Utah

Thousands raised to help students erase school lunch debt in Utah

Published

2 years ago

May 11, 2023

Thousands raised to help students erase school lunch debt in Utah

WEST JORDAN, Utah — Student lunch debt is an issue impacting thousands of Utah families, with nearly two million dollars in unpaid lunch bills.

DONATE NOW: Help erase student lunch debt in Utah

On Thursday, FOX 13 attempted to eliminate that burden with a donation blitz to help pay the debt for graduating seniors.

The debt affects communities all across the state, from Logan to St. George.

“They get a great lunch, a great breakfast, nutrition, variety; you can see what the kids are eating its a great meal it sustains them through the day,” said Katie Bastian, director of nutrition services with the Jordan School District.

Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are all part of a meal that costs just $2 for students at Copper Hills High School. But over the course of a school year, that two bucks a day adds up.

“Our deficit this year is sitting at $10,000,” said the school’s assistant principal, Sterling Hunt, “its the largest its ever been.”

With the bill now coming due, the district takes a compassionate approach and won’t harass families to pay.

“I know some districts will take families to collections,” Hunt said. “We don’t do that. I know some districts say if you’re a senior with a balance due, you won’t be able to walk at graduation; we don’t do that either.”

Administrators will try to work with families who are struggling, and if all else fails, they will cover the cost. But that money comes from somewhere and can impact other areas of the school. That’s why it’s important for bills to be paid.

“We look at all the budgets available to us,” said Hunt. “We see where we perhaps have money in those budgets to use.”

A recent study by professors at the University of Utah and BYU found a healthy meals for all program in the state would cost about $51 million. If a program like that caused more students to eat at school, the cost could increase to more than $80 million.

“I hope people, when they consider this issue, think about the kids who come from families who really need this. We don’t all come from family situations that may be hard to see. What’s $10? Why can’t a family cover $10 over the course of a couple days or weeks? We forget sometimes that families are really struggling in this process,” said Lori Spruance, associate professor of public health nutrition at BYU.

Solutions are in the works.

Rep. Tyler Clancy of Provo tweeted FOX 13 News on Thursday claiming legislation is in the works to eliminate school lunch debt.

The student lunch bill didn’t exist for the past couple years because of federal COVID relief money. But the program ended in Utah this year and that’s why this bill has come around again.

The joint study found 81% of nutrition professionals across the state support a free meals for all program if the funding were available.

Utahns didn’t hesitate lending a helping hand, donating thousands of dollars to erase the lunch debt. After seeing FOX 13 News at Copper Hills High School, an anonymous donor reached out to officials and paid off all debt for the school’s seniors.

Source link

Click to comment

Utah

Utah plays Philadelphia on 5-game home slide

Published

7 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

Utah plays Philadelphia on 5-game home slide

Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers (11-17, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (7-22, 14th in the Western Conference)

Salt Lake City; Saturday, 9:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Utah aims to stop its five-game home slide with a victory against Philadelphia.

The Jazz are 2-10 on their home court. Utah has a 2-3 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The 76ers are 6-8 on the road. Philadelphia gives up 110.5 points to opponents while being outscored by 4.1 points per game.

The Jazz’s 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.6 more made shots on average than the 13.4 per game the 76ers allow. The 76ers average 12.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.9 fewer made shots on average than the 14.9 per game the Jazz allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: John Collins is averaging 17.7 points and 8.2 rebounds for the Jazz.

Tyrese Maxey is scoring 25.7 points per game with 3.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the 76ers.

LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 3-7, averaging 114.5 points, 45.2 rebounds, 25.6 assists, 6.3 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.5 points per game.

76ers: 7-3, averaging 108.6 points, 41.4 rebounds, 22.9 assists, 9.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.7 points.

INJURIES: Jazz: Jordan Clarkson: day to day (plantar), John Collins: day to day (hip), Keyonte George: day to day (ankle), Taylor Hendricks: out for season (fibula).

76ers: Jared McCain: out (meniscus), Andre Drummond: day to day (toe), Eric Gordon: day to day (illness), KJ Martin: day to day (foot).

___

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

Source link

Utah

Colorado man arrested in Utah for murder of a minor, police said

Published

15 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Colorado man arrested in Utah for murder of a minor, police said

OLJATO, Utah – A Colorado man wanted for the murder of a minor on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation was arrested Tuesday, according to the Navajo Police Department.

In a Facebook post from the NPD, Jeremiah Hight, 23, of the Ute Mountain Tribe was taken into federal custody after police had been looking for him in the Oljato area since Saturday.

Hight was a suspect in the murder of a minor during a shooting on the Ute Mountain Reservation in Towaoc, CO., according to the NPD.

The post said that a federal arrest warrant for murder was issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigations-Durango Office.

Police said the investigation was joined by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, NPD K-9 Unit, and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations-Kayenta District.

Source link

Utah

Utah man triggers avalanche and saves brother buried under the snow | CNN

Published

23 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Utah man triggers avalanche and saves brother buried under the snow | CNN

CNN
—

A man rescued his brother from a “large avalanche” he triggered while the pair were snowmobiling in Utah on Wednesday, authorities said.

The brothers were in the Franklin Basin area of Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest when one of them triggered the avalanche while “side-hilling in a bowl beneath a cliff band in Steep Hollow,” an initial accident report from the Utah Avalanche Center read.

He saw the slope “ripple below and around him” and was able to escape by riding off the north flank of the avalanche, according to the report.

But his brother, who was farther down the slope standing next to his sled, was swept up by the avalanche, carried about 150 yards by the heavy snow and fully buried, the avalanche center said.

Using a transceiver, the man was able to locate his brother underneath the snow, seeing only “a couple fingers of a gloved hand sticking out,” the report said.

The buried brother was dug out and sustained minor injuries, according to the avalanche center. The two were able to ride back to safety.

The Utah Avalanche Center warned that similar avalanche conditions will be common in the area and are expected to rise across the mountains in North Utah and Southeast Idaho ahead of the weekend.

Source link