Health

Woods Cross’ contaminated water has residents upset

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013, 11:51pm

WOODS CROSS, Utah – Chemicals used in dry cleaning have contaminated wells in Woods Cross, and residents showed up at the city council meeting on Tuesday demanding to know what is being done to clean it up.

Woods Cross draws its drinking water from five different wells in the city, but the chemical PZE has made its way into the ground water under the city and to four of those five wells.

Woods Cross Mayor Perry says that the city can’t guarantee water free from pollutants in the future, and they’re presenting several solutions.

One of the presented solutions is to do nothing, and residents say that is definitely the wrong choice.

“There are four things that humans need to survive: food, shelter, air – which is questionable – and our water. We don’t need two of the four to be against us,” one resident said.

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Utah physicians group declares air a public emergency

Submitted by Fox13Now Web Staff

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013, 3:51pm

SALT LAKE CITY – Members of a group of Utah physicians say the state’s current air quality issues have become a public emergency and are calling on the governor to take action.

More than one hundred members of the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment held a press conference at the Utah Capitol on Wednesday, delivering a letter in which they say Utah’s air is dangerous.

They say their patients are dying prematurely and pregnant women are having complications, and that the dirty air is having an impact on everyone, one way or another.

“Some women who are pregnant right now are going to miscarry, some women who are pregnant right now are going to develop preeclampsia and a few more babies are going to be born prematurely because of these five days in this bad month,” said Dr. Kurtly Jones, doctor of reproductive medicine.

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Davis Co. refinery looking to expand production

Submitted by Fox13Now Web Staff

Monday, January 21st, 2013, 6:40pm

WOODS CROSS, Utah – Utah’s bad air quality is at the center of a debate over whether an oil refinery in Davis County should be allowed to increase production.

Holly Refinery wants to dismantle equipment in its New Mexico refinery and move it to the Woods Cross facility, doubling production from 30,000 to 60,000 barrels every day.

In 2008, Holly was told by the Environmental Protection Agency to lower its emissions. Officials say the company has done that by replacing dated equipment with the latest technology and they’re confident that an expanded plant would still meet EPA standards.

“Since it is new equipment we are able to use stat-of-the-art controls on it, and beyond that we’re installing that on existing equipment and even going beyond what the law requires,” said Mike Astin, spokesperson for Holly Frontier.

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All Davis County schools getting AEDs

Submitted by Fox13Now Web Staff

Sunday, January 13th, 2013, 10:18pm

FARMINGTON, Utah – The Davis County School District is improving the safety of their students by installing new automated external defibrillators.

Utah State University’s shooting guard knows first-hand how helpful those AEDs are. He collapsed in practice just over a month ago when his heart stopped. But the presence of an AED and a prepared coach saved his life.

And now thanks to a $300,000 federal stimulus fund, those life-saving devices are being placed in every Davis County school. The district offers training on the devices to certain teachers and staff members at the beginning of the year.

But the defibrillators are just the first step for the district. They say they’ll be providing AEDs to all athletic directors in district high schools so they’re available at practice and on the field at games.

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Who is to blame for Utah’s bad air quality?

Submitted by Fox13Now Web Staff

Monday, January 7th, 2013, 10:33pm

SALT LAKE CITY — There’s no simple answer to the question, and there’s no simple solution.

“The air pollution conditions that we have right now and have had for about a week and are steadily getting worse is a bona fide health emergency,” said Dr. Brian Moench, who is the President of the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

Moench’s group studies the state’s air quality, how it affects peoples’ health and who is making it worse.

“The single biggest group of contributors are emissions from vehicles,” said Dr. Moench.

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New marketplace on track to offer quality health coverage for Utahns in 2014

Submitted by Fox13Now Web Staff

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013, 1:28pm

The following is a news release from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced that Utah has made significant progress in setting up its own affordable health insurance marketplace, or Exchange. Utah is conditionally approved to operate a State-based Exchange, which means Utah is on track to run the marketplace in 2014.

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Are You Ready to Be a Quitter? Tobacco users get chance to star in commercials, document their fight

Submitted by David Wells, Senior Web Producer

Wednesday, December 19th, 2012, 12:54pm

If you’re ready to quit using tobacco products and want to share your story with Utah, now is your chance. The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) is hosting a casting call to recruit current Utah tobacco users for its new, statewide reality TV campaign, ‘Be A Quitter.’

Anyone who is thinking about quitting in 2013 can visit www.beaquitterutah.com and tell their story in 250 words or less for a chance to star in the commercials. Those who do will receive extra quit support and motivation, and will be an inspiration to others who are trying to quit.

Participants will receive a stipend plus a tablet device to help them document their quitting process, including struggles and successes, through social media and video updates. The campaign will cast 8-10 participants from across Utah who represent a range of ages and types of tobacco use.

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