Hello, Cache Valley!
In this week’s Crop: There’s a legal battle looming in Clarkston that pits private property rights against the public’s generation-long access to public land. In other words — just another day in the West.
Meanwhile, the saga of USU’s former president’s lavish spending continues, and there might’ve been some laws broken.Plus: CAPSA is stepping up in a big way to deliver a safe haven for domestic violence survivors.
And btw, If you love The Cache Crop, please consider sharing it with your family and friends.
Yours,
Sam Morse
Trail-access group enters fight to save public routes on Clarkston Mountain
(Ben Burt) A storm hovers over Clarkston Mountain in the quieter, pastoral side of Cache Valley.
A property owner in Clarkston has blocked trails used by the public for decades — and now a national advocacy group is suing to get them back open.
The Blue Ribbon Coalition joined litigation in Cache County arguing the roads and trails are legally dedicated to public use under Utah law. The situation escalated when the landowner was caught on video — then arrested — for unlawfully detaining a motorbiker using the trails.
If the closures stand, it could set a precedent for public access across the West — turning historical public routes into private property overnight.
“This is not about creating new routes or expanding access,” a statement reads on the Blue Ribbon website, “it is about protecting roads that have been openly and continuously used by the public for decades.”
POLL: Property rights vs. public-land access
(Cache Valley 411)
Thanks for voting this week on one of Cache Valley’s most pressing questions: public-lands access.
The results were decisive: 44% of you said public access should win if trails have been used for 10+ years. That’s almost double those who said private property comes first (23%).
But the nuance matters. Several readers pointed out that Utah law already addresses this — deed language and county road designations can clarify access rights. “So landowner purchases the land with more than 20+ years history of county roads through private property being used as public land access, and decides he can just end that?” voter Rowdy Tyler Jensen commented. “He won’t win that battle.”
Others advocated for designated easements: minimal public encroachment that respects both property owners and historic access. “When you buy land blocking public access, it should be in the deed,” David D’Addabbo wrote. “Common sense and moral thing to do.”
The takeaway? Most Cache Valley readers believe historical use matters — but they want clarity written into property law from the start, not fought out in court.
Audit suggests former USU President Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell likely broke state law
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Then-Utah State University President Elizabeth Cantwell speaks during her investiture ceremony at Utah State University in Logan in 2024.
A scathing audit alleges former Utah State University President Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell violated state law through spending and contract decisions during her 18-month tenure.
What started as a $10,000 office upgrade ballooned to $300,000 — including $184,000 in furniture and a $750 bidet — that USU still hasn’t paid for. But that’s just the headline.
Auditors found Cantwell allegedly steered contracts to companies she had prior ties with, sidestepping required competitive bidding. In total, she spent at least $660,000 on personal projects. But the problems ran deeper than one president — USU’s board of trustees allegedly provided virtually no oversight.
New President Brad Mortensen took over in November and promised to fix it. In response to the audit, he and Mortensen and Tessa White, the chair of USU’s board of trustees, committed to changing course.
“The university will continue to use this audit as a roadmap for sustained and continued improvement,” their letter states.
As of now, the Utah Attorney General hasn’t said whether charges against Cantwell will come.
New housing project brings hope to domestic violence survivors in northern Utah
(CAPSA) The main office and support center for Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse in Logan in 2021.
Twenty to thirty miles. That’s how far survivors of domestic violence in northern Box Elder County have to travel to reach support services — a distance that can feel impossible when you’re planning to leave an abusive situation.
That’s about to change. Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse is building a transitional housing project in Garland after receiving $3.6 million in state funding. The project, expected to open by early 2027, will include 20 units across five fourplexes, plus office space for support staff.
It started when Jennifer Schow and her husband donated 7 acres to the nonprofit. The timing felt urgent after two Tremonton-Garland police officers were killed last August responding to a domestic disturbance call.
“We felt like we had to address it,” said Josh Thompson, the nonprofit’s development officer. “That’s part of our community.”
The project isn’t an emergency shelter — it’s a longer-term safe place where survivors can rebuild their lives, work toward independence and access resources for up to two years.