA, Heber City aimed to raise about $22 million in increment to reinvest, and city officials hoped to finalize an agreement by the end of last year. It would have gone toward projects like a centralized public parking structure, a pedestrian plaza and a better overall downtown experience. But not everyone was on board: The County Council voted not to participate, and the school district — the most lucrative potential player in the game — never even brought the issue to a vote. In an April 2024 meeting, where the city presented the plan to the school district’s board of education, board leaders brought up several concerns. School board member Kim Dickerson said she heard the city would be using education dollars on the CRA project, though City Council members assured her that was incorrect — that only a portion of the increment would go toward the CRA, but none of the district’s existing tax base. Still, the conversation stalled. A request for comment from the school district was not immediately returned. While Heber City and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District are still involved in reinvesting their increments, their contributions alone fall far short of what was initially hoped. “It won’t impact the planning,” Brower said. “Where it will impact us is in the execution stage. … It will likely slow us down in some areas. It will require us to maybe think about phasing differently.” (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Downtown Vernal is undergoing an extensive revitalization that started in 2021, as business begin to take advantage of a grant program that has improved storefronts along Main Street in addition to the back entrances that are removed from heavy traffic and loud truck noise, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. The Utah Main Street Program is managed by the state’s Historic Preservation Office, and Gauthier said the community proposals they receive often hope to inject historic energy into fading areas in new ways. Agriculture was once Wasatch County’s main moneymaker. Now, Brower looks to the lack of a significant economic driver in Heber City other than growth and sees commercial opportunity. A reimagined downtown, he hopes, could drive tourism dollars and lighten tax burdens on local property owners. Quinn Bennion, Vernal’s city manager, said that when he returned to his northeastern Utah hometown seven years ago after a 25-year hiatus, he counted 20 vacant downtown storefronts. It got bad enough that at one point, people worked with landlords to print photos of what the shuttered storefronts used to look like to display in their windows, “just to kind of bring some vibrancy” to the area that was once “the commercial heartbeat of the community.” But that changed as larger companies set up base on the west end of the city, drawing attention that was once devoted to the town’s core. Eventually, the taxable value of downtown wasn’t just stagnating — it actually started to fall. But after a year-long planning process with the public, Bennion said they adopted a plan to revitalize it. Like Heber City, Vernal looked to launch a CRA project to generate funding, though it focused less on public infrastructure projects and more on grants for commercial property owners to improve their property. Concerned with that falling taxable value, Bennion said other taxing entities signed on, and the city took out a $2.1 million loan on “anticipated increases in property taxes.” The CRA project also funds grants to help people demolish old, unsightly structures or to rehabilitate historic buildings to bring them up to code, though those two options have only been utilized a handful of times. With 55 projects now completed and five in progress, he said he now counts only five shuttered storefronts — some only closed because the owner hasn’t decided what they want to do — and the property value increase has been much higher than anticipated, more than making up for how much it had dropped. The result, Bennion describes, is a community that more closely matches the idealistic downtown he said he grew up with. “It’s been really fun to watch this transformation happen,” Bennion said. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The historic Vernal Theatre, which puts on live performances in a historic movie house, used facade grant money to restore their sign as part of Vernal City’s ongoing downtown revitalization efforts, on Monday, February. 24, 2025. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The backside of business that face the busy and loud four lane highway of Main Street in Vernal, have been extensively revitalized In an effort to create more quiet community gathering spaces with improved parking and walkability, Monday, February. 24, 2025. But despite Vernal’s successes, its plan, too, didn’t come without detractors. During a community meeting about the proposal in December 2021 — shortly before city leaders approved the CRA project — some residents expressed concern that residential property taxes in the project area would rise. Though many were supportive, others also worried their businesses would see increased taxes without increased opportunity. But after the council came on board, six other entities had signed on to the CRA project by April 2022. During a Wasatch County Council meeting in November, where Bennion shared Vernal’s success with county leaders weighing involvement in Heber City’s CRA, the public reaction was also mixed. But according to Brower’s count, supporters outnumbered those opposed two to one. Shelley Ryan, a co-owner of the local Chick’s Cafe, was among the minority. She pointed to construction headaches already caused by to Heber City’s decision to build a new bandshell stage at Main Street Park. The Thursday summer markets also impact her parking, she said, with non-customers often filling her cafe’s spots. She didn’t buy that the city’s plans would help businesses. “It’s a bunch of bull,” she said, “and if you do it, you might as well just tell us goodbye.” Even hearing frustrations, several county leaders thought it was worth the investment. “I think we have a responsibility as a county council for all Wasatch taxpayers,” Luke Searle said before voting in favor. He hoped an increase in commercial tax revenue would alleviate the burden of those struggling to keep up with the area’s cost of living. But now-former County Council member Steve Farrell disagreed. “I’m going to vote no, because I don’t think Heber City’s like Vernal,” he said at the time. He also felt property values would rise regardless. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Quinn Bennion, city manager for Vernal City, talks about the public improvement projects that have been completed to help draw people in to a more lively downtown, Monday, February. 24, 2025. The county had its own concerns, too, including a courthouse expansion and a new administration building in the works, he added. The school district was separately building a new high school and planning for projected enrollment growth. The county motion ultimately failed, 3-3. The council’s chair abstained, because he owns a commercial building that would be affected, and said, “if this is successful, it would make me money.” Months later, Searle said Tuesday there hasn’t been continued conversation about CRA involvement, though he said Heber City asked them to reconsider shortly after the vote. “But we do have a new County Council member, so that could be a different conversation,” he added. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Heber City Community Development posters are erected next to the new bandshell being constructed at City Park on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Despite the setback, Heber City’s downtown aspirations remain. It could take longer, Brower said, or the city may need to consider more private-sector partnerships. He thought some of the negative feelings likely spawned from word-of-mouth misinformation, and wondered if the pressure the school district and county were under with their own projects and — and potential misunderstandings about the CRA — led to their decisions. He specified that Heber City’s growth “is not a policy-driven thing,” but rather a common challenge that many Utah communities face. “[T]o become a destination,” he said, he thinks downtown Heber City will need to be more dense than it currently is. But if visitors eat, shop or otherwise spend their money and leave, that tax money still benefits locals. “That’s what we hope to have happen,” he said. In the meantime, he said the city is looking into how different grants could still support the work. He sees a lot of opportunity. “Great things do not happen by happenstance,” he said. “They happen through strategic planning and investment, and that in turn encourages the private sector to come in and capitalize upon the plans and the zoning.” Note to readers • This story is available to Salt Lake Tribune subscribers only. Thank you for supporting local journalism. 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) — A non-profit religious liberty organization and a law firm insisted the Wasatch County School District allow a first-grade teacher to post a flyer for a voluntary prayer support chain which school administrators ordered her to remove sent a letter to the district demanding that J.R Smith Elementary School allow Taryn Israelson to be allowed to repost the flyer for the prayer support chain in the faculty lounge Israelson had received prior approval from the district's Human Resources department to post the prayer invitation but was later told by the school principal to take it down “The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the First Amendment requires public school officials to be neutral in their treatment of religion,” said Keisha Russell “The principal’s actions demonstrate hostility towards religious expression which the Supreme Court has consistently said is unconstitutional.” allowed staff members to sign up to receive and offer prayers The sign-up sheet was posted in the faculty lounge along with other personal signs such as advertisements for community plays According to the letter sent by her attorneys “The First Amendment forbids religious activity that is sponsored by the government but protects religious activity that is initiated by individuals acting on their own behalf.” The letter cited a U.S Supreme Court statement: “There is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion which the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses protect.” -------------------------------------------- she will seek four more years as Heber’s mayor Also entering the race is Councilmember Scott Phillips who was elected to the city council in 2021 The announcements come just ahead of Tuesday’s Heber City Council vote on whether to use ranked choice voting for a third election cycle In a phone interview hours before the meeting Phillips told KPCW he wants to offer the city’s voters an alternative model of leadership I want to give the people a second choice,” he said “I feel like the mayor and I have very different visions of what Heber City is and what it can be and I’d like to offer the people that choice.” He said his top priorities are “truly affordable” housing for people living and working in Wasatch County said he wants to support city staff as mayor He said he and Franco share some common ground Franco didn’t immediately respond to KPCW’s requests for comment Monday or Tuesday she has made open space protection a hallmark of her work in government also serving as the chair of the Wasatch Open Lands Board Franco ousted incumbent Kelleen Potter in a tight race during the 2021 election The June hearing marks a fork in the road for the lawsuit A small group of Red Ledges residents alleges the county illegally approved plans for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to construct a temple in the Heber Valley the residents are asking 4th District Court Judge Jennifer Mabey to side with them over Wasatch County and the church The residents’ motion for summary judgment essentially asks Mabey to find the case is clear-cut enough that she can rule in their favor without the lawsuit going to trial That would make the temple development agreement invalid and the church would have to start over to get approval for the temple plans If she denies the motion for summary judgment The church and Wasatch County have both opposed the residents’ motion They’ve also each filed motions for summary judgment of their own over the past several months asking the judge to dismiss the case and let the temple plans stand It’s expected that all three motions will be considered at the June hearing The church first announced plans for the Heber Valley temple in October 2021 the Wasatch County Council unanimously approved the 88,000-square-foot building with a 210-foot steeple The temple is planned for an 18-acre site on Center Street across from Red Ledges and just outside the Heber City limits Within weeks of that approval, the residents sued the county arguing the church should have gone through a different approval process They also claim the development agreement encroaches on their property rights Their lawsuit asks the court to reverse and vacate the county’s approval of the legislative development agreement The church is also a defendant in the lawsuit attorney Tanner Camp told the judge the church wants to represent its own interests rather than relying on the county to fight the case Mabey is set to decide the lawsuit’s future on June 2 at 2 p.m Attorneys for the residents and the county weren’t immediately available for comment Utah (KUTV) — A Heber City man was arrested Saturday in connection with a road rage incident that left a cyclist with a broken leg after being struck by a truck which then fled the scene was booked into the Wasatch County Jail on Saturday including felony aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury failing to remain at the scene of an accident Heber City police said these charges stem from an April 13 incident that occurred near 600 South and 100 East where officers responded to a report of a cyclist hit by a vehicle the victim was complaining of ankle pain and later learned he had suffered a broken leg that may require surgery Surveillance footage from a nearby UPS store showed a gray Chevy truck failing to stop before a sidewalk as a cyclist was crossing The cyclist appeared to have slapped the hood of the truck as he rode by the truck allegedly turned and accelerated toward the cyclist Police said a witness later identified the suspect vehicle parked outside a residence at 1925 Tobiano Circle Officers spoke with the property owner who confirmed the vehicle belonged to Russell Russell reportedly told officers that on April 13 he had picked up a package from the UPS store and a cyclist hit his truck as he was driving away He added that he felt threatened and left in a hurry and damage to the bicycle led them to believe Russell was well aware he had struck the cyclist Russell was booked into the Wasatch County Jail on the charges previously listed The plans have drawn public attention for months as city leaders worked with developers to refine the terms of construction around the intersection of U.S Harvest Village is 39 acres southwest of the intersection four retail units and 33 affordable housing units The Crossings property is 56 acres on the other side of U.S five retail units and at least 37 units of affordable housing The plans took a major step forward in December 2024 when councilmembers narrowly voted to annex the land into Heber City developers got the city’s stamp of approval on master development agreements for the properties with Councilmember Yvonne Barney dissenting Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood voted against the annexation last month the development agreement is significantly improved from where it was,” he said “I think we need to learn as a council from this process to know that when we start an annexation discussion with anybody we have to be better at accepting no baseline and just starting with what we want.” Some of the changes to the plans included negotiating the terms of the affordable housing requirements the type of hotels to be built and a buffer for the Utah Department of Transportation’s eventual bypass road Councilmember Scott Phillips said the negotiations were a matter of “taking lemons and making lemonade” for the city He said the density for the land had already been granted but making it part of Heber brought some benefits for the city “This is going to be an area that demands no city services,” he said “There’s not going to be water infrastructure we have to replace in 30 years; there’s not road maintenance that we have to do But it is a center of property tax revenue that we’ll receive.” Water utilities will be provided by the Jordanelle and North Village special service districts so they won’t be the city’s responsibility to maintain Phillips also pointed to fees for open space and affordable housing the city will collect there’s a charge of $2,500 to be put toward conserving the North Fields And if affordable housing isn’t built on site the developers will need to pay Heber to construct that housing elsewhere -- $40,000 per unit in the Crossings development and $60,000 per unit in Harvest Village Not everyone agreed the plans should move forward Councilmember Yvonne Barney shared concerns about density “There are a lot of things here that we could have waited and we could have taken our time and done this in a better way that maybe created a little bit of ease for our community going forward and that’s not something that we chose to do,” she said Mayor Heidi Franco also spoke against the developments addressing the developers for both properties but I am not comfortable with this,” she said “I’m more concerned about protecting everybody’s property rights instead of just yours – and that goes for both of you but I’m more concerned about everyone else’s.” And she told councilmembers the development agreements would have long-term effects on the valley “We’re going to be dealing with the consequences for the rest of time in the valley from what you are deciding to do,” she said Councilmember Mike Johnston pointed out the density has been a given for over two decades – ever since the North Village Overlay Zone was created by the county He said it was better for Heber to be able to control the development “Park City had a chance to annex Quinn’s Junction “Park City had a chance to annex Kimball Junction of annexing into the North Fields and anything that’s currently zoned agriculture.” Both developments include over 50% open space said the current plans replaced a proposal for a water park with little open space and no affordable housing ‘That doesn’t feel right for what we need here,’” he said And I think if we are given the opportunity to have discussion with people who weren’t happy that this project moved forward but I think they can at least understand what is going through our hearts and our minds as we try to develop a place of purpose and meaning.” He said he wants community members to know their feedback was heard “I hope that they realize that their voices helped to improve the development agreement for them and other members of the community,” he said Goldman says the next step toward construction is finalizing architectural and engineering plans and filing them with the city Work on the land could begin as soon as this spring Utah – After nearly seven hours of debate and public comment the Heber City Council voted on Tuesday night to annex approximately 95 acres at the intersection of U.S The land will be the site of two proposed developments—Crossings and Harvest Village—collectively known as the North Village annexation The annexation passed in a narrow 3-2 vote and Aaron Cheatwood and Yvonne Barney opposed Final approval is contingent upon finalizing master development agreements in the coming months Residents Voice Concerns Over Annexation at Public Hearing citizens shared passionate opinions about proposed annexations and developments in the Heber Valley focusing on their impact on the area’s environment constrained by a 20-minute public comment period featured heartfelt pleas from longtime residents urging city officials to reconsider and I’ve seen the changes,” said Dave Anderson but it needs to be responsible to preserve what makes this area special.” expressed deep concerns about the long-term effects of the annexation “Do the short-term benefits truly outweigh the lasting damage Do we want to see gas stations and congestion where there’s now natural beauty?” she implored Other residents highlighted specific issues including lighting ordinances and traffic safety Meredith Crist raised concerns about intrusive lighting from a medical office building “The lights are so bright I can see them from miles away Tom Wardle voiced fears about the potential for unchecked development encroaching on Heber’s iconic North Fields “This annexation sets a dangerous precedent for the future of one of our valley’s most cherished areas,” he cautioned city officials maintained that the proposals followed existing codes and would be reviewed further emphasizing that the decisions made now will define the valley for generations to come “Stand up for the people who live here and care about this valley,” urged Layer The vote followed years of discussions between city leaders and developers as well as months of public meetings where residents voiced passionate and conflicting views Council member Mike Johnston framed the decision as a necessary step to maintain control over the area’s future He argued that if the land remained under county jurisdiction and projects with no affordable housing requirements He stressed that city oversight would allow for more thoughtful growth aligned with community values it becomes the Kimball Junction of Park City on our north boundary,” Johnston said referencing the busy commercial hub near Park City Affordable housing was a major sticking point during negotiations Debate centered on whether housing should cater to seasonal workers or families City Attorney Jeremy Cook suggested a “fee in lieu” arrangement where developers would provide funds for the city to build affordable units elsewhere Council member Johnston reassured residents that all affordable housing in Heber is deed-restricted in perpetuity several details in the master development agreements remain unresolved These agreements will be fine-tuned in early 2025 before the annexation officially takes effect We’ve been made aware that some Utahns are receiving a text message asking for personal information and money for a toll service. Do not respond or give any information. UDOT’s databases have not been compromised and this is part of a nation-wide scam You can report scams and suspicious communications to the Federal Trade Commission seeks to improve regional and local traffic flow on US-40 from SR-32 to US-189 and allow Heber City to meet their vision for the historic town center While the team previously prepared alternatives to meet this purpose and need, an update to the travel demand model in March 2024– which projected significantly higher traffic volumes than formerly anticipated– necessitated a re-evaluation of the initial 2023 alternatives “The updated traffic model showed a substantial increase in traffic requiring us to adjust our approach,” said Craig Hancock “We thoroughly analyzed the new data to ensure our proposed improvements will meet the long-term travel needs of the community we wanted to make sure we used the best available information to make the best possible recommendations.” UDOT evaluated eight concepts including both at-grade signalized intersections and grade-separated free-flow interchanges where through-traffic would not need to stop UDOT ruled out options that proposed to realign a portion of US-189 due to redundancy The newly published report shows that the free-flow options are about 30-40% faster than their at-grade counterparts in the southbound direction and 30-50% faster heading northbound UDOT ultimately decided to eliminate the at-grade options from further consideration as they resulted in similar impacts while providing less benefit “This data-driven approach will allow us to build a long-term solution right from the start,” Hancock said and local access via overpasses or underpasses and frontage roads Key differences lie in their northern segments “We decided to advance two options for more detailed analysis in the study because each option offers benefits with different environmental impacts,” Hancock said we’ll welcome the community’s feedback on the refined alternatives and the tradeoffs between them.” The team is currently refining the designs of Alternatives A and B and conducting detailed impact analyses The Draft EIS will identify a preferred alternative and will be followed by public hearings and a comment period The public is encouraged to stay informed by visiting the study website at heber valley.udot.utah.gov, attending Heber City and Wasatch County council meetings They first applied to start the incorporation process in September 2024 the Utah lieutenant governor’s office approved the petitioners’ request for a feasibility study and confirmed they met the initial requirements That includes representing at least 10% of the proposed town’s land and a boundary map that contains at least 100 people Locals can learn more and share their thoughts about the River View proposal at a public hearing in the Wasatch County administration building at 6 p.m Landowners within the borders have 30 days after Tuesday's meeting to request their property be excluded from the town Property owners adjacent to the boundaries can also opt in during that timeframe The next step in the incorporation process is the feasibility study An outside consultant will gather information about the population anticipated operational costs and the fiscal impact on other nearby governments if the town goes forward If the consultant decides River View is financially viable sponsors of the proposed town of West Hills filed their first request for a feasibility study in April 2023 the town will be on the ballot in November The proposed boundaries for River View are River Road to the west and state Route 113 to the south A new park is coming to Heber as early as this spring Construction will begin soon on the 2.7-acre Coyote Springs Park off Highway 40 in the Springs at Coyote Ridge neighborhood The Coyote Springs Park project is part of Envision Heber’s final parks plan in 2021 which outlines plans for 12 new parks in Heber City The city has budgeted $1,774,686 for the project which it hopes to open in May The land is mostly owned by the Christensen family which has herded sheep in the Heber Valley for generations The rest — around 720 acres — is property owned by the state A proposal from Philo Development would have essentially added a village to the land. The would-be Wasatch Highlands community would have constructed upwards of 3,000 residential units Philo wanted to annex the land into the city but Heber would need to amend its annexation map to move forward with plans for any development on the land The annexation application process can take many months more But Heber City Manager Matt Brower said despite a positive planning commission recommendation Heber councilmembers are backing away from the proposed annexation map change in favor of more limited development That’s in part because of concerns expressed by Wasatch County leaders “Their concerns really focus on the density that has been signaled for the parcels which is somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 units,” he said “It is a very large number of units that would put tremendous pressure upon the city’s existing infrastructure and City and county leaders are especially concerned about utilities and traffic if that scale of development were approved A decision about the annexation map is on the agenda for the city council meeting Tuesday Brower said he predicts city leaders will leave the fate of the land with the county “I suspect that the council could turn the request to amend the annexation policy plan down tomorrow [Tuesday] night based on those conversations with the county,” he said “Both parties are uniquely interested in trying to understand what will ultimately happen out there and want to work together to make sure that we’re communicating and that we are working in everyone’s best interests.” The future of the land gets more complicated because of the state-owned land It’s part of the Utah Trust Lands Administration The agency works to create revenue for public schools by selling or developing trust lands UTLA representatives have told Heber City and Wasatch County they still intend to monetize the land or a development similar to nearby density That would mean around 150 homes on its 720 acres It’s not expected to include any affordable housing Brower said the city wants to work with the county to protect both entities’ interests councilmembers will decide whether to approve a memorandum of understanding between Heber City and Wasatch County would promise to include Heber in decisions that would affect the city’s infrastructure The meeting begins at 6 p.m. More information about the UTLA discussion is available in the agenda packet Heber City used ranked choice voting in 2021 and 2023 Councilmembers said they voted to go back to conventional elections in large part because they heard so much feedback from locals opposing ranked ballots Councilmember Scott Phillips said people on both sides of the debate cared about the future of Heber he was interrupted by boos from residents in the chamber who opposed ranked choice voting “Ranked choice voting has worked well in the past,” he said “It’s made elections more civil and helped people feel more connected to the process but the conversation around it has gotten clouded by misinformation.” Phillips made a motion to end ranked choice voting in the city “I’m going to vote for traditional voting in the 2025 election but because I think the fighting needs to stop,” he said Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood quickly seconded he also voiced appreciation for the more than 300 comments members of the public sent to city leaders The emails were still flooding in during Tuesday’s meeting “One of the things I ran on when I ran for this office was hoping for more public engagement He estimated about 77% of the emails were from locals opposed to ranked choice voting Mayor Heidi Franco, who advocated on her blog and on social media against ranked choice voting thanked the council for voting according to the public feedback that $16,000+ for a primary – it’s worth it.” The council voted 5-0 to use traditional voting Primary races will be held if multiple candidates decide to run for the two council seats and for Heber mayor. Franco and Phillips have already announced their mayoral bids. Laura M Apr 9 Utah — The Utah Department of Transportation will host a public open house Thursday to share details about a planned asphalt trail along the Heber Valley Railroad corridor will focus on sections A and C of the proposed multi-section trail system in Wasatch County Section A will extend from the Deer Creek Reservoir multi-use trail parking area to the intersection of Tate Lane and SR-113 Section C will run from 1200 South to the intersection of 300 South and 600 West in Heber City This section includes plans for an at-grade crossing at approximately 1050 South and 1140 West Both trail sections will largely follow the existing railroad corridor and aim to improve active transportation and recreational access throughout the area Project officials expect to complete the environmental categorical exclusion study and trail design by late spring 2025 with construction anticipated to begin in fall 2025 A draft of the environmental study will be available for review at the open house where community members can ask questions of the design team and provide feedback Those with questions about the open house can visit the project’s page on UDOT’s website or call 1-888-704-4276 Contact: laura@townlift.com Park City Chamber of Commerce Apr 4 Laura M Mar 21 When a paid trail manager for the Jordanelle Ridge trails followed a couple of kids who were on their way to ride their motorcycles on the dirt trails behind their homes he had seen the damage that motorcycles had done to the trails he was told that there was nothing on the books to be enforced Right now, only state laws can be enforced in Heber City State law requires that motorcycle riders must be at least 16 and licensed to ride on public streets in order to access the trails Those under 14 must be under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian when riding an electric bike electric motorcycles are classified as motorcycles and need to be registered when operated on public lands and roads the executive director of Wasatch Trails Foundation “The biggest challenge is that there are multiple access points for that trail system,” she said “We went and looked at that zone with a police officer and found maybe six seven or eight different areas that people could be accessing that trail system our biggest challenge right now is that there isn't a designated trail head where we can have clear signage to inform people what the rules are on that trail system.” This is the first soft surface trail system within Heber City limits so Yue said there is no code regulating what happens on the trails While Class 1 e-bikes [pedal-assist and no throttle] are allowed she said Class 2 and 3 e-bikes and motorized dirt bikes are not Yue is working with Heber City officials now to draft code language for the Heber City Council to consider “Our challenge moving forward is just ensuring that we can help Heber City which we are making progress right now,” she said “The foundation is currently working on writing the code to be enforced saying which class of e-bike is allowed on what area.” The goal is to have the newly drafted code before the city council at its meeting April 15 Yue said the group will also be working to put up new signage in the area to inform everyone about what is and isn’t allowed on the trails The proposed Views on Main development would include 196 suites which could be divided into as many as 255 hotel rooms It would also include dining and retail space City manager Matt Brower said the project would also add roads at 100 East and 860 South to ease traffic flow with the new building it allows for an abundant road network to serve the traffic in that area,” he said The Heber City Planning Commission recommended approving the proposal back in 2021 Brower says over the past few years the project has changed hands to a new team of developers the council will share initial feedback on a draft development agreement the council will discuss plans for the North Village development at the intersection of U.S That includes the Harvest Village and Crossings developments hotels and retail on around 95 acres north of downtown Brower said this comes after the council voted in favor of the plans last month but it was approved contingent upon the council approving a subsequent master development agreement for both developments,” he said “Staff has continued to negotiate between [Dec.] 17 and tomorrow night’s meeting.” The plans have drawn significant attention from locals over the past few months though Brower noted the city has been talking with the developers for about four years “I think it’s important to understand the county had actually urbanized these areas back in the early 2000s,” he said “They’ve issued several hundred million dollars in debt for the property to be serviced by water and sewer lines the horse had left the barn a long time ago in terms of these properties and when they might be developed.” Councilmembers are expected to discuss the project’s density The work session begins at 4 p.m. Tuesday, and the regular session begins at 6 p.m. The agenda and a link to attend online are available on the city's website UDOT announced Thursday, March 27, it has narrowed its route options for the Heber Valley bypass to two – one that cuts through the North Fields and one that relies on frontage roads along north U.S 40 to separate local from regional traffic The news comes after the agency’s executive director, Carlos Braceras, admitted last fall that UDOT had taken too long to settle on a route none of the previous options would do enough to meet the valley’s traffic needs UDOT has since revised its ideas and presented eight new options half of which would be built on the ground and managed with traffic lights called “at grade,” and half of which would use overpasses and ramps to manage traffic The two remaining choices are both free-flow routes although they’re more expensive to construct according to UDOT regional communications manager Wyatt Woolley One choice cuts through the North Fields starting at Potter Lane and reconnects to existing roads south of downtown Heber This differs from the previous North Fields route proposals which would have started the bypass at River Road The Potter Lane plan would move the bypass entrance a mile south and include short frontage roads to connect local traffic with River Road That likely means lower impacts to the North Fields where some Wasatch County residents are adamantly opposed to any development – though UDOT emphasized open space concerns had nothing to do with the change The new draft estimates about 51 acres of the North Fields and wetlands would be affected by the road Woolley said the change is to accommodate the ramps required for a free-flowing highway “Because that would be an interchange connecting to an already four-point intersection up there at River Road there wasn’t a way to make it connect without drastically interfering with that entire area right there,” he said Travel times on the revised route are projected to be similar to estimates if the bypass extended farther north set for its first public hearing next week He said UDOT’s priority is choosing the road that best moves traffic through the valley “Until we actually know exactly where it goes don’t build here – save this spot,’” he said “We just let everyone know what we’re studying what we’re looking at and what the impacts would be and then they can make their own decision whether or not they want to continue to develop.” The other option would keep highway traffic on U.S the intersection with Smith’s Marketplace just north of downtown Heber Then a bypass would take vehicles west of the city it plans to construct frontage roads from River Road to 900 North About 22 acres of the North Fields would be affected Both choices would have an exit at state Route 113 near the new high school and another exit at U.S UDOT says it intends to construct 12-foot paved trails for bikers and pedestrians along the roadway UDOT’s new report also emphasizes a key factor in the agency’s decision-making was the future of Heber’s downtown including the city’s goals to widen sidewalks lower the speed limit and reduce truck traffic on Main Street The report says the free-flow options remain on the table because they move traffic faster so they’re more likely to draw truck traffic away from downtown It also noted free-flow options tend to be better for safety since there are fewer intersections and access points where collisions could occur It will still be a while before UDOT announces its official route decision It plans to publish a draft environmental impact statement in late autumn – that’s how UDOT evaluates the impact on the environment and the lives of the people in the community “We’ll have our public hearing and public input late this fall and then the final study will be done in spring of 2026,” Woolley said it goes through the regular UDOT process of becoming a project that has to go through the STIP and the Legislature and get funding and all that stuff The goal from the beginning has always been to get it done before the Olympics The STIP is Utah’s six-year plan for all highway and transit improvements statewide When UDOT will fit the bypass into the budget remains to be seen Braceras told county leaders in the fall that UDOT has already planned how to spend all its anticipated revenue from now until 2031 But Woolley said that doesn’t necessarily mean the project can’t break ground sooner than that “There’s always a possibility that extra funding could be put forward from the Legislature to this project 40 would cost an estimated $590 million to build The North Fields route would cost a little less The Heber City Council is gathering comments from residents about what method of voting they prefer before it decides how to run the 2025 municipal election The city will also share information to educate voters about ranked choice voting in case Heber decides to continue with that system for a third election Ranked choice voting eliminates primary elections and instead lets voters rank as many candidates as they like on their ballots In the most recent Heber City Council election If no candidate secures over 50% of votes in the first round Anyone who listed that candidate as their top pick then has their second-choice vote tallied That process repeats until one candidate has a majority Councilmembers inquired about a citywide survey non-biased contract would be the best way for us to say that this is an unbiased result,” he said He said he doesn’t want to use a social media survey because he’s worried people outside Heber will respond and the results might not be representative of the city’s overall population Councilmember Yvonne Barney said she thought there could be value in a social media poll nodding to the school district’s recent surveys about the new high school name and mascot She said she’s also concerned some voters don’t find ranked ballots intuitive “I hear very few people saying this is easy,” she said “If I’m getting phone calls from little old ladies saying ‘I don’t get this,’ and this is the second time they’ve done it because you just obviously aren’t getting it.’ That’s unfair.” said he doesn’t see a need for Heber to rush to do its own survey The council discussed a statewide ranked choice voting study from Utah Valley University, which was used by the Park City Council in its decision to adopt the system this year The survey showed preferences were fairly even for ranked choice versus traditional single-choice ballots More than 75% of UVU’s sample of Utah voters and a majority said they enjoyed using ranked choice voting and wanted it to continue researchers said the pilot program is too new to draw definitive conclusions about voter preferences The Heber City Council ultimately decided not to rush into a survey of its own. Instead, councilmembers asked voters to reach out and share their opinions via email at citycouncil@heberut.gov The council will pick which voting method to use during its meeting April 15 the state implemented a ranked choice voting pilot program that runs through January 2026 A bill to extend the program died during Utah’s 2025 general session Members of this year’s Heber Leadership Academy have taken a deep dive into the city’s history they will share what they’ve found with the community a member of this year’s leadership class and the executive director of the Community Alliance for Main Street said it’s important for Heber to remember its roots during this period of rapid growth She said data from 2021 showed Wasatch County was one of the fastest-growing counties in the country and we’re forgetting little small-town Heber.” She and her classmates decided to create a historic tour of about three dozen sites around downtown Heber – a way for longtime residents and newcomers alike to learn more about the place they live “Heber was founded in 1857 by Mormon pioneers that came across and really were the first settlers in this valley,” she said “And we have homes that these original settlers built 130 years ago that are still standing on our tour.” She said the 34 sites on the tour tell a story of resilience and community “You can learn about those original settlers and what they had to endure to really make it through those first couple of harsh winters until they could move from their log cabins – that had snow and wind blowing through – into these red stone homes,” she said The oldest surviving homes date back to the 1860s was the first bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Heber Valley And he worked with the federal government to establish mail service to the region Another site on the tour is the home of the man who founded the Wasatch Wave the valley’s newspaper still in print today 18 the news in the 1880s didn’t sound so different from the debates happening in Heber today “The community was really struggling with their growing pains – imagine that in 1889,” she said “And the Wave was encouraging them to move from a town to a city and there was a lot of pushback from the community they were able to accept that designation and move forward as a city.” Other historic sites are familiar to the community but they’ve been given new purposes in the 21st century An early LDS meetinghouse is now the local Catholic parish And a saloon that operated through the Prohibition era is a sports bar today Kahler said these spots and more will be part of a self-guided historic tour starting in early summer Each site will have a plaque with the construction date and the building’s story The Heber City Council voted unanimously Feb and the leadership academy is planning a ribbon-cutting event in June Locals will be able to pick up a map at the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Museum or the Heber Valley Visitors Center and members of the Heber Leadership Academy will be stationed around town to talk with people about the city’s history More information about the historic sites is available on the Heber City website Sever, 20, was sentenced Wednesday morning, April 2, after pleading guilty to two felony charges of rape in December 2024 Both charges stemmed from incidents between February and March of last year while Sever was employed as a caregiver at Spring Gardens Senior Living in Heber He admitted to raping an 85-year-old woman with advanced dementia and attempting to rape an 82-year-old woman diagnosed with Alzheimer’s brought the judge photographs of the victims since they weren’t able to speak on their own behalf “Those crimes against those two women were so egregious that they simply shock the conscience,” he said “He said he figured he could get away with it because they couldn’t do much about it His victims’ vulnerability wasn’t a drawback to the defendant Their inability to communicate was a perk for him.” He said he believed prison was the only appropriate outcome for Sever for committing these heinous acts,” he said Several of the victims’ family members also spoke and asked Judge Jennifer Mabey to send Sever to prison A victim’s daughter wept as she told the court how her mother started acting afraid when she left for the night “I’d wait till she’d fall asleep,” she said ‘Your mom was hiding under the bed.’ And I was so confused The daughter said she’s still grieving what happened to her mother “It hurts my heart that I was the one who put her in there One victim’s son-in-law asked Mabey to impose the harshest sentence allowed by law emphasized the 20-year-old turned himself in and didn’t try to minimize what he had done “It’s not very often somebody will come and self-report knowing that their actions are going to take them to jail for an indeterminate amount of time.” Sever confessed to his father, Heber City Police Chief Parker Sever, in July 2024. The chief told KPCW he reported his son’s actions to the Utah attorney general Hendricks argued his client wouldn’t benefit from spending his formative years in prison He called Sever’s actions “a product of youth and substance abuse” and argued Sever should instead face inpatient treatment or home confinement “Jayden is going to be a felon and a sex offender for the rest of his life,” he said “There is not going to be a day that he is not reminded of his own actions can he be turned around to still be a productive member of society for his remaining years?” Hendricks read aloud part of a statement in a pre-sentence report shared with the court in which Jayden Sever said he took full responsibility for his actions and was committed to “make this right and make sure it never happens again.” Appearing online from the Utah County Jail Jayden Sever declined to speak during the sentencing hearing Mabey said she found it difficult to determine a sentence because it couldn’t undo the damage of the crimes people are often left feeling somewhat empty because it doesn’t change that from the day that these incidents happened forward people’s lives were forever impacted,” she said She said she was convinced Sever’s actions required prison time and sentenced Sever to three years to life in prison for attempted rape and five years to life for object rape Mabey recommended the sentences be served concurrently and that Sever be granted credit for time already spent in jail “I would encourage you that you have choices to make as you go into a prison sentence “I would strongly encourage you to choose a path that helps you grow and come out of prison a better person.” Chief Sever told KPCW Wednesday he is praying for the victims and their families “Hopefully this will bring some peace to the families and victims that were involved in his acts,” he said The Utah Office for Victims of Crime hasn’t yet defined what kind of restitution Jayden Sever owes the women and their families A small group of Heber residents filed a referendum petition last month over the future of the North Village around 95 acres of land at the intersection of U.S The residents wanted to undo the Heber City Council’s decision in late December 2024 to annex the land the council voted 4-1 to approve plans for two developments hotels and recreation amenities will be constructed there Heber City leaders told KPCW the referendum cannot proceed “The Utah State Legislature has some very specific requirements with regard to referendums of this nature,” public information officer Ryan Bunnell said Heber City Council accepted the annexation petition on Dec 17 is when the five-day period for submittal of referendum needed to be filed.” He said when the city attorney took a close look at state law he determined the petitioners missed the deadline to ask for a referendum The citizens argued the timeline started in January since the city council made the annexation contingent upon approving the master development agreements Referendum petition organizers didn’t immediately respond to KPCW’s requests for comment Thursday Bunnell said the city was still glad to see residents get involved and exercise their rights Plans for the North Village will reshape the northern entrance to Heber City Councilmembers who voted in favor of the plans said they supported the annexation and development agreements because it gives the city a say in what kind of growth will be constructed there They also said months of negotiations with the developers resulted in plans that better matched the community with more open space and stronger affordable housing requirements Both developments will include over 50% open space said they didn’t agree with the amount of density granted for the communities The land is part of the county’s North Village Overlay Zone so it has long been envisioned as a spot for new growth to be constructed.