Monday, January 31, 2011

Goodworth MFA art exhibition at Davis Gallery Feb. 1-11

Released by Idaho State University January 31, 2011
Contact: Amy Jo Popa 282-3341
Written by Kari Rands


The John B. Davis Gallery presents “Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition”
By Tim Goodworth Feb. 1-11


POCATELLO – A Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition by Tim Goodworth will be on display from Feb. 1 to Feb. 11 at the John B. Davis Gallery in the Idaho State University Fine Arts Building.
The gallery is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.isu.edu/art/galleries.shtml or contact Amy Jo Popa at 282-3341.
###

ISU Anatomy Professor Meldrum, joins scholarly panel to discuss sasquatch and its Asian cousins for the History Channel and Discovery Canada to Air Fe

eleased by Idaho State University Jan 27, 2011
Contact: Jeffrey Meldrum, associate professor of anatomy, ISU Department of Biological Sciences, (208) 282-4379

ISU Anatomy Professor Meldrum, joins scholarly panel to discuss sasquatch and its Asian cousins for the History Channel and Discovery Canada to Air Feb. 2

POCATELLO – Jeff Meldrum, an associate professor of anatomy and anthropology at Idaho State University, and author of the book, “Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science,” participated in the production of a two-hour documentary produced by Dangerous Films of London for joint airing on the History Channel and Discovery Canada.
The documentary is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 on the History Channel.
Science is increasingly recognizing that past Homo sapiens shared the planet with other upright walking primates. As recently as 20,000 years ago there were four or more other species of Homo coexisting across Asia, plus a number of species of large apes, according to participating panel members. Could the survival of some of these into the present have spawned the stories of the yeti, the sasquatch, and the orang pendek?
Last October, Meldrum met in Montreal with four other accomplished scholars for a roundtable discussion of this very possibility. The theme was relic man-like creatures around the globe.
Meldrum was joined by Jack Rink, geochemist, McMaster University, who has dated numerous hominid sites, including cave deposits bearing Gigantopithecus fossils; Anna Nekaris, primatologist, Oxford Brookes University, who specializes in nocturnal southeast Asian primates; William Sellars, computational zoologist, University of Manchester, who models primate locomotion and the evolution of bipedalism; and Ian Redmond, tropical biologist and conservationist, best known for his work with the mountain gorillas.
The panel of five considered the pervasive and persistent reports of unrecognized man-like creatures from remote forested corners of the globe and weighed the evidence for their existence.
“It was personally gratifying to hear my colleagues objectively evaluate the footprints, hair samples and sightings as serious evidence; to see their intrigue mount as they contemplated its implications,” Meldrum said.
Later Redmond and Meldrum traveled to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to speak with First Nations tribal members to hear of their cultural traditions regarding the sasquatch, or wild people of the woods. They also interviewed witnesses that had recent encounters with the sasquatch and surveyed the habitat to determine whether a large rare ape could make a living and remain hidden there.
“The sasquatch is certainly a part of the native landscape – both in the natural world and in the mystical. Their oral traditions and observations of the sasquatch describe behaviors not unlike those attributed to the mountain gorilla, for example,” Meldrum said.
###

Denis DiBlasio Returns to the ISU Jazz Fest!

Denis DiBlasio Returns to the ISU Jazz Fest!

Mark your calendars! Jazz baritone saxophonist and flutist Denis DiBlasio will be performing with the ISU Jazz I Big Band on Saturday evening, February 5th, as part of the 24th Annual ISU Jazz Fest.
DiBlasio’s international reputation as an educator and performer is built upon his many years of experience as a professional musician, including his five years as music director of the Maynard Ferguson Band. His teaching approach of keeping things simple, informative and positive keeps his schedule extremely busy, booking dates sometimes three years in advance. His inspirational connection with young musicians is what makes a DiBlasio clinic so special. Keeping things attainable and fun make up the foundation of his friendly approach. It's what some people have termed 'Edutainment'.
DiBlasio will be working with regional high school jazz bands throughout the day, including groups from Pocatello, Highland, Century, and Blackfoot high schools. He will also be giving a clinic on jazz improvisation at 1 pm. All Jazz Fest events will be held in the Jensen Grand Concert Hall on the ISU campus.
The cost for the evening concert featuring DiBlasio is $8 for adults, $6 for ISU faculty and staff, $4 pre-college students, and free to ISU students. The Jazz Fest daytime events are free and open to the public.
Call or email Patrick Brooks (282-3147, broopatr@isu.edu) for additional information.

--
Dr. Patrick Brooks
Director of Bands
Mail Stop 8099
Idaho State University
Pocatello, ID 83209
208-282-3147

Friday, January 28, 2011

‘Majesty of Peru’ Exhibit Runs at Transition Gallery Feb. 6-27

Released by Idaho State University January 29, 20111
Contact: Josh Smith (Executive Director) 435-764-6556 Kendall Johnson (Secretary/Treasurer) 208-406-2023; Corinne McCullough (Transition Gallery) 208-282-3451;

‘Majesty of Peru’ Exhibit Runs at Transition Gallery Feb. 6-27

POCATELLO – Starting Feb. 7 and continuing the entire month, the Transition Gallery at Idaho State University Pond Student Union will feature the photography exhibit “Majesty of Peru.”
The gallery will feature more than 70 full-print images of the people, the land, the history and the culture of the Andean Civilization as could only be captured during a humanitarian relief mission to the greater Cuzco area.
Presented in the gallery will be photos of village life, typical Peruvian dress, the floating city of Lake Titicaca, and the Sacred Valley and the Incan ruins of Oyantatambo. The images were captured during the 2010 Idaho Condor medical and dental relief mission to Peru.
Idaho Condor is a non-profit humanitarian organization founded in Pocatello and staffed by local surgeons, dental professionals, physicians, and research professors at Idaho State University. While a local organization, Idaho Condor draws medical professionals from around the country to participate in its annual relief mission. Idaho Condor is also affiliated with the ISU student humanitarian organization that bears the same name. Last year more than 36 ISU pre-professional students joined the expedition.
As a result of the local and national effort, more than 3,000 previously unserved Peruvians received essential health care during last year’s mission. In addition, several field studies in nutrition were initiated, and plans for a community greenhouse in the Andean village of Kachyarakay were arranged.
Unlike many humanitarian organizations, Idaho Condor has no paid administrators. All services, equipment, materials and medications are funded through the generous donations of companies and individuals mostly in southeastern Idaho.
This year’s expedition in the Lima and the greater Cuzco area will take place March 19-29. More information can be found at idahocondor.org.
###

Idaho State University’s “A Season of Note” presents Jason Farnham and Friends Valentine’s Show on Feb. 12

Released by Idaho State University January 28, 2011
Contact: Stephens Performing Arts Center 282-3595
Written by Kari Rands


Idaho State University’s “A Season of Note” presents
Jason Farnham and Friends Valentine’s Show on Feb. 12

POCATELLO – The Idaho State University a “Season of Note” series will present Jason Farnham and Friends Valentine’s Show at 7:30 p.m. Feb 12 in the Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center.
Farnham, a Los Angeles, Calif. native, has been called the “international entertainer of contemporary piano music.” His compositions have entertained and captivated audiences from around the country. He is known as a “chameleon artist” because of his wide array of musical styles. From his romantic hit “When,” to his Irish melody “Be Thou My Vision,” his pieces have entertained audiences.
Accompanying Farnham for this Valentine show are guest artists Ian Dobson and Coco York. York has accompanied such big names as Lionel Richie, B.B. King, Dianne Reeves and Tanya Marie. She has also performed for former President Bill Clinton and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Dobson, a master percussionist, has performed for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Boeing, Starbucks and at many colleges and universities.
Tickets prices are $20 for main level and $16 for upper level and can be purchased at the Stephens Performing Arts Box Office, open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays during the school year. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone at (208) 282-3595, online at www.isu.edu/stephens/tickets.shtml, or at Vickers Stores in Pocatello and Idaho Falls.

###

ISU Scientists Travel to Washington’s Port Townsend to Take on Big Challenge, Scanning Entire Skeleton of an Orca

ISU Scientists Travel to Washington’s Port Townsend to Take on Big Challenge,
Scanning Entire Skeleton of an Orca

POCATELLO – When you ask a person “what’s up” and he responds, “I can’t really talk right now because we have 49 more teeth to scan today and we’re still not done with the flippers,” you can generally assume he’s up to something interesting.
This month, two research associates from the Idaho State University Idaho Virtualization Laboratory, Robert Schlader and Nicholas Clement (who is quoted above), traveled to Port Towsend, Wash., and scanned bones of a complete skeleton of an orca, or killer whale.
Those scanned images will be converted to 3-D images that can be displayed on computers throughout the world. They have been specifically scanned for the ISU Virtual Zooarchaeology of the Arctic Project (VZAP) project, and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, which is part of Washington’s Fort Worden State Park.
ISU VZAP, which last fall received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, has been creating an online two- and three-dimensional archeological collection of Arctic animal bones since 2008. It has produced more than 3,000 individual 3-D models and more than 12,000 digital photographs, while also developing advanced 3-D laser scanning protocols (visit (http://vzap.iri.isu.edu/ for more info on VZAP).
Scanning an entire orca skeleton – including the animal’s approximately 3-foot long skull and 200 other oversized bones including ribs, flippers, scapulas and teeth – however, wasn’t something ISU researchers thought they’d have an opportunity to do.
“For the VZAP project one of the marine animals we really wanted to do, but we didn’t think there was any chance this side of perdition we’d get to do it, was an orca,” said Schlader, manager of the Idaho Virtualization Laboratory. “But then, through connections we’ve made with the Burke Museum in Seattle, an opportunity came out of the blue.”
Schlader and his ISU colleagues had worked scanning the bones of other marine mammals in the Burke Museum’s collections. Although this museum did not have an orca, one of its curators was aware that the Port Townsend group had an orca skeleton that it was putting together as part of an exhibit, and the ISU researchers made contact.
“We corresponded and said ‘yeah we can do that,’ and agreed to do it, even though we were terrified that we’d never scanned something so large,” Schlader said.
“Normally, we have museum bones sent here for scanning,” said Herbert Maschner, director of the Idaho Virtualization Laboratory and interim director of the Idaho Museum of Natural History. “But that wasn’t possible for a complete orca skeleton. It fits within our mission of the VZAP project, however, so we sent our people there.”
Schlader and Clement headed to Port Townsend with their sophisticated photography and scanning equipment in tow. During a six-day period in January they successfully completed scans of the bones, often working in front of an audience of Port Townsend Marine Science Center personnel and members of the public.
To date, this is the first time that an orca skeleton has been digitized in this manner and will provide an invaluable analytical tool for both quantitative and qualitative analysis in oceanographic research and facilitate the identification of marine mammal skeletal remains for faunal analysts, archaeologists and marine biologists alike, Clement said.
The Port Townsend center acquired the orca bones in 2002 from a dead female that washed up inside the Dungeness Spit, located on Puget Sound near Port Townsend. The female, affectionately named Hope by the science center staff, was accompanied by another orca, a male that was nearby in shallow water, which was assumed to be the female’s son, according to the Peninsula Daily newspaper.
Staff at the Port Townsend Marine Sciences center will work with Lee Post, a world-class expert in skeleton articulation and mounting, to make Hope one of only five complete orca skeletons on display anywhere in the world. The skeleton will be part of an exhibit, titled the “Orca Project,” about the two orcas. The science center will also use the 3-D images created by ISU for a part of the exhibit and for teaching outreach.
The opportunity to capture the elements of the skeleton in 3-D before it was mounted created an unprecedented challenge for the staff at the IVL, but will provide an outstanding addition to the ongoing online collection of arctic terrestrial and marine mammals.
“From my perspective,” Schlader said, “it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not only for VZAP, but in general for the scientific community, because we captured all the bones while they were still in pristine condition.”
“The rest, at this point,” he continued, “is history.”
###

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Idaho State University professor Meldrum joins scholarly panel on History Channel Feb. 2 to discuss sasquatch

Released by Idaho State University Jan 27, 2011
Contact: Jeffrey Meldrum, associate professor of anatomy, ISU Department of Biological Sciences, (208) 282-4379

ISU Anatomy Professor Meldrum, joins scholarly panel to discuss sasquatch and its Asian cousins for the History Channel and Discovery Canada to Air Feb. 2

POCATELLO – Jeff Meldrum, an associate professor of anatomy and anthropology at Idaho State University, and author of the book, “Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science,” participated in the production of a two-hour documentary produced by Dangerous Films of London for joint airing on the History Channel and Discovery Canada.
The documentary is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 on the History Channel.
Science is increasingly recognizing that past Homo sapiens shared the planet with other upright walking primates. As recently as 20,000 years ago there were four or more other species of Homo coexisting across Asia, plus a number of species of large apes, according to participating panel members. Could the survival of some of these into the present have spawned the stories of the yeti, the sasquatch, and the orang pendek?
Last October, Meldrum met in Montreal with four other accomplished scholars for a roundtable discussion of this very possibility. The theme was relic man-like creatures around the globe.
Meldrum was joined by Jack Rink, geochemist, McMaster University, who has dated numerous hominid sites, including cave deposits bearing Gigantopithecus fossils; Anna Nekaris, primatologist, Oxford Brookes University, who specializes in nocturnal southeast Asian primates; William Sellars, computational zoologist, University of Manchester, who models primate locomotion and the evolution of bipedalism; and Ian Redmond, tropical biologist and conservationist, best known for his work with the mountain gorillas.
The panel of five considered the pervasive and persistent reports of unrecognized man-like creatures from remote forested corners of the globe and weighed the evidence for their existence.
“It was personally gratifying to hear my colleagues objectively evaluate the footprints, hair samples and sightings as serious evidence; to see their intrigue mount as they contemplated its implications,” Meldrum said.
Later Redmond and Meldrum traveled to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to speak with First Nations tribal members to hear of their cultural traditions regarding the sasquatch, or wild people of the woods. They also interviewed witnesses that had recent encounters with the sasquatch and surveyed the habitat to determine whether a large rare ape could make a living and remain hidden there.
“The sasquatch is certainly a part of the native landscape – both in the natural world and in the mystical. Their oral traditions and observations of the sasquatch describe behaviors not unlike those attributed to the mountain gorilla, for example,” Meldrum said.
###

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Sleep Problems in Adolescents Top Marker for Determining Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior According to New Study

Released by Idaho State University January 26, 2011
Contact: Maria Wong, 282-2752 or wongmari@isu.edu

Sleep Problems in Adolescents Top Marker for Determining
Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior According to New Study

POCATELLO – Even factoring out depression, sleep problems in youths are the top markers for determining suicidal thoughts and behavior in adolescents, according to a new study by Idaho State University and University of Michigan researchers.
The study could have major implications on how clinicians pursue treatment with youth. The researchers conclude: “parents and primary care physicians are encouraged to be vigilant and screen for sleep problems in young adolescents. Future research should determine if early intervention with sleep disturbances reduces the risk” for suicide and thoughts of suicide in adolescents.
Previous studies have shown that sleep is an important risk factor, but there is the question that if someone is depressed or exposed to other risk factors, does that affect their sleep patterns, according Maria Wong, Idaho State University associate professor of psychology, one of the principal investigators on the study, who teamed up with Professors Kirk Brower and Robert Zucker at the University of Michigan.
“We wondered that if you control for depression, is there still a relationship between sleep deprivation and suicidal thoughts in adolescents,” Wong said. “Our study controlled for depression and we still found that not being able to sleep well and a general feeling of tiredness are the two significant predictors to suicidal thoughts and behavior.”
Wong was quick to point out that “we don’t have proof that one causes the other,” but that tiredness and trouble sleeping are good markers of risk factors in youth and suicidal behavior.
“In terms of treatment, this could have some major implications,” Wong said. “One of the points we make, in terms of how it affects clinicians, is that it is easier to talk to anybody, including kids, about sleep than it is about depression or suicide. Talking about sleep could be a good place to start talking about more important issues. The study also suggests that early intervention in sleep disturbances might also reduce risk.”
The title of the study is “Sleep problems, suicidal ideation, and self-harm behaviors in adolescence.” It was published electronically online in October in the Journal of Psychiatric Research and will be published in that journal in 2011.
Study participants were 280 boys and 112 girls from a community sample of high-risk alcoholic families and controls in an ongoing prospective study in Michigan. The researchers controlled for gender, parental alcoholism and parental suicidal thoughts and prior suicidal thoughts or self-harm behaviors when participants were ages 12-14. Trouble sleeping at 12-14 significantly predicted suicidal thoughts and self-harm behaviors at ages 15-17.
“Depressive symptoms, nightmares, aggressive behavior, and substance-related problems at ages 12-14 were not significant predictors when other variables were in the model,” according to the study.
These findings are consistent with the findings from earlier studies on adults.
Wong is also involved in a study to replicate the findings of the Michigan study on a much broader scale, using data from the “National Longitudinal Study of Adolescents,” a nationally represented sample in the United States. Her study results from a much larger pool of youths on a national scale are mirroring the results of Michigan study.
“Research findings are robust linking sleep problems with suicidal thoughts and actions in adolescents,” Wong said. “Future research could focus on identifying factors that may explain the relationship between sleep problems and suicidal behavior.”
###

Idaho State University “Elect Her” Training Set for February 17

Released by Idaho State University January 25, 2011

Contact: Dr. Rebecca Morrow, Anderson Center Director at (208) 282-2805



Idaho State University “Elect Her” Training Set for February 17



POCATELLO – Elect Her – Idaho State University Women Win, funded by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and Running Start, is a half-day training on Thursday, Feb. 17, that teaches college women how to run for and win student government positions.

It is a unique workshop as Elect Her is the only program in the country that encourages and trains young women to run for student government positions at their colleges. The ISU training is scheduled from 4 to 8:30 p.m. in the Pond Student Union Salmon River Suite. Check-in begins at 3:30 p.m., with the training beginning promptly at 4 p.m.

Elect Her - ISU Women Win is free and open to current ISU students, both men and women, as well as to interested Southeast Idaho high school students. ISU’s Elect Her training will include dinner and a reception at the end of the evening. Advance registration is required for participation. Registration is available online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ELECT-HER-2011.

Topics covered during the training include

• “The Importance of Young Women Running for Office”;

• “Making an Impact,” by American Falls Mayor Amy Wynn;

• “The Importance of Message”;

• “The Nuts and Bolts of Running for Associated Students of ISU Office”; and

• “Campaign Strategy.”

ISU was chosen as one of the nine 2010 sites through a competitive application process and received a special invitation to continue participation in 2011. The original application was submitted jointly by Rebecca Morrow, director of the Anderson Gender Resource Center and AAUW Pocatello Branch member; and ISU students Shalene Summers and Gena Cook.
“The 2010 training was a rewarding experience for all who attended, and we expect this year, particularly with the inclusion of new activities, to be even more exciting and beneficial for attendees,”
Morrow said. “This program will help ISU students to prepare to run for not only positions in ASISU, but also for local, state and federal offices. The experience will also help prepare students for other leadership positions in their communities and professional lives after graduation.”
Currently, women hold just 17 percent of the seats in Congress and 24 percent of the seats in state legislatures. Elect Her: Campus Women Win is training a whole new generation of college women for running for office later in life.

Since 2007, AAUW and Running Start have collaborated to encourage college women to run for student government. Building on those successes, the organizations developed and initiated the Elect Her: Campus Women Win training program last year, and the effort is already showing results for young women. From the nine campus sites, including ISU, in 2010, participant evaluations show practically double the number of students planning to run for student government and planning to run for political office post-college.

To learn more about Elect Her: Campus Women Win, please visit:
http://www.aauw.org/learn/LeadershipPrograms/electHer.cfm.
For more information about the ISU training, contact the Anderson Center at 208-282-2805.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Antelope Island Study Suggests Game Managers Need to Consider Needs of Both Sexes When Managing or Introducing Big Game Animals

Released by Idaho State University January 24, 2011
Contact: Terry Bowyer, ISU Biological Sciences Professor, (208) 282-4082 or Bowyterr@isu.edu; or Jericho Whiting, (208) 227-9024 or jwhiting@stoller.com

Antelope Island Study Suggests Game Managers Need to Consider Needs
of Both Sexes When Managing or Introducing Big Game Animals

POCATELLO – Wildlife managers need to almost consider the sexes of big game animals as different species when considering species reintroduction and game management, suggests a study done on bighorn sheep at Antelope Island in Utah’s Great Salt Lake.
The study was completed by Idaho State University and Brigham Young University researchers working in cooperation with the Utah State Parks and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
“With the work we’ve done on this Antelope Island study and previous work I’ve done, it indicates that when considering habitat manipulations and adding water sources you really need to consider sexual segregation and the needs for the different sexes across the range of their habitat,” said Jericho Whiting, a former Idaho State University Ph.D. student who co-authored the study and who now works for S.M. Stoller Corporation.
In the study “Sexual segregation and use of water by bighorn sheep: implications for conservation” published this fall in the journal Animal Conservation, the researchers documented that when female bighorn segregated from male bighorns they spend large periods of time away from their central watering areas on the island.
“During the birthing period the females use rough, rocky outcrops removed from water sources and only use specific water sources in close proximity,” Whiting said. “During the period of segregation the primary distribution of females and males does not overlap.”
This information could have important implications for wildlife managers. Bighorn sheep populations in the Western United States have plummeted in the last 30 years and most attempts to reintroduce these animals have failed.
“First, the study shows that in arid lands, water is the crucial component in persistent dry areas to have a sheep population, although other factors, such as disease, also may be important,” said Terry Bowyer, ISU biological sciences professor and co-author on the study. “No water, no sheep. Water resources are a critical factor when these introductions have been successful. One of the things not considered previously during the translocation of bighorn sheep was that for part of year males and females don’t live together and that females may move to areas with poorer overall water resources compared with what is available on their total range.”

This brings up the notion that in general big game managers need to begin managing the sexes of these mammals as if they are different species.
The other three authors on the study were ISU’s John Kie and V.C. Bleich, and BYU’s J.T. Flinders.
“Antelope Island is such a unique place to complete such a study because the animals can’t leave the island,” Whiting said. “This gave us a clear picture of where the water sources were and provided a unique opportunity to study their behavior.”
###

Sunday, January 23, 2011

ISU Janet C. Anderson Center Seeks Artists for Inclusion in March 2011 Women’s History Month Art Show, “Forgotten Feminisms”

Released by Idaho State University January 21, 2011
Contact: Dr. Rebecca Morrow, Anderson Center Director at (208) 282-2805

ISU Janet C. Anderson Center Seeks Artists for Inclusion
in March 2011 Women’s History Month Art Show, “Forgotten Feminisms”

POCATELLO – The Idaho State University Women’s History Month Committee announces an exhibit, “Forgotten Feminisms: History and Response to Pop Culture,” and is seeking artists for inclusion in the show.
“Forgotten Feminisms” will be on display in the Transition Gallery in the Pond Student Union Building for Women’s History Month, March 2011.
Artists interested in submitting their work are encouraged to read the complete “Call for Artists” found on the Anderson Center’s website www.isu.edu/andersoncenter. The submission deadline is Feb. 1.
The Women’s History Month Committee has included an exhibit as part of the Women’s History Month each year since 2004. Past shows have ranged from the traditional, including antique and contemporary quilts, to the more novel foci, including body art, secrets and fairy tales.
“The idea for this year’s show came directly out of one of our Committee meetings,” said exhibit curator Sammy Gravis, a fine arts major. “We were discussing this year’s Women’s History Month keynote, Andi Zeisler who is coming on March 11, and how her magazine presents ‘feminist response to pop culture,’ except we had mistakenly added a ‘the’ in front of that tagline. This got us talking about how there really isn’t one right feminist response to anything, including a response to pop culture.”
As such, the Women’s History Month Committee welcomes all works in response to its Call for Artists. The goal of the show is to exhibit original, innovative works that teach girls and young women and others about the history of women in pop culture and feminist responses to that subject.
“Forgotten Feminisms” will be free and open to the public with an opening reception held on Monday, March 7, at 7 p.m.
The Anderson Center at Idaho State University serves as the focal point on campus for the consideration of gender issues and is especially guided by the ideal of diversity which allows us to envision a future free of the limitations imposed by our culture’s standard definitions of gender and other categories of difference. The Anderson Center coordinates the Women’s History Month Committee and encourages all interested parties to serve on the Committee.
For more information, contact the Anderson Center at (208)-282-2805.

****

For the Media: If you would like more information about “Forgotten Feminisms,” Women’s History Month or the Anderson Center, please contact Dr. Rebecca Morrow at (208)-282-2805.

Denis DiBlasio Returns to the ISU Jazz Fest!

Denis DiBlasio Returns to the ISU Jazz Fest!

Mark your calendars! Jazz baritone saxophonist and flutist Denis DiBlasio will be performing with the ISU Jazz I Big Band on Saturday evening, February 5th, as part of the 24th Annual ISU Jazz Fest.

DiBlasio’s international reputation as an educator and performer is built upon his many years of experience as a professional musician, including his five years as music director of the Maynard Ferguson Band. His teaching approach of keeping things simple, informative and positive keeps his schedule extremely busy, booking dates sometimes three years in advance. His inspirational connection with young musicians is what makes a DiBlasio clinic so special. Keeping things attainable and fun make up the foundation of his friendly approach. It's what some people have termed 'Edutainment'.

DiBlasio will be working with regional high school jazz bands throughout the day, including groups from Pocatello, Highland, Century, and Blackfoot high schools. He will also be giving a clinic on jazz improvisation at 1 pm. All Jazz Fest events will be held in the Jensen Grand Concert Hall on the ISU campus.

The cost for the evening concert featuring DiBlasio is $8 for adults, $6 for ISU faculty and staff, $4 pre-college students, and free to ISU students. The Jazz Fest daytime events are free and open to the public.

Call or email Patrick Brooks (282-3147, broopatr@isu.edu) for additional information.

Attached pictures:
Denis DiBlasio
ISU Jazz I Big Band


--
Dr. Patrick Brooks
Director of Bands
Mail Stop 8099
Idaho State University
Pocatello, ID 83209
208-282-3147

Charley Jones of Stinker Stores named “Idaho Business Leader of the Year

The Idaho State University College of Business and Alpha Kappa Psi chapter are pleased to congratulate the winner of the 2011 Idaho Business Leader of the Year award.

Charley Jones of Boise, co-owner and president of Stinker Stores and its affiliated companies, is the Idaho Business Leader of the Year (IBLOY) 2011. The award annually recognizes an Idaho business leader who has demonstrated outstanding business and professional ethics and supported community, civic and education activities.

Mr. Jones will receive the award at the showcase event of the Idaho State University Delta Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi in the Stephens Performing Arts Center at Idaho State University on Thursday, March 10th. Alpha Kappa Psi is the professional business fraternity at Idaho State University.

Thanks for your consideration,

--
Ann Swanson, MHA MSG
Director, Center for Business Services
Idaho State University, College of Business
ann.swanson@gmail.com
208-226-4261

Friday, January 21, 2011

Coming Events, Jan. 22-Feb. 5

ISU Coming Events, Jan. 22-Feb. 5
The Idaho State University Office of Marketing and Communications distributes this event calendar to let the public and media know about upcoming non-athletic events at the University. This information is intended for release in print and broadcast events calendars. Various events calendars with more complete information are available online at the website www.isu.edu/calendar. A copy of this release can also be accessed via ISU’s homepage at www.isu.edu. Information about ISU athletic events is available at www.isubengals.com. The area code for all phone numbers is 208 unless otherwise noted. The phone number for Marketing and Communications is 282-3620.

Saturday, Jan. 22
· African Night: This is a night to get a taste of African food, culture and attire. From 5:30-8 p.m. experience a small part of Africa in the Jensen Grand Concert Hall located in the Stephens Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $9 for the public, $8 for ISU faculty and staff, $7 for ISU students, children 5 and under are free. Tickets are available weekdays at the Pond Student Union and Rendezvous Complex or are $1 extra when purchased at the door.

Saturday, Jan. 29
· Chinese Night 2011: Celebrating the Year of the Rabbit, ISU is putting on a night of traditional Chinese fashion shows, Kung Fu demonstrations and a great Chinese dinner. Tickets are $9 for the public, $8 for ISU faculty and staff, $7 for ISU students, children 5 and under are free. The event will be in the Pond Student Union Ballroom from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are on sale now in the PSUB or Rendezvous Complex and are $1 extra when purchased at the door

· BYU Folk Dancers: The event starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Stephens Performing Arts Center’s Jensen Grand Concert Hall. Come watch a concert of dances put on by a talented group of BYU students. With performances from more than a dozen nations, this program has something for everyone. For ticket information, visit www.isu.edu/theatreisu/tickets.shtml or call 282-3595.

Monday, Jan. 31
· Children’s Readers’ Theatre – “Cindy Ellen, A Wild Western Cinderella”: This is an American West retelling of the classic Cinderella story. It will be performed in the Stephen Performing Arts Center’s Beverly B. Bistline Theatre from 7:30 to 8:50 p.m. For ticket information, visit www.isu.edu/theatreisu/tickets.shtml or call 282-3595.
– more –
ISU Calendar, Jan. 2-Feb. 5 continued ISU012111
Saturday, Feb. 5
· Taste of France: The Idaho State University French Club will sponsor its 11th annual Taste of France dinner and entertainment night themed “Life in Pink” in the Pond Student Union Ballroom from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with dinner starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are available in the Pond Student Union main lobby from 11 a.m. to3 p.m. Advanced tickets are $6 for students, $8 for faculty and staff, and $9 for the general public. Tickets purchased at the door will be an addition dollar. For more information or ticket reservation contact Phillip Coats at coatphil@isu.edu, or Valia Tatarova at tatavali@isu.edu. Or call the Language Department at 208-282-3630.

· ISU Jazz Festival: Enjoy a night of music at the ISU Jazz Festival located in the Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the Stephens Performing Arts Center from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. Guest artist, Dennis DiBlasio, will also perform during the concert. This event is free for ISU students or tickets are available at $8 for adults, $6 for ISU faculty and staff and $4 for precollege students. For ticket information call 282-3595.
· ISU National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration: Girls from grades K-6 are invited to participate in ISU’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration from 8–11:30 a.m. The preregistration deadline is Monday, Jan. 31 and costs $10 per girl. On-site registration is $15, but registration is capped at 300 girls. For more information, contact the ISU Department of Sport Science and Physical Education at 282-4852, or Pat Peyton at peytpat@isu.edu.
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One-Day Telemark Ski Clinic At Pebble Creek Jan. 29

Released by Idaho State University January 21, 2011
Contact: ISU Outdoor Adventure Center (208) 282-3912
Written by Kari Rands


One-Day Telemark Ski Clinic At Pebble Creek Jan. 29

POCATELLO –The Idaho State University Outdoor Adventure Center will present a Telemark Ski Clinic at Pebble Creek Ski Area at 9 a.m. Jan. 29.
This one-day event meets at Pebble Creek Lodge. It costs $45, which covers a lift pass and instruction. Participants will need to provide their own skis or they can rent skis at the Outdoor Adventure Rental Center located in the Pond Student Union.
Instruction is focused toward beginners and those who need to refine their turns but anyone is welcome to participate. Registration for the event is taking place at Pebble Creek or the Outdoor Adventure Center. For more information call 282-3912.

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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Idaho State University Professor Studies Self-Identified Vampires; Seeks to Understand Them and How They Are Understood

Released by Idaho State University January 20, 2011
Contact: D.J. Williams, ISU Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice, (208) 282-2170

Idaho State University Professor Studies Self-Identified Vampires;
Seeks to Understand Them and How They Are Understood

POCATELLO – Idaho State University Assistant Professor of social work D.J. Williams is devoted to researching “self-identified vampires” and the vampire sub-culture and educating mainstream culture about them.
“My interests involve how self-identified vampires understand themselves and their practices, and how they are interpreted by others, based on existing social processes and available social discourses,” Williams said. “I am one of the few scholars who has worked directly with the vampire community.”
Williams has published on this topic in peer-reviewed academic journals Leisure Sciences and Leisure/Loisir, and has acted as a consultant for the FBI regarding understanding vampire identities, issues and practices. He has also been approached as an expert for a proposed television documentary on these topics.
“It has taken me a long time to get the trust to work with these self-identified vampires, because they are skeptical about how outsiders will perceive them and they feel that they are easily misunderstood,” said Williams, who has made contact with the vampire subculture in several large urban areas of the United States and Canada.
Williams said as a social scientist he is not concerned with being able to scientifically define or identify those people who consider themselves vampires. Rather, his interest is to study and communicate about this self-identified group. Most large urban areas have a vampire subculture, he said. Self-identified vampires do not believe they are superhuman versions of various myths, according to Williams. Rather, these self-identified vampires are normal human beings who simply identify strongly with any number of traits associated with mythical vampires.
“Mythical vampires are powerful, mysterious and seductive,” Williams said. “Some of their traits are highly valued within the mainstream while other traits are
despised. Mythical vampires reflect a range of attractive and undesirable human characteristics.”
Self-identified vampires say they have different energy needs than other people and that they may be distinguished based on the different sources of energy from which they “feed.”
In the public mind people who identify themselves as vampires may be seen as delusional, violent or dangerous, or identified with criminals such as Jeffrey Dahmer.
“The vampire community denies those things and isn’t associated with violent, dangerous or criminal behaviors,” Williams said. “This community wants to speak out and educate people on what they are and what they are not.”
Extensive demographic research conducted within the international vampire community shows that they vary considerably in ethnicity, religious affiliation,
education, and psychological profile, according to Williams.
“The underlying theme of all this is for people to be more understanding and compassionate,” Williams said. “We may be tempted to dismiss someone for what we identify them with, but these are human beings who have a right to live happily and with self-determination. With vampires and other groups I have worked with, they are at-risk for discrimination, which is based on misinformation. It is important for me to see how they are understood.”
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Idaho State University to Host “Future Student Nights” Jan. 25–Feb. 3 In Boise, Twin Falls, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Falls, Pocatello

Released by Idaho State University January 19, 2011
Contact: ISU recruitment at 208-282-2123.

Idaho State University to Host “Future Student Nights” Jan. 25–Feb. 3
In Boise, Twin Falls, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Falls, Pocatello

POCATELLO – Teens, parents and transfer students are invited to come and learn about Idaho State University’s nationally acclaimed academic programs and educational opportunities at five receptions hosted statewide by ISU recruiters, faculty, staff and administrators.
The first Future Student Night is Jan. 25 in Twin Falls, followed by similar events in Boise, Coeur d’Alene, Pocatello and Idaho Falls on later dates.
“Our goal is to bring ISU to you,” said recruitment specialist Guillermo Raya. “This is a great opportunity to learn about ISU academic programs and extracurricular activities.”
Future Student Nights are free and will run from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. ISU will have representatives from faculty, admissions, financial aid, housing and the scholarship office to visit one-on-one with teens, parents and others interested in attending ISU.
Light refreshments will be served. RSVP to: sites.google.com/a/isu.edu/future-student-night. For more information, contact ISU recruitment at 208-282-2123.
Here’s the Future Student Night schedule:
• Twin Falls, 5:30 p.m ., Tuesday, Jan. 25, at Canyon Crest, 330 Canyon Crest Drive;
• Boise, 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 26, The Grove Hotel, 245 S. Capitol Blvd.;

• Coeur d’Alene, 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 27, Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second St.;

• Pocatello, 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 1, ISU Rendezvous Complex, 1111 Martin Luther King Way; and

• Idaho Falls, 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 3, University Place, Bennion Room, 1784 Science Center Drive.

###

About Idaho State University
Idaho State University, a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution is a leader in a broad range of innovative research, teaching and learning through its six colleges and Division of Health Sciences. With 15,500 students, ISU offers 280 certificate and degree programs, including health care, energy and the environment.

ISU Chinese New Year Night 2011 “Year of the Rabbit” Welcomes Community on Jan. 29

Released by Idaho State University January 19, 2011
Contact: Yao Zhang at zhanyan2@isu.edu or Yixiwang, at wangyixi@isu.edu.

ISU Chinese New Year Night 2011 “Year of the Rabbit”
Welcomes Community on Jan. 29

POCATELLO – The Idaho State University Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) invites the whole community to experience the traditional culture of China at the ISU Chinese New Year Night 2011 on Saturday, Jan. 29.
The annual event will run from 6 to about 8:30 p.m. in the Pond Student Union Ballroom. On the Chinese traditional calendar 2011 is “The Year of the Rabbit.”
The evening will offer a traditional Chinese show and dinner, including a lion dance, Chinese kung fu show, folk dance and modern dance, traditional music and modern music, and games.
The dinner includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Dishes served will include ham-fried rice, pasta chow mian noodles, tomato beef, braised chicken nuggets in brown sauce, house special cabbage (vegetarian), spiced eggs and fried biscuits.
Beginning Jan. 18, tickets will be sold at the Pond Student Union and Rendezvous Complex from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prices for tickets purchased in advance are $7 for ISU students, $8 for ISU faculty and staff, and $9 for the general public. Tickets cost $1 more at the door. Children under age 5 have free admission.
The ISU CSSA welcome friends join us to promote Chinese culture and to strengthen the diversity of the community.
For more information, contact Yao Zhang at zhanyao2@isu.edu or Yixiwang, at wangyixi@isu.edu.
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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Idaho State University Receives Carnegie Foundation High Academic Designation

Released by Idaho State University January 18, 2011
Contact: Mark N. Levine, (208) 282-4407

Idaho State University Receives Carnegie Foundation High Academic Designation

POCATELLO – The Carnegie Foundation announced today its rankings of U.S. colleges and universities and Idaho State University has catapulted to Research University-High status. ISU is only one of 98 institutions in the country in this prestigious group.
This classification is second only to the highest category Research University-Very High, with 108 universities holding this elite designation. Combined, these two research categories represent less than 5 percent of the nation’s 4,663 institutions of higher education.
Every six or seven years, the Foundation assesses all institutions of higher education in the United States and publishes its influential Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education. For many years, ISU has been listed as a DRU, or Doctoral Research University. This classification is one level above Master’s L (Master’s Colleges and Universities), such as Boise State University, and one level below RU-H (Research University-High), such as the University of Idaho.
“The gold standard of university ratings is the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching,” said ISU President Arthur C. Vailas. “The designation of Research University-High is a great distinction for ISU and a real testament to our excellent faculty and staff.
“I am very proud of our faculty,” Vailas continued, “as they have dedicated themselves to research and teaching and the results of that effort have been recognized by the prestigious Carnegie Foundation designation.”
This new distinction has many material consequences for ISU. According to ISU Provost Gary A. Olson, “ISU will enjoy more prestige nationally in the eyes of those in higher education and the state, too, will benefit by being able to boast that it now supports two RU-H institutions.”
Because Carnegie is the standard of university performance and a measure of its competitiveness, attaining this distinction is a sign of ISU’s growing institutional maturity. The university’s new status puts Idaho State University in some very good company. Only about 100 hundred institutions have this designation, including Auburn, Baylor, Boston College, Clemson, Fordham and Kent State universities.

In the West, ISU is in the company of New Mexico State, Utah State, and Northern Arizona universities.
The higher Carnegie designation will also have significant positive ramifications in the area of research as it will make the university more attractive as a partner to industry, and it increases ISU’s ability to negotiate a higher indirect cost rate for grants from the federal government.
“Research University-High status will improve our ability to attract increased externally funded research,” Pamela Crowell, vice president for research, said. “Funding agencies generally tend to have more confidence in grant proposals submitted by faculty from higher ranked institutions.”
Provost Olson added “Our new status not only improves our ability to recruit high-quality faculty, postdocs and graduate students, but it strengthens our justification for increased salary for faculty and staff when funding becomes available. And it also enhances our graduates’ attractiveness to prospective employers and prestigious graduate and professional schools.”

NOTE: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is a research and policy center dedicated to improving education in the United States. It was founded by Andrew Carnegie and chartered in 1906 by an Act of Congress.
##30##

Idaho State University’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration Set Feb. 5 at Reed Gymnasium

Released by Idaho State University January 18, 2011
Contact: Call the ISU Department of Sport Science and Physical Education at 282-4852 or e-mail Tymeron Smith at turktyme@isu.edu, Megan Sanger at sangmega@isu.edu, Emily Klein at kleiemil@isu.edu, or Pat Peyton peytpat@isu.edu, for more information.

Idaho State University’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Celebration Set Feb. 5 at Reed Gymnasium

POCATELLO – The registration period is open for this year’s celebration in recognition of National Girls and Women in Sports Day that is scheduled from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Idaho State University Reed Gymnasium.
“Play, Believe, Achieve!” is the national theme for this year’s day and serves to acknowledge the importance of sport participation for women and girls. This is the 12th year ISU has hosted this event.
Idaho State University’s celebration will include sport and activity clinics for girls grades K-6. Advance registration is $10 per participant on a first-come basis. There is a limit of 300 girls. As of Jan. 18 more than 200 girls had already registered.
The preregistration deadline is Monday, Jan. 31. Check-in and on-site registration will take place beginning at 8 a.m. in the Reed Gym lobby. On-site registration costs $15 per girl, but registration will be capped at 300.
Girls will participate in three different sport/activity clinics, one every hour beginning at 8:45 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Girls will rotate through a different sport/activity every 45 minutes. The sport and activity menu includes options ranging from basketball, volleyball and soccer, to rock climbing, kayaking, fencing, rodeo roping and dance, to name a few. Girls will receive ISU/NGWSD T-shirts.
Registration and consent/waiver forms are available at the ISU College of Education, the Graduate School, Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, and Campus Recreation’s Reed Gym office.
This national day has been proclaimed by Congress each year since 1987, and is honored annually the first week of February. National Girls and Women in Sports Day recognizes the progress of girls and women in sports, and the benefits that sport and fitness activities can bring to the lives of all girls and women.
Organizers anticipate more than 300 girls, grades K-6, will participate in 20 different sport and activity clinics lead by female ISU intercollegiate athletes, physical education majors, fitness/wellness students and instructors, faculty, staff and community members. More than 200 ISU faculty, staff and student volunteers will pool their energy and talents to bring this event to life.

When ISU debuted this event in 1999, about 100 girls participated. Over time, the event has grown and has a much higher visibility profile. This event has been proclaimed Idaho National Girls and Women in Sports Day by the mayors of Pocatello and Chubbuck, as well as statewide by Gov. C.L. Butch Otter.
The event is sponsored by various ISU entities including the Idaho State University Physical Education Major’s Club – SHEPERD’s (Students of Health Education, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance), the College of Education, the Graduate School, the Department of Sport Science and Physical Education, Health and Nutrition Sciences, Campus Recreation and the ISU Athletic Department. Another primary sponsor is the Girl Scouts of the Silver Sage Council.
For more information, contact the ISU Department of Sport Science and Physical Education at 282-4852, or e-mail Cynthia Pemberton at pembcynt@isu.edu, or Pat Peyton at peytpat@isu.edu.
More information is also available on the group’s ISU National Girls and Women in Sports Day Facebook site, http://www.facebook.com/idahostateu?ref=ts#!/pages/ISU-National-Girls-and-Women-in-Sports-Day/189249457232.
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ISU WeLEAD to Sponsor Research Poster Presentations Of Female STEM Faculty and Students

Released by Idaho State University January 18, 2011
Contact: ISU WeLEAD, 282-2618

ISU WeLEAD to Sponsor Research Poster Presentations
Of Female STEM Faculty and Students


POCATELLO – The Idaho State University WeLEAD (Women empowered to Learn, Educate, Advance and Develop) Project will present the fifth annual WeLEAD Research Symposium from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27, in the A, B and C Suites of the Rendezvous Complex.
The event will feature poster sessions presenting the work of ISU female faculty and students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields.
For more information on the symposium, call (208) 282-2618.
For more information on ISU WeLEAD, visit www.isu.edu/departments/welead/.
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Theatre/Dance ISU to Present Children’s Readers’ Theatre “Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella” on Jan. 31

Released by Idaho State University January 18, 2011
Contact: Erin Joy, Box Officer Manager, (208) 282-6452

Theatre/Dance ISU to Present Children’s Readers’ Theatre
“Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella” on Jan. 31



POCATELLO – Theatre/Dance ISU is back and ready to kick off the New Year with a great show for the whole family when it presents “Cindy Ellen: A Wild Western Cinderella” at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31, in the Beverly B. Bistline Thrust Theatre in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center.
This children’s readers’ theatre is a retelling of the classic story of Cinderella set in the “wild west.”
The reader’s theatre features a hardworking ranch hand who isn’t about to miss the biggest event in town, the rodeo. Theatre-goers will see if Cindy Ellen makes it to the rodeo on time, and will her prince charming, err, rodeo champion, find her lost diamond spur before the clock strikes midnight.
Tickets are available now at the Stephens Performing Arts Center Box Office, or by phone at 282-3595. Tickets can be ordered online at www.isu.edu/tickets. Kids tickets are $5 and adult tickets are $10.
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MEDIA ADVISORY/NEWS TIP January 17, 2011 Idaho State University to Announce New Academic Designation on Jan. 18

MEDIA ADVISORY/NEWS TIP
January 17, 2011

Idaho State University to Announce
New Academic Designation on Jan. 18

What: Idaho State University President Arthur Vailas and senior ISU administrators will have a major announcement regarding the University’s new academic designation the raises the profile of the University nationally.

When/Where: A press conference will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18, in the large conference room in the ISU Office of the President.

Additional Information: Mark Levine, director, ISU Office of Marketing and Communications, (208) 282-3260.
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Friday, January 14, 2011

Idaho State University to Announce New Academic Designation on Jan. 18

MEDIA ADVISORY/NEWS TIP
January 14, 2011

Idaho State University to Announce
New Academic Designation on Jan. 18

What: Idaho State University President Arthur Vailas and senior ISU administrators will have a major announcement regarding the University’s new academic designation the raises the profile of the University nationally.

When/Where: A press conference will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18, in the large conference room in the ISU Office of the President.

Additional Information: Mark Levine, director, ISU Office of Marketing and Communications, (208) 282-3260.
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Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Wellness Center & Sports Complex Taking Shape, Construction Could Begin by 2013

Released by Idaho State University and Shoshone-Bannock Tribes January 14, 2011
Contact: Laverne Beech, (208) 589-8595, or Neill Piland, (208) 282-5021

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Wellness Center & Sports Complex
Taking Shape, Construction Could Begin by 2013

FORT HALL – The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Wellness Center & Sports Complex is coming closer to becoming a reality. Construction could begin as early as 2013.
The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, with collaboration from the Idaho State University’s Institute of Rural Health, have committed resources and staff to construct a fully-integrated, centrally-located community center at Fort Hall focused on health and wellness.
“This will be an incredible facility, designed to bring the Shoshone-Bannock community together through sporting events, fitness activities and educational classes for the common goal of wellness,” said Nathan Small, chairman of the Fort Hall Business Council.
As envisioned, the facility would feature a swimming pool, basketball courts, fitness rooms, craft rooms, meeting rooms, diabetes diagnostic and treatment equipment, a kitchen and a variety of outdoor facilities including a softball field, baseball field, picnic shelters, hiking and jogging trails, a skate park and an outdoor gathering area.
Tribal leaders have discussed building a new center to replace and expand Timbee Hall, the current recreation center at Fort Hall, for at least a decade. In August 2009, the tribes commissioned Idaho State University’s Institute of Rural Health to do an assessment of the health needs of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and to offer recommendations on how to best address those needs.
“There have been numerous studies conducted here that ask community members what they want to see on the reservation,” said Angela Mendez, director of the tribes’ Health and Human Services Department. “Consistently, we have heard from people that they want a place where they can exercise and socialize. There is a great need for a wellness center here and that’s why we’ve pushed it forward.”
Since the completion of the ISU study, the tribes have made great strides toward the creation of the center, which will cost upwards of $25 million. The tribes have allocated $2.18 million to create a business plan, capitalization-fundraising plan and to cover the costs of an environmental assessment on the proposed site just west of the Fort Hall Casino. A wellness center board has also been created and seven newly-elected board members will oversee the project.
“A year ago, the center was just a concept, but we’ve made a lot of concrete progress towards its completion,” said Alonzo Coby, project manager for the Wellness Center. “Mainly, we now have a Wellness Board committed to getting the center built.”

The project has gained the support of tribal members.
“My feedback from tribal members is phenomenal and it has changed a lot in the last year,” said Alice Kane, tribal wellness center coordinator. “There was a lot of apprehension when it first started, but people are now excited and looking forward to it, and wanting to know more and how to help.”
The facility is envisioned as being much more than a recreational facility and will offer classes on diabetes, alcohol and substance abuse, and other health issues. It will also offer cultural classes and classes for seniors, offices for health educators and a storefront police station. There will be rooms for private and community functions, from hosting banquets to meetings.

Its overall purpose is to “educate and promote the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being of community by providing culturally relevant wellness services to all,” according to Coby.

To fund the center, the tribes are currently identifying grants and developing a fund raising campaign to help build the facility, as well as considering the sale of fitness memberships to offset costs.

The decision to build the center was largely based on information presented by Neill Piland, director of the ISU Institute of Rural Health, who completed the project’s feasibility study and currently serves on the wellness center board. The study provided hard data on the health of tribal members and shared best practices for improving a community’s wellness.
“The health problems on the reservation, many of them behavioral health problems, mirror what is going on with the general populations, with increases in diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and coronary and heart disease,” Piland said. “However, spending on health care on the reservation is less than half of what we spend on the surrounding general population on a per capita basis.”
Since the reservation was established, the tribes have relied primarily on the federal Indian Health Services for the provision of health care services to tribal members, said Laverne Beech, tribal public affairs manager. With limited funding, IHS dollars go more toward treatment rather than prevention.
“In more recent years, the focus has shifted to disease prevention, but funding still falls far short. The feasibility study results have provided the hard data for the tribal leaders to say, ‘This facility will save lives. We need it’,” she said.
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Annual Idaho State University Art Faculty Exhibition Runs through Jan. 28 at Davis Gallery

Released by Idaho State University January 13, 2011
Contact: Amy Jo Popa, (208) 282-3341

Annual Idaho State University Art Faculty Exhibition
Runs through Jan. 28 at Davis Gallery

POCATELLO – The Idaho State University annual Art Faculty Exhibition will continue through Jan. 28 at the John B. Davis Gallery in the Fine Arts Building.
This event is free and open to the public.
It includes ISU faculty work by Rudy Kovacs, Scott Evans, Linda Leeuwrik, Anthony Martin, Amy Jo Popa, Doug Warnock and Angie Zielinski.
Adjunct faculty members showing work are Ryan Babcock, Lou Christofferson, Jim Jenkins, Lynne Parker and Lou Pirro.
The Davis Gallery hours are Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information regarding the gallery, contact Amy Jo Popa, Davis Gallery director at 282-3341.
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Idaho State University Taste of France Set Feb. 5 in Pond Student Union Ballroom

Released by Idaho State University January 12, 2010
Contact: Phillip Coats at coatphil@isu.eud or Valia Tatarova at tatavali@isu.edu or (208) 282-3630

Idaho State University Taste of France
Set Feb. 5 in Pond Student Union Ballroom

POCATELLO – The Idaho State University French Club will sponsor its 11th annual Taste of France dinner and entertainment night on the theme “Life in Pink” on Saturday, Feb. 5, in the ISU Pond Student Union Ballroom.
The French Club will serve an authentic French meal. Dinner will include beef burgundy, vegetable stew, green salad, French bread, French cheese and chocolate mousse.
Entertainment for the evening will include a slide show with pictures from the most famous areas of France, French music, skits, a fashion show and door prizes.
Tickets will be on sale starting Jan. 20, in the Pond Student Union main lobby from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Prices for tickets purchased in advance are $6 for students with valid Bengal ID cards, $8 for ISU faculty and staff and $9 for the general public. All tickets purchased the night of the event cost $1 more.
For more information or ticket reservation, contact Phillip Coats at coatphil@isu.edu, Valia Tatarova at tatavali@isu.edu or the ISU Department of Languages and Literatures at (208) 282-3620.
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Monday, January 10, 2011

Africa Night 2011 Welcomes Community Jan. 22 to ISU Stephens Performing Arts Center

Released by Idaho State University January 7, 2011
Contact: Winnie Kimeu, kimewinf@isu.edu

ISU Africa Night 2011 Welcomes Community Jan. 22
At Stephens Performing Arts Center

Pocatello – The Idaho State University African Student Association invites the whole community to experience the beautiful and exuberant culture of Africa at ISU Africa Night 2011 Jan. 22 in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center.
Dinner will be served in the Barbara J. Marshall Rotunda and entertainment will be performed in the Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Performing Arts Center. In previous years this event that attracts hundreds was held in the Pond Student Union Ballroom.
“This promises to be the biggest and best Africa Night ever, and we think our patrons, both old and new, will enjoy the dinner and festivities in the elegance and grandeur of the Stephens Performing Arts Center,” said Winnie Kimeu, president of the African Student Association. “This year we have added more performances, including singing and additional dances, and we are auctioning and giving away traditional presents.”
The annual event will run from 5:30 to about 8:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “WAKA, WAKA, Around Africa in Two Hours” and it will showcase the rich traditional and contemporary culture of Africa.
The evening will offer a traditional African dinner, a fashion show, a flag show, traditional and contemporary African dancers, singing, cultural skits, poetry, vendors, an auction, a raffle, door prizes and African batik and jewelry for sale.
The seven-course dinner menu consists of peanut butter soup from Ghana, pof pof (fried bread) from Cameroon, mokimo (a potato/vegetable dish) from Kenya, doro wat (chicken in red pepper paste) from Eritrea, injera (a flatbread) from Eritrea, beef stew from Ghana and, likely, palm kernel soup from Nigeria.
Beginning Jan. 10, tickets will be sold weekdays at the Pond Student Union and Rendezvous Complex from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Prices for tickets purchased in advance are $7 for ISU students, $8 for ISU faculty and staff, and $9 for the general public. Tickets cost $1 more at the door. Children under age 5 have free admission.
The African Students Association is a group of students from Africa and the United States who work to promote awareness of the realities in Africa and to strengthen the diversity of the ISU community.
For more information, contact Kimeu at kimewinf@isu.edu.
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Wednesday, January 5, 2011

January 17 March at Idaho State University to Honor Memory Of Martin Luther King Jr.

Released by Idaho State University January 5, 2011
Contact: Kay Flowers, Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action and Diversity Office, at 282-3964 or rogekay@isu.edu

January 17 March at Idaho State University to Honor Memory
Of Martin Luther King Jr.

POCATELLO – Idaho State University will host a Martin Luther King Jr. March at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 17 on the ISU campus.
Marchers will assemble at the northeast corner of Holt Arena and journey to the Pond Student Union, where a program will be held in the Bengal Theater. A bus provided by ISU Transportation Services will transport individuals wishing to participate but unable to march. The bus will provide transportation back to Holt Arena after the program for individuals who participated in the march.
The program in the Pond Student Union Bengal Theater, scheduled to start around 2 p.m., will include a keynote address by Jason Wright, ISU graduate student. Various student-organization leaders will make presentations, and there will be an audio presentation of one of Dr. King’s writings. James Fletcher, vice president of Finance and Administration, will present the welcoming address, and James Burnett, assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice will deliver closing remarks.
The march route will travel from the northeast corner of Holt Arena to Bonneville Street, where it will turn west to Memorial Way, then south on Memorial Way to Martin Luther King Jr. Way, then west to Caesar Chavez Way where it will head south to the Pond student Union.
The march is sponsored by the following ISU entities: Finance and Administration, Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action and Diversity, Diversity Center, Multicultural Committee, Department of Sociology and the Union Program Council.
For more information, contact the EO/AA and Diversity Office at 282-3964 or rogekay@isu.edu.
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Harlem Gospel Choir to Perform Jan. 19 at Idaho State University

Released by Idaho State University January 5, 2011
Contact: George Casper, (208) 282-3398


Harlem Gospel Choir to Perform Jan. 19 at Idaho State University

As Part of “A Season of Note”



POCATELLO – The Idaho State University a “Season of Note” series will present the Harlem Gospel Choir at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 in the Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center.
The Harlem Gospel Choir is one of the most famous gospel choirs in America today. It travels the globe, sharing its joy of faith through its music and raising funds for children’s charities. In this new era of hope and change, the Choir’s voices reflect the renaissance of Harlem’s culture. Their songs of hope and inspiration will touch the depths of your soul and lift your spirit. More than just a style of gospel, the Harlem Gospel Choir is the original “real deal” straight from New York.
For more information on the choir visit www.harlemgospelchoir.com.

Ticket prices are $26 main level, $22 upper level and can be purchased at the Stephens Performing Arts Center Box Office, open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays during the school year. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone at (208) 282-3595 or online at www.isu.edu/tickets or at Vickers Stores in Idaho Falls and Pocatello.
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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Eliminating Sagebrush on Arid, Semi-Arid Western Rangeland Increases Risk of Invasive Weed Invasion, Suggests Idaho State University Studies

Released by Idaho State University January 3, 2011
Contact: Matt Germino, (208) 282-5680 or germmatt@isu.edu

Eliminating Sagebrush on Arid, Semi-Arid Western Rangeland
Increases Risk of Invasive Weed Invasion, Suggests Idaho State University Studies

POCATELLO – Goodbye sagebrush, hello to a lot more weeds?
Recent peer-reviewed papers published by Idaho State University researchers document that when sagebrush is removed from Northern Rocky Mountain areas, exotic weeds move in. The study the papers are written about occurred near Barton Road in Pocatello.
“This is something land managers and ranchers may want to keep in mind,” said Matt Germino, ISU associate professor of biological sciences. “Historically, sagebrush has been eradicated from rangeland and it still is through wildfire, some management actions and other uses. Sagebrush can be thought of as a ‘foundation plant species’ that can sculpt the plant, animal, and microbial life around itself in many areas of the West, and its disappearance from the landscape has repercussions.”
In a study “Exotic plants increase and native plants decrease with loss of foundation species in sagebrush steppe” published in the journal Plant Ecology, ISU faculty researchers Germino, Nancy Huntly and Richard Inouye, and graduate student Janet Prevéy concluded that the removal of sagebrush facilitates invasion of exotic plants, and that increased soil water is one of the causes.
“The Plant Ecology paper reports on how the whole plant community responded to the treatments, with the expected result that the weeds increase upon sagebrush removal, and the surprise that native wildflower species were lost,” Germino said. “This is surprising because sagebrush removals are traditionally done to relieve native herbs from competition with sagebrush, which improves the value of a site for livestock.”
In this study the researchers compared undisturbed sagebrush steppe, areas with sagebrush removed and areas where sagebrush was removed where “rainout” shelters were built that blocked out winter-spring recharge of soil water. Overall, weeds were scarce in untreated plots having native plants intact, and were three to four more times abundant in areas with the sagebrush removed. The weeds did not become nearly as abundant in areas that had the removal and the shelters.
“Our finding suggest that sagebrush plays an important role in reducing invasions by exotic plants and maintaining native plant communities, in the cold desert we evaluated,” said the authors in this paper.
In related effort, Prevéy published a study in the journal Ecological Applications that showed that removing sagebrush increases certain types of exotic, noxious shrubs that can tap deeper water in the water table
“This study further showed that when sagebrush is removed that there was not much increase at all in the desirable species like bunchgrasses, and both papers show that most of the plant community response to sagebrush removal is basically increases in exotic weeds like cheatgrass and tap-rooted forbs,” Germino said.
This second paper furthermore did some detailed modeling of the exotic plant populations that revealed that their populations are not sustainable and would shrink over time unless sagebrush was removed.
“We also used rainout shelters in the experiment to block the winter recharge of deep soil water that sagebrush uses, and there were fewer exotic tap-rooted forbs in that case,” Germino added. “This shows that sagebrush has some unique properties compared to other natives that can protect sites from exotic weeds. Practices like burning or chaining of large tracts of sagebrush may have benefited herb production and diversity at one point in history, but the prevalence of weeds in areas like Pocatello is complicating the outcome of these types of treatments.”
Sagebrush plants have deep roots that can go deeper into the soil to tap water than grasses and wildflowers can. When sagebrush is removed, invasive species that can tap the deeper water move in.
“The results of this study argue that management of invasive plants should focus not only on removal of nonnatives but also on reestablishment of important native species,” stated the authors of the study.
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Researchers, Land Managers Battle the Bromus Gang throughout the West

Released by Idaho State University January 3, 2011
Contact: Matt Germino, (208) 282-5680 or germmatt@isu.edu

Researchers, Land Managers Battle the Bromus Gang throughout the West;
Coordinated, Multi-Agency Effort Needed to Understand Corralling this Beast

POCATELLO – A posse of sorts comprised of western researchers and land managers, with Idaho State University serving more or less like a sheriff, is gathering information on the beastly gang of Bromus grasses - invaders from Eurasia who are terrorizing the land here in Idaho and throughout the American West.
Idaho State University associate professor Matt Germino is the lead on a $200,000 grant to form the Bromus Research, Education, and Extension Network (REE NET) project, a working group in the Great Basin Research and Management Partnership, which has 27 core participants at universities and agencies in Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Washington, California, Oregon and Massachusetts. This group collects data and advises land managers about Bromus, a family of plants that includes species commonly known as cheatgrass, which are exotic, invasive weeds.
“I believe Bromus REE NET is tackling core shortcomings of our efforts to deal with one of the worst invasive species and one of the most pressing environmental issues of our vast landscape throughout the region,” Germino said.
Although only standing2-feet tall at its highest, this Old World invader’s presence has devastating and diverse impacts that need closer monitoring on a broader scale. Hikers, hunters and other outdoor lovers are familiar with some of the mildest forms of this invasive weed’s impacts when it leaves its fruits in the form of stickers in their socks and dogs’ ears.
Many people are familiar with the ease in which cheatgrass spreads. Large stands of native sagebrush and grasslands in arid and semi-arid areas of the western United States have been replaced by millions of acres of cheatgrass. In areas with sagebrush and native plants still intact, cheatgrass is still often present.
Dramatically altering the landscape and its ecology, some of Bromus’s biggest impacts are its effect on wildfires.
“Cheatgrass has altered the fire frequency,” Germino said. “We have more and larger rangeland wildfires because of cheatgrass.”
The secondary impacts of these fires is immense – Idaho State University researchers have documented that in a wildfire area that was dominated by cheatgrass, there was up to five inches of top soil lost in the first year following the fire. The desert dust from wildfires on Idaho’s Snake River Plain has been found tainting the glaciers at the upper elevations of the Teton Range in Wyoming, which in turn has accelerated the melting of the snowpack resulting in less high-mountain water storage. Impacts such as these, too name a few, are occurring throughout the West, affecting everything from grazing practices to the restoration of endangered species.
“The big question is what do we need to do help the ecosystem sustain its values – from protecting native plant species and wildlife, to providing forage for livestock – in the face of the spread of cheatgrass and other Bromus species,” Germino said.
“This is more than a biological problem and is a socioeconomic problem that affects private and public lands, ranchers and recreationists, and rural and wild places,” Germino added. “Dealing with cheatgrass is interdisciplinary in nature because of the invasive weeds’ wide distribution and impacts.”
This is where Bromus REE NET plays a role. It is designed to foster communication among many of the Bromus specialists in the western United States, leading to ideas for transformative research and the extension of that understanding to controlling exotic cheatgrasses in semiarid rangelands.
In its second year, this group aims to produce white papers, which are authoritative reports and guides, oriented towards advising land managers or federal agencies on specific actions to take to address the Bromus problem.
The group has held conferences in several states, and has created http://greatbasin.wr.usgs.gov/GBRMP/BromusREENET.html, a website and database. Its members are proposing a $4 million grant to further their efforts of managing this invasive species.
“We are not only looking at current problems and what happened in the past, but we’re also trying to determine what effects Bromus will have in the future,” Germino said. “We want to identify the socioeconomic and biological tipping points and identify emerging problems, and help make decisions and develop treatment plans to prioritize and address problems, integrating our efforts.”
The challenges are many, as researchers try to take in account everything from the effects of climate change with either warmer and wetter, or warmer and dryer weather in some areas.
“We’ve had cheatgrass diebacks in some areas already that can possibly be attributed to climate change,” Germino said. “What comes next for those sites?”
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