The City of Eugene is in the midst of its redevelopment project for the Downtown Riverfront Park. Now in the project’s second phase, the Riverfront Plaza is undergoing construction that expects to provide housing in a new neighborhood and a connection between downtown Eugene and the Willamette River. 

Eugene Principal Landscape Architect Emily Proudfoot said the plaza’s construction will cost a little over $5 million, with the cost of the overall park development sitting at around $9 million. Most of the funding for construction is drawn from a $5 million grant from the Oregon State Legislature in July 2021, which was passed to close the funding gap for the plaza construction. 

“We’re extraordinarily grateful to the state of Oregon, our legislators and senators who helped pass legislation to fund this project,” Proudfoot said. “It’s a huge benefit to our community and the entire riverfront project is really a civic elevation for our community.”

Brown Contracting, the company that completed the first phase of the Riverfront Park redevelopment plan, was selected again as the general contractor for the Downtown Riverfront Plaza project. 

So far, the construction has largely been underground work, installing pipes and connecting electrical utilities among other fixtures. Proudfoot said there will be ongoing construction on the redevelopment site and buildings will likely continue to go up for the next five to seven years.

Developers from the Atkins Dame group are concurrently working on the vertical development of neighborhoods, multi-family housing and restaurants next to the plaza. They plan to guide the development of six residential buildings for the new River District neighborhood in the Downtown Riverfront. 

Irene Alltucker is the vice president of real estate at Obie Companies, which owns the Fifth Street Public Market that is located half a mile from Riverfront Park. Alltucker said that downtown Eugene’s reconnection with the Willamette River makes it more pedestrian and bike friendly to walk along the path, and will be a wonderful addition to the city. 

“I think the proximity to the plaza makes it a great place for people to come to the Fifth Street Market and enjoy the many businesses that are here, and be able to walk and explore the many boutiques that we have,” Alltucker said. 

Throughout the park’s design process, the city has been working with the Walker Macy landscape architecture firm to help design and plan details to the Riverfront Park since 2017. Proudfoot said that the firm created a variety of experiences of feelings along the river through their designs.

She said that the plaza’s design is a great addition to welcome more people and families to the Riverfront. Proudfoot added that Walker Macy’s designs for the plaza have provided “this really beautiful setting” and more access to the river. 

“They’re so great to work with and their design vision is exceptional,” Proudfoot said. “I think they’ve done a fantastic job of really listening to the community about what they want along the river, and how it should feel and look.”

The one-acre plaza is planned to consist of a children’s playground area, an open space for events or activities, a tree grove, a “spray play” area, a grassy mountain for movie nights or events and more. 

Proudfoot said the city has had a long-time vision of reconnecting downtown to the river “because it’s such a beautiful resource in our community,” and that vision is slowly coming to fruition through this project.

“We love the connection and we look forward to having that connection to the riverfront, and we’re just very pleased with that,” Alltucker said. “I know already that our businesses are doing wonderful here [at the Fifth Street Public Market] as a result of it.”

Proudfoot said the Downtown Riverfront Plaza is expected to complete construction by June 2025 and become fully open to the public. She expects more vertical elements of the project to come up during the winter and to stay tuned with updates on the construction.

“[The river] is much more apparent these days and it’s much easier to get to the river from downtown Eugene,” Proudfoot said. “We’re really excited about how that connection has been made, and we look forward to a lot more people visiting the Riverfront.”

The M.D. Anderson library on Sept. 6, 2024. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

When the fall semester began in August, returning students noticed a change in the M.D. Anderson Library: half of the left-side computer lab on the first floor is now empty due to ongoing renovations.

“This space is being refreshed – new furniture is coming soon,” said a notice on the walls in front of the empty area when entering the lab.

The renovation has affected many students who usually study in the lab, as they must now find an available seat or computer before demands increase.

If they can’t find a spot, they resort to sitting on the floor or standing by corner tables in the empty area.

Another option is to go to the upper floors or use the adjacent lab, but a lot of students struggle to find seat availability later in the day.

“I can never depend on finding any seating on the first, second or third floor,” said strategic communications junior Mariah Torres. “I usually end up going to the sixth floor, because most of the time no one is there and I can easily find a seat.”

However, Torres mentioned that she has to be more mindful of noise levels on the sixth floor, as the study rooms there aren’t as enclosed as those on the lower floors.

This can limit students’ ability to discuss assignments or participate in virtual classes, but seating is almost always available.

“It’s a quiet floor so I have to be extra careful of how loud I am,” Torres said.

Many students prefer the library as a common study place because of its availability of computers, printers and its quiet environment.

Currently, what’s left in the computer lab are the same computers, relocated to the remaining half of the lab, a reduced Bring Your Own Device section, now down by three-fourths, three printer stations and study rooms.

The Bring Your Own Device area, where students bring their laptops and use the optional monitors, fills up much more quickly due to its smaller size. 

Many students rely on the campus’ computers to study, and by noon, all the computers in the computer lab are typically occupied.

This forces students to either borrow a laptop or search for a computer somewhere else on campus.

Students have high expectations for the remodel and hope for a better study area with proper seating again.

“I don’t mind the remodeling in the beginning of the semester, but I wish they gave us more chairs in the meantime,” said computer science sophomore Tommy Truong.

Truong usually studies in quiet and less crowded places like the Student Center. At the library, he chose to sit in the empty area to study with his studying partner.

“I hope there are more chairs and tables available, even if they don’t include computers,” Truong said. “I just want more places to sit.”

Fortunately, there is clarity regarding the purpose behind the remodel.

According to UH Libraries Interim Dean Christina H. Gola, the renovation aims to better accommodate student needs, as usage data indicated that computer usage levels did not meet the average demand.

“UH Libraries usage data showed that the computer labs located on the first floor of MD Anderson Library were not being utilized to its capacity,” Gola said. “As part of our regular computer upgrade cycle, we consolidated computers and printing to a capacity that aligned with usage levels.” 

This consolidation will allow improved support, by adding a computer lab support desk within sight of all computers and printers, Gola said. 

The new academic year introduced a record-breaking class of new freshmen of about 6,200 students.

The remodeling process will meet the higher demands by adding more computers, seats and furniture for studying.

“Our refresh of the first floor will add new seating options for students and we will gather further feedback on their preferences to inform future updates,” Gola said. “We want our spaces to continue to evolve with student needs and preferences.”

Remodeling has been widespread across campus this year, with projects including the protective measures at Agnes Arnold Hall, the renovation of the UH Entrance 14 driveway near Cullen Boulevard and updates at the Rec Center. 

Administration expects the library renovations to be done by the end of September.

news@thedailycougar.com

—
“Another UH renovation: MD Anderson Library computer lab remodeling” was originally posted on The Cougar

For the 17th annual Jack Gravlee Lecture, the department of communication studies at Colorado State University hosted Casey Kelly, a professor of rhetoric and public culture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, whose research tackles the cultural and political rhetoric of the U.S. far right along with the presence of white nationalism in television, film and digital culture.

Kelly’s lecture, “From Keyboard Warriors to Street-Fighting Men: Fitness, Active Clubs, and the New Rhetoric of White Nationalism,” explored the evolving tactics and rhetoric of white nationalist movements.

“My hypothesis is that the far right, particularly the digital far right, is preoccupied with bodies,” Kelly said. “What I mean by that is strong bodies, weak bodies or ambiguously gendered bodies. The body represents an ultimate signifier of social difference — a material item that can be held up as evidence of innate natural differences between races, sexes, genders and so forth.”

Kelly said this extreme far-right ideology, which differs from traditional conservatism, has a target demographic of young white men. Strength, muscularity and fitness are leveraged to attract men into groups with underlying currents of white nationalism and neo-Nazi ideals that promote ideas of innate racial and sexual differences.

“Why are muscles signs of dominance? Why is weightlifting in nationalist politics? I believe that articulation is an interesting way of talking about that.” –Casey Kelly, UNL rhetoric and public culture professor

Elizabeth Williams, chair of the CSU department of communication studies, conveyed the value of exposure to extreme perspectives to better understand the compositional strategies and rhetorical implications behind them. 

“Tonight’s lecture highlighted for students how online propaganda works and explored the strategies the far right is using to attract young men to their ideologies,” Williams said. “Understanding the rhetorical tools groups use to influence and attract individuals allows students to be more critical of the messages they receive. In a time marked by divisive, extreme rhetoric, the ability to recognize and critique rhetorical strategies is of utmost importance.”

A key point of reference in Kelly’s research is the presence of alt-right mixed martial arts gyms — or active clubs — to recruit white men into the nationalist movement. These gyms intend to emulate Spartan warrior society through combat sports, street fighting and intense fitness regiments and diets that seek to encourage a body that represents a political imperative of self-mastery, masculine supremacy and militarism.

“Alt-right fight clubs are reliant on the rhetoric, aesthetic and fantasy structure of the street fighting man as the ideal subject of white nationalism,” Kelly said. “Active club videos feature texts about resisting degeneracy and embracing pain, but they primarily engage in a visual type of storytelling that illustrates the process by which an individual body becomes hardened, capacitated and then assimilated into the larger white national body.”

These fast-moving videos juxtapose fitness and martial arts with images of white supremacist symbols, flexed muscles, clenched fists and scars and bruising, typically with a score of hardcore metal or hip-hop to encourage the viewer to get up and be active. 

The Active Club Network is used as a form of propaganda for movements such as the Rise Above Movement, which promotes these MMA gyms as hubs for young white men looking for community and comradery.

Court Fallon, a third-year Ph.D. student in the department of communication studies who attended the lecture, said research into far-right rhetoric is continuing to evolve as the field grows.

“Dr. Kelly is a very prominent scholar in our field — I’ve read his work before and in my research in the past, (and) it’s been super helpful (for) understanding how this far-right rhetoric has been shifting over time,” Fallon said. “As someone who is going into rhetoric, I just had so many different questions that I was thinking of as he was talking. It really helped me think about some possibilities in terms of rhetoric research and how he is talking about things that are very real — it’s happening right now.”

Far-right ideology is a progressing field of study. Kelly said by studying the underlying principles and methods of communication, he hopes to better understand the motivation behind such ideologies.

“Why are muscles signs of dominance?” Kelly said. “Why is weightlifting in nationalist politics? I believe that articulation is an interesting way of talking about that. When I’m talking about rhetoric, I’m thinking about it in semiotic terms of how symbols and signifiers are mobilized in order to organize a political movement.”

Reach Claire VanDeventer at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.

This article was originally published in the Welcome Home print issue of The Daily Utah Chronicle, originally in stands on August 25, 2024. It has not been updated and some information may be out of date.

The University of Utah has long been committed to ensuring the protection of its students and their belongings, but despite the concerted efforts of university officials, theft remains a significant issue on campus.

Campus Theft

According to the university’s public safety dashboard, 84,100 dispatch calls were made related to crime in the past year, and law enforcement made a total of 395 arrests. This resulted in 215 cases being opened related to theft. As of Aug. 1, 2024, general theft topped the list with 144 cases, followed by 62 cases of bicycle theft and nine cases of motor vehicle theft.

These figures do not account for any unreported incidents, suggesting the actual quantities could be higher. There is currently no method available to accurately determine the exact amounts.        

Sean Grube, associate vice president of Housing and Residential Education at the U, said most of these cases are “theft of convenience.”

Grube said the stolen items in these occurrences are typically possessions individuals left unattended in public areas, such as bicycles, clothing and devices.

An examination of the public safety dashboard’s heat map indicates the majority of these cases happened near Kahlert Village and the University Hospital. Kahlert Village is a residential building that opened in August 2020. It contains multiple classrooms and houses over 1,400 first-year students.

Theft also occurred near main and upper campus. Main campus consists of the A. Ray Olpin Student Union, the Marriott Library and department buildings. Upper campus comprises several residential buildings, including Benchmark Plaza, Chapel Glen, Gateway Heights, Sage Point and Shoreline Ridge.

According to U Police Captain Brian Lohrke, campus theft significantly affects students, but it also extends beyond just them. Lohrke said individuals who are not associated with the university are often involved in some of these cases.

As a state-owned university, the U permits public access to certain parts of campus. Individuals can enter various buildings within designated timeframes, with the exception of residential spaces.

Lohrke said many of the locations open to the public, such as the University Hospital, also see incidents of theft. He added that when students are not on campus, much of the University Police Department’s attention is diverted to these places.

“A good portion of the people we interact with are not students,” Lohrke said.

He said individuals unaffiliated with the university are frequently the perpetrators of theft but are also occasionally the victims.    

Security Measures

According to Grube and Lohrke, the U has implemented a comprehensive array of security measures aimed at safeguarding the possessions of its students. Lohrke cited surveillance cameras in the residential buildings on campus as particularly useful devices in detecting suspicious behavior and reducing the frequency of theft.

“That’s one of the big benefits that we have on campus … a lot of camera access … we can start pinpointing times and going back in and looking at recordings, and seeing if we can find anything that will help our investigation,” Lohrke said.

Along with surveillance cameras, Grube listed electronic locks as another valuable tool in preventing theft. He described the extensive locking system that utilizes students’ U cards to ensure intruders do not enter residential buildings.  

“Our security standard is essentially three taps before you get into your room … what that means is … a tap at the front door … a tap to get to the elevator bank and then a tap to get up on the floor,” Grube said.   

In addition to these forms of security, Lohrke said the U has prioritized education as a crucial aspect in protecting the belongings of its students. He explained that officers go around campus and teach students about various ways to stop theft, including how to properly secure a bike and register it with Commuter Services. These officers are called Community Oriented Policing Officers.

“We try to put forth a lot of education out front, so then we don’t have to worry about the enforcement and the investigation in the back end,” Lohrke said.

Lohrke suggested students use heavy-duty U locks rather than soft cable locks, which can be easily broken.

“That [using U-locks] has been a big deterrent,” Lohrke said. “It makes it very difficult to steal a bike.”

Although the U has multiple security measures in place, Grube said some of the responsibility is on students as well. He explained the importance of direct communication with university officials to prevent theft, citing the “if you see something … say something” campaign as an ideal example of effective collaboration. The campaign encourages individuals who observe suspicious conduct on campus to contact the appropriate university officials. 

“That’s something we want to know and follow up on,” Grube said, when asked about potential intruders in residential buildings.   

University Protocol 

According to Lohrke, when someone reports an incident of theft, UPD follows a specific procedure to gather as much information about the event as possible.

“Usually what happens is a call comes into our dispatch center. We dispatch an officer or two, depending on the type of crime and what’s going on,” Lohrke said. “We send them out to go talk to the person, preferably in the area where the item was stolen, and we collect basic information.” 

Lohrke said officers ask the victim various questions to inquire about details relating to the situation, including the description of the stolen item, the time and location of the occurrence and any potential individuals involved.  

“We start trying to pinpoint who it was and when it was in that area,” Lohrke said. “We’ll start the investigation at that point.” 

Lohrke said after this procedure is completed, UPD continues their investigation using the information acquired during questioning. He said that if they find a stolen item, they return it to its owner.

In Policy 6-400: Student Rights and Responsibilities, the U outlines the punishment for students who commit theft. The document states these individuals “may be subject to the processes described in this policy, including Sanctions or Informal Resolution Agreements.”

Frequent Challenges

Among the many challenges university officials face when investigating cases of theft, Lohrke listed the lack of reporting as the primary one. He explained that students often do not contact UPD after an incident because they feel their situation is insignificant.

“One of the barriers we face in reporting is ‘Oh, this isn’t a big deal. We don’t want to bother your police,’” Lohrke said.

He said he wants to make students more comfortable when interacting with UPD.

“We want to be able to create that atmosphere and that environment where people just come to us and talk about what’s going on,” Lohrke said.  

While reporting is already a significant concern, Lohrke said it is further complicated by the influx of new students every year.

“One of the challenges we have is we get a new batch of students every year, so it’s reeducating … we have new students and new challenges,” Lohrke said.

Grube said that despite all the measures in place to protect students and their belongings, security failures are bound to occur. He explained that while systems like surveillance cameras and electric locks occasionally malfunction, their issues are typically reported due to monitoring and self-reporting mechanisms.   

Notable Trends

According to Lohrke, the amount of theft has increased over time, but this does not necessarily mean that more incidents are occurring. 

“We have significantly changed our data collection process … so that may look like there’s an increase of crime when, in fact, there’s an increase of us tracking crime and hopefully also an increase of actual reports coming to us,” Lohrke said.   

Lohrke also cited the increase in people on campus after the pandemic in 2020 as a contributing factor to the rise in theft.

“As the population increases, the opportunities for crimes also increases … With that said, I would say that even though the numbers show an increase in thefts over the last couple years, based on population, it’s pretty steady,” Lohrke said.

Nevertheless, Lohrke said he would still like to see the amount of theft decrease in the future, as has already been the case with bike theft.   

Student Resources

To spread awareness about theft, Lohrke said the U has several outreach programs designed to educate students about different risks and familiarize them with various departments. He cited Coffee with Cops as one of multiple campaigns focused on accomplishing these ends.

The U also has programs to help individuals affected by theft overcome what they have been through. For instance, Crime Victim Advocates are “a team of advocates who are trained and certified to assist victims of crimes.” They are responsible for providing “trauma-informed care” to those who have experienced crime on campus.

As one of its most recent initiatives, Grube said the U is considering establishing a new position within HRE and UPD. He explained that the position would be dedicated to creating a secure environment by listening to students’ questions and concerns.

“It’s a specific officer that we’re going to be looking at: somebody that really does have great communication skills, [a] desire to act [and] is approachable,” Grube said.

s.flores@dailyutahchronicle.com

@sebastianchrony

The post Theft at the U: Trends, Prevention & Responses first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Globally, about 27.9 million people are victims of  human trafficking. This includes children, women and men from all different backgrounds. The density of human trafficked victims in an area can increase depending on how transient the community is. 

Hampton Roads sees masses of victims of human trafficking because it is extremely accessible by many different modes of transportation. In the 757, we have waterways, train systems, major highways and interstates, as well as an international airport. 

It is easy to look away from something that scares or makes us uncomfortable, especially if that something is not necessarily seen in broad daylight, but it is a fact that human traffickers and victims exist here. While we can discuss ways to prevent these situations, it is important to know that it can really happen to anyone, anywhere. The question we are left with is, what happens when (and unfortunately if) these survivors are freed from their abusers? 

Out of the few victims of trafficking that are freed from their abusers, there are many that end up incarcerated or with criminal charges. The freedom that they should have always had can be quickly taken away because they are often “forced to commit a lot of different things in order to make sure that they have income or that their traffickers are sustained and happy,” explained Quintina Sonnie, the COO of Survivor Ventures. 

Because the survivors come from such exploitative backgrounds, it is common to see them charged with crimes such as prostitution, burglary, and fraud. With these charges on their permanent record and the lack of job experience on their resume, it is extremely difficult for them to find work. 

Without a job, essential qualities of life cannot be afforded, such as food or a place to live. This leads to a lot of other problems, and for victims of human trafficking, “these things are stacked against you. These are systemic barriers that have been put up,” Sonnie emphasized. 

Survivor Ventures, a local nonprofit, has set up a system to help survivors of human trafficking transition into a healthy, sustainable life. 

Survivor Ventures has a chapter that serves the seven cities of Hampton Roads, but their reach goes much further. There is also a chapter in the DMV that assists those in northern Virginia, Washington D.C., and areas of Maryland. There is also a Survivor Ventures chapter that aids the entire state of Delaware.

This nonprofit works to lower barriers on housing, employment, therapy, holistic care and other wellness opportunities for human trafficking survivors. 

Since its founding in 2018, Survivor Ventures has served close to 400 people. The nonprofit partners with small businesses to not only help the survivors, but also the businesses. How they operate is through a program that allows the business to pay the employed-survivors partial compensation and then Survivor Ventures will pay the rest until the business is able to sustain the worker by themselves. 

The nonprofit has been able to partner with numerous businesses in order to make this program successful. Survivor Ventures also stresses the importance of having a range of different businesses because they “want to make sure that the mentees have work options that they’re actually going to like because work has been a traumatizing experience for them,” said Sonnie. 

Survivor Ventures also helps their mentees fund and find housing. The other programs that are offered by the organization help these individuals with physical and mental health needs. 

“Our program tends to cover both the immediate needs and [achieve] long term results,” explained Sonnie. The organization has the statistics to back up this claim. 

“78% of [the] mentees that go through our housing program have maintained their housing after our rental assistance program [has ended]…Closer to 80% of the participants who were employed have not only remained employed, but a good portion have also remained employed at the worksites that we have put them at for extended periods of time even after our wage reimbursement has ended,” Sonnie clarified. 

Survivor Ventures has seen their mentees go on and have their own businesses too. This nonprofit organization is truly changing the lives of so many people, and it’s run only by a five-person team. In fact, the organization is completely made up of survivors themselves. 

Of course, the opportunities to give support are not limited to that team, as they are always searching for volunteers and donors. Volunteer work with Survivor Ventures can look like a lot of different things. Whatever you can offer, whether it’s hands on work or personal services, is appreciated. 

The organization has an office space on Granby Street in downtown Norfolk that offers their mentees clothing, shoes, toiletries, and more. Survivor Ventures aims to have a day once a month where volunteers can come down to their office and organize all of the inventory and keep everything up to date.  

If you are interested in working with Survivor Ventures, you can fill out the information form provided on their website (info@survivorventures.org) or simply reach out to them over social media. The organization has both Facebook and Instagram. 

As far as how mentees themselves become enrolled in this program, there are a couple different ways. It is common for Survivor Ventures to get referrals, but people can also call the intake line phone number, which is 757-317-0352. 

“Voice and choice,” are extremely important initiatives, explained Sonnie. Survivor Ventures wants to always offer different options for their mentees. They want to allow them to choose where they live, where they work, how they receive mental or physical help, and more.

Regardless of the choice one makes in this program, they are being impacted substantially. With benefits to the community, to society and of course survivors, Survivor Ventors has become a vital influence in our community today.

One of the many new initiatives rolled out by the University of Maine this year is the Academic Materials Program (AMP),  designed to alleviate the academic burden of textbook-buying by providing all course materials at a flat rate of $239.99. This could be a great deal for students with specific majors, but the problem is that many students’ book costs are well under this rate. 

The books provided by AMP are almost all digital, which presents difficulties for many students. The rollout of the program has led to confusion among students, not knowing how to go about learning if the program is worth it or its opt-out policy. Finally, the opt-out policy itself is confusing and may influence students to stay in the program, even if it’s a loss for them.

Textbooks are expensive; this is something that I will not argue. However, the university is greatly overstating how much textbooks cost the average student. On the FAQ website for the program, the university asserts that the average cost of textbooks per student per semester is $500. As an English student, I know that this number does not represent me. I am primarily buying novels for my courses at this point. , and they tend to cost less than textbooks. I have met a wide range of students from a wide range of majors and not once have I heard of a booklist coming out to $500, even with the inclusion of various lab kits. 

There are, however, definitely lists that come out to more than $239.99. I initially thought of studio art students when I heard of the program, since I knew they typically have to buy kits that can cost upwards of $100 per course. However, the materials list becomes so specialized for each class as the curriculum advances that the kits are not sold in the bookstore past some introductory courses like Drawing I. That means they aren’t even reaping the benefits of AMP for more than a year.

The rollout was not well understood by students or professors, many of whom still don’t really understand. There were promises of a tab in Brightspace where students could go to see their course lists to figure out how much course materials would cost and also opt-out right from that page. The “How to opt-out” question on the FAQ website mentions a place in Brightspace to opt-out, which does not exist. I had to call the book store directly to opt-out of the program myself, and I imagine many other students share this experience. I was hesitant to opt-out at first, because I was unsure if I’d still be able to pay for the digital copy of my textbook. Last year, the same textbook through the same program would’ve just been tacked onto my bill, but this year once I opted out of AMP I could not even pay to keep it. 

While I do believe that AMP has merit as a program, I do not think it lives up to its potential. The fact that students are being automatically opted-in leads me to believe that this program was designed less so for the good of students and rather for the economic wellbeing of the school which was anticipating a downward trend of enrollment that didn’t happen.  

I should emphasize that UMaine referred to equitable access textbooks as a revenue “growth opportunity” in their presentation to the Board of Trustees at a meeting this May. I am not against the AMP program as a whole, since it’s saving some students  money, but that portion of students may not be as big as they’re reporting. Search your textbooks and do the math before the deadline to opt out on Sept. 18. If this program returns next semester, I’d like to see it be a manual opt-in, rather than automatic.

TV personality and podcast host Gabby Windey and Chester Cheetah® are giving away limited-edition “Burner Phones” and “Hall Passes” to help heat seekers hook up with Flamin’ Hot® “sidechips” PLANO, TX, September 17, 2024 – As college students begin a new semester and cuffing season looms, Flamin’ Hot® is asking fans to keep their options […]

This article was originally published in the Welcome Home print issue of The Daily Utah Chronicle, originally in stands on August 25, 2024. It has not been updated and some information may be out of date.

We’ve all seen the cartoons: A character smells the drifting scents of a freshly baked pie and begins floating right towards it. Mouth watering, stomach growling, we know how it goes. Salt Lake City has the perfect solution for you if you get stuck in a rut. Just like the cartoon characters, you’ll be floating right towards these bakeries in seconds. Here is a taste of SLC’s favorite local bakeries. 

SLC is Home to the Sugar Plum Fairy

Carol’s Pastry Shop takes us back to the golden age with their old-fashioned, homestyle bakery. Right in the heart of the Sugarhouse area, Carol’s makes you feel right at home. Owned by two brothers, Bob and Al Walkenhorst, Carol’s is one of the longest-running bakeries in Salt Lake dating back as far as the late 1940s. In a PBS episode highlighting Carol’s, regular customer Stan Schulze said, “It’s Al and Bob who keep people coming. And then it’s the eclairs.”

Unfortunately, Al passed away two years ago, but his legacy lives on in the hundreds of eclairs the shop makes every day. While the shop is best known for its eclairs, they make so many pastries and other desserts, you’ll be walking away with boxes full of delicious delicacies.

“Have a nice sugar and spice day!” is the slogan of Carol’s Pastry Shop. It is quite the treat to receive service from people who enjoy goodies just as much as you do. I guarantee your visit here will have you coming back again and again.

Tulie Bakery has a very simplistic style to their service, though still a great spot to indulge in some sweetness. The original bakery opened in the 9th and 9th area and they recently opened another location on 15th Avenue. I visited the location on 15th and 15th and it was not a letdown.

Tulie is a bustling business. As soon as I got there, there was a line out the door; not surprising in the slightest. During their open hours, they provide breakfast-style cuisine in their cafe along with an array of pastries to select from. You won’t want to miss out on what the bakers at Tulie have to offer.

Eva’s Bakery has a French cafe-style twist to their exquisite pastry line-up. The dining experience alone is a Salt Lake must-do, as the staff are incredibly hospitable. Upon just walking in, the waft of freshly baked dough and the laughter of joyous customers will bring a smile to your face again and again.

Right next door to Pioneer Park is Carlucci’s Bakery. On my visit, I had the opportunity to speak to the owner, Therese Martin, about the shop and what started it all.

“I’ve cooked my whole life … when I went to college I was cooking to pay my rent,” Martin said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do in school so I kind of just kept cooking.”

Though they do make wholesale bread for a few shops around town as well, pastry is their main focus. Their most popular items are the cheesecake, fruit tarts, carrot cake and the tiramisu.

“We try and work with the farmer’s market as much as we can. Right now I have apricots and cherries that are local which are very fun to work with,” Martin said.

Carlucci’s began in 2001, which made me curious about what their mission was and how the place has held up so long.

“It’s important to me to have a happy and healthy staff. I feel like that’s the best thing I can do is have a good, healthy workspace … it matters,” Martin said. “I feel like I’m a part of the community … My mom was a baker and my grandfather was a chef so it’s in my blood … you just want to make people happy.”

A Treat is All You Need to Make the World Go Round

A grocery store is easy, but a bakery is so much more. Each bite invites a little bit of home to life. Take a break and indulge in the goodness Salt Lake has to offer. The variety is endless from Carol’s Pastry Shop, Tulie Bakery, Eva’s Bakery and Carlucci’s Bakery — and that’s just a few the area has to offer. If you have a big sweet tooth like me, these are the perfect options to satisfy your craving.

l.hansen@dailyutahchronicle.com

@laneypauline_

The post Home Sweet Home: Discover SLC’s Sweetest Secrets first appeared on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

The t-shirts near the M.D. Anderson library on Sept. 16, 2024. | Raphael Fernandez/ The Cougar

On Monday morning, the Student Government Association organized the End the Stigma demonstration in front of the M.D. Anderson Library. 

End The Stigma is an event aimed at raising awareness about the current mental health crisis, especially among college students.

The event witnesses an increase of participation and the number of shirts every year, reaching as many as 1000 this year. 

“The number specifically about End The Stigma is 1100,” said SGA President and biochemistry junior Diego Arriaga. “That number represents every student that committed suicide on a college campus the previous year.” 

The demonstration involves laying out t-shirts around the fountain in front of the library.

Each shirt is a donation from organizations and companies to represent the scale of suicides in recent years.

The demonstration, with each t-shirt representing an individual person, helps people to understand the magnitude of lives lost.

One of the t-shirts on display on Sept. 16, 2024. | Raphael Fernandez/ The Cougar

The event becomes a symbol for not only the victims, but also for those committed to preventing suicide.

“It is to end the stigma that nobody wants to talk about it; that it’s something we shouldn’t talk about, but rather something that needs to be talked about,” Arriaga said. “The more we have those conversations, the more likely someone is going to be saved.”

Since the demonstration began around 10 years ago, it has been SGA’s goal to make the demonstration bigger each time.

“The demonstration has been almost like a historical point, that happens every year,” Arriaga said. “We’ve talked about making it bigger, what’s the meaning, what is that vision and what does it mean to make it bigger.”

With the loss of two students at UH in recent history, End the Stigma has a whole new level of importance to not only the SGA, but to the campus as a whole. 

Along with that are outlets and organizations that allow for these conversations to take place concerning suicide, whether you or a friend is in need or not.

“A great way is to look up the Counseling and Psychological Services,” Arriaga said. “Go to therapy, go to intake and sometimes just going to the Rec Center and just being active is a great way to help your mental health.”

SGA is always looking for ways to expand their approach towards fighting against suicide.

Currently, SGA is working on a  Health and Wellbeing week.

“A simple smile, a wave, opening the door for someone just simple acts like that, you may not think is a big deal.” Arriaga said. “But some people may see that as a big deal, and I think that’s something everyone should live by; just be kind to others when you can.”

news@thedailycougar.com

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“SGA hosts ‘End The Stigma’ to raise mental health awareness” was originally posted on The Cougar

Caroline Bryant
Editor-in-Chief

Both Mocs cross country teams took on the Jacksonville State University Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama last Friday, battling against NCAA Division I, II and NAIA programs.

The men’s team placed 11 out of 47, conquering North Alabama, Chattanooga, Samford, Louisiana Monroe, University of South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast and Memphis. Western Kentucky, Morehead State and Austin Peay– all Division I programs. They fell to Division II teams No. 11 Lee and No. 21 Anderson, who finished in seventh and eighth. 

Junior Christian Giller was the top Moc finisher once again, finishing in 20th with a time of 24:29.10. According to FSC Athletics, Giller’s time is “the fourth fastest 8K time in program history, only trailing three times set by former Florida Southern Moccasin Mason Jones (2017-21).”

“Being able to place [in the] top 20 against some of the best D1 (Division 1) SEC schools in the country gave me a huge confidence booster,” Giller said. “I truly think this year I can be an All-American and get the school record set by Mason Jones…”

One more Moc finished in the top 100. Junior Chris Colavita ended in 54th, performing 24:59.25. Graduate student Elijah De La Cerda followed behind in 109th, sophomore Cole Summers in 115th and junior in 122nd. 

Eli Zuppa was the lone freshman to place in the top 10 Mocs in his second collegiate debut.

“It was amazing [to finish in the top], but also expected because I’m part of a team who pushes each other to be our best each day,” Zuppa said.

The women’s team performed top times, as well, finishing 17th overall out of 49 teams. They surpassed 12 Division I teams, including The University of Alabama at Birmingham, South Alabama, Morehead State, Southern Mississippi, Western Kentucky, North Alabama, Alabama State, Kennesaw State, Louisiana Monore, Memphis, Troy and Austin Peay. The Lady Mocs also finished second out of the Division II programs, missing Lee, like the men’s team.

The top five times were led by senior Emma Mussante again, performing an 18:25.26 to place 109th. Before the race, Mussante told FSC Athletics in an interview that she was excited to race at the showcase since it is the same course the team will run at regionals.

“It’s a speedy golf course. It’s a little hilly, but everyone seems to PR pretty great there, so it should be exciting,” Mussante said.

Sophomore Emma Pfieffer, who followed Mussante in the No. 140 spot, set a personal best at 18:42.18. Junior Rachel Hockenberry did the same, dropping nearly a minute to record 18:58.21 in 173rd. 

“I personally did not PR. But I ran around the same time I did at this course last year, but this time it was a month earlier,” Mussante said. “However, two of my teammates Emma Pfieffer and Rachel Hockenberry had huge PRs, and I’m so proud of them and how much our team is improving so early in the season.”

Giller and Mussante won the SSC Weekly Awards for their races. This is the second week Giller has won the award. The Mocs are back in action on Sept. 27 in Tallahassee at the FSU XC Invite.