The Utah Statesman - January 29, 2024 by The Utah Statesman

USUSTATESMAN.COM

News The Equal Opportunity Initiatives bill passed the state legislature on Jan. 25.

Utah State University, Logan, Utah

Lifestyles

New Certified Advocate Partners Program allows SAAVI to provide legal advice.

Sports

The esports club finds a home in an old post office building.

Week of January 29, 2024

Page 2 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 202

Students hold walkout for trans rights By Malory Rau NEWS REPORTER

n Wednesday, Jan. 25, a walkout for trans rights was held on the Quad. The event, organized and led by USU student Kris Carpenter, had a crowd of around 150 that marched through campus. Carpenter organized the event in response to two recent bills passed by the Utah House. First is HB0257, also called the Sex-based Designation for Privacy, Anti-bullying, and Women’s Opportunities Bill. The protestors have nicknamed this the trans bathroom bill. “It defines legally what a male and a female is,” Carpenter said. “It says that only male and female people are allowed in male and female bathrooms based on the genitals or organs that you have at birth.” This bill does make an exception for those who are intersex. “There are certain things I like about the bill. It requires there to be at least one unisex restroom in each public facility, which is great for me personally. As a trans person, I am terrified to go into the women’s restroom or to the men’s restroom,” Carpenter said. “What the bill would do is it can criminally convict people who violate this law.” The second bill is HB0261, or the Equal Opportunity

Protesters hold signs during a walkout for trans rights on Jan. 24.

PHOTO BY Zachary Guercio

Protesters march around the Quad on Jan. 24.

Initiatives Bill, which prohibits hiring practices, programs and requirements within diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. This could affect clubs such as the Queer Student Alliance or the Queer Christian Initiative, which had members at the walkout. Protestors dressed in rainbow attire and capes made of pride flags carried posters with a similar color palette. Chanting phrases like “Trans rights are human rights” and “No hate at Utah State,” they marched from the Quad, behind the Noelle E. Cockett Life Sciences Building, past Huntsman Hall, and back to the Quad for a rally surrounding the Block A. Passersby stopped and watched as the protesters made their way through campus, some taking pictures and videos, including USUSA President Abraham Rodriguez, who stopped and waved to students as they marched. Following the march, Carpenter stood atop the Block A and welcomed a series of speakers. Included in the lineup was USU watershed sciences professor PHOTO BY Zachary Guercio and department head Patrick Belmont.

‘How do we make Utah a place where everyone is welcome? Where everybody can love who they want to love, where they can live the life they want to live, where they can make their own health care choices? This is not a lot to ask,” Belmont said during his speech. Other speakers included Jade Valazquez, Christina Chirvasa, Dorothy Wallis and Sophie Christensen. Christensen, a political science major, discussed her hopes for the event prior to the walkout. “I think my biggest goal today is to show each other and show our campus community that we’re not going to give up,” Christensen said. She also shared advice for allies at USU. “Don’t stop trying to learn, especially as allies and people that maybe don’t know a lot about these issues, or why they matter,” Christensen said. “Take the time to go learn about it and to educate yourself and at the very least, try to learn about different experiences and perspectives.”

Malory Rau is a sophomore studying social media, public relations and marketing. When not skateboarding with friends, she is usually thrifting, reading or seeing the latest movie. — m.rau@usu.edu

By Aubrey Holdaway NEWS REPORTER

tah State University Extension is co-sponsoring the 2024 Utah Marriage Celebration, described as “a virtual date night of education and entertainment for individuals and couples” on their website. The event will be put on with the Utah Marriage Commission on Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. for people who want to prepare for marriage or strengthen their relationships. The event is set to bring together couples from diverse backgrounds, offering a platform to celebrate love, commitment and the importance of healthy relationships. “Some people brush off marriage classes and other similar things because they already have happy relationships, but the whole idea is that we’re celebrating,” said Naomi Brower, main organizer and a family life specialist with USU Extension. USU Extension aims to create an inclusive event celebrating the diversity and beauty of relationships and allowing couples to spend quality time together. Alan Hawkins, a manager at the Utah Marriage Commission, stressed the importance of this type of event. “Healthy relationships can’t be taken for granted, and we have to be willing to put work and effort into helping them flourish,” Hawkins said. “Most people who come are dating seriously, living together or married,” Brower said. “But we have had people come who are in a casual relationship or single and want to learn as well.” Brower, who has been the lead organizer for almost 20 years, wants the event to be as accessible as possible. “During COVID we switched to online, which ended up allowing us to reach a lot more people,” Brower said. “We have people from all across Utah, some from out of state and even a few tuning in from Canada.” Because it’s virtual, ticket costs are much lower than in previous years. “It’s one ticket per couple,” Brower said. “If they want to invite friends over and make a night of it, they can all come for 10 bucks.” The virtual format contributes to accessibility in other ways as well. “We’re also recording everything, so ticket holders will have access to those recordings until the end of April if they want to attend but can’t make it on the scheduled date,” Brower said. “It can be hard for couples, especially those with young children, to carve out time dedicated solely to their relationship,” Hawkins said. “We hope that the format and inexpensive cost will provide an easier opportunity for a date night.” The Marriage Celebration is not only a festive occasion but also an opportunity for couples to engage in meaningful activities and workshops designed to strengthen their relationships. It will feature keynote speakers renowned for their expertise in relationship dynamics and family well-being. Attendees can look forward to gaining insights and advice from experts who have dedicated their careers to understanding the intricacies of successful relationships. “We have a fantastic lineup of speakers from across the nation,” Brower said. “They are experienced educators and therapists with

clinical backgrounds who will offer valuable information and skills to make good relationships even better.” The speakers will cover a range of topics including effective communication, intimacy, conflict resolution and connection. “Participate in these kinds of learning events and be open to improving even if things are already good. Do what you can to keep relationships vital and strong,” Hawkins said. Early registration is $10 per couple through Jan. 31. Tickets purchased after that date are $15. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit usuextension.mykajabi.com/marriage-celebration-2024.

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Aubrey Holdaway is a junior studying print journalism. She loves doing anything outside, the band Pinegrove and listening to hours of true crime podcasts in an effort to become invincible. — a.holdaway@usu.edu

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Page 3 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 2024

Extension office to co-sponsor virtual Utah Marriage Celebration

Page 4 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 202

By Lacey Cintron LIFESTYLES REPORTER

ying forests, destructive wildfires and mass extinction — these are just some of many problems faced by ecosystems around the globe due to climate change. Stories of a dying Earth have dominated headlines for years. William Anderegg, director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy, is an associate professor of biology at the University of Utah. Anderegg visited Utah State University to host the Ecology Center Seminar series Jan. 17 and 18, where he discussed his research on the survival of Earth’s forests in a rapidly changing climate. According to un.org, public awareness of global warming and ozone layer depletion increased in 1987 when the United Nations General Assembly took on the “Year 2000 and Beyond” perspective, a conceptual framework for taking environmental action. The following two years marked the first in which nations came together to take effort against the effects of climate change via conventions focused on new response strategies. However, multiple studies suggest the world has not kept up with these projected climate goals. According to The World Resources Institute, “41 of 42 indicators assessed are not on track to achieve their 2030 targets.” The future of the Earth’s forests has been a particular interest for climate scientists such as Anderegg. “We do most of our work on western U.S. forests,” Anderegg said. “We’re trying to understand how droughts, temperatures, wildfires and insect outbreaks are going to affect these forests in the coming decades.” Anderegg said the biggest impacts on forests are wildfires, drought and biotic stressors such as pests. “We are absolutely seeing in the western U.S. that these climate stresses are already dominating and having bigger effects,” Anderegg said. “Fire and drought are some of the biggest ones. They can devastate forests when they come through.” Anderegg said the way these factors interact with a forest ecosystem are complex, making solutions hard to work out. “Forests are perched on this knife edge between two opposing forces with climate change,” Anderegg said. “On one hand, raising CO2 levels can help plants and allow them to do more photosynthesis. But on the other hand, you have stresses like fires and droughts that come with rising CO2 levels.” Extreme winter weather is another example of climate change effects having conflicting positive and negative impacts on forests. “If trees are not adapted to the cold and snow, you can absolutely lose trees from that,” Anderegg said. “One thing that cold does, though, is it tends to kill overwintering beetles and pests, which slows down those pest populations.”

While cold winters may benefit forest populations in states such as Utah or Maine whose trees are adapted, according to kut.org, states such as Texas or Tennessee can suffer devastating effects without preparation. “Utah trees are pretty well adapted to the cold, so in general, this cold and snow is going to be generally positive for them,” Anderegg said. According to Anderegg, droughts have devastated forests in Utah. “We’ve had a number of drought-driven forest die-offs,” Anderegg said. “We had a lot of Pinyon pines die in the early 2000s. Quite a bit of Aspen experienced die-offs in

PHOTO BY Zachary Guercio Peter Adler, left, listens while William Anderegg gives a lecture on the future of Earth’s forests in the Life Sciences Building on Jan. 18.

the past decade. The 2018 drought saw a number of Utah Junipers start to die from drought stress.” The yellow-leafed quaking aspen is Utah’s state tree. It carries a lot of value in the tourism industry. “These are really iconic species in our western landscapes,” Anderegg said. “Aspens provide habitat for deer and elk and other wildlife. These species also provide a lot of clean air, water and all these other benefits that we tend to take for granted.” Anderegg said emissions reduction and proper management are some of the best solutions. “Slowing the speed of climate change by reducing emissions is really helpful,” Anderegg said. “The U.S. has made some good progress on that and if we can accelerate, that will really benefit us. Regionally, we can work to build more climate-resilient forests through smart management.”

Forest die-off is just one example of climate change’s toll on local environments. According to utahrivers.org, temperatures in Utah are projected to rise 3 degrees by 2050, resulting in less snow, megadroughts, plant and animal extinction. The trends observed in Utah can be seen across the world in varying extremes. As more stories are told of climate change’s increasingly drastic effects, the more some professionals in the field look towards prior civilizations that faced collapse. Joseph Tainter is a professor at Utah State University in the Department of Environment and Society. “Back in the 1980s, I did a study of why ancient societies collapsed,” Tainter said. “As I was doing this study, I realized that what I was learning had implications for ourselves today and for our future.” Tainter wrote a book titled “The Collapse of Complex Societies” based on this research, in which he wrote societies fail when “their investments in social complexity and energy subsidies reach a point of diminishing marginal returns.” Tainter relates this argument to energy usage in the 1940s and the downward trend in return on investment. “In 1940, we produced oil and gas at an energy profit of 100 to one,” Tainter said. “For every one barrel of oil we would spend, we’d get 100 back. That’s now down to 10 to one. This trend is irreversible.” Tainter blames this drop in energy investment returns on human tendency to quickly use up the easiest sources of supply. “As we do with every resource we undertake, we pluck the lowest hanging fruit,” Tainter said. However, when speaking of the climate crisis today, Tainter does not see collapse. “I don’t see an immediate crisis,” Tainter said. “But I do think our way of life will change quite a bit by the end of this century.” Utilizing his background as a historian, Tainter has recently oriented his research around sustainability to contextualize society today with information from the past. Read the rest of this story at usustatesman.com

Lacey Cintron is majoring in psychology. She loves learning about the human mind, sharing stories and naps. — a02388032@usu.edu

Page 5 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 2024

Visiting University of Utah professor William Anderegg speaks on climate change factors

Page 6 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 202

Solar car racing team works toward the future of clean transportation By Ella Stott LIFESTYLES REPORTER

he future of energy is headed toward utilizing renewable resources, and the same can be said for transportation. USU is home to a solar car racing team called Aggie Solar Racing, which is joining other parts of the country in getting behind this new technology and learning how to best implement it. Solar cars are electric cars that convert sunlight into electricity using solar panels. This differs from conventional cars, which burn fossil fuels in order to run. Daniel Ashby, a senior studying mechanical engineering and mathematics, is the project manager for the team. He started in the fall of 2022 after attending a cross-country solar car racing competition. “I thought Utah State needed a team to do this because it was way cool,” Ashby said. “Especially with all the research that’s been done here.” USU’s College of Engineering has a relatively new Electric Vehicle & Roadway Research Facility and Test Track that was completed spring 2015. According to Ashby, this made the solar car racing team a perfect addition to campus. Once Ashby began the process of setting up a team, he began recruiting. Cayden Leary, a junior studying electrical engineering, joined the team last year to work with the electrical plan mechanical teams. “It just looked like a really cool opportunity, and I wanted to try and get into it,” Leary said. Mason Chudleigh, a sophomore studying mechanical engineering, got involved recently and is now the mechanical team lead. “I saw the car and Daniel there at Day on the Quad last semester,” Chudleigh said. “ I met them and decided to go to the team’s first opening social meeting and then was hooked from there basically.”

PHOTO BY Aubrey Holdaway The solar car racing team plays in a Mario Kart tournament at the Richard and Moonyeen Anderson Engineering Building on Jan. 19.

The frame of the solar car is exposed after the shell is removed on Jan. 25.

In the beginning, there weren’t a lot of members, which made the work difficult. “I was basically the only electrical guy, and I don’t know a lot either, because I’m so early in the program,” Leary said. According to Leary, the team was thankful the University of Kansas donated an old car the team could modify. “We’re redesigning the frame,” Leary said. “Right now, we’re in the middle of testing a lot of the electrical systems and trying to redo that.” The main goal of the team is to modify the car to get it competition-ready. “There’s two main competitions that we compete in that are solar-car-specific,” Ashby said. “We also are aiming to go to another one that isn’t solar-car-specific.” The first is the Formula Sun Grand Prix, a track race that lasts for three days. “For eight hours each day, you go around the track and just try to get as many laps as you can,” Ashby said. This race acts as a qualifier for the second solar car race, the American Solar Challenge, a cross-country race that happens every two years. “The distance is roughly 2,000 miles,” Ashby said. “It’s not only logistically challenging, but also like a test of the limits of your car.” The final race is Bonneville Speed Week, which is held at the Bonneville salt flats, and it’s open to both solar and non-solar cars. “We plan on taking our car to that to engage in more of

PHOTO BY Jack Burton

the community involved,” Ashby said. “To test more of the limits of our cars because the other two races focus more on efficiency and distance.” According to Ashby, the social environment of the races is something the team is looking forward to, since this will be their first competition season. “There’s stories of people saying a part of someone’s car breaks,” Ashby said. “This other team gives them all these materials to help their car. They’re competing against each other, but that’s not really what people are focusing on.” The team just had their winter social, which included a Mario Kart tournament as well as a segment to get to know the team. They’re going to continue recruitment as they look for students who want to have hands-on experience. Read the rest of this story at usustatesman.com Ella Stott is a first-year student studying English and journalism because she hates money. When she’s not writing, she’s watching sitcoms, eating Greek yogurt and admiring Nebraska corn. — ella.stott@usu.edu

Page 7 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 2024

New Certified Advocate Partners Program allows SAAVI to provide legal advice By Cameron Carnes LIFESTYLES REPORTER

he most common case of sexual misconduct at USU is incidences of stalking. USU has programs like the Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information Office and Aggies Think, Care, Act that provide advocates and as many resources as possible to help students and staff that are stuck in tough situations. Until recently, SAAVI hasn’t been able to do more than advocate and listen to clients. In the past month, SAAVI was granted a new certification that allows them to provide legal advice on stalking injunctions and protective orders. The Certified Advocate Partners Program is run through the Timpanogos Legal Center. University-based advocates around Utah have the opportunity to complete this program to take the next step in advocacy for their clients. USU is the only university in Utah that has an advocate that is able to offer these services. Shaun Anderson and Maia Johnson are current advocates for the SAAVI office. They provided details on how this program will improve the safety of students and staff at USU, while also starting a chain reaction within the other universities in Utah. “This program certifies a victim advocate to actually give legal advice on stalking injunctions and civil protective orders,” Anderson said. “Normally, a victim advocate can help someone understand the process, but we don’t normally have the qualifications to give actual legal advice.” The program changed the way SAAVI is able to support students and staff. “Because of this program, SAAVI has an advocate that can offer legal advice pertaining to the spe-

cific situation of the person,” Anderson said. “The advocate is able to explain what that person would need to do in order to get a civil protective order or stalking injunction.” SAAVI has been interested in finding different ways to further support people who are victims of stalking cases. According to SAAVI professionals, the problem has continued to be the number-one case of sexual misconduct at USU. “One of the best legal protections that can be offered is a civil protective order or stalking injunction,” Anderson said. “We wanted to have some qualification to legally give advice to help keep students safe from something that is very prevalent on our campus.” Victim advocacy covers a lot of ground, so the care SAAVI provides can be generalized. In most cases, SAAVI’s generalized care has proven to be helpful. However, there are cases that could use a more specialized care. “Most often, our generalized care can be like applying a band-aid to a bullet hole,” Anderson said. “It is still very helpful, but we have been wanting to move forward to further help others. This program gives us the resources to move forward to a place where our advocacy can be more than just crisis care.” The program has already begun to make a difference in some lives. According to the SAAVI team, the specialized care they can provide is a huge stepping stone to making a positive impact through change at USU. “For a lot of students, getting access to protective orders and stalking injunctions can be incredibly difficult,” Johnson said. “Having an advocate that can help with that process in detail can be life-changing for those in need of it.” This program and expertise will be offered to clients in the same way SAAVI offers their other forms of advocacy. This means it will still follow all of the safety processes SAAVI abides by.

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Cameron Carnes is a journalism and English major. She’s most known for her love for Taylor Swift, Percy Jackson and the beach!

The SAAVI office as seen on Thursday Jan. 25.

PHOTO BY Caitlin Keith

— a02420680@usu.edu

Sundown Murmur

Page 8 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 202

Equal Opportunity Initiatives bill pa

By Malory Rau NEWS REPORTER

n Thursday, Jan. 25, the Utah Senate passed the Equal Opportunity Initiatives bill. This came after the bill was passed through the House on

Jan. 20. The bill, HB0261, aims to prohibit hiring practices, requirements and programs based on diversity, equity and inclusion within Utah’s public universities. Gov. Spencer Cox has been openly against DEI hiring practices in higher education since December 2023, referring to them as “borderline evil.” USU spokesperson Amanda DeRito provided a statement to The Utah Statesman on USU’s hiring practices, in response to Cox’s statements. “As the state’s land-grant university, USU takes seriously its core purpose of providing all Utahns with access to higher education,” DeRito wrote. “Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination based on a person’s identity. As for hiring, USU’s work in inclusive hiring is aimed at casting a wide net to attract the best candidates possible and minimize bias in the process. USU is an equal-opportunity employer and does not use quotas nor hire on the basis of identity.” DeRito said USU began phasing out the voluntary use of diversity statements in its hiring practices in spring

A pride flag hangs on the wall in the Inclusion Center on Jan. 25.

2023. “We look forward to working with state leaders toward our shared goal of providing access to higher education and successfully graduating students who are ready to become a part of Utah’s citizenry and vibrant economy. The university will always be committed to creating an inclusive working and learning environment and will work within the guardrails of state law to ensure USU is a place where everyone has the opportunity to succeed,” DeRito wrote. Aggies have been pushing back in response to the bill. The Government Relations Council started the Voices of Aggies project in late November of last year, which aimed to inform legislators of student support for DEI initiatives. “I’m frustrated that no one sees the true power of how DEI supports ALL students,” wrote Alaisa Phithak in a text message following the passing of the bill. “Students are able to learn about different cultures, make new friends, and build a community that supports one another. Students have a safe space from racism and classism with DEI initiatives. We are seen, we are heard, we are supported, and we are always welcome at the Inclusion Center. I’ll keep fighting for this and I know other students will stand beside me.” Phithak is the marketing coordinator for the Women in Business Association, the DEI director for Business Council and the advocacy committee director, all which

fall under the Huntsman School of Business. She is also the public relations coordinator for the Asian Student Association, which operates under the Inclusion Center. As an Asian American student, Phithak is a part of a community that takes up roughly one percent of Utah State’s total population. Being in a minority, she found her experience at Utah State to be unique compared to the majority of her peers. “There were a lot of times where I felt like I didn’t belong in a room or the things that I would contribute to class were kind of set to the side while others who contributed were highlighted and praised for what they were saying,” Phithak said. “There are a lot of times in classes where I feel dismissed.” Phithak noted that the Huntsman School of Business is made up of predominately white students and predominantly men. As such, she takes her role as the Business Council DEI director very seriously. “I want to make sure that people who look like me and who have the same thoughts as me feel comfortable in that space,” Phithak said. The Equal Opportunity Initiatives bill seeks to prohibit programs that fall under DEI at Utah State. This includes any program falling under DEI, minus the Disabilities Resource Center, being that it is required by law. But programs such as the Disabled and Neurodiverse Aggies will be impacted, even though the student-led club is partially advised through the DRC.

PHOTO BY Heidi Bingham

Club member and political science major Sophie Christensen is advocating for pushback against the bill. “The struggles that I have as a queer person or disabled person or a woman means that my university is making efforts to make me be more included. They’re making efforts to help professors know more about my needs and accommodate those,” Christensen said. “But it also means that my university is making efforts to include students that have other identities that are different from mine that I want to learn about, because that’s important to me too.” Christensen is also a gender studies minor. With antiDEI legislation making its way across the country, that minor could potentially come under fire soon. “I wanted gender studies to be my major, and I’ve already been frustrated that it’s not a major here,” Christensen said. “For it to not even be a program at all is terrible.” Along with being a part of the Disabled and Neurodiverse Aggies club, Christensen is also a part of the Queer Student Alliance and the Women and Gender Issues Society. Both Phithak and Christensen agreed that they are lacking professors and leadership who represent them at USU. “In my department, there are 17 professors and only three of them are women, and that has made me almost Couches and chairs provide a place for students to sit and relax in the Inclusion Center on Jan. 24. want to quit my major,” Christensen said. Alongside being a student, Phithak takes representation into her own hands by being a leader for her classmates. “The whole reason why I wanted to be in councils and be as involved as I could, was to show people who look like me that you can do whatever you want. If you want to be on Business Council, if you want to be on WIBA, if you want to be in an Inclusion Center club, you can, and all you have to do is just try and apply,” Phithak said. “I think that was important for me. I wanted to make a mark, I wanted to make sure that people who look like me know that they have an opportunity to do good.”

PHOTO BY Jack Burton

— m.rau@usu.edu

The door to the Inclusion Center is left open on Jan. 24.

PHOTO BY Jack Burton

Page 9 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 2024

asses state legislature, Aggies react

Page 10 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 202

Logan Library expected to open March 4 B By Sam Goodman LIFESTYLES REPORTER

he city of Logan is expecting to open a new library on Main Street this year. The project was originally proposed over 15 years ago and is set to be completed with a ribbon ceremony this March, according to Mayor Holly Daines. Karen Clark, the library director, has worked in her position since 2017 and had a long stint working with the library. Clark said although the opening ceremony has been pushed back, they have been succeeding in important aspects of the project, such as budgeting. “The library budget hasn’t been spent up, but the construction budget is almost up,” Clark said during the Logan Library board meeting. According to board member Joseph Anderson, the larger budget was a welcome surprise. Logan has largely been on a “shoestring budget,” as a board member put it, to keep the library and its resources available and up to date. “The history of the library serving Cache County, Utah is valuable to our history,” Anderson said. In 2016, Logan celebrated 100 years of having its own library. Back when “Ms. Crockett” became the first librarian to serve the city, the 1916 library looked a lot different than it does today. “The U.S. archivists helped me find that in a very first catalog,” Anderson said. “It advertises the whole library at 1,500 items.” The collection has grown from 1,500 items to thousands of books available. According to Clark, the new structure is mostly built for more amenities and areas rather than more books. “We always continue to add new items all the time,” Clark said. “What we added more into our new library is more community safe space and more space for people. And so I think when you see the other meeting rooms and the space, you’ll understand that our shelves aren’t going to be as tall.” The Friends of the Library organization has also been a crucial help for Clark and her team. “They get money, fundraise and run book sales,” Clark said. “For the longest time, they built all this and advocat-

1/11/24 - Suspicion of a controlled substance was reported to USUPD. An officer identified and took possession of an illegal substance, then issued a citation.

The new Logan City Library as seen on Thursday, Jan. 25.

ed for the program library.” Initially, the library was funded by both the city of Logan and Cache County. As time went on, the county increasingly moved to decrease their own funding from the program. Eventually, the library became solely funded by Logan City, leaving its directors with a tight budget and needing support for the project. The city has seen an eventual fund built just for the library and its needs, with the new library initially seeing a budget of over fifteen million dollars, according to a statement made by Daines. Clark has been hiring new staff, with many to interview, with one of the new employees moving to Utah from Wisconsin. Clark said staff start moving in on Feb. 1. Daines announced the library has also received $1.5 million in donations towards the project, including $200,000 from the Cache Valley Bank, $200,000 from the Paul Wil-

PHOTO BY Caitlin Keith

lie Family Foundation and $100,000 from the former Logan City Mayor Craig Peterson. The children’s area of the library received a $1 million donation from Dell Loy Hansen and his family. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the library is expected to be on March 4.

Sam Goodman is a junior studying journalism with an emphasis in print. — a02401436@usu.edu

1/12/24 -A snow cave containing a sleeping mat was reported to police by snow removal staff. The structure was removed for safety reasons.

1/17/24 - A report of damage to an individual’s personal property at the ARC was documented by police at the request of the property owner.

1/16/24 - A citizen reported a cat under a bush in the area around the Geology Building. Police and security officers were dispatched to the location but were unable to locate the animal.

1/18/24 - Police and Logan Fire Department responded to the report of a possible fire. Public safety officials detected smoke, but no fire. The cause was determined to be an electric skateboard battery that overheated while charging.

1/17/24 - Dispatch received an alarm notification from an elevator inside the Spectrum. USU officers located the elevator and found no one in need of assistance.

1/19/24 - A hit and run accident occurred at Bullen Hall. There is no other information available for this incident.

By Brian Kirk SPORTS REPORTER

e need to limit our odd man rushes,” said Utah State University’s Zach Pires during the second intermission of game two against the University of New Hampshire. “We keep going one up, and then they score immediately after. If we can get the next one and tighten up our defense, I think we can see this out.” The score was tied 3-3. The score was tied 3-3. The George S. Eccles Ice arena echoed with the slams against the boards. The tension between the two teams was palpable due to the level of physicality. Even a ref took a stick to the gut, causing a lengthy stoppage in the first period. The turning point which lost the game for USU came five minutes into the third period. The Aggies got caught in an odd man rush after a light pass intended for Dillon Hale from Sam Voss was intercepted deep in their opponent’s defensive zone. Because of hard press by the Aggies, Wildcat Owen Roberto was left alone wide open just shy of center ice. The forward received a simple pass and skated uninterrupted on his path to score the Wildcat’s fourth goal of the night. Chris Kajunski scored New Hampshire’s fifth goal 10 minutes later to officially seal the Aggies’ second loss of the weekend to the Wildcats, all while miming “The Scotsman” as he skated past Utah State’s bench.

After the game, many of the Aggie players had a somber look mixed with anger and frustration on their faces as they made their way into the locker room. The coaches shut themselves in their office and did not come out until most of the players were gone. The Utah Statesman could not reach any of the coaches for a comment. “I thought they were rusty,” said fan Brett Veibell. “Anderson did an awesome job in goal, but the team wasn’t helping keep players and the puck away.” This observation was confirmed, as goaltender Titan Anderson was busy as soon as the puck was dropped. The junior saved 34 of 39 shots, which was more than double the amount of saves by Wildcat goaltender Connor Schultz. Additionally, many of the Aggie’s passes were put short of the intended player or on a path outside of the player’s movement. This disruption in the flow of offense gave the Wildcats time to anticipate Utah State and prepare their defense accordingly or steal the puck and move into the attack. By the time the final horn sounded, New Hampshire had taken care of business in Utah by beating the Aggies twice and the Weber State Wildcats once during their trip. They were still celebrating their success with loud cheers and even louder music from the visiting locker room when Utah State captain Ben Carlson came out of the home locker room.

“Maybe we just didn’t have the lines,” Carlson said. “Maybe we need to be more disciplined outside of the rink as well.” Carlson did not provide details about what the discipline could be. But an explanation could be a lack of physical conditioning. For example, at the 3:12 mark in the second period, the Aggie defense broke down after they could not clear their lines. Roberto recovered his own rebounded shot off the stick of Hale. He then split two defenders with his speed and passed the puck across the mouth of goal to a wide-open Liam Martin, who ushered the puck into the net as an Aggie trailed him to get back on defense. The Aggie defense did not have a response to what was thrown at them, as the Wildcats scored an identical goal to the Martin goal in the third period. This slow defense was not a new development. During the Friday night matchup, New Hampshire scored three of their five goals in this exact fashion to unravel Utah State 5-3. Despite the defensive issues, the Aggies put together a really promising second period. They seemed to solve their offensive issues by scoring three goals to take control of the match. This was a large adjustment from the scoreless first period which mostly consisted of both teams trading players in the penalty box. Ben Tschida was a major difference maker on the ice in the second period. He opened the floodgates as he skated through the Wildcat defense by himself to score the first goal for the Aggies.

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Brian Kirk is a human sophomore studying journalism. When he is definitely not abducting cows, he enjoys sports, board games and Godzilla movies. —brian.kirk@usu.edu

Nolan Mulneax moves the puck around the ice at the game against University of New Hampshire on Jan. 20.

PHOTO BY Claire Ott

Page 11 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 2024

Back-to-back losses for the Aggies, ‘a low period’

Page 12 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 202

Gracie and Isaac Johnson continue family legacy at USU E By Henry Wright SPORTS REPORTER

or many athletes, sports are a family affair, but rarely do athletes have the opportunity to compete at a collegiate level with their siblings. Gracie and Isaac Johnson have spent the last six months watching each other compete on the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Utah State University and have grown closer while doing it. Isaac played high school basketball at American Fork High School, where he became the 41st-ranked recruit in the country before enrolling at the University of Oregon following the completion of a mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. After playing in Eugene for one year, Isaac decided to enter the transfer portal. Wanting to return to a familiar environment, Isaac ended up deciding to transfer to Utah State, where his father played on the basketball team for two years before transferring to Snow College. “I wanted to come to Utah. I wanted to be back in this community and around like-minded people with like-minded values and still play basketball, and Utah State provided me with the best opportunity for that,” Isaac said. During Isaac’s recruiting efforts, his younger sister Gracie was introduced to the women’s coaching staff. “The Utah State coaches made a trip out to Oregon to come and do a home visit with Isaac. I was there during the visit and they asked me, ‘Have the Utah State coaches reached out to you yet?’” Gracie said. “I said, ‘They haven’t,’ and they were like, ‘Alright, well, we’ll get on that,’ and they eventually offered me.” Although both Gracie and Isaac play basketball, while they were growing up, their parents tried to make sure they were well-rounded people instead of being hyper-focused on playing sports. “I think my parents did a really good job of helping us understand that basketball is something we do, but it’s not who we are,” Isaac said. “My parents always instilled it in us that we’re going to go through hard things. Basketball is one of them. And it just so happened that our family was pretty good at basketball.” In addition to Isaac and Gracie playing at Utah State, their older brother Spencer currently plays on the men’s basketball team at BYU, and their oldest brother had an offer to play at Utah Tech University but decided to turn it down. Despite having three older brothers who all played basketball at a high level, Gracie did not feel pressured to start playing the sport, but she did appreciate having older siblings she could look to for advice during her collegiate recruitment. “My parents didn’t tell me that I have to play basketball. They kind of let us do whatever we wanted,” Gracie said. “After schools started recruiting me, it really helped just to have my brothers because I have kind of a background of what to do and what not to do during the recruiting process, which was really nice.” Gracie and Isaac’s mother, Emily, echoed the impor-

tance she sees in using things other than sports to define her children’s internal worth. “I think people can get caught up in the identity of something specific like basketball, and at some point in our lives, basketball’s going to end, and then— and then where are you?” Emily said. “I’ve seen too many kids, or even adults, get wrapped up in an identity and when it ends, they’re lost. I didn’t want my children to ever be lost.” Isaac has seen the important role his parents have played in his life. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that my parents are really good people and really good parents. I think they helped us to know what love is and what love feels like in a family dynamic and to be able to help reciprocate that for our siblings,” Isaac said. “That’s one reason I think why I also wanted to come back to Utah. I wanted to be closer to my family. And that’s why I think Gracie chose Utah State, she wanted to be closer to her family and feel that love.” PHOTO BY Heidi Bingham Gracie and Isaac both have incredibly busy schedIsaac Johnson fist pumps after USU’s win against San Francisco at the Delta ules, but they still find time to spend with each other. Center on Dec. 16. “On Sundays when it’s kind of slow and you have an off day, we’ll go on a drive, or sometimes she’ll To read the rest of come over for a meal or go out to eat every now and then. One time she got a flat tire, and I got to go help this story, scan the her out with that,” Isaac said. “It’s been a super cool QR code: dynamic. We’re both adults and out of the house, so to kind of see who we are and know what makes us who we are as individuals as well as have the same values kind of as a family has been super cool.” Henry Wright is a junior studying For Gracie, having a familiar face close by has political science, American studies helped ease the transition to the new environment. and anticipatory intelligence. He “He’s a great older brother. He always checks in on loves to travel, watch sports and me, he calls me. Last Sunday, he actually came to spend time outdoors. church with me,” Gracie said. — henry.wright@usu.edu

Gracie Johnson defends the basket as a San Jose Spartan brings the basketball down the court on Jan. 6.

PHOTO BY Aubrey Holdaway

The Halo team practices at the Esports Center on Jan. 22. By Jack Johnson SPORTS REPORTER

etween Maverik Stadium and Aggie Village is an old building labeled “Central Post and Distribution.” Inside is not a postal service, but the hub of Utah State University’s Esports Club. While the building does not have the official name on the outside, members of the club call it the Esports Center. “The idea behind it was Esports Center would be ESC, like the escape key on the keyboard,” said Tanner Timothy. Timothy, a junior studying human experience design and interaction, is a member of the club’s executive council. “People just come here, have a good time, meet new friends and people who are interested in the same games as them and play together,” Timothy said. The club hosts a variety of events, including watching movies with pizza and snacks, playing horror video games around Halloween and Super Smash Bros. tournaments. Since the club operates under Campus Recreation, students can use their A-number to get in and check out items like a headset, a keyboard and a mouse. “Come when you can, and just come to play games,” said Hunter Lovell, a member of the club and a junior studying information systems. There are two sides of the club: one for casual gamers and the other for competitive gamers. Despite not being considered an athletic sport by the school, the esports club still competes at the collegiate level. Esports are a new field of competition, so there is not a single centralized league that governs the players. Each game maker hosts its own esports competitions. For example, Halo will hold competitions for Halo players. The National Esports Collegiate Conference hosts competitions.

ball, where aspiring-pro players spend years moving up from rec leagues and high school to university and national levels, the entry into esports is a smoother pipeline. “You just start playing a game. And if you find, you know, you have kind of a knack for it, you just keep furthering yourself, and then eventually you’ll find yourself on a pro-team,” Lovell said. Before the club moved to the postal building, they were located in the Fieldhouse beneath the deadlift rack. “Every once in a while, the whole room would just shake, and we would always make a joke like, ‘Oh, that guy just PR’d up there,’” Timothy said. And before the Fieldhouse, the club met in a tiny room within the Emma Eccles Jones Education Building, which Timothy described as smaller than a dorm room. “We had two tables along the walls,” he said. “We PHOTO BY Jack Burton just lined up like six PCs on each side. If you backed up, you’d hit the person behind you.” Cramped, noisy, and difficult to keep clean, the room The club fields a variety of competitions and players, had “wires everywhere.” including a varsity and junior varsity team. “It is so much better here,” Timothy said about the “We have a League of Legends varsity and junior varESC. “It is just 100 million times better.” sity team, a Valorant varsity and junior varsity team,” Like other small groups on campus, the club struggles Timothy said. “We have four Halo teams, including an with funding. all-female roster. We have three Overwatch teams, two “There is an infinite amount of equipment we can buy, Rocket League teams.” and we have a very not infinite amount of money,” said According to Timothy, team tryouts are held the first Jack Thompson, the coach of the competitive teams. two weeks of each semester. The club’s executive council partnered with Campus Lovell said collegiate esports is “a growing commuRec and the instructional technology and learning nity,” and the teams play against other colleges across sciences department, who provided the computers the the nation. club currently uses. Collegiate level competitions feature games like Apex “They are part of a classroom,” Thompson said. Legends, Halo, Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, “People come to class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.” Valorant, Overwatch 2 and League of Legends. During Timothy, who is one of the teachers for the class, said the 2023 fall semester, the USU team placed top five in the ITLS grant included around 30 brand-new computthe country for Halo Infinite within the NECC. ers. The club also broadcasts their own competitive “All with new monitors and everything and all that matches. There are two broadcasters who comment on equipment,” Timothy said. the games the same way an NCAA radio commentator The club also has difficulty informing people of their would on a basketball game. existence. Lovell said because they are located inside Lovell said compared to traditional sports like basketthe old postal building, students often have difficulty finding them. “I think there’s a very healthy percentage of like the student body that plays video games and cares about video games, but they just don’t know that this is a thing,” Lovell said.

Jack Johnson is not named after a singer but a buttermilker. Everyone knows his name, but he rarely knows theirs. PHOTO BY Jack Burton Zane Bennion starts up his computer to play Valorant at the Esports Center on Jan. 22.

— jack.johnson@usu.edu

Page 13 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 2024

Esports club finds home in old post office building

Page 14 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 202

Q U I N N E Y L I B R A R Y

Claire Ott is a junior studying journalism and environmental studies. She enjoys being a photographer because she gets to capture cool things that are going on at USU. — a02339922@usu.edu

Sudoku puzzles are provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com.

Page 15 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 2024

Last week’s solution:

PHOTO BY Heidi Bingham

Page 16 - The Utah Statesman, January 29, 202