July 30, 2003 News Releases
Released 7/29/03 & 7/28/03
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 07-29-03
BEAR SAFETY 101
LOGAN, UT — A recent bear encounter in Rocky Mountain
National Park left two campers with torn scalps. And as hikers,
campers and picnickers head to national parks and wilderness
areas for summer vacations, run-ins with bears won't be far
behind, according to Utah State University professor Barrie
Gilbert.
"Bear conflicts have escalated in recent years, putting
recreationists at risk," said Gilbert. He believes that
an understanding of bear motivations will help prevent problems.
"These long lived, intelligent animals will eat just about
anything," said the longtime bear advocate. "They
search out interesting smells, including our picnic lunches
and garbage. In places like Yellowstone they are responding
to drought, food scarcity and extreme hunger, taking up residence
near people and buildings."
After bears start eating human food they lose their fear of
people and it's sometimes difficult to frighten them away, he
said. "They are thought of as problem bears, and problem
bears are expensive, time consuming and dangerous. Most are
eventually killed, and so it’s important to learn how
to avoid encounters before heading out."
Although few black bears attack people, they can inflict serious
injury when they do, Gilbert said. The bear specialist should
know, having barely survived a deadly attack by a grizzly 23
years ago in the Yellowstone backcountry.
"Campers and backpackers can help prevent attacks by reducing
attractive smells, including oily or high-fat food, garbage
and pet food," Gilbert said.
"Store food securely, away from the reach of bears. Bears
that remain near buildings or campsites should be viewed as
threats."
Shouting will sometimes deter a bear, but if possible, contact
experienced park rangers or guides, he said. "Never run
from a bear, as that can incite chasing behavior. Parents should
keep a close eye on children, as they are particularly at risk."
"Bears are really very accommodating," Gilbert said.
"People talk of wildlife management, but it's really people
management."
Gilbert has spent three decades working with animals in the
wild as a researcher, conservationist, teacher and specialist
in animal behavior.
July 29, 2003
Writer: Nadene Steinhoff, nadene.steinhoff@usu.edu, 435-797-1429
Contact: Barrie Gilbert, bgilbert@cc.usu.edu, (435) 797-2540
SCAMS HITTING
RURAL AREAS
LOGAN — While the national "no-call" list
promises an end to an unwanted flood of telemarketing calls,
it isn't safe to pick up the phone just yet. While most people
are familiar with free trips and zero-percent credit card offers,
rural Utahns are also getting hit by chemical sales fraud. Farmers
and ranchers end up spending thousands of dollars on supposedly
legitimate insecticides and herbicides that turn out to be watered-down
versions that don’t work.
According to Barbara Rowe, Utah State University Extension family
resource management specialist, the name of the product may
change but the pitch is always the same testimonial of how good
a product is but there is no data or scientific evidence to
back those claims. Sometimes a community leader may even lend
voice to the testimonial. When or if the 55-gallon drum of the
product arrives the telephone solicitor is long gone with the
farmer’s money.
Rowe suggests that both rural and urban consumers follow this
check-list when dealing with solicitors.
• Be skeptical and suspicious of any unsolicited telephone
calls, mail or advertisements you receive with information on
a product, service or business opportunity. If the seller's
product or service is so great and available at such a low price,
why is the telephone solicitor giving you the hard sell? Why
isn't it available through regular retail channels?
• If someone tries to sell you anything over the phone,
don't make decisions quickly. Get the company's address and
phone number so you can verify them. Ask how the caller got
your name. Insist on several company references and on the products
they are selling. Ask how long the company has been in business
(If the answer is less than one year, take it as a red light
warning). Will they send you a brochure or written information
on the company and its product? Don't let the caller get away
with an explanation about how you must buy "at this moment
to get the best price."
• Play dumb. Ask if the caller would be willing to explain
the proposal to your local Extension agent, state Department
of Commerce official or local district attorney. Does the company
have a money-back guarantee on its product and will they send
you a copy of it?
• Beware of any companies that operate solely through
the telephone or Internet but have no "bricks and mortar"
location. Ask if it is possible to buy the products on-site.
• If you have Internet access, check the Department of
Commerce Web site (www.commerce.utah.gov/dcp/enforcement/index.html
or call (801) 530-6601. Have there been any complaints filed
against this company? An absence of complaints doesn't mean
the caller is legitimate, but you might find out if a scam is
in the works. Also, if the company is not listed at all, this
could be a waning sign.
• Are all claims about the product in writing? Make sure
you carefully analyze all the information you can gather before
you buy from someone you don’t know. It is important to
arrive at a correct decision based on what you know as a hard
fact rather than an assumption.
• Don't allow yourself to be pressured. The more time
you take to think about an offer, the better the odds are that
you will make a correct decision. Do not go against what you
know to be true.
• Finally, don't ever give your bank account number,
Social Security number, credit card number or other account
information to someone you don’t know. Be suspicious of
anybody asking for those items.
We all want to believe that scams only happen to others. In
reality, virtually everyone is a potential prospect for a scam,
Rowe says. Scams have touched the rich, famous, educated, poor
and wealthy. Awareness is the first step in prevention. It is
important that you report your suspicions or your evidence to
as many agencies as possible. As each complaint is logged and
dated with an agency, a stronger case is built.
If you think you are involved in a fraudulent situation, or
have purchased a fraudulent product, you may want to file a
complaint. To get further assistance or more information on
the situation:
1. Call your local Extension office. It often knows if others
have been caught in some kind of scam.
2. Call the Utah Department of Commerce Consumer Protection
Division (801) 530-6601. It will accept your complaint and they
will investigate, sometimes prosecuting.
3. Call your local district attorney. If the fraud was committed
locally, you can be a catalyst to starting an investigation
and possibly getting your money returned.
4. Notify the State Attorney General's Office. The Attorney
General's office works closely with the Division of Consumer
Protection to investigate and prosecute violations of laws that
prohibit deception, fraud or misrepresentation in the sale or
advertisement of goods and services.
5. Call (801) 892-6009 or email the Better Business Bureau (info@utah.bbb.org).
You can call the BBB about possible scams, but it has no power
to investigate or prosecute. The BBB has office in many cities
all over the country, so check not only Utah’s BBB, but
the BBB in the city and state where the company may be located
(http//www.utah.bbb.org)
If you wish to register your telephone number with the national
'do not call registry' go to www.donotcall.gov. You can register
both your cell and home phone numbers free. If you register
before Aug. 31, 2003, telemarketers must stop calling after
Oct. 1, 2003. If you register after Sept. 1, 2003, telemarketers
must stop calling three months after you register.
July 29, 2003
Writer: Dennis Hinkamp, 435-797-1392
Contact: Barbara R. Rowe, 435-797-1535
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 07-28-03
GENEROUS GRANT
AWARDED TO THE EARLY INTERVENTION RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT UTAH
STATE UNIVERSITY
LOGAN — The Early Intervention Research Institute at
the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University
has been awarded $1.1 million a year for three years to build
and improve community-based systems of care for children with
special health needs.
The main goal of the cooperative agreement, "Champions
for Progress Center," is to assist state leaders in organizing
services that families can find and use easily.The strategy
is for community-based systems to achieve six core outcomes
that include family participation, access to affordable insurance,
early and continuous screening and services necessary for a
successful transition to adulthood.
The mandate for the cooperative agreement is derived from "Delivering
on the Promise," President Bush's New Freedom Initiative,
which also emphasizes the importance of creating community-based
systems of care.
The Champions for Progress Center will help states develop the
capacity to coordinate and integrate these systems of care by
implementing measurement and monitoring strategies, providing
support for efforts surrounding the six core outcomes and developing
an online resource center.
"We will conduct state technical assistance via meetings
across the country and establish a web portal designed to collect
and share information and to provide technical assistance for
states and communities," said Richard Roberts, principal
investigator for the new center.
Helping states develop and enhance public and private partnerships
and coordinate their state plans and activities will be included
in the center’s efforts.
"We are honored to have received this cooperative agreement,"
said Roberts. "All of the staff on this project have had
personal and professional experience with children with special
needs and their families and are dedicated to this work."
July 28, 2003
Contact: Richard Roberts, (435) 797-3346
Writer: Jody Long, (435) 797-1350
PUBLIC LECTURES
OFFERED AT EVANS BIOGRAPHY WORKSHOP AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
LOGAN — Two public lectures on the topic of biography
writing will be offered at Utah State University.
Levi S. Peterson, noted Utah author and educator, will present
the keynote address at the Evans Biography Workshop on the Utah
State campus, Monday, Aug. 4, at 2 p.m. His topic will be "In
Favor of Candor in the Writing of Biography and Autobiography."
Possessed of a keen sense of humor and a perceptive view of
the human drama, Peterson will provide an insightful and delightful
afternoon, workshop organizers said. The lecture will be presented
in room 202 of the Nutrition and Food Sciences building at the
corner of 700 North and 1200 East in Logan. A discussion session
and a reception follow the lecture.
Peterson is a retired Weber State University English professor
and former visiting editor of "Western American Literature."
He won the 1987 Evans Biography Award for his biography "Juanita
Brooks: Mormon Woman Historian." He is also well known
as a novelist ("The Backslider" and "Aspen Marooney"),
short story writer and is associate editor of "Dialogue:
A Journal of Mormon Thought."
A second lecture will be presented by Ron Barney, last year's
winner of the Evans Award for his book "One Side by Himself:
The Life and Times of Lewis Barney, 1808-1894." Barney’s
presentation is Wednesday, Aug. 6, in Old Main room 115 at 7
p.m. He will discuss the process of writing biography and family
history.
Barney is senior archivist and supervisor of research and publications
at the archives of the Family and Church History Department
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Evans Biography Workshop is a five-day event aimed at fostering
the writing of biography, autobiography and family history.
The David W. and Beatrice C. Evans family, which has long been
devoted to the encouragement and improvement of Western biography
and family history writing, is funding the workshop. The annual
Evans Biography Awards, administered by Utah State University's
Mountain West Center for Regional Studies, are another Evans
family project.
The workshop runs Aug. 4 - 8 and is open to the public. Workshop
instructors include Utah State professors Michael Nicholls,
Ross Peterson, Jennifer Sinor and Leonard Rosenband. Also teaching
will be USU Press Editor John Alley, business historian Howard
Carlisle, university archivist Robert Parson, pioneer historian
Susan A. Madsen and folklorist Elaine Thatcher.
For information on the workshop and lectures, call the Mountain
West Center at (435) 797-3630.
July 28, 2003
Contact: Mountain West Center (435) 797-3630
YOUTH CONSERVATORY
HOLDS REGISTRATION AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
LOGAN — Utah State University's nationally accredited
Youth Conservatory (YC) is celebrating 25 years serving young
pianists in Cache Valley and announces its fall registration
for new and returning students. A registration open house is
Tuesday, Aug. 5.
"The Youth Conservatory was founded by Utah State's internationally
known professor Gary Amano to offer comprehensive piano instruction
to young people and practicum experience to USU piano majors,"
said YC program coordinator Brooke Reynolds. "The Youth
Conservatory has instructed thousands of piano students since
its inception in 1978."
Parents interested in more information about the YC can attend
a 30-minute program orientation, Tuesday, Aug. 5, which will
begin in the Kent Concert Hall lobby area. Parents can also
call the YC office for information. Registration is most easily
completed during the registration open house Aug. 5 from 6–7
p.m. in the lobby (students should accompany parents to registration
for placement testing). However, registration may also be completed
over the phone or by mail. There is limited space and YC classes
and lessons are filled on a first-come, first-served basis,
so interested families are encouraged to attend the registration
on Aug. 5 to ensure a spot for fall semester. Last year the
YC did fill all private lesson spots and kept a waiting list
for several weeks, Reynolds said.
A second registration will be held Tuesday, Aug. 26, from 6–7
p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall lobby if there are still spots
available. For more information, call the YC office at (435)
797-3018.
The YC has grown over the years and early faculty members contributed
to its success. Among the early faculty members was Dianne Hardy.
"Dianne was amazing," said Dianna Hirst, a parent
of early YC students. "My children — now in their
30s — still remember how fun her classes were. She made
learning fun, yet her students were extremely well-taught."
This fall, the YC enthusiastically welcomes Hardy back to the
program, Reynolds said. Since leaving Utah State, Hardy attended
the University of Oklahoma where she earned a doctorate in music
education and piano pedagogy and was an associate professor
of music at Dickinson State University. She also authored several
texts, presented lectures at national music conferences and
founded and directed programs similar to the Youth Conservatory
in other states.
"Dr. Hardy is dynamite, and we are very fortunate to have
her back with us," said Utah State assistant professor
(and once-YC student) Dennis Hirst. "She will definitely
bring major, positive contributions to the program."
Hardy is a specialist in many pedagogical aspects of piano teaching,
including pre-school and kindergarten music instruction. The
YC will offer pre-school and kindergarten music classes taught
by Hardy this year.
"Children rarely have the opportunity to work so closely
with a specialist in the field of
music at such a young age," Reynolds said. "I hope
the parents of Cache Valley will realize what an opportunity
is being offered to them and enroll their children en masse
in the group music classes Dr. Hardy will be teaching."
YC Director Ralph van der Beek emphasized the benefits of enrolling
children in music courses.
"Music, specifically piano lessons, taught at a young age,
have been proven to increase children’s spatial reasoning
skills," van der Beek said. "In other words, enrolling
your young children in the Youth Conservatory’s piano
program will make them smarter!"
The Youth Conservatory offers 30-minute private piano lessons
as well as 55-minute group musicianship classes. With the exception
of the pre-school and kindergarten-age children, students are
encouraged to enroll in both lessons and classes to achieve
optimum learning results. However, there are enrollment options
for just piano lessons or just musicianship class, Reynolds
emphasized. Tuition costs start as low as $23 a month for the
kindergarten & pre-school music classes and the piano-lessons-only
option, and $36 a month for the lessons and class option. Lessons
and classes are scheduled Monday-Thursday during after-school
hours. Some Friday piano lessons are also available upon request.
All classes and lessons are taught in the Chase Fine Arts Building
on the Utah State campus by individuals pursuing or holding
degrees in piano pedagogy or piano performance. The YC currently
has more than 30 instructors.
"Many families come to our program because we have so many
qualified instructors and we are able to find a teacher to suitably
match any student's personality and learning style," Reynolds
said. "We also offer families with more than one child
the luxury of having the same lesson time for all their children.
Many families are able to have each child’s lesson in
the same weekly half-hour block."
Besides weekly lessons and classes, the Youth Conservatory also
holds recital events throughout the year. "A private lesson
and class work are the foundation for piano study, but it’s
all the extras at the conservatory that add up," van der
Beek said.
The YC holds bi-monthly recitals, holiday concerts and carnivals,
awards and recognitions and graduation ceremonies.
"Because of the number of students participating in our
program, we are able to offer events that take the loneliness
out of piano study — children see they are not the only
ones who spend 30 minutes a day practicing, and when they come
to class each week, they look forward to learning and having
fun with their friends," Reynolds said.
July 28, 2003
Contact: Brooke Reynolds (435) 797-3018
AUTISM SUMMER
PRESCHOOL PROGRAM COMES TO LOGAN
LOGAN — Early intervention is key to helping children
with autism, and a new program at Utah State University offers
children a chance to receive help at a young age.
The Autism Support Services: Education, Research and Training
(ASSERT) program opened this summer at Utah State University
for children ages 3 to 5 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
"Intensive behavioral intervention for young children with
autism is important because the earlier you work with the children,
the bigger positive impact you can have on their progression,"
said Tom Higbee, assistant professor of special education and
rehabilitation at Utah State and director of the ASSERT program.
Autism typically appears in the first three years of life and
is a complex developmental disability in which social, communication
and behavioral skills are deficit areas, Higbee said.
"One way the typically developing child learns is by imitating
what they see others doing, but children with autism typically
don't imitate," said Higbee. "Imitating is one of
the first skills we try to teach them."
The preschool program also teaches social skills and encourages
leisure and play activities with structured peer-play interactions.
Functional behavioral assessment and intervention techniques
are used to address challenging behaviors.
"Children with autism often require multiple opportunities
to practice a skill before it is learned completely," said
Higbee. "The goal of our program is to provide them with
these opportunities."
The four children who participated in ASSERT were provided more
than 32,000 combined learning trials during the 10-week summer
program, which is approximately one learning opportunity per
minute per child.
The program is not only beneficial to autistic children, but
also provides a learning opportunity for Utah State University
students studying areas involving autism, including special
education and psychology. The Utah State students can apply
the principles they have learned at the preschool into their
future careers.
"All of the kids have made progress this summer,"
said Higbee. "One student who lacked vocal speech has begun
to imitate what other people are saying. It was a big day for
us when that student spoke."
The program taught four children, four hours a day and concluded
July 11. The school will begin again after Labor Day and run
throughout the next school year. A grant from the Utah State
Office of Education has been awarded to conduct a summer training
program in 2004 for educators who work with children with autism.
"This will be important because we can only help a few
children directly through our program, but if we can train the
teachers, we can impact the lives of many more kids," said
Higbee.
For more information about the autism summer preschool program
and ASSERT, call Higbee at (435) 797-1933.
July 28, 2003
Contact: Tom Higbee (435) 797-1933
Writer: Jody Long (435) 797-1350
UTAH STATE EXTENSION'S
BAGLEY WINS FARM BUREAU AWARD
LOGAN — The Utah Farm Bureau Federation recently presented
Utah State Extension Veterinarian Clell Bagley the Friend of
Agriculture award.
Bagley was commended for his service to local practitioners
throughout Utah and the Intermountain West, helping them address
a variety of animal health issues.
"We commend Clell for his dedication to Utah agriculture
and are honored to distinguish him as a friend of agriculture,"
said UFBF President Leland J. Hogan.
"He has been instrumental in developing best management
practices and quality control protocols that have assisted livestock
producers in providing safe, clean, wholesome meat, poultry
and dairy products, and has devoted untold time and travel presenting
educational seminars outlining the latest techniques for assuring
healthy, productive livestock operations," Hogan said.
Upon obtaining his DVM degree from Colorado State University,
Dr. Bagley joined a private veterinary practice in Idaho where
he worked prior to opening his own practice in Tooele. It wasn't
long before Utah State University recruited him to assist with
animal health research programs. He has worked with Utah State
Extension since 1975 and was named Extension veterinarian, a
position he has held for 28 years. Bagley recently accepted
the additional responsibility of being Extension program leader
for Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The Utah Farm Bureau is the largest farm and ranch organization
in the state, with more than 21,000 families. Its mission is
to improve the net income of the state's farmers and ranchers
and the overall quality of life in the state and nation through
political action, educational and informational means. It is
affiliated with the American Farm Bureau Federation, the world's
largest general farm organization, with nearly five million
family members in 50 states and Puerto Rico.
July 28, 2003
Writer: Dennis Hinkamp 435-797-1392
Contact: Jennifer Dahl 801-233-3005
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