By BREANNA HART Former Editor-In-Chief
The Signpost recently attended the Utah Press Association’s Better Newspaper Awards dinner, and just like every other year, The Signpost competed against colleges all across Utah and, once again, brought home a multitude of awards.
For the year of 2022, The Signpost brought home awards in nearly every category, including the General Excellence award. This was the seventh year in a row The Signpost was given this award. In addition to this award, the paper as a whole received first place for the best special section, first for the best news coverage, second for the best sports page, second for best lifestyle page, third for best community event and, finally, first for best website.
Along with these staff awards, The Signpost received many individual awards. They are as follows:
3rd place for best general news story: Alexandrea Bonilla
2nd place for best sports story: Emily Miller
1st place for best educational story: Catie Weimer
1st place for best government/political story: Alec Cipollini
3rd place for best business story: Hunter Lindsey
2nd place for best news series: Skyler Mundell
2nd place for best editorial: Breanna Hart
1st place for best sports column: Simon Mortensen & Rayshaun
Baker-Lynch
1st place for best news photo: Anna Kuglar
2nd place for best sports photo: Sara Staker
3rd place for best feature photo: Kennedy Camarena
2nd place for best infographic: MaKayla Martinez
3rd place for Harrison R. Merrill best front page: Star Neil
3rd place for best staff-produced ad: Megan Swann
2nd place for best advertising idea: Megan Swann
2nd place for best circulation promotion: Edson Cordiero
1st place for best in-house promotion: Alexandrea Bonilla
The Signpost also takes part in the Society of Professional Journalists Region Nine Mark of Excellence Awards, and this year, there were finalists in multiple categories from the staff. They are as follows:
Breaking News Reporting
Finalist: Alexandrea Bonilla, “Governor’s 360 tour”
General NewsReporting
Finalist: Marisa Nelson, “Disabled students on campus”
Illustration
Finalist: MaKayla Martinez, “Where the Wildcats are”
Unprecedented snowfall during the 202223 winter season has also led to worries regarding flooding, as the snow on the mountains begins to move down into the cities. As the weather begins to warm up, the city of Ogden has begun to keep an eye out for water.
With Salt Lake City receiving 87 inches of snow this winter, residents and city officials have begun to make strides towards flood prevention and safety.
“The most significant issue we have experienced this year was out at Serge Simmons Ball Park, where the Weber River was running high enough to come into the ball fields and dog park areas,” Mike McBride, the marketing and communications manager for
the city of Ogden, said. We had a FEMA emergency there roughly 10 years ago, where the river completely rerouted itself and caused significant damage to Fort Buenaventura and the ball fields.”
The biggest safety concerns regarding the extra water are the Ogden and Weber Rivers. Rising water is causing issues for the land around it and for the animals and people who come across it.
“While we are looking good now, we are not quite in the clear with our creeks as they are the main route for significant west facing runoff,” McBride said. “Our approach has been to send supplies and resources when they are needed, so that we do not run out supplying ‘just in case’ scenarios.”. Ogden officials and water experts are emphasizing the importance of preparedness and caution.
Weber State University professor and director of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Marek Matyjasik, said the underground water table will continue to rise until later in the summer. He also urges those living near flowing water to take caution by storing sandbags and regularly check their property for leaks to prevent further damage.
Caution when it comes to being near these overflowing bodies of water is incredibly important. A celebration of life was held in early May for Libby Stimpson, a woman who was swept away by the Weber River while walking her dogs. The city of Ogden is urging people to stay far away from the rivers to avoid being swept up and to prevent another situation like this from occurring.
“We want people to stay safe and stay away from river banks,” McBride said. “Keep chil-
dren away from the rivers and swift moving water. Do not ever leave them unsupervised near the rivers. Keep pets on a leash. If something happens, call 911.”
The Ogden River, though still swift and dangerous, underwent a restoration project from 2006-2012 which improved its ability to handle situations like these. Structures were added to channel water from one place to another and new pools were implemented. About 1.1 miles of river bank were worked on during this restoration.
“The Ogden River has held up beautifully, largely due to the work during the Ogden River Restoration Project,” said McBride. “The river and banks are doing exactly what they were designed to do.”
As another Pride Month is celebrated this June, the search for LGBTQ history in Ogden still continues.
Much of the history is still unknown as artifacts are missing from the archives. Sarah Langsdon, head of Special Collections, is hoping to fix that.
Two years ago, Langsdon noticed there were many gaps in the collections with LGBTQ representation. She wanted people to be able to look into the history of the area and see themselves reflected in it. This prompted her to start the project Queering the Archives.
The project was centered around collecting oral histories from Ogden’s LGBTQ community. Photos, diaries and letters were also collected. Anything the interviewees wanted to share to prevent them being lost to history was accepted, Langsdon said.
Langsdon was able to hire student workers and interns with grant money she received for the project. Together, they collected 45 interviews from people as young as 18 and as old as 86.
“They talked about the good, the bad and the horrific things that they’ve experienced,” Langsdon said.
Many of the people interviewed were eager to share their stories because they said no one had ever asked before.
The project did eventually run out of funding for the student workers, but Langsdon is still working on getting the history into the archives. Anyone willing to share their story is still welcome to talk to them.
In the spring, Langsdon will be teaching an oral history class where she’ll train students how to conduct these interviews.
On top of this, Langsdon is currently trying to find info about the LGBT clubs that once were sprinkled around Ogden. These clubs existed in the 1980s to the early 2000s but there has not been one in Ogden since.
Langsdon said she has contacts with some drag performers who used to work at one club, The Brass Rail, and is hoping to conduct more oral histories to learn more about these clubs.
Langsdon said that with the lack of an LGBTQ resource program coordinator, Queering the Archives became the de facto queer group on campus. She would often get questions about how to change to a preferred name in Canvas, the answers to which she only knew because she had gone through the process with her son.
“I’m excited to finally get somebody in there, somebody that can start doing programming and trainings and provide that space that is needed,” she said.
The LGBT Resource Center has been lacking a resource program coordinator since the spring of 2022.
“With the Division of Student Affairs changing and the creation of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion division of the university, we just waited a little while to get some of those ducks in a row before posting the position,” Katelyn Blanch, administration specialist for both the Women’s Center and the LGBT Resource Center, said.
The new program coordinator is expected to be hired before next fall, where they will be in charge of creating programming for the LGBT Resource Center, as well as educating students, faculty and staff through workshops and presentations.
In preparation for this, they have launched a new Instagram account, @WeberStateLGBTResourceCenter, to spread awareness of their programs and events.
Even though past LGBTQ history is difficult to find, Weber State University alum Kate Kendell’s story is a reminder that history is currently being made.
Kendell’s successful career as a Civil Rights advocate includes being the first ACLU staff attorney in Utah, leading the National Center for Lesbian Rights and being one of the attorneys to help get the Marriage Equality Act to the Supreme Court.
“It was one of the most exhilarating moments, probably the zenith of my legal career,” Kendell said of the latter experience.
It was important to Kendell not only because there was now the right to marriage, but also because of the huge culture shift it created for the community. She felt that the Supreme Court’s decision would make queer youth think their future would be better because of it.
Kendell’s love for Civil Rights advocacy started locally in a civics class at North Ogden Junior High. Having grown up a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kendell felt she was not exposed to many different perspectives. This class introduced her to the history and
stories of people like Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass and Cesar Chavez.
“It made me recognize, first of all, how much injustice there had been in the world and certainly in the early founding of our nation, and it just lit a little bit of a fire under me,” Kendell said.
At WSU, Kendell was able to give a voice to this passion by joining the debate team and being the news editor for The Signpost. During her time at WSU, Kendell came out as lesbian to herself and her friends.
“It was a pretty lonely and isolating time,” Kendell said. “And yet, even though it felt very isolating, the world did start to open up after I came out, and I started to get to know many more people in the community in Ogden. Many more people than you think, even back then.”
Though no longer living in Utah, Kendell still returns often to visit, including when she attended the groundbreaking of the LGBT Resource Center.
Kendell said it meant a lot not only to see the center, but to see university officials, alumni and students there to welcome it.
“I’ve had multiple times where I’ve been very proud to be an alum of Weber State,” Kendell said. “But that day was definitely the pinnacle of that pride.”
Kendell considers attending Weber to be influential to her success because of the way she felt seen on campus. She felt like she was taken seriously, regardless of her sexual orientation.
“That’s not an insubstantial gift to give somebody,” she said.
Mientras se celebra otro Mes del Orgullo este junio, la búsqueda de la historia LGBTQ en Ogden aún continúa.
Gran parte de la historia aún se desconoce ya que faltan artefactos en los archivos. Sarah Langsdon, jefa de colecciones especiales, espera arreglar eso.
Hace dos años, Langsdon notó que había muchos vacíos en las colecciones con representación LGBTQ. Quería que la gente pudiera mirar la historia del área y verse reflejada en ella. Esto la impulsó a iniciar el proyecto Queering the Archives.
El proyecto se centró en la recopilación de historias orales de Ogden’s comunidad LGTBQ. También se recogieron fotos, diarios y cartas. Se aceptó cualquier cosa que los entrevistados quisieran compartir para evitar que se perdieran en la historia, dijo Langsdon.
Langsdon pudo contratar trabajadores estudiantes y pasantes con el dinero de la subvención que recibió para el proyecto. Juntos, recopilaron 45 entrevistas de personas de 18 a 86 años.
“Hablaron sobre las cosas buenas, malas y horribles que han experimentado”, dijo Langsdon.
Muchas de las personas entrevistadas estaban ansiosas por compartir sus historias porque dijeron que nadie les había preguntado antes.
El proyecto finalmente se quedó sin fondos para los estudiantes trabajadores, pero Langsdon todavía está trabajando para llevar la historia a los archivos.
Cualquiera que esté dispuesto a compartir su historia es bienveni-
do a hablar con ellos. En la primavera, Langsdon impartirá una clase de historia oral en la que capacitará a los estudiantes sobre cómo realizar estas entrevistas.
Además de esto, Langsdon actualmente está tratando de encontrar información sobre los clubes LGBT que alguna vez estuvieron esparcidos por Ogden. Estos clubes existieron desde la década de 1980 hasta principios de la de 2000, pero desde entonces no ha habido ninguno en Ogden.
Langsdon dijo que tiene contactos con algunos artistas drag que solían trabajar en un club, The Brass Rail, y espera realizar más historias orales para aprender más sobre estos clubes.
Langsdon dijo que debido a la falta de un coordinador del programa de recursos LGBTQ, Queering the Archives se convirtió en el grupo queer de facto en el campus. A menudo recibía preguntas sobre cómo cambiar a un nombre preferido en Canvas, cuyas respuestas solo sabía porque había pasado por el proceso con su hijo.
“Estoy emocionada de finalmente tener a alguien allí, alguien que pueda comenzar a programar y capacitar y brindar el espacio que se necesita”, dijo.
Al Centro de Recursos LGBT le ha faltado un coordinador del programa de recursos desde la primavera de 2022.
“Con el cambio de la División de Asuntos Estudiantiles y la creación de la división de Equidad, Diversidad e Inclusión de la universidad, solo esperamos un poco para tener algunos de esos patos en fila antes de publicar el puesto”, Katelyn Blanch, especialista en administración de tanto el Centro de Mujeres como el Centro de Recursos LGBT, dijo.
Se espera que el nuevo coordi-
nador del programa sea contratado antes del próximo otoño, donde estará a cargo de crear la programación para el Centro de Recursos LGBT, además de educar a los estudiantes, profesores y personal a través de talleres y presentaciones.
En preparación para esto, lanzaron una nueva cuenta de Instagram, @WeberStateLGBTResourceCenter, para dar a conocer sus programas y eventos.
Aunque la historia LGBTQ pasada es difícil de encontrar, la historia de la ex alumna de la Universidad Estatal de Weber, Kate Kendell, es un recordatorio de que la historia se está haciendo actualmente.
La exitosa carrera de Kendell como defensora de los derechos civiles incluye ser la primera abogada de la ACLU en Utah, dirigir el Centro Nacional para los Derechos de las Lesbianas y ser una de las abogadas que ayudaron a llevar la Ley de Igualdad en el Matrimonio a la Corte Suprema.
“Fue uno de los momentos más emocionantes, probablemente el cenit de mi carrera legal”, dijo Kendell sobre la última experiencia.
Era importante para Kendell no solo porque ahora existía el
derecho al matrimonio, sino también por el gran cambio cultural que creó para la comunidad. Ella sintió que la decisión de la Corte Suprema haría que los jóvenes homosexuales pensaran que su futuro sería mejor gracias a ella.
El amor de Kendell por la defensa de los derechos civiles comenzó localmente en una clase de educación cívica en North Ogden Junior High. Habiendo crecido como miembro de la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días, Kendell sintió que no estaba expuesta a muchas perspectivas diferentes. Esta clase le presentó la historia y las historias de personas como Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass y Cesar Chavez.
“Me hizo reconocer, en primer lugar, cuánta injusticia había habido en el mundo y ciertamente en la fundación temprana de nuestra nación, y simplemente encendió un poco de fuego debajo de mí”, dijo Kendell.
En WSU, Kendell pudo dar voz a esta pasión al unirse al equipo de debate y ser el editor de noticias de The Signpost. Durante su tiempo en WSU, Kendell se declaró lesbiana con ella y sus amigos.
“Fue un tiempo bastante
solitario y aislado”, dijo Kendell. “Y, sin embargo, aunque se sintió muy aislado, el mundo comenzó a abrirse después de que salí, y comencé a conocer a muchas más personas en la comunidad de Ogden. Muchas más personas de las que crees, incluso en aquel entonces”.
Aunque ya no vive en Utah, Kendell aún regresa a menudo de visita, incluso cuando asistió a la inauguración del Centro de Recursos LGBT.
Kendell dijo que significó mucho no solo ver el centro, sino también ver a funcionarios universitarios, ex alumnos y estudiantes allí para darle la bienvenida. “He tenido varias ocasiones en las que me he sentido muy orgullosa de ser un alumno de Weber State”, dijo Kendell. “Pero ese día fue definitivamente el pináculo de ese orgullo”.
Kendell considera que asistir a Weber influyó en su éxito debido a la forma en que se sintió vista en el campus. Sintió que la tomaban en serio, independientemente de su orientación sexual.
“Ese no es un regalo insustancial para dar a alguien”, dijo.
In social sciences, there is a term called third space. Coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1989, third spaces refer to locations someone feels safe at and are often where they go to socialize. The first space usually refers to the home, while the second space is usually the workplace or academic space.
The need for third spaces is universal, yet those of marginalized communities such as the LGBTQ+ community can find improved benefits from these third spaces as the first or second spaces might not be as welcoming or affirming of their identity.
Because of this, here are some groups put on by Ogden Pride that can provide a space
for the community for LGBTQ+ individuals in Ogden.
STARS, or Synergetic Trans Activists, Resources & Support is a program put on by Ogden Pride in the hopes of giving trans, nonbinary and gender non-conforming individuals a space to gather and trade their experiences as well as socialize without the fear of their gender-queerness causing issues.
About every two weeks, STARS meets at Grounds for Coffee on 25th Street for an event called Brewing Identity. During these days, trans individuals can get together and discuss life over coffee in a safe and welcoming space.
The most recent event held by STARS was a 21+ karaoke night on June 1.
SOAP, or Seniors Out And Proud is a pro-
gram funded by Ogden Pride for LGBTQ+ senior citizens.
“Our Goal is to reduce social isolation and loneliness, improve the health and well-being of older adults and to empower them to lead meaningful and connected lives in which they are engaged and participating in the community,” Seniors Out And Proud of Utah said in their mission statement on their website.
Every Wednesday, they gather together to hang out with others in their community around the same age.
The ways they socialize vary from walking around Newgate Mall, meeting in Murray Park to play pickleball, playing poker and blackjack, and meeting at one of the member’s houses for a happy hour dinner party.
Alternatively, there are options for youth,
too. In their Facebook bio, Youth OUTreach defines themselves as “dedicated to building a safe, supportive and fun community for LGBTQ+ youth in Northern Utah.”
Youth OUTreach meets on the first and third Fridays of each month for various activities.
On July 5, they are meeting at Neptune Skate from 6-8 p.m. to skate and socialize with other members of the LGBTQ+ community. Other activities include visiting the Ott Planetarium and playing laser tag.
Additional information about any of these groups can be found on Ogden Pride’s website, ogdenpride.org.
Residents in and around Glovers Lane in Farmington have taken a sigh of relief and feel a weight lifted off their shoulders after the Utah Department of Transportation announced on May 8 that it would not put an interchange on Glovers Lane.
Instead of the proposed interchange, UDOT decided it will be going with a combination of option A, which improves the interchange already on 200 West and some of the work that will be starting on Farmington State Street.
Residents have celebrated because Option
B is finally off the table. Option B was the most destructive to the area.
According to UDOT’s Environmental Impact Statement, Option B would take 21 homes and have significant negative repercussions on the surrounding residential areas. The report also stated that they received many public comments against option B, so they eliminated the option due to the significant impacts on the area.
Tammy Hardy, a resident in the area and member of the committee of stakeholders for UDOT, said the team she worked with was helpful and listened.
“I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Hardy said. “I now don’t have to
go look for a new home.”
According to the EIS, Option C was also taken out due to not meeting the traffic needs. Option A is the least destructive and still meets the traffic needs, but UDOT is modifying it to connect with the work they will begin on State Street.
In the EIS, UDOT explained there are now two options for Option A. In both, three homes will be taken, but the main difference is where the Frontage Road will connect in — either where it is now on 400 West, or out to State Street.
Hardy said UDOT wants to hear from residents living in and around State Street to help make this decision. Hardy also said the
conversations those living on Glovers Lane had with UDOT helped make the decision and show how destructive Option B would’ve been.
Hardy said UDOT especially wants to talk to those three homes that will be taken to find the best course of action for those residents. These two options will now go for another round of public comment, as well as UDOT’s land surveying to decide which option they will go with.
In the thrilling and highly-anticipated 2023 NBA playoffs, basketball fans were treated to a rollercoaster of emotions, jaw-dropping performances and intense rivalries. The journey to the championship was filled with unexpected twists, upsets and unforgettable moments that will be etched into NBA history.
The regular season set the stage for an intense playoff race, with several teams vying for the top spots in their respective conferences. Traditional powerhouses faced fierce competition from up-and-coming teams, adding an element of unpredictability to the
NBA playoffs.
Coming to the end of the 2023 NBA playoffs, the NBA finals is set in stone with a matchup of the Denver Nuggets against the Miami Heat. This is Denver’s first-ever appearance in the NBA finals since the team was founded in 1967. As for the Miami Heat, this marks their second NBA Finals appearance in three years.
After the Miami Heat lost their first game in the NBA Play-In tournament against the Atlanta Hawks, they secured their spot in the playoffs with a win over the Chicago Bulls. Miami saved their season and clinched the playoffs as a No. 8 seed.
In the first round, they faced off against the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks led by two time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami flourished through all the doubters and steamrolled though the Milwaukee Bucks, 4–1, to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals to face off against the New York Knicks.
The matchup between the Heat and the Knicks was closer than it looked; the series pushed its way to six games, letting Miami make their way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Eastern Conference Finals were set between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. Miami was able to go up early in the series 3–0 and was one more game away from closing the series out.
After going down 3–0, the Boston Celtics pulled their way back into the series to force a game seven. Having home court advantage in game seven, the Boston Celtics were only one game away from accomplishing coming back 3–0 with a chance to make NBA history. With a chance at NBA gold, the Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics in game seven 103–84. This marked the second time in NBA history where a No. 8 seed made the NBA finals.
In the Western Conference, two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets faced off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. Denver was able to easily defeat the Timberwolves 4–1.
The Conference Semifinals was a matchup between Denver and the Phoenix Suns. This series was sent to six games, but Denver stayed on top to defeat the Suns 4–2. On their way to their second Western Conference
Finals appearance in three years, the Denver Nuggets were facing LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Denver was able to sweep Los Angeles 4–0 and edge their way into the NBA Finals.
In the end, only one team emerged victorious, hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy as the 2023 NBA champions. Their journey is marked by resilience, teamwork, and outstanding performances from key players. The championship celebration is a culmination of hard work, dedication, and the fulfillment of a collective dream.
The 2023 NBA Finals started on June 1. With a matchup between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets, both teams have a chance to edge their name into NBA history.
The 2023 NBA playoffs will be remembered as a season of surprises, underdog triumphs and spectacular displays of basketball prowess. The narratives that unfolded throughout the playoffs captivated fans worldwide, reinforcing the NBA’s status as one of the most exciting and dynamic sports leagues in the world.
THE SIGNPOST TEAM
Editor-in-Chief
Kennedy Camarena kennedycamarena@mail.weber.edu
Managing Editor
Marianna Lopez-Luritta mlopezluritta@mail.weber.edu
Design & Graphics Editor Star Neil starneil@mail.weber.edu
Asst. Design & Graphics Editor
Emilie Hart emiliehart@mail.weber.edu
Photo Editor
Anna Kuglar briannakuglar@mail.weber.edu
Asst. Photo Editor Sara Staker sarastaker@mail.weber.edu
Chief Copy Editor Justin Steed justinsteed@mail.weber.edu
News Editor Brisa Odenthal brisaodenthal@mail.weber.edu
Asst. News Editor Sky Mundell skylarmundell@mail.weber.edu
Sports Editor Collyn Cowles collyncowles@mail.weber.edu
Culture Editor Adam Montgomery adammontgomery1@mail.weber.edu
Culture Editor Lexie Andrew lexieandrew@mail.weber.edu
Asst. Culture Editor Megan Swann meganswann@mail.weber.edu
Translation/Culture Editor Nathaneal Stout nathanaelstout@mail.weber.edu
Advisor
Jean Norman jeannorman@weber.edu
Business Manager Rob Steedley robertsteedley@weber.edu
The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and to refuse to print any letters. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber. edu and read letter to the Editor in the subject box. Letters should not exceed 350 words.
graduation.
