In the News

Cache Valley Daily Monday, Sep. 16, 2019

Pulitzer Prize Finalist to Deliver Annual Arrington Lecture

Stanford University historian Richard White, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, will deliver the 25th annual Leonard J. Arrington Mormon History Lecture Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Logan Tabernacle. He will talk about the impact of the transcontinental railroad, which was supposed to insure the growth of the far west, but he says some states lost population after the railroad was built. ... Dr. White taught at the University of Utah in the early 1980s and says he was privileged to know Dr. Arrington then. ”He was still alive and at that time was not only the dean of Mormon historians, but he’s one of the people who got me interested in economic history in general. He was, for those doing western history, a sort of larger-than-life figure.” The lecture begins at 7 p.m. at the Logan Tabernacle and it is free.
KSL.com Wednesday, Sep. 11, 2019

Logan Ranked the Best College Town in Utah for 2019-20 School Year

Logan, the home of Utah State University, has been named the best college town in Utah. The kudos came from Reviews.org, a research organization that, according to their webpage, puts in hours of research in order to recommend the best products to their readers. In this case, the product is the best college town in Utah. And their recommendation is Logan. ... Then, using data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they analyzed the overall population and the student population. They looked at rental costs, the cost of a college education in the town and the number of transportation options. The unemployment rate was also a factor, as well as bar availability.
Utah Public Radio Tuesday, Sep. 10, 2019

Utah State Safe Makes Safety More Accessible

After the False Code Blue sent out last spring at Utah State, there have been many changes to the emergency notification system for students, faculty, and families. UPR’s Meghan Nelson was able to talk to Utah State University’s public safety department to find out more. Last spring, while trying to work on the emergency alert system, Utah State University sent out a false active shooter alert to students, faculty, and families. The university’s Executive Director of Public Safety, Earl Morris, explained that the institution has since made it their goal to finalize updates for a better emergency alert system. ... The university has created a new app called Utah State Safe. Anyone who registers and downloads the app will be able to receive Code Clue alerts, and use the other safety features at any moment. “The app really creates kind of an essential focal point for safety on campus everything that you might need in regards to safety is going to be on the app and were also adding additional features" said Amanda DeRito, Utah State’s Director of Crisis Communication and Issue Management. ... Although the university will still be sending out Code Blue alerts through email and text message, the Utah State Safe app runs off of Wi-Fi or cell service, which makes it more accessible than the Code Blue alerts ever were before.
Standard Examiner Wednesday, Sep. 04, 2019

Utah State Tops Weber State in Annual 'Blood Battle'

Weber State was only one unit short of its goal of 199 units of blood during its annual blood drive with American Red Cross. A unit of a blood is about one pint. As part of Weber State’s drive, which ran Monday through Friday last week, 229 people registered to donate blood, with a total of 107 first-time donors who participated, according to Kurt Lyman, account manager with American Red Cross who worked with Weber State in running the drive. The blood drive is part of an annual “Blood Battle” with Utah State, which tends to bring in more blood donations because fewer students commute to the school. Utah State brought in 402 units of blood, 107% of its goal of 370 units. The drive brought out 444 people who registered, 180 of whom donated for the first time. ... Donations have become increasingly important as the American Red Cross responds to areas impacted by Hurricane Dorian. According to multiple outlets in Utah, the Red Cross in Utah has already sent blood, as well as local volunteers, east to be ready when the storm hits.
Mountain Journal Monday, Sep. 02, 2019

My Mauling And Mountaintop Rescue: Longtime USU Professor Tells His Story

In his new memoir, 'One of Us,' bear biologist Barrie Gilbert recounts his own brutal grizzly attack and the reasons behind his passion for large landscape conservation ... We sighted our first grizzlies at 6:04 a.m. on June 27, 1977. The day had begun with sunlight chasing a long shadow across an alpine lake far below. We were in the Gallatin River headwaters of northwest Yellowstone National Park, 9,900 feet above sea level. Sitting at the top of the world, my graduate student, Bruce, and I were high with excitement as we watched a mother grizzly and three cubs amble toward a small herd of grazing elk. It was late spring in Montana’s Gallatin Range. The high valleys were greening up, and the long snowdrifts were melting away. Only a week earlier, we had left Utah State University to begin a study of grizzly bear responses to backcountry hikers and outfitters on packhorses. Finally, bears were in sight, not too far from the well-used Fawn Pass Trail.
Utah Public Radio Friday, Aug. 30, 2019

New Center On Intersectional Gender Studies Coming To USU

The Center for Intersectional Gender Studies and Research at Utah State University will “build upon the highly successful history of the university’s Center for Women and Gender,” according to a press release issued Thursday. USU sociology professor Dr. Christy Glass will serve as the center’s interim director. “I think it’s a really exciting moment to be at USU," Glass said. "The vision for the new center is really the product of six months of outreach by a task force to find out what the needs are and how this center might contribute to those needs and engage in a broader way with this campus and our community.” ... Glass said the center will be housed in the university’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and that its work will be essential for students.
The Herald Journal Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019

USU Announces New Plans for Intersectional Gender Studies

Utah State University announced on Thursday it will be opening a new Center for Intersectional Gender Studies and Research, following the permanent closure of its Center for Women and Gender at the beginning of this month. “Rather than a shutting down and reopening, it is more of just an evolution to really re-envision where we are in the whole space related to intersectional gender studies,” said Utah State Provost Frank Galey. Christy Glass, a USU sociology professor who will be the new center’s interim director, said the initiative is part of the continuing evolution of the university’s commitment to gender studies and research, going back to 1974 when the Women’s Center was first established. ... The new center will be housed in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. According to Glass and Galey, changes will include seeking to make the center more inclusive, involving more faculty and increasing the focus on the academic side of the center, including research and teaching.
Utah Public Radio Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019

Utah State University Celebrates the Year of the Woman

Utah State University is joining the nation and state in celebrating significant voting rights anniversaries in 2020: the 150th anniversary of suffrage for Utah women; the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the United States; and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. As the university honors these important milestones in our history, and as part of those celebrations, Utah State University also declares this the Year of the Woman. On Wednesday's Access Utah, we speak with Joyce Kinkead, Distinguished Professor of English at USU, and Cathy Bullock, Interim Department Head of USU's Department of Journalism and Communications.
The Herald Journal Monday, Aug. 26, 2019

USU Student Launches New Transit App

A new public transit app that launched this weekend allows users to access information for both Cache Valley Transit District and Aggie Shuttle bus routes. “The big idea behind it was there really wasn’t a mobile application out there that allowed you to see the locations of both the Aggie Shuttle and the CVTD,” said Jake Hadley, the Utah State University student who designed the app. There are other transit apps for the valley in the App Store — one for CVTD and two for the Aggie Shuttle, but the app Hadley designed is the only one that allows users to see real-time information and the stops for both systems at the same time. The iOS app is out now, and an Android version is expected to launch by the end of the week. ... Hadley came up with the idea for the app while he was living off-campus. He wanted a tool that would make it easier to use both the Aggie shuttle and the Cache Valley buses at the same time. He began developing the app as a group project for one of his classes a few years ago. According to Hadley, it was a good first attempt, but the app needed some adjustments before it would be ready for public use.
Cache Valley Daily Monday, Aug. 26, 2019

Utah State University Declares 2019-20 the Year of the Woman

Utah State University’s Year of the Woman celebration kicked off Monday at a gathering in Logan of those interested in celebrating significant voting rights anniversaries. Joyce Kinkead, Distinguished Professor of English, said there are three important voting rights milestones in 2020. ”They are 1870, Utah women go to the polls, and they are absolutely the first in the nation,” Kinkead explained, “so it’s a real point of pride for the state; 1920, a hundred years next year, and that was national suffrage; and then, the voting rights act of 1965.” USU President Noelle Cockett and Logan Mayor Holly Daines spoke briefly at the event at the president’s official residence in Logan. Mayor Daines talked of the importance of encouraging more young women toward involvement in public service.
KSL TV Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019

Utah State University Releases Campus Safety App

Utah State University has released rolling out a new app that campus police say will help put safety resources, right at their fingertips. It could also help them find people who need help faster, through GPS tracking. The fall semester is just under a week away, but incoming freshmen have already been busy preparing and getting more familiar with the campus. Coming from the state of Washington, Kelli Munn said she just happened to come across one unexpected tool that might help her – the Utah State Safe App. “I was looking at apps that I needed to download for school and I thought it’s probably a really good thing for me to have as a freshman, and just anyone on campus,” she said. Safe Utah State launched earlier this week and is similar to the statewide safety and crisis app, Safe UT. A publicity campaign designed to get more students signed up in the app will start as classes begin. ... The Utah State Safe App also has links to counseling, and support, as well as resources for faculty and staff who may need to help a student in distress or who might be exhibiting mental health concerns. Campus Police will be out telling students about the app as classes begin next week.
The Herald Journal Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019

Aggie Bull-evard Welcomes Traffic, Students Back

Just in time for the fall semester, Aggie Bull-evard reopened on Monday after being closed to through traffic for summer construction. The construction project “has enhanced the main entry into Utah State, which gives it a better feel coming in for everyone,” said Kelly Christoffersen from USU Facilities planning, design and construction. Aggie Bull-evard is the section of 700 North that runs from 800 East to 1200 East and is the main thoroughfare through Utah State University. This summer’s project focused mostly on the section between 800 East and the main crosswalk, about a block of roadway. ... The project included crosswalk improvements, adding bike lanes and installing a barrier in the median and in front of the Aggie Recreation Center to make crossing outside of crosswalks more difficult. Bike lanes were added to the crosswalks on 700 North at 1200 East and 800 East. The pavement at the 800 East crosswalk now reads “Utah State University.” The updated crosswalk, just east of the University Inn parking lot, now features traffic and pedestrian lights to direct the flow of both vehicle and foot traffic.
The Herald Journal Monday, Aug. 19, 2019

USU Aggie Chocolate Factory Going Strong

Since opening less than a year ago, the world is beginning to notice USU’s Research Lab and Chocolate Factory, the first of its kind associated with a university—as far as Steve Shelton, the Plant Production Manager for the Aggie Chocolate Factory and Business Manager for Aggie Ice Cream, knows. People are coming to tour it from as far as Japan, and some of the world’s largest chocolate makers are lending knowledge and support. Shelton added that this is only the beginning for the Chocolate Factory. ... A few years ago, Silvana Martini started teaching classes on chocolate at USU, but until the Chocolate Factory was built, students had no way to get hands-on learning. ... Before managing Aggie Ice Cream, Shelton owned and operated Magical Moon Toys, where he started selling his homemade confections and chocolate. Soon, the candy was outselling everything else, so he completely changed careers and opened Pee Wee’s Sweets in Logan. But getting the chance to develop the Chocolate Factory, to pass on an art that often dies when its masters do, has become his dream and focus.
Capital Press Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019

'Moogets' Help Utah State University Win Dairy Competition

Food science students from Utah State University scooped up the top prize in this year’s new products competition sponsored by the Idaho Milk Processors Association. Their innovative product — Moogets, a chicken nugget substitute using cheese as the base — won the $10,000 grand prize to be split between the university and the students. In addition to cheese, the product also contains milk and whey isolate powder for a dairy ingredient content of 79%. ... With a unique set of nutrients, calcium, vitamins and minerals, the product could fill a need not currently met in the marketplace and appeal to vegetarians and other consumers wanting to limit their meat intake, according to the students. Team members include Melissa Marsh, Jung Mun Yang, Ireland Green, Savannah Branson and Sophie Overbeck. "We appreciate the opportunity that IMPA gives USU, and other schools, to compete in the product development competition," Dave Irish, USU team advisor and the school's Aggie Creamery manager, said. "Our students had a great idea, worked extremely hard, and we are pleased with the results, both as a product and the grand prize," he said.
The Herald Journal Thursday, Aug. 08, 2019

Webcam Showcases Tearing Down of Valley View Tower

One of Utah State University’s storied residence halls, Valley View Tower, is being demolished — but not in the way that a lot of people would like to see. Joe Beck, an architect and project coordinator with USU Facilities, said the residence hall cannot get the controlled detonation treatment many stadiums and high rises do because it was built with post-tensioned slabs, meaning the concrete is secured by a network of steel cables. ... Valley Tower should be down by the time fall semester starts on Aug. 26, according to Beck. It will then take another month to haul off and separate all the material. As of now, three machines are at work demolishing the building, Beck said. ... A camera is position on top of a nearby building so the contractors and USU can watch the demolition for security and tracking purposes, according to Beck. Aside from that, Beck hopes the webcam encourages people to be safe and stay away from the demolition site.
The Herald Journal Wednesday, Aug. 07, 2019

Longtime USU Art Professor Glen Edwards Passes Away

Anyone who ever attended the Festival of the American West pageant at USU knows the artwork of Cache Valley painter Glen Edwards. You simply couldn’t miss it. Two towering portraits, one showing a cowboy and the other a Native American chief, flanked the massive stage at the longtime Logan pageant, while the concourse of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum was lined with several more of Edwards’ Western-themed paintings, including an epic 80-foot wide mural depicting scenes of frontier life. The Preston-born painter and former Utah State University art professor, who died Saturday at age 83, is being remembered for those artworks and many other things as news of his passing spreads in the community and among his former art students. ... Edwards taught at USU for 32 years while doing some watercolor and oil painting on the side, then he turned to painting full-time after retirement from the university in 2000. He garnered several awards for his work and for years has had pieces on display in galleries in Santa Fe, Park City, Jackson and Sun Valley, among other Western tourist meccas known for showcasing regional artists.
The Herald Journal Thursday, Aug. 01, 2019

Lt. Governor Spencer Cox Returns to USU Campus for Campaign Stop

The yellow and green “Cox for Governor” RV has been making its way through Cache County this week. By Friday evening, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and his campaign team will have visited every incorporated city and town in the county, from Amalga to Wellsville, as part of his campaign tour around the state. ... During their visit to the valley, Cox, his wife, Abby, their daughter Emma Kate, and his campaign team participated in service projects such as laying rocks at a historic cabin in Newton and painting the Block A at Utah State University. Shelby Frauen-Riddle works in the admissions office at USU and suggested painting the A as a Logan service project to the campaign. “I love the idea that service is so much a part of the campaign,” Frauen-Riddle said. “I think it really speaks to how he would be as a leader and as a governor. He is not just showing up and shaking hands, he is actually in the trenches and doing the work that the community needs.”
Standard Examiner Wednesday, Jul. 31, 2019

Ogden Botanical Gardens Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Open House

Twenty-five years ago, the first seeds of the Ogden Botanical Gardens were planted. Today, that little oasis on the Ogden River has sprouted into a popular destination that attracts six-figure crowds each year. “When we started, all we had was the rose garden, a building and some pavilions,” said Jerry Goodspeed, director of the Ogden Botanical Gardens. “Over 25 years it has really grown, in terms of the gardens themselves.” These days, the gardens cover 12 acres, with more than 120 types of trees represented and in excess of 120,000 visitors each year. Goodspeed says that last figure is a far cry from 1994, when they had “maybe 20 people” attend the Ogden Botanical Gardens modest grand opening. ... At 6 p.m., a non-timed “Run Through the Roses 5K” race will be held; registration is $35. A Kids’ Fun Run precedes it at 5:30 p.m. No registration is required for the kids’ run. And the best part? Organizers will offer free Aggie Ice Cream to the first 250 people who visit the gardens’ education building. ... Goodspeed said the purpose of the botanical gardens is to train and educate people on the wise use of water, plants and related resources. It also offers a location where the public can engage in hands-on learning, see a variety of plants, and get ideas for their own gardens. Goodspeed offers a couple of reasons why the Utah State University Extension Service-affiliated gardens is hosting this open house. “One is to say ‘Thanks,’” he said. “It’s been a good 25 years for us.”
The Herald Journal Tuesday, Jul. 30, 2019

Utah State Professor Nominated for National Education Award

A Utah State University faculty member’s unique project and student engagement has been recognized as one of six national award recipients. USU Technical Communication and Rhetoric Associate Professor Jared Colton was nominated for the Instructure Educator of the Year Award as recognition for his innovative way to engage his students. ... The recipients of the award were judged on three criteria: the educator’s impact on student engagement, the educator’s classroom experience to help improve at-risk populations and how the educator redefines traditional classroom activities to prepare students for careers. “I was really proud of him,” USU English Department Head Jeannie Thomas said. “He does unusual work and I’m really happy to see it recognized.” Colton was nominated, unawares, for the award by Christopher Philips, the electronic and information technology accessibility coordinator at the Center for Innovative Design and Instruction because of assignments he created that are meaningful to the students in and outside of the classroom.
The Herald Journal Monday, Jul. 29, 2019

USU Organizes Project to Glean Unpicked Fruit in Cache Valley

A group of volunteers from Utah State University is asking Cache Valley residents who own fruit trees or have a vegetable garden to allow a group of volunteers to pick their excess fruit or vegetables. “The thing that we are looking most for in the community right now are tree owners that we can pick fruit from,” USU Food Preservation and Hunger Relief Intern Amria Farnsworth said. In a collaborative effort through the USU Val R. Christensen Service Center, USU Extension and the Student Sustainability Office, the USU Gleaning Team is hoping to reduce food waste in Cache Valley while providing food to community members in need. ... Bachman and Farnsworth are working together to organize the more structured Gleaning Project, which is an extension of a similar project last year’s USU Food Preservation and Hunger Relief Intern Cassandra Twiggs started to glean fruit to preserve and donate to the Cache Community Food Pantry and the USU SNAC Pantry. ... The produce picked during the gleaning sessions would be divided in thirds, with one third going back to the tree owner, one third going to the food pantries and one third going to volunteers. Produce picked that cannot be donated because it’s bruised or damaged would be either pureed or dehydrated to be donated as applesauce, pear sauce or fruit leather.
Standard Examiner Monday, Jul. 29, 2019

USU Student's Foundation Helps Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Jonny Peay says he has made a lot of friends during his first year at Utah State University. Now, the 24-year-old said some of those friends and others may be left behind because they can’t afford to go to school. Peay, with some help, recently formed the Jonny and Friends Foundation. The purpose of the foundation is to raise money for scholarships to help those with intellectual disabilities who can’t afford school programs attend universities. Peay is part of a federally designated Comprehensive Transition Program called Aggies Elevated. It is the only program of its kind in the state, and is based at USU in Logan. Aggies Elevated is a two-year program that offers certificates in Integrated College and Community Studies. ... The certificate and curriculum for Aggies Elevated is approved by the Utah Board of Regents and Utah State University as a vocational program. Currently, there are only 16 students nationally who have received scholarships to institutions of higher learning in these programs; Peay is one of them. Peay said he started the foundation to help his friends and to give back to the community.
The Herald Journal Wednesday, Jul. 24, 2019

USU's Mormon History Professor Honors Arrington's Legacy, Charts Own Course

Like baseball games and rock concerts, Patrick Mason counts the archives as one of his few “happy places.” That was certainly evident last week, as the new Leonard J. Arrington Endowed Chair of Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University looked over papers in the school’s Special Collections and Archives office. The documents included a diary entry by Arrington explaining how he met former Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Joseph Fielding Smith; a draft with markups by Arrington of the constitution of the Mormon History Association, which he founded; and a manuscript of one of his most beloved books, “Great Basin Kingdom,” with the working title “Building The Kingdom.” Mason's first day as an endowed professor at USU was July 1. He arrived at the university after several years serving as the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University in California. That chair and the one Mason occupies now are two of only three Mormon studies endowed professorships in the country. Mason spoke extensively with The Herald Journal about the rising interest in Mormon studies chairs and their importance, as well as his priorities in this position which bears the name of Arrington — and what he would say to the scholar if he were still alive.
The Herald Journal Monday, Jul. 22, 2019

Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for New Pizzeria on USU Innovation Campus

Two Utah State University alumni broke ground on a pizza restaurant in Cache Valley — ceremonially, at least, as construction is well underway. Third generation Aggies Tom Willis and Thad Willis have partnered with USU to build an Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom restaurant on the USU Innovation Campus on the corner of 1400 North and 800 East. “We picked this spot because we’re both alumni of Utah State and we want to be tied to the university and we also want to be tied into the community,” Co-Owner and General Manager Thad Willis said. “We hope this is a destination where people want to come. It’s a family restaurant.” Old Chicago is known for its deep-dish pizza, other entrees, and a variety of craft beers. ... Over the past 24 months, the Innovation Campus has grown and created over 1,000 jobs. USU President Noelle Cockett said the addition of Old Chicago demonstrates the vision previous USU presidents had to expand the university past Maverik Stadium. ... Thad said the restaurant would create job opportunities for students and Cache Valley residents. He hopes to hire 90 to 100 employees including four full-time managers, 15 to 20 full-time employees and 60 to 70 part-time employees. ... Thad said they hope to open the restaurant to the public by the end of October.
KUTV.com Saturday, Jul. 20, 2019

Utah State Doctoral Student Featured at Alzheimer's Conference

A doctoral student from Utah State University was featured in an international news conference with the Alzheimer's Association this week. USU doctoral student Elizabeth Vernon responded to media attention from around the world after she was asked by the Alzheimer's Association to present her research on the link between older adults' use of sleep medication and the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. She joined three other scientists to share their research results at the news conference in Los Angeles. ... According to the Alzheimer's Association, sleep disruption is a common behavioral challenge that can significantly reduce the quality of life for people with dementia, as well as for their caregivers and family members. It has been reported that up to 45% of those with dementia may have sleep problems, and individuals spend about 40% of their time in bed awake and a significant part of their day sleeping.