Hard News Café Weekly News Digest—April 16, 2012

News about Cache Valley and USU
from the Department of Journalism & Communication
April 16, 2012

All the Local News:
Chilly baby animals days, reflecting at the memorial to van crash victims, Mormon vegetarians, court reports, journalism awards in Denver, E-Week, Aggie TV News, in support of President Obama . . . and more









REMEMBERING THE USU CRASH VICTIMS—The memorial to the nine victims of the 2005 van crash creates a quiet place for reflection outside the new Agriculture Building. (Ted Pease photo)


CACHE VALLEY NEWS

ATV News: frat drinking, the BYU gay video, baby animals and more
April 15th, 2012
LOGAN—Video: The Aggie TV News team talks to members of USU fraternities about last fall’s underage alcohol arrest. Other stories: Fundraising beyond one’s self, the BYU student video of being gay and Mormon, “It Gets Better,” Baby Animal Days in Wellsville, the power of a Smoothie, a viral “Just Be Friends” video, fundraising for smiles, how to make peace between left brain-right brain, Aggie sports, Cache Valley weather . . . and more!

Logan woman sentenced for selling meth
April 13th, 2012
By Sean O’Sullivan
LOGAN—A Logan woman was sentenced Tuesday in 1st District Court to between one and 15 years in state prison for dealing methamphetamines.

Wintery weather didn’t dampen high spirits at Baby Animal Days
April 10th, 2012
Story and photo by Shannon McCleve
WELLSVILLE — Through rain, snow, cold and high winds the American West Heritage Center held its annual Baby Animal Days last weekend. Staci Nelson, Logan, took her children as she has done for the past five years. She said her three children get a little nervous about the animals but once they start to pet them, they’re just fine. Cadince Nelson, 6, said her favorite part is the train ride. “It’s like the tunnel of time and you get to go around twice,” she said.



Reconnecting water service in River Heights soon will be cheaper
April 11th, 2012
By Sean O’Sullivan
RIVER HEIGHTS—Water reconnection fees for River Heights residents who lose water service for nonpayment of the bill are about to become significantly lower.

Logan man sentenced to life in prison for child sex abuse
April 10th, 2012
By Josh Ruggles
LOGAN—A Logan man was sentenced in 1st District Court Monday to spend the rest of his life in prison for aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Efrain Marty Ruiz will live out his remaining years behind bars, after being convicted of molesting and raping a teenaged girl for three years, from the time she was 12 until she turned 15.

Lions Club egg hunt a 50-year tradition for River Heights children
April 10th, 2012
Story and photo by Sean O’Sullivan
RIVER HEIGHTS—A bright, sunny day and happy children seem to go hand in hand; especially if candy is involved. Saturday morning the River Heights Lions Club held its annual Easter egg hunt. “You spend about an hour and a half making the bags of candy, probably an hour setting them up, and they’re gone in seven minutes,” said club member Bart Weston. “You put a lot of time into it and it’s over quickly.”



USU NEWS

Aggie journalists collect 17 prizes at annual Mark of Excellence Awards
April 16th, 2012
By D. Whitney Smith
DENVER—Utah State University journalism students cleaned up at the Society of Professional Journalists 2012 Mark of Excellence Awards at the Region 9 Conference in Denver this weekend.

USU journalists win big in Top of the Rockies; Powell lands 4 firsts
April 14th, 2012
DENVER—USU journalists were tearing up the annual Top of the Rockies competition for journalistic excellence among professional journalists at the annual regional conference of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) on Friday night.

Remembering the 2005 can crash victims at Ag building memorial
April 15th, 2012
By Allie Jeppson
LOGAN—It was just over six-and-a-half years ago, on Sept. 26, 2005, that tragedy struck Utah State University—eight students and an instructor on their way home from a fieldtrip in Tremonton were killed when a tire blew on their 15-passenger van.

Should Mormons be vegetarians? Yes, says guest speaker
April 14th, 2012
Story and photo by Sean O’Sullivan
LOGAN—A logic and religious history-based argument may leave Mormons questioning whether they should be eating meat. Chris Foster, professor of philosophy and logic at Utah Valley University, came to USU Thursday to explain his reasoning behind becoming a vegetarian, and why he feels it is clear that other people, focusing on Mormons, should as well.

Search warrant for dorm room leads to three arrests
April 12th, 2012
By Josh Ruggles
LOGAN—Three Utah State University students were arrested April 10 on suspicion of possession of marijuana, after the Cache-Rich County task force raided their dorm room at Bullen Hall.

E-Week: Potential business people should ‘be brave and get out there’
April 12th, 2012
By Rebecca Holliday
LOGAN—Entrepreneurship Week was full of events aimed at encouraging and fostering entrepreneurship among students at Utah State—workshops, guest speakers, competitions, socials and even a flash mob.

OPINION

GUEST COLUMN: Obama leads the way in kindness, civility
April 15th, 2012
By Helen Cannon
By writing this essay I don’t expect to persuade anyone to my point of view, but I would feel derelict if I didn’t express publicly what I believe with all of my heart. I write in defense and support of President Barack Obama, a man whom I believe to be the finest president in my lifetime of more than 70 years. That’s many presidents, including some who deserve high praise and an honorable place in our history.

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© 2012
Department of Journalism & Communication
Utah State University
Logan, Utah 84322-4605
435-797-3292 • jcom@aggiemail.usu.edu • ted.pease@usu.edu

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