Utah

Special Utah Senate hearing aims to fix error in firefighter death benefits

Published

2 years ago

May 17, 2023

Special Utah Senate hearing aims to fix error in firefighter death benefits

SALT LAKE CITY — When the Utah Legislature meets for its special session Wednesday, lawmakers will hear about HB1003 — which deals with death benefits for the families of firefighters.

Last month, Matt Hambleton, a firefighter with the Unified Fire Authority, died. He had been a firefighter for 28 years and headed up many projects, including the “heavy rescue” program.

His higher ups said he performed thousands of hours of training to crew on that and other specialty programs. He was also part of Task Force 1, and went to New York after 9/11 to help with operations there.

But when he died last month, he was part of what legislators and lobbyists call a clerical error, which meant his family would only get half of his life insurance plan.

It stems back to a bill passed in 2018. At that time, legislators passed the law, including what’s called Division A and B Public Safety and Division A and B Firefighters. The law would entitle beneficiaries of 20+ year employees, who had died not in the line of service, to 75% of the average of the highest three years of service. But for some reason, Division B firefighters were left off the bill.

At the senate hearing Tuesday, lawmakers said they had reviewed the 2018 bill and all verbiage, including the Division B firefighters. Division B public safety and firefighters don’t pay into social security during their working years. As a result, they don’t get social security paid to them during retirement.

In Utah, there are 13 fire departments that are entirely Division B workers. So, this “clerical error” could potentially affect thousands of Utah firefighters after they reach 20 years with their department.

Monica Hambleton found out about the bill and the mistake that would mean she would only get half of that 75% just days after her husband’s death. She said her husband’s co-workers quickly came to her aid.

A handful of them sat next to her Tuesday during a senate hearing, in which the bill passed unanimously.

Monica Hambleton said her late husband was “the life of the party,” and his former co-workers agree, although they said his antics were never present when they were on official business.

Monica Hambleton said the support of the firefighters saved her this last month.

“I couldn’t be standing here today without them,” she told KSL TV. “They helped me get through the funeral. They helped me get through this.”

Unified Fire Authority Fire Chief Dominic Burchett said Hambleton was a stellar firefighter and a good friend, and he is missed.

“He was a huge part of our fire department,” Burchett said. “The biggest thing he was known for is his time with heavy rescue.”

Burchett said he’s thankful Gov. Spencer Cox agreed to put this item on the special session agenda. Monica Hambleton agrees and is thankful for her late husband’s teammates that are now making sure she and her family are taken care of.

“There are no words,” she said. “His other family rallied — his firefighter family rallied for our family.”

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Utah

Storm Blair: Watch moment avalanche barrels down Utah mountain

Published

7 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Storm Blair: Watch moment avalanche barrels down Utah mountain

Heavy snowfall in Utah caused an avalanche that was captured on camera from a nearby vehicle in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Local media reported that up to five inches (12.7cm) of snow fell in the area, causing the avalanche and stranding skiers for a while.

Seven US states have declared a state of emergency as Storm Blair sweeps through.

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Utah

Atlanta plays Utah, aims to stop road losing streak

Published

15 hours ago

January 6, 2025

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Atlanta plays Utah, aims to stop road losing streak

Associated Press

Atlanta Hawks (18-18, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (9-25, 14th in the Western Conference)

Salt Lake City; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta will aim to break its three-game road skid when the Hawks face Utah.

The Jazz have gone 2-12 at home. Utah allows the most points in the Western Conference, giving up 118.4 points and is allowing opponents to shoot 47.8%.

The Hawks are 8-11 on the road. Atlanta is eighth in the league with 12.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Clint Capela averaging 3.3.

The Jazz are shooting 46.1% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points lower than the 47.6% the Hawks allow to opponents. The Hawks average 117.1 points per game, 1.3 fewer than the 118.4 the Jazz allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: John Collins is averaging 17.9 points and 8.3 rebounds for the Jazz.

Jalen Johnson is averaging 19.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals for the Hawks.

LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 4-6, averaging 114.7 points, 47.6 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points per game.

Hawks: 4-6, averaging 118.1 points, 43.3 rebounds, 29.3 assists, 11.2 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.4 points.

INJURIES: Jazz: Keyonte George: out (heel), John Collins: out (personal), Jordan Clarkson: day to day (plantar ), Taylor Hendricks: out for season (fibula), Lauri Markkanen: out (back).

Hawks: Kobe Bufkin: out for season (shoulder), Larry Nance Jr.: out (hand), Bogdan Bogdanovic: day to day (leg), Jalen Johnson: out (shoulder), Cody Zeller: day to day (personal).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Utah

Missing woman found dead in Utah; police looking for her 'violent' ex-boyfriend – East Idaho News

Published

23 hours ago

January 5, 2025

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Missing woman found dead in Utah; police looking for her 'violent' ex-boyfriend – East Idaho News

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KSL.com) — Unified police on Saturday located the body of a missing woman in a remote location in Tooele County. The woman was murdered, police say, and now they are looking for her “violent ex-boyfriend” in connection with her death.

On Thursday, the family of Talia Benward reported to Unified police that she was missing.

“As the investigation developed and evidence was gathered, it became evident Talia Benward was either being held against her will by a violent ex-boyfriend or was deceased,” Unified police said in a statement Sunday.

Beginning in the early morning hours on Saturday, police searched a remote area of Tooele County where they thought she could be. The large area is “covered with tall brush and cedar trees” and was being conducted in “nearly total darkness and frigid snowy conditions.”

Benward’s body was located at 5:20 a.m. Saturday with the assistance of the Salt Lake City and Weber County K-9 teams, police said.

“Preliminarily, it appears the victim may have suffered from blunt force trauma and trauma to her neck area,” the statement says.

The Unified Police Department is treating Benward’s death as a homicide and is asking for the public’s help in locating Nestor Rocha-Aguayo, 24, of West Valley City, who they say is a person of interest. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 801-840-4000.

“We do believe he is still in Salt Lake County and are asking individuals to not confront him but to call police,” the statement says.

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