April 2000

News

Brigham City animal agency to stage adoptathon May 7
04/28/00 The North Shore Animal League of England is sponsoring its sixth annual adoptathon May 7, and volunteers from the Golden Spike Humane Society in Brigham City plan to help with this worldwide event. / By Sally H.N. Wright

Letter carriers to collect food in Smithfield
04/27/00 In cooperation with the Smithfield post office, Smithfield is declaring May 13 as "Letter Carriers' Food Drive Day." Donations will be sent to Logan and distributed throughout Cache County. / By Casey Hobson

Remaining charges against Nelson-Waggoner are dropped, with option to re-file
04/26/00 The four remaining charges of rape and aggravated sexual assault against Stacey Nelson-Waggoner were dismissed "without prejudice" Tuesday in 1st District Court. The motion seemed to catch Judge Gordon Low off guard. "Including this one?" Low asked County Attorney Scott Wyatt. / By Bryce Petersen

Providence council to explore annexation/development of 40 acres
04/26/00 The land in question, sandwiched between 100 West and 200 East streets along Canyon Road, is being petitioned for annexation by owner Scott Theurer, a Providence resident representing his own land in addition to land belonging to the Zollinger and Lisonbee families. / By Analisa Coats

Pedicure business approved in Tremonton
04/26/00 Bear River Valley residents may now take "Time Out for Toes," thanks to the Tremonton Planning and Zoning Commission's vote Tuesday to give Connie Getz a conditional-use permit for her pedicure business. / By Emily Jensen

State warns Hyrum over failure to clean milky water from dairy
04/24/00 The state has a sharp eye on Hyrum's Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has been pumping out dirty water as a result of a flood of milk byproducts flowing into the sewers from West Point Dairy, and Thursday warned the City Council that action will be taken if the problem isn't cleaned up soon. / By Lara Gale

Millville to contribute to Nibley sewer project
04/24/00 Whether Millville decides to convert to a sewer system now, 50 years from now or never, the participation in Nibley's project will make it possible to transport Millville's sewage from its border to Logan's treatment system. / By Bryce Petersen

Wyoming burglary suspect caught in Hyrum
04/24/00 After being pulled over for a traffic violation Wednesday night, a Wyoming man is now in the Cache County Jail. / By Lynnette Hoffman

Columbine illustrated results of socially acceptable peer abuse
04/21/00 While many people are still wondering what led Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris to shoot and kill fellow students and teachers last April 20, some educators are turning their focus toward the inappropriate social behaviors they witness in the classroom daily. / By Charmaine Burningham

Lewiston council puts housing plan on agenda for public hearings
04/21/00 The City Council approved sending the Plan for Affordable Housing to the required public hearings, after which the council will vote on whether to accept the plan. / By Sarah Buttars

Media the key portal for politicians to access power, Bennett says
04/20/00 U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, told USU students Wednesday that media have taken a more powerful, more significant role than had been envisioned by the framers of the Constitution, because accessing the people has become almost impossible without some type of media. / By Heather Wardle

Tremonton council seeks advice on demolition derbies
04/20/00 With mud flying and tires squealing, the Tremonton City Council debated over allowing truck/car demolition derbies to perform on city grounds at Tuesday's meeting. And with a red flag, they agreed to race the issue to the Planning and Zoning Commission for its ideas and recommendations. / By Emily Jensen

Logan, Brigham City can't house all of Cache County's inmates; excess now shipped to Davis
04/19/00 The crowded Cache County Jail today began sending inmates to be housed in Davis County, Cache Sheriff Lynn Nelson announced. Cache County has sent its overflow of inmates to Box Elder County since the jail in Brigham City opened two years ago. But that jail, with a capacity of about 140, is now also full.

Hyde Park residents concerned about proposed post office
04/19/00 The United States Postal Service met with residents Thursday night to resolve concerns about the upcoming post office, which will accommodate for the growth of the city. "We don't want our rates raised," said Ray Thornley, a resident of Hyde Park. "We just want to send something to our neighbor and know it will get there the next day."./ By Debbie Lamb

Potty theft in Logan not petty
04/17/00 A portable toilet on a trailer was stolen about a month ago but was not reported until Thursday to the Logan City Police Department. "We have a hundred of those units," Tim Gordon, owner of Logan's Roto-Rooter Sewer & Drain, said. "Maybe somebody wanted it for their cabin." ./ By Heather Fredrickson

CPR certification class to be offered in Lewiston Saturday
04/14/00 The Lewiston First Response Unit is holding a CPR certification class on April 15 at the Lewiston fire station. The class will begin at 9 a.m. and lasts six hours. The class will cost $15 for certification, and $10 for recertification. According to John Hayes, certified CPR instructor, the class will teach people how to do CPR, rescue breathing, pumping the heart and first aid. Hayes will also talk about the signs and symptoms of someone having a heart attack as well as giving instructions on the Heimlich maneuver./ By Sarah Buttars

Don't like someone else's speech? Speak up; don't be a censor, panelists agree
04/14/00 The remedy for bad speech is more speech in an open-minded world, panelists at a free speech forum agreed Thursday. "The truth shall make you free," said Dr. Ken Godfrey, former director of the Logan LDS Institute and one of three panelists at the event, sponsored by USU libraries for Library Week. / By Heather Wardle

REMEMBERING: Tulips, planted in memory and tribute to victims and survivors of breast cancer, bloom Wednesday outside the Animal Science Building. / Photo by the USU journalism and communication department.

Panelists to discuss censorship
04/10/00 Freedom of speech is a fundamental right granted to every American by the First Amendment, but can the same be said for the freedom to read? That's what a number of panelists will try to answer this week during the Freedom of Speech Forum, a discussion on censorship in libraries that will be held Thursday on the campus of Utah State University as part of National Library Week 2000. / By Dan Chase

Millville considers getting new sewer system
04/10/00 MILLVILLE -- Some Millville residents questioned the need, others worried about the cost, but in the end only two voted against proceeding on a proposed sewer system. The city council will consider the matter April 20. / By Bryce Peterson

North Logan weighing tighter control of gravel businesses
04/10/00 NORTH LOGAN -- The city is attempting to tighten control of gravel and excavations. At a public hearing Thursday night, residents commented on the proposed 13-page ordinance, and not all of the input was favorable. / By Ruth Russell

Hyrum offers retiring city employees an extension of health plan
04/07/00 HYRUM -- City employees have a new option to look forward to at retirement -- extended health insurance benefits. There are some specific qualifications to be met if workers want to take advantage of this option. / By Lara Gale

State-mandated affordable housing plan sent to Lewiston council
04/06/00 LEWISTON -- The Planning and Zoning Commission voted Wednesday night to send its plan for affordable housing to the City Council. The Affordable Housing Plan aims to make sure people are not excluded from living in the city because they can't afford it. / By Sarah Buttars

USU students win eight awards for journalism excellence
04/05/00 Students at Utah State University last week won eight awards for excellence in journalism at the annual regional convention of the Society for Professional Journalists. Senior Nicole McLean, who also has been chosen by faculty as the department's top graduating senior, won three second-place awards for her work for A-TV, the cable system that serves the USU campus. Even the Hard News Cafe won something. / By the USU journalism and communication department

'He always did it first' -- a tribute to Jack Anderson, winner of Distinguished Service Award
04/03/00 "He always did it first," says Salt Lake Tribune Editor Jay Shelledy, referring to Jack Anderson's ability to report on Washington, D.C., events and affairs. "More often than not, he did it alone." / By the USU journalism and communication department

Features

Larry Rasmussen works on machining impellers on a lathe at BJT Inc. Why would a company in Arizona pay to ship airplane turbines to and from Hyrum for precision work? "Because I'm damn good," says Archie McWilliams, workshop manager. For stories about high-tech companies such as BJT, click the link below. / Photo by Liz Maudsley.

SPECIAL REPORT: Rustic, yes, but ours is a high-tech valley
04/19/00 World's largest manufacture of holograms. A laser to gather data about global warming. The perfect medium to grow diseases, so they can be studied and eradicated. . . . The list of high-tech projects and inventions in Cache Valley, Utah, is pretty impressive. The students of the USU department of journalism and communication profile the work of our scientists and Big Thinkers in and around Logan. Click the link above for an introduction and links to some amazing stories.

Interests from bees to Balkans are history professor's passions
04/27/00 What do 100,000 honeybees, Turkish history, architectural restoration and classical music have in common? They are the stuff of Peter Mentzel's life. / By Ryan White

Editor of historical quarterly an Easterner in the thick of the American West
04/26/00 A lot of people know about him in Montana, yet Granville Stuart's life remains cloudy or a blank for residents of other states. Clyde A. Milner II, history professor at Utah State University, wants the whole world to know about Stuart because he believes Stuart's diaries, letters and scrapbooks "tell more about the West and its history than Stuart himself wanted us to know." / By Reuben Wadsworth

Randy Simmons, head of the USU political science department, has written or contributed to more than a dozen about political economy. He also knows a lot about cows, but don't ask him about that. / Photo by USU department of journalism and communication

From cows to council meetings and conservation, department head knows politics as art of must-do and can-do
04/26/00 He used to live on a dairy farm in Cache Valley. He used to trim cows' feet for a living. He used to hate cows. Now, Randy Simmons is the head of the political science department at Utah State University, in the land of the divine bovine, teaching Shakespeare and political economy, studying the Endangered Species Act and reading Louis L'Amour. / By Rosanne Radcliffe

Rib wizard survives 'rapids and tides' of small business with home-style barbecue
04/25/00 SMITHFIELD - Here's a question for all the marketing and economics gurus out there: How do you make money at a restaurant that doesn't have a big name, a fancy building or the luxury of being the only hamburger joint in town? / By Casey Hobson

English department's Paul Crumbley knows the real Emily Dickinson
04/24/00 From what you've heard in high school English classes, you may think of Emily Dickinson as a quiet and withdrawn woman, someone a person may think of as a 19th century Miss Manners. Paul Crumbley, a USU professor, thought that at first too, but he found a whole different person. Not a person who only pressed flowers and knitted doilies, but a political dynamo. / By Brook Cox

Professor who calls herself the 'Heinz 57 of the former Soviet Union' aims to build bridges of friendship
04/24/00In a world of clashing political ideals, Taira Koybaeva, PhD, is fighting to build bridges of understanding and friendship between former cold war rivals Russia and the United States. Although her passion is founded in business, which she feels has greater influence on a country's agenda than politics, Koybaeva has turned her focus to issues of national security. The reason, she said, was to involve herself more directly in the immediate relationship between the two powers. / ByJeremiah Stettler

The woman behind Quacker Jack: North Logan librarian makes puppets for Story Time
04/21/00 Rachelle Draney works at the North Logan Library, but besides reshelving books, she also makes toys and puppets. The puppets, especially Quacker Jack, a happy, yellow duck Draney made herself, delight the children who come for Story Time. Draney has been creating things for as long as she can remember. "I think I got my firt sewing machine when was in third grade," she said.

Radiation in the floor, radiation in the bed -- the invisible hazards of early uranium miners
04/11/00 Imagine living in a radioactive house, or sleeping on a radioactive mattress. According to Professor Susan Dawson, this was not an uncommon thing in the 1950s, when uranium workers paid little attention to the health hazards related to their jobs. / By Heather Wardle

 

A work of art in the form of a 600-pound butter cow
04/12/00 LEWISTON- When the word butter comes to mind few people think of art, but for a Lewiston woman, 600 pounds of butter becomes a work of art every year. Barbra Westover has sculpted a cow out of butter as part of the Utah State Fair festivities for the last two years. The project is sponsored by the Dairy Commission, and the purpose of the project is to promote the dairy industry. / By Sarah Buttars

Author of Harry Potter series the real source of magic
04/11/00 Harry Potter may be the wizard-in-training, but it's his creator J. K. Rowling, who is generating all of the magic. Since the publication of her first novel, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," Rowling has not only inspired children to read again but their parents as well. She has sold an estimated 30 million copies of her books world wide, and was named author of the year at the British Book Awards in London./ By Kay Dee Johansen

CATCH A WAVE AND YOU'RE SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Tony Weston, left, heads for open waters while Pete Anderson, front right, and Forrest Baker wait for the next wave to carry them out from the shores of Oceanside Beach, Calif., over spring break. With a storm and cold water full wet suits were a neccessity. / Feature photo by Michael Hamblin

A pop machine in the yard: a side business and an address help
04/05/00 Visitors stopping by Tom and Tessa Sunderland's North Logan house don't have to search for the gray minivan parked in the drive way, or count three houses down on the left side of the road. Complicated directions aren't necessary with a Dr Pepper machine standing next to the garage and a circular driveway providing easy drive through access. / By Lynnette Hoffman

College students particpate in interactive seminar with members of "The West Wing"
04/05/00 Students from colleges and universities around the country tuned in to an interactive satellite event with the creator, executive producer and two cast members from the television series "The West Wing" on Monday. / By Jen Feinstein

Sports

Sky View scholar, three-sport athlete 'definitely old school'
(04/26/00) A persistent diet of 11-hour workdays is enough to make some people yearn for a vacation. Not Erik Swenson, the student body president at Sky View High School. A diet of 11-hour workdays is a vacation for him. / By Casey Hobson

Aggie conquers Heartbreak Hill en route to Boston Marathon finish
(04/19/00) USU student Leslie Jensen ran the Boston Marathon Monday afternoon, an experience she described as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Maybe that's good, considering the freezing temperatures and the wind. / By the USU Online Journalism class.

Defense shines early, but offense comes on strong in Blue-White Game
(04/18/00) A new coach. A stronger offense. Those are among the many changes Utah State University football fans saw at Romney Stadium during the annual Blue and White game Friday night, which the Blue team won 21-13. / By Dan Chase

Aggies' bats wake up as team takes two from SUU, heads to Sacramento
(04/07/00) With theThe Utah State University softball team found the two things it needed most before heading back out on the road this weekend. In its sweep of Southern Utah University (8-0 and 7-4) Tuesday at Johnson Field , USU got its confidence back, as well as solid hitting. The victories improved the Aggies' record to 13-23 overall, 2-4 in Big West Conference play, while also avenging two earlier losses to the Thunderbirds (4-29) in Cedar City on March 4. / By Wade Denniston

Opinion

Wife of journalist spends some time in his shoes
(04/24/00) It's not easy being married to a journalist. Just ask my wife, Allison, who has, since the day we met, been left in the stands while I've done postgame interviews, wondered why I can't use her as a source for one of my articles, and had her grammar corrected on a daily basis. / By Allison and Dan Chase

Who's to blame for school violence? Surely, our homes are the first place to look
(04/21/00) We can expect to see politicians argue about gun laws each election with no results in the end, or as parents we can take control in our own homes. It isn't up to teachers, government or neighbors to parent our children; it's in the parents' job description. / By Georgia Reeder

As we approach graduation, we should know what to spit
(04/21/00) As the year draws to a close and USU seniors start to prepare for the long-awaited moment of graduation, many are filled with anxiety, and wonder what the world holds for them. Fortunately, throughout the years, there have been a plethora of successful individuals willing to offer words of wisdom to graduates. / By Kay Dee Johansen

Think laughter is just a waste of time? Ha
(04/06/00) College students might be interested to know that studies show laughter improves alertness, memory, learning and creativity. So the next time you're studying for a test, or trying to decide on a creative idea for a project, take a few minutes to laugh. We need a laughing club at USU. / By Kay Dee Johansen

Nothing like the hope and blue sky of Opening Day
(04/05/00) What more could a baseball fan want, after two years of amazing feats on the green diamond? Wade Denniston can't wait for more home runs and surprises. / By Wade Denniston

Lifestyles

North Park Elementary site lets preschoolers safely surf for fun
04/27/00 The school website has activities for students, opportunities to have a "cyber pal," the latest school announcements, and many links to educational websites. However, one of the most popular links is Cyber Preschool. "It's amazing," says Jennifer Mays. "I have a 4-year-old that can play on the computer." / By Ruth Russell

Family theater at family prices a tradition in Lewiston
04/26/00 "We haven't changed our prices in three years," says Rosie Williams, theater manager for the Lewiston City Theater. The $1.50 admittance price is kept low because Lewiston has owned and operated the movie house for at least 50 years. / By Aaron Morton

Pheasants, wrens, kestrels, cockatoos inspire Millville poet who shares their lives
04/24/00 MILLVILLE -- With choke cherry trees, junipers, sage brush, and 60 birdhouses scattered around her 22 Millville acres, it's obvious that Martha Balph loves birds. Rooster pheasants strut outside of her window and the bird feeders are busy. / By Bryce Petersen

Wellsville woman has flower power
04/17/00 WELLSVILLE -- Rose hip is one of the worst kinds of materials to use when making dried floral wreaths because of the "millions of teeny thorns," said a Wellsville wreath-maker. Cindy Palmer, co-owner of The Craft Farm at 230 E. Main St. with husband Bryan, said rose hip and sea lavender, a baby's breath look-alike, are some of the worst materials she uses. / By Heather Fredrickson

Hyde Park storyteller teaches kids to love reading
04/14/00 Theresa Allred has been promoting literacy to children for 23 years. She taught kindergarten in Cache Valley for 20 years before retiring, although recently she has been promoting literacy outside a classroom. "I love to read to kids," Allred says. "I try to put the emphasis on the stories. Sometimes I will have a physical or creative movement. I try to make it creative. I don't like coloring books." / By Debbie Lamb

Arts

'Les Liaisons Dangereuses' opens at USU Theatre
04/13/00 The play explores the merciless corruption and lusty battlefields of 1784 aristocracy. It's in English, but the French influence is strong; it probably would be rated PG-13 for sexual innuendo.

Please don't screw up Harry Potter movie, Logan students tell Hollywood, LA Times
04/12/00 Children (and many adults) love J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. So much so, that when the fourth-graders at the Edith Bowen School, on the USU campus, learned Chris Columbus was picked to direct the upcoming Harry Potter movie, they felt it was necessary to take steps. / By Kay Dee Johansen

Mozart's Requiem brought to life at USU
04/11/00 Some things are best experienced live -- a baseball game on a warm spring afternoon, fireworks on the Fourth of July . . . and Mozart's immortal Requiem. A recording of this most monumental of classical works fills the room with the full range of human emotion, from pain to sorrow to hope. But it is nothing compared with a full orchestra and chorus right in front of you. The piece is so complex, so rich, so powerful that to listen and watch as it unfolds is to witness it as if it were being created anew. / By Mike Sweeney