The Daily Iowan WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2024
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THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY SINCE 1868
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UI alum looks to give Boeing new direction Kelly Ortberg was recently hired as aerospace company Boeing’s CEO. Jack Moore Managing News Editor
jack.moore@dailyiowan.com
Photo: City Park Pool Summer festivities conclude as Iowa City’s City Park Pool closes out the summer season on Monday. NEWS | 8A
Ortberg
A University of Iowa alum is attempting to redirect the Boeing company after issues with its manufacturing line drove the company to the brink of ruin. The UI graduate, Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, began working as the company’s CEO on Aug. 8.
The aerospace company was the subject of a government audit in January 2024 after a Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger jet lost a rear door plug mid-flight forcing the plane to make an emergency landing with terrified passengers on board. After the incident, Boeing was ordered to ground all 737 Max 9 jets, and the Federal Aviation Administration began an investigation that found multiple issues with quality control in the company’s aircraft production line. The FAA ordered the company to resolve the quality control issues, which resulted in several
staff members resigning. The former CEO Dave Calhoun also announced his intentions to retire early this year and officially announced he would be stepping down from the position in March. As of Aug. 8, Ortberg, 62, took over the role of CEO, and many are saying he’s the right pick for the job. Ortberg was born in Dubuque, Iowa, and graduated from the UI in 1982 with a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering. Five years later, he
BOEING | 5A
What’s next for the ‘least desired’ dorm Campus officials say upgrades are coming to Mayflower Residence Hall.
Henderson returns to happiness Fifth-year gymnast JerQuavia Henderson’s journey with Iowa gymnastics has been far from linear. But her longterm goals in the sport remain the same as she returns to the mat after a season off. SPORTS | 1B
Photo: Iowa vs. Illinois State The Iowa Hawkeyes dominated Illinois State at Kinnick Stadium during the first football game of the 2024 season, winning 40-0.
Ryan Paris | The Daily Iowan
Mayflower Residence Hall is seen on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. Mayflower houses 826 residents and is located over a mile from campus.
SPORTS | 4B
Jack Moore Managing News Editor
jack.moore@dailyiowan.com
Stanley Museum inspires hope for future of African Art restitution The Stanley makes history by becoming the first museum in the U.S. to restitute African artifacts in Nigeria. 80 HOURS | 1C
ONLINE • At the end of last year, the Iowa City Community School District made the contentious decision to close one of its elementary schools as new laws restricted the district’s budget. Now, the city is planning to demolish the building. Follow our latest coverage at dailyiowan.com. • Ali Younes, who is charged with attempting to murder a UI student in 2022 and fleeing to Jordan, appeared in Johnson County court Tuesday morning. Check out our latest coverage of the trial at dailyiowan.com. • Listen to the latest episodes of The Daily Iowan’s two podcasts, Above the Fold and Press Box Banter, where reporters cover the latest news and talk sports at dailyiowan.com.
The iconic Mayflower dorm has been home to thousands of University of Iowa residents — some loving the outlying residence hall, while others describe their stay as a prison-like sentence. For 56 years, the building has housed seemingly endless hallways, cramped elevators, and suite-style dormitories while serving as a beacon to anyone entering Iowa City. Last year, UI officials went forward with a plan that had been in development for years: the 326,000 square foot dormitory up for sale. Officals cited the mile-long trek to the heart of campus, lower grade point averages among its students, and a poll showing it was the least desired dorm on campus with the most transfers as reasons for the sale. The behemothic structure was put on Realtor. com and Zillow, listed by local realtor Jeff Edberg
for a cool $45 million. Days went by — then months. In less than a year, UI officials pulled the contract and took the dorm off the market. Ultimately, the number of incoming students determined that the UI needed Mayflower back in their flock. Edberg In a recent interview with The Daily Iowan, Von Stange, the UI’s senior director of housing and dining, said the decision to keep Mayflower ultimately came when they received a record number of returning students and the third-largest freshman class in UI Stange history for fall 2024. “We saw that, and then we got the report from admissions saying that they were trending up in [admitted students] as well, and just said we can’t. There’s too many beds there,” Stange said. The decision left one big question: How will the
university address the problems it already knew existed in the dorm for future students? Stange said the decision to take the dorm off the market means the university will keep it at least until 2029, and the UI have already begun making changes to the dorm for this year’s Mayflower residents. However, he said there wasn’t much that could be done with only six months until a new class moved in.
When did the problems in Mayflower begin? Construction on Mayflower started on North Dubuque St. in 1965 by a private contractor and was advertised as a luxury apartment complex with a heated indoor pool, saunas, and larger rooms, according to a DI article from the time. It wasn’t until 1979 that the university set its sights on the building due to overcrowding in other dorms. By 1982, they bought it outright
MAYFLOWER | 2A
This ain’t Texas — it’s Tequila Cowgirl The new Iowa City bar offers late-night revelers over 60 different tequilas.
Julian Senn-Raemont News Reporter news@dailyiowan.com
Something’s brewing at 347 S. Gilbert St. Tequila Cowgirl opened its doors to the public on Aug. 16 in the building previously home to Bardot. During its grand opening, the new western-themed bar and grill welcomed customers with a cowgirl in an inflatable cow costume dancing to the indelible sounds of pop-country artist Walker Hayes’ “Fancy Like.” Ava Andrle, the aforementioned cowgirl, said she enjoys her work at the new bar and that she gets along with her coworkers. Committed to the bar’s theme, Andrle’s coworkers said they’re all going to learn line dancing and choose a specific song to climb onto the bar and give onlookers a scoot and shuffle to. The bar features a life-size cutout of Dolly Parton, a neon sign reading “Save Water, Drink Tequila,” and a framed poster of Beyoncé in crystallized cowgirl gear. Dawsi Hastings, one of the managers of Tequila Cowgirl, said the western theme of the bar and grill seemed like a good fit since more and more pop singers are embracing the culture of country music. In addition to dancing cowgirls and flashy lights, the bar features daily specials ranging from Monday’s $2 beer boots, Thursday’s buyone-get-one free deal on any drink menu item, Saturday’s $3 long islands, and a selection of over 60 different types of tequila. In terms of food, Tequila Cowgirl serves classic bar fare, which they describe as “quick bites,” such as burgers, chicken sandwiches, build-your-own pizzas, and french fries loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, chives, and a cool ramekin of ranch.
Ava Neumaier | The Daily Iowan
Patrons take a photo of a drink at the counter of new country nightclub Tequila Cowgirl on Aug. 30. The bar is in the former location of Bardot and Casa Azul and owned by Spectrum Hospitality Group, which also runs the club Studio 13. The bar also hosts events like trivia, bingo, and Karaoke Thursdays. “We’d like to extend an open invitation to anyone who feels like they don’t belong or are uncomfortable,” Miranda Mason, a bartender and host of Karaoke Thursdays, said. Andrle added that country bars often aren’t
welcome to the LBGTQ+ community, but Tequila Cowgirl is open to everyone. The owners of Tequila Cowgirl also own two gay bars in Iowa. Those clubs, Studio 13 in Iowa City and Basix in Cedar Rapids, are the only LGBTQ+ bars in
TEQUILA | 3A