Logan City passes anti-camping ordinance
By Essence Barnes STATESMAN REPORTER
Logan’s unhoused population could soon face criminal charges for sleeping outside after the city passed a new anti-camping ordinance on Sept. 2. This ordinance was created in response to House Bill 421 requiring homeless shelter cities in Utah to establish a camping ban if they want to continue to receive funding from the state for homeless services.
“Logan has been getting about $88,000 from the State Homeless Shelter Cities Mitigation Fund,” said Amy Anderson, Logan City Council member and chair of the Bear River Local Homeless Council. “In order to continue to receive that $88,000, we were required by law to have an ordinance that prohibits camping.”
According to Anderson, Logan uses the HSCM fund
BRAG is also responsible for conducting the annual Point-in-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness in Cache County during the last few days of January. According to Anderson, this count helps provide data about the extent of the homelessness crisis in the area while also serving as a way for cities to provide resources to their unhoused populations directly.
“Once you know where someone is and you can talk to them and you can identify what services they might be eligible for or what they need, then you can hopefully help address that for them,” Anderson said. “Overall, I think the ability to help fund direct outreach to individuals is more important than perhaps the individual or two who might be setting up camp somewhere for a limited period of time.”
While BRAG and CAPSA can provide resources to the local unhoused population by getting them into
to support CAPSA, a non-profit domestic violence shelter and rape recovery center, and the Bear River Association of Governments, or BRAG.
“[BRAG] provides most of the social services for our community, as opposed to cities or the county providing them,” Anderson said. “BRAG uses those mitigation funds for homeless outreach, which is basically providing funding for case managers and others to go and meet the homeless where they are to help identify where they can get resources.”
contact with a case manager or providing them with temporary shelter options, Logan does not have a permanent, year-round homeless shelter.
Jayme Walters, board president of the William A. Burnard Warming Center, said the need for a yearround shelter in Cache County is big.
“Over the past few seasons, we’ve seen an increase in guests,” Walters said. “Last year, we served 206 unique individuals, and towards the end of the season, we were seeing about 40 people a night.”
The center is currently only able to provide temporary overnight assistance to the unhoused population in Logan during the winter months.
According to Walters, work toward making the shelter available year-round will require aid from the community and funding.
“It’s going to take a building and a location that meets our clients’s needs, and currently, we don’t have the capacity to do that,” Walters said. “However, we are starting to have conversations within the community about what that might look like and where it might be.”
While the center does receive funding from the state, they will not be receiving funding from the passing of the anti-camping ordinance.
“The concern from our organization is that this ordinance makes basic survival, like sleeping outside or trying to keep your belongings nearby, a criminal act,” Walters said. “A Class B misdemeanor can mean jail time, fines, and it’s adding to their criminal record, and that’s making it harder for people to get out of the situation that they’re in.”
Anderson and Walters said some of the best ways to help support homeless services in Logan is to volunteer and/or donate.
“We don’t want to see homelessness criminalized, and we need to be focusing on more resources to help people get their needs met versus making survival a crime,” Walters said.
For more information on homeless services in Logan, visit capsa.org or wabwarmingcenter.org.
Essence Barnes is a third-year journalism student who enjoys reading, writing and storytelling.
— essence.barnes@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Claire Ott
Logan City Hall, as seen on Sept. 18.
USUSA senators are ‘Rooted in Resilience’ for QANR
I’m Brinley Rhodes, and this year, I have the privilege of serving as the agriculture senator at Utah State. Agriculture has shaped my life from the time I was young, and it’s what makes me so passionate about supporting the students in our college. Representing the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources has given me the opportunity to focus on what I love most: building community and creating meaningful opportunities for students to grow.
My name is Elijah Manwill, the senator for natural resources in QANR. I am thrilled to represent the students who make it their life mission to enjoy, protect and share the natural resources of the Earth. I love the attitude and lifestyle of the students who share this passion with me, and I believe it is a passion shared by students across campus, not just in QANR. When it comes down to it, responsibly taking care of our Earth requires us to have a measure of love and respect for all communities and ecosystems. To accomplish the goal of sharing that responsibility, I have worked as a senator to make sure student voices are heard and incorporated into my decision making and to ensure the traditions and values of the old Quinney College of Natural Resources remain intact within the framework of our new college for future students to take part in and enjoy. Students studying natural resources are in a great position to take what they learn from our excellent faculty and teachers and share that with the USU community. I feel honored to be a part of that noble goal.
With the college merger that occurred in July, we have been given a great opportunity to assess how we do things and help establish the culture we want to see going forward in our college and in our university. The best way to
This year’s QANR Week theme “Rooted in Resilience” has felt especially meaningful to me. Agriculture has always been about persistence — weathering storms, adapting to challenges and finding ways to keep growing. That same resilience is what I see in our students every day. Whether it’s planning events like the tractor parade, taking on leadership roles in clubs or pursuing hands-on experiences, our students are proving they can stay grounded in their roots while branching into new opportunities.
One of the most important parts of my role has been helping students navigate the changes that come with the merge of agriculture and natural resources. It’s been a chance to ask, “What do we want our future to look like?” and to make sure student voices are central in that conversation. I believe resilience is what allows us to both honor our traditions and embrace the opportunities this new chapter brings.
Looking forward, I’m excited to keep creating spaces where students can connect, whether that’s in the classroom, at events or through career-building experiences. My hope is that every student in our newly-merged college feels a sense of pride and belonging in being part of something that’s both deeply rooted in tradition and resilient enough to grow into the future.
do this is student involvement. I would hope any student feels comfortable reaching out to me for any questions, and I will do my best to answer. I wish every student was able to attend every event and club we have, and I encourage everyone to attend as far as they are able. I promise to do my part in keeping our loved traditions like NR Camp and Logger’s Ball alive. I will also do what I can to find new traditions and events that involve students and the community and give us the space and time to enjoy the natural world around us. This is certainly a unique year, yet I hope we can all look back and say, “I took the situation before me and made the most of it!”
Isaacson
Alici Archibald Essence Barnes
Emi Ludlow
Jayke Martin Rory McNeill
Erica Mejia
Dylan Moore Mia Nielsen
Emma Shelite Kenadie Skye Katie Smith Brook Wood
to editor@usustatesman.com.
agriculture senator Brinley Rhodes
natural resources senator Elijah Manwill
SNAC attendance breaks all-time record
By Katie Smith STATESMAN REPORTER
Sept. 4 will be going down in Utah State University history as the Student Nutrition Access Center had a record-breaking attendance day. According to the food pantry’s Instagram, they are accustomed to a busy start each day, but on Sept. 4, the pantry had a total of 511 student visits and a constant flow from open to close.
“We usually get through that first initial rush in 30 or 40 minutes,” said Georgia Wilde, SNAC student director. However, this time they had, “a line of probably 30 or 40 for about three or four hours.”
Wilde said this high attendance was mainly caused by the Third Floor Snack Walk held in the TSC during Weeks of Welcome. The event was a chance for new students to explore the upper level of the student center.
“Because of this event and this rush and being the beginning of the school year, we had a line through the door for probably the full event, from 11 a.m. to even past the 2 p.m. end time,” Wilde said. “It definitely exceeded expectations. We were expecting a real large amount and were preparing for a record-breaking day in general, but we didn’t know how much, and we certainly didn’t expect 511 students to come through.”
Because the SNAC staff was not expecting to outperform their previous record of 378 visits, they had
through providing food and providing hygiene products and things like that so students don’t have to worry about it financially.”
According to Wilde, many students may not utilize the pantry due to fear of a stigma.
“Some people feel like it might be shameful or embarrassing to come and get food, but I think having a really large record-breaking day like this helps show that SNAC is a super normal resource to utilize,” Wilde said.
to adjust to keep food on the shelves.
“We went through a lot of our stock and went through most of our produce and most of our milk and eggs and cheese,” Wilde said.
She explained the atmosphere of the event was filled with high energy and expressed how it felt to see so many people coming through the pantry.
“It was just really exciting to have that many people come through and hopefully come back and use SNAC,” Wilde said. “SNAC’s mission is to provide Aggies with a hunger-free education. We do that
Smith is a sophomore still exploring her options at Utah State. She loves spending her time in Cache Valley’s beautiful natural landscapes.
— katie.smith@usu.edu
Sept. 12
A complainant contacted the USU Department of Public Safety dispatch asking for help retrieving keys that had fallen down an elevator shaft. USU Facilities was contacted and able to assist as well. The keys were retrieved and given back to the complainant.
Sept. 13
Officers responded to the report of an individual who was stalking a partner from a previous relationship. The individual was contacted and advised to stop the behavior. A Title IX report has been submitted.
Sept. 13
An individual was observed actively vomiting on the southeast concourse of Maverik Stadium while in attendance of a football game. EMS verified it was not alcohol poisoning or any other medical emergencies.
Sept. 13
Officers were dispatched to the Emma Eccles Jones Education Building on a report of a suspicious incident. Dispatch advised an individual was dropping plastic bags containing rocks and propaganda material with white supremacist messaging. The bags were recovered and logged into evidence.
PHOTO BY Dane Johnson
SNAC participants stand in line outside SNAC on the third floor of the TSC on Sept. 18.
Katie
George Daines elected as Cache County executive in special election
By Bailey Daniels STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
Cache County Executive David Zook announced in a press release on Aug. 15 he would be resigning from his position effective Sept. 8. The Cache County Republican Party held a special election to fill his place on Sept. 11 at Ridgeline High School in Millville, electing George Daines.
Zook is not only resigning from this position but retiring from public service altogether. According to the press release, he worked in this field for 30 years.
“I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to serve my community — entering public service was one of the best choices I ever made,” wrote Zook. Because the resignation occurred mid-term, the rules of this specific special election only allowed Republican, also known as the Grand Old Party, delegates to vote. This is because Zook is a Republican, and Utah law states the party of the vacating official is the one who chooses a replacement.
If he had waited to resign during the next general election in November 2026, then anyone registered to vote in Cache Valley would have been eligible to vote for Cache County Executive.
County delegates are members of their party who show up to their neighborhood caucuses on caucus nights and run for the delegate position. Everyone in their caucus votes via ballot or raise of hands, and if selected, one becomes a delegate for the next two years. Some of their roles include voting in special elections, party conventions and attending events.
At this specific special election, an open house allowing voters to speak with the candidates took place at 5:30 p.m., and the meeting came to order at 6:30 p.m. Those who ran were Danes, Micah Safsten, Dirk Anderson, Craig Anhder, Mark Hurd, Stephanie Miller and Rhyan Dockter.
According to cachegop.com, 461 delegates voted at the election.
There were three rounds of voting. Safsten, Anderson and Daines were the three with the most votes after the first round, meaning they made it to the second round. Anderson was eliminated by the third, leaving only Safsten and Daines. In the end, Daines received the most votes, winning 54% in round three, and became Cache County’s new county executive.
Each candidate got six minutes to speak, explaining to the delegates why they should vote for them. Runner-up Safsten is a part-time adjunct professor at USU, teaching a course on the history of political thought. He is also a water coordinator for the Great Salt Lake Commissioner’s Office.
“I have sweat on my face and dust on my jacket because I’ve been on the front lines of the issues facing Cache County,” Safsten said. “While I’m not a professional politician, I am a professional.”
Safsten went on to speak about his experience as the first full-time policy analyst for the Cache County Council. He expressed his opinion that the county needs an executive who spends less time at ribbon cuttings and more time cutting budgets, which was met with applause.
Daines is a life-long resident of Cache Valley, having graduated from Logan High School and attending USU before transferring to Yale Law School. All six of his children were raised in the valley.
According to a pamphlet he passed out at the election, Daines has led Cache Valley Bank for over 30 years, which is why he thinks he is right for this role. In his opinion, the two most pressing issues facing Cache County are overspending the allotted budget and contention between factions of the county government. He vowed to fix these issues when elected.
“I was not selected by any faction. I don’t represent any council member,” Daines said. “I am an outsider. I told you clearly what I propose to do. If you vote for me, I will do those things. If you don’t want those things, then don’t vote for me.”
Now elected, Daines wrote his commitment to the county is fiscal responsibility, unity in government, independent leadership and serving until the job is done.
Bailey Daniels is a senior studying technology systems. She loves Lana Del Rey, sweet treats and all things whimsical. — bailey.daniels@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Bailey Daniels
New Cache County Executive George Daines speaks at Ridgeline High School in Providence on Sept. 11.
Column: Cameras and cadets at Escape and Evasion
The role of the POC is to catch the GMC as they try to complete their objectives for the night. The four of us from student media were split into two groups of two: one group stationary at an objective location and the other two left to roam.
Briggs Rober, Bluelight Media live video manager, and I were paired with two of the POC from BYU. One might say we were in enemy territory at this point.
We followed the two cadets up and down the road as
There was one notable injury throughout the night. A group of cadets we later caught had suffered from various bee stings, and another cadet had a close call with a barbed wire fence but was uninjured.
Assisting as POC made us walk 18,000 steps that evening in just looking for GMC alone. Our media team arrived back at Logan at 3:30 that morning while cadets were asked to camp the night and then visited by helicopters in the morning for a demonstration.
By Malory Rau STATESMAN EDITOR
Red Bull, Nerds Gummy Clusters and even homemade banana bread — these are the basic necessities cadets carried on their backs from the hours of 8 p.m.–2 a.m. this past Sept. 12–13 that would later be used to avoid them getting caught at this year’s annual Escape and Evasion.
Escape and Evasion, or E&E, is an annual overnight event hosted by USU’s Detachment 860. I, Malory Rau, news editor of The Utah Statesman, was joined by three other members of USU Student Media to take a closer look at a night with the Air Force ROTC.
This year’s E&E had cadets from not only USU but also the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, University of Wyoming, Montana State University, University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado Springs, Colorado School of Mines and Metropolitan State University of Denver. There were 172 participating enrolled in the general military course, or GMC, and 40 enrolled in the professional officer course, or POC, and cadre, who are instructors and/ or officers. All of the top three teams were from the U, and the winning team scored 110 points.
Per last years coverage, I had some knowledge going into this year’s E&E, but instead of participating as an underclassman in the GMC, we were brought in to assist those enrolled in the POC.
we looked for GMC. The goal was to listen and look for movement. We would sometimes also turn our flashlights off in order not to make our presence known to the GMC. We caught many groups throughout the night, and each group was ready to negotiate and bribe their way out of getting marked down on their score sheet for getting caught. The four of us feasted on various Red Bulls, candies and Gushers, and I ended the night with a whole box of Cheez-Its to take home.
The role of the press in the event came as a shock to a lot of the participants. Once caught, cadets would often exclaim, “Why is there a camera?” or “What is a journalist doing here?” Some felt unbothered by our presence, while others found it added to the mental challenges of the evening. It seemed GMC was only prepared for the action portion of the common phrase “lights, camera, action” when it came to E&E.
When found, some cadets would often ask for help or encouragement from the POC. The POC, acting as upperclassmen, would often give words of encouragement after all the bribing and capturing was said and done.
With now two E&Es under my belt as someone who never thought twice to enlist in any branch of the military, I will once again express my sentiment for not only my appreciation for the role of the media in warfare journalism but also the dire need for it.
I would like to think our presence as media not only served us in growing in our fields and understanding the need for coverage in these settings but also served the cadets in adding to the extremely real scenarios that are happening outside the safety of an overnight exercise in Temple Fork.
Rau is a senior who often find herself on new adventures through journalism such as escape and evading, seeing films at the Sundance Film Festival or being barricade for Weezer at Kibly Block Party.
— m.rau@usu.edu
Malory
PHOTOS BY Claire Ott
Cadet Mischa Brant, USU ROTC student, bargains after his team got caught by patrol people during Escape and Evasion on Sept. 12.
A cadet negotiates a points deal with a patrol person during Escape and Evasion on Sept. 12.
A cadet waits further instruction at the base camp for Escape and Evasion on Sept. 12.
A cadet negotiates a points deal with a patrol person during Escape and Evasion on Sept. 12.
Aggie Chocolate Factory merges with Aggie Ice Cream
By Katie Smith STATESMAN REPORTER
After almost seven years of the Utah State University Aggie Chocolate Factory, it will now be combined with Aggie Ice Cream. This means changes for the two stores and new management overseeing it.
Rhees Crompton, Aggie Creamery program coordinator, said this change in management will benefit both Aggie Ice Cream and the Aggie Chocolate Factory.
According to the factory’s website, its main purpose was to provide opportunities for students to have an immersive learning experience about food production. The factory has been used to teach students about topics such as food science and economics. “The chocolate factory is still going to operate as the chocolate factory,” Crompton said.
Crompton also said this merger will not remove any student jobs, ensuring students will still have a key part in the production of both ice cream and chocolate.
After Silvana Martini and other senior employees of the factory left, Crompton said the most logical thing to do was combine the two shops to give the factory more access to the benefits Aggie Ice Cream already has.
“The reason that this kind of came about is that those people that were working on the chocolate factory — some of the senior people — left, including a professor,” Crompton said.
The benefits the factory will now have include a marketing team that intends to build more attention for the chocolate through the publicity of the ice cream store.
“I think we’re actually going to be in a better place because we have a team at Aggie Ice Cream,” Crompton said. “It’s kind of we’re all helping each other.”
Crompton said selling the chocolate right next to the ice cream is an attempt to get the word out about Aggie chocolate. In addition, the ice cream team plans to track which chocolates do better than others to ensure production of Aggie favorites. They have already begun this process.
Onalee Estrada, the Business Council president at the USU Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, said she can see how this combination of management could create additional problems for the shop.
“I think what’s going to be hard is managing two completely different operations under one manager,” Estrada said.
Estrada brought up the concern that having an ice cream management team take over chocolate management may result in the management not understanding the chocolate manufacturing process the same way they do ice cream.
“This is where specialization can be a problem,” Estrada said. “If a manager knows ice cream really well, they’re probably not going to know the chocolate factory very well.”
In regard to running the management successfully, Estrada emphasized the importance of human relations within the workplace.
“The people that you have are your greatest assets,” Estrada said.
While Estrada had a few concerns regarding the merger, she said she agrees with Crompton that merging the two shops makes the most logical sense due to them already being similar in location. Many ice cream customers stated they were excited about the new combination of ice cream and chocolate and planned to start purchasing the two together. One of these customers includes Quinn Fraser, a current student at Utah State. Fraser told The Utah Statesman that she intends to purchase some chocolate as a “quick pick-me-up after class.”
— katie.smith@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Elise Gottling
A sign for Aggie Ice Cream and Aggie Chocolate Factory are shown on the Blue Sqaure Apartments sign on Sept. 3.
STATESMAN FILE PHOTO Grace Williams serves Aggie Ice Cream on Aug. 23, 2023.
The new Center for Community Engagement brings students together for opening social
By Brook Wood STATESMAN REPORTER
The new Center for Community Engagement brought people together for an opening social on Sept. 16 with the goal of promoting a safe communal space for students to celebrate cultures and backgrounds.
Shelly Ortiz is the executive director for the center and was part of the process in its proposal to the school.
“It was about bringing communities together and learning from each other,” Ortiz said. “We submitted a proposal to the Utah System of Higher Education in November, and that was approved.”
Ortiz emphasized the center’s focus on cultural education, celebration, engagement and awareness across multiple cultures and backgrounds.
“Right now, what we are doing is we are focusing on providing celebratory events around nationally or federally recognized or state recognized heritage months or holidays,” Ortiz said.
Previous activities included a Juneteenth Community BBQ, and the center represented at the Pioneer Day celebration. The recent social kicked off the events for the semester, the next being a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration.
“The whole goal is awareness — bringing people in, becoming familiar with the center,” Oritz said. “We have this area set up where there’s tables, where people can sit if they want to work. We have social spaces for people to engage with each other or maybe relax if they need to just decompress a little bit.”
The space is for bringing people together and creating an area for students to use and build community with each other, according to Ortiz.
“The center of community is for everyone at campus to get along with,” said Jaime Tellez-Quiroz, a senior double-majoring in secondary education and political science. “There’s a study room area that students can come in and study and/or have a fun time talking to peers as well.”
Tellez-Quiroz is a frequent visitor at the center and emphasized the open, comfortable atmosphere of the space.
“The center of community, for me these past few years, has kind of been like a safe room,” Tellez-Quiroz said. “If you’re kind of, like, over-exploding in your classroom, you can come here and relax and — if you want to — talk to the people who work here.”
The recent social was a great success, according to Ortiz and Tellez-Quiroz.
“We’ve gotten good traction, so we’ve seen a lot of people that we’ve seen in past years — past semesters — as well as a whole bunch of people I’ve never seen before,” Ortiz said. “I’m glad that the word is getting out and people are starting to become familiar with these spaces and our programming.”
USU Dining Services catered the event, and students and faculty conversed in the center’s lobby and the study area located towards the back of the office.
“They’ve been very successful because you get to know the new people around and talk to new people as well,” Tellez-Quiroz said. “From there, you can meet up after class or after these events — that’s why I kind of like the open socials because everyone’s welcome. There’s no one, like, a limit.”
The center presented speakers over the last school year that discussed their background and their journeys to success. The catered events were encouraging to students to keep going into their careers, according to Tellez-Quiroz.
“Creating those opportunities for people to learn with and from each other — that really is our primary goal, and that’s what we’re focusing on: building more opportunities,” Ortiz said.
Students can volunteer to help out with events with the center.
Tellez-Quiroz said he will be volunteering at the next event and emphasized the benefits of volunteering.
“This is what I kind of like about the community: They take volunteers, any type of volunteers, to help them out,” Tellez-Quiroz said. “Every event seems very impactful, energetic and joyful.”
Ortiz emphasized the center is still new and actively developing their program and how that continues to be an iterative process.
“We’re going to have a lot of different opportunities for people to engage in ways that really help them learn the skills about other people and maybe learn about how to engage with other people as much as learning,” Oritz said.
The Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration will be on Sept. 23 from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in the TSC Juniper Lounge. More information on the Center for Community Engagement can be found on their website usu.edu/ community-engagement.
Brook Wood is working towards receiving a bachelor’s degree in literature. When they aren’t writing or reading, they enjoy playing the violin in the USU Symphony Orchestra and the occasional sweet treat.
— b.wood@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Jack Burton
A photo is taken outside the Center For Community Engagement in the TSC Room 227 on Sept. 18.
Science Unwrapped opens with mummy remains
By Sam Isaacson SENIOR STATESMAN REPORTER
Science Unwrapped opened its semester of lectures with the unwrappable: the mummified remains that are the subject of anthropologist Sascha Baldauf and her faculty mentor Molly Cannon’s research.
When the Utah State University Museum of Anthropology came into possession of ancient, mummified remains, they were unable to dismantle them, so Baldauf and Cannon borrowed a specialized scanner from the USU biologists in order to examine the specimens without damaging them.
The pair talked about this process on Sept. 19 at the first Science Unwrapped, a free, public science outreach program at the university. This was the first of the three planned events for the semester.
Mary-Ann Muffoletto, communications specialist for the USU College of Arts & Sciences, said they picked this year’s theme because USU designated 2025 as the year of undergraduate research.
“Periodically, Utah State University designates celebratory years,” Muffoletto said. “So, to honor and amplify this year’s theme, the Science Unwrapped committee chose to celebrate undergrad research as their theme for 2025.”
At each event, the speakers present their research and attendees have the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning activities afterwards.
Lisa Poulsen, a Science Unwrapped team lead, said the activities are a fun way for the audience to interact with school clubs and other organizations related to STEM fields.
“They are a really fun way to learn a little bit more about the kinds of things that these student clubs and other organizations are doing and just a really fun hands-on approach to connecting with science,” Poulsen said. “The people that attend really love this portion of the event.”
The program is celebrating their 16th anniversary. Poulsen said the organization’s current mission is to provide a space for people to learn about what ArtSci has to offer.
“The community and members of USU can come by and get a little taste of the kinds of science that’s being worked on here at USU by faculty and guest lecturers that come to present at our events,” Poulsen said. According to Poulsen, the program is also meant to demystify science for all ages.
“The speakers present their findings and their science in a way that’s palatable and accessible to all ages and gets people really excited about learning more,” Poulsen said. “It’s just a taste of what’s going on with their research, and it ignites an interest in those topics so the audience has a desire to learn more about it.”
On top of being for all ages, the events have free admission. Muffoletto said the founders of the program went into its formation with accessibility for everyone in mind.
“They wanted everyone who wanted to participate to be able to participate,” Muffoletto said. “For some families, paying admission to an event can be quite a stretch, and so the organizers wanted to make sure that everyone could attend. They didn’t want to leave anyone out.”
The next events will be hosted on Oct. 3 and Nov. 14.
The October event will feature undergraduate researcher Tanner Helms and his faculty mentor Chad Mano, who will be talking about tackling tariffs and the challenges, creative and technological, that arise from using AI to solve a real-world problem.
The November event will feature undergraduate researcher Ethan Wayland and his faculty mentor Reyhan Baktur. Wayland leads the USU Get Away Special Student Satellite Team that has been picked by NASA to build and design a cube satellite to send into space from the International Space Station. They will be talking about how student researchers design and build a space satellite.
For those interested in more information, visit the Science Unwrapped website at artsci.usu.edu/unwrapped/coming-events.
Sam Isaacson a is senior studying journalism. She is passionate about human rights, animal rights and climate change.
“Roadtrip Radio” airs every Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. on Aggie Radio 92.3 FM! Our show is all about the epic songs and random conversations that take you along your journey!
Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett
Dog Valley
The Moss
Hummingbird Metro Boomin & James Blake
French Kiss Mapache
A Man Without Love Engelbert Humperdinck
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY Mary-Ann Muffoletto Science Unwrapped attendee looks at a model at a previous event in the Eccles Science Learning Center.
Utah State Athletics Hall of
By Rory McNeill Statesman Reporter
The Utah State Athletics Hall of Fame celebrated the induction of seven new members across six different sports as part of their 2025 class on Sept. 12 at the Rusell/Wanlass Performance Hall. The new members join the now 129 athletes who have been inducted since the Hall’s creation in 1993.
The 2025 class included the celebration of the careers of Shawn Daniels, Jessica Parenti Otte, Amanda Orgill-Nielson and Taryn Rose.
During the induction, videos were shared highlighting moments of each player’s career, as well as an opportunity to share their story of their time with the Aggies. Following the video, each inductee was gifted a ring and the opportunity to share some thoughts with the crowd.
Shawn Daniels
Daniels played basketball for Utah State during the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Though he only played two years with the Aggies, he started all 68 games across that span. A transfer from Bakersfield College in California, Daniels became one of the most prolific big men in Utah State basketball history.
Daniels helped the Aggies win two Big West tournament championships, as well as make two NCAA tournament appearances. Among those two tournament appearances, Daniels helped the Aggies snap their 31year tournament losing streak when they took down the No. 5-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes.
A phenomenal two-way player, Daniels led the team in scoring both years, averaging 11.9 points per game and 7.3 rebounds over his career. Daniels also averaged 1.8 blocks per game, finishing with a total of 117 career blocks, ranking No. 5 all-time in school history.
“The people here in Logan welcomed me in, all the fans here, the staff guys supporting us here at Utah State. It was a great time — the time of my life,” Daniels said. “I’ll never forget it — stuff that I can tell my grandkids about, and now I can talk to them and tell them about how great it was playing here at Utah State.”
Jessica Parenti Otte
Parenti Otte was part of a dominant group of gymnastics teams at Utah State from 2003–07. Parenti Otte was a three-time all-conference honoree and the 2007 Western Athletic Conference Gymnast of the Year winner. She shares the school record for vault with a 9.950 in the event, as well as setting a thenschool record of 9.815 on the beam.
Parenti Otte won the 2006 WAC title for vault, as well as the 2007 title for vault, bars and the allaround. She also placed No. 14 in the all-around at the 2007 NCAA regionals.
In her induction, Parenti Otte highlighted her recruiting story, citing how just after losing scholar-
ship offers to multiple schools, she met the brother of coach Ryan Corn on the flight to a recruiting visit in Denver. The brother passed the information along to Corn, who shortly after offered her a spot on the team.
“To be among those women who all have that type of feeling of ‘We all want each other to do well’ helped us push each other. We had a type of team where it meant more to win or lose together than to win an individual title,” Parenti Otte said. “So, to be honest, if it wasn’t fitting to be a shared Hall of Fame experience, then I’m thankful and honored to be a representative of that group of girls.”
Amanda Orgill-Nelson
Orgill-Nelson played volleyball for the Aggies from 2004–07. Orgill-Nelson is in an exclusive club, being one of only 11 players in school history to be named an All-American. As a junior, Orgill-Nelson won second-team All-WAC honors, as well as setting top 10 records in school history for kills, attempts and aces in a season.
In her senior year, Orgill-Nelson excelled even more, winning first-team All-WAC honors, as well as finishing in the top 10 in the nation for kills per set. During the year, she finished No. 2 in school history with 532 kills, No. 3 with 1,406 attempts and No. 12 with 38 service aces over the course of the season.
Orgill-Nelson helped lead the Aggies to one of the biggest victories in school history, winning 3-0 over No. 10-ranked Hawaii. With the victory, the Aggies snapped a 108-game home winning streak for Hawaii.
“At the time, I wasn’t sure where I was going to go, but when I turned around the mountain, I thought, ‘This is it,’” Orgill-Nelson said. “I’m just so grateful and honored to be a part of this. Thank you to my friends and family who have supported me and to Utah State for giving me the opportunity to play the sport I love.”
Taryn Rose
Rose was a member of the soccer team from 2011–2014. Starting every match of her four-year career, Rose was a defensive anchor who helped the Aggies win back-to-back conference titles. Rose won all-conference honoree four times during her career and helped Utah State make two NCAA tournament appearances.
During her induction, Rose shared a story about her struggles after an injury she suffered during her junior season of high school but highlighted how the challenge strengthened her going forward through the rest of her career.
“There are many athletes and coaches who impacted me throughout my four years,” Rose said. “Many of them have been huge impacts on my life, my career here at Utah State and continued on throughout after my journey here at Utah State.”
Many family members, teammates and coaches were present for the induction, cheering on the new members of the Hall of Fame. Alongside these four athletes, three others were also inducted to the Hall of Fame.
Rory McNeill is a sophomore from Rocklin, California studying mechanical engineering. He loves Aggie sports, skiing, golf and writing music.
PHOTO BY Dane Johnson
Shawn Daniels addresses the audience at the Hall of Fame induction on Sept.
Fame inducts class of 2025
By Erica Mejia Statesman Reporter
The 2025 Hall of Fame class included former head football coach Gary Andersen, former men’s basketball player Shawn Daniels and former football player Tyler Larsen.
Devyn Christensen
Christensen played for women’s basketball from 2010–13, earning first team All-Western Athletic Conference honors in her final two seasons. Christensen knew from a young age she wanted to play basketball both collegiately and professionally.
“If you could see my heart beating in my chest, it would be a basketball bouncing up and down,” Christensen said to open her speech. She continued by sharing how basketball is her love language and her life. Christensen also shared 70% of kids drop out of competitive sports at the age of 13 and how her parents’s support and love helped with her obsession with basketball.
Though USU wasn’t her first choice and she imagined her college years at a school close to the beach, she shared how hard she was pushed by former coach Jennifer Raegan Pebley and how her thought of switching schools that first season was prevalent. However, Christensen ended up being appreciative of how Pebley pushed her.
“The grass is green if you make it green,” Christensen said. She also expressed her gratitude that Utah State opened the door for her to play basketball.
Christensen ended her speech saying, “It’s worth pursuing things, especially when things are hard, because that’s how we grow. Hard things are worth doing.”
Tyler Larsen
Larsen played football from 2009–13, earning second-team All-American honors following his senior season in 2013. Larsen is one of just 10 players in
school history to be named a three-time first-team All-American, playing 54 games in total.
“Football has given me so much,” Larsen said. Those early days taught him to keep showing up and how to always improve.
Larsen also expressed his thanks to his family and that he does not take for granted their support.
“My family’s truly been a huge foundation for my journey,” Larsen said.
Larsen shared how he always thought of going to USU, saying it felt like home and somewhere he should be.
He also shouted out his kids, wife, parents and sisters, telling his kids what’s possible from hard work and commitment. Larsen also thanked his wife for being his biggest fan, strongest supporter, strongest critic and rock.
He also thanked his coaches for pushing him farther than he knew.
“I’m proud to have worn that Utah State uniform,” Larsen said.
Larsen ended his speech by thanking the Aggie faithful.
“I’d like to thank the Cache Valley community and Aggie fans. From the bottom of my heart, I just want to thank everyone and the place I call home: where the sagebrush grows,” Larsen said.
Gary Andersen
Andersen served as the head football coach from 2009–12 and returned for a second stint from 2019–20.
Andersen is the only coach in program history to serve multiple tenures.
“The Aggies of 2012 became one of the best teams ever,” Andersen said.
Andersen began by handing his wife a football, saying, “She’s the true hero in this whole thing for sure.”
The former Aggies coach proceeded to tell his story about getting the job at USU. Andersen met with the players first and instantly knew he wanted the job. He said he kept it simple by loving the kids.
Andersen proceeded to talk to the student-athletes about going forward into the Pac-12.
“We all need to bond together, and we need to fight,” Andersen said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be here. Thank you, Utah State. Go Aggies.”
He also shared a story about a game where the players were upset and explained the perseverance of the players going out on the field.
When Andersen got the offer to be the head coach for Wisconsin in 2013, he called all his players at USU to tell them goodbye. Andersen also reflected on his short season here from 2019–2020, saying, “I learned a lot about Aggie Nation I never knew in that year — about the closeness of the community.”
Erica Meija is a senior in broadcast journalism. She’s from California and loves scary movies. She also loves coffee and is super excited to join the Statesman this year.
PHOTO BY Dane Johnson Tyler Larsen poses with interim Athletics Director Sandy Barbour at the Hall of Fame induction on Sept. 12 Statesman File Photo Former Utah State Football head coach Gary Andersen celebrates after winning the
HURD Premium reaches record highs
By Carson Frost Statesman Senior Reporter
Utah State’s student section the HURD has seen a record-setting surge in premium memberships this fall with more than 2,100 students signing up in just the first few weeks of school. That marks a jump of roughly 400 from last year, when about 1,700 students purchased HURD Premium, according to Ben Burdette, USUSA athletics & campus recreation executive director.
The premium package, which costs $30 a year, offers early access to athletic events, concessions and merchandise, including T-shirts and flags. The program has quickly become one of the most visible ways students are connecting with Aggie athletics, according to Burdette.
“We had a goal of breaking 2,000 memberships this year, and we hit it the first week of school,” Burdette said. “That allows us to provide more for the students and give more back.”
The demand was strong enough the HURD ran out of its initial stock of 1,500 T-shirts on the first day of distribution, forcing a rush reorder. For Burdette, it illustrated both the logistical challenges of growth and the enthusiasm among students.
First-year student and HURD Committee member Eden Rodee said she signed up for the membership after hearing about it from her peer mentor during Connections, Utah State’s orientation program.
“It just seemed like a no-brainer,” she said. “You get the early access for the games, and it’s a really good price for what you’re getting with all the discounts and everything like that. The sporting events are just really
fun, and HURD Premium makes it that much more fun.”
The growing energy has already been visible across multiple sports. The HURD helped draw a record 2,027 fans to the USU Soccer game against Utah in August, breaking the previous attendance record at Chuck & Gloria Bell Soccer Field. Volleyball has also sold out home matches, and the student turnout at football games has remained strong despite some concerns about overall attendance.
“I think the athletes recognize the students that are showing up,” Burdette said. “I know the athletics department has. I know we have as a committee, and it’s been really fun to watch.”
Both Burdette and Rodee emphasized the growing role of student support for women’s sports, which have delivered many of Utah State’s recent championships. Burdette pointed to soccer, volleyball and gymnastics as programs that deserve more attention and said he hopes to create a designated student section at gymnastics meets to build the atmosphere.
The push for student attendance goes beyond the traditional big-ticket sports. USU’s women’s soccer program has won back-to-back Mountain West championships and entered this fall as the preseason favorite to repeat. Volleyball, meanwhile, won three straight tiles from 2021–2023, and gymnastics won its first- ever Mountain West title last spring.
Burdette said making sure students know about those accomplishments is key to sustaining turnout.
“Obviously, football and basketball are the biggest sports on people’s radar, but women’s sports are on the rise,” he said. “They’re responsible for many of the trophies here, and showing them support makes a big difference.”
That message has started to resonate. Rodee, who has attended every sports event so far this semester, said the soccer opener stood out not just for the record crowd but also for the atmosphere.
“Everyone was so invested,” she said. “It was really cool to see that kind of support for a women’s sport.”
The sense of community created around HURD Premium has also been a selling point, according to Rodee. Students line up early to secure front-row seats, and Rodee said those pregame gatherings often become social events themselves.
“I’ve had so much fun just waiting in line,” she said. “It didn’t even feel like I was there all day. Getting out to the sporting events is the best way to have the college experience and make friends, so I’ve just been going to everything.”
Beyond athletics, Burdette said one of his priorities is making sure committee members who volunteer their time feel valued for their work.
“No one gets paid or receives special treatment for being on the committee,” he said. “They’re doing it out of love for Aggie athletics, and I want them to know they’re making a difference.”
The surge in demand has marked a new chapter for the HURD, which is drawing levels of student participation in Logan. Premium memberships are selling faster than ever, and the group’s influence is being felt throughout Utah State Athletics, according to Burdette. He said after stepping into the presidency this year, he has had to adapt quickly to the challenges of managing unprecedented growth while keeping the energy high and the tradition strong.
“Students are showing up in record numbers,” Burdette said. “If there’s ever a time to be invested in Aggie athletics, it’s now.”
Carson Frost is a transfer student from Denver studying journalism. His family originally hails from Los Angeles, and he is a passionate fan of the Lakers, Dodgers and Philadelphia Eagles.
PHOTO BY Jack Burton
Utah State students distract Utah volleyball players during a match in the Wayne Estes Center on Sept. 6
Utah Symphony brings performance to Logan
By Dylan Moore STATESMAN REPORTER
Utah State University, a school built on traditions, brought the Utah Symphony back to its concert halls.
The symphony filled the Newel & Jean Daines Concert Hall on Sept. 11, giving students and the community a chance to experience a professional orchestra without leaving campus.
The event, part of an annual tradition, drew a packed crowd of students, faculty and residents from around Cache Valley. The performance included works by Logan Grieg, a living composer, a piano concerto by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and Robert Schumann’s Symphony No.1, conducted by guest conductor Anja Bihlmaier. For many in the audience, the highlight was the chance to see a full symphony orchestra in Logan. The Utah Symphony is one of only 17 full-time orchestras in the United States, making its proximity a unique opportunity.
“It’s a world class orchestra, right?” said Nicholas Morrison, director of the Caine School of the Arts. “They’re from 90 miles away, but these are folks that could hold their own with the best musicians in the world.”
According to Morrison, the visit was more than a performance. Before the concert, several symphony musicians led master classes with Utah State music students. Principal trumpet Alex Mann was among those who shared instruction, and students had the chance to ask questions and learn directly from performers who play on professional stages.
Steve Brosvik, president and CEO of the symphony, said the interactions between students and musicians were a key part of the trip.
“It’s always great to see a professional musician interacting with people who are still learning,” Brosvik said.
“We’re all still learning, no matter where we are.”
Morrison said the classes are a major benefit to students.
“We have great faculty here, but sometimes for a student to hear the same ideas in different words from a professional is also really impactful,” he said.
Morrison added if students were to seek out a private lesson with musicians of this caliber, the cost would be significant, making this opportunity uniquely valuable.
Tickets for the event were provided at no cost to students through support from the Tanner Trust for Universities. Morrison said the free admission matters.
“Students pay tuition. They deserve something,” he said.
For students who attended, the night offered not only exposure to professional music but also the chance to connect with each other in a shared setting. Brosvik said live performance has a different energy than recordings and creates relationships between the audience and musicians.
“You go to a live performance, it’s always different,” he said. “Anything can happen. And what’s even better is when you’ve got musicians now that our players have been working with — there’s this like, ‘I know that person.’ I just spent two hours with that person. And you build a relationship that way, and that matters.”
That sense of community was a major theme of the evening. Morrison said one of the most important takeaways is the way music can bring people together across differences.
“We do so much now where we have our playlist on our phones and we’re listening by ourselves,” he said. “The opportunity to attend an arts event together — there’ll be people from all ages, from all kinds of backgrounds, all kinds of different religious and political affiliations all in the same room, all having the same experience listening to something. There are not very many opportunities in our society today when that happens.”
Bringing people together was a key theme throughout the night. After the opening piece, Morrison came onto the stage to welcome and thank the symphony for coming. He then gave a brief speech, mentioning political violence in light of recent events as well as the events that occurred on 9/11. A moment of silence then followed.
The Utah Symphony has performed at Utah State nearly every year for the past decade, and both Morrison and Brosvik said they hope the tradition continues. Brosvik added the symphony views visits outside Salt Lake City as part of its mission.
“We take the Utah in our name really seriously,” he said. “Getting up here to Logan and to the university is really important to us. It’s a relationship that we really value.”
The evening closed with a reminder of the ongoing partnership between Utah State and the Utah Symphony. Both organizations expressed optimism the annual visits will continue to bring professional music to the campus and the surrounding community.
Dylan Moore is a junior majoring in political science and minoring in anticipatory intelligence and Russian. He always loves going on outdoor adventures and cooking.
— dylan.moore@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Jack Burton
USU duo represents at Miss Amazing
By Mia Nielsen STATESMAN REPORTER
After competing in the National Miss Amazing pageant for women with disabilities, Utah State University students Anastasia Wein and Hannah Hart are determined to advocate for disability rights and continue to help others.
Wein represented Utah and left the pageant in Chicago as the runner-up in the 2025 Junior Miss Amazing category.
“It’s about giving them the confidence to shine on stage,” Wein said of the pageant.
Wein previously competed in other pageants but was disappointed by the pressure to fit into the stereotypical beauty queen mold. She felt without veneers, hair extensions and spray tans, there was no hope of winning. “They just choose the same person every time,” she said. “I wanted to find a pageant that was fair. The judges rarely choose someone with autism. If they have a prosthetic — if they’re visually impaired or hard of hearing — the judges will say, ‘Oh well, they’re not going to win this pageant.’”
Wein said “disability” is often treated like a bad word, but in Miss Amazing, it’s something to be celebrated. “It just means that we’re different and that we have different ideas, which is what the world needs.”
Hannah Hart represented Florida in this year’s pageant and has been competing since she was 19. Each year, she says she gets a little more confident and is able to use the lessons she’s learned throughout the year to improve her performance. Public speaking and her talent, a vocal performance of the song “Happily Ever After” inspired by her time working at Walt Disney World, pushed her the furthest out of her comfort zone.
Hart said she’s also pushing herself at home.
“Standing up for myself is something that I’ve worked on a lot this year,” she said.
Hart started an Instagram page where she talks about autism awareness, disability history, blindness, visual impairment and a wide range of other topics.
“I want to do things that people with disabilities are told they can’t do and show that on my social media to say, ‘Hey, I’m doing this, and I’m not going to let anything get in my way,’” Hart said.
Both Wein and Hart, friends since starting school at Utah State, said their favorite part of the pageant was doing it together.
“I definitely want to remember all the growth that I’ve seen in myself and seen in Hannah — seeing her advocate for the title and then get up on that stage,” Wein said. “That takes a lot of guts. To see her do that and just blow it away like it was nothing — that was honestly the highlight of the whole trip.”
For her talent, Wein, dressed in a custom cowboy outfit topped with pink chaps, sang a country song called “Bigger.”
“The song’s about not letting other people get you down, whether you have a disability or not, because you’re bigger than them,” Wein said.
Wein has spent the last three summers working at the National Ability Center in Park City, which offers adaptive sports and recreation.
“Other people might say, ‘You can’t rock climb, your legs don’t work’ or ’You can’t go biking because you’re blind,’” Wein said. “I really like seeing the smiles on their faces after they’ve accomplished something. A lot of the time, they don’t think they can do it, and then I see them get to the top of the rock wall or the end of a challenge course.”
The highlight of her summer at NAC was watching a girl who hadn’t ridden a tricycle in five years go from being nervous to riding up huge hills by herself. Wein said she plans to return to NAC every year she’s in Utah.
Hart and Wein are ready to apply the lessons they’ve learned through Miss Amazing and their own advocacy. They hope to see accessibility improve on campus, especially in the older buildings.
“One of my friends wanted to have her friend over who was in a wheelchair, and Richards Hall didn’t have an ele-
vator or a ramp,” Wein said. “We’re all the same, we just need different accommodations.”
As representatives of the Miss Amazing program, Hart and Wein continue to teach other people with and without disabilities about Miss Amazing and the need for inclusion.
“It’s not about what we can’t do. It’s about what we can do,” Hart said.
Mia Nielsen is a sophomore studying plant science and journalism. When she’s not writing, she enjoys live music, driving up Logan Canyon and daydreaming about moving to Spain.
— mia.nielsen@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Jack Burton
Miss Amazing pageant winners Hannah Hart, left, and Anastasia Wein pose for a photo in the Merrill-Cazier Library on Sept. 11.
Column: An RA’s survival guide
By Jayke Martin STATESMAN REPORTER
College can be exciting and a little overwhelming. As a junior and second-year resident assistant, I’ve seen, experienced and learned a few things worth sharing.
First off: Don’t sit in your room all day. You’re paying thousands of dollars, and a portion of that goes towards events and activities. Free food, free T-shirts, free entertainment. True Aggie Night? Go, even if you think kissing in front of a crowd is weird. Become a True Aggie anyway. Experiences like that make college fun and don’t let that money go to waste.
Freshman flu is real. The minute everyone comes back to campus, you’re suddenly surrounded by new people, new germs and probably not the best habits when it comes to sleep, food or self-care. Make sure to stock up on medication because if you haven’t caught it yet, Homecoming week, the Howl or finals will finish the job
From a resident assistant’s perspective, get to know your roommates. You don’t have to be best friends with them, but it’s important to feel comfortable in your own home. You’re all new to this, and figuring it out. They could turn out to be some of your best friends. If not, that’s also okay — at least you gave it a shot.
With that, friendships do change. I don’t hang out with the people who I thought were my best friends freshman year. This isn’t because of a massive falling out but just because people drift apart and you discover new things. Don’t let yourself be held back from meeting new people, and don’t worry if you start to drift.
RAs are not the fun police. We’re students too, just trying to do our jobs. Yes, part of the job is reporting policy violations, but trust me, we don’t want to. Writing incident reports isn’t any fun. So, the easiest way around it? Don’t break the rules. Simple. We’d much rather chat with you in the hallway or help you figure out the Wi-Fi than fill out forms.
It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to major in yet. I came to college thinking I had it figured out, but I switched majors after my first semester. Your first year is the time to explore, try different classes and find out what really interests you. You’re not behind if you wait to declare a major, and most students don’t graduate in the standard four years anymore.
Everyone gets obsessed with finding a relationship in college, but honestly? It doesn’t
matter. Sure, dating can be fun, but it can also bring way more drama than it’s worth. Speaking as an RA, it gets really awkward when two residents start dating and then break up, while still living down the hall from each other. Trust me, seeing your ex in the laundry room every week is not the college dream. Go to class. You’re literally paying for it, so show up even if it’s early or cold. Skipping once in a while won’t ruin you, especially when Logan decides to blizzard, but be smart about it. Falling behind in college is way harder to fix than just dragging yourself out of bed in the first place.
Ultimately, college can be a lot of fun. Many of the experiences I’ve mentioned are common for most students. However, if you can navigate some of the challenges or at least learn from them, you’re sure to have a much more enjoyable time.
Jayke Martin is a junior studying journalism with a minor in theater. She loves reading and meeting new people.
PHOTO BY Elise Gottling Ridge Point Hall and Merrill Hall as seen on Sept. 18.
Review: Voices that resonate, The Wailin’ Jennys
By Mia Nielsen STATESMAN REPORTER
On the night of the concert, Ellen Eccles Theatre was filled with NPR T-shirts and cowboy boots. It was the first time The Wailin’ Jennys, a Canadian music group, visited Utah since 2008.
“Was anybody here at our Park City show?” Nicky Mehta, member of the folk group, called out to the audience. A few whoops burst from the crowd, and people began to shout where they had seen the Jennys. “Chicago!” “Alaska!” “Breckenridge!” The room pulsed with middle-aged fervor.
The group performed an entire musical history, playing everything from their first album to yet-to-be-released tracks. Member Ruth Moody joked they’re on their “Eras Tour.” The Jennys have been singing together since 2002, and their deep, round harmonies prove it. The evolution of their music is clear with traces of ‘90s folk, Celtic music, jazz and bluegrass woven into their repertoire.
Singers Moody, Mehta and Heather Masse each bring a unique flavor to the vocals. In the gaps between touring and recording that come with motherhood, each singer has recorded solo work, but their harmonies remain selfless, each singer giving space for the other voices.
Though prone to forgettable strummy folk, nearly every song ended with a serene echo that hung over the audience after the singing stopped. This phenomenon could perhaps be attributed to Moody’s clear, youthful soprano best demonstrated in “Prairie Town.” Despite being recorded in 2006, the piece has a modern feel — something that could be found on the playlist of an aspiring poet or teenage boygenius fan. Though it was written about Moody and Mehta’s far away Canadian hometown, it feels especially relevant to those of us who have made our home in Cache Valley or any other small town.
Despite being uniquely talented vocalists, the Jennys’ essence lies in sisterhood. — Mia Nielsen
Beneath their harmonies, the music had a driving beat, created using over eight types of instruments, which were frequently changed between songs. Ethan Sherman’s electric guitar added depth to tracks that otherwise would have drowned in acoustic, and Richard Moody switched effortlessly between the fiddle, viola and mandolin.
The bass was the perfect instrument for Masse with her deep, jazzy voice that occasionally dipped into the tenor range. She couldn’t stop smiling while she sang. Her voice added intrigue to every song and shone especially bright on “Cherry Blossom Love.” It was distinct from anything else they performed — the kind of song you imagine wafting out of a New Orleans jazz bar — and showcased Masse’s impressive vocal control and range.
Mehta charmed an audience who was mostly too well-behaved and effortlessly balanced the drums, harmonica and vocals. Mehta, who admitted she almost exclusively writes songs about death, sang artfully about sorrow and emotional turmoil without the in-your-face factor so prevalent in today’s popular music.
The Jennys leaned into poetic images and real emotions, something they were also able to convey in covers. Particularly moving was their performance of Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me in Your Heart,” which he wrote as a farewell to his family while fighting cancer. Despite being uniquely talented vocalists, the Jennys’ essence lies in sisterhood. Perhaps the best moment of the night was the last song, an acapella performance of traditional Irish folk tune “The Parting Glass.” Standing shoulder to shoulder in the blue stage light with no instruments or microphone, The Wailin’ Jennys reminded us music and togetherness are something holy.
The Wailin’ Jennys performers singing and playing guitar on stage in a photo taken from cachearts.org.
Fall Sports At USU
Hadley Sintay is in her first year studying journalism at USU. She loves singing, writing, boating, traveling and dogs.
Last week’s solution:
Sudoku puzzles are provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com.
By Jack Burton