Logan City Council grants new restaurant’s variance on alcohol laws, despite opposition

By Mark Rosa

On Tuesday, Logan’s newest restaurant Even Stevens got the nod from the Logan City council, undeterred by opposition from council and community members, to sell beer despite the restaurants close proximity to one of the town’s oldest religious sites.

Aislinn Grenny, Even Stevens controller, stood before the council and explained that the community location proximity requirement to sell alcohol dictates that the establishment must be no less than 200 feet from the property line of a church, school or community site.

Even Stevens backdoor is 195 feet from the property line of the Logan Tabernacle.

Grenny said, as she urged the council to grant the variance, the sandwich shop pairs its sandwiches with locally brewed beers and although this seems like a small part of the business, it is actually an integral aspect of the Even Stevens brand.

During the public forum regarding the variance, Logan Downtown Alliance members Gary Saxton and Mark Fjeldsted voiced their support for the new business as they spoke to the low-key nature of alcohol sales at other Even Stevens locations in the state.

Despite the general attitude of support, not every community member was in favor of the sandwich shop’s request. Derrick Sudweeks and Shanna Thompson, two Logan residents, explained their concerns.

“With Crumb Brothers being allowed last month and now Even Stevens, I feel we’re heading in the wrong direction,” Sudweeks said. “I think we need to hold true to the values of the community and to the people that we’re a God fearing people and that we do not consume alcohol.”

After ending the public forum, a familiar foe of alcohol, Logan City Councilman S.E. Gene Needham spoke up to share his moral qualms surrounding alcohol consumption in his hometown.

“I think it’s the wrong direction for the community and the wrong direction for downtown,” Needham said in opposition. “I don’t see any reason to perpetuate what is a human tragedy and a plague.”

In rebuttal to Needham’s remarks, Logan City Councilman Tom Jensen said the era in which these liquor laws were established was vastly different from today and that the laws have become outdated and inapplicable.

“Having an alcoholic drink with a sandwich, I don’t think there’s a threat in that situation,” said Jensen.

Although the restaurant owners must still go through the Utah Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission for full approval of their liquor license application, the council’s acceptance of the variance shows that the town is generally behind the restaurant and supports their request.

Utah’s TRUCE gives up on medical marijuana proposal for 2016

By Mark Rosa

Utah’s medical marijuana proponents will have to wait until next year to see a more comprehensive piece of legislation as the medical cannabis advocacy group Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education, or TRUCE, has officially ended the push to get their proposal to legalize medical cannabis on the ballot this November.

Candy Wagner, secretary and spokeswoman for TRUCE, said the group would be cutting it too close in getting the signatures necessary to get the initiative on the floor by November.

Wagner said if the group wasn’t able to get their petition signed in time they wouldn’t be able to release another proposal until 2018. By waiting until next year, Wagner believes, they can come back stronger with support from lawmakers and a sponsor.

Wagner said she is hopeful that next year’s proposal will have broader acceptance because medical cannabis legislation has been picking up steam in Utah in attempts to help with the state’s prescription opiate addiction epidemic.

Although TRUCE members believe the legalization of medical cannabis would help thousands of people here in Utah, local law enforcement sees the prospect of legalizing cannabis as a problem.

Logan City Police Capt. Curtis Hooley said not only is medical cannabis legalization a violation of federal drug laws but will bring a wave of crime and violence to the state that lawmakers aren’t foreseeing.

“I think the unwanted and unexpected consequences will outweigh the number of people who actually benefit from marijuana,” said Hooley. “Legal or not, an increase in production of marijuana in the state will bring potentially dangerous situations to residents.”

“You see it in Colorado all the time,” said Hooley. “Marijuana is a cash crop that’s mostly unregulated and its worth more on the black market. That makes legal marijuana growers and businesses a target for criminals.”

Hooley said he’s glad Utah will not be voting this year to legalize cannabis because that gives lawmakers and law enforcement more time to watch and learn from Colorado, Washington and Oregon in order to prepare themselves for the negative consequences that might be associated with medical cannabis legalization. 

Smithfield couple arrested for smoking meth with their child in the car

By Mark Rosa

On March 25, Cache Rich Drug Task Force officers arrived at the residence of Christopher and Nancy Olague in Smithfield where they discovered the couple smoking methamphetamine in their car − with their 1-year-old child in the backseat.

Logan City Police Capt. Curtis Hooley said probation officers went to the Olague residence to conduct a parolee home visit and upon finding evidence of drug use contacted the drug task force.

As task force agents approached the vehicle, Christopher attempted to swallow the drugs and later required treatment by paramedics.

Hooley said that a search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of an ounce of meth and one-eighth of an ounce of heroin.

The child, who is just over one year old, was taken into protective custody by the Division of Child and Family services where it subsequently tested positive for methamphetamine.

"Unfortunately, when people get involved with meth and heroin their desire for that drug is so strong that they don't always think about those that are around them or to protect their children," Hooley said. "It's very unfortunate."

Logan City Police Sgt. Alan Hodges said the couple faces nine charges between them including two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person and child endangerment.

USU street painting tradition promotes homecoming spirit

 By Mark Rosa  10/2/15 

Forty Utah State University organizations met at the corner of Aggie Boulevard and 800 East on Tuesday for the annual homecoming week street painting event. This year the Utah State University Student Association traditions committee appointed a panel of judges to grade the groups' paintings and hand out three new awards.

Clubs, organizations, sports teams, sororities and fraternities displayed their artistic skills and created street murals depicting the spirit of their groups and USU.

“In the past it’s been kind of like are we doing judging, or are we not doing judging?” said Stephanie Brooksby, the faculty program coordinator of the street painting event. “But this year it was like we are doing judging, we have judges set up, we have three new awards that they’re going to be judged on.”

The paintings were judged on individual criteria for each of the three new awards: the Aggie Spirit award, the Aggie Creative award and the Go Blue or Go Home award.

The Aggie Spirit award was presented to the Dominican Student Association for the depiction of the students’ process of coming to America and the university. Brooksby said the judges chose the DSA’s painting because it told a great story.

The Aggie Climbing Club took the Aggie Creative award for turning its 10 feet by 10 feet square into the side of a mountain with a climber scaling the face.

The top award of the night was the Go Blue or Go Home award, which shared its name with the 2015 homecoming week theme. The award was given to the Kappa Delta sorority for best exemplifying the overall spirit of the week. The sorority’s mural included the “Block A” on which, students stand and kiss on True Aggie Night and a constellation spelling out “Go Blue or Go Home” and “K.D.” for Kappa Delta.

The USUSA Traditions committee is in charge of putting on four main events a year including homecoming. The goal of the committee is to get new students excited about long-standing university traditions and spread the spirit of tradition throughout campus.

“I think that’s one of the best parts of being a traditions director is just bringing back the traditions that make us Aggies so unique,” said Alexander Aburto, the USUSA traditions director and coordinator of the street painting event.

                      

National Alcohol Screening Day to raise awareness and identify those at risk

By Mark Rosa

On Wednesday, Utah State University’s Counseling and Psychological Services and Student Health and Wellness Center hosted a National Alcohol Screening Day event to spread awareness about alcoholism and assess the student, faculty and staff’s risk of alcohol dependency.

Charles Bentley, a psychologist at USU CAPS said the event centered around a survey based on the Alcohol Disorders Identification Test which is scored to determine the individual’s level of dependence on alcohol and risk of alcohol dependency.

“With alcohol the two things that can actually get people in trouble are chronic use and binge drinking,” Bentley said. “This screen asks questions about the frequency and amount you drink, and it also asks some basic questions to determine your risk factors.”

Bentley said that universities across the country participate in national alcohol screening day in an attempt to raise awareness of the risks of alcohol on a national scale.

Although the event’s attendance was low, Ryan Barfuss, the substance abuse prevention specialist at USU said that the attendance of the event was representative of the drinking population of USU, under 20 percent. Barfuss said that despite the sparse attendance, what they were doing was important.

“Every year we get five or six people that come in that need help with their drinking,” Barfuss said. “The goal today is to screen that one person or multiple people who need help but also to raise awareness.”

Drug overdose declared a public health emergency in Utah

By, Mark Rosa

On Friday, Gov. Gary Herbert signed a concurrent resolution declaring drug overdose a public health emergency in the state of Utah and strongly urges Utah’s Department of Health, Department of Public Safety and Department of Human Services to immediately direct resources to address the crisis.

The resolution sponsored by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss and Sen. Brian E. Shiozawa says that Utah ranks fourth in the nation for drug overdose and first in the nation for drug overdose by a military veteran.

Samantha Easthope, the addiction recovery management program manager for Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness, said that from 2000 to 2014 Utah saw a 400 percent increase in deaths due to the abuse or misuse of drugs and that more people are killed by overdose than by falls, firearms and motor vehicle accidents combined.

Emily Carver, a medication assisted treatment coordinator and case manager for Weber Human Services, said that the majority of fatal overdoses in the state are caused by prescription pain medications such as hydrocodone or oxycodone.

Carver is hopeful that support from the resolution funneled into a sustainable, comprehensive public health plan focused on education will result in significant decreases in the number of drug overdose deaths in Utah.

Man calls police on his own marijuana grow operation and production lab

By Mark Rosa

Logan Police deputies discovered a 69 plant cannabis grow operation and THC concentration lab when they arrived at the rental home of Benjamin Benavidez in Young Ward on Friday, at his request to peacefully escort his brother Samuel Benavidez off the property.

Lt. Mike Peterson of the Cache County Sheriff’s Office said deputies smelled cannabis on the Benavidez brothers and gained written consent to search the home. Upon discovering marijuana the deputies secured the location and contacted The Cache-Rich drug task force.

Within 40 minutes task force agents obtained a search warrant and found live cannabis plants, 28 pounds of dried cannabis flowers and a chemically concentrated form of THC known as butane honey oil.

Capt. Curtis Hooley of the Logan Police Department said task force agents found a major production lab intended to concentrate dried cannabis plant material into a more chemically pure and potent form of the psychoactive component found in cannabis, Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

The finished product of the concentration lab found at the Benavidez rental property was a specific cannabis-derivative called butane honey oil, which possesses a THC content four times higher than dried cannabis flower.

Hooley explained that this is the first concentration and production lab he has ever seen and that the emergence of these types of labs into the valley is concerning for the safety of local residents.

“I’m most concerned that they’re manufacturing the THC out of the marijuana through a process that is really quite explosive,” Hooley said. “They use butane to do that and it’s actually caused a quite a few explosions if you look at Colorado.”

Both men were taken into custody but have been released on bail.

Benjamin Benavidez faces felony possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute and production of a controlled substances charges.

Samuel Benavidez faces charges of use or possession of drug paraphernalia.

Logan residents want dogs in parks

By Mark Rosa

On Nov. 17, during the Logan City Municipal Council meeting discussion on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan update set to pass in 2016, Councilwoman Holly Daines voiced her concern that despite resident demand, the new plan update made no provisions to change city policy to allow dogs in public parks. Although Recreation, Arts, Parks and Zoos tax support was given to the Cache Valley Humane Society to open a dog park on-site to help address the demand, some Logan residents believe their needs are not being met.

Councilwoman Daines said the dog policy is one of the categories that gets the highest percentage of comments in the yearly resident satisfaction survey, so she was surprised to see there was no specific mention of the policy in the newly finalized departmental plan update. Due to the number of resident comments and concerns she believes it’s time to have a discussion about where the city is going concerning this issue.

“We should have a little bit more of a conversation and maybe address that in the plan,” said Daines.

According to Cath Manrique, the fundraiser and volunteer organizer for the humane society, the Valley View Dog Park which is about five acres and cost over half a million dollars, will help address the needs of dog owners yet more space is required to accommodate them.

“Logan as a whole is not a very friendly city for dog owners,” Manrique said. “There probably needs to be more space offered to them.”

“If every person with a social dog was to go out to a dog park, we wouldn’t have enough space,” said Amber Huggins, a volunteer at the humane society.

Despite support to change the plans policy on dogs in parks, Russ Akina, the director of parks and recreation said it’s not that simple.

Akina said that the main issue with allowing dogs in parks is that owners are not always responsible when it comes to removing their pet’s waste, which causes problems for maintenance and landscape crews who work in the parks. If pet owners could prove that they could responsibly use the parks, more consideration would be given to allowing dogs in more public spaces.

Although the policy is not set to change, Akina said that over time he sees the city moving towards the allowance of dogs in parks.

Logan approves 400 north corridor plan

By Mark Rosa

On Oct. 20 the Logan City Municipal Council approved the 400 North corridor plan, a long-term design and development concept plan to re-tool and beautify the stretch of 400 North from the mouth of Logan canyon to 100 West. According to Mike DeSimone, Director of Community Development for Logan, we may see the construction of some low-cost, low-impact improvement projects including updating light fixtures and median construction, begin over the next year.

DeSimone said the plan’s main goal is to create a visual focal point between Utah State University and greater Logan by replicating the streetscape design of the downtown area along the corridor. The plan also aims to improve the corridor’s function as a residential street and a high-volume transportation conduit with sidewalk improvement and road enhancing projects.

“I hope that it has a significant impact visually on that corridor and on the folks that live there,” DeSimone said. “It’s kind of a quaint little street, but the reality is that it’s a major state highway, it connects the Wasatch front with Idaho and Wyoming.”

DeSimone said that although 400 North is a residential street, it is managed by the Utah Department of Transportation whose goals sometimes overshadow the concerns of area residents on safety and visual aesthetics.

“Their goal is to move traffic, they want to move people as efficiently and quickly as possible, which is not a bad thing but if you live there it’s not necessarily the greatest thing,” said DeSimone.

“We want to recognize that it’s a state highway,” Desimone said. “But what we can do is slow the traffic down a little bit.”

Logan Municipal Councilwoman Jeannie Simmonds, who served on the steering commission that guided the project, expects that implementation of the plan will improve drive aspects while having a traffic culling but not eliminating effect, which will improve the safety of the corridor.

“It will become more of a gateway because we have a lot of traffic that flows in both of those directions,” Simmonds said. “Traffic flow will be improved.”

Star Coulbrooke’s term extended as Logan poet laureate

By Mark Rosa

On Nov. 3 Star Coulbrooke, stood in her 20th appearance as poet laureate of Logan before the Logan Municipal Council to recite a few lines written by her friend and mentor, the late Ken Brewer. Coulbrooke, Logan’s first poet laureate, recently received a fine arts grant from Logan City which was matched by Utah State University’s Department of English that allowed her to extend her term as poet laureate one calendar year.

According to Coulbrooke, who is also the director of USU’s writing center, her job description as poet laureate is to share and spread poetry in Cache Valley by opening city council meetings, visiting schools and making other appearances with the intent to bring poetry to valley residents.

During the meeting, Councilwoman Jeanie Simmonds said of Coulbrooke, “She has made poetry accessible to anyone who has any interest in having it be so.”

Coulbrooke also organizes poetry walkabouts and founded Helicon West, a bi-monthly platform for poets and amateurs to perform their work.

“What really matters to me as poet laureate is the idea that anyone can write poetic lines,” said Coulbrooke. “They don’t even realize when they’re speaking that they’re saying something highly poetic.”

Coulbrooke encourages everyone to use words to release emotionally and share those words with others.

“She brings an enthusiasm and an expertise to each and every event,” Simmonds said. “She has introduced poetry to young people, middle-aged people and old people and she just has a great idea of how to engage people in writing poetry and experiencing poetry.”

County funding approved, leaders hope pickleball is here to stay

By Mark Rosa

After winning approval for a $100,000 investment into an emerging sport with an interesting name — pickleball — local leaders are hoping they haven’t bought into a passing fad.

On Oct. 20, the Cache County Council approved the reallocation of $100,000 in tax dollars based on a personal request by Craig Peterson, the mayor of Logan, to build a sports complex at Bridger Park that will give Logan and Cache Valley residents a chance to get in on the game, which is played on a court with the dimensions and layout of a badminton court and with rules similar to tennis.

According to Peterson, the council made a unanimous and unprecedented decision to channel the funds from the Recreation, Arts, Parks, and Zoo tax, which were already designated to build basketball and tennis courts as well as a “splash pad” at Bridger Park, to build eight unlit pickleball courts. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring.

“The reason I’m excited about it is that it will fulfill a recreational need that we’ve never met here in Logan,” Peterson said. “I think it will appeal to a wide range of ages and abilities.”

Despite his excitement and belief in the project, though, Peterson said he worries that pickleball might proves to be nothing more than a fad.

But Peterson said he’s inclined to believe the sport — which was invented in the 1960s — will be around for a long time, because “it’s a very social game.”

“I think the fact that you can do it as a family works and I think the fact that you can learn it very quickly works,” he said.

Russ Akina, the director of the Logan City Parks and Recreation Department, said he shared the mayor’s concern about the project but was hopeful that pickleball would not be just another “flash in the pan.”

“When you put in an investment to facilitate that sport then it becomes a serious question in terms of ‘is it really just a fad, or is this something that would be considered?’” Akina said. “Having talked with other professionals around the state and looking at what other facilities for pickleball are doing around the county, I think it’s here to stay.”

-mdl

Witches Walk for Breast Cancer

By Mark Rosa

American Heritage Center visitors sported their best witch costumes and came together today for the first ever Witches Walk at the center in Wellsville. The event was held in conjunction with the center’s Fall Harvest Festival and its mission was to raise awareness about breast cancer and provide service for those suffering from the disease.

“We’ve been really excited about this one because we’ve added a service project to it,” said Rebecca Getz, the head coordinator of the Witches Walk. “Everyone knows someone who’s been effected by cancer in some ways, this is how you can help,” Getz said.

According to Getz, the center received donations of personal comfort items from local businesses such as pillows, pajamas and chocolates. Witch Walk attendees helped to compile these goods into gift baskets, or comfort kits, to be sent to women fighting breast cancer.

Sarah Gunnell, a main Witches Walk event organizer said between 100 and 150 people were involved in the events’ main attraction, the walk around the heritage center and service project volunteers were able to put over 1,500 comfort kits.

“We had so many people come together to do the comfort kits I was really pleased at how many people showed up,” Gunnell said.

Aggies promote sustainability and win National Bike Challenge

By Mark Rosa

On Tuesday, Aggie Blue Bikes and the Student Sustainability Office hosted the Open Streets Festival on Aggie Boulevard to promote a sustainable healthy lifestyle by opening up the street to active transportation. At the event it was announced that Utah State University had won the 2015 National Bike Challenge for the college league.

“USU won against universities such as University of Wisconsin, University of Nebraska, BYU and Colorado State, which is an impressive feat,” said Alexi Lamm, the USU sustainability coordinator.

According to Lamm, the USU team won the challenge by biking more miles over more days than any other university in the country. About 220 USU cyclists rode more than 76,000 miles between May and September, burning more than 4,000,000 calories and saving 28,000 lbs of carbon dioxide.

“Our competitive advantage as a university is the number of Aggies on bicycles,” Lamm said. “That is an indicator we’re moving in the right direction. People are getting on bicycles, even if it’s just to ride one mile.”

The Open Streets Festival coincided with the Logan City Council public hearing to vote on Logan City Resolution 15-52, also known as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan update. Immediately following the festival program organizers and volunteers biked together to city hall to participate in the vote.

Aggie Blue Bikes program coordinator Stephanie Tomlin said the resolution, which passed unanimously, will prioritize walking and cycling infrastructure and USU will undoubtedly see an increase in cyclist and pedestrian travel.

“This has huge implications for biking and walking in Logan,” Tomlin said. “It will continue to legitimize cycling and walking as a form of transportation and cycling as a sport.”

Aggie Blue Bikes and the Sustainability Office strive to facilitate a campus environment in which active transportation such as walking or cycling would be the chosen form of travel. These groups also encourage using environmentally friendly forms of motorized transportation when active transportation is not possible.

“We’re trying to show people all the options for using a street. Sometimes that’s going to be carpooling or taking a bus, bicycling, skateboarding or walking,” Lamm said. “We’re kind of trying to celebrate what a street can be for everybody.”

-mdl

To stop sexual assault, male students to be asked for their ‘man cards’

By Mark Rosa

During the months of October and November men on Utah State University’s campus may be approached by someone asking them to whip out their “man card.”

But it’s not harassment — it’s a campaign by the university’s Sexual Abuse and Anti-Violence Information Office, also known as SAAVI, to spread awareness about a span of time, from the start of school through Thanksgiving, when the percentage of rapes on college campuses goes up.

This time period has become known as “the red zone.”

The man card campaign centers around a pledge made by men to never commit or stay silent about an act of sexual abuse, and was kicked off at SAAVI’s red zone activity on Sept. 22. The main event of the activity was the signing of the pledge written across a banner. Men who signed the pledge received their very own “man card” so that they would always be reminded of the pledge they made.

“It’s to get more of a masculine side of it that it’s not just a women’s problem,” said Kurt Kowal, a SAAVI intern.

Kowal said during the red zone, he and others will be walking around campus asking men if they have their “man card.” If the man can present his card, he’ll win a prize. This is to encourage men to keep their cards on them and keep the dialogue about sexual abuse fresh, so it doesn’t retreat into taboo status again.

Kowal believes the best way to help solve the problem is to inform the student population, establish clear communication and define boundaries.

With the semester, and the red zone, in full swing, USU’s SAAVI office wants all students on high alert. Another SAAVI intern, Teisha Greer, said most causes of the red zone effect stem from the inexperience and naiveté of young students in new and unfamiliar situations.

“Students are unaware… they’re experiencing, learning about themselves, testing their boundaries, and it unfortunately can cause unsafe situations,” Greer said.

Greer stressed education and awareness in order to avoid dangerous situations — and the duty people have to stand up for others if they witness an act of abuse.

“People who remain silent when they see things going on could intervene and help,” Greer said. “If we can speak up and step in whenever we can — that’s a big part of it.”

– mdl/ks

Aggie freshman class is the largest in history
By Mark Rosa 9/12/15

As students return to Utah State University campus for the fall semester, one thing is blatantly apparent: there are more people here. This year’s incoming freshman class is expected to be the biggest in school history, and everyone involved in campus life is feeling the impact. Although many of the negative effects of this massive class have been identified immediately, the positive effects a larger student body may take time to see.

               Faculty and staff have undertaken a massive effort to accommodate these students. Additional courses have been added to this year’s registration catalog, private residents on campus have been incentivized to take on a roommate and rooms that were never intended to house students were converted into livable spaces.

There are many small components contributing to the size of this class but John Mortensen, assistant vice president for enrollment services and retention at USU, outlines two main circumstances. First, the LDS missionary age change of 2012 allowed any male over the age of 18 and any female over 19 to serve a full-time mission. This caused a spike in the number of those who wanted to serve missions as graduating seniors in high school skipped their first year of college to go directly into the mission field once they were of age. What initially caused a drop in attendance is now causing a boom as the largest number of missionaries ever in the field are returning and getting back into school. The second main contributing factor is the increased recruitment efforts of the university admissions staff. Mortensen praised the efforts of the admissions staff stating, “Overall I think they were up a couple thousand applications, this year over last year.”

Although the increased interest in USU is encouraging to the admissions office, some of the effects of the enrollment spike have been less than so. Mortensen explained that the Aggie Shuttle bus system has been overwhelmed by the sheer number of students needing rides. Students have been waiting longer and longer as full shuttle buses pass their stop and cycle through the university campus, causing them to be late to class. Another negative factor of the increased number of students on campus is the increased number of student vehicles on campus. Students with no designated place to park line up their cars along the “tower field” just west of Mountain and Valley View dormitories, and USU parking attendants line up to write them citations.

Despite the negativity surrounding these infrastructural shortcomings, there have been some obvious positive effects of the influx of student enrollment. Conner Comeau, a Hurd volunteer, is hopeful about the effects the large freshman class will have on school spirit and event attendance. Comeau explained that student attendance for the Aggies first home football game and the events surrounding it was way up, especially considering the Aggies opponent was the historically ill-equipped Southern Utah University. In discussing athletic event attendance, Comeau smiled and said, “Greater numbers mean an increased interest in athletic programs.” He believes that a similar increase of interests of all school events will be prevalent all year.

Mark Rosa is a junior at Utah State University where he studies journalism and communication. He was born and raised in Naperville, Illinois and graduated from Naperville Central Highschool. He has since lived in Provo, Utah; Louisville, Kentucky; Point Arena, California; and finally Logan, Utah. He enjoys playing basketball and working out as well as playing the drums or guitar.