Utah Firefighters Head To New Mexico: KSUB News Summary

Two Utah fire crews are on their way to New Mexico to help fight one of two massive wildfires. The Salt Lake 1 and Logan Hotshots crews left yesterday and are headed to the Salt Fire which is burning on tribal land south of Ruidoso, scorching at least five-thousand acres. Like the other side of a pair of tongs, the South Fork Fire started early Monday on Mescalero Apache tribal land and by Tuesday had consumed 15-thousand acres. Salt Lake 1 is Unified Fire Authority's hand crew with a wildland specialty team that deploys around the United States. Both crews were expected to arrive in New Mexico today. A third crew, the Lone Peak Hotshots got to New Mexico on June 9th for an assignment that will keep them away from the fires until at least June 22nd.

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Rossi Requests Public Defender

The case of a 36-year-old man accused of faking his death to avoid a rape charge in Utah is moving forward. Officials say defendant Nicholas Rossi has agreed to a Utah court appointing him an attorney. Rossi's case was delayed on several occasions. He is accused of raping a 21-year-old woman in Orem in 2008. He was named a suspect in 2018 after the Utah State Crime Lab identified him through a DNA rape kit. He was charged with the crime in 2020 while receiving treatment for COVID-19 at a United Kingdom hospital. He was extradited to Utah from Scotland. Yesterday, he attended a virtual hearing from the Utah County Jail. Rossi says he is taking the judge's advice regarding his representation and asked for a public defender to be appointed. Due to that request, the public defender office asked for a delay in the preliminary hearing set for Friday. The judge moved the hearing to Tuesday.

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Guilty Plea From Bluffdale Fire Chief Over Missing Public Money

Court officials say a former Bluffdale fire chief and mayoral candidate has pleaded guilty to misusing public money. On Tuesday, 70-year-old John Roberts was in 3rd District Court where he entered a plea in connection to a third degree felony count. Officials say five other misdemeanor counts were dismissed. Roberts served as Bluffdale's fire chief until 2020. Prosecutors argued that Roberts falsified staffing records from March 2018 to March 2020, paying firefighters for work they did not actually perform. The overpayments cost taxpayers about 128-thousand dollars. Roberts agreed to a plea in abeyance and will pay ten thousand dollars in restitution to the city of Bluffdale, at which time officials say the plea and case will be wiped from his record. Roberts who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2021 has previously denied any wrongdoing.

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Salt Lake City To Become Home Of Passport Agency

Salt Lake City is one of several sites chosen by the U.S. State Department to be the future home of a passport agency. The department announced yesterday that six cities are slated for the facilities. In addition to Salt Lake City, the other new sites are San Antonio, Texas; Orlando, Florida; Cincinnati, Ohio; Charlotte, North Carolina and Kansas City, Missouri. The new Utah location means passport and visa services will be more locally available.

Smile! Here Are 20 Selfies From Your Favorite Country Artists

Sometimes life is too good not to document. And when no one is around to take the photo, you reach out your own arm and snap the pic yourself. This is lovingly known as the "selfie."

Just like us, country artists are not immune to taking and sharing those selfies on social media. We're rounded up a few of our favorite country artists' self portraits for your enjoyment.