April 25 (UPI) — Ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker on Thursday testified that he purchased the rights to a story about an alleged affair Donald Trump had with a Playboy model so that it would not damage his 2016 presidential campaign. When asked by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass during the second day of Trump’s New York hush-money trial if the primary reason he purchased the right’s to the story from Karen McDougal, who alleged the affair, was to influence the 2016 election, Pecker replied, “Yes, it was.” Pecker also testified that he was aware that “expenditures by a corporation made ..read more

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 25, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Police say a semitrailer crash in Parleys Canyon spilled about 150 gallons of diesel fuel, some of which ended up in Parleys Creek. The semi was traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 near Mountain Dell Reservoir when it lost control on the wet roads, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden said. The semi jackknifed and hit the concrete barriers on the left side, displacing four of them — including two that blocked the left two lanes of eastbound I-80, Roden said. The semi’s fuel tanks were ruptured in the crash, spilling about 150 gallons ..read more

April 25 (UPI) — The New York Court of Appeals Thursday overturned film producer Harvey Weinstein‘s 2020 rape conviction and ordered a new trial. The appeals court said in a 4-3 ruling that the trial judge in Weinstein’s New York rape case improperly allowed testimony and evidence against Weinstein that was “irrelevant” and “prejudicial” to the criminal charges he faced. “The trial court’s rulings ran afoul of these time-honored rules of evidence. Accordingly, the order of the Appellate Division should be reversed, and a new trial ordered,” the appeals court said in its ru ..read more

SPANISH FORK, Utah, April 24, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah County Sheriff’s Office chased down a speeder 71 mph over the speed limit, prompting a debate of sorts online on such police endeavor. The chase ensued about 3 p.m. as a 22-year-old Lehi man sped past a parked sheriff’s office motorcycle officer who clocked him at 141 mph in a 70 mph zone, according to the sheriff’s office posting online Tuesday night. “He received a citation for reckless driving. If found guilty he will likely lose his license. The deputy said he counseled the rider ‘on the physics of velocity and how quickly thi ..read more

DUCHESNE COUNTY, Utah April 24, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Police are seeking the public’s help in solving the 23-year-old death of a young woman based on her skull. The Duchesne County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday released an artist’s rendering of the woman from an anthropological analysis of her remains. Her skull was found during the serving of a search warrant in northwest Duchesne County on March 13, 2001, according to the sheriff’s office press release. The skull was found on top of a post of a fence that surrounded the property. “The remains were being held on by wire. At the time the remai ..read more

April 24 (UPI) — Arizona’s Republican-controlled House voted Wednesday to overturn the state’s 1864 ban on nearly all abortions. The vote paves the way for a repeal that would revert Arizona abortion law to a 15-week ban. The measure, which now heads to the state Senate for a vote next week, passed Arizona’s House on Wednesday by a vote of 32 to 28 as three Republicans joined with Democrats. “I refuse to buy into the false notion pushed by the extremes on both sides of this issue that we cannot respect and protect women and defend new life at the same time,” state Rep. Matt Gre ..read more

LEWISTON, Utah, April 24, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — It could take another day or two before the Utah Fire Marshal’s Office determines the cause of the Tuesday afternoon barn fire that killed 120,000 chickens. Cache County Fire Marshal Jason Winn shared what is known so far with Gephardt Daily. The call came to dispatch at about 4 p.m., and Lewiston Fire crews arrived at the scene, the Oakdell Egg Farm, and saw the engulfed 20,000-square-foot barn. They determined they needed a lot more help. “They had fire showing through the roof, so they put in a second, third and fourth alarm, which brought ..read more

April 24 (UPI) — Post Malone, Platinum Dunes and Vault Comics have announced a graphic novel and movie collaboration. Post Malone, a part-time northern Utah resident, created the original story. In Post Malone’s story, an 18-wheeler is sent back to medieval Europe to fight demons with its heavy artillery. Vault will publish the graphic novel in 2025 while Platinum Dunes develops a feature film adaptation. Platinum Dunes is the production company of Michael Bay and Brad Fuller. Their films include The Purge and Quiet Place series and two live-action  ..read more

OGDEN, Utah, April 24, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Firefighters were dispatched to a single-family house fire early Wednesday, and evacuated 12 residents and one dog. Crews were called to the scene, on the 500 block of Monroe Boulevard, Ogden, and found the single-story house with flames and smoke showing on the outside of the residence. “The flames appeared to be extending into the home,” says a statement issued by the Ogden City Fire Department. “The structure was quickly searched and evacuated; firefighters had water on the fire within minutes. “Another home was threatened by the fire; however ..read more

HOLLADAY, Utah, April 24, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A Holladay home found to be loaded with a large cache of old, unstable dynamite has been detonated by police bomb technicians. Unified Fire Authority officials said the dynamite, discovered in the home near 6200 South 2300 East, was reported by a new home owner Tuesday. It’s believed the ordinance had been stored in the structure for years by the family which previously owned the residence. After coming to the decision the dynamite was too old and unstable to move bomb technicians with Unified Police made the decision to detonate it in place a ..read more