03-20-24

CEDAR FALLS, IA

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024 VOLUME 120,

College Square stilled

A look at the past and future of the College Square Mall

CAMPUS LIFE

UNI alum Carson Uthe finds success in the theatre field with Children’s Theatre Company.

SEE PAGE 6

SPORTS

Both men’s and women’s basketball teams fall in semifinals of MVC tournament.

SEE PAGE 9

When UNI marketing professor Matthew Wilson thinks back to growing up in Cedar Falls in the ’70s, a lot has changed. The Industrial Park was still cornfields, and downtown Cedar Falls was basically a ghost town. Another major change: the mall. What was once a hot spot for shopping is now a mostly empty building. “I just remember I spent hours in the bookstore there, hours in the Music Land that we’d buy records at,” Wilson recalls when reflecting upon his time in the mall as a child. “Those were the places you’d spend hours at. Your parents would go shopping and they’d hand you a handful of quarters, and you’d go play video games [at the arcade] for an hour.”

 See COLLEGE SQUARE MALL, page 2

Dead higher ed bills in the Legislature: What to know

NOAH HACKBART Staff Writer

Editor’s note: Noah Hackbart currently serves as the Director of Governmental Relations for Northern Iowa Student Government

The second funnel week of the 2024 Iowa legislative session ended on March 15. Here are some basics about the legislative process, the two funnel weeks and two major higher education-related bills that died during this time.

The Legislative Funnel Explained

The Iowa Legislature is made up of a 100-member House of Representatives and a 50-member Senate. These two bodies have two important funnel week deadlines during their legislative session and these deadlines often decide the fate of bills.

For a bill to make it past the first funnel deadline and alive, which is usually the sixthor seventh week of session, it needs to have passed out of a committee in at least the

House or Senate. For a bill to stay alive after the second funnel, which is usually the 10th or 11th week of session, it must have passed through one of the two chambers and through a committee in the other.

While Republicans currently have a trifecta of state government control, holding the Governor’s office, Senate and House, both the Senate and House had different pri-

orities, thus leaving many bills to die after the second funnel. However, both chambers have various ways of keeping whole bills or parts of bills alive throughout the entire session through amendments in bills that are still viable or by putting bills on the “unfinished business” calendar in the Senate to keep them alive for the entirety of the session.

News briefs

CAB After Dark Campus Activities Board will be offering a fun-filled evening of events this Saturday, March 23 from 8 p.m. - 11 p.m in Maucker Union. They will have stuff-an-animal available for the first 250 people who registered, a mentalist, a hypnotist, an improv performance, Panther eSports games, Panther Tabletop games, bingo and food. A full schedule of the evening will be posted on their Instagram and the CAB registration page.

RodCon Scheduled Rod Library’s ninth annual RodCon will be hosted April 6 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The mini comic book convention offers a welcoming environment where people can celebrate their passion for comics, heroes and artists. The featured guest speaker will be Shakyra Dunn, a voice actor, author and singer. Attendees can also enjoy artists, vendors, trivia competitions, costume contents and a variety of other activities.

JENNA WESTENDORF Staff Writer

STEPH STARK

The College Square Mall has been in Cedar Falls for over 50 years now. The mall officially opened on Nov. 12, 1969, and at the time was the largest mall in the state of Iowa.

For a long time, the mall was a popular spot, drawing in many customers by hosting Saturday concerts in the center court. A mall walking program was also introduced to attract more visitors.

after the 2007-2008 recession, resulting in the loss of numerous tenants. In 2013, the mall was sold to Namdar Realty Group, a New York City-based company that, as of 2021, owns over 400 properties across the United States.

It’s really hard for us as a community to do much with it when the people that own it don’t want to do much with it.

Danny Laudick Cedar Falls Mayor

In 1984, the mall took on a three-year renovation project worth $10 million. These renovations were a result of constant changes in tenants and included new signage, fountains, skylights and planters. Following these renovations, the mall was the second-largest employer in Cedar Falls.

The mall underwent a second renovation in 2005, this time with the opening of the current HyVee Supermarket directly to the west. However, the mall faced difficult times

ESTELLE JOHNSON Staff Writer

After the Fall 2023 semester ended, CHAS Dean Dr. John Fritch announced he was taking a position at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. As a result, CHAS looked for an Interim Dean who would take over the duties of Fritch. Jennifer Cooley, who has worked at UNI for almost twenty-five years, took over in January of 2024. Cooley has worked as a professor in the language and literature department, teaching Spanish classes to a variety of students. Cooley has extensive experience in leadership roles, as a department head as well as an associate dean.

Cooley has been the interim dean since January, and will

Namdar currently still owns College Square Mall as well as Crossroads Mall in Waterloo. Following this change in ownership, the mall’s occupancy rate began to decline rapidly.

With newly elected city officials this year, the question has begun to rise of what will happen to prominent places in Cedar Falls such as College Hill and the College Square Mall. Newly elected Cedar Falls mayor Danny Laudick said that the first step to being able to improve this mall is acquiring the mall.

“It’s really hard for us as a community to do much with it when the people that own it don’t want to do much with it,” Laudick said.

The Cedar Falls Economic Development Corp has been in

be until June. There is not a lot of time to get major projects completed, but Cooley has been hard at work with the Campus Climate survey. “We’ve just conducted that

talks with Namdar, the mall’s current owner, to determine a reasonable asking price. Still, Laudick says Namdar is asking for an extremely high amount due to a lack of incentive to sell it.

Cedar Falls citizens, as well as UNI students and faculty, all have their thoughts and opinions as to what should happen to the mall once it is acquired. Several UNI faculty members grew up in Cedar Falls and can remember a time when the mall was more than a rundown mostly empty building. However, Wilson is unsure of what the future of the mall looks like.

“I think they’re in a real bind,” Wilson said. “From a marketing perspective, they’ve got all this real estate. And the thing that is going to build up traffic again, you need destination stores.”

As it doesn’t seem like the mall is going to attract any bigbrand stores, the city may need to look at other options. Laudick said possible ideas have included revitalizing the area for new retail space, a potential community center or mixed-use with retail and apartments.

“Businesses, I think, are interested in this area, just not the current mall,” Laudick said. “There’s really not much foot traffic in there; it’s not a great location to be.”

However, regardless of what the mall becomes, taking on a

project this size means having long-term visions as to what is going to happen to the mall in the future.

In terms of whether the College Square Mall has a future in Cedar Falls, it’s hard to tell. Improving College Hill is at the forefront of what the city wants to do, but they are hoping in the next couple of years to begin putting the big plan for revitalizing the mall together in the coming years.

“I do think that there are ways to use the mall,” councilmember Aaron Hawbaker said. “But just not in the traditional sense.”

In the meantime, the city is currently looking at the 202728 FY to begin putting the big plans together for the mall and hopes to work with a private developer to begin conducting studies to get the city’s input on what the mall will eventually become.

I don’t want my voice to be driving the conversation.. I want it to be a good exchange of ideas between everyone.

Jennifer Cooley Interim CHAS Dean

large Campus Climate survey, the data has been analyzed and cleaned up,” Cooley said. “And when I say that, I mean that any sort of identifying markers have been removed from the data

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to protect people who are nice enough to participate in it, I’ve been working with that data and I think that I have a great chance to get broad engagement across my college.”

Since the results have been condensed and generalized, Cooley has been interested in discussing issues some students reported on.

“Some of the issues that are bubbling to the top in that climate survey are that it seems as though there are certain cross sections of people at UNI that do not feel comfortable,” Cooley said. “I would really like to drill down on that and see what that means to not feel comfortable.”

Cooley has been digging deep into the reasons behind students’ feelings. While discussing the climate survey

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Cooley added, “Another thing that bubbled to the top was that many people have considered leaving UNI, and without a conversation about that topic; you don’t really know. Have you considered leaving because you had a bad day?”

She continued, “The question was structured, ‘Have you ever seriously considered leaving UNI?’, and that’s a big question. Does that mean I want to drop everything and no longer be at a university, does that mean I want to drop everything and transfer, does that mean I had a big fight with my roommate, I mean, that’s another example where I think it’s going to be great to get into face-toface conversations with people, and unpack that.”

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Composting at UNI and beyond

Iowa Waste Reduction Center’s Jennifer Trent named president of U.S. Composting Council

KRISTIN MOOS Staff Writer

Jennifer Trent, a program manager at the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, has recently been selected as the Board of Directors President for the U.S. Composting Council. Trent graduated from UNI in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in geography with an environmental emphasis. “We got to learn all about how anthropomorphic activities impact the environmental landscape,” she said.

Trent continued her postgraduate studies at UNI, earning a master’s in geography.

During her master’s, she became interested in the study of Quaternary soils, an aspect of soil science, but struggled to find jobs after graduation. She began focusing on the environmental field and found a position as a waste reduction specialist at UNI’s Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

“When I started to work here, we did not have, at the

CHAS DEAN

continued from page 2

‘Dean’s Tea’ is a new communication-based event that Cooley has just created. There are three dates set aside for faculty, students and staff to come have a conversation with Cooley about anything they desire. March 1 is for faculty, April 5 is for students, and May 3 is for staff. If you wish to RSVP for one of these dates; contact chas.dean@uni.edu. While looking deeper into the results of the campus climate survey, Cooley found that students feel as though they lack communication with those in charge.

“People across campus did not feel like they had open ends of communication with upper administration, and I liberally decided that the Dean is part of upper administration.. And this is a great opportunity to open those lines of communication.”

During Dean’s Tea, all members of UNI are encouraged to come and ask Cooley any questions. These questions for faculty may include tenure information, and for students it may be about inclusivity. Cooley is adamant on hearing the experiences and opinions of folks here at UNI.

“I want this to be a chance

time, a food waste program.

So I applied for grant funding to implement programming for K-12 schools to help them address their environmental impact when it came to the amount of food waste they were generating. Food waste in a landfill generates methane which is a potent greenhouse gas,” she said.

One of her methods for reducing food waste included working with organizations that would take edible food and give it to the hungry and those in need. However, this wasn’t enough to solve the problem of food waste from Iowa schools pilling up at landfills.

“They didn’t find anywhere to recycle food into compost or into biogas. The infrastructure in Iowa just wasn’t there. So I decided I was going to take compost training, and I went to Pomona, California and I took a compost operations training course through the United States Composting Council and through the Compost Research

for people to be able to pose questions for me, I don’t want my voice to be driving the conversation. I want it to be a good exchange of ideas between everyone.”

Cooley also touches on how Dean’s Tea will let others know that she is available to meet outside of this time. She is available by appointment, and is willing to discuss whatever issues students may have. Since Dean’s Tea is an informal event in nature, Cooley adds, “I don’t want to have them air their grievances in this setting, so I will reiterate the fact that I always have time available for one-on-one meetings if people want to come, I’m always open to those kinds of conversations.”

While the climate survey is a larger project that Cooley is working on, her day-today responsibilities are just as important. There are decisions to be made on her end that can impact others, and Cooley touches on that topic. She deals with confidential documents on a daily basis, and is attentive to her colleagues who work alongside her. “You gotta prioritize what you do first, second and third because it’s all really important, and if you don’t do this one it’s gonna ruin someone else’s day.”

and Education Foundation. It was the best training I’ve ever seen. I was fascinated by the science and art of composting,” she said.

During her training, she learned about reducing erosion by pilling food waste with carbon, turning it into nutrient-rich soil. She also learned about the compost’s ability to improve water quality.

“If you take compost, and put it strategically in front of a waterway, it has the ability to bond bind to pollutants and contaminants. Compost has been touted as a great carbon sequester, so not only are you taking food out of the landfill, but you’re creating this process that improves soil quality and improves water quality,” she said.

Her work as president for the U.S. Composting Council will involve supporting and protecting the compost industry. Her

DEAD BILLS continued from page 1

There are quite a few legislative loopholes. However, there were two major higher education-related bills that did not make it past the second funnel deadline and were not put onto the “unfinished business” calendar in the Senate, HF2558 and HF2320.

HF2558: Higher Education Reform Act 2024

This bill was also known as the “Higher Education Reform Act of 2024” or the higher education omnibus. This bill would have changed much of the higher education landscape in the state of Iowa.

Some of those changes include alterations to the very body set to oversee the state’s public universities, the Board of Regents. It would have added two non-voting legislators chosen by the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader of the Senate to the Board while also reducing Regent terms to four years.

This bill also would have capped potential tuition raises each year at 3% and freeze rates for certain students for four years, changed the process by which the Board of Regents selects new institution-

work revolves around advocacy at the federal level, but she also works with 15 state chapters and helps encompass infrastructure growth across the country in deficit areas. During her time as president, she hopes to leave a positive mark on the industry. “One of the things I would like to work on this year is strengthening the advocacy because it has been become really important to the U.S. Composting

al Presidents, and notably, codify DEI directives passed by the Regents in November of 2023.

These 10 directives, originally passed as recommendations and changed over time to directives, would charge the public universities with eliminating and/or reviewing any DEIrelated positions not necessary for accreditation or mandated under federal or state laws. The directives also require a review of civic engagement, digital media and website marketing, and hiring practices, as well as a number of other things, to be reviewed or altered. There were a number of other key elements to the bill as well that were added or amended over time. This bill passed the Iowa House on Feb. 29, 56 to 39, with six Republicans voting against it. It failed to receive a subcommittee hearing in the Senate.

HF2320

This bill would have required students who were admitted to any of Iowa’s public universities to submit proof of citizenship in the United States or lawful presence to qualify for in-state fees and tuition. These requirements would have been extended to those at Iowa’s community colleges as well. This bill passed out of the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 5 after passing out of a

Council, as we deal with contamination at compost sites. We’re also trying to get funding opportunities for people interested in the compost industry. We need compost manufacturers and we need equipment developers and designers to solve some of the problems we have with infrastructure,” she said.

Subcommittee on Jan. 29, but did not make it onto the calendar and onto the floor for a vote by the entire House.

For any other information on what the Iowa Legislature is working on in their final few months, check out legis.iowa. gov for legislator information, Legislative Services Agency assistance, bills and language, other education-related bills still alive and more.

COURTESY/ UNI Trent’s work as president of the U.S. Composting Council will involve advocacy on the federal level.

Highlighting Latiné culture on campus

UNIdos aims to foster community on campus

HOPE SCHULTE Staff Writer

“Providing a better understanding of the Hispanic/ Latinx/Latiné culture to the UNI community through educational, cultural, and social programming.”

This is one of the main goals of UNIdos, an organization dedicated to providing an understanding of and serving as a positive representation of Latiné students at the University of Northern Iowa.

The organization was previously known as the Hispanic Latino Student Union (HSLU) and has been established at UNI since the early 90’s according to University Archives.The group’s roots go back to 1971 with the formation of the Association of Mexican American Students.

UNIdos President Lizbeth Garcia Tellez says that community and connection are right in the group’s name. “I always say UNIdos is part of

unity, especially within our community. UNIdos means united.”

Besides creating and fostering a safe community for students on campus, the group hosts a variety of events for students throughout the school year. Each month, UNIdos hosts a main event along with a smaller de-stress event. An example of a main event would be the volleyball tournament the group co-hosted with the Asian Student Union in February, and an example of a de-stress event would be the

“Study with UNIdos” event the group held on Tuesday, March 5 at the Book Bistro in Rod Library.

Each executive member creates and organizes a main event for the organization. The group tries to switch up events hosted throughout the year while also continuing to host popular events for students. Some of the more popular events include making DIY piñatas, Zumba dancing and handing out paletas, or frozen popsicles, at Maucker Union.

UNIdos also hosts Noche

de Gala every April in the Maucker Union Ballrooms. This event is a formal event created to celebrate the success of the organization throughout the year. This year the event will take place on Saturday, April 13 from 5 - 10 p.m. and will feature a catered dinner, guest speaker, music and dancing.

The guest speaker will be Dr. Jesús Lizárraga-Estrada, the Director of Student Success and Retention at UNI. Lizárraga-Estrada was also recently inducted into the

Iowa Latino Hall of Fame in October of 2023.

Besides planning and organizing events for UNIdos, the executive members hope to create a safe space on campus and provide students a voice through their organization.

“We host a variety of different events throughout the school year for all students. But other than that, I think we’re (creating) just a sense of community and making sure students feel safe, like creating that safe environment for them and kind of being a home away from home for students,” Lizbeth Garcia Tellez, president of UNIdos, said.

The group also encourages any UNI students to attend their events.

“UNIdos is a multicultural organization so anyone is welcome to join,” one executive member said.

Garcia Tellez added, “I love getting to see and meet people. I’m always encouraging my exec like, ‘let’s get out there, let’s talk to people.’”

Students are welcomed to attend other events the group has planned for the rest of the school year. UNIdos plans to co-host a vinyl sip and paint with the Indigenous Student Organization later in March.

Also, those interested in attending Noche de Gala can scan the QR linked on the group’s Instagram in order to RSVP.

Resaltar la cultura latiné en el campus

UNIdos apunta hacia formentar una comunidad en UNI

HOPE SCHULTE Escritora

ASHLEY RIVAS Traductora

“Brindar una mejor entendimiento de la cultura hispana/ latinx/latiné a la comunidad de UNI a través de programación educativa, cultural y social”.

Este es uno de los principales objetivos de UNIdos, una organización dedicada a brindar entendimiento y servir como una representación positiva de los estudiantes latinés en la Universidad del Norte de Iowa.

La organización se conocía anteriormente como la Unión de Estudiantes Latinos

Hispanos (HSLU por sus siglas en inglés) y se estableció en UNI desde principios de los años noventa, según los Archivos Universitarios. El origen de la organización se remonta desde la década de 1970 con la formación de la Asociación de Estudiantes Mexicoamericanos.

La Presidenta de UNIdos, Lizbeth Garcia Tellez dice que comunidad y conexión está dentro del nombre de la organización. “Yo siempre digo que UNIdos es parte de la unidad, especialmente entre nuestra comunidad. UNIdos significa juntos”.

Además de crear y fomentar una comunidad segura para los estudiantes en el campus, el grupo organiza una variedad de eventos para estudiantes durante todo el año escolar.

Cada mes, UNIdos organiza un evento principal junto con un evento más pequeño para eliminar el estrés. Un ejemplo de un evento principal sería el torneo de voleibol que el grupo organizó

con la Unión de Estudiantes Asiáticos (ASU por sus siglas en inglés) en febrero, y un ejemplo de un evento para aliviar el estrés sería “Estudia con UNIdos” que el grupo celebró el martes, 5 de marzo, en el Book Bistro en la biblioteca Rod.

Cada miembro del comité ejecutivo crea y organiza un evento principal para la organización. El grupo trata de cambiar los eventos durante todo el año mientras siguen organizando eventos populares para los estudiantes. Algunos de los eventos populares incluyen hacer piñatas de bricolaje (DIY por sus siglas en inglés), bailar Zumba y repartir paletas en Maucker Union.

UNIdos también organiza la Noche de Gala cada abril en los Maucker Union Ballrooms. Este evento es un evento formal creado para celebrar el éxito de la organización durante todo el año. Este año el evento se llevará a cabo el sábado, 13 de abril, de

5 a 10 p.m. y contará con una cena con servicio de catering, orador invitado, música y baile.

El orador invitado será el Dr. Jesús Lizárraga-Estrada, Director de Éxito y Retención Estudiantil de UNI. LizárragaEstrada también fue iniciado recientemente en el Salón de la Fama Latino de Iowa en octubre de 2023.

Además de planificar y organizar eventos para UNIdos, el comité ejecutivo espera crear un espacio seguro en el campus y brindar una voz a los estudiantes a través de su organización.

“Organizamos una variedad de eventos diferentes durante el año académico para todos los estudiantes. Pero aparte de eso, creo que estamos (creando) simplemente un sentido de comunidad y asegurándonos de que los estudiantes se sientan seguros, como crear un ambiente seguro para ellos y ser un tipo de segunda casa para los estudiantes”, Lizabeth Garcia

Tellez presidenta de UNIdos, dijo.

El grupo también anima a todos los estudiantes de UNI a asistir a sus eventos.

“UNIdos es una organización multicultural, por lo que cualquier puede unirse”, dijo un miembro del comité ejecutivo.

Garcia Tellez añadió, “Me encanta conocer y saludar a la gente. Siempre estoy alentando a mi comité, ‘Vámonos afuera, vámonos a hablar con la gente’”.

Los estudiantes son bienvenidos a asistir a otros eventos que el grupo ha planeado para el resto del año académico. UNIdos planea coorganizar un evento de pintura y sorbo de vinilo con la Organización de Estudiantes Indígenas a finales de marzo.

Además, aquellos interesados en asistir a la Noche de Gala pueden escanear el QR vinculado en el Instagram del grupo para confirmar su asistencia.

COURTESY/LIZBETH GARCIA TELLEZ UNIdos encourages everyone to attend their events. The organization will be hosting the annual Noche de Gala on Saturday, April 13. For more information, visit their Instagram, @uni_unidos.

COURTESÍA/ LIZBETH GARCIA TELLEZ UNIdos anima a todos los estudiantes a asistir a sus eventos. La organizacíon será el anfitrión la anual Noche de Gala en sábado abril 13. Para más información, visita su Instagram, @uni_unidos.

Everyone on Love is Blind season six is crazy

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER Opinion Columnist

If you’re unfamiliar with the Netflix original show “Love is Blind,” its sixth season has taken the internet by storm with the airing of the reunion. The general premise of the show is for singles who are looking to marry and meet other singles with a wall between them. They date within the selected pool, and eventually choose someone to get engaged to, all without seeing them. Only after they get engaged do they meet face-to-face. The collection of newly engaged couples then go on vacation for a week, and return home to live together. At the end of the month, they go to the altar to decide if they will legally get married.

This season features a cast that hails from North Carolina. The cast’s scandals have unraveled week after week as Netflix released the season in blocks. Chelsea’s Megan Fox comparison went viral on TikTok, and Laura telling her fiancee to “kick rocks in open toed shoes” has taken over X, formerly known as Twitter.

The biggest scandals range from a location sharing/cheating scandal that ended in Sarah Ann accusing multiple women on the show of being “pick

me girls,” and Trevor having a girlfriend on the outside. While not everyone is out of their mind, the latest reunion is laced with delusion, stupidity, insanity and gags.

Most Delusional - Sarah Ann

Sarah Ann, Jeramey’s current girlfriend and second choice in the pods, goes on a rampage in a prom dress at the finale. For someone who was a second choice, it’s incredibly bold to accuse other women who were actually chosen of

being “pick me girls.”

Biggest Gag - Trevor’s Girlfriend

It’s revealed during the reunion that Trevor actually had a girlfriend he was in consistent communication with directly before and after the show — even claiming he was going to marry her. Trevor has the biggest choke of the night, walking out of the reunion with his tail between the legs of his severely untailored pants.

Biggest “Ugh..” - A.D went out with Matthew

While A.D ended up getting engaged to Clay, in the pods sparks flew between her and Matthew. That was, until she found out he was telling other women in the pods the same things he was telling her. After Clay said no at the altar, A.D went out with Matthew on “a couple dates.” One would wonder if he went on “a couple dates” with the other woman, too?

Biggest “Duh..?” - Chelsea and Jimmy remain split

One of the most toxic couples on the show, Chelsea and Jimmy, remain in splitsville upon the reunion. Which … yeah. This is one of the only things to come out of the reunion that actually make sense. They’re so incompatible and so forced it was uncomfortable to watch.

Reunion MVP(s) - Jess and the Lachey’s

The Lachey’s must have taken a class from Andy Cohen. The amount of receipts, confrontation and addressing what people actually want to see is amazing growth from past seasons. They can keep their jobs as hosts –- for now.

“Actually, I took you out of the groupchat.” Jess’s straightforward, no-BS takes made the reunion more watchable. Jess gives the context and the facts, and she’s arguably the most level-headed person on the couch. Jess made this reunion her own.

This is the best “Love is Blind” reunion to date. Everyone's a little crazy, the Lachey’s are messy and the receipts are gag worthy. You can catch the latest season in its entirety on Netflix.

Violations noted for some Cedar Falls restaurants

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Executive Editor

Food inspectors regularly visit restaurants to ensure they are adhering to state code when it comes to cleanliness and food safety.

The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. Listed below are some of findings that stem from inspections at Cedar Falls restaurants over the past two months.

The state inspections department reminds the public that their reports are a “snapshot” in time, and violations are often corrected on the spot before the inspector leaves the establishment.

Asian Fusion Vietnamese & Thai Cuisine

During a March 15 visit, an inspector noted eight violations. They observed raw shrimp, beef, and chicken stored above ready-to-eat lettuce which was corrected by moving the meat to the bottom shelf. Shell eggs were also stored above ready to eat produce, and the eggs

were subsequently moved to the bottom shelf. According to state code, raw animal foods must be separated from raw ready-to-eat food.

Additionally, the inspector observed bean sprouts and noodles sitting at room temperature above 41 degrees, homemade sauces missing date markings, and sauce in a crock pot held at 85 degrees. According to state code, sauce must be maintained at 135 degrees or above.

The inspector also noted cutting boards that had cut marks with staining, and a hand sink behind a bar area that was missing hand drying. The hand sink behind the bar was also missing signage and a spray bottle with

yellow liquid was missing a label. All violations were corrected.

Buffalo Wild Wings

On a March 13 visit, an inspector noted two violations at Buffalo Wild Wings in Cedar Falls. The first was a dish plate simulator reaching 144 degrees, and the second was a spray bottle missing a label.

Bigfoot Betty’s

An inspector noted nine violations at Bigfoot Betty’s on a Feb. 28 visit.

They observed egg wash for breading stored at room temperature. According to code, foods like egg wash must be maintained at 41

degrees or below.

They also noted a slicer located downstairs in a prep area had dried food debris.

Homemade strawberry and raspberry sauces were held past seven days and chili had been held past seven days, dated at 2-19-24.

There was no handwashing signage available at the hand sink in the kitchen, and there was no soap, hot water or drying available. Additionally, there was a spray bottle in the kitchen area missing a label.

Taco Johns

On a Feb. 27 visit, the inspector noted one violation of black build up in the ice machine.

Cooper’s Taproom & Grill

On a Feb. 14 visit, the inspector found 12 code violations at Coopers Taproom & Grill on College St.

They noted the person in charge does not have signed illness paperwork available, and they have yet to obtain food manager certification.

They also had yet to develop a procedure for vomit/diarrhea cleanup.

The inspector also noted eggs above sauces which was corrected, and sauces in a prep cooler missing date information.

They also observed the egg on the fried egg burger was undercooked and there was no reminder on the menu of the increased risk of foodborne illness due to consuming undercooked foods on the menu.

There was grease build up on the prep cooler and food debris on a potato slicer and the debris was also present on clean plates.

Mop buckets and a serving tray blocked access to the hand sink, and the sink was missing signage.

A spray bottle was also missing a label and chemicals were stored above packaged food products in the kitchen.

From cheating scandals to shocking rekindled reltionships, the cast of season six “Love is Blind” was crazy.

UNI alum brings theater to kids

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Executive Editor

From UNI to Minneapolis, there is no denying Carson Uthe is at home in the theater.

A 2023 alum, Uthe majored in communication and minored in theater. He is now the education administrative associate for the nation’s largest and most acclaimed theater for young people — the Children’s Theater Company (CTC) in Minneapolis.

While at UNI, Uthe was a member and leader of

Don’t be afraid to shoot your shot

. Carson Uthe Education Administrative Associate Children’s Theater Company

UNI improv group Some Assembly Required (SAR) and participated in several UNI Theater productions among other involvements. Now, Uthe is helping kids find their own home in the theater.

“There are so many kids out there who don’t fall into the sports category and don’t fall into a really academic category, and the theater provides an opportunity to be creative and

play and have fun,” Uthe said. “It is something that is so important to those kids, because for a lot of them, that’s the only place they can truly be themselves.”

He continued by saying his favorite part of the job is being able to witness kids’ excitement for theater. He recalled how one second grader before one of Uthe’s theater classes was nervous at first, hiding behind his mom. However, after about an hour in Uthe’s class he burst out of the classroom and yelled excitedly, “Mom, I found my home!”

Uthe said, “That is really why I do it. This is why we do what we do. Even if it’s just for that one kid in a life changing experience. He found his home and maybe it’s something that he’ll do for the rest of his life. But I think that’s why peer education is so important to me.”

Uthe said kids are unafraid to show their honest reactions in a performance, which he appreciates in his position.

“They react so loudly and honestly. They really let you know if they’re having a good time or not,” Uthe said. “When I teach classes, if they don’t like a game, they say ‘Mr. Carson, this sucks.’ And I’m like, ‘Cool I guess we’re doing something else then.’”

He continued, “If they’re watching the show and they love it, they don’t clap nicely. They’re standing up

and screaming at the top of their lungs. And there’s just something so honest and truthful about the way they experience the world. And I love to experience that every day.”

Uthe credits his professors at UNI for their guidance, and says his leadership experience in student organizations like SAR helped him on the search for his job at CTC.

BAILEY

Editor

I’m very thankful for all the skills UNI taught me.

Carson Uthe Education Administrative Associate Children’s Theater Company

Uthe said grappling with imposter syndrome is a challenge as a new graduate, but having leadership opportunities at UNI helped him gain confidence.

“I always champion my theater professors for the reason I got the job in the first place,” Uthe said. “I just constantly love using the skills I learned in class. When I talk in front of over 700 kids everyday, I’m fine with it, because I did it at school. So I’m very thankful for all the skills UNI taught me, both in the classroom and beyond campus.”

“Having that leadership experience helped me feel less like a small fish in a giant pond. The imposter syndrome you get when you graduate is so real because you work with people who have been here for longer than you’ve been alive.” Uthe said his advice for future graduates is to apply for jobs you don’t always think you may be qualified for or receive.

“Don’t be afraid to shoot your shot,” Uthe said. “I mean, the Children’s Theatre Company is the largest and most acclaimed theater for young audiences in the country. And I never would have thought that I’d be doing this job right out of college. But had I not tried and done my best to get it, I never would have known.”

COURTESY/CTC

Uthe’s experience at UNI with SAR Improv and UNI Theater helped paved the way to his current profession of Education Administrative Associate for the Children’s Theater Company.

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER

CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

Seven NI editors ventured to La Jolla, CA for the Associate Collegiate Press conference. At the conference, the NI placed 6th for both print and web best in show competitions.

CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN

The NI staff ventured to a beach in the La Jolla Village where they encountered a large group of seals.

CHRISTOPHER MARTIN

The staff collaborated with other editorial staffs from across the country. They took part in different roundtables, including Women in Journalism and Photojourlanist roundtables.

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER

La Jolla Village offered a variety of sights, sounds and eats for the editorial team to explore and inspire.

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER

The editorial board explored the ocean front of the Pacific to celebrate their win at the ACP award ceremoy.

BAILEY KLINKHAMMER

The editorial board crammed into an eight person suburban after their twelve hour travel day to San Diego.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Sycamores end UNI’s Arch Madness run

COHEN KAMAUS Sports Writer

The UNI Men’s basketball team headed down South for the annual Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis, MO. over the weekend.

The Panthers’ first round matchup was against the Belmont Bruins. The two teams split the season series, with the Bruins winning the first matchup in Nov. with a score of 90-70. The Panthers took the second game in mid-January by a score of 83-72. This game was the rubber match between the two, with the winner advancing to the semifinals.

In a back-and-forth first half of play, UNI led 37-32 at the break. Trey Campbell and Tytan Anderson spearheaded the offensive attack from mid range jumpers to inside the paint.

UNI looked to double down on the results from the first half. Anderson continued to dominate on the glass, leading to many short possessions for the Bruins and second chance opportunities for the Panthers. In the end, the Panthers came out victorious, 67-62.

Anderson cemented himself into the record books, setting a new program postseason record of 19 rebounds.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Panthers fall to Bulldogs in Hoops in the Heartland

UNI participated in the Hoops In The Heartland conference tournament this past week. The Panthers entered the tournament with a 14-6 conference record, earning themselves the No. 4 seed and a double bye in the tournament. Winning the tournament would give the Panthers their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017.

In their first game on Thursday, the Panthers faced the No. 5 seed Illinois State Redbirds.

The Panther offense got off to a hot start leading 20-11 at the end of the first quarter. Shateah Wetering jump started the offense scoring the first four points of the game. Kayba Laube was also a big contributor with two 3-pointers in the quarter.

The second quarter started with a 11-2 scoring run from the Panthers led by 2-point baskets from Taryn Wharthon and another 3-pointer by Laube. The Panthers went into the break up 37-26.

After the Redbirds cut the lead to nine to start the second half, Maya McDermott hit a

3-pointer to put the lead back to double digits. Later into the third quarter, Laube continued her strike from beyond the three point line, hitting two 3-pointers to extend the Panthers lead to 52-40.

The Redbirds cut the lead to six points to end the third quarter, but the Panther offense pulled away in the fourth led by Cailyn Morgan and McDermott. The Panthers advanced, beating the Redbirds by a final score of 79-75.

UNI’s next matchup took place against the No. 1 seeded Drake Bulldogs. The Panthers got off to a 9-8 lead courtesy of three straight baskets by Grace Boffeli. After a Drake scoring run, Wetering struck back with two baskets of her own. Drake led Northern Iowa 26-17 at the end of the first quarter.

The Panther offense cut the lead to three points to start the second quarter with a 3-pointer from Laube and a two pointer from McDermott. The Panthers kept pace with the Bulldogs, only trailing 43-37 at halftime.

The Bulldogs maintained the lead for most of the third quarter, but the Panther offense

managed to keep the game close. Laube and Wetering both hit 3-point shots while McDermott and Taryn Warthan made twopoint baskets. The Panthers only trailed 66-57 at the end of the third.

With the Panthers down eight with just under eight minutes to go in regulation, McDermott stepped up big time, scoring six straight points to cut the lead to two. A few possessions later, Laube hit a 3-point basket to give the Panthers a 70-69 lead.

Shortly after, the Bulldogs hit a 3-pointer to regain the lead at 72-71. On the Panthers following possession, McDermott took the lead right back hitting a 3-point basket to give them a 73-72 lead.

The Bulldogs fired right back, regaining the lead with a 3-pointer to make it 75-73. Eventually, Boffeli hit two clutch free throws down the stretch to tie it at 75-75 and send the game to overtime.

The Bulldogs dominated in overtime going on a 9-0 run at the start. Drake ended up defeating the Panthers by a score of 92-83.

The Panthers finish the season with a 16-15 overall record.

COURTESY/UNI ATHLETICS

The Panthers bench and coaching staff celebrates a 3-pointer against the Indiana State Sycamores.

MICHAEL SPAHN Sports Writer

Coach Tanya Warren and Ryley Goebel embrace during the game against Drake.

ARCH MADNESS

continued from page 9

He also added 19 points, a team high. Jacob Hutson added 14 points and Nate Heise contributed 13 of his own. This is the first time in program history that the Panthers have won back-toback games against Belmont.

With the win in the quarterfinals, UNI had a date with Indiana State. The Sycamores boasted the league’s best record, earning the No. 1 seed in the tournament. Indiana State won the only matchup of

OPINION

the season, winning by a score of 77-66. The Sycamores had high hopes of winning the tournament and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

Indiana State got off to a hot start, making five of their first seven 3-point attempts. The Sycamores built up a 19-point lead early. The Panthers had some fight in them, going on an 8-0 run. Freshman RJ Taylor provided a spark off the bench, collecting three steals and nailing a 3-pointer at the end of the half. The Panthers trailed 44-33 at the break.

From there, Indiana State

put the game away. The Sycamores knocked down seven 3-pointers in the final 20 minutes, winning the game 94-72. Hutson had a career day, scoring 21 points. Bowen Born contributed 12 points of his own. The loss ended the Panthers 2023-2024 campaign with a record of 19-14. The Panthers look to the next season with many players returning to the court while others such as Nate Heise, Michael Duax, Cole Henry and Ege Peksari have entered the transfer portal.

KRISTIN MOOS Staff Writer

UNI is moving ahead with plans to develop a new facility for the women’s volleyball, women’s basketball and men’s basketball teams. The University recently received approval from the Board of Regents to move forward with this proposal. Michael Hager, Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations at UNI spoke about the project with more depth at a Feb. 28 Board of Regents meeting.

“Currently there’s no single dedicated practice space. All three of those programs, along with our men’s wrestling program, utilise the McLeod Center. The proposed practice facility would house the practice courts but also some support areas such as strength and conditioning areas, training areas, changing areas and some general storage,” said Hager.

Certain details concerning the new building, such as the location, have not been chosen yet. As for funding, the university has reported that it will be funded by gifts as well as some athletic operational funds. This is reminiscent of the UNI-Dome, which was

funded by private donations.

“We will come back to the Board before we move forward with the project,” said Hager, emphasizing the primitive stage the project is currently in.

President Mark Nook reported that several UNI alum and donors would be interested in contributing toward the project. “The enthusiasm for this initiative and the approval of the Regents has brought us to a point where we can proceed with conceptual planning for a court sports training facility. With those commitments in hand, we are excited to move forward,” he said.

UNI Head Coaches also expressed their enthusiasm for the new facility and its donors.

“We have an incredibly passionate, loyal and generous group of donors who have made a very substantial investment in this project. Our players and staff appreciate the continued support of these individuals who have been integral to helping sustain the high standards we have for UNI basketball,” said Ben Jacobson, Men’s Basketball Coach.

Commercials versus golf is the latest feud in sports

NICOLE WATERS Sports Writer

Over this past weekend THE PLAYERS Championship took place and it had a lot of people talking, not just because it was arguably the best tournament of the year so far, but because the commercials were extremely limited for those watching.

One of the main issues that you come across when watching golf tournaments on television is how often they have commercials during it. It really takes away from what is going on and oftentimes they come just when things are getting interesting. It also allows viewers to fall behind on what they are watching. When the tournament goes to commercial break, people are missing out on love shots that are happening, which then leads people to see the shots after they have already happened.

Sometimes it will go into a split screen on the television with golf being on one side and the commercial playing on the other side which is

better than a full commercial playing on the screen, but also kind of stinks because you can’t hear what is happening on the golf side. The golf side of the screen is also a smaller viewing of what is going on, which also makes it less enjoyable to watch as well.

What THE PLAYERS did differently for their tournament this past week, was that they limited commercials during play time. They only showed a maximum of two commercials when they went to a break. This was a key marketing factor when they were branding for their tournament because they knew this would bring in more viewers for it. This has definitely paid off for them because they maximized the amount of golf that viewers were able to watch and lessened the commercials.

The only downfall to this when watching was that it was just the same two commercials over and over when it went to a break. It was one that included Justin Rose and one that included Colin Morikawa and Shooter McGavin which was a spin on “Happy Gilmore.” As the time went on it got kind of boring and or annoying watching them over and over whenever it went to a commercial break, but nonetheless it was very refreshing to be able to watch a lot more golf and a lot less ads and commercials.

I believe that this is how it should be when it comes to watching golf events. Less and less people watch when there are a lot of ads, because it loses their interest with how often they occur. Oftentimes people are missing out on major moments when the T.V. goes to commercial breaks and then replays them afterwards.

THE PLAYERS has taken a big step in this and has shown others that it is possible to still have ads, but not as many, to allow fans and viewers to watch more golf.

COURTESY/UNI

Tytan Anderson hits a free throw in the battle against Indiana State.

COURTESY/NBC SPORTS

The PLAYERS Championship introduced limited ads to their broadcast which created a smoother watching experience for fans.

Keckeisen keeps trucking

BRODY LOVELL Sports Writer

Red shirt junior wrestler Parker Keckeisen won his fourth straight Big 12 Wrestling title this past week in Tulsa, Okla. The 184-pounder is now 26-0 on the season and is ranked as the first overall seed going into the national tournament for the second year in a row. Keckeisen was also named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2024 Big 12 Championships recently, and was the first Panther to earn the honor since UNI joined the conference in 2018.

For Keckeisen, winning his fourth Big 12 title this year can be attributed to his mindset going into the tournament.

“I felt like I trusted my training,” Keckeisen said. “I trusted myself and my abilities … and gave the outcome to God.”

Keckeisen won all of his matches at the Big 12 tournament by either decision or tech fall, having a wide margin of point differential in all of his matches.

Going into big meets, such as the Big 12 championships or Nationals, Keckeisen said his mindset does not change regardless of the stage he performs on.

“I try to keep it consistent,” Keckeisen said. “If Nationals were in July or August I’d be ready.”

According to him, the best wrestlers are the ones who “change the least and perform the best.”

Keckeisen, along with the UNI Wrestling program, structures their training around being prepared year-round for high-level competitions. It is for the primary reason that when the big stage comes, it’s no different than what they have trained for all year.

“(Coach) Schwab tells us

to ‘bring Tulsa or Kansas City into practice.’” Keickeisen said this is how the team mentally prepares themselves before heading into the competition, creating the atmosphere of big meets in practice.

When it comes to the actual matches, Keckeisen believes in staying in the moment for every match.

“I try to be as present as possible … keeping my breathing and (warmup) routine the same.”

Like boxing, Keckeisen refers to a moment in a match

that dictates the winner, what he calls the “knockout punch.”

When he’s in a match, this is what he looks out for and tries to establish and defend to win.

Keckeisen has changed his approach off the mat as well this year, something he also contributes to his success.

“I’ve taken more time off this year,” Keckeisen said. “I’m having more fun being with the team and hanging with them more.”

Like many athletes, the value of bonding with team-

mates outside of practice and competition cannot be overstated. Keckeisen has taken advantage of the camaraderie of his team, perhaps more so this year than in the past.

Going into Nationals this weekend, Keckeisen said he is prepared and ready to take on the competition.

“It’s where I want to be and where I train to be,” Keckeisen said.

For him, being the first overall seed and favorite is an expectation he believes his training reflects. Nonetheless, Keckeisen knows not to overemphasize the moment.

“It is just three days of competition and three days doesn’t define who you are.”

Though many people tend to think the biggest meets are the end-all-be-all of their careers, Keckeisen dismisses that approach and rather sees it as just another opportunity to perform at the sport he loves. Keckeisen will continue his pursuit of championship gold as he prepares to take the mat at the national championships in Kansas City, Mo. Keckeisen will face the winner of Anthony D’Alesio of Long Island University versus Thomas Brooker of Appalachian State.

COURTESY/UNI ATHLETICS

UNI wrestler Parker Keckeisen won his fourth straight Big 12 Wrestling title this past week. He is now ranked first overall seed going into the national tournament for the second year in a row.

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

ANSWERS

Across

1 Half a situp

7 Commercial tune

13 "A Wrinkle in Time" novelist Madeleine

14 Timekeepers that don't work on a rainy day

16 How baked potatoes may be cooked

17 Remove, as a seatbelt

18 Gina Boswell of Bath & Body Works, e.g.: Abbr.

19 Sequel to Puzo's "The Last Don"

21 "Mean Girls" writer Fey

22 Underwater plant with gasfilled bladders

24 Wayward

26 Time out?

27 Playground retort

29 Quirky habit

31 Cliche

33 French noble

35 Comprehend

39 Eurythmics lead singer Lennox

40 Go from 4x6 to 8x10, say: Abbr.

41 Totaled

42 Busy restaurant's notification device

43 JFK predecessor

44 Like some purchases

45 "The __ is calm tonight":

"Dover Beach" opening

47 Mouths off to

49 Amtrak stop: Abbr.

52 Silky

54 Guidelines: Abbr.

57 Ultimate

59 Creative works

61 Goal

62 Are cast members of 64 Yukon neighbor

66 Prop for a rock singer

67 Watering hole in TV's "M*A*S*H"

68 Unnerve 69 1984 mermaid movie

Down

1 Hit it off

2 Zellweger of "Judy"

3 Developing

4 CARE, e.g.

5 Sister of Erato

6 Knight cap

7 Ruling faction after a coup

8 Baby

9 Contract that may prevent bad PR

10 Crux

11 Ancestor of the romance languages

12 Justice Kagan

14 Audiophile's setup, and an apt description of the perimeter of this puzzle

15 Button alternative

20 Ate away

23 Feels sorry for

25 Fertile Crescent river

28 Some combines

30 Origami birds

31 Stout spout

32 Messenger molecule

34 Soccer equipment

36 Youngest daughter of Nicholas II

37 Valvoline rival

38 Dad

46 Unscrupulous

48 Woolgathers?

49 Poetry event

50 Piglike rhino kin

51 Pet re-homing org.

53 Provide a view

55 Sea walls

56 Huge success

58 Assessment that may end with "Pencils down"

60 Unappealing food

63 NFL passing stat

65 Communication syst. with hand motions