Cache Valley shows legislators the future

LOGAN — Genetics research, robotic guide dogs and commercial flights gave legislators touring Utah's northern corner a first-hand taste of how the Cache Valley is pushing into the 21st century.

During the last day of their trip Tuesday, state lawmakers on various guided tours spent a full day hearing about topics such as the drought's impact on Bear Lake, improved methods for teaching disabled students, high-tech businesses and the multiple building projects at Utah State University. Many of the tours also saw the ways in which their appropriations, especially in last year's general session, are being utilized and even paying dividends.

The biggest news may have been given to the group focused on transportation. They were told by Logan Mayor Doug Thompson that a commuter airline is "very serious" about starting commercial service to the Logan Airport. That would include two daily flights to Denver and one to Las Vegas, and would be very important for economic development and the businesses that result from research at the university, he said.

"It's really essential to us for getting and keeping businesses," he said. "As USU develops businesses . . . we would like to keep those businesses here."

The contract for the flights, which could be signed within two weeks, would bring to the valley exactly what it needs for air travel, said Sandra Emile, president of the Cache Chamber of Commerce. Although she could not identify the Las Vegas-based company, she did say the prices would be less than a Denver flight from Salt Lake.

"We aren't looking to be an international airport," she said. "We are looking to provide our local people and businesses a connection globally."

Rep. Fred Hunsaker, R-Logan, who was on the tour that visited the airport, said the new flights would be a major step forward for the entire valley.

"For businesses, for the university and for so many economic functions, it is tremendously important," he said. "Transportation and the ability to allow businesses to connect to their headquarters is vital."

Every tour was shown examples of research being done at USU at some point. Tuesday, a couple of the tours were given demonstrations of futuristic robotic and space technology, while one group of legislators even went so far as to isolate a DNA cluster.

Much of the research is being funded, or could potentially be funded, by the Utah Science, Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative. Last year, the Legislature appropriated $6 million to the program, $1.4 million of which went to USU.