Valken-Leduc
sentencing delayed

FARMINGTON -- Sentencing for David Valken-Leduc was continued to March 30 in 2nd District Court, Monday, upon a request by Adult Probation & Parole (AP&P).
AP&P wrote a letter to the court stating they needed more time on the pre-sentencing investigation and report. The continuance was approved by both counsels.
Valken-Leduc has grown a mustache and goatee since being booked into jail at the end of January. Friends and family were in the courtroom to hear the judge's decision. As Valken-Leduc was let out of the courtroom, they urged him to "keep his chin up."
Valken-Leduc was convicted on Jan. 30 of the Oct. 29, 1996, slaying of Woods Cross Motel 6 night clerk Matthew John Whicker.
Valken-Leduc's mother unexpectedly died on Feb. 23 and while 2nd District Judge Glen Dawson signed an order to let Valken-Leduc attend the service on Thursday, jailers at the Davis County Jail refused to let him out long enough to attend the funeral.
"I don't know why they refused," said Valken-Leduc's attorney Aric Cramer. "If the jail had said up front that they weren't going to let him out, we wouldn't have wasted the judge's time," Cramer said.

Youth arrested
for marijuana sales

WOODS CROSS -- A 15-year-old student at Woods Cross High School was taken into custody last week and booked into Farmington Bay Youth Detention Center for distributing marijuana at school.
Woods Cross Police report that the youth was acting suspiciously near the gym, where several recent thefts have been reported. Upon searching the student's backpack, police say they discovered 43 small bags of marijuana packaged for distribution.
The student also allegedly had several pills of an unknown substance and allegedly had property stolen from the gym and from his home.
According to Woods Cross Police Chief Paul Howard, the youth admitted to smoking marijuana with several friends during the school day, and several students told police the suspect tried to sell them marijuana.
The suspect was charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale at a school, a third-degree felony, possession of stolen property and possession of a dangerous weapon.

'Red, green light'
extended to Mar. 14

SALT LAKE CITY -- This year's "Red Light -- Green Light" program, curtailing wood burning during winter inversions, has been extended two weeks to March 14 in Davis, Cache, Weber, Salt Lake and Utah counties.
State air quality officials and the Bear River Health Depart-ment have extended the program, which normally runs Nov. 1 to March 1, because of continuing winter conditions and the possibility of more inversions.
"With snow still on the ground and inversions still hanging around, it makes sense to extend the program so that people know when to protect themselves and how they can help keep the air clean," said Division of Air Quality Director Rick Sprott, a Kaysville resident.
Inversions trap pollution near the ground where it can impact respiratory health, especially for children, the elderly and those with respiratory illnesses.
"When it comes to public health, it's better to be cautious and protective," Sprott said. "We've had a challenging winter, especially in Cache County."
Through March 14, residents are asked to adhere to the wood-burn control program and follow any health advisories that may be issued.
During this extension period, fines can be levied against individuals who use a wood-burning fireplace or stove during a red-burn condition.

2 snowboarders
found in canyon

FARMINGTON -- Two boys, lost in Farmington Canyon after snowboarding on Saturday, were found in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
Davis County Search and Rescue and the Bountiful Jeep Posse began searching about 10 p.m., Saturday, after the boys hadn't returned from a day of snowboarding in the canyon, according to the Davis County Sheriff's Department.
They were found by searchers on snowmobiles east of the Sunset Campground at about 12:30 a.m. Their SUV had become stuck in the snow.