In the News

• 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.

• The Herald Journal Friday, Jul. 19, 2019

  USU's New Assistive Tech Coordinator Reaches Out to Community

  Dan O’Crowley said his interest in engineering began while in high school when he designed and helped build his parents’ home and building an antique wooden refrigerator in shop class. Now O’Crowley is the new program coordinator at the Utah Assistive Technology Program. The UATP is a part of the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University and is a federally funded program that helps make assistive technology — any item, piece of equipment or system to help increase, maintain, or improve independence — available for people with disabilities. “We are losing money the minute we open the doors,” O’Crowley said. “We are not here to make money, we’re here to perform a service.” O’Crowley sat down with The Herald Journal in his office to talk about his career and what goals and new projects he will be working on as the new UATP coordinator in Logan.

• The Herald Journal Thursday, Jul. 18, 2019

  Logan Poet Laureate Hosts Final Walkabout at USU

  Utah State University geologist Jim Evans outright admitted on Thursday night during a poetry walkabout on campus that he had never been part of an event like it. “I’m about the least lyrical human being you can find on this planet,” Evans told participants. “So I’m very interested to find out how this is going to go.” The event, a creation of USU Writing Center Director Star Coulbrooke, was her last as Logan’s inaugural poet laureate before she steps down on Aug. 20. The event was called Rock ‘n’ Walk. ... Since 2015, when Coulbrooke’s appointment began, the walkabouts have inspired members of the USU community and the general public to write their own poetry. Coulbrooke has hosted each walkabout at a different place in the city, having participants think and write around a different theme. When everyone is finished observing what’s around them in that location, Coulbrooke will give them a prompt from which to write. Then, they’ll have seven minutes to compose their poem. The event concludes with participants reading their poems. ... Coulbrooke said stepping down as poet laureate brings mixed emotions. “It’s been such a wonderful time in my life that I feel a little sad to let it go,” Coulbrooke said. “But I’m thoroughly excited to be poet laureate emeritus, so I can still participate in poetry the rest of my life and I’ll get to go along instead of organizing.”

• The Herald Journal Wednesday, Jul. 17, 2019

  USU's Interpersonal Violence Office Gets $250,000 Grant

  As the number of students seeking help after sexual violence increases, Utah State University’s Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information office continues to grow. SAAVI secured a new grant of nearly $250,000 from the Office for Victims of Crime. The office intends to use the grant to add a new full-time advocate and retain a part-time therapist. The office is “really excited about that,” SAAVI Director Jenny Erazo said. “Since I’ve been there … we’ve seen continual growth.” According to Erazo, USU became the first university in Utah to dedicate a full-time position to gender-based violence or interpersonal violence with the establishment of SAAVI in 2003. SAAVI offers information, advocacy and confidential counseling for all USU students, staff and faculty who are survivors of interpersonal violence. These services are available to primary survivors as well as secondary survivors — individuals close to the victim. ... Although SAAVI’s client list increased by 400 percent between 2017 and 2018, Erazo said it’s still below the national statistic that 1 in 5 college students will experience interpersonal violence. Erazo said the growth in clients is due to the collaboration between USU and SAAVI to spread awareness across campus about the services and resources SAAVI provides as well as students bringing their friends in.

• The Herald Journal Thursday, Jul. 11, 2019

  Western Dairy Center at USU Announces New Director

  Utah State University has named the Vice President of Industry Relations for Dairy West as the new Western Dairy Center director. New WDC Director Eric Bastian would be replacing Donald McMahon. Bastian said the center is currently working on multiple projects to help them reach their goals for the future. ... Established in 1987, The WDC performs research and workforce development and trains younger generations in the technical aspects of dairy products. Currently, the center has about 50 students working with 17 faculty members in the dairy industry. ... Although the WDC and the dairy industry seem to be growing today, according to Bastian, the center started to struggle in the late '90s and the early 2000s. He said by 2005-06 the number of students interested in the industry were almost gone. To help revitalize the industry, Bastian worked with McMahon in developing the Building University and Industry Linkages through Learning and Discovery, or BUILD, Program with the purpose of training students in the dairy industry.
   

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, Jul. 09, 2019

  New USU Extension Agent Introduces Himself

  My name is Jake Hadfield and I am the new Agriculture Extension Agent here in Cache County. I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of Utah State University Extension and to work here in Cache County with local agricultural producers. I have been involved with agriculture from a young age. I was born and raised in Lehi on a small beef operation. I loved being involved in agriculture and spent many early hours, and almost every weekend, helping my dad work cows, cut hay or do other chores. Growing up, I had the opportunity to show livestock, mainly marketing steers in both 4-H and Future Farmers of America. The agriculture experiences that I had while in my youth helped develop a passion for all things agriculture. My academic path first took me to Snow College in Ephraim and then I decided to come north to USU, where I got my Bachelor of Science in animal science. ... During this time, I learned how much I enjoyed agriculture research. I had the opportunity to study beef and sheep nutrition as an undergraduate researcher. So it was not a hard decision to further my education and get my Master of Science in animal nutrition. ... After graduating this May, the opportunity to work with USU Extension in Cache County became available. I applied and, well, the rest is history.
   

• KSL.com Friday, Jul. 05, 2019

  Gear Disrupting the Outdoor Industry Was Designed by Utah State Students

  The Utah State University Outdoor Product Design and Development program had its first graduating class this past May — and with that, their first batch of final projects. The items were presented at the Senior Exhibit, showcasing student creations which involved either building entirely new gear or improving upon existing gear in the outdoor industry, according to Chase Anderson, program coordinator. The projects ranged from revolutionized fishing waders to hammock tents. ... Over the years students accumulate a variety of skills in the process of creating outdoor products, Anderson said. They begin by learning how to put their ideas onto paper through sketches, then create them digitally and then finally translate them into physical prototypes using the sewing lab, machine shop and more. ... The Outdoor Product Design and Development program had their first graduating class in May and some of the students have since been placed at companies like Columbia Sportswear, Black Diamond, Patagonia, Under Armor, Klymit, Browning and others, according to Anderson.

• Deseret News Wednesday, Jul. 03, 2019

  USU Offering Free Online Course for Dementia Caregivers

  Few caregivers are trained to care for loved ones who have Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, which can make them feel isolated and underprepared, says Utah State University researcher Elizabeth Fauth. It can also result in mental, emotional and physical fatigue from providing round-the-clock care and navigating the patient's challenging behaviors, such as asking the same questions repeatedly, agitation, wandering, and the loss of reciprocity the relationship they once had with that person, said Fauth. Caregivers may be hard-pressed to meet the patient's demands, let alone manage their stress or tend to their own needs. While some Utah communities have support services, many caregivers find it difficult to leave home to participate in them. ... Researchers hope the ease of accessing an online program will encourage people taking care of loved ones with forms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease to devote 20 minutes twice a week to skill building. ...  According to the Alzheimer's Association, there were 155,000 people in Utah who are provided 177,000 hours of unpaid care to loved ones who have the disease in 2018. USU researchers have funding to cover 109 participants for the online program. So far 25 people have completed the course and eight are taking it. The research team seeks additional participants to receive the free training and compensation, which will allow researchers can obtain more feedback about their experiences using the tool.

• The Herald Journal Wednesday, Jul. 03, 2019

  USU Researchers Ask Public to Send in Photos of Insects on Alfalfa

  Researchers from Utah State University’s biology department and ecology center are inviting science enthusiasts of all ages to contribute data to a research project examining the interactions of various insects with alfalfa plants. USU Biology Lecturer and Lab Coordinator Lauren Lucas and Assistant Professor Zach Gompert are asking community members to take photos of insects on alfalfa plants and upload them to the “Bugs on Alfalfa” iNaturalist page as part of the citizen science project. ... The project is USU’s response to the National Science Foundation’s inquiry for researchers to think about biodiversity in new ways, according to Lucas. “Alfalfa is important to us because it’s everywhere, especially in Cache Valley,” Lucas said. Alfalfa is cultivated in the valley, but wild alfalfa also grows in many places locally, making it a “nice plant to focus on for this kind of biodiversity awareness project,” according to Lucas. ... With the submissions, the researchers hope to gather enough data to study the interaction between bug and plant, note patterns and possibly categorize which bugs are good or bad for the plants to assist farmers. “From the pictures that people contribute, then we can summarize the data,” Lucas said. “We can summarize differences in the numbers or types of species across alfalfa sites.”

• WalletHub Tuesday, Jul. 02, 2019

  2019's Best & Worst Cities for Recreation

  Staying active isn’t just good for your health. It’s also good for your wallet. One of the best ways to maintain an active lifestyle is to choose a city that encourages and facilitates recreation. The best cities have a wide range of leisure activities, both indoor and outdoor. Those activities require varying levels of exercise and contribute to a city’s overall well-being and economy. ... But some cities offer more and cheaper options than others. To determine the places where recreation is a high priority, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 48 key metrics that speak to the benefits of recreational activities. ... Zach Miller, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Utah State University, Department of Environment and Society, Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. What are some cost effective ways for local authorities to improve parks and recreation facilities? Play to your strengths. Many areas have some wonderful natural resources that can provide fantastic opportunities for low-cost outdoor recreation invest. Local authorities should focus on these natural assets and work to promote their inherent strengths. Two great examples of this are in Missoula, Montana and Greenville, South Carolina.

• The Herald Journal Tuesday, Jul. 02, 2019

  Suffrage Political Art Exhibit Visiting Utah State

  A visiting exhibit at Utah State University highlights the work of a 20th-century political cartoonist and women’s rights advocate. “I don’t think I had quite a sense of what it took to pass the 19th Amendment,” said Molly Cannon, the director of the university’s anthropology museum. “That is something that I have learned from having this exhibit here on campus.” The exhibit, entitled “A Woman Speaking to Women,” features eight original political cartoons drawn by Nina Allender for “The Suffragist,” the weekly publication of the National Women’s Party. Allender created cartoons for the newspaper each week from 1914 to 1917. ... Madison Dunn, another contributor to the exhibit, said they wanted to focus their exhibit on women’s empowerment and selected the topic of labor divisions because being able to work is important to women’s equality. ... Both exhibits will be on display at the museum through August. On Tuesdays at 2 p.m., a docent-led tour will be offered featuring a short presentation on the exhibit. On Saturday at 3 p.m., there will be an opening event at the at the museum featuring a presentation by Candi Carter Olson, a professor in the university’s journalism department.