Access Utah

Earlier in August Roberto Roman was acquitted of the murder of Sheriff's Deputy Josie Greathouse Fox. Fox was shot to death during a traffic stop in 2010. Roman claims that Fox’s brother, Ryan Greathouse, was in fact the shooter. Greathouse died four months after the murder of a drug overdose. The acquittal has sparked controversy over the jurors’ deliberations, particularly after comments made by jurors to the media. Thursday on Access Utah, Salt Lake Tribune reporter Aaron Falk said several jurors were impressed by Roman’s testimony. 

The not guilty verdict in the trial of Roberto Miramontes Roman for the murder of Millard County Deputy Sheriff Josie Greathouse Fox shocked many in the community. Now some of the jurors are talking about their deliberations.  This case got us wondering:  How do juries come to their decisions? What influences those decisions? Can we have confidence in our jury system?  On Thursday’s AU we’ll talk with Salt Lake Tribune reporter Aaron Falk; and University of Texas Associate Professor of Sociology Mary Rose, who has studied how juries reach decisions.  

On Access Utah we explore ghosts, hauntings, and love. Author and NPR executive producer Eric Nuzum faced his own fears. In his book, “Giving Up the Ghost: A Story About Friendship 80’s Rock a Lost Scrap of Paper and What it Means to be Haunted” Nuzum talks of his history being haunted and how he found peace in facing the supernatural.

People often join the terms guns and violence together, but is this a correct association? With the dealdy shootings at the Empire State building, the Sikh Temple, and the Aurora movie theater,  headlines and content connect the two.  Is America more violent than other countries? Where do guns fit in? Are guns to blame? What should we do, if anything? 

Wow, most gardens are displaying green, green, green. Hopefully, it’s not the green of weeds. How do you know when it’s time to pick something? Today USU Extension Vegetable Specialist, Dan Drost, is in studio for the entire hour.  When it comes to knowing when something is ripe, the sampling test may not always be practical. You don’t want to leave a cantaloupe on the vine with a bite taken out of it. On the other hand, unless you like them green, it’s pretty easy to tell when to pick a tomato. And I’ve never met an immature pepper that I didn’t like.

When mountain lions began appearing in Boulder Colorado, residents cheered the news.  But as the lions feasted on pets and began to endanger humans, political battles began—until tragedy brought town together.  David Baron’s "The Beast in the Garden" is (according to goodreads.com) “a book about the future of our nation, where suburban sprawl and wildlife-protection laws are pushing people and wild animals into uncomfortable, sometimes deadly proximity."  David Baron will give the USU Common Literature Experience Convocations speech Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. in the Kent Concert Hall and he’s Tom Williams’ guest for the hour Friday morning on Access Utah. 

Einstein's Dream was first published in 1994, has been translated into 30 languages and has been the basis for more than two dozen independent theatrical and musical productions. Author Alan Lightman worked with producers Paul Stancato and Brian Rhinehart to create a musical piece that followed the strains of the book.  Today on Science Questions, Sheri Quinn hosts author and Paul Stancato to discuss the book and music focused around Einstein's dreams of time, teaching students to write about time, and other performances. 

Wednesday on AU, we’ll kick off a new periodic series featuring Utah musicians.  Live from the stage of the USU Performance Hall we’ll introduce you to singer-songwriter Liz Woolley, who plays the piano and mandolin and moves comfortably between Jazz, Bluegrass and Classical genres.  Liz Woolley and her band join Tom Williams for a little conversation and a lot of music on-stage at the USU Performance Hall on Wednesday’s AU.    

James D’Arc is out with a second edition of his book “When Hollywood Came to Town—A History of Movie making in Utah.”

We’ll spend the hour with James D’Arc and hear clips from several famous movies shot in Utah on Tuesday’s AU, including Better Off Dead. 

If your soil is sandy, or if it has too much clay, the best way to change it is with a consistent program of adding organic matter. The most efficient and easiest way to do this is by planting a cover crop.  You can do this in the spring or in the fall. Seed is readily available and fairly inexpensive, and all you have to do is incorporate the crop into the soil at the appropriate time. You’ll add precious organic matter that holds water more efficiently and adds nutrients back into soil to be used later by your vegetables or ornamentals. USU soils specialist, Grant Cardon, will be in studio for the first half hour to instruct us in how to do this.