Northwest Missourian

Trafficking awareness extends to Northwest, Maryville

HANNAH CLAYWELL Asst. News Editor | @Hannah_9504

Thousands of men, women and children are working in terrible conditions, being treated like animals and forced to sell their bodies every year. Many trafficking victims lose hope after not being treated like a human, possibly for years.

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and both the college and community police advise people to be aware. Only 0.4% of survivors are identified internationally, meaning most never get detected.

Women and girls make up 71% of human trafficking victims, and college students can be vulnerable as well with social media usage, economic instability and possible use of recreational substances.

This does not only affect college students, but the whole community. Police Chief Ron Christian and Detective Ryan Glidden said they could only remember one case being similar to human trafficking in Maryville.

In June 2015, a massage parlor opened in Maryville. At Sunny Massage the workers exchanged sexual acts with customers in exchange for money. Authorities became aware of this after an online advertisement containing various photos of women in different undressed states. The police addressed the issue very quickly, and the owner was arrested and charged.

Business closures impact rural town revenue

SIDNEY LOWRY Managing Editor | @sidney_lowry

The end of December, for most, means celebrating the holidays and bringing in the new year. For one store in Maryville, it also included their closure announcement. Following Sears Hometown Stores Inc. declaration of bankruptcy in December 2022, the Maryville location is the final store of its kind in the region.

Though the store in Maryville will be shutting down, it isn’t the only town where this will happen. There will be 115 Sears Hometown Store closures nationwide, with three shutdowns in Missouri, three in Iowa and four in Nebraska.

Executive Director of Nod-

away County Economic Development Josh McKim said this trend was seen before COVID, but the process sped up as inperson shopping came to a halt and had to move online.

“We were seeing a trend of more online shopping, but also people wanted their shopping to be an experience,” McKim said. “So it seemed, as an outsider looking in, it seemed that there were some strengths in businesses that could provide an experience.”

During the first year of COVID, there were roughly 200,000 permanent business closures across the nation, according to a study done through the Finance and Economics Discussion Series at the Federal Reserve.

Big Brothers Big Sisters recognize mentor’s impact

ALYNA THIBAULT Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian

Alongside this, McKim said since the pandemic, big companies have cut back on expansions and have started cutting shops and stores all over. Some locations at the top of the list for closures are those in rural areas.

“I really get frustrated with corporate retail because as you look at over the last 10 years of closures in Maryville that were corporate related stores, not one of them wasn’t profitable,” McKim said. “It was a corporate decision that said ‘We’re not profitable as a corporation, we’re gonna cut resources in small markets to move them to larger markets.’”

January marks the annual celebration of Mentoring Month, a time to recognize and appreciate the critical role mentorship plays in personal and professional development.

Big Brothers Big Sisters has been making a positive impact on the lives of young people for over 100 years. The organization matches children, also known as littles with adult mentors, or bigs who provide guidance and support. The goal is to help littles reach their full potential and succeed in their personal and academic lives.

Lynette Harbin is the executive director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nodaway County as well as a mentor. She has been with the organization since 2008 and started off on the Board of Directors.

“We are a mentoring organization,” Harbin said “We match children from a single parent or nontraditional home with an adult mentor, who spends a couple hours each week with the kid doing normal everyday type activities.”

Mentoring Month is a national celebration, mentors come from many forms and environments. They are special people that have great leadership, communication skills and empathy for younger adults.

“For us, as a mentoring organization, we use this month to really celebrate our mentors,” Harbin said.

GRAPHIC BY MAKAYLA POLAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Sears Hometown in Maryville announced its closing following Sears Hometown Stores, Inc. filing for bankruptcy.

DAKOTA WEAVER PHOTO EDITOR

Library promotes literacy through events

LAKEN MONGTOMERY News Reporter | @lmontgomerymiss

Maryville Public Library has been actively contributing to the community through hosting different activities, serving families in poverty and developing literacy and workforce skills.

Funded by a property tax levy that was approved and paid for by Maryville residents, the library charges nonresident fees for library cards outside of the taxing district. The exception to this tax also includes nonresident fees for households that are food-stamp eligible within Nodaway County.

In 2022, the requirements changed, allowing kids to be eligible for a library card. Library Director Stephanie Patterson said the Nodaway County Commission shared some of its federal American Rescue Plans Act funding to provide non resident cards to Nodaway County children outside of Maryville who are not covered by food stamps.

“The library’s nine-member volunteer Board of Trustees represent the property tax payers in Maryville. I report to them monthly and ultimately they determine the mission and overall direction of the library,” Patterson said in an email to The Missourian.

Due to the increased demand for library outreach has grown bigger than its ability to cover, it based its decisions on the schools that have higher numbers of children in low-income housing or schools that have lower test scores in reading.

The library said its goals for 2023 is to champion reading and literacy, support lifelong learning in the Maryville community in alignment with community needs and empower individuals in their own creative endeavors. Patterson said the goal the library has is to help children have access to library resources and enjoy learning.

“Maryville Public Library’s mission is to help the citizens of

Maryville succeed and enjoy life by reading, learning, creating and connecting,” Patterson said in an email to The Missourian.

To help keep kids active in learning and building skills, the library has set up multiple activities and clubs throughout the week.

The library hosts a storytime for children from birth to five years old. Its storytime is held at 9:45 a.m. every Tuesday and additionally at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10, Feb. 7, March 7, April 4 and May 2.

Lego Club is held at 5:30 p.m. monthly on the third Tuesday of every month for kids from Pre-K to sixth grade. The club is designed to allow children to use their imagination to create a build and have it displayed within the library.

In addition to storytime and Lego Club, the library has recently been working on monthly activities for students that no longer have school on Mondays. Due to a decision from

the school boards meeting of West Nodaway and NodawayHolt held in February of 2022, West Nodaway and NodawayHolt switched to a four-day school week to try to bring in more teachers. The library had to put it on pause and hopes to make a return in April.

Not only has it been working on activities for children in the community, in fall 2022, it began hosting monthly activities for adults.

The library’s long history, starting in the 1900s, goes into the decision to publish it on the National Register of Historic Places.

According to the Maryville Public Library, the library opened its doors to the public July 1, 1905, at its original location at the corner of Buchanan and Second Street. The building, constructed of red-pressed brick, was funded with a $15,000 gift from the American Industrial Leader and famed philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

The library was accepted as one of the seven Maryville sites listed on the National Park Services National Register of Historic Places. This means the National Park Service declares the once post office, now a library, a location worthy of preservation.

Recently, the library received the Downtown Facade Improvement Grant, a multi-year process of fixing building maintenance projects, from the city. This was made possible by the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds that grants businesses and nonprofits for the purpose of maintaining historical buildings. The grant provided $50,000 of its contract price of $100,000.

Library users vary from all ages. For many community members, the library offers a quiet place that offers helpful sources. Each year, the library works towards goals that will help people have a better access to sources that can sometimes be troublesome to acquire.

City Council approves contracts for Maryville improvements

SIDNEY LOWRY Managing Editor | @sidney_lowry

In just over 20 minutes, the City Council approved two contracts and an agreement for upcoming improvements throughout Maryville.

The first order of new business was for a contract with Great River Associates, Inc. for services on the East Thompson Street Trail

project. The project started in September 2022 when the city was notified it had received a Transportation Alternative Program through the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Based out of Springfield, Missouri, Great River Associates will be working on the extension, which consists of an eight-foot wide concrete trail along East

Thompson Street then down 1,600 linear feet to South Davis Street to South Laura Street.

City Manager Greg McDanel said the city looked at multiple firms for this project, but ended up choosing Great River Associates.

“They do have a history of successful projects here in Northwest Missouri, and they are very familiar with state and federal funding,” McDanel said.

The Council members approved the contract for the construction not to exceed just under $46,000, and McDanel said a portion of that money would be reimbursed back to the city through the MoDOT Transportation Alternative Funds Program.

The second contract of the night was a renewal for lawn care services between Thomas Lawn Care, LLC, and Maryville Parks and Recreation. Thomas Lawn Care has been providing this service to the city since 2017 following a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Board to contract out the mowing work at parks around town.

The contract includes the 26 mowings from April to October at Beal Park, Franklin Park, Happy Hollow Park, Judah Park, Sisson-Eek Park, Sunrise Park, Wabash Park and Thomson Splash ‘N’ Play.

Director of Maryville Parks and Recreation Jeff Stubblefield said contracting out this work has greatly helped MPR.

“It has saved parks and rec quite a bit of money with not only the labor, but the equipment,” he

said. “So, it helped our budget a lot and helped stabilize it.”

The Council members approved the contract not-to-exceed $40,040 for the continued maintenance of mowing some parks around town.

The Council also approved an agreement with Governmentjobs.com for its NEOGOV Human Resources cloud-based software. Through the software, city staffing will now work through electronic tracking for faster processing of applicants.

Human Resources Manager Roxanne Reed said this would benefit the city greatly and could

now offer online applications, which was previously not an option for candidates.

“They’re the only company that I researched that provides these services to public entities,” Reed said. “It allows for us to have a more efficient tracking system for our new hires and also for recruiting purposes, too.”

This service was included into the Fiscal Year 2023 budget for a two-year agreement for the service. The first payment will be $12,152 in FY2023, and the remainder of the $25,456 contract will be paid in FY24.

Other City Council Business:

• The Council approved the request to hold the annual Speedy Spoofhound 5K/Fun Run April 29. The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. and go until 10 a.m., closing East Second Street from Dewey Street to Davis Street during that time.

• The Maryville Police Department was told it was awarded for a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant through the Missouri Department of Public Safety of just under $10,000 for the replacement of radios.

Director of Maryville Parks and Recreation Jeff Stubblefield talks to the City Council about a contract with Thomas Lawn Care, LLC.

KAYLA ALLISON | PHOTOGRAPHER

The Maryville Public Library is located on Main Street down from City Hall. The library has multiple different activity spaces catered to youth as well as activities throughout the month.

GRACE ROTHWEILER | PHOTOGRAPHER

LIFE BEHIND THE LENS

Weddle uses photo, video to connect

LAKEN MONTGOMERY News Reporter | @lmontgomerymiss

On the second floor of the Administration Building, an office sits in the far back corner of the west wing. This room belongs to a man that thrives behind a camera and never misses an opportunity to get the perfect picture.

Senior Multimedia Specialist Todd Weddle has been working with cameras since he was in high school. His first job out of college was a photojournalist at the Sedalia Democrat, a small paper in Sedalia, Missouri, for many years before moving to the top corner of Missouri. Following that, he worked at St. Joseph NewsPress for 16-and-a-half years as a photographer and photo and video editor.

He spent over 20 years working in photojournalism and watching the industry and camera technology change over the years.

“My role is always behind the camera,” Weddle said. “I’m like the ninja, I don’t want to be seen, I want to be invisible, I don't want people to even notice I'm there. Because then I get to see them for who they are.”

Weddle’s career as a photographer began back in high school as an art student when he first picked up a camera. He believed it was the only way to put what was in his head into art without using paper or canvas.

He chose to continue his work in college at Northwest with a major in photojournalism and was invited to join stu-

dent publications to take pictures for them. He said that was when he started to fall in love with journalism.

Weddle decided he loved journalism when he went to a workshop at National Press Photographers Association, saw Bill Eppridge, a Life Magazine photographer known for his famous and meaningful photos throughout America that told a story.

“His images moved me so much, not knowing about the subjects or anything, but moved me, and the stories about those images moved me so much that I knew, that's what I had to do,” Weddle said.

He said he looks up to him as inspiration and a role model for his photography and was a big driving force for his work. He recalled loving how Eppridge told stories within his photos and his ability to capture people motivated him.

“I’m most proud of the ability to make an impact on the people that view my work, via video or photo,” Weddle said “Just being able to move somebody to a reaction of some kind, could be positive, could be negative, but they have an emotional response to my work. I feel like that has been something that has really made an impact on me, being able to see their emotions.”

Lauren Adams, Northwest multimedia specialist, has worked with Weddle a little over a year. She describes him as a very kind and hardworking individual, a blast to work with and a great boss that always creates the opportunity to be able to learn something new and be creative.

“I think Todd has impacted Northwest in a very positive way,” Adams said. “He has a lot of connections here and family ties, but he also goes out of his way to make people seen and heard and make them comfortable. He strives to show how great Northwest is and capture what it is about through his lens.”

Weddle not only has a love for media, but also spending his free time outdoors and traveling with his wife and kids. He spends as much time as he can outdoors camping, hiking or traveling. Most notably, he visited the Rocky Mountains, Smoky Mountains and his favorite destination — Maui.

When he's not out of town, he loves spending his time watching sports, going to brunch and being with his family as much as he can. He enjoys watching soccer and cheering on Sporting KC and the Chiefs occasionally and catching his coworkers up with the latest and greatest shows.

“I’m a big supporter of brunch, everybody likes to go to brunch on the weekends,” Weddle said.

Nature and sports aren’t the only things Weddle is passionate about. He always takes the opportunity to get the perfect picture, get to know anyone he can and impact the community with his work.

“Todd is all about capturing moments when the times are just right,” Adams said. “We’ll come into work and it could be negative 10 degrees outside, and he would say the lighting outside is perfect and that they might not get this opportunity again,

and he would go and get photos.”

One of Weddle’s favorite things to do is take photos of people, but he doesn’t click the button and move on. For him, taking photos is also an opportunity to get to know the people around him.

He said oftentimes, a person will start to open up, and you can learn about them and hear their story. He views the camera as an opportunity to meet and really get to know everyone.

“On any given day, I can meet everybody in the city,” Weddle said. “From the homeless people, to the mayor, people from all walks of life, every country that pours into Northwest. Having that ability to be impacted by others and grow myself, that's probably one of my favorite things about this job.”

Weddle has worked at Northwest for seven and a half years. There are moments that stick out to him most when he thinks about his career. He recalls the excitement of covering multiple Northwest football and basketball national championships, traveling for the alumni magazine, and watching students grow from being scared freshman to confident graduates that know what they want to do.

“Todd’s a really great guy, he’s not just a photographer or videographer,” Adams said.“There are so many things about him that make him great and shouldn’t be overlooked just because he’s the guy behind the camera. Every once in a while I feel like he should be in

of the camera too.”

maryvi in in

front

Todd Weddle reviews the photo taken during a marketing shoot in their studio and directs the students how to pose. Throughout the marketing event, Todd posed for the camera to show the models some bold poses.

LAKEN MONTGOMERY NEWS REPORTER

Senior Mutimedia Specialist Todd Weddle holds the microphone while Multimedia Specialist Lauren Adams uses a stabilized camera in a video shoot with Senior Kelby Dressler. Weddle said he is like a ninja behind the camera, he wants to be unseen to be able to really get to know people while taking photos of Northwest events.

LAKEN MONTGOMERY NEWS REPORTER

Todd Weddle poses for the camera in the middle of a marketing photo shoot. One of his favorite things to do in his job is to take pictures of people and get to know them through his camera.

LAKEN MONTGOMERY NEWS REPORTER

Senior Multimedia Specialist Todd Weddle and Multimedia Specialist Lauren Adams review footage from a marketing photo shoot. Todd has worked in photojournalism for 25 years.

LAKEN MONTGOMERY NEWS REPORTER

Senate to form new fee committee

HANNAH CLAYWELL Asst. News Editor | @Hannah_9504

At the second Student Senate meeting of the semester Jan. 24, it was announced it will be forming a new committee.

The Fees Committee will be formed to discuss any new fees that might be given to students. The committee will be given a full breakdown of possible fees. Treasurer Jillian McNamara and Senate Advisor Kori Hoffmann spoke about why this committee is forming.

“The state of Missouri passed a law, 15 or 20 years ago, that said basically you can not implement any student fees that apply to every student on campus without some representation,” Hoffmann said.

The Senate will be representing the Northwest students to maintain the regulations of this law. This new committee will be reviewing any fees the school might want to implement and either recommend it or not.

Two organizations came to Senate to request an appropriation for upcoming events.

Chapter President Reggie Harris Jr. came to Senate on behalf of Omega Psi Phi, a his-

“We try to make sure they understand how thankful we are for them. They are giving up their time for a child, and we want them to know we appreciate that,” Harban said.

Many mentors aren’t aware of National Mentoring Month, and BBBS made sure this month they were rewarded for their hard work. Harbin was able to give all the mentors in town a $10 Amazon gift card.

When becoming a mentor, people have to go through a rigorous process. BBBS requires a house check and many background checks to ensure the

CRIME LOG

for the week of Jan. 26

torically African-American fraternity, to request $1,140 for the International Undergraduate Summit. This program is a way for members of Omega Psi Phi to gain connections during their time at college, but also when looking for future jobs. Harris will be attending this Jan. 26-29 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Harris will be the only member attending the program and said the fraternity will be holding a fundraising event, which is date auctions.

“It will also teach me the ways of how to hold proper events on campus,” Harris said. “I would like to reach out to other schools to get them to come down here.”

Senate voted unanimously to appropriate the full amount to Omega Psi Phi.

Sherry Harper and Dawn’Yel Iverson also came to Senate to request $1,350 for Black Student Union. The Executive Board will be attending Big XII Conference hosted by Kansas State University. This conference assembles every year and promotes education about Black student government and promotes diversity.

“The Black Student Union at Northwest has not attended any conferences for Black student

safety of the children. When the volunteers are approved, they start the process of finding a little. After fi nding their matches, mentors will spend one-on-one time with their littles doing a variety of fun activities. The BBBS office also offers free games and activities.

“They mentor because they want to make a difference in a child’s life,” Harbin said. “Every child has potential, and mentors are there to help them see that potential.”

Devin Rankin is the secretary at St. Gregory Barbarigo Catholic Church and has been a mentor with BBBS for three years. She knew Harbin from the church, Harbin recommend-

government in the past five years,” Harper said. The organization has already received $609.08 from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and support from the University Wellness Services. Senate appropriated the full amount for the conference.

After the appropriations, five new representatives were sworn into Senate. Sage Thelen and Quinn Eagen were sworn in as senior class representatives. Allison McCord was sworn in as an on-campus representative. Manasa Taddi was sworn in as the PAL representative, and Silvia Alberti was sworn in as an international representative.

There are still no nominations or new members for off-campus representative and sophomore class representative. There is one off-campus representative spot open.

Representative Meagan Moreland said at the Board of Regents meeting, the new dining hall contract will be announced. She could not give any more information about that. President Elizabeth Motazedi also said the four candidates for the presidential search will also be announced. She is unable to give any more information on the topic.

ed Rankin to become a mentor and Rankin decided to take on the position.

“I’m not a parent to a 17-year-old girl, but I learned a lot about things they go through, hard times and good times,” Rankin said. “I’ve tried my best to learn how to talk to her about things and learn how to validate her feelings.”

Rankin’s little was 15 when she first started, and since then it’s gotten more difficult to spend lots of time together as she grows up and her schedule becomes busier. Despite this, they try to hang out as much as they can by going to Starbucks and catching up.

“Being involved with Big

Brothers Big Sisters means a lot to me. It’s a really cool thing to be trusted with someone else’s child and be able to shape her development alongside with her mom,” Rankin said. “I feel like what we do together makes a difference for her and to me.”

The one-on-one mentor relationships that Big Brothers Big Sisters have built have helped thousands of kids across the United States see their potential and given them a better future. In January they are recognized for their abilities to inspire and lead kids for many years. These aren’t short term relationships, they are long lasting relationships with great impact.

“People weren’t very happy about that being in our community, so it didn’t stick around for long,” Christian said.

The operation was not big enough to get any federal help, so there is no way to know if the girls working at the massage parlor were being trafficked or not.

Since Maryville is a rural community, there has not been as much of a problem as bigger cities like Kansas City, Missouri, and Des Moines, Iowa, might face. The Maryville Police Department does have a list of operations it goes through to find missing persons.

“We would utilize whatever resources that were available to get information,” Glidden said.

Christian said when something like human trafficking happens in Maryville, it usually gets spotted quickly because it stands out more.

“That’s one of the benefits of being in a little bit smaller community, some of the big city problems we don’t have to the same extent,” Christian said.

Interim Chief of University Police Department Amanda Cullin said the campus has several precautions in place. UPD is on call 24/7, and Bearcat Alert, an emergency text notification system, is active for all students.

“The most important thing is if something seems off, see something, say something,” Cullin said.

A lot of people who are trafficked are forced into labor. Many students on campus are actively looking for jobs, which puts them at a higher risk. Some students may get into a bad situation because of financial struggles and their desire to have a job.

The Maryville Police Department currently has an officer working in the school system, which has promoted communication between the youth and the police officers.

Cullin said it’s important for students to be aware on campus as well. UPD officers go through annual training, human trafficking being one of the areas covered. The Blue Campaign has a human trafficking response guide specifically for campus law enforcement.

Though there are not a lot of scenarios seen in Maryville, this is still a national issue. Hundreds of thousands of people get trafficked each year across international borders. The main population for trafficking is women, but men and children are also at risk.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline number is 1-888373-7888.

Missouri State University Police Department

Northwest

Jan. 21

There was an accident between Grady Hilsabeck, 51, and Nolan Wiese, 20, on College Avenue.

There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in South Complex. Jan. 17

There is a closed investigation for a fire alarm in Forest Village ApartmentsSycamore.

Maryville Police Department

Jan. 23

A summons was issued to Stephen A. Lomeli, 39, for not having a valid driver’s license and equipment on the 700 block of North Buchanan Street.

Jan. 22

A summons was issued to Cadence R. Stacy, 19, for driving while intoxicated, failure to maintain financial responsibility and failure to maintain the right half of the roadway on the 200 block of North Main Street.

Jan. 21

A summons was issued to Carly L. Ernst, 19, for a minor in possession on the 1600 block of North Grand Avenue.

A bucket was recovered on the 1700 block of East First Street.

CLOSURES

“Well, the small markets were where they were making their money.”

The discontinuation of stores in rural areas not only impacts revenue that is invested back into the community because of sales taxes, it impacts people on a much more personal level.

“You see people you know, who had jobs, who had opportunities, who had a career that they were building that goes away,” McKim said. “Some of them are able to easily transition somewhere else, but some of them aren’t.

… There’s a personal cost that folks bear and then as a community there’s a cost because we see our friends and neighbors negatively impacted.”

Despite the closure of hundreds of large chain business locations across the nation, small businesses surged in the second half of 2020 and have continued to do so since, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Nodaway County businesses were no different. During the first months of the pandemic, McKim said business owners had to adapt to the new wave of shopping while in-person business slowed to nearly nothing. Naturally, some businesses met their end, while others were

of small businesses were expected to shut down due to the pandemic.

businesses permanently closed across the U.S. during the first year of COVID.

able to continue on.

McKim said NCED offered funding and webinar series toward the beginning of the pandemic so businesses could easily transition to online sales as limits were placed on brick-and-mortar shopping. Though restrictions have been lifted, the foot traffic seen pre-pandemic hasn’t been seen since.

“I’ve seen a lot of other economic development professionals in my line of work talking about how easy it was for them to do that and not even thinking about how that impacted their local shops,” McKim said. “The scary part to me is that if professionals in my line of work aren’t thinking of the impacts, the general public a lot of times isn’t. Online shopping is going to be a major challenge.”

Projections from the beginning of COVID set small business closures at anywhere from 25-35%. McKim said Nodaway County didn’t see anywhere near that number and gives credit to local owners and shopping and their ability to adapt.

“I’ve always been impressed with the heart of our local businesses, ownership and their grit,” he said. “...We didn’t see anything near that. I think that’s a testament to our community at large and their understanding that they need to support local well, because if they don’t, then they won’t be there in the future.”

President of Omega Psi Phi Reggie Harris Jr. came forward at Student Senate Jan. 24 to request funding to attend International Undergraduate Summit. During this meeting, two organizations presented their request for funding and both were granted.

KAYLA ALLISON PHOTOGRAPHER

DISTRACTION

Sexualization starts young, but doesn’t stop there

Women are ridiculed for what they wear beginning in elementary school. Young girls are taught that their bodies need to be hidden as if their bodies are the actual problem. They are told too much of their own skin showing is inappropriate and a distraction. The message that is given to those girls is their bodies are objects and not their own.

Shorts must go past your fngertips, no matter how long your arms are. Shoulders must be covered up, even if the straps aren’t thick enough. No tank tops thinner than three fngers are allowed, no matter how warm it is.

Women of all ages have been sexualized with dress codes for decades. They are made out to be worth less because of what they choose to wear. This is not OK. The Editorial Board acknowledges this issue and wants to bring awareness to it.

It not only starts at a young age — but continues into adulthood. The Missouri State House of Representatives made the dress code for female legislators and staff stricter Jan. 11. The newly revised policy requires women to keep their arms covered with a jacket or a cardigan.

This is saying women in the House can’t do their jobs properly if their arms are showing. Let’s repeat that — their arms, a normal limb of the human body, can’t be exposed because it is a distraction to their colleagues. It doesn’t matter if these women feel uncomfortable — they must cover up.

This isn’t just a problem in the Missouri government and schools — it is a problem across the globe. Every society judges and ridicules women for their appearance and let’s be real, a woman’s social standing or body type has an effect on the criticism they receive.

Dress codes not only sexualize women, they prevent self-expression. People express themselves with clothing. They show who they are and what type of personality they have through their wardrobe. Dress codes limit that self-expression and personality. Creativity and expression are taken from women since they are little.

Another bad angle this gives is the promotion of rape culture. Women must cover up or they are a distraction. Women must cover up or they are asking for it. Women must cover up if they want their boundaries to be respected. Women must cover up if they don’t want to be sexualized.

Perspective needs to happen. We must stop objectifying women through their clothing and appearance.

The Editorial Board is composed of majority women who have all been affected by the impact of dress codes, but the issue does not stop with us.

We talked with people across campus and are not the only ones who have seen the effect of dress codes and objectifying women. We want women’s voices to be heard, so we took the initiative to use our platform to give them the chance to speak out.

NORTHWEST WOMEN SPEAK OUT:

“All I’ve ever known throughout elementary and high school was dress code. It started when I was corrected by an administrator to “put on a longer shirt.” I have seen the dress code affect my peers, but for others, the dress code didn’t exist, what they were wearing was considered cute. Since then, I have been self conscious of what I wear and how I wear it, making sure what I’m wearing is “appropriate.” It’s hard for me to feel comfortable in anything other than a big t-shirt/hoodie and jeans or leggings. There are endless examples and experiences. This needs to stop.”

“Dress code has been ingrained into our lives since we started school. My frst experience was in elementary school when my tank top straps were too thin and my shorts were too short. As an eight-year-old, that wasn’t something I was thinking about. Every day since then I ask myself if what I am wearing is distracting, if my shorts are too short or if my tank top is covering enough of my body. Many others have the same experience, theirs starting even before mine. That isn’t something that goes away when you leave school, it’s a worry that women have to deal with daily.”

SAVANNAH ATHY-SEDBROOK

“For the longest time I didn’t feel like I could comfortably live in my skin. I was judged, criticized and analyzed, even from my own mother, for wearing clothes that made me feel confdent. People underestimate how hard it is to love yourself enough to stop caring what other people think — especially with receiving unsolicited opinions since age nine. I fnally embraced it and wore a dress for Yearbook photos. Then my teacher told me I needed a jacket because my shoulders were showing. I’m tired of people determining how much I’m worth by how much of my skin is showing.”

SOPHIE WILLIAMS

I attended a small public school, and the dress code never affected me until I was a little older. I was in junior high, and I wore a blouse that wasn’t cropped and wasn’t showing cleavage. There was a section on my shoulders that showed skin. I went through the day not thinking twice about my shoulders being exposed, and I am sure most of my classmates didn’t either, but I was told to put on a jacket. I remember feeling embarrassed. I question why I didn’t stand up for myself. Telling a girl in junior high that her shoulders are a distraction to the rest of the students is not OK.”

MARISSA BOWMAN

“... I know that women weren’t really allowed to show their shoulders. Whenever I was younger in church, women weren’t allowed to wear bikinis in camp but guys could have their shirts off. I know sometimes at certain gyms, women aren’t allowed to wear just a sports bra, but guys can take their shirts off or wear cut offs. In general, I just feel like women’s bodies are sexualized in any context. So I feel like it’s hard to go to a space where the dress code feels fair for everyone.”

ELLIE MAGUIRE

“Growing up, dress codes did affect me, preschool to second grade I went to a private school. We had a strict dress code with a uniform, and at the time, I did not really know anything outside of that dress code so I didn’t really have an opinion on it when I was six years old. Looking back on it I do feel like that was very restricting of self expression. ... I also feel like it is more targeted towards females than males, most of the time in high school when I saw people get dress coded it was always girls and not boys. I just feel like it is very sexist.”

“I started being sexualized for my body in the fourth grade when I was told that I needed to dress more modestly — fourth grade. I wasn’t like my classmates, I didn’t ft into clothes from Justice and I never could shop at PINK. I already didn’t feel like I ft in because of my body, then my clothes weren’t allowed either. My worth then started to be measured by the amount of skin I was showing. I still struggle with confdence and wearing what I want because society has told me not to. I am more than what I am wearing. What I am wearing does not defne my worth.”

“I went to a large public school full of students of all shapes and sizes, yet I spent every day being shamed for what I was wearing. My friends always wanted to go to the mall and get the newest shirts from Victoria’s Secret, yet I would always leave without a bag. Instead, I was asking if we could stop at Target. Women live in constant dread based on what they are wearing, and for most, that starts with their own self image. Magazines, TV and even our toys were placed in front of us as the “ideal fgure.” I still struggle to this day accepting that I am able to wear what I want.”

ANGELA LITTLE

“In the past, dress codes have affected me because it makes me think twice about what I have to wear, and I feel like whenever you want to wear something you should wear it to express how you feel. Sometimes it makes me feel like I can’t wear something because it’s against a certain code or rule.”

Student Newspaper since 1914.

“I feel like especially for girls it’s easier to get called out for something as simple as showing your shoulder where a dude can get away with it no problem. I’ve been told to wear a jacket before, like over a tank top or something when it has thick straps.”

MAKAYLA POLAK

DAKOTA WEAVER

HANNAH CLAYWELL

SIDNEY LOWRY

GIANNA FILARDO

The Tigers have also made themselves one of the top defenses in the conference, as they are No. 1 in points allowed per game with 58.1. The Bearcats are No. 2 in the MIAA, allowing 59.3 points per matchup.

“They’re one of the few teams that sticks with what they do,” McCollum said about Hays. “That’s why they’re good. They stick with what they do, defensively. You’re not going to see a lot of gimmicks, you’re not going to see a lot of, ‘don’t guard this person, don’t guard this person’ and so on.”

“It always adds a little excitement to it, trying to say, ‘Our offense is better than their defense,’ but, in the end, it just comes down to whoever plays the best overall,” Dreamer said.

The first rematch of the season, though, will be Kearney. In the first meeting between the two squads, Northwest won 8474. It was a close contest until the Bearcats were able to gain separation on the scoreboard with roughly 12 minutes left.

Northwest has won seven consecutive matchups with the Lopers. Since the two squads’ first game of the season, Kearney has lost all but one of its next nine games. The Lopers are last in the MIAA, record-wise.

McCollum, who has coached against Kearney in 15 games throughout his career, doesn’t care where the Lopers are in the standings.

“However many wins they have, they’re the best ‘that’ team I’ve ever seen,” McCollum said. “They’re a lot better than people think, so we’ll have our hands full.”

RECORD

CONTINUED FROM A8

Sophomore Ally Hammond took first place in the women’s 60-meter dash with a Division II provisional qualifying time of 7.61, while sophomore Lexie Gilbert claimed second place with a time of 7.67.

Sophomore Kaylee Harp won the women’s 800-meter dash and met the provisional qualifying mark with a time of 2:12.82.

Hughey and sophomore Luisarys Toledo met provisional qualifying marks in the women’s 200-meter dash with times of 24.20 and 24.44, respectively. Those finishes were also good enough for the duo to capture first and second place in the event. Additionally, freshman Kennedi Cline claimed third place in the race.

With a time of 3:50.00, the quartet of Cline, Harp, sophomore Bailey Blake and sophomore Jaedy Commins won the women’s 4x400-meter relay.

Coach Brandon Masters said Northwest is strong on the women’s side. The polls agree with him, as the first rankings of the season by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches As-

sociation have the women’s track squad No. 3 in Division II. The No. 3 ranking is the highest the women’s team has ever been ranked in the first poll of the season.

Masters also said, even with the athletes earning good times over four weeks before the conference championships, motivation isn’t hard for his team to find.

“We’re not laying off the gas,” Masters said. “It’s been hard work. The girls have been working extremely hard, and it’s not like we’re changing our philosophy or the programming to get fast times.

… Girls like Caroline aren’t interested in school records, winning a meet or facility records. She’s not interested in that, and I’m putting words in her mouth because we haven’t had this conversation, but what drives Caroline and girls like Caroline are trips to the national championships.”

On the men’s side, two athletes won their events while two other athletes met provisional qualifying marks.

The Bearcats get the week off, with no meet on the weekend for the first time in two weeks. When they do return to competition, though, they’ll be back in the Hughes Fieldhouse for the Bearcat Invite Feb. 2-4.

“I feel like I stay pretty confident in our team,” Hartnett said. “I know what we’re capable of, we put the time in the gym so don’t have any reasons to not feel confident. It’s just a matter of how well we play on the court and if we can come together and do what we know how to do.”

After its two-game road trip, Northwest will return to Bearcat Arena once again. Before then, though, the Bearcats will look to improve their 3-3 record on the road. Meyer said winning on the road in the MIAA is tough to do.

“These are two of the toughest places to play in the league, so we just want to go in there and compete,” Meyer said. “We need to take it one possession at a time, we know we’re not going to be able to play a perfect game. We got to make sure to focus on the next play and if things go against us, we can’t get ourselves down. We just want to go in there, play hard, play well and compete and just kind of see what happens.”

Northwest track and field assistant coach Wick Cunningham and sophomore Reece Smith talk during practice Jan. 24. At the Northwest Open Jan. 21, Smith won the men’s 3000-meter run with a time of eight minutes, 20 seconds and 20 milliseconds.

WESLEY MILLER SPORTS EDITOR

INFOGRAPHIC BY SAVANNAH ATHY-SEDBROOK ASST. DESIGN EDITOR

Northwest women’s basketball sophomore guard Emma Atwood prepares to go up for a rebound during the Bearcats’ 68-67 loss.

DAKOTA WEAVER PHOTO EDITOR

Northwest softball awaits new season

Northwest softball is looking to improve from last season as spring is inching closer with secondyear coach Naomi Tellez.

Tellez said she is looking forward to the new season and looking to improve from last season when the team went 15-36, although at times it was a struggle.

“Going into this season, the excitement level is definitely higher than my first season just because we ended on such a positive note last year,” Tellez said. “We started definitely peaking towards the last half of the season.”

The team started to turn things around towards the end of the 2022 season, winning seven of its last 10 contests.

Northwest had a conference record of 9-17 in the 2022 season. Northwest had a batting average of .275, 49 home runs, 177 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .335. The team will look to polish up in all of those aspects to succeed at a high level.

One of the returning starters, sophomore infielder Skylar Pieper, said she is looking to improve off last years’ late-season success. As a freshman, Pieper had a team-high batting average of .322 and 12 RBIs. Pieper also had 164 putouts, with a fielding percentage of .973, and only five errors as the first baseman. Pieper said she is looking forward to the upcoming season.

“We are looking forward to just getting to show what we are actually capable of,” Pieper said. “Last year was our first year with our coach, so having a year under our belt will definitely give us a little boost. Hopefully, we can show our opponents that we are better than what our record was last year.”

“We have a lot of young and new talent coming in, so I am excited to see them perform and play at a really high level,” Tellez said.

There are 10 underclassmen on the team, including six freshmen. Pieper said the emphasis is competitiveness and consistency.

“Our coaches have emphasized to be competitive and that you are not going to be perfect,” Pieper said. “In this sport, we are in a game of failure. So, when you do fail, just put it behind you and take the next step forward.”

“We are mostly just really focusing on controlling the controllables,” Tellez said. “Consistency. We started off really slow last year, but being consistent across pitching, defense and hitting is definitely going to lead us in the right direction. Being able to be more consistent in those areas will definitely benefit us.”

Last season, six MIAA teams ended with a winning record, including the 2022 National Champions — Rogers State. The Bearcats finished at No. 10 in the conference.

In order for this team to be a contender in the MIAA, Pieper said they are going to have to compete and handle adversity better.

“In those scenarios when we are down, we just have to keep pushing through,” Pieper said. “We always can make that comeback and can come up with a win no matter the circumstances.”

Maryville competes in Cameron Tournament

RIVER BOYD Sports Reporter | @RiverBoyd5

It’s tournament week for Maryville boys basketball, as the Spoofhounds will travel 72.7 miles three times in four days for the Cameron Tournament. The Spoofhounds’ first tournament game was against Chillicothe Jan. 24 in Cameron, Missouri.

The Hornets came out redhot, taking a 9-2 lead in the first quarter, but the second quarter was a different story.

The ’Hounds took control in the second due to an 11-0 scoring run, fueled by a 3-point barrage from junior guard Derek Quinlin, who made four 3-pointers in the quarter. Their scoring run tied the game 2020 going into halftime.

Coach Matt Stoecklein said after the first quarter, he told the Spoofhounds they need to get back to what they know how to do.

“Move the ball, attack the paint, kick it out, finish at the rim — all that good stuff,” Stoecklein said. “They responded, and they started doing a really good job. That helped them, and Derek Quinlin had four 3’s in the second quarter to kind of get us back on track.”

The second half was tightly contested as neither team could pull away. The Spoofhounds and Hornets found themselves tied at 39 at the end of the fourth quarter, which meant extra time put on the clock.

Maryville finished strong, outscoring Chillicothe 15-7 in the extra period, winning 5446 in overtime. Stoecklein said he was proud of how his team

came back and started 1-0 in the Cameron Tournament.

“If we would have lost that game, it would’ve been a tough game to lose, especially to think you’re going to come away with the ‘W,’” Stoecklein said. “To lose that game, it would have been tough for us to walk into another game tomorrow night against a very big school, Smithville — a tough school with one of the better players in the area. So, having a 1-0 start is huge for morale.”

Maryville will travel back to Cameron Jan. 25 for a contest against Smithville (116), which will not be done in time for publication. At last year’s Cameron Tournament, the Warriors beat the Spoofhounds 56-41 Jan. 27, 2022.

UP NEXT

MHS vs. Cameron

6:45 p.m. Jan. 27 Cameron, Missouri

MHS vs. Bishop Ward (Kansas) 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31 Kansas City, Kansas

shots have definitely been taken. I think that’s the biggest thing if we just take good shots and make them, then I feel like we won’t have any problems.”

Maryville will get a day of rest before hitting the road to Cameron for the third time in four days. The Spoofhounds will end tournament play against Cameron, the tournament host, Jan. 27 in Cameron, Missouri.

The Dragons average fewer points per game — 54.4 — than Maryville and allow more points per game — 56.6. The Spoofhounds have won the last 12 meetings between the Dragons. The last time the Dragons won was Feb. 16, 2015, in 38-34 fashion in Cameron, Missouri.

Smithville averages 60.4 points per game, but the Warriors’ defense allows 51.9 points per game. The ’Hounds score 63.3 points per contest while allowing 54.1.

Senior forward Keaton Stone said the key to scoring against tough defenses is taking open looks and taking good shots.

“We’ve definitely struggled with really taking good looks, open 3’s, kicking out to 3’s,” Stone said. “I mean some tough

Stoecklein said it’s a challenge playing a team that has a home-court advantage.

“It’s always tough, especially when it’s your third game in four days. That’ll be tough,” Stoecklein said. “But, we’ve played in Cameron a lot whether home, away or a tournament. We’re pretty familiar with that gym. Feels like sometimes we have more away games in certain gyms than we do in our own home gym.”

Northwest softball coach Naomi Tellez addresses the team before starting a new drill during practice Jan. 24. The Bearcats will kick off the 2023 season Feb. 3 at the Minnesota State-Mankato University Invitational.

MALLORY SCHEELK MISSOURIAN PHOTOGRAPHER

TOP RIGHT: Northwest softball sophomore infielder Skylar Pieper runs towards freshman outfielder Alexis Brown in hopes to tag her out.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Northwest softball junior center fielder Avery Anderson bends down to tag freshman left fielder Omara Love out at the base during a drill.

TOP LEFT: Northwest softball senior catcher Madison Friest prepares to catch the ball from a teammate during practice Jan. 24.

PHOTOS BY: MALLORY SCHEELK PHOTOGRAPHER

Maryville boys basketball sophomore Peyton McCollum attempts a layup against Red Oak Jan. 6 in Maryville High School. Maryville plays Smithville Jan. 25 in Cameron, Missouri for the Spoofhounds’ second game of the Cameron Tournament.

RIVER BOYD SPORTS REPORTER

TREY HOUCHIN Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

‘Second time around’

Home meet sparks new records for women’s track team

WESLEY MILLER Sports Editor | @wesleymiller360

For the second time of the indoor season, Northwest track and field was able to enjoy the comforts of home with a meet inside the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse Jan. 21.

Northwest hosted the Northwest Open over the weekend, which is the second home meet and the first since the Mel Tjeerdsma Classic Dec. 9-10. Senior Caroline Cunningham said being able to stay in Maryville is an advantage because athletes get to sleep in their own bed, and they don’t have to go on a bus ride.

“It’s also a track we’re comfortable with,” Cunningham said. “We know how to run it, and we know how to run it hard.”

Much like the Bearcats’ first meet, the record books had to be changed afterward. One athlete was the driving force of the change to Northwest’s record books.

Cunningham is no stranger to having her name on top of the lists. During the 2022 indoor season, Cunningham set program-best times in the women’s one mile run at the MIAA Indoor Championships Feb. 25-27 and in the women’s 3,000-meter run at the Bearcat Open Feb. 4-5.

Men’s basketball embarks on road trip for pair of rematches

WESLEY MILLER Sports Editor | @wesleymiller360

Northwest men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum knows about this time of year all too well. He’s in his 14th season at the helm of the program, so he’s more than accustomed to how the schedule works.

As the Bearcats finished up the first half of their conference schedule with wins against Central Missouri Jan. 19 and Lincoln Jan. 21, the first rematches of the season approached.

“I’ve always liked the second time around,” McCollum said with a smile.

Junior forward Wes Dreamer said there is some added pressure when facing a team the second time of the season. He

said it’s challenging when the other team has already seen what his team plays like. This isn’t new for him, either, though. In his fourth season with the Bearcats, he’s familiar with seeing MIAA teams twice in a season. He’s also familiar with a team trying to avoid being swept.

“Both teams probably want to kick our butts after we already beat them once,” Dreamer said. “It just means we got to supply our own (energy) throughout the team and the coaches.”

No. 7 Northwest (17-2, 10-2 MIAA) will have another chance to make good on its defeats of conference foes from earlier in the season. For the first rematches of the season, the Bearcats will take on Nebraska-Kearney (3-15, 1-11 MIAA) Jan. 26 in Kearney, Nebraska, and Fort Hays State

UP NEXT

NW vs. Nebraska-Kearney

7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 Kearney, Nebraska

NW vs. Fort Hays State 4 p.m. Jan. 28 Hays, Kansas

(13-6, 8-5 MIAA) Jan. 28 in Hays, Kansas.

In the first contest between Northwest and Hays, the Bearcats extended their streak over the Tigers to 15 games with a 64-49 triumph. Since then, Northwest has gone 7-2, while Hays went 6-4 over its next 10 games.

Less than a year after she topped the charts, she did it again. At the Northwest Open, in the mile, she recorded a time of four minutes, 53 seconds and 39 milliseconds. Her time passed her previous record-setting time of 4:53.54. In the 3000m, she finished with a mark of 9:54.34, passing her previous programbest time of 9:59.99.

“It feels good, and it’s definitely a confidence booster, but we know the times are going to come down even more so as we progress through the season,” Cunningham said.

While Cunningham was able to set new records, she was not the only Bearcat to experience success at the team’s most recent meet. Junior Tiffany Hughey set a program record of her own with a first-place finish in women’s 400-meter run with a time of 53.82.

Bearcats seek revenge against MIAA foes

After 18 games, Northwest women’s basketball has its first rematches of the season. The Bearcats will travel four hours for their first rematch against No. 13 Nebraska-Kearney Jan. 26 in Kearney, Nebraska.

It’s been 46 days since the Lopers and Bearcats clashed Dec. 10 in Bearcat Arena. In the game, Kearney was able to pull away early, outscoring the ’Cats 21-8 in the first quarter. The Lopers didn’t let off the gas pedal and defeated Northwest 77-51.

Coach Austin Meyer said the Bearcats are a different team than when they first played Kearney. A lot of the difference, he said, comes from a newly healthy player.

“Having Emma Atwood back the last few games has definitely changed our team,” Meyer said. “We play a larger rotation now — we’re playing 10 kids. We’ve had more people step up within our rotation.”

The Lopers (18-3, 11-2 MIAA)

are the No. 1 defense in the MIAA, allowing just 50 points per game. The ’Cats (10-8, 5-7 MIAA) are No. 6 in the MIAA, allowing 61.1 points. Offensively, the two squads are fairly similar. Northwest is No. 10 in the MIAA averaging 61.9 points, while Kearney is No. 8 in the conference, scoring an average of 67.5 points.

Sophomore forward Kelsey Fields said the games against Central Missouri and Lincoln showed the Bearcats they can keep up with any team they go against.

“We’ll go into this weekend knowing we can play with them and just go with confidence,” Fields said. “We will go in thinking that we can win and just play our best and see what the outcome is.”

Meyer said Kearney is a tough opponent for many different reasons.

“They’re long; they have length and they have height,” Meyer said. “They have a lot of kids that have been in their system for five or six years. They do a really good job of scouting, they’re not go-

UP NEXT

NW vs. Nebraska-Kearney

5:30 p.m. Jan. 26

Kearney, Nebraska

NW vs. Fort Hays State 2 p.m. Jan. 28 Hays, Kansas

ing to let your shooters get a lot of shots. They’re going to kind of know the plays we’re going to run. So for us, it’s just executing our half-court kind of flow offense and making sure we’re getting good ball movement.”

After the rematch with the Lopers, the Bearcats will travel five hours Jan. 28 to Hay, Kansas, for their second rematch of the season this time against Fort Hays State (15-6, 10-3 MIAA).

The last installment of the rivalry between both squads saw Hays win 67-52 Dec. 11 in Bearcat Arena. The Tigers trailed 33-29 at halftime but took over in the third quarter, outscoring Northwest 25-7.

Hays is the second-best defense

Coach Naomi Tellez prepares for second season with Northwest softball.

Sophomore guard Isaiah Jackson holds the ball between plays during Northwest men’s basketball’s 73-52 win over Central Missouri Jan. 19. Jackson recorded four rebounds against the Mules, increasing his season total to 74.

MAKAYLA POLAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

in the MIAA, allowing 56.2 points per game. Northwest will play the top two defenses in the MIAA within three days of each other.

Sophomore guard Molly Hartnett said the Bearcats are

improving with every game they play, and they’ll be prepared to take on challenges like the top defenses in the conference.

Northwest women’s basketball sophomore guard Peyton Kelderman dribbles the ball on offense in the midst of the Bearcats’ 72-48 win over Lincoln Jan. 21.

MAKAYLA POLAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF