New questions surrounding the shooting of a man at a Salt Lake club by an off-duty deputy center around the deputy’s consumption of alcohol. Rudy Chacon, a veteran narcotics detective for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office for shooting John Junior “JJ” Pikula in the torso Sept. 18 during a fight at Green Street Social Club, 602 E. 500 South. The district attorney determined Chacon acted in self-defense, meaning his or someone else’s life was in imminent danger. Pikula and his group, who were at the club celebrating Pikula’s bachelor ...
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Republican Salt Lake County Councilman Jeff Allen announced Wednesday afternoon he will resign his District 5 council seat at the end of the year. In a letter released at 3 p.m., Allen cited an ever-expanding time commitment related to his council post that no longer balances with the needs of his family. “I have five children which require the increased attention of their father,” Allen wrote. “As the county continues to work on budget issues in these uncertain economic times and as significant changes are being made across the county — the time needed to commit to this cause has significantly increased, as well.” ...
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A man who police say has an apparent history of meeting young girls on the Internet and engaging in sexual relations with them has been arrested in Salt Lake City. Kahea Kaonohiokala Troy, 29, was arrested by Salt Lake police Tuesday for investigation of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and being a fugitive from justice. Troy met a 14-year-old girl on the Internet and the two eventually got together, said Salt Lake police detective Dennis McGowan. Troy reportedly said the girl told him she was 18. Troy also had a warrant out of Idaho for a similar crime, McGowan said. According to a ...
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Hoping to build on its successes in the 2008 general election, the Salt Lake County Democratic Party announced this week the appointment of an executive director — a position that has been unoccupied for decades. Jeremy Slaughter, a veteran of political campaigns across the country who holds a University of Utah master’s degree in public administration and most recently worked for the Utah Housing Coalition, takes over the reins as county Democrats prepare for 2010. Salt Lake County’s blue party ran roughshod over GOP contenders in 2008, unseating Republicans in four state legislative races, taking control of the County Council for the first time ...
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In what may turn out to be a last-ditch attempt, Salt Lake County Council Republicans found success on only one of three attempts Tuesday to increase fees on some county services. GOP council members have been looking for areas where the county can find new revenues in hopes of offsetting a tax increase proposed by Mayor Peter Corroon. Most proposals have met with resistance by the majority council Democrats, though a GOP plan to move county payroll services from the auditor to the mayor’s office — expected to garner some savings through structural efficiencies — found bipartisan support last week, as did a Tuesday ...
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