Esten Hurtle

(Feb. 27, 2009)

Sophomores Kevin and Colleen Hamilton watch as firefighter Brian Wattenbarger helps to put away a hose after the Sigma Chi fraternity house caught fire Sunday night. In its meeting Monday, Columbia's Fire Sprinkler Task Force recommended Greek houses install sprinklers to help prevent fires.

(Feb. 26, 2009)

IHOP restaurants around the country celebrated National Pancake Day Tuesday by offering free pancakes to customers. IHOP suggested patrons make a donation to the Children's Miracle Network.

(Feb. 22, 2009)

Sophomores Kevin and Colleen Hamilton watch as fireman Brian Wattenbarger helps to put away a hose after the Sigma Chi fraternity house caught on fire on Sunday night. Kevin Hamilton is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

(Feb. 22, 2009)

Sophomores Kevin and Colleen Hamilton watch as fireman Brian Wattenbarger helps to put away a hose after the Sigma Chi fraternity house caught on fire on Sunday night. Kevin Hamilton is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

(Feb. 10, 2009)

Gareth Campesinos! taps out a synth line while Ellen Campesinos! plays bass at their show Feb. 4 at The Gargoyle in St. Louis. The Cardiff-based band released its first two albums last year.

(Feb. 10, 2009)

Gareth Campesinos! sings lead vocals as Aleksandra Campesinos! provides backing vocals during their Feb. 4 show in St. Louis. The appearance was the band's first in Missouri.

(Nov. 11, 2008)

Esten Hurtle/Associate Editor Goat lies down on a bed of nails at a dress rehearsal for Dr. Carny's Emporium of Marvels and Oddities on Sunday. The show will be performed tonight at Mojo's.

(Nov. 11, 2008)

A dart flies into the back of The Gimp during a dress rehearsal of Dr. Carny's Emporium of Marvels and Oddities. Several of the acts involve activities best not attempted by amateurs, including bug-eating, face-plants into shards of glass and tongue-powered weight lifting.

(Oct. 25, 2008)

Sophomore wide receiver Jeremy Maclin scampers upfield during a kick return with Colorado's Jake Behrens in close pursuit. Maclin snagged 11 receptions for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

(Oct. 25, 2008)

Freshman tailback De'Vion Moore is brought down by Colorado defensive end Maurice Lucas during Saturday's game at Faurot Field. Moore had four carries for 64 yards and a touchdown.

(Oct. 25, 2008)

Sophomore tailback Derrick Washington runs the ball past Colorado senior safety Ryan Walters.

(Sept. 17, 2008)

Kristin Baker, a high school junior from Springfield, smokes a cigarette on Saturday afternoon at Schwagstock in Salem. Baker said her favorite part of the festival had been seeing Think Floyd, a Pink Floyd cover band, perform Friday night.

(Sept. 17, 2008)

Jimmy Tebeau of The Schwag jams with Michael Kang, formerly of jam band The String Cheese Incident, on Friday. The Schwag regularly brings in guest musicians to play with them at Schwagstock.

(Sept. 17, 2008)

Daniel Shore of Springfield washes himself in a faucet on Saturday at Schwagstock in Salem. "The water's much colder down there in the creek," Shore says.

(Sept. 17, 2008)

Adam Sandling, a member of Led Zeppelin tribute band Zoso, smiles as lead singer Matt Jernigan belts out his best Robert Plant imitation to the crowd Saturday at Schwagstock in Salem. Many of the bands playing during at the festival were '70s tribute bands.

(Sept. 17, 2008)

Damien Paul hitchhikes or takes buses from Virginia once a year to attend Schwagstock. Paul says he believes the festival is "nature at its best."

(Sept. 17, 2008)

Zagk Gibbons of Belleville, Ill., Mike Krohn of O'Fallon, Ill., and Devon Elbe of Belleville, Ill., play guitar in the woods before bands take to stages on Saturday at Schwagstock in Salem. Krohn says Gibbons is a Schwagfest "veteran."

(Sept. 8, 2008)

Reporters Kelsey Allen and Chris Hamby and Assistant City Editor Sarah Palmer, a former member of The Maneater's staff, work at the city desk at the Columbia Missourian on Monday night. The paper has been in the red for more than a decade and is trying to find another business model.

(Aug. 26, 2008)

Firefighters from the Columbia Fire Department respond to an alarm at Lathrop Hall early Tuesday morning. The alarm was activated due to a small electrical fire; no residents were injured.

(May 6, 2008)

Columbia resident Brian Richardson holds his son Caleb as he looks at produce sold by Sellmeyer Farm owner Greg Sellmeyer on April 19 at the Columbia Farmers Market. The Sellmeyer Farm raises vegetables, fruit, eggs and herbs, among other products.

(May 6, 2008)

Farmer Ron Bonar, of Versailles, Mo., attends to his stand April 19 at the Columbia Farmers Market. Bonar represented his farm, R & M Diversified, which sells organic goods.

(May 6, 2008)

Columbia residents Amanda VanMatre and Jennifer Toohey examine herbs at the Wilson’s Garden Center booth April 19 at the Columbia Farmers Market. The booths represented farms within a 55-mile radius of Columbia.

(May 6, 2008)

Violinist Heinrich Leonhard, bassist Kathy Gordon and guitarist Howard Marshall of Doc Howard’s Fiddle Band play in a tent at the Columbia Farmers Market on April 19. Live music is often a part of the event.

(May 6, 2008)

Ashland resident Janice Lundquist and her 10-year-old son Sam look at products sold by Country Goodies LLC April 19 at the Columbia Farmers Market. Country Goodies LLC, which is based in Centralia, sells jams and preserved foods.

(April 15, 2008)

Juniors Stephanie Schuman and Denise Warzak skate together at the annual Pride Prom on Saturday at Empire Roller Ring. Attendees were not held to any particular dress code and were free to skate around the rink at their leisure.

(April 15, 2008)

Freshmen Lexxie Lawson and Brittany Billingsley march around Stephens Lake at an AIDS awareness march organized by Rain on Sunday. Marchers held flags with red ribbons as they marched around the park, which was adorned with the flags.

(April 15, 2008)

Seven-year-old Columbia resident Micah Prenger tosses a bean bag through a hole while playing a game in Stephens Park prior to an AIDS awareness march organized by Rain on Sunday.

(April 15, 2008)

]Seven-year-old Columbia resident Margot Burns marches alongside her mother Tootie Burns at an AIDS awareness march at Stephens Park on Sunday. The march was organized by Rain, a regional STD prevention organization.

(April 8, 2008)

Jewish Theological Seminary student Annie Lewis conducts the Havdalah service Saturday at the MU chapter of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life during its 60th anniversary celebration.

(April 8, 2008)

Kansas City resident Walt Lantzy holds a kite string as his grandson, 2-year-old Columbia resident Graham Lantzy, stares up at the kite. Columbia Parks & Recreation hosted the two-hour event.

(April 8, 2008)

Ten-year-old Columbia resident Ethan O’Loughlin runs across Douglass Park on Saturday to lift his kite higher into the air. Contests were held for the largest, smallest and highest flying kites.

(April 8, 2008)

Columbia College junior Caitlin Cunningham helps Columbia resident Dinis Trindade launch a kite Saturday in Douglass Park. Cunningham volunteered for Columbia College’s education club, Student Leaders Advocating Teacher Excellence, at the event.

(April 8, 2008)

Community Recreation Supervisor Camren Cross hands 5-year-old Lilly Wang an assembled kite as her mother Mingjuan Wang watches. Cross spent the afternoon helping children assemble their kites, supervising the event and holding kite-flying contests

(April 8, 2008)

Three-year-old Columbia resident Evrim Agca watches as his mother, Cansu Agca, helps him launch a kite Saturday at an event hosted by Columbia Parks & Recreation. The organization provided kites for children to fly on the warm afternoon.

(April 4, 2008)

Incumbent First Ward City Councilwoman Almeta Crayton speaks to a crowd gathered at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on Monday. Crayton, who has held the First Ward seat in the City Council since 1999, faces competition from three other candidates in the race.

(April 4, 2008)

Incumbent First Ward City Councilwoman Almeta Crayton details her platform at the First Ward City Council Forum on Monday at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church. Crayton’s election in 1999 marked the second time a black person was elected to the City Council.

(April 4, 2008)

First Ward City Council candidate Paul Sturtz stands outside of a house in the First Ward on March 15 while on a door-to-door campaign. Sturtz co-founded the Ragtag Cinemacafé as well as the True/False Film Fest.

(April 4, 2008)

MU senior Glenn Rehn introduces First Ward City Council candidate Paul Sturtz at a meet-and-greet on Thursday night in the Arts and Science building. If elected, Sturtz would represent a large portion of campus.

(April 1, 2008)

Columbia resident Shelia Thompson asks a question of First Ward City Council candidate John Clark at the candidate forum at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on Monday night. At the forum, community members were able to ask questions to Clark, as well as incumbent Almeta Crayton. See related story, page 9.

(April 1, 2008)

Columbia resident Ron Tooley addresses First Ward City Council candidate John Clark at the candidate forum Monday at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church.

(April 1, 2008)

First Ward City Council candidate John Clark speaks to citizens gathered for the candidate forum at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on Monday night.

(March 18, 2008)

Stephens College sophomore and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri volunteer Alison Leonard helps 6-year-old Andrew pick out a sticker at the Big Carnival on Saturday at Columbia College. The Missouri Students Association worked with student government organizations at Stephens College and Columbia College to host the event, which gave children in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program a place to spend time with their mentors.

(March 18, 2008)

Engineers’ Club president Emily Gogel stands beside St. Patrick as Chancellor Brady Deaton is made an honorary knight of St. Patrick as a part of the Engineers’ Week ceremonies. Those knighted were deemed to have made significant contributions to the field of engineering.

(March 18, 2008)

Stephens College students Andrea Dame, Jessica Bell and Amber Davis march towards Peace Park in the 1,000 Strong For Peace demonstration Sunday. Demonstrators ranged from students to veterans.

(March 18, 2008)

Renew Missouri volunteer Evan Prost signs a banner outside of Boone County Courthouse Square Sunday. The banner was signed by participants of the march and was carried from the Square to Peace Park.

(March 18, 2008)

Columbia resident Catherine Parke reads a poem Friday as a part of the 12th Annual Women’s Poetry Night in Memorial Union. Parke, an art volunteer for Columbia Public Schools, also has a studio at Orr Street Studios downtown.

(March 14, 2008)

Wayne Wanta, director of the Center for the Digital Globe, and professor Patricia Brumfield Fry watch as professor Paul Martin Lester demonstrates how he lectures his class in a virtual reality social networking system on Wednesday in Jesse Wrench Auditorium.

(March 14, 2008)

St. Peters resident Clarice Daughterty looks at an information packet as her 18-month-old granddaughter Erica Juergensmeyer reaches toward her sister Rose Juergensmeyer on Tuesday in the Capitol Building. The packet contained information about what bills are supported by Missouri Right to Life.

(March 14, 2008)

Affton residents David and Lois Herries listen to Cures Without Cloning treasurer Steve Rupp instruct supporters on how to collect signatures for petitions on Tuesday in the Capitol Building. The petitions Rupp distributed focused on a ballot initiative to close a loophole in an anti-cloning law.

(March 14, 2008)

Winfield resident Mary Ann Henke and Old Monroe resident Linda Carr wait outside the office of Rep. Steve Hodges, D-Bloomfield, Rep. Ed Schieffer, D-Troy and Rep. Sue Schoemehl, D-St. Louis County. Lobbyists stood outside doors of representatives' offices in hopes of talking to them about anti-abortion-rights legislation.

(March 7, 2008)

Columbia License Office assistant manager Jennifer Thompson checks Columbia resident Omar Alabdullatif's eyesight in February so he can renew his driver's license. The Columbia License Office is one of the many Missouri driver's license offices that would be affected by recently introduced legislation designed to stop those who cannot prove citizenship from obtaining driver's licenses.

(March 3, 2008)

Columbia resident Carl Orazio and friend Vicki Cooley watch the Pine Hill Haints perform at the Reel Gone Round-Up at an auction barn off of Business Loop 70 on Sunday morning. While Cooley does not live in Columbia, she comes to visit her son and attend the True/False Film Fest every year. "I come back for this," Cooley said.

(Feb. 29, 2008)

A slot machine glows at the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville on Monday. The state senate is considering eliminating loss limits at Missouri casinos.

(Feb. 29, 2008)

Missourians for Safe Energy co-founder Mark Haim speaks against the potential construction of a nuclear power plant in Callaway County at the Boone County Government Center on Wednesday. Haim cited economic and political disadvantages related to the construction of the plant.

(Feb. 26, 2008)

Senior Crystal Hilliard responds to panelists at the National Association of Black Journalists' 'History in the Making: The Future of Black History' presentation Monday in the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center. Panelists and audience members discussed topics varying from presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign to the perception of African-Americans in popular culture.

(Feb. 19, 2008)

Swimmer Michael Phelps competes in the men’s 400-meter individual medley preliminaries Saturday night during the Missouri Grand Prix.

(Feb. 19, 2008)

Columbia City Council members Jerry Wade and Laura Nauser discuss a bill to instate a 5-hour parking zone on Conley Avenue. "Can we get parking on that figure-8 thing?" Wade jokingly said in reference to Carnahan Quadrangle during the City Council meeting Monday.

(Feb. 19, 2008)

Mexican National Team swimmers Manuel Sotomayor and Juan Floras talk on the practice pool’s deck during the Missouri Grand Prix on Saturday at the Student Recreation Complex. Sotomayor and Floras came to Columbia from Mexico City for the event.

(Feb. 12, 2008)

Singer/songwriter David Rovics performs Friday in Allen Auditorium. Students for Progressive Action brought the leftist performer to play a set for the organization.

(Feb. 12, 2008)

Loni Flaks gets a tattoo on her upper back from tattoo artist Gabe Garcia on Saturday at Hollywood Rebels Tattoo. Flaks and her mother had tattoos done on the same day at the shop.

(Feb. 12, 2008)

Columbia resident Dan Ryan watches tattoo artist Mikey Wheeler work on a tattoo on Ryan's arm Saturday at Hollywood Rebels Tattoo. Ryan also works at the tattoo parlor as a piercer.

(Feb. 12, 2008)

Tattoo artist Mikey Wheeler works on a tattoo on Dan Ryan's arm at Hollywood Rebels Tattoo on Saturday. Besides working at the tattoo parlor, Wheeler is a guitarist for Bald Eagle.

(Feb. 12, 2008)

RIGHT: Tattoo artist Mikey Wheeler takes a cigarette break outside Hollywood Rebels Tattoo on Saturday. Wheeler sports several tattoos, one reading 'Rock Star' on his fingers.

(Feb. 12, 2008)

Tattoo artist Mikey Wheeler examines a sketch of a tattoo on Dan Ryan's right arm Saturday. Ryan's left arm already features a large tattoo, which includes creatures varying from gremlins to dinosaurs.

(Feb. 5, 2008)

Sustain Mizzou president Ben Datema demonstrates how he has optimized the energy efficiency of a pipe in his home on Friday. Many aspects of his house have been modified to allow for maximum efficiency and minimum energy bills.

(Feb. 5, 2008)

Junior Tracey Latimore looks at flyers advertising Love Your Body Week on Monday in Brady Commons. The Wellness Resource Center and the Women's Center are putting on events this week to promote a healthy body image.

(Feb. 5, 2008)

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., applauds with supporters on Sunday at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ building in Bridgeton. After her speech, Clinton opened the floor for questions from supporters.

(Feb. 1, 2008)

College Democrats of Missouri President Nate Kennedy speaks at the first College Democrats meeting of the semester on Wednesday in Strickland Hall. Kennedy was optimistic about the prospects for Missouri Democrats in 2008.

(Feb. 1, 2008)

Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., makes a public appearance at the Fraternal Order of the Eagle Banquet Hall on Tuesday in Jefferson City. Edwards dropped out of the presidential race Wednesday after failing to win a single state's nominating contest.

(Jan. 29, 2008)

Nine-year-old Shannon Keys and her father Marc Keys cut out paper snowflakes at Orr Street Studios Friday. Orr Street Studios was one of several establishments hosting special events Friday to showcase Columbia's local artists and art programs.

(Jan. 29, 2008)

Columbia resident Michael Marcum constructs a tree out of wire hangers for the True/False Film Fest during this week's Artrageous Friday at Makes Scents Candles. Marcum says that friends, acquaintances and complete strangers often give him coat hangers after hearing about his craft.

(Jan. 29, 2008)

Columbia resident Kate Weir rolls a ball of yarn in her hand Friday, compressing it in a process known as 'felting.' Feltmaker Ruth Walker taught Weir the process at Bluestem Missouri Crafts.

(Jan. 29, 2008)

KOPN/89.5 general manager David Owens rearranges his art display during this week's Artrageous Friday at the radio station. The piece is a publication he printed with his friends in 1976.

(Jan. 29, 2008)

Columbia residents Diane Johnson and Bruce Koetting examine small paintings at Spare Parts Gallery during this week's Artrageous Friday.

(Jan. 29, 2008)

Stadium Boulevard leads to a construction zone just past U.S. 63. Federal money has been earmarked to expand Stadium to intersect with Interstate 70.

(Jan. 29, 2008)

Stadium Boulevard leads to a construction zone just past U.S. 63. Federal money has been earmarked to expand Stadium to intersect with Interstate 70.

(Jan. 29, 2008)

Race at MU (April 10, 2009)

Freshman Mykala Smith speaks about the difficulties she has faced as a minority at MU in her own words.

Editor's note: This interview contains language some may find offensive. Kappa Kappa Kappa is a placeholder and is not a real fraternity, historically, or at MU. A placeholder was used because of the nature of allegations made in this interview. When members of the Maneater staff contacted Western Union representatives concerning the incident mentioned in this interview, they declined to comment.