Fifteen years ago today, Warren Jeffs served the first day of his life sentence for sexually assaulting girls aged 12 and 15, who he took among his scores of brides while leader of the nation's largest polygamous sect.

• This is Old News, where we parse the transcripts of Utah's history.

The intrigue: After alleged abuses dating back two decades, five years as president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, three months on the FBI's "Most Wanted" list, and two overturned convictions in Utah — it took a Texas jury just 30 minutes to reach a verdict on Aug. 9, 2011.

Zoom in: Jeffs was convicted on evidence seized in a 2008 raid on his YFZ Ranch compound near Eldorado, where Texas authorities took custody of more than 460 children.

• Prosecutors played an audio tape he made of himself assaulting the girl who was 12. DNA evidence showed he'd fathered a baby with the 15-year-old.

Catch up quick: A St. George jury convicted Jeffs of accomplice to rape for forcing a 14-year-old girl to marry his cousin, but the Utah Supreme Court reversed the verdict over flawed jury instructions.

The latest: Jeffs has spent the past 15 years at an east Texas prison.

• As "prophet, seer and revelator" of the FLDS church, he immediately began receiving more than 1,000 letters per day from his followers.
• He has issued multiple prophecies and edicts from prison.
• Former FLDS members have said he still exerts control over the faithful, even as the church's influence gradually fades in its hometown at the Utah-Arizona border.

Go Deeper: Distillery brings craft spirits to polygamous enclave

The bottom line: Jeffs will become eligible for parole in 2038, when he's 82 years old.

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Two helicopter pilots died in a crash Friday while fighting a wildfire in Sevier County, federal officials confirmed Saturday. (U.S. Forest Service, via Facebook)

UTA is proposing a 50-cent fare increase per ride after 13 years at $2.50. Residents may submit comments online. (Utah News Disptach)

Federal officials will not release cool water from the depths of Lake Powell, which conservationists had sought to protect the Colorado River's threatened humpback chub. Instead the water will remain in the lake to support hydroelectricity generation. (AP)

Mike Lee's efforts to delay the annual August recess and pass the SAVE Act's voting restrictions failed, as senators adjourned Saturday. (Deseret News)

Latter-day Saint podcaster Chandler David Hendry died Friday in a Lehi traffic crash, police confirmed. (ABC 4)

Residents across Summit County received an erroneous evacuation order Sunday in connection to a wildfire near Henefer. (KUTV)

• The immediate evacuation actually applied only to those between Hog Back Summit and West Henefer Road, with Henefer town alerted to "ready" status.

Antelope Island's bison have moved east from their usual home on the island's west side to forage amid severe drought, state park officials say. (FOX 13)

BYU's Cosmo the Cougar was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame after years of viral dance moves and acrobatics with the Cougarettes. (KSL)

A national blood crisis is making headlines, and Utahns can help make a difference.

Why it matters: Blood donations fell to a four-year low this summer, creating a national shortage for only the second time in history, the Red Cross said.

• That could delay surgeries, trauma care and other treatments that require blood transfusions.

Context: Blood demand typically spikes nationally each summer, but this year extreme heat, bad air and widespread foodborne illnesses are driving donors away in many states.

Zoom in: "Although appointments remain strong in Utah, the Red Cross relies on our strong donor base" to support other states and regions, says Lily McCormick, American Red Cross spokesperson for Utah and Nevada.

Case in point: Last week Iowa had only enough of certain blood types to last one to three days, Axios Des Moines reported.

How to help: You can make a blood donation appointment at RedCrossBlood.org.

• Find the donation site closest to you on Utah's list.

Tell a non-trypanophobic friend