President Clark addresses concerns of student body

REXBURG, Idaho – At the BYU-Idaho President Q-and-A topics were addressed concerning President Kim B. Clark’s concerns for students, plans for the university and the bell town on campus.

President Clark said that his biggest concern for students on campus is being caught up in worldliness. Clark explained that when students become caught up in worldliness they can’t have the Spirit of the Lord with them to help them.

Clark also expressed the desire for students to smile more and be friendly with fellow students on campus. Clark said he will be addressing the topic of happiness to the campus in his April devotional in the spring 2012 semester.

Currently the school has made a standard of two hours of studying for each hour spent in a class and Clark still keeps to this rule believing it to be a “good rule of thumb.”

Vice President Eyring addressed concerns regarding the bell tower and the music played in between campus. The music that is played is usually spiritual music or LDS hymns specifically.
Eyring said that the songs used do not have to be just hymns but should be uplifting and also free from copyright laws so the school does not have to purchase the music.

A question was asked about the growth of the school and what the university is doing to prepare of this. Clark said that current things such as expanding on-line learning and building the
BYU – Idaho Center are in anticipation for more growth in the student body.

Clark opened the floor to other questions at the end of the session, which included
helping handicap students and facilities for above average students on campus.

It was said that the university is currently working on new policies to help students with
seeing disabilities. The policy will make it easier for students using screen readers to use the schools website.

A student was concerned that the tutoring center was only for struggling students but
Clark said that there are more students who get A’s that use the tutoring facilities and they’re not just for struggling students.

The next President Q-and A will be held April 4 from 5 to 6 p.m.

Student's thougths on President Q-and-A

Helping those with Handicaps

The school is aware of students with handicaps being able to see online websites. The school will be forming a policy soon so that students with handicaps will be able to read the screens more effectively. The school wants to help all students learn.

Food Storage

President Clark said that students can start preparing for providently living by living the principle of food storage. As students are living in a small space they can start with 72-hour kits. Once you have more room such as a basement then students can begin to buy and store food in bulk.

Scriptures in Devotional

President Clark said that raising scriptures is devotional is a metaphor. It is a symbol that shows students are prepared when they come to devotional. Clark said it shows students are ready to learn and whether or not the speaker asks the audience to look up scriptures students should be
ready.

Movies in Library

The Library had R-rated movies for rent which the administration was not aware of but they have been removed. Vice Preisdent Eyring explained that “as an institution we are watched” and people could take it the wrong way seeing PG-13 or R-rated movies at the library.
There is no school policy regarding what students should and shouldn't watch in regards to the movie rating system.

Building BYU-Idaho

President Clark said that when President Gordon B. Hinckley announced BYU–Idaho the administration had to try to form a new 4-year-college around the core of Ricks College. Clark said that they had to make decisions on what they were going to keep and change in developing and establishing BYU–Idaho, which has been happening for a decade. Clark referred us to a talk by President Henry B. Eyring titled “A Steady Upward Course” given Sept. 2001 that talks about how the school wanted to build the university.

President Clark's Biggest Concern

President Kim B. Clark’s biggest concern regarding BYU–Idaho
students is worldliness. Clark wants student to keep the spirit with them and
if they become caught up in worldliness the spirit can’t be with you. Clark
said he would like to see students smile more and greet each other even while
facing pressures of life.

Campus Bell Tower Question Addressed

There was a question regarding the bell tower and the music
being played: is the music that is played over the speakers supposed to always
be spiritual or hymns. The answer to this question is no but the music should
be uplifting. Also it was mentioned that the music has to be free of copyright
laws so the school doesn’t have to buy music to play during the day.

BYU-Idaho President Q-and-A

REXBURG, Idaho – BYU–Idaho is holding a President Q-and-A Friday March 2 in the Hyrum Manwaring Center Special Events room from 12 to 1 p.m.

These events are sometimes hosted by a panel of administrators and not just President Kim B. Clark himself.

In past Q-and-A sessions topics have been addressed such as, the dress and grooming standards, adjunct faculty, and the latest being the donation of a statue of the Nordic God Thor, which
stood in the John W. Hart building. This statue was donated to the school when it was still Ricks College. Many students have voiced concern about the statue being given away as well as some faculty members.

It is not certain what subjects will be discussed at this session but students and faculty are invited to attend to voice concerns. Those who want to attend or maybe can’t are encouraged
to write in questions before the event in order for the session to run smoothly.

This is the fourth Q-and-A held during the winter 2012 semester. During previous Q-and-A sessions this semester the president of the school was not in attendance due to a kidney transplant.

President Clark was forced to attend meetings via webcam for duration, so there would be no risk of contracting illness while his body was still adjusting to the new organ. So far the president is doing fine and has been in attendance at Tuesday devotionals and only one Q-and-A this semester.
Q-and-A sessions are held at the beginning and end of semesters to help new students and parents gain knowledge about the university, as well as engage in conversation with the administration.

BYU-Idaho was established in 2001 turning it into a four-year university from its former two-year junior college, Ricks College. BYU-Idaho is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and encourages students to develop spiritually as well as secularly in their education.

Chickens, man's best friend

Caldwell, Idaho – We all knew Fido was man’s best friend but who know the Little Red Hen would run him a close second. Chickens as pets are gaining more approval in city ordinances these days.

Caldwell is the latest, in Treasure Valley, to revise their city ordinances, which took effect at the end of June. The new ordinance allows people living on less than an acre to own some farm animals that have been reclassified as pets, including goats, miniature horses, peacocks, and pot-bellied pigs.

Lonalee Hoogland is the owner of 5 chickens and for a while she was keeping them illegally until the new ordinance passed. The chickens are called “urban chickens” or “backyard chickens,” according to KTVB Local News Site.

“I was in noncompliance with the ordinance, and I had received letters from the city saying that I needed to get rid of my chickens, and basically said, no, I want to work on getting this approved,” Hoogland told KTVB Local News Site.

Hoogland was a big advocate for chickens as pets and spoke at city meetings on the subject. Now anyone living in Caldwell can keep up to ten chickens, even on less than an acre.

Gretchen Anderson, who lives in Eagle, has written a book about chickens as pets called “The Backyard Chicken Fight.”

Anderson says the backyard chickens are getting more and more popular for two big reasons, one being food security, wanting to know their food is safe and the second being people want to do what they want in their backyards.

Main concerns people usually have about chickens are noise, odor, predators and disease. Anderson says that with proper care those things can all be avoided.

All info was taken from the ktvb.com website. To read more visit this website:

http://www.ktvb.com/news/Urban-Chickens-gaining-more-approval-in-Idaho-cities-125466513.html

Honey everywhere but not a drop to eat

Island Park, Idaho – What can happen when beehives get loose? People being stung, honey on the ground, and a possible threat of approaching bears.

Honey flowed from highway 20 in Idaho late Sunday afternoon when a truck carrying 400 beehives wrecked, as reported by NPR.

Once assistants arrived on the scene rescue personnel and the truck driver were forced to stay in their vehicles until they could dawn protective gear do to the swarm of bees.

There were 14 million bees aboard the semi truck, which was being driven from California to Minot, North Dakota when the accident occurred.

Fire Chief Kenny Strandberg and his crew were apart of the clean up on the highway. It is reported that many of the bees were killed after being sprayed by firefighting foam.

According to the local TV station KIFI Local News 8,

“It is not unusual for semi-trucks with bees to travel U.S. Highway 20. Strandberg said about three or four trucks come through every week.”

KIFI also reported that the bees have a street value of three cents apiece. This means that an estimated $400,000 worth of insects were lost in the crash.

The real concern now is the bears that will be attracted to the area due to the high bee population now.

“I am worried about the bears coming down now – the grizzly bears,” Strandberg said.

To Read more and watch the Local News 8 video on the story follow the links below.

News Video: http://www.localnews8.com/video/28516596/index.html

NPR article: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/07/12/137798639/truck-crash-released-14-million-angry-bees-and-honey-on-highway

Sugar City's v Rexburg's Impact Zones

Sugar City, Idaho – The Sugar City Planning and Zoning committee has assigned a three-person committee to represent Sugar City in an Impact Area agreement with Rexburg and Madison County.

The three members of the committee were picked and assigned by the Planning and Zoning Commission Chair Christine “Sam” Lines. The spokesman/negotiator is Tom Fleming, assistant secretary, and the advisers are Steve Hawkes, assistant chair, and David Ogden, commissioner.

Brent McFadden, a representative of sorts, was suppose to attend the meeting but was absent. He was suppose to present on the impact area agreement that is suppose to take place at a date that has not yet been arranged.

In McFadden’s absence it was the committee’s understanding that the proceedings at the impact area agreement will be to correlate Rexburg’s impact areas with Sugar City’s. Such as if Sugar had a Residential-Agricultural District in their impact zone that was aligned with a Highway Commercial District in Rexburg’s impact zone. They would hope to align another coinciding district to decrease any problems. This is the committee’s understanding.

The new impact area agreement must be signed by five different entities to make it official. These entities are Rexburg, Sugar City, Madison County, Newdale, and Teton City.

The three-person committee Sugar City is sending to the meeting will meet with two other three-person committees from Rexburg and the County. After the agreement has been signed this then nine-person committee will meet if someone in the impact areas wishes to build, to ether approve or disapprove the development. This way that person will not have to go to each entity individually to make an appeal to build.

The County has made this request so that Sugar City’s zones and ordinances coordinate with Rexburg’s.

Egypt wants its stuff back

While some say New York City’s acid rain is eroding a 3,500-year-old Egyptian obelisk others might say the 500 years spent in saltwater and having flaming camel dung thrown at it worse.

Cleopatra’s Needle, an obelisk that stands in Central Park since 1881, is undergoing a “weather study” this summer by the New York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation. They are trying to answer the question if damage is being done to the artifact.

This study came about when the minister of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, wrote to the Mayor of New York City and the Central Park Conservancy back in January that the extended stay of the obelisk in New York was wearing away the hieroglyphs and it needs to come back to its home land. Hawass said he would “take the necessary steps to bring this precious artifact home and save it from ruin.”

However it is questions whether Egypt is the safest place for artifact these days. Not long after Dr. Hawass sent his letter looters broke into the Egyptian Museum in Cairo damaging many artifacts and leaving some missing.

The obelisk was built around 1500 B.C. to honor Pharaoh Thutmose III. It is true that the artifact has been through a lot in its history. It was knocked down in 525 B.C. when the Persians “sacked” Heliopolis. They threw flaming camel dung to burn off the hieroglyphics. But the hieroglyphics suffered more damage as it lay on its side in saltwater for about 500 years. It was then re-erected in 12 B.C. by the Romans in Alexandria. Finally in 1881 Cleopatra’s Needle it was given as a gift arriving in New York City commemorating the opening of the Suez Canal. A few years later the parks department noticed flakes of granite coming off the Needle. In 1885 Park officials removed 800 pounds of flakes from its surface in an attempt to clean up the monument.

In a prepared statement by the current New York City parks department they said,

“Cleopatra’s Needle undergoes physical inspections and conservations assessments on an annual basis.”

Until it is determined if New York’s weather really is bringing damage to the obelisk it will remain in Central Park.

Information for this post was taken from New York Times website and video concerning Cleopatra’s Needle, also from the Dr. Hawass website. Both links are posted below.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/06/egypt-or-central-park-where-does-an-ancient-obelisk-belong/?smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

http://www.drhawass.com/blog/obelisk-central-park

Happy Independance Day America

In celebration of our nations independence cities from east to west are having a celebration with parades, fireworks and barbeques.

In the city of Rexburg, Idaho events are happening from 7am – 12pm. It starts with a pancake breakfast in the park sponsored by Kiwanis, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Then they have a Day in the Park full of games and fun followed by the Whoopee Days Parade that runs from Smith Park down Main Street and ends at Porter Park.

Citizens lined the streets of Rexburg to watch the Whoopee Days Parade. The parade started out with the flag of our nation held by older men. People placed their hands over their hearts out of respect for our flag and our nation. The parade consisted of the High school marching band and flag team, also the cheer leaders from the high school and from the middle school were present.

There were also companies from around town who were present in the parade. An Asia restaurant featured a dragon and handed out sesame seed cookies. There was a very large grocery cart made for the local grocery store. Many floats with people threw candy to the crowds and children scrambled on the street filling their sacks with candy.

In the evening in the neighboring city of Idaho Falls there will be fireworks. The show is the best one West of the Mississippi put on by Melaluca.

Even with all the parades, candy, and barbeque it is important to remember why we celebrate this day. We are honoring our forefathers who fought for the freedom of this land and our liberty to be free of kings and let the people govern themselves.

We live in a choice land and should always be grateful for the privileges we’ve been give through others sacrifices.

Sugar City's new park signs

Sugar City, Idaho – Mayor and councilmen approved the posting of and design for city park signs at the Sugar City Council meeting Thursday June 23.

In 2003 the current mayor and council approved the names of the parks in Sugar City and the

council today wanted to remain true to the names given then and respect the council’s decision.

Councilman Bruce King proposed there be a policy put in place to be helpful for the future in the chance of park names wanting to be changed. Sharen Bell the city clerk said that the council, back in 2003 when they approved the names of the parks, wanted the matter ended and for the names not to be changed.

The Mayor Glenn Dalling also said that he thought the council needed to make a decision but also be careful about it. Councilman Harold Harris had a concern because of the proceedings in 2003 were they even allowed to change that motion and rename the parks. Smith, Moon and Neibaur parks in Sugar are named after people but the council would like to shy away from naming any future parks after people.

The current park names remained intact and it was proposed to place signs and plaques at each

park explaining how the parks were named.

The city parks receiving the new signs are Heritage Park, Thomas C. Neibaur Veteran's Park, Lyle H. Moon Park, and Smith Park. The sign for Heritage Park will be placed on Center Street about midway on the lot. The sign for Neibaur Park will also be placed on Center Street near the corner of Center St. and Maple Ave. The sign for Moon Park, located between South Front St. and Railroad Ave, will be placed on South Front Street midway around the bend in the road. For Smith Park the sign will be placed at the intersection of E. 3000 North and S. 7th West on the North West corner.

There was concern however about the name of Smith Park and it being confused with Smith

Park in the neighboring city of Rexburg. But a motion was carried to keep the current park names.

A motion was also carried for the design of the signs with a background of a silhouette of the

Teton Mountains, with 4 lines of writing with the park name shadowed in red.

Public Transportation.

[I thought I would do something different for this post and talk about city transportation instead of focusing on one city in particular.]

There is the so called top 10 list for cities with the best transit system or the one that is used the most but from all the sources I found none can seem to agree, why is that?

Well we’ll explore just some of those transit systems from the many sources I found. On quite a few of the sites I found Denver, Colo. was listed as one of the best transit systems in the nation. Also according to the Atlantic the percent of people using the Denver-Aurora-Bloomfiled, Colo. system is 4.6%.

On the chart in the Atlantic it says that 30.4% of people in New York, Northern New Jersey, and Long Island use public transit. I was a little surprised when Las Vegas, Nev. showed up at number 8 with 3.4% using public transit.

Anyway where is this going? It seems to me there are a lot of transits in the world that aren’t being used very much. I mean 4.6% for Denver that’s not a very big number. But lets face it sometimes the public transit systems aren’t the most clean, or carry the most friendly passangers.

With the world, at times, in a uproar about global warming I don’t understand why people are still driving their car to work with just them in the car when they could take public transportation.

What about college students and their cars? I live in a college town and live 2 blocks from campus which isn’t very bad. In the snow I walk and when the weather is nice I ride my bike. But there are people living near me and some who live even closer to campus who end up driving a car everyday. It’s nice outside so who cares if you have a class at the top of the hill, walk and get some exercise. Also it would save you some money so you don’t have to buy a parking permit, you’re already complaining you’re a poor college student any.

In other words, help save the earth and take the transit system.

[I know this is a rant but I thought it would be a little interesting and entertaining.]
Site I used for the Atlantic information:
http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/05/the-10-best-cities-for-public-transportation/239376/

Financial Debt: My own personal article

As children we look up to our parents as an example, as young adults we find a role model we hope to become, and as adults we may look to the leaders of our country. But with the rising debt of our countries financial situation using them as an example for our own personal finances may not be the best thing.

The nations debt currently stands at approximately 14,429,497,208,000 and rising, according to www.usdebtclock.org. American households and individuals seem to be following suit.

Today’s society is full of instant gratifications, with the click of a button or swipe of a card and it can be yours. Every day there can be something new for sale being marketed that it’s a “must have” and “everyone has one.” With this kind of atmosphere it’s no wonder that in 2010 Americans were averaging around $10,168 in debt per person.

You may be thinking you don’t have any reason to be concerned about debt yet but college students are not exempt from the debt crisis. In April 2009 Sallie Mae reported that nearly 30 percent of college students put tuition on their credit cards, which is an increase from 24 percent in 2004. They also said that 84 percent of undergraduates had at least one credit card, up from 76 percent in 2004, and median debt grew to $1,645 from $946 in 2004.

“Too many students are at risk of overpaying for college by pulling out credit cards to pay for textbooks or even part of their tuition bill, instead of using less expensive financial aid to cover these items,” said Marie O’Malley, director of consumer research for Sallie Mae.

Some may feel secure with their finances because they have a while till graduation But Sallie Mae also reported that the higher the grade level the more secure students are in using their credit cards. The average college graduate has nearly $20,000 in debt and credit card debt has increased 11 percent for 18 to 24-year-olds according to www.demos.org.

The leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and even the scriptures echo a plea to avoid unnecessary debt.

“Reasonable debt for the purchase of an affordable home and perhaps for a few other necessary things is acceptable. But from where I sit, I see in a very vivid way the terrible tragedies of many who have unwisely borrowed for things they really do not need,” said President Gordon B. Hinckley in a 1992 August edition of the Ensign.

We can read in 2 Kings 4:7 “Pay thy debt, and live,” in Proverbs 22:7 “the borrower is servant to the lender.” Also in Romans 13:8 Paul teaches, “owe no man any thing.”

Things of the world our being shoved in our faces making credit cards seem glamorous and making payments and being debt free as easy as pie. But the reality is that debt has a far more reaching affected than is portrayed by the media. Debt cannot only put stress on our lives and finances it can also put stress on our relationships with those we love.

There are some things we can put into practice that can help us guard against debt now and in the future. We can begin planning now, begin saving now, and create a budget. If a plan is in place determining needs and wants it will be easier to make a decision when you’re faced with a purchase. By beginning to save now you will be able to pay cash for bigger purchase instead of putting it on a credit card. When you create a budget it helps you see how much you’re really spending and where you can put limits on your purchases.

We need to be sure that we are in control of our finances and setting an example for family and friends. Especially when we have been warned by state, national and religious leaders to avoid debt we need to be more financially responsible. We do not need to get caught up in the buying frenzy of our generation or follow others into the pit of debt. Money and finances are something we need to have control over so it does not end up controlling us.

City clean up

SUGAR CITY, ID – Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of the Sugar City Stake have been working with city and school officials to do work needed in the community.

There will be a cleanup service project Wednesday June 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. The Sugar City stake also includes those in the communities of Teton and Newdale, with 9 wards and a single’s branch.

“This service project is the result of responding to the invitation of our Prophet to unite with our communities in doing service,” said Kevin Miyasaki, the first counselor in the Sugar City stake presidency.

Bruce King, a city council board member, said that President Richard Pocock of the Sugar City stake presented this idea to the city council and asked them to find things that they can clean up and service that can be given in the community. King also informed the Sugar City Planning and Zoning committee of the clean up asking for ideas for service saying, “anything is on the table.”

Projects proposed by the planning and zoning committee ranged from cleaning up the bike/walking path, the south side of the football field down to the ball diamonds, filling holes in the road, and helping out widows and elderly in the community with yard work and tree trimming. It was also questioned whether they could help with the cemetery and save their district money by providing labor to fix it up.

“There will be service projects in all three communities that evening,” said Miyasaki. “The youth of our stake will be focused in the schools, and the adults and children in the community projects. At this point the community and school district have been very responsive to our volunteering to assist in whatever they would like us to do.”

It is estimated that they can expect 20 to 40 member from each ward possibly 100 people total.

“We hope to not just involve the members, but have this be a community event,” Miyasaki said.

Brian Howard a resident of Sugar City and a member in the Sugar City seventh ward, and a faculty member of BYU-Idaho communications department, said that he had heard of the service project and would expect to participate on some level but is not sure what he will be doing yet.

“I think it is a good idea. The youth groups do service projects for the community on a regular basis, but the adults far less often,” Howard said. “It will be a good opportunity to give some service to the community as a whole. Large group projects like this don't happen very often.”

Although it is an LDS community no formal organization of refreshment is being provided.

House of snakes

Some people foreclose on their homes due to job loss, excessive debt, or even divorce but that’s not the reason why the bank is foreclosing on a house outside of Rexburg. It’s because the current residents, hundreds of garter snakes, won’t leave.

A home that was built in 1920 has five bedrooms and has been remodeled about five years ago. But because of the snakes those who buy the home quickly move out or stop paying their mortgage.

Two families have moved in while the snakes were hibernating only to find out come spring that they’re not the only ones who call the house home. The Ard’s bought the home a few years ago and soon discovered snakes in the walls, under the floors, in the year and everywhere else you can think.

“It’s really hard to rest assured at night to not think you’ve got a snake in your bed with you or going to step on one when you get up,” Neal Ard told reporters.

Once the Ards moved out they contacted KPVI-TV in Idaho Falls to document their story so people would believe their story.

The house sat vacant until the Sessions moved in August 2009. When the Sessions bought the house the realtor told them about snake rumors. Then in the fall the snakes made their triumphant return even contaminating the drinking water too.

Ironically the house is located in the Upper Snake River Valley in Idaho. The bank is working to seal the foundation to prevent snake from getting back inside.

Yes the house will be up for sale once again.

For more info, full stories, and video visit these sights:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=15822458

http://finance.yahoo.com/loans/article/112850/idaho-foreclosure-snake-home