News briefs

Campus Briefs

STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS – All members of the university community are invited to attend the first “State of the University” address which will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at noon in the Ragan Theater. The annual State of the University address provides an opportunity for President Hitch to communicate to faculty, staff, students and stakeholders information on key issues that will impact the University and higher education.

HEALTH BODY IMAGE WORKSHOP – Wellness programs are sponsoring a workshop on Feb. 4 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Student Center SC 206 A/B. Dr. Nicole Hawkins from the Center for Change is coming to UVU and will be addressing the topic of body image, how the media influences our perceptions and how individuals can start on the road towards a more positive self image.

MILITARY IN IRAQ SPEECH – The 10th annual conference by the Faculty Fellow in Ethics Keynote Address is slated for Jan. 27 from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the Ragan Theater. Dr. Laura Hamblin, Faculty Fellow in Ethics for 2007-2008 will be speaking on, “Has the U.S. Military Solution in Iraq Been A Success? A View from the Perspective of Iraqi Refugee Women and Children in Amman.”

INDOOR 5K AND CAMPUS TOUR FUNDRAISER – Tired of walking on treadmills or slipping on the snow and ice while jogging on the sidewalks and roads? Participate in the First Annual UVU indoor 5K run on Feb. 7. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the jog/walk starts at 9 a.m. Meet at the McKay Events Center with free parking at the west parking lot of the building. The registration fee is $10, with a T-shirt and pancake breakfast included. All proceeds will be donated to the UVU Habitat for Humanity of Utah County house. Check or cash only will be accepted at the on-site registration on Feb. 7. To register early or pay with a credit card, go to the UVU Outdoor Adventure Center located in the Sorensen
Student Center. Registration at the OAC will be accepted until Feb. 6. For more information or to pre register, visit www.uvu.edu/volunteer or call (801) 863-8786.

National News Briefs

U.S. AIRWAYS PAYS PASSENGER FOR CRASH LANDING ACCIDENT – U.S. Airways has announced that it will award $5,000 to each passenger aboard the jet that dramatically splashed down in the Hudson River on Jan. 15. In addition to this announcement, airline officials have also issued ticket refunds for the 150 passengers who were aboard the jet, along with a letter explaining they are there to assist the passengers with their immediate needs. The airline carrier also explained to passengers that it could take months to return their personal effects from the damaged aircraft and warned that some items may not be salvaged. Additionally, the airline plans to dry out all of the items and weigh them as part of the investigation into the crash.

LIST OF PEANUT FOOD TO AVOID GROWS – Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention linked the recent samonella outbreak to peanut foods including peanut crackers and snacks. The organization has since broadened the list, advising consumers to avoid cookies, cakes, ice cream and crackers made with peanut butter that were manufactured after July 1 at Peanut Corp. of America, located in Georgia. The company sells its peanut butter and paste to several food service companies and private label manufacturers. Among the retailers to pull items from their shelves are Kroger, Safeway and Meijer. The FDA is keeping an updated list of the recalled products. Consumers can find the information by visiting the website http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall.

DOCTORS SEPARATE OKLAHOMA CONJOINED TWINS – A pair of conjoined twins was separated by surgeons at Oklahoma University Medical Center on January 20 at 12:14 p.m. The twin girls, Preslee Faith Wells and Kylee Hope Wells, were born conjoined at the chest on October 25. The procedure involved splitting the girls’ liver and the connecting tissue that conjoined them to each other. Doctors have said that the girls have a good chance of survival due to the fact that they have separate hearts and do not share any major blood vessels.