UI alum looks to give Boeing new direction
Kelly Ortberg was recently hired as aerospace company Boeing’s CEO.
Jack
A University of Iowa alum is attempting to redirect the Boeing company after issues with its manufacturing line drove the company to the brink of ruin. The UI graduate, Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, began working as the company’s CEO on Aug. 8.
The aerospace company was the subject of a government audit in January 2024 after a Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger jet lost a rear door plug mid-flight forcing the plane to make an emergency landing with terrified passengers on board.
After the incident, Boeing was ordered to ground all 737 Max 9 jets, and the Federal Aviation Administration began an investigation that found multiple issues with quality control in the company’s aircraft production line.
The FAA ordered the company to resolve the quality control issues, which resulted in several staff members resigning. The former CEO Dave Calhoun also announced his intentions to retire early this year and officially announced he would be stepping down from the position in March. As of Aug. 8, Ortberg, 62, took over the role of CEO, and many are saying he’s the right pick for the job. Ortberg was born in Dubuque, Iowa, and graduated from the UI in 1982 with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering. Five years later, he
What’s next for the ‘least desired’ dorm
Jack
Moore Managing News Editor jack.moore@dailyiowan.com
The iconic Mayflower dorm has been home to thousands of University of Iowa residents — some loving the outlying residence hall, while others describe their stay as a prison-like sentence.
For 56 years, the building has housed seem ingly endless hallways, cramped elevators, and suite-style dormitories while serving as a beacon to anyone entering Iowa City.
Last year, UI officials went forward with a plan that had been in development for years: the 326,000 square foot dormitory up for sale.
for a cool $45 million. Days went by — then months. In less than a year, UI officials pulled the contract and took the dorm off the market. Ultimately, the number of incoming students determined that the UI needed Mayflower back in their flock.
Officals cited the mile-long trek to the heart of campus, lower grade point averages among its students, and a poll showing it was the least desired dorm on campus with the most transfers as reasons for the sale.
The behemothic structure was put on Realtor. com and Zillow, listed by local realtor Jeff Edberg
In a recent interview with The Daily Iowan , Von Stange, the UI’s senior director of housing and dining, said the decision to keep Mayflower ultimately came when they received a record number of returning students and the third-largest freshman class in UI history for fall 2024.
“We saw that, and then we got the report from admissions saying that they were trending up in [admitted students] as well, and just said we can’t. There’s too many beds there,” Stange said.
The decision left one big question: How will the
university address the problems it already knew existed in the dorm for future students?
Stange said the decision to take the dorm off the market means the university will keep it at least until 2029, and the UI have already begun making changes to the dorm for this year’s Mayflower residents. However, he said there wasn’t much that could be done with only six months until a new class moved in.
When did the problems in Mayflower begin?
Construction on Mayflower started on North Dubuque St. in 1965 by a private contractor and was advertised as a luxury apartment complex with a heated indoor pool, saunas, and larger rooms, according to a DI article from the time. It wasn’t until 1979 that the university set its sights on the building due to overcrowding in other dorms. By 1982, they bought it outright
•
At the end of last year, the Iowa City Community School District made the contentious decision to close one of its elementary schools as new laws restricted the district’s budget. Now, the city is planning to demolish the building. Follow our latest coverage at dailyiowan.com.
This ain’t Texas —
The new Iowa City bar offers late-night revelers over 60
Julian Senn-Raemont News Reporter news@dailyiowan.com
Something’s brewing at 347 S. Gilbert St.
Tequila Cowgirl opened its doors to the public on Aug. 16 in the building previously home to Bardot. During its grand opening, the new western-themed bar and grill welcomed customers with a cowgirl in an inflatable cow costume dancing to the indelible sounds of pop-country artist Walker Hayes’ “Fancy Like.”
Ava Andrle, the aforementioned cowgirl, said she enjoys her work at the new bar and that she gets along with her coworkers. Committed to the bar’s theme, Andrle’s coworkers said they’re all going to learn line dancing and choose a specific song to climb onto the bar and give onlookers a scoot and shuffle to. The bar features a life-size cutout of Dolly Parton, a neon sign reading “Save Water, Drink Tequila,” and a framed poster of Beyoncé in crystallized cowgirl gear.
Dawsi Hastings, one of the managers of Tequila Cowgirl, said the western theme of the bar and grill seemed like a good fit since more and more pop singers are embracing the culture of country music.
In addition to dancing cowgirls and flashy lights, the bar features daily specials ranging from Monday’s $2 beer boots, Thursday’s buyone-get-one free deal on any drink menu item, Saturday’s $3 long islands, and a selection of over 60 different types of tequila.
In terms of food, Tequila Cowgirl serves classic bar fare, which they describe as “quick bites,” such as burgers, chicken sandwiches, build-your-own pizzas, and french fries loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, chives, and a cool ramekin of ranch.
Karaoke Thursdays. “We’d
Photo:
Ortberg
Ryan
The bar also hosts events like trivia, bingo, and
like to extend an open invitation to anyone who feels like they don’t belong or are uncomfortable,” Miranda Mason, a bartender and host of Karaoke Thursdays, said. Andrle added that country bars often aren’t
welcome to the LBGTQ+ community, but Tequila Cowgirl is open to everyone. The owners of Tequila Cowgirl also own two gay bars in Iowa. Those clubs, Studio 13 in Iowa City and Basix in Cedar Rapids, are the only LGBTQ+ bars in Ava Neumaier | The Daily Iowan
Patrons take a photo of a drink at the counter of new country nightclub Tequila Cowgirl on Aug. 30. The bar is in the former location of Bardot and Casa Azul and owned by Spectrum Hospitality Group, which also runs the club Studio 13.
TEQUILA | 3A
Edberg
Stange
— affording the university a space to house over 1,000 residents.
Since then, the dorm has been remodeled twice, once in 1999 and again in 2008 to repair flood damage from the Iowa River. While the facility no longer has a pool on the main floor, or a sauna, the residence hall now contains a gym, small food market, multipurpose room, and a computer lab. Mayflower remains the only dorm on campus with kitchenettes in the rooms.
In February 2023, the UI submitted a report to the Iowa Board of Regents outlining its issues with Mayflower. According to the report Mayflower is the least desired dorm, has the most transfers, and that money from selling the building could go toward a new dorm closer to campus, which the UI believed could increase student retention rates.
In 2022, a year before Mayflower was put on the market, first-year student retention rates hovered around 87 percent, compared with ISU and UNI at 88 percent and 81 percent, respectively.
The retention rates were outlined in the university’s 2022 to 2027 strategic plan, which states the UI’s goal to raise retention rates to 90 percent by 2027. Typically, the university claims around 94 percent of first year students live on campus. Vice President for Student Life
Sarah Hansen said in a February 2023 Iowa Now article there is a correlation with students who live on campus and their likelihood of returning for a second year.
She went on to say 89 percent of first-year students living in the residence halls return for their second year. Mayflower is the farthest dorm located over a mile from the heart of campus. She said that selling Mayflower, along with renovations to Hillcrest and Burge residence halls, would benefit student outcomes. After it was determined that Mayflower wasn’t being sold, UI President Barbara Wilson told the DI in May they were considering making Mayflower a dorm just for second-year students because they are more equipped to live farther away.
“I think the vision for Mayflower going forward is to really rethink the footprint of it and create a destination place for second-year students as opposed to first-year students,” Wilson said. However, this vision has not come to fruition — at least for now, Stange said. There are more first-year students living in the dorm than second years for the 2024-25 academic year. As of Aug. 19, he said there are 826 residents living in Mayflower this year with 150 to 200 consisting of returning students. Ultimately, he said they
flower last year, said she enjoyed the room size, but she would have multiple issues on the elevators. One such instance was when she went to visit her friend on the seventh floor. She said the elevator stopped, for no reason, at the third, fourth, and fifth floors before finally reaching its destination.
“It took an extra three minutes on the elevator, plus the amount of time that it took to wait for it to, like, register, to go down to the base floor,” Baele said. She also said the distance from campus became problematic for her — especially in the winter.
Baele said there were days it was hard to get out of bed because she knew she had a cold journey ahead of her just to get to class. After multiple weeks of getting on a packed bus or walking in freezing temperatures, the thought of missing class became more and more appealing.
The most prominent thing Baele noticed, however, was how many people moved out of the building during the year.
The people who like Mayflower have said the building has a strong sense of community and larger room sizes. Plus, they note the access to parking makes it a desirable dorm.
Avery Hoppert, a firstyear UI student living in Mayflower, said her biggest gripe with the building is its distance — particularly because of the bus system.
In Mayflower, buses come on rotation every 15 minutes. Hoppert said the buses become extremely congested in the morning, which Hoppert said causes the issue of potential stragglers waiting 15 minutes for the next bus. However, she said that Mayflower’s larger suite-style rooms made her transition to college easier because it was more like what she was used to at home.
“It wasn’t necessarily my first choice, but now that I look at it now, I’m very glad that I ended up where I did. I really like how much space I have and the community I’m in,” Hoppert said. “I really like it.”
Arden Hallett, a thirdyear student and student custodian at Mayflower last year, said she has spent hours vacuuming the hallway carpets, during which time she sensed an issue with the community on the floors. She said she rarely saw people interacting with each other.
“The dorm is just sad,” Hallett said. “I think compared to the other dorms, there’s less of a communal vibe. Like the common spaces were pretty empty.”
“It is an island, yes, but it is also a close community. I think those are some of the things that can accent how it can be its best and a target location.”
Rod Lehnertz UI senior vice president and university architect
made the decision to keep first-year students in the dorm because many students wanted to live in Mayflower, and taking away that choice would not be fair.
“It would be difficult for us to be able to make that building just second-year students or returning students, because students have a choice,” Stange said. What are students saying?
In terms of what students think of Mayflower, it’s a mixed bag.
For those who dislike Mayflower, their main arguments center around its distance from campus, building maintenance, and inconsistent elevators that seemingly take students to any floor but their own.
Emma Baele, a former UI student who lived in May-
Nick Theuerkauf is a third-year student who lived in Daum his first year, but he said he’s been to Mayflower many times to visit friends. To him, the dorm seemed deteriorated.
“It seems like they’re just very run down, like there are cracks in the walls — it gave off a very much, like, post-Soviet vibe,” Theurkauf said.
There are those who have said Mayflower does foster a great community because people get to spend more time together when they are farther from campus.
Susan Presto, a UI alum and former Mayflower resident who went on to work at the UI as the assistant director of student life and engagement, said in an email to the DI that Mayflower’s community helped encourage her to continue working for the university.
DORM DISTANCE TO HEART
OF CAMPUS
Mayflower is the farthest residence hall from the heart of campus.
“My experience in Mayflower helped shape me as a student affairs professional. It helped lay the foundation of my career. I feel like I have come full circle in the sense that Mayflower was my first experience working with Liv-
flower attend supplemental instruction at higher rates than other students. Because of this, UI officials want to have academic advising come out to the dorm a couple times a semester.
Stange said he recognizes
“It wasn’t necessarily my first choice, but now that I look at it now, I’m very glad that I ended up where I did..
Avery Hoppert
A UI first-year living in Mayflower
ing Learning Communities, and now I oversee all of our Living Learning Communities,” Presto wrote.
What changes are they making?
Now that the dorm is back in service, the UI has begun renovating the hall floors, expanding dining options, and adding more social areas, Stange said. However, he said there is only so much money they can put into the building.
So far, the UI has reconfigured four student rooms on each of the seven floors into a study and lounge space.
He said this change cost the university just under $100,000. Any renovation more than $100,000 forces the UI to hold a bid for the project, Stange said. This way, they could make the change quickly with students coming in August.
The new lounges took about 50 beds offline. He said they are still waiting for new furniture for the rooms. Right now, according to students living in the dorm, there are only a few chairs and a table in the lounges.
In order to give students at Mayflower more food options, the UI had its food truck, the Street Hawk, add a stop outside Mayflower every Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. But the first-week steaming start threw a wrench in that schedule, as it was too hot to come, Stange said.
There are other food additions, including new coffee machines and hot food options like walking tacos, which are standard at other food markets across campus.
In the future, Stange said they plan to replace the carpet in each of the rooms with a luxury vinyl tile, and replace the appliances in the room’s kitchenettes. They also want to relocate some other areas of the building, including the fitness center.
Stange also said they learned students in May-
some students don’t choose to live in Mayflower, so they’ve cut the room rates for doubles by 6.8 percent. This equates to a $560 discount.
“The rationale behind that was there were students there who did not choose to be there, we had to place them there. And so not only did they not want to be there, then we asked them to pay more in order to live there, and we decided that’s not right,” Stange said.
Looking forward
Rod Lehnertz, UI senior vice president and university architect, said the improvements they’ve made so far are minimal, but they are looking to hear from students.
“We want to know from
the boots on the ground: What works? What doesn’t? What do you like about it? What didn’t you like about it? And let’s find the physical ways and program ways to erase the things you didn’t like about it because there are things to like about it,” Lehnertz said.
He said there are still some pending maintenance items they want to address and new ways to make students enjoy Mayflower, but the community has thrived in the dorm, and there are many reasons to love it.
He thinks the dorm does foster a close community, and looking forward, the UI should look at the advantages of the dorm rather than its disadvantages to make it a better place to foster student growth.
“It is an island, yes, but it is also a close community,” Lehnertz said. “I think those are some of the things that can accent how it can be its best and a target location.”
Stange said Mayflower can get a bad reputation for how far it is from campus, but anyone who lives there will get a traditional college experience.
“Your experience of living on campus is not dictated by the name on the outside of the building but by the people you meet on the inside,” Stange said. “Whatever building you’re in, if you give it a fair shot, you’re going to find your closest friends, and your best experiences are going to be there.”
Kate Perez contributed to this report.
Sports Editor Colin Votzmeyer colin.votzmeyer@dailyiowan.com
Asst. Sports Editor Brad Schultz brad.schultz@dailyiowan.com
Pregame Editor Matt McGowan matt.mcgowan@dailyiowan.com
Arts Editor Charlie Hickman charlie.hickman@dailyiowan.com
Opinions Editor Carson Hartzog carson.hartzog@dailyiowan.com
Visuals Editor Isabella Tisdale isabella.tisdale@dailyiowan.com
Digital Editor Riley Dunn riley.dunn@dailyiowan.com
Audience Editor Shreya Reddy shreya.reddy@dailyiowan.com
DITV News Director Johnny Valtman johnny.valtman@dailyiowan.com
DITV Asst. News Director Jayce Bertrand jayce.bertrand@dailyiowan.com
DITV Sports Director AJ Reisetter aj.reisetter@dailyiowan.com
DITV Asst. Sports Director Brady Behrend brady.behrend@dailyiowan.com
DITV Tech Director Madison Johnson madison.johnson@dailyiowan.com
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager Debra Plath debra.plath@dailyiowan.com 319-335-5786
Advertising Director/ Circulation Manager Juli Krause juli.krause@dailyiowan.com
Timeline by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher | The Daily Iowan
Infographic by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher | The Daily Iowan
Hansen
Wilson
Lehnertz
The WNBA needs Iowa
The popularity of women’s basketball in Iowa continues continues to fuel possible WNBA expansion.
Chris Meglio Sports Reporter opinions@dailyiowan.com
It’s been nearly 75 years since Iowa had a professional basketball team, and the time is better than ever for an expansion.
The Waterloo Hawks were Iowa’s first and only major professional sports team. As part of the NBA’s inaugural 1949-50 season, the team went 19-43 and finished fifth in the Western Division. The Hawks were one of six teams cut after that season.
If there’s any hope of Iowa gaining a professional basketball team, it’s with the WNBA. The league currently holds 12 franchises and will add two more — Golden State and Toronto — in the next two years. Since the Waterloo Hawks ceased operations in 1950, Iowa sports fans have rallied around its two Division I athletic teams: the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones. Both universities have spent decades drawing some of the top high school athletes, especially for basketball.
Hawkeye fans were blessed to watch Caitlin Clark don the black and gold for the past four years. She entered Iowa City as a five-star prospect from West Des Moines and left as arguably the greatest women’s college basketball player of all time.
Now a member of the Indiana Fever, Clark’s fanbase is fueling record-setting ticket sales.
The Fever sold out their season tickets for the first time in franchise history just hours after selecting the superstar point guard first overall in the 2024 WNBA draft. The average distance from Indianapolis for Fever season ticket holders was reported to be 314 miles, with Iowa City being around 365 miles from Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
As of Aug. 20, Indiana leads the league in average and total attendance numbers across the board by a wide margin.
This isn’t the first time Iowa fans have helped break records relating to women’s basketball.
During Clark’s final season last year, the Hawkeyes hosted 55,646 fans inside Kinnick Stadium as part of Crossover at Kinnick, sold out all but two home games, and tallied record-setting NCAA viewership numbers during Iowa’s final three tournament contests, including the national championship game against South Carolina.
In March 2023, Clark described how
much Iowans love women’s basketball, and she said the Hawkeyes are their “pro sports team.” She believes a WNBA franchise would thrive in Iowa because of the sport’s popularity.
Former Hawkeye and current Las Vegas Aces center Megan Gustafson recently advocated for a potential Iowa-WNBA expansion.
In an interview with KGAN sports reporter Owen Siebring, Gustafson discussed the idea of holding an exhibition match between the Fever and Aces at Carver-Hawkeye Arena — a game that would feature herself, Clark, and former Iowa guard Kate Martin, who plays with Gustafson on the Aces.
As of right now, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is “pretty confident the league will expand to 16 teams by 2028.” Philadelphia, Portland, Denver, Nashville, and South Florida are among the possible locations for potential expansion franchises. Now, it’s understandable the league will likely expand to larger markets with established fanbases. But if an expansion team were to hit somewhere in Iowa, a state with a strong women’s basketball reputation and virtually no competition, then there’s great reason to believe a small market state will soon be in the mix for a WNBA franchise.
It’s time to elect the first woman president
Kennedy Lein Opinions Columnist opinions@dailyiowan.com
Vice President Kamala Harris is on her way to making history by becoming the first-ever woman president of the United States, but some are still uncertain about having a woman in office.
What this group of skeptics doesn’t understand is that, according to a study by the Leadership Circle, “the typical female leader scores higher on effectiveness than 52% of all leaders, whereas the typical male leader scores higher than only 43% of all leaders.”
The overtly sexist argument claims women are too emotional and sensitive to run a country, especially in times of increased stress. The ability to be compassionate and sensitive to the world around us, however, is nothing short of a superpower. Women consistently rank higher than men for desired traits in good leaders.
Women’s brains have also been shown to handle elevated cortisol levels more effectively than men’s, disproving the idea that women are incapable of navigating high-stress situations from a biological standpoint. A female president could promote and enhance gender equality, which is especially important when discussing
abortion rights — a key topic of debate leading up to this year’s election.
Male elected officials should not have input on women’s reproductive choices — let alone a man with a track record of publicly offending and sexualizing women. I personally don’t want my freedom of choice denied by a man who once said that although Kim Kardashian doesn’t have a good body, she does have a “fat ass.” Former President Donald Trump even went so far as to comment on his own daughter’s breasts, saying they have always been “very voluptuous.”
Don’t believe abortion legislation should be introduced or passed by a male-dominated Congress. The ability to get pregnant is a female experience, and the choice to terminate or continue a pregnancy should, therefore, remain with women.
Harris might not be the biological mother of her two stepchildren, Cole and Ella, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t understand the maternal bond forged from caring for another living being, nor does it mean she doesn’t understand the need for access to safe abortions nationwide.
Harris has been a longtime supporter of abortion rights. She is the first ever vice president to visit a Planned Parenthood clinic. She also stands behind contraception and in vitro fertilization, or IVF, criticizing vice-presidential candidate JD Vance for wanting to ban the procedure.
Abortion rights are not the only contentious topic that Harris compassionately acknowledges within her campaign. Unlike her opponent, she supports a ban on assault weapons — the leading cause of death for children in the U.S.
It is ironic and hypocritical for Trump’s campaign to have become obsessed with limiting access to abortion, IVF, and contraception, and then completely neglect ongoing policies regarding gun control, sexual education, and the foster care system.
Though these are just a couple items on Harris’s campaign agenda, one’s decision to elect a woman should be based on more than unfulfilled campaign promises. Previous candidates have been judged by a variety of subconscious biases. Voters are influenced by a candidate’s height, attractiveness, and similarity to their own appearance.
While it’s impossible to erase these biases, confronting them with fact-based evidence could make a difference at the polls. It’s abundantly clear. Women lead differently than men. Electing a woman could offer a fresh perspective on important matters that have not reached a collective consensus in years. Who knows, it might also prove to us all that women lead better than men. When the U.S. elects a female president, maybe we will finally talk less about what a woman is wearing and more about what she is saying. When we elect a female president, maybe more young girls will find the confidence to take on leadership roles instead of settling for lower positions of power. When we elect a female president, maybe our looks will matter less, and our minds will matter more. When the time comes for us to elect a female president, we will be better off.
The Iowa Women’s Archives: A hidden gem
Packed
Cole Walker Opinions Columnist opinions@dailyiowan.com
The Iowa Women’s Archives, or IWA, continues to prove it is one of the most important and consequential entities in the vast University of Iowa Libraries system, despite a lack of public recognition. Its comprehensive collection of documents, pictures, and stories serves as a physical testament to the compellingly diverse history of women in Iowa.
The IWA was established in 1992, but the initial incentive for its creation came in 1969 when Louise Noun, a native Iowan, historian, and activist, sought to write a book chronicling the history of the Iowa Women’s Suffrage Movement. She found, however, that the state lacked a sufficient catalog encapsulating the history of Iowa women. Noun shared her struggles with longtime friend Mary Louise Smith, an active political figure and groundbreaking feminist, and together they developed an idea — the
inklings of a plan to start the IWA.
The pair of modern trailblazers went to work establishing the archive: a collection of photos, letters, manuscripts and more, all depicting the lives and work of women and their families throughout the state.
A few of the archives’ collections — some of which are privately funded and others through public grants — include Women in Politics, Women’s Physical Education, Jewish Women in Iowa, and the Mujeres Latinas Project.
These collections act as a home for the ever-changing and multifaceted history of women in Iowa under the special collections and archives.
More students should connect with the IWA because of its potential as a teaching and learning tool.
As a student with a minor in history, I have found the IWA to be essential for analyzing primary documents and better understanding historical figures. The various collections provide ample opportunities for different departments to enrich their understandings of local history and culture.
Ashley Howard, an assistant professor and researcher in the Department of African American Studies at the UI, takes advantage of every opportunity to introduce her students to the IWA.
“The Iowa Women’s Archive is an absolute campus gem,” Howard said. “I bring my students almost every
Marandah Mangra-Dutcher, Jack Moore, Stella Shipman, Carson Hartzog
be involved.
semester. Not only do they have the opportunity to get hands-on history training, but the collection materials expand their understanding of who and what it means to be an Iowan.”
Despite the amazing work being done to preserve thousands of Iowans’ stories, many students aren’t even aware of the IWA’s existence. Whether it’s due to a lack of publicity or the simple fact that the archives’ office is tucked away on the third floor of the Main Library, the IWA doesn’t receive nearly enough attention.
Regardless of area of study, more students should recognize the work being done by the talented and hardworking staff at the IWA by paying the archives a visit. Whether it be through research and grant opportunities or simply heading to the archives’ office during its posted hours the more student engagement, the better.
The IWA isn’t limited to students from a particular discipline, so students shouldn’t let their business or biology major stop them from checking out its collections. The staff are always available to assist those interested, and they can provide anyone with necessary information about research or ways to get involved.
By and large, the IWA continues to prove itself as an essential part of the Iowa Libraries’ robust and expansive range of resources, and it’s time for more students to pay the archives a visit.
Isabelle Tisdale | The Daily Iowan
Minnesota forward Dorka Juhász blocks a shot by Indiana guard Caitlin Clark during a WNBA game between the Minnesota Lynx and the Indiana Fever at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Aug. 24. The Lynx defeated the Fever, 90-80.
New parking rates under review
Community members said the higher rates make downtown Iowa City less inclusive.
Isabelle Foland News Editor isabelle.foland@dailyiowan.com
After many residents expressed frustration with increased parking rates this summer, Iowa City is now discussing rolling back parking meter rates in the downtown area.
As of July 1, rates for parking in metered spots, parking garages, and parking ticket fees have all increased. Parking in ramps increased from $1 to $2 per hour, and parking meter rates downtown increased from $1.50 to $3 per hour.
These rate and fee increases are the first in over a decade and are intended to generate revenue for parking infrastructure improvements and the city’s fare-free transit system.
However, business owners and employees have said the increased meter rates have made visiting and working downtown more expensive and less equitable. Catherine’s Boutique, located at 7 S. Dubuque St., created an online petition asking the city to lower the rates, which gathered nearly 1,400 signatures.
At the Iowa City City Council’s Aug. 20 work session, councilors discussed lowering the hourly meter rate for downtown from $3 to $2.25. The council was somewhat split in their opinion on the rate drop.
At the meeting, Councilor Andrew Dunn said he sympathized with the downtown community’s concerns but wanted to make sure the city weighed the consequences of lowering a revenue source.
“In a case like this, where dollars and
cents are few and far between and the alternative might be increasing taxes… I think we need to think long and hard about going back within a month or two of a decision that is going to have major financial implications for everything we just talked about,” Dunn said at the meeting.
Councilor Megan Alter said during the meeting that she was also concerned about the equity of the $3 hourly rate and would like to see if there are other revenue-generating avenues the city could take to supplement lost income if the rates were to decrease.
“I am worried about the optics of how inclusive and inviting downtown Iowa City — the core — is, to say ‘It’s $3 an hour, there is no way to do partial, and if you’re using an app, it’s $3.40,’” Alter said at the meeting.
“That actually doesn’t scream ‘equity’ to me.”
In an email to The Daily Iowan , City Manager Geoff Fruin wrote that the city council directed city staff to prepare an ordinance to drop the downtown rate to $2.25. That item is expected to be in front of the council at its Sept. 3 meeting, he wrote.
Student pushback
As University of Iowa students return to campus for the school year, many have expressed disdain for the increased parking rates.
Emma Gullen, a fourth-year student, said she lives in Coralville and drives to class every day. She said taking public transit to Iowa City is difficult with her changing schedule because of work, classes, and inaccurate bus arrival and departure times.
Over the summer, Gullen said she had to quit her job in a downtown business because the increased parking meter rates offset her minimum wage pay.
“It’s like a vicious cycle,” Gullen said. “It just keeps repeating, so there’s no gain.”
Kiley Crivaro, a second-year student, also works downtown and said she experienced the same situation where the profit from her day’s work had been mostly spent on funding parking at her job. Crivaro also commutes to class, which has added to her parking costs.
Crivaro said she feels there needs to be better modes of public transportation or more free street parking near downtown to justify the parking rate increases.
“There’s not enough other resources to be used if you’re going to cut off the main transport, which is people’s own cars,” Crivaro said.
Harry Ginsberg, a second-year student, said he understands the parking rate increases are meant to generate revenue, and he looks forward to seeing the improvements made to Iowa City with that revenue. However, he said parking may not be the best and most fair way to create more funds.
“I feel as though this is a sign that the downtown area, the business district itself, is being revitalized — is being developed — which is good,” Ginsberg said. “But I feel as though the city is getting on the wrong foot by starting off with parking increases first. There’s definitely another way that wouldn’t inconvenience people in terms of funding the develop -
New restrictions pending for tobacco sellers
The Iowa City City Council looks to zoning to stop incoming tobacco retailers.
Evan Watson News Reporter news@dailyiowan.com
Tobacco retailers in Iowa City have reported little effect from the permit moratorium placed by the city earlier this year, which temporarily suspended the issuing of new tobacco licenses. However, it may be more difficult for new stores to open up shop as the city looks to pass a zoning law.
The moratorium, a momentary pause on a law, was enacted in May and will last until Jan. 1, 2025. This decision was made to combat rising numbers of tobacco use in youth, as reported by the National Institute of Health and the Center for Disease Control, as well as what was described as a “proliferation” of tobacco shops in Iowa City by city councilor Andrew Dunn.
According to statistics published by the Center for Disease Control, 10 percent of middle school and high school students — approximately 2.8 million people — actively use tobacco products in some form as of 2023.
The moratorium itself has had little to no impact on already licensed businesses in the Iowa City area. Chris Wright, store manager for Hartig Drug, located at 701 Mormon Trek Blvd., said he has observed normal sales. Wright said he was not aware of the ordinance. The Kum and Go gas station at 731 S. Riverside Drive also reported normal sales.
Despite the moratorium lasting for the remainder of 2024, the city council has had lengthy discussions — and nearly reached an answer — on what the ordinance for tobacco licensure will look like in Iowa City.
Dunn said the majority of the council was in support of added restrictions on issuing tobacco licenses in the Aug. 20 work session. This is a slightly different plan than what was recommended by City Attorney Eric Goers in a memo sent to the council on July 11.
Dunn said the city’s regulation of tobacco sales is possible under Iowa City’s “home rule,” which means that Iowa City as a local government may make decisions apart from what the state government decides.
The council decided to set a zoning ordinance that would establish a 500-foot buffer zone between permitted locations and sensitive areas, including schools and parks, Dunn said.
There are still public comment sessions and readings that may change the city’s plans. However, Dunn said the majority of the council has made their decision in favor of the zoning ordinance.
The new ordinance would not affect businesses currently licensed under the grandfather clause, Dunn said. Current
BOEING from 1A
began his career in the aviation industry at Cedar Rapids-based airplane manufacturer Rockwell Collins — now Collins Aerospace. Ortberg would spend the next 35 years at the company and eventually become CEO in 2013. He led the company through its transition into Collins Aerospace in 2018. Along with his work in the aviation industry, Ortberg has kept his roots as a Hawkeye. He is a member of the College of Engineering’s advisory board, which dictates departmental-wide strategies, such as increasing enrollment and connecting with more engineering companies.
Ortberg received the UI’s Distinguished Alumni Award, which is an annual recognition of the accomplishments of UI alumni, in 2018. He has also given charitable dona-
A box of cigarettes is seen at Kum and Go in Iowa City on Sept. 3. Iowa City has a tobacco moratorium in place until January 2025, and discussions regarding further restrictions for tobacco retailers are underway.
businesses are allowed to hold their existing licenses in perpetuity, despite changing zoning laws, until the location changes their merchandise.
Regardless of physical location with respect to zoning laws, an establishment selling tobacco products may continue to do so until it stops selling those products, at which point it cannot renew its license, Dunn said.
“We don’t want kids to be influenced to do stuff like this,” Dunn said. “Of course, people are able to make their own choices, but we do want to limit the concentration of tobacco shops in our community.”
Additionally, Dunn addressed the city’s decision on the sale of kratom, which has been discussed along with tobacco use. Kratom is a substance that produces “opioid and stimulant-like effects,” according to the National Insti-
tions to the UI, which included $50,000 to the College of Engineering in 2011 to recruit more women.
Ann McKenna, dean of the College of Engineering, said Ortberg’s experience in aviation makes him a great candidate for the role with Boeing. She said one of the most important parts of his story is demonstrating the capabilities of Hawkeyes.
“If you graduate from the University of Iowa with an engineering degree, you can accomplish anything,” McKenna said.
“Having someone like him as an example, a role model of the type of leadership positions that you can take with an engineering degree from Iowa, is amazing.”
She added that Ortberg’s decades-long experience in the aviation industry sets him up well to lead the company.
“It’s a tough position he’s stepping into. Not just in terms of his technical ability, but
tute on Drug Abuse. The city council agreed unanimously in the Aug. 20 work session to place an outright ban on kratom sales in Iowa City. Other means by which the council could have decided to limit tobacco permits include non-zoning methods, such as a cap on permits. In an email to The Daily Iowan, Goers said he addressed these means in a memo to the city council. The city attorney wrote the council could have pursued a cap of some form, such as a geographic cap, which would restrict permits to a certain number in a specific area. However, Goers wrote the council did not want to pursue a cap of any kind. Goers wrote the moratorium was his proposition, which was given so the council had ample time to consider options for the regulation of tobacco products.
his leadership, and his work in the same industry as Boeing, I think, prepares him pretty well,” McKenna said.
She said Ortberg is not the only College of Engineering alum who has achieved a prestigious position after college. Collins Aerospace’s current president, Troy Brunk, is a UI alum, as well as Michael Fliddelke, who works as the chief financial officer for Target. McKenna said the UI isn’t always known for its engineering school, but the department gives students an opportunity to establish successful careers like the aforementioned alumni. Through his work, McKenna said Ortberg has made a tremendous impact on the College of Engineering, particularly through his work on the advisory board. Ortberg is still on the advisory board, and McKenna said she plans to talk with Ortberg soon about future plans.
Ortberg has also received praise from business leaders across Iowa. At Ortberg’s 2018 award ceremony, Debi Durham, the Iowa Economic Development Authority director, had no shortage of compliments for Ortberg.
“Mr. Ortberg is the epitome of an Iowa success story,” Durham said. “He is someone who has persevered to advance his company, community, and the people around him.”
After accepting the position, Ortberg released a statement that said he is fully committed to repairing Boeing customers’ trust and that there is a lot of work to do.
“Throughout my career in aerospace over the last three decades, I have had the pleasure to work with The Boeing Company, and I’ve always been impressed with the great employees here,” Ortberg wrote in the release. “We have what it takes to win.”
Isabella Tisdale | The Daily Iowan
The Clinton Street parking garage is seen on Aug. 23. Recent changes to pay rates in the garages have initiated conversation from Iowa City residents regarding inclusivity and accessibility.
Emma Calbaro | The Daily Iowan
Abortion care amid near-total ban
Iowa’s six-week abortion ban has impacted abortion providers across the state.
Roxy Ekberg Politics Editor roxy.ekberg@dailyiowan.com
Allison Bierman, 31, of Iowa City and her husband underwent three rounds of in vitro fertilization, or IVF treatments, before she had a positive pregnancy test. When she found out she was pregnant three years into the process, Bierman told her family and began planning to take time off of work so she could be home with the baby.
At a check-up with her doctor, the couple discovered the pregnancy was ectopic, meaning the baby was growing outside of the uterus.
Bierman received an abortion and experienced a months-long depressive state. The couple went through three more rounds of IVF treatments, and Bierman suffered three miscarriages, all of which were treated with abortion pills.
An Iowa law took effect July 29 barring almost all abortions after six weeks, causing Bierman to question if the state legislature would pursue further legislation regarding IVF.
“It’s mostly frustrating for me, selfishly, because I want to know what the plans, what my options are, and what I’m able to do,” Bierman said.
Iowa’s law bans abortions after fetal cardiac activity is detected, which can be as soon as six weeks into a pregnancy — a timeframe in which most women are unaware they are pregnant. The law includes exceptions for the life of the mother, rape, and incest. Experts say the language is unclear about what constitutes an emergency.
Many outcomes of the law have yet to be seen, but critics fear impacts on women’s health care, retention for OBGYNs in the state, and, in Bierman’s case, IVF treatments.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the landmark case that protected the right to abortion since 1973, more than a dozen states have restricted abortion access across the country. Iowa abortion providers filed a lawsuit against the law but dropped the challenge on Aug. 15, ending the legal battle.
Now, Iowa’s abortion providers must alter how they provide care. Drawing on lessons learned in states where bans took effect sooner, Iowa abortion providers and abortion funds are partnering with outof-state resources including the Chicago Abortion Fund to continue providing care.
The Biermans said they have struggled and fought to have a biological child for six years. They don’t plan to stop even with Iowa’s six-week abortion ban adding more stressors to the process.
Abortion care providers adjust to new law
Iowa’s two abortion care providers, the Emma Goldman Clinic for Women, located in Iowa City, and Planned Parenthood, located in six cities around the state including Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, are shifting resources to continue to support those seeking abortion care.
Before the law took effect, abortion was legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Francine Thompson, director of the Emma Goldman Clinic, said the ban reduces the number of people the clinic is able to provide abortion care for, but it offers an opportunity to provide support in other ways.
The clinic will increase focus on community outreach and education and access to wellness and preventative services, Thompson said.
The Emma Goldman Clinic plans to pivot its resources and energy to educate Iowans about the limitations of the sixweek ban, allowing them to make decisions about their own health care. The clinic will also increase access to contraceptives and encourage routine checkups or regular pregnancy tests.
Thompson said being able to control reproductive health care is paramount to controlling destiny and the ability to live and thrive as a family.
“When that’s restricted, your bodily autonomy is restricted,” Thompson said.
Planned Parenthood will continue providing abortion care in Iowa in compliance with the law. The organization created a network of patient navigators to help Iowans determine if they can receive care in the state or must travel out-of-state for care, according to a July 29 news release.
Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said in the release that the ban will impact Iowans for generations, and the organization has spent months planning for the possibility of the ban.
Allison Bierman said Iowa’s ban will make the process of trying to have a baby more harrowing, especially because of the stress it puts on doctors as they try to navigate how to care for patients while complying with the law. Doctors and providers risk facing up to $10,000 fines or losing their medical license if they break the law.
“You want to be able to turn to your doc-
at
for a
on Aug. 28. On July 29, a near-total ban on abortion went into effect in
has been outspoken in the Johnson County area about her support for IVF treatment and abortion access after experiencing an eptopic pregnancy.
Lyz Lenz, board co-chair of the Iowa Abortion Access Fund, said abortion funds across the nation are experiencing a financial strain because more states are enacting abortion bans, which drives up demand for support from states with fewer restrictions.
“We are one of the oldest abortion funds in the nation, and we have no intention of going anywhere. We’re going to have to keep up because this is essential. Iowans need care, and if we don’t help them, who else will?””
Lyz Lenz Board co-chair of the Iowa Abortion Access Fund
tors to have them tell you what to do,” Bierman said.
Support to seek out-of-state abortion care
After enacting the six-week ban, Iowa became one of 22 states with abortion restrictions. Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina enforce a similar ban on abortion after around six weeks.
Iowa’s abortion providers and abortion funds are dedicated to helping those who cannot receive care in the state find out-ofstate help.
Iowa’s border states offer broader regulations than Iowa.
Under Nebraska law, abortion is legal up to 12 weeks, and Minnesota does not enforce any restrictions based on gestational age or cardiac activity. Illinois has no restrictions on abortion up until fetal viability, which occurs around 24-26 weeks into a pregnancy.
Before the ban was enacted in Iowa, the Iowa Abortion Access Fund reached out to partnering clinics in Minnesota, Kansas, and Illinois to ensure they were prepared for the influx of Iowans who would inevitably seek out-of-state care.
As a result of the ban, the organization partnered with the Chicago Abortion Fund to connect Iowans with a broader network of resources and continue to provide support. The Iowa Abortion Access Fund is still operating, but now all calls are directed to the Chicago Abortion Fund.
Lenz said partnering with the Chicago Abortion Fund costs more than operating independently, but the partnership is necessary to provide care for Iowans.
“We are one of the oldest abortion funds in the nation, and we have no intention of going anywhere,” Lenz said. “We’re going to have to keep up because this is essential. Iowans need care, and if we don’t help them, who else will?”
The organization has increased fundraising efforts to cover costs created by the ban.
The Chicago Abortion Fund provides one-on-one case management for those seeking abortion care. Case managers help connect people with the care that works best for their unique needs and situations. The fund covers transportation, lodging, child care costs, and meals.
Partnering with four major hospitals in Chicago to provide for Iowans seeking outof-state care, the program streamlines the referral process between an Iowa provider and a hospital.
Other states experience influx of Iowans seeking care
With the ban in effect, an increasing number of Iowans are seeking out-ofstate abortion care. In 2023, 390 Iowans traveled to Minnesota, 370 traveled to Illinois, and 180 traveled to Nebraska to seek abortion care, according to the Guttmacher Institute. In the same year, a total of 37,300 people from states with restrictions on abortion care traveled to Illinois
for abortion care, according to The New York Times Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson ruling in June 2022, the Chicago Abortion Fund has received requests for financial assistance from 465 Iowans. The organization expects this number to rise due to the six-week ban.
In the first three weeks of July before the ban went into effect, the fund received 60 support requests from Iowans — a 165 percent increase from previous months.
In July alone, the organization received a record number of calls, with over 1,500 people calling for financial assistance, and it dispersed over $750,000 to support people seeking an abortion nationwide, Eleanor Grano, Chicago Abortion Fund communications manager, said.
Fund officials anticipated this influx and prepared by upping their staff. The organization is in the process of hiring three individualized case managers to help reduce strain from the additional workload.
Grano said the ban also impacts people with varied pregnancy-related needs, including delays in miscarriage management because of confusion amongst doctors and unnecessary C-sections.
Future legislation takes aim at birth control and IVF
Iowa Republicans have tried in past legislation to define life as beginning at fertilization and enact a total abortion ban, which have been unsuccessful.
Groups such as The Family Leader and Pulse Life Advocates have pushed for a total abortion ban, birth control and IVF restrictions, and formal declarations labeling an embryo as a child.
Maggie DeWitte, executive director of Pulse Life Advocates and spokesperson for Iowa’s Coalition of Pro-Life Leaders — an alliance of multiple pro-life groups in the states, including The Family Leader — said the anti-abortion advocacy group was one of the main groups to push for Iowa’s six-week abortion ban, and the organization was thrilled to see the law go through.
The organization was involved in 2018 when the fetal heartbeat bill was first passed in Iowa, and the group continued to advocate until the law was enacted on July 29.
“Certainly our mission is to educate Iowans on the sanctity of human life,” DeWitte said. “The heartbeat bill is very important, and we are very glad that it was passed. It will save women from the harm of abortion, and, of course, save the lives of innocent unborn children, but it is not our end goal.”
DeWitte said the organization is laying the groundwork with Iowa legislators to bring forward a life at conception act next legislative session.
Iowa Democrats warn that a total abortion ban would risk birth control and fertility treatments, such as IVF. Democrats’ fears about IVF were increased after Alabama’s state Supreme Court ruled that embryos frozen as part of the IVF process were legally protected as children, causing clinics to halt services.
Iowa Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, ranking member on the House Health and Human Services Committee, is adamantly opposed to the ban and has worked strongly against it.
“It’s just plain dangerous for pregnant Iowans, the six-week ban,” Wessel-Kroeschell said. “The legislature and the governor should not be determining what access Iowans have to health care, and that’s what this does, and it’s absolutely dangerous, and there will be women who die.”
Wessel-Kroeschell said ensuring reproductive freedom will be difficult until Democrats are in control of the Iowa legislature, and the most important proposal introduced by the party is an amendment to the Iowa constitution that would guarantee a right full reproductive health care.
Despite added worries created by Iowa’s six-week abortion ban, Allison Bierman and her husband will continue fertility treatments.
“We’ve waited so long,” she said. “I’m not going to let politics dictate us trying to start a family.”
Emily Nyberg| The Daily Iowan
Allison and Cale Bierman pose
portrait
Allison Bierman’s mother’s home in Iowa City
Iowa. Bierman
Timeline by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher and Roxy Ekberg | The Daily Iowan
FRYFest celebrates 15 years
The annual festival in Coralville drew in a crowd of around 18,000 people this year.
Bri Brands News Reporter news@dailyiowan.com
For 15 years, FRYFest, an annual event honoring former Iowa football coach Hayden Fry, has served as the kickoff for football season by celebrating all things Black and Gold.
FRYFest began in 2009 when the University of Iowa was set to play the University of Northern Iowa during one of its regular season home games.
Because of the time of day and distance, Think Iowa City — an organization focused on promoting tourism in the Iowa City and Coralville area — knew few people were likely to stay in the community’s hotels the evenings before and after the game.
The organization came up with FRYFest, which is now held annually at the Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center on the Iowa River Landing.
“To entice people to come in and enjoy our community, we’ve got this really can’tmiss festival that has really taken off,” Nick Pfeiffer, Think Iowa City vice president of public affairs, said.
Pfeiffer said FRYFest wasn’t meant to become an annual event, but its popularity kept it coming back.
“Everybody loved it, and the university loves it, so it’s really turned into its own special festival,” Pfeiffer said.
Pfeiffer has been involved with FRYFest since the beginning, both as a volunteer and a sponsor. Over the course of 15 years, he has watched the event grow along with the Iowa River Landing. Nearly 18,000 people attended FRYFest this year, a feat made possible by the help of over 250 volunteers, Pfeiffer said.
He said the 2009 schedule of events consisted of a concert by Grand Funk Railroad, a trade show full of Hawkeye merchandise, and a panel of players who worked underneath Fry during his tenure at Iowa.
This year, Maddie Poppe, an artist from Iowa who won the 2018 season of “American Idol,” headlined the free concert in the parking lot. There was also an area dedicated to kids, Hawkeye trivia challenge, pep rally, block party, bags and pickleball tournaments, and autograph sessions from the women’s basketball, gymnastics, and wrestling teams.
To commemorate 15 years, two special items were also on the agenda: a panel honoring Fry and 101 Herky statues on display, which were previously part of the Herky On Parade public art project in Johnson County over the summer.
“This event is named after coach Hayden Fry, so being able to hone back in on Iowa football and Hayden Fry and bring back those memories has been an honor,” Kylee Stock, the Think Iowa City events coordinator, said.
“You can tell the Hawkeye fans get excited about it.”
Joel and Denise Steinke of Cedar Rapids have attended every single FRYFest since 2009 and took part in a world record set at FRYFest in 2010.
With 7,384 participants, FRYFest holds the Guinness World Record for the largest Hokey Pokey dance. At the time, the Iowa River Landing was largely undeveloped, and the participants took up the entire field behind the Hyatt Regency hotel.
“That was kind of what made us say, ‘We’re never going to miss this,’” Joel Steinke said.
Four years later, the FRYFest achieved another world record for the longest cornhole marathon , which lasted 26 hours and 12 minutes.
Max Baum, a fourth-year student at the UI, has been volunteering at FRYFest since his first year on campus and was back on site for round four this year.
“It’s an extremely authentic experience. That’s something I like,” Baum said. “There’s a lot of places where you can be a fan and people criticize you. It’s authentic, and it’s very community-driven.”
Renovations wrap up in JoCo admin building
The health and human services building is the next slated to receive upgrades.
Isabelle Foland News Editor isabelle.foland@dailyiowan.com
Johnson County employees are moving back into the new and improved county administration building after a year of renovations.
County employees who were previously working in the administration building, located at 913 S. Dubuque St., were housed out
“I think the public will notice a big difference when they come in, and I think all of our offices will be able to do a better job of serving the public.”
of the third floor of the health and human services building since August 2023 while the administration building received various upgrades. The health and human services building is located at 855 S. Dubuque St.
The building’s HVAC and elevators received improvements, as well as public and employee spaces, including more room, lighting, and upgraded customer services counters, according to Melissa Robert, the county’s special projects manager. Single-user restrooms, accessibility improvements and more emergency exits were also added, she said.
The project was prompted after a space needs study was presented to the board of supervisors in 2019.
The project cost over $7 million, with around 70 percent being paid with federal pandemic relief funds, Robert said. County taxpayers did not have to see increased taxes to foot the bill of the project, she said.
Employees are now in the process
LOCATIONS OF JOCO BUILDINGS RECEIVING UPGRADES
Two buildings that are being rennovated are the Johnson County administration building and the health and human services building off South Clinton Street.
of moving from the health and human services building into the administration building. County offices are moving back in phases, which began Aug. 16 and will end Sept. 9, Robert said.
The first two groups to move into the building were the auditor and treasurer and finance offices. The planning, development, and sustainability employees began moving Aug. 27 and opened their offices on Aug. 28, followed by the county assessor, city assessor, human resources office, and recorder.
Chris Edwards, the county’s first
“One of the things that will be nice is having staff all together.”
Rod Sullivan Chair of the Board of Supervisors
deputy auditor, said his office’s move on the weekend of Aug. 16 went well, and employees are enjoying the new upgrades, such as a brighter lobby and new standing desks.
Edwards said he’s grateful the project finished so employees have time to settle before the upcoming presidential election in November.
The new upgrades will benefit both
the public and county employees, Edwards said.
“I think the public will notice a big difference when they come in, and I think all of our offices will be able to do a better job of serving the public,” Edwards said.
The next project for county buildings is slated to be the health and human services building, specifically the third floor. As soon as the last county employee is moved back into the administration building on Sept. 9, construction on the third floor will begin, Robert said. The anticipated end date is sometime in February 2025.
The project will focus on the west wing of the third floor and will construct offices and a new boardroom for the county board of supervisors, Robert said. Currently, the third floor of the building is largely unfinished storage space, and supervisors are housed in temporary offices in the health and human services building.
Rod Sullivan, chair of the Board of Supervisors, said the supervisors and staff are excited about the new space in the building. Not only will the public benefit from the upgraded boardroom, but supervisor staff will have an easier time working, he said.
“One of the things that will be nice is having staff all together. For years, we’ve had staff kind of spread out, and that’s a little bit of a challenge,” Sullivan said. “It’s a lot easier to manage folks when they’re closer together.”
Christian Roque | The Daily Iowan
Herky interacts with fans during FRYfest in Coralville on Aug. 30. This year marked the 15th anniversary of the festival honoring former Iowa football coach Hayden Fry.
Chris Edwards Deputy Auditor
Theodore Retsinas | The Daily Iowan
The front door of the Johnson County Administration Building is seen in Iowa City on Oct. 4 2023. The Johnson County Administration building finished up renovations in Aug. 2024.
Isabella Tisdale | The Daily Iowan
Attendees pose in front of a Fryfest sign in Coralville, Iowa on Aug. 30. There were 101 Herky statues on display from Herky on Parade, a public art project across Johnson County, as a part of the anniversary celebrations.
Map by Marandah Mangra-Dutcher | The Daily Iowan
CITY PARK’S FINAL SPLASH
Members of the Iowa City community enjoyed their remainder of the summer by winding down at City Park Pool on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. Following Labor Day, City Park Pool will be closed through the 2025 season as it undergoes a full remodel. The new City Park Pool is anticipated to open in the summer of 2026.
Henderson returns to happiness
The fifth-year All-American gymnast’s journey culminates in her final season.
Members of the Iowa
on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. Henderson placed first
Colin Votzmeyer Sports Editor colin.votzmeyer@dailyiowan.com
Chris Meglio Pregame Reporter sports@dailyiowan.com
Fifth-year gymnast JerQuavia Henderson’s journey with Iowa gymnastics has been far from linear — but her long-term goals in the sport remain the same. A torn Achilles. A long path back to recovery. A three-time first-team All-
Big Ten selection. A school record on floor with a near-perfect 9.975. Then, a season away from the mat. And a return to it this year. Henderson announced in January that she would be stepping away from the Iowa Gymnastics program ahead of the 2024 season, citing mental health struggles.
“As training resumed for this season, my body wasn’t responding the way it normally did, and trying to work through
it, along with a rigorous class schedule, was more than I could handle,” Henderson wrote in a statement announcing her departure.
“I think it got to a point where a lot of things were going on,” Henderson told The Daily Iowan in an interview. “It was just so hard that I had to tell myself that if it’s costing my mental health, then it’s too expensive. I am a firm believer in that.” Henderson said she is a firm believer in God, too, who has guided her along her unique path in collegiate athletics.
Despite ending the 2023-24 season on a 20-game losing streak, the Iowa volleyball team is kicking off this year with a surge of optimism. Iowa head coach Jim Barnes acknowledges last season’s struggles and is thankful his squad can get a fresh start.
“We had lots of injuries, and we were rebuilding the entire program,” Barnes said.
“I loved how our team persevered and fought all the way to the end. We brought in players that we’ve recruited and players that are really dedicated to bringing Iowa into the top of the Big Ten.”
Deery. She credits Barnes for keeping the team optimistic after last season’s dreadful ending.
“Coach Barnes has done well to keep the optimism on the team high, even going into this year,” Deery said. “There was never a moment where I feel that he ever gave up on us. He always was in the gym the very next day with a great attitude — positive, ready to work hard and get better.”
Deery, who recorded 94 kills in her freshman season for the Hawkeyes, said the team had much to celebrate despite their losses in the previous season.
“The season started strong last year,” Deery said. “Everyone was very excited to be there, be a part of the team, work with Coach for his second year with Iowa. I took last season as a big learning experience.”
“It was really a test of obedience, especially in my faith, where it was just a lot,” she said. “The more I prayed about it, the more God is telling me this isn’t for you right now. Walking away from the thing that I’ve been doing since I was five was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my entire career.”
An up-and-down season without the star ensued, in which the Hawkeyes fell out of the national rankings and ultimately struggled in the NCAA Regional HENDERSON | 3B
Otto
to say about the University of Iowa and its rich tradition of women’s athletics.
“The adjustment to the team was super easy because they welcomed us like family from day one,” Otto said. “The culture here is built on genuine connections and support, making it feel like home right away. We were able to hit the ground running thanks to that strong, inclusive environment.”
Otto said the upperclassmen’s leadership helped create a welcoming experience and pushed her to achieve her goals.
“As upperclassmen, it’s crucial to instill in younger players the value of blue-collar work ethic,” Otto said. “Commitment to the details, both on and off the field, is what builds a strong foundation. Hard work isn’t just expected — it’s what sets the standard for our team and pushes us to reach our full potential.” Kane is a fourth-year goalkeeper who joined the Hawkeyes after previously playing for Pomona-Pitzer, a Division-III school in Claremont, California.
Like Otto, Kane said she felt welcomed by staff and players in the Iowa women’s soccer program.
“My transition to Iowa was so easy as the soccer team welcomed me with open arms,” Kane said. “Coming from
Ayrton Breckenridge | The Daily Iowan
gymnastics team cheer on JerQuavia Henderson as she competes on floor during a gymnastics meet between then-No. 18 Iowa and Rutgers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Football
Saturday, Sept. 7
Iowa State Iowa City, Iowa
2:30 p.m.
Swinging into the new season
The Iowa men’s and women’s golf teams are looking to rebound.
Zoe
Sunday, Sept. 8 Baylor Iowa City, Iowa 5 p.m.
Field Hockey
Friday, Sept. 6 Miami of Ohio Iowa City, Iowa
2 p.m. Soccer
Volleyball
Hawkeye Invitational
Friday, Sept. 6
San Jose State Coralville, Iowa
12 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 6
Delaware Coralville, Iowa
6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 7
Cal Baptist Coralville, Iowa
6:30 p.m.
Men’s Golf
Sunday, Sept. 8
Gopher Invitational
Independence, Minnesota
Monday, Sept. 9
Gopher Invitational
Independence, Minnesota
Women’s Golf
Sept. 8 through Sept. 10
Badger
WHAT YOU’VE MISSED
The Daily Iowan was on the ground at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for back-toback games with former Hawkeyes now in the WNBA taking on the Minnesota Lynx.
Former Hawkeyes Kate Martin and Megan Gustafson each saw limited minutes on the floor for the Las Vegas Aces in an 87-74 loss to the Lynx on Aug. 23.
“I was in a lot of different roles at the University of Iowa, and I’ll be in a lot of different roles here too,” Martin told the DI before Friday’s game. “Being able to be a player that can accept their role and perform their role is really important when it comes to this league.” Martin saw just under three minutes of game action, but she only accounted for one turnover. Gustafson — a former Naismith College Player of the Year while with the Black and Gold — came off the bench as well in both halves and scored five points.
The following night on Aug. 24, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever also fell to the Lynx, 90-80, despite Clark’s continued strong night with 23 points and eight assists. The crowd cheered for every starter announced for pregame introductions but was especially rowdy when the hometown Lynx’s starting five and visitor Clark were announced. Clark’s childhood hero and Lynx legend Maya Moore’s jersey was retired that night.
Smith Sports Reporter sports@dailyiowan.com
The 2024-25 Iowa golf season is right around the corner. The men’s and women’s teams will each start their seasons on Sept. 8. The women’s team will travel to Wisconsin from Sept. 8-10 for the annual Badger Invitational, while the men will journey up north to Minnesota for the Gopher Invitational from Sept. 8-9.
With seasoned returners leading the team and a few skilled newcomers joining the pack, both Hawkeye squads are preparing for their season starts.
WOMEN’S TEAM
After finishing in a measly 13th place at the Big Ten Tournament last spring, Iowa looks to rebound under 14th-year head coach Megan Menzel.
Menzel made a splash in the offseason by adding Tennessee assistant Nic Robinson as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator. Robinson brings 13 years of coaching experience with him and could serve as a valuable asset to the program.
Key returners
Following a spectacular spring season, second-year standout Madison Dabagia transferred to Indiana, leaving a void in the starting lineup.
Paula Miranda returns as Iowa’s only senior this season. Miranda was one of only three Hawkeyes who played in every tournament last year, earning three top-20 finishes in the process. Additionally, she tied the school record with a seven-under par round at the Westbrook Spring Invitational in February.
Third-years Kaitlyn Hanna and Riley Lewis also return. Hanna earned Big Ten sportsmanship
Q&A | GIA WHALEN
honors during her sophomore cam paign when she posted one top-20 tournament finish with a team-high 77 birdies throughout the season. Lewis tallied a 74.26 scoring av erage over 27 tournaments, includ ing five rounds that were at or below par. She also posted a career-low in vitational score of 215 at the West brook Spring Invitational, helping the Hawkeyes to its best tourna ment score in program history.
New faces
Due to the new NCAA roster caps initiated last year, Iowa only added one freshman to its nine-women roster.
Lily Huether joins the Hawkeyes after finishing in sec ond place at the Arizona high school state tournament during her senior year. Huether is a lega cy recruit for the program, as her mother, Amy Butzer-Huether, played for the Hawkeyes from 1987-1989. The younger Heuther could be a key addition to the squad as her career progresses.
Third-year Adie Maki transferred in from Loyola-Chicago in the offseason, adding more depth to Iowa’s roster. During her two seasons with the Ramblers, Maki posted a 77.30 scoring average over 56 career rounds, including four top-10 finishes.
Schedule
Following the Badger Invitational, Iowa will compete in the Cavalier Regional Preview, the Hurricane Invitational, and the Diane Thompson Invitational held at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City from Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
MEN’S TEAM
The men’s golf team will be led by head coach Tyler Stith, who is entering his 11th season as head coach. The Hawkeyes will look to improve on their 12th-place finish at
the Big Ten Tournament back in April.
Key returners
Second-year Noah Kent should take over the lead role after scoring an average of 72.8 strokes per tournament last season. It was an eventful summer for Kent, as he qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open and Masters tournaments after securing a second-place finish in the U.S. Amateur on Aug. 18. Joining Kent in front of the pack could be fourth-year Ian Meyer. Meyer shot a 74.2 average last season as a junior and will be a critical veteran force in the locker room.
New faces
Iowa will be adding three firstyears to the squad this season. Iowa Jack McCarty finished
Iowa field hockey midfielder talks pregame
Trey Benson Sports Reporter sports@dailyiowan.com
The Daily Iowan: What is your favorite thing about field hockey?
Gia Whalen: I think my favorite thing about field hockey is just the community that it brings. Me and my teammates are all best friends. It just gives me a sense of friendship that I know will last a lifetime. And it is also fun — I think field hockey is a super fun sport.
What is the coolest place you have traveled to because of field hockey?
I like to play in front of a home crowd, so
I would just say playing in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania — playing in front of a big home crowd was also really fun. I got to play with some of my old club teammates for the U.S. U18 team, so that was awesome.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“This is the best my body has felt. I’m fully confident in that.”
Iowa football starting quarterback Cade McNamara
STAT OF THE WEEK
8.2
assists per game for Caitlin Clark, which leads the WNBA
Cooper DeJean was one of the most exciting and impactful football players in the country during his time at Iowa. From high-flying interceptions to monumental kick returns, DeJean did everything to leave a mark on a game. In his two years starting for the Hawkeyes, DeJean was a threat to score any time he had the ball in his hands. At defensive back, DeJean racked up seven interceptions in 23 games with three of them returned for touchdowns. Outside of defense, DeJean was one of the most electrifying punt returners in all of college football. He accumulated 406 yards on 31 returns in his Hawkeye career with one of those returns — debatably should have been two — being taken back for a touchdown. I believe that DeJean will not only be the best rookie to come out of Iowa in 2024, but one of the most impactful first-year players in the NFL.
Other than Grant Field, what is another field you love playing on?
We unfortunately don’t get to play USC. I would say Michigan. Michigan has an awesome atmosphere, and I am really excited to get there this weekend. The stadium is awesome.
third at the Iowa state championships last year, and Chance Rinkol scored a 70.8 average in his last season.
Joining McCarty and Rinkol is Ryan Shellberg, who averaged a score of 71.1 during his final year of high school in Texas. Despite their youth, all three players have great potential and could provide more depth in the Hawkeye lineup later in the season. Northern Colorado transfer Gage Messingham could also be an exciting addition for Iowa. Messingham was named Big Sky Player of the Year after shooting a 72.03 average during the 20232024 season.
Schedule
Following the Gopher Invitational, the Hawkeyes will travel to Purdue, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss this fall.
If you weren’t playing field hockey, what other sport do you think you could be good at?
I think women’s basketball. I used to play AAU growing up, and that was something I was really interested in. And now that the sport is evolving, it would be really cool to get into.
What kind of music do you and the rest of the team like to listen to before games and practices?
Our team is a big Rihanna team. We love Rihanna. It gets us hyped up. I think also I like country music, but that’s not a big hype-up for a game.
What is your favorite part about playing field hockey for the University
I think it is just putting on the Iowa jersey every day. It just gives me a sense of pride. It was a dream of mine to come play at a top Division I school, so it just means everything to me. Being a little girl who chases her dreams to play field hockey, this is the school to be at. Women’s athletics here is an epicenter, so to play for something special like that is just everything.
What is your favorite memory so far with this team at Iowa? I would say beating North Carolina last year. I was a freshman, but playing in their home stadium was something really awesome. It started off our season strong and gave us momentum going forward.
DeJean slipped to the second round to the Philadelphia Eagles after most mock draft projections had him going top 20 overall. After a broken fibula cut his last season with the Hawkeyes short, DeJean has developed a hamstring injury side lining him for the first three weeks of training camp. With his absence, DeJean found himself the second-string nickelback behind fellow Toledo rookie Quinyon Mitchell. DeJean can be impactful because of his versatility in the defensive secondary. While the depth chart for Philadelphia puts him at the nickelback position, DeJean is capable of playing outside cornerback or even safety, depending on the defensive formation. On top of being a Swiss Army knife on defense, DeJean is capable of both punt and kick returns. This gives DeJean a plethora of opportunities to show off his incredible playmaking abilities — something Hawkeye fans have gotten familiar with over the past two seasons. With many people projecting DeJean not seeing the field until weeks two or three, it will take some time for the rookie to get his feet under him. But after some consistent practice and game repetitions, I believe that DeJean will become an irreplaceable member of the Eagles’ defense and special teams.
Tory Taylor
It’s always impressive for a rookie to get snaps in his first year, and Eagles rookie Cooper DeJean will surely need a few to get into an NFL groove. But the thing about Chicago Bears rookie punter Tory Taylor is that he won’t — his game will naturally translate to an immediate impact on the Monsters of the Midway as a starter. That’s why Taylor will be the best ex-Hawkeye turned-rookie who makes the biggest impact on his current team. It took me 21 years of existence on this planet to recognize how big of an impact the punter has on the football club. It always seems like this small job for a little-known player who just steps onto the field and steps off in the blink of an eye. But it became clear after seeing Taylor punt at Iowa how massive of an impact he could have on a team.
In fact, it can be argued he was the team’s most valuable player in the past few winning seasons. Taylor’s ability to place a football within the 10 — or even five — yard line allows the defense to step in, constrict the opposing offense, and put his offense at good field position. That contributed strongly to Iowa’s success, especially last year. That’s why he was drafted — a punter in the fourth round. Coaches see the impact he can have on a team.
As the Bears boast one of the best young defenses in this league, not to mention a scary offense that I’m very confident can produce a lot more than the Hawkeyes did, Taylor is the missing piece to make them click into an effective football team. Again, I know Taylor won’t be as exciting to most as DeJean’s swift tackles, crafty pass breakups, and exciting interceptions. But the fact of the matter is that his punting abilities will be the most effective as he contributes in a starting role that no other Hawkeye rookie will see. That could be a different story if DeJean were the starter on an Eagles team with solid odds to make a Super Bowl. But he won’t get enough reps to overshadow Tory’s power to move Chicago ahead.
Colin Votzmeyer Sports Editor
Jake Olson Sports Reporter
Clark
Gabby Drees | The Daily Iowan
Paula Miranda practices her putt at Finkbine Golf Course on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021.
Invitational Madison, Wisconsin
HENDERSON from 1B
after a 10th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. In addition, the head coach Larissa Libby was placed on administrative leave due to allegations of mistreatment.
One month later, on May 10, Libby resigned.
“I will never forget the many young women and coaches who have journeyed through our program and are now out in the world contributing to society at the highest level,” Libby said in a statement. “Leaving behind all of the wonderful coaches in all different sports who men -
from 1B
Despite a solid 8-4 start to begin the year, the conference portion of the season proved much more challenging for Iowa, account ing for 20 of the year’s 24 losses.
Notable defeats included games against the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Wisconsin Badgers, a team that made their way to the Division-I semifinals before los ing to the eventual champion, the Texas Longhorns.
Fourth-year middle hitter Anna Davis played in all 32 matches in the 2023-24 sea son, accumulating 155 kills in the process. Despite their struggles, she appreciates the effort her team put into each game.
“The outcome may not have been what we wanted, but we did put in a lot of effort when we were out there playing on the court together,” Davis said.
Davis also recognizes Barnes’ strong lead ership and ability to maintain his team’s positivity despite many lows during the season.
“I think anyone who talks to him will get that firsthand,” Davis said. “He’s good at bringing the good out of us, whether it’s funny things, things to be grateful for, and just those little pep talks and speeches keep that vision in line for us, also making it fun.”
Despite plenty of tough times in the program, the Iowa locker room remains optimistic and hopeful for the 2024-25 season. Deery expressed her gratitude and love of being a Hawkeye athlete.
“I was super excited to join Iowa volley ball,” Deery said. “I’ve always wanted to be a Hawkeye, grew up being a Hawkeye fan. It’s very surreal to put on that jersey. I don’t think that feeling will ever go away.”
REPEAT from 1B
tored, encouraged, and inspired me throughout my years at Iowa will be the hardest part of saying goodbye.”
As a part of her resignation, the university announced Libby signed a settlement agreement that paid her a total of $449,000 and an additional payout of her $173,349 salary. She also received $330,000 in “liquidated damages” as a result of the termination by university without cause clause in her contract and supplemental pay of $79,350. Henderson declined to comment on her tenure under Libby.
The consistent top-25 team that made 24-straight NCAA Regional appearances and won the 2021 Big Ten regular sea -
son title under Libby was suddenly full of holes, its future entirely uncertain.
But hopes improved entering the summer as Jen Llewellyn was named the next head coach in early June after spending three years at Washington, where she led the Huskies to three-straight NCAA second-round regional appearances.
Upon hearing the news, Henderson spontaneously direct-messaged Llewellyn on Instagram, introducing herself and opening a dialogue between the two.
“Conversations with her are very easy,”
Henderson said. “And her also being a woman of faith just makes it that much easier for me to commit. Just trusting in her and what she presents is exactly
what it is.”
Such conversations started with getting to know and understanding one another, but they soon turned to discussing Henderson’s long-term gymnastics goals.
“She’s so kind, very sweet, obviously very talented,” Llewellyn said of Henderson. “But I think just through conversation, hearing what her goals are, not just this year but in the next four years … I think that’s something you always want to be a part of.”
So, Llewellyn threw it out there: “Would you want to use your year of eligibility left?”
And Henderson came back.
On Aug. 23, the three-time All-American — only the third Hawkeye to do so announced she would return this season for her final year of eligibility. Henderson’s goals for this season are two-fold.
First, this year marks her final season for the Hawkeyes, so she strives to leave every piece of effort left in her out on the floor.
“I plan on outdoing myself like I’ve never done before,” Henderson said. “I think that’s just a personal challenge. Every year I get stronger, I get better, and the coaches are making sure that we’re at that level of pushing boundaries. My overall goal is to leave it all out on the floor and leave my college career with no regrets.” Regardless, she hopes simply to maintain the happiness in gymnastics she’s found again this year.
“My overall goal is to just be joyful in everything that I do,” Henderson said of her return. “I think it’s just this year I’m really doing it for me and making sure that, no matter what, I’m happy.” Henderson added that going back to the gym and doing simple things brings her ultimate peace.
“Instead of constantly chasing after happiness, it’s like I can already tell how joyful I am by just being in the gym,” she added. “Just doing a cartwheel and all the basic things, I’ve found the joy in gymnastics again where I walk in the gym and literally feel like a kid, which is what I wanted for myself … it’s that peace for me that I was like, ‘OK, I’m where I need to be right now because this is what I’ve worked for.’”
younger and new players is to embrace what it means to be a Hawkeye athlete,” Kane said.
California, there were a lot of adjustments to make in every aspect of student life. I was able to pick up the Hawkeye lifestyle quickly and was able to find success in my athletic, academic, and social endeavors.”
Kane also shared what she believes made her experience joining the Hawkeyes so effortless.
“The most important thing to instill to the
“Regardless of what sport, all the athletes here pride themselves on the importance of hard work, both academically and athletically, and being strong role models for the people around us. There are many eyes on Hawkeye athletics, so doing what we can do to give back to the community and treat others with kindness are a few of the core values we share.”
Unlike Kane and Otto, Enneking
started her collegiate journey at Iowa.
Enneking is a graduate student who recorded
58 saves and started 22 games for the Hawkeyes in 2023.
Enneking said good leadership comes from creating positive team culture and instilling high expectations for younger players.
“I think one of the most important things to try and instill in younger players is the team culture and expectations,” Enneking said.
“Our way of going about solving problems and communicating with one another may be different than they have been exposed to in the past, and I think it is an important thing to have them know right out of the gate so that they are not surprised.”
Enneking knows exactly what it is like to be a new first-year on campus, as well as the
importance of embracing incoming transfers to the team. She recognizes how each individual has their own story and how it is important to embrace and understand that.
“It is important to embrace them because no one knows the circumstances of their decision to transfer, and that can be a very hard decision to make — so any way that we can make the transition smoother we should be willing to do that,” Enneking said. “Regarding freshmen, everyone has been there at some point and knows how tough the transition can be and how to best help those currently going through it. They also are the future of the program, so you want to leave them with a good impression whilst knowing that a program you have worked hard to build up is in good hands.”
Hannah Kinson | The Daily Iowan
Iowa’s all-around JerQuavia Henderson performs on the beam during a women’s gymnastics meet between Iowa, Minnesota, and Maryland on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes came in second with a score of 196.775 after the Gophers won with 196.975 and Maryland lost with 195.350. Henderson received a score of 9.875.
Isabella Cervantes | The Daily Iowan
Iowa head coach Jim Barnes talks with his team during a volleyball match between Iowa and North Florida at Xtream Arena in Coralville on Sept. 16, 2022. The Hawkeyes defeated the Ospreys, 3-0.
Grace Smith | The Daily Iowan Iowa defender Sam Cary hoists the Big Ten trophy as Iowa soccer is recognized during a home-opener basketball game between then-No. 3 Iowa and Fairleigh Dickinson at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Nov. 6, 2023. The Hawkeyes defeated the Knights, 102-46.
Stanley Museum inspires hope for future of African art restitution
The museum made history with the restitution of two Benin Bronzes.
Charlie Hickman Arts Editor charlie.hickman@dailyiowan.com
On Nov. 28, 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron made strides in the African art restitution movement. Macron spoke at the University of Ouagadougou in West Africa and directly addressed the history of African artifacts being stolen from their ancestral homes.
“I am from a generation of French people for whom the crimes of European colonization cannot be disputed and are part of our history,” Macron said.
These powerful words were far from the beginning of the century-long fight to return African art procured worldwide to the continent, but they were a spark
that reinvigorated the advocacy movement heading into the 2020s.
Since Macron’s speech in 2017, museum curators worldwide have reevaluated their relationships with the African art they curate. One such museum is Iowa’s Stanley Museum of Art. Over the summer, the museum made history as the first museum in North America to restitute African artifacts in Nigeria.
The ambitious project involved parties across the world of academia and was headed by the curator of African art at the Stanley, Cory Gundlach.
“[The speech] galvanized other nations to reckon with their colonial history,” Gundlach said. Gundlach recounted the
project’s origins when interest in pursuing the restitution increased.
“The focused attention to addressing the provenance, or the history of ownership, of these objects began right around the onset of the pandemic when the museum went into lockdown,” Gundlach said.
The movement to return these items is directly tied to the broader social awakening that occurred during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A reinvigoration surrounding restitution coincided with the country’s debates regarding problematic statues, public art, and other intersecting forms of culturally charged art.
“People were stuck inside and reflecting. People were dying. So, people were grappling
with their identities, with who they are,” Peju Layiwola, an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation curatorial fellow at the Stanley, said. “With the Black Lives Matter movement and with these statues coming down around the world, people started looking outwards.”
For months during the museum’s lockdown, Gundlach and then-graduate student Mason Koelm began tracing the history of the artifacts. Upon examination of curatorial archives and purchase history, it became clear the Bronzes were originally stolen violently.
“These objects were part of the siege and massacre of 1897 when British soldiers invaded the Kingdom of Benin and burned the palace to the ground,
stealing thousands of objects,” Gundlach said. The soldiers then sold these plundered artifacts to the global market, spreading them over the course of a century to collections as far as Iowa, where they were eventually acquired by a former curator of the Stanley Museum in 2001. With documentation tracking the provenance of the Bronzes, Gundlach recommended a deaccession of the items from the University’s collection.
Deaccession is a regulation process for museums that involves officially removing items from their rosters before selling them. However, in the case of the Benin Bronzes, selling the artifacts couldn’t be further from Stanley’s mission.
Iowa museums you don’t want to miss
From natural history to antique cars, exploring these museums make for great weekend activities.
Charlie Hickman Arts Editor charlie.hickman@dailyiowan.com
Iowa City is known for its rich arts scene, but it is also home to several expansive museums that often go underappreciated. Whether you’re new to Iowa City and want to learn more about its unique activities or just looking for a weekend activity, you’ll be sure to have fun and even learn something new by visiting these museums.
Stanley Museum of Art
Since its grand reopening in 2022, the Stanley Museum of Art has been a hub for art enthusiasts around town. Not only does the museum host a myriad of world-renowned paintings, sculptures, and installations, but it also acts as a center for community art classes, events, and special galleries.
The ever-evolving roster of galleries surprises guests with new exhibits during each visit. Currently, the museum is hosting “To My Friends at Horn: Keith Haring at Iowa City” until Jan. 7, 2025, “Homecoming” until July 2025, and “A Year in Print” until this December. Best of all, the museum is free and open to the public.
University of Iowa Museum of Natural
History
The Museum of Natural History has been housing artifacts for over 180 years. With a home in Macbride Halll, the museum features a 500-million-year exploration of Iowa history. This exhibit is also home to the museum’s most famous patron, Rusty the Giant Sloth.
Other exhibits include “Diversity of Life Exhibits,” “Mammal Hall,” “Hageboeck Hall of Birds,” “Laysan Island Cyclorama,” and the “Biosphere Discovery Hub.” There is a variety of halls for interested visitors to spend hours roaming, and it’s all right on the Pentacrest.
Old Capitol Museum
Currently on display at the Old Capitol Museum is “My Collections,” a collaborative exhibit displaying personal collections of artifacts from around the community. Ranging from hundreds of Pez dispensers, Funko Pops, Mr. Potato Head figures, tiny houses, baseball bobbleheads, and snow globes, the exhibit features fascinating arrays any collector would envy.
The historic building, which was the state capitol until 1857, is home to the Old Capitol Museum as well as the Senate Chamber that is often used for ceremonies at the UI campus. The building itself is an artifact worth exploring and learning about, but the fun exhibits hosted by the museum make it a destination.
Antique Car Museum of Iowa
This Coralville museum hosts over 80 automobiles produced from 1899 to 1965. The non-profit organization is a destination for car enthusiasts in the Iowa City and Coralville area, featuring a recreated Skelly gas station — the historical Iowa gas station chain that rebranded in 1977.
Located within the Xtreme Arena in Coralville, the Antique Car Museum of Iowa is an opportunity to get up close and hands-on with pieces of automobile history. Whether you’re an enthusiast or just curious, this museum is a must-see.
The band ventures from heartwarming rockpop to freedom-fighting hip-hop and soul in the teaser to its upcoming album, ‘Moon Music.’
Haya Hussain Arts Reporter arts@dailyiowan.com
Remaining faithful to an artist becomes difficult when they stray from their former genre into uncharted territory. This has been my struggle since Coldplay released its new single “WE PRAY” on Aug. 23, teasing its upcoming album, “Moon Music.”
In just the first few seconds of the song, it’s apparent the band has begun to dabble in an entirely new sound. Based on the title, I expected to hear an orchestral opening filled with chimes reminiscent of church bells, or perhaps the alternative sound of an acoustic guitar.
Instead, I was greeted by a hip-hop beat just as intense as the all-caps, stylized title. It kicks off with auditory layers composed of percussion loops, bass hits, and ad libs sung by the acclaimed English rapper Little Simz, a surprising choice of artist to accompany the rock-pop band. She is not the only new voice heard on this single. Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna — who recently made history by performing the first set in Arabic at Coachella 2023 — and Argentinian singer TINI are also heard vocalizing in the background. Burna Boy, too, makes an unforeseen appearance with a passionate, soulful bridge.
The odd one out, then, is Coldplay itself, who does not typically produce rap, afrobeats, or soul music. However, this made the preservation of its personal sound while experimenting with other genres all the more impressive to me.
I didn’t appreciate these aspects of “WE PRAY” on my first listen, but on my second play-through, I recognized Coldplay’s signature: string instruments and the divine message emanating from the piece.
During the band’s dramatic entrance thirteen seconds into the song, I heard the deep, hollow sound of a cello, embellished
by the secondary contrapuntal line of a higher-pitched violin or viola that continues throughout the remaining three minutes. Immediately, I recalled the band’s 2008 hit “Viva La Vida,” which opened with the same strong, emotional, and orchestral sound. While Coldplay explores a genre less familiar to it, this was a comforting nod to its former work, easing my journey into its unknown realm of music.
The lyrics, too, paid homage to Coldplay’s God-fearing, freedom-seeking discography. I found the chorus most jarring, in which a reference to the Iranian power ballad “Baraye” is embedded: “And so we pray / We’ll be singin’ ‘Baraye’ / Pray that we make it to the end of the day.” Prayer, religion, love, and freedom have always been themes the band has fervently sought to embody from its earliest album, “Brothers & Sisters,” to the world-renowned “Viva La Vida.” There is a clear shift, though, from wanting to share its own experiences of infatuation and faith to addressing the worldwide grievances and injustices surrounding these themes.
Coldplay embraced this shift through collaborations with diverse, internationally acclaimed artists. Upon analyzing the lyrics, it no longer seems to me that the featured artists were chosen randomly or based on rising numbers in the music industry.
Biting into “WE PRAY” is introducing yourself to a plethora of different sounds and flavors that are new to Coldplay’s palette, and this most certainly requires more than one listen to become acquainted with, let alone infatuated with.
Regardless, it did not leave a bad taste on my tongue. It’s simply different, and after approximately 27 years of making music, it is not so outlandish for the famous rockpop band to explore new musical paths. What makes the core of an artist is their deviation from people’s expectations of them, and “WE PRAY” is a phenomenal example of this.
Educator pushes for social change in new novel
Award-winning educator
Jennifer Harvey discusses creating inclusive spaces with book on antiracism.
Isabelle Lubguban Arts Reporter arts@dailyiowan.com
Jennifer Harvey is an award-winning educator, public speaker, and author of The New York Times bestseller, “Raising White Kids.” Her new novel, “Antiracism as Daily Practice: Refuse Shame, Change White Communities, and Help Create a Just World,” was released in July. She has written for CNN, The Conversation, HuffPost, Sojourners, and more.
Harvey is currently the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean at Garrett Evangelical Seminary, where she also teaches classes in Christian ethics. Before this role, she was the Faculty Director of the Crew Scholars Program (an academic excellence and leadership development program for students of color) at Drake University. Harvey currently lives in Des Moines, Iowa, and Chicago, Illinois, with her two children. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
The Daily Iowan: In the introduction, is there a particular reason why you decided to include three different anecdotes with Ruth Sandhill, Lisa Johnston, Dave Smith?
Harvey: Initially, my first draft didn’t start with any anecdotes. My editor wanted me to start with some stories so that more folks could feel more brought into the book. I didn’t start like, “Let me do three,” but those three stories captured major themes and examples that I take up later in the book. I think it was as much about three concrete examples that I thought folks might recognize. Then, I would be able to offer some insights, ideas, and engagement throughout the book.
What did you mean when you wrote, “And there’s certainly no clean path to becoming better white people, no guaranteed way to avoid all mistakes, complexity, and messiness”?
We [as white people] have a lot of anxiety and concern that we’re going to do it wrong or make a mistake or speak about race in a way that’s offensive and harmful. I deeply believe that it is impossible to avoid making mistakes. We are responsible for doing our own work so we reduce the likelihood of harm with the mistakes that we make. Recognizing we’re going to make mistakes [is] the only way that we’re going to grow. [This] is important to get
more white folks to be willing to take the journey [toward becoming better].
To add on to this, was there an interview process, and how exactly did you choose which of these individuals’ experiences to include in the beginning?
No, there was not a process because all three of those stories are about people that I know and/or have worked with. I was writing from my own experience of what I bore witness to or knew about. I had been in some kind of relationship or friendship or working space with those individuals. [I wanted to share] the Ruth Sandhill story because it shows a step-by-step growth process, and a lot of white folks need that to see what it looks like to grow your commitment in terms of your daily skillset.
[I wanted to include] the professor’s story because it both names his anxiety at this moment where he realizes though he understands the stakes for belonging and the experience of inclusion that comes when he might not remember the student’s name. His whiteness is also getting kicked up because he’s like, “Oh, my gosh,” and “I don’t remember the students’ name, I might get it wrong.” I suspected other white folks would resonate with that anxiety, but also his story helped me ask the question, what is his role in making an institutional, organizational space more inclusive?
I [also] wanted to include the [Lisa] Johnston story because [of] that problem when white folks want to take action but then also know that it’s so easy for us to mess it up so powerfully. We can get better at this, even though you can see how complicated her situation is and probably resonate with it.
If you think there is a clear-cut way to solve the debilitating aspects of racism, what would it be?
So, I don’t think there is a clear way, but I think there’s a whole long list of practices and changes and structural interventions that we could come up with. If I was getting to design it with others, I would be like, Well, we’ve gotta have consciousness-raising education around the actual history of the U.S. because white supremacy and colonial settler realities are interwoven into the existence of this nation-state.’ We could design structures of repair. It’s a massive generational project.
Peju Layiwola poses for a portrait inside of the Stanley Museum of Art on Aug. 30. Layiwola is a Mellon curatorial fellow at the Stanley Museum of Art, hired in January to assist the curator of African art Cory Gundlach with provenance research into the Benin Bronzes which were recently restituted by the museum to the Oba of Benin in Nigeria.
Layiwola, whose guidance was critical to the success of the restitution process, introduced Gundlach to the King of Benin’s brother, the representative of the Oba, particularly regarding matters of restitution.
Meeting Prince Aghatise Erediauwa proved crucial to the museum’s mission to return the Bronzes directly to the royal family. While there have been previous cases of repatriation of items originating from the Benin Kingdom, the Stanley Museum’s direct return of the Bronzes to the royal family is groundbreaking for museums in the U.S.
The difference between repatriation and restitution may not be clear among people who advocate for the return of items from museums to their ancestral owners, especially since there is ongoing debate about the difference among curators.
In the U.S., repatriation involves a museum returning an artifact to the government of the country from which the artifact originates, whereas restitution returns an artifact directly to the descendants of whom it was stolen.
“In a case like this, where the art belonged to the Oba people before it was looted, it just makes sense in my mind to return it to them rather than to the Nigerian government — especially since the descendants of the king are still alive,” Anna Isbell, assistant professor of art history at the UI, said.
Isbell has studied similar cases regarding stolen art in the past, citing the
“We belong to an era where there is a massive reconciliation with colonial history, institutional racism, and ethics, generally. That’s a context that is usually absent from the handling of African art in museums.”
“The pieces were sold on the black market, which is often what happens, and through multiple cycles of collectors end up in museums around the world,” Isbell said. “The ‘Kneeling Attendant’ sculptures were donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the ‘90s but were found to have been stolen from the Prasat Chen temple complex in Koh Ker.”
The Met repatriated the sculptures in 2013 a few years after receiving a request from the Cambodian government.
“It’s more often that those requests go completely ignored, though,” Isbell said.
The case of the “Kneeling Attendant” is similar to that of the Benin Bronzes. Extensive records provided curators with a clear provenance of the artifacts that made returning them simpler. However, much like the Bronzes, it took a new era of social consciousness to initiate repatriation discussions.
“We belong to an era where there is
a massive reconciliation with colonial history, institutional racism, and ethics, generally. That’s a context that is usually absent from the handling of African art in museums,” Gundlach said.
The objects are commonly referred to as the Benin Bronzes, but they are made from wood, ivory, and brass. The moniker “Benin Bronzes” was a European device to categorize the stolen artifacts.
“They have a very strong spiritual significance within the culture of Benin, Nigeria. We spoke to the King of Benin, who is a descendant of the king who was on the throne when the palace was burned in 1897,” Layiwola said. “These are not objects that come from traditional deities. There is still a living culture surrounding the items — they hold relevance in the courts.”
At the time the items were made, Benin was a very organized society structured around guilds represented by the different materials used to craft the Bronzes, whether they embodied the work of Igbasanmwunin carpenters or Owinna wood carvers.
“In the same way the works are relevant to the culture, they also speak to the artistry and skills of the craftsmen,” Layiwola said.
The restitution ceremony held a great deal of weight for both the Oba people and the members of the Stanley Museum who delivered the Bronzes in person at the Benin Kingdom of Nigeria. Images from Nigerian photographer and documentary filmmaker Omoregie Osakpolor depict the beaming, joyous faces of people who were happy to have a critical piece of cultural history back where it belongs.
“Going to the palace of the king, going
to that same spot that was sacked all those years ago, was a healing process for us and them,” Layiwola said. “Seeing the reaction of the king and the palace… it was an emotional ceremony.”
The Stanley Museum stewarded a hopeful celebration of the power of restitution.
“In the same way the works are relevant to the culture, they also speak to the artistry and skills of the craftsmen.”
Peju Layiwola
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation curatorial fellow at the Stanley Museum
“I hope that this visit from Dr. Cory Gundlach and Dr. Peju Layiwola to the Oba of Benin opens the door to many more restitutions from American museums directly to the Royal Court of Benin,” Prince Aghatise Erediauwa was recorded saying during the ceremony, according to a report from the Stanley Museum.
The general interconnectedness and collaborative nautre of this victory speaks volumes for the greater restitution movement as well as the broader community of organizations working for civil justice.
“We hope it encourages museums to go down a similar path,” Layiwola said. “We often hear that restitution is such a difficult process, but we want to teach that if you do it the right way, things go very smoothly.”
Edited by Will Shortz No.
0731
John Charlson | The Daily Iowan
looting of sculptures in Cambodia under Khmer Rogue’s regime.
STANLEY MUSEUM from 1C
Cory Gundlach Curator of African art at the Stanley
John Charlson | The Daily Iowan
Cory Gundlach poses for a portrait inside of the Stanley Museum of Art main lobby on Aug. 30. Gundlach is the Stanley Museum of Art’s curator of African art and led the museum’s decision to restitute the Benin Bronzes to the Oba of Benin in Nigeria.
Isbell
‘Hawkeye Histories’ sports gallery debuts at main library
The new exhibit showcasing the wide history of Hawkeye sports will be on display until Dec. 19.
Flynn Milligan Arts Reporter arts@dailyiowan.com
From Caitlin Clark to Nile Kinnick, a new exhibit at the University of Iowa’s Main Library titled “Hawkeye Histories” chronicles the most influential figures in Iowa athletics. The exhibit opened Monday, Aug. 26, and will be on display until Dec. 19.
Walking through the gallery on its opening day, the rich history of Hawkeye sports is immediately apparent.. There are the nods to classic names, including Christine Grant and Duke Slater, which are recognizable to most anyone who has stepped foot in Iowa City. Mixed among them, however, are the facts and faces of many stars who might be less familiar to the average fan or student.
The gallery is filled to the brim with artifacts representing various stages of Iowa’s athletic history. The walls are packed with collages of photos, some in black and white and others splashed with the gold of the Hawkeye uniform. A fan-favorite artifact is a sticker featuring the number 22 in the corner of the room, spotlighting former Iowa Hawkeye Clark’s number.
On an adjacent wall from the the sticker is a painted basketball hoop representing the exact number of feet Clark scored against Michigan to set the women’s scoring record at CarverHawkeye Arena.
The “22” sticker is a replica of the sticker plastered on the court at Carver-Hawkeye, a testament to Clark’s unmatched impact at the UI.
“I went to so many games at Kinnick and Carver growing up. Iowa athletics were a big part of my childhood, so coming here felt right.”
Sam Jurgens UI second-year
“I went to so many games at Kinnick and Carver growing up. Iowa athletics were a big part of my childhood, so coming here felt right,” Sam Jurgens, a second-year student at the UI who visited the exhibit, said.
Jurgens reflected on the culture of sport at the UI, expressing surprise at how extensive the exhibit was.
The exhibit pays attention to the
deeper history behind Iowa’s athletics teams and athletes that are often underrecognized and less appreciated.
Sports fans will often latch on to a team’s standout lone star or a childhood hero but fail to recognize the other outstanding stories and names hidden in plain sight.
“There’s already a lot of light shining on athletics, but this will help give people a perspective of the history and how all of the sports started and have grown the game,” Jurgens said.
The exhibit promotes the role women’s athletics has played in the history of the UI. This influence is more than just Clark, featuring a plethora of other talented female athletes who have donned the Black and Gold.
“They didn’t just emerge after Title IX in the seventies, or Caitlin Clark and the women’s basketball team,” said Jennifer Sterling, the exhibit curator and director of Undergraduate Studies in American Studies at the UI. “Although, [women’s basketball] is incredible, and I think that team in particular has done a great job
of pointing to those who came before them.”
The evolution of collegiate sports, especially women’s sports, has taken colossal leaps in recent history. Hundreds of athletes have contributed to this progress over the years, but Clark has played a massive part in popularizing for women’s sports.
“Caitlin Clark led me to watch more women’s sporting events this year than I ever have, and not just Iowa games. This exhibit shows where the women’s sports started and how it has grown,” Jurgens said.
The evolution of sports is a point of fascination among both sports fans and those interested in UI history. Sterling aimed to share more information about this constantly evolving history of sport with her work in the exhibit. As someone from Iowa, her passion is personal.
“I wanted to tell the evolution of the role of sports on campus and in the U.S. in general. And, very specifically, what is the role of athletics here and how has
it changed over time,” Sterling said.
College athletics are a significant piece of the sporting world, primarily at Power Five schools such as Iowa. In states like Iowa where professional teams don’t exist, schools become a legitimized space for athletics communities to grow.
“I’m hoping by interspersing those lesser-known histories with these more known histories, people will broaden their Hawkeye history knowledge. I hope this exhibition is diverse enough that [it] resonates with them,” stated Sterling. At a school as large as Iowa, many can lose sight of local pride in the sea of events and stories that have impacts beyond the university. “Hawkeye Histories” refocuses attention on what is so unique and outstanding about the University of Iowa.
“As somebody who studies sports, you couldn’t ask for a better place to be able to point at ongoing and local examples of anything I teach in any class,” Sterling said.
Threading community at the library
The Iowa City Public Library hosts a knit and crochet event once a month for for artists of any skill level to broaden their horizons.
Charlotte Ericson Arts Reporter
charlotte-ericson@uiowa.edu
On the last Thursday of each month, splashes of orange yarn, multicolored blankets, and various fabrics light up the Iowa City Public Library.
A few years ago, Beth Fisher, the Iowa City program librarian, created a community for artists to work on their crafts. People of varying experience levels come together under the umbrella of craft-making and share laughter and stories.
Fisher has spent 30 years dedicating herself to bettering the public library. She describes her favorite part of being a librarian as “helping people either learn something new or find the information they’re looking for… connecting a person with whatever it is they’re searching for is the best part of being a librarian.”
Ethan Hochstein, an attendee and experienced knitter, began testknitting for small employers a year ago. His hands quickly stitched orange yarn into a thin design as he described how
he first got into the art.
“I’ve been knitting for probably about 20 years,” Hochstein said. “When my mom started working for the family, my adopted great-grandmother taught me.”
Stories migrate around the room as everyone discussed how they learned to knit, crochet, and quilt. The nostalgia of the cozy winter days among their relatives next to the sewing machine or
“I’ve been knitting for probably about 20 years when my mom started working for the family, my adopted great-grandmother taught me.”
Ethan Hochstein Knit and Crochet Attendee
fingers wrapped in yarn fills the room. Fisher’s interests are elusive and everchanging. At the last knit and crochet event, Fisher began a needlepoint project, a skill similar to embroidery.
While the event is called a knitting and crochet hangout, it is not limited to that. Attendees are encouraged to bring whatever craft they’re working on.
Fisher expressed the importance of community when crafting. She said the collaborative environment inspiring and educational.
“This is what’s fun about these events—you learn things from people that you never thought about before,” Fisher said.
These events don’t only have social benefits, the attendees learn from one another’s projects and vast interests.
When looking for inspiration for new projects, members discuss numerous strategies. Hochstein looks to a knitting website, Ravelry.com.
Fisher said this website is akin to Pinterest — a platform creatives tend to frequent when looking for inspiration that can guide varying crafts and projects — but tailored to specifically serve the knitting community.
“It’s all yarns and patterns and and things people have knitten, and [you can] show off what you’ve knitted,” Fischer said.
Claire Bryant, an employee at the library and attendee at the event, was knitting a rose gold sparkly tank top at the event as she discussed the inspiration behind her crafts. She finds the visual instruction very helpful, especially when beginning new projects.
“This is what’s fun about these events, you learn things from people that you never thought about before”.
Beth Fisher Iowa City Program Librarian
Trends on social media tend to provoke new ideas for many of the event’s crocheters. Moreover, since the meeting is held in the public library, there are plenty of resources, books, and computers to inspire the search for art.
“Crafts are more fun with other people,” Fisher said.
Ryan Paris | The Daily Iowan
The “Hawkeye Histories” gallery is seen in the University of Iowa main library on Aug. 26. The gallery showcases a variety of items from important moments in Iowa athletics history.