Wasatch County

The Military Installation Development Authority has taken what was originally planned to be a 400-room hotel for military personnel R&R and turned it into a 6,000-acre luxury mountain resort with ski-in-ski-out home sites and at least four high-end hotels.

Utah neared the one million dose mark for COVID-19 vaccines on Saturday and also saw a significant drop in statewide hospitalizations.

The numbers released by the Utah Department of Health on Saturday reported just over 993,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in the state. Governor Spencer Cox also tweeted just after 8am that Utah had officially surpassed the one million mark in doses delivered to the state.

Wasatch County fared well in 2020 despite the closures and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recreation, arts, and parks (RAP) tax may be on the ballot in November.

As the counties and municipalities of the Wasatch Back see positive revenue numbers rolling in from the unprecedented 2020 year of the pandemic, many officials are pleasantly surprised by what they see. Wasatch County Manager Mike Davis said they projected up to 20% drops in sales tax revenues.

The Utah Department of Health reported 519 new COVID-19 cases statewide on Friday. Summit and Wasatch Counties both saw under 10 cases each.

Summit County’s seven new cases and Wasatch County’s six is the second day in a row where both counties have reported fewer than 10 cases in a day. Wasatch County has not recorded more than eight cases in a day since March 2nd -- when they saw 13 -- and before that a day over 10 cases had not been seen since February 17th.

On Wednesday, Heber City Mayor Kelleen Potter gave a brief State of the City address covering a handful of the most pressing issues such as housing, traffic, financial health, and the Heber Valley's development.

Potter began her address with a brief history lesson underscoring the "locals' versus move-ins" social media chatter. She introduced a descendant of some of the first Heber Valley locals: Chief Tabby, a member of the Timpanogas Tribe.

Today on the Local News Hour:

(01:47) - Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Report

(07:48) - Kim Carson of the Snyderville Basin Transit District joins us.

(28:27) - Park City Councilmember Steve Joyce has a recap of Thursday night's meeting.

(40:59) - Wasatch County Manager Mike Davis provides an update on county business.

Republican state representative Mike Kohler, who represents Wasatch County and the municipal area of Park City as part of House District 54, gave a recap of this year’s legislative session.

In Kohler’s first general session as a state representative after being elected to the House of Representatives last November, one of his signature pieces of legislation, HB390, was passed and now waits to be signed into law by Governor Spencer Cox.

Today on the Local News Hour:

(01:57) - Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Report 

(07:03) - Wasatch County Representative Mike Kohler recaps the Legislative Session.

(23:33) -  Park City Manager Matt Dias has a preview of this week's city council meeting.

(37:49) - Summit County Health Department monthly update with Health Deptartment Director Rich Bullough. 

Today on the Local News Hour: 

(02:22) - Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Report

(06:13) -Summit County Manager Tom Fisher discusses the agenda for Wednesday's county council meeting.

(24:29) -Wasatch Back Sen. Ron Winterton Has a Recap of The Legislative Session.

(40:21) -Huntsman Cancer Institute Event Coordinator Kristen VanLeeuwen has details about this year's Pink Park City fundraiser.

Today on the Local News Hour:

(02:25) - Utah Avalanche Forecast Center Report

(09:38) Wasatch County Special Education Director Ben Springer talks about his new book and the SHARP survey results for the county.

(23:51) - US Ski and Snowboard Association update with Marketing and Communitcations Director Andrew Gauthier.

(40:08) - Park City Education Foundation Director Abby McNulty shares more on the programs that are offered through the foundation.

After several days of low COVID-19 cases, both Summit and Wasatch County saw a slight increase in infections on Saturday. 

Saturday saw Summit County report 17 new COVID-19 cases compared to Wasatch County’s eight. Saturday was the first time Summit County recorded more than 10 cases in a day this month and Wasatch County doubled its case count from each of the last two days.

The Utah Department of Health reported more encouraging COVID-19 numbers on Friday, but included five additional statewide deaths.

Friday’s five deaths brings the statewide death toll from the disease to 1,970. The deaths included three women and two men, all between the ages of 65 and 84. None of the deaths were from either Summit or Wasatch Counties.

The Utah State Legislative Session comes to an end Friday and some local officials have raised concerns about the legislature’s willingness to take authority away from Utah cities, towns, and counties. 

In only 45 days, the Utah Legislature conducts the business of the state each year. Hundreds of bills are considered each session, causing a whirlwind of committee hearings, votes, amendments, and more votes before it’s all over.

The North Village developments underway in Wasatch County, just north of Heber City’s limits, have captured the community's attention, with hundreds of people giving their input. At the same time, the Heber City Council is trying to define future zoning for the area.

On Tuesday, March 2, three councilors voted to postpone the approval of the zone changes until the next meeting on March 16.

Coyote Lane will be closed for reconstruction through June while crews work to improve the road servicing the far northern part of Heber City. 

The construction will require detours for vehicles accessing the neighborhoods nearby. Trailhead parking will also be closed, requiring hikers and bikers to use different trailheads to access the Coyote trail system.

Traffic detours are located at 500 North off Main Street, 550 East and Valley Hills Boulevard.