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Fort Duchesne, established in the heart of Utah’s Uinta Basin by Major Frederick William Benteen in 1886, is a historic landmark that encapsulates the tumultuous history of the American West. Its creation was a strategic effort to maintain peace with the Ute Indians, marking a significant chapter in U.S. and Native American relations. Benteen, a Civil War veteran and Little Bighorn participant, oversaw the fort's development, which soon boasted robust infrastructure and became a hub for the Ninth Cavalry, the famed Buffalo Soldiers.

The Lady Spartan basketball team took their unbeaten record on the road to Vernal to take part in the Shannon Johnson Classic. In the opening game Emery faced the host school Uintah, a team from the 4A ranks. The Spartans took charge early and never looked back taking the 66-44 win on Thursday night.

The kitchy pink statue advertised a motel, but was significant because it represented growing auto tourism post-World War II.

It’s time to remember a Uintah Basin fallen officer. 17 years ago on November 21st, Uintah County Detective Cpl. Kevin Orr was in a helicopter accident while assisting with a search for a missing woman. Utahsfallen.org shares that as Detective Orr was coordinating the search from the air, the helicopter struck a power cable near the town of Jensen and plunged into the Green River. The civilian pilot was critically injured but recovered. Detective Orr was airlifted to LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. The next day, November 22nd, 2006, Orr passed away as a result of his injuries, leaving behind a wife and young family. Detective Kevin Orr’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Preliminary results in the Uintah County Municipal and Service District Election are as follows: In the Naples City Council race, Dan Olsen received 28.19 percent of the vote, Ross Morton received 24.69 percent, Kenneth Reynolds received 21.73 percent, Bruce Hacking received 12.93 percent, and Stephanie C. Adams received 12.46 percent. In the Ballard City Council race, Ben John Allred received 39.3 percent of the vote, Mark Reidhead received 24.02 percent, Shaun Murray received 23.14 percent, and Robin Moran received 13.54 percent. In the Naples City Council 2 year term race, Andrew John Bentley received 58.17 percent of the vote and Brock Arnold received 41.83 percent. In the Vernal City Council race, Robin O’Driscoll received 24.88 percent of the vote, Randel Mills received 23.9 percent, Edward Long received 19.61 percent, Nick Porter received 19.21 percent, and Marylou Molina received 12.4 percent. In the Ashley Valley Water & Sewer Improvement District board member race, David Hatch received 28.51 percent of the vote, Dean Baker received 25.36 percent, Max Haslem received 24.39 percent, and Robert Jolley received 21.74 percent. Election canvassing for Uintah County will take place and final election results must be certified by December 5th.

While one local girl is rising up to battle a September cancer diagnosis, the community and her classmates are rallying around her in love and support. 11-year-old Brooklee Deets had a slip and fall in early September that resulted in a visit to the ER where a scan revealed a large tumor growing in her kidney. A few weeks later, Brooklee had surgery to remove the kidney and tumor which was found to be cancerous. Since then she has been receiving intense radiation and chemo treatments which of course has been very difficult. The students and staff at Maeser Elementary, where Brooklee is a 5th grade student, have been raising money to show their love and support and presented Brooklee with a check on Monday. She arrived in style in a Classic Air Medical helicopter, receiving the check for over $6,700 dollars. The community can also help young Brooklee by bidding on the silent auction items set up for Brooklee Deets at the Trees For Charity event happening this weekend.

In the rugged terrains of the American West, the ghost town of Bonanza stands as a poignant reminder of the once feverish oil boom of the early 1900s. With its origins rooted in the mineral-rich soils of New Mexico, Colorado, and Idaho, Bonanza symbolized the quest for wealth, drawing prospectors to its promise of prosperity. In New Mexico's Cerrillos Hills, the mining boom gave life to Bonanza City, a settlement that grew rapidly to house over 2,000 residents during its peak.

Never underestimate the power of family time. The awesome people at Northeastern Counseling welcomed the Roosevelt community to a free movie showing on Saturday and four showings in Vernal on Tuesday and the community filled every seat. Northeastern Counseling representative Catherine Jurado says there were nearly 400 movie goers in Roosevelt and well over 1000 in Vernal. “We are really trying to spread the word in our community that bonding with your family can help prevent underage drinking,” shares Jurado. “Always ask kids where they are going, ask if there will be alcohol, and set very clear rules.” A recent state survey asked where kids that are drinking are getting alcohol from and it’s actually most often from their parents who think if they let kids drink at home then they will be safe about it. “In reality, kids are way more likely to drink outside the home if you let them drink inside your home.” Learn more at www.ParentsEmpowered.org.

Photo from Unsplash and unrelated to the city. For most people, it is a constant necessity of life to manage gas prices. The national average price for a gallon of regular-grade gas on Tuesday is $3.246, a week ago the price is $3.295 , according to AAA.

The Vernal Police Department has requested the public’s help. Vernal PD posted on their Facebook page that they are looking for the community’s help in identifying some individuals in regards to an ongoing investigation. If you have any information that could help in identifying the individuals, please contact the Vernal Police Department at 435-789-5835 or on the non-emergency dispatch number at 435-789-4222. The images are posted on the Vernal PD Facebook page as well as with this news story on BasinNow.com.

A major roadside icon that welcomes travelers on the east end of Vernal has a new designation. Dinah, the big pink dinosaur, is now a member of the National Register of Historic Places. The listing became official on November 13th and is recorded on the register as ‘Dine-A-Ville Dinosaur’ because it was originally located at the Dine-A-Ville Motel in Vernal back in the 1960s. The National Historic Preservation Act works to protect historic and archeological resources but the process has many steps including examining the property’s age, significance, and integrity. National Register Coordinator Cory Jensen confirmed on Monday that Dinah is officially Utah’s most recent listing to the register. In sharing the exciting news, Vernal City Manager Quinn Bennion noted that Dinah’s new status will not affect the ability to maintain Dinah as she is now.

It’s finally election day and if your ballot is still sitting on your counter, there’s only one option left for you. Get in the car and hand deliver it to an approved drop box location in your county. All mail in ballots had to be postmarked by November 20th. Remember, the only voters that have been mailed a ballot are those living within City or a District’s limits where there is an election as 2023 is a municipal and special district election year. Those that have mailed their ballots can track the ballot on Vote.Utah.gov.

The Bear River Bears vs Uintah Utes broadcast is scheduled to begin at 3:45 p.m. Saturday’s broadcast is brought to you with LIVE commentary from Trent Walker and Josh Theurer. Listen to this broadcast on the radio at 104.9 FM The Ranch in Box Elder County and streamed online here.

The City of Vernal has announced plans to create a special assessment area, SAA2, to improve the Cobblerock Block parking areas. The proposal was made on May 17, 2023, and has faced opposition. A Board of Equalization was appointed on November 15, 2023, to consider these objections. The assessment list for SAA2 is ready for public review at the Vernal City Recorder's Office.

FORT DUCHESNE, Utah (KUTV) — An officer with the Ute Indian Tribe Fish and Wildlife Department has been indicted in connection to a 2022 shooting that happened on tribal grounds. Waneka Rosebud Cornpeach, 40, faces charges of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon within Indian Country and...

The talented Moon family of Jensen are at it again preparing an epic gingerbread display for the public to enjoy this holiday season. Each year, Roosevelt Library Director Stephen Moon and his family choose a book or literary theme to create an all gingerbread display destined for the Roosevelt Branch Library during the Christmas season. The tradition of making gingerbread houses began when Stephen was just a kid. His mother, Ann Moon, taught him the art of making gingerbread and all the candy details as decoration. Over the years, the displays became more and more elaborate and once Stephen’s wife Sabrina came on the scene the three of them worked as a team to out-do themselves each year. In 2013, the Moon family added a new team member with Stephen and Sabrina’s son Matthew, who joined the tradition his first year by eating the baby Jesus right out of the manger! Matthew is now an equal team member and takes his role in the annual tradition seriously. The literary theme this year is ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’. This has been 19 years of Stephen displaying a gingerbread creation at the library, 18 years with Sabrina’s help, and 14 years of the large elaborate displays. The display will be set up December 2nd and available to view throughout the month of December in the Roosevelt Branch Library.

Burning rubber at 3am is bound to catch some attention and in some cases, like the one on November 26th at the Rec Center in Vernal, it may even end in arrest. According to court documents, an Officer observed a black pickup truck doing a burnout in the parking lot of the Uinta Community Center prompting the Officer to conduct a traffic stop as the truck pulled out of the parking lot. The driver exited the vehicle and when asked if he had been drinking he stated he had had a 6 pack earlier in the evening. Identified as 23-year-old Eli Shaun Story, Central Dispatch informed the Officer that Story’s license had an ignition interlock restriction as well as 2 active warrants for his arrest. The truck he was driving did not have an ignition interlock system and when asked if he was driving under the influence of alcohol, Story ran away on foot, scaled a wooden fence, and was unable to be located. When taking an inventory of the vehicle for impound, Officers located an open and partially consumed bottle of whisky in the center console and a 12 gauge shotgun with a live round in the chamber and the safety off. Story was later located at approximately 100 North 2500 West and was placed under arrest. He was booked into Uintah County Jail and is charged with Possession of a Firearm By a Restricted Person, Failure to Stop at the Command of Law Enforcement, Carrying a Dangerous Weapon Under the Influence of Alcohol, Loaded Firearm in a Vehicle on the Street, Reckless Driving, Interlock Restricted Driver Operating a Vehicle Without the System, Alcohol Restricted Driver, Open Container, and Driving on a Suspended License. Story posted bond and is scheduled in court on December 18th.

A vehicle stolen in Vernal was found quickly thanks to modern technology. According to court documents, Officers responded to a call that a white 2021 GMC truck, which had been running and unlocked in a driveway, was missing. This call came in around the same time as a domestic incident in the area. Security camera footage showed 50-year-old Ben Joshua Mcallister leaving his residence and heading towards the area where the truck had been stolen. A second camera in the area then captured video of the reported missing vehicle leaving the area. Because the vehicle was equipped with Onstar services, police received the location of the truck as being in a parking lot of a KFC in Craig, Colorado. The Craig Police Department was contacted and the truck was located with Ben Mcallister as the only occupant. Mcallister was arrested for the offense of Theft of a Vehicle, a 2nd Degree Felony.

Grand theft auto only happens in the big city and having security cameras will deter. thieves, right? Well in a case from Uintah County that happened last week you would be. wrong on both accounts. According to court documents, homeowners called authorities. on November 23rd as they watched on their...

The woman killed in the 2 vehicle crash that took place on Friday on Highway 40 was returning home from a visit to Vernal to see family when the tragedy occurred. While Utah Highway Patrol released her identity as 21-year-old Kelsie Remington, Kelsie’s family has shared that the young woman’s name is now Kelsie Tingen as she was married just four months ago. Her husband Chase was also in the car and is still in the hospital with serious injuries. Friends of the family have formed a GoFundMe campaign under the name ‘Chase and Kelsie (Remington) Tingen’ to help with the unexpected funeral and ongoing hospital expenses.