Utah State News Service

By Rylee Marron  Sky View High School’s juniors have until Christmas to make a momentous choice — completing their studies as Bobcats or being part of the first graduating class from Green Canyon High School. Green Canyon principal Dave Swenson is hoping to persuade 250 Sky View juniors to make the switch to the new school in North Logan. “Come and be a part of a new tradition,” Swenson has been telling would-be Wolves. “You’ll be the first graduating class. We can help set some of the traditions that’ll last forever.” Swenson is planning to hold a November presentation about the opportunities being offered at Green Canyon. He said he understands some people want to be with their friends — but he hopes that means they’ll come together. “I hope we get every one of them,” Swenson said. Swenson said he’ll present Green Canyon as a school with a lot to offer. The school will have all new classrooms and sports facilities, new technology and, unlike Sky View, air...

By Zac Lyon A proposal to add apartment complexes to the Elk Mountain residential area was approved by the Hyrum Planning Commission on Thursday evening over the objections of several residents who complained the development would change the town’s character. "I'm afraid to see the negative impact of adding apartments to Hyrum," said Jared Scott, one of the first residents to voice an opinion about the proposal from Logan-based Kartchner Homes. “I appreciate the developer's efforts, but I fear that we'd lose that small-town feeling that Hyrum is known for if we had apartment buildings." Others expressed personal distaste for apartments, fears of an HOA-controlled community and worries about a negative atmosphere that could be created by the development.  "I feel like having a high-density apartment complex is too much for Hyrum," city resident Scott Jensen said. "I'm all for development, but I'm afraid that apartments would bri...

By Jessica Dryden Plans are being made to re-open a historic — and possibly haunted — property in Logan Canyon. Volunteers met at the property known as The Nunnery on Nov. 22 to begin discussing renovation projects that will take place in the spring. Although no plans are set in place yet, new owner Matt Nielsen is hoping to begin offering tours of the property once the buildings are restored. Sarah Argyle, The Nunnery’s Facebook page administrator, said Nielsen is “hoping that people will be able to enjoy it once again.” The property has not been open to the public since 1978, when it was still in the possession of the Salt Lake Catholic Diocese. Since then a succession of property owners have come and gone, often abandoning dreams of re-opening the property after incidents involving trespassers and vandalism. The public’s intrigue was particularly stoked by  a 1997 incident  in which a group of trespassing teens were ambushed, shot at, and handcuffed by men who cl...

By Jensie Bahr With a junior-less season underway for the Utah State University women’s basketball team, the Aggies have been relying on sophomores to lead the team.  And s o far, so good. The Aggies have had a 6-2 start despite the lack of older players. This is the first time in at least a decade the team has been this young overall. Head coach Jerry Finkbeiner said younger players have risen to the challenge — specifically players like sophomore guards Rachel Brewster and Katie Toole. “They both have this natural ability to lead, but in different ways – Rachel by word and Katie by deed,” Finkbeiner said. “While they are both sophomores, they already know what it takes to be great leaders and I anticipate them being outstanding players in future seasons.” There are only two seniors on the team this season, Angelica de Paulo and Antoina Robinson. De Paulo has yet to play in a game due to an injury. That’s left Robinson to share leadership roles with younger players...

By Hannah McDonald It’s a five-minute bus ride from the center of campus to Utah State University’s office for Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information. On foot, it might take 15 minutes. But for victims of sexual assault — who are often torn over what to do — those minutes can be the difference between reporting a crime and staying silent. That’s one of the main reasons why the office, known as SAAVI, is planning to relocate to the center of Utah State’s campus next semester. In January, SAAVI will take over a third-floor office in the Taggart Student Center currently occupied by the student newspaper, which is moving to a first-floor space vacated by Zion’s Bank. The move will put SAAVI right next to the department for Counseling and Psychological Services and the Center for Women and Gender. Felicia Gallegos, a student intern in Utah State University’s office for Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information, or SAAVI, said she hopes the move will help students feel mo...

By Tristan Paradise Former Utah State University hockey player Brian Gibbons has notched eight goals since joining Germany’s EC Hannover Indians. But his most exciting contribution to his new team might have come last month — an 18 th  minute assist that put his side up 2-0 against the Hannover Scorpions in the iciest rivalry in Lower Saxony, the Hannover Derby. The assist, and the game in which it was played, is a memory Gibbons will always remember. "The rivalry is pure hatred for the other team," Gibbons said of the game, which was played in front of 4,608 fans on Nov 12. "It was an unbelievable experience." It’s also an experience Gibbons had at one time doubted he’d ever have. When he transferred to Utah State from Div. III Utica College in New York, Gibbons said, he figured his professional dreams were done. University club programs don’t generally produce many pros. "I thought since it was club hockey, my professional dream was over," h...

By Hannah McDonald On   July 1 , at the conclusion of his 35th year with the Utah State University police department, Capt. Steve Milne will set down his badge for the last time. Milne has been a fixture in the department since its inception in 1982. He is second in seniority only to Chief Steven Mecham, who will retire in January. “I figure it’s time,” Milne said. “It’s been great, but I’m at the point now where I kind of want to enjoy life. It’s especially hard this time of year when you’ve got the football games and stuff. My wife and kids go to the games, but I’m having to work them. I’m ready to go and enjoy it with them.” Milne joined the department as a university student in 1982. At the time, he was working on a degree in education and sports coaching. That summer, an opening came up for a full time police officer. Milne was accepted for the position, and he has worked in the department ever since. Emergency management coordinator Judy Crockett has worked with Mi...

By Miranda Tilley Flat screen televisions and Bluetooth speakers weren’t the only deals on Black Friday weekend. The Cache Humane Society exempted adoption fees – helping cats and dogs find their fur-ever homes in Logan.  The event, which started on Friday and ended Monday, was called Pawlidayz.  More than 115 shelters, rescue centers and humane organizations across the United States participated in the event. Stacey Frisk, the executive director of the Cache Humane Society, said Pawlidayz would not have been possible without Zappos.com in partnership with the Best Friends Animal Society. The company covered the normal adoption fee of $175 for dogs and $50 for cats.  A total of 47 dogs and 50 cats were adopted from the Cache Humane Society during the weekend special. “A normal day here consists of four to five animals being adopted so these numbers are huge,” Frisk said. “It was a big weekend for us.”  Frisk was especially pleased w...