Free Republic

The Utah County Sheriff's Department is revisiting decades-old allegations of ritualistic child abuse and trafficking. Detectives with the Utah County Special Victims Unit (SVU) are investigating a series of reports alleging "ritualistic child sexual abuse." Investigators from multiple surrounding counties are also assisting the effort, with the earliest allegations dating to 1990, according to local outlet Fox 13. Utah County Attorney David Leavitt called for the resignation of Sheriff Mike Smith over the investigation, saying that Smith was irresponsibly revisiting allegations against Leavitt and his wife. Leavitt held a press conference Thursday stating that he had obtained a report accusing...

KANAB, UT – The Utah Department of Transportation is urging motorists to plan ahead for daily three-hour closures of U.S. Highway 89 immediately north of Kanab beginning Wednesday. UDOT will completely close three miles of the highway in both directions, from Kanab north to the Kanab Creek Bridge, Mondays through Fridays from 8:30-11:30 a.m. until approximately April 11.The highway will be open to single lane traffic for the remaining 21 hours each day and also open on weekends. Depending on a driver’s origin and destination, suitable detours could take as much time as waiting; so the Kane County Office of...

KANAB — The former field manager of the Bureau of Land Management's Kanab office who was scheduled to stand trial next month on charges of child sex abuse, shot and killed himself Thursday after police arrived at his door with a warrant. Kanab police arrived at the home of Rex Lee Smart, 60, to serve an arrest warrant and a search warrant. "Officers made contact with Mr. Smart and advised him why they were there. Mr. Smart stepped into an adjacent office in the home to retrieve his shoes. After only seconds, Mr. Smart was able to gain access to...