Search starts for Maryville leadership, survey shows preferences
The Maryville R-II School District has gone without a superintendent and assistant position since Feb. 24. The district’s search for a new superintendent has officially begun.
The position opened Sept. 22. Kelley Baldwin, a member of the Maryville R-II School Board, said it is looking for an applicant who understands how a school district operates financially, as well as someone who communicates well.
“We want somebody, first and foremost, with integrity and (who) is trustworthy, a team player who can collaborate and somebody who can manage conflict,” Baldwin said.
Interim Superintendent Philip Pohren said he will be applying for the position.
Pohren was previously the assistant superintendent and was named the interim superintendent April 1. If he is accepted into the superintendent role, Pohren said the search for a new assistant superintendent will begin afterward.
“If the right person, with more experience, comes along, and it’s a better fit for our district…then my plan would be to continue as the assistant superintendent,” Pohren said.
Pohren said the goal is to announce who the superintendent is around Nov. 1. The position holder will begin their contract July 1, 2026.
A survey was sent out to the Maryville community to receive feedback on the qualities and expertise that should be considered while reviewing and interviewing applicants. This survey was available Sept. 2-12.
Out of the 557 participants who took the survey, 57.45% were parents within the Maryville R-II School District. Baldwin said a majority of the people who were sent the survey are parents.
ofCourage
Students support abuse survivors
When graduate student Vydehi Ramineni’s friend told her she underwent abuse from her teacher, she said she felt upset that her friend would ever struggle to speak up about their abuse.
“She got abused by a teacher, so I really felt bad for her,” Ramineni said. “She was in a stage where she couldn’t share that with anyone. So after everything happened, she told the story to us, her close friends…I just don’t want that to happen to any other girls.”
Ramineni attended the Clothesline Project event Sept. 23 outside the J.W. Jones Student
Union. Tables were set up with colorful shirts and paint, allowing students to anonymously write about their stories of abuse or messages to showcase support to survivors of assault.
The Clothesline Project is a national nonprofit organization started in 1990 by Carol Chichetto to anonymously allow survivors of sexual violence and other assaults to share their stories. The shirts will be hung Sept. 29 to Oct. 3 near the Memorial Bell Tower.
These events allow students like Ramineni to showcase their support for the cause.
Ramineni said her friend’s abuse helped her reflect on these issues. She said she commits herself to being someone people
can trust in cases like these.
She said people shouldn’t be afraid to speak up when they are a survivor of any form of abuse. Northwest Wellness Educator Kylee Cockerham said the event aims for anonymity so students can feel safer about participating. She said the event is a good way to allow survivors of abuse to talk about violence they might have experienced.
“I think it can provide encouragement and confidence moving forward in their stories,” Cockerham said. “But everyone’s different, and their stories are different, and we’re here to support in whatever capacity we can.”
Over half of women and one in three men in the United States have experienced sexual vi-
olence to some degree, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexual violence is also more common among racial and sexual minorities, according to the National Institute of Health.
Wellness Services offers various other programs to help showcase sexual assault and abuse awareness on its website, including the national nonprofit organization It’s On Us. The organization trains students on various college campuses on topics like consent, healthy relationships and sexual assault prevention. Graduate student Morgan Jaeger said reassurance is important for helping voices be heard.
Nodaway County is one lost program away from being considered a child care desert. Within Missouri, 97% of its counties have been deemed under-the-threshold of the necessary availability of child care programs.
Nodaway County Economic Development Project Manager Kim Mildward said a child care desert is an area that has less than three times the number of available slots per each child.
“Nodaway County is bordering on a desert depending on the day, the month,” Mildward said.
Maryville announced the launch of two community surveys; one focusing on the workforce and the other child care. In July, both reports were made public.
The Childcare Analysis Report states Maryville has seven child care facilities, making the total licensing capacity 359. There are a total of 732 children under the age of 6 in Maryville.
City Manager Ryan Heiland said one of the results in the report is the challenge to provide child care for children 2 years old and younger.
“We may not be today, but if we had a provider who stopped, who decided to quit doing care in our community, then that could impact us.”
Northwest senior Emma Foster paints a shirt during the Clothesline Project outside the J.W. Jones Student Union Sept. 22. The shirts are used to spread awareness and will be hung up outside the Memorial Bell Tower Sept. 28 to Oct. 3.
ANNA BAILEY News Editor | @ AmBailey16
Chamber of Commerce reflects on success
RYAN KING Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian
The Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce and the surrounding community recently met to commemorate an outstanding year for the organization.
The evening kicked off with some opening remarks from host Mark Hendrix, which led into a 30-minute period where the guests could talk among themselves before the dinner and festivities began.
Keeping the evening organized and engaging was Hendrix — a member of the Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce, owner of Hendrix Entertainment and event scheduling coordinator at Northwest.
“My business is with Hendrix Entertainment, a DJ company, but tonight I’m here as a member (of the Maryville Chamber) and as the emcee,” Hendrix said.
Hendrix said he loved seeing how many people came to the banquet. Hendrix also said the bond the Chamber of Commerce has built is what makes the Chamber of Commerce so successful, and makes Maryville better than the average small town.
“Look at the crowd tonight, it’s a lot of good people here,” Hendrix said. “So much networking can take place within this community that can help out all of us. A lot of collaboration can take place within the local business community, so why not?”
Hendrix said the Chamber of Commerce is a key group for local businesses around Maryville.
He said it’s part of the Chamber of Commerce’s mission to tighten relationships with business owners and bring success to Maryville while enhancing the town as a destination.
“We are here to help each other, we want this town to continue to grow,” Hendrix said. “It’s all about creating new opportunities for the community to thrive.”
The Chamber of Commerce not only works within the community, but it also works in close coordination with the local government.
Some members of the Chamber of Commerce are also city officials. The Chamber is in great relation with
the Maryville government, as it hosts events throughout the year with the other group.
“It’s a small town; the local government is a part of the Chamber whether people like it or not, but they care just as much as anyone about the success of Maryville,” Hendrix said.
City Manager and Chamber of Commerce member Ryan Heiland attended the banquet, and he said he had high hopes for Maryville in the upcoming year. While he showed up to support his fellow members who won awards, Heiland also discussed the Maryville
2045 comprehensive plan with his Chamber of Commerce affiliates.
“It’s a good opportunity for people to see our vision for the future of Maryville in a more grand perspective,” Heiland said. “We have a lot of aspirations for the town, and anyone can check that out at Maryville2045.com.”
Hendrix said the night would be full of networking and celebrating peers — many showed up to see those being honored. There were 11 different award recipients recognized that evening.
A variety of awards were given out at the banquet, from good citi-
City project fails to meet federal criteria, changes to design ensue
DAKOTA OSWALT Managing Editor | @doswalt_NWMSRN
The Maryville City Council approved two changes to the East Thompson Street Trail Project design after the original plan failed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines at its regular meeting Sept. 22.
The first change order to the grant-funded project resulted in a net increase of $20,600 to the initial $264,165 contract, making the new contract total $284,765. However, Maryville Public Works Director Matt Smith said the city’s cost share
of the change orders amounts to $7,416, and the overall project will remain under the city’s total $405,458 budget. He said the areas still in need of ADA modifications are the sidewalks and ramps located at the Southeast corner of Hester Street and Thompson Street.
“The originally designed eight-foot wide trail needs to be rerouted and narrowed to five feet through the intersection and then back to (an) eight foot wide section,” Smith said. “This distance is approximately 18 feet. Design renovations also include incorporating two side-
walk curves, approximately 40 feet in length. The design solution maintains ADA accessibility and avoids conflicting with two existing facilities.”
A second change order to the same contract proposed a 26-foot-long retaining wall near Davis Street, by St. Gregory’s Barbarigo School, due to backslope concerns at the site’s location and to prevent disturbing a fire hydrant. This change order also extends an existing retaining wall near Laura Street.
This change order brought a net increase of $5,700, bringing the final contract for the whole project to a total of $290,465, with the city paying a cost share of $2,052. Once again, the overall project will remain under budget.
The Public Works Department also requested a contract with Red Equipment, LLC for the replacement of a transmission in one of its trucks. Smith said the Water/Sewer Department operates a specialized VacCon sewer truck, which uses a combination of high-pressure water jets and a vacuum system for sewer maintenance.
The originally designed eight-foot wide trail needs to be rerouted and narrowed to five feet through the intersection and then back to (an) eight foot wide section.”
MATT SMITH
MARYVILLE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
“Recently, a hydrostatic pump had failed, causing a truck to become inoperable,” Smith said. “The cost to replace
zen awards, to an award for the most successful new business on the block, to individual awards for Chamber of Commerce members who shone in the past year.
Heiland spoke highly about the accomplishments of his peers.
“This is why we are all out here; this event is a great time to really recognize all the outstanding accomplishments of the people of this town,” Heiland said. “There aren’t many times during the year where we can come together as one big group to show out support like this.”
the pump and conduct a full service of the machine amounted to $26,759.67. It should be noted that this machine has approximately a little over 1,400 hours, and this is the first major repair needed for that piece of equipment — So, knock on wood, it’s been a very reliable piece of equipment for its size and the type of work that it does.”
Smith said the Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes $33,000 for equipment repairs by outside vendors.
“However, because we had a pump failure at the Southwest lift station earlier this year, the cost of the repair of the sewer truck will be covered by the reserves in the Water/Sewer Fund,” Smith said.”
The ordinance was reviewed and approved by the city attorney before making it to the council, who approved the contract not-to-exceed $26,759.67
to replace the truck’s pump.
Other Business:
• A vigil for American political activist Charlie Kirk will be held 7-8 p.m. Oct. 14 at Cavalry Chapel Maryville. Kirk was shot and killed at one of his events on the Utah Valley University campus Sept. 10.
• An agreement between the city and Medical Priority Dispatch Systems was renewed for the next five years. The MPDS system dispatches appropriate aid to various medical emergencies, and is required for the dispatch center to handle emergency medical calls in both the Nodaway County Ambulance District and Worth County Ambulance District. This will cost the city $6,125 annually for the next five years.
Northwest University President Lance Tatum laughs with other Greater Maryville Chamber of Commerce banquet attendees Sept. 18. Awards were given out to Chamber of Commerce members who have shone in the past year.
MITCHELL HARVEY CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Maryville Public Works Director Matt Smith presents change orders to the East Thompson Street Trail Project during the City Council meeting Sept. 22.
JORDAN WILT CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Teen finds love for entrepreneurship
In Maryville, a young entrepreneur has recently taken over his uncle’s business — Dumpster Dash LLC — and is ready to build his skills in commerce through servicing the Northwest Missouri region.
Maryville teen Drycen Spire said he has found a love for business ownership through waste management. At 16 years old, Spire said he has realized how stewarding his money well can help with his hobbies and future endeavors.
“What made me want to go into waste management is the passive income it brings, which then frees up time for my other activities like rodeo,” Spire said.
Dumpster Dash LLC has been in operation in Maryville since around 2023, according to its company’s Facebook page. The business was initially opened by Spire’s uncle Clay Gulick, and Co Owner Dylan Wright, but was taken over by Spire this summer.
“I took over the business around the beginning of July,” Spire said. “My objective with this business is to be able to make money while I’m out of state pursuing my other pursuits.”
After taking over the business, he also obtained his driver’s license and made his first dumpster delivery as owner Aug. 11.
Spire made it clear he is a motivated and passionate young man who is focused on being able to balance a work life while also staying on top of his aca-
demics and growing in his rodeo skills. Spire said he has high hopes for himself.
“My big goal is to buy more dumpsters besides the two we have in use right now, and to be able to grow with new employees who can drive the dumpsters to and from, which allow me to run the business from the outside,” Spire said.
Spire said he is hoping the decision he made to take over
NORTHWEST MISSOURIAN
the business will catch the eye of the residents of the region who need his services.
Wade Wallace is a lifetime resident of Maryville; he said he was intrigued by the Facebook post he found after Spire took over the business.
“It’s really cool to see a kid that is his age from Maryville getting his feet wet in the business world at his age,” Wallace said. “A lot of kids at 16 proba-
bly aren’t thinking about how to make a passive income.”
Spire said taking on the business has been a learning experience. He said he sees every sale as a new opportunity in the business world. As he continues to have one-on-one interactions and make deals, Spire said he is picking up skills that he will use for the rest of his business career.
Spire said he is able to leverage his age and understanding
of social media to help promote his company, bringing the best of both worlds to modern-day business. While he brings a younger mindset to the table, his family helps him with any heavy machines that are used to load trash.
“I’m still fairly new to owning a business, so the more people that buy our dumpsters, the more you are contributing to helping me understand the business world,” Spire said.
Clothing store undergoes rebrand, to reopen in fall
ZIEGLER Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian
Haven Coffee and Goods boutique is nothing new to Maryville; it has been here since 2016. Some residents may know the location as Willow + Elm.
Haven Coffee and Goods has been through many different rebrandings. When owner and CEO of Haven Coffee and Goods Stephanie Campbell Yount moved to Maryville in 2015, she said she realized she didn’t have any friends in the community and wanted to make a change.
“I opened my store in 2016, and in a different building, and we were just clothing then, very small, and I really just wanted to be a part of my community and invest in the place that I was calling home,” Campbell Yount said. “That’s why I (opened it), and that was almost nine years ago.”
Campbell Yount said a remodel and rebrand of her business as it is would be beneficial because adding a coffee shop would provide a space for anyone who wanted to connect with other visitors.
Campbell Yount said after COVID, it seemed like the way people connected with each other shifted. She said she noticed a lack of chances to slow down and spend time together.
“It’s never really been about the clothes or the gifts or the
stuff that I sell,” Campbell Yount said. “It’s always been about the people that come in the door. We just noticed that we were really feeling called to connect back to our community in a way that was more meaningful.”
Campbell Yount said adding a coffee shop was the best decision for the business. Now, it is not just a women’s clothing store. She said while the wives are shopping, the men can grab a coffee and get some work done.
Campbell Yount said the goal for the rebrand is to make the space a place where customers can come and meet others, no matter who they are.
“We really only served half of the population, so we’re excited to welcome in men and college and high school students and really everybody,” Campbell Yount said. “We’re excited to be a place for everyone in our community. I love coffee, and historically, over time, coffee has been, for thousands of years, actually a vehicle to connect people. Oftentimes… food and beverage does that.”
Campbell Yount said remodeling is a stressful time. For Haven Coffee and Goods, this has been challenging because it has stayed closed throughout the process.
She said it is thrilling to see how excited the community is for the store to open up again.
“Construction is always the most challenging because it’s
out of my hands, but it’s also super rewarding to transform a space…It’s a new chapter for us,” Campbell Yount said. Ashlee Hendrix, a Willow + Elm customer, said she is looking forward to the opening of Haven Coffee and Goods.
“
It’s never really been about the clothes or the gifts or the stuff that I sell. It’s always been about the people that come in the door.”
STEPHANIE CAMPBELL YOUNT OWNER AND CEO
“I think it’s going to be really great for Maryville to have a place where we can have some community and coffee and just a new experience for everybody, and it’s always fun when a new business opens,” Hendrix said.
Maryville young entrepreneur Drycen Spire took over the family waste management business Dumpster Dash LLC at 16 years old. Dumpster Dash has been in Maryville since 2023, and its goal is to grow with more equipment and workers.
RYAN KING Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian
LOGAN
CRIME LOG
for the week of Sept. 25
Northwest Missouri State University Police Department
Sept. 15
There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts.
There is an open investigation for harassment in the J.W. Jones Student Union.
Sept. 13
There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in the Forest Village Apartments-Willow.
Sept. 11
There is a closed investigation for harassment in Hudson Hall.
There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in South Complex.
Maryville Department of Public Safety
Sept. 22
There was an accident between Jadin S. Defreece 21, and Emma T. Morris, 27 on the 100 block of North Market Street.
Sept. 20
There was recovered property on the 1200 block of South Main Street. There was a summons issued to Vance R. Rupp 19, for minor in possession and resisting arrest on the 100 block of East First Street.
There was an accident between Wilma C. Ehredt, 82, and Wyatt L. Garner, 19, on North Laura Street and East Third Street.
Sept. 19
There was a summons issued to Cael P. Hobbs, 20, for driving while intoxicated, careless and imprudent driving and minor in possession on the 200 block of North Buchanan Street.
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Senate fills on-campus position
RAIEA SALERNO
Student Senate filled the final on-campus representative position during its Sept. 23 meeting.
Freshman Brooklyn Kelley was voted in to close the vacancy. Kelley said she was class president at her high school all four years and worked as a state officer for Future Business Leaders of America.
“I just love to be involved,”
Kelley said. “I love to kind of share my leadership skills that I’ve gotten over the past four years. So I feel like being on Student Senate would be a great opportunity for all of that, and I just like to be a part of things.”
Off Campus Rep. Shaviyah Sese said she helped Kelley move in during freshman movein week and enjoyed Kelley’s energy. She said Kelley has wanted to get involved on campus since the beginning.
Junior Class Rep. Gracie Brendle said she thought Kelley’s experience in leadership would be a valuable asset to Senate.
“She’s obviously very eager to be here,” Brendle said. “She just has a positive attitude about everything. From what it sounds like, it sounds like she’s used to handling all the different things on her plate. So I think she’d be a great addition to Senate.”
While Vice President Phillip Motazedi gave members a refresher about freshman election policies, Junior Class Rep. Daniel Sherchan brought up concerns about improper candidate
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poster approval.
from freshman election candidates during campaign week.
Peter Adam, assistant professor of natural sciences at Northwest, spoke to Senate about the upcoming Missouri Hope emergency response training Oct. 9 to Oct. 12 at the Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area. He asked members to relay volunteer information to students on campus. Members are also allowed to participate if they wish.
“The scenarios are more or less as realistic as we can make it,” Adam said. “That relies on student participation as volunteers to play victims. This is just me coming to you, asking if you could please contact whoever you represent and let them know about the opportunity.”
Executive President Anna Tucker reminded members about Senate’s new effort to increase student engagement on campus called the Task Force. The Task Force aims to encourage students to attend more home games due to a decline in attendance. Members were given an opportunity during Senate’s previous meeting Sept. 16 to sign up for the Task Force.
“I was just confused if our election commissioners…have made it clear that the candidates should make their posters approved by the (Office of Student Involvement),” Sherchan said. “I’ve seen posters around campus that have not been approved, and they don’t have the sign. So I just wanted to make sure that it has been done.”
She said this event also allows the friends of survivors to showcase their support, like Ramineni.
Jaeger said not just one event defines someone’s life, and community is important in showcasing knowledge for these issues.
“But then just how big of a need, how much of a need there is in that zero to 2-year-old age category?” Heiland said. “And how big of a struggle that is for everybody, just the cost that goes into being a provider for that age group, and then the cost to people who are parents that need child care for that age.”
Agreeing with this, Mildward said providing care for younger children is something the City now knows it needs to focus on. However, having a program that offers care for children below 2 years old solely would cost more money than other child care facilities.
“It is a very heavily regulated system, and that was one of the things that our current governor has been working on,” Mildward said. “He’s had a whole child care task force that has actually been looking at regulations throughout Missouri…to kind of make things not only to stay safe for children when they’re in those environments, but to make sure that they are allowing providers to provide quality care and to be able to navigate that system better with ease, because it’s very complex.”
There are numerous regulations and steps that must be followed to start up a new child care program. Mildward said this is one of the reasons the solution is not as simple as providing care out of one’s home.
One regulation in place, she said, was the ratio of providers to children there has to be. For every child care provider, there cannot be more than two children under the age of 2. As children get older, this ratio will adjust based on the amount of care necessary for the age group.
Another challenge, found due to the low availability of child care, is a parent in the workforce’s ability to
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“Parents are also community members,” Baldwin said, “A parent could also be a staff member, so maybe it kind of depends on which category they decided to answer the survey from, but for the most part, you have more parents.”
The most important issue facing the school district, according to the survey results, is student achievement.
Pohren said there are specific qualities and expertise that may be more helpful to a school district at the specific time of hiring. He said one district may look for someone with strong financial experience, while another may need someone who is able to be more visible in the community.
“They want somebody that can help us get our students to where they need to be,” Pohren said. “I did see some school finance pieces on there. I saw some experience, not just with administration, but with our community. I saw ‘Be involved in the community,’ ‘Be a face and a voice for our school district.’”
Baldwin said the results from this survey will be used to decipher the questions asked during the selection process.
“We hired a consultant last month that
Motazedi then told members candidates were notified that posters must be approved by OSI before being displayed, but it might not have been completely communicated. He also reminded members to report any negative behavior
“There is a home game this Saturday, so we might have some part to play in that,” Tucker said. “If you have thought about it and you said, ‘Yes, I want to be a part of helping increase student attendance at athletic events,’ then let me know. I’m sure we would love to see more students at the football games.”
“It’s all about raising awareness for sexual harassment, consent and not letting one moment in your time define your story,” Jaeger said. Jaeger said the resources provided by Wellness Services are both for students who want to help peers who are struggling with abuse and survivors who may want guidance.
She said these resources and events help foster a community of care for survivors.
make sure their child has a place to go during the day. Mildward said it is important to consider what happens when a provider is sick and cannot do their job or school is closed due to weather.
Mildward said to mitigate these challenges, the city has connected with Child Care Aware of Missouri.
“
Nodaway County is bordering on a desert depending on the day, the month. We may not be today, but if we had a provider who stopped, who decided to quit doing care in our community, then that could impact us.”
KIM MILDWARD
NODAWAY COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT MANAGER
Child Care Aware of Missouri is a non-profit organization that provides resources for child care to educa-
tors, families and businesses in order to improve early childhood care and education.
While conducting the survey, both Mildward and Heiland worked with the stakeholders of Nodaway County. There are three areas of focus that separate the needs within the county, employers, providers and community. Within each area of focus, three strategies were determined in order to benefit that group.
Mildward said the employers group is largely focused on the economy.
“When we are working with a company to come in, to recruit and retain them in our community, we’re looking at the workforce, and (if we are) meeting their needs so they, as part of their normal day-to-day business, have interactions with their employees and learn about things,” Mildward said.
The “providers” focus area is looking at residents in the community who are child care workers. Mildward said during the survey, the survey looked at why it is a challenge to provide care and what the needs are within this group.
The final area, community, was separated from these two. This area focuses on the burden on families to find support. This area also looked into finding more slots for child care.
Heiland said conducting this survey did not necessarily provide surprising results. Instead, it is helping push the beginning to finding solutions for the challenges in child care within Nodaway County.
“When you have these conversations, you can say, well, we’ve had a study done,” Heiland said. “It’s actually verified that this is an issue. When you kind of shine that light on it, then, you know, like, right now, there’s been a lot of talk about child care and the issues and what we need to do, and so when you start discussing those, you start developing solutions to address the problem.”
is helping us with this whole process, and it also includes drafting the questions that we’re going to ask the candidates during the interview process,” Baldwin said. “He is going through the survey results specifically for what our stakeholders said they wanted in a leader, and he’s going to tweak those questions to sort of match up with those survey results.”
To spread knowledge that the position is open, the Maryville R-II School District is working with the Missouri Association of Rural Education. Pohren said one way this is done is by mailing vacancy announcements to possible candidates. This vacancy announcement includes information about the school district. Pohren said one detail shared in the
announcement is the number for the district’s reserve balance. A reserve balance is a portion of funds set aside for future financial needs, according to Cornell University. Pohren said in general, a school district should feel good if it is able to set aside 20-30% of its funds; the Maryville R-II School District’s reserve balance is 46.01%. He said this should be appealing to applicants.
“If money stopped flowing, we could continue to pay our staff payroll and operate longer than a district at 20%,” Pohren said. “It also means that we’ve got some money that we can do some good things with — and not that we wouldn’t worry about how we are spending it, we spend it fiscally responsibly, but we can do some things because we’ve been good about budgeting our money.”
Pohren said it should also be attractive that the annual operating budget for the district is $25,272,935.
Baldwin said the school board is looking forward to continuing the process of finding a superintendent.
“We’ve spent several months sort of working on the planning and setting goals, and so we’re now really getting into the nitty-gritty of the superintendent search,” Baldwin said. “We’re excited to see how it all ends up.”
Freshman Brooklyn Kelley presents why she would be good for the on-campus representative position during the Student Senate meeting Sept. 23.
ALLY JEFFRIES PHOTOGRAPHER
Maryville interim Superintendent Philip Pohren talks about the School Resource Officer during a meeting March 21, 2025. Phoren applied to fill the vacant superintendent role.
Excessive purchasing, social media consumption is out of hand
Overconsumption is becoming increasingly normalized throughout our society. Every day, you see a new mukbang or shopping haul.
I’ll admit, I enjoy watching a mukbang — eating videos — here and there, but the portion sizes these people are eating are at an insane level. Stacks of junk food, with a bucket of sauce, is not a normal or healthy way of living.
This way of eating can lead to serious health problems, according to the National Library of Medicine. Not only for the people eating the immense amount of food, but also their audience they influence.
Content creator Bethany Gaskin, also known as Bloves, has been doing mukbangs for eight years, posting several times a week. Her niche is eating seafood boils. Recently, people have grown concerned over her health.
Eating the way she does is not sustainable. I can understand doing it every so often to make a video — she’s probably making a ton of money off it. However, I can’t condone behavior that is negatively affecting her and any other person doing mukbangs on YouTube.
Overconsumption doesn’t only come from eating. The product hauls we see on TikTok every day are just another form — most of us even participate in overconsumption when it comes to online shopping.
TikTok is a large contributor to overconsumption, according to The Mich. This is due to the normalization and promotion of unboxings, hauls and product reviews. When I’m scrolling on TikTok, it feels like every four videos I come across are an ad. Overconsumption is being normalized every day. It is not a normal part of life and we can’t make it that way.
Fast fashion has become a part of many of our lives, with shops like Shein selling cheap, popular clothes that are only in style for a short amount of time. I have several articles of clothing that can fall into this category.
It’s not just clothes. Labubu dolls — mystery-unboxing toys which recently became popular — are a prime example of this. Does anyone actually need a Labubu? No. It’s an unnecessary product, but people are buying several because it is popular. By the time Labubus aren’t popular anymore, there will be another product everyone believes they must have.
Overconsumption has several impacts on everyone, whether that’s the money you’re spending or the environmental impact it has. To keep up with demands, so many resources are being used. Even the packaging of the items you order from TikTok Shop leads to environmental damage. As soon as we open a package, we typically throw away any of the packaging it came in, making it one-time use.
I’m admitting I also partake in these behaviors, but I am also saying we need to be more aware and limit our consumption. What is happening right now is not sustainable.
Political violence is not OK; civil discourse is necessary
It seems in the past couple of weeks
all the news has been about violence. Whether that is another mass shooting, a murder or an assassination — it’s a lot. There needs to be something done about it.
Overall, violent crime levels have decreased over the years; however, that doesn’t mean we don’t have an issue. At this moment, the Editorial Board would bet that at least three separate violent events have come to your mind since reading this.
There have been 370 mass shootings in the U.S. in the year 2025 as of Sept. 22. That’s more than there are days in a year — and we still have three months to go.
Iryna Zarutska — a Ukrainian refugee — was murdered on a train Aug. 22.
Political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated during a campus event at Utah Valley University Sept. 10.
3 students — including the shooter — at Evergreen High School in Evergreen, Colorado, were shot during a school shooting Sept. 10. The shooter died, and the other two were left in critical condition.
These are the three major crimes the media have reported on in just the
YOUR VIEW:
Do you think there’s been a rise in violence in the U.S.? Why or why not?
THE STROLLER:
ALLISON DOLAN Senior Computer Science
last month. There are countless others we haven’t heard of.
Violent crime might feel unlikely to happen here or unrelatable to us, but it can happen to any of us.
Here in Maryville, the police department responded to a call regarding a domestic assault. A woman was beaten, strangled and bitten Sept. 9.
Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri — just a couple of hours away from Maryville — was locked down Sept. 13 after there was a possibility of shots being fired.
In St. Joseph, a 10-year-old child was shot in his leg while sleeping Sept. 10.
It’s not something we only hear on the news and think will never happen to us — it is happening here.
Though violent crime levels have gone down, political violence has increased, according to PBS. There is no justifiable reason for there to be political violence. Killing someone because they have different ideas from you sets a deadly precedent. Not only by defending murder, but also our right to free speech.
The First Amendment is for all Americans. Even hate speech is protected under our Constitution — you
“I do think rising violence is a problem, and there are multiple factors to it. I think a lot of it’s social and also accessibility to items that can cause a lot of violence. Any restriction on guns would do a lot, but we don’t do anything, period.”
BROCK UTHE Junior Agricultural Business
might not agree with it, but that’s not going to change anything.
The murder of Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Melissa Hortman and Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman June 14 is another example of political violence because of a difference in stances.
We all need to be able to discuss different viewpoints — we’re all entitled to that right. We don’t care if you loved or hated anyone’s viewpoints; we cannot condone their murders.
Being able to talk about differences helps us understand multiple worldviews and can lead to compromises or solutions. Silencing one side of an issue doesn’t make you correct — it weakens your argument. We can’t be scared to be disproven; it’s a part of growing our mindset.
Politicians also have a large influence on the way their followers behave and think. They need to think about their actions and be held accountable for the hand they play in political violence.
Yes, politics is taking over our lives in the U.S., but we can’t use that as an excuse to forget our morality. Everyone has the right to express their opinions and beliefs, and we don’t get to dictate that.
“I don’t watch the news too much, I just know the media will put out there what they want…based on past trends and everything, I feel stuff has relatively been kind of the same, there’s just a lot more news coverage now than there used to be.”
SADIE SWINNEY Freshman Special Education and Early Childhood Education
“Oh, 100%; I think it’s just also because everyone has such strong opinions on everything now, and they don’t understand that everyone else can have their own opinion.”
Your Bearcat survived another rapture
If you’ve been living under a rock, you probably didn’t know that you’ve officially survived the rapture. For those who don’t know, the rapture is ‘the end of all times’ and when believers of Jesus Christ will ascend into the air to meet him.
Now, this is probably the fourth rapture I have survived. It seems every couple of years, it comes back around, and those who believe in it will start freaking out and mak-
ing preparations. I saw someone sell their car to prepare — though I don’t know why you’d need the money before floating into the sky.
This one did feel different, though. Maybe it’s because I was hearing more about it. At least my hair looked decent — just in case I was about to meet Jesus himself.
“RaptureTok” — as it has been dubbed by TikTok users — has been the most entertaining part of my week. While
I was sitting and wondering if people around me were going to start floating into the air, I was also laughing with strangers on the internet about the insanity of it all.
I am also writing this before the official end of Rapture Day, so I could be totally proven wrong in the next few hours. I guess we’ll know if you are reading this right now — two days after the rapture.
If the rapture might still happen, let’s make it dur-
NORTHWEST MISSOURIAN
ing midterms. I would love to avoid those, though I might be disappointed to get this close to graduating without actually making it.
So put away your tinfoil hats and get back to work — the world didn’t end. Maybe next year.
VIEW:
CARTOONIST
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
NEXT WEEK IN SPORTS
NW FB vs. Central Oklahoma
1:30 p.m. Sept. 27 Bearcat Stadium
MHS FB vs. Cameron
7 p.m. Sept. 26 Hound Pound
@ St. Joseph Benton
7 p.m. Oct. 3
St. Joseph Benton High School
NW SOC
@ Northeastern State
1 p.m. Sept. 28 Tahlequah, Oklahoma
vs. Central Oklahoma
3 p.m. Oct. 3 Bearcat Pitch
NW VB
@ Washburn
6 p.m. Sept. 26
Topeka, Kansas
@ Emporia
7 p.m. Sept. 27
Emporia, Kansas
@ St. Pius X
4 p.m. Sept. 25 Kansas City, Missouri
@ Worth County
5 p.m. Sept. 29 Worth County High School
HONOR
CONTINUED FROM A8
Softball stung by Hornets
Another way the defense’s talent showed was through a second interception from senior defensive tackle Clayton Power after a missed field goal from junior punter and kicker Mo Alwaely. With four minutes left in the game, Ruhnke connected with senior running back Dominic Myers for a 25-yard touchdown, to move the score to 14-7. The Lions dropped back with a 62-yard touchdown to move closer in contention, but ultimately fell to the Bearcats, 21-14.
Looking ahead, the ’Cats are coming back home to face No. 15 Central Oklahoma (2-1, 2-0 MIAA) during Family Weekend Sept. 27.
While the focus is on the game, McMenamin sees Family Weekend as the glue that holds the Bearcat program together. When he was a player on the team, he lived with former linebacker coach, now also defensive coordinator, Chad Bostwick — brother of late head coach Scott Bostwick. Scott Bostwick also personally recruited McMenamin as a player.
Both Bostwicks have left their paw print — with Chad having an impact on all of the defensive players, one in particular, senior defensive back Carter Edwards. One of his goals for the season was to honor both Bostwicks.
“He (Scott Bostwick) was one of my favorites, and one of the main reasons I was here, initially, excited to honor him as well,” McMenamin said.
The matchup will be 1:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at Bearcat Stadium.
The Chillicothe Hornets (165) stung Maryville Spoofhound softball (1-13) 26-5 in a three-inning, rainy run-rule loss Sept. 23 — its 13th loss in just 14 games.
Starting senior pitcher Phoebe Hornickel battled through the wet conditions but struggled with command. She issued 10 walks and gave up two hits in the first inning, making the score 14-0 after the top of the first inning.
Head coach Brylee Kemper said, despite the struggles, she is proud of the way Hornickel handled the game.
“It’s a hard situation to pitch in the rain or even as a catcher having to block pitches, you never know where they’re going to go,” Kemper said. “I give props to Phoebe (Hornickel); she was frustrated, but she never came to me and said to take her out. She was willing to do what she needed to do for the team.”
The ’Hounds plated one run in the first, with an RBI groundout from sophomore first baseman and pitcher Avah Eckley to score sophomore shortstop Jesslyn Grayson.
Hornickel’s struggles on the mound continued, and Avah Eckley came in as relief in the third inning, where the score was already 23-1. She gave up three runs off three hits, two walks and collected a strike out — making the score 26-1 going into the bottom of the third.
“Avah (Eckley) came in and
showed improvement with ball control, but it was still a tough environment for both of them,” Kemper said.
Heading into the bottom of the third inning, the game was on the line for the Spoofhounds. Senior second baseman Sam Metcalf led off the inning with a double to right field; despite the score, she said there was no pressure.
“Really just going up knowing it’s a quicker pitcher,” Metcalf said. “It’s raining, it’s cold. I walked up, took a couple pitches and thought, ‘I gotta get on base.’”
Metcalf sparked a short offensive surge. Freshman left fielder Sadie Briner reached base on an error, setting up an RBI groundout from Grayson, to make the score 26-2.
Senior third baseman Ella Eckley then hit a double, setting up Avah Eckley’s three-run home run to cut the deficit 26-5.
“I knew my sister (Ella Eckley) was on second, so I was trying to switch places with her — get her home and me on second — but I just went all the way around,” Avah Eckley said.
The late rally wasn’t enough, but Kemper said she was proud of the effort to keep competing.
“It would have been nice to have that earlier in the game, or at least not have the defensive innings we had,” Kemper said. Maryville’s last win against Chillicothe was Sept. 13, 2016, where the Spoofhounds won 8-6.
The Spoofhounds will be back in action 4 p.m. Sept. 25 at St. Pius X High School in Kansas City, Missouri.
HOMECOMING
CONTINUED FROM A8
Looking ahead, Homecoming week brings extra excitement with the parade, court celebrations and alumni returning to campus. The team has worked to balance the festivities with preparation on the field.
“Cameron’s really good at running the ball; they do a great job,” Webb said. “They’re a good football team and they run the option, so we’ve got to make sure we’re very disciplined.”
The Spoofhound defense has
REGIONALS
CONTINUED FROM A8
to stay on its toes to guard against the run pass option; though historically, Maryville has played well against the Dragons.
The ’Hounds have won every matchup against the Dragons since 2010, with their most recent win knocking Cameron out of the Class 3 State Tournament 49-42 Nov. 15, 2024.
For Webb — a 1993 Maryville graduate — the week holds a special significance beyond the football field.
“It’s a great opportunity to create a memory and make sure that, as a football team, our responsibility is to win the football
Nonaka went on to claim two more victories before the tournament was over. Wins against Northeastern State junior Sofia Kotliarova and Augustana sophomore Fernanda Sandoval gave her a chance to compete in the quarterfinals.
Nonaka then squared off with the bracket’s No. 1-ranked player, Central Oklahoma senior Pete Komada, where she ultimately suffered defeat in two sets.
Northwest junior Michelle Kostadinova and sophomore Majra Djokic were among other Bearcats who won singles matches throughout the weekend. Kostadinova defeated Ouachita Baptist senior Natalia Zamora in two sets, while Djokic did the same against Southeastern Oklahoma State freshman Emilia O’Neill.
Nonaka and Kostadinova were the only doubles pair of Northwest’s three to win a match during the tournament. The duo dominated its first match in an 8-0 win against University of Sioux Falls seniors Ella Hancock and Sydney Osburn.
game,” Webb said. “We’re excited about having a good week of practice and trying to win.”
Webb said the community’s support, whether through the parade or in the stands Friday night, adds to the atmosphere of the week.
“I think those are extremely important things,” Webb said. “They’re great for our community, and I hope everybody comes out and supports us.”
The annual Homecoming Parade will take place 1:15 p.m. Sept. 26 outside Maryville High School, while kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Hound Pound.
In the next round, the Northwest pair faced a familiar foe in No. 4-ranked Augustana duo — senior Maria Fiacan and Sandoval. While Nonaka got the better of Sandoval in singles, the Augustana duo later bested Nonaka and Kostadinova 8-4 in the second round of the doubles draw. While seeing victories on the trip is something the team can celebrate, Rosewell said he also values the experience a tournament like this provides for not only a developing squad’s play, but team chemistry too.
“It’s a young team, and we’re trying to acquire as much experience as possible,” Rosewell said. “Team comradery and supporting each other and they’re doing quite well with that, so I thought the weekend was successful.”
This team’s comradery stretches away from the court. Six of the eight players on the roster come from a foreign country, so building team chemistry is a more challenging, but also more impressive achievement.
Northwest hopes to use its team chemistry to its advantage 11 a.m. Sept. 28 at the Mark Rosewell Tennis Center in its next match against the Minnesota State Mavericks.
LEAH COX Asst. Sports Editor | @byleahcox
Maryville softball sophomore shortstop Jesslyn Grayson laughs during warmups of the Spoofhounds’ 26-5 loss to Chillicothe Sept. 23.
ALLY JEFFRIES PHOTOGRAPHER
Maryville football sophomore offensive tackle Beckett Kendrick double-teams the rusher in its loss to Blair Oaks Aug. 29. Since the opening loss, the Spoofhounds have won three straight games for a 3-1 record.
MITCHELL HARVEY CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Soccer falls to Division I opponent
CLAYTON CULP Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports
The Northwest Bearcats (32) suffered a 5-1 defeat in their exhibition game against the Di-
vision I Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (6-3-1) Sept. 20.
After coming off a 3-1 victory against Southwest Baptist (2-41), the ’Cats were looking to get a streak going as they were headed
to play an exhibition game against Division I opponent Oral Roberts.
The Golden Eagles kicked off the game, putting the Bearcats’ senior goalkeeper Lily Ellis to work as she made eight saves on 16 shots in the first half. However, the Golden Eagles were able to get two goals past Ellis in the 37th and 40th minute.
Head coach Marc Gordon talked about the challenge of playing a good team and the experience the team can gain.
“(It’s a) great experience for us and the speed of play, the little things that good teams will make you pay for, for not taking care of the ball, the experience and exposure and the opportunity to get to play an outside appointment,” Gordon said. “I think it’s great preparation leading up to our first conference play.”
The ’Cats looked to get something going in the second half after being held to only four shots in the first half. The Golden Eagles were able to keep up their shut-down defense as they held the ’Cats to only two secondhalf shots, but junior forward Makenna West was able to get a shot in the back of the net in the 76th minute.
For the Bearcats, the game was
almost over — the Golden Eagles added another two goals of their own in the second half by graduate student midfielder Kiran Singh and redshirt junior forward Brianna Castleberry before West scored her goal, cutting the lead down 4-1. The Golden Eagles added another goal in the 88th minute, finishing off the game with a 5-1 score over the Bearcats.
(It’s a) great experience for us and the speed of play, the little things that good teams will make you pay for, for not taking care of the ball, the experience and exposure and the opportunity to get to play an outside appointment. I think it’s great preparation leading up to our first conference play.”
MARC GORDON HEAD SOCCER COACH
Gordon said this game can help the team adjust its training habits and move forward as a team.
“I talked to the group at the end of the match about the small details and the focus, how we train, how we prepare and how we push each other in training and holding ourselves accountable,” Gordon said. “Raising the standard of expectations of themselves and of each other when we train, when we do those things, it will translate to the field.”
The ’Cats will have the rest of this week as they prepare for conference play. Gordon talked about how the team’s day-to-day will change this week and how they are preparing.
“Spending a little more time in film this week for ourselves, working through some of the things and trying to learn about our opponent, since we have 13 in the league, we have a one-off this week and will play on Sunday,” Gordon said.
The ’Cats will travel to play Northeastern State (5-1) 1 p.m. Sept. 28 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, looking to earn another win for the season and add to their current three-game win streak against the RiverHawks.
Junior forward Makenna West jumps up to take the ball from a Northern State defender in its 3-0 win over Northern State Sept. 5.
Northwest soccer senior forward Margaret Madden makes a scoring header during it’s 3-1 win over Southwest Baptist Sept. 17. Northwest will play an exhibition match against Oral Roberts 1 p.m. Sept. 20 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Freshman forward Mackenzie Jordan scores a goal before halftime during the Bearcats’ 3-1 win over Southwest Baptist Sept. 17.
Freshman forward Berkleigh Salmond attempts a shot during its win over Southwest Baptist Sept. 17. The Bearcats’ will play next at 1 p.m. Sept. 28 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, against Northeastern State.
Family Ties
Bearcats aim to beat Broncos
Bearcat football (3-1, 2-0 MIAA) took down the last undefeated Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, Missouri Southern Lions (2-1, 0-1 MIAA), 21-14 Sept. 20.
Going into the game, head coach John McMenamin said he saw the matchup as just another game for the ’Cats. He said he knew what the team needed to execute in order to limit the mistakes that had been seen in prior games.
“It was good for us to go down there and get a win against a team that I think very much improved — that’s coming off a bye week that had a lot of surprises for us,” McMemamin said.
The Bearcat offense did not attack until the second quarter — where senior quarterback Chris Ruhnke connected to junior tight end Andrew Waltke for a 44-yard reception to
move the sticks for a ’Cat scoring opportunity.
The first touchdown was credited to sophomore running back Te’Shaun Porter with a 1-yard touchdown. Porter carried the ball three times and is credited with 15 of the 22 Bearcat yards during the drive.
Coming out of halftime, the ’Cats rushed the ball eight times for a total of 59 yards, but were unable to be put in scoring position.
The Lions’ offense answered back early with another touchdown to make it an even game to finish the third quarter — which, compared to last season, the Bearcats held them scoreless.
“Not every game is going to be flawless, or you are going to win 50-0,” McMenamin said. “Then to make those mistakes and overcome them and find a way to win; I thought it was a great step. If I’m checking boxes of things I’m looking for in a good team — our progression, that’s one of them.”
In the second half of the game, Porter
MHS football prepares for Homecoming game
performed well against the Blue Tigers, and he is hoping to bring that momentum into the game against the Dragons.
Homecoming week has arrived for Maryville High School, and the Spoofhound football team is set to celebrate under the lights with a Friday night matchup against the Cameron Dragons Sept. 26.
The Spoofhounds (3-1) enter the matchup against the Dragons (2-2), riding a three-game on-the-road winning streak after taking down the Lincoln College Prep Blue Tigers (1-3) 3014 Sept. 19. The only loss of the season for the ’Hounds was the season opener, where they lost at home to Blair Oaks 42-14 Aug. 29. Head coach Matt Webb said the team
“It’s week four and I’m happy to get a win,” Webb said. “We responded really good in the second half. We continued to get better offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. (We) made some big plays, so I was excited about getting a win.”
Senior running back and defensive back Ben Jaster helped lead the team with 51 receiving yards, a touchdown and an interception. Senior linebacker Weston Tally also made a mark for Maryville, tallying a pick-six and a sack.
found the endzone for another touchdown to move the score 14-7 for the team. On the Lions’ next drive, a pack of ’Cats pounced back with an interception by junior defensive back Antwon Jenkins to put the team at their own 40-yard line.
Senior offensive lineman Wes Merriman said he saw the matchup against the Lions as a test of the Bearcat offense’s consistency and how the team handles the talent on both sides of the ball.
“I think consistency every single practice and what we do drilling wise, and what we do to prepare for the defensive front we are going to do or play against, and really getting to a point where we’re at a react stage,” Merriman said. “Where we know exactly what we’re doing, so we don’t have to think about what we’re going to do on the field.”
SEE HONOR
Northwest tennis competes, sees success at regionals
KEATON SMITH Sports Reporter | @keatonsmedia
The Northwest women’s tennis team spent its weekend competing in Edmond, Oklahoma, through the 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II Women’s Central Region Championship.
Of six singles and a trio of doubles that competed, the Bearcats proved victorious in seven matches. Six of those seven victories came in the singles bracket.
Senior singles player Miru Nonaka made some noise for Northwest throughout the trip, advancing all the way to the quarterfinals for the first time in her Bearcat career.
Nonaka dropped only one set before
claiming a spot among the final eight competitors in the singles draw quarterfinals. Head coach Mark Rosewell said he knew an impressive performance when he saw one.
“She really rose to the occasion,” Rosewell said. “She beat two seeded players and she wasn’t seeded, so that’s outstanding.”
The senior from Gifu, Japan, faced the tournament’s No. 7-ranked player, Henderson State senior Kristina Kozlova, in her first match. After dropping the first set 6-4, Nonaka rallied to force the match into the third set of a best-of-three. Nonaka claimed the final set 10-8 and lived to see another match.
Northwest football redshirt freshman quarterback Zechariah Owens hugs senior running back Dominic Myers after a touchdown in its win over Texas
A&M-Kingsville Sept 13. The Bearcats will celebrate Family Weekend against No. 15 University of Central Oklahoma 1:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at Bearcat Stadium.
MITCHELL HARVEY CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Maryville football sophomore defensive lineman Kevin Houtchen pushes off his defender with eyes on the Falcons quarterback in its 42-14 loss to Blair Oaks Aug. 29.
MITCHELL HARVEY CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
OLIVIA WALLACE Sports Editor | @_oliviawallace_
LEAH COX
Asst. Sports Editor | @byleahcox
Senior Miru Nonaka returns against Arkansas Fort Smith March 21, 2025. Nonka overcame two seeded opponents at the ITA Division II Women’s Central Region Championship Sept. 19-21.
