Campus and community Briefs

Workforce Services presents job fair

The State Department of Workforce Services will be sponsoring a job fair Thursday, Sept. 4. The event is designed to give an opportunity for anyone seeking employment to meet with some of the major employers from both Cache and Box Elder counties.

This year the fair will be held at the Bridgerland Applied Technology College, 1301 N. 600 West in Logan. It will be from 2 until 6 p.m. and is open to the general public.

Employers registered to attend the fair this year include: Pier 1 Imports, Ross Dress For Less, Only $1 Superstore, Sam’s Club, Convergys, Dairy Farmers of America, Discovery Research, Moore Wallace, Information Alliance, Praxis Youth Quest, S & S Worldwide, ShopKo, World Savings, Utah State University, Sunshine Terrace, Cache Employment and Training Center, Swifts/E.A. Miller, Schreiber Foods, SOS Staffing, Kelly Services, Presto Products, Deseret Industries, Bear River Head Start, Wal-Mart Distribution Center, La Z Boy Manufacturing, BATC, Intermountain Staffing Resources, Icon, Aflac and more.

For more information contact Workforce Services at 792-0300.

West Nile Virus confirmed in Utah

Blood taken from two chickens near Price last week shows the presence of West Nile Virus, Utah health officials announced recently.

This is the first confirmation of West Nile Virus in the state of Utah. To date, however, no humans have been reported with the disease in Utah.

The chickens were part of several sentinel flocks across the state that are being tested regularly to determine if and when the virus enters Utah. The initial tests were performed at Utah State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Further testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa confirmed that the chickens had been infected.

Testing of sentinel chickens will continue statewide. However, Utah Department of Health officials said tracking and monitoring resources may be shifted to look for the virus in other areas of the state. To date, 14 people, 9 horses, 262 chickens, 98 dead birds and thousands of mosquitoes have been tested for the virus in Utah.

Blue light honors first day of semester

The Utah State University blue light atop Old Main will light the night sky Monday to honor the first day of fall semester.

Fall semester begins Aug. 25 and ends Dec. 5. Labor Day holiday is Monday, Sept. 1, and Thanksgiving Break runs Wednesday, Nov. 26, through Sunday, Nov. 30. Finals Week is Dec. 8 through 12.

The Aggie Blue Pride Light on top of Old Main lights the Cache Valley night sky as a symbol of Aggie tradition, heritage and pride. It is illuminated after Aggie athletic victories and on days of special University events.

Physics department has close encounter with Mars

The planet Mars is the closest it has been to Earth in nearly 60,000 years, and the Utah State University physics department wants to celebrate with a Mars party, Tuesday from 10:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. on the Quad.

“This is a unique opportunity to see the planet so close,” said James Coburn, teaching laboratory supervisor in the physics department.

Tonya Caldwell, an astronomy class instructor at USU, will give a presentation on Mars that will precede the party from 10 until 10:30 p.m. in the Eccles Science Learning Center Emert Auditorium, Room 130. Caldwell will show images of Mars and will discuss the famous red planet.

Several telescopes will be provided for the public to view Mars and everyone is invited. Representatives from the USU physics department will be on hand to answer questions.

“If you still think you’ll be around in August of 2287, you can witness the historic moment again,” Coburn said. “Otherwise, join us next week. We know it’s late, but it will be worth it to bring your families and friends out on this special occasion.”

For more information about the party or presentation, call 797-2942, or visit www.physics.usu.edu.