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Now, local lawyer Daniel Goldwater is trying to freeze the borough's euthanasia order. He will present his bid in court Nov. 22. |
Published: November 8, 2017 7:10 pm Updated: Nov. 8, 2017 7:18 p.m. |
Utah State sophomore guard Sam Merrill gears up to play defense against the University of Providence during the Aggies' exhibition game on Nov. 3 at the Spectrum in Logan. |
LOGAN — Two and a half years later, Tim Duryea laughs even harder at the absurdity of the thought. |
Set to begin his third season as Utah State's head basketball coach Friday night against Weber State, Duryea had just been announced as Stew Morrill's replacement in March 2015 when he received a call from John Merrill, the father of Aggie recruit Sam Merrill. |
Prior to leaving on an LDS mission to Nicaragua, the former Bountiful High School star had committed to play for Utah State after returning home in June 2016. But after Morrill's retirement at the end of 2014-15 season, it took a couple of weeks for USU to name Duryea, his longtime assistant, as his successor. |
Soon afterward came the conversation with John Merrill "that makes me chuckle now." |
"'Yeah,'" Duryea continues with a laugh, "'Pretty sure. Pretty sure we like him.' We knew he was going to be a great player." |
Now a 6-foot- 5 sophomore guard, Sam Merrill is half of what many college basketball aficionados consider to be the best backcourt tandem in the Mountain West heading into the 2017-18 season. |
But while fellow sophomore guard Koby McEwen ended up being named MW Freshman of the Year after averaging 14.9 points per game last season, McEwen's emergence was hardly unexpected after being rated as the first Top 100 recruit in Utah State history. |
Merrill, meanwhile, came in a little bit under the radar thanks to his two-year mission. The former 4A MVP came off the bench early in the season, but earned a starting role by the time conference play got underway and started USU's final 18 games of the season. |
Merrill ended up averaging 9.4 points per game while shooting 45 percent from both the floor and 3-point range. But what really made Merrill standout was his assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.27, the best in the Mountain West, 19th in the nation and the fourth-best ever ratio in USU history. |
Credit Duryea — and Morrill — for seeing his potential. |
"We always thought that Sam was just a really steady guy, and the comparison that we always used was (former Aggie guard) Tyler Newbold," Duryea says. "Watching Sam play, you could just tell that if the ball needed to be passed into the post all night long because that was what was best for the team, then he was going ... |
"Like Tyler, you could see that winning was really the only agenda that Sam had." |
Fortunately for the Aggies, Merrill knows all about Tyler Newbold, who played at USU from 2007-11 on some of the best Aggie teams of all-time. Sam's parents, John and Jenny, both attended Utah State, his older sister, Molli, was a standout goalie (and current assistant coach) on the Aggie soccer team, and his grandfath... |
"I've been coming here to games my whole life," Sam explains. "Jaycee (Carroll) was my idol when I was a kid, and I was here the night he broke (USU's all-time) scoring record. I also liked Jared Quayle, because I thought my game was similar to his, and Tyler Newbold. |
"I knew who all those guys were, and I knew their stats and everything." |
But while Newbold, who owns the two best assist-to-turnover ratios for a season in USU history, was a rugged defender known for his steady and efficient ball control, he was not the offensive threat that Merrill figures to be. Merrill averaged 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists as a junior for a Bountiful team t... |
"Tyler was a great shooter, a really good defender and had that great assist-to-turnover ratio, but I do want someone that can even do more offensively," Merrill says. "I still have a ways to go, but I think I'm getting there. But if I can get even close to being the kind of player that he was, then I'll be happy with ... |
Although he got off to seemingly a great start on his career last season, Merrill admits he was a "little overweight" coming off of his mission, and Duryea says his steady guard got worn down as the season progressed. Merrill also was not happy at all with the overall outcome that resulted in a 14-17 record – the Aggie... |
"I grew up an Aggie fan, and it was 20 wins every year, at least, and we were going to the tournament," Merrill says. "That's what I want to get back to. I want to get this place rocking again, get back to 20 wins and postseason berths. To me, the personal stuff doesn't really matter." |
Although he admits to feeling "a lot of responsibility" heading into this season — the Aggies are going to be small and rely on him and McEwen for a lot of scoring — pressure is not something that you see on Merrill's face. If there's usually any emotion showing, it's a smile, and he credits his steady demeanor to the ... |
In addition to basketball, Merrill also played baseball, golf and football for the Braves, excelling as a wide receiver and safety. |
"I've had a lot of good coaches, and my football coach in high school, Larry Wall, was about as good as you can get," Merrill notes. "He was constantly teaching us life lessons, as well as football lessons. When things went wrong, his idea was to stay calm, persevere and get through it." |
Merrill also learned a tough basketball lesson in 2013 when he and the Braves were denied a shot at the state championship when his future Aggie teammate, Jalen Moore, buried a half-court shot at the buzzer to lift Sky View to a stunning, 63-60 upset in the semifinals. Although he scored 35 points, Merrill took the los... |
"For me, yeah, it sucked that Jalen hit that; it was unlucky," Merrill says. "But that motivated me through that offseason and through AAU ball. I kept thinking that I had two opportunities to win that game, and that pushed me and pushed our whole team to be better. And we only lost one game my senior year, so that mad... |
Merrill's mission to Central America also came with its challenges, but is quick to add "obviously I don't regret it for a second." |
"I felt like I was tough, like I was a tough player and a tough person in high school, but that toughened me up even more," Merrill says of his time in Nicaragua. "I feel like that experience had helped me so much on the court when things go wrong, or you're playing against someone bigger or faster. The things I learne... |
Currently studying accounting at Utah State, Merrill certainly figures to put up some good numbers for the Aggies this season. And he, his father and Duryea clearly believe that he's in the right place. |
"Sam comes from a Utah State family, and it really wouldn't have been right for him to go to any other school — it just wouldn't have," Duryea proclaims. "Like many other guys that we've had here during my 17 years, it's just a perfect fit for some guys. And this is a perfect fit for Sam Merrill." |
There are a million and one tricks to taking a great photo — and while amateurs usually just click the shutter and hope for the best, the pros know to elevate their pictures with any one of these tricks. Enter the Hollywood Art Institute, which offers instruction designed to help you snap amazing images every time. |
For a limited time, this photography course with certification (available now for just $19.99 from TNW Deals) will help you quit guessing whether you’re getting great pics and become a trained photography pro. |
Across 22 modules, this course will teach you need to know — and everything you should avoid — when capturing stellar photos. From video tutorials, articles, e-books, flashcards and quizzes, this course assembles the photography knowledge needed to have you taking better pictures on Day one. |
And it doesn’t hurt that this course is led by Hollywood Art Institute pros, some of the most experienced shooters and teachers in the industry. With your purchase, you’ll also have access to certified tutors, as well as five years worth of learning materials to extend your education beyond your coursework. |
Taking classes through the Hollywood Art Institute Photography Course would usually cost you almost $2,600, so grab access to this course now at over 90 percent off from TNW Deals while this offer lasts. |
KABUL � Three NATO service members were killed Tuesday by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan. |
The latest deaths bring December�s toll of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan to 23, and the total for the year to 539. |
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina � President Cristina Fernandez has thyroid cancer, but test results showed Tuesday that it remains limited to a lobe in the right side of her neck and has not spread into her lymph nodes, her spokesman said. |
Fernandez, 58, will undergo surgery on Jan. 4 and then take 20 days of medical leave, during which Vice President Amado Boudou will run the country. Spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro said the cancer was discovered during a routine exam on Dec. 22 . |
This kind of thyroid cancer is highly survivable, with more than 95 percent of patients living at least 10 years after detection, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. |
WASHINGTON � A senior Iranian official Tuesday delivered a sharp threat in response to economic sanctions being readied by the United States, saying his country would retaliate against any crackdown by blocking all oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for transporting about one-fifth of the world�... |
The declaration by Iran�s first vice president, Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, came as President Obama prepares to sign legislation that, if fully implemented, could substantially reduce Iran�s oil revenue in a bid to deter it from pursuing a nuclear weapons program. |
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia � A court in Ethiopia has sentenced two Swedish journalists to 11 years in prison on charges of supporting terrorism after the two illegally entered the country with an ethnic Somali rebel group in a case that has been criticized by media rights groups. |
Judge Shemsu Sirgaga ruled Tuesday that the two freelance journalists � Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye � will serve �rigorous imprisonment� following their convictions last week. |
Ethiopian troops had captured Persson and Schibbye six months ago during a clash with rebels in eastern Ethiopia�s restive Somali region, a no-go area for reporters. Ethiopia considers the rebel group a terrorist organization, and it is very difficult for journalists to gain access to the region. Rights groups say that... |
SEOUL, South Korea � North Korea said Tuesday that it wanted to restore scuttled agreements with South Korea that could channel extensive investments from the developed South into the impoverished North. The request was conveyed in the first official interaction with visitors from the South since the death of the North... |
But it was unclear whether North Korea, under the new leadership of Kim Jong Il�s untested young son Kim Jong Un, was prepared to offer any concessions in return for restoring those agreements, which the South Korean leader, Lee Myung-bak, scrapped when he came to power nearly four years ago. |
For everyone who's seen Captain America: Civil War, they know Bucky was taken in by T'Challa in Wakanda. I think that, you know, we catch back up with him after he's been there for a while, and if there's an influence on his arm, it may perhaps have to do with that country that he's been spending time in. |
In case you need a refresher on Captain America: Civil War's final moments, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers were granted asylum within Wakanda, and fearing that the lingering HYDRA programming in his head would case him to hurt more people, Bucky decided to go back into deep freeze until the Wakandan scientists could fin... |
Along with being the most technologically advance nation on Earth, Wakanda also benefits from its large supply of vibranium, the rare metal that can absorb sound waves. It's the same metal that Captain America's shield is made out of, and since adamantium rests firmly in the X-Men cinematic universe (although that may ... |
For those interested in re-watching the quick glimpse of Bucky Barnes rushing into battle, give the Avengers: Infinity War trailer another look below. |
You can see the Winter Soldier back in action when Avengers: Infinity War opens in theaters on May 4, 2018. To learn what other movies are coming out over the next 12 months, check out our 2018 premiere guide. |
Pakistan and India squared off at the legal crease at a hearing at the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters in Dubai on Monday after the two sides failed to honour a deal to compete in several bilateral series. |
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is demanding US$70 million (Dh257m) in compensation from India, claiming that a memorandum of understanding signed in 2014 had guaranteed six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. |
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said it is unable to play against Pakistan until its government gives it permission and dismissed the agreement as not legally binding. |
The hearing is set to last until October 3. |
ICC's chief executive David Richardson last week urged the two nations to resolve the matter between themselves rather than seeking arbitration. |
“It is a matter between India and Pakistan. We would like the resumption of ties between the two nations on a bilateral basis," Richardson said. |
“We will facilitate any settlement decision if we can. Other than that, it is up to the two nations." |
India-Pakistan ties, including sports and cultural contacts, plummeted after the 2008 militant attacks in Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistani militant groups. |
There has been just one bilateral tour since, when Pakistan visited India to play two Twenty20s and three one-day internationals in December 2012 and January 2013. |
Pakistan and India continue to play each other in international events, including last month's Asia Cup in Dubai. |
India won that event while Pakistan failed to reach the final. |
Can you guess the identity of this 'Dolly' look-a-like? |
Contest invites donations to Journeys to guess Dolly's real identity. |
Journeys in Community Living invites everyone in our community to get in on the fun of guessing the true identity of a local community member who has dressed up as Dolly Parton to help raise money for the organization's mission. |
"In an effort to raise funds and awareness of our organization, we are today launching a special contest on our website that we are sure will pique the interests of all those Sherlock Holmes out there," said Mark Bell, Development Coordinator for Journeys. "Those who visit our website, donate $5 and guess the individua... |
Journeys is a more than 35-year-old nonprofit that serves more than 120 adults with intellectual disabilities daily as they choose and realize their visions of how and where they want to live, work and socialize. |
The organization is partnering with The Daily News Journal to promote the contest. The DNJ will publish hints about the individual's true identity on a weekly basis beginning with this article today. |
"We are very proud to be partnering with The DNJ in this effort," Bell said. "The DNJ's willingness to partner with us in this effort shows the paper's level of commitment to this community and the nonprofits who serve its most vulnerable members." |
Those interested in guessing the true identity of Journeys' mystery guest can do so by visiting the nonprofit's Web site at www.journeystn.org and following the prompts to get to the event section and 'Guess Who Contest' section. To go directly to the contest page, visit this link: http://bit.ly/1wKos7J. |
The true identity of the individual pictured will be revealed at Journeys' annual Fall Social & Sponsor Appreciation Event, slated for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 24 at The Warehouse off Middle Tennessee Boulevard in Murfreesboro. |
Those who correctly guess the true identity of the individual will be entered into a drawing to win a small prize and bragging rights. The event itself is an integrated costume dance party and will include a special VIP room for event sponsors and ticket purchasers where a silent auction will be held. |
Among the items up for auction is signed Dolly Parton memorabilia, donated by Dolly's own management agency, CTK Management. |
Dolly Parton was heard performing her hit song Jolene! Much like Jolene, our mystery guest "always gets his man." |
With all signs pointing to Mitt Romney selecting Paul Ryan as his VP running mate tomorrow in Norfolk, VA, Romney went bold. And here is First Read's looks at the strengths and weaknesses Ryan would bring the GOP presidential ticket. |
As chairman of the House Budget Committee, the 42-year-old Ryan is a young rising star in the GOP, and has become their chief spokesman when it comes to reducing the deficit and debt. |
Romney picking Ryan as his running mate would signal that he’s doubling down on an austerity/deficit-reduction message. Indeed, while the Obama campaign and Democrats could point to visible improvements with the economy over the past three years (a lower unemployment rate, stronger GDP growth), there hasn’t been much p... |
Ryan hails from a battleground state -- Wisconsin -- where polls show Romney currently trailing Obama. Obama actually won Ryan’s district in 2008, 51%-47%. |
Comfort level: When Romney campaigned with Ryan in the lead-up to the April 3 Wisconsin primary, the two men demonstrated a rapport that we haven’t seen with other Romney surrogates. |
He would be a person who could please both the conservative intelligentsia and the Tea Party base. |
Ryan’s budget plan has become a lightning rod, and it will be a focus of Democratic attacks in the fall. The most controversial component of the plan is that it significantly transforms Medicare, which is regarded as the government’s most popular program. |
In addition to Medicare, Ryan was one of the driving forces to partially privatize Social Security after George W. Bush’s victory in the 2004 presidential election. |
There are also holes in Ryan’s budget-hawk armor: He voted for some of the biggest drivers of the deficit/debt -- the Bush tax cuts, the Iraq war, and the Medicare prescription-drug benefit, all of which weren’t paid for. Moreover, Ryan voted against the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles recommendations. |
Has never held statewide office and has no foreign-policy experience. Both could be liabilities. |
As a member of Congress, Ryan currently works in -- and is a relatively high-profile member of -- one of America’s least popular institutions. |
And while Romney has criticized Obama for not having private-sector experience, the same is largely true of Ryan: As the New Yorker has written, Ryan briefly worked for his family’s business as a “marketing consultant,” but most of his adult life has been spent as a congressman, congressional aide, or speechwriter/anal... |
In recent months the spotlight has, yet again, been shone on universities in South Africa. This time, the focus was on the fact that leading institutions (all of whom were previously designated as for “whites only”) remains largely untransformed. This time around, though, the focus was not only on numbers (even though ... |
In essence, interest groups are demanding a decolonised curriculum (that is: a curriculum that teaches African literatures and theories) relevant to our context as well as globally competitive (this, by the way, is not mutually exclusive); a university demographic that (as far as that is possible) reflects the racial m... |
The demand that universities have more inclusive language policies, in my view, does not require further debate. It’s pretty straightforward and I am flabbergasted that universities fail to see the urgency of the matter. Being able to communicate and engage intellectually is crucial for teaching and learning. In the sa... |
Language, however, goes beyond teaching and learning! It’s about attachment and belonging — it’s about feeling at home. To illustrate this, Máiréad Nic Craith in her book, Narratives of Place, Belonging and Language: An Intercultural Perspective reflects on immigrants from Asia and Africa mimicking how “Londoners” spok... |
I realised once again that language operates at multiple fronts. For the students I mention above (more so for their peers, I guess) language and particularly how they spoke, was important to fit in. In South Africa — a racially polarised society — black people’s intellect and personhood are often judged based on their... |
Judging from the stories, it’s clear that students are fed up with accepting their heteronormative (environments that privilege whiteness, heterosexuality, middle-classness, English/Afrikaans etc) universities. It seems students who are black, poor and who do not subscribe to gender norms are particularly isolated in s... |
A neural model is described of how the brain may autonomously learn a body-centered representation of 3-D target position by combining information about retinal target position, eye position, and head position in real time. Such a body-centered spatial representation enables accurate movement commands to the limbs to b... |
Copyright 1993 Boston University. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that: 1. The copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage; 2. the report title, author, document number, and release date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of B... |
The charter school is taking an unusual step to jump-start a state mandate that requires mandatory PE for middle school students beginning next school year. |
State lawmakers passed the legislation this year calling for 150 minutes a week of PE for middle-schoolers. It also tightened the language of the law for elementary school students to require 30 minutes of consecutive activity during a PE class. |
Backed by Gov. Charlie Crist, the legislation was a move to bring physical education back to schools. |
Since the federal No Child Left Behind Act passed in 2002, coupled with a rising concern over obesity among children, many proponents of physical education decried the axing of PE programs across the country. |
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