The Signpost Monday | February 11, 2019 | Volume 89 | Issue 47

Monday | February 11, 2019 | Volume 89 | Issue 47

INSIDE THE MIND OF THE

‘BLACKKLANSMAN’ >>PAGE 4

SPORTS » PAGE 10

DESTRUCTION GROWS WITH FOOTBALL COMMITS

A&E » PAGE 8

JUNCTION CITY ADDS NINE RAILS WITH ART DISTRICT

2 | MyWeberMedia.com | February 11, 2019

WSU AND OGDEN EVENTS MEN’S TENNIS

By ALYSON JOHNSON

“YELTSIN, PUTIN, AND RUSSIA’S CONTINUING EMPIRE”

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Desk Editor

On Feb. 9, men’s tennis will take on Colorado Mesa at the Ogden Athletic Club. The team is looking to pick up their first win of the season. Tickets are free.

The Weber Historical Society will present “Yeltsin, Putin, and Russia’s Continuing Empire” on Feb. 11. The free lecture will be hosted by WSU professor Matthew Romaniello at 7 p.m. at the Hurst Center Dumke Legacy Hall.

THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES WSU’s College of Social and Behavioral presents “The Vagina Monologues,” a play exploring sexual experiences, reproduction and body image.

Held in the Wildcat Theater, the event is a fundraiser for Safe Harbor Crisis Center. The Vagina Monologues will occur on Feb. 13 at 11:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.

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YURT TRIP From Feb. 15-18, the Outdoor Program will host the Presidents Day weekend yurt trip. The trip will include skiing and splitboard terrain. The trip will include strenuous physical activity and only those with ski experience should sign up. The cost is $112 for WSU students and $260 for non-students.

Weber State University

NYE LECTURE SERIES: GREGORY WOODFIELD On Feb. 14, join Via Software co-founder Gregory Woodfield for the Ralph Nye Lecture Series. The lecture will take place in the Wattis Building and lunch will be provided.

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MyWeberMedia.com| February 11, 2019 | 3

By JENNIFER GREENLEE Desk Editor

A man took food from 626 Marketplace without paying for it on Jan. 31. The victim has not chosen to press charges as of yet, but they can decide to at anytime to have it screened for retail theft.

Over the past 10 days, numerous suspected drug violations or drug violations have been reported.

On Jan. 31, officers responded to a drug violation at Wildcat Village.

The RAs had called the police when they began to smell marijuana. The officers located the room that they perceived the smell permeating from. They asked to enter the room and were permitted in. The resident stated that he had no marijuana. Upon entry, the officers located a bag of marijuana. The resident was cited for possession and using marijuana.

A bag of white substance was found at Lindquist Hall on Feb. 1. It was tested for illegal narcotics, but the tests came back inconclusive. It was submitted for destruction.

An RA was doing walk-throughs when he smelled marijuana in three different buildings on Feb.

23RD

A N N UA L

2. The officer who responded could not smell the marijuana or determine where the smell might have been coming from.

On Feb. 3, an officer responded to a call about the odor of marijuana. The officer knocked on the door and asked to come in. Once inside, he could not smell marijuana since he was fighting a cold.

On Feb. 6, it was reported that there were NUAMES students smoking on the southwest side of their building. Officers responded, but there were no students or cigarettes butts nearby. The NUAMES principal was notified to watch that area.

Between Jan. 24 and 25, the fire alarms had been going off frequently at Swenson Gym. The Fire Marshal was working on the panel, but there were numerous false alarms.

At Stewart Wasatch Hall, a fire alarm went off several times from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2. The Fire Marshal was alerted, and it was determined that it was likely the fire alarm panel.

A fire alarm went off in the Dee Events Center on Feb. 2. It was determined the concession stand had not turned on the fans to one of their ovens, and it had set off

WSU Storyteling Festival Feb. 26

the heat alarm. Officers checked the area and no other issues were found.

On Feb. 3 in Wildcat Village, a fire alarm sounded, evacuating the building. Someone had pulled the alarm, but the panel also showed an error reading. The responding fire units were canceled.

A student reported an assault had occurred in the Shepherd Union building. The assault happened prior to the report, which came on Feb. 8. The student had been kicked in the shin and did not want to press charges; they simply wanted to document the incident.

There were several witnesses to the incident.

An officer from another jurisdiction contacted WSU Police about fraudulent checks on Feb. 7. They had been deposited in several areas, and one of them was made out to WSU. The check had gone to Accounting Services, who sent the person in question to Collections since it had not cleared.

Freepik.com

“The student had been kicked in the shin and did not want to press charges; they simply wanted to document the incident.”

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STORYTELLING SEMINAR

STORYTELLING SYMPOSIUM

Creating Culturally Appropriate Thai Stories: Lessons Learned

A Land Twice Promised: An Israeli Woman’s Quest for Peace

Shepherd Union Building, Sky Room, 4th Floor

Shepherd Union Building, Wildcat Theater

1-2 p.m.

3:30-5:30 p.m.

For a full list of events: weber.edu/storytelling

4 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 11, 2019

THE MAN BEHIND THE BLACK KLANSMAN

By DANYA GIL Desk Editor

From the beginning, Ron Stallworth wanted to work undercover; he didn't like uniforms. He got his wish when he became part of a long-term infiltration of a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan.

Wearing joggers, a hat and an “inside a black man’s mind” shirt during his speech on Jan. 5 at Weber State University, Stallworth said Utah’s allure while he was being recruited was the fact he would not have to wear a uniform.

“I have a lot of respect for uniformed cops," Stallworth said. "I just never wanted to be one.”

Stallworth, the subject of the Spike Lee film "BlacKkKlansman" and a 20-year Utah narcotics and liquor enforcement investigator, recounted his story to a full Wildcat Theater. He began his career in Colorado, then moved from Arizona to Wyoming and then to Utah after James Gillespie, WSU’s Chief Diversity Officer Adrienne Andrews' father, recruited him.

While he worked across four states and had a career that spanned over three decades, Stallworth has said that his most significant career moment was when he infiltrated a chapter of Colorado’s Ku Klux Klan.

He broke the story to a Deseret News reporter when he was retiring in 2006 and wrote a book about it. Now, the book has turned into a movie with six Oscar nominations.

It was part of Stallworth’s job under the Intelligence Division in Colorado Springs to monitor three local newspapers. While going through one newspaper, Stallworth saw an ad for the Ku Klux Klan.

He wrote a letter to the P.O. Box listed on the ad, listing off racial slurs and saying he hated anyone who was not pure, Aryan white like he was. He wrote he wanted to stop the abuse of the white

race. Finally, he signed the letter with his real name, which he admitted could have ended his undercover work.

A week later, Stallworth received a call on his undercover, untraceable phone line. It was the local chapter leader of the KKK. Asked why he wanted to join, Stallworth said that he repeated the sentiments of the letter, spiced up a bit.

“My sister is dating a n****r, and every time he puts his filthy, black hands on her pure, white body it makes me cringe. I want to stop that abuse,” Stallworth recounted during his speech. “He said ‘you’re just the kind of guy we’re looking for. When can we meet?’”

Stallworth was working off the cuff.

He had a week to put a plan in motion to meet the local chapter of the KKK. He orchestrated everything, talking on the phone as a white man; he just needed someone to be his stand-in for face-toface interactions.

Stallworth selected an officer he refers to as “Chuck,” whose real name and identity are kept secret. When Stallworth asked the narcotics lieutenant if he could use Chuck, the lieutenant said he would not waste one of his good officers on, what he called, “men running around in white sheets.”

“When someone tells you that you can’t do something that you believe in, you gon' do it anyway,” Stallworth said.

“Don’t let someone else control your thoughts, desires, dreams and hopes.

Don’t put your plan for your life in their hands.”

Stallworth said he was stubborn and would not let go and in turn received the support from his sergeant and chief.

While Chuck met with KKK members, Stallworth found a way to have phone conversations with David Duke, then the Grand Wizard of the KKK. One day, Stallworth asked Duke how he would feel if received a call from a black man pretending to be white. Duke

said he did not worry about that, claiming he could tell the difference.

Without planning, Stallworth’s investigation was beginning to affect KKK members. Through phone calls and meetings, officers learned about planned rallies and would disrupt the KKK's plans.

The Air Force Office of Special Investigations visited Stallworth; he told them his story and showed them his files, which included a list of local KKK member names.

Stallworth was then taken to the North American Aerospace Defense Command where he met someone who introduced himself as the deputy commander. The deputy commander went through Stallworth’s list, made a phone call and left.

Stallworth was then told two klansmen on his list had top security clearance and were working in the consulate, a highly-sensitive job. As a result of his investigation, these men were uncovered. The government classified them as a national security threat and ordered them gone by the end of the day.

During the investigation, Stallworth was asked to work as Duke’s bodyguard during his visit to Colorado Springs.

Stallworth said Duke was a “hell of a conversationalist” and pleasant guy.

During the trip, Duke agreed to take a picture with Stallworth. Duke initially said he wouldn't allow Stallworth to put his arm around him, but at the last second he did. Both men tried to keep the polaroid photograph, Duke not wanting the public to see.

Stallworth ended up with the photo and told Duke if he tried to grab it from him, he would arrest Duke for assaulting an officer. Stallworth is often asked what he felt in that moment.

“I had vivid images in that confrontational moment. I thought about all of my ancestors who had to suffer the indignity and injustice of being born with this

beautiful, ebony skin,” Stallworth said.

“They had to live in a white supremacist society that devalued their worth as a people because they look like this.”

The investigation ended abruptly after. Once he was voted leader of the local chapter, Stallworth was told to stop. He took two notebooks of the investigation home, which was a violation that could have ended his career.

Stallworth spoke about the stages of writing his book, crediting his sophomore English teacher, Mr. Bode, as the person who planted the seed that he could write.

Stallworth also touched on current events in his speech. He said when people wear Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hats, we need to translate it for what it is: make America white again.

People who wear that hat, according to Stallworth, want to go back to a time when America was a white-dominated society and black people had to be subservient.

Andrews, who has known Stallworth since she was 11 years old, said he offers a keen insight when society does not interrogate racism. She wanted students to take away the message that the public can challenge systems of oppression.

“When institutions harm one of us, they really can harm all of us,” Andrews said.

Dr. Forrest Crawford, WSU professor, said Stallworth’s story is inspiring and a reminder that there are stories within all communities that should be shared.

“Students, too, have a story to tell,” Crawford said. “Be prepared to tell your story. Be prepared to affirm who you are and allow that story to inform somebody else’s life, in a way that they can be inspired.”

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MyWeberMedia.com| February 11, 2019 | 5

KELLY WATKINS| The Signpost

Ron Stallworth, a well-known infiltrator of the Ku Klux Klan and subject of recent Spike Lee movie, spoke to a packed WSU audience.

NORTON JEWELRY FIND THE ROCK CONTEST IS BACK

AND READY TO HIDE A DIAMOND! THAT’S RIGHT THERE IS A $1,000 CERTIFICATE GOING TO BE HIDDEN

RULES: IT WON’T BE INSIDE A BUILDING. YOU CAN’T GET HURT FINDING IT. WE’LL GIVE OUT CLUES UNTIL IT’S FOUND. WHEN FOUND WE’LL DO A STORY OF HOW YOU FOUND IT AND A PICTURE WITH US AND PUBLISH IT IN THE SIGNPOST.

NORTON JEWELRY 801-791-0524

6 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 11, 2019

WSU ADDS TWO COACHES TO STAFF

By BRANDON MAY

Desk Editor

With the departure of two coaches to the PAC-12 earlier in the offseason, Weber State football added Matt Hammer and Jared Ursua just a few weeks before National Signing Day. Hammer is returning to the Wildcats as the inside linebackers coach after spending the last six years as the head coach at Weber High School.

“This is a place that I have extreme passion for,” Hammer said. “I’m really excited and have tremendous respect for coach (Jay) Hill and the staff and to be apart of

this is something special.”

Before coaching at Weber High School, Hammer spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at Weber State, including four seasons as the offensive coordinator.

Hammer is looking to bring his experiences as a head coach to the Wildcat football team.

“I had to know enough about every single position,” Hammer said. “I think it made me more well-rounded and always seeing the bigger picture.”

While at Weber High School, Hammer led the Warriors to back-to-back unbeaten Region 1 Championships and appeared in the 6A Quarterfinals. In 2017, Hammer

received the All-Area Coach of the Year award by the Standard Examiner.

“I felt we needed someone with Weber State ties and someone that knew the area well and that’s Matt Hammer,” head coach Jay Hill said in a press release.

“He was a long-time coach here at Weber State and did a great job and then completely turned Weber High around. He’s a great football coach, and we’re lucky to have him.”

Hammer graduated from Southern Utah in 2006, where he played both receiver and defensive back in his four seasons. Hammer attended Clearfield High School.

Ursua will coach the wide receivers after spending the last four seasons as an assistant coach at Southern Utah University where he served as the receivers coach.

“Jared is a terrific coach and did an outstanding job at Southern Utah,” Hill said.

“He’s also demonstrated himself to be a great recruiter and is well known in the recruiting trail. He is a big addition for us at Weber State.”

Ursua also played at Southern Utah as a wide receiver and kick returner and graduated in 2011. Ursua is a native of Kailua, Kona, Hawaii.

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MyWeberMedia.com | February 11, 2019 | 7

WILDCATS BEAT

F SUU IN A THRILLER

By RAYMOND LUCAS Reporter

On Thursday at noon, the Weber State Wildcats opened the Dee Events Center up to the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. The game was also a field trip for elementary schools in the area, and hundreds of kids yelled, screamed and danced as they watched the WSU women’s basketball team win a thriller over SUU. Trailing 66–65 with 18 seconds left, Wildcats head coach Velaida Harris called a timeout. The ‘Cats took the ball from out of bounds, and sophomore forward Kayla Watkins was fouled. She missed both free throws, forcing WSU to foul.

SUU bricked a pair of foul shots, giving the Wildcats one last chance.

Needing to go the length of the court, senior point guard Jaiamoni Welch-Coleman was given the ball. She launched a pass to fellow senior guard Emily Drake, who drove and finished strong at the rim to lift the Wildcats to a 67–66 lead with 0.8 seconds remaining.

“I feel great, we’ve been waiting on that win for a long time,” Drake said. “I just wanted to make the layup, so I was focused on that. If someone ran into me, then they ran into me.”

A last-second desperation attempt from the T-Birds fell short at the rim, and the Wildcats exploded onto the court to celebrate an improbable victory.

The ‘Cats and Birds played a nearly identical opening quarter, as both teams matched each other’s scores and stops. Weber State was paced by Watkins and sophomore guard Shianne Johnson, who both pitched in six points. The Wildcats were down by a single point when the first quarter ended, at 20–19.

The second period saw a quick start from SUU before Welch-Coleman found a groove.

She assisted junior forward Dominique Williams for a three-pointer, and then scored on back-to-back plays to bring the Wildcats back to within striking distance.

Ensuing baskets from Drake, Johnson and

Watkins would then gift the Wildcats with the lead.

“We didn’t get down on ourselves, and we started chipping away at the deficit,” Drake said. “We ended up going on a pretty big run to give us a lead going into the half.”

The first half came to an end with the Wildcats holding a 37-36 lead. Williams led the ‘Cats with 10 points in the opening 20 minutes.

The third quarter was closely contested, as Weber State outscored the T-Birds 16–15 to hold a two-point lead at the conclusion.

The fourth and final quarter started out as a defensive slugfest. Midway through, SUU had outscored Weber 4–2. SUU then converted on a three, but Johnson responded with a layup, which brought the Wildcats within three points.

The scoring picked up, and the battle between the rivals was becoming a wild one.

After free throws from Williams to cut the SUU lead to one, Drake hit a mid-range jump shot to give the Wildcats the lead. Then, Welch-Coleman hit free throws to push the lead out to 63–60 with 2:13 remaining.

The Birds flew down and hit free throws of their own, and converted a layup to put them ahead at 64–63. Welch-Coleman was fouled trying to secure a rebound and sunk two free throws to give the ‘Cats a 65–64 lead with 1:13 remaining.

SUU converted a contested layup with 22 seconds left to move them back ahead by one, setting up Drake’s game-winner.

WSU saw major contributions from their starters, as every starter scored in double figures.

“The big deal was they did more than one thing,” Harris said. “Jai had 12 points, 7 assists and 8 rebounds; Shianne had 10 points and six rebounds; 14 points and 5 rebounds for Kayla; 17 points and 3 rebounds for Emily; 12 points and 17 rebounds for Dominique. I told the bench that tonight their job is not to score but to defend.”

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Senior point guard Jaiamoni Welch-Coleman leads WSU

8 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 11, 2019

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NINE RAILS CREATIVE DISTRICT

PLAN ROLLS OUT

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By ALYSON JOHNSON Desk Editor

The Nine Rails Creative District is a hub for creatives and individuals in the Ogden area to come together and experience some of the talent the city has to offer.

The Nine Rails Creative District is identified as the area between Wall and Madison avenues from 24th to 26th Street.

Although the district has been in its planning stage for years, in August 2018, the city council adopted the Nine Rails Creative District master plan, which laid out the final vision for the area.

Sara Meess, the deputy division manager for Ogden City Business Development, said the inspiration for the name came from a combination of Ogden’s history as a railroad town and the nine muses of the arts in Greek mythology that each represented a different form of expression.

“The name fit because in the district we’re not just focused on fine art, like sculptures and paintings; we’re really focused on a wide variety of creative expressions,” Meess said.

In 2015, Ogden City received an “Our Town” grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which helped fund the beginning stages of the creative district.

The city took on multiple pilot projects to test the idea of having a creative district, some of which were the murals on 25th Street and Adams Avenue, small video projections during the First Friday Art Stroll and the paintings in the crosswalks on 25th Street.

Ogden City, with Union Creative Agency, O1Arts, Ogden Downtown Alliance and other community partners, have been heavily involved in the district’s development, as well as the integration of arts throughout the city.

“The city really wants to increase the pedestrian access and appeal on 25th Street,” said Lauren Argo, the Nine Rails District liaison. “I have seen more of an effort from businesses to engage and communicate and also from the city involving the businesses as far as plans and getting their feedback.”

Argo said she hopes the creative district will increase the variety of activities people can do and experience in town.

“I hope it brings the vibrancy and experience and the fun and joy you get when you can experience art on all

different levels: performance, spoken word, paintings and murals,” Argo said.

In the last decade, Ogden City has pushed to redevelop downtown Ogden and surrounding areas, in an attempt to create a safe area in which community members can gather collaborate.

Meess said they noticed a gap in the city where people could work and live if they were in the creative field.

“Lower 25th Street is already great for galleries and retail, and there are incredible performing art studios throughout the city,” Meess said. “We didn’t want to duplicate something that was already great.”

The creative district offers free, cre-

“We want the Argo House to be a resource for the arts community and be a place where art can be shown and made, but also encourage the entrepreneur side, such as small businesses that can work out of here.”

LAUREN ARGO Argo House Developer

ative spaces for individuals to take advantage of, including restaurants, office spaces and affordable apartments. Several developers have played a part in the development of the buildings and spaces making up the creative district.

Lauren Argo, along with her husband James, are the developers of a newly renovated project called the Argo House.

The Argo House offers creative work spaces accessible to the community and individuals that are available to rent. In addition to work spaces, it can be used to host meetings, retreats, live music functions and gatherings.

“We want the Argo House to be a resource for the arts community and be a place where art can be created and displayed but also encourage the entrepreneur side, such as small businesses that can work out of here,” Lauren Argo said.

The idea to have open office spaces was conceptualized as a beneficial way to give people the ability to access, col-

laborate and combine their efforts with others.

“We’re kind of like a family; we work in the same building, we know each other’s names, we know the projects we’re working on and then we can also team up if we need to,” Lauren Argo said.

In 2011, Chris Parker and a group of developers bought and redeveloped a large part of the block from Adams to Jefferson avenues and along 25th Street, which is now part of the Creative District.

Parker said when looking for an area to start developing, Ogden stood out as a place with a variety of rare architecture and rich history.

“It seemed like it had a lot of momentum at the time. The downtown was starting to come back, but there were these pockets in the East Central area that could use more attention and new ideas,” Parker said.

Parker and his group of developers have developed 10-15 smaller projects in the East Central Ogden area, aside from the block of development that’s part of the Creative District.

“We really like the feel of it, the history of it and the proximity of it. It’s very rare that from your home downtown you can jog straight to a mountain trail and come back down to have something for dinner on a Saturday night, all from the same home,” Parker said.

The majority of the projects Parker and his team took on were abandoned buildings and empty parking lots.

Parker explained that during the 1930s and 1940s, Ogden was a vibrant and unique place to live. However, throughout the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, few people had enough money to renovate the buildings without taking away from the historical architecture.

“You didn’t see any of these massive renovation projects that killed the souls of these buildings,” Parker said, “which means you can now go back into a lot of this original woodwork, original history and the original soul that is still in these buildings.”

One of the main initiatives in creating the district was to encourage individuals to live and work in Ogden, specifically in the downtown area and within the district.

“We were really interested in having community assets come in that people would enjoy and that were desirable,” Parker said.

A common concern in redeveloping

an already existing neighborhood is the chance that many residents who currently live in the area will be unable to afford the location.

By redeveloping the area, Parker said they believed it would bring amenities into the neighborhood that everyone would use without kicking anyone out.

“What we were interested in was whether we could go ahead and bring some of these buildings back,” Parker said, “And have these sorts of things that typically do improve the neighborhood, but do so in a way that didn’t push out all of the people that were currently there.”

Parker and his group spearheaded the Imagine Jefferson project, which provides mixed income housing for Ogden residents.

“It’s definitely been a community labor. The city did a really special thing with the Imagine Jefferson project,” Parker said. “I don’t think nearly half of the momentum could have happened without the project.”

The steering committee that worked on the master plan of the Creative District is looking to develop additional housing that is ownership based. The housing will give artists an opportunity to own their own home and encourage them to stay part of the district.

The Creative District intended to attract local artists, as well as the Ogden community. The area offers spaces where people from all economic classes can gather and experience a feeling of connection, no matter their backgrounds.

“I think what makes a community are places that a thousand people feel like they own, even though only one person owns it. We have places that we feel connection and ownership to, and I think communities could almost be measured by how many of these places exist in them,” Parker said.

The masterminds behind the creative district hope it can become the Ogden “hub” for creative energy, making the art downtown more vibrant and engaging.

“We want to make sure that there’s more art in the public realm so that people can encounter that art as they go about their daily activities; they don’t necessarily have to go to a gallery or museum to find it,” Meess said.

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10 | MyWeberMedia.com| February 11, 2019

’CATS ADD 17 CUBS TO ITS CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

By BRANDON MAY Desk Editor

The Weber State University football team and its coaching staff announced the addition of 17 players to the program as a result of the 2019 National Signing Day. The class, which dates back to the early signing day in December, includes eight players for the state of Utah, four from California, two from Idaho and one from Louisiana.

Three of the athletes are transfer students, and the 14 others are high school signees.

“Super excited about another good signing class,” head coach Jay Hill said before the Signing Day party. “We have 25 kids that we will add this year; eight of these were already signed a couple of years ago before they went on their missions.”

Among the new signees is Boise State transfer Desmond Williams, who signed with the ’Cats in the early signing period in December.

Williams is one of the 10 recruits who will play on the defensive side of the ball as Weber State looks to add depth to the defensive side of the ball after so many graduated after last season.

Joining Williams is former Snow College linebacker Sherwin Laveka and three-star recruit Dontae McMillan.

McMillian, a Seattle native, originally committed to the University of Oregon in December but never signed on the early signing day, allowing him to sign with Weber State.

McMillan was also recruited by Utah State and Arizona and brings a lot of speed and versatility to Weber State, which is what impressed Hill most.

“He’s a guy that could play safety, but I love him as a running back,” Hill said. “I think he’s explosive, and

he’s dynamic.”

Weber State is also welcoming three athletes from the Bay Area, including cornerbacks Maxwell Anderson, Jacob Sharp and Jakobe Harris.

“Coach (Quinton) Ganther did an outstanding job of getting in the Bay Area,” Hill said. “We believe these guys will drastically help our secondary to continue the high play we’ve had there the last few years.”

Harris, who is originally from New Orleans, played his high school football in Hayward, California, and was predominantly recruited by Mountain West schools. He decided on Weber State over Arizona State, Hawaii, San Jose State and UNLV. Joining the out of state recruits WSU added Raimoana Tinirauarii, a 6-foot-2 linebacker who played his first season of football last year at Juan Diego in Draper. WSU also added a kicker, Kyle Thompson, from American Fork who will join the Wildcats after a two-year LDS mission.

WSU also brought in two former Kearns natives Dane Leituala, a 5-foot-10 fullback, and Kaufusi Pakofe, a 6-foot-3 defensive lineman.

“We’ve kept our trend so far with recruiting about two thirds of the players from in-state,” Hill said. “I don’t see us ever changing that either.”

The Wildcats also added three local athletes to the 2019 roster. Josh Carter is a long snapper out of Weber High School and is joined by his former teammate linebacker Brandt Opheikens. Joining the two is former Davis alum Alema Tupuola, a 6-foot-1 linebacker.

“We are super excited about this class,” Hill said. “But ask me in a couple years and I’ll tell you how good it really is.”

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WSU

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MyWeberMedia.com | February 11, 2019 | 11

WARNING WILDCATS ABOUT WILDFIRES

By KAINOA NUNEZ Reporter

Weber State University students and faculty gathered on Feb. 6 in Tracy Hall Science Center to learn about the physics and impact of wildfires with guest speaker John Horel.

As a professor and chair of the department of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah, Horel’s lecture centered around the damage western states endure when wildfires sweep through.

In addition to calling attention to the lives and billions of dollars in the U.S. that have recently been lost due to the spread of wildfires, Horel sought to provide a solution to the phenomenon.

Students learned of current research using atmosphere-fire computer models and big data analytics to improve monitoring, as well as simulate and forecast weather conditions associated with wildfires.

“It’s important to be aware of how science and research is necessary to handle a lot of these issues that we had,” Horel said.

According to his research statement, Horel’s current activities include further development of MesoWest and ROMAN, which provided access to surface weather observations for operational, research and educational applications.

MesoWest is an ongoing, cooperative project that provides access to current and archived weather observations across the U.S. Their objective is to access, archive and disseminate public environmental data at over 60,000 locations to assist decision-making needs for government, public and private stakeholders.

According to National Geographic, on

average, more than 100,000 wildfires clear four million to five million acres of land in the U.S. every year. Recently, however, that number has gone up to approximately 9 million acres.

Wildfires occur both naturally or through human intervention. Natural wildfires stem from lightning or spontaneous combustion of dry fuel in the air, such as sawdust or leaves. A wildfire can move at speeds up to 14 miles per hour.

“As long as no one is standing in its way, a wildfire is a natural event. But if people are in front of it, it becomes the stuff of tragedy,” author of Fire and Ashes: On the Front Lines of American Wildfire John Maclean said.

Although the lecture focused mainly on the science and risk of wildfires, Horel also mentioned heavy amounts of smoke, which often travel state to state, particularly from California to Utah.

“It just depends on the direction that the wind is blowing it,” Horel said. “We can see it in satellite images and weather prediction models that simulate where the smoke is going to get transported so that we have the tools to know.”

Horel also spoke on the societal impacts of wildfires and how they will continually increase as the western U.S. becomes warmer and drier.

“Awareness is really important since some of the issues that the fires that he referred to in California are relevant here to our community in Utah,” WSU Assistant Professor in the physics department Kristin Rabosky said.

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UNSPLASH.COM

Unsplash.com

February 15

February 16

Ginger & the Gents w/ the Terry Burden Project at 9PM

WEEKLY EVENTS SUNDAY Texas Hold’em

MONDAY Comedy Open Mic

TUESDAY Poker Night

WEDNESDAY Bingo & Trivia Night

Thursday Karaoke Night

february 8

Michelle Moonshine at 7PM MONIKA CLARKE| The Signpost

TAKE A WALK ON THE CULTURED SIDE

By ALYSON JOHNSON Desk Editor

Ogden City’s fine art community opened its gallery doors to the public for the First Friday Art Stroll, which takes place the first Friday of every month.

The First Friday Art Stroll is a community function that showcases local artists, music and exhibits at various business locations throughout the city.

The majority of participating businesses are located on or around 25th Street, although it is not exclusive to businesses downtown.

Because of its growing success, the art stroll has been a part of the community for more than 10 years and continues to be a staple in Ogden’s art culture.

Lorie Buckley, the arts coordinator for Ogden City, said because the attendance has increased throughout the years, more people are interested in being a part of it.

“The art stroll is progressively getting larger,” Buckley said. “More and more people come out to support, which, in turn,

helps us to gain more businesses.”

Buckley said that there are currently 26 organizations and businesses participating, although some businesses may drop off and others will add on throughout the year.

The art stroll is free to the public, and anyone interested in seeing what their community has to offer is encouraged to attend.

Buckley said the goal of the monthly art stroll is to enrich the community’s life by giving access to a variety of arts and culture.

“Our biggest hope is to add a little bit of art and culture into our community’s life,” Buckley said. “I think art definitely is something that tends to get missed nowadays, and so this way, we actually get to put art back into the community.”

Buckley said each participating business or gallery is responsible for the art they display each month. Businesses are encouraged to highlight a new artist or a new musician every month.

MyWeberMedia.com | February 11, 2019 | 13

Cuppa, an organic café and coffee shop on 25th Street, has been involved with the First Friday Art Stroll for over a year. The café tries to incorporate different forms of art, including live music, pottery and even displays from a local wood worker.

Ximen McMillan, Cuppa’s manager, said as a business, they are very invested in supporting the arts. The café’s tagline is a ‘café for creatives’ where local artists can come in and work on their pieces.

“I personally just love the artwork changing every month and getting to see new artists and new perspectives,” McMillan said. “I like helping those artists be seen and get their work out there.”

McMillan hopes the art stroll will help community members support local artists and, ultimately, become more involved with the community.

Taylor Knuth, a member of the Ogden City Diversity Affairs commission, said he and his husband enjoy living in the downtown area because of the energy and vibe the area gives.

“We really love the arts, and so it’s something we try to go to as much as we can,” Knuth said.

Knuth said the First Friday Art Stroll has something to offer for everyone.

“I think that it helps create a better, more positive perception of what Ogden has to offer,” Knuth said. “People are always wondering what there is to do in Ogden, and this art stroll is a great opportunity to be involved with these cool things that are happening.”

Knuth said that not only do those who attend the art stroll take in the gallery pieces, but they walk through historic architecture as they do so, especially on Historic 25th Street.

“I also think it goes to show that Ogden has a lot of talented artists,” Knuth said.

“Most of the time, the artists are local, so I think it gives our artists a great opportunity to showcase their work to a broad audience.”

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Institute of Religion at Weber State University - Ogden Campus

Presents:

Dan Clark

Motivational speaker, former NFL player -Oakland Raiders

Wednesday Devotional February 13, 2019 12:30 - 1:15pm Institute Chapel

14 | MyWeberMedia.com | February 11, 2019

By COLTON HEWARD Reporter

Weber State Credit Union’s Wasatch Yeti Bash was a two-day event held at the Union Station in downtown Ogden on Feb. 1 and 2.

The event included live entertainment, food trucks, s’mores, beard competitions, a fat-tire bike race, a beer garden and Yeti sightings.

“The Yeti Bash was born as an idea to help people shake off the cabin fever and bring people together,” said Sydnie Furton, the Director of Marketing at Visit Ogden. “This was our fourth year of the Yeti Bash and we don’t see it ending anytime soon.”

Weber State Credit Union was the primary sponsor of this year’s Yeti Bash.

“The Yeti Bash was a great opportunity for Weber State Credit Union to get involved in the community,” said Cami Higgs, the Marketing Manager at Weber State Credit Union.

WSCU had a booth at the bash where they interacted with attendees and passed out hand warmers.

“The event went well and we look forward to participating in other similar events,” Higgs said.

One of the main attractions at the Yeti Bash was the beard competition. This year, 84 men, women and children participated in the beard competition. From painted on beards to elaborate braids, different beard cuts and even tying in different props to their beards, the competition was a big hit.

“The beard competition has become a signature event of the Yeti Bash,” Furton said.

Another attraction included a winter arts market highlighting local artists.

“The art market was just one more way for us to highlight the amazing art culture found here in Ogden,” Furton said.

Participants could enjoy free root beer floats, roast s’mores at one of the fire pits, take pictures with one of the several yeti’s roaming around or get dinner from the food truck rally.

Furton said that on the first Friday of each month, Visit Ogden hosts a food truck rally at the Union Station, along with the monthly art stroll up and down Historic 25th Street.

The Yeti Bash wrapped the weekend up with the Sweaty Yeti Fat Bike Race held at the Ogden Nordic Center in the Ogden Valley the morning of Feb. 2.

The Sweaty Yeti Fat Bike Race attracted contestants from all over the country to participate. In total, 165 racers showed up.

There was a race for all skill levels, including junior, amateur and pro fat bike riders. The juniors race was a 10k, the amateurs race was a 20k and the pros race was a 30k.

The festivities at the Sweaty Yeti Fat Bike Race picked up where they left off on Friday night with a sports expo, a live DJ, beer and food trucks.

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BEARDED YETIS ROAM

THROUGH OGDEN

MARISSA WOLFORD| The Signpost

HELP WANTED

MyWeberMedia.com | February 11, 2019 | 15

FEATURED JOB

FEATURED JOB

HEALTH SCHOLAR

MARKETING SPECIALIST

The position performs the following functions and duties: • Oversee the creation and implementation of an overall marketing plan for the department. This will include Handshake (see below), fairs, employer info sessions, etc.

• Create and implement a marketing plan to promote our online jobs

system (Handshake) to students and employers. This will include creating or coordinating the creation of marketing materials.

• Assist with the marketing of fairs, info sessions, and other special events. $TBA

Requisition Number: H00608P

The position performs the following functions and duties: • Be an ambassador for the Dumke College of Health Professions.

Responsible for giving tours of the college, contacting interested students, participating in our high school dissection program, provide presentations in recruiting scenarios,

Work Study Data Specialist - CCEL Center for Comm Engaged Learning $10.00 Requisition Number: H00606P

Director of Housing & Residence Life Associate VP Student Affairs Office $E34 Requisition Number: S00243P

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Certified Social Worker Counseling - Psychological Services $E31 Requisition Number: S00242

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and finally to participate in college recruiting, marketing, communications, and special activities • An understanding of human anatomy and physiology. Being willing to dissect comparative anatomy in high school settings. $10.00 Requisition Number: H00603P

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The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and to refuse to print any letters. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber.edu and read letter to the Editor in the subject box. Letters should not exceed 350 words.

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