NORTHWEST MISSOURIAN
Community member runs for Missouri congressional position
AANNA BAILEY News Editor | @AmBailey16
Maryville local is in the running for the Missouri 6th District congressman position. He is a first-time candidate looking to take over for the predecessor, Congressman Sam Graves.
Graves announced his retirement in March after 26 years in Congress. He will finish out this congressional session, which ends Jan. 3, 2027. This has brought forward the race for a new Missouri 6th District representative, Maryville resident Cody Oshel-R, is one of these candidates.
Ten candidates are running for this position: three are Democrats, six are Republicans and a Libertarian. The Missouri 6th District congressman position will be seen on the Missouri Primary Elections ballot Aug. 4. Oshel said he decided to run because of the political environment.
“I decided to run for Congress because there’s a lot of noise going on,” Oshel said. “I think over the last 10-15 years, people stopped having conversations face-to-face, and when we stop talking to each other, we start talking about each other, which creates a toxic culture. So, my goal is to travel across our district and to meet people where they are and connect with them — farmers, teachers, hospital employees — the people who are crucial to be able to help this district remain viable.” Oshel works as a senior specialist of strategic growth partnerships with Thrivent Fi-
nancial, a financial services company that provides financial advice throughout the U.S. Oshel works remotely, which he said allows him to enjoy Maryville and its community. He said he travels across the country with Thrivent to lead brand partnerships. While he travels often, northwest Missouri is still Oshel’s home. He said he grew up in Trenton, Missouri, and has since moved around multiple times to surrounding areas. He said he ended up in Maryville when he and his wife decided to raise their family.
So, my goal is to travel across our district and to meet people where they are and connect with them — farmers, teachers, hospital employees — the people who are crucial to be able to help this district remain viable.”
CODY OSHEL
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE
“She went to Northwest, so when I was in Stanberry, she was here,” Oshel said.
“We loved Maryville. It’s equal distance to
both sides of the family, so being able to get grandparents’ support, but we loved being able to come up here, to…plant roots, to be able to really invest in the community, but also to raise our kids here, because it is such a safe, warm, welcoming community that has pretty much everything that you need.”
Oshel said the people and how much they care about supporting each other are what have kept him in this area.
Christopher Smiley, a fellow employee at Thrivent Financial, said Oshel is a perfect fit for this position. He said Oshel is not a career politician, but rather, someone rooted in the community he seeks to serve.
“I really feel like he will be able to represent well and really make sure that the people of the sixth district are heard and that their voices are represented well in Congress,” Smiley said. “He has a really, really good understanding of what the real issues are of the people across the district.”
Smiley said Oshel’s good communication skills and his ability to listen would make him successful in Congress.
If elected as the Missouri 6th District representative, Oshel said he will have multiple goals. He said his first priority is rural health.
“Right now, in the last year, three rural hospitals have closed in Missouri,” Oshel said. “At any day, 50% of them can close tomorrow, which would make a huge impact to the people that live and work here, and their livelihoods.”
NW Missouri prepares for World Cup, economy to be impacted
ANNA BAILEY News Editor
The FIFA World Cup is rolling into Kansas City, Missouri, and with it, over 650,000 visitors. Not only can the city expect an economic boom, but the impacts will be seen in surrounding areas — including Maryville. From June 16 through July 11, this international soccer tournament will bring teams and fans from across the globe to this city. Over the many years and venues by which the World Cup has been hosted, Kansas City is the smallest yet to be awarded the opportunity. However, the preparation is not lacking in size.
Public Information Officer for the Kansas City Aviation Department Jackson Overstreet said the Kansas City International Airport is expecting to welcome approximately 62,000 additional passengers this June, compared to last year, which will account for about a 4.6% increase. He said to compensate, there will be an additional 312 flights that month. Overstreet said while these two months will be busy, the airport staff feels prepared to take it on.
“I mean, this is such a big deal for the U.S. to be hosting the World Cup — for Kansas City to have six games, be the smallest city of the 16 host cities — and we have a lot of pride in that, so there’s a lot of excitement, a lot of wanting to show the world what we can do,” Overstreet said.
To prepare, he said the airport is working to ensure the departments are in working order. He said a large portion of the preparation is creating a game plan for the busy days. For example, making sure the baggage handling system is ready.
“Vanderlande, the company that runs our baggage handling system inside the terminal, they spent most of February testing our baggage handling system,” Overstreet said. “So that was — it’s kind of two different tracks on either end of the terminal — and so it’d be shutting down one and putting all the baggage through the other one to test that kind of increased amount of baggage and how their staff handles it. It would be checking for maintenance issues ahead of time, seeing what can be fixed before the World Cup travel season and what can be patched up and saved for after.”
University to implement biweekly payroll in summer
The monthly payroll cycle all Northwest employees use — staff, faculty and students — is changing, and with it, is the amount of money some employees may earn in a given month.
Northwest is transitioning to a biweekly payroll cycle. Vice President of Finance and Administration Stacy Carrick said the new system will cause some months to see less pay and others more; however, the total salary of each individual will remain the same. Carrick said there is a salary calculator on the payroll office page of Northwest’s website; employees can use this to see what the change will look like individually.
“If we had an employee that made, let’s just say, $36,000 a year, and we plug that in, it’s going to tell us today we’re getting $3,000 a month, and we’re going to go to a biweekly payment of $1,385, and then it
shows you, here’s the monthly comparison prior…in the new biweekly, you’ll see that it’s (the total) slightly less,” Carrick said “Then two months of the year, there will be three paychecks…so it will actually bump up and be $4,154, compared to the $3,000. You do have the months prior that are all slightly lower…you’ll see the totals are the same, but the cash flow changes.”
Employees will begin using the biweekly cycle in July, and the first pay date will be July 17. Carrick said there will be no change in the way employees log their hours, other than it being more frequent.
Moving to a biweekly cycle was made possible because of Northwest’s transition from Banner to Workday, which has been in progress throughout this academic year. Workday did not bring the biweekly cycle with it; rather, Carrick said, Workday made the transition possible.
“So Banner to Workday has allowed us the opportunity; Banner was much more manual and a lot more cumbersome from the payroll processing side, we
weren’t able to make some of the changes that we wanted to make, and so we’re taking advantage of the opportunity with a more modern technology to get more current with our pay practices,” Carrick said. “So it’s not because of Workday, but Workday allowed us to make the transition.”
While using a monthly system, there are 12 payments received throughout the year; with an every-other-week cycle, 26 payments are sent.
Carrick said she hopes this new cycle will be beneficial in the long run, regardless of if the change takes some adjustment. She said some faculty and staff said they think this change will make specific parts of life simpler; for example, Carrick said one employee has told her this will make paying her babysitter easier, because that is a weekly payment, and in months with five weeks, this can become more challenging.
Maryville resident Cody Oshel discusses his goals of becoming Missouri’s 6th District congressman during an interview April 10. Congressman Sam Graves announced his retirement will be Jan. 3, 2027 after serving for 26 years in March.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
ANNA BAILEY News Editor | @AmBailey16
Regional entrepreneurs show out at local craft fair
MICAH STOLLEY Contributing Writer | @TheMissourian
While the Spring Craft Fair signifies the end of the season for some Maryville residents, others are using it as an opportunity to get an early spring on their new business.
The Spring Craft Fair is an annual event organized by Maryville Parks and Recreation, held at the Maryville Community Center. The event opens a market for vendors to showcase and sell their products. While some vendors are local businesses, others come from further in the region to sell their products. Elizabeth Lyle, the marketing and events supervisor at MPR, said business attendance at the fair is steadily growing.
“This is our highest attended one in the six years, so we hope that continues to go up,” Lyle said. “Our Christmas Craft Fair
is always sold out, and we have waiting lists three pages long, so the goal is to get our spring one as big as our Christmas one, and this year, I think we were 14 spaces away (from filling vendor capacity), so we’re pretty close.”
The Spring Craft Fair features products ranging from seasoned pretzels to 3D-printed crafts. Lyle said about 60 vendors hosted displays this weekend, with the maximum capacity being around 85.
Many of those vendors had never previously sold their products at the Spring Craft Fair.
Sticky Situation Creations, a custom apparel and gifts business started by Merinda Mitchell, is one of the first-time vendors at the fair. Mitchell works as a paramedic, but she started her business while recovering from surgery in 2024. She said she found her passion for designing when her husband asked for custom designs for his work. Mitchell said Sticky Situ-
ation Creations offers a break from her medical career.
“It’s nice to have an outlet that isn’t medical, something that’s artistic,” Mitchell said. “I never in a million years would’ve dreamed I would have done something like this. My whole life has been very medical-based, so now I get to do things that are a little bit more artsy.”
The fair allows businesses of all sizes to come and promote their products. Entrepreneurs of a wide range of ages use the platform to start their financial journey. Lyle said the fair promotes the expansion of the brands present.
“We’ve seen a lot of our small businesses grow and start out here,” Neal said. “It really gets everyone to know what’s all out there, and once they find that product that they like, they want to keep coming back, and whether that’s here or just allowing them to outgrow, that’s all right too.”
Campus groups collaborate, promote waste reduction
EMILY KRONE
Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian
Residential Life partnered with the Northwest Recycling Center to bring the campus a fun event at the Centennial Garden April 22, before finals week, offering students a break from their studying and packing.
Bins were placed in the lobby of every residence hall on campus. These were for students to drop off items they did not need anymore, and these items will go to the Backyard Swap Shop. Hudson Hall Inclusion Assistant Max Ford said this event is meant to help while students.
“People are moving out, so it’s a stressful time of the year; they don’t know where to put any of their furniture, any things like that,” Ford said. “We’re giving our
residents, and even off-campus students, a place to store their stuff that they don’t want to take home; they want to lighten their load as they travel over the summer.”
Backyard Swap Shop is an event where students can browse through items donated by others at the end of the year, and take what they want for free.
Ford said any gently used items can be donated for the event, like mini refrigerators and clothing. The event is for students to discard items they no longer need, and for others to find things they do.
“If there are any residents that are looking for this stuff, and they don’t typically have the financial means to get any of this, they can come collect any of the donated items that we’ve had over the past month,” Ford said.
Tower Suites Inclusion Assistant Yousra Tabite said one of
the main goals of this event is to recycle and reduce waste by giving items to others.
Ford said Sustainability Coordinator Tim Hill was at the Backyard Swap Shop to talk about Earth Day, which falls on the same day as the event.
South Complex Inclusion Assistant Aleksandar Ilic said the organization wanted to make this bigger because of how much waste there is when everyone is moving out.
“Our goal is for the items to not go unused,” Ilic said. “We don’t want to fill landfills, we want to see these items going to hands of people that need it, especially our residents.”
Ilic said whatever wasn’t taken was donated to other organizations like Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Bearcat Food Pantry.
Patrick’s Forge owner Patrick Casady points out his 3D-printed dragons to a child at the annual Spring Craft Fair April 18.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
The Balloon Twister vendor Stephanie Neal shows a child how she is making a balloon mermaid during the annual Spring Craft Fair April 18. Neal charged 50 cents per balloon to ensure every child had the opportunity to get one.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
Spring Craft Fair attendee Sheila Trautz learns how to order custom-designed clothing from Sticky Situation Creations owner Merinda Mitchell during the fair April 18. Trautz would also print custom clothing on the spot.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
Man faces
A 20-year-old Skidmore, Missouri, man has been charged in connection to an alleged double homicide that occurred April 18 in Nodaway County.
Regents talk guidelines, serve beyond term limits
OSWALT Managing Editor | @doswalt_NWMSRN
The third floor of the J.W. Jones Student Union bustles with activity as Northwest’s legendary former head football coach and former athletics director Mel Tjeerdsma walks up the stairs.
He greets students with fistbumps, reminisces with old colleagues and shares a sportsthemed joke with those attending each Board of Regents meeting, which he leads as chair.
Tjeerdsma served with a smile at the most recent Regent meeting March 11, despite an illness keeping him from feeling his best.
Over the past year, a battle with leukemia — a type of blood cancer — has made it difficult for Tjeerdsma to attend all Regent meetings in person. However, he said his passion for the University is why he continues to serve.
“The thing that’s most important to me is that…the people that are on the Board right now are serving because of their love for Northwest, and with my background of being the football coach here for 17 years and then athletic director, that means more to me than anything else, is that we have people that want to be on, want to serve and want to do the things that they can do to help make Northwest better and help make Northwest the best that it can be for our students,” Tjeerdsma said.
A board of regents is a governing body that has ultimate control over a public university. Some states have one board that controls all the major higher educational systems within that state, but Missouri has separate boards for each institution.
Tjeerdsma has served on the Board since 2019, and he said the regents’ jobs are to ensure the University is following protocol and held accountable with its finances.
From academics to athletics to infrastructure and everything in between, the Board holds a lot of responsibilities on its shoulders.
Last year, Tjeerdsma video-called into many Board meetings, as he had a weakened immune system from his treatments. Still, he did what needed to be done for the Northwest community that had always supported him.
Another setback Tjeerdsma could face is someone being appointed to take his place; Tjeerdsma’s term with the Board expired Jan. 1, 2025, and Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe could choose to replace him at any time.
It is not illegal for a board of regents in Missouri to have its members serve on expired terms, nor does it make any decision the
board makes invalid. A Missouri constitutional statute says office holders must fulfill their duty until someone else is elected or appointed to the position, or unless they resign, according to Justia Law.
Along with Tjeerdsma, Regent Deborah Roach’s term also expired Jan. 1, 2025. Regents Jason Klindt and Shanda Durbin’s terms both expired Jan. 1, 2023, meaning four out of the seven members are termed out.
Tjeerdsma thinks all four members would agree that the reason they continue to serve is that in order for the Board to operate, it must have a quorum — the minimum number of representatives present to make each meeting valid. He said they keep doing it out of care for Northwest. The Board’s quorum is five.
But the reason I’m staying is just simply, I don’t want to put the board in a bad position where they don’t have enough people to even be able to meet.”
JASON KLINDT
REGENT
NORTHWEST BOARD OF REGENTS
“For me personally…and I think for every one of us…it’s more of a loyalty thing,” Tjeerdsma said. “We want to be able to have business as usual for the University and for the Board of Regents, and if we would all just say ‘OK, we’re done,’ you know, the Board wouldn’t even be able to conduct business, because you have to have quorum…to conduct business.”
Klindt said he stays on the Board so it doesn’t get to a position where it is unable to meet.
Roach said the Board members serve at the pleasure of the governor, so the regents will be reappointed whenever Kehoe sees fit to replace them. She said Kehoe likely has more important items on his agenda right now than finding replacements for Northwest’s Board.
Another aspect of the Board’s makeup is the nonvoting student representative role. This has been vacant for nearly two years, fol-
lowing the graduation of former Student Regent and former Student Senate Executive President Elizabeth Motazedi in April 2024.
Around this time, then-freshman and current 103rd Student Senate Executive President Anna Tucker was among a few students nominated to replace Motazedi.
“The way that selecting a student regent position works is that a group of students are nominated through Student Senate, and then those students are interviewed by administrators here at the University…and they select a group of students...and they send those to the governor of Missouri,” Tucker said. “Our governor of Missouri and his office, that’s the group that actually selects the student regent.”
During Tucker’s freshman year, she was among the nominated students, and she went through the interview process.
“What I have heard is that they selected a group of students, they sent it to the governor of Missouri, and the governor has not chosen a student regent for two years,” Tucker said.
While she never got the opportunity to serve on the Board as a student regent, she said she gets to be involved with the Board by presenting Student Senate reports at the regent meetings.
Klindt said these reports almost make up for the seat being vacant. He said he values the students’ input.
Roach also said the students’ viewpoint is what she misses most about the role being occupied.
“I miss having one simply because I like to get different perspectives…they see things sometimes that we don’t,” Roach said.
Tjeerdsma said the regents only know the specific happenings on campus based on what they hear from other people, and it’s valued for a student regent to give them additional context.
Kehoe and his team were unavailable to give an interview or comment on the situation. His Communications Director Gabby Picard gave this response.
“Thank you for reaching out,” Picard said in an email to the Missourian. “Governor Kehoe may not be available for this interview, but we can still assist with questions you have about the board. If you would like to send some questions I can talk to our boards & commissions team and get some responses over to you.”
The questions were sent March 10, but the Missourian received no further replies from Kehoe’s office.
2 counts of first-degree murder charges
Keevin J. Maupin faces two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol press release. Deputies with the Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office responded 5:40 p.m. April 18 to a residence near the intersections of Missouri Highway 46 and Route PP, north of Skidmore. The Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office then requested assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control.
A person of interest was taken into custody at the scene, and Maupin was formally charged in Nodaway County April 19. He is being held without bond in the Nodaway County Jail.
First responders found two people dead from apparent gunshot wounds when they arrived. The victims have been identified as Liberty A. Moore, 32, from Maryville, and Karen M. Babcock, 58, from Skidmore.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol was contacted, but it said further information past what was on the press release cannot be shared due to the ongoing investigation. The Nodaway County Sheriff’s Office was also contacted, but it did not respond in time for publication.
Northwest Board of Regents Chair Mel Tjeerdsma speaks to Regent Deborah Roach during the Board of Regents meeting March 11.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
Anna Tucker, 103rd Student Senate executive president, gives a report on Student Senate’s work this semester at the Board of Regents meeting March 11.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
LEAH COX
Asst. Sports Editor | @byleahcox
DAKOTA
CRIME LOG
for the week of April 23
Northwest Missouri State University Police Department
April 20
There is an open investigation for missing property off campus.
April 15
There is an open investigation for missing property off campus.
There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Hudson-Perrin Hall.
April 14
There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in the Administration Building. There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in the Administration Building.
Maryville Department of Public Safety
April 16
There was an accident between Gracelyn C. Newlin, 21, and Paula A. Martin, 78, on North Market and East Fourth Street.
There was a summons issued to Randal B. Singleton, 25, for domestic assault and property damage on the 2600 block of Aurora Avenue.
April 15
There was a summons issued to Pamela L. Kendle, 61, for disorderly conduct on the 700 block of East Third Street. There was a summons issued to John R. Baumli 74, for trespassing on the 100 block of South Vine Street.
April 14
There is an ongoing investigation for larceny on the 1300 block of South Main Street.
April 13
There was a wallet and miscellaneous items recovered on the 1300 block of South Main Street.
ECONOMY
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Overstreet said MCI is expecting June 26 to be one of the busiest dates, as there will be matches ending and others about to start. He said the airport staff feels pride knowing the impressions they can make on the many first-time Kansas City visitors.
“This may be,if it’s their first time in the U.S., it’s their first
Maryville begins rebrand, appoints next city mayor
Maryville Momentum 2045
— a guide to the city’s 20-year vision — was approved by the Planning & Zoning Commission March 19. In alignment with this, the Maryville City Council took a step to rebrand the city’s image at its April 13 meeting.
City Manager Ryan Heiland said it has been about 15 years since the city was last rebranded. He said the new look will establish a clear, consistent and modern visual identity that reflects the community’s values and future vision.
“Our current branding is actually more of a seal and is based on a design that may be recognized in Kansas City, at some banking institute down there, and so moving forward, with a different seal and a different logo, it was recommended as part of the comprehensive plan process,” Heiland said.
The city is partnering with St. Louis-based Locality Studio for this initiative. Heiland said Locality Studio has proposed a sixto-eight-month project timeline and expects to have it complete by December of this year.
He said Locality Studio has proposed a method for this rebrand; a group of 10 people who
Oshel said. “He’s a small business owner, so his business relies on him being there.”
He said creating legislation that supports rural hospitals is vital. Oshel said providing the necessary resources to these hospitals will prevent people from having to travel long distances to get the care they need.
“My father lives in Princeton, Missouri; he has leukemia, and he’s traveling an hour and a half to be able to get treatment twice a week,”
time in Kansas City, and so when they get off their plane and go through our terminal, that’s the first thing they’re going to see for the city,” Overstreet said.
Maryville Tourism Director DeAnn Davison said one of the largest factors to consider while bringing the World Cup to Kansas City is public safety. She said Maryville residents should expect to see people whom they are not used to.
Davison said the specifics are
He said the Affordable Care Act has also created an impact on individuals who now cannot afford medical insurance. The ACA is a health care reform law, which was enacted in 2010, according to the Health Insurance Marketplace.
“If you don’t qualify for Medicaid and you can’t afford insurance, you’re in this sandwich where you’re like, ‘OK, well, I just won’t
not yet known regarding the exact impact the World Cup will bring to surrounding cities. She said Maryville can expect to see some travelers from the north.
“We definitely know the large amount of visitors that are coming into the area, and when we think about them traveling from the north, places like Minneapolis and Chicago, they come down to Kansas City as a domestic traveler; there’s definitely an opportunity that they may stop in
2026 FIFA World Cup draws national coverage; local athletes convey excitement
Northwest senior soccer player Ximena Arnau said the community will be surprised at what the World Cup will bring.
Every four years, the world comes together to watch a tournament so big it makes the Super Bowl look small. This year, North America is hosting it — the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The previous World Cup, in 2022, might have been one of the most exciting to date. Lionel Messi and Argentina beat France in penalty kicks 4-2, after being tied 3-3 following extra time. This year, the tournament is being played in North America, with games being held in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Argentina is looking to win back-to-back World Cups and is stationed in Kansas City, Missouri, with their first game against Algeria 9 p.m. June 16 at Arrowhead Stadium.
With the close distance between Maryville and Arrowhead in Kansas City,
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“I don’t think very many people understand how big the World Cup is,” Arnau said. “I think it will be a big shock to some people to see how big of a deal this is — Kansas City is the Soccer Capital, so I think the exposure will be huge.”
Soccer is considered to be the world’s most famous sport. Here in the U.S., though, American football is the mostwatched sport. Many Northwest students might not fully grasp how big the game of soccer truly is.
The 2022 World Cup Final reached 1.5 billion viewers, while the 2026 Super Bowl reached between 125 million viewers.
Even at Northwest, the soccer community isn’t the largest. The University only has a women’s team and a soccer club organization, with soccer not being the big-
“Part of what we’re trying to do is give enough runway for employees to plan,” Carrick said. “Obviously, hopefully everybody has a budget and can think about how their payments need to be adjusted or evaluated based on the change, so all employees, faculty, staff and students will be impacted.”
Northwest Ambassador and Horace Mann Laboratory School America Reads tutor Teddee Samuelson agreed that having a biweekly schedule will make budgeting easier, especially for students.
Samuelson said she looks forward to the change. She said running on a biweekly schedule will make it easier to manage monthly payments and college expenses.
represent key institutions and groups throughout the community will come together to work on the project. The city will also conduct online surveys and host open-houses to increase community involvement and voice in the rebranding process.
The Fiscal Year 2026 General Fund budget includes $20,000 for this initiative. The contract with Locality Studio is not to exceed $16,500; however, this does not include reimbursements for Locality Studio’s travel and mileage costs. Heiland said only one or two trips will be necessary, so the costs aren’t expected to be significant or exceed $20,000.
Also during this meeting, Councilman John McBride was appointed mayor of Maryville, rotating positions with Mayor Dannen Merrill.
“I’d just like to thank the Council and thank Dannen for his two years serving as mayor,” McBride said.
Following elections, Council isn’t changing much; Benjamin Lipiec was elected to the sole two-year position, and Bryan Williams and Erin Allen were elected to serve three-year terms. All are incumbents.
go to the doctor,’ and then sometimes you go and it’s too late, and then the burden is great on you, it’s great on the community, it’s great on the hospital,” Oshel said. As the race continues, Oshel said the local people will continue to motivate him. He said he is driven by learning what people struggle with and by the events that occur in their lives. Oshel said these stories are what make him want to strive to be a wellrounded advocate for northwest Missouri.
and see us,” Davison said.
Davison said it is likely that if some visitors are staying for long periods of time, they will venture throughout the Midwest between games. She said the large number of visitors is going to have a positive impact on the local economy.
“So when you think of getting those visitors from outside the area, you know that’s new dollars coming into the community,” Davison said. “We’re not just turning those same dol-
lars over and over again, so we always want to definitely provide an excellent experience for anyone that is not familiar with Maryville, or maybe had a relationship with the town at one point…we definitely want to welcome them back and let them know that we’re happy to have them.”
gest vocal point for Northwest athletics.
Maryville High School senior soccer player Tuan Jacobson said if he could inform students of one thing, it would be how big the tournament is.
“I would tell students that it’s the biggest event in the world; it dwarfs the Super Bowl,” Jacobson said.
The tournament is just around the
“Honestly, I really like it,” Samuelson said. “I know it can be kind of hard to set a budget when you only get paid once a month, so I feel like getting paid biweekly will be a lot easier for a lot of college students to kind of set their monthly budgets.”
She said this new system will also prevent students from running low on money at the end of the month. Samuelson also said this adjustment may change some individuals’ spending habits or make these habits more consistent.
With the way the monthly cycle works at Northwest, employees are paid at the end of the month for the work they did the previous month. Carrick said this often leads to a lag in overtime hours. Also, due to the payroll submission deadline, which occurs on the last day of the month, the hours earned on that day are not logged in a timely manner.
corner, with the first games kicking off in June. Teams from all over the world will slowly funnel into the major cities. Kansas City is expecting 650,000 visitors to come for this tournament, according to the Kansas City World Cup website. The community impact could make its way all the way to Maryville and the campus.
“So, today, depending on when the month starts and when it ends, throughout the week, we’re not always paying based on the hours worked,” Carrick said. “So what that means for our employees is, if we have folks who are hourly and they make overtime, we’re not able to track those timely because of the way we cut off for a monthly pay cycle.”
By adjusting this system, employees will be paid in a more punctual manner, and this lag in hours can be prevented.
“I think the biggest benefits are that it’s more timely with aligning with pay, with worked hours and pay,” Carrick said. “It addresses overtime lag, it addresses leave-balance lag. Probably the hardest part is now you’re taking pay that you’re getting over 12 months and spreading it over 26, still getting the same total pay, but the frequency of that changes.”
Maryville Mayor John McBride takes over leading the April 13 City Council meeting after being appointed to the role.
ALLY JEFFRIES PHOTOGRAPHER
CLAYTON CULP
Missourian Reporter | @claytoonie811
Northwest soccer senior midfielder Ximena Arnau slides to steal the ball from a defender during the Bearcats 3-0 victory over Northern State University Sept. 5, 2025.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
Healing is hard; don’t let assault
destroy you
Being sexually assaulted will change your life, but you have to choose if it destroys it.
I know that isn’t fair, but nothing about the situation is. It’s one of the worst things that can happen to you, and you have to be the one to deal with everything that comes after.
I was close to letting it destroy my life. I stopped being a functional person for a long time. I was giving the person who did that to me power over my life.
Giving power to the person who did this to you isn’t what you need. Take that power back and live the life you want. While I believe it was good for me to mourn my childhood because I’ll never get back to the person I was before it happened, I also realized I couldn’t do that forever. I held on to that sadness and disgust in myself for too long.
It’s OK to let yourself feel all of the emotions in the beginning — be angry, be sad, be hurt — but know that you’re not ruined. This is not your fault.
The easiest option is to let it ruin your life. Surviving and healing is the hardest task you’ll face. I can’t lie and say it will be a fast process — it will probably take years.
We are all different — what works for one person might not work for you. That doesn’t mean you stop trying, though. Test out all the options, whether that’s therapy, talking to a trusted friend or joining a support group — you might even find healing alone is the best route for you. There is no wrong way to heal; you just have to let yourself do it. What isn’t going to work is pretending it never happened or not acknowledging the mix of emotions that come after. For me, a lot of what I was feeling was guilt. It wasn’t my fault, and it wasn’t your fault either. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and that comes with a mix of emotions for survivors. That’s common. This month can also serve as a time for you to find resources and/or get the help you deserve. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center is a great place to start.
It’s important to learn about trauma responses and common experiences after sexual assault. Being prepared and knowing you’re not alone in what you’re going through can be helpful. Even if you wait to do the research, it could help explain some of the potential trauma responses you might not even know are occurring.
I know triggers have become mainstream comedy and oversaturated, but your triggers are real, and you can remove yourself from situations causing them. While it is not usually possible for you to completely avoid triggers, you don’t have to try to force yourself to be OK. This was traumatic, and you have every right to feel your emotions.
If you need just one thing to help you start the healing journey, let it be this. I understand what you’re going through, and I know you can survive it. I know you can thrive in this life.
OUR VIEW:
AI data centers pose threats to environment, resources
Earth Day — it’s celebrated April 22 every year to encourage awareness and promote the protection of the environment.
Unfortunately, some experts believe portions of Earth will be too hot for human occupation by 2027, according to Pennsylvania State University. The increasing global temperatures are due to human-induced climate change, which all of us have likely heard about.
These increasing temperatures also put natural resources at risk. Climate change is intensifying natural disasters; this especially challenges our access to water because of longer droughts.
Artificial intelligence data centers are harmful to the environment. If people want renewable, clean resources to last into the future, they need to stop relying on AI and take a stand against the creation of AI data centers in the area.
Resources like land and water in Missouri are falling victim to AI data centers — these are facilities that house large machines and equipment needed to carry out the functions of AI applications and services, according to IBM.
The machines in AI data centers require a lot of energy to make their
YOUR VIEW:
How do you think artificial intelligence impacts the environment?
THE STROLLER:
BOBBI BATTON Senior Education
systems function, so the facilities need to be constantly cooled. They often use water instead of air to dissipate the heat, according to IBM.
A large data center can use up to 5 million gallons of water each day, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. This amount of water is equivalent to the usage of a town that has a population of 10,000 to 50,000 people — that’s one to five times the population of Maryville.
The water these data centers use is typically clean. Graywater, which is any gently used water, typically from sinks, showers, washing machines or other household appliances that don’t contaminate water, should be used instead.
A company is considering building one of these AI data centers south of Maryville, and it’s expected to cost nearly $4 billion, according to The Maryville Forum. The Nodaway County Commissioners said this company will make its decision by June.
If this happens, the Nodaway County community is in danger.
Maryville is in the process of building a nearly $50 million new water treatment plant to combat issues residents face with the drinking water. This
“I think it’s a very negative impact, especially what I’ve read on the water levels and how much water it uses, and we’re already running so low... it’s not helping global warming at all.”
JONAH BUCHMANN Junior
Physical Education
could possibly all be for nothing if the data center impacts the area’s tap water.
We have already seen the community take a stand against this AI hub by starting a petition, which has almost 1,000 signatures as of April 21. While this is a step in the right direction, it is also only a start to going against the data centers and the potential issues they can bring to a community.
All of the land being bought is also a concern. Missouri’s agriculture, forestry and related industries bring in billions of dollars each year for the state, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Losing land to data centers could have serious economic impacts throughout the region.
A company affiliated with Google recently bought 430 acres of land north of Kansas City, Missouri, allegedly to serve as a campus for a data center, according to Data Center Dynamics. The entire state is a target.
In light of Earth Day, do your research on how much AI data centers can harm not only the world as a whole, but also our local communities. If you care about the environment, use your voice to take a stand against AI.
“Personally, I don’t think AI impacts the environment in a positive or negative way...I don’t think that AI affects the environment negatively any more than me using my computer or car.”
Junior Animal Science
“I think it negatively impacts the environment…as a person in agriculture, it’s really important that we’re able to preserve our family farms and to continue making food for this whole entire country.”
Your Bearcat saw someone eat salt raw
Your Bearcat was recently at a conference, where a large meal was provided for all of the attendees. This feast had everything, from three types of sandwiches to various sides to freshly baked cookies. There was no room to complain.
You’ll find that I was mortified when I turned to my right and noticed one of these attendees choosing not to eat any of the actual food there, but instead, deciding to eat something simply diabolical — salt.
No, this person was not eating salt on their food; they opened up the salt packet that came with the plastic silverware set and devoured its contents whole.
I was left stunned, disgusted and almost enraged.
Apparently, they had finished all of their food and were still hungry. Instead of going to get another sandwich or asking someone for the leftovers they didn’t want, table salt was the most reasonable thing to consume — a palate
cleanser, as they called it. I am still baffled by this action and the reasoning behind it.
Mind you, during this trip, this individual had been eating everything in sight — sometimes devouring up to four or five meals each day, with multiple stops for dessert. I am not judging or shaming, because hey, I like food, too. This behavior seemed extreme, even for me.
Out of fear for my life, I almost offered my own salt packet — and even my pepper
packet — but then I realized that doing so would only encourage this strange addiction, and I do not want to be an enabler. I hope this person seeks help. I was genuinely scarred by the experience and hope to never see anything like it again. Salt is a wonderful thing, but we cannot let eating it straight become socially acceptable.
CADEN WILLMANN CARTOONIST
BREANN POOLE
The Stroller has been a tradition since 1918 and does not reflect the views of the Northwest Missourian.
HANNAH CLAYWELL Editor-in-Chief @Hannah_9504
Smaller sports teams without video services
As of 2025, Northwest is required by MIAA to stream seven sports seasonally on the MIAA Digital Network. This brings publicity to already popular athletic programs, but leaves the lesser known sports without exposure, despite sustaining similar success.
The athletics required to be streamed on the MIAA network annually are football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, soccer, baseball, softball and volleyball. Tennis, track and field, and golf are left without ways for fans to watch the events live without physically attending. This leaves the families and friends of many international students, who play sports without livestreams, unable to watch their athletes play.
This heavily affects sports like tennis, which holds 21 players on the men’s and women’s rosters combined, 18 of whom are international athletes. Northwest Athletic Director Andy Peterson said livestreaming tennis matches will happen eventually, but it’s just a matter of equipment.
“I don’t know that anybody else in the league broadcasts their games; I don’t know that anybody else has it yet, but it is coming,” Peterson said. “They’ve got all these automatic capture cameras, where, if you get them mounted in the right spot, it’ll take it for you — so, it’s coming. It’s just a matter of time, finances and resources to get it done.”
Despite the lack of broadcasts for tennis, the program received new home courts in August 2025, which were named after longtime head coach Mark Rosewell.
With this being such a new addition to campus, Peterson said analyzing how to broadcast from the Mark Rosewell Tennis Center is still in the early stages.
“We just haven’t got to that point with our facility,” Peterson
said. “A brand new facility out there on the west side of campus, we don’t have great data out there, so it would not be impossible, it would be very difficult to stream it with students, with CatVision and everything else.”
Second-year Bearcat and senior tennis player Antonin Leborne is from L’hay-les-roses, France, and transfered from Hartford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland, in 2024.
Leborne said he has noticed some differences in the materialistic items and attention that the less popular teams receive, but overall, he can’t complain about the treatment the tennis teams receive.
“I completely understand that football and basketball are kind of over us, because they bring the money to the University, but I would talk more about my French teammates on the track and field team,” Leborne said. “I think they deserve more. I think the track and field, with the performances they have, that’s insane for us. Maybe the budget could be better for us.”
While sophomore golfer Lexi Bartley is completing her second season as a Bearcat, she said she has noticed a level of respect from professors and coaches, although similar to Leborne, she said she feels left out at times.
“I think more people have a lot of respect for the golf team, as we are just a women’s team, there is no men’s side, the older generations and professors and stuff, they have a lot of respect for us, but yet, there are things that we don’t really get the praise for that I believe we should because we do work very hard,” Bartley said.
Although these several sports wait for consistent coverage, their successes are still visible.
The Bearcat men’s cross country team claimed first in the NCAA Cross Country Central Regional Championship in November.
Northwest tennis senior Antonin Leborne stretches for a return during his 6-3 singles match loss to Southwest Baptist University March 13. Bearcat Athletics is only required to stream seven sports, which leaves out half of the University’s athletic teams.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
KEATON SMITH Sports Reporter | @keatonsmedia
Maryville track and field gears up for last 3 meets
OLIVIA WALLACE Sports Editor | @_oliviawallace_
With the season winding down and a few weeks to go until the conference meet, Maryville track and field has a handful of meets left to make the state competition.
Prior to the RunningLane Kansas City Relays April 18, the Spoofhounds competed at the Winnetonka Varsity Invitational at Winnetonka High School April 16. Head coach Rodney Bade said the team raced better during the Varsity Invitational than at the Relays.
“Thursday was actually a great day for us,” Bade said. “Some of our kids are in quite a bit better on Thursday and then had a little trouble on Saturday — but we’re in a good sport, overall, as a team. Our boys won Thursday’s meet. As a team, we aren’t really pushing for points necessarily. That’s a pretty big meet, so that’s a pretty good sort of benchmark for kind of where everything’s at.”
Sophomore Ryker Hackett placed third in the boys 1600-meter run with a time of 4:46.82, while senior Sadler Viau placed first in the boys 110-meter hurdles with 15.37 seconds. Another notable group who also ran a personal best was the boys 4x200 relay team, who placed third in the meet. Viau, senior Brody Shepherd, junior Caylor Dyche and sophomore Payton Willrich led the 4x200 relay with a time of 1:33.32.
Following the high placements at the Invitational, the team geared up for the RunningLane Kansas City Relays April 17-18 at Blue Springs South High School. With inclement weather in the northwest Missouri area, the team only participated in the Relays April 18.
Bade said the RunningLane meet was new for the 2026 season — replacing the KU Relays that had been a regular meet for the Spoofhounds for multiple seasons.
“
We’re happy. Our relays are kind of clicking, and we’re almost at the point where we think we have those kind of set and figured out whose on those. Individually, things are continuing to get faster.”
RODNEY BADE
MHS TRACK HEAD COACH
“Some meets popped up, and this one was close-ish, and we thought we’d give it a shot,” Bade said. “It was kind of marketed to be a replacement of sorts; KU Relays is what had been happening for 100 years and is highly selective to get into.”
Despite the RunningLane Relays’ high selectivity, the girls team placed within the top 10. Senior Brylee Acklin placed third in the girls 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.48, and she also placed sixth in the
girls 300-meter hurdles with a time of 46.85. Another notable runner during the 100-meter hurdles was freshman Mylee Eighmy, who had a time of 15.95. Junior Casey Stoll placed 17th in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.35 and 12th in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 49.21.
Not only did the girls make record times, but for the boys, junior Mace McKim threw 16.77 meters in shot put — placing him third on the podium for the event. He also threw 51.75 meters in discus, giving him the second-place medal.
Bade said the coaching staff is looking at both of the meets — instead of one over another — and the finishes going into the final weeks of the season.
“We’re happy. Our relays are kind of clicking, and we’re almost at the point where we think we have those kind of set and figured out whose on those,” Bade said. “Individually, things are continuing to get faster.”
With an upcoming meet, Bade said the team is prepared for the Mineral Water Classic. He said the majority of the teams during the Classic will be the same teams the Spoofhounds will face during the conference meet in a few weeks.
With limited time before the conference meet, Bade said he is telling the runners to stay consistent and give their all during practice.
“Really, right now is just about…not burying our head in the sand,” Bade said. “We’re trying to kind of just train through these meets a little bit, so we’re just trying to kind of stay consistent with practice and with our workouts.”
The Mineral Water Classic’s first event is set for 3 p.m. April 24 at Excelsior Springs High School.
Bearcat softball readies for Lopers, hits best program record in years
HANNAH TATE
Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports
Northwest softball (29-18, 8-12 MIAA) has broken head coach Naomi Tellez’s winning record, with her first 29-win season with the ’Cats. Tellez had 28 wins at the end of both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, her previous best records at Northwest.
Tellez said she hasn’t paid attention to the record as the season has gone on, just focusing on one game at a time.
“For me personally, a 30-win season is outstanding,” Tellez said. “It’s a testament of how hard they work every day and everything they put in, and to reach 30 wins would be really cool.” Senior outfielder Omara Love said she knew something was different about this team from the beginning of the season.
“I just knew this team was special, and I think Coach knew that too,” Love said. “I think the way that we’ve been playing, especially with the win streak we
had…This is one of the most fun teams that I’ve ever played on since being here. I think that shows out on the field, and I feel like, especially with our 30game record we’re (on pace to) have, everything we’ve been getting into this year is really cool.”
Love said the energy and intensity Northwest players pour into the field every time the team steps foot inside the field created a team worthy of the record books.
A group of five seniors has been with Tellez since the beginning of her tenure with the ’Cats. Growing as players and people during their four years here, their time at Northwest comes to an end with the season’s finish. Love and seniors pitcher Jadyn Streigle, outfielder Alexis Brown, utility player Cora Schweitzer and infielder Sara Farlow stayed with Northwest until the end of their careers.
Tellez said the end of the regular season is exciting, but it also brings along a twinge of sadness with the seniors leaving.
“It’s nearing the end for our seniors, and it’s sad and happy all at the same time,” Tellez said.
“I want them to go out in a way that is going to be memorable, and I hope this year is memorable for them, especially for these seniors, because they’ve been with me for four years now.”
Northwest faces off with the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (14-33, 3-15 MIAA) in a doubleheader April 24 at the Bearcat Softball Field for Family Day. Game 1 is set for 2 p.m. and Game 2 for 4 p.m.
Streigle said the ’Cat’s record is refl ective of how they come together on the field.
“We find a way to come together with defense, offense, pitching, catching — everything seems to come together lately,” Streigle said.
“The energy that we have and the support that we bring each other helps us get to that point where we feel confident enough in each other to get those wins and be successful.”
Senior hurdler Brylee Acklin clears a hurdle during practice April 20. Acklin placed third in the 100-meter hurdles at the Winnetonka Varsity Invitational April 16.
EMILIA RAMANAUSKAS PHOTOGRAPHER
Northwest softball head coach Naomi Tellez calls out adjustments while her team is infielding during the Bearcats’ five-inning 10-1 loss to the University of Central Missouri March 28. Tellez is one win away from her personal goal of 30 wins in a season.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
RUNNING THE COST
3 NW programs share budget
Each winter, the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse becomes the center for the University’s track and field program, hosting indoor meets that bring together athletes, officials and spectators from across the region.
Within the same program, Northwest Athletic Director Andy Peterson said a single budget is stretched across three seasons.
“Those three programs — cross country, indoor and outdoor — is all the same program from the institution side,” Peterson said. “The NCAA splits them up…but from the institution’s lens, it’s all the same budget. They have the same scholarships; obviously, it’s the same coaching staff.”
Peterson said head track and field coach Brandon Masters is given the reins on how he splits the budget between the three sports.
With that, he said Masters has decided to fund the outdoor track and field season through the revenue of hosting indoor meets.
“The way Coach Masters has done it is with the indoor facility, what it kind of equates out to is, the budget that is provided from the institution, kind of covers cross country and indoor,” Peterson said. “Then, the money that we generate from hosting indoor meets covers the outdoor season.”
Northwest hosted four meets this season: the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic Dec. 6, 2025; the Coach Richard Alsup Open Jan. 17; the Bearcat Invite Feb. 6-7; and Northwest Tune Up - Last Chance Meet Feb. 19.
Those events not only give athletes opportunities to compete at home, but they also serve as a key source of revenue for the program. Members of the team who aren’t
competing, along with the coaching staff, are expected to help with the event.
“There’s a human capital expense,” Peterson said. “It takes a lot of work for a coaching staff to put on an indoor meet.”
Even with those meets generating revenue, fundraising still plays a role in supporting the program. This season, the team has raised $25,216 of its $30,000 goal with the help of 304 donors. Northwest athletics also raised $219,713 during the annual Bearcat Day of Green, which goes toward academics, athletics and other funds at the University.
said track meets at the Hughes Fieldhouse and other athletic events hosted by the University bring revenue for businesses across town.
“Out-of-town teams and their fans, we definitely get a bump at Planet Sub for tailgate stuff or just grabbing lunch between events,” Goecken said. “Anything that brings that many people into town, businesses that are nonspecific — restaurants or gas stations — are definitely going to see a bump.”
As the season moves outdoors, Barnes said fundraising becomes especially important for allowing the team to travel to larger competitions.
$25,216
raised with the help of 304 donors. There has been
Junior middle-distance runner Jadyn Barnes said the fundraising effort is not handled by coaches alone — athletes are also involved.
“We all have to get a bunch of emails together, I think the number is like 25, and we send out letters to try to get people to donate,” Barnes said.
In addition to outreach, athletes help run youth meets hosted inside Hughes Fieldhouse which is an all-day commitment. Barnes said athletes work events, manage equipment, facilitate admissions, run concessions and assist with other meet operations throughout the day.
This year, Northwest has hosted four youth meets, as well as the Northwest Missouri Indoor High School Kick-Off 2026 March 21, led by Maryville High School. Beyond the University, indoor meets also bring business into the community.
Jim Goecken, co-owner of Planet Sub and The Student Body,
“If we didn’t fundraise ourselves, then we wouldn’t be able to travel for the big meets, like conference and nationals,” Barnes said.
The funding structure can also impact how athletes compete. Barnes said many freshmen compete unattached during outdoor meets, meaning they aren’t officially representing the program.
“They have to travel themselves; they can’t be on the bus with us,” Barnes said. “They have to pay their entry fee…and when they’re competing unattached, their marks don’t count for the University.”
With the program’s success, consistently placing in the top of the MIAA, Barnes said the financial situation can be frustrating.
Just this season, multiple track and field athletes have already broken outdoor school records and claimed indoor conference titles.
“It’s upsetting to see how successful our program is year after year and just not getting more money for our program,” Barnes said.
LEAH COX Asst. Sports Editor | @byleahcox
Northwest track and field head coach Brandon Masters celebrates with junior Jeremiah Rainey-Dunlap after clearing a high jump attempt during the Richard Alsup Open Jan. 17. Masters funds the outdoor track and field season through the revenue of hosting indoor meets.
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR