April 24 (UPI) — The Transportation Department said on Wednesday issued a final rule requiring airline carriers to promptly give passengers cash refunds when owed for things like canceled or significantly delayed flights and delayed or lost baggage among other issues. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the new final rule was needed to make sure passengers were made whole for flight hiccups at or close to real-time so it can still be meaningful for them in their travels. “Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them – without headaches or h ..read more

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 22, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A Uintah County man convicted of extorting oil and gas businesses operating in Utah’s Uintah Basin has learned his prison sentence. Leallen Blackhair, 47, has been sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and $18,000 in restitution after he admitted to extorting oil and gas businesses operating on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. Blackhair used the extortion money on trips to various amusement parks, dining, and shopping, says a statement from the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the ..read more

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 20, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A Farmington man who headed a medical charity was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay $485,982 in back taxes. Ashley Robinson, CEO of a Salt Lake-based charity, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for evading taxes on $1.3 million he was paid as part of a scheme with a donor, the U.S. Attorney for Utah announced in a Friday press release. According to court documents and statements made in court, Robinson’s charity collected and distributed medical supplies overseas. As CEO, Robinson entered into a s ..read more

PARK CITY, Utah, April 17, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Sundance Institute on Wednesday announced it has begun a process that will allow it to consider other U.S. locations for the festival. On Tuesday, it opened a Request for Information (RFI), to be followed May 1 by a request for proposals (RFP) “to explore viable locations in the United States to host the Sundance Film Festival beginning in 2027.” “The 2025 and 2026 Festivals will continue in partnership with Park City, Utah, which serves as the headquarters for the Festival, and the state of Utah,” said an announcement released by the Institu ..read more

April 17 (UPI) — The stock value of former President Donald Trump‘s media company — the owner of app Truth Social — on Tuesday continued to fall more than 14% as the company unveiled its intent to launch a digital live-streaming platform. On Tuesday morning, the Nasdaq-designated DJT stock shares were selling at a total of $25.11. By mid-afternoon trading, it went down further to $22.85 a share. The Sarasota, Fla.-based Trump Media & Technology Group Corporation announced Tuesday that after six months of testing on its Web and iOS platforms, it had finished the “resear ..read more

PROVO, Utah, April 11, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — American Airlines announced Thursday it will begin offering nonstop service to Provo with three daily flights starting Oct. 7. The airline will operate two daily flights to Dallas/Fort Worth and one daily flight to Phoenix. All flights will operate on CRJ700 aircraft with room for 65 passengers, including nine first-class seats, American Airlines officials said in a news release. “We are thrilled to offer service to Provo for the first time starting this fall,” said Joe Sottile, American Airlines’ director of domestic network planning. “This new ..read more

ST. GEORGE, Utah, April 9, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah Tech University has been selected as one of four schools nationwide to participate in a “Sandbox” entrepreneurship program. It’s now looking for students and prospective students interested in dedicating one year of their academic studies to launching a real tech company under the guidance of experienced mentors and industry experts. “Sandbox is your no-risk shot at launching a valuable startup or securing a great job when you’re done, all while earning 18 college credits you’d have to take anyway,” said Aaron Davis, associate dean of Ut ..read more

April 5 (UPI) — Procter & Gamble on Friday recalled 8.2 million bags of Tide, Gain Ace and Ariel pods due to defective packaging. According to a release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recall involves liquid laundry detergent packets packaged in flexible bags manufactured between September and February. The outer packaging can split open near the zipper track, posing a risk to children of the contents are ingested or exposed to the skin and eyes. Recalled products include: Gain Flings Original Gain Flings Moonlight Breeze Scent Gain Flings Blissful Breeze Scent ..read more

April 3 (UPI) — On Wednesday, two men pleaded guilty to illegal insider trading linked to a deal that took Trump Media and Technology Group public. Michael Shvartsman and his brother Gerald Shvartsman pleaded guilty to securities fraud. They each face prison sentences of up to 20 years for making more than $22 million in illegal profits. Their plea agreements recommend four to five years for Michael Shvartsman and three to four years for Gerald Shvartsman, but the judge isn’t required to make those sentences. They must forfeit their illegal gains as part of the plea deal. “Michael and Ge ..read more

March 26 (UPI) — Krispy Kreme announced Tuesday it would partner with McDonald’s to sell their fresh doughnuts daily. The new partnership is set to roll out starting later in 2024, with nationwide availability expected by the end of 2026. The move will allow Krispy Kreme to more than double the locations where their donuts are currently served, it said in a statement. The rollout follows an earlier test run at 160 McDonald’s restaurants in the Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky areas where “consumer demand exceeded expectations.” Currently, those pilot restaurants are the only McDon ..read more