Week of April 14, 2020 www.usustatesman.com (435) 797-1742 TSC Room 118 Free single copy NEWS | ‘An alternative to opioids’
STUDENT LIFE | Meet your senator
SPORTS | Tick, tock
Utah’s second cannabis pharmacy has opened in North Logan. How do the owners hope to serve Cache Valley?
Read how Alex Lyons isn’t only working toward a medical career, but also as the 2019-20 College of Science senator.
How are USU football players passing the time with a delayed spring season?
see PAGE 3
see PAGE 2
see PAGE 4
SILVER LINING?
How staying home is affecting the environment By Taylor Cripe NEWS STAFF WRITER
Local music festival to be streamed online
After weeks of isolation and
economic loss resulting from businesses shutting down to slow the spread of COVID-19 around Cache Valley, there
may be a silver lining in the form of decreasing air pollutants.
Awbrey Burgess, a senior at
Utah State University studying geography, said this sit-
uation shows air pollution can be mitigated through self-awareness.
“The earth is getting a break
right now,” Burgess said. “Moving forward, we should
This January 2018 photo shows the smog that frequents Cache Valley during the winter.
balance the economy with
for poor air quality.
ple things like walking more
mental engineering professor
where.”
in Jan. 2016, where he said
be thinking about how to the environment. Doing simand not driving a car every-
Northern Utah is notorious
throughout the last 15 years,
Randal Martin, an environ-
ly exceeded the 17 poor air
at USU, coauthored an article
STATESMAN FILE PHOTO
According to Martin, while
Cache Valley has general-
Cache Valley has been doing
quality days per year recom-
2016 because of regulation
mended by the Environmental Protection Agency.
better with pollution since on businesses, there is still a see “Air” PAGE 5
DeHarde and Merrill win top USU athlete honors
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF Aggie Radio Aggie Radio’s annual “Logan City Limits” will be livestreamed this year due to social distancing guidelines. By Maggie Mattinson STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
For the past decade, the Logan City Limits music festival host-
ed by Aggie Radio has been a spring staple for Utah State Uni-
versity and Logan, Utah’s music scene. The 2020 festival to
commemorate the 10th anniversary of the annual weekend of music was set to be bigger and better than ever before.
Aggie Radio’s events team, led by sophomore Sierra Benson,
had planned to combine the festival with the Utah State Uni-
versity Student Association’s End of Year Bash to create a truly spectacular event.
But as the COVID-19 pandemic became more of a reality
for USU students, Aggie Radio’s leadership realized despite
months of planning, an insane passion for events and pouring their hearts and souls into this festival, 2020’s Logan City Limits would be canceled.
At the end of March, however, the team got the green light to
produce something never done before in all of USU history: an entire three-day music festival condensed into one livestream.
“The hardest part is that our events team, led by Sierra Ben-
son, has been preparing for what would have been the largest Logan City Limits festival since August,” said Aggie Radio’s station manager Brandon Ellis. “They’ve put a lot of time in or-
ganizing, finding bands and collaborating with a lot of campus and community entities. We’ve had to throw away most of that and completely switch gears to something brand new and dif-
ferent. That isn’t easy, but if anyone can do it, it’s Aggie Radio.” Sierra Benson, the events director for the station, said the
shift in format has been difficult emotionally as well as operationally.
“I had been planning this Logan City Limits for five months,
pulling out all the stops, since this was our 10 year anniversa-
ry,” Benson said. “Coming to the realization that I would never PHOTO COURTESY OF Wade Denniston/USU Athletics By Dalton Renshaw SPORTS CONTENT MANAGER
The 2020 Robins Awards — put on
by Utah State University’s student involvement department — winners were
announced on Saturday, with both the
men’s and women’s athletes of the year up for grabs.
For the second straight year, USU bas-
ketball’s Sam Merrill was the recipient of the men’s award, while Autumn De-
Harde won her first after a spectacular season for USU gymnastics.
Women’s athlete of the year
DeHarde’s 2020 season was filled with
individual accolades. The junior set mul-
tiple personal records and even a few Utah State records, including career
PHOTO BY Iain Laurence
beam titles, which she now holds with
back-to-back seasons, a first in the pro-
beam titles in 2020 in just nine meets.
guard became the first player in Moun-
12. DeHarde grabbed an incredible six
In the team’s final meet of the season, USU defeated No. 17 BYU and finished a
perfect 4-0 home season. Naturally, DeHarde was instrumental in the win. The
Wisconsin-native earned a pair of titles
in beam and floor, setting a career-high 9.950 in the floor event.
Utah State’s beam group rose to as high
as No. 18 in the nation this past season, with DeHarde being a large part of that revival. For her efforts, she was awarded the Gymnast of the Year honor in the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference. Men’s athlete of the year
Merrill led Utah State men’s basketball
to a Mountain West Tournament title in
gram’s history. In addition, the senior tain West history to win consecutive
tournament MVPs. The Bountiful-native finished his career at USU with 2,197 points — second in program and MW
history — and was the leader in two of
the Aggies’ most successful seasons. In addition to being a prolific scorer, Merrill
finished his career with the second-most
assists in USU history, a testament to his effectiveness in all areas of the court.
In the 2019-20 season, Utah State start-
ed the season No. 15 in the nation and ended the season — which was shortened to due the novel coronavirus — receiving votes in the top-25 and as Mountain West Tournament champions.
see “Robins” PAGE 5
see that hard work come to fruition was one of the hardest parts about turning to a livestream. Operationally, I had to
start over, making a small event lineup in the space of around four days so that we could get filming started the same week.”
Due to travel restrictions, several of the bands originally set
to play the festival can’t participate in the livestream. How-
ever, the Logan music scene pulled through to support Aggie Radio in this effort. The lineup is still tentative, but it includes
local favorites like SorryMom, Ugly Boys, Guava Tree and Iris Isadora.
This year, Aggie Radio has started a new project: the Blue
Light Media video team, led by Austin Roundy and Klaus VanZanten. Focusing on and developing this new division of Stu-
dent Media has been preparing them for the huge undertaking of a project like this.
“What we might not have realized is that we were practicing,
in a way, for a much larger project: the Logan City Limits livestream,” Ellis said.
Aggie Radio has never been faced with a challenge like this
before. But the students of the media group are facing it with
their characteristic optimism and drive, and are working to see “Streaming” PAGE 5
PAGE 2
WEEK OF APRIL 14, 2020
NEWS
‘An alternative to opioids’
Utah’s second medical cannabis pharmacy opens in N. Logan By Alison Berg NEWS MANAGER
Tyler Kirschbaun was thrilled when Utah voters gave the
green light on Proposition 2 — the Medical Marijuana Initiative.
After months of battling over the initiative in the state legisla-
Utah has strict regulations on who can obtain medical mari-
juana and how they can obtain it, but Pearl said the pharmacy has had a smooth opening thus far.
“These aren’t budtenders, these are pharmacy agents,” he
said, referencing the colloquial name for retail workers at cannabis dispensaries.
“It’s treated a lot like a pharmacy you’d find in a grocery
ture, Kirschbaun was thrilled when North Logan became home
store,” he added. “We have to label things, everything is very
Perfect Earth Modern Apothecary celebrated a “soft opening”
Sam Warner, a pharmacist at Perfect Earth Modern Apothe-
to the state’s second medical cannabis pharmacy. on April 1 at 2150 North Main St.
To celebrate such a drastic change in Utah, the director ini-
tially wanted a “grand opening.” But after the COVID-19 pan-
controlled through the state.”
cary, believes medical cannabis will change the way Utahns think about drug addiction, medication and illness.
“It’s just another, safer option for people,” Warner said. “I see
demic spread throughout the country and Gov. Gary Herbert
it as for people who are struggling with alcoholism or addicted
home and not gather in groups of more than 10 people, Perfect
Before moving to Utah and working in the medical cannabis
issued a “stay home, stay safe” directive asking people to stay Earth Director of Operations Tim Pearl said “this works.”
Pearl said the opening came after months of delays and
awaited excitement for Utah patients.
“People have been waiting for this to open for a long time,”
he said. “We’ve had to push back a few times because of the virus.”
Kirschbaun said the pharmacy is beneficial to him because
to opiates, it’s something for them to try and use instead.”
industry, Warner worked as a pharmacist in Arizona where he learned about other psychoactive medications.
“The cool thing about (cannabis) is nobody fully understands
it yet,” he said. “It was kind of cool to have a medication I’ve
never learned about before and I just was able to basically try it out on my own.”
Similar to how medications are treated in mainstream phar-
he suffers from chronic pain and cannot take opioids due to
macies, Warner’s job as a cannabis pharmacist is to ensure pa-
“I don’t like pills,” he said. “It’s an alternative to opioids, it’s
“We meet with each patient before they can buy anything,”
a fatty liver.
not habit forming and it’s natural.”
tients know how to use their medication safely and effectively. he said. “Patients will come in and we’ll discuss what they’ve
PHOTO BY Jeff Chiu/Associated Press FILE - In this June 21, 2018, file photo, a laboratory manager holds a cannabis sample in Oakland, Calif. Utah lawmakers are expected to meet Monday, Dec. 3, and pass changes to a voter-approved ballot measure legalizing medical marijuana, a plan that was announced as a broad compromise but has since generated backlash.
tried in the past and then transition them to the medical part, if they’ve never tried it, we’ll go over some safety stuff.”
Up to Dec. 31, patients can bring a letter from their physi-
cian as documentation for their local cannabis pharmacy. But beginning January 2021, patients will need to obtain a medi-
cal cannabis card from a medical provider registered with the Utah Department of Health in order to purchase medical cannabis.
—alisonberg28@gmail.com @alison_berg
OWTC student sells masks to help the homeless By Lance Johnson FOR THE UTAH STATESMAN
An Ogden-Weber Technical College student is funding her
effort to provide homeless Utahns with food and protective masks by selling her homemade masks to those who can afford it.
“I initially funded the project myself, unsure if it would be a
one-time thing,” said Brittanya Blanck, the 22-year-old student
behind the project. “But more people wanted to get involved, donate, and it has gotten a lot bigger.”
Blanck’s bags for the homeless consist of face masks, gloves,
water, sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, and other miscellaneous essentials that she is able to afford.
The service project was developed after another project at
Habitat for Humanity was shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“That night I was thinking of what I am going to do now,”
Blanck said. “I remembered that my grandma, who recently passed away, had a lot of fabric that my grandpa was willing to give me.”
That same night she looked up face mask patterns and began
sewing masks for the homeless.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Lance Johsnon
“The next day I went out to buy bread, peanut butter, jelly,
servation Corps, the Catholic Community Services food bank
shut down,” Blanck said. “They are not getting the food they
donated a bunch of gloves and masks, which we are able to
member of AmeriCorps, a voluntary civil society program,
to cook for them. It has really taken a big impact on them.”
fruit and Emergen-C,” Blanck said. “I have a friend who also use while my masks were still being finished.”
She dropped off the first batch of prepared bags to the Volun-
teers of America Homeless Youth Resource Center in Salt Lake City, and surrounding areas.
“My first response was to help the kids,” Blanck said. “We
then went to Pioneer Park and ran through the streets looking for homeless people to give bags to. It was really cool to see everyone so excited to get the bags.”
and the Canyon View School Life program. She has also been
since September 2019. Her college training has provided her with carpentry and construction skills that she’s used to help build homeless housing through Habitat for Humanity.
Since launching last week, Blanck has prepared more than
260 bags for the homeless. She hopes to double that in the coming weeks.
Blanck understands what it is like to be unhoused.
“I was homeless between 14-15 years old, up until I was 20
That excitement fueled her desire to keep making more bags,
years old,” Blanck said. “I initially tried to couch surf, but ulti-
selling additional masks for $7 each to friends and other peo-
Her experience is the reason she wants to be an additional
but she needed additional funding—so she began sewing and ple in her community.
Blanck also asked friends to help spread the word across the
social media platforms she does not use, including Twitter and
mately became homeless.”
source of help for those who are unaware or unable to utilize other resources.
could do to help her.”
Trueba agreed, and said service is a part of who Brittanya is.
“She’s stepping up in a legitimate time of need to help others,
when most people are focused on how they can help them-
selves,” Trueba said. “She’s the type to give away anything she
of my friends were.”
Blanck eventually found support in a friend who allowed her
She hopes others will be inspired to volunteer and help in
their communities, but also recognized the importance of selfcare.
“People are worried about themselves and their family,”
Blanck said. “Which is important, you can’t help others if you are not in a place to.”
Blanck expressed gratitude for all donations and volunteers
safer during COVID-19 — and after.
nity,” Blanck said. “I want the homeless to know that they are cared for and valuable.”
Individuals interested in mask orders and volunteer oppor-
to stay with her for four months.
tunities can contact Blanck at brittanyablanckpolitical@gmail.
to be able to afford my own place,” Blanck said. “I also found
Venmo account, @BrittanyaBlanck. Updates on the project are
“I was able to get a job at a bakery and saved all my money
a program that allowed me to get my high school education, a full diploma.”
COVID-19 uncertainty has affected the number of volunteers
has to help someone else, regardless of her situation. If she has
showing up to help feed the homeless, and displacement has
Blanck has a history of service, volunteering at Youth Con-
“Homeless people are being displaced from shelters having to
something to give she will.”
running water. They can’t wash their hands.”
“This has all helped me better myself and better my commu-
scared they would put me into the foster care system like a lot
is the best way to spread what she is doing, it was the least I
ple realize that. Many homeless people don’t have access to
I didn’t know resources were there to help. I was always so
shared the project with their own followers.
selfless in such a terrifying time,” Pachuca said. “Social media
“Social distancing is a privilege,” Blanck said. “It means you
have a home and running water, and I don’t think a lot of peo-
“I never utilized any state programs or anything like that,
though I should have,” Blanck said. “I wasn’t that informed.
“It’s amazing what she is doing for the community, to be so
Blanck hopes people recognize the gift that is the ability to
social distance.
helping in her mission to make homeless Utahn’s a little bit
Facebook.
Chelsie Pachuca and Anthony Trueba were among those who
normally were, and a lot of people have stopped volunteering
also put unhoused people at even greater risk.
com, and financial contributions can be made via Blanck’s
available via Blanck’s Instagram Story at https://www.instagram.com/brittanyablanck. @LanceWritesTV
WEEK OF APRIL 14, 2020
PAGE 3
STUDENT LIFE
Meet your Senator - Alex Lyons Laying foundation for the College of Science
By Sydney Dahle STUDENT LIFE CONTENT MANAGER
Junior Alex Lyons has al-
ways shown courage and determination in everything he
did, and applying for Science Senator at Utah State University was no different. Even
now, at the end of his term, Lyons has taken the reins during the COVID-19 pandemic to help the students he
@alison_berg
represents.
Although he’s lived in a
In true 2020 fashion, here’s a photo of your 2020-2021 @UtahStateSA officers being sworn in via zoom.
number of places, Lyons calls Logan his home. An avid runner and skier, Lyons spent his first two years at Utah State
on the track and field team
before moving his academic career toward planning out a
future in medicine. Originally majoring in bioengineering, Lyons switched to biochemis-
try which put him on a direct path toward medical school.
One thing that interested him was undergraduate research, but finding out how to start was difficult.
“I was having a difficult time
finding where to go, who to get in contact and finding the
PHOTO COURTESY OF USUSA
route to get to undergraduate
Alex Lyons is serving as the 2019-2020 College of Science senator.
the idea of running for sen-
main objectives covered vol-
tackle these different issues.
how to get started in con-
couldn’t be the only person in
munity involvement, events
a smooth path from college
a name for himself extending
“I heard about the senator
entertaining, as well as a
would be the chance to im-
uate research to graduate
cy,” he said, “so, I decided to
“I wanted to come up with
research,” Lyons said. Then
The main goal was creating
ator came to him. Surely he
unteer opportunities, com-
this position.
that were both academic and
position and thought this
clear track from undergrad-
plement changes in the poli-
school or occupation.
ator has been spent doing
run for it hoping to provide a
ways I could give back to
events were held often to
In addition, his platform’s
“so I split up my council to
clearer track to research.”
the community,” Lyons said,
graduate to career and create
more viable candidates for jobs.”
His year as the science sen-
ducting research. Lyons made a hand to the students he rep-
out for help through email,
I know things are pretty bad right now, but do you remember when everyone in high school was obsessed with Duck Dynasty?
office hours or at the mingles. According to Ryan Jack-
just that. “Research Mingle”
son, an assistant professor
introduce faculty to students
pressed students and faculty
and help them understand
@tmonson23
resented. Many would reach
of chemistry, Lyons has im-
What was going on then???
see “Lyons” PAGE 5
Thank you, professors
By Emily White STUDENT LIFE STAFF WRITER
Dear Professors at USU,
During these troubled times,
I’ve found it helpful for me to look for the good in my life.
There are so many good things in my life, and I’ve taken them
for granted. While the outbreak of COVID-19 has taken
a toll on my education at Utah State University, I have been overwhelmed by the positive
reactions my professors have had through these unexpected
changes. So, here’s to every
professor here at Utah State University.
Professors, I am fully aware
that you had big plans for this semester and I know
that most of those plans have been squashed into oblivion because of the universi-
ty shutting down. I know it
was (and still is) so difficult to course-correct your way
GRAPHIC COURTESY OF Prateek Katyal
make your class accessible to
semesters. It’s disappointing
ple. Thank you for putting up
loading lectures and recitation
Working with literature is dif-
I’m sorry it’s been like that.
get a lot of credit or attention,
erything to the students here
easily accessible. Thank you
to class, but your work has
your students.
to me that our educators don’t
with everything and giving ev-
through this and move half of
I’m sorry this semester has
must be incredibly frustrating
to glue back together. Most
working tirelessly for us and
enough credit for all the hard
you for getting an education
of kindness and well wishes.
dreds and thousands of peo-
memes. Thank you for up-
your classes online. I know it
for each of you to watch your students lose interest in school work, especially after all the hard work you’ve done to
been a disaster you’ve had
of all, I’m sorry you don’t get work you have done, not only
this semester but in previous
as I’m sure it is for you.
So, thank you. Thank you for
for all of your students. Thank so that you can benefit hun-
at USU. The love and care you
put into your job shows and is appreciated greatly.
Thank you for your emails
Thank you for your jokes and
pages on Canvas so they are
for working with each of your students to ensure we can
grasp the difficult concepts in your course.
Thank you for figuring out
how to workshop and discuss your students’ work online.
ficult to do without coming made it doable. Thank you for
your flexibility with due dates.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving us the best you can give.
Sincerely,
Your grateful students at USU
PAGE 4
WEEK OF APRIL 14, 2020
SPORTS
The waiting game USU football players continue to train while wondering if the 2020 season will happen By Jacob Nielson SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Thursday was when Utah State football’s annual
blue and white spring game was supposed to take place, but Maverick Stadium remained empty.
With the fight to contain the COVID-19 pan-
demic continuing, spring football is one of the casualties, and the 2020 college football season is hanging in the balance.
Missing the spring season has been difficult for
the Aggie football team, but especially for the seniors.
“I’m upset about it,” said senior linebacker Kev-
in Meitzenheimer. “I feel like due to going back to a new defense, switching over to a new offense, we needed it as a team so we could better ourselves for the future.”
Senior wide receiver Jordan Nathan shared a
similar sentiment.
“Just not being on the field, getting a better
chemistry for the team and the coaches and stuff like that, I feel like it came at a bad time,” Nathan said.
The Aggies are replacing coordinators on both
sides of the ball. Bodie Reeder — previously the
offensive coordinator at the University of North
Texas — is taking over the reins of the offense. Frank Maile and Stacy Collins, both entering their fourth year as USU coaches, will be co-defensive coordinators. No time is ideal to have
practice cancelled, but when USU is overhauling
its entire system, that can put a team weeks or months behind schedule.
But the players have been diligent in learning
their new offense and new defense from inside their homes.
“We have our Zoom meetings and FaceTime
calls and making sure that I dive into my playbook at least once a day,” Nathan said.
Nathan, who has been recovering from a shoul-
der injury, has committed to be a leader of the team as all the uncertainty swirls around.
“I just reassure them that the season’s still com-
ing up, that we still have plans, we still have goals to accomplish,” he said. “Just because you’re at
home doesn’t mean you wake up at 12 o’clock in the afternoon and go to sleep at 2 o’clock in the
morning. Still go through your routine so when
PHOTO BY Cameo Tamala
you get back you’re already ready to go.”
USU linebacker Kevin Metzenheimer (33) closes in on a BYU player in the Aggies’ game on Nov. 2.
Cache Valley” and working out as much as he can
team, we didn’t have a lot of chemistry,” Nathan
“We do 45-pound plates, some curls, situps,
But with a new offensive system and a new
last season, not playing a full season because it’s
could be a great year — especially since Nathan
of it,” he said. “It would be extremely, extremely
Meitzenheimer said he is “safe and sound in
to be ready for the season.
said.
anything I can do around the house,” he said,
quarterback in Henry Colombi, he feels like this
grass so I can just do a little bit of footwork, and
has his eyes on the Mountain West Conference
“then going outside, finding different patches of run here and there.”
Both players have endured hills and valleys over
their careers and have high expectations for their final season in the Aggie blue.
“Last year I don’t feel like we weren’t really a
championship.
“Henry Columbi would throw the ball to me
a lot more than Jordan [Love] would,” he said.
Meitzinheimer has the same goal in mind.
“Number one goal is the Mountain West Cham-
my senior year and I want to get everything out heartbreaking for me and my teammates not to be able to play a full season.”
Mountain West spokesperson Stuart Buchanaon
said of the situation, “At this time, it is premature to do an interview since the situation is so fluid.”
Missing some — or all — of the fall football sea-
son could prove to be very costly. With its athletic
have to be played. So what is the best course of
same, Utah State heavily depends on the money
action to get the athletes on the football field
safe and healthy, ideally by the Sept. 5 opener at home against Washington State?
“The dream of mine would be to come back
June 1 and have nine to 12 days where we can
have an NFL style mini-camp,” Head coach Gary
Anderson said in a recent interview. “My biggest fear is that if we don’t get them back here by June
1 is the injuries will go through the roof, and that scares me.”
And if June 1 is not a possibility Anderson said,
“We need to take a long hard look at cutting back PHOTO BY Chantelle McCall
“I don’t really want to think about not having a
pionship for sure. I really, really want that bad.”
But in order to achieve that goal, football will
Utah State football wide receiver Jordan Nathan talks to the media before the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 20.
Nathan is not too keen on that idea.
the number of games that these kids are going to play this year.”
department’s revenues and expenses roughly the the football team rakes in. Under the Mountain West’s new TV deal with CBS and Fox Sports, USU is expected to receive $4 million in reve-
nue. But if the number of games is reduced, that
amount will likely go down. And as reported by the Salt Lake Tribune, the Aggies are already going to lose $600,000 they normally get from the
NCAA, which is reducing their financial distribu-
tion to schools by 67.5% due to the $800 million lost from not having the Men’s NCAA basketball tournament.
—jacobnielson12@yahoo.com @jacobnielson12
Abel Porter commits to Ohio State By Jason Walker SENIOR SPORTS WRITER
Former Utah State point guard Abel Por-
ter, who entered the transfer portal in early March, has announced he will play his next and final basketball season at Ohio State University.
State, Porter was given a place alongside
combo guards at his disposal. Marco Antho-
one more recruiting slot to fill and could use
faam.
with the team, the latter even having on-
bolster his depth in that area.
Sam Merrill, Diogo Brito and Roche Groot-
Without Porter, head coach Craig Smith
has just one point guard on his 2020-21 ros-
ter — incoming freshman Steven Ashworth — though he does have a healthy stable of
ny and Sean Bairstow both have experience
court experience last year as point guard.
Another incoming freshman, Rollie Worster,
could split his minutes between the guard spots if needed. Smith does have at least
it to find a more natural point guard and
—jasonswalker94@gmail.com @thejwalk67
The former walk-on earned a spot in the
starting lineup during one of the greatest two-year runs in USU basketball history, one in which the Aggies won their first regular
season Mountain West championship and took home back-to-back conference tour-
nament titles. During his time as a starter — dating back to the middle of the 2018-
19 season — Porter averaged 6.5 points,
3.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds with shooting percentages of 40.2 overall and 36.4 from three.
In just his second start, Porter made his
impact felt with a game-winning 3-point shot against New Mexico. It was after that
game, the Farmington native was given a scholarship. He later stepped up in the 2019 Mountain West Conference Tournament, averaging 9.7 points while making 62.5% of his 3-point attempts.
This past season, the Aggies treated Porter,
who was a junior in terms of eligibility, as though he were a senior in both word and
action. On senior night against San Jose
At the final home game for USU Men’s Basketball junior Abel Porter was honored in the spectrum before USU’s game against SJSU on Feb. 2.
PHOTO BY Iain Laurence
WEEK OF APRIL 14, 2020
PAGE 5
pact Cache Valley long term,
mitigate the negative ones.
problems with inversions.
tell. But he said if shutdowns
ple pause to think a bit more
geographical bowl structure.
could see reduced concen-
we can decrease the negative
lives along the Wasatch Front,
ozone layer acts as a shield
all sides, creating a “bowl.”
“ground-level” ozone is bad
trapped in the valley, which,
mans.
everyone to “swim in their
sure to ozone levels of great-
breathe in pollutants stuck in
for 8 hours or longer is un-
“Because winter is over, it’s
said, generally “bumps right
if the effects of coronavirus
added having people stay in-
linings, and the silver lining
sion,” he said, “however, it
ly traveling during summer
driving is a major problem for
in other ways.”
how driving habits impact the
“Air” FROM PAGE 1
Martin said it’s too soon to
Inversions are the result of a
continue into summer, we
Most of Utah’s population
trations of ozone.While the
surrounded by mountains on
for earth, direct contact with
During the winter cold air is
for plants, animals and hu-
according to Martin, causes
According to the EPA, expo-
own soup,” or constantly
er than 70 parts per billion
the valley.
healthy. Cache Valley, Martin
going to be difficult to see
up against that number.” He
have any impact on inver-
side when they are general-
does impact us significantly
months will tell us a lot about
Martin says the Utah De-
partment of Transportation
ozone layer.
Blair Larsen, a Geoscience
has reported a 25-30% reduc-
Education professor at USU,
since people started staying
effects on the environment
“As with most things, if peo-
before they take action, then effects and increase the pos-
itive effects,” she said. “For example, as we spend time
hiking nearby trails, we can
appreciate their beauty and resolve to maintain them better in the future.”
Despite the good that may
come to Cache Valley from
better air quality, Martin said he “certainly doesn’t want to pin a rose on the situation.”
“We need to look at silver
here is we have proof that the environment.”
He added the main thing we
should take from this is how to balance economic interest with environmental interests.
tion statewide in emissions
agrees there may be positive
home. Also, the state previ-
because of the virus.
tions to reduce overall pol-
trial emissions are down for
for her fellow college stu-
less of pollutants be emitted
leads to better air quality and
normal, be careful.
because people are staying at
said. “At the same time, the
about road trips and all the
tin said, we are now doing
focus on the benefits of their
everywhere once the crisis is
day.
ties, which in general is prob-
ously implemented restric-
“Air pollution and indus-
lution by requiring 1.6 tons
a number of sectors, which
in the air every day. However,
overall public health,” Larsen
home and not traveling, Mar-
pandemic is forcing people to
3.1 tons less of pollutants per
local recreation opportuni-
“Basically, we are currently
doing almost twice what the state requires of us,” he said.
In terms of how this will im-
ably a good thing.”
Larsen did say, however,
the positive effects of the
COVID-19 crisis should not
“Streaming” FROM PAGE 1
“If we can learn to drive less
and balance this out, it will be a good thing going forward.”
Burgess also had a message
dents: once life gets back to
“People are already talking
fun plans they have to drive
past,” she said. “We can’t go
crazy or else we will be right back where we started.”
—taylorcripe@gmail.com @cripe_taylor
“I think we have all learned to hold the
friends we make in college a little more dear
create something that will be truly unforget-
to our heart,” she said. “Sometimes we take
“There are opportunities that can rise from
pandemic has helped us realize the things in
table.
for granted that college is so fleeting. This
drastic change. It’s up to us to hone in on
life that matter most to us. I’m happy to see
them,” Benson said. “We have learned that we
Logan City Limits will be livestreamed on
those opportunities and make the best of
that for many, Utah State is one of them.”
have the capability to rally around a concept
YouTube, Facebook and Instagram Live @ag-
and make it into a reality in less than a week. Most organizations don’t have the luxury of [that].”
Benson also said the pandemic is making stu-
dents more aware of the community environment fostered by USU.
gieradio on April 17 at 7 p.m. MST. @maggiemattinson
“Robins” FROM PAGE 1
dent in 1949. He was also the
primary visionary of the Tag-
vidual goals, as well as the goals of USU.
memorialize
gart Student Center. Students
Nu at Utah State who served
honored for their hard work
Awards coverage can be found
to the new senator. Hopefully,
the election for Executive
alike. They met during Ly-
events in the future.” Addi-
hasn’t let it get him down.
research, and Jackson was
has continued to send out
people at Utah State,” he
his excitement for science
informed and motivated to
involved as I can. I’ll join the
Lyons has continued to help
universal skill organizations
helps others who want to
Science Senator Noah Brae-
I might even try to run for
He keeps his word. I’m very
trying to keep things as “nor-
year or try again for Student
tions he makes to Utah State
push his agenda until the end
One of the most important
working closing with Brae-
his mark at USU.
on the academic fund coun-
smooth transition.
cause he cares. When he talks
senators are required to sit
has kept busy, even during
about the things they strug-
able to gain insight about the
complained.
on him. He wishes there was
their requests for research
ing type of guy. He wants peo-
do better rather than what
the peak of the COVID-19
okay with knowing he’s got
said. “He trusts in other peo-
ing sure the students he rep-
ed him— he’s humble about
of.
very well in school. It’s been
putting in the same amount
things set in place for the
ful with and he’s grateful. He
ed. After all, he’s got plenty of
had a couple of events that
In fact, he struggles when
just as he roots for theirs.
coronavirus, which is unfor-
assistance to help them be
keep the ideas for the events,
it’s about the others around
so all that information can go
Although he recently lost
The
awards
William E. Robins, a Sigma
and faculty at Utah State are
as USU’s student body presi-
and dedication to their indi-
“Lyons” FROM PAGE 3
Editor’s Note: Further Robins
at www.usustatesman.com
he will be able to run those
Student Vice President, Lyons
on’s quest to get involved in
tionally, the science council
“I want to continue to help
immediately impressed with
newsletters to keep students
said.“I will continue to stay as
and desire to learn.
continue working hard.
science council again. I’ll join
sponsible,” Jackson said “He
out the 2020-2021 USUSA
and apply for the fee board.
work hard and be successful.
ger during the pandemic,
student body president next
excited to see what contribu-
mal” as possible. Rather than
VP. I’m not done yet.”
in the future.”
of his term, Lyons has been
vinced he’ll continue to make
parts of Lyons’ job was sitting
ger to make sure there is a
“One way or another, be-
cil. Although all the college
Alex’s father, Trek, said Alex
about his friends, he talks
on said council, Lyons was
the pandemic, but he hasn’t
gle with. It weighs heavily
students that were presenting
“Alex is a genuine, outstand-
a way he could help them
funding. Even now, amidst
ple to be successful and he’s
makes him successful,” Trek
pandemic, Lyons is still mak-
certain skills that have bless-
ple. He does. He really does.”
resents are being taken care
it,” Trek said. “He’s done
until the end of the semester,
“I’ve been trying to get
something he’s been success-
of work he did when he start-
next senator,” Lyons said. “We
wants others to be successful.
people rooting for his success,
got canceled because of the
he can’t help or be of some
tunate, of course, but we did
successful. It isn’t about him;
kept everything documented,
him.”
“Alex is inquisitive and re-
In fact, his father is con-
Lyons will continue to serve
—sydney.dahle@aggiemail.
usu.edu
@dillydahle
you are what you read
Editor’s note: Maggie Mattinson also works as
Aggie Radio’s Programming Director.
We’ve got your back. usustatesman.com
UtahStatesman web print
smart
PAGE 6
WEEK OF APRIL 14, 2020
OPINION
GRAPHIC BY Keith Wilson
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those held by the graphic designer.
The benefits of voice messaging while texting By Kristian Fors OPINION COLUMNIST
hear the sender simply telling
it may sound, voice messaging
mood. Hearing an actual voice
tended to immediately. When-
were in a conversation, and
came to love voice messaging
texting. It is much easier to
easily detect sarcasm and
an adult while growing up, I
Through experimenting with
me how her day was. I quickly
While it isn’t typically the
because of the numerous ben-
voice messaging is very pop-
My good friend and fellow
can be more convenient than talk for a minute or two than
norm in the United States,
efits associated with it.
ular in many parts of Europe.
Statesman
people will often press the mi-
has “the benefits of a phone
many messaging apps and re-
text.” This is the most apt de-
studying abroad, I was taken
saging is so great: you get the
much more personal than tex-
a voice message. In nervous
-based interaction without the
voice allows the recipient to
minute-long recording, only
a long phone call.
writer
Samuel
Instead of texting each other,
Paepke said voice messaging
crophone button included in
call with the flexibility of a
cord themselves. While I was
scription of why voice mes-
aback the first time I received
benefits of electronic speech
anticipation, I opened a two-
burden of having to commit to
to be pleasantly surprised to
In fact, as counterintuitive as
to type out multiple para-
graphs. It allows the recorder
to convey lots of information very quickly. And, just like a text, the recipient can decide to listen and respond at their leisure.
Recording yourself is also
enables the listener to more
other more nuanced forms of expression. It’s wonderful to be able to hear someone
actually laugh in response to a joke that you make. In oth-
er words, voice messaging is great because it maintains the human element in human interaction.
wrong. Perhaps voice record-
ings can be a way for those
who value the human element of phone calls to communicate in the way they please, while reserving phone calls for more urgent needs.
Voice messaging can be a
voice messaging, you’ll hope-
fully be able to discover a new form of efficient communica-
tion that connects you more closely with the people you
care about, in the modern information age.
Kristian Fors is a student at
little uncomfortable at first.
Utah State University majoring
written forms of communica-
doing a theater audition. You
and is an opinion columnist for
certain level of urgency that
sense the emotions behind
tion do not. Unless a call is
them to gauge the sender’s
always knew something was
don’t listen to recordings.
In my own life, calling has a
ting. Listening to someone’s
someone’s words. It allows
ever I received a call from
preplanned, I usually assume that calls I receive need to be
It will likely feel like you’re
may also be afraid to listen to the sound of your own voice.
Just speak normally as if you
in Economics and Philosophy the Utah Statesman. He can be reached at krfors@gmail.com.
Ally: Canvas’ accessibility tool By Taelor Candiloro OPINION EDITOR
Chances are you’re not sit-
ting through your 9 a.m. lec-
ture course anymore. Or, if you are, you’re on your couch in your pajamas. Now that
most of our coursework has become digital, we’re collectively adjusting to new meth-
ods of learning and teaching. Students and faculty alike
are learning new skills and discovering what works and what doesn’t. Canvas, our current platform for online
learning, is built to facilitate
this shift in ways we may not have been aware of previous-
ly. Because some of us might
and using Ally. When Ally has
version of the file. You can
viding some flexibility during
(CAPS) is offering some ser-
vas and its utility, I want to go
it automatically makes alter-
mats by simply clicking on
ficult to adapt to. If you’re
you can access remotely – all
not be as familiar with Can-
over a key feature that could help alleviate the stress of the unknown.
Ally is the fancy name for
a file conversion feature in Canvas. While the purpose of
this feature is to make coursework more accessible for stu-
dents with visual, audial or learning impairments, we can all benefit from making online content more accessible.
been applied to the course, native files available to students in that course. The file
formats that Ally can produce from a single downloadable
file are limited by the original file format that your professor
like. Ally’s website has stepby-step instructions for the download process, too.
Want to get out and go for
trouble with the download,
problem. The Ally feature al-
specific format or are having
reach out to your professor or the CIDI office.
Ally allows us to download
has webpages for both stu-
mats. An alternative format
the basics of implementing
and choosing the format you
a jog but you’ve got a ton
files posted by our instructors
dents and faculty that go over
the grey arrow beside that file
posts. However, if you need a
USU’s Center for Innovative
Design & Instruction (CIDI)
access these alternative for-
in various alternative forcan be anything from electronic braille to a translated
of readings to get done? No
a time that might seem dif-
struggling to structure your
time, to get schoolwork done, or have questions, remember that there are people here at
USU that care about your success. Ally is just one of many
reminders that we’re all in this together.
Adapting to academic life
lows you to download those
during the Coronavirus has
mat so that you can listen
of us, and if you’re strug-
pesky PDF’s in an audio for-
to them while keeping your hands and eyes free. This is especially helpful now that
I’m at home constantly due to
been an adjustment for all gling with this shift, you’re
not alone. USU’s Counseling
vices through Telehealth that
you have to do is call the CAPS number like normal. The statement released by
CAPS also includes a number of other community resources
that you can take advantage of during this time as well.
Taelor Candiloro is a transfer student at USU studying anthropology. Her interests include traveling, and writing about and researching politics, public policy and the American identity.
and Psychological Services
COVID-19 restrictions. Being
able to do my dishes and my homework at the same time
is a gamechanger. Translated files are also a great resource if English isn’t your first lan-
guage or you want to practice your reading comprehension in another language. Canvas’
Ally
accessibility
feature can help alleviate the SCREENSHOT COURTESY OF Instructure
stresses of this shift by pro-
SCREENSHOT COURTESY OF Instructure
WEEK OF APRIL 14, 2020
PAGE 7
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STUDENT MEDIA
Student-run newspaper for Utah State University since 1902. Reporting online 24/7. Printed each Tuesday of the school year.
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WEEK OF APRIL 14, 2020