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January 27, 2004 News Releases
Released 1/20/04, 1/21/04, 1/22/04, 1/23/04 and 1/26/04

UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 01-26-04

JENNIFER PEEPLES RECEIVES NATIONAL COMMUNICATION ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR BEST RESEARCH MONOGRAPH

LOGAN — Jennifer Peeples and her co-author, Kevin DeLuca, University of Georgia, were awarded the Golden Anniversary Monograph Award by the National Communication Association for the most outstanding scholarly monograph published during the previous year. Peeples is an assistant professor of speech communication in the languages, philosophy, and speech communication department at Utah State University.

With DeLuca, Peeples received the award for their article, “From Public Sphere to Public Screen: Democracy, Activism, and the ‘Violence’ of Seattle” published in “Critical Studies in Media Communication.”

Peeples and DeLuca raised an important question — “how have the rhetorical forms and functions of social protest changed in a mass mediated era?”

“This intellectually provocative essay promises to generate continued debate as it challenges our assumptions about how rhetoric works in our times,” said department head Charlie Huenemann.

Peeples and DeLuca used the 1999 World Trade Organization protests in Seattle to argue that television, the Internet and other new communication technologies have led to new forms of participatory democracy, moving decision making from the public sphere to the “public screen.”

The concept of the public screen accounts for technological and cultural changes and creates new conditions for rhetoric, politics and activism.

Peeples teaches environmental rhetoric, communication and conflict, and interpersonal communication in the department of languages, philosophy, and speech communication at Utah State.

January 26, 2004
Contact: Charlie Huenemann, dept. head (435) 797-0254
Jennifer Peeples (435) 797-7440

MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY OFFERS LECTURE SERIES

LOGAN — The Museum of Anthropology at Utah State University presents a diverse lineup of lectures this semester in its Anthropology and the Arts Series, announced Melanie Dixon, events coordinator. The series features several types of visual arts from around the world and how those visual arts relate to anthropology and the study of human cultures. The lecture series is supported by a grant from the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation.

“Anthropology is one of those elusive departments everyone has heard of, but no one really knows what it’s all about,” Dixon said. “This series might help bring the department and anthropology into focus. These lectures should prove fascinating, stimulating and educational for newcomers and experienced students of anthropology alike.”

Dixon also promises after-lecture receptions with good food and the opportunity for one-on-one time with the visiting artists and scholars. All presentations are held in Old Main 115.

The Anthropology and the Arts Series has several objectives, Dixon said, including building appreciation of the arts of the non-Western world. The series also reinforces the links between the social sciences, such as anthropology, and the humanities by focusing on arts both as components of culture and as art forms.

The first lecture features Lydia Nakashima Degarrod from UC Santa Cruz. Degarrod is a cultural anthropologist and visual artist whose work focuses on contemporary urban residents in Santiago, Chile, who seek miracles from the “animatas” or souls of people who have died a violent, unjust death in the streets, Dixon said. Degarrod’s lecture, “Souls of Bandits, Virgins and Victims: Searching for Miracles and Justice,” is Thursday, Feb. 5, at 4:30 p.m.

Next is Brenda Bower from Washington State University. She speaks Thursday, Feb. 26, presenting an ethnoarchaeological study of women’s social identity and material culture from the perspective of political anthropology in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The lecture, “The Perceptive Potter: An Ethnoarchaeological Case Study in the Ecuadorian Amazon,” begins at 4:30 p.m.

The series next draws upon Utah State’s own resources with David Lancy and Rebecca Tomlinson, who provide “Art in the Trobriand Islands: The Story of a Canoe Prow.” The speakers will discuss Trobriand culture and the famous Kula Ring rituals. The talk is illustrated with slides and film footage, as well as the beautiful canoe board and other examples of Trobriand art, Dixon said. The presentation is March 18 and begins at 6:30 p.m.

The final guest comes from the University of Arizona and has extensive experience in Native American studies and ethnology, Dixon said. Nancy Parezo presents “Navajo Sandpainting: From Religious Act to Art” April 8 at 4:30 p.m.

For information on the Anthropology and the Arts Series contact Dixon at (435) 797-7545.

January 26, 2004
Contact: Melanie Dixon (435) 797-7545

NEW FACULTY EXHIBITION “FRESH” TO BE PRESENTED AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY

LOGAN — “Fresh” is the title of an exhibition presented by new faculty in the department of art at Utah State University. The exhibit is shown in the Twain Tippetts Gallery in the Chase Fine Arts Center Feb. 5-27.

“Fresh” features work by five visual artists who are the newest faculty members of Utah State University’s art department. Eileen Doktorski, Danielle Foushee, JinMan Jo, Laura Johnson and Dan Murphy present work in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, ceramics and graphic art. Although the work is diverse in media and image, the artists are connected by their emphasis on personal experience, an intuitive response to material and a desire to convey emotion and presence, Doktorski said.

A public reception opens “Fresh” Thursday, Feb. 5, from 5-7 p.m. at the gallery. The Twain Tippetts Gallery is open for viewing Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1-5 p.m., and by appointment by calling (435) 797-3460.

Painter Laura Johnson received her master of fine arts degree from Indiana University and previously taught at Depauw University. Her large-scale, self-portraiture paintings result from her explorations of issues of female identity, displacement and the condition of being lovelorn, she said.

Sculptor Doktorski received her master of fine arts degree from the Yale School of Art and joined the Utah State faculty after teaching at Whitman College. Her bronze sculptures and mixed media installations are expressions of emotional conflict, she said.

“I use life-casting techniques to portray specific identity,” she said. “I cast mundane objects such as crinkled paper bags to evoke frustration and grief. In juxtaposing life-like casts I put a psychological twist on reality.”

Ceramic artist Dan Murphy received his master of fine arts from the University of Iowa. He conducted workshops at the Archie Bray Foundation, the University of Iowa and The Ohio University previous to teaching at Utah State. A variety of his ceramic vessels will be displayed in “Fresh.”

“By drawing, paddling and molding the clay, I am evoking a universal spirit such as that found in ancient pottery,” he said. “The resulting intuitive marks, enhanced by the effects of wood firing, communicate my presence in the finished pot.”

Sculptor JinMan Jo received his master of fine arts from the University of Iowa. His large-scale sculptures in wood and steel are his expressions of alienation and the loss of identity experienced in the modern world, he said. In a recent publication he wrote, “My work is like my diary; within it I express my anger and also my hope.”

Graphic artist Danielle Foushee received her master of fine arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art. Her works in “Fresh” range from a hand-bound book of personal photographs to a commissioned invitation for the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Fashion Club.

“A theme that tends to run through all my works is the importance of a lived, intuitive kind of experience which affects our lives more profoundly than any rational understanding of the world.”

January 26, 2004
Contact: Eileen Doktorski (435) 797-1397

NEW JAZZ GROUP TO PERFORM AT CAINE LYRIC THEATRE

LOGAN — The first concert by a new jazz band, the “Jazz Kicks Big Band,” is Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the Caine Lyric Theater in downtown Logan (28 W. Center) at 7:30 p.m. The band, led by recently retired Utah State University jazz professor Larry Smith, is made up of local musicians who get kicks from playing big band music, Smith said.

Sponsored by Utah State’s music department, the group rehearses on the Utah State campus. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for students and are available at the door.

With the exception of Utah State jazz band leaders Jon Gudmundson and Todd Fallis, the band members all played in the music department's Jazz Orchestra under Smith's direction while they were students at Utah State. Many of the musicians are members of the Crestmark Orchestra or are band directors at area secondary schools, or both.

Hot pieces to be played include Duke Ellington’s “Happy-Go-Lucky Local,” Buddy Rich’s “Groovin’ Hard,” Gordon Goodwin’s “Count Bubba,” Gerry Mulligan’s “42nd and Broadway” and Count Basie’s “Jessica’s Day,” Smith said.

The band includes saxophonists Greg Wheeler, Ken Peterson, Larry Smith, Mike Reeder and Jon Gudmundson; trumpeters Hal Briggs, Wayne Eshelman, J. Paul Ward and David Defa; trombonists J. Golden Ward, Roger Karren, Andrew Watkins and Todd Fallis; pianist Kate Skinner, guitarist Jesse Schaefer, bassist Josh Skinner and drummer Doug James. Smith's daughter, Monica Fronk, is the vocalist.

January 26, 2004
Contact: Larry Smith (435) 752-0817

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT RELEASES COURSE ON TAPE

LOGAN — Utah State University President Kermit L. Hall released a series of 14 recorded lectures as part of The Modern Scholar series titled “The Law of The Land: A History of the Supreme Court.”

Hall’s lectures were taped in New York City at Recorded Books and cover issues that include the high court’s decision making process, its’ traditions, the justices and the impact on American life. The course also examines the history of the Supreme Court and landmark cases, including Lochner v. New York and Nixon v. United States.

“The Modern Scholar series offers students the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s greatest living professors,” said John Alexander of Recorded Books. “We’re thrilled to have Dr. Hall involved in our project. He’s a nationally recognized name.”

Hall was invited to participate in the project and is in the company of professors from Harvard, Stanford and Boston University. Fran Titchener, a professor in the Utah State history department, also has her own set of lectures in the series titled “A History of Ancient Rome.”

Hall’s lectures are available at Barnes and Noble in April or by calling 1-800-636-3399 or by visiting www.modernscholar.com.

January 21, 2004
Contact: Whitney Wilkinson (435) 797-8286, whitney.wilkinson@usu.edu

UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 01-23-04

VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM CONTINUES AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY WITH INTERNATIONAL GUEST

LOGAN — Video and projection artist Krzysztof Wodiczko is the next guest in the Visiting Artist Program at Utah State University. The program is coordinated by the department of art.

Wodiczko will be in residence Feb. 2-4. He will present a public lecture Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 2 p.m. in the Eccles Conference Center, room 216. The artist will discuss his work, and the presentation includes slides, a DVD and a video. He will also meet with students and interested members of the community in an informal discussion after the lecture and again Wednesday morning, Feb. 4.

Wodiczko was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1943 and lives and works in New York and Boston. He is a professor of visual arts at MIT where he now heads the Interrogative Design Group and is director of ACT, the Center for Art, Culture and Technology. From 1995 to 1997 he was director of the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT. He is internationally known for his large scale slide and video projections on architectural facades and monuments.

“Krzysztof Wodiczko employs new technology to transform existing monuments and public spaces into sculptures,” said Marilyn Krannich, Visting Artist Program director. “His themes include homelessness, militarization, xenophobia and survival. Through his work he addresses issues pertinent to both local and global communities, heightening awareness of our time.”

His projects have been exhibited at the Bienal de Sao Paulo (1965, 1967, 1985), Documenta (1977, 1987), the Venice Biennale (1986, 2000) and the Whitney Biennial (2000). In 1988, he was awarded the Hiroshima Peace Prize, an award given once every three years to an artist whose work demonstrates high achievement in international contemporary art and who has also contributed to world peace.

“Our program brings artists working in a variety of media and with varied backgrounds to Utah State University,” said Krannich. “Now, with both nationally and internationally known artists, we are trying to broaden our students’ view of the art world and to create a larger world context for them and their artwork.”

Other guests in this spring’s program include printmaker Alfredo Benavidez Bedoya (from Argentina) March 1-5 and sculptor Patrick Dougherty March 22-24. These guests were selected for their national and international reputations, for the ways in which their art reflects diversity with respect to the media used and their diverse backgrounds, Krannich said.

Many of the guests in the Visiting Artist Program spend up to a week at Utah State working with students. Some present a workshop, attend a graduate seminar, or critique student work in a group or in one-on-one sessions. This opportunity for interaction between artists and the students is invaluable, Krannich concluded.

The Visiting Artist Program is supported by a grant from the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Utah Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Utah Arts Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information about the Visiting Artist Program, contact Krannich at 435-797-7373.

January 23, 2004
Contact: Marilyn Krannich (435) 797-7373

THE BATTLE FOR MIDDLE EARTH IS OVER; THE BATTLE FOR THEBES BEGINS

LOGAN —“Antigone is young. She would much rather live than die. But there is no help for it. When you are on the side of the gods against the tyrant, the purity against the corruption — when, in short, your name is Antigone, there is only one part you can play.”

Utah State Theatre (UST), the production program in the department of theatre at Utah State University, presents Lewis Galantiere’s translation of Jean Anouilh’s play that was adapted from the original Greek tragedy by Sophocles. Directed by Kevin Doyle, the play will be performed in the Morgan Theatre in the Chase Fine Arts Center on the Utah State campus Feb. 5-7, with both a matinee and evening showing on Feb. 7. The production continues the following week, Feb. 13 and 14. Evening performances will be at 7:30 p.m., and the matinee begins at 2 p.m.

Tickets for the Utah State Theatre production range from $7 to $10. Utah State students are admitted free with a valid ID and a have a ticket for admission. Children under the age of 6 are not admitted. For ticket information, call (435) 797-3046. For general inquiries, call (435) 797-1500 or visit UST on the Web at www.usu.edu/theatre.

Outside the gates of splendid Thebes, two corpses lie, waiting for judgment in the classic story. The bodies are those of two brothers, the sons of Oedipus. One died in an attempt to protect the city, the other to besiege it. Their uncle, King Creon, has decreed that one shall receive a hero’s funeral, the other, a traitor’s doom. Their sister, Antigone, cannot bear this harsh announcement because she knows that without a proper funeral her brother’s soul will be condemned to damnation. Thus, the epic tragedy’s stage is set. Antigone must either obey the decree to the everlasting torment of her brother’s soul, or she must rebel against the king to follow her moral conscience.

“To make it more meaningful for a 2004 audience we are working to strip away any presentationalism,” said Doyle. “We’re working at making it seem possible today but, at the same time, we’re not working at ‘modernizing’ it. We aren’t slipping in any present day icons (computers, phones, etc.), although characters mention modern things like cars.”

The set is designed by Darrin Brooks of the interior design faculty (also in the design program in the theatre department), and he has based his design on the themes mentioned, along with architectural designs that provide a sense of line and strength and timeliness, Doyle said.

Sophocles is said to have written 123 plays, of which only seven have survived. His 32nd play, “Antigone,” was written in 442 B.C. and was considered his best work. The play continued success into the 19th century, as it was performed frequently in London. In 1844 a production was brought to New York and has been produced in various forms and for a number of purposes. Jean Cocteau wrote a musical version in 1930. Political use of the play is widespread, including protests against both WWI and WWII.

Utah State Theatre’s production of the Greek tragedy is from the play by Jean Anouilh, adapted by Galantiere. Anouilh’s treatment of the subject was written and produced in Paris in 1943. The play had to receive the sanction of a German censor before it could be performed in the presence of the German State Police.

“Why rewrite Sophocles?” asked Galantiere. “Each age is entitled to its own Antigone,” the adapter said in his notes.

“The most appealing parts of this production are the ideas presented and argued,” Doyle said. “It has a straightforward approach to universal questions — who is responsible for acts that affect others? Should seemingly illegal and destructive decisions be made for the protection of society as a whole? A great part of these arguments is that they are not necessarily presented by super-good or super-bad characters. We hope the audience will consider both of the arguments and realize issues are not always as cut-and-dried as one side or another tries to make them out to be. And, like all good tragedy, a supreme sacrifice has to be made for a principle to be realized.”

UST’s production of “Antigone” includes students from all facets of Utah State Theatre. Portraying the Greek heroine Antigone is Jessica Dilley (“Anton in Show Business”), a senior in the theatre secondary education program at Utah State. Her character faces conflicts with the infamous Creon, portrayed by Lanny Langston (“Child of Frankenstein”), a senior in the performance program. Antigone’s sister, Ismene, is played by Melissa Thoreson (“Anton in Show Business”). Richie Call (“The Beaux Stratagem”) takes on the character of Haemon, Antigone’s fiancé. The cast is rounded out with key characters played by Allison Hawkes, Amber Dawn Zane, Ryan Hall, Nick Hutchinson, Lori Wilkinson and Christina Hamilton.

January 23, 2004
Contact: Jeremy Gordon (435) 797-1500
Kevin Doyle (435) 797-3022

GUEST GUITARIST PERFORMS AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY

LOGAN — The guitar program in the department of music at Utah State University hosts guest artist Ricardo Cobo in a solo concert Thursday, Feb. 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Auditorium. His appearance is made possible through a grant from the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation. The concert is the classical guitar offering for the year.

Tickets for the concert are available at the door. Admission is $5 and Utah State students with current ID are admitted free.

A classical guitarist, Cobo was until recently director of guitar studies at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, said Utah State’s guitar program director Mike Christiansen.

“Ricardo has quite a performance and competition winning background,” Christiansen said. “He was here in the late 1980s for a performance, and we’ve invited him again.”

With many talented guitarists performing today, Christiansen said he doesn’t have many “repeaters” at Utah State. Cobo is an exception.

“Ricardo has won many competitions, appeared at numerous festivals and has numerous competitions under his belt,” Christiansen said. “His concerts are notable because of the diversity of the repertoire. He always includes a nice mix.”

Christiansen also spoke highly of Cobo’s technical ability, especially his tone.

“He plays with such a great tone — the audience will easily hear each note,” he said. “He can play with the quality of a lullaby and then with the fire of a marching band.”

In addition to his concert, Cobo will present a workshop the same day (Feb. 5). This workshop is open to the public, and those interested in attending should contact Christiansen at (435) 797-3011.

Cobo’s resume shows he has been involved in both American and Latin American musical life for a number of seasons. A native of Colombia, he made his television debut in 1978 at age 17, when he was invited by the Orquesta Filarmonia de Bogata to perform as soloist on a nationwide broadcast for an audience of more than nine million people.

Cobo has earned four gold medals in such prestigious competitions as the 1987 Guitar Foundation of America, the 1986 Casa de Espana in Puerto Rico, the 1987 M.T.N.A. in New York and the 1990 International “Alirio Diaz” Competition in Venezuela. He is credited with being the first Latin American to win the GFA award.

Soundboard Magazine summed up Cobo’s numerous positive reviews when it wrote, “Truly remarkable ... impeccable playing ... He is a young artist with all the stuff it takes, and more.”

January 23, 2004
Contact: Mike Christiansen (435) 797-3011
Writer: Patrick Williams (435) 797-1354

UTAH STATE BLUE LIGHT HONORS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS

LOGAN — To demonstrate pride in the many accomplishments of Utah State University faculty, staff and students, the Utah State Blue Pride Light will be turned on Monday, Jan. 26, and the Carillon Bells will ring at 1:05 p.m.. Every four months the university designates a Blue Pride Light Night to recognize individuals for outstanding achievements.

Honorees this quarter are English professor Christopher Cokinos; Todd Fallis, music professor; assistant dean for continuing education and special education and rehabilitation professor Ronda Menlove; agricultural systems technology and education professor Bruce Miller; and Jennifer Peeples, speech languages and philosophy professor.

Cokinos was awarded a Whiting Writers’ Award for his work “Hope is the Thing with Feathers: A Personal Chronicle of Vanished Birds.” As one of 10 national recipients, Cokinos received $35,000 for the award, which is given annually to emerging writers of exceptional talent and promise. Former president of the Kansas Audubon Council, Cokinos drew on his knowledge of the natural world to write the book. Published by Tarcher/Putnam in 2000, it chronicles the decline and extinction of the Carolina parakeet, Labrador duck, great auk, ivory-billed woodpecker, heath hen and passenger pigeon.

Fallis and Miller are newly appointed full professors who participated in the Utah State Inaugural Professor Lecture series. The series is part of an on going effort to increase the visibility of outstanding scholarship on campus and to recognize the unique contribution of newly promoted full professors to their discipline and to the community of scholars influenced by their work. All newly promoted full professors are invited to participate in the program.

As an assistant dean and professor, Menlove trains special education teachers around Utah. Nationally, and throughout Utah, there are critical shortages of special education teachers. In an effort to address this need, Menlove works closely with the Utah State Office of Education and local school districts to train special education teachers via distance education. She has received more than half a million dollars from the USOE to support this training, and she shares her expertise through publications and national presentations. Menlove currently serves as president-elect of the American Council on Rural Special Education.

Peeples received the Golden Anniversary Monograph Award at the National Communication Association convention. She received the award, along with co-author Kevin DeLuca of the University of Georgia, for the research article “From Public Screen: Democracy, Activism, and the Lessons of Seattle.” The Golden Anniversary Monograph Award is a national research award given to the best research article of the year published in any of the communication disciplines.

The Utah State Blue Pride Light atop Old Main lights the Cache Valley night sky as a symbol of Aggie tradition, heritage and pride. The outstanding professors, staff and students honored are a part of this heritage and contribute to the high quality of Utah State.

January 23, 2004
Contact: John DeVilbiss (435) 797-1358
Writer: Maren Cartwright (435) 797-1355

UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 01-22-04

ASK A SPECIALIST: AS A CONSUMER, I’M CONCERNED ABOUT MAD COW DISEASE. CAN YOU GIVE ME INFORMATION?

With recent information that has surfaced, it is natural to have concerns about mad cow disease and the affect it may have on consumers. Because this concern involves our food supply, consumers should certainly become informed. However, they should recognize that on the basis of statistics or risk analysis, they are at a much lower risk of any problems related to mad cow disease than they are when they enter the shower, ride in a car or plane or attend a public function.
The following are commonly asked questions about mad cow disease.

• What is BSE?

Commonly called mad cow disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a disease of cattle which causes a degeneration of brain tissue, inability to move or function normally and eventual death.

• What causes BSE?

It is caused by a small piece of protein called a prion in the cattle’s brain that interferes with brain functioning and gradually spreads within the brain.

• Does BSE affect humans?

Yes. The disease in man is called “new variant CJD” or variant Creutzfeldt Jakob disease. There have been approximately 150 people affected, most from the United Kingdom where BSE originated. All those afflicted with vCJD had the same genetic structure. This appears to indicate that those who do not carry this specific genetic makeup may have increased resistance to the disease.

• How is it transmitted?

The transmission from cattle to humans comes from humans eating infected tissues or contaminated meat products. BSE was amplified in U.K. cattle by feeding rendered meat and bone meal from infected, slaughtered cattle to non-infected, live cattle. The cattle tissues that are infective are brain, spinal cord and the retina of the eye. These tissues may contaminate other non-infected tissues through mishandling or mixing.

• What is the incubation period?

The incubation period in cattle is usually 2 1/2 to 6 years, so the peak of disease occurs in cattle 4-5 years old. In man, the incubation period is thought to be 8 to 10 years, but could be twice that long or longer.

• Why is age at slaughter an important consideration in regard to risk of BSE?

Because of the long incubation period, infected cattle have rarely been found at less than 30 months of age. Approximately 80 percent of the cattle slaughtered in the U.S. are under 30 months old and would not be potential transmitters, even if the disease were present in this country. Most cattle are slaughtered at 12-18 months of age.

• Why is the concern for BSE different than that of other pathogens in regard to food safety?

The protein that causes BSE is not destroyed by the usual cooking methods that would control bacterial or viral foodborne illnesses. Although the protein does not multiply and increase in numbers during storage, it must be kept completely out of the food supply.

• Should I stop serving beef to my family?

Beef remains an economical source of valuable nutrients, and the risk of buying beef containing BSE is extremely low to nonexistent. Most roasts and steaks found in stores are from young animals that are not potential problems. Controls are in place for handling meat from older animals.

• What protective measures have been implemented to maximize food safety?

- Importing live cattle or ruminant animal products has long been prohibited from countries that have BSE.
- Feeding meat and bone meal from cattle back to cattle has been prohibited since 1997.
- Brain tissue has been tested for many years on cattle that are most likely to have BSE, especially those showing impaired brain function. More than 20,000 cattle were tested in 2003 and that is how the one case was found. More testing will now be required.
- Disabled cattle are now prohibited from entering the human food supply.
- Tissues at risk of contaminating are now prohibited for human food consumption. Butchering methods are being modified in older animals to not include the backbone. This will avoid contamination from the spinal cord.
- A new system of animal identification will be implemented. This will provide information if an animal tests positive or is even a suspected BSE case. The animal can then be traced to its farm or ranch of origin. Then other infected animals can be prevented from entering the food market.

• Most of the information and regulations have come nationally from the USDA and FDA. What about cattle slaughtered in Utah?

Utah has a meat inspection system equal in requirements to the USDA national system

• What can I do, as a consumer, to protect myself and my family?

Become informed. Ask questions about procedures or issues you don’t understand. Your local County Extension office can help you find information. If you become aware of actual or potential violations in the feeding or marketing system, contact the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to report your concern. Realize, also, that this is a complex topic, and some media reports may have details omitted. Often those details would further explain why some actions were or were not taken.

Visit http://extension.usu.edu/cooperative/aska/ to see other Ask A Specialist columns.

Direct column topics to Julene Reese, Utah State University Extension, Logan, UT 84322-0500, 435-760-9302; julener@ext.usu.edu

Jan. 22, 2004
Answer by: Utah State University Extension Committee on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE): Clell V. Bagley, veterinarian; Charlotte Brennand, food safety specialist; DeeVon Bailey, economics/markets specialist; Ruby Ward, agribusiness specialist; and Dale Zobell, beef specialist

UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 01-21-04

USU PROFESSOR RECEIVES GRANT FROM THE KENNETH A. SCOTT FOUNDATION

LOGAN – Dr. Frank Ascione, professor of psychology at Utah State University, received an $84,728 research grant from the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust Foundation to develop an international handbook of theory research on animal abuse and cruelty. This was the largest donation from the foundation to support a single individual’s research.

The handbook will focus on topics related to all forms of animal maltreatment and will be written by an internationally representative group of scholars actively involved in research and theory development related to animal abuse.

“There is a critical need for an academic, educational resource directed toward undergraduate and graduate students and professionals in animal welfare,” said Ascione. “This handbook will distill existing research and point toward future developments and areas in need of exploration.”

The availability of this resource will be especially valuable to those whose academic and professional pursuits are focused on understanding, preventing and intervening in cases where the welfare of animals has been jeopardized by intentional abuse, said Ascione. This resource will help validate and affirm the importance of animal abuse as a topic worthy of scholarly attention.

“The money received from this grant will bring more attention to this problem, and I hope it will encourage more scientists to focus their research on understanding animal abuse,” said Ascione.

Gerry Giordiano, dean of the College of Education, said Dr. Ascione’s research on animal abuse has been in the forefront for many years.

“He is one of the international scholars in this area of research, and his work is truly significant,” said Giordiano.

January 21, 2004
Contact: Frank R. Ascione (435) 797-1464
Writer: Danielle London (435) 797-1351


UTAH STATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPICES UP CAFETERIA CUISINE WITH “LITTLE BLUE LUNCHEON”

LOGAN – Round tables, “Chef Heather,” nutritious, yummy food and eager, well-mannered children will all be part of the “Little Blue Luncheon” at the Edith Bowen Laboratory School at Utah State University.

The luncheon will be held Thursday, Jan. 22 and Thursday, Jan.29, at 11:30 a.m. to provide children with an exciting dining adventure teaching nutritional skills and encouraging healthy eating habits and good manners.

“Edith Bowen has put nutrition in the forefront of its curriculum, and has created an innovative environment for children,” said Darlene Sanchez, chief of school nutrition programs in the Denver U.S. Department of Agriculture office.

Edith Bowen develops programs and learning models that can be used in elementary schools across the nation. Its school lunch program was named 2000 Regional Best Practices award winner by the USDA.

“The program, as evidenced by the accolades it has received, is a complete success,” said Edith Bowen Principal Kaye Rhees. The program was also singled out by Sanchez for using college students in Utah State’s Culinary Arts/Food Service Management program and the Dietetics program in the College of Agriculture to complement the lab school’s educational mission.

“The partnership is definitely a win-win situation providing students with hands-on experience while presenting children with delicious and attractive food encounters of the best kind,” said Sanchez.

“Chef Heather,” as the kids call the trained, full-time chef who runs the lunch line, is another important aspect of the program. She has worked at the school since Rhees decided that her school lunch program needed to become an integral part of the kids’ learning experience.

Kids at Edith Bowen are eating healthy food that tastes and looks good, and the program functions under the same National School Lunch guidelines that all schools must adhere to. Edith Bowen maintains the same budgets as the local school districts and keeps costs low using the same government commodities in inventive ways.

January 21, 2004
Contact: Whitney Wilkinson (435) 797-8286, whitney.wilkinson@usu.edu
Writer: Melissa Petersen (435) 797-1351, mlpetersen@cc.usu.edu


UTAH STATE MEMORY STUDY FINDS ANTIOXIDANTS REDUCE RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S

LOGAN – Vitamins E and C may protect the aging brain against Alzheimer’s disease, according to a Utah State University-based study published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s “Archives of Neurology.” The Cache County Study on Memory, Health and Aging, a collaborative effort with researchers at Duke and Johns Hopkins universities and the University of Washington, is one of the largest ongoing studies of its kind.

“We found a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease in people who take a combination of the antioxidant vitamin supplements E and C,” said Maria Norton, Utah State director of the study and coauthor with Peter Zandi of Johns Hopkins University.

More than 5,000 elderly residents of Cache County, Utah, were assessed from 1995 to 1997 for dementia and Alzheimer’s, and surviving participants were assessed again from 1998 to 2000 for new onset of these conditions. Participants were also asked about their use of vitamin supplements and other medications.

“We identified 200 cases of Alzheimer’s disease at the start of the study and, among those who were re-interviewed three years later, we identified 104 new Alzheimer’s cases,” said Norton.

The study found a significantly reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease among participants reporting combined use of vitamins E and C supplements, she said. However, the study saw no evidence of a protective effect with the use of vitamin E or C supplements alone, multivitamins alone or with vitamin B-complex supplements. Since almost all study participants who took the supplements had been using them for at least two years, it was not possible to determine whether shorter duration use would be as protective.

“Our data suggest a potentially significant public health benefit from the use of vitamin E and C supplements taken together, but formal proof of such an effect can come only from randomized prevention trials,” Norton said. “The Cache County Study provides strong evidence that such trials are warranted.”

Researchers credit the dedication of community participants in this ongoing study with making these important initial results possible.

Jan. 21, 2004
Contacts: Maria Norton, Department of Family, Consumer and Human Development and Utah State University study director, 435-797-0613, maria.Norton@usu.edu
JoAnn Tschanz, Department of Psychology and Utah State co-director, 435-797-2491, joannt@cc.usu.edu
Writer: Nadene Steinhoff, nadene.Steinhoff@usu.edu, 435-797-1429

UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 01-20-04

NORA ECCLES HARRISON MUSEUM OF ART SURVEYS PAINTER CHARLES GARABEDIAN

LOGAN — An exhibition of works on paper by California-based artist Charles Garabedian opens Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art at Utah State University.

Garabedian, though unfamiliar to most in Utah, is a celebrated senior member of the American art scene. Born and raised in Detroit, Garabedian served in the U.S. Air Force (1942-1945) and rose to the rank of staff sergeant, before completing a master of fine arts degree at the University of California in Los Angeles. He has since been included in dozens of exhibitions, is represented in public and private collections around the world, and was awarded several prestigious awards, including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (1977) and a Guggenheim Fellowship (1979).

“This octogenarian’s artwork is a veritable visual reaction to and reflection of his daily life — originally intuitive and unstudied, more recently contemplative and literary,” said NEH museum director Victoria Rowe.

“Charles Garabedian: Works on Paper, 1965-2001” features nearly 30 paintings, ranging from small- to large-scale. The artworks are crowded compositions, often featuring richly colored and fanciful figures in action. His earlier works are narrative, inspired by experiences during the Second World War as staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.

“There is a sense of tragedy that results from the suggestion of — and not the depiction of — aggression and violence,” Rowe said. “Viewers see the consequences of conflict, a subject of persistent awareness of the artist and society; and sometimes, there is a comic insertion of incongruent elements.”

More recent works are based upon Garabedian’s reading of Homer’s “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey,” and reveal a decidedly modern interpretation of the Grecian characters in imagined landscapes.

The exhibition “Charles Garabedian: Works on Paper, 1965-2001” remains on display through May 1.

The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (650 North 1100 East, Logan, Utah 84322, (435) 797-0163, Fax (435) 797-3423, www.artmuseum.usu.edu) is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.; Wednesday 10:30 a.m.- 8 p.m.; and Saturday noon-5 p.m. The museum is closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays. Admission is free and parking is $4 (free after 3:45 pm). For more information or to schedule a tour of the museum, call (435) 797-0165. The museum is accessible to persons with disabilities.

January 20, 2004
Contact: Jay Heuman (435) 797-0165

MEDIA ALERT: COLLEGE OF SCIENCE HOSTS PRESIDENT ELECT OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

LOGAN — The Utah State University College of Science is hosting Dr. John Nelson, president-elect of the American Medical Association, on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Nelson will visit with students, faculty and staff to discuss several topics in the area of healthcare and will present a seminar, “Future of Healthcare in the United States,” at 4 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Auditorium on the Utah State campus. The seminar is free and open to the public.

“There is a real dearth of physicians of color in the United States at the present time,” said Dr. Nelson. “There is also documented evidence that patients of color do not fare as well in our healthcare system even when clinical guidelines are followed, and we need to know why this is so.”

While visiting campus Dr. Nelson will also visit with the Utah State pre-health advisors, sit in on a human physiology class, visit with the dean of the College of Science and the department head for biology and attend a dinner and presentation with pre-med student leaders.

For more information, or to arrange interview time with Dr. Nelson, contact Joel Kincart, College of Science development director, at (435) 797-3510.

January 20, 2004
Contact: Joel Kincart (435) 797-3510
Writer: Maren Cartwright (435) 797-1355

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