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Show Answers To Today’s Crossword Puzzle! Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 An invitation to the ‘Moonstruck Ball’ T GET LOST! (Bring a date, but no nibbling on the ears) • • • • AggieLife Page 8 The largest corn maze in cache valley The best deal around unique maze design located next to eccles ice arena OPEN NOW Mon-Thurs 5-11, Fri 5-12, Sat 2-12 Adults $6 Children $4 Call 435-755-5755 $1 off every Monday! Group Discounts Available www.greencanyonfarms.com 2850 N 100 E 435-770-7547 Next to Eccles Ice Arena off Main Street Turn by Nate’s & Andy’s $1 OFF with this coupon not valid with any other offer Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Monday-Thursday only not valid with any other offer expires September 30 he party invitations are out, the Salt Palace Convention Center is rented, decorations have been purchased and only the elite are going to be attending Gov. Gary Herbert’s big Halloween bash. Last week, invitations were sent to the socialites of Utah in an attempt for Gov. Herbert to raise money for the 2010 election. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Herbert’s goal is to raise $500,000 in one magical night. The “Moonstruck Ball,” which will be held on Oct. 30, has already brought in $350,000 to Herbert’s PAC, friends of Gary R. Herbert. In previous years, gubernatorial candidates have hosted similar fundraisers. However, in the past, there have been limits on the amount of money that was allowed to be donated. Jon Huntsman Jr. put the cap at $10,000. This year, Herbert is not putting any limits on contributions. Herbert told The Deseret News that limiting campaign contributions limits free speech and Herbert has promised to disclose all contributions to his campaign. Several companies have donated more than $50,000 to Herbert’s campaign: Merit Medical, Utah Association of Realtors and Wadsworth Brothers Construction. There are also many other companies that have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Herbert’s PAC. But to what cause are these companies donating money? The Deseret News reported on Saturday, Oct. 10, that Herbert has yet to take a firm stance on a number of issues – climate change, citizens’ initiatives on legislative ethics and redistricting. He has nominated two people to the state liquor board, who said they have never had a drink of alcohol and have never worked in a bar or restaurant. Of the five members on the board, only one drinks alcohol. Herbert blasted Rep. Jim Matheson at a convention on Saturday with Republican Party National Chairman Michael Steele. Herbert accused Matheson of not representing the Utahns. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Herbert said, “I like Jim Matheson, but his first vote for Nancy Pelosi undoes all the good he does anyplace else.” Herbert focuses on Matheson’s support of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi but ignores Matheson’s recent election to be the House’s moderate Blue Dog caucus. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Matheson won the election in 2008 by 29 percentage points and is on his fifth term as a representative from Utah. Herbert, on the other hand, became governor in August only after the former governor took the post as the U.S. Ambassador to China. Because of the mid-term rise to office, Herbert will face an election in 2010. Currently, Herbert faces no challengers in his own Republican Party or from Democrats. Herbert ran for governor in 2004 but joined forces with Jon Huntsman a month before the Republican Party Convention in April 2004 when it seemed apparent that he would not receive the nomination. Herbert did not graduate from college, but he did attend BYU. He was a Utah County commissioner for 14 years and the president of the Utah Association of Realtors, which is now one of the biggest donors to his campaign. Does Herbert really represent Utah? Will you vote for him? Should he put limits on how much money can be donated to his campaign? Go to www. aggietownsquare.com to voice your opinion. Seth Bracken is a senior majoring in print journalism. Questions or comments can be sent to him at seth.bracken@ aggiemail.usu. edu Attorney general revisits with PR students’ help By MACKENZIE LOVE staff writer On Sept. 29, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff came to USU to present his campaign on identity theft and even brought along a shredder for a demonstration. Much to his dismay, his appearance was a letdown. Nobody knew he was coming. Based on information from Shurtleff’s director of communications, press releases were sent but responses were few. Whether from a lack of communication or not enough publicity, the attorney general came and left without announcing his campaign. Preston Parker, public relations professor, was surprised at the lack of communication and publicity for such an event. “I was surprised that someone as prominent as the attorney general, someone who is running currently for the U.S. Senate could come to a venue like Utah State University and have so few people know about it,” Parker said. While any other school might pass up the opportunity to invite him back, USU also developed an official socialmedia hash tag, #utahagusu, that has been used to publicize the event through socialmedia. “I hope that they’ll be talking about how the students came together and united and were able to take what they were learning and apply it through the diversity of media to communicate that message.” – Renae Cowley, junior, agriculture communication public relations (PR) students invited Shurtleff back and they will be publicize his return. PR students, through the mentoring of Parker, have taken on the task of publicizing the event. From press releases to fliers and posters to finding the best location on campus for a shredding truck, assignments have been uploaded onto a Google document where any public relations student can access the document and contribute. Preston Parker has been the main point of communication with the attorney general’s office, although his students can ask questions and contribute. “I’ve worked directly with the office to get the date scheduled, October 22, and the time, from 4-7, specifically the attorney general from 6-7,” Parker said. “It’s been great working with the office and planning out two to three weeks into the future on this event.” PR students have been in charge of scheduling the location and have been invited to include other prominent people. PR students are running on no budget, meaning they are relying heavily and solely on the ability of USU locations to provide for advertising. Natalie Curtis, junior in public relations, is a volunteer for Fusion Radio and has been communicating with Fusion to announce the visit. Curtis reserved a space for a banner that will hang in the Taggart Student Center (TSC) Oct. 20-22. Curtis has Curtis hopes people will want to hear what Shurtleff’s views are so they can become more educated about him and what he is doing for Utah. “I just hope that people see it since we’re doing so much advertising and promotion,” Curtis said. “A lot of people will see it in different places and hopefully, from all these different angles, people will want to come and hear him speak.” Curtis also set up a Facebook-event page with information on the event. Radio interviews have also taken place. Jessica Vasil, junior in political science and public relations, participated in an interview with KVNU. “I think it’s awesome because one of the things we talked about is that we’re literally taking ‘learn this on Tuesday, apply it on Wednesday,’” Vasil said. “I think it’s really cool to not have to wait and right away get an opportunity to apply what we’re learning.” Renae Cowley, junior in agriculture communication, also participated in the radio interview. Cowley hopes the outcome will be big and hopes it will be talked about for a while. “I hope that they’ll be talking about how the students came together and united and were able to take what they were learning and apply it through the diversity of media to communicate that message,” Cowley said. Students are also e-mailing faculty and departments, adding events on the USU activity calendars and gathering news stories and coverage for the event. Students have also been involved in passing out leaflets, fliers and placing posters around campus and the community. One goal is to not only get students to attend the event but also members of the Logan community. Parker hopes people will come and become more educated on Shurtleff’s campaign on identity theft. “People should show up and listen to his 10- to 15minute speech on identify theft,” Parker said. “That will help people become aware of identity theft and for that matter the attorney general’s campaign on identify theft.” Parker hopes the outcome of the project will provide students with experiences resulting in tangible material, such as articles, press releases, and letters of recommendation, that will benefit them in future-career opportunities. “That’s something that speaks much more than a resume,” Parker said. “You hand a portfolio over and say, ‘I can do these things, I’ve already done them. Give me an opportunity to do more.’ We’re finding portfolios in real-world experiences are what get our students internships in part-time and fulltime positions.” The attorney general will visit USU Oct. 22 to unveil the latest technology to stop consequences of identity theft. From 4-7 p.m., Shurtleff’s crew will provide free shredding services to the public to promote his identity theft campaign. Between 6-7 p.m., opening remarks will be made by the attorney general, followed by a presentation on the Identity Theft Reporting Information System by Scott Morrill. Enable Secure Shred workers will give a presentation on shredding followed by a question-and-answer time on identity theft and Shurtleff’s campaign. The event will take place in the TSC Sunburst Lounge. – mackenzie.love@aggiemail. usu.edu |