Ogden's Mayor Race: The Signpost 10/3/23

Cover Photos Contributed By Taylor Knuth (left) and Ben Nadolski (right)

Sports | Pg. 15

Culture | Pg. 6

Cynthia Bautista

By SKY MUNDELL Asst. Section Editor

Criminal Mastermind

On Sept. 19, a Weber State University Police Department officer was dispatched after a WSU student reported that his vehicle had been stolen. The student greeted the officer at the A2 parking lot and explained that he’d parked his car at approximately 8 p.m., then returned over an hour later to discover that his car was missing. The WSU student reported that his vehicle had been stolen.

Upon reviewing security camera footage of the timeframe in which the theft would’ve occurred, WSUPD began to grow suspicious of the complainant.

WSUPD observed the student had parked his car in the A2 lot at around 8 p.m. and proceeded to wander around campus for around an hour. At around 9 p.m. the student was seen on surveillance footage sitting in an area near his car, wearing a different set of clothes than he had on when he arrived on campus.

WSUPD also obtained evidence that the student had taken the OGX from downtown Ogden, returning to lot A2 at approximately 9:40 p.m.

WSUPD confronted the student with this evidence and he confessed to having stolen his own car in a plot to defraud his car insurance provider. He admitted he didn’t want the car anymore and wanted to collect insurance money from it.

WSUPD found the student’s car in a large parking lot in downtown Ogden. The student was warned for filing a false police report. The student was only warned about his plan to defraud his insurance provider because he hadn’t yet filed an insurance claim claiming vehicle theft.

Handicapped morals

A WSUPD officer was flagged down by a University Village resident on Sept. 19 at around 10 p.m. The resident had a handicap parking permit and said all the handicap parking spots were being taken up by cars that did

not have handicap passes.

The officer contacted the owners of the offending vehicles by telephone and was able to have several illegally parked cars moved.

Way too late for donuts

At around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 21, WSUPD observed a car driving recklessly throughout the Davis campus parking lots. The responding officer had previously warned the NUAMES student operating the vehicle on a separate occasion about doing donuts in the parking lot, and the student was given a citation for reckless driving.

Busted!

On Sept. 24, at around 1:45 a.m., a WSUPD officer discovered a party being held in a dorm at Wildcat Village. Upon investigation, officers made contact with several individuals and immediately found some of them to be in possession of alcohol and THC, some of them were also under the legal drinking age of 21.

The responding officers did a search of cer-

tain areas of the dorm and multiple bottles of alcohol and several THC vape cartridges were found. According to WSUPD, all involved indi viduals were cooperative and were warned for their actions.

WSU housing personnel confiscated the alcohol, while the THC cartridges were seized and processed for destruction.

Another carving

On Sept. 27, a table was removed from the Shepherd Union because someone found a swastika the size of a quarter etched into its surface. The symbol was discovered on the same day as the Jewish holy day, known as Yom Kippur.

According to WSUPD, an investigation was done that led WSUPD to believe that the hate symbol had been carved into the table a year or more prior to its discovery. It is not known who made the carving.

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By TIM COSTELLO Reporter

The 25th Annual Weber State University Diversity Conference occurred on Sept. 28 and 29. Every year, this conference aims to educate WSU students, faculty and staff on the differing diversity issues that occur in the community.

This year, the conference focused on neurodiversity. The university website describes neurodiversity as “the way people interact with and experience the world around them.”

The conference opened on Sept. 28 at the WSU-Davis Campus where WSU administration gave a preview of what the conference would entail. Keynote speaker Tim Howard even gave a small speech to conference attendees.

“For two and a half decades, this institution has been committed to celebrating diversity and inclusion on this campus,”

WSU President Brad Mortensen said at the event. “We are committed to celebrating all of the things that make us different.”

Howard is a retired professional soccer player and holds many awards and records. He has played in the United States and overseas where he has experienced what he called a “meteoric rise.”

He detailed in his book, “The Keeper: A Life of Saving Goals and Achieving Them,” and his speech how he struggled when he was younger with diagnoses of Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

The conference began in full on Sept. 29 where conference presenters, WSU staff, faculty and students attended the keynote session to kick things off. WSU alums Tim Crompton and Stacy Bernal interviewed Howard.

“I know I’m in enemy territory after playing on the Colorado team, but everyone here has been so welcoming and inviting,”

Howard said at the start of his keynote. Howard was asked at the start of the speech about what made him, as a superstar athlete, want to tell his own personal journey through his struggles.

“It was all-consuming, but I had a lot of support from my team,” Howard said. “That’s not just my soccer team, but my parents and friends. Always remember your team.”

The panel featured a very detailed Q&A session where Howard advocated for those diagnosed. He shared an experience he had with a news article that called him an offensive term and how he used that opportunity to make his disability known.

Howard concluded his keynote by emphasizing that neurodiversity is something that is all-encompassing, not just for those diagnosed, but also for their family and friends.

“It is something that is all around us and harder to help because we can’t see it,”

Howard said.

The conference had many other opportunities for WSU students and faculty to learn about neurodiversity. After the keynote, the conference split into breakout sessions where experts informed attendees about the struggles of neurodiversity.

One panel offered ways to combat struggles between partners in relationships. This was spearheaded by Aaron Jeffrey, a licensed marriage and family therapist and director of the WSU Counseling and Psychological Services Center.

There were also several sessions about neurodiversity in the workplace.

Tim Howard discusses struggles with neurodiversity.

CYNTHIA BAUTISTA | The Signpost

ANNUAL SECURITY/FIRE REPORT AND SAFETY PLAN 2022-23

As we have welcomed our community back to campus, I feel it is important to communicate the Weber State Police Department’s (WSUPD) commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment to all our campus community. The safety and wellbeing of our campus community is a top priority nd a fundamental component of our mission as an institution of higher education. Our police officers are skilled and experienced professionals, who are committed to providing the best community-oriented services to all those who traverse our campus. These services include; safety escorts, RAD and active assailant training. For more information about these services please visit our website at www.weber.edu/police.

As part of our commitment to your safety, we are pleased to present the 202 223 Annual Security/Fire Report and Safety Plan. This report is issued the first of October each year and is intended to comply with the requirements of the Clery Act and associated federal regulations.

The information contained in the annual report pertains to all WSU properties; more specifically, you will find information on the university’s policies and procedures for reporting crime, safety and security prevention and protection programs, victim assistance services, fire safety, and other materials to assist you in maintaining your safety and security.

We encourage you to read the information contained in the report and consider how it can help you and the WSU community to prevent and protect yourself against crime. To request a paper copy of this brochure, please contact the Weber State Police Department at 801-626-6460, or you can go to the link below and view an electronic copy.

Finally, we have launched our new code purple safety app. This app will provide you access to resources both on and off campus,

VETERANS STUDY LOUNGE

Order from left to right: Dr. Kathryn Sperry, Rachel Marriott, Dr. Alex Collopy, Collin Sorensen, and Alexa Johnson. Rachel Marriott talks about how she is neurodivergent.

By GRACIE STEPHENSON Reporter

Finding a clock in a classroom at Weber State University isn’t always a sure thing, and even when a clock is present, there’s no guarantee that it displays the correct time. Students, faculty and staff might question why that is.

Six years ago, WSU’s Facilities Management made the decision to remove clocks from classrooms.

The original campus clock system was built in the 1960s on an old wired system. The clocks were wired in and tied to a central alarm system, similar to the bell system in most American high schools. That central system and the wiring in it began aging to the point that the clocks were no longer reporting correct times or functioning properly.

With the decline of the original clock system came an important decision: invest a lot of money in a total rewire or remove the clocks.

Jacob Cain, director of operations in Facilities Management, gave careful consideration

to this question. Cain administered surveys to students and faculty to determine where individuals felt the money would be best spent, as well as to gain an understanding of how important clocks were to professors.

Some individuals expressed feelings of great importance toward the clocks being in the classrooms. That is, until they discovered how much money would be spent on the rewiring.

Cain asked those individuals if they would still choose to keep the clocks if they knew that money was being taken from other projects. Once the pro-clock individuals contemplated the fact that a total rewire would cost an estimate of a million dollars, the general consensus was to remove the clocks.

Following the removal of the original digital clock system in older buildings on campus, clock installation became by department request only. A centralized broadcast system called Primex was the alternative to the rewire. Primex allows battery powered clocks to sync up to each other as well as auto adjust to time changes.

Cain said that although the clocks have

been gone for years now, some professors still put in requests for a clock to be put in their classrooms every few months.

Many of the clocks are positioned in the back of the room, so no students see them. The availability and access to handheld devices students have makes clocks available to them at all times. However, the feelings of necessity are different for instructors.

Laura Stott, instructor of English, heard that the use of Primex clocks was implemented because many professors were complaining about the absence of clocks.

Some professors, like Rebekah Cumpsty, associate professor of English, claimed to not have even noticed the absence of the clocks at all.

Although batteries in the Primex clocks require replacing every few years, it’s helped cut back the maintenance costs significantly. The old wiring system for the digital clocks was roughly $40,000 a year to maintain. Their removal has saved WSU an estimated $20-30,000 yearly.

Eric Buell, WSU freshman, recalls seeing clocks in all but one of his classrooms. Buell

mentioned he uses the clocks frequently throughout class and would be bothered by their absence.

Jean Norman, associate professor of media writing, made similar claims, saying the presence of clocks is crucial to her keeping track of time throughout her classes.

The Primex clock in one of Norman’s classrooms is running about 12 minutes behind, which causes a lot of confusion for her. To combat the time uncertainty, Norman has taped a face mask onto the clock to avoid further befuddlement.

So, next time you go to check the time in class, try seeing if your classroom has a clock on the wall.

Editor’s note: Jean Norman, professor of digital media, was interviewed by Gracie Stephenson for this story. Norman is also the adviser of The Signpost, but does not proofread, approve or confirm stories before they are published. The course she teaches in EH 323 is a communications class unrelated to The Signpost.

A creative clock located in Elizabeth Hall room 207.

By GRACIE STEPHENSON Reportero

Encontrar un reloj en una clase de Weber State University no está siempre asegurado, e incluso cuando hay uno, no hay garantía de que muestre la hora correcta. Los estudiantes y el personal docente y administrativo tal vez se pregunten por qué ocurre esto.

Hace seis años, la Administración de Inst laciones de WSU tomó la decisión de renunciar a los relojes en las aulas.

El sistema original de relojes del campus se construyó en los años 60 con un viejo sistema de cableado. Los relojes estaban instalados y conectados a un sistema de alarma central, similar al sistema de timbres que la mayoría de escuelas secundarias estadounidenses usan. Ese sistema central y el cableado se hicieron viejos hasta el punto en el que los relojes no daban la hora correcta ni funcionaban bien.

Con la caída del sistema original de relojes tenían que tomar una importante decisión: invertir mucho dinero para renovar toda la instalación eléctrica, o renunciar a los relojes.

Jacob Cain, director de operaciones en la Administración de Instalaciones, consideró

con cautela esta cuestión. Cain realizó encuestas para los estudiantes y docentes con el fin de determinar cómo estos preferirían que el dinero fuese usado, además de entender mejor cómo de importante los relojes eran para los profesores.

Algunos individuos dijeron que los relojes eran un elemento de gran importancia para un aula. O al menos así fue hasta que descubrieron cuánto dinero costaría el nuevo cableado.

Cain preguntó a estas personas si todavía elegirían tener un reloj en el aula aun sabiendo que todo ese dinero se restaría de otros proyectos. Una vez que los que apoyaban tener relojes contemplaron el hecho de que una renovación de la instalación eléctrica implicaría un coste estimado de un millón de dólares, el consenso general fue de prescindir de ellos.

Tras la eliminación del sistema original de relojes en edificios antiguos del campus, la instalación de relojes se convirtió en algo que cada departamento tenía que solicitar. Un sistema de gestión centralizado llamado Primex fue la alternativa al nuevo cableado. Primex permite que los relojes con batería se sincronicen entre sí, así como ajustarse automáticamente a los cambios de tiempo.

Cain dijo que aunque los relojes no han estado desde hace ya años, algunos profesores todavía envían solicitudes para tener uno en sus aulas cada pocos meses.

Muchos de los relojes están colocados en la parte de atrás de la sala, así que los estudiantes no los ven. La disponibilidad y acceso a los dispositivos portátiles que los estudiantes tienen hace que los relojes estén disponibles para ellos en todo momento. Sin embargo, la sensación de necesidad de estos es diferente para los instructores.

Laura Stott, instructora de inglés, escuchó que el uso de relojes Primex se implementó debido a que muchos profesores se estaban quejando de la ausencia de estos.

Algunos profesores como Rebekah Cumpsty, profesora asociada de inglés, afirmaron no haber notado la ausencia de relojes en absoluto.

Aunque las baterías de los relojes Primex han de ser reemplazadas cada pocos años, ha ayudado a reducir los costos de mantenimiento significativamente. El antiguo sistema de cableado para los relojes digitales costaba unos $40,000 mantenerlo. Quitarlos ha ahorrado a WSU una cifra anual estimada de $20-30,000.

Eric Buell, estudiante de primer año de WSU, recuerda haber visto relojes en todas

sus aulas menos en una. Buell mencionó que utiliza con frecuencia los relojes en clase y que le molestaría la ausencia de estos.

Jean Norman, profesora asociada de medios de comunicación, hizo declaraciones similares diciendo que la presencia de los relojes es crucial para controlar su tiempo durante sus clases.

El reloj Primex en una de las aulas de Norman lleva unos doce minutos de retraso, lo que le causa mucha confusión. Para combatir la incertidumbre con la hora, Norman ha pegado una mascarilla en el reloj para evitar más confusiones.

De esta manera, la próxima vez que vaya a mirar la hora en clase, trate de ver si su aula tiene un reloj en la pared.

Nota del editor: Jean Norman, profesora de medios digitales, fue entrevistada por Gracie Stephenson para esta historia. Norman también es la asesora de The Signpost, aunque ella no corrige, aprueba ni confirma historias antes de que sean publicadas. El curso que imparte en EH 323 es una clase de comunicación que no está relacionada con The Signpost.

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POR MARIANO MARTINEZ MARTINEZ Traductor

By LUCAS MOORE Reporter

The 2023 Ogden City mayoral race is coming to a close, the leading candidates being Ben Nadolski and Taylor Knuth. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Knuth totaled 1,997 votes and Nadolski with 1,829 in the primary election.

The current mayor of Ogden, Mike Caldwell, dubbed the “biking mayor,” will not be seeking out a fourth term and will leave the position after 12 years.

According to KSL News, Caldwell pushed for economic development projects during his time as mayor, such as the Ogden Express bus system. Caldwell has also run into obstacles with the general public such as issues related to public land being granted to private investors.

Knuth, deputy director of the Salt Lake City Arts Council in the Department of Economic Development, has led a campaign to take on the position. According to Knuth, no one was compensated for helping him run the cam-

paign, as it was all passion-driven.

“The change I want to see is on the front porch, not sitting behind a pulpit in an echo chamber,” Knuth said.

Knuth is a first-generation college student who grew up around Clearfield with his mother and three sisters. Growing up in a low-income household, Knuth had struggles planning for the future and was focused on surviving.

“People like me who grew up and were raised how I was aren’t pushed to run for office, and our main initiative is to survive,” Knuth said.

Knuth described an early influence that pushed him towards success that took place in 7th grade at the Davis Community Learning Center. One of his adult mentors, Jana Coates, helped Knuth discover his love for arts and theater, which set him on a path for the future.

Ogden wasn’t a home for Knuth until he attended Weber State University in 2011 on a Dream Weber scholarship. Majoring in musical theater, Knuth was also influenced by

his mentor, Catherine Zublin, a WSU theater professor and event moderator.

Due to her impact, Knuth and his husband, Sean Bishop, began the Zublin Award scholarship earlier this year. Knuth met his partner, got married, bought his first house and started his career in public service, all in Ogden.

“My eyes were opened up to some of the challenges people deal with in our community, and I’ve seen that when local government works for the least fortunate, it works for everyone,” Knuth said.

Knuth functions through a human-centered lens, saying there are ways a city can work with developers to add to their projects to enhance the qualities of life.

Being a member of the LGBTQ community, Knuth is facing opposition during his campaign and has logged off social media platforms due to homophobic rhetoric. Knuth fights to stay true to himself, feeling that he has more to offer with his experience and vision rather than his sexuality or ethnicity.

Knuth said he can and wants to achieve a reliable local government by focusing on

stronger investments in clean air, affordable housing, addressing the sinking of the Great Salt Lake, public safety officers being out on the streets more often than in their vehicles and economic development that works for everyone in the community.

“As we develop the economy, we should have the expressed benefit in mind of the people who are already living here,” Knuth said.

According to Knuth, Ogden residents have come to him with visions of a more responsive government. The issue expressed by these residents is that respondents don’t get a response when they reach out to local government officials.

An example of this comes from Knuth’s own experience, regarding diversity and inclusivity in Ogden.

Ogden has a Municipal Equality Index score of 58 out of 100, which hasn’t changed for the last three to four years. According to the Human Rights Campaign, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing human rights, cities receive MEI ratings according to their non-discrimination policies, leadership in LGBTQ equality, municipal services, employer-friendliness and law enforcement.

Upon viewing the index score in the past, Knuth called for a city council meeting to discuss improvements and make shifts to accomplish a better score that leads to embracing LGBTQ residents, but his request has not been acted upon.

Knuth said it is important for the younger population to be educated on what it means to vote in local governmental elections, using the lack of acknowledgment he has received from officials as an example.

“We have a fairly disengaged younger population, and some aren’t realizing that their voices can change any outcome in the democratic process, and this is reflected in local government,” Knuth said.

Ben Nadolski, supervisor of day-to-day operations for the Division of Wildlife Resources in northern Utah, is also leading a campaign for the position.

“Helping the people of a community thrive is a big priority of mine, and the campaign has been stressful, but I am more overwhelmed by the inspiration and fulfillment I receive from the people,” Nadolski said.

According to the Ogden City website, Nadolski has served as a policy analyst and legislative liaison for the Utah Department of Natural Resources in the past. Nadolski

Ogden mayoral candidate Ben Nadolski shakes hands with The Signpost reporter Lucas Moore to conclude their interview.

AJ Handley | The Signpost

developed partnerships with individuals and communities to protect wildlife species and natural environments, being instrumental in the implementation of the Ogden River Restoration Project.

Nadolski grew up the youngest of five siblings in Phoenix, Arizona. Experiencing hard times as a child, Nadolski’s parents had a trajectory to work through financial struggles. Part of his childhood was watching that evolution take place for them as a family.

Nadolski’s mother began engaging in local community issues and politics when he was around the age of 12.

“I have memories of waking up for a glass of water in the middle of the warm nights in Phoenix and seeing my mother working with other people on things that mattered for our neighborhood and community,” Nadolski said.

Nadolski described his mother’s political approach as non-partisan and in favor of the people, leading him to draw some of her intentions into his own campaign.

Nadolski branched out to Utah in 1996 to play football for WSU. Nadolski also met his wife and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice at WSU and felt motivated to get involved in the community.

Nadolski said that if you want to make an impact, you get to do it yourself in Ogden.

“There is a really inviting culture here, and we actually get to work on issues that arise rather than just letting them linger,” Nadolski said.

The issues Nadolski hears most within the community are infrastructure, particularly with roads and sidewalks, affordable housing and making sure local government is building transparently, along with zoning and planning.

Nadolski believes Ogden can build its community through economic development that is delivering on two high-priority needs of people, which are housing and infrastructure. This would entail housing at a reasonable price that people can own.

Utilizing the tools from the Redevelopment

Agency of SLC to leverage what the people need is one way of pursuing this in Nadolski’s eyes. Rather than giving incentives to developers to bring projects here, Nadolski feels we can still have efficient projects and use those incentives to build the infrastructure or create the exact product for people to buy.

In terms of diversity and inclusion in Ogden, Nadolski said a universal human value everybody wants is an equality in communities for people to thrive.

“This is something we are all universally in support of, but also fight about, and I’d like to not focus on fighting but finding the people who are looking for equal opportunities and creating the conditions for them to thrive,” Nadolski said.

One example of equal opportunity Nadolski would like to implement is children from all neighborhoods, regardless of their background, having a chance to play in the recreational program he has been involved in, called Untamed.

“The kind of initiative I want to represent

is to give more participation in youth recreation, finding those kids and making sure everybody from every neighborhood gets a chance,” Nadolski said.

Nadolski has also received opposition to his campaign but prefers to hold the perspective that politics are not for the faint of heart, believing that people will say or do hurtful things, and that’s just the way it is.

“You have to have a sense of self that is strong enough to endure what people will say and do because this is a lot bigger than just you and me,” Nadolski said.

The two candidates will continue to campaign until the general election on Nov. 21, giving the candidates time to seek out support and votes.

Mail voting ballots should arrive to registered voters on or around Oct. 30, according to the Ogden City website. For individuals interested in registering to vote, the Utah Voter Registration website has all the information and steps needed to register.

Mayoral candidate Taylor Knuth will continue to campaign until general elections on Nov. 21.

Contributed by Taylor Knuth

By LUCAS MOORE Reportero

La carrera por la alcaldía de la ciudad de Ogden de 2023 está llegando a su fin y los principales candidatos son Ben Nadolski y Taylor Knuth. Según The Salt Lake Tribune, Knuth totalizó 1.997 votos y Nadolski 1.829 en las elecciones primarias.

El actual alcalde de Ogden, Mike Caldwell, apodado el “alcalde ciclista”, no buscará un cuarto mandato y dejará el cargo después de 12 años.

Según KSL News, Caldwell impulsó proyectos de desarrollo económico durante su mandato como alcalde, como el sistema de autobuses Ogden Express. Caldwell también se ha topado con obstáculos con el público en general, como cuestiones relacionadas con la concesión de terrenos públicos a inversores privados.

Knuth, subdirector del Consejo de las Artes de Salt Lake City en el Departamento de Desarrollo Económico, ha liderado una campaña para asumir el cargo. Según Knuth, nadie recibió compensación por ayudarlo a dirigir la campaña, ya que todo fue impulsado por la pasión.

“El cambio que quiero ver es en el porche

delantero, no sentado detrás de un púlpito en una cámara de resonancia”, dijo Knuth.

Knuth es un estudiante universitario de primera generación que creció en Clearfield con su madre y sus tres hermanas. Al crecer en un hogar de bajos ingresos, Knuth tuvo dificultades para planificar el futuro y se centró en sobrevivir.

“A las personas como yo, que crecimos y nos criaron como yo, no se las presiona para postularse para un cargo, y nuestra principal iniciativa es sobrevivir”, dijo Knuth.

Knuth describió una influencia temprana que lo empujó hacia el éxito que tuvo lugar en séptimo grado en el Centro de Aprendizaje Comunitario de Davis. Una de sus mentoras adultas, Jana Coates, ayudó a Knuth a descubrir su amor por las artes y el teatro, lo que lo encaminó hacia el futuro.

Ogden no fue el hogar de Knuth hasta que asistió a la Universidad Estatal Weber en 2011 con una beca Dream Weber. Con especialización en teatro musical, Knuth también fue influenciado por su mentora, Catherine Zublin, profesora de teatro de WSU y moderadora de eventos.

Debido a su impacto, Knuth y su esposo, Sean Bishop, comenzaron a obtener la beca del Premio Zublin a principios de este año. Knuth conoció a su socio, se casó, compró su primera casa y comenzó su carrera en el servi-

cio público, todo en Ogden.

“Se me abrieron los ojos a algunos de los desafíos que enfrenta la gente en nuestra comunidad, y he visto que cuando el gobierno local trabaja para los menos afortunados, funciona para todos”, dijo Knuth.

Knuth funciona a través de una lente centrada en el ser humano y dice que hay formas en que una ciudad puede trabajar con los desarrolladores para contribuir a sus proyectos y mejorar la calidad de vida.

Al ser miembro de la comunidad LGBTQ, Knuth enfrenta oposición durante su campaña y se ha desconectado de las plataformas de redes sociales debido a la retórica homofóbica. Knuth lucha por mantenerse fiel a sí mismo, sintiendo que tiene más que ofrecer con su experiencia y visión que con su sexualidad o etnia.

Knuth dijo que puede y quiere lograr un gobierno local confiable centrándose en mayores inversiones para un aire limpio, viviendas asequibles, abordando el hundimiento del Gran Lago Salado, oficiales de seguridad pública saliendo a las calles con más frecuencia que en sus vehículos y un desarrollo económico que funcione para todos en la comunidad.

“A medida que desarrollamos la economía, debemos tener en cuenta el beneficio expresado por las personas que ya viven aquí”, dijo

Knuth.

Según Knuth, los residentes de Ogden han acudido a él con la visión de un gobierno más receptivo. El problema expresado por estos residentes es que los encuestados no obtienen respuesta cuando se comunican con los funcionarios del gobierno local.

Un ejemplo de esto proviene de la propia experiencia de Knuth con respecto a la diversidad e inclusión en Ogden.

Ogden tiene una puntuación del Índice de Igualdad Municipal de 58 sobre 100, que no ha cambiado en los últimos tres o cuatro años. Según Human Rights Campaign, una organización sin fines de lucro dedicada a promover los derechos humanos, las ciudades reciben calificaciones MEI (Municipal Equality Index, por sus siglas en ingles) según sus políticas de no discriminación, liderazgo en igualdad LGBTQ, servicios municipales, facilidad para los empleadores y aplicación de la ley.

Al ver el puntaje del índice en el pasado, Knuth convocó a una reunión del consejo municipal para discutir mejoras y hacer cambios para lograr un mejor puntaje que conduzca a acoger a los residentes LGBTQ, pero su solicitud no ha sido atendida.

Knuth dijo que es importante educar a la población más joven sobre lo que significa votar en las elecciones gubernamentales locales, y puso como ejemplo la falta de reconocimiento que ha recibido por parte de los funcionarios.

“Tenemos una población joven bastante desconectada y algunos no se dan cuenta de que sus voces pueden cambiar cualquier resultado en el proceso democrático, y esto se refleja en el gobierno local”, dijo Knuth.

Ben Nadolski, supervisor de operaciones diarias de la División de Recursos de Vida Silvestre en el norte de Utah, también lidera una campaña para el puesto.

“Ayudar a la gente de una comunidad a prosperar es una gran prioridad para mí y la campaña ha sido estresante, pero estoy más abrumado por la inspiración y la satisfacción que recibo de la gente”, Nad

Según el sitio web de la ciudad de Ogden, Nadolski se ha desempeñado como analista de políticas y enlace legislativo para el Departamento de Recursos Naturales de Utah en el pasado. Nadolski desarrolló asociaciones con individuos y comunidades para proteger las especies de vida silvestre y los entornos naturales, desempeñando un papel decisivo en la implementación del Proyecto de Restauración del Río Ogden.

Mayoral candidate Ben Nadolski and The Signpost reporter Lucas Moore share a laugh during their interview.

AJ Handley | The Signpost

POR DANIELA IMBRETT Traductor

Nadolski creció como el menor de cinco hermanos en Phoenix, Arizona. Al atravesar tiempos difíciles cuando era niño, los padres de Nadolski tuvieron una trayectoria para superar las luchas financieras. Parte de su infancia fue ver cómo se producía la evolución de ellos como familia.

La madre de Nadolski comenzó a involucrarse en cuestiones políticas y de la comunidad local cuando él tenía alrededor de 12 años.

“Tengo recuerdos de despertarme con un vaso de agua en medio de las noches cálidas en Phoenix y ver a mi madre trabajando con otras personas en cosas que importaban para nuestro vecindario y comunidad”, dijo Nadolski.

Nadolski describió el enfoque político de su madre como no partidista y a favor del pueblo, lo que lo llevó a incorporar algunas de sus intenciones a su propia campaña.

Nadolski se mudó a Utah en 1996 para jugar fútbol americano en WSU. Nadolski también conoció a su esposa y se graduó en Justicia Penal en WSU y se sintió motivado a

involucrarse en la comunidad.

Nadolski dijo que si quieres causar un impacto, puedes hacerlo tú mismo en Ogden.

“Aquí hay una cultura realmente acogedora y, de hecho, nos ponemos a trabajar en los problemas que surgen en lugar de simplemente dejarlos persistir”, dijo Nadolski.

Los problemas que más escucha Nadolski dentro de la comunidad son de infraestructura, particularmente con carreteras y aceras, viviendas asequibles y asegurarse de que el gobierno local construya de manera transparente, además de zonificación y planificación.

Nadolski cree que Ogden puede construir su comunidad a través de un desarrollo económico que satisfaga dos necesidades de alta prioridad de las personas, que son vivienda e infraestructura. Esto implicaría viviendas a un precio razonable que la gente pueda poseer.

Utilizar las herramientas de la Agencia de Reurbanización de SLC para aprovechar lo que la gente necesita es una forma de lograrlo a los ojos de Nadolski. En lugar de dar incentivos a los desarrolladores para que

traigan proyectos aquí, Nadolski cree que todavía podemos tener proyectos eficientes y utilizar esos incentivos para construir la infraestructura o crear el producto exacto para que la gente compre.

En términos de diversidad e inclusión en Ogden, Nadolski dijo que un valor humano universal que todos quieren es la igualdad en las comunidades para que las personas prosperen.

“Esto es algo por lo que todos apoyamos universalmente, pero también luchamos, y me gustaría no centrarme en luchar sino en encontrar a las personas que buscan igualdad de oportunidades y crear las condiciones para que prosperen”, dijo Nadolski.

Un ejemplo de igualdad de oportunidades que a Nadolski le gustaría implementar es que los niños de todos los vecindarios, independientemente de su origen, tengan la oportunidad de jugar en el programa recreativo en el que ha participado, llamado Untamed.

“El tipo de iniciativa que quiero representar es brindar más participación en la recreación

juvenil, encontrar a esos niños y asegurar que todos en cada vecindario tengan una oportunidad”, dijo Nadolski.

Nadolski también ha recibido oposición a su campaña, pero prefiere mantener la perspectiva de que la política no es para los débiles de corazón, creyendo que la gente dirá o hará cosas hirientes, y simplemente así son estas cosas.

“Tienes que tener un sentido de ti mismo que sea lo suficientemente fuerte como para soportar lo que la gente diga y haga porque esto es mucho más grande que solo tú y yo”, dijo Nadolski.

Los dos candidatos continuarán haciendo campaña hasta las elecciones generales del 21 de noviembre, lo que les dará tiempo para buscar apoyo y votos.

Las boletas de votación por correo deberían llegar a los votantes registrados alrededor del 30 de octubre, según el sitio web de la ciudad de Ogden. Para las personas interesadas en registrarse para votar, el sitio web de Registro de Votantes de Utah tiene toda la información y los pasos necesarios para registrarse.

Mayoral candidate Taylor Knuth will continue to campaign until Nov. 21.

Contributed by Taylor Knuth

By COOPER HATSIS Reporter

Weber State’s Studio 76 started production on Sept. 29 for their new horror short film, “Playhouse.” Production for the new short film wrapped on Oct. 1 in Eden, Utah.

“Playhouse” is about two siblings, Calvin and Catherine, whose grandmother recently passed away. While packing up their deceased grandmother’s belongings, the duo discover an old music box that, when played, changes the world around them, creating new revelations about their grandmother and her sister’s disappearance from long ago.

This new short was written by Alexander Papworth, a digital media major at Weber State. Papworth has previously worked on Studio 76’s 48-Hour Film Project over the summer, in which the studio was given 48 hours to complete a short film.

Papworth found inspiration for this short film through the “Resident Evil” video game series and the television show “Doctor Who.” “The Weeping Angels from Doctor Who are what really got it going. I wanted the monster in the story to do something like the Weeping Angels,” Papworth said.

“Playhouse” was directed by Jaxon Winder, a film major and equipment manager at Studio 76. This is Winder’s second time directing with Studio 76; he previously worked on an episode of Studio 76’s series, “Mod Vamps.” The series follows a vampire living throughout different decades. Winder directed the episode that took place in the 1980s.

“That one had an 80’s cop feeling…kind of like Miami Vice,” Winder said.

Studio 76 currently plans to send their new short film to the Dark at the Cinema Film Festival, previously known as The Demonchaser Film Festival In past years, Studio 76 has submitted short films to this film festival, including 2022’s “Withered” and 2019’s “Lambchop,” which won an award. “Lambchop’’ can currently be found on Studio 76’s YouTube Channel.

This is Papworth and Winder’s first time submitting a short film to the Dark at the Cinema Film Festival.

Emily Barney, an earth science education major, plays the role of Catherine. Barney first discovered this production via a flyer posted on campus, but decided that she wanted to try out for the role after speaking with Studio 76 during this year’s Block Party. Barney acted in theatre classes in high school, but this is her first time acting in a film.

“It’s pretty fun. It can be a little tedious, because I wasn’t expecting how many reshoots and different takes we would have to do. But overall, it’s been a pretty good experience,” explains Barney.

Barney explains what it is that she likes about the character of Catherine, “I like how down to Earth she is. I like playing characters that aren’t super over the top.” Barney said. Similarly, David Nelson, who plays Calvin, also comes from the theatre acting scene and is experiencing his first time acting for film through “Playhouse.”

“I like the dynamic between Calvin and his older sister. He is trying to act like he’s older and like he doesn’t care. He is trying to have a better power dynamic,” Nelson said.

Katherine Berghout, who was the Director of Photography and in charge of clothes and makeup for the 2022 horror film.

DP and in charge of clothes and makeup, Katherine Berghout, filming on the set of their horror film from 2022.

LAMIS SHAKH | The Signpost

LAMIS SHAKH The Signpost

Left: Lead writer Sara Jo Corless preparing super worms for a scene in the 2022 movie.

Bottom left: Actress Grace Hernandez taking a rose from a rose bush. Photo taken in Sept. 2022.

Bottom Right: The Studio 76 crew preparing to film their short horror film in 2022.

LAMIS SHAKH

By JACOBA JONES Reporter

Weber State University’s men’s club hockey had a smashing first month of their season, with four wins under their belt and three of the wins being shutouts. The Wildcat’s first away game versus Utah Valley University on Sept. 23 ended with a score of 13-0 for the Wildcats. On Sept. 29, the ‘Cats went up against Idaho State University and won 28-0.

Friday night’s game was Idaho State’s first ever hockey game. The team has grown quickly in a short period of time and has worked hard to be where they are at.

The Wildcats had 15 goal scorers and four hat tricks. Minutes into the game Kevin Norward found forward Yegor Khomyakov who had a beautiful opportunity for a wrist shot. Khomyakov had three goals and three assists, and Norward had two goals and six assists. Cory Mater also had three goals and two assists. Tucker Thorstad had three goals and two assists. Rigo Aceves had the first goal ever as a Wildcat which followed with two more goals as the game continued.

Rigo Aceves is from La Habra, California, and recently started playing for Weber as

a defenseman. He formerly played for the Ogden Mustangs this past season, which introduced him to the area and fans.

In hockey, three 20-minute periods are played with two 15-minute breaks in between. On average the Wildcats scored a goal every two minutes, the most ever for the Wildcats. The first period ended with 10 goals, the second period with 24, and the final period with four more.

This season the Wildcats have 11 new faces on the team. Two new defensemen, six forwards, and 3 new goals. Nine of the new players are from states outside of Utah and two of them are from Canada- Nick Demchuk is from Oakbank, Manitoba, and Louis Poliquin is from Montreal, Québec. This makes the Weber hockey team having three players from outside of the U.S. Weber State hockey offers a competitive competition in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. With an electric atmosphere and exciting games. The Weber State Wildcats will have their next game against the University of Providence in Great Falls, Montana, on Oct. 5, and the puck drops at 7:15 p.m.

Defensemen Jack Jones skating with the puck in his possession. Photo taken in October 2022.

ANNA KUGLAR | The Signpost

By COLLYN COWLES Section Editor

In the aftermath of a challenging 40–0 loss to Montana State University in the Big Sky Conference opener, Weber State University’s football team demonstrated resilience with a resounding 28–21 victory over the University of Northern Colorado. The Wildcats mounted an impressive comeback, scoring 21 unanswered points and securing three interceptions in the fourth quarter to seal the game. Additionally, trailing 21–7 with 6:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, Weber State staged a remarkable turnaround, scoring three touchdowns to secure the win.

The Wildcats began the scoring on their

opening drive, embarking on a ten play, 75 yard journey culminating in Kris Jackson’s 3 yard rushing touchdown. Northern Colorado swiftly responded with a similar 75 yard drive and a touchdown of their own. Although the extra point was blocked by Weber State’s Matt Herron.

Following a missed field goal attempt by Weber State, Northern Colorado orchestrated a 15-play, 78-yard drive that took over seven minutes of game time that resulted in another touchdown. The Bears led with a 20-yard rushing touchdown, adding a two point conversion to make it 21–7 with 4:44 left in the second quarter.

The game remained scoreless until the fourth quarter when Weber State’s quarterback Kylan Weisser, contributed a 1 yard,

rushing touchdown, narrowing the gap to 21–14. A crucial interception by Abraham Williams set Jackson up for a 5-yard touchdown with 2:28 remaining in the fourth quarter. Winston Reid then intercepted a Northern Colorado pass, returning it for a 40yard touchdown, giving the Wildcats a 28–21 advantage with 1:46 left to play. Garrett Beck sealed the victory with yet another interception.

While Northern Colorado amassed 385 yards compared to Weber State’s 378, the Wildcats displayed a balanced offensive performance with a total of 201 passing yards and 177 rushing yards. Individually, Jackson led the ground game with 20 carries for 105 yards, and he had two touchdowns. Weisser completed 14 of 29 passes for 201 yards, but

also recorded three interceptions. Haze Hadley led the receiving corps with three catches for 55 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, in addition to the three interceptions, Reid led the Wildcats with 10 tackles, Nadeem Colvin contributed nine, Jack Kelly recorded eight tackles.

Following two demanding matchups against the University of Utah and Montana State University, the Wildcats made an impressive comeback, improving their record to 3–2. They are now preparing for consecutive home games at Stewart Stadium, hosting Northern Arizona University on Oct. 7 and University of California, Davis, on Oct. 14. Both games will be kicking off at 6 p.m.

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

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

Nathanael 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.

ROBERT CASEY | Weber State Athletics

Weber State football team running out on the field. Photo taken September 2018.