KDXU Up To The Minute News

Money Being Raised for Medical Marijuana Lawsuit

Supporters of a voter-approved ballot question that legalized medical marijuana in Utah are raising money to fund a lawsuit against the state's compromise on the issue.  Members of Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education [[ TRUCE ]] held a casino night in Park City Saturday. Community liaison Doug Rice says lawyers for TRUCE feel they have a better than even chance of winning the lawsuit if they can raise the money to pay for it.  Voters passed Proposition Two last November, but state lawmakers convened a special session just weeks later that restricted the provisions of the initiative.

Town Hall Meetings to Discuss Tax Reform

Democratic members of the Utah House plan to hold a series of town hall meetings on restructuring state taxes.  House Minority Leader Brian King said that Democrats plan to hold town halls beginning May 1st at the State Capitol and then in other Utah cities between May 16th and May 23rd.  King says Republican leaders have been invited to the town halls to discuss their plans for tax reform.

Historic Spanish Coins Discovered by Hiker.

A hiker in southern Utah has found what appear to be old Spanish coins possibly dating back to the time of the conquistadors and perhaps even earlier, long before the voyages of Columbus. The coins were found in a popular tourist area that has at times been underwater in the decades after the Glen Canyon Dam was built in the 1960s. The big question the National Park Service is trying to answer is: If they’re real, what are they doing in southern Utah.

Investigation Launched into Highly Fluoridated Water

The investigation into the release of a large amount of fluoride into Sandy's drinking water indicates hundreds of people were exposed to possible illness. The Utah Division of Drinking Water estimates 239 people were potentially exposed to the highly fluoridated water in February.  Drinking the water has been linked to illnesses such as vomiting and headaches.  The city's deputy mayor says the city is reimbursing residents for medical costs associated with the fluoride release.

Response to Comments by Senator Mitt Romney

President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani is responding to criticism from Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney.  Romney had previously said on Twitter that he was "appalled" that Trump's campaign accepted help from Russia, even though the information they had was "illegally obtained."  On CNN's State of the Union, Giuliani explained it's not illegal to obtain information from foreign sources, depending on where it came from, but there was no evidence that he colluded with Russians.  He said Romney needs to "stop the act" that he wasn't trying to "dig up dirt on people" when he was running for president.

Utah Man Killed in Plane Crash Identified

The man killed in a small plane crash at a California airport is being identified as a man who moved to Utah earlier this year.  Family members said that Robert Ellis was killed in the Thursday crash at Fullerton Municipal Airport.  Ellis moved to Heber City in January and was flying from his dental practice in Tustin, California two times a week.  Ellis was taking off from the California airport Thursday when his plane crashed and caught fire, killing him.

Howard Schultz Postponing Trip to Utah

Possible 2020 presidential candidate Howard Schultz is postponing a scheduled visit to Utah.  The former Starbucks CEO was supposed to spend tomorrow and Wednesday in the state as part of his Heart of America tour.  However, campaign representatives confirmed yesterday that the Utah visit was being postponed to a later date.  Schultz is considering a third-party run for president next year.