Hard News Café Weekly News Digest (10/8/2012)

 
News about Cache Valley and USU
from the Department of Journalism & Communication 
October 8, 2012

 All the Local News:
Reporting hope & heartbreak from Ethiopia, USU signed agreement with the Congo, banned books, monster cheeseburgers, Aggie TV News reports on Blackhawk helicopters, Teddy bears on bikes, and human books; news from USU Eastern, Aggie heartbreaker in Provo, weather, prep sports . . . and more!

CONGOLESE VISITORS—Congolese Minister of Media Lambert Mende Omalanga (right) and members of his delegation discuss their visit to form a partnership with Utah State during an interview with Aggie TV News students. (Ted Pease photo)






CACHE VALLEY NEWS

Popular Zumba class ending; teacher made class ‘feel like a party’
October 7th, 2012 

By Dani Hayes
PROVIDENCE – It was when her son asked if she was pregnant that she knew she had to make a change. “I wasn’t pregnant, I was just fat,” said Isela Phelps, who lives in Providence. Now at 35, Phelps is a marathon runner and a certified instructor in spinning and Zumba. She has been teaching Zumba at Gold’s Gym in Logan for over two years, but has decided to leave the job to spend more time with her family.




Banned books: ‘Are we still talking about this?’ asks First Amendment ‘absolutist’
October 5th, 2012 
By D. Whitney Smith

LOGAN—While Barack Obama and Mitt Romney debated in Denver, another exercise in democracy took place at the Logan Library concerning First Amendment rights and book banning Wednesday. Librarian Joseph Anderson invited Ted Pease, USU’s journalism and communication department head, to share his sentiments on free expression as part of the Logan Library’s observance of the 30th National Banned Books Week. His talk was titled, “Banning Books: Boneheaded, Wrong-headed and Thoroughly Un-American.” “Here’s my first question: Do we really need to talk about this?” Pease said. “Seriously, book banning? Didn’t that go out with the rack?”







Richmond P&Z members learn basics of making land-use decisions
October 5th, 2012 
By Heidi Vaughan
RICHMOND—Chosen for their ability to lead, the men and women that make up community officials are always aiming to improve. Commission members at a recent Planning and Zoning meeting were focused on just that. With several people new to commissioner positions, training meetings are being held to help them understand their roles.

Public Lands Day: Building a good fence to have happier neighbors
October 2nd, 2012
Story by Danielle Manley, photos by Tavin Stucki
WELLSVILLE—Shovels hit the rocky terrain and filled the quiet mountain air with echos. A handful of community volunteers had come together for breakfast and live music before they started the hard labor of building a fence Saturday.

Family environment of Synergy program in Cornish helps troubled boys
October 2nd, 2012
By Brandon Fonda
CORNISH—Troubled boys ages 14-17 who suffer problems ranging from oppositional behavior and aggression to substance abuse have an option in Cache Valley.  Synergy Youth Treatment is a residential treatment program designed to help.

17 pounds of cheeseburgers defeat all but one at Man V Grill
October 2nd, 2012
Story & photos by Jessica Wilkinson
LOGAN — Five locals competed in a downtown burger-eating contest: 45 minutes and 17-and-a- half pounds of cheeseburger later, only one succeeds. “I’m just here ‘cause you get free money for doing it,” said two-time Man V Grill victor Bryan McLaughlin. “I’m low on free shirts.”

USU NEWS

Aggie TV: Congo visitors, a journalism safari, bikers and Blackhawks
October 8th, 2012
LOGAN—The latest Aggie TV Newscast features JCOM students traveling to Ethiopia, and Congolese government officials traveling to Logan. Donors give the College of Natural Resources a financial boost, True Aggie Night, the fall election season heats up, bikers take teddy bears for a ride through Logan to benefit the Utah Children’s Justice Center, Army Blackhawk helicopters land on the Quad, Aggie football, rodeo and hockey action.


Albrecht statement on Coward retirement; Cockett named new provost
October 3rd, 2012
LOGAN—Utah State University President Stan Albrecht released this statement Tuesday announcing Provost Raymond Coward’s retirement, and naming Agriculture Dean Noelle Cockett to replace him. “Transitions in leadership are very much a part of the “cycle” of university governance. For the past seven years, Executive Vice President and Provost Raymond Coward has provided strong  leadership for our academic programs at Utah State University.”

Congolese officials visit Logan, sign cooperation agreement with USU
October 8th, 2012
LOGAN—Officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo came to Utah State University last week to sign a memo of understanding with the university for future cooperation in development of a new science and technology university in the west African nation.

RIP: A year later, USU Eastern remembers beloved coach
October 8th, 2012
By the USU Eastern Eagle staff
Sometimes it seems like it was yesterday, while other times it seems like it has been an eternity since the sudden death of beloved coach and mentor Brad Barton on the one-year anniversary of his death Oct. 4, 2011. What remains are the memories of the man whose life was cut short too soon, but whose legendary principals live on in so many people whose lives he affected in countless ways.

Utah State University’s Code Blue has small following on Price campus
October 8th, 2012 
By Seth Richards
Eastern Eagle news editor
PRICE—Low enrollment in USU’s emergency Code Blue alert system on the USU Eastern campus means getting the word out to students and faculty is difficult in case of emergencies, such as when police arrested a Price resident on Sept. 25 for firing a rifle near campus. Only 136 students, faculty and staff are part of the emergency system.

USU Eastern campus near lock down after gunshots; Price resident arrested 
October 8th, 2012  
By Seth Richards
USU Eastern Eagle news editor

PRICE—The USU Eastern Price campus was in a state of near lock down and confusion on Sept. 25 when a local resident allegedly shot a high-powered rifle into the air near campus.

Exhibit of writer Jack London’s papers opens at Merill-Cazier Library
October 8th, 2012 
By Aimee Cobabe, Misty Inglet and Heidi Smith
LOGAN—An exhibit of Jack London materials opens this week in the Merrill-Cazier Library at Utah State University. The exhibit officially opens on Friday with a gallery talk  by Clint Pumphrey, manuscript curator at USU. “I will be talking about the exhibit and where the information comes from,” he said. “It is open to the public and there will also be attendees from the Jack London Symposium.”

Journalism students hit undeadline to cover USU zombie outbreak
October 8th, 2012
LOGAN—A team of intrepid student journalists has been assembled in response to reports of yet another low-level zombie outbreak at Utah State University. For the second year in a row, UnDeadline will cover the human-zombie war “without fear or prejudice,” said Professor Matthew D. LaPlante, who recruited his Introduction to News Writing students for an assignment that could lead to their undeath.

Summer in Germany results in FOTOSOMMER exhibit for 11 students
October 7th, 2012
By Katie Swain
LOGAN—Eleven Utah State University photography majors traveled more than 5,000 miles, spent a month in Germany, took thousands of pictures and dedicated hundreds of hours – all for one project. The culmination of their hard work is displayed in the Germany Study Abroad Exhibition: FOTOSOMMER on display in USU’s Gallery 102.

Aggie journalism students tell stories of hope & heartbreak from Africa
October 5th, 2012
By D. Whitney Smith
LOGAN—The importance of beer in interviewing, needy street children and bathrooms without toilet paper were all topics of conversation Wednesday when three student-journalists shared their experiences from a reporting trip to Ethiopia. Journalism Professor Matthew LaPlante visited Ethiopia in 2011 with Salt Lake Tribune photographer Rick Egan to report on a tribal custom of infanticide called “mingi.” This past summer, LaPlante took three of his students back to the east Africa nation to pursue their own stories in Ethiopia.

SPORTS

Good defense not enough to keep BYU from victory over Utah State
October 7th, 2012
By Curtis Lundstrom
PROVO — The Old Wagon Wheel. The Beehive Boot. Bragging Rights. All three were on the line when the Utah State football team took the field for its game against Brigham Young University Friday at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Unfortunately for the Aggies, offensive miscues and special teams woes proved fatal as the Cougars’ defense kept USU out of the end zone en route to a 6-3 BYU win.

Mountain Crest girls soccer draws with Sky View in double overtime
October 7th, 2012
By Curtis Lundstrom
It all came down to one game between valley rivals to determine the final seeding for the state tournament in Region 5. With both teams having already clinched a playoff spot, the Sky View and Mountain Crest girls soccer teams met Tuesday, battling to a 0-0 draw in double overtime.

Mountain Crest avenges two years of losses, beats Logan on home turf
October 7th, 2012 
By Curtis Lundstrom
LOGAN—With valley and region bragging rights on the line, senior Eddy Hall stole the show for the Mountain Crest football team as the Mustangs topped rival Logan 17-10 Friday with a dramatic come-from-behind win at Crimson Field.

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© 2012
Department of Journalism & Communication
Utah State University
Logan, Utah 84322-4805
435-797-3292 • jcom@aggiemail.usu.edu • ted.pease@usu.edu

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