Inside this Issue
The Mind Behind Frankenstein - Page 3
Halloween Costumes - Page 4
Track Hires New Staff Member - Page 6
The Bengal.
isubengal.com 26 October 2021
Volume 47 Issue 8
The Independent Voice at Idaho State University Since 1910
Photo Courtesy of the Bengal Archive
Remembering the Late Bill McCurdy Jack Sherlock News Editor Anytime we lose a member of the Bengal family, it sends shockwaves far and wide throughout the community here at Idaho State University. The loss of Bill McCurdy, a longtime contributor to our university and to those that wander the grounds was no exception to these powerful feelings of loss. William James McCurdy, born October 4th, 1947, and known to most as just “Bill” passed on October 4 of 2021 on his 74th birthday. He was born and raised right here in Pocatello and began his journey at ISU at a young age, taking campus visits with his John Greenleaf Whittier Elementary school class. He pursued Philosophy during his undergraduate time here at ISU, and then went on to earn an M.A. from the University of Hawaii. Beyond his commitment to studying in his classrooms, he sought out real-world
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experience beyond the world he knew here in the states and traveled to Japan and Taiwan, where he taught English and Philosophy for some time. He returned back to ISU in the year 2000 and taught full-time as an associate lecturer for the Philosophy department. Despite retiring a few years back, McCurdy remained committed to his teaching craft and returned earlier this academic year to teach an Asian Philosophy course. Many at ISU were touched deeply by the impact that he left on our campus, and today, those of us here at the Bengal want to share the special experiences that some of our ISU faculty shared after hearing the news of his friend’s passing -- a time to reflect, mourn and reminisce on the presence that McCurdy carried throughout his time as a Bengal. James Skidmore, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Department Vice-Chair, and Director of Philosophy took his reflection of McCurdy with an emphasized focus on
his office or at the coffee shop.” Skidmore concluded his reflection with McCurdy’s strong connection to the area and the desire for strength through shared knowledge in his hometown. “I think his lifelong roots in the community are part of what made him such a good teacher. He really knew the students in a deep sense and knew how to connect with them. Students from the local community could sense that he was one of them” Skidmore says. Reflections of this great loss continued with comments from Russel Wahl, former ISU professor of Philosophy and longtime friend of McCurdy. An Idaho State Journal piece reads “Bill’s passing is both a tremendous loss for the school’s philosophy department as well as the Pocatello community”, and continues to address comments from Wahl. “I’ve known Bill since I came here in 1985,” Wahl said. “He was very interested in logic and studied the teachings of
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his teaching devotions and his commitment to helping others learn philosophy. Skidmore says “He was such a talented teacher, he clearly enjoyed teaching philosophy and working with students, and it showed. Philosophy is a difficult subject, and it’s often hard for students to see why they should care about the questions we investigate. But Bill had a way of connecting with students and getting them to see the urgency of these questions. His intellectual curiosity was extraordinary, and it was contagious with students.” McCurdy’s commitment to his students was something that was seemingly unmatched to the noticing eye around campus, and Skidmore continues to say that “Bill had a thorough command of philosophy, but he wore his knowledge lightly. He had such a positive and enthusiastic personality. Students could see he was the kind of professor--not just who they could talk to but who wanted to talk with them, whether it was outside of class in
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The Bengal at Idaho State University
26 October 2021 • Page 2
NEWS
Jack Sherlock | News Editor Contact: bgnews@isu.edu
Idaho State Researchers Provide Valuable Insight into Hispanic Vaccination Access Idaho State University Fallon Deatherage-Bradley Submitted Content When Johns Hopkins’s Communivax Coalition began searching for researchers to examine access to COVID-19 vaccines in underserved populations in order to guide pandemic response efforts, Idaho State University stepped up to provide a picture of vaccination in Southeast Idaho’s rural Hispanic community. At the beginning of January 2021, researchers from the College of Arts and Letters and the Division of Health Sciences teamed up and assembled 20 anthro-
pology, Spanish, public health, premedical, and nursing students to gather data and be listed as co-authors on the final report. This data was then used to make recommendations for the continuing response to the COVID pandemic. While Johns Hopkins has done a great deal of disaster research in the past, this sort of research in real time was a new experience for some of the team. Unlike most academic research where something that has already happened is explored, disaster research examines something that is ongoing in an effort to inform decisions on how to resolve the situation. “I’ve always been a hands-on and on
Photo Courtesy of Idaho State University
the ground researcher,” Dr. Elizabeth Carwright, Co-principal investigator for the project and professor of anthropology at ISU, said. “But this is different from what I usually do.” The research team joined forces with Southeast Idaho Public Health to reach the Hispanic communities in Power and Bingham counties. Students were given instruction on how to conduct interviews, but their own backgrounds and connections were a valuable asset. Half of the students were from Bingham and Power county and were Hispanic themselves. Many were Spanish speaking. While many of those interviewed spoke English, there were a handful of individuals who only spoke Spanish. In total, students were able to conduct 32 interviews in Spanish. Having Spanish-speaking interviewers allowed for more diverse perspectives to be included in the study. All of the research had to be done in a COVID-safe manner. The only people that students interviewed in person were family members in their immediate household. Otherwise, students conducted interviews over Zoom. In a few cases, students taught extended family members how to use Zoom and in turn they taught more members of the community. The Communivax Coalition research was originally intended to examine vaccine access and hesitancy among groups that have historically been underserved in health care. Similar projects in different parts of the country looked at other underserved groups. The Southeast Idaho Hispanic population had far higher rates of vaccination than the rest of Idaho. In the spring 2020 the Hispanic community was hit hard by COVID, with a 20 percent higher rate of hospitalization than the rest of the Idaho population. Many individuals became ill enough to miss a substantial amount of work. Northern Mexico, where many in Power and Bingham counties have family, was also hit hard by the pandemic. When the vaccination became available, the major-
ity of individuals were ready for any measure that could protect them from the virus, Cartwright said. “They were very pragmatic,” she said. “They wanted anything that would keep them healthy and to keep working.” The possibility of missing work due to illness was a frequent motivation for seeking vaccination. Workplace vaccination offerings were very effective in providing access to vaccinations. For those individuals who did not want to be vaccinated, their reasons were similar to those common in the rest of Idaho, with some exceptions. Some individuals who were originally hesitant to receive the vaccine, agreed to get it after being provided with more information and having their questions answered. This was a compelling finding to Maya Tillotsen, a student working on her masters degree in Healthcare Administration and one of the co-authors of the report. “From this project I learned that we truly have a need in these communities,” Tillotsen said. “Rural, underserved Hispanic communities are facing barriers to the healthcare system due to a lack of cultural competence on behalf of the health care system, a lack of education, and a lack of trust between the community and the healthcare system.” With the completion of the interviews and the publishing of the findings, phase 1 of the Communivax Coalition’s research has come to a close. As the COVID vaccination situation continues to unfold, there is a possibility for ongoing research in Southeast Idaho. As future health care providers, administrators and researchers, the students gained valuable insight. “Everyone deserves health care,” Tillotson said. “And not just good-enough health care, but quality health care. When we recognize there is an issue, we can band together, community members and healthcare providers, to create a new, sustainable, attainable solution for everyone involved.”
Institute of Rural Health Receives $1 Million Grant for Brain Injury Research Idaho State University Lee Ann Waldron Submitted Content Idaho State University’s Institute of Rural Health (IRH) has received a $1 million five-year grant that will help researchers study traumatic brain injuries in Idaho, and increase resources for those who suffer from them. The Administration for Community Living - an arm of the United States Department of Health and Human Services sponsored the grant. “Our goal is to expand support to persons with traumatic brain injury in Idaho,” said Russ Spearman, principal investigator and senior
research associate with the Institute of Rural Health. “The state’s rurality and lack of access to health care and other resources place Idahoans at a higher risk for TBI compared to other populations.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, around 2 percent of people in the United States live with a disability caused by a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In Idaho, this translates to more than 14,000 TBI injuries per year, and 36,000 Idahoans living with a “severe” TBI-related disability. Traumatic brain injuries can occur in many ways, including falls, vehicle-related collisions, violence, sports injuries, stroke, brain tumors, explosive blasts and other
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combat injuries. Mild traumatic brain injuries may require rest, close monitoring at home for any persistent, worsening, or new symptoms, and overthe-counter pain medication. Most people return to normal routines gradually. However, severe injuries require emergency care, like oxygen, stabilization of the person’s body to avoid any additional injury, and sufficient oxygen and blood. These often require more long-term care, like rehabilitation, which may include the re-learning of basic skills, such as walking or talking. The goal is to improve their abilities to perform daily activities. The long-term effects of a mild traumatic brain injury can include frequent headaches, dizziness, depression, and thinking (cognitive) impairments. They can last for months and sometimes years post-injury and could lead to stroke, blood clots, and other problems. Short-term emotional effects from concussion, which is considered a brain injury, can include frustration, mood swings, depression, fear of future harm or injury, paranoia, aggressive behavior, increased risk for substance use/opioids and suicidal thoughts. In fact, suicide risk doubles within the first six months of a TBI. “Understanding the leading contributors to TBI-related death and identifying groups at increased risk is important in preventing this injury,” Spearman said. “Health care providers can play an important role in assessing patients at increased risk, such as those at risk for suicide, unintentional motor
vehicle crashes, or unintentional falls, and provide referrals or tailored interventions.” With the grant, the Institute of Rural Health will work to update the traumatic brain injury state plan; determine TBI prevalence in the state by including questions in Idaho’s behavioral risk factor surveillance system and pilot test an intensive care unit protocol for individuals with a diagnosed TBI in hospitals; increase traumatic brain injury resource facilitation, and; expand traumatic brain injury screening to include both children and adults with co-occurring conditions, as a TBI may be missed being diagnosed if there are other conditions present. Under this new grant, the Institute of Rural Health will expand clinic use from speech and language and counseling to also include mental health, and physical/ occupational therapy, including in the Meridian area. Over the next five years, efforts will focus on screening and resource facilitation for refugees, Native Americans, individuals experiencing homelessness, Hispanic adults, and children including those with a co-occurring condition. The Institute of Rural Health partners with multiple groups across Idaho in order to expand their care and research, including the Department of Health and Welfare, Department of Education, Idaho Parents Unlimited, Idaho Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health and the Brain Injury Alliance of Idaho.
Page 3 • 26 October 2021
The Bengal at Idaho State University
NEWS
Jack Sherlock | News Editor Contact: bgnews@isu.edu
The Mind Behind Frankenstein Andrea Diaz Reporter
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It’s alive! It’s alive! The infamous monster, Frankenstein, is one of horror and . history. Frankenstein is one of the most p well known monsters, but what inspired Mary Shelley to write such a novel and e why is the story still alive today? In 1818 r Mary Shelley published her novel, Fran- kenstein, which is now considered the - first science fiction novels ever written. To make things even more impressive, t she was only 19 years-old! The tale of - Frankenstein begins with the protago, nist, Victor Frankenstein, and his journey s to creating his monster from an amale gamation of dead bodies. According to g an employee at the Morgan Library and - Museum, Elizabeth Denlinger, the morbid and gothic tale piqued the interest of a readers and boosted its popularity. An- other interesting key to the novel is the n relationship between Victor and his cre-
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ation. The monster has a way of gaining sympathy from the reader and the same can be said for Victor. The story itself is very well-known, however, what really made the story of Frankenstein iconic was the film adaptations of Frankenstein. Produced by Thomas Edison, the first film to focus on Frankenstein debuted in 1910, this followed by the more well known Frankenstein films made in 1935. There are many films that follow these productions including: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), and even crossovers such as Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man made in 1943. The story of Frankenstein is still being talked about and analyzed 200 years later. Mary Shelley created a story that focuses on death but also makes us question and think to this day, which is a big reason it has persisted. Death is something almost everyone has experienced and thus so many people can relate to the thought and want for something to
be brought back to life. The story of Frankenstein has gone through much history, but Mary Shelley herself has some interesting history. According to History.com, one dark and stormy night Mary Shelley, her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, their friend Lord Byron and Lord Byron’s physician, John Polidori, were all traveling when they all got caught inside due to the weather. To entertain one another they stayed inside and told ghost stories to each other. This inspired the group to write their own stories. Percy Shelley and Lord Byron would not finish their stories, however Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein and Polidori wrote the also significant novel, The Vampyre. There have been many adaptations of Frankenstein over the years,including modern day adaptations. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994) features Kenneth Branagh, Robert DeNiro, Helena Bonham-Carter, and Ian Holm. The next
adaptations are Frankenstein (2007), Frank3nst31n (2015), and most recently Victor Frankenstein (2015). The most recent adaptation features Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy and focuses on Frankenstein’s assistant, who was not in Mary Shelley’s original story. Mary Shelley went through much hardship in her life with the death of her mother just days after Shelley was born, the death of her own daughter just days after she was born, and her own death not being pleasant. According to biography. com, it is unclear what she died from, all that was known was that she was very ill and it is suspected to be a brain tumor that Shelley suffered. No matter how she died, Mary Shelley left a legacy that is more than a monster story, it explores philosophical themes that have been thought upon for generations and likely generations to come.
Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons
Brian Laundrie Found Dead Lesley Brey Editor-in-Chief Human remains discovered at Carlton Reserve in Florida were confirmed via dental records to be those of Brian Laundrie, the FBI announced on Thursday the 21st. Laundrie, who was seen September 13th, was the subject of a national manhunt after the suspicious disappearance of his girlfriend Gabby Petito while on a cross-country road trip. Petito’s body was found earlier this month in an area of Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest. A Wyoming coroner ruled Petito’s cause of death to be strangulation. The story of Petito’s disappearance has been of national interest due to the popularity of “van living,” a trend wherein young adults looking to avoid the extreme costs of the current housing market opt instead to live in a converted van or small bus. Laundrie and Petito shared a Youtube channel where they had begun documenting their van travels after setting off for their trip from North Port, Florida in
June 2021. Over the course of the trip, the couple was involved in a domestic disturbance on August 12th in Moab, Utah. Moab police separated the pair for the evening. Petitio was last heard from on August 30th, when she texted her mother to let her know that she would not have cell phone service for a while. On September 1st, Laundrie returned to Florida without Petitio. Petito was reported missing on the 11th. Although Laundrie had not been charged in relation to Petito’s disapperence nor murder, he was still considered a person of interest as he was likely one of the last people to see Petito alive. “Two people went on a trip, and one person returned,” North Port Police chief Todd Garrison said in September. The investigation into the deaths of both individuals is ongoing.
Remembering McCurdy, continued from cover Charles Sanders Peirce, a 19th-century logician. Bill was a very interesting philosopher and a great conversationalist. I don’t know how we will replace him.” Ralph Baergan, another prominent figure within the ISU Philosophy department was happy to share some memories that he had with McCurdy. “I’ve worked alongside Bill McCurdy for more than 20 years; his office is next to mine. He was a great colleague and a good man. He had a scholar’s mind — always inquisitive, learning more, looking beneath the surface, raising objections, making new connections. I’ve learned a lot from him.” McCurdy’s sense of humor was as much a key identifier of his character as the beaten-up fedora-like cowboy hat that sat atop his head everywhere he went. Bargen recalls his comedic interactions with McCurdy and continues to say “I can’t count how many times I’ve rolled my eyes and groaned at one of his puns, or how often he’d announce his trip to the bathroom as ‘going to force another link in the great water cycle’. I miss him. It still hasn’t sunk in that we won’t ever chat again about his latest philosophical project, or Japanese
temples, or any of the many things he found fascinating.” For those seeking solace in the written form while processing this great loss, Spencer Case, an international research fellow in Wuhan, China, freelance writer, ISU graduate/Pocatello native, and close friend to McCurdy wrote an insightful column in the ISJ on what it was like to know, love, and appreciate the man that was Bill McCurdy, titled “Goodbye, cowboy hat”. The family of McCurdy has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 4567 in Pocatello, ID 83205. The knowledge McCurdy possessed in abundance paired alongside the casual and comforting nodding of his worn-in cowboy hat will be greatly missed by many throughout the Bengal community. A life well lived and a life that will long be remembered is the life of Bill McCurdy.
The Bengal at Idaho State University
26 October 2021 • Page 4
LIFE
Chloe Reid | Life Editor Contact: bglife@isu.edu
Halloween Costumes: Origin to Modern Day
Chloe Reid Life Editor
With Halloween right around the corner, costumes are in full swing. Whether you’re opting for store bought or enjoy making your own, dressing up has been a staple with children and adults alike for ages. So where did Halloween costumes come from? The very beginning of costuming may have been over 2000 years ago, when the Celtic festival, “Samhain”, marked the end of summer and the beginning of the darker months. At the time, it was believed that the world of the gods became visible to humans, which resulted in some people covering themselves in animal skins or heads, hoping that the gods would mistake those disguised for one of their own. In the 11th century, christians adopted October 31st as an official holiday. Halloween was originally labeled as “All Hallows Eve”, the day before All Saints Day, which is November 1st. In medieval England and Ireland people would dress up in outfits symbolizing ghosts or spirits, and pass by houses to retrieve “soul cakes” to commemorate the dead, a christian practice known as “souling”.
As Scottish and Irish immigrants started to arrive in the United States in the 18th century, Americans really started to catch on to the Halloween traditions. Americans really enjoyed the idea of an occasion centered around death, and took the opportunity to dress up in new costumes, which were made by hand from whatever they had in the home, such as sheets, makeup, and handmade masks. Starting in the early 1920s and 1930s, Halloween masquerades began for both children and adults. This time also allowed for marketers to boom, playing off of the idea that Halloween was the last time for people to have a get-together before the turning of the season. Costumes influenced by popular characters in pop culture such as Popeye and Mickey Mouse were introduced and costume manufacturing companies began within this same period. People also began to enjoy impersonating characters within society, such as pirates and gypsies. Around the 1940s, Halloween pranks became popular in America. Referred to as “The Halloween Problem” by the press, vandalism, riots, and other destructive acts spiked within the decade. The problem led to a point where local and national officials attempted to rebrand the hol-
iday for children, to discourage further criminal damage. After World War II, TV and pop culture increased population within family homes, leading many to begin dressing in the likeness of popular television characters. Superheroes, comic characters, and other various figures were added within this era. The 1960s continued the transition into lighter costumes, with costumes revolving around being more fun than scary, with many kids and adults alike ditching masks and disguises and rather showing up as their authentic selves in a costumed format. However, spooky costumes didn’t completely leave the scene, as the mid century era of the 60s, 70s, and 80s brought in top-ranked horror films such as A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Halloween. The 70s and 80s also started a revolution in which members of the LGBT community saw the holiday as a means to dress up in showstopping outfits and create parades, starting the everlasting trend of risque costumes. In modern days, Halloween costumes come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and scares. Bailey Oliver, a junior majoring in the-
atre, has been working on creating outfits since the age of 8. Now an intern costume designer for the theatre department, Oliver works on many costumes for various occasions, Halloween included, yearround. Each costume starts with a draft, a physical, rough representation of what the costume will look like in the future. After a draft is made, it’s a long process of cutting, sewing, and fitting to make the pieces look just right. “For shows, costumes can take 1 to 2 weeks to create,” said Oliver. “If I’m just designing costumes for myself, if I have a good pattern it can still take around a day in total.” Whether you opt for going to the costume store every time fall comes back around, or you prefer to make your outfits by hand, costuming in the 21st century allows for people of all ages and types to find something that best suits them. Whether it be a realistic bloodied clown or a box of crayons, Halloween costumes today have continued to increase in diversity as well as popularity. With this in mind, it’s only a matter of time before we can see how the next generation of costumes will change to fit future generations.
A
Photo by Chloe Reid | Life Editor
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The Bengal at Idaho State University
LIFE
Chloe Reid | Life Editor Contact: bglife@isu.edu
New Radio Entertainment Coming to KISU ISU Marketing and Communications Submitted Content Two new shows will be joining the lineup at Idaho State University’s on-campus radio station, KISU, FM 91.1 ISU Impact: Engaging with the College of Arts and Letters explores the programs and initiatives in the College of Arts and Letters, and how the college is impacting students and our community at large. It
will be airing the third Wednesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. Expect to hear from some of the phenomenal faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners who are doing stand-out work at the university and in our community. The first show, which aired Oct. 20, featured Jonathan Armstrong, the driving force behind ISU’s new commercial music program, joining Dean Kandi Turley-Ames to talk about this exciting new
degree option for students. Discussion included how the commercial music program was developed and how this program is positively impacting the lives and futures of our music students. Pathways: A Career Podcast from the Idaho State University Career Center was launched October 18th. On Pathways, Career Center Advisor Mark Beaver sits down for conversations with ISU affiliated personnel about their profession and
path they took to get there. Informative, entertaining, and inspiring, Pathways is a great listen for the college student just beginning the career process, the mid-career professional considering a change, or anyone reflecting on their own journey. You can listen to these shows and others either via radio or by visiting https:// www.kisu.org/
Photo Courtesy of KISU
Announcement: Registration Time Change ISU Marketing and Communications Submitted Content
Due to feedback from students, the time of registration is changing. Starting in November, registration will open at 7 a.m. instead of midnight on each day of
registration. The process of registration will not change, only the timing. Priority registration based on the number of credits completed will remain, beginning on
Nove 8. Visit https://www.isu.edu/registrar/calendars/registration-dates/ for more information about registration dates.
EVENTS CALENDAR
TUESDAY OCT. 26 Bootacular | 5 p.m. | Pond Student Union Idaho State Civic Symphony - New Beginnings | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Art Center 3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com WEDNESDAY OCT. 27 Intervene Bystander Intervention Training | 2 p.m. | Zoom (Must Register) Halloween Movie and Pumpkin Decorating| 6 p.m. | Bengal Theater THURSDAY OCT. 28 Pumpkin Painting for Domestic Violence Awareness Month |12 p.m. | Bengal Lounge Field Sports | 7 p.m. | Cadet Field
OCT. 26 - NOV. 8 FRIDAY OCT. 29
MONDAY NOV. 1
THURSDAY NOV. 4
Last Day to Withdraw from Full Semester Courses
ISCS - New Beginnings | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Art Center
ISU Virtual Planned Giving Town Hall | 6 p.m. |Zoom
3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com
3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com
SaturDAY OCT. 30
TUESDAY NOV. 2
ISU Percussion Ensemble Concert | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Performing Arts Center
SPTA Halloween Costume Fun Run 5k | 8 a.m. | Cadet Field
ISCS - New Beginnings | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Art Center
Football vs. Weber State | 1 p.m. | Holt Arena
3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com
ISCS | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Art Center
WEDNESDAY NOV. 3
3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com
Volleyball vs. Weber State | 7 p.m. | Reed Gym
SUNDAY OCT. 31 ISCS - New Beginnings | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Art Center 3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com
ISCS - New Beginnings | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Performing Arts Center Season of Note - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Performing Arts Center 3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com
FRIDAY NOV. 5 Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium | 10 a.m. | Pond Student Union SATURDAY NOV. 6 ISCS - New Beginnings | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Art Center 3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com SUNDAY-TUESDAY NOV. 6-8 ISCS - New Beginnings | 7:30 p.m. | Stephens Art Center 3 on 3 Basketball Tourney | 8 p.m. | Register at IMleagues.com
The Bengal at Idaho State University
SPORTS & RECREATION
26 October 2021 • Page 6
Lesley Brey| Editor-in-Chief Contact: bgchief@isu.edu
Sustainable Idaho: Portneuf Greenway Sustainable Idaho Submitted Content This interview originally aired October 19th, 2021 on KISU. This week [Sustainable Idaho] takes a look at the Portneuf Greenway, a nature area and trail system that runs throughout all of Pocatello. To learn more about these trails, we spoke to Taelor Jordan-Moss, the current president of the Pocatello Greenway foundation and longtime volunteer. What is the history of the Greenway Foundation? The Greenway Foundation was founded in 1991 as a nonprofit organization to build walking and biking trails along the river corridor. The foundation has expanded trails to other areas of town, and has completed over 17 miles of trails with more expansion planned. And what is the current focus of the Greenway Foundation? The mission of the foundation is to help facilitate walking and biking trails throughout Pocatello and Chubbuck, though the trails are not all connected. We just want to make sure the community has a free and safe place to recreate.
Photo Courtesy of Sustainable Idaho
Is the Greenway Foundation working on plans to connect some of the trails? We would love to have things connected, especially if people want to use the trails to commute, we really want to focus on what progress we can make here and now. Progress will be slow and steady and that means some trails won’t be connected right away. We will take opportunities to build trails in a steady manner and hopefully get them connected along the way. The Greenway trails can be found throughout Pocatello and Chubbuck, so there are bound to be obstacles to completing a master plan connecting everything. The two main challenges to expanding the greenway system are access to funding and access to the trail. We are currently working with willing landowners to secure easements to build trails. Construction of the greenway trails is expensive, and we have secured grants from local organizations. We will always be seeking other grants and the city developers have been really proactive in including these trails in their projects in development. These trails are a free and open resource to the public, and in turn, the community
contributes a great deal to the building and maintenance of the greenway. The Greenway Foundation has a board of volunteers and we work with several different types of grants. The city of Pocatello and the city of Chubbuck both help facilitate funds and maintenance. We work with a lot of local organizations such as the Portneuf Health Trust. What benefits are our community members getting back from The Greenway trails? The Greenway is important to the community because it offers a safe and free place for individuals and families to recreate, exercise, and enjoy the environment. It’s also an asset to the community, raising property values as people want to live in a place with such a neat asset. People want to be able to be proud of their surroundings and what their community looks like. We live in such a unique area where we have access to so many resources for recreation, people really do want to take more advantage of that. The Greenway is another vehicle to help facilitate that lifestyle. What are some future projects the foundation has planned? The Greenway is focusing on four projects, the most significant being connecting Pocatello Creek Road with the Bannock County events center and the wellness center. The Greenway Foundation is working with the Idaho Transportation Department and Bannock County and it should be completed in 2024. We are also working on a project along the I15 corridor to connect the Monte Vista overpass with Pocatello Creek road. The two other projects are on the Portneuf river corridor. One will extend the Brennan Trail from Sacajawea Park, the other will connect South Second to Century High School. If anybody else would like to get involved, where can they go for more information? Any community member can use our website, protneufgreenway.org if they have questions or want to get involved with the board or volunteer committees. They can always email us at portneufgreenwayfoundation@gmail.com. We meet once a month for board meetings and also for working trails meetings and community members are welcome to join at any time. To find trails in your neighborhood, visit portneufgreenway.org/trails
Track and Field Announces Addition of Drew Jones to Staff Idaho State Athletics Submitted Content Idaho State has announced the hiring of Drew Jones as the new Assistant Track and Field (T&F) Coach for Throws. Jones joins the Bengals as the first-ever fulltime throws coach for ISU T&F.
“We are excited to have added Drew Jones as our first-ever fulltime throws coach at Idaho State,” said Director of Track and Field Hillary Merkley. “We have been working to compete in the Big Sky with a limited staff, and we have been fortunate to have some great people who have done a great job with our throwers.
Drew however, brings a lot to the table in terms of his experience and success, and we get to have him here with our athletes and staff full time. Our athletes deserve this and we are really grateful to have him. This will have the biggest impact on our program athletes’ experience and fills a major hole that we have had in this
Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Athletics
program for a number of years.” Jones comes to the Bengals from the University of North Dakota where he led the Fighting Hawks throwing program since the 2013-14 season. “Coming to Pocatello and being part of a program that wants to succeed and be well rounded and wants to develop all parts of track and field was very important to me,” Said Jones. “It’s nice to be part of a coaching staff that wants to put out a collective effort and bring good student-athletes into a program and develop them over time. It sounds like that’s what Coach Merkley wants to do and it’s exciting to be a part of that.” Jones saw increased success year-byyear during his tenure at UND. In 2018, Jones coached Molli Detloff to All-American honors in both indoor and outdoor track and field. Her Indoor qualification was the first for UND in its Division I history. Across the board, Jones coached his student-athletes to success while at UND. 112 new top-10 entries were added in his eight years with the Fighting Hawks. He oversaw multiple conference champions and coached multiple athletes to new conference records. On being ISU’s first ever full-time throws coach Jones said “That was an important part of my decision to come out here. I’ve got a little experience with the Big Sky and really enjoy the league that we’re in. To come in and to understand that when North Dakota was in the Big Sky and I developed good throwers while I was there, that that was seen by other coaches in the big sky. To come in and build that culture, get to do it from the ground up was a neat opportunity.” Academically, Jones saw success as well, with his student-athletes receiving multiple USTFCCCA Academic All-American honors. The Bengal throwers are back in action Jan. 15 at the 2021 Snake River Open in Pocatello.
Page 7 • 26 October 2021
Lesley Brey | Editor-in-Chief Contact: bgchief@isu.edu
The Bengal at Idaho State University
SPORTS & RECREATION
Women’s Volleyball Defeated Twice Idaho State Athletics Submitted Content
Parish, Kunz, Rachael Warren, and Kaia Rhodes had one block each. Idaho State is on the road for its next
The Idaho State volleyball team lost to Eastern Washington on Thursday the 21st , and to the University of Idaho in its Battle of the Domes contest Saturday the 23rd in Reed Gym. The final score for Thursday’s game was 3-2 (25-16, 18-25, 23-25, 25-18, 15-12). Idaho State hit .215 percent but the Eagles were able to capitalize on Bengal miscues to earn the victory. Eastern Washington hit .195 for the match and had 13 service aces. Andri Dewey had 24 assists. Sadie Bluth led the Bengals with 15 kills. After a slow start in set 1, the Bengals came out strong in set 2 to lead by as many as 10 at 16-6, 17-7 and 18-8. The scoring run was capped off by two attack errors by the Eagles and a kill by Rhodes.Eastern Washington made a late run to get within 23-18 but the Bengals closed it out on a Dani Devlin kill to earn the 25-18 victory. Set 3 was back and forth as neither team led by more than three points. The Bengals earned the victory with a kill from Bluth. The Eagles controlled the final two sets to earn the victory. In Saturday’s match against the Vandals, the final score was 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-15). The Bengals battled the Vandals, but fell in three sets. In the first set, the game score was tied 11 times before the Vandals were able to pull away, causing ISU to fall just shy 25-19. The second set went the Vandals’ way when they got an early lead that the Bengals couldn’t recover from. The Vandals took the set 25-16. The Vandals then claimed the third set 25-15. Taylor Parish had a game high of 26 total serve receptions for .929. Raegan Kunz led the way with six kills while Parish and Danielle Devlin were close behind with five kills. Andri Dewey had a team high 11 assists. Aliyah Sopoaga had 10 assists.
two conference matches. On Thursday, October 28 the Bengals play Portland State and on Saturday, October 30 the
Bengals take on Sacramento State. Both matches are set to begin at 7:00 p.m. MT.
Featuring: #4 Danielle Devlin Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Athletics
Bengals Battle Montana State Before Falling, 27-9 Idaho State Athletics Submitted Content The Idaho State football team lost to No. 8 Montana State 27-9 on Saturday the 23rd in the afternoon in front of a crowd of 19,297 at Bobcat Stadium. Idaho State had a season-high 213 yards rushing on 54 carries. Tyevin Ford rushed for a season-high 112 yards on 26 carries. The Bobcat defense had been allowing only 108 yards on the ground. The 213 rushing yards is the 19th most in a
game since 2007. Hunter Hays and Sagan Gronauer split time at quarterback. Hays threw for 111 yards and was 12-24. Idaho State finished with 324 yards of total offense, besting the MSU defensive average of 269. Idaho State had the ball for 42:17 and kept the Bobcat offense off the field as they only had the ball for 17:43. David Allish was 3-3 kicking field goals. He nailed a 44-yarder in the first quarter, a 24-yarder in the third quarter and a
39-yarder in the fourth. Darian Green led the defense with seven tackles. Charles Ike and Oshea Trujillo each had six. The Montana State offense, which had been averaging 427 yards a game coming into Saturday’s contest, was held to 388. Idaho State led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter after Allish’s 44-yard field goal with 2:39 left. Montana State led 10-3 at halftime. On the Bengals’ opening drive of the third quarter, offense went on a 15 play, 69-
yard drive that took 7:32 off the clock. The drive was capped off by Allish’s 24yard field goal, cutting the MSU lead to 10-6 with 7:28 left in the third. Montana added a field goal in the third quarter and scored two touchdowns in the fourth to take a 27-6 lead with 12:55 to play in the game. Allish’s final field goal came with 6:22 left in the game. Idaho State hosts Weber State on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Holt Arena
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Featured: #58 Tyler Clemons Photo Courtesy of Idaho State Athletics
The Bengal at Idaho State University
26 October 2021 • Page 8
OPINION
Lesley Brey| Editor-in-Chief Contact: bgchief@isu.edu
The Problem with Social Media Chloe Reid Life Editor Within the past few weeks, I was scrolling on Snapchat’s “Discover Page”, when something caught my eye. In the midst of all the daily news and polls provided by various magazines and newspapers, one headline from the Daily Mail read “Chandler is That You?! Matthew Perry looks worse for wear in first sighting since Friends reunion”. After clicking on it, I was shocked at what I saw. A column massively based on how the former Friends actor, Matthew Perry, looked. Simply dressed in a basic T-shirt, basketball shorts, and sneakers, he was criticized many times throughout the article for “not looking his best”, despite the article also saying he was just out for a coffee run with a friend. To be honest, I hadn’t seen one of these “shaming” tabloids since the early 2000s, and couldn’t believe it was still around today. You all remember, the “50 Best and Worst Beach Bodies” headlines that both uplifted the “fit” celebrities of the season
and completely trashed the ones who had any signs of normal bodily texture. However, it’s not all too surprising that articles like this still exist, as social media has been essentially the app-based form of these things for years. Photoshop usage has recently skyrocketed in apps such as Instagram and TikTok, with apps enabling video photoshop recently coming into light. And while photoshop itself is not the problem, the way it has been formatted overtime to encourage unrealistic standards is. Day after day, photos with slimmed waist and enlarged hips and lips are shared to the platforms, causing an uproar of harm amongst their users. In a study conducted by Match in 2017, 51% of social media users have reported that the various apps make them feel more self-conscious about their appearance, and that is only subject to increase as the years go on. As a comparison, with that statistic, more than 1 in every 2 people you pass
by are struggling with their image due to these photo and thought sharing apps we carry in our pockets. So if you yourself have been worrying about your looks due to media platforms lately, you are definitely not alone. It’s not just social media’s effect on body image, either. Whether we realize it or not, social media pushes this concept of needing to have a picture perfect life, 24/7. Whether you have a following of tens, hundreds, or thousands, you most likely wouldn’t want those that follow you to see you feeling lonely, sad, or stressed. It’s understandable, we enjoy putting our best foot forward into the world, no matter what the situation, but it also affects us more negatively than we think. By just scrolling through post after post of people having fun, laughing with friends, or looking perfectly manicured while on errands, we subconsciously spawn a fear in our minds of missing out, and commonly create the idea of “since everyone else appears to be having such a great time, they must be doing better
than I am.” Which is just simply not true. We have to remember that everyone is human, and have good and bad days, no matter how they present themselves online. In 2018, researchers took 143 students from the University of Pennsylvania to two groups, those who could use social media every day with no restrictions, and those who were limited to 30 minutes of social media usage per day. After the experiment concluded, those who spent only 30 minutes per day on social media reported a lower severity of depression as well as loneliness. After taking a 2-month social media break myself earlier this year, said improvements were evident within the first few days. Somehow, having absolutely no idea what is going on in the world around you brings an aspect of peace to the table, whether you choose to leave social media behind for a few hours, days, or weeks. So for those considering taking the leap of logging off as well, I highly recommend you try.
Photo Courtesy of Marvin Meyer, via Unsplash
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The Bengal Staff Editor-in-Chief Lesley Brey
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