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September 22, 2016 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 30 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
FEATURE Suicide rates are high throughout Missouri, but they’re particularly high among teens. They don’t have to be, though. One of the most important solutions is recognizing the problem exists and understanding it’s preventable, as one local family has done. PAGE 6 NEWS AND INSIGHT See how Columbia Public Schools are adjusting to later hours and taking the phrase “Stay in school, kids” to a new level with breakfast, lunch and, now, dinner. PAGE 4 THE SCENE Make a pit stop at FlyOver restaurant on the south side of Columbia, where the constantly changing, tapas-filled menu of Midwestern fare is taking off. PAGE 5
TAKE THE SCENIC ROUTE The leaves are changing, and harvest spice candles are lining store shelves. Autumn is here. Experience the beautiful fall sights with a quiet, winding drive. These picturesque routes on Columbia’s back roads will get you the best views before the leaves disappear. SLICE, SLICE, BABY Columbia’s got a lot of pizza to offer, but which slices are worth dropping dough on? We’ve made our rounds to help you decide which piece is the best for you. STRANGER READS The popular Netflix series Stranger Things is over for the season, but that doesn’t mean the sci-fi fun has to end. Switch off the screen, and open one of these horror or sci-fi books that will keep the strange withdrawal to a minimum.
EDITOR’S LETTER
MUSIC Cheer up and turn up — the music, that is. California band The Mowgli’s is bringing social issues to light with sunny tunes and vibrant beats, and it’ll soon bring the positive feels to Columbia. PAGE 13 ARTS & BOOKS Leaf through the pages of these new fall books that will keep you reading all the way to the first snowfall. PAGE 14 Read a book that’s almost as young as its main character. Nutshell, narrated by a fetus, is hot off the press, and Vox has all the details on this Hamlet-esque story. PAGE 14 COVER DESIGN: JULIA TERBROCK COVER ILLUSTRATION: HUNTER MYERS
CHRISTINE JACKSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
320 LEE HILLS HALL COLUMBIA MO 65211 573-884-6432 VOX@MISSOURI.EDU ADVERTISING: 573-882-5714
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Shock is a strange emotion. It numbs us and tries to shield us from pain. In my experience, it’s what follows news of the death of a loved one. Shock is what I felt when, at the beginning of this week, I learned that a once-close friend had killed himself. A knot formed in my chest as the rest of my day went on something near normally. I spoke to friends. I went to the grocery store. I edited this magazine. But when activity lulled and I was left to my own thoughts, I kept coming back to the same one: “How did this happen?” I’ll likely never know the answer, yet it’s a question people are forced to ask themselves all too often. This week’s feature (Page 6) examines the continued rise in the number of suicides in Missouri. It aims to illuminate the many ways that state funding and attention for suicide prevention are horrifically lacking, and ways the state is trying to be better. Perhaps it will leave you, too, asking, “How does this happen?” There are many resources dedicated to helping people at risk for suicide; several are listed in the feature. But the most accessible resource people have is their friends and family. Better understanding suicide prevention will make us all more equipped to look out for the people we love. If they’re struggling, knowing the signs and the resources can help us help them, or find someone who can. Paying attention could be the difference between life and death.
VOX STAFF Editor: Christine Jackson Deputy Editor: Dan Roe Managing Editor: Madison Fleck Creative Director: Ben Kothe Digital Managing Editor: Abby Holman Art Directors: Madalyne Bird, Elizabeth Sawey Photo Editor: Mary Hilleren Online Editor: Lea Konczal Multimedia Editor: Mitchel Summers News & Insight Editors: John Bat, Katelyn Lunders The Scene Editors: Kelsie Schrader, Jessica Sherwin, Brooke Vaughan Music Editors: Marlee Ellison, Meredith McGrath Arts & Books Editors: Katie Akin, Luria Freeman Contributing Writers: Bobby Ceresia, Corin Cesaric, Mitchell Forde, Max Havey, Kelsey Hurwitz, Lis Joyce, Rick Morgan, Rachel Phillips, Karlee Renkoski, Stephanie Sandoval, Alex Schiffer, Guimel Sibingo, Mike Tish, Carolina Vargas, Catherine Wendlandt, Clara Wright, Taylor Ysteboe Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Writing Coach: John Fennell Office Manager: Kim Townlain
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