In a committee meeting Wednesday, state lawmakers reconsidered the effectiveness of a program that requires first-time DUI offenders to install a device in their car that prevents it from starting if the driver has had too much to drink. The Ignition Interlock restrictive driver program became law in 2006, and many argue it has led to a drop in DUI arrests. But as KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, some say the state shouldn’t rely on technology to enforce the law.

Salt Lake City police are responding to complaints from business owners this week by stepping up their patrols in the downtown Central Business District. Sergeant Shawn Josephson says they’ll be looking for things like public intoxication, aggressive panhandling, jaywalking and drug dealing.

Utahns didn’t feel the earthquake that rattled the east coast last month, but the state’s Department of Public Safety is giving them the opportunity to see what it’s like in an earthquake simulator at the state fair. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, it’s all part of a campaign to get families prepared for the strong possibility of a quaking Wasatch Front.

After months of negotiations, Chevron has reached a proposed settlement with Salt Lake City and the state of Utah over two oil spills that plagued the city last year. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the settlement is expected to cover the damages to property and waterways, but at least one doctor is worried that none of the money is being set aside for long-term health damages.

An inventory conducted this past winter shows Salt Lake City parks could use millions of dollars worth of updates to infrastructure. Parks and Public Lands Director Emy Maloutas says it’s needed for things like restrooms and ball fields, many of which she says are outdated. But she says most of the parks are up to standard, and there aren’t any concerns related to public or environmental safety.

Federal safety inspectors have notified Hill Air Force Base of 32 serious violations of safety and health standards. And the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a contractor at the base for exposing workers to hazardous contaminants. Herb Gibson, director of OSHA’s Denver area office, says there were more than 100 injuries or illnesses reported out of the base in the past year.

Utah Congressman Jason Chaffettz says a bill that’s intended to protect children from Internet pornography will only step on the privacy rights of law-abiding citizens, and a local Internet service provider agrees. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, Chaffettz didn’t vote for the bill when it passed out of a House committee last month, but Senator Orrin Hatch supports the concept, and is sponsoring similar legislation in the Senate.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis was in Utah today as part of a heat illness prevention campaign. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, she toured a Sandy facility responsible for studying workplace hazards, and introduced a new smart phone application designed to keep outdoor workers safe in the heat.

A group of local kids who are advocates for their at-risk peers got to experience what it’s like to panhandle over the weekend. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, the money raised during the event went to Volunteers of America to help kids who really are on the streets get the help they need.

False or nuisance fire alarms are burdening the Salt Lake City fire department, causing stations to respond to unnecessary calls and leaving service gaps for real emergencies and taking up valuable time and resources. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, that’s why the city wants to charge fees for false alarms, when they persist.