News

Paradise council lauds trash cleanup
11/25/03 PARADISE -- The Town Council asked residents to clean up their yards last month and for the most part, the council is happy with the progress. / By Tyler Riggs

JFK the smart, charsimatic knight of the '60s, professors recall
11/21/03 Though the majority of Americans today remember John F. Kennedy as the president who was assassinated while riding in a convertible in Dallas, the panel of educators expressed regret that many today forget the constructive aspects of Kennedy's life. / By Justin Lafeen

America slow to understand the global village, broadcast panelists say
11/21/03 It does not matter if you go to the Middle East, South America, Africa or even Europe. Lately, nobody seems to like the United States, especially after its attack on Iraq. Prominent journalists and filmmakers from around the world tried to figure out why during two broadcasts from the Museum of TV and Radio. / By Matthias Petry

Logan neighbors air complaints at public hearing on accessory units
11/21/03 "The reason for accessory dwelling is to allow the owners to take care of indigent parents or children with disabilities," said Fred Duersch, a community member. "They would be able to remodel for that intent." Many of the homes that are being made into accessory dwelling units are not being done for this reason, but to bring in renters to the homes. / By Rachel R. Koeppel

JetBlue succeeds with fun and passion, exec tells USU
11/20/03 No single magical formula for great customer service exists, JetBlue Airways Vice President of Customer Service Nigel Adams said Wednesday morning, but taking care of crew members assures they'll take care of customers. / By Hilary Judd

Utah media perpetuating myths about domestic violence, JCOM prof's study says
11/20/03 Most people's views on domestic violence are determined by media coverage, and how journalists frame the stories affects these views. Utah newspaper coverage of domestic violence is not acknowledging these incidents are actually domestic violence and is perpetuating myths about this social problem, according to recent research. / By Myrica Hawker

River Heights claims possibly highest voter turnout in valley
11/14/03 RIVER HEIGHTS -- Nov. 4's votes became official with the 2003 Municipal Election Canvas. Out of 1,176 registered voters in River Heights, 432 turned out to vote during the general election and five more sent in absentee ballots. / By Tamber Mickelson

Nibley P&Z says yes to new buildings and businesses
11/14/03 NIBLEY -- Three building permits and two conditional use permits/business license requests were approved during Wednesday's planning and zoning meeting. / By Emilie Holmes

Nibley raises fines for tardy water bills
11/14/03 NIBLEY -- After months of consistent problems with residents not paying their water bills, the City Council approved a resolution Thursday that outlines water shut-off policies in detail. / By Emilie Holmes

Smithfield's new master plan catches landowners in zoning conflicts
11/14/03 SMITHFIELD -- The master plan for zoning was adopted less than six months ago, and many residents are just noticing that the uses they intended for their land may no longer be legal. / By Heather Strasburg

Security that kept some JFK files secret spawned outrageous rumors, Hall says
11/14/03 The Oliver Stone movie JFK is "a fabulous work of fiction," said USU President Kermit Hall, who spoke nine days before the 40th anniversary of JFK's assassination. / By Shanna Nielsen

What hath Barbie wrought? Professor's book explores body issues and stereotypes
11/13/03 Folklore reinforces the Barbie doll phenomenon -- notorious stereotypes and body image issues. USU Director of Folklore Jeannie Banks Thomas profiled this phenomenon and her new book, Naked Barbies, Warrior Joes and Other Forms of Visible Gender, Wednesday at the Haight Alumni Center, to an audience greatly outnumbering the available chairs. / By Hilary Judd and Myrica Hawker

Providence council hears concerns about RAPZ tax distribution
11/13/03 PROVIDENCE -- Guidelines for the Cache County Council in reference to the distribution of the Recreation, Arts, Parks, Zoo Tax were discussed Tuesday night by the City Council. / By Kelly Hafen

UTAH SAYS THANKS: Retired Col. Doyle Rees gets a handshake on Veterans Day in the Spectrum before dedication of USU's Veterans Memorial outside the south doors. Click to see more pictures. / Photo by Justin Lafeen

Trenton makes plans for Youth Council
11/10/03 Town Clerk Kelly Campbell, who proposed forming it at last month's meeting, said 12 youths between age 14 and 18 have signed up for a youth council membership and a few more are considering the same. / By Young Joon Lim

Cache Valley veterans to be honored by Army/Air Force ROTC
11/06/03 LOGAN -- In honor of Cache Valley's veterans, the USU Army/Air Force ROTC is hosting five activities in the next week for all community members, veterans and students to attend.

Get government out of private lives, Ruby Ridge figure tells USU
11/06/03 What Rosa Parks did by refusing to move to the back of the bus is exactly what it will take today to fight a government that has overstepped its boundaries -- people willing to take a stand and not get in the back of the bus, says Richard Mack . / By Myrica Hawker

On the Move, a book that accompanies the largest exhibit in Smithsonian history, is the third book by USU Associate Professor Michael S. Sweeney. It's the first published collaboration of the Smithsonian and the National Geographic Society.

Prof's new book takes readers down America's roads, rails 11/05/03 "All aboard!" Trains, planes, and automobiles have played a significant part in American history, and in a new book, On the Move: Transportation and the American Story, Dr. Michael S. Sweeney takes us on a joy ride from past to present. At left: Goggles worn by Bud the bulldog in 1903. / By Justin Lafeen

BUNNY TEETH: Melting snow atop a school bus, parked near Taggart Student Center to draw attention to Education Week, resembles Bugs Bunny's dental X-rays. / Photo by Justin Lafeen

Cache Valley election roundup: Lots of new faces
11/05/03 City Council race results from around Cache Valley are presented in alphabetical order by town name. / By the students of the USU department of journalism and communication

Mendonites 'trunk-or-treat' in weather more suited to Christmas
11/04/03 MENDON -- It might be freezing and it might be snowing, but that never stopped kids from getting their candy on Halloween. / By Joel Featherstone

The Peace Corps remains one of the more visible elements of President Kennedy's legacy.

USU lets the word go forth: Peace Corps needs volunteers
11/03/03 Utah State is going to be reminded of John F. Kennedy's 1961 challenge -- for students to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. / By Clint Collins

Hyrum's council candidates tell voters what they'll do if elected
11/03/03 HYRUM -- Six candidates -- Bruce James, Stephanie Miller, Rod Garner, Bonnie Nielsen, Douglas Stipes and Ron Beal -- are vying for the three open spots on the City Council. A Thursday forum provided a last chance for the candidates to convince Hyrum residents to vote for them before Election Day Tuesday. / By Loni Stapley

Features

ROCK THE VOTE: Mr. Korea, Tae Min Han, center, and his rock band perform during the talent portion of USU's Mr. and Ms. International contest. For a related story, see the Features section. / Photo by Jamie Karras

And the winners are . . . Mr. Pakistan and Ms. India
11/23/03 At the Mr. and Ms. International contest, Mr. Korea, Tae Min Han, performed with his Korean rock band. Ms. Thailand, Archare Phiphadkusolkul, performed a traditional Thai dance in a vibrant pink ethnic costume. Ms. India performed a dance called "Sour Limes," in which she, a sister to a bride, taunted the groomsmen. / By Jamie Karras

Defining your life-- a brown couch, a lost ring and a sentimental husband
11/21/03 My husband of not yet a year lost his wedding band the other day. I didn't think it was a big deal because it wasn't a terribly expensive ring and he outgrew it within a week of us being married (it can't be resized because it's titanium, which they can't cut). Jake's been very faithful about wearing it on his left pinky finger. / By Jasmine Michaelson

Chester the coonhound waits for adoption Saturday at Mount Logan Middle School. / Photo by Jamie Karras

Pets in need of a home weave their spell on adoption day at school
11/17/03 The Nittrouer family already has two cats, but Emily, an Edith Bowen second-grader, has recently convinced her mom that they should be in the market for another one. This was why they were on the prowl at the pet adoption Saturday at Mount Logan Middle School. / By Jamie Karras

Stokes Nature Center celebrates six years of little surprises
11/11/03 A short hike from a canyon road can reveal a glimpse of what Logan really has to offer. / By Jamie Karras

Wheelchair doesn't stop celebratory mom
11/10/03 This June will mark the fifth anniversary of Sondra Pickering's reliance on a wheelchair after a freak accident. Five years is a celebratory mark for her. She will celebrate by competing in the wheelchair races in the 2004 Utah Summer Games. / By Melissa Taylor

Tiny town of Paris is turning out the lights
11/10/03 PARIS, Idaho -- Despite the postcard picture-perfect, tree-lined streets and the inviting neon open sign at the ma and pop café, the streets and diner are basically empty. The small, quiet town is typical of those portrayed in movies. There are no swimming pools in back yards and no million-dollar homes on the hill. / By Courtney Mattson

HOW PROFESSORS EAT: Tom Higbee, an assistant professor in the special education department, lunges into a cream pie during the student-faculty pie-eating contest Wednesday in the TSC. Education Week events continued later with a service project assembling school kits for Peru. / Photo by Justin Lafeen

Starship 2040 taking its dream wagon around America, with USU grad's help
11/03/03 No one said using a ratchet was part of Martin Jensen's job for NASA when he graduated from Utah State University in public relations. / By Becca Burkhead

Sports

Aggies forget defense, still beat Illinois State thanks to sharpshooters
11/30/03 No intensity, no emotion and most of all, no defense describes the play of the Utah State men's basketball team Friday night. Even with the mental letdown, USU (3-0) came away with an 89-84 victory over Illinois State. / By Earl Scott

Aggie men shoot 78.6 percent from the floor in first half, crush Fort Lewis
11/23/03 For the second straight game the Utah States men's basketball team (1-0) outscored its opponent by more than 20 points, defeating Fort Lewis College, 86-54 Saturday. / By Earl Scott

Aggie women battle the jitters in history-making opener, fall to SUU
11/23/03 Most of the 6,805 in attendance for the Utah State men's basketball game stayed to watch a little history being made, as women's basketball returned to USU after a 17-year hiatus. Excitement, nerves and inexperience on USU's part played a role in Southern Utah's (1-0) 79-60 runaway win. / By Earl Scott

It's co-ed intramural football, where men are boys and women are invisible
11/21/03 "Bring it in! Bring it in! Huddle! Huddle!" yells the quarterback, Sabey. Huddle? Why huddle? The men already know who is going to make the play. THEM! Hey, fellas, I'm open, and so are the other women. / By Amanda K. Vizina

Brooms and stones on ice? Curling in Cache Valley
11/18/03 NORTH LOGAN -- Take a sheet of ice, a person sliding a stone, and two people who appear to have a cleaning fetish going berserk with brooms and you have the sport of curling. The Cache Valley Curling Club was founded the spring after the 2002 Winter Olympics and has been growing ever since. / By Earl Scott

USU stumbles when Cox goes down, loses to Troy State on Senior Day
11/17/03 It wasn't the finish Utah State (3-8 overall, 3-3 Sun Belt) was looking for on Senior Day. The Aggies committed seven turnovers while losing to Troy State (5-6), 23-14. / By Earl Scott

Aggies outshoot, outmuscle Hawaii-Hilo, 94-70, in final tuneup
11/17/03 The Utah State men's basketball team scored the opening basket and led throughout in routing a frustrated and out-gunned Hawaii-Hilo team, 94-70, in the Aggies' final exhibition game. / By Earl Scott

Ski teams enjoy friendly rivalry as they perform pikes and daffies
11/10/03 Justin Dunkley said there are some great perks that go along with being a member, including store discounts and free snow gear. "There is nothing that creates an adrenaline rush like snow skiing," he said. "When you are free falling off of a jump, that is the ultimate feeling." / By Sadie Shippen

Ragged and rusty Aggies drop exhibition game to Global Sports, 76-74
11/10/03 With a new, untested team and starting point guard, Mark Brown, out with an injury, fans might expect the Aggies to be a little rough around the edges, but USU Head Coach Stew Morrill was upset with his team's performance nevertheless. / By Earl Scott

Army of volunteers getting ready for Special Olympics
11/06/03 "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt." Just as brave in the attempt as the athletes are the people who are organizing the Special Olympics at USU right now, trying to make the day of the event memorable for all the athletes and the spectators as well as the volunteers. It will take place on Nov. 15 in the Fieldhouse and the HPER Building. / By Matthias Petry

Athletes are as prone to depression as other people
11/04/03 Athletes are athletes because they are physically gifted. "They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things," Dr. Richard Gordin, a USU professor and sports psychologist, said. With all they do when they perform, afterward they are still normal people with normal problems, feelings, emotions, concerns and stress. / By Jared Ocana

Fisherman, get to know your flies -- they're your best friend
11/04/03 The crisp air blows in your face, the refreshing water presses against your neoprenes, the sun dances on each ripple, you have your rod in hand. What could be better? / By Patrick A. Svedin

Land Rover loyalists gather in clubs as well as hill climbs
11/03/03 No matter where on earth, Land Rover clubs bring off-road enthusiasts together. / By Nate Julian

Opinion: Being in the WAC means more fame, fortune
11/03/03 Well, it has finally happened. Utah State has made it into the Western Athletic Conference. It has been a long journey; occasionally we've been treated like a fly that keeps trying to land on your plate of food and gets swatted away. But USU wouldn't buzz off. / By Earl Scott

Local 'little fish' Curtis makes big waves in the NFL
11/03/03 According to St. Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz, Kevin Curtis has "terrific speed, terrific change of direction, body control and he's got exceptional hands." / By Dave Allen

Defense stifles MTSU, 40-21, as USU goes to 3-1 in Big West
11/02/03 The USU defense held Middle Tennessee State's (2-7, 2-2) normally potent offense, averaging 375 yards a game, to only 289 yards. The Blue Raiders did not cross the Aggie 20-yard line until there were about eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. / By Earl Scott

Lifestyles

Resources for Utah homeschoolers abundant both online and in local groups
11/04/03 Many parents in Utah and Cache Valley have chosen to teach their children from home. It is not an easy decision to make or one that should be taken lightly, says Sharon White. / By Ginger Kelley

World Series of Poker becoming a popular TV reality show
11/03/03 Bright lights, millions of dollars, the thrill of winning and the respect of your peers. These are a few reasons for which thousands of people flock to the desert from mid-April to late May for the biggest poker tournament of the year: the World Series of Poker. / By Dan Phelps

On your own in the kitchen? Nutritional advice for students
11/03/03 Most college students leave their home, where meals are prepared each day by their parents, to enter a new world where they must fend for themselves. At Utah State University, some students find that with classes, studying and other activities, time is valuable and there is not enough of it to spend cooking three full meals a day. / By Tracey Fox

Read any R-rated books lately?
11/03/03 Amy Johnson was appalled when she came across a steamy sex scene while listening to a book on tape. The senior family and consumer science education major at Utah State University had no idea the book she had checked out from local public library would contain items that would embarrass her. / By Jake Moon

Save on gas -- consider buying a hybrid fuel car
11/03/03 Technology has made it possible for motorists to switch to a hybrid or alternative fuel source vehicles and save money, not only at the pump, but on taxes as well. / By Erik Bateman

The Winchester House in San Jose, Calif., looks decepitvely calm from the outside.

Not just another spook alley, the Winchester House is a real Western mystery
11/03/03 Stairs leading to the ceiling, doors opening to nowhere or into walls, a room with three doors and only one way out, twists and turns, secret passages and windows on the floor you would think it's a fun house, but it's not. It's the house of Sarah L. Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune. / By Carrie Ellingson

Opinion

Lesson from first grade sticks to my life like egg on a pan
11/26/03 Nearly everyone has had the opportunity to learn one especially difficult and important lesson in life, one that sticks out in your mind because it pokes your emotions like a ball wrapped in barbed-wire rolling around every time you think about it. / By Myrica Hawker

Angel of death brings release and rest
11/25/03 I didn't cry when my grandfather died. He had always been the quiet old man, sitting off near the house in his lawn chair, while we all galloped through the yard screaming and tumbling in the grass. / By Kirsten Nielson

Cell phone users need a lesson in etiquette -- or a good spanking
11/25/03 Cell phone use is out of control. Don't get me wrong, I am all for mobile phones. Their invention is right up there with sliced bread, but they seem to have one fatal flaw. Apparently something about them disables the part of a person's brain that is responsible for courtesy, respect and just plain common sense. / By Shanna Nielsen

Austrian -- period -- no kangaroos
11/10/03 "Hi, my name is Matthias, I'm from Austria." OK, what did you think when you read this? Was it rather "Hey, cool, I think I saw you in The Sound of Music," or did you think "So, are you already missing the sight of kangaroos and the taste of Fosters?" / By Matthias Petry

Random thoughts rattling around a colossal coconut
11/04/03 I have a large head. It's really actually bigger than it looks and until recently the only proof I had to offer people was that hats don't fit. / By Kirsten Nielsen

Cover up that tummy roll -- or hit the gym
11/03/03 When you're sitting in class and you can't pay attention to your professor's lecture because the person in front of you has jelly-like rolls hanging over their pants, that's when you want to beg President Hall to enforce the dress code. / By Holly Scott

Arts

REVIEW: Want Absolution? Look across the Big Pond
11/21/03 No doubt Europe has a lot of secrets it keeps from the United States. The Europeans are very good at it. But by far their best-kept secret is a rock trio from Teignmouth, England, called Muse. / By Jasmine Michaelson

Hasenpheffer and Bomdiggity have funky fun with music
11/19/03 Hasenpheffer and the Bomdiggity? You're probably thinking, what are you talking about? / By Dane Bergeson

TUCKERED: John Hansen's Worn Out, a papier-mache sculpture, is one of the exhibits in the undergraduate art display at the Tippetts Gallery on display for the rest of the week. / Photo by Matthias Petry

Welcome to the world of primary shapes, teapots and the crossroads blues
11/12/03 It's like stepping into another world. One moment you are walking across campus with AC/DC blasting through your headphones, the next you arrive at the Tippetts Exhibit Hall, turn off your CD player and step into a world of creativity, originality and remarkable craftsmanship, also called the annual Undergraduate Art Exhibition. / By Matthias Petry

Guitars Unplugged performances heat up a chilly night
11/10/03 Two dollars and a can of food sometimes stretch a surprisingly long way--especially on a nippy Thursday evening in USU's Taggart Student Center Ballroom, when gifted guitarists take the stage for Guitars Unplugged. / By Hilary Judd

Northern Utah band Blind Iris scores big-time withvideo game soundtrack
11/04/03 These five young men from northern Utah wrote and performed the song Drive, which appears on the recently released video game Tony Hawk's Underground. The fifth in the Tony Hawk skateboard series, it is expected to sell some 5 million copies worldwide. / By Earl Scott

War over music's online file sharing continues
11/03/03 The Recording Industry Association of America has declared an all-out war on file sharing, and it might be working. A study by Nielsen NetRatings shows that the use of Kazaa, the most popular file-sharing program, has dropped 41 percent in the last three months. / By Dustin Dibble