Embattled company to close a second Utah treatment center for troubled teens

A company that runs treatment centers for troubled teens is closing a second Utah facility following intense scrutiny into the staff’s treatment of young people.


Sequel Youth and Family Services will shutter Mount Pleasant Academy within the next month. The decision comes just days after the company announced it will close Red Rock Canyon School, a St. George treatment center that has come under fire following a riot and recent revelations about the number of staffers accused of assaulting students.


Sequel said that its decision to close Mount Pleasant Academy is not connected to Red Rock or staffing issues, and instead was based on low enrollment. Mount Pleasant Academy is advertised as a 16-bed residential treatment center for teen boys who are struggling with sexual issues. Salt Lake Tribune

Sevier Valley Hospital celebrates completion of construction

Since 2012, one part or another of Sevier Valley Hospital has been under construction. Last week, a pair of ribbon cutting ceremonies was hosted to celebrate the official end of major construction on the hospital’s campus. The final two pieces of the hospital construction were the emergency center and the women and infants center. The expansion of the emergency room and the construction of the women and infants center represents a $10.1 million investment into the hospital’s infrastructure. This is in addition to the $16 million expansion and renovation project that was completed in 2014. The Richfield Reaper

Ephraim ServerPlus looking for employees

ServerPlus, a customer service and tech support company that caters to internet service providers and other tech clients, opened a call center in downtown Ephraim in November and is currently hiring. The call center is different than some others in the area, because people call in looking for help from the ServerPlus broadband support technicians, as opposed to making outbound calls. Sanpete Messenger

Les Olson branch store opens in Manti

Les Olson Company recently announced the opening of their ninth business location at 55 South Main St., Suite #2, in Manti. This new Manti office will provide support to all of Central Utah with locally-stocked parts and supplies for office technology needs. Sanpete Pyramid

Peak Outdoors one-stop RV shop now open

Peak Outdoors is now open for business located south of Mt. Pleasant on Highway 89. Offering quality recreational vehicle (RV) repairs, parts, service and manufacturing to Sanpete County and surrounding areas. Sanpete Pyramid

Lady Nails opens in Ephraim

A new business, Lady Nails, has opened its doors in the Ephraim Market Mall, between Morris Casperson Accounting and Caldwell Banking Real Estate. The salon is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays and some holidays. Lady Nails, owned and operated by Michael and Jenny Le, is the only full-service nail salon in Sanpete County. The Le's are professionals who offer full nail services including manicures, pedicures, full set nails, refills, backfills or ‘double fills’ as well as spray-on designs. Sanpete Pyramid

Key Research expanding Ephraim employment

Key Research Solutions, the telephone survey company that moved to Ephraim last fall, plans to bring 100-150 more jobs to Sanpete. The company’s owner, said last week the company is closing its Provo office and will make its headquarters in Ephraim, doubling their local employment by the end of September. Sanpete Messenger

Ephraim call center could open up more than 200 jobs

A new call research center is hiring 200 employees in Ephraim, taking up residence in the old Western Watts location. Key Research Solutions is an outbound data collection and opinion marketing company. They call the general public around the country to collect opinions and data on behalf of businesses, nonprofit organizations, politicians and governments. Sanpete Messenger

Sundance rebounds, Utah movie industry on the rise

The Sundance Film Festival is bouncing back from a two-year economic downturn, and the head of the Utah Film Commission said the state has seen an upturn in the film business in recent months.

“Our projections are the overnight attendance for the festival will be up 12 percent this year over last year,” said Chamber of Commerce CEO Bill Malone. “It’s not just on the front end or the back end, it’s an increase in visitation every day of the festival.” This comes after Sundance business took a hit in 2009 and 2010 because of the struggling economy.

For his part, Utah Film Commission Director Marshall Moore described an uptick of another kind.

“Not only are we the host state of the Sundance Film Festival, we hosted 25 film and television productions” in 2010, Moore said. The list includes “127 Hours” and the upcoming movies “John Carter of Mars,” “Darling Companion,” “The Age of Dragons” and “Unicorn City.”

“Overall, the film industry in the state of Utah is healthy. We had our best year ever last year,” said Moore. Movie and TV productions brought the state “over a thousand jobs last year, and over a $50 million impact for the state of Utah.”

He said that was especially true in rural Utah, “where much of the economic impact took place. Although a lot of it does take place in Salt Lake, we saw it in areas like Moab and Kanab and Delta and Hanksville. More than we’d seen in any other single year since I’ve been the director of the film commission.” Salt Lake Tribune