Starting this semester, the Northwest Missourian will no longer be a weekly newspaper. Instead, it will print every other week during the year, with the exception of finals week. If you have any questions or concerns, please email northwestmissourian@gmail.com.
RAIEA SALERNO
Reporter | @RaieaS
Students, both new and returning, will likely notice something different about Northwest this fall, but it’s not only Buffalo Wild Wings GO, it’s campus-wide construction.
Campus construction has already impacted students in many ways by limiting parking space and removing portions of sidewalks. Some of the active projects around campus include the continued updates of Martindale Hall, a multimillion dollar renovation project, and redoing the patio tiles at the J.W. Jones Student Union.
THEY RESPOND IMMEDIATELY. THEY WORK THROUGH IT. THEY’VE BUILT A LOT OF RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE STATE, SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF HELP.
POLICE CHIEF
A water pipe burst near the Memorial Bell Tower on Aug. 20 at about 1 p.m. Northwest’s Director of Capital Programs Scott Kuhlemeyer said a contractor was in the process of boring a new gas line, which caused this to happen. This unexpected event resulted in the University temporarily shutting off the water supply to many academic buildings, two residence halls and the J.W. Jones Student Union, which houses most campus dining options.
The issue was resolved the next morning, just one day before freshmen moved in. Several University Police officers responded to the issue while it was happening, including Amanda Cullin, UPD’s new chief of police. Cullin said she worked to communicate with workers at the site and create teams to solve the problem.
Cullin said construction on campus is a positive thing because it provides stronger, more efficient infrastructure, but things like this could happen during any construction work. She advises students to be prepared for anything, for example, having extra water and nonperishable foods available. INFOGRAPHIC
Missouri Western State University Vice Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Elise Hepworth has been working at MWSU for 10 years, but she has always loved the Northwest community, and soon she plans on joining it.
Former dean of Northwest’s College of Arts and Sciences Michael Steiner retired after 10 and a half years in the position on July 23, 2024. Hepworth, a Northwest graduate, will take Steiner’s place and will start her new position Sept. 9.
“I am a Bearcat through and through,” Hepworth said. “I’m so excited and happy.”
A dean typically assists the students and faculty with all things related to academics within a certain college. This can include breaking barriers in the workplace for faculty. Hepworth will oversee the Fine and Performing Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Language, Literature and Writing, Mathematics and Statistics, Military Science and Natural Sciences departments under the college, just like Steiner did.
SEE DEAN | A4
| @AstreWords
Over the summer, Northwest Sustainability worked hard to replace every recycling bin on campus. The new recycling bins now have clear-cut instructions, and eye-level labels for user convenience.
Tim Hill, the sustainability coordinator at Northwest explained the old labeling was harder to see. Hill said passersby would struggle seeing the old labels on the sides of the bins, and end up throwing away most of their recyclables.
“The previous recycle bins had been on campus for, I think, nearly two decades,” Hill said. “So they had been on campus for a long time. They were starting
to show their age.” Hill said there are four main categories of sustainability on campus — energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and
green campus initiatives. He said there are many different ways campus plays into these different categories.
As the warm summer air settles onto campus, residents passing by the J.W. Jones Student Union Aug. 26 may have noticed Kool Kats sitting behind it. Students lined up to eat a free snow cone to cool down.
Nearby tables were set up advertising different campus organizations related to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Many students were represented at the mixer including the Black Student Union and Alianza as well as a sign-up to discuss replacing the recently disbanded Helping Everyone Regardless of Orientation.
Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Latonya Davis hosted this gathering. She said she hopes the event was a good introduction for new students to
the O.D.I. space. This space is open to any and every student on campus to talk or study.
“If they just want an ear, we can provide that for them, and we have an open-door policy,” said Davis. “Students can come in and talk to us at any time.”
She wants any student, new or not, to know this resource is open to them. Davis said she also wants students to know about the events coming up hosted by the office. One event highlighted by O.D.I. is Honest, Open, Transparent topics where any student can come in and ask questions about different issues that other people may feel hesitant to ask.
“We want to make sure all our students feel like they belong,” Davis said.
She said she hopes everyone on campus knows the O.D.I. is a safe space to go.
Many people stopped by both
the snow cone truck and the tables. Students spent time talking about inclusion and dancing to music. Sophomore Mallory Morgan and senior Tyrik Gates are two students who enjoyed their time at the event.
“I just like watching everybody, be together, and dancing,” said Morgan.
She said she felt connected to the other students, especially those in line with her.
Kool Kats was a major pull for student involvement, but the atmosphere encouraged them to stay. Gates and Morgan both said the snowcone truck caught their eyes. They said they were pleasantly surprised by the event.
“It was nice getting to feel and just like, vibe,” Gates said. “Just really be yourself.”
The O.D.I. has many programs to help educate people who want to learn. Students can attend Safe
Zone, which helps those who want to be an LGBTQ+ ally learn how to be a safe person. Davis talked about how everyone needs the O.D.I., not just those considered a minority. There are also programs for students who may need help filling out the Standard Scholarship application. These events help students who may want to
get it done with easy access to help. This along with the JumpStart program helps those who might not be able to find those resources elsewhere.
“You know, sometimes some people have that fixed mindset that they don’t want to change, but for those that have that growth mindset to just have a high spirit about them,” Davis said.
ANNA BAILEY Asst. News Editor | @AmBailey16
After its abrupt closing in October 2023, the Pizza Ranch in Maryville opened back up July 15 with new ownership.
General Manager Paul Thompson said the new ownership is confident they will be able to flourish with this location. He said as long as the staff follows Pizza Ranch guidelines the restaurant will be profitable.
“This is a different ownership group right now, a very successful ownership group and we’re going to make sure that this location is also successful,” Thompson said.
With the new ownership also came a new staff. Thompson said while there are some returning members, a majority of the current staff did not previously work at Pizza Ranch.
Siyan Driskell, a ranch hand at Pizza Ranch, said it was good timing when she heard the restaurant was back in business.
“I think I was interested when I heard the restaurant opened back up,” Driskell said. “I needed a job and I like it here.”
One aspect of the job Driskell said she enjoys is how friendly everyone on staff is. She also said there are plenty of fun moments, including closing the restaurant in the evenings.
Guest Service Manager Ashlyn Alexander said she has fun working in the evenings as well. She said the work environment is overall enjoyable.
“We’re one big family,” Alexander said. “It can be chaotic but it’s genuinely a great time, like (Driskell) said, especially at the end of the night.”
Alexander has been working at Pizza Ranch for three months now. Prior to that, she did a onemonth long training in Omaha for the job. Alexander has never worked at a Pizza Ranch before, but she said she has high hopes for her future as she follows in the footsteps of the current general manager.
Former employee Stormy Strough said when she worked at Pizza Ranch she also had an overall enjoyable time and the staff was friendly.
“Honestly, working there, it was really fun, it was one of the best jobs I’ve had, the employees were really nice,” Strough said. “I mean it was a really friendly work environment.”
When Pizza Ranch reopened, Strough said she applied to work there again but she did not get a response back. However, now that she has a job elsewhere, she said that deciding if she were to apply again would take a lot more thought. Strough said she would also have to think about what the current work environment might be like with the new staff
After visiting the restaurant recently, Strough believes the staff is helpful and the work environment seems terrific.
“I went and visited ‘cause they opened,” Strough said. “The owners were there and they were ab-
solutely really nice and friendly. Everyone came to make sure we were doing alright. The only thing I had a complaint about was the pizza and that was because they did not, they could have done much better cooking and just prepping it.”
Shift Lead Kristi Alexander said she hopes the Northwest community knows they are welcome at Pizza Ranch.
Kristi Alexander said students at Northwest have a buffet discount of $14.00 if they show their Bearcat ID. This discount is available every day from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.. She also said there are fundraising opportunities that the restaurant offers for student groups.
“I would like to add that we have open arms to the Northwest community, and we hope that they all come and visit us,” Kristi Alexander said. “It’s a great place for any age.”
RAIEA SALERNO News Reporter | @RaieaS
RAKU Hibachi is switching from a food truck to a permanent location and will soon join the few international-style eateries in Maryville mid-September.
Co-owner Kukuh Bayu Prakoso always dreamed of opening RAKU Hibachi as a brick-and-mortar location with his partner and co-owner Raven Al Rasya. Recent endeavors to lease a building became a struggle for Prakoso until a regular customer and realtor for RE/MAX Time Realty, Robert Winters, approached him. Prakoso said the struggle to find a location suddenly brought relief when Winters negotiated a lease deal with him.
“It was such a relief, actually,” Prakoso said. “And it was really hard, actually, because some places were, I mean, willing to rent it, but not for the restaurant.” Winters leased the old Happy Garden building to Prakoso May 25. RAKU Hibachi will open its restaurant location at 232 N. Main St. on the week of Sept. 8. Prakoso said he and Al Rasya are excited for the new building to open and appreciated Maryville for all its support toward the food truck.
“We really appreciate all of the support and all the excitement of people there waiting for us to move to the building,” Prakoso said. “Every time we open the food truck, people came, even though we didn't post it on Facebook sometimes.” DeAnn Davison, executive director of Downtown Maryville, said RAKU Hibachi has been popular and deserved its own location.
“We're excited that they are working on renovating a building and really showcasing what a beautiful building it is and bringing some life to it,” Davison said.
“I’m really happy that they've chosen to come to our downtown and to continue to contribute to our community.”
RAKU Hibachi began business in Newport, Arkansas in 2018. Prakoso learned how to make Japanese food from Al Rasya’s father, who worked in the Japanese cuisine industry for over 20 years.
The truck settled in Maryville Nov.
9, 2023. Prakoso said his main goal is adding food to the menu that people in Maryville don’t have to drive so far to eat.
“I hope that when we move to the building, people are going to come here,” Prakoso said. “I hope that people will understand that Maryville now has a hibachi, sushi and ramen place, so they don't have to go to St. Joe anymore, or Kansas City.”
Prakoso said he wants to provide sushi to college students and has considered adding sushi to the menu at Northwest once he and his partner have spare time.
a
times
month, and ate there because he saw online that it would be getting a building. He said the food and flavor is great and he is looking forward to the building’s opening.
The prospective hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. So far, the building is still under construction.
for the week of Aug. 29
Northwest Missouri State University Police Department
Aug. 26
There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Franken Hall.
Aug. 25
There is a closed investigation for a vehicle accident between Kayla Mason, 18, and Ryan Wyley 46, in Parking Lot 42. There is a closed investigation for a liquor law violation on College Avenue. There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Franken Hall.
Aug. 24
There is a closed investigation for a liquor law violation in Tower Suites West.
Aug. 23
There is a closed investigation for a trespass warning in South Complex.
Aug. 22
There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Perrin Hall.
Maryville Department of Public Safety
Aug. 25
There is an ongoing investigation for sexual assault on the 500 block of East Jenkins Street.
There was a summons issued to Shadyn T. Caffee, 26, for driving while intoxicated and failure to stop at a posted stop sign on the 400 block of East First Street.
Aug. 24
There was a summons issued to Corbyn J. Spurgeon, 20, for minor in possession and permitting a peace disturbance on the 400 block of West Fourth Street.
Aug. 23
There is an ongoing investigation for property damage on the 500 block of West Sixth Street. There is an ongoing investigation for a lost/stolen license plate on the 200 block of East Third Street.
Aug. 22
There was a summons issued to Michael A. Volner, 46, for driving while suspended on the 1000 block of South Main Street.
Aug. 21
There was a firework violation issued to Jaidyn L. Woosley, 19, on the 200 block of West Twelfth Street. There is an ongoing investigation for a dog bite on the 400 block of West Jenkins Street.
Aug. 20
There was an accident with Russell A. Freemyer, 95, on US Highway 136 and Jet Road.
Aug. 18
Construction materials were recovered on South Hills Drive and South Munn Street.
There is an ongoing investigation for larceny on the 600 block of South Main Street. There is an ongoing investigation for a dog bite on the 700 block of Windsor Avenue.
Aug. 17
There was a summons issued to Hayden J. Beemer , 20, for minor in possession and possession of a fake ID on the 400 block of North Main Street.
Aug. 16
There was an accident between Jon P. Worrell, 56, and Ian R. Gonzales, 17, on the 900 block of North Main Street. Worrell was charged with failure to yield. There is an ongoing investigation for larceny on the 100 block of North Charles Street.
Aug. 15
There is an ongoing investigation for a dog bite on the 300 block of East Fourth Street.
Aug. 8
There is an ongoing investigation for domestic assault on the 200 block of Volunteer Avenue.
Aug. 6
There was an accident between Ganesh Malle , 26, and Brylie A. Roderick 22, on the 1100 block of South Main Street. Malle was charged with careless and imprudent driving.
DAKOTA OSWALT News Editor | @doswalt_NWMSRN
The Maryville City Council approved ordinances to provide for the levy and collection of two different taxes at its Aug. 26 meeting.
The first is a real property tax and personal property tax for the year 2024. Real property includes land, buildings and improvements to the land, while personal property refers to automobiles, farm equipment and other machinery, according to the Missouri State Tax Commission.
This tax is for general municipal purposes, maintaining a free public library and maintaining and establishing free public parks. The county tax information was assessed by the State Auditor’s Office and prepared based on the last year’s tax statistics, and a formula was prepared to compare last year’s tax findings to the current year’s information.
City Treasurer Denise Town said the formula includes actual growth — which is the increase or decrease in the property totals from year to year — and also the Consumer Price Index, which measures the market’s average change in prices over time. The State determined this year’s CPI is 3.4%, or 5% arbitrary.
“So for 2024, the city experienced a decrease in the total assessed violation, which resulted in a higher tax levy in order to compute the same amount of revenue last year and this year,” Town said. “The only new revenue comes from new construction.”
Town said the new tax that would be generated from the new assessed valuation is a relatively small amount. It creates an additional $1,760 for the general fund, $1,351 for the library fund and $1,928 for the parks and recreation fund.
The di ff erence between the computed tax levies from last year and this year is a total increase of just over a penny — .0105 when all four tax levies are combined. Council approved the levy as outlined by the calculations performed by
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the State Auditor’s Office.
The next tax is on taxable real and personal property, and its purpose is to obtain funds to pay the general obligation bonds. The formula to find these numbers is similar to the previous tax, but Town said it’s slightly different as it looks at the upcoming year’s principal and interest requirements, simply for the general obligation debt.
“So based on that, there was just a slight increase from last year,” Town said. “The rate was 0.0906 rising up to 0.0932 based on that formula that the property tax debt (schedule).”
Council approved the levy and collection of both taxes. It also approved two Transporta-
Starting off with energy efficiency, this summer, the campus switched all of its light bulbs to LEDs. These are not only energy efficient, but they also last longer. It also took the old bulbs and recycled them.
To save water, the most popular efforts on campus are the water bottle fillers. Hill said these are popular among students, and they are hoping to see more on campus. This especially goes for the residence halls, which only contain one per building. This summer they installed a second water bottle filler into Tower Suites, so both East and West have them.
“We’ll certainly, you know, work with residential life and see if that’s feasible,” Hill said. “But I know they’re very popular, all right.”
Waste reduction is something the entire campus must work toward. Hill commended the administration’s willingness to participate in helping reduce waste campuswide. The most noticeable way the campus does this is by composting leftovers from the J.W. Jones Student Union.
The final way sustainability at Northwest works to keep the campus green is through
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tion Enhancements Funds Pro-
gram agreements with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for trail improvements around the city.
The first agreement would assist in connecting and completing parts of the South Main Corridor Improvement Project, a project set to improve the roadways, sidewalks and trails along the street.
City Manager Greg McDanel said the trail would be refined near the Maryville Middle School, behind Mosaic Medical Center, Maryville.
“We (would) construct an eight-foot wide concrete trail to close approximately (a) 530foot linear gap east-west,” McDanel said. “So this would take
green initiatives. This includes the three solar panels located on campus at the Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation, the B.D. Owens Library and the Jon T. Rickman Electronic Campus Support Center.
This past year Northwest participated in the “Campus Race to Zero Waste” competition and won in the category of Per Capita Electronics Recycling. Northwest recycled a total of 20,343 pounds of e-waste. Hill said Northwest is hoping to win in this category and more.
Mark Aubuchon, the director of residential life discussed how they turned this challenge into an event. This event was included in the “Hall Cup” competition between residence halls. Halls were judged by pound or recycling per resident. Franken Hall took the win for this competition.
“The halls were kind of competing against each other to see which Hall could recycle the most,” Aubuchon said. “Every week, we got an update from the Green Energy Department letting us know which halls recycle the most that week.”
Northwest will be participating again in Campus Race to Zero Waste starting Sept. 1. With the new trash bins, Aubuchon and Hill both said they hope this year will be another success.
Hepworth is a longtime musician. She said she is excited to be a part of a position that is close to her musical roots; however, her love of the Northwest community is what drew her to deanship.
“If I didn’t have anyone nurturing me, I would have never become the person that I am today,” Hepworth said. “I want to make sure that I’m returning that to another individual that might turn out to be the next dean of Arts and Sciences. You never know who you’re impacting.”
She studied music and eventually graduated with four degrees, including a bachelor’s in music education from Northwest in 2000.
She said going back to her alma mater was her dream, especially as someone who will help students feel nurtured and safe, just like she felt back when she attended Northwest.
“It’s a dream come true, it really is,” Hepworth said. “Growing up in a small town, I didn’t realize the advantages that other students had that came from larger schools. And now I really want to give those smaller communities advantages that maybe I didn’t get and didn’t even realize I wasn’t getting.”
Steiner said he loved serving as dean. Meeting the diverse student body and helping people were his favorite parts of the job.
“Absolutely, I enjoyed it,” Steiner said. “I honestly enjoyed everything about it. It’s kind of strange to quit a job that you really, really enjoy, but it was time to do it.”
Steiner said he has no doubt Hepworth will do great at the job, especially as a Northwest alum with her knowledge and love for music.
“She is an excellent fit, she understands the University,” Steiner said. “She knows students that want to know their faculty by name and talk with them. Having come from where she is from, her background in music, her history with Northwest, yeah, I think she’s an excellent fit.”
you down in between Marshalls and Dairy Queen and connect to the South Main Street trail.” The second agreement would assist the Munn Avenue Trail Extension Project, and McDanel said the project would be an extension of the City’s trail along Munn Avenue.
Other City Council Business:
• Council executed a contract with Advanced Exteriors to make concrete repairs at 1106 S. Main St. This is included in the South Main Corridor Improvement Project and will affect the McDonald’s located at that address. Its goal is to eliminate what McDanel described as an accident-prone entrance near the South Munn intersection. Some curbs will be relocated.
• Council approved a contract between Northwest Implement Inc. and Maryville Parks and Recreation for the purchase of a T650 T4 Bobcat Compact Track Loader.
• A letter of acknowledgment was approved between the City and PeopleService Inc., the company that has operated and maintained the Maryville Water Treatment Plant and Maryville Wastewater Treatment Plant, regarding the operation and maintenance agreement for the water and the treatment systems. There is a financial impact of up to $45,525 that will be included in the Water Sewer Fund, and any increase will be reflected in the Fiscal Year ‘25 budget.
• The Mozingo Lake Recreation Park Visitor’s Center is nearly complete, but the Northwest Technical School who partnered with Mozingo to build the structure is recommending a skilled professional to install the flooring. Council approved a contract with HMS Enterprise/Carpet Plus Bargain Barn for flooring material and installation.
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Cullin encourages students to have patience with the construction work. She said multiple factors can push deadlines back.
“Our facility service teams are great,” Cullin said. “They respond immediately. They work through it. They’ve built a lot of relationships throughout the city and the state, so they have a lot of help. And you know, when these things arise, which they do in any city or university, that they respond quickly, they do such a good job.”
Students who have classes in the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts building have likely noticed only a small portion of the Joyce and Harvey White International Plaza available as a walkway. There is a large potted bush directly in front of this pathway.
Dani Lorenzo is a senior vocal music education major who has multipl classes in the Fine Arts building.
“It kind of feels a little awkward and, at first, because the hedge is, like, right in front of it,
you don’t see the middle path,” Lorenzo said. “So some people have gotten confused, and like, had to go a long way around until they see it. So it’s been kind of confusing, and just like, kind of makes things difficult.”
Lorenzo didn’t initially know that construction would be happening this fall, but since she lived in Maryville over the summer, she saw it begin.
Kuhelmeyer said the major projects around campus, which can be found on the University’s Infrastructure Modernization website, are expected to be completed over a three-year time frame.
“We work during the project planning stages to minimize disruptions wherever possible, and we schedule significant outages for breaks, our annual May utility shutdown week and the summertime,” Kuhlemeyer said in an email to the Missourian.
He said Capital Programs is excited to help implement these campus-wide upgrades to reduce the risk of campus disruptions for years to come.
You don’t need your whole life planned
CLAYWELL
It’s the first week of classes and if you’re a first-year student, you might not have a single idea about what to major in or what to do when you graduate. I’m here to tell you that’s OK. You have plenty of time to decide. I am a junior and I didn’t decide what I wanted to do until last semester. I’m going to graduate next year, and I do not have a set plan for what my future is going to look like.
College is your chance to explore your different options and get out of your comfort zone. It’s a time for change. I know that is scary, but it’s so important to be open to change.
Coming into college, I was majoring in something I had some interest in, but I had no idea what I could do with a degree in criminology. After getting a campus job at the newspaper, I finally had a passion and direction.
Don’t lock yourself in your room, make sure to get out and join organizations and think about applying for a campus job — a little bit of extra money and some great life experience.
Going to college undecided is completely normal, and so is changing your major. You’re coming into college, and as a traditional student, you’re probably 17 to 19 years old.
We are all still so young and have most of our lives ahead of us. Also, don’t stick with a major you don’t like. I know it seems like common sense, but it can be hard to make the transition. Your adviser is here to help, so just ask. It’s better to ask for help than to just stay silent.
It’s OK to change your mind as much as you want during college. Do not get a degree in something you won’t want to work in, in the future. You’re just hurting yourself, no one else cares if you’re changing your major.
Your college experience is entirely what you make of it, so don’t spend the next few years of your life stuck in a major you hate or freaking out about not having everything figured out right away.
It’s not going to do you any good to worry about what happens when you graduate. Spend, at least, your freshman year just living. This is a whole new experience for you and it can be so exciting if you let it be, so please let it be.
This is a great environment to make mistakes and try new things. Don’t let the future stop you from living your life the way you want it to be. I’m not saying to not do anything to progress your future, I’m just saying it doesn’t have to be the only thing you are thinking of.
Try to make your college experience something you’ll think fondly of in the future. You’ll hear it almost every day during your freshman year, but if there’s one thing I want you to take away from this, it’s to get involved in something — anything — on campus. Get out of your comfort zone and make the most of your college experience. At the end of the day, that’s what we’re all trying to do.
OUR VIEW:
Imagine you’re a freshman who, while touring the University for the first time, saw a beautiful, functional, accessible and complete campus and was excited to start the next chapter of their journey at Northwest.
Then you arrived on move in day to see major construction projects around campus, projects that have completely overwhelmed the scenery, created a mess on the walkways and made it difficult to figure out the campus setup, and more difficult for students to move in.
The University should have planned for these large construction tasks to begin earlier so as to not give first-time students the impression that Northwest is unorganized. We understand the University does not always have a final say in when these projects are to begin. Summertime is a busy season for the construction industry due to high demand for jobs, according to Home Cost Accurate Estimates. While summer is the perfect time to get renovations and repairs done on college campuses, the cost to hire companies is driven up during this time.
Also, weather conditions like heavy rainfall can disrupt and delay projects, and Maryville has seen no shortage in storms this summer. It makes sense if these tasks were meant to be completed at an earlier date, but had its deadlines pushed back. But, North-
YOUR VIEW:
How has the construction on campus impacted you?
west could have done a better job of making people aware of that.
These projects were not really made known to the general student-body, but the University should have made a better effort of letting us know what was happening, and telling us which areas of campus would be hard to navigate for the time-being. This would have been especially important information to give to first-time students.
Early this summer, the University began making minor repairs around campus: installing new ceiling fans in the Robert and Virginia Foster Fitness Center, reconfiguring the information technology office in the Administration Building and repairing two parking lots, according to the university projects page on the Northwest Facility Services website.
Then, larger projects began and are still ongoing, like the renovations to Martindale Hall, campus-wide electrical infrastructure upgrades and campus domestic water and sanitary sewer upgrades, just to name a few. These larger projects should have been Northwest’s first priority this summer, as to have the bulk of it complete by the time classes started in fall.
New ceiling fans could have been installed at any point in the year, probably with minor campus disruptions. The renovations to Martindale Hall, however, have been in the works for
JAURDIN MALLORY Sophomore Nursing
“It’s making the path to walk to class pretty difficult because instead of walking on certain sidewalks, we have to walk around. It makes the time for getting to class longer. I’d say it’s had a negative impact.”
multiple years now, and construction could have been planned to start in mid-to-late spring instead of summer.
The development on Martindale Hall caused a block of College Avenue between N. Munn and N. Ray streets to be closed in early June. This road closure affected traffic near Martindale Hall and the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building. It was inconvenient for people to navigate around this.
While the road is now open, traffic is still an issue many drivers have had to adapt to. The construction is blocking most of the Joyce and Harvey White International Plaza and caused many sidewalk closures, which are still in effect now. There is only a small portion of the International Plaza available as a pedestrian walkway.
Because many returning students were unaware of these campus-wide renovations, they had to abruptly adjust to finding new routes to get to classes. Students and faculty also have to deal with certain parking lots being completely or partially closed.
Going forward, Northwest should be more transparent about the construction decisions it makes and be mindful of how those decisions impact its students. The University should take into consideration the students’ and faculties’ perceptions of these projects and how they can negatively reflect back on the institution. If it affects us, tell us.
“I think the biggest thing that’s impacted since I’m a commuter, is parking. Just with the ongoing construction and removing the parking lot over by North Complex, when it was there, took away some of my options.”
TYRIK GATES Senior Criminology
“I take longer ways now, and then it’s basically delaying me a lot. And, you know, everyone that’s living in Dieterich, they have to go all the way around. I know people are dying and burning up because I am.”
I have to say watching TikTok has elevated my vocabulary. Every year I find a new word to overuse just because it is popular among a niche group of people on social media. This year is demure. You know what, I am feeling very demure, very classy, very cutesy and very mindful. I think this is exactly what I needed to feel completely myself. It awakens a new type of humor in my everyday conversa-
tions. I love calling things demure, but I love saying “That’s not very demure” even more.
I know like every other phrase I’ve gotten off TikTok, I will eventually wear it out and annoy everyone around me, but I won’t let that stop me from getting the full use of the word. I probably will continue to say it well after everyone else stops.
I find myself saying it in my head, so it’s gone past the point of a quirky habit and into
a fixed word of my vocabulary. I believe it adds a certain level of elegance to a conversation — even if it totally doesn’t.
I am willing to sound a little stupid and like I follow every trend if it means I get to excessively say demure. It’s honestly turning into a lifestyle I have to maintain. If you don’t agree with me, then, I hate to say it, but you are not very demure. I would never be caught being anything
other than perfectly demure. Nobody will be able to take this away from me. I am demure and that’s all that matters. I could start failing my classes and I will still be demure. It’s the way I will be living my life, for at least a year. So, you see how I’ve written The Stroller — very cutesy, very mindful and very demure.
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As the preseason comes to an end for the Northwest volleyball team, it is preparing for the upcoming season — with hopes of ending this year’s season with 20 wins and a postseason conference tournament win.
Head coach Amy Woerth is holding the team to higher expectations than years prior. By the end of the season, Woerth wants the team to be No. 1 in the MIAA conference.
“We’ve spent some time learning about leadership,” Woerth said. “I’m hopeful that will translate to a better season.”
This past season the team had 139 aces and 1,842 digs and
averaged 13 kills per set.
To prepare for the first game of the season, the team’s main focus is on serving and passing. Last season, the team averaged about 1.30 aces per set and 17.2 digs per set.
Despite being a mostly upperclassmen team with seven seniors and three juniors, they have helped the lowerclassmen adjust to team aspirations.
“They’ve helped by taking someone under their wing,” Woerth said. “And showing them the ropes.”
The team finished 6th place in the preseason polls. Woerth said she wants the team to win its conference and to attend regionals — a goal they did not reach last season. The team went 15-14 this past season and went 10-10
in the MIAA conference which is its worst record since 2015.
“We’ve always been tinkering around with new drills,” Woerth said. “And line-ups.”
The team wants to be a top contender this season, despite finishing low in the preseason polls.
“They’re not happy with finishing 6th last season,” Woerth said.
The Bearcats are aiming to be back on top like the 2022 season where they finished 24-7 overall and 17-3 in the MIAA conference. In that season, they averaged about 1,549 kills, 1,467 assists and 187 aces.
This upcoming season Woerth has recruited four freshmen and four sophomores, including a sophomore from Austria on the team. One of the fresh-
men, Ellery Luhring, has ties to the team from her sister, senior Kyah Luhring. Both were recruited from Grundy Center in Iowa.
“I believe the team will do well this season,” Woerth said.
The upperclassmen have been showing the lowerclassmen what a winning team looks like with hopes of being back at No. 1 in the upcoming season. Alongside Kyah Luhring, this year’s seniors include Olivia Dir, Avery Kemp, Payton Kirchhoefer, Abby Brunssen, Kristen Ford and Natalie Laiolo.
The Bearcats open their season with the Augustana Tournament, where the first serve will be at 3:45 p.m. Sept. 5 against Northern State in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Gametime is set for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 30 at Blair Oaks.
“There is a lot of respect between the two programs,” Webb said. “Blair Oaks respects us. Every year it’s always great to play great competition in week one, because you get to see where you’re at. Whether that’s good or that’s bad.”
Webb said he likes to challenge his team early on and throughout the season by playing powerhouse opponents like Blair Oaks, Pleasant Hill and Lutheran North. He aims to prepare the team for the playoffs by setting up these difficult matchups.
Webb plans to focus on fundamentals like not allowing turnovers and negative yard plays in the Blair Oaks matchup.
“Fundamentals win football games,” Webb said. “The first thing you gotta do is not lose the game before you ever win it. So the mental errors and mistakes, we need to focus on week one and come out and play clean.”
The Spoofhounds are set to play their home opener Sept. 6 against Pleasant Hill.
“It’s Hometown football, it’s Friday Night Lights,” Webb said. “We’ve got an excellent new facility. Come on out, these kids deserve it. I promise you’re going to enjoy yourself on a Friday night, watching the way we compete, and everyone will be proud of our community.”
“I think the experience is better than last year,” Fredrickson said. “Everybody is on the same page, we have a little of different schemes that we really like and we are working together.” Fredrickson started all 11 games last season and had a record 50 tackles. The Bearcats are set to play Minnesota State at 6 p.m. on Aug. 29 at Bearcat Stadium.
“The whole dynamic of the football team is different,” Wright said.“We have to be able to rewrite a new script and a new narrative.”
SAVANNAH ATHY-SEDBROOK Editor-in-Chief | @SavannahAS2
Since the university was founded in 1905, Northwest’s sports have collected trophy after trophy, plaque after plaque, with athletes creating new records to beat with every passing year.
Downstairs in Lamkin Activity Center among the hundreds of award-winning players, is an award with a name now relevant again — Jeff Hutcheon.
Northwest alum Hutcheon was selected in April as one of five new NFL officials for the 2024 season. Hutcheon will be a line of scrimmage judge.
“Their proven track records in officiating at all levels of football, combined with their passion for the game, make each of them valuable additions to the NFL officiating team,” the NFL Football Operations said in a statement released April 18.
However, before Hutcheon became affiliated with the NFL, he played for the Northwest Men’s basketball team from 1985 to 1989. In his four years playing, Hutcheon has a record of 1,203 points scored, 519 rebounds and the fourth most rebounds in a single game with 20 rebounds against Southeast Missouri Feb. 26, 1987. He was also an honorable mention for the All-MIAA selection three times.
During Hutcheon’s senior season, his team — formerly coached by Steve Tappmeyer — ended its season 21-9, securing the program’s first MIAA tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA Division II tournament.
After graduating, Hutcheon went on to begin officiating in 2013 at Colorado High School before transitioning to the Rocky Mountain
For the seventh year in a row, the Maryville football team is gearing up to play Blair Oaks in the season opener. Head football coach and athletic director Matt Webb said he is ready for the competition.
The Spoofhounds went 9-2 last season — winning another district championship — but the team still seeks more.
“Our expectation is to win every game and play for a state championship title,” Webb said.
Last season, the team fell short in the Class 3 State Tournament to St. Pius X with a score of 41-13.
The team was led by former senior quarterback Derek Quinlin, who threw 2,253 yards in 10 games. Another big performer for the Spoofhounds is now a Bearcat — Delton Davis was a senior All-State wide receiver, receiving just over 1,000 yards last season. He set numerous records at Maryville High School including all-time leader in receptions, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards. He also holds the record for single game receiving. Webb is confident his team will execute.
“Tradition never graduates,” Webb said. “We set a lot of passing records and all those things and now it’s time for this group of guys to step up, it’s their time to shine.”
Webb named senior Matthew Walter as the new starting quarterback for the Spoofhounds. Walter played in five games in the 2023 season, logging 193 yards. The team also has multiple returners on the defensive side including All-State linebacker sophomore Gus McCollough and Second Team All-District senior Sadler Viau, who have a combined total of 197 tackles.
The Spoofhounds executed in Kansas City at the Jamboree Aug. 18. The offense had no turnovers and the defense didn’t allow a single touchdown against either three teams they played. Webb said he feels the team did well and is interested to see how special teams will operate against Blair Oaks.
As fall camp comes to a close for the Northwest football team, it’s preparing for the upcoming season. Despite finishing in the top 3 last season, the team is focusing on a new script and a new standard to hold each other to.
Head coach Rich Wright does not feel the pressure of being ranked No. 22 in the preseason polls as it was ranked a year ago. He said that is not where the team stands now.
Wright has decided to not start any freshman to conserve their redshirt eligibility. Although the scrimmage was just a test, Wright added referees to the game to help the team be more precise per play.
“I told them (referees) to be picky about flags,” Wright said.
In total, both teams had 8 flags during the game. Majority of those
calls were against the white team — who will be named the starters for the upcoming season.
Wright has yet to announce who the starting quarterback will be for week 0, although it is down to two players on the team — sophomore Henry Martin and junior Chris Ruhnke. Ruhnke had a total of 299 passing yards and 3 touchdowns for the 2023 season. Martin played 4 games last season and went 26-of-43 passing for 237 yards.
On the other hand, coming out of a season-ending injury with a broken knee, senior running back Jadon Brady said he is viewing next week as a test for the team and also getting revenge from being out so early in the season.
“Being back out there with the guys and having them lift me up and bring that energy was awesome,” Brady said.
Compared to last season, the team went 7-4 non-conference and 6-4 in the MIAA. It averaged 34 points per
game and 111 rushing 1st downs for the year. In the preseason, the Bearcats have been named No. 22 — the lowest they have ranked in the years Wright has been coaching.
“We don’t worry about preseason rankings,” Wright said. “Whether we’re 1 or 18 or not ranked at all.”
The last time the Bearcats played the Minnesota State Mavericks was back in 2012 with a 38-35 loss. Wright said week 0 will be a test for the entire team as they set for the rematch.
“A little friendly competition never hurt anybody,” Brady said. “I think that will help propel the team forward.”
Both sides of the team are hungry for the win. Junior defensive back Shane Fredrickson thinks the season will be good.
The Maryville R-II Board of Education approved a bid for sports turf base installation for Maryville High School in the first week of April. The bond also funded other improvements for the different fields.
The bond issue passed added a full turf baseball and softball complex and a full turf football and soccer complex. A new entryway to the stadium, video screen and scoreboard were also added. Athletic director and head football coach Matt Webb said the renovations were great for the athletic facilities at Maryville High School.
“We’ll have one of the best facilities in the state,” Webb said.
The Maryville R-II Board of Education approved a partnership with Byrne & Jones
Sports Construction. The total bid was $1,549,900. It is estimated to cost around $2.5 million to $3 million, which includes all turf replacements for the different fields.
There were five bids received by the Board, Byrne & Jones was the lowest bid the school district had.
Nodaway Valley Bank was the lead partner in the project to provide the sports facilities updates. Its donation funded the scoreboard and video screen additions. The scoreboard – with the addition of the video screen – was moved from behind the southernmost end zone to the 50-yard line.
There are advantages to having turf fields over natural grass. Turf costs less to maintain, is easier to repair and can maximize playability, according to Keystone Sports Construction.
Webb also said he hopes it will improve performances.
“I mean, it improves consistency,” Webb said. “I mean, you have no issues with rain. The only time we will not be able to play is because of lightning. So, yeah, consistency and being able to schedule games, being able to not have cancellations, all those things that you get with grass fields compared to turf. Yeah, absolutely, that’s the biggest thing.”
The Spoofhound football team has moved its practices to the Northwest field in the past because of inclement weather and inability to use the Maryville High School field. Rain will no longer impact the ability to play on the fields, lightning safety rules will still be in effect.
The improvements for the baseball and softball field are expected to be done
within early September. The Spoofhound softball team will be playing away games before the first home game Sept. 12. The scoreboard is a Daktronics video board. Webb said the board will enhance game day or any activities in the stadium. Maryville High School students will have the opportunity to use the video screen to learn how to produce content and operate the different equipment.
The school district held a ceremonial groundbreaking in late May at the Maryville High School field to start the work. All of the athletic facility updates go along with the other updates within Proposition JUMP.
“I’m very proud of our, you know, Spoofhound traditions over the years, and now we’re able to highlight that in our facilities,” Webb said.