Category: News

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints faced heartbreak this weekend with the death of President and Prophet Russell M. Nelson and a deadly shooting at an LDS church in Michigan.

President Russell M. Nelson

Nelson was 101 years old and the oldest president in church history. He is remembered for both his medical and spiritual contributions, and led the church through significant changes during his leadership. He was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1984 and later President of the Quorum in 2015.

Prior to service in the church, Nelson was a heart surgeon, performing the first open-heart surgery in Utah in 1955. Nelson served in multiple capacities for various health organizations, including president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and the Utah Medical Association, among others.

Abi Schmidt, a junior exercise science major from Caldwell, Kansas, said, “The most impactful thing that he [Nelson] said, to me, is that, ‘The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.'”

Within weeks of ordination in 2018, he commented on immigration laws in the United States. He also created a strong relationship with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The LDS church has donated and contributed to the organization.

Nelson implemented policy changes including:

• Corrected the name of the church — dissolved the associated name “Mormon,” and emphasized the names The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and LDS church.
• Implemented global programs for youth members of the church.
• Missionaries instructed and allowed to call home weekly instead of semi-annually.
• Revising temple ceremonies to be more empowering for women by incorporating alternate readings that emphasize gender equity.
• Key changes in LGBTQ+ related policies, including reversing a policy that had restricted baptisms for children of same-sex couples, and removing the word “apostasy” from church handbooks regarding same sex marriage.

Dominic Dodge, a junior software engineering major from St. George, said he acknowledges how much Nelson served in his life.

Dodge said, “[I think about] how devoted he is, the gospel was not a side project for him, it was his thing.”

There will be a public viewing service Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. A public funeral service will be held Oct. 7 at noon in the Conference Center, and streaming options will be available.

A statement from the church reads: “As a ‘beloved physician’ President Nelson literally touched the hearts of hundreds of patients suffering from physical ailments. As a disciple of Christ, he healed hearts through word and deed.”

Michigan shooting

A gunman drove a car into an LDS church service the morning of Sept. 28, shooting into a congregation of people and then setting the building on fire in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

The church was charred and burned to the ground, with police and FBI officials still on the scene as of Sept. 29.

Four people were killed and eight others injured in the attack, police have said. Some of the injured individuals were shot, while others suffered from smoke inhalation.

The gunman, identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford, was shot and killed during police interactions.

From ongoing investigations, it has been revealed that Sanford was a decorated Iraq war veteran and lived in Utah briefly in 2008. He dated a member of the LDS church, but he was not a member. Sanford also had a history of drug addiction, and was “heavily involved” in his family life.

Kris Johns, a local politician in the Michigan area, spoke with Sanford days before the attack. Sanford asked Johns what he knew about Mormons, then told Johns, “Mormons are the anti-Christ.”

“The FBI is currently executing multiple search warrants at the residences and the family homes of this perpetrator to try to get to the bottom of why he would commit such an act of evil,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.

Despite tragedies, the semi-annual General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held Oct. 4 and 5 at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. Streaming options are available.

Kaitlyn Peterson, a senior population health major from Idaho Falls, Idaho, and vice president of the LDSSA club at Utah Tech University, said: “People are just coming together, people who are of different faiths are coming together because we all know we have one thing in common. That is that we all know and love Jesus.”

With artificial intelligence’s continuous development, the concerns of human labor being replaced affect Utah Tech University’s future graduates.

This topic is becoming more relevant, with data showing the unemployment rate for college graduates reaching its highest point in four years at 5.8%. While not all of it is attributed to AI, it still has an impact on the job market.

The jobs that AI replaces are those that involve repetitive tasks and a set of rules, such as data entry clerks or market research analysts, among others.

A couple professors at Utah Tech addressed the rise of AI infiltrating their fields and the rising concerns among college students.

Jiachun Hong, assistant professor of communication, said the advancement of AI should be acknowledged by teachers if they want to stay up to the standard of their field. Teachers need to proactively redesign curriculum and learning experiences to prepare students for that transformation.

“AI technologies provide new opportunities, and I believe that students with necessary AI skills will have a competitive advantage,” he said. “Just as skills shifted from newspapers and broadcast to social media over the last decade, the next 10 years will favor students who understand and can apply AI.”

Hong said that AI will not replace traditional storytelling skills.

“Some people mistakenly believe that if you can type, AI will automatically produce anything for you,” he said. “You must have the vision about a story and have the prompting skills to work with AI as if you were addressing an entire production team.”

Andrew Wilson, associate professor of design, said AI has been improving the market of user interface and user experience design.

“You’ll dictate what you want and then watch the computer in real-time accomplish your task,” Wilson said. “No more clicking/searching through menus and folders.”

Wilson said knowledge is the best way to prepare for this and that students should work with AI, not against it.

Students at the university comprehend the meaning and place of this tool in their future jobs.

Gilbert Junior DaCosta, a freshman programming major from Accra, Ghana, said, “AI is supposed to help, not take over jobs.”

He said that AI is not that advanced and isn’t dominating in the computer science field.

“You always need a software engineer to fix any bugs or errors in the programs, so it’s not that reliable right now,” DaCosta said. “I correct AI sometimes and I don’t even know everything.”

Brayan Martinez Pelayo, a sophomore digital media major from St. George, said AI can replace humans in certain tasks, such as editing, but he stands on the belief that students should not be afraid of artificial intelligence.

“AI can’t replicate what humans can do because the human touch gives a different feeling to the media that you’re producing, so I feel like that makes it harder for AI to take over jobs,” Martinez Pelayo said.

Wilson said that what makes people more valuable than these programs is the ability to make decisions, think critically, analyze opportunities and our social skills. Instead of scaring student about AI, he reminds them this tool is here to amplify our productivity rather than shying away from it.

Wilson said: “Instead of wondering if AI can do your job or not, ask yourself the question, ‘How could having instant access to the largest library in the world help me in my current job/skillset? What can I do that AI can’t?’”

Rapid population growth in St. George, caused by students and new residents moving to the city, is raising housing and tuition costs and creating financial struggles for students.

The cost of living in St. George has risen above the national average. The overall expenses in St. George are 7.7% higher compared to other U.S. regions. To cover all needs and live comfortably, a renter in St. George must earn around $59,124 yearly, not including taxes.

The salary of most students who work in Utah starts at approximately $30,000 yearly, which makes it difficult to afford the high cost of housing and food.

Housing

Increasing prices affect students at Utah Tech University, who cover both tuition and off campus or on campus housing. According to the housing office of Utah Tech, the prices of the rent go up due to several reasons.

Director of housing and resident life, Seth Gubler, said, “Every year, there are efforts made to conduct data to see how much does the cost of healthcare, services, transportation, food, retail, all those items [change].”

With the increase in the cost for all the needs students have, the price for rent becomes higher as well.

Gubler said, “We might see if we can get by without raising it [rent cost] this year.”

Student perspectives

Some students choose to live on campus because they pay once a semester instead of each month. Students living on campus do not have to pay separately for water, electricity or sewer.

“So, for example, our rent in some comparisons look a little bit higher, but then when you see what you get, they [students] realize that they are getting more for what they pay,” Gubler said.

Orionna Manchester, a freshman elementary education major from Price, lives in Campus View I and pays $2,225 for the semester.

“I think that Utah Tech prices are reasonable,” Manchester said.

Other students prefer to live off campus and rent an affordable apartment elsewhere in St. George.

Morgan Gatto, a junior psychology major from Ogden, said after having experience with both off campus and on campus housing, the rent off campus is better for her because of the price difference.

“My freshman year, I lived in CVI [Campus View I], and it was around $2,500 for both semesters,” Gatto said. “Now, I live in a very nice part of St. George with just one roommate, and I pay less than $1,000 [per month].”

Resources

Faculty at Utah Tech offer opportunities to make finances easier.

Mike Nelson, director of student belonging, said, “There are students [who] run into some of the affordability issues and things of that nature, and that is one of the things where we can connect them to resources on campus and also in the community.”

Nelson said one of the things that students can do for saving money is adequate and proper budgeting.

The university also has a Student Resource Center, which is an option for students who need help with food and necessities.

“We help alleviate some of the financial burden by providing access to free food,” Dru Bottoms, assistant dean of students and director of the Student Resource Center, said. “We don’t ask for any proof of income or anything like that.”

A student needs to order online and schedule a time to receive their order. Food and necessities can be ordered once a week with a maximum of 25 items per week. 

The Student Resource Center gives food for students every Thursday at the Browning Learning Resource Center. Notifications about available food can be received through the my UT app.

The city of St. George now offers a new bike lane to help residents and students get around parts of the city with ease.

The new lane was constructed on the east side of 700 East between 600 South and St. George Blvd., directly by Utah Tech University. This goes from Greater Zion Stadium to the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center and into the city.

St. George News released an article in July where they said the idea came from a cycling event that the city hosted in 2021, when they turned the road on 700 East into a two-lane bike trail.

After seeing how the road would look with a bike lane, the city council ended up approving the estimated $1.45 million project on a 3-2 vote in May, which shows there were some doubts about the construction of this lane.

The article expressed the concerns that 50 parking spots will be replaced in the use of this new lane along 700 East. However, the city plans to create more parking spaces in the future.

In response to that, Cameron Cutler, public works director for the city of St. George, said they are adding angle parking by the cemetery, on Tabernacle Street.

Students and faculty have started using this lane and they each have their opinions about it.

Nathan Snow, associate professor of media studies, rides his bike to the university, and he used to struggle feeling safe with his space on the road.

”I don’t feel comfortable riding on the sidewalks because I think that they should be for pedestrians, but I also want to be considerate of the cars because I don’t want to ride in the middle of the street,” Snow said.

The goal of this new bike lane is to help the people who use this method of transport to have their dedicated space and ensure the safety of pedestrians, bikers and drivers.

“[The bike lane] is a safe place that is on the road, but I also don’t have to worry about cars that blow past me,” Snow said.

When asked if he believes this addition will encourage faculty and students to bike more frequently, he said an increase in biking is unlikely.

“If somebody isn’t biking already, I don’t know if the addition of one bike lane is going to get them. Because it’s a lot to ask somebody to consistently bike,” Snow said.

Christopher Uyleman, a sophomore general studies major from Orem, is not satisfied with the new addition.

“I’m all for bike infrastructure, but with the cost and the placement of the lane, I just think it’s not worth it,” Uyleman said. “If it was more focused towards students and it affected the in-campus commute then it would be a better investment.”

Sean Flint, a sophomore information systems and analytics major from Las Vegas, said the new trail can be useful for students who bike on their way to the university. Yet, he said he feels residents would benefit more if the bike lane had been promoted on a larger scale, like through an email to students or flyers around campus.

The recently opened General Classroom Building‘s modern but transparent design has raised some safety concerns.

Sherry Ruesch, assistant vice president of facilities management, said the primary goal behind the construction of the GCB is to create classrooms and office space to house the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Several goals were outlined in the building program completed by architects from Method Studio including constructing lecture halls, classrooms, labs, faculty and academic support offices, conference rooms, and study spaces.

In regards to security measures, Ruesch said the building has many electronic locks that can be all locked down in case of an emergency.

“The video monitors located in the main lobby areas will announce emergency information when needed,” Ruesch said.

On top of that, there are more than 60 security cameras throughout the building. Elevator No. 1 is the only elevator with an emergency power generator to assist with the evacuation of those with limited mobility.

When referring to how the layout of the building can help during evacuations, Ruesch said the north and south stairways provide a fully enclosed exit leading directly to the outside.

The police department has also supervised the functionality of the safety measures in this building.

Wes LiCalzi, Utah Tech University chief of police, said they have completed various demonstrations and planning sessions since the construction, with various disciplines including SWAT commanders and law enforcement from local and state agencies, facilities personnel, as well as fire marshals and fire personnel.

When asked about the design of the building LiCalzi said, “[Our] department takes building safety seriously and has conducted comprehensive walkthroughs with our partner agencies [St. George Police and Washington County Sheriff’s Office] to assess the building’s characteristics.”

LiCalzi said the police adapt to the layout of each building in order to give the best service possible.

“While all of our campus buildings are relatively unique in their design, we developed specific response plans and training that incorporate national best practices,” LiCalzi said.

In the case of an emergency, the police maintain a 24/7 campus coverage with regular building checks, and the officers prioritize high-traffic areas during peak hours.

“Our compact campus layout allows all locations to be quickly accessible by law enforcement and medical personnel and provides various approach options from multiple angles. This, paired with our patrol coverage, promotes rapid response times,” LiCalzi said.

Considering the planning that went into the design of this building, Ruesch said the top priority in designing a classroom building is to provide the best spaces for teaching, learning and studying.

“The glass in the building is to help bring natural light to the center of the building and create transparency; this provides an environment for personal safety,” Ruesch said.

She said, for the new General Classroom Building, safety is not sacrificed; it is enhanced and is part of the design.

Donovan Peterson, a junior communication studies major from Mesquite, Nevada, gave his opinion on the design and safety of the place.

“It looks very modern and I also feel very safe here,” he said. “Although it was made quickly, everything looks like it was installed properly.”

However, if you feel unsafe, you can report a crime or suspicious activity by calling the non-emergency dispatch (435) 627-4300. You can also contact the university police through the myUT app or call 911 in case of an emergency.

On the night of Aug. 31, 22-year-old Jordan “Don” Konanui-Kong from Las Vegas fell from his balcony on the fifth floor of Campus View Suites II.

Freshman Konanui-Kong was transported to St. George Regional Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

In a statement from Utah Tech University published to students and faculty, “Utah Tech University is devastated by the loss of a member of our Utah Tech family. His presence will be deeply missed on campus.”

A candlelight vigil was held Sept. 4. Students, faculty, staff and family members gathered to remember Konanui-Kong. Memories and experiences were shared as both laughter and tears filled the room.

Tamron Lee, dean of students, said at the vigil, “My wish is that we can find strength in our unity, and hope in the knowledge that Don’s light still shines in our hearts.”

After messages from both Lee and Van Mangus, academic adviser for College of the Arts and professor to Don, students and staff were invited to share memories.

Don was an animation major and was passionate about his work in art. He loved creating new characters and storylines.

In unity, everyone who spoke agreed that Don was able to make an impact to anyone he met. Students who came to the vigil had only known him for a short time, but they all met Don through a similar interaction — he just said hello.

Thomas Walker, a senior criminal justice and family studies major from Wyoming, said: “…one thing that is just so awesome is to see the campus community, and the community from St. George all coming together to pay their respects.”

His memory brought light in a room of mourning. Don’s artwork was also displayed for everyone to see.

Noah Nelsen, a student at Dixie Tech and close friend to Don said, “I think Don had a lot of traits I admired in him.”

Nelsen and Don met at the Clearfield Job Corps, and moved down to St. George to continue their education. While attending Dixie Tech, Toney Hawkes later met Don at an event held at Dixie Tech. They continued to be friends, sharing memories and getting to know each other.

Hawkes, another student at Dixie Tech and a close friend of Don, described him as, “A really good guy, he was always there when you needed him and when you needed someone to talk to.”

Nelsen and Hawkes both said that his death was an accident. Both friends attributed that Don had epilepsy and other health conditions.

Don’s mother posted on TikTok that Don took his own life.

Sun News Daily was denied police reports involving the details on Don’s death.

Hawkes said, “Don really did do his best to bring light in everyone’s eyes. I feel like he really did live each life to his fullest.”