KDXU Sunrise Stories for March 26, 2024: The Search Continues for Courtney Lynne Townsend of Southern Utah

KDXU Sunrise Stories: Volume 178 

Statewide News – 03/26/24 

Smith Family Artifacts Now n Display at Church Musuem 

Many new artifacts from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are now on display at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City. 

These include many of the artifacts purchased from the Community of Christ alongside the Kirtland Temple. 

The original Liberty Jail Door is now on display with rare paintings of both Joseph and Emma Smith. These artifacts originated from Independence Missouri. 

Gas Prices Ascend into April 

According to this morning’s AAA gas report, Gas prices continue to rise across the beehive state with a possible $4 a gallon average for April. 

Beaver County has the most expensive gas in Utah with an average of $3.84 per gallon of unleaded. Daggett County has the cheapest with an average of $3.37 per gallon. 

Washington County’s average is about $3.76 per gallon, which means it’s inching closer to Beaver County’s crown. Iron County’s average is about $3.65 per gallon. 

Southern Utah/St. George News – 03/26/24 

Southern Utah Couple Dies in Motorcycle Accident 

Residents of Southern Utah are mourning the loss of Owen Hart and Athena Taylor, a young couple killed in Nevada motorcycle accident involving a semi-truck. 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for the couple’s funeral expenses. In the description of the page, the circumstances of the accident were provided.  

A semi-truck reportedly moved into the other lane on a Nevada roadway where the couple was riding a motorcycle. As of this morning, the GoFundMe page has raised just over $22,000 of the $35,000 goal. 

The Search Continues for Courtney Lynne Townsend 

The friends and family of Courtney Lynne Townsend, 32, are calling on residents of Southern Utah to continue the search for their loved one. 

Courtney was last seen on November 16, 2023, when she took her mother’s car which was later found in Kane County with no sign of the missing woman. 

Courtney is 4 feet 11 inches tall, weighs about 110 pounds, has green hair, but has a history of having brown or black hair. She also has several tattoos including one her left wrist that says “Love,” and another on her right wrist that says “Fear.” Anyone with information on Courtney’s whereabouts should contact St. George dispatch at 435-627-4300. 

Red Cliffs Temple Dedicated After 4 Years of Construction 

After about four years of construction, the Red Cliffs Utah Temple from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is now open for services as of March 24.  

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency presided over the two dedication ceremonies. Eyring said his great-grandfather was a pioneer of the St. George area, and that he believed his ancestor would be thrilled to see another temple in St. George. 

Other 

Fun fact about Stockton Myers, the writer of Sunrise Stories.  

Stockton has a bad case of the stomach flu, which is why there was no Sunrise Storie for March 25. While he’s still feeling sick, he’s well enough to work from home today, and he’s happy to be typing once again. Hopefully he’ll be in much better condition starting tomorrow. 

Happy Tuesday!