March 29 & 30, 2004
In the News
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
TINY SNAILS ARE
BIG PROBLEM SMALL SNAILS ARE BIG PROBLEM: NEW ZEALAND NATIVE
COULD KILL OFF UTAH SPECIES
Millions of invaders are creeping along Utah's rivers and streams,
threatening unpredictable damage. The invaders are tiny aquatic
New Zealand mud snails (the scientific name is Potamopyrgus
antipodarum), which reproduce at an alarming rate. They out-compete
native snails and other invertebrate species and might not be
readily digested by our trout. A somewhat analogous invasion
of nonnative mollusks has been taking place in the East, where
the zebra mussel has been jamming intake pipes and dam works,
damaging watercraft and muscling out native species. Apparently
Utah fishers are inadvertently spreading New Zealand mud snails,
as they are found "all along the favorite trout waters,"
said Mark Vinson, Utah State University assistant research professor.
(Deseret Morning News, 3/29/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595052289,00.html
WSU WELCOMES 'FAVORITE'
POET: PINSKY PROMOTES POETRY PROJECT AT LITERATURE EVENT
Robert Pinsky, the 39th Poet Laureate of the United States
and founder of the Favorite Poem Project, visits Weber State
University this week for the National Undergraduate Literature
Conference. The 19th annual NULC, the only literature conference
in the nation that focuses exclusively on undergraduates, runs
Thursday through Saturday. This year's event is expected to
attract more than 150 college students, who will present their
own creative works as well as papers on literary topics. Joining
Pinsky at this year's event will be author Laura Furman and
Utah Poet Laureate Kenneth Brewer. Brewer, who retired from
teaching at Utah State University in 2000, has published eight
books of poetry, including "The Place in Between"
(Limberlost Press, 1998), "Lake's Edge" (Woodhedge
Press, 1997) and "Hoping for All, Dreading Nothing"
(Slanting Rain Press, 1994). He has published more than 300
poems, essays and reviews in literary journals in the United
States and Canada. (Standard Examiner, 3/28/04) Click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040327190048251412
SUNDAY FOCUS:
BLM CASE CENTERS ON WAYWARD ATVS AT CORAL PINK
At the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, enthusiasts driving dune buggies
can roar into a wilderness study area from an adjacent state
park without even knowing it. That has given rise to a U.S.
Supreme Court case underscoring the battle over millions of
acres of potential wilderness preserves. The state all-terrain-vehicle
park is bordered on three sides by the wilderness study area,
and conservationists say the Bureau of Land Management isn't
doing enough to protect the fragile dunes and their ancient
stands of ponderosa pine. … Some of the ponderosa pines
are 200 years old, says Ronald Lanner, a retired Utah State
University forestry professor. It took centuries for the ponderosas
to gain a foothold in the dunes, with mature trees providing
the shade for saplings to follow. Normally, it would be impossible
for ponderosa seeds to germinate in dry sand, but the pines
thrive on shade and subsurface water -- when ATVs aren't trampling
the saplings, he said. (Standard Examiner, 3/28/04) Click on:
http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040327230011879658
GARDEN VARIETY:
GOOD LAWN CARE THE FIRST STRIKE AGAINST WEEDS
You can't see them, yet they are there -- lurking just under
the surface of your lawn. They hide, waiting for just the right
moment to spring, scaring both you and any innocent visitor
brave enough to venture onto your lawn. They are patient. Their
evil minds know that if they lay low long enough, you will forget
about them until it is too late. Then, one carefree summer day,
when you are out admiring your landscape, sipping on a lemonade
as you wait for guests to arrive, they will strike -- POW, right
where it hurts -- in the front lawn! … Jerry Goodspeed
is a horticulturist with the Weber County branch of the Utah
State University Extension Service. (Standard Examiner, 3/27/04)
Click on: http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040326223012817199
USU HONORS FOUR
WOMEN
The Utah State University Women's Center will hold its annual
Honoring Women over 65 program and reception at 7 p.m. Tuesday,
in the Taggart Student Center Stevenson Ballroom on campus.
Four women will be recognized for their contributions to Cache
Valley. This year's recipients are Libbie Baxter Maughn, Elizabeth
L. Taylor, Ruth Hobson and Edna Hinman. The program is free
and open to the public. The first recognition program was held
in 1986. The program serves to counter negative stereotypes
sometimes associated with aging and to create awareness of women
who continue to lead very active and productive lives in later
years. (Herald Journal, 3/28/04)
SATELLITES ASSESS
WATER QUALITY
Cache Valley residents may not like to see farm fields paved
over for strip malls, but there's more at stake than green space,
according to Utah State University extension specialist Nancy
Mesner. Urban development is encroaching on our natural areas,
and development changes the fate of water, said Mesner. Increased
urban development can threaten our water supply. Mesner and
natural resources professor Rob Gillies are looking at Cache
Valley from space to investigate how development affects water
quality. (Herald Journal, 3/28/04)
USU ANNOUNCES
2004 D. WYNNE THORNE WINNERS
Christine Hult, professor of English and associate dean of
the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Utah
State University, is this year's recipient of the D. Wynne Thorpe
Research Award, to be presented at Utah State commencement ceremonies
Saturday, May1. The D. Wynne Thorne Research Award, named after
Utah State's first vice president for research, is the most
prestigious research commendation given by the university. (Herald
Journal, 3/28/04)
EVENING OF INDIAN MUSIC THIS TUESDAY
The Consortium for Indian Culture at Utah State University
will present UTSAV 2004, an evening of Indian classical music
and dance on Tuesday at the Kent Concert Hall on campus. The
event will begin at 6:30 p.m., and features the Blue Grass Band
and the African drummers in a medley of musical traditions.
Tickets are available at the Utah State ticket office in the
Taggart Student Center and the Spectrum. (Herald Journal, 3/29/04)
Monday, March 29, 2004
SOME CALIFORNIA
PLANTS ARE QUARANTINED
State agriculture officials have issued a quarantine order
for certain plants shipped from a popular California nursery
where the fungus that causes Sudden Oak Death disease was found.
While there are no known cases of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) in
Utah, the disease has destroyed thousands of trees in coastal
areas of California and Oregon since its discovery 10 years
ago and appears to be spreading. "We consider Sudden Oak
Death disease a serious threat to our nursery industry, and
are taking every precaution possible to protect our growers,"
said Utah's Commissioner of Agriculture and Food, Cary G. Peterson.
… Since Utah is the nation's second-driest state, the
risk to oak trees here is small, said Scott Ockey of Utah State
University's Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab in Logan. (Salt Lake
Tribune, 3/26/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/mar/03262004/utah/151317.asp
FREEZE LIKELY
TONIGHT IN UTAH
Forecasters expect a cold front to plunge into Utah today and
Saturday, pushing daytime temperatures in northern Utah to their
normal range in the low- to mid-50s and nighttime temperatures
toward freezing. Accompanying the cold blasts is a 20 percent
chance of rain, according to the National Weather Service's
Salt Lake City office. The dramatic weather change is no surprise
to horticulturist Wade Bitner of the Utah State University's
Cooperative Extension Service. "This is called 'sucker
weather,'" he said, "making us think it's spring when
it's really not." (Salt Lake Tribune, 3/26/04) Click
on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/mar/03262004/utah/151324.asp
REVIEW: FRY STREET
QUARTET, PIANIST DICHTER SPARKLE AT LOGAN FESTIVAL OPENER
Legendary Utah piano educator Irving Wasserman created a chamber
music festival in Logan 24 years ago. The weeklong event, originally
called Music West, was renamed the Wasserman Festival in honor
of its founder. Wednesday night, the festival opened with a
commanding performance by the Fry Street Quartet and famed pianist
Misha Dichter. The faculty quartet-in-residence at Utah State
University includes violinists Jessica Guideri and Rebecca McFaul,
violist Russell Fallstad and cellist Ann Francis. Despite the
Kent Concert Hall's unflattering acoustics and noisy air ducts,
the ensemble blended well. Fortunately, the university is planning
a new chamber music concert hall, courtesy of the Marie Eccles
Cane Foundation. (Salt Lake Tribune, 3/26/04) Click on: http://www.sltrib.com/2004/mar/03262004/friday/151248.asp
DO-IT-YOURSELF
STUDIO PUTS FUN BACK INTO ART: W.V. FACILITY OFFERS A CREATIVE
OUTLET
Expression seems to be an innate part of the human psyche.
Give kids crayons, and even at an early age they'll find unique
ways to use them. It's that whole two-sides-of-the-brain thing,
according to art instructor Jared Wiberg, but sometimes we train
the creativity out of ourselves. "You don't have to tell
a kid to have fun with art. But as we get older, we sometimes
think we have to be incredible craftsmen." … Wiberg
knows what art can do both for you — and to you. He graduated
in art from Utah State University but ended up going into the
Peace Corps, teaching English in Poland and then started a courier
and shipping business. But "art kept chasing me down. I
decided life is short, I should do it." By then he was
married and had children, so it was a sacrifice for him to go
back to school, he said. But he got his MFA from USU, and then
spent some time in China teaching art. He's excited to be working
now at Da Vinci's — so much so that he drives from Logan
every day. (Deseret Morning News, 3/26/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595051487,00.html
8 NEW WINNERS
GRACE 2004 GARDENS: AAS SELECTS ITS FAVORITES AMONG FRUITS,
VEGETABLES
Nothing says spring is here better than gorgeous flowers and
tasty vegetables, and no one knows better which new varieties
show the most promise for this year's planting than the All-America
Selections Committee. The AAS is the country's oldest seed-testing
organization, and this year's selections continue the panel's
high standards with eight new winners to grace gardens across
the country. … Larry A. Sagers is the regional horticulturist,
Utah State University Extension, at Thanksgiving Point. (Deseret
Morning News, 3/26/04) Click on: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595051498,00.html
MARKETING PLAN
PAYS OFF: BONNEVILLE TEACHER HONORED FOR HIS EFFORTS
First-year Bonneville High School marketing teacher Ralph Andersen
stands at the door of the school store and watches his students
buzz about, pouring sodas and smothering nacho chips with gobs
of cheese. The mini-business, which sells snacks during school
lunch breaks, is just one of the student projects Andersen oversees.
It's also one of the reasons he recently was presented with
the "New Secondary Marketing Educator of the Year"
award from the Utah Marketing Educators Group. Andersen was
surprised to be honored with the award during the students'
DECA regional award ceremony earlier this month. He received
a plaque and $250, which he said he'll use to take his wife,
Carol, out to dinner and invest in his teaching education. He
is working on obtaining a master's degree in education from
Utah State University. (Standard Examiner, 3/26/04) Click on:
http://www.standard.net/standard/news/print_story.html?sid=00040325234500623677
PEACEFUL PLEA:
LIBERAL ORGANIZATIONS HOLD SECOND ANNUAL RALLY AT USU
The sun had crowds of students outdoors at Utah State University,
but napping and reading were postponed for many on Thursday
afternoon, when a crowd of campus activists staged a rally to
draw attention to issues as varied as the studentbody relaxing
on nearby campus lawns. The College Democrats, Pride Alliance,
Black Student Union, Amnesty International, Socialist Student
Union and Environmental Coalition of Students joined together
to stage the second annual Rally for Peace and Justice, and
shared a myriad of liberal opinions to a crowd of well over
100 participants and curious onlookers. Representatives from
each organization set up outside the Taggart Student Center
to express everything from anger at the Bush administration
to gay pride to environmental concerns. The crowd of over 100
spectators included members of the organizations involved, students
who spilled over from the student center lunch crowd and those
with opposing viewpoints that occasionally shouted opinions
from the background during the hour-long event. (Herald Journal,
3/26/04)
I WANT MY AGGIE
TV
It's a little known fact, but true nonetheless, that there
are a great many television celebrities in Cache Valley. In
actuality, there are also a number of broadcast writers, videographers,
producers and editors, all of whom find plenty of work in and
around Logan. Through no fault of their own, the stars of Utah
State University's weekly cable television programs, approximately
60 broadcast journalism students, are a well-kept secret off
campus. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
HANDCART WINNERS
RECOGNIZED
Virginia Kerns, an anthropologist at the College of William
and Mary, and Ripley Hugo, a writer from Montana, are the recipients
of the Evans Biography and Handcart Awards, the Mountain West
Center for Regional Studies at Utah State University announced
March 11. The two authors will be honored at a public event
March 29 at USU. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
TO SPEAK AT USU
Noted landscape architect Laurie Olin -- the landscape architect
and designer for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Convention Center rooftop gardens -- will speak at Utah State
University as part of the Marie Eccles Caine Foundation Guest
Lecture Series, presented by the department of landscape architecture
and environmental planning. As part of his visit, Olin will
provide two public sessions. The first, an informal discussion
of his work, is Friday, March 26, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the
Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art on the Utah State campus.
A more formal presentation of Olin's work is that afternoon
at 3 in the Eccles Science Learning Center auditorium on campus.
Both presentations are free and open to the public. (Herald
Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
REMINGTON
LECTURE
The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art and the School of the
Arts in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
present a public talk by Deborah Remington on Wednesday, April
7, at 9:30 a.m. in the Kent Concert Hall, Chase Fine Arts Center
on the Utah State University campus. The presentation, open
to the public and free of charge draws attention to the exhibition
"In the Spirit of the Times," which continues at the
museum through July 2004. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
GLOBAL CELEBRATION
The biggest international gala of the year is coming to Utah
State University on April 3. "Each spring, international
students at Utah State University showcase cuisine from their
countries in an international banquet," said Maribeth Evensen-Hengge,
an advisor in the office of International Students and Scholars.
"The event also features a cultural show that is an added
bonus." The banquet begins at 7 p.m. in the Stevenson Ballroom
of the Taggart Student Center. The cultural show immediately
follows. Tickets are available in advance at the Utah State
Ticket Office in the Smith Spectrum. Tickets will not be available
at the door. Adult tickets are $12, tickets for students and
children under 12 are $8. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
FALKENSTEIN,
ANTIN EXHIBITS AT ECCLES
The Claire Falkenstein and Eleanor Antin focus exhibitions
are on display through May 1 at Utah State University. For more
information, contact the museum at 797-0163 or Jay Heuman, curator
of education, at 797-0165. Exploding volume and 100 boots may
sound like the aftermath of war, but at the Nora Eccles Harrison
Museum of Art, they are the subjects of two noteworthy exhibitions.
The museum houses more than 4,300 artworks; some are new acquisitions,
many others have been in storage out of the public eye for some
time. To provide greater access to the collection, museum Director
Victoria Rowe has initiated a series of focus exhibitions that
showcase individual artists included in the collection. (Herald
Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
SLAM POETRY
SLAM poetry performance artist Stacy Miller will give public
lectures and performances at Utah State University on Friday
and Saturday, April 2 and 3, as part of two Utah State University
conferences. Miller, who is also a doctoral candidate at the
University of New Mexico, will present the Utah State Concurrent
Enrollment Conference keynote address. (Herald Journal, Cache
Magazine, 3/26/04)
WASSERMAN'S GRAND
FINALE: FESTIVAL CONCLUDES WITH WORLD-CLASS SOLO RECITALS
The final two solo recitals on March 26 and 27 at Utah State
University's Wasserman Festival feature pianists of international
fame: Olga Kern and Misha Dichter. The Dallas Morning News said
Kern is "a player of enormous brilliance and passion, and
one who whips audiences into frenzies," while the Tenessean
said Dichter is "a poet at the keyboard,a truly Byronic
figure who demonstrated the reasons for his membership among
the world's elite. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
OPERA THEATER
Lynn Jemison-Keisker, director of opera theater in the department
of music at Utah State University, invites audiences to enjoy
fantasy and comedy as Utah State undergraduate students are
joined by the Cache Children's Choir in two one-act operas.
(Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
FEEL THE BEAT
OF SPRING
Percussionists at Utah State University are featured in a spring
concert — Drum into Spring — in a diverse mix of
selections that includes some the state's best musicians. The
concert, under the direction of Dennis Griffin is Friday, April
2, and begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Kent Concert Hall of the Chase
Fine Arts Center. Concert tickets are available at the door.
Adult admission is $5, and students with current ID are admitted
free. (Herald Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
HOT DRUMMERS
Cache Valley is home to some of the state's best percussionists
and a number of them have awards and recognitions to back up
that claim, said Utah State University faculty member and percussion
program head Dennis Griffin. A number of Utah State University
and Cache Valley musicians took honors at this year's Utah Percussion
Festival held at Brigham Young University in February. (Herald
Journal, Cache Magazine, 3/26/04)
KSTU NEWSCAST:
JUNIOR ENGINEERING DAY
The Utah State University Jr. Engineering Day was held at St.
Vincent De Paul Elementary. (KSTU newscast, 11 a.m., 3/25/04)
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