3-4-2021

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THURSDAY, APRIL 5

THURSDAY, MARCH 4

VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 38

LECTURE

COMEDY NIGHT

WOMEN’S BBALL

NEWS PAGE 2

CAMPUS LIFE PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 6

The latest Aldo Leopold lecture discusses environmental and climate justice.

GBPAC to host an in-person audience for comedians Orlando Leyba and Tammy Pescatelli.

The UNI Panthers defeat Evansville Aces on senior day.

Spring commencement moves in-person CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Staff Writer

In an announcement that brought relief to many in the graduating class, UNI has reversed its decision to hold an all-virtual spring commencement. On Monday, March 1, the university announced that it will now be hosting a limited in-person commencement ceremony May 7 and 8 in the UNI-Dome.

UNI public relations manager Steve Schmadeke said that the lowering COVID-19 case numbers in the state and region were one factor that led the university to reconsider an in-person commencement. However, there is still a chance current commencement plans could change due to the nature of the pandemic and changing guidelines.

Senior digital communications major Mili Saliu, creator of the petition that received over 2,000 signatures urging

TONI FORTMANN/Northern Iowan

The UNI-Dome is set to be the location of three separate in-person commencement ceremonies this spring.

the university to reconsider an in-person ceremony, was excited to hear the university was reversing its initial decision.

“I was so flabbergasted,” Saliu said. “When I got the email saying commencement was going to be held in the

Dome and in three separate ceremonies, as I said in my letter, I was just shocked. I was like, ‘wow; I can’t believe they are actually going to hold it.’”

The announcement sent out by the university outlined how the ceremony would be

Athlete award for scoring the most points. Cooper finished second in the 60-meter dash, while winning the 200-meter dash as well as anchoring the championship 4x400 relay team.

The other members of this team were Connor Blough, Sven Van Den Bergh and Seb Gearhart.

Graduate student Darius King also received a specialty award, receiving the Most Valuable Field Athlete award for having the highest NCAA ranking in a field event. King was the champion in the shot put, throwing 64 feet, 10.5 inches, good for ninth in the NCAA. King also finished third in the weight throw, an event that was won by UNI’s Kyler Yodts.

Parker Kiewiet received the Freshman of the Year award for most points scored by a freshman. Kiewiet finished second in the long jump, jumping 24 feet, 0.25 inches, and he also finished

fourth in the heptathlon. Also in the heptathlon, UNI sophomore Thai Thompson finished in second place. UNI head coach Dave Paulsen was also recognized, receiving the Coach of the Year award.

In other all-conference finishes for the men, freshman Brendan Safley took home first place in the pole vault, vaulting 15 feet, 9.25 inches. Senior Eli Hicks finished third in the 200-meter dash, running a time of 21.89 seconds. Sophomore Jack Sumners was third in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing in 8.00 seconds. Van Den Bergh, who also ran on the victorious 4x400 relay, took third in the 400-meter dash in 49.08 seconds, and Yodts, who was victorious in the weight throw, also took third in the shot put at 57 feet, 0.75 inches.

conducted in accordance with COVID-19 safety restrictions.

Three separate ceremonies are to be held for the respective bachelor’s and master’s candidates, organized by college. The ceremonies will be held in the UNI-Dome, and

a virtual commencement will also take place that weekend.

Graduates can choose to participate in both in-person and virtual ceremonies.

The modified ceremony will announce the names of the graduates as they cross the stage. Professional photography will be available, and social distancing and masks will be required for all in attendance.

“These modified commencement events are being designed to safely celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates and protect the health of our campus community,” the university’s statement read. “It’s important to note that while we are excited to recognize our graduates and honor their hard work, we will continue to monitor public health information and guidelines to ensure this event can occur safely.”

Panther men win second conference title, women finish 3rd DAVID WARRINGTON

Sports Writer

From Friday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, Feb. 28, the UNI-Dome was host to the 2021 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship meet.

The Panthers managed to find a lot of success throughout the weekend. In the team standings, the men came out on top, scoring 167.5 points to win their second consecutive and 14th overall conference championship, while the women finished with 107 points, which was enough to secure third place. Individually, a total of 21 Panthers received all-conference recognition for finishing within the top three in their respective events, and four Panthers received specialty awards.

Senior Tayshaun Cooper was awarded the Most Valuable

See TRACK & FIELD, page 6

See COMMENCEMENT, page 2

TONI FORTMANN/Northern Iowan

Several of the UNI women finished in all-conference positions at the 2021 Missouri Valley Confeerence Indoor Track and Field Championship meet.

PAGE 2

MARCH 4, 2021 |

ELIZABETH KELSEY

NEWS

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

News Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 38

Lecture highlights climate justice EMMA PISTARINO

Robert Bullard, widely regarded as the “father of environmental justice,” discussed his work combatting environmental racism as the latest installment in the Aldo Leopold Distinguished Lecture Series.

health disparities.”

During his hour-long presentation, Bullard described his role in the environmental justice movement, which began with the “Bean v. Southwestern Waste Management Corporation” lawsuit in 1979. This lawsuit, brought by his wife Attorney Linda McKeever, represented middle income black communities in North East Houston, who were fighting for equal environmental protection under the law.

Bullard’s work was able to prove that 82% of all landfills in Houston had been built in Black neighborhoods, between the 1920s and 1978, although Black citizens made up only 25% of the city’s population.

Although McKeever lost the lawsuit because she was unable to prove intentional discrimination, Bullard said he sees it as the beginning of an important movement of environmental justice and self-determination in the United States.

“We lost the battle but won the war in terms of starting a movement. The lawsuit, which came before other environmental studies at the national level, laid the foundation for environmental justice teaching, research, policy and civic engagement for decades to follow,” said Bullard.

Bullard went on to talk about the issues that minori-

ties are still facing today when it comes to environmental and health crises, particularly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that Black children are already four more times to be admitted to the hospital due to respiratory illnesses like asthma, and a 2020 Harvard study showed that death rates for COVID-19 are 15% in people who breathe in high concentrations of air pollutants.

“Blacks and Latinos are disproportionately burdened with breathing air that has been polluted by whites,” Bullard said. “Black people in the U.S. are exposed to 56% more pollution than what is caused by their consumption.

This is unacceptable. And it is preventable.”

Bullard also pointed out that Black Americans are more likely to live in food deserts or lack transportation services, which forces them to travel further for COVID-19 vaccinations. This, as he sees it, is an issue of both transportation justice and health justice, both subjects Bullard has touched on in his work.

In the past year, however, he has seen community-based organizations working hard to help close this gap.

“I am optimistic that we will be able to achieve and address these issues in a way that will bring about justice and fairness for all,” Bullard said.

Graduates will be permitted to invite a limited number of guests, and the ceremony will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend.

The statement also noted that because of the limited number of people that can be hosted in the UNI-Dome, only May 2021 graduates will be able to attend. May and December 2020 graduates will be honored at a later date. Doctoral

graduates will also be recognized in a separate ceremony.

The virtual commencement will present videos from people who would normally speak during commencement.

These include President Nook, Provost Wohlpart, Northern Iowa Student Government, UNI Alumni Association and three student speakers chosen by their colleges.

Iowa’s other two Regents universities also announced plans on Monday for modified in-person commencement

events.

The University of Iowa, after previously indicating that commencement would be virtual, released a statement that administration is “working to develop an in-person commencement option,” with more details to be released by March 19.

Iowa State University plans to hold modified events at Jack Trice Stadium, recognizing undergraduates on May 8 and master’s graduates on May 7. The statement from

President Wendy Wintersteen noted that the university does not anticipate a need to limit attendance “due to the large capacity and outdoor setting of the stadium,” although all graduates and guests must practice social distancing and wear face coverings.

No matter the modifications, Saliu, as well as many others in the UNI graduating class, are excited to have the opportunity to walk across the stage at commencement.

“It’s not just graduation;

it’s so much more than that,” Saliu said.

Schmadeke is also pleased the university can host an in-person commencement.

“We’re thrilled to be able to provide these options for our students to celebrate their achievements,” Schmadeke said.

For more information regarding spring commencement and how to apply for graduation, visit registrar. uni.edu/graduation-and-commencement/spring.

NORTHERN IOWAN

EDITORIAL STAFF

PRODUCTION STAFF

GABI CUMMINGS

KARLA DE BRUIN

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor witheaab@uni.edu

GABI CUMMINGS Production Graphics

The Northern Iowan is published semi-weekly on Monday and Thursday during the academic year, except for holidays and examination periods, by the University of Northern Iowa, L011 Maucker Union, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0166 under the auspices of the Board of Student Publications.

Advertising errors that are the fault of the Northern Iowan will be corrected at no cost to the advertiser only if the Northern Iowan office is notified within seven days of the original publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at any time.

The Northern Iowan is funded in part with student activity fees.

Staff Writer

At 7 p.m. on Monday, March 1, Robert Bullard gave a lecture on “The Quest for Environmental and Climate Justice” via the virtual platform Webex, discussing his life’s work as well as the continued need to empower vulnerable populations in the fight against climate change.

The presentation was part of the Aldo Leopold Distinguished Lecture Series and was hosted jointly by Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and UNI. Bullard is a sociologist, known as the “father of envi-

ronmental justice,” who has been involved with environmental and climate justice since the 1970s. His work at Texas Southern University, where he is the former Dean of the Barbara JordanMickey Leland School of Public Affairs and a current distinguished professor, as well as his 18 award-winning books on the subject, have gained him recognition in the field. In 2020, he was awarded the United Nations Environmental Program’s highest environmental honor, the Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award.

As defined by Bullard, environmental racism refers

to any policy, practice or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages individuals and communities based on color, whether intentionally or not.

“In the U.S., not all communities were created equal.

Some communities are protected, some laws are enforced rigorously in some areas or neighborhoods, while in other areas government officials look the other way and allow operations to occur,” Bullard said. “If it happens to be poor people and people of color getting the worst of the worst, that is a form of injustice. This shows up in bad health, or environmental

LEOPOLD LECTURE SERIES/Courtesy Photo

COMMENCEMENT

continued from page 1

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PAGE 3

OPINION

EMMA’LE MAAS Executive Editor

MARCH 4, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 38

Disclaimer: The following opinion articles featured do not reflect the opinion of the Northern Iowan newspaper or staff as a whole.

Dr. Seuss isn’t “cancelled” EMERSON SLOMKA

Opinion Columnist

Dr. Seuss Enterprises has announced that they will cease publication of six Dr. Seuss books due to their insensitive portrayal of racial caricatures, elaborating that “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”

This decision was made last year, and publisher Random House Children’s Books has released a statement saying that they respect the decision made

by Seuss’ estate.

According to a 2019 study published in St. Catherine University’s Research on Diversity in Youth Literature journal, out of 50 Dr. Seuss books examined, 45 characters of color were identified, with 43 being offensive caricatures of Asian people, and the remaining two being offensive caricatures of Black people. No positive (or even neutral) depictions of people of color were identified.

This, however, didn’t stop Conservative media from immediately lashing

out.

“The cancel culture is canceling Dr. Seuss,” said Brian Kilmeade, host of Fox & Friends. “Biden CANCELS Dr. Seuss” read a DailyMail headline. While the topic certainly makes for the perfect “left-wing PC culture gone too far” narrative, it simply isn’t accurate.

Dr. Seuss hasn’t been cancelled whatsoever – his estate has decided to withdraw from publishing six books (out of the over 60 children’s books he had published) featuring racist caricatures. This decision was not forced – it was an internal decision. As for President Biden “cancelling” Dr. Seuss? President Biden’s “Read Across America Day” statement didn’t mention Dr. Seuss. It may be a tradition-defying omission, but hardly a cancellation.

This isn’t the first innocent occurrence this week that right-wing media has overblown in order to further their agenda. Last week, Hasbro announced that the Mr. Potato Head brand was being rebranded to Potato Head – an understandable decision, given that they produce more than one vari-

Tribune News Service

Emerson Slomka discusses the controversy surrounding beloved children’s book author Dr. Seuss.

ation of the Potato Head character. Despite elaborating that the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head toys would be produced as normal, rightwing news outlets began to report that Mr. Potato Head had gone “gender neutral,” with Rep. Matt Gaetz referring to it as “America’s first transgender doll.”

Dr. Seuss books will continue to be some of the most easily-accessible children’s literature, and Dr. Seuss will likely continue to be a celebrated figure – just with the recognition that

celebrated figures are often complex people.

Theodor Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, had a long and often contradictory history with the subject of race. In his early years as an artist, Geisel depicted anti-Black and antisemitic caricatures in his cartoons as a student at Dartmouth College, often using racial slurs in his work. However, it seems that time brought about a radical shift in Geisel’s thinking.

In World War II, Geisel began to publish political

cartoons, producing over 400 cartoons for left-leaning newspaper PM. Works included a cartoon of a woman in a shirt reading “America First” reading a book entitled “Adolf the Wolf ” to two children with the caption “...and the Wolf chewed up the children and spit out their bones ... but those were foreign children and it really didn’t matter.”

There was also a comic in which Uncle Sam removes the “racial prejudice bug” from a man’s brain, subtitled “What This Country Needs Is a Good Mental Insecticide.”

Geisel, while far from exemplary, was willing to re-examine his views and evolve. Shouldn’t his library reflect this, even posthumously? The story of Dr. Seuss is a prime example of how people can change over time – the same person who drew minstrel-esque caricatures of Black people would go on to write “The Sneetches” decades later, which is celebrated as a tale of tolerance and diversity.

While we can certainly celebrate the end result, perhaps we shouldn’t do the same with the former.

Hold President Biden accountable, abandon parties

MOHAMMED RAWWAS

Opinion Columnist

If there is one political position that both liberals and conservatives can agree on, it is this: “politics” as a cultural phenomenon exists to be engaged in solely for the purpose of deriving enjoyment out of witnessing your proscribed enemies experience pain and suffering. The old adage of “the cruelty is the point” lobbed at the Trump administration now applies just as well to mainstream liberalism. Suffice to say, the liberal reaction to the dozens of deaths in Texas due to extreme weather, the announcement of the Biden administration continuing detention camps for migrant children and the recent bombing of Syria will more than demonstrate this point.

Of course, liberal disdain for the working class is nothing new. Neither is liberal disdain for the entire populations of states that happen to, on the whole, vote for Republicans. Simply

recall the talking point a few years ago about the fact that “blue” states generated income for the federal government, while “red” states were the ones that expended more than they brought in. Every right-wing trope about welfare leeches is now being parroted by liberals, who were morally condemning “red” states for receiving welfare, ultimately condemning people in poverty who happened to live in states that, overall, voted Republican, for receiving welfare. This narrative can only exist if it presupposes who is and isn’t virtuous, and then only extends the rights and privileges of society to those who it deems virtuous.

In the liberal conception, anyone who lives in a state that votes Republican is not virtuous. Yet, these Democrats could just as easily be Republicans, because they are mobilizing the same logic of sadism as the right.

We saw this exact same narrative play out as regards to the Texas, with liberals blaming Texans themselves for voting for Republicans,

which is what led to the privatized and deregulated electric grid that caused the power failures. While it is true that Republican legislators are to blame for the power failures, the lack of response and the general inaction on climate change, the lack of empathy for victims – most of which are probably non-voters and some of which certainly voted for Democrats – is appalling. The idea that people deserve what they vote for presupposes a level of transparency and conscious decision-making when it comes to voting that simply does not exist. I am certain that people would not vote a certain way if they knew that that vote would directly lead to their own deaths, so it is sufficed to say that that is probably not why these people voted as they did.

In concerns to the liberal defense of Biden’s concentration camps, sadism is the only term to describe it. Rather than interrogate the underlying reasons that unaccompanied minors are entering the country, some merely noted that since

this is the situation, they have to be held somewhere (apparently, the distinction between housing someone and detaining someone has eluded them).

Perhaps the worst take of all was the suggestion that only from a position of privilege can migrant detention facilities appear as such, which points to a more general failure with privilege discourse as such (this can also be seen in the assertion that calling for minimum wage increases or stimulus checks is “egocentric”). Whereas liberals decry “privilege,” communists (such as myself) fully embrace it. Migrant children should have the “privilege” of not being detained! Just as minimum wage workers should have the “privilege” of being paid a living wage, at this point probably well north of $15 an hour. The only way to stop detentions at the border is to grant full citizenship immediately to every undocumented person currently residing in the United States, and to extend that to anyone who arrives at the border seeking it.

Furthermore, the military and economic imperialism waged upon Latin America by the United States (and other actors) should cease immediately, so that the specific countries experiencing emigration can be safe environments that their citizens will want to continue living in.

Finally, while the air strikes of Syria under Trump were rightly condemned, in addition to pointing out that they were illegal under both U.S. and international law, that same logic has apparently not held for many when it comes to Biden. The glibness with which many liberals have dismissed this exact same critique of Biden seems to stem from the fact that the Middle East is seen as a violent, terrorist-ridden landscape, and as thus is virtueless. Therefore, no moral consideration need be granted to Arabs. After all, in the mind of a U.S. liberal, none of them have voted for Democrats, so none of them have properly demonstrated their virtue.

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CAMPUS LIFE MARCH 4, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 38

Laugh it up at GBPAC comedy night CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Staff Writer

If students are looking to take a break from schoolwork, have a fun night out with friends and have a few laughs, look no further. Gallagher Bluedor n Performing Arts Center (GBPAC) will be hosting a double comedy night featuring comedians Orlando Leyba and Tammy Pescatelli on Saturday, March 27.

Audience members will be socially distanced and will be expected to follow GBPAC’s COVID-19 safety policies.

Everyone will be required to wear masks and the auditorium will be at half capacity giving people plenty of space to social distance.

GBPAC marketing manager Blake Argotsinger encourages students to try the show even if they are skeptical.

“It’s going to be a fun

night and a good atmosphere,” he said. “Even if you don’t know these comedians, take a chance.

They are both great comedians, so it will be a fun night.”

Orlando Leyba made his late-night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and can be seen on EntreNos on HBO Latino, TruTv Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks and his own HBO comedy special, “Adorable.” Leyba was also a finalist on NBC’s Standup Diversity Showcase.

Tammy Pescatelli worked as a morning radio show co-host and performer in the Quad Cities before kick starting her career in comedy when she made the Final 5 of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” which received more than 18 million viewers. Pescatelli co-created, executive produced, wrote and starred in a reality TV show called “A Standup Mother.” Her

Winter clothing available in ISSO

NI Archives

Coats, gloves and other articles of winter clothing are available for free in the ISSO.

DARIEN GORDAN Staff Writer

Students who have been looking to beat the chilling temperatures of the previous months can look to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) as they hold their annual winter coat drive.

Located at room 113 in the upper level of Maucker Union, coats and other articles of clothing – including gloves, scarves and hats – are available to all students on UNI’s campus. The office is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m -4:30 p.m.

The Inter national Students and Scholars

Office is an organization geared towards helping international students feel at home in Iowa and especially at UNI. The organization holds events for international and domestic students.

Their biggest event of the year is the International Education Week where students learn about different countries and traditions. This event allows domestic students to learn about a country from other students who live there.

When asked what ISSO does for students, Graduate Assistant Raley Slaymaker stated, “We try to make (international students) feel as much at home (at UNI) as possible.”

GBPAC/Courtesy Photo

Comedians Orlando Leyba and Tammy Pescatelli will be showcasing their comedic talents at GBPAC later this month.

comedy special “Finding the Funny” was released on Netflix in 2013.

Argotsinger recommends looking up the comedians on YouTube and watching a few of their stand-up routines.

“They aren’t big name comedians, and so the more you watch the fun-

nier they get, and you connect with them so I would encourage people to take 10 minutes and just binge on YouTube videos and see what they got,” he said.

Tickets for the show start at $25.50 for students and can be purchased through Gallagher

Bluedorn’s ticket office, over the phone by calling 1-877-549-SHOW (7469) or emailing tickets@uni.edu.

Tickets can also be purchased online at https://www. gbpac.com/event/come dy - n i g h t - t a m my - p e s catelli-orlando-leyba.

PAGE 5

CAMPUS LIFE

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor

MARCH 4, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 38

Billie Holiday biopic exploits singer’s pain HUNTER FRIESEN Film Critic

Another awards season, another tortured celebrity biopic. Last year was “Judy” and the year before that was “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A few years earlier was “La Vie En Rose.” Before that was “Walk the Line,” and before that was “Ray” and so on and so on until the beginning of time.

Why do these movies keep being made if they all use the same recycled formula? The answer is the Oscars. All of those movies I just listed won an Oscar for a leading performance by an actor portraying a real-life celebrity.

Biopics are the baitiest of genres when it comes to the Oscars. There’s no purely objective way to critique a performance, but it sure is a lot easier to judge a performance by comparing it to the real person than it is to judge a fictional character. Is that lazy and unoriginal?

Of course! But it works so well and requires a lot less effort than the alternatives. Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Speaking of lazy and unoriginal, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” is the newest entry into this tirelessly imitated genre.

Lee Daniels of “Precious” and “The Butler” fame directs this true story of the persecution singer Billie Holiday faced from the federal government because of her anti-lynching song

Tribune News Service

Film Critic Hunter Friesen reviews the upcoming film “The United States Vs. Billie Holiday.”

“Strange Fruit.” Holiday also struggled with a heroin and alcohol addiction, something that the government constantly used as blackmail against her.

The framing of this grand story surrounds an interview Holiday does just before she dies. She’s questioned about many things, most notably why “Strange Fruit” was a song she was willing to kill her career – and eventually herself – for.

It’s a question Holiday has no peace of mind to answer as she’s already given her answer by living a life filled with hate and bigotry. Daniels treats Holiday as a martyr, someone who died because of the wickedness of others.

While that approach has worked in several

biopics before, the barrier that Daniels refuses to even attempt to overcome is to give his martyr some humanity.

Unlike every other musician-drug-addiction film, Daniels doesn’t seem all that interested in learning about the character of Holiday. He’s simply a con-artist taking someone’s true pain for his personal gain. He offers little sympathy for Holiday’s condition, which can be seen by the endless barrage of closeups of needles being stuck in arms. It becomes pure misery porn that doesn’t contextualize Holiday’s present with her past.

Brief flashbacks here and there give glimpses into her childhood – one filled with whorehouses and abuse – that only aim

to shock and traumatize the viewer.

Similar to Daniels’ exploitative directing is the screenplay by SuzanLori Parks, which has the same quality as a high school play. There is nothing in this script to deviate it from other biopics about black singers such as “Ray” and “Get On Up.” It’s the same old story of success, tragedy and redemption that you and I have seen a thousand times before and will see another thousand times again.

This time it’s just plain boring to watch. The twohour runtime feels like three, and the message about racism and drug addiction boils down to “it’s bad, don’t do it.”

Sure, the cinematography and production design

is top-notch. There’s one brief sequence seemingly done in one take that blew me away with its inventiveness and tonal ignorance. However, all those window dressings mean nothing when the core is empty.

So, who’s the person looking to win an Oscar for their titular portrayal? That would be Andra Day, already a Grammy nominee. Ms. Day has recently won the Golden Globe for “Best Actress in a Drama” and is looking to claim her spot in the Oscar race. Her performance is about the only thing that is worth praise as she both acts and sings circles around her contemporaries. It’s absolutely stunning that this is her first lead role in a film.

The rest of the supporting cast pale in comparison as Trevontae Rhodes is disappointing as conflicted federal agent Jimmy Fletcher , and Garret Hedlund is downright embarrassing as bureau head Harry J. Anslinger, who acts like the identical twin of Dick Dastardly.

“The United States vs.

Billie Holiday” is a tiring and soapy entry into the neverending genre of musician biopics. Except for a great Andra Day lead performance, this is an entirely forgettable and shameful attempt to cover such an iconic time and figure in American history.

Panther|Preview mary ann bolton undergraduate research award

Active minds x psychology club collaboration

uni bass studio recital

“coco” screening

uni keyboard day

wednesday, feb. 4 friday, april 9

thursday, march 4 6 p.m.

thursday, march 4 6:30 p.m.

friday, march 5 7 p.m.

saturday, march 6 all day

rod library

maucker union

youtube

kab 111

virtual

PAGE 6

SPORTS MARCH 4, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

COLIN HORNING Sports Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 38

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Panthers blow out Aces, Maahs honored on Senior Day COLIN HORNING Sports Editor

The UNI women’s basketball team looked to return to the win column last weekend when they hosted Evansville for a two game, SaturdaySunday matchup for their final two home games of the season. Redshirt senior Megan Maahs was honored for her senior day following Sunday’s game, as she had confirmed that she will not return for another season (the NCAA is allowing all players one extra year of playing eligibility due to COVID-19). Facing an undermanned Evansville

squad, the Panthers easily won both games against the last-place Purple Aces.

The Panther women cruised through game one, winning by the score of 67-31. They held Evansville to zero points in the first quarter, which was the first time in school history that UNI has shut out an opponent in a single quarter. UNI also set a school record with 16 made three-pointers in the game en route to the easy victory.

The Aces only had nine players make the trip to Cedar Falls due to COVID19 complications and injuries on the team. Evansville did

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

UNI’s Bre Gunnels brings the ball up the floor. She led the Panthers with 11 rebounds in Saturday’s game against Evansville.

TRACK & FIELD

continued from page 1

The UNI women also had several athletes finish in all-conference positions.

The 4x400 relay of Jill Bennett, Emily Vos, Sophia Jungling and Allison Hilleman finished second in 3:52.69. The distance medley relay of Jungling, Hilleman, Sydney Schaffer, and Paige Holub also finished second with a time of 12:05.40. On top of their relay success, Jungling finished third in the 800meter run in 2:10.49, and Holub finished third in the mile run at 4:58.52. Senior McKayla Cole also came in third in the 5000-meter run at 17:34.95, senior Aleenah

Marcucci came in second in both the long jump as well as the 60-meter hurdles, and junior Cierra Laux finished second in the pole vault with a vault of 12 feet, 8 inches.

Looking ahead, Darius King, who is ranked ninth in the NCAA in the shot put, will compete at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday, March 11 through Saturday, March 13, at the Randal Tyson Center in Fayetteville, Ark. The rest of the athletes will look ahead to the outdoor season, which is set to begin on Friday, March 26 at the Blue Oval Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa.

not score until the 8:36 mark of the second quarter, when Rylie Stephens made two free throws to get the Aces on the board. UNI was simply able to wear down their opponents, as fatigue set in throughout the game for Evansville due to lack of substitute players.

Karli Rucker led the Panthers in scoring with 19 points and five made three-pointers. She also led the team with seven assists for the game. Kayba Laube and Kam Finley each had nine points for UNI. Cynthia Wolf and Bre Gunnels both had 11 rebounds for the Panthers, along with two blocked shots for Gunnels. Rylie Stephens was the leading scorer for Evansville with seven points in the game.

UNI only shot 31.5% from the field in the game but had 29 bench points and 26 second-chance points in the game. Evansville also committed 22 turnovers to UNI’s 11, with the Panthers taking advantage of the Aces’s giveaways.

UNI cruised to victory again in game two, winning by the final of 96-48. They set another school record for three-pointers made in a game with 21, breaking the record set the previous day. Laube and Finley both made five threes in the game, and also led the team in scoring with 17 and 15 points, respectively. Five Panthers were in double-figures for scoring in the contest, and eight different Panthers made at least one three-pointer.

UNI made 21-37 threes, good enough for 56.8% in the game, while Evansville did not make a single shot from beyond the arc. A’Niah

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

UNI’s Megan Maahs was honored last Sunday for Senior Day following the Panther’s 96-48 victory over Evansville.

Griffin and Abby Feit both had 14 apiece for the Purple Aces.

UNI’s only senior being honored for Senior Day was Megan Maahs.

For the game, she scored nine points and had eight rebounds in her final home game as a Panther. Upon leaving the floor for the final time, she was met with a standing ovation from the limited-capacity crowd at the McLeod Center.

Following the game, Maahs addressed the crowd by saying, “I wanted to thank my teammates, coaches and family for supporting me through my collegiate career. But we still have two more games this season against Souther n Illinois, so we aren’t done yet.” UNI head women’s

basketball coach Tanya Warren called Maahs “the most hard-working, selfless player that I have ever coached.”

Maahs was an Missouri Va l l e y Conference all-freshman selection back in 2017. In 2018, she was named first-team allMVC, first-team all-MVC defense and first-team allMVC tournament. She will go down as the UNI women’s basketball team’s alltime leading rebounder.

The Panther women will finish their regular season March 5-6 in Carbondale, Ill. for their final two games before the MVC conference tournament, or “Hoops in the Heartland.” The conference tour nament will be played March 11-14 at the Taxslayer Center in Moline, Ill.

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

The UNI women’s track & field team finished in third place over the weekend at the MVC conference championships, hosted at the UNI-Dome.

FUN & GAMES

KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor

MARCH 4, 2021 |

Across

1 Fast plane 4 Sultan’s group 9 Prickly seedcase 12 Organ with a hammer and anvil 13 Puts money away, as for retirement 15 Opposite of WNW 16 Actress Longoria 17 *Kids’ recreational garb 19 Revolutionary British soldiers 21 John of “Fawlty Towers” 22 __ lot: stuffs oneself 23 *Two-person log cutter 24 Little chess piece 26 Genetic initials 28 UFO passengers, presumably 29 On the house 32 Elicit 35 Put on TV

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

36 *Soar 38 Dickens pen name 41 City hall bigwig 42 Opposite of cruel 44 Artist’s deg.

46 Moscow’s land: Abbr.

48 App symbol 49 *Daytona 500, e.g.

52 Practical joke 55 Inexact lunch time 56 Mom’s and dad’s dads 59 Engage in tomfoolery ... and a hint to what goes with each part of the answers to starred clues, but not in the same way 61 Set a price of 62 Miners dig it 63 Sides of an issue 64 Michael of “SNL” 65 Snake’s sound 66 Bogs 67 London’s __ Gardens

Down

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1 Boo 2 Roof overhang 3 *Economic conflict often involving tariffs 4 “Papa Bear” of football 5 Gamer’s game face 6 “Curious George” creators Hans and Margret 7 Corner PC key 8 Chips in a garden 9 Order 10 Repurposes to replace, as a tool 11 Stitch again 13 Pick out in a crowd 14 __ sci: college major 18 Conical home 20 Ray Charles’ “I __ Stop Loving You” 23 Dry riverbed 24 Links gp.

25 Radio host Shapiro 27 India’s first prime minister 30 “__ tree falls ... “ 31 Underhanded 33 “Yuck!”

34 Former Energy secretary Steven 37 Days long gone 38 *Hiker’s carryall 39 Beatle bride 40 Buddhist discipline 41 Roger who hit 61 in ‘61 43 Take care of 44 Estate homes 45 Bordeaux brothers 47 Neaten (up) 49 Silver salmon 50 On the ocean 51 Deep depression 53 Raves’ companions 54 Added conditions 56 Suffix with movie 57 1975 Wimbledon winner Arthur 58 Twist, as facts 60 Troy, N.Y., school

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 38

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CLASSIFIEDS MARCH 4, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 38

Puzzle Answers CROSSWORD

!

Today's Horoscope

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Today’s Birthday (03/04/21).

This year invites transformational personal change.

Planning, coordination and organization combined with steady action realizes longheld dreams. Springtime brings career changes, before summer’s domestic delights.

Adapting your communications for new conditions next winter motivates rising professional status. Connect with your own heart and spirit.

upgrades. Discuss potential solutions with family.

How would you like it to be?

Imagine and sketch ideas. Get creative.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Educational and travel barriers still block the road. Fear or anger can amplify; monitor conditions and adapt. Listen and learn.

Study and investigate.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Have faith in your own imagination and capabilities to make a financial goal. Something you’ve been trying doesn’t work. Learn from the competition.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Review reserves. Communication unlocks a financial door.

Collaborate with a partner for shared gain. Avoid impetuous reactions. Tempers spark easily. Patiently pull together.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — Anticipate resistance with a personal matter. Self-doubt or insecurities could interfere. Connect with a trusted advisor. Express your feelings. Get outside your own monologue.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Negotiate and adjust plans with your partner.

Communication goes further than action. Don’t get pushy.

Listen to suggestions and get feedback. Discover valuable solutions.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Physical barriers require adaptation. Use gentle pressure rather than force. Slow to avoid accidents.

Wait patiently or find another way around. Prioritize health.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 6 — Rest and recuperate. Recharge and reorganize your plans for recent changes.

Communication reveals a solution. Ask questions. Write in your journal.

Imagination flowers.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — Wait for romantic developments. Tempers could flare. Avoid trouble or unnecessary quarrels. Don’t stir up jealousies. Creativity and communication reveal harmonious solutions.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Clean domestic messes. Make repairs and

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Exercise restraint. Don’t push into a brick wall. Listen more than speaking. Miscommunications proliferate and rumors spark like wildfire. Figure out what another wants.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Share team support around an obstacle.

Wait for better conditions to advance. Talk with your allies and colleagues for greater perspective. Diversity provides strength.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Prepare for inspection. A professional challenge requires adaptation. Reinforce infrastructures before depending on them.

You can see the weakness in the plan. Strengthen technical foundations.

SUDOKU ONE

SUDOKU TWO