Falwell answers questions about growth
Christmas on Ice was held Dec. 3
A7
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Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Libertychampion.com
Volume 29 • Issue 11
train tragedy
Train claims life Student dead, 4 injured after mishap Jenna Vanden Brook jvandenbrook@liberty.edu
An accident involving a train and five Liberty University students on Thursday, Nov. 17, claimed the life of a student and left one in critical condition, while the other three incurred minor injuries. Hannah Williams, 18, was with her four friends on the train trestle that towers over the James River stargazing the night of the accident. A train, heading north from Lynchburg, emerged
FYI The trestle rests 200 feet above the river, spanning 1800 feet onto the bridge from a tunnel and struck Williams, Vice President for Executive Projects Johnnie Moore Jr. said. Julianne Ashbaugh, a freshman from Georgia, jumped off the trestle and fell about 90 feet before hitting the river bank
See TRAIN, A4
Fond memories remain
Family, school recall special moments Katherine Lacaze kelacaze@liberty.edu
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
In the air — Liberty University hosted its second annual Rail Jam at the Snowflex Centre Dec. 3.
Hannah Emmaline Williams was described by her friends as encouraging, kind and spontaneous. She was known for knocking on the doors of individuals on her hall, just to check in and see how they were doing. Hannah, 18, died in a train accident the night of Nov. 17, and those attributes are ones that Hannah’s Spiritual Life Director (SLD) and friend Camille Chuks, 21, said people will miss about her. According to multiple sources, Williams and four other Liberty students were on the railroad trestle that
spans over the James River in Amherst County, Va., stargazing, when a train struck the 1 8 - ye a rold. Hannah was born on April 6, Williams 1993 in Chapel Hill to parents Terri Williams and Jonathan Hayes Williams. She lived in Sanford, N.C., before starting as a freshman at Liberty
See WILLIAMS, A4
City council modifies zoning inspection regulation Inspection regulations regarding number of unrelated inhabitants in apartments changed on 4-3 vote Jenna Milleson jmilleson@liberty.edu
The laws contained within Lynchburg, Va.’s Zoning Ordinance require that three or more persons who are unrelated do not obtain residency together. Lynchburg City Council amended the law Oct. 11 to allow homes or apartments to be lawfully searched if there is presumed to be more than three unrelated residents living there. The College Constitutional Conservative Christian Coalition (C5) has been following this story since July and is a club on Liberty’s campus. The Board, which is comprised by Craig Storrs and Anthony Simonetti, issued a formal statement against the amendment. The statement begins: “We denounce this new law on Constitutional and ethical grounds,” and continues in a nearly 700 word document, which outlines their justifications and deductions on the matter. Lynchburg could, however, be facing what is the lesser of two evils. Before the existence of the current law, there was a prior inspection proposal that was not accepted by city council, but was molded
“The Planning Commission authored the first one, which was just abysmal” - Storrs and refined into what Lynchburg has today. “The Planning Commission authored the first one, which was just abysmal,” Storrs said. One member of city council, who rejected the initial plans set forth by the commission, took it upon himself to pen what has now gone on to pass city council by a 4-3 split. Councilman Randy Nelson modified the sections of the previous proposal that he found to be ambiguous or incomplete and is the author of the Zoning Inspection Regulation that is currently in place. Under the previous code, there was no clarification as to when an inspection could be performed. Under the current regulation, it reads, “to enter the subject dwelling during a specified period of time during daylight business hours.” “(There was also) the need for a judge to hear the petition and not a magistrate who possesses lesser knowledge of Consti-
tutional safeguards,” Nelson said. Under the previous proposal, a hearing could be brought before a magistrate, which is no longer permissive under the law. The minimum requirement for a magistrate is a bachelor’s degree and they do not hold a law degree. Nelson modified the first proposal and denied a magistrate the right to grant a zoning warrant. One area that Nelson and others differ is the protection of the Fourth Amendment right. Nelson did not feel the protection in the commission proposal was adequate of personal privacy, and though he made changes, this is still the area that most reject despite his efforts. “(There was a) need for greater notice to residents who had little to do with the objectionable conditions of their residence but whose privacy would be directly impacted by an inspection,” Nelson said. Because of the changes he appended, the law now provides five days to appear before the judge in a hearing or to provide
a written defense and five days of notice before the inspection can occur if it is deemed necessary by the judge. According to Nelson, the five days of notice that the current law provides supersede the first proposal in privacy protection. “(During an inspection, the agent) would look for zoning violations of nonpermitted uses or excessive occupancy, but he does not have to ignore anything else he observes that is in plain view while there. That is why I wanted the advance notice, to allow residents to clean up the interior before inspection,” Nelson said. Although Nelson felt it was imperative to add greater protections of this right in the fine-tuning of the original proposal, others still feel that not enough was done, or that inspections linked to the number of unrelated people in a private residence, are altogether unconstitutional. Storrs and Simonetti represent a number of constitutional conservative voices in the community who are unhappy with a violation of rights and attended the public hearings.
See ZONING, A6
INSIDE THE CHAMPION
News
CiCi’s Fundraiser
Arnold Air Society partners with restaurant to raise money. A2
Sports
Events
Lady Flames duke it out with JMU Thursday night. B1
Liberty Theater Department performs Shakespeare’s classic. B10
Women’s Hoops
Romeo and Juliet
News Opinion Sports Feature
A1 B5 B1 B8
NEWS
A2/Liberty Champion
December 6, 2011
CiCi’s to help Arnold Air Society
Tabitha Cassidy
tcassidy@liberty.edu
CiCi’s Pizza will open its doors to the Arnold Air Society on Dec. 6 to help the organization raise funds for its projects throughout the year. According to CiCi’s Pizza manager Tripp Setliff, CiCi’s has agreed to donate 10 percent of the check of every person who mentions that they are there to support the Arnold Air Society to the organization. Also, Liberty University students who show their flames pass will receive a free drink with their purchase, according to the Liberty University splash page. The Arnold Air Society is a facet of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and was recognized in 1948, according to the society’s website. The Arnold Air Society primarily meets to encourage moral, welfare and recreation Photo Provided for air force ROTC cadets and to better Fundraiser — Arnold Air Society members enjoy their dinner at CiCi’s Pizza. the community, according to Kyle Moore, a member of the group and the cadet in and letting people know we’re here,” said. charge of the CiCi’s Pizza fundraiser. Setliff said. “We’re just doing our civic The Arnold Air Society partnered with Setliff said CiCi’s Pizza decided to part- duty.” CiCi’s Pizza earlier in the year, but the orner with the Arnold Air Society immediAccording to Setliff, other organiza- ganization did not get the response is was ately after Moore approached him. CiCi’s tions have packed the tables at CiCi’s Piz- expecting, according to Moore. Pizza partners with multiple organizations za with Liberty students looking to supAccording to Moore, the financial manin the Lynchburg community throughout port a cause or group. agement officer in charge of the air force the year for varying reasons, Setliff said. “When Cause life comes in - it’s mostly ROTC programs at Liberty, the Univer“It’s part of being in the community Liberty students that come in,” Setliff sity of Virginia and James Madison Uni-
versity appointed him as a representative of the Arnold Air Society for Liberty. He was contacted earlier in the year to try to do a fundraiser and began asking around the Lynchburg community for support. Moore said that when he walked into CiCi’s Pizza and asked if they did a proceeds night, the manager, Setliff, asked him when they wanted to begin and told Moore that he would set up a date immediately. The Arnold Air Society uses the funds it receives to do community service projects and to help members become more effective air force officers, Moore said. According to Moore, so far this year the Arnold Air Society has provided support for Meals on Wheels, completed service projects at an elementary school near the University of Virginia, held a 24-hour memorial run for the Sept. 11 tragedy and held a 24-hour vigil for Veterans Day for prisoners of war and those soldiers missing in action. “Being a member of the Arnold Air Society, the initiation process really helps you for field training and your future. They help you be more confident in your skills,” Moore said.
CASSIDY is the news editor.
Parking update Katherine Lacaze kelacaze@liberty.edu
In response to complaints from students and faculty regarding alleged parking problems on campus, the Liberty University administration issued a campus-wide survey to commuters. The survey gave the students the option of buying a parking permit for a particular spot in one of the campus’ parking lots. However, according to an announcement by the Liberty University Police Department (LUPD), “The results of the commuter survey on parking revealed that 87 percent of students want to leave the current system of parking in a zone in place.” “As a result of this student feedback and in anticipation of upcoming campus construction projects, Liberty University will be implementing the following changes,” the LUPD announcement stated. The changes, which will not become effective until the spring semester of 2012, require particular students to immediately re-register their vehicles if they fall into a certain category. Some of the categories include “Hill residents of any classification” and “Underclassman required to park at Doc’s Diner at East Campus,” according to the announcement. For a more comprehensive list of changes, incentives and instructions for registering vehicles for the spring semester, refer to the LUPD announcement on the splash page or visit the website. LACAZE is a news editor.
Ruth Bibby| Liberty Champion
Opened — Students trek back to campus from Wards Road shopping areas courtesy of the new pedestrian bridge.
Bridge open for pedestrians Tola Adamson-Olaotan aoadamsonolaotan@liberty.edu
After years of Liberty University students crossing Wards Road to get to Walmart and other stores, students now have a safer, more convenient travel route. The Wards Road pedestrian bridge officially opened Nov. 22. A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated the opening of the new bridge. Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., Lynchburg Mayor Joan Foster, members of city council and others involved in the project were in attendance. Mayor Foster opened the ceremony by saying that the main purpose of the pedestrian bridge is to keep Liberty students and other pedestrians safe. Falwell thanked the city and everyone else who partnered with the project.
According to the News and Advance, an earlier traffic study revealed that 700 pedestrians crossed Wards Road in one day. Now, the public can walk across Wards Road without having the concern of being in the way of vehicles. The 104-foot bridge was officially completed last month. It is 8 feet wide and is handicapped accessible. It is can also accommodate bicycles and has enough room for two-way foot traffic. The pedestrian bridge was not only a project of Liberty University. The City of Lynchburg was also involved. According to the News and Advance, the city funded $1.35 million of the $1.5 million project. The university is paying the difference and offered the services of its Planning and Construction Department. According to Falwell, the
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Along with the bridge, Liberty University is using another project to make Wards Road even more accessible for students. An underground tunnel behind the Vines Center is currently under construction. However, Falwell said the tunnel and bridge serve different purposes. “The tunnel will allow passage from Liberty to the shopping center on the west side of Route 29 which includes Panera Bread, Sheetz, Chick-fil-a,” Falwell said. “The bridge will allow passage from the west side of Route 29 to the east side of Route 29 which includes Walmart and Target.”
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bridge is not only for Liberty University students, and is open for the public at all times. “The bridge is always open, though in case of extreme weather, snow or ice, it may become necessary to close the bridge until it can be cleared,” Falwell said. Although a lot of Liberty students will be using the bridge, Lynchburg City still owns the bridge. The city will be responsible for capital repairs, and Liberty will be in charge of day-to-day maintenance, Falwell said. Now that the bridge is open, the city and the university are making sure that students no longer cross Wards Road by foot. “The City of Lynchburg will be building a fence in the median strip to prevent crossings at other locations,” Falwell said.
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NEWS
December 6, 2011
Liberty Champion/A3
Photos provided
Christmas is here — The Perdew family sells Christmas trees out of their farm in the mountains of Coleman Falls, Va., about 30 minutes from Liberty’s campus.
Local farm grows Christmas trees
Green Needles Christmas Tree Farm sells Fraser firs, white pine and Norway spruce for holiday decorating Kelsie Knowles kknowles2@liberty.edu
Jon Perdew of Coleman Falls, Va., works as an irrigations and landscape contractor. But for one month out of each year, Perdew takes on an entirely different role. Beginning around Thanksgiving, Perdew and his family open their Christmas tree farm to those in search of the perfect fresh-cut Christmas tree. Green Needles Christmas Tree Farm is nestled high in the mountains of Coleman Falls, Va., off of US 501 N., about 30 minutes from Liberty University. Perdew and his wife, Debbie, operate the farm with the help of some of their eight children, four of whom are Liberty University graduates. Their son Mark, 19, is currently a sophomore at Liberty. He works there every open weekend to help pay his college tuition. “Whenever people come, I try to tell
them where to go. I give them a saw so they can cut down a tree, or else I cut it down for them,” he explained. Green Needles, a member of the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Association, currently grows over 3000 Christmas trees that sprawl over 44 acres. Perdew said he sells around 300 Christmas trees per season. The farm has been operated by three different families since it was first started 40 years ago. Out of those 40 years, the Perdew family has operated and lived on the farm for six, since moving there from Maryland. During the off-season, the family grows and sells other trees, shrubs and cut flowers. The farm sells three Christmas tree varieties: White pine, Norway spruce and pre-cut Fraser firs. “We can’t grow the Fraser Firs because they require a higher elevation to grow, so we buy those locally and bring them in,”
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Perdue said. “(The different types) are totally different in the style and form of the tree, and it’s really a preference. Fifty percent of the customers buy the white pines, and 50 percent buy the Fraser Firs.” Prices of the trees range from $42 to $99, the Fraser firs being the most expensive. The trees, according to Perdew, take anywhere from eight to 15 years to mature. This means that the trees being sold have been there longer than the family currently growing them. Perdew pointed to a neat row of trees that towered over the rest, blending with the surrounding forest. “Those trees over there, those giant trees? Those were Christmas trees,” he explained. In addition to Christmas trees, Green Needles also sells hand-made wreaths, which are constructed by Jon Perdew and some of his children. The family dis-
plays the wreaths on their front porch for customers to view. Perdew also sells his wreaths at the Lynchburg Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays. Visitors to the farm can sip free hot chocolate while they comb the rows of trees, while children are also able to play on a tire swing or ride a pony. The pony rides are operated by the Perdews’ 12-year-old son. Green Needles Christmas Tree Farm is located at 1175 Yew Tree Lane, Coleman Falls, Va. From November 25 until December 24, the farm will be open Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. “But if someone needs to go out during the week, they just give me a call and I’ll meet them,” Perdew added. Perdew can be contacted at 434-2995939 or at jonperdew@aol.com. KNOWLES is a news reporter.
NEWS
A4/Liberty Champion
December 6, 2011
Friend or foe Christmas campaign Amy Royall
aroyall@liberty.edu
Christmas or Holiday? It can be so confusing around Christmas time. Some stores cheerfully greet you with “Merry Christmas,” supporting the traditional Christmas holiday full of Santa Claus and baby Jesus, while other stores choose a more general greeting by saying “Happy Holidays.” Liberty Counsel, a Christian nonprofit organization, is beginning its ninth annual “Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign,” promising to be a friend to those businesses that support Christmas and a foe to those who censor it, according to a Liberty Counsel news release. Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel Mathew Staver does not believe that any business can stay neutral when it comes to Christmas. “Christmas is a state and federal holiday and is the only holiday celebrated around the world on the same day,” Staver said. “A company cannot seek profit off of Christmas and then pretend like it does not ex-
Not all stores on the “nice” side of the “Christmas is a state and federal holiday and is the only list have always been considered “nice,” holiday celebrated around teh world on the same day” though. Dick’s Sporting Goods was listed as a “naughty” for three years in a row. It — STAVER
ist.” For this reason, Liberty Counsel has compiled a “Naughty and Nice List” of almost 60 businesses, Staver said. Each business is categorized under “naughty” if they censor Christmas and under “nice” if they encourage it. These reports mainly come from consumers who report businesses to Liberty Counsel, he said. Most of the businesses on the list are considered “nice.” Also, each reference has an example of how the business has regarded Christmas to its customers on Liberty Counsel’s official website. A few years ago Wal-Mart had holiday trees, not Christmas trees, and it forbade its cashiers from returning a greeting of Merry Christmas when the customer initiated it. After Liberty Counsel began their Naughty and Nice List, the following year Wal-Mart stated that it would mention Christmas “early and often” and it did, ac-
cording to Staver. “Wal-Mart is the world’s largest retailer and its example is one for others to follow,” Staver said. There is a level of controversy among the religious and secular during the Christmas season and many shoppers do react to the store greetings, Staver said. “When I walk into a store and they tell me ‘Merry Christmas’ it makes me happy and feel in the Christmas spirit. However, if someone says ‘Happy Holidays,’ I feel like they are taking all of the fun and good cheer out of the Christmas season,” Liberty senior Ashley Shaw said. An example of a store on the nice list is Belk Department Store where employees greet customers with a “Merry Christmas” and the store has no shyness sprinkling “Christmas” all over the store and on its online shopping site, according to the “Naughty and Nice List.”
was not until last year that the company began to alter its way of Christmas thinking. “(Dick’s Sporting Goods) made significant changes from past years, when ‘holiday’ was the dominant theme of our advertising,” Vice-Chairman of Dick’s Sporting Goods Bill Columbo said. Vanessa Allen, employee of Kohl’s, believes Christmas is a celebration of Jesus Christ, but she doesn’t believe saying Merry Christmas is necessarily a reflection of religious beliefs. “Even if the store did not mandate me to say ‘Happy Holidays,’ I would still choose to say that over ‘Merry Christmas’ out of common respect for other people’s religious beliefs,” Allen said. “I would hate to cause a liability problem for the store or offend someone especially during such a jolly holiday.” ROYALL is a news reporter.
Alyssa Bockman | Liberty Champion
Warning Signs — (Above) Signs posted on a fence by the train trestle of the James River warn individuals of the danger of the tracks and to not trespass. (Left) The trestle spans 1,800 feet from one side of the river to the other.
TRAIN continued from A1 below. Ashbaugh is currently recovering in the orthopedic unit of the hospital after some time in intensive care, according to
Moore. “I saw a picture on Facebook of her standing up … with some help,” Moore said. “I understand she’s had a miraculous recovery. She’s still got a long way to go but it’s miraculous.
Surviving the fall alone is a miracle.” The three other students, Patrick Marshall, Javier David Duque and Kaitlyn Hermening, walked away from the accident with minor injuries by fleeing from
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the tracks. Two of them jumped off the trestle to a nearby piling and the third hung below the tracks as the train sped overtop, Moore said. The freight train that
was involved in the tragedy weighed about 3,000 tons and was traveling around 35 mph. At that speed, after slamming on the emergency brakes, the train still traveled 750 feet past the bridge before coming to a
WILLIAMS continued from A1 University in the fall of 2011. She went to high school at Grace Christian School where she served as the Student Body President her senior year and participated in many plays, according to an obituary for Hannah on the Bridges- Cameron Funeral Home website. According to a quote in the Sanford Herald by Bill Carver, the headmaster at Grace Christian school, “She was witty and delightful and a strong Christian… She was an excellent student academically. She was interested in drama. She was an excellent writer and speaker. She had won some awards because of her writing and speaking skills.” At Liberty, Hannah was majoring in government and journalism and was a hall representative for the Student Government Association. She was part of a group of students from Liberty who traveled to New York in October to help with disaster relief after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. On Friday, Nov. 18, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. issued a statement that addressed the death of Williams. “Hannah Williams made Liberty University proud in her short time as a student here,” Falwell said in the statement. “Her tragic death is a great loss, not only to her family, but to our university community as well.” As Hannah’s SLD on C-2 Even on the Annex, Chuks had the opportunity to be a good spiritual influence in her life throughout the semester. “We would always have good spiritual conversations, and she respected me as an SLD,” Chucks said. “And we became close friends through that…. She was very encouraging. Even when I thought I was doing my best to encourage her as an SLD, she was the one that was encouraging me, which I thought was awesome.” Chuks said that Hannah was known on the hall as outgoing, enthusiastic and
complete stop, The News & Advance said. The trestle spans 1,800 feet from one side of the river to the other and is about 200 feet above the river at its highest point, The News & Advance said. “We’ve had other Liberty students die there,” Moore said. “A Randolph College student died there a couple of years ago.” There are signs at the entrances of the bridge prohibiting pedestrian use, and trespassers can be charged. Many people disregard the signs, however, resulting in tragedy. Ten people, mostly college students, have died on the train trestle in the past 40 years, The News & Advance said. VANDEN BROOK is a news reporter.
involved. She participated in almost all activities, and when it came time to dress up for hall meeting, each prayer group in a specific color, Hannah outdid everyone. “She loved getting to know people,” Chuks said. “She loved you for who you were. She didn’t care if you were the meanest person or the nicest person, she didn’t care if you were stuck up or stubborn, she loved you for who you were. She was very strong in her beliefs.” A funeral was held for Hannah in her hometown Tuesday, Nov. 22, and Liberty had a service at Thomas Road Baptist Church for her Tuesday, Nov. 29. Terri attended the service and, “shared memories of her daughter, including the opportunity to help her begin a relationship with the Lord,” according to the Liberty News Service. “Thank you for the little education she got here at Liberty. She loved it,” Terri is quoted to have said by the Liberty News Service. “I can find comfort because I know where she is — absent from the body and present with the Lord. But you know, there’s a day when I will see her again.” Chuks said that Hannah’s mother has exemplified strength and resiliency throughout the tragedy, and people have been saved and had their lives rededicated to the Lord. “I know that her purpose was to serve the Lord,” Chuks said. “She had a life dedicated to the Lord. Even through her death, the Lord is still using her.” According to the Bridges-Cameron Funeral Home, Williams is survived by brothers Jonathan Sawyer, Shiloh and Noah, and sisters Pricilla, Naomi and Charity. “In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Hannah Williams Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 4713, Sanford, NC 27331,” The Bridges-Cameron Funeral Home website states. LACAZE is the news editor.
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December 6, 2011
NEWS
Liberty Champion/A5
Writing home
Photos provided
Returning home — Spc. Josh Moerman and girlfriend Kelsey Huff pose before Moerman deploys to Iraq. After five months overseas, he is expecting to ship home Dec. 15 along with the rest of the U.S. Army in Iraq and Kuwait.
Spc. Josh Moerman: Home for Christmas Omar Adams oadams@liberty.edu
President Barack Obama announced Oct. 21 that the U.S. would follow through with its 2008 agreement to withdraw from Iraq. Thousands of servicemen and women, including some Liberty University students, have already left the country for bases in Kuwait. Ridgetown, Ontario native and Liberty senior Spc. Josh Moerman recently withdrew to Kuwait in preparation to return home. “They are pulling troops out every day now — Kuwait is overflowing with soldiers,” Moerman said. “I left about a week ago, but I am not sure when we are leaving Kuwait for the U.S. They did tell us, though, that we should be home in Virginia around Dec. 15.” Moerman obtained U.S. citizenship at the age of eight and enlisted in the U.S.
Army in August 2009. Enlisting both for the experience and to help pay for college, he chose and qualified to become a combat medic and has been deployed to Iraq since July 31. “I picked a medic because it gave the most marketable civilian skill for the equivalent army training, EMT Basic,” he said. “I also earned a few college credits.” In October, Moerman was able to return home for two weeks. He said at the time that it had been quiet in his part of the country, “which is good for a medic, (and) the support and encouragement from family and Americans is great.” Since then, Moerman said the insurgents have avoided provoking the withdrawing American troops. “Towards the end, it did not heat up as much as everyone thought,” Moerman said. “Both sides knew that as long no one messed with each other, then we
would all do our thing. For the most part, the groups that were attacking us let us do our thing and leave.” Once back in the U.S., Moerman will be able to return to campus life. As a military aviation major at Liberty with a minor in business, his goal is to become a commercial pilot following graduation May 2013. “I am not sure how long I am going to stay in the Army, but there is chance that I am going to try to become a medevac (medical evacuation) pilot once I graduate from LU,” he said. “I intend to be a flight instructor here at LU as a stepping stone to commercial flight.” In the meantime, however, Moerman and some 50,000 other American troops are waiting the last few weeks of an eightyear conflict with the hopes of returning home by Christmas. ADAMS is the web editor.
As recently as the first Gulf War, soldiers had to rely on “snail mail” to send letters home to loved ones. In 21st century conflicts, soldiers like Spc. Josh Moerman are able to communicate instantaneously with family and friends back in North America. Liberty University senior Kelsey Huff, Moerman’s girlfriend of two and a half years, kept in touch with Moerman through Skype, Facebook and email. Huff said modern technology is a blessing, but it lacks the sentimental value of handwritten letters. “I was bummed I didn’t get any letters from him because we were able to video chat almost every week, which was a blessing,” Huff said. “So I made him promise to write some letters and bring them home.” When the Army sent Moerman home to visit for two weeks in October, he was able to both visit Liberty and surprise his family by showing up in person. “During the two weeks he got to come (home), he got to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with his family and surprise his parents,” Huff said. “He (also) really likes Liberty’s hockey games, so we made a point of going to one when he visited Liberty.” At the war’s end, Huff is waiting for Moerman to return from Kuwait with the rest of the withdrawing American troops. “With him coming home soon, I couldn’t ask for a better Christmas present,” Huff said.
NEWS
A6/Liberty Champion
December 6, 2011
Civil War film festival coming in Fall Justin Jones jljones9@liberty.edu
Students will soon have their chance to bring a part of Civil War history back to life. In conjunction with the Civil War Seminar scheduled for Sept. 28-29 in the fall of 2012, a Civil War film festival will also be a part of the event. Students are encouraged to film their own Civil War videos and submit them by the second week of September 2012 to be judged. Currently, the tentative list of judges includes professors from both the History Department and the School of Communications, as well as the head of Bright Images — a video company in Lynchburg, Va. The theme for next year’s seminar is “The Rise of Lee & Grant,” but students are encouraged to explore other areas of the war. Kenny Rowlette, the director of the National Civil War Chaplains Museum, also leads in planning the yearly Civil War Seminar. With the addition of the film festival, Rowlette looks forward to seeing the students’ creativity on display. The winner of the film festival will not go home empty handed. A cash prize of $500 will go to first place, $300 for second and $200 for third. Despite the cash prize as motivation, Rowlette and the judges
Liberty to allow guns on campus
Tabitha Cassidy
tcassidy@liberty.edu
Liberty University’s Board of Trustees announced on Friday, Nov. 11, that students would now be able to carry a concealed gun on campus. Students were informed of the new policy Wednesday, Nov. 16. The policy, found on the Liberty University Police Department’s (LUPD) website, now allows firearms on campus grounds should approval be given to students on an individual basis. Colonel Richard D. Hinkley, LUPD’s chief of police, said that handguns will be the only concealed weapon approved for students to carry on campus. “Anyone who wishes to carry must complete an application and obtain approval from the Police Department,” Hinkley said. According to Liberty’s new policy, students wishing to seek permission to carry a hand gun must first contact LUPD for an application. Students must also provide the department with a copy of their concealed weapons permit, identification documentation and the make, model and caliber of the weapon they wish to carry. Some faculty and staff, according to the LUPD website, are now permitted to carry concealed weapons inside academic buildings. However, students are not allowed to bring their weapons inside any university facility. Weapons are also allowed to be stored within the LUPD building once approval is granted. LUPD will not release the current number of students, faculty or staff who have sought permission to carry a concealed weapon on campus or who have already been given permission. According to Hinkley, there is not a concern over the possibility of an increased chance of a shooting with the new policy. The new policy, according to both Hinkley and LUPD’s website, is the trend on numerous college campuses today. “It is a person’s right to carry concealed once they have training and obtain a license,” Hinkley said. CASSIDY is a news editor.
ZONING continued from A1 “The overlying issue with both (the first proposal and the current law), is the 4th Amendment concerns,” Storrs said. The Fourth Amendment is the portion of the Bill of Rights that guards one from unreasonable search or seizure and also requires a warrant when a reasonable search is due. Searches with a warrant are already lawful when made by law enforcement or emergency officials. In the early 1970s, the Virginia attorney general interpreted that commonwealth
File photo | Liberty Champion
Living history — The festival will allow students to create Civil War short films. hope that students make the most of this unique opportunity. “We hope to give these students a creative outlet,” Rowlette said. “I have not heard of any other university in the county hosting this type of film festival from student generated productions.” To assist students in their videos, Rowlette has been in contact with Bright Images who has stock civil war re-enactment footage available. Additionally, those interested will have a chance to view a short film by Liberty alumnus,
Ryan Mix. His “A Day in the Life” will be shown in January as a benchmark for those who plan to enter a production in the film festival. “We’re not looking for any grand expanse of time to be covered in the videos,” he said. “It’s just short little stories. The Civil War is filled with all kinds of stories about the home front, about what women did away from the battle and the soldiers themselves.” For Rowlette, the Civil War is not simply an event in the past that shaped
American history, but also a war that was fought over issues that are relevant today. “A lot of these issues that were dealt with at the time of the Civil War are still with us,” Rowlette said. “States’ rights, the issue of immigration (and) a strong central government versus a weak government.” Because of the wide impact of the Civil War, Rowlette and the other judges are hoping to see short films that look into other aspects of the civil war, focusing on the personal stories that tell the story of war in a new way. One often told story Rowlette enjoys is the role of the pocket Bible. During the war, soldiers would often carry two-inch thick New Testaments in their breast pockets. History and research have found that approximately 12 men were shot in the chest, precisely in the spot of their pocket Bible. While the soldier would be knocked down and potentially wounded, the Bible played a role in saving the soldier’s life. More information, including applications into the festival and guidelines, can be found online through the school of history, communications and cinematography starting in January or by contacting Rowlette at either 582-2087 or kgrowlet@liberty.edu. JONES is a news reporter.
Millennials vs the job market How today’s generation is coping with the effects of a competitive job market Kelsie Knowles kknowles2@liberty.edu
Economic indicators at the Dismal Scientist proclaimed that the unemployment rate has dropped down to 8.6 percent, according to an article released Dec. 2. Unemployment rates, however, have been dropping for the wrong reasons, according to the Dismal Scientist. Job growth only moderately increased, which could mean trouble for today’s college-aged Millennial generation entering the job force. The Huffington Post reports that 85 percent of Millennials will move back home. Interestingly, many of them have no problem with that. Perry Petrozelli, 22, is an example of one such case. Since obtaining a B.A. in Psychology from Liberty University in spring of 2011, Petrozelli has been fighting a losing battle with the job market. “Since graduating from Liberty, I have moved around quite a bit trying to find jobs,” Petrozelli said. “I started off with a one way ticket to California. Jobs were more abundant but the cost of living and (pay for) entry level jobs was unreasonable.” Petrozelli, like many recent college grads, eventually ran out of money and prospects and was forced to move back home. “My reasoning for moving home was primarily to save money. Essentially, I can buy myself time until I find a job if I am at home,” Petrozelli said. This year’s graduating class was born in the middle of the Millennial Generation, which, according to the US Census Bureau, consists of those born between 1982 and 2000. According to National Public Radio, this generation does not experience the same tension between their parents experienced by both Generation X and the Baby Boomers before them. Because this generation is typically family-oriented, they do not consider moving back home to be essentially bad, as perhaps their parents and grandparents may have. Millennials are also characteristically optimistic, and have been raised to
law gave the zoning office just as much legal authority to obtain a search warrant as the firemen, policemen, and other emergency officials. After two cases of noncompliance with the law and a struggle to obtain warrants in 2010, Fowler said that although Virginia code allows for the inspections, the planning board was advised to distinctly include the right of inspections into their city code so that there wouldn’t be further discrepancies about whether or not it was legal. Still, Storrs objects to the notion.
Robert DuVaul | Office of Promotional Publications
Tough market — Millennials are facing more competition for fewer jobs. believe they are special, according to Pew Research organization, a self-described “fact tank” based in Washington, DC. These fledglings hit the pavement to search for jobs armed with the expectation that because they are special, and they have worked hard, everything will work out for them. They never stop to consider the thousands of other graduates who hold the same mentality. Liberty senior Kyle Klein, 22, is currently completing an internship in Washington, DC. Klein said he has been doing everything in his power to find a career in his field and avoid moving back home. “Most people our age have very close relationships with our parents, so it can be tempting to move back in with them if we are unable to find work after col-
“The government is best, which governs least,” Storrs said, referencing a quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson. “Just because a government can do something, doesn’t mean it should.” James Price, a commuter student at Liberty, shared a similar concern. “I don’t think it’s right for the (city) government to have the ability to tell us who can and can’t live with us. That’s just too much power,” Price said. Storrs also referenced the two cases of non-compliance in 2010. According to the Census Bureau, Lynchburg boasts a
lege,” Klein said. “Personally, I dread the thought. It’s not that I don’t love my family, but I know that if I hope to be successful in this economy, I need to put myself out there and get some real experience.” Klein said he is frustrated by his misfortune in his search for employment. “When we were growing up, we were told, ‘Get a degree so you can get a good job.’ We were raised to believe that if you end up in a hard-labor job without a degree, you’ve failed,” Klein said. “It’s frustrating when you’ve worked hard and earned a degree like you were told, but you still end up settling.”
KNOWLES is a news reporter.
population of 72,596 citizens. “With a virtual compliance rate of 99 percent, it is hard to see this law as anything other than an infringement on personal rights,” Storrs said. The 72,596 citizens of Lynchburg will ultimately have to be the ones who decide, and for the current time, it seems they have done just that unless there would be a motion to repeal or amend what was put into law in October. MILLESON is a guest reporter.
December 6, 2011
Q&A
Liberty Champion/A7
Q&A with the Chancellor
Ruth Bibby What is the vision behind the Welcome Center? We made a decision after construction began on the Welcome Center to greatly enhance the interior finishes. The goal is to “put our best foot forward” and create the best possible first impression with every prospective student, their families and other visitors to campus. One of our slogans at Liberty over the years has been “if it’s Christian, it should be better” and we want our visitors to experience that at the new front door of our campus. The materials required to
upgrade the interior of the building were not readily available so the completion of the Welcome Center had to be delayed by a few months. How is the on-campus construction regarding the tunnel progressing? The new perimeter road is now under construction. It will run from the existing railroad crossing, parallel to the railroad tracks, over the new pedestrian tunnel, across the dam of the new lake behind the Vines Center and on to the dorm circle. The exterior finishes are be-
ing added to the Wards Road side of the pedestrian tunnel now and the tunnel should be open to students at the beginning of next semester. A new fence along the railroad tracks will make the pedestrian tunnel the only option for students to cross the tracks by foot. Our agreement with the railroad for the pedestrian tunnel requires that the new vehicular tunnels at Harvard Street be completed within two years. We are moving ahead to meet this deadline.
Questions and answers adapted by Ashley Bollinger from an interview conducted by Andrew Claudio of 90.9 The Light. How has the university changed since you were a student? When I was a student, we hiked through the ravine from the dorm circle and up the steep hill to class. The Vines Center had not been built and we would often slip and fall in the mud on the way to class. I complained to Dad and we finally got a staircase – the one that still exists. We saw that as a major campus improvement in my day. It is quite a contrast to see what God has done at Liberty since the 1980s. Now, we are starting construction on a small lake to beautify that muddy ravine and a new basketball practice facility behind Vines that will have a lawn on the roof Falwell allowing students to walk from the dorm circle to the classrooms on level ground. Construction on this facility will start even before the library construction. Liberty’s construction team has repeatedly amazed other universities with the speed they are able to complete new projects. For example, many university presidents are shocked when I tell them that Liberty completed the renovations to Williams Stadium between football seasons (relocating only one game to City Stadium) and constructed the Tower Theater during the same nine or 10 month time period.
Photo Provided
Above is a rendering of the inside of the Hancock Welcome Center. After the construction is completed the center will house the “best of the best,” including Liberty University’s first board room as featured on A9. Below is a renduring of the inside of the Library’s future atrium. At the bottom is the view of the construction from the Extended Stay.
Photo Provided What can Liberty expect with the construction of the new library? Locations have now been found for all the offices in Schilling and, as soon as Schilling is empty, demolition will start on the section of Schilling where the basketball teams now practice. Then, construction on the library will begin. The library will offer the finest design and quality of construction to Liberty students and faculty. It will be a clear statement of Liberty’s commitment to academic excellence. The automatic book retrieval system will use a robotic mechanism to deliver books to students allowing the new book collection of 500,000 volumes to be stored in 1/9 of the space required by traditional stacks. This will create more quiet study space, more group study space and space for a food court to replace the Hangar. Dr. Carl Merat and his staff have worked with our architects and consultants to create a truly stateof-the-art plan for Liberty’s new library. The new vehicular tunnels will replace the existing at-grade crossing at Sonic allowing trains to pass by without sounding their horns and interrupting students in the library. The library will have two levels underground and students will be able to use the elevator to access the lower level that will lead to the pedestrian tunnel. New gyms for Kinesiology classes are now under construction adjacent to the LaHaye Fitness Center and the Thomas Indoor Soccer Complex at Green Hall. These gyms will serve as the replacement for the northern section of Schilling Center across from the Hangar and Reber-Thomas when it is demolished to make way for new academic buildings. Joel Coleman
Q&A
A8/Liberty Champion
December 6, 2011
Q&A with the Chancellor
Photo Provided
Above is a rendering of the future sporting facilities upon their completion. Below is the Vines Center with the new level addition. Also the view of the Vines and Library with the small lake and practice facilities with a lawn-covered roof. Can you explain the changes in the sports facilities? The new baseball stadium planning has been progressing nicely. We had hoped to start construction this Fall but decided to make other changes in the area to improve the final design. For example, the outdoor track is nearing the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced. Rather than replace it in its current location around the soccer field, we decided to relocate it, probably to the other side of US 29/460 across from Candlers Station and below Snowflex. This allows us to enlarge the soccer field to the maximum NCAA size and move the field closer to the stands. That change allows us to shift the baseball stadium more to the northeast, which creates the most optimal conditions for spectators and players. This eliminates the direct sunlight that we now have in Worthington Stadium on the stands that run along the first base line. It also allows us to shift the stadium away from David’s Place slightly, making it possible to use David’s Place for locker rooms and batting tunnels without attaching the stadium to the building (except at one corner). Merging the David’s Place building with the stadium itself would have been much more costly. The shifting of the soccer field and relocation of the track also creates a nice building pad (with the removal of some dirt) between the David’s Place parking lot and the soccer field. We are discussing possibilities for that site now. Students may also have noticed that dirt is being removed from the hill between the band practice field on the dorm circle and the highway. That dirt is being used to build the new perimeter road and is part of a plan that our Staff Engineer, Maggie Cossman, and Charles Spence, our Director of Construction, worked out with the Virginia Department of Transportation to beautify the cut and fill slopes between campus and the highway. Also, architects and engineers have determined that adding an upper deck of seating in Vines would be relatively in-
What is the biggest complaint you get from students? Lately, the number one complaint, by far, has been parking difficulties. Liberty has far more on-site parking available than most universities of its size but our commuters, staff and faculty live in a small town where they are generally able to drive up to and park near the front door of most businesses that they visit. That creates an expectation that does not exist in larger cities but it is hard to match on a densely populated campus. Liberty is densely populated like a big city and that requires habits to change. The new Civic Center proposal could be a great help. We would likely lease the 2500-3000 new
expensive. The second deck would hang from the ring that supports the dome (amazingly, without columns that would block views in the seating below) meaning the back row of the second deck would be at the ring level which is at the base of the dome and the second deck would extend out over the existing seating. Sight lines would work well and the upper deck would be accessed by a series of staircases around the arena. This expansion would, however, prevent us from using the facility for convocation or games for a year or more during construction. Moving convocation and basketball games to the new Civic Center temporarily would make the expansion of Vines more feasible. With an enhanced seating capacity, Vines would serve as a Convocation Center only avoiding any set up and tear down costs for athletic events. This would represent a major cost savings for the university. The new upper deck and reconfiguration of the existing seating to meet new codes (that allow more seats and less aisle space) could increase the Vines seating capacity from 9000+ to over 14,000. Using TRBC as a satellite location, Vines should meet our convocation needs for many years to come. Likewise, a Civic Center that seats 10,000 should accommodate the needs of our basketball program well into the future and, while students might have a short walk through the tunnel and/ or a short shuttle bus ride to the new Civic Center, unlike Vines, the new center would have easy access from Wards Road across the new bridge that Liberty built at the airport a few years ago and it would have on-site parking for local residents and commuters. Plans to move Tilley Center to main campus are also being discussed. The space where Tilley Center is now located would be converted into a 2500-3000 seat facility for a more intimate and competitive for events. The better attended women’s basketball and volleyball games would be played at the Civic Center.
Photo Provided
Photo Provided How are the plans for the Civic Center advancing?
Lynchburg’s studies on the new Civic Center are finding that the Lynchburg region will support a new Civic Center. If built, it will likely be located just to the west of the new lacrosse and field hockey fields at the edge of Campus East. Liberty will use the Civic Center for basketball games, concerts and other events. Given the recent results from the survey on solving the parking problems, what can students look forward to? I kept getting complaints from commuter students this semester saying they had to drive around campus for 30-45 minutes before finding a parking space so I came up with a plan that would have assigned each commuter to a certain parking lot on campus by random drawing. Each lot would have been gated and every commuter would have been guaranPhoto Provided teed a space even if they arrived only five minutes before class started. Surprisingly, spaces there during the day. Bus service commuters voted 87% - 13% against the would be very efficient between those new plan in favor of keeping the current lots and the Campus East tunnel – a very parking system. Even though the current short ride. Is there a long-term goal for the school as far as growth? With the new gun policy on camAnd if so, does this mean new dorms pus, what would you say to parents and expansion? The new plan for dorms and classrooms to ensure that this is still a safe could easily accommodate 20,000-25,000 campus? students. The national economy will afI am a Liberty University parent and I fect how long it takes Liberty to reach that enrollment goal. We intend to watch na- feel that students are much safer now that tional trends closely as we grow and adjust some faculty and staff will be carrying as necessary so that we do not over-build concealed weapons in our buildings. If a shooting occurred like the one at Virginia or build too quickly.
system will remain in effect, significant changes will be made to improve parking options for commuters in the Spring. We have been asked for years to consider not allowing freshmen to bring cars to Liberty. Liberty is proud that freshmen are allowed to bring cars to school so we did not want to restrict that privilege. We did, however, decide to relocate certain resident student parking (mostly lower classmen) by assigning those students to lots that are more distant from classroom buildings. This will create more spaces for commuters to park in lots that are served by regular bus service. We are also adding over 600 new parking spaces on campus by January. The new plan is not perfect and we will continue to make adjustments. Next Fall, we may assign commuters to certain lots and price the lots according to location and popularity.
Tech, one of our faculty or staff members might be able to intervene. I honestly believe that, if a few responsible people (maybe even just the pilots and crew) had been carrying guns in the airplanes that crashed into the World Trade Center, that tragedy could have been averted.
December 6, 2011
Q&A
Liberty Champion/A9
Q&A with the Chancellor Is there a long-term goal for the school as far as growth? And if so, does this mean new dorms and expansion? The new plan for dorms and classrooms could easily accommodate 20,000-25,000 students. The national economy will affect how long it takes Liberty to reach that enrollment goal. We intend to watch national trends closely as we grow and adjust as necessary so that we do not over-build or build too quickly.
Joel Coleman What is one criticism of the school that you would say is unfair? At this holiday season, I think we need to reflect on how blessed we are at Liberty. God has blessed this school in ways that have never been seen before. One of our professors, Dr. Karen Prior, recently sent me a link to an article quoting one of the national rating agencies about the difficulties many smaller Christian colleges in the U.S. are experiencing recruiting new students. The professor had no idea that the senior rating analyst quoted in that article had been on campus recently to evaluate Liberty’s credit rating. The timing of Dr. Prior forwarding me the article was quite remarkable since that same rating agency was and is in the midst of re-evaluating Liberty’s credit rating. I took the opportunity to reiterate to
the analyst how unique Liberty’s mission among Christian colleges and universities has always been. I told him: The colleges you referenced in this article all were founded with the expectation that they would remain small and would provide a very focused educational experience for their students. Liberty, on the other hand, was founded with the goal of becoming a world class university for evangelical Christian young people. We believe the huge student demand that we are enjoying at Liberty while other Christian colleges seem to be declining is evidence that there is a real need for an evangelical Christian equivalent of Notre Dame or Brigham Young. By distinguishing itself as the only evangelical Christian university that provides a wide variety of academic offerings, NCAA Division I athletics, a great
number of student activities and world class facilities, Liberty has removed itself from the fierce competition for students faced by many smaller Christian colleges who all offer very similar academic programs and student experiences. In addition, being a larger university with diverse course studies has resulted in Liberty University attracting students of other faiths that share similar values. I also wanted to note that, when you asked me recently why so many universities that were founded with Christian missions similar to Liberty’s had strayed from their missions over time, I replied that tenure was the major cause of the shift. I was reminded recently of another major factor that has historically caused Christian universities to change course and that factor has been a tendency by Christian colleges to bow to the pressure of donors
Ruth Bibby
in order to receive needed contributions. Many Christian colleges have allowed their donors to become board members even when those donors do not share the Christian values of the institution and those donors have used the promise of donations to influence other board members to change the doctrinal foundations of the institutions. I believe that Liberty’s uniqueness in being funded by a business plan rather than by donors will insulate it from similar donor pressures and will allow us to retain our Christian foundations. I believe that, if Liberty continues to be good stewards of the resources God has provided to us, the resulting financial strength will give us the ability to resist pressures to change our mission.
Ruth Bibby
If you could say one thing to a high school student that would convince them to come to Liberty, what would it be? Repeated surveys tell us over and over that the two main reasons that students choose Liberty are its Christian mission and emphasis and its affordability (Liberty’s tuition and fees rank it in the bottom 25 percent of all private colleges). We intend to keep both of those factors that distinguish Liberty from other schools at the top of all our priority lists. Photo Provided
The top image is of the construction of the new kinesiology department. Above left is the new bridge over Wards Road. Above right is the construction behind Vines. Below, is a rendering of the university’s first board room to be located within the Hancock Welcome Center. Below is the construction located behind South Campus.
Joel Coleman
Photo Gallery
A10/Liberty Champion
December 6, 2011
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Lynchburg sunsets at Snowflex Homecoming football game Football fans show support during fourth quarter fury Clayton King speaks on relationships at Campus Church Sold out David Crowder concert during CFAW weekend David Crowder Band performs on the 7 Tour Sparky shows Liberty spirit Spiritual Emphasis Week unites the campus Christmas at the Liberty monogram
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SPORTS Volleyball edged by Penn State
DECEMBER 6, 2011
until the last moments
As a senior class leaves, Rocco focuses on future
Kyle Harvey kharvey@liberty.edu
As an unranked team from a private school in Virginia traveling to Big Ten heavyweight Pennsylvania State University, the odds were certainly stacked against Liberty University. PSU entered Friday’s match ranked No. 8 in the nation, a program which has won the national title four years running. For Coach Shane Pinder “They and his team earned their of Big South right to be C h a m p i o n s game rephere... I want the resented more to recognize than just a shot Liberty for a at playing a terrific sea- world class program. It was a son.” shot at putting — Rose Liberty on the map. With their reputation on the line, the Lady Flames marched into University Park, Pa. and did their school proud. “The scouting report said that they were going to play hard and with a lot of pride. I think they did as they had to do to get into this tournament. They earned their right to be here and they did what they do well. They are keeping their heads high. I want to recognize Liberty for a terrific season,” Penn State head coach Russ Rose said. Liberty started strong in the first set taking a 10-9 lead halfway through. Hitting against a front line, which had a clear height advantage, Liberty struggled to find holes in the Penn State defense. Sophomore Lillie Happel took the most swings and recorded a team high of nine kills. Junior Loren Thomas put down six kills and sophomore setter Jade Craycraft added five kills and 16 assists. Even against such a high powered offense, the Lady Flames defense played at their usual high level, out-blocking the Nittany Lions 5-4 at the net. Thomas led the team with four block assists and redshirt sophomore Kendle Rollins, who only recently returned from a foot injury, added three more. Senior libero Kelly Haseman put on a terrific performance in the back row. Haseman is the only player on the team that played perennial favorite Nebraska in the 2008 NCAA National Tournament. Her experience in big games was evident early on to everyone on the court. See V’BALL, B2
Reloading for a new football year Andrew Woolfolk alwoolfolk@liberty.edu
As the final seconds disappeared off the clock in Liberty University’s conference championship matchup against Stony Brook, the Flames saw their fifth consecutive Big South Championship, the golden ticket to the post season, disappear with them in their 31-41 defeat. To head coach Danny Rocco, the loss has become a stepping stone to the future, not a hindering boulder, in the grand scheme of the Flames’ football program. Already, the team’s new slogan “Earn the right to win” has been posted throughout the football complex. “The first thing you always have do is put the season in perspective. Though we didn’t accomplish our specific goal of winning the conference championship, we still had a successful season,” Rocco said, citing the team’s recovery from a 1-3 start to put themselves in a position to win the conference in their season finale clash versus Stony Brook. Fifteen of the But already, RocFlames were co and the team’s selected to attention has advanced to next sea- all-conference son. Liberty, who teams after the looks to continue regular season its string of six consecutive winning seasons and earn back its conference title, will have to replace an outstanding senior class to do so. Those 17 seniors leave the school with quite a legacy, having won the second most games of any senior class with a record of 33-12 and a conference record of 20-3, while also capturing three conference championships. Some would call it rebuilding. For Rocco, it’s reloading. “The reality is that every year you are rebuilding your team,” Rocco said.” You have to redefine and remake your team every year, regardless of the amount of seniors and the amount of production you lose.” “That element of developing chemistry and guys taking on new roles is really one of the more exciting parts of the process really, to see who is going to step and take the shoes of someone who just departed the program,” Rocco said.
FYI
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
The almost — Avery Warley (center) and the Lady Flames nearly pulled out a ‘W’ against a high-percentage James Madison ladies squad.
So close, so far Momentum and shooting percentage proved key in JMU loss Jaquayla Cameron jcameron@liberty.edu
A
fter returning from the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament, the Lady Flames dropped their overall record to 3-4 with a tough 62-58 loss against the James Madison University Lady Dukes. A quick jumper from JMU’s Tarik Hislop opened scoring but the Lady Flames responded with a 9-2 run. The Dukes were held without scoring for close to six minutes until senior JMU center Rachel Connely ended the drought with a layup. From there, the Lady Dukes ripped off a
17-0 run, leaving the Lady Flames trailing by 11 with 5:02 left in the first half. At the half, the Lady Dukes held the advantage, 29-21. Two’s and Three’s The Lady Flames made some adjustments during halftime. They continued to outscore the Lady Dukes in the paint (Liberty 36, JMU 16), which allowed them to pull within a point toward the middle of the second half. Redshirt senior center Avery Warley packed in 11 second-half points
See ROCCO, B4 See BASKETBALL, B2
Liberty kickoff garners loads of medals
Eight Liberty athletes qualified for the IC4A’s with their weekend performances
Julie Gonzalez jngonzalez@liberty.edu
Liberty University track and field team kicked off their 2011-12 season at the Tolsma Indoor Track by taking 10 total event victories and registering 13 IC4A-qualifying performances. Flames athletes knocked off competitors from Wake Forest, UVA, Virginia Tech, Radford, High Point and other Big South schools. Head coach Brant Tolsma had high expectations for his team this weekend. “On the men’s side we just (wanted) to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We’d like to keep dominating the Big South, contending in the IC4A and getting athletes to the National Championship,” Tolsma said. “We’d like to climb in the ECAC and we’d like to start getting athletes to the Nationals there as well.”
Lady Flames throwers Mychelle Cumings (shot) and Jocelyn Williams (weight) both made quality stamps for the women’s program, marking Liberty records for each of their events respectively (Cumings, 45-1, Williams 56-8.5). Tolsma believes that his team this year has improved in more than just athleticism. “We have an improved attitude on the team this year,” Tolsma said. “It’s been a lot of fun this fall preparing and seeing how hard everybody’s working so we’re looking forward to good things.” Liberty thrower Ryan Smith outtossed Virginia man Thomas Fuson by three-and-a-half feet to finish first in shotput. Senior Isaac Wendland placed first in the men’s 3K, just in front of teammate, freshman Jacob Onifer. Jennifer Klugh paced the women
in the 5K race and Taylor Courtney beat the 500 meter crowd. Conditioning has been a factor for Liberty in the past but Tolsma feels that his team is as prepared as they can be for the upcoming season. “This time of year we don’t want to be in peak shape, but we’ve worked hard all fall.” As far as the season goes, Tolsma has no doubts that his team will be able to compete at a very high level. “We’re pretty well prepared, we’ve done this a lot of years,” Tolsma said. Liberty track and field has a full schedule this season with meets like the Hokie Invitational in January and the Coastal Carolina Invitational in March. Bekah Lohr | Liberty Champion
Kicker — The Flames track teams debuted this weekend in the Liberty Kickoff. The Flames set a pretty high bar for the season with eight winners and eight GONZALEZ is a sports reporter. national qualifiers.
SPORTS
B2/Liberty Champion
December 6, 2011
Layer hoping to right ship versus UNCW The Flames return to the Furnace after a chilly sixth straight loss Tyler Eacho Email@liberty.edu
Coming off of five consecutive losses and a 2-6 start to the season, the Flames men’s basketball team is looking to bounce back on the road against defending Big South regular-season champion Coastal Carolina on Dec. 3 before coming home to face UNC Wilmington Dec 6 at 7 p.m. In a season that was defined by injury before the first tip-off, coach Dale Layer has had his hands full trying to perfect a system that can work for the players that he has available. During preseason practices, the Flames lost Sommy Ogukwe, a 6’7”, 230 pound forward, whose presence off the bench last year brought hustle and energy to the post. John Brown, a 6’4” guard and a transfer from junior college last season, was also lost for the year. Brown led the team in rebounds last season and his presence in the paint has been sorely missed. “We’ve taken some steps back with the injuries, but we’re slowly progressing and regrouping,” Layer said. “This has been a rough stretch for our team but we’re working hard in practice to keep getting better.” Though there is no certain answer, there are a couple of areas that it is rather obvious that the Flames need to see improvement.
BASKETBALL continued from B1 and forward Danika Dale grabbed seven rebounds, However, their adjustments could not contain the perimeter shooting of Hislop and redshirt junior Jasmine Gill, as the duo led the Dukes with a combined total of 44 points. Warley led the Lady Flames with 18 points and eight rebounds. Not on target The loss was earned because the Dukes shot 41.9 percent from the field while the Lady Flames shot 34.4 percent, including 21 missed layups. “We played fairly well despite the emotional things that we had to deal with,” Head coach Carey Green said. “However, we
Grading Lady Flames Basketball Coaches:
Overall Defense In six of their eight games to date, Liberty has scored 64 points or more. Half of their defeats have come by less than 10 points and one of the losses was a 65-64 defeat to William and Mary in the 2K Sports Classic. Clearly, the Flames have no trouble scoring but opposing teams are scoring more. In the Eastern Kentucky game, the Flames put up 65 points but EKU put up 73. In their next matchup, the Flames put up 80 points, but gave up 90 points to Lehigh. In their most recent game, Liberty posted 82 points but allowed Campbell to score 96. Winning Ability It has been said of many young teams over the years that they don’t know how to win games. They may have the talent to win but they don’t know how to finish games. I believe that for the Flames, this season, that is the case. The team is filled with young players and the absence of Evan Gordon, who opted to transfer, and
B
Starters Danika Dale and Tolu Omotola combined for 14 points and 15 rebounds. However, they also combined for six turnovers.
VOLLEYBALL continued from B1 Their libero was really good and dug a lot of balls. They dug every one of our hard-hit balls. We had to roll shots and tips to mix it up,” Penn State sophomore Ariel Scott said. Playing in her last match as a Lady Flame, Haseman seemed to be everywhere at once. In just three sets, Haseman dug 18 balls to give Liberty’s hitters a fighting chance. “I’m proud of our kids, our freshman and sophomores and Kelly, our only senior. She flew around the floor and for her last match I think she turned a few heads tonight,” Pinder said. Beyond the athletics and the statistics on the court, the girls were strong representatives of Jesus Christ and the values to which Liberty holds dear. As is customary after a game, the team circled at half court for prayer with any members of the opposing team that would be willing or interested.
Nate Brown | Liberty Champion
a nightmare start — Early season injuries look to plauge the Flames depth as they have a tough time trying to end a six game losing streak against conference foe UNC Willmington. Brown leaves some big holes in leadership and experience. As the team continues to work together, hopefully they will learn how to successfully finish the games where they play their opponents closely. “This season is going to be a stiff challenge for us, but we have a new season ahead of us as we head into conference play,” Layer said. However the team fares against Coastal Carolina, it is important for the fans to
continue to support the team. “We’ve had some great, enthusiastic support from the students here. It will be good to get back home and see some friendly faces in the stands,” Layer said. UNC Wilmington has suffered five consecutive losses themselves so maybe they are the perfect matchup for the Flames to turn things around. EACHO is a sports reporter.
did miss 21 layups. Making just 20 percent of those could have but us over JMU.” Emotionally challenging This game was the first for redshirt junior Devon Brown since the death of her mother, Jennifer Brown, on Nov. 22. “(Brown) struggled mentally, physically and emotionally,” head coach Carey Green said. “I am very pleased with the effort that she put out tonight.” Brown finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. According to Libertyflames.com, Brown is within seven points from scoring 1,000 career points. The Lady Flames will face the University of Virginia for their next game in Charlottesville, Va. on Dec. 7 CAMERON is a sports reporter.
Overall:
B+
Liberty excuted great in the half court which led to easy shots in the paint. However, plenty of missed lay-ups was the teams downfall.
B+ Guards:
Coach Green did a great job coaching up his players after they fell behind in the middle of the second half. But, execution was the teams only crutch.
Forwards:
“This has been a rough stretch for our team, but we’re working hard in practice to try to get better.”
B+
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
close contest — Shooting only 34 percent from the field, the Lady Flames were able to keep it close with James Madison. The Flames loss to the Dukes 62-58.
Devon Brown and Reagan Miller were aggressive attacking JMU’s defense. They accounted for a combined six of the team’s 13 assists.
Centers:
B+
Accounting for 12 total rebounds, Catherine Kearny and Avery Warley controlled the paint. Warley led the team with 18 points.
“The Penn State University has been through a lot and to have the opportunity to bring two teams together in this time and pray for this university and what is going on is great. It would be hard for us to walk out of here and not take advantage of the opportunity…Our captains ask every team we play to pray at the end of the game, and it is up to them if they come over or not. Some teams come and some don’t, but tonight Penn State came,” Pinder said. “One of their girls asked us if we wanted to pray with them and we said yes. Their coach said a few words. It was really nice of them. It’s a tradition they have at their school, to pray with the other team,” Scott said. “Much like the Nebraska game, it is a great opportunity for some healing in the Penn State family. We appreciate Liberty’s guidance in that area,” Rose said. HARVEY is a sports reporter.
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SPORTS
December 6, 2011
Liberty Champion/B3
Soccer finishes season in NCAA tourney
Jeff Alder’s team advanced to the NCAA tournament after winning the BSC
Jay Sir siryw@liberty.edu
Through their hardships during the season, Liberty University re-mastered the basics of soccer at defense and teamwork that allowed them to win the Big South Championship this season and progress to the national NCAA Tournament. Not too many people expected Liberty to win the Big South Championship this season. It wasn’t that Liberty didn’t have the talent to do so. A mid-season slump jeopardized the Flames tournament hopes but Liberty was quick to rebound. “I feel we learned a lot during those games,” head coach Jeff Alder said. “It allowed us to see if we can do things a little bit better and pay attention a little bit more to detail. Those games really helped us get back to our root fundamental to keeping the ball, playing simple and finding the next guy.” The Flames showed just how much they learned in the season during their 2-1 victory over No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina, and in their 3-1 victory over No. 2 seed Gardner-Webb. Despite being outshot by the opposition in both
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By grace — Flames made a run into the NCAA tournament, but Old Dominion ended their magical season in penalty kicks. games, Liberty managed to hold steady in their defense and pull out a win from both their opponents in the Big South
Championship. “(We were) never intimidated,” defender Chris Phillips said. “The Big
South Tournament and NCAA tournament is about surviving and advancing. Can your team come together, fight and want it more than the other team on that day? We did that even into the NCAA tournament.” In the NCAA tournament, Liberty kept up the discipline they learned over the course of the season. Liberty was once again outshot by Old Dominion University who boasts a No. 2 scoring offense in the nation, but the Flames kept its teamwork intact and managed to not allow a single regulation-time goal and entered the penalty kick series at 0-0. The Flames fell to ODU on the final PK. Flames men’s soccer finished its season with an overall 11-6-3 record, and added a second Big South Championship trophy to the university’s hardware display. “Although we are losing six seniors, there are still six returning starters and the guys this year gained experience that few teams will have next season,” Phillips said. “I have no doubt that the team will have (its) sixth consecutive double-digit win season next year.” SIR is a sports reporter.
The man behind the ice: Hockey’s Handy man Since Kirk Handy took over the hockey program, Liberty ice has been hot
Kyle TerMarsch kmtermarsch@liberty.edu
The hockey program at Liberty University has evolved dramatically over the past two decades. When it first began, hockey was an irrelevant, inexperienced club sport that had no home ice rink to play in. In the last 10 years, Liberty’s hockey team has become one of the most prominent ACHA Handy teams in the country and is housed in a high quality collegiate facility in the LaHaye Ice Center. All of these accomplishments would have been impossible without the hard work and driving passion of the man who has been the hockey coach at Liberty for 11 years, Kirk Handy. From a young age, Handy was indoctrinated to love hockey. “A lot of my immediate family mem-
“I think something I’ll never forget about Dr. Falwell was his fervor to see an ice rink here on campus.” bers, aunts, uncles and other relatives were big into hockey. But my dad had a huge passion for it,” Handy said. “I think, early on, him coaching me had a big influence on my life. He invested a lot of time and energy into getting me into the sport.” After playing college hockey for one year in Canada, Handy decided he wanted to attend a Christian university and heard good things about the academics and hockey program at Liberty. Upon attending Liberty, Handy met his wife, Jannie, whom he married five years later. In late 2001, Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. called Handy back to the hockey program, this time to be the head coach.
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Homecoming fun and festivities
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Baby Bottles for Change B6
B8
LIBERTY CHAMPION Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Today: Cloudy 76/57 Tomorrow: Cloudy 59/44
Libertychampion.com
Volume 29 • Issue 07
Homecoming weekend
Chancellor announces new library New state-of-the-art facility to honor late Dr. Jerry Falwell Katherine Lacaze kelacaze@liberty.edu
Ruth BiBBy| LiBeRty Champion
FOOTBALL FUN — Cheerleaders run out onto the field of William’s Stadium on Sat., Oct. 15, before the Flames football team wins its Homecoming game against Coastal Carolina 63-27 in front of a record-breaking crowd. See B1 for full story.
Chancellor of Liberty University Jerry Falwell Jr. announced Friday, Oct. 14, that Liberty University will soon begin construction on the Jerry Falwell Library. The library is part of Liberty’s campus makeover and “will make a statement about our commitment to academic excellence,” Falwell said. “(The) new freestanding library will be the academic hub of Liberty’s campus,” the Liberty Journal states. “It will overlook a new lake behind the Vines Center.” The Board of Trustees met Tuesday, Oct. 11, to finalize details about the library. According to Falwell, because of the capital investment being made for the library, as well as the fact that it will become a focal point of the campus and the center of student life and academic programs, he suggested it be called the Jerry Falwell Library to commemorate his father and Liberty’s founder. “They (the Board of Trustees), for years, have been looking for the right structure, the right opportunity to honor his memory,” Falwell said. “They all decided it should be named in his honor, because of the sacrifices he made to make Liberty a reality.” See LIBRARY, A8
Candidates for Virginia House of Delegates, District 59 Democrat Connie Brennan Jenna Vanden Brook jvandenbrook@liberty.edu
BRENNAN Connie Brennan is using her community involvement and healthcare background as the basis for her campaign for the 59th District Virginia House of Delegates seat. Brennan is campaigning against Republican Matt Fariss and Independent Linda Wall. The candidates seek to replace retiree Watkins Abbitt Jr., who has held the 59th seat in office for 25 years. Brennan involved
herself in committees ranging from a poverty agency to the Jefferson Area Board of Aging, where she is currently active. She also worked on the Nelson County Child Care Center Board, the Sexual Assault Resource Agency and the Planning District 10 Workforce Council. She served on the Dental Advisory Board and volunteered in her community criminal justice system, Brennan’s campaign website said. Brennan is in her 10th year as a member of the Nelson County Board of Supervisors. “I’m the kind of person that if I don’t know something then I have to volunteer to be on some committee that is related to that because it’s how I learn,” Brennan said. See BRENNAN, A6
Independent Linda Wall
WALL Businesswoman Linda Wall seeks to reform the nation by reintroducing biblical truths and action into government beginning with running for the 59th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Wall is an Independent whose opposition is Republican Matt Fariss and Democrat Connie Brennan. Although Wall does see a challenge in running as an independent as opposed to being attached to a party, she has prepared
to run for political office since the mid-1990s. She worked for the House of Delegates, lobbied and fought for laws and amendments and testified in committee hearings. The Virginia native believes that the focus of the United States government and citizens should be to turn their focus back to God. “It’ll be 50 years in 2010 since prayer was taken out of schools,” Wall said. Ultimately, Wall believes the solution to the nation’s problems, particularly those of the economic crisis, starts with obedience to God and prayer. Wall referenced recent history and stories from the Bible explaining that, often, the result of
See WALL, A6
Republican Matt Fariss
FARISS Matt Fariss’ business experience and conservative values define his campaign for the Virginia House of Delegates. Fariss is the Republican candidate in the race for the 59th District delegate and is a self-proclaimed “common sense conservative.” Fariss is running against Connie Brennan, Democrat, and Linda Wall, Independent. Some of the most significant focuses of Fariss’
campaign are lessening government regulations, lowering taxes and fighting against excessive government spending. Fariss approaches the economy with a pro-business mindset believing that incentives for entrepreneurs, investors and farmers will stimulate business growth which will, in turn, increase job availability, he said. “We can foster a probusiness environment right here in Virginia by keeping effective tax rates low and fighting back against the big government regulations breaking the backs of small businessmen and women,” Fariss said. Fariss’s stances on the economy and job creation stem from his business experience. The Campbell County native was involved in various See FARISS, A6
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When he returned to Liberty, Coach Handy was in the midst of Liberty transforming not only the hockey program, but also providing them with an arena to play in. “I think something I’ll never forget about Dr. Falwell was his fervor to see an ice rink here on campus,” Handy said. “I questioned it sometimes when he’d say like ‘Hey, we’re gonna have an ice rink here’ and I thought ‘Really, we’re gonna get one? We’re in Lynchburg, Virginia.’ I mean, I hoped everyday we’d get one.” “It was neat to see Jerry Falwell’s vision for Liberty and our vision for a hockey program come together,” Handy said. “Obviously, Dr. Falwell always had the vision for this place, and I believe the hockey teams, the ice rink and what we’re doing down here is just a part of that vision that he started in 1971.” Dr. Falwell’s dream for the hockey program to be successful has become a reality under Coach Handy. In the past 10 years, Liberty has won at least 25 games four out of the past five seasons,
jumped from a Division II program to Division I program and made 3 National Championship appearances between DII and DI according to libertyflames.com. For this season, the Flames are 13-6-2 and ranked No. 6 in the recent ACHA poll in the first week of December, according to ACHA.org. So far, Handy has liked what he has seen from his team. “I think, overall, the progression since August has been something we’re very proud of as a coaching staff,” Handy said. “We’d like to see us continue on the progression we’ve worked so hard at for the first couple months of the semester so we can set ourselves up for a good run (in the spring).” The Flames look to finish out the semester on a high note as they take on the No. 1 ranked team in the country, Penn State, this Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m. TERMARSCH is a sports reporter.
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SPORTS
B4/Liberty Champion
sports TALK
December 6, 2011
BCS National Championship: A Flawed System? Over the years, many have said that NCAA needs to replace the BCS with a playoff
Derrick Battle dbattle2@liberty.edu
In years past, the BCS system has been criticized for placing teams in national championship games when they did not deserve to be. Allowing computers to make a match-up may seem odd at first, but the system has been pretty accurate this season. Earlier this year, the nation witnessed a defensive struggle between the top two teams in the nation. No. 1 Louisiana State University (LSU) took on conference foe No. 2 Alabama. No touchdowns were scored and there were plenty of field goals, yet some were unsatisfied with how the game was played. Now some complain about the fact that these two teams might play again for the National Championship. But so many teams that seemed as if they had a shot to play LSU have fallen short when it matters most. Let’s start off in the newly formed Pac -12 where Stanford and Oregon had legitimate chances. First, Oregon loses to LSU in its first game of the season. After winning nine consecutive games including a victory over Stanford. Oregon fell at home to the University of Southern California (USC). Stanford started off strong beating a tough USC team in three overtimes, but was handled easily by Oregon. In the Big 12, the consensus No. 1 at the beginning of the season, Oklahoma Sooners, lost to an unranked Texas Tech team and let one slip away at Baylor.
Virginia Tech in the ACC had not played decent opponents except Florida State and Clemson twice (Virginia Tech lost to them both times this year). After losing on a last second Hail-Mary to Michigan State, Wisconsin let another game slip away to a mediocre Ohio State team. Before the losing streak, Wisconsin looked to have the best balanced attack of all of college football. Boise St. had a chance to prove themselves, however, a last second missed field goal against TCU held them from making an argument. Known for its air-it-out style of play, Houston University puts plenty of points on the board. In fact, they hung 73 points against Rice and Tulane. But after losing to No. 24 Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA championship, Houston’s dreams at a national championship are all but dashed. Other than Alabama, No. 3 Oklahoma State is the only legitimate team to have a shot to play in the national championship. Losing only to Iowa State, they defeated Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game. The problem is not the BCS system. It’s the lack of consistency that teams have played with on a weekly basis. So why not see another field goal contest between LSU and Alabama? It would be better than seeing a blow out. BATTLE is the assistant sports editor.
Nate Brown nbrown4@liberty.edu
Attention: All non-SEC members in the NCAA BCS program. You will not have the opportunity to gain the recognition and pride your programs have worked tirelessly all season for because you are not an SEC member. You will not play in our “National Championship” because you are not an SEC member. All other conferences are not as good as the SEC because they are not SEC members. Thank you for understanding, and be sure to pick up your SEC member application for next year. Love, The SEC. This letter was sent to Oklahoma State and Boise by LSU and ‘Bama, who feel their monopoly on the BCS National Championship being threatened. Not really, but it very well could have been. The BCS National Championship is one of the most broken systems in organized sports. LSU has been largely unthreatened by anyone, save for that yawner against Alabama a couple weeks ago. The “challenger” spot in the game, however, that ‘Bama is laying claim to, I’m not so convinced about. How do you pick between three oneloss teams for a national championship berth? That’s kind of like opening a car-
Graduating Seniors on offense
Graduating Seniors on defense
OL Aaron Brown QB Mike Brown FB Leo Cardenas WR Ervin Garner WR B.J. Hayes WR Julian Poindexter WR Chris Summers TE Tommy Shaver OT Mark Tomlin
DB Jeffery Henderson DB Bradon Robinson DT Asa Chapman OLB Mike Connolly DB KaJuan Lee
ROCCO continued from B1 “We have numerous quality candidates to fill those roles.” Offensively, the Flames return five starters, with the team’s offensive line and backfield remaining primarily the same. The team’s two leading rushers at tailback, Aldreakis Allen and Sirchauncey Holloway, who averaged a combined 88 rushing yards per game, are returning, as well as the team’s two guards and center. Accordingly, the team’s offense could see a shift to a more run-oriented approach next season. “We’ll be a little more under center at quarterback, a little more ‘run first, play action’ mentality like we were when I first got here,” Rocco said. “You gotta adjust and tweak your systems to the talent you have in place. We have to make sure we can run behind the senior-laden
offensive line with our experienced backs. That’s our starting point offensively.” With that, Rocco hopes to fix one of the team’s struggles this season, turnovers. In games verses North Carolina State and Stony Brook, the team finished minus five and minus three in the turnover margin, respectively. Rocco hopes that a consistent running approach will stifle turnovers and take the pressure off of a young pass-catch core. And replacing players such as quarterback Mike Brown (2664 yards, 18 TD’s) and Chris Summers (64 rec., 7 TD’s) won’t be easy, as the duo formed one of the most prolific combinations in school history. On the receiving end, one rising senior, Pat Kelly (40 receptions, 3 TD’s), and redshirt junior Greg Pratt are expected to fill the void left by the departure of Summers and B.J. Hayes (28 rec., 1 TD). At quarterback, Liberty will now
ton of eggs and trying to decide which will be the tastiest. The Tiger’s defense is among the stingiest in the NCAA. LSU recorded five one-score games on the season and four more two-score games. Nick Saban’s Tide defense is just as stingy with two shutouts and six games with one-score or fewer. You know what you get when you put one brick wall against the other? A game about as exciting as the Stonehedge. Trust me, I’ve already seen it. Sorry, my National Championship should look like something a little more exciting than a field-goal competition. I have You Tube for that. No, how about a Boise offense led by Kellen Moore that averages 46.4 points per game? Oh, and they beat SEC No. 19 Georgia. Oklahoma State just destroyed No. 10 Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship and averages 50 points a game. The SEC already had a championship game. I don’t need to see another.
BROWN is the sports editor.
Graduating Specialists K Matt Bevins P Mike Larsson
hand the reigns of the conference’s second ranked offense to rising senior Tyler Brennan. “(Brennan) has the most experience. He’s a big, strong physical player (with) a strong arm. I’m really excited about what he can do. We’ve run with a number of different styles of offense with different styles of quarterbacks,” Rocco said. “(Brennan) seems to be next in that line.” “Leadership has to be earned. — Rocco” Defensively, the Flames remain mostly intact, retaining seven of the 11 starters of a unit that surrendered the fewest points in the conference and was also second in total yards allowed. Still, the team is faced with finding leaders to replace two team captains, defensive back Brandon Robinson (61 tackles) and linebacker Mike
Connolly (40 tackles, 1 interception). Rocco intends on keeping a watchful eye throughout the offseason, anticipating players to become leaders. “Sometimes, you’re pleasantly surprised by what you see,” Rocco said. “We have a lot of guys that take a lot of pride in what they do and a lot of guys who have enough talent to take on those roles. But (leadership) is something that has to be earned.” And next February, Rocco and his assistants will be looking to sign the next generation of Flames contributors, with the start of the month marking the beginning of signing recruits. “We’re gonna try to get some receivers in here,” Rocco said. “Other than that, we’re gonna try to find a little bit of balance in other positions.” The Flames will need to get their team chemistry flowing quickly in 2012. The team
opens its year with a highly anticipated matchup at the ACC’s Wake Forest. Games against Norfolk State and Lehigh, both of whom qualified for this year’s FCS playoffs, will follow soon after. For Rocco, 2012 will be about getting back to the basics and bringing home some hardware that’s missing. “We’ve had something taken away from us this year that we’ve had here in this building for the past four teams, the conference trophy, and we’ve gotta be able to earn the right to have it back here. The only way to do that is to work hard and put in the commitment it takes to be successful.” WOOLFOLK is a sports reporter.
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OPINION
DECEMBER 6, 2011
GG Gabe & Gula opinion editors
Gabe
Alyssa Bockman | Liberty Champion
Andrew Woolfolk — Andrew adopts the tradition his father started, by journaling in his calendar.
An unlikely present
When most people want the new electronic, others only need a calendar Andrew Woolfolk
male thought process: contrite, tothe-point, but not so long as to make you fall under that horrible title of a diary keeper. From 1973 on, Dad wrote. Frequent appearances in his calendar are daily temperatures and weather patterns, daily tasks, and, of course, random arrows and streaks of highlighter marking the corresponding hunting season that has commenced. Every day, a few sentences. Every day, a few more memories are preserved. This has gone on for nearly 40 years strong now, no vacations, no breaks for holidays, no missed entries. Dad was first inspired to keep his thoughts written down by an old Chinese proverb. It stated that “The faintest of ink is as good as the strongest of memory,” and he decided to put the maxim to the test. Years later, all of his calendars are preserved, for my dad is as meticulous as he is organized. To this day, sitting on the hearth beside his La-Z-Boy chair in the family room are his calendars from the past three years. If the day is Nov. 9, he makes sure to look at what he did on that day in the past three years. If he wants to spice it up, he’ll lumber up the stairs to his office and grab a random year. It’s his time to reflect on what he’s done in life, good or bad, and hopefully learn a little bit. Now, I do it too. I’m just another
awoolfolk@liberty.edu
Y
ou would be hard pressed to find a day more anticipated than Dec. 25. For most people, Christmas morning consists of dragging themselves out of bed, fumbling down the steps and promptly gauging the size of each intricately wrapped present, pondering which one will be the most rewarding to open so it can be set aside to be opened last. But that is a task I no longer need to do. No, I already know the size and shape of what my favorite present will be. Heck, I know what it is already. There will be no surprise when I open it, just appreciativeness and contentment. The present? A yearly calendar. Yes, you read that right, a yearly calendar. What is so special about that, you ask? Allow me to explain the significance. It all started with my father on Christmas in 1972. That year, he decided to buy a calendar and write down a short summary of the day in the space provided. Nothing spectacular, just enough information in the one-inch square space to give his mind a chance to have a flashback, to get that feeling of “Oh yeah, I remember that.” The few sentences form the perfect representation of the
M O FRTHE
K S DE
GER
E
SHL
A By:
LLIN Y BO
The Christmas season is here. That’s right, even though Thanksgiving has just barely graced us with its presence, Christmas seems to have thrown up all over our local department stores and radio stations. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. I love giving gifts and drinking coffee
apple that fell right under the tree and did not roll far enough away. The end of this year will mark my first full year of “journaling.” It took some dedication — every day you must take at least a few minutes to gather your thoughts and reflect on what you did. It becomes a habit, every 24 hours for me to sit, write down how I feel, what I have done and what I have learned. To scour over the happenings of the past year stirs the emotions, to say the least. There are the good moments, filled with days celebrating birthdays, the impromptu football games, crazy rock concerts or days spent quietly on the lake. There are the bad days too, ones of inactivity, unfulfilled promises or tragic losses. The feelings of that day come back. You laugh at some memories and you cry at some others, but you thank the Lord you remember them. This upcoming Christmas, I know which present I will open last, and I look forward to the daily reprieve of filling up the next 365 days with even more memories. This upcoming year, I know I will laugh, I know I will cry, and I hopefully will learn something. And maybe, just maybe, I will be able to act a little surprised when I open the present.
It is Oct. 31, and everyone is finishing their last minute shopping. Children are getting dressed up for a festive night and stores close early for the adventures of Halloween. Well, at least that is what humans are doing. Obviously, there are a bunch of elves, reindeer and snowmen scurrying through our stores because by the morning of Nov. 1, Christmas apparel could be spotted almost everywhere. Three weeks before Thanksgiving, really? I don’t want to see the same stuffed Santa Clause or hear about reindeer games on Christmas, let alone a month in advance. Call me crazy, call me scrooge, even call me the Grinch, but I certainly did not steal the Christmas Spirit. The media stories and world stole the spirit of what Christmas is really about. Don’t get me wrong, I love some decorations, some ho ho’s and the milk and cookies too. However, Christmas is about Christ, the one who saved us from eternal life in hell. It’s about celebrating his birth and the fact that if he were never born, we would not be free from sin. Also, you know that people are getting it wrong when you are not allowed to say Merry Christmas in stores anymore, but clerks must say Happy Holiday’s. So before you set up your lights, decorations and relax around the fire, remind yourself why we celebrate Christmas and where we would be if Christ would have never made that sacrifice. - Gabriel Fowler
Gula What many might consider to be early signs of Senioritis I like to think of as “Christmasitis.” It’s not terminal, of course, but it is detrimental to my grades. It’s contracted during Thanksgiving break when students get their first taste of the festive spirit that dominates the U.S. from early December to the beginning of February. While some might complain that Christmas practically starts a month early, it’s more than okay with me. Christmasitis and my personal opinion aside, there are legitimate reasons for starting the celebrations earlier. First, you’re less likely to forget to buy presents when signs of Christmas are literally on every corner. Also, the peaceful melodies fill the air as we all break out our Christmas music from that hidden little corner of our iTunes libraries. Most importantly of all, the cold weather and Christmas lights all point to the fact that, in only a short while, we’ll be home. For me, the best part is spending a month with loved ones. But that does not overshadow the true meaning of Christmas. My family celebrates Christ’s birth on both Christmas Eve and Day – we have sung “Happy Birthday” to Jesus for as long as I’ve been alive. There’s no problem in letting the Christmas spirit take over for two months or more. And if you run into one of those people that argues against the spread of the Christmas season over break, please, ask them to keep their “bah humbugs” to themselves and let the rest of us celebrate the most joyful time of the year for as long as we can.
WOOLFOLK is a contributing writer.
by the fire under the lights of a tree decorated in a haphazardous manner. However, I don’t like Christmas junk. On a side note, in a similar fashion, I don’t like Jesus junk. I love Jesus, Bollinger but I don’t need the T-shirt, pillowcase, waffle maker, bumper sticker, sunglasses, post-it notes, journal, linens, or the cute little bobble head. So every year when Christmas rolls around and my ears are molested by Christmas music — which, by the way, seems to be coming earlier every year — I can’t help but let the bitterness set in. Decorations are nice. A touch of red
here, and a bit of green there — but why on earth do we need to completely redecorate our homes with everything red and green? If you ask me, it is just another excuse for over-driven women with too much time on their hands to cling to something other than their over-smothered children for a season. According to the National Retail Federation, the average dollar amount most Americans over the age of 18 will spend on gifts, decorations and other holiday paraphernalia is $832.26. For $24 a sex slave in most third world countries can be freed for 24 hours. That means 34 people could be freed per person in the US. There are 209,128,094 adults in the US. That means 7,110,355,196 people could be freed for the price of one Christmas.
- Andrew Gula
America could single-handedly abolish the sex slave industry by only sacrificing one holiday. Yet, instead we spend our hundreds on ridiculous music and ugly sweaters. Therein lies my hatred for the holidays. It is not that I am some sort of Scrooge, I simply see that there is a bigger picture that we seem to have been neglecting. What if we took one holiday season and instead of spending the average of $832.26 we cut it back to $430. With the extra $402.26 per adult, America could set 3,505,161,128 people free. We could literally change the world. So next time you go to pick up that cute little snowman to sit idly on your front porch for two months before it is tucked away to be forgotten for the next 10 months, think of the lives you could be saving — I know I will be.
OPINION
December 6, 2011
Liberty Champion/B6
Dangers of last-minute shopping ‘Twas the procrastinator before Christmas, and all through the stores...
Cherie Jamison cnjamison@liberty.edu
T
was the night before Christmas and all through the town, every last minute shopper was wearing a frown. I come off the expressway, and what do I see? A long line of cars that wait in front of me. The garland was hung from all the street poles with care – in hopes to create some Christmas cheer there. Alas, though, no cheer could be found on this night. For every husband, teenager and procrastinator – such as myself – was dealing with this fright. Wards Road was a mess as I pulled off the highway. I banged on my steering wheel, wondering why I waited until today. Traffic was backed up as far as the eye could see. It seemed like all of Lynchburg had the same idea as me. Waiting til’ Christmas Eve to finish shopping posed quite the predicament. Similar to Black Philip Andrews | Liberty Champion Friday – quite the equivalent! I could have been spending my night with eggnog and Last minute Shopping — Procrastination is not the best medicine. a story, but instead I stared at the pavement and all of its glory. Wal-Mart, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The miles an hour, hoping to reach my shopI listened to one song, two song, three sea of cars in the parking lot caused me to ping center destination. If only I could song, four! And still at the stoplight I sat shiver, so I thought maybe Target wouldn’t have pre-determined this situation. and I mourned. When I finally drove past give me such a quiver. On I drove at five Eventually, a parking spot several stores
down I did find. My teeth chattered as I hurried up the sidewalk with what seemed like all of mankind. Inside it was warmer, but that was the only comfort. There were so many people in Target that I felt completely inert. The aisles of the store were more chaotic than the streets outside. Each person pushed past others in an attempt to get by. I tried to peruse the toy aisle, but toys were strewn all about. Parents acted like children and didn’t keep things in their place. To me this was truly an utter disgrace. How was I to find the right Barbie or doll, when all I could find was a Nerf gun and rubber ball? Even the gift cards in the checkout lane were all wrong. Only birthday and general ones left, I had to make due or stay bereft. The cashier scanned my items, a sad look on her face. I looked up to heaven and thanked God I didn’t work in this place. Driving away from the store, I cried and cried. If ever I learned something important in my life, it was that Christmas Eve night is a time to stay inside, relax and – most importantly – to hide. JAMISON is a contributing writer.
A farewell and thanks to Liberty Gabe Fowler gfowler2@liberty.edu
T
here comes a time in your life when you can step back and smile, content with how you lived, who you loved, and what you’ve accomplished. I, on the other hand, hope I never get there. In my opinion, you can never do enough in your life. There is just too much going on, and I’ve found myself regretting the fact that I haven’t done enough. For myself, for those I love and most importantly, for God. I was told it would be a good idea to write a “farewell� article, but I see it necessary, rather, to write a plea to those who take their college experience for granted. As much as you hate taking an 8:50 a.m. general studies class, or the fact that you are forced to attend Convo three times a week, you would be surprised at how much you have learned once it is over. You will also come to grips with the reality that you are going to miss it.
If there is anything that I can say to guide you, it would be to take the opportunities that are thrust upon you, no matter the size, and roll with them. It’s not worth going through life worried about whether you are making the right decisions, it is only worth making a decision in the first place. What Liberty University did for me is more than I can explain. I was a young Christian from the farmland of upstate New York who found refuge at a university built on a mountain of possibilities. Although I do not always agree with everything that Liberty does, Liberty was, and always will be, an amazing university. The atmosphere around campus is uplifting, and coming from a place with a population of less than 800, the camaraderie and the quality of education is above anything I could have asked for. I want to thank the university and its administration for grounding me in my faith and helping me believe that there is a real purpose for me in the world. Learning from the spiritual leaders around cam-
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“never forget to embrace what God has to offer you. Farewell ‘LU’, and a humble thank you.� pus has left a major impact on my life. I also want to thank Liberty for helping me with my patience, through long waits on the phone listening to the same message about finishing my financial aid and reminders about signing up for all the groups and clubs on campus that really don’t apply to me. Also, I want to thank you for switching my advisor more times than I can count, in turn, confusing me on what classes I needed to take to graduate. If you didn’t understand, that was all supposed to be funny, but also true. In all honesty though, I want to thank the professors for supplying me with all the information I need to do what I love.
You have given me the confidence to pursue anything I want and take it by storm. It has also been a pleasure just for a short time here at the Liberty Champion to learn, fail and become a better person, as well as a better writer. If it weren’t for the long Sunday and Monday’s in the office, I would not have really understood a small part of what a larger newsroom will feel like. Journalism is a 24 hour, 365 day job and I love it. You will all be missed. I have one last thought for those of you who can’t wait for school to end for good. Take it from me, when you get to your last semester, you will ask yourself where it all went because it really does go by that fast. You will also think back and wonder if there was anything else you could have done. I hope you say yes, because if you let your life reach contentment, it is not a life worth living. Never forget to embrace what God has to offer you. Farewell “LU,� and a humble thank you. FOWLER is an opinion editor.
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B8
LIBERTY CHAMPION Tuesday, October 18, 2011
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Libertychampion.com
Volume 29 • Issue 07
Homecoming weekend
Chancellor announces new library New state-of-the-art facility to honor late Dr. Jerry Falwell Katherine Lacaze kelacaze@liberty.edu
Ruth BiBBy| LiBeRty Champion
FOOTBALL FUN — Cheerleaders run out onto the field of William’s Stadium on Sat., Oct. 15, before the Flames football team wins its Homecoming game against Coastal Carolina 63-27 in front of a record-breaking crowd. See B1 for full story.
Chancellor of Liberty University Jerry Falwell Jr. announced Friday, Oct. 14, that Liberty University will soon begin construction on the Jerry Falwell Library. The library is part of Liberty’s campus makeover and “will make a statement about our commitment to academic excellence,� Falwell said. “(The) new freestanding library will be the academic hub of Liberty’s campus,� the Liberty Journal states. “It will overlook a new lake behind the Vines Center.� The Board of Trustees met Tuesday, Oct. 11, to finalize details about the library. According to Falwell, because of the capital investment being made for the library, as well as the fact that it will become a focal point of the campus and the center of student life and academic programs, he suggested it be called the Jerry Falwell Library to commemorate his father and Liberty’s founder. “They (the Board of Trustees), for years, have been looking for the right structure, the right opportunity to honor his memory,� Falwell said. “They all decided it should be named in his honor, because of the sacrifices he made to make Liberty a reality.� See LIBRARY, A8
Candidates for Virginia House of Delegates, District 59 Democrat Connie Brennan Jenna Vanden Brook jvandenbrook@liberty.edu
BRENNAN Connie Brennan is using her community involvement and healthcare background as the basis for her campaign for the 59th District Virginia House of Delegates seat. Brennan is campaigning against Republican Matt Fariss and Independent Linda Wall. The candidates seek to replace retiree Watkins Abbitt Jr., who has held the 59th seat in office for 25 years. Brennan involved
herself in committees ranging from a poverty agency to the Jefferson Area Board of Aging, where she is currently active. She also worked on the Nelson County Child Care Center Board, the Sexual Assault Resource Agency and the Planning District 10 Workforce Council. She served on the Dental Advisory Board and volunteered in her community criminal justice system, Brennan’s campaign website said. Brennan is in her 10th year as a member of the Nelson County Board of Supervisors. “I’m the kind of person that if I don’t know something then I have to volunteer to be on some committee that is related to that because it’s how I learn,� Brennan said. See BRENNAN, A6
Independent Linda Wall
WALL Businesswoman Linda Wall seeks to reform the nation by reintroducing biblical truths and action into government beginning with running for the 59th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Wall is an Independent whose opposition is Republican Matt Fariss and Democrat Connie Brennan. Although Wall does see a challenge in running as an independent as opposed to being attached to a party, she has prepared
to run for political office since the mid-1990s. She worked for the House of Delegates, lobbied and fought for laws and amendments and testified in committee hearings. The Virginia native believes that the focus of the United States government and citizens should be to turn their focus back to God. “It’ll be 50 years in 2010 since prayer was taken out of schools,� Wall said. Ultimately, Wall believes the solution to the nation’s problems, particularly those of the economic crisis, starts with obedience to God and prayer. Wall referenced recent history and stories from the Bible explaining that, often, the result of
See WALL, A6
Republican Matt Fariss
FARISS Matt Fariss’ business experience and conservative values define his campaign for the Virginia House of Delegates. Fariss is the Republican candidate in the race for the 59th District delegate and is a self-proclaimed “common sense conservative.� Fariss is running against Connie Brennan, Democrat, and Linda Wall, Independent. Some of the most significant focuses of Fariss’
campaign are lessening government regulations, lowering taxes and fighting against excessive government spending. Fariss approaches the economy with a pro-business mindset believing that incentives for entrepreneurs, investors and farmers will stimulate business growth which will, in turn, increase job availability, he said. “We can foster a probusiness environment right here in Virginia by keeping effective tax rates low and fighting back against the big government regulations breaking the backs of small businessmen and women,� Fariss said. Fariss’s stances on the economy and job creation stem from his business experience. The Campbell County native was involved in various See FARISS, A6
INSIDE THE CHAMPION
News
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Lynchburg participants donate canned goods for local food bank. A3
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Events
Avery Warley gets selected for PanAmerican games. B1
Psych. Club, nursing and SGA present winning floats at parade. B8
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FEATURE
December 6, 2011
Liberty Champion/B7
Volleyball-A-Thon returns again Allison Cundiff Acundiff@liberty.edu
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
No snow necessary — Skiers and snowboarders competed in the DeMoss Rail Jam on Dec.3.
Boards and skis take on rail Kassandra Roedding Kroedding@liberty.edu
After waiting all year, December is here and winter sports take the spotlight once again. On Saturday, for the second time at Liberty University, DeMoss Rail Jam gave skiers and snowboarders the chance to show off their abilities. Because of higher than normal temperatures, the event moved from DeMoss to Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre. Last year, snow was transported in from the Wintergreen Resort in Wintergreen, Va., and covered the stairs of DeMoss where 50 different snowboarders and skiers competed. However, the resorts lacked enough snow this year. “Temperature is really being a big factor for us right now,” Snowflex instructor Zachary Bukolt said. The Rail Jam involved two different competitions. The firstever Trails 2 Rails consisted of about nine Liberty students new to the sport who have only been training at the Snowflex Centre for two months. “Trails 2 Rails was incredible. I was blown away by the transformation,” General Manager Drew Sherwood said.
Liberty student Jeremy Ganse won the event, receiving $800 worth of gear including a board, boots, bindings, jacket, pants, goggles and earmuffs. Issac Gibson came in second overall, winning a jacket, and Adam Varnadore was third, winning goggles for his efforts. In the women’s division, Rachel Wensley won and received a new Billabong Jacket. “It’s not something everyone can do. You got to be pretty athletic, agile, and you got to conquer fears too,” Head Instructor Luke Fosse said. “There’s some scary hit and rails.” Following Trials 2 Rails, the main event consisted of 30 different expert skiers and snowboarders using complex tricks to win a cash prize totaling $1,000. Ross Rowan from Boone, N.C. won the event for skiers. Liberty student Matt Rogers won second place, and Tanner Sinclair from Boone was third. Liberty student Zach Huff won first place in snowboarding. Austin Leonard from Boone won second, and Luke Fosse from Vermont was third. Ryan Leeds was awarded the best trick and won $340. Assistant Manger Will Scheren said the most elite tricks used
at the event were 360s on and off the rails and switch, which is basically hitting the rail backwards. “It’s all really technical snowboarding on a handrail,” Scheren said. Three different rails were set up on the slope and more than 15 riders at a time attempted to ride the rails, much like grinding in skateboard. They were judged on how clean the ride was and how difficult the trick was. “Overall, it was a very successful event,” Sherwood said. Trails 2 Rails began at 7 p.m. and the main event ended around midnight. Hundreds of Liberty students dressed for winter stood on the side of the slope watching and cheering. The event was free and prizes were awarded to fans including an iPad. Part of the slope remained open during the night for anyone to ride or watch the competition. For more information, visit w w w. l i b e r t y. e d u / s n o w f l e x / or call the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre at 434-5823539. ROEDDING is a feature reporter.
Liberty Athletics and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will host the second annual VolleyballA-Thon on Dec. 7 to raise money to give students of Lynchburg City Schools the opportunity to go to summer camp. The Volleyball-AThon will be held at the Schilling Center from 10 p.m. to 2 p.m. and is an approved late night event for all students. Sign-ups for teams began Monday, Nov. 28, and will last through Tuesday, Dec 6. Students who are interested can sign up at the ReberThomas Dining Hall or at the back hallway of DeMoss. Each team must be made up of eight people, and the cost per team is $60. Morgaine Godwin, life skills coordinator for Liberty Athletics, organized this year’s event. She said she feels confident many teams will sign up this year because the proceeds will benefit such a good cause. “Many of our students and student athletes here at Liberty have been fortunate enough to attend summer camps when they were younger, like sports or church camps… these camps provide local children an opportunity to learn important life skills,” she said. “This is a great opportunity for the
student body to positively impact the community.” She said Liberty’s student athletes had the opportunity to choose a community service to focus on this year, and they chose Lynchburg City Schools and have challenged themselves to “pay it forward” in the local community. Liberty’s club volleyball team, who won last year’s event, have already signed up to compete again this year. Members of Liberty’s track and field teams are also planning to compete on a team, Godwin said. A total of 37 teams participated in last year’s Volleyball-AThon, according to Tim Hartin, a graduate assistant for Athletics Communications. The event raised $2,500 in proceeds which went to the Olooloitikoshi Girls Rescue Center in Khajiado, Kenya. Jewelry made by girls at the Rescue Center was also sold at the event to raise money. The amount raised was double the SAAC’s goal, Hartin said, and was enough to fund two full-year scholarships for girls at the center. Spectators are welcome at this year’s event for an admission fee of one dollar.
Cundiff is a feature reporter.
FEATURE
B8/Liberty Champion
December 6, 2011
UPCOMING EVENTS Dec. 8-10 Romeo and Juliet The last show of the Liberty Theatre Department’s fall season will be Shakespeare’s classic tale of feuding families and forbidden love. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Vines Center Box Office or online at www. ticketreturn.com. Call 582-7328 for more information.
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christmas on main street — Lynchburg community members are invited to enjoy three weekends of holiday fun, including horse drawn carriage rides, a parade and photos with Santa and the Grinch.
Lynchburg hosts Holiday Traditions
Celebrating the season with events and activities for all
Abigail Koppenhaver Akoppenhaver@liberty.edu
Christmas time is here and students and community members looking to partake in local festivities are invited to Holiday Traditions, a signature downtown event Dec. 3, 10 and 17. Holiday Traditions features several fun, family activities to help community members celebrate the holiday season. Take pictures with the Grinch Students can come to the Galleria located at 915 Main street to have their photo taken with the Grinch, who will be on his best behavior for the holiday season. All participants are entitled to one free 4x6 photo and are invited to bring their own cameras for extra photographs and
memory making. Participants can also purchase collectable Grinch ornaments and shop the Galleria while waiting for their pictures. Take a carriage ride From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. students can take in the sites of Downtown Lynchburg while enjoying a ride in a horse drawn carriage through the streets of Lynchburg. Students can catch a ride from the starting point locations at 10th and Main, or at the Community Market. The carriage rides are free and operate on a firstcome, first-serve basis. Participants can take the time to sightsee, window shop and chat with friends and family as they make their way through Lynchburg. Mistletoe Market Those looking for a fun and
relaxing shopping trip can head to Mistletoe Market to enjoy good food and unique gift opportunities. Shoppers can visit the bakery, various dining locations, view hand crafted items, sweets and other goods. While at the market, shoppers can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m and have their photo taken for a minimal charge. For more information about Holiday Traditions or other events happening around Lynchburg, call Lynch’s Landing at (434) 528-3950 or email anna@downtownlynchburg. com.
KOPPENHAVER is a feature reporter.
Dec. 7 Volleyball-A-Thon Students are encouraged to sign up for this volleyball competition which raises money for Lynchburg City Schools. The event takes place at the Schilling Center from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sign ups will be at the back hallway of DeMoss and in the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall. The cost per team is $60.
Dec. 9 Coffeehouse One of the most highly anticipated events of the year, this semester’s Coffeehouse, centers around the theme, “A Christmas Morning.” Tickets are $3 in advance and $5 at the door. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at the Vines Center Box Office or at ticketreturn.com. Call 592-3061 for more information.
SGA offers a Christmas study break Janessa Smith Jsmith39@liberty.edu
Christmas is right around the corner, and the Student Government Association (SGA) has decided to host its first Christmas event at 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10, at the LaHaye Ice Center. The Christmas Study Break event will be hosted the weekend before finals week, which will provide some fun for students right before exams. “This event is a time where students can come and relax and enjoy Christmas with the student body. The people that attend will have the chance to ice skate, enter some very fun Christmas-themed competitions and eat lots of food. All of this is free, and there will be prizes given out to the winners of the contest,” sophomore class president Joshua Warner said. Warner and freshman class president Chelsea Andrews originated the idea for this event in an effort to connect with students. “The purpose of this event is for the SGA to become actively involved in the student body, and letting them know that we want to share and enjoy the Christmas spirit with them,” Warner said. “It is tradition that every year, the SGA holds a Christmas event to share with the student body the Christmas spirit. This year the Christmas event is being hosted by the sophomore and freshman class, ” Warner added. “Josh Warner and I believe that this event will be beneficial to
Dec. 7-11 Virginia Christmas Spectacular
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A WELCOME BREAK—SGA invites students to take a breather during finals week and enjoy food, games and ice skating. the students by giving them a fun opportunity to take a break from studying for finals, not to mention that we will be giving out prizes,” Andrews said. The Christmas Study Break event is a free event and is open to everyone. Attendees will have the chance to take Christmas pictures with friends and family, play games, enter contests and win prizes. “There is going to be ice skating, a food contest and a game contest. One contest that people should prepare themselves for is the “Ugly Sweater” contest. It should be a lot of fun to see what type of sweaters people will come up with,” Warner said. Freshman class President Chelsea Andrews further explains SGA’s mission and reasoning behind
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hosting events like the Christmas Study Break by saying, “while the SGA is hosting this event, it is specifically being funded and run by the freshman and sophomore class presidents. The duties of the class officers include, representing the needs of each class to the legislative branch and providing entertaining events for each class.” “This event will affect SGA in a positive light. We will be raising awareness as we continue to fulfill our duties as a student elected organization,” Andrews said. To learn more about the Liberty SGA, visit liberty.edu and search “SGA.” Contact them by emailing sga@liberty.edu or email 434-5822323 for more information.
This year’s production of Thomas Road Baptist Church’s annual Christmas play will be titled “Let There Be Light.” Tickets cost $8-$12. Student night is Dec. 4 and with their ID, students can get in for $1. Call 888-244-2178 for more information.
Dec. 10, 17 Holiday Traditions Downtown Lynchburg is getting in the holiday spirit by offering carriage rides, pictures with the Grinch, shopping and other fun activities. For more information, call 528-3950 or visit downtownlynchburg.com.
SMITH is a feature reporter.
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FEATURE
December 6, 2011
Liberty Champion/B9
Creativity blossoms at Petal Flower Co.
OSL associate director Elisha Dudley makes art a business
Desiree Wheeler Dwheeler4@liberty.edu
Even with winter approaching, flowers are in demand all year long, and at the Petal Flower Company, flowers are always in season. The Petal Flower Company is an online floral business that supplies Lynchburg, Forest and surrounding areas with delicate flower arrangements. The Flower Company offers customers unique bouquets ranging from melon-chartreuse to even plum-tangerine. The Petal Flower Company was opened in December 2008 by Liberty alumna Elisha Dudley. “A friend and I decided we needed a creative outlet. I’ve always loved designing, and I was a resident director (RD) at the time and wanted something to do on the weekends that fueled my creative desire,� Dudley said. Maintaining a floral business and a recently appointed position of the only female associate director (AD) in the Office of Student Leadership keeps Dudley busy. “As an AD and the owner of Petal Flower Company, my life is very hectic. I focus on Liberty from 8-5 and my weekends and nights are dedicated to Petal. There are times when I have a bouquet in one hand, and I’m on the phone helping an RD manage a crisis with the other, but it’s the price you have to pay to do two jobs that you love,� said Dudley. Dudley was promoted to AD after three years of experience working as a RD on Liberty’s
“There are times when I have a bouquet in one hand, and I’m on the phone helping an RD with the other, but it’s the price you have to pay to do two jobs that you love.� - Dudley campus. She graduated from Liberty University in 2007 with her Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design and again in 2010 with a Business Master’s of Science in Management. “I’m proud to represent Liberty in the local community. A lot of the weddings I do are for Liberty students, and I love being able to provide modern wedding flowers for their special day,� Dudley said. The Company was also founded with a budget in mind. Being an online based company, flowers are able to be sold at a 30 percent lower price which adds to the Petal Flower Company’s growth and commitment to keeping the costs as low for customers as possible. “The experiences I had from being an RD have shaped the way I run Petal. Both jobs always have unexpected twists and turns and you have to be able to work under pressure. I learned from being an RD that you have the ability to pour your heart into your passion and make it great and that has to be done on your own initiative. It’s the same way with Petal,� said Dudley. Dudley conducts free consultations for her clients and personalizes each bouquet and arrangement to their liking.
“I’m so thankful that the Lord provided such a fun job that allows me to meet so many different people and to be a part of one of the most important days of their lives. Every wedding is as unique as the bride’s individual style and has its own challenges. I often joke that I could have my own Bravo TV show,� said Dudley. For more information or to see examples of Dudley’s work, visit the Petal Flower Company online at www. petalflowercompany.com. WHEELER is a feature reporter.
Kelsey tice
Keeping it Fresh — Dudley creates fresh cut arrangements for a variety of occasions for clients in the Lynchburg area.
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hristmas
DINNER BUFFET
Celebrate  this  Christmas  season  with  us  on
Sunday, December 11, 2011
5:00pm — 7:30pm Reber-ÂThomas Dining Hall Commuters: $6 Enjoy  a  delicious  buffet,  decorate  your  own  cupcakes  and  Christmas  cookies,  sing  along  to  your  favorite  Christmas  tunes  and  ask  Santa  for  that  special  gift!
Reber Thomas Dining Hall 1971 University Blvd. Lynchburg, VA 24502 (434) 582-2262
www.libertydining.com
FEATURE
December 6, 2011
tragic romance
Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion
wherefore art thou, romeo? — Shows are currently underway for Liberty’s production of Romeo and Juliet. This is the first Shakespeare play the theatre department has put on since the opening of the new Tower Theater.
Star-crossed lovers take stage
Liberty Theatre brings to stage Shakespeare’s well-known classic Shelanne Jennings Snjennings@liberty.edu
Seats filled quickly and the show began as director Neal Brasher recited the first lines of Shakespeare’s well-known romantic tragedy. Liberty University’s Department of Theatre Arts saw a full crowd, Dec. 2, for the opening night of the Tower theater’s final production of the semester, Romeo and Juliet. “Immediately as the curtain rose, and I saw the set, it took my breath away,” Sophomore Michael Pigliavento said. “Following that, I was captivated the entire time.” Pigliavento, who attends many of Liberty’s theatre shows, said that this one was unique from many of the department’s other
presentations. “This one was a classic and almost had that gothic tone throughout the entire show,” Pigliavento said. “I was so enthralled by the characters and the story.” Not only is Romeo and Juliet the first Shakespeare play to be performed since the new Tower Theatre’s creation in the fall of 2010, but the show also boasted in the use of the largest set to be created for use in the new facility, according to Brasher. As for the quality of acting, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said the actors’ performances were commanding. “It was extremely well done. I never cease to be amazed by the talent of these kids and always enjoy it,” Falwell said. “We were so impressed
with the actors and actresses’ talent.” “I thought it went very well. I’m proud of the students and the hard work that they’ve put into it,” Brasher said. “I was just talking to the fight choreographer, Andy Greffken, about the progress the students have made just in the last week. They’ve worked hard for the entire five-week process, but just in the last week they’ve made great strides.” Romeo and Juliet posed several new challenges for the students, including learning how to sword-fight and speak the Shakespearian dialect enough to make it conversational. “The Shakespeare language is hard to grasp, but Mr. Brasher had a lot of experience and knew how to prepare us
for the Shakespeare language,” senior Will Variato, who took on the role of Tibalt, said. “So we had a lot of preparation and a lot of practice to allow us to speak the Shakespeare language and connect with the audience.” Even with the challenges, junior Andrew Parfitt, who played Romeo, said that the plot was understood. “I think that the audience reacted (to the Shakespearian language) a lot better than I expected them to. They were laughing at all of the jokes that we half expected would go over their heads,” Parfitt said. “It was my first Shakespeare as well, but the directors were very proficient in helping me out and being there for me.” The show offered variety to the Tower stage.
“We do lots of other shows that are great, we have musicals and more contemporary comedies, but it’s great to include classical literature in the season at Liberty,” Brasher said. “Looking back on the works that most influenced our culture is a very good thing for any college, especially Liberty, to do. Shakespeare, after all, is quoted more than any other writer outside of the Bible in the English language.” Show times for Romeo and Juliet are Dec. 8-9 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. For more information about the Liberty Department of Theatre Arts and their upcoming shows, visit liberty. edu/theatre. Jennings is the feature editor.
Christmas in Lights brings holiday glow
Liberty’s second annual tree lighting ceremony draws a crowd Kayla Gurley Kgurley@liberty.edu
‘Tis the season to be bright, and Liberty University is celebrating by covering campus in Christmas lights. Liberty held its second annual Christmas in Lights tree lighting ceremony on Nov. 28 at 5 p.m., and despite the threat of inclement weather, many students showed up to join in the festivities. “I really enjoy Christmas, so it is always nice to have a fun event like this to ring in the holiday spirit,” freshman Daniel Spencer said. The evening kicked off with the singing of Christmas carols by the Chamber Singers and the Liberty Choir, followed by a word from the Chancellor. The festivities concluded with the lighting of the Christmas tree. “The Christmas tree came from Crystal Springs Farm in Pennsylvania, located near the Poconos,” Alese Chandler, associate director of Student Activities, said. “ It (the tree) measures 30 feet tall.” According to Chandler, the idea to bring Christmas cheer to campus began last year when Chancellor Falwell and his wife, Becki Falwell, expressed the desire to decorate campus in order to lift the spirits of students and faculty alike. “The Chancellor really wanted to decorate for the season and said that it would be a great way to spread Christmas cheer, encourage students and make for a great finish to the end of the semester,” Chandler said.
Free hot cocoa and gingerbread cookies were served by Sodexo food services at the event, and Santa hats were passed out to students after the tree lighting ceremony was finished. Rain forced the program to be held two hours earlier than schedule. “It really is kind of a yucky day for the tree lighting ceremony, but I just had to come out and support Liberty and enjoy the ceremony. I think it all turned out really well, even with the rain,” Spencer said. According to Student Activities, the event took several weeks to prepare for and could not have been done without the help of Field Operations, which is led by Scott Starnes. “The decorations were not accomplished through Student Activities manual labor … all of the decorating was done by Field Operations. This crew of people worked tirelessly until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to get the job done well,” Chandler said. “Without their hard work we would not have such lovely decorations.” Senior Jacob Vinson is one of many students who appreciates the Chancellor’s new tradition of Christmas in Lights. “I think that Field Operations and Student Activities did an excellent job with the decorations and making Liberty look festive. I think it is a good tradition that hopefully Liberty University will Chris Mabes | Liberty Champion continue to carry on for many years,” Oh, Christmas Tree — Students braved tempermental weather to celebrate Vinson said. the season with Liberty’s annual tree lighting ceremony and a cup of hot cocoa. GURLEY is a feature reporter.