Liberty Champion March 27, 2012

FACS Fashion Show B5 Another victory for baseball B1

LIBERTY CHAMPION Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Today: Sunny 60/40 Tomorrow: T-Storms 80/51

Libertychampion.com

Volume 29 • Issue 18

Goodlatte, Perrow battle EPA

Liberty precinct a success

spring has arrived

Va. representatives initiate new legislation

Republican primaries receive high turnout

Justin Jones

Ashley Bollinger

jljones9@liberty.edu

akbollinger@liberty.edu

Lynchburg representatives have entered a battle against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that could directly impact taxpayers, locally and throughout the commonwealth.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R6th), whose district includes Lynchburg, has initiated a legislation plan with Congressman Tim Holden (D-PA) that could counter the EPA’s new proposed program for stormwater treatment. The EPA’s proposal comes by way of an Executive Order, not a bill that must pass through Congress.

“The executive order attempts to give the EPA authority to run roughshod over local communities, farmers and small businesses,” Goodlatte said. “My legislation presents a positive alternative.”

Supporting Goodlatte’s plan is Lynchburg city council member Turner Perrow. Last November, Perrow spoke before a Congressional committee on what he called intrusion by the EPA into local affairs.

Perrow finds supporting Goodlatte’s legislation critical to saving local citizens money down the road.

“The state needs to meet the requirements and enforce it at a local level,” Perrow said. “It needs to be the state. Then, the EPA should work with the state for implementation on those plans.”

Perrow fears if the program does come into effect, the monetary cost could become overwhelming.

“For the city of Lynchburg, we’re looking somewhere between $110 to $180 million right now that we would have to spend in the next 20 years,” he said.

According to Goodlatte, his

Liberty University’s precinct had a higher than expected voter turnout March 6, leading the way for Virginia with one of the highest voter percentages in the state.

Liberty’s precinct, which The next is 302 third Ward second election precinct, had will be for a total of 590 city votes counted, 13 percent of council, the registered May 1. voters for the precinct, while Virginia’s overall voter turnout was 5.2 percent, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections (VSBE) website.

“Throughout the city, historically, primary elections have a low turnout,” John Cobb, a member of the Lynchburg Electoral Board, said.

“Some people have said that the primary elections should be coupled with another voting date, either May or June. I think it is an issue of finances. The Primary is slow because the candidates have an obligation to push voters more, and historically they haven’t. ” However, regardless of the low turnout, Cobb said that the new precinct was a necessary success.

“The law was on the side of Liberty. Once a precinct gets up to 4000 registered voters the registrar has to notify state board,” Cobb said.

“They then come together to find a way to deal with it. In this case, a split precinct. With the Liberty population having grown exponentially, their 4,000 voters warranted

FYI

Chris Mabes | Liberty Champion

Spring — The flowers are in bloom and Liberty University students are enjoying the early onset of spring weather. March 20 was the first day of this gentle season, and students enjoyed this beautiful, sunny day by sitting beneath shady trees, completing their homework. The wonderful weather on the first day of spring, however, was quickly followed by severe thunderstorms that ruined afternoon plans for some students. This March, like those before it, will be filled with unpredictable, Lynchburg weather.

year

1993

$3.54 $2.74

$3.19 $1.91

$2.53

$2.33

$2.01

$1.70

$1.51

1995

$0.89

$1.01

$1.21

$1.10

$1.06

$0.99

$1.03

$1.00

$1.64

$2.00

$1.16

$3.00

Price of fuel for the past 20 years continuously rises. See Gas on A3. $1.39

$4.00

See PRIMARIES, A2

2000

$3.77

See EPA, A3

Gas — Since 1993, gas prices have more than doubled. Current prices are putting a toll on the U.S. economy, causing transportation services to increase. Once t r a n s p o r t at i o n costs increase, costs for goods and services are only a step behind.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

2005

2010

Elliot Mosher | Liberty Champion

INSIDE THE CHAMPION

News

Hard Curriculum

Liberty nursing students prepare for tough classes . A8

Sports

Events

Who won in the Manning-Tebow deal? B2

Student’s story encourages others to donate. B6

Manning

Blood Drive

News Opinion Sports Feature

A1 A4 B1 B6

NEWS

A2/Liberty Champion

March 27, 2012

Students tell of Christ overseas Victoria Lind vlind@liberty.edu

Instead of spending spring break relaxing and recharging, some Liberty University students spent their time off completing service projects and going on missions trips around the world trying to make a difference.

According to Liberty University campus pastor, Johnnie Moore, the Center for Global Engagement had a large amount of students go to East Asia, the Balkans and South America on missions trips this spring break.

Pastoral leadership major Jack Graves, along with nine other Liberty students, went to Cayambe, Ecuador, through Light Ministries and Crossworld. The students worked with the local church and youth group in the area, doing construction on the church and teaching English in the local schools.

Graves is not new to mission trips and has been on six in the past, all in different parts of the world. He especially enjoyed working in Ecuador because it was youth-centered.

“I also hope to go to a Spanishspeaking country in the future as I plan on planting a church,” Graves said. “I wanted to go to Ecuador to get a little taste of

Photo Provided

missions — Students traveled around the world to volunteer in underdeveloped countries. what that culture is all about so that I could learn more about my future.”

Sophomore Hannah White also went on the Ecuador mission trip. White’s favorite part of the trip was teaching students English and fostering friendships between the students.

“We got to build friendships with the students and provide a way for them to hear about

a church where they can get plugged in to and learn about the love of Christ,” White said.

Some of the students were so interested in the mission trip’s efforts that they came to a church service that weekend to hear the Gospel shared.

“God has always put on my heart that He wants me to be a missionary to a Spanish speaking country and teach English,”

White said. “I love the Hispanic culture and people and I want to bring the gospel to these nations.”

On the other side of the world, sophomore Demi Vendon and senior Daniel Garcia, along with six other Liberty students, ministered in Chennai, India, as they shared their testimonies and encouraged believers in the area.

The group visited different com-

munity centers and fostered a relationship with a large church in the area called New Life Assemblies of God. Garcia was surprised to learn that life in Chennai was very different compared to America.

“I will not view life in America the same, ever again,” Garcia said. “I can not be any more honest when I say that we as middle-class Americans live like kings compared to them.”

Much of the area they visited was covered in trash — a gritty picture compared to America.

Regardless, the Christians in the area were “unbelievably loving and serving.”

“Spiritually and mentally it was so relaxing and fulfilling,” Vendon said. “But I’m physically wiped, and I’m still trying to catch up on sleep. But it’s all so worth it, and I’m just so glad that God gave me the opportunity to be a part of this trip.”

Even though ministering during spring break can get exhausting, those who were involved felt immense blessings.

“I came back tired, but strengthened in my relationship with Christ and ready to share what He has done in my life,” White said.

LIND is a news reporter.

Bringing in another win Liberty University Law School secured another victory at court Melanie Oelrich moelrich@liberty.edu

Joel Coleman | Promotional Publication

Vote — Students will have the opportunity to vote again May 1.

PRIMARIES continued from A1 their own precinct.”

According to Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr., the participation from Liberty students in voting has made an impact in the Lynchburg community.

“The new polling place, pedestrian bridge and the return of Liberty’s zoning rights are all a direct result of Liberty students voting locally in recent elections,” Falwell said.

According to Cobb, with the new polling place open on campus, Heritage High School maintained a manageable number of voters with reduced wait times.

The Liberty University administration is pleased with the turnout of students, according to Liberty’s Director of Auxiliary Services Lee Beaumont.

“To have a 13 percent turnout confirmed that the Liberty precinct was needed and Liberty students will continue to be active in the electoral process at all levels of government,” Beaumont said. “I could not have been happier with the turnout, how well the precinct was run on election day, and the organization and support provided by the Lynchburg Registrar and the Lynchburg Electoral

Board.”

According to Falwell, the low turnout had to do with the lack of finances spent by the candidates in Virginia, as well as not having all of the candidates on the ballot.

“Virginia Democrats passed legislation in the past making it extremely difficult for presidential candidates to get their names on the Virginia ballot,” Falwell said. “I believe the governor and the Republican legislature have said they intend to change these laws for future elections.”

Although Mitt Romney won over Ron Paul in the state of Virginia 59.5 percent to 40.4 percent, Paul swept Lynchburg voters 51 percent to 48.9 percent, according to VSBE. “(Ron Paul) appeals to the younger generation for several reasons: He has a huge online presence, he is anti-establishment and a bit of a rebel and, most importantly, young voters feel like they are part of a cause and something bigger,” Beaumont said. “With Ron Paul it is not about political power, it is about the purity of his beliefs and, to put it simply, he does what he says.”

BOLLINGER is the editor in chief.

Liberty University School of Law Moot Court team recently competed, bringing home another win — this time, from Washington, D.C. Consisting of six members, the team competed in the American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition, the most prestigious of all competitions.

This year, 211 teams competed for a spot at the national championships. The teams were divided into six regions, with four or five teams advancing from each region. Liberty competed with 38 other teams in the Washington, D.C. region. By the end of the competition, five teams advanced to the national championships, including a team from Liberty.

Regional champions Mark Hicks, Jeremy White and Phillip Marbury will travel to Chicago in April for the national tournament. At the Washington, D.C. competition, White was awarded second best oralist and Hicks eighth best oralist in the tournament. Overall, the team finished with a 4-1 record, beating out teams from Richmond, Regent, George Mason and Arkansas.

Their only loss came from Washington and Lee on brief score.

The other three members of the team — Dustin Gaines, Jennifer Gregorin and Dan Schmid — advanced into the regional semi-final round before being eliminated. Gaines and Gregorin finished with a 2-2 record, beating out Southern Illinois and Regent, but lost to American University and Cleveland State

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Ashley Bollinger Editor in chief

administration

Deborah Huff Faculty Advisor

Ben Lesley

Advertising Director

Amanda Sullivan Graduate assistant

Dominique McKay Graduate Assistant

content

Shelanne Jennings

news editor

Betsy Abraham

Tabitha Cassidy Omar Adams asst. news editor

Andrew Gula Opinion editor

Nathan Brown Sports editor

Derrick Battle asst. sports editor

feature Editor

asst. feature editor

Devin Francis copy editor

photography

Ruth Bibby

Photography Editor

Alyssa Bockman Asst. photography editor

Photo Provided

law — Liberty’s moot court team qualifies for national tournament.

University.

Director at the Center for Lawyering Skills Scott Thompson and Dean Lindevaldsen traveled with the team to the Washington, D.C. competition.

“Dean Lindevaldsen and I were extremely pleased with the way both teams argued and conducted themselves throughout the tournament,” Thompson said. “Each of the competitors represented the Lord and the school with distinction and dignity. They also extended our tradition of excellence at this tournament specifically.”

Thompson said this tournament marks four years in a row that at least one of the teams from Liberty has qualified for the national tournament.

White, who will be one of three members traveling to Chicago next month, shared about how this competition proved to be tougher.

“The combination of current medical issues and complicated medicaid regulations involved made this year’s problem very challenging to master, and yet letter to the editor policies & info

incredibly exciting to argue. It’s thrilling to be part of such a great team of competitors and coaches.”

Semi-finalist Daniel Schmid noted that the case topics of the competition were especially difficult this time around.

“It was a privilege and an honor to watch Mark, Jeremy, Dustin and Jennifer argue at the tournament. All of them are extremely impressive advocates, and their oral argument skills were unquestionably second to none at the event,” Schmid said.

The topics that were presented involved a complicated case of statutory interpretation involving Federal Medicaid law and state regulations that govern the treatment and insurance coverage for those suffering from autism.

Thompson will be traveling to Chicago with Hicks, White and Marbury for the National Moot Court Championship on April 12-14.

OELRICH is a news reporter.

The Champion encourages community members to submit letters to the editor on any subject. Letters should not exceed 400 words and must be typed and signed. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Letters and columns that appear are the opinion of the author solely, not the Champion editorial board or Liberty University.

All material submitted becomes property of the Champion. The Champion reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any letter received — according to the Champion stylebook, taste and the Liberty University mission statement.

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Send letters to: Liberty Champion Liberty University, Box 2000, Lynchburg, VA 24502 or drop off in DeMoss Hall 1035.

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NEWS

March 27, 2012

Liberty Champion/A3

Nursing program remains rigorous Brittany Laird bhlaird@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s nursing department is well known for the intense program it uses to bring out the full potential of its students. While the entire program is rigorous, junior year is one of the toughest obstacles the students face.

One of the most difficult aspects of this particular year is the class known simply as Med. Surg., officially known as Strategies for Adult Heath Care: Family and Health. This year-long class includes typical exams, as well as weekly clinicals that students are required to attend at the local hospital. The clinicals themselves are approximately eight hours each, according to junior Matthew Gilbert.

Students are assigned to specific floors and units during each clinical they attend. This gives students the opportunity to determine which unit benefits the most from their strengths and where they can most apply themselves, according to Gilbert.

“My favorite has been PCU, the progressive cardiac unit,” Gilbert said. “It’s interesting to see how the heart works. It’s such an interesting organ and it’s responsible for so much. It’s like a cascade, one little thing goes wrong and it goes from there.”

The opportunities that the students are able to experience during clinicals are invaluable, according to Assistant Professor of Nursing Emilee Harker.

Students begin working with the patients as soon as they begin clinicals. The beginning of the year is the most difficult because students do not know what to ex-

Jordan Crossingham | Promotional Publication

Training — Nursing students practice life-saving techniques on a mannequin in the lab. pect. The work becomes easier as the year progresses, but transferring knowledge from the books into real life situations is difficult at first, according to Gilbert.

“It’s just a completely different databank of information,” Gilbert said.

While this portion of the assignment is long, it is not the only task involved in clinicals.

Also involved is pre-work and post-work.

Pre-work, more commonly known as a profile, includes typing up drug names, side effects, why a patient is on a certain drug and other important information. Students are required to come up with interventions based on their knowledge of the situation, according to Gilbert.

The exams for this class are similar to this in that they require the students to assess specific sit-

uations. With only three or four factual questions, the rest of the 50 multiple choice question exams are composed of scenarios.

Students have to choose the answer which they feel should be their first response to the situation, according to Gilbert.

“It’s not like a black and white question,” Gilbert said.

Questions are designed this way in order to push the students to consider how they would respond in a real life situation.

“It’s more of an application of the material,” Harker said. “We stretch our students to critically think more in their junior year based on what they’ve learned both in class and at the bed side.”

The nursing program grading scale is more difficult when compared to the other university programs. The department uses a seven point grading scale and

considers anything below a C to be failing. This adds to the challenge of the nursing program, according to assistant professor if nursing Bo Kail.

“It gets easier as the junior year goes on. Usually it’s that first semester, the fall, that is the most challenging, and then in the spring it gets easier. Their course load remains challenging, but students learn how to manage their time and better understand the disease processes,” Harker said.

In addition to the work surrounding Med. Surg., students also have other classes to focus on, such as Pharmacology. The exams for this class are difficult, with questions requiring intense memorization, according to Gilbert.

Students, according to Jerry Harvey, assistant professor of

nursing, must take a six hour course their first and second semesters in the program, and then complete three hours of lecture each week and eight hours of clinical.

“Each semester they have very nursing, science heavy courses that they’re taking,” Harvey said.

Kail, Harker and Gilbert all recommend that nursing students who are approaching their junior year start off with the intention of putting their whole heart into it. They said that even though the work is time consuming, it is possible to pass.

“There’s no reason to fail junior year if you put the time into it,” Gilbert said. “Study a few hours a day, just keep on top of it.”

It is important to keep the end result in mind when working through this tough year in the program. The chance to work with people and help them in their time of need is the end goal. The work prior to obtaining this job is extremely challenging, according to Kail.

“Nursing as a profession is one of the most respected positions in the country,” Kail said. “Doctors treat disease, nurses treat the patient. We’re the one at the bed side noticing the subtle changes before they turn into major changes.”

The work that these students put into their junior year will benefit not only their future careers, but also the people whose lives they touch in their line of work, according to Harker.

“They’re amazing students, and we’re so proud of them,” Harker said.

LAIRD is a news reporter.

Gas prices increase dramatically Melissa Gibby mfgibby@liberty.edu

With gas prices on the rise, many Americans wonder if relief at the gas pumps is somewhere in the distance or if high gas prices are here to stay.

Associate Professor of Finance and Economics at Liberty University Robert Rencher spoke about the basic principles of supply and demand and their effect on skyrocketing gas prices.

“The demand for oil is increasing worldwide, so that tends to put upward pressure on prices.

If at the same time demand goes up, supply goes down — basic economics — this puts greater upward pressure on prices,” Rencher said.

Another contributor to gas prices is the increase in tensions with the Middle East, especially with Iran.

According to an article from the Associated Press, oil prices have been rising partially because of tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.

EPA continued from 11 legislation titled “Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization and Improvement Act” would provide kinder regulations to states and local communities.

“Instead of overregulation and intrusion into

“Oil prices get kind of jumpy when things are going on throughout the world that may cause a potential disruption of supply. There is a political dimension to oil prices that is driven by uncertainty,” Rencher said.

In addition to geopolitics, gasoline prices are taking another hit as refinery operations in the Northeast are beginning to shut down, which decreases supply.

According to a recent article by the Wall Street Journal, the refineries that convert crude oil into gasoline have been losing money because of the price increase in crude oil in the past year.

Many refineries have been unable to compensate for the rising prices.

According to the Wall Street Journal, high gas prices could present a risk to the economy, which has been showing improvement this year.

Another concern many have is the typical increase in the price of gas during the summer driv-

the lives and livelihoods of those who choose to make the Bay Watershed their home, the Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization and Improvement Act allows states and communities more flexibility in meeting water quality goals so that we can help restore and protect our

ing season. Gas prices are typically three percent higher during the summer, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Associated Press said the continual price increase might also begin to take a toll on local businesses and economy.

“There can be a ripple effect if gas goes up significantly. If it’s costing me a greater percentage of my disposable income for gasoline, I’m not going to be spending as much on other things. That can eventually have an impact on the economy as a whole,” Rencher said.

In addition to the impact of gas prices on the national economy, many students have felt the strain on their personal budgets.

Liberty sophomore Erik Beam said that gas price influences the money he spends in other areas of the economy.

“Unfortunately, it hasn’t stopped me from driving as often. Instead, it makes me spend less money in other areas because I’ve got to keep in mind money for gas,” Beam said.

natural resources,” Goodlatte said.

Although much of the experimentation and data comes from the coastlines, including Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay region, the measures would affect the whole country in time.

Perrow said that another issue lies where the model

Freshman Zach Koon personally combats gas prices by using a Kroger card for gas discounts.

“I have a Kroger card that saves me 50 cents per gallon because my parents buy so much food each month. I also drive a car that gets 35 miles per gallon, so I don’t have to get gas that often anyway,” Koon said.

Hudson Crider and Emily Raush, an engaged couple from Lancaster, Pa., have felt the strain of high gas prices directly impact their driving decisions.

“The cost doesn’t really cause us to drive less around Lynchburg, but it definitely makes us think before taking a day trip somewhere,” Raush said. “Also, due to gas costs, we really only go home on the big breaks. We normally have people ride with us to help with the cost of gas, but we did not do this over spring break so it was pretty costly.”

$3.79 FYI Gas is roughly $3.79 in the Lynchburg region.

GIBBY is a news reporter.

allows the EPA “to look at the San Francisco Bay Watershed, or the Mississippi River Watershed, and apply it to the whole country.” He believes the more that members of Congress realize the drastic results of the program, the more they would oppose it.

Both Goodlatte and Per-

row also remained concerned that if the EPA regulation passes, the results may not measure up to the cost.

“Just because you want to throw more money at (the Bay), does not mean that we are actually going to speed up the improvement of the Bay,” Perrow

said.

Goodlatte added: “While the goal of everyone involved is better water quality, we must recognize that we can only do as much as technologically possible.”

JONES is a news reporter.

1. fashion show and mosaic mixer kick off international week 2. liberty skate park holds contest for graffiti artists 3. Snowflex and Central virginia disability association hold food drive for tornado victims

Mosaic Mixer

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Food Drive

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OPINION

MARCH 27, 2012

Realism and idealism: Kony 2012 in perspective Isaac Eder

Who is Joseph Kony?

ieder@liberty.edu

If you’ve logged on to Facebook in the past several weeks you’ve almost certainly seen a link to the Invisible Children (IC) organization’s “Kony 2012” video that the group uploaded to video hosting website, Vimeo. The video describes and depicts the atrocities committed

by Uganda warlord Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

The video is a slicklymade production filled with emotional appeals and calls to action. The response to Kony 2012 has been all over the chart, with many enthusiastic supporters plastering every corner of the Internet with links to the video and dressing themselves in Invisible Children T-shirts and various other paraphernalia.

On the other side, the film has its detractors who have criticized Invisible Children on issues ranging from what they describe as IC’s oversimplification of a complex issue to the fact that just over one-third of their finances go toward programs of direct aid to Northern Africa where Kony operates.

My advice to those on both sides of the debate is fundamentally the same: reject easy answers to hard questions. That’s true in just about every aspect of life, but it especially applies here.

IC’s detractors can be broadly filed into one of two camps. The first camp consists of the eye-rolling cynics taking potshots at the “armchair activists” who made the video viral.

The second camp are those with legitimate concerns and complaints regarding IC’s finances and their approach to ending the conflict with military action instead of diplomacy.

As a recovering cynic, I would like to address that

Andrew Gula jagula@liberty.edu

Invisible Children

KONY — Despite its worthy cause, fundraising questions rise about Invisible Children. camp first. Look guys, I understand where you’re coming from. It can be frustrating when people think that watching a 30-minute video and posting it on the Facebook wall of everyone they’ve ever met, seen or smelled will end a decadesold conflict in Northern Africa. There’s a lot I could say here, but I’ll keep it brief: IC’s supporters may be naive in some respects, but know that we need people like them who believe that positive change is possible. More practical steps must be taken, but they can only be the result of the idealists believing in them.

While not the most prominent of IC’s detractors, the perspective of Anywar Ricky Richard caught my eye. In a piece written for National Geographic NewsWatch, Richard, formerly one of Kony’s child soldiers, pointed out several problems with the Kony 2012 approach.

His main opposition to the military approach to stopping Kony comes from the very grim reality that Ko-

ny’s forces mainly consist of child soldiers. “As a result,” Richard points out, “any attack will be on the abducted children.” He recommends resuming peace talks and expresses optimism that if the Sudanese government is involved this time, they could have significant positive sway.

“We thank Invisible Children for making people aware of what has happened in Northern Uganda and request they continue to focus their enthusiasm and resources toward building a better Uganda,” Richard said in the article.

The second major criticism is, again, the fact that only 37 percent of IC’s funds go toward programs. The group has, in the wake of these criticisms, made public their financial statement via their website, and have been independently audited by accounting firm Considine and Considine, who gave IC an “unqualified opinion” — which, in layman’s terms, means that nothing in the financial records that IC re-

leased is amiss. The rest of IC’s money goes into awareness-raising (which they’ve been very open about) and administrative costs (which every group has). One could argue that awareness-raising is not the best approach at this stage, but to suggest something sinister is afoot financially would not be fair.

To IC’s most fervent supporters I have only this to say: keep fighting the good fight, but be cautious. Learn about the organization you work with and think critically about whether or not their approach is the best approach.

Idealists have the fervor and the enthusiasm to make big things happen and the realists keep the idealists honest and level-headed.

We need both realists and idealists to accomplish great things in the world. These two groups should not mistake each other for the enemy.

According to the Kony2012 website, the pledge for supporters to sign reads: “Joseph Kony is one of the world’s worst war criminals and I support the international effort to arrest him, disarm the LRA and bring the child soldiers home.”

Joseph Kony first appeared on the political scene in 1986, as detailed an article in The Independent. According to the article, Kony took a prominent position after a handful of civil uprisings in Uganda.

Becoming a militia leader, Kony gathered discontented ex-soldiers to his cause. And with his growing army, he has since conscripted over 30,000 child soldiers into the Lord’s Resistance Army.

The brutal indoctrination process that Kony uses on his child-soldiers — forcing each boy to murder his own parents — is what has drawn so much attention to this Ugandan warleader.

Kony’s band of guerilla fighters hold him as a messiah figure, giving him power and control over a band of zealous and psychologically scarred fighters.

Kony considers himself to be the “spokesperson of God,” according to an article in The Independent.

In an interview with IRIN News, Vincent Otti ­— Kony’s second in command­— revealed that the LRA believe themselves to be largely innocent of the genocidal attacks against their own people. In fact, Otti said in the interview that the Ugandan government is also to blame because it fought against the LRA. In the same interview, Otti said: “Lord’s Resistance Army is just the name of the movement, because we are fighting in the name of God. People always ask us, are we fighting for the [biblical] Ten Commandments of God. That is true – because the Ten Commandments of God is the constitution that God has given to the people of the world. All people.”

GULA is the opinion editor.

EDER is an opinion writer.

Another option for despondent GOP voters Nate Brown nbrown4@liberty.edu

I’m exercising my American right this year — my American right to not vote in the presidential election. And to defend that decision, I’d like to offer some reasons why.

I think that it is not my American duty to vote, but my American right to vote.

Neither the Constitution nor any of the 27 Amendments describe voting as a “duty,” which would imply a certain degree of obligation. No, four of the Amendments

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“Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails,” Proverbs 19:21.

Proverbs is a book of wisdom. Yet, so frequently we rehearse the words rather than cling to the truth, all the while placing more “important” issues on the front burners of our conversations.

Sometimes people say this type of “From the Desk” is fluffy, weak, a cop

(XV, XIX, XXIV and XXVI) refer to the “right of citizens of the United States to vote,” instructing that this right “shall not be denied or abridged.” Therefore, if it is my right to vote, and not my duty, then I may choose to abdicate that right and not vote.

After watching this election’s debates between the four leading GOP candidates and reactions from our President, I am reminded of an altercation between squabbling children in which debate mediator Jeff King plays a frustrated mother. Santorum spouts political clichés, Romney in-

out. It is easy to say that writing witty opinion pieces on politics, war, drugs or money sound more intelligent.

But, Proverbs is the book of wisdom.

Isn’t it peculiar that Proverbs wasn’t written about the secrets of economics, gas prices or political prominence?

Bollinger Yes, all of those things may come into question and are answered throughout the pages of Proverbs, but they are not the main topic of importance.

Proverbs is all about learning to trust in the Lord — learning to accept that his will is going to be done.

With graduation just around the corner, everyone seems to be wondering what steps lay ahead. For me, those steps include decisions that are

sults all three competing candidates while injecting his own agendas, Gingrich takes it on the chin and never really answers a question, and Paul just laughs. All four take their turns slinging mud, and it turns from debate to tattletaling to Jeff King.

I think that all four candidates are so reactionary in their rhetoric that it robs them of anyone calling it genuine or sincere. An example: in February, in Arizona, Santorum said he didn’t like earmarks.

Seizing his opportunity, Romney quickly claimed he didn’t like earmarks either but Santorum did (while indicting Gingrich

completely out of my control.

Great, right?

“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” Psalm 23:1.

Lately, every time I get to that point in the conversation that verse glides through my head. My God is my shepherd. I literally have no need to want for anything.

Even during times of hardship when we can’t see the steps that lay ahead, God is a God of perfect leadership.

So often we take life too seriously, neglecting the real purpose behind it all. If everything is for the Lord, and it is, in fact, his purpose that will remain when all is said and done, then why do we place so much time, effort and value on all that is outside of him?

We fight for hours about which political candidate is best, what color the church carpet should be and what corners should be cut to save some money to bring the “Lord’s” vision into being.

of approving 6,000 earmarks). Gingrich claimed his 6,000 approved earmarks as Speaker of the House was a grand scheme against the Obama administration and Paul said all three were crazy.

Neither of the four provided a solution.

All four decided a better political strategy was to discredit someone else. This only supports my squabbling metaphor.

I think I remember an elderly relative warning me of people who smile too much, and people who smile too little. I

See VOTING, A5

Have we forgotten that he is almighty?

All-powerful?

He is going to be faithful to bring his purpose into our reality. That is one thing I am sure of. The struggle comes in accepting that the plans of my heart are many — yet it is the purpose of his that will remain.

The politics of life are complicated, but his yoke makes them easy, his burden makes them light. When all is said and done it is God that has the final say in everything.

Whether you go to graduate school, move cross-country, get married or change jobs, as long as you can manage to neglect all that is trivial and embrace his wisdom, everything will work out according to his purpose, not your plans.

But that means embracing the fact that my plans are not my future.

That is where I am — stuck between politics and Proverbs.

OPINION

March 27, 2012 VOTING continued from A4 can’t help but associate the former with this cast of candidates and the latter with our current president. The former seem ingenuine and plastic, the latter seem angry and attitudinal.

I think that of the four GOP candidates and President Obama, Paul is the only one who genuinely stands by his convictions. The only problem is, I like him right where he is already. The responsibilities of the President, as defined by the Constitution, is to be the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, determine military policy and sign treaties, not to plan an economic agenda. That responsibility is given to Congress. Paul has not demonstrated the leadership or the willingness to make

analytical, military decisions required of a president. However, Ron Paul’s economic policies are a breath of fresh air in a reeking Congress Hall. Therefore, Congress is the best place for him to be.

I think there’s something to be said about to which cart you hitch your horse.

I cannot, in good faith, put any of these candidates at the head of my beloved country. None have proven that they are men of conviction, of action or of leadership. For that reason, I refuse to attach my name to any of the candidates.

For the reasons listed above, I think I will exercise my American right to not vote in this year’s election.

Jury finds negligence in delayed response Despite losing lawsuits to families of Va. Tech shooting victims, Steger sticks with story Troy Dauksys tadauksys2@liberty.edu

BROWN is the sports editor.

US struggles to fix energy crisis Jason Bailey

jbailey4@liberty.edu

There is a massive push brewing in the nation’s capital, right under the noses of America’s citizens.

According to FoxNews.com, President Obama’s Energy Secretary Steven Chu confirmed that in 2008, he told the Wall Street Journal that elevating gas prices to higher European-level prices would help wean Americans off of the foreign oil addiction and compel them to use more renewables.

“It’s a great idea,” Christiansburg Energy Analyst Benjamin Knopp said. “Our dependence on foreign oil has been crippling extensive research on other sources of natural energy we could be using.”

The continuing use of foreign oil is not without its consequences. The Washington Post reports that the consequences of rising gas prices have caused President Obama’s approval ratings to drop 7 percent in a national poll for the 2012 presidential election. In light of this, Secretary Chu claims he has had a change of heart.

According to CNN.com, despite the assault the American public has imposed on their leader, the president has repeatedly defended his political record, insisting that there is ‘no silver bullet’ or quick Aleve to this natural energy dilemma.

It is true that America has relied far too much on foreign oil for decades. Whether or not you agree with the decisions of President Obama or his Energy Analyst regarding the spike of gas prices, the push to explore renewables for new energy purposes is prudent.

“You think the president of the United States going into reelection wants gas prices to go higher,” President Obama asked in a Fox News press release. “Is there anybody here who thinks that makes a lot of sense?”

US political representatives remain uncertain of the major direction in the quest for using renewables for public energy consumption. Knopp maintains that the uncertainty isn’t alarming. In fact, it is an element of hope for the public.

“This is what we should want,” Knopp said. “There are numerous renewables in abundance out there that we have yet to explore — sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat, to name a few. It is to our benefit and advantage that the president’s energy analyst has this mindset and focus. The use of foreign oil as our chief source of energy…is a problem and high gas prices are wakening the public to this problem.”

Liberty Champion/A5

U.S. Dept. of Energy

Analyzing Energy Costs — Energy Secretary Chu admitted that he supported higher gas prices.

A news release from the White House last week expressed Obama’s commitment to American-made energy, both to promote economic growth and decrease the price of energy.

The Energy Department will invest $450 million over the next five years to support a next-generation nuclear reactor design, according to the White House press release. Manufacturing these reactors in the United States will open up jobs, as well as allow the Energy Department to develop a smarter energy grid.

While steps like this show that Obama is realizing the importance of the growing energy crisis, everything announced is all part of a much larger plan. There is — as of yet — no immediate relief on the horizon for American taxpayers struggling with outlandish gas prices.

The GOP candidates, at least, are searching for ways to find a more handson means of helping lower the cost of energy. For example, according to FoxNews. com, Newt Gingrich claims he will get gas down to $2.50 a gallon.

To be fair, the concept most Americans have that President Obama has supreme control over the prices at the pump lacks any merit — there is no magic button to raise or lower the price. But the Obama administration’s decision to jack gas prices up is a painful one. The time for aggressive exploration of renewables is already close at hand.

It has been nearly five years since the deadliest campus massacre in the U.S. took place at Virginia Tech (VT) on April 16, 2007, leaving 33 people dead, including the shooter. President of Virginia Tech Charles Steger was reminded of the tragic event two weeks ago when he testified against two victim’s families for a wrongful death lawsuit.

The focus of the trial stressed that VT officials should have acted sooner by alerting the campus of the Steger shooting immediately after it was reported to them. Officials waited over two hours to send a campus alert.

According to USA Today, the initial alert did not indicate that a gunman might still be at large. If it had, victims’ parents argued in the court hearing, they could have prevented the remaining 47 victims from being shot. The jury found the school negligent and awarded $4 million to two victims’ families.

According to the Las Vegas Sun, a previous settlement of $11 million was split between 24 families, excluding other disbursements of $1.9 million set aside in a hardship fund. The state argued that the university did all it could with the information provided at the time. Steger, along with other university officials, said they initially believed the first two shootings were an act of domestic violence, based on what police investigators told them.

According to the New York Times, the Prydes and the Petersons were the only

families of the shootings that were eligible to sue. Both families turned down their portion of the $11 million settlement with the state.

“When you know that something is right you’re not deterred from your course,” Peterson said in the New York Times. “We wanted the truth from the very beginning and we got it. All I know is today we got what we wanted.”

Steger responded to the outcome in a letter, writing, “The heinous crimes committed by Seung-Hui Cho were an unprecedented act of violence that no one could have foreseen.”

“I tried my best,” Steger said in his response.

There is absolutely no doubt that a concerned family member who lost a loved one during the massacre would not want some explanation as to how the situation was handled. Steger makes a valid point in that there was no way one could foresee such an act.

In hindsight, waiting over two hours to alert the campus of a shooting that killed two people in a dormitory was not the most effective way of handling this situation. Of course, we must leave room for understanding that it’s probably not as easy to strategically analyze the situation, much less react accordingly, as we might think.

However, there are consequences for everything, and Virginia Tech is still suffering five years later.

DAUKSYS is an opinion writer.

A P R I L 8 , 2 0 1 2 8:00—9:30—11:00AM

T H O M A S ROA D BA PT IST C HURC H

BAILEY is an opinion writer.

T R B C . O R G

NEWS

A6/Liberty Champion

March 27, 2012

Photos provided

New Dad — 1st Lt. Dan McCready poses with his wife Meagan and their new baby Daniel Colt. Lt. McCready flies a B-1B Lancer bomber out of Ellsworth AFB, S.D.

1st Lt. Dan McCready: Flight training insights Omar Adams oadams@liberty.edu

For many students, graduation marks the end of their formal education. For 1st Lt. Dan McCready, his graduation from Liberty University began three and a half years of intense training to become an Air Force pilot.

McCready graduated with Liberty’s first Air Force ROTC commissioning class in May 2008. The California native ran through a series of training courses including introductory flight screening (IFS).

“This is a weed-out program of sorts,” McCready said. “They get a first look at whether or not they feel you will be able to complete pilot training. If you don’t make the cut, they will find you another career.”

Following IFS and the other programs, he jumped straight into pilot training — a threephase program crammed into

one year. Students transition through academic courses, flight courses in the T-6 Texan II and finally into one of three specialized aircraft based on the their scores in the first two phases.

Students selected for the T-38 Talon supersonic jet trainer go on to fly fighters or bombers, T-44 Pegasus students train to fly multi-engine turboprop aircraft, and students chosen for the T-1 Jayhawk fill tanker or airlift roles.

“I went to ENJJPT (EuroNATO Joint Jet Pilot Training), so the rules are a little bit different because we follow a different syllabus than the other bases — the program is designed for training fighter/bomber pilots,” McCready said.

ENJJPT is a training program reserved for the top pilot trainees from the U.S. Air Force and its NATO allies. Course instructors are also selected from the officer ranks of U.S. and NATO air forces, according to

the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) factsheet.

“The year of pilot training was hands-down the most difficult year of my life,” McCready said. “Imagine trying to cram a four-year degree plus a master’s into one year. It’s very much a sink or swim program.”

After pilot training, McCready attended several other training schools, including Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training at the U.S. Air Force Survival School, Fairchild AFB, Wash. SERE students are taught skills necessary to “survive in any environment and return with honor,” the AETC factsheet states.

Finally, McCready was able to conduct his eight-month Initial Qualification in the B-1B Lancer supersonic heavy bomber. He said B-1s have been flying nonstop missions in the Middle East since Sept. 11, 2001.

“We bring a massive hammer

MA in Biomedicine

Preparing students to serve and lead in the medical field

to the fight and take pride in performing a role in protecting America’s military overseas through our superior close-airsupport role,” McCready said. “…The jet is amazing — flying supersonic 500 feet above the ground is absolutely incredible.

The jet is a great platform that the Air Force utilizes to ensure our men and women on the ground make it home to their families.”

McCready was able to pass his final Mission Qualification in only three months to participate in Red Flag — a multi-national, advanced air combat training exercise against mock-enemy “Aggressor” squadrons — with his new squadron.

Now a full-fledged Air Force pilot, McCready is stationed at Ellsworth AFB, S.D. with the 37th Bomb Squadron. He arrived too late to take part in the Libya campaign in spring 2011, but he said he is proud to

be a part of a unit with a rich history dating back through both World Wars.

“My squadron flew the Doolittle Raid,” he said. “We are one of a few squadrons in the Air Force who have participated in every conflict since its inception.”

Even after completing all of his training, McCready has a busy schedule as he and his wife Meagan had their first baby, Daniel Colt McCready, in February. The military is willing to work with him and his family, however, including allowing two weeks off for the new baby.

“As far as flight time and family, it’s like almost anything — it just requires balance,” Dan McCready said. “You have to prioritize things in your life. My family comes before work, and my squadron has been awesome about prioritizing families first.”

ADAMS is the web editor.

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NEWS

March 27, 2012

Liberty Champion/A7

Photo Provided

washington — Former CIA agent Charles Murphy took Liberty students to the nation’s capital to visit the National Defense University..

Government students visit D.C. Claire Riss

criss@liberty.edu

Dr. Charles Murphy took students from Liberty University to visit the National Defense University (NDU) in Washington, D.C. to help better their education.

The NDU is the premier center for Joint Professional Military Education and is under the direction of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Murphy, a Marine and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) veteran, teaches Strategic & Intelligence Studies and International Relations for the Helms School of Government.

Murphy has been trying to make extracurricular activities

a staple in his students’ learning experience. He has taken his classes to visit and participate in many intelligence agencies, including the CIA, the National Security Agency, the Pentagon, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and others. According to Murphy, his classes have been the only undergraduate classes on site on the majority of these trips.

The class time was spent sharing in a symposium exploring the complex food crisis in the Horn of Africa. The day-long session consisted of in-depth discussion about the political, social and economic factors of the 2011 famine in Eastern Africa.

“The students have the op-

portunity to mix and mingle and network with very influential and powerful leaders,” Murphy said.

During the symposium, students heard from prominent figures, including NDU President Vice Admiral Ann E. Rondeau, and had the opportunity to interact with several key government leaders. A few of those in attendance included ambassadors, general grade officers, field grade officers, academicians and more, according to Murphy.

Murphy said after years of establishing connections with people in the Intelligence Community, his students can now directly benefit.

“I have been able to build those relationships into a quality, hands-on experience for under-

graduates,” he said.

Not only are Murphy’s students able to network with government leaders, but interacting with them in person allows them to garner insight into their future careers.

“I learned a lot from the different speakers, and it only emphasized what I wanted to do and why,” Intelligence Studies major Prescilia Elielie-Ndjana said.

Elielie-Ndjana believes events likes these are important for students in the Intelligence Studies program as they seek to familiarize themselves in the trade.

“Even if it’s only for a day or two, just … partaking [in] conferences with intellectual minds makes you feel better about yourself and what you want to

do,” she said. “I know a career in Intelligence will not be easy, but at least meeting some of the people in that field, I know it’s not impossible.”

Murphy knows involvement is essential in growing successful leaders who will stand on biblical truths to make a difference in their fields, particularly government.

“I am trying to develop … students who understand that ‘truth never fears a challenge,’ and who can become the thinking and creative Christian statesmen and leaders that this world so desperately needs,” Murphy said.

RISS is a news reporter.

NEWS

A8/Liberty Champion

March 27, 2012

Comic book club hosts speaker Lindsey Birchfield lsbirchfield@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s Comic Book Club hosted local business owner Chris Garbee at their meeting Thursday, March 22.

Garbee owns Untamed Worlds, a gaming and comic book shop, in Lynchburg.

Garbee spoke about the state of the industry and about pursuing a career in comics.

According to Tyler Flynn, president of Liberty’s Comic Book Club, this was not the first time Garbee came to speak to the club.

“The last time Chris spoke was in 2010, and the club members responded very enthusiastically to his discussion about the semantics of running a comic book shop, so we’re very happy to have him back once again,” Flynn said.

Garbee began selling comic books for profit at the age of 14. Along with owning his own comic book shop, Garbee runs and promotes the Roanoke Comicon.

The economy greatly affects this industry, Garbee said, and it directly impacts his sales.

“The business is fun but, unfortunately, it is going in a sad direction,” Garbee said.

According to Garbee, several major publishers in the industry, specifically DC Comics, have decided it costs too much to pay American comic book artists, so they are now looking to international comic artists.

Garbee encouraged students to voice their opinion and support for these struggling artists.

The majority of recent comics are declining in value, according to Garbee. He hopes that the rising dependence on technology, such as with iPads, Nooks and Kindles, will help this industry.

“Hopefully, the comic book medium will find life in digital media,” Garbee said.

For hobby businesses, like comics, Garbee suggested that it takes twice as long to see profit.

Garbee said he puts in 80-90 hours a week as the sole employee running his shop, online business and the Roanoke Comicon.

“I do this because I love it,” Garbee said.

According to Garbee, a future entrepreneur of any industry should focus on the business of running a business.

Flynn said Garbee has been a long time supporter of the Comic Book Club.

“Many of our members are familiar with Chris, as we shop at his store regularly for comic

Amy Marquez | Liberty Champion

comics — After reading some graphic novels, the Comic Book Club posed for a few pictures. books and gaming accessories,” Flynn said.

Flynn expressed the club’s excitement for Garbee’s appearance because of his increasing knowledge about the industry.

“Students attending the meeting will benefit from the interaction because they will get to receive an inside perspective on the comic book industry, such as the financial aspect of running a shop and a comic book convention,” Flynn said.

The Liberty Comic Book Club

began in spring 2010 and meets biweekly with 25-30 attendees.

During the meetings, they have group discussions and present recent news in the superhero and comic book world.

One purpose of the club, according to Flynn, is to provide a safe environment for those interested in comic books and other related subjects to discuss and be educated on the industry.

Flynn said the club continually engages the Liberty student body by offering events and

activities for those interested in the club. Members are now planning a trip to attend the Virginia Comicon in Richmond. Along with events, the club is passionate about charities and raised donations for a troop overseas.

For more information, check the group’s Facebook page, follow the group on Twitter @ LUComicBookClub or email tflynn@liberty.edu.

BIRCHFIELD is a news reporter.

Toxins in makeup Additives in cosmetics, hygiene products possibly linked to harmful effects including breast cancer Kate Powley knpowley@liberty.edu

Slathering on cosmetics, toothpaste and face wash might be placing harmful toxins in the recipient’s body.

According to Liberty University Professor Linda Kitchel, some preservatives and additives in food, such as parabens, are used in cosmetics.

Parabens are used in products as preservatives and can be recognized on labels as methylparaven, propylparaben, butylparaben or benzylparaben.

According to the FDA, they are used to protect against microbial growth, and certain levels of paraben are allowed in products.

“In August 2005, when scientists published a study finding a relationship between plasticizers called phthalates and feminization of U.S. male babies, they named fragrance as a possible culprit,” the Environment Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep Cosmetics database said. “When estrogenic industrial chemicals called parabens were found in human breast tumor tissue, researchers questioned if deodorant was the source.”

But paraben is not the only thing found in products that has researchers concerned. The EWG says that triclosan, a common ingredient in hand soap, toothpaste and face wash, is linked to liver and inhalation toxicity.

EWG is a website database devoted to researching products and provides an engine for viewers to check the safety of more than 69,000 products.

Local health enthusiast and founder of PureGoodness blog Rachel Brewer became interested in the topic when she found out her daughter had an allergy to food coloring. Brewer holds a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from Liberty University and hopes to continue her education in nutrition.

“I want people to be aware of what they’re putting on their body. The skin absorbs everything … you have to be really cautious what you’re putting on your skin, hair and especially makeup.”

According to the FDA’s website, the FD&C Act and FPLA do not require pre approval of labels and trust manufacturers and distributors to label their products accurately.

Brewer’s niece, Kristen Disney, is also concerned about toxins and other harmful substances in everyday products and aspires to have a health and wellness blog of her own.

“I don’t typically buy my products, and if I do I make sure they’re 100 percent organic or recommended by

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Online — Tangible copies of the yearbook will only be available for purchase.

SELAH goes online Melissa Gibby mfgibby@liberty.edu

Kate Powley | Liberty Champion

Toxic — Makeup could be harmful. holistic doctors. I would also recommend making them yourself. I make my own products like face wash and hairspray,” Disney said. “God created all these things in the environment and the world for a purpose, so we don’t need to go and recreate them.”

Disney became interested in health when her grandfather and former chair of Liberty University’s missions department, Roscoe Brewer, was diagnosed with cancer and chose a holistic route to healing. He was expected to die within six months but lived for two and a half years after the prognosis.

“The body can heal itself, but it can’t when you have so many toxins in your body. When you read ingredients like petroleum and formaldehyde and things like that, those things are just lurking in us,” Brewer said.

Brewer suggests researching cosmetics and other products on website such as EWG Skin Deep or checking out her blog PureGoodness.

One thing that both Brewer and Kitchel stressed for consumers to do is read labels and be aware of what is in a product. Apps for smart phones are a convenient way to check what ingredients on labels may be harmful.

“Finding products that are more natural is best. You never know when something that is approved (by the FDA) today, won’t be tomorrow,” Kitchell said.

POWLEY is a news reporter.

SELAH, Liberty University’s yearbook, recently received the Gold Crown Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, according to Jeff White from Promotional Publications at Liberty. It is the first time Liberty has received the prestigious award.

The award is given to publications in the academic arena for excellence in writing/editing, design, content, concept, photography, art and graphics.

In addition to this achievement, the yearbook has also found a creative solution to the growing discontinuation of yearbook programs in universities nationwide by making the yearbook available online.

A print version will be available on demand.

The university partnered with Key Color Inc. (KCI) to produce an online version of the yearbook that will be free for all students at the end of the semester at lifepages. com. It will also be available to Liberty University alumni, according to Director of Marketing for University Publications in Promotional Publications Laura Sipple.

Because of the recent decline in yearbook programs, Liberty decided to conduct research to find out how other colleges kept their yearbook programs alive.

“The fall semester was spent evaluating what cur-

rent universities and colleges are doing regarding yearbooks. Traditionally, the printed format of the past is no more and colleges are just completely eliminating their collegiate yearbook program,” Sipple said.

The solution was simple.

Liberty decided to create an interactive online yearbook with a wide range of features including extra stories, videos, student portraits and user profiles.

Another distinguishing feature of the online version is the ability to view yearbooks from 1974 to the present.

“We can incorporate video, so if there are special plays from the football game, the basketball games, coffeehouse clips, you name it, it can be incorporated into this online yearbook. What’s also nice is there are social features where students can sign each other’s yearbooks digitally. You can also comment on pages and photos,” Sipple said.

The online yearbook is a convergence of traditional yearbook media in addition to the new capabilities of video and audio media.

“It’s not exactly like the original, but it is an alternative that integrates the social media aspect,” SELAH staff member Jacob Anspach said.

For those who still want a print version of the SELAH yearbook, Liberty will have yearbooks available for printing on demand.

“What Liberty decid-

ed to do was create 75 pages of core content that will include the happenings around the university, sports, team pictures, etc.,” Anspach said.

The core content will be both online and in the print-on-demand yearbooks.

“Everyone’s first 75 pages will look alike, then you have the option of adding an additional 10, 20, 30 or however many pages you wish to personalize. You can upload your photos from Facebook or any photos on your hard drive. You can have your personalized yearbook in addition to the core content,” Sipple said.

While the online version is free for all students, the print version price will vary based on the student’s customization but is an option for those who want a printed book.

“We’re trying to offer the students both a traditional alternative with the printed book and give an online version that is breaking into new technologies with video and social media aspects too. We feel that by combining both of these, it’s really giving students a great resource for the yearbook,” Sipple said.

For more information, check out the Facebook page at LibertyU Selah Yearbook or liberty.edu/ yearbook. The Facebook page includes a Year in Review tab to see content from each graduating class.

GIBBY is a news reporter.

SPORTS

Flames Sports Network recognized

MARCH 27, 2012

finding their stride

Kyle Harvey kharvey@liberty.edu

Liberty University became officially recognized by the secular sports entertainment industry as a major player in collegiate athletic coverage when the Flames Sports Network was recently awarded two bronze Telly Awards.

The awards, which were earned for FSN’s coverage of the Big South Championship football game against Stony Brook University and the weekly “Flames Sports Desk” program, are the first such awards for FSN. “I’ve submitted games over the last seven years that we’ve done — broadcasts that I thought were very well done but we hadn’t received an award for whatever reason,” Athletic TV Producer Bruce Carey said. “So this year to submit two, the football game and the sports desk show, and win in both of those categories was pretty amazing.”

The Telly Awards are not like the Academy Awards, which judges entertainment productions in a head-to-head competition, but rather an affiliation that brings authority and credibility to an organization.

“They don’t judge you against other videos or programs or shows,” Carey said. “What they do is they have a standard of excellence and you have to reach a certain level, and if you reach that level there are two categories.

There’s a silver and a bronze.

We were able to win two bronze Telly’s – one for our Stony Brook football game that we did in New York … and the other one was for the brand new show we started this year called the Flames Sports Desk.”

The Telly Awards, which are given by a group of industry leaders, covers many different kinds of media.

“There’s everything from broadcast games to commercials, to films, to websites,” Carey said.

“Sports are just a category in the organization.

See FSN, B2

Les Schofer| Promotional Publication

rolling along — Patrick Eckelbarger has a perfect 5-0 record this season. The Flames are 23-4 (5-1) in their first 27 games.

Flames take two from Bulldogs John Pearson

jpearson@liberty.edu

Greg Leasure gleasure@liberty.edu

L

iberty University continued its hunt to get inside the national Top 25, winning a three-game series with the visiting Gardner-Webb Bulldogs. Liberty took both Friday games, 4-3 and 8-0, respectively, but fell in Saturday’s finale, 5-4.

Game One In the first game of the evening, the bats were quiet but the defense was solid. Liberty scored first at the bottom of the second with Alex Close coming

flames

scoreboard •

•

Golf vs. Callaway Collegiate Match Play Championships 3-0-2 (W) Golf vs. Linger Longer Invitational (T) 9th Place Men’s Tennis vs. Campbell 2-5 (L) Track vs. UVA Team Swashbuckle Men 3rd Place Women 3rd Place

•

• •

Softball vs. Garden-Webb 4-0 (W) 8-3 (W) Women’s Lacrosse vs Bucknell 15-16 OT (L) Baseball vs. ODU 12-6 (W) Baseball vs. Gardner-Webb 4-3 (W) 8-0 (W) 4-5 (L)

in on a double hit by Trey Wimmer, but the Bulldogs answered in the third with a home run by John Harris that scored two RBIs and took the lead away from the Flames, making the score 3-1.

The Flames clawed for another run in the fourth when Michael Robertson came in on a hit by Close. The Bulldogs did not get anyone on base again until the top of the ninth when Harris was walked. The Flames bats where cold for three innings and it seemed as if the offense just could not get the break they needed. However, that all changed in the bottom of the second when Bryan Aanderud stepped up to the plate and cranked out his first homerun of the season directly over the 390 sign.

“I never know when I hit a home-

run, because I don’t hit a lot of them,” Aanderud said. “I thought it was a line drive and I knew that they were playing me a little bit shallow, so I thought that I at least got a double out of it.”

John Niggli pitched for the Flames and finished all nine innings with two strikeouts, only allowing five hits.

Game Two Game Two of the evening was more energetic than the previous game and as the sun went down, the stands filled up. Twelve-hundred fans watched Liberty score its first run in the second inning with Close coming in off a double, this time hit by Dalton Sype.

See BASEBALL, B2

Liberty hockey holds CFAW camp Jay Sir ysir@liberty.edu

For every college sport, changes in the roster are inevitable. Players graduate, they move to another school and some even decide to pursue another career. At the same time, the team is stock-piled again with fresh recruits, each bringing in depth and a different dimension for their teams. The Liberty Men’s Hockey team held a CFAW recruitment camp over this weekend which saw around 75 potential recruits participating. The recruits were trying out for the men’s ACHA Division I-III teams and the lady flames hockey team.

“Our hope is to provide for them plenty of ice time and opportunities to showcase their abilities in the game of hockey, while participating at a level we believe they would fit,” Ice Center Assistant Director Jeff Boettger said. “Many of the players are still in high school and looking

to graduate in one, two or three years, though many also are looking at attending Liberty in the fall and are striving to make a statement and hear they fit on one of our three men’s teams.”

The recruits come from a wide variety of locations from Florida to Canada and even California, but the majority of the recruits were from northern states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. Similar to the normal CFAW program that Liberty University hosts, the recruitment camp has a vital role for recruiting future players “We were in the locker room and he (coach) asked us who came to Liberty through the camp and almost everyone in the room raised their hands,” Division I player Luke Aitken said. “He told us:,since it obviously works, we should show them a good time.”

And the Hockey team seems to have done that

“I was excited to come here. I’ve been coming here since i was 8-years-old because of my brothers and sisters.”

—steve bellew

during this weekend “The program overtook my expectations. The way they treat their players here is unbelievable,” recruit Jesse Paul said. “It’s definitely a great confidence booster and it definitely helps with having all this feedback from the coaches, so you get to work on your skills.”

The program has also seen some familiar faces come to CFAW recruitment camp “I was excited to come here. I’ve been coming here since I was 8-yearsold because of my brothers and sisters,” recruit Steve Bellew said. “It’s good to finally be in a position that I am old enough to play with them instead

of watching. I wasn’t even nervous being here, and they just make you feel like you belong here. It’s been a good experience.”

It seemed like every recruit that was interviewed had a similar thing to say.

“Every experience with the guys has been really good and they’re really nice. They even gave us a tub of bubble gum and that’s great in my opinion,” recruit Kyle Garcia said. “I would definitely recommend this camp to a lot of people. I wasn’t really sure about this school before I came here but now I like it. I like it a lot.”

SIR is a sports reporter.

SPORTS

B2/Liberty Champion

March 27, 2012

Men’s tennis prepares to face Winthrop Mark Meyers mameyers@liberty.edu

With eight matches remaining in the regular season and coming off of a seven match winning streak, the Liberty University men’s tennis team has already matched their win total of last season with a record of 10-4.

Much of the Flames success has to be attributed to junior Siim Tuus. The reigning Big South Player of the Week has carried the Flames all season posting a 10-3 singles record and a 9-4 doubles record.

All of Tuus’ matches have come as Liberty’s number one seed, which means he faces the best players opposing teams have to offer.

Tuus attributes his success this season to his intense training he did over the off-season, as well as head coach Chris Johnson.

“The number one seed always has a great influence on the team and the match as it is played,” Johnson said. “Siim really embraces that and does a great job of helping lead our team every match.”

BASEBALL continued from B1 The big event of the night happened in the third inning when bases were loaded and Alex Close hit his first collegiate grand slam. Liberty earned one more run before the close of the inning, giving them a six-run lead. The Flames scored two more times in the fourth off a sacrifice and an error. Patrick Eckelbarger was the key to Liberty’s defense. He pitched seven innings with five strike outs and allowed three hits “The first game our bats came out flat,” Close said. “Niggli made one mistake and the kid hit it out, but after the comeback I had a feeling that the bats were going to breakout. We came out and did not really give them a chance the second game. We went eighteen innings without an error and the guys up the middle are unbelievable.”

Game Three The Liberty Flames had their chances during Saturday’s series finale with the Gardner-Webb University Runnin’ Bulldogs.

However, too many missed opportunities kept the Flames from completing the sweep of the Runnin’ Bulldogs, causing them to lose 5-4.

After a few lead changes earlier in the game, the Flames found themselves down by a run with only two outs remaining.

Senior Ian Parmley found his way on base with a single, but that glimmer of hope was quickly erased when junior Andy Smith grounded into a game-end-

Tuus has also formed a dynamic duo with senior Gian Lemmi for doubles matches. The pair has posted a perfect 7-0 record thus far.

“Our success has been the result of hard work, great attitude and good chemistry,” Tuus said. “We know each other really well and as upperclassmen players we are also experienced. It helps us to make right decisions under pressure and win tough matches against great players.”

Freshman Wayne Harrell has been a key ingredient this season for the Flames. Flying a bit under the radar, often playing as a number six seed, Harrell has garnered a 9-3 record in singles matches. Those have crucial points for the Flames. Despite his success, Harrell will most likely be staying in that role as a number six seed.

“Wayne [Harrell] is playing some great tennis and so are many of our players,” Johnson said. “He is still young though, so my wish would be to keep him there to gain more match experience.”

Sophomore Shea Thomas has been a mainstay as the number two seed for ing double play.

“From about the fifth inning on everyone was up, getting into it,” Parmley said.

“It just didn’t go our way at the end.”

The Flames stranded seven people on base, including in the eighth when the bases were loaded.

“When the energy was up we scored runs,” Wimmer said.

“We had chances None of the Top 25 to score runs. We teams have 20 wins didn’t get the big yet. Liberty has 23 hit when we needon the season. ed it. We just didn’t play our best.”

Freshman relief pitcher Carson Herndon gave up two singles and a walk in the eighth inning before exiting the game. Those runners would later score, giving the Runnin’ Bulldogs the lead for good.

Senior starting pitcher Jacob Kemmerer earned a no-decision despite giving up only two runs in a little over four innings pitched.

Although it was a close game, the Runnin’ Bulldogs outhit the Flames 14 to 4.

The Flames will get their chance to tune up their offense at home this Tuesday at 6 p.m. against the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams.

FYI

LEASURE and PEARSON are sports reporters.

“We need to keep working hard and stay focused” — Siim Tuus

the Flames this year and has mustered up a 7-5 singles record. Thomas has also paired up nicely with junior Tristan Stayt for doubles matches, posting a 6-0 record.

“We have great chemistry because our game styles really complement each other,” Thomas said. “My power game style combined with Tristan’s finesse game style around the net makes us a very formidable team to play against.”

Thomas will in all likelihood be matched up against senior Guy Kubi for the Flames match against the Winthrop Eagles March 31.

“I am going to go out and play my game and find [Kubi’s] weaknesses, and then attack those weaknesses to get the victory,”

FSN continued from B1 People that have won the Silver Telly award, which is the highest award possible, from the judges. It has companies like ESPN and ABC.” The awards are a testament to the hard work put in by the large staff of professionals it takes to put together so much programming.

“If you don’t have the right people, it makes it very difficult to pull one of these games off, and I’ve been pretty fortunate that most of the guys on the crew are people that have years of experience,” Carey said.

“There are 45 or 50 people that are involved in a broadcast but certainly there’s a core of about six to eight people,” Associate Athletic Director of External Operations Kevin Keys said.

“Bruce (Carey) is at the top of that list.

He’s been there since the beginning.”

Carey and Keys collaborate on FSN to produce both the games and the studio show. As the head of athletics marketing, Keys bridges the gap between athletics and the media.

“He and I work together probably more than anybody else in athletics other than the SID’s (Sports Information Directors),” Carey said. “If I have a question or something or I need help with a broadcast, whether it be with facilities or talking to the affiliates, Kevin usually steps in.”

“Each year we make incremental changes. Bruce works hard to get the programming where it needs to be,” Keys said. “One of the awards was for the

Thomas said. “The most important thing is that I don’t let him control the points and let him get into a groove against me.”

The Flames are determined not to let their recent success cause them to lose focus.

“The most important thing is not to let ourselves feel comfortable and satisfied with the results we have had so far,” Tuus said. “We need to keep working hard and stay focused in order to achieve our goal to win the Big South Championship.”

Staying healthy and continuing to put in hard work in practice will be vital for the Flames if they want to continue their recent run of success, according to Tuus.

The Flames take on Norfolk State at home March 28 before their conference clash against Winthrop March 31.

MEYERS is a sports reporter. magazine style show that we’ve been looking to do for five years and this year we finally did it. We cast the vision and Bruce followed through and made it work. It’ll be done at the end of April. We’ve done about 34 shows so far this year.”

Two key components of the Flames Sports Desk program are the co-hosts Alan York and Erin McKeown. Oddly enough, neither of the on-camera talents had experience in TV prior to their work on the show.

“Alan is young, he’s energetic, he’s ambitious,” Carey said. “His background is in radio so, basically, he came in as a new person into the field of television and he picked it up and ran with it and has done a great job. Erin McKeown has been working in the athletic department for years now as the compliance officer, and she’s a former athlete herself, a star volleyball player.”

Despite the array of talent represented in the staff of both productions, the broadcast team is unable and uninterested in producing anything without God. “It’s not me that is pulling these games off,” Carey said. “It’s not really the crew.

If the Lord doesn’t get the glory, I’m wasting my time. We pray before each game.

We want to make sure that God gets glorified in every broadcast that we do, and if that’s not the case then I really don’t want to be a part of it.”

HARVEY is a sports reporter.

Editorial: Peyton was the prize, but who won?

Andrew Woolfolk alwoolfolk@liberty.edu

It’s official. Peyton Manning has found a new team. On March 20, the Denver Broncos announced the quarterback as their newest member, signing him to a five-year, $96 million contract.

As Denver’s former Hall-ofFame quarterback John Elway, the team’s Vice President Football Operations, held up the orange and white jersey to signal Manning’s entrance, it was still hard for people to believe his exit from Indianapolis. Two years ago, if you had suggested Manning would be wearing any color other than Colts blue and white, you would’ve been met with an unanimous chorus.

“Yeah right, that’ll never happen.”

But now, it has. In the offseason courting of Manning that has resembled the drama of a soap opera, you can’t help but wonder who the winner of the whole situation is.

Let’s start with the obvious — the Broncos.

Yes, the team just signed a Hall-of-Fame quarterback whose reputation will accompany those of the greats such as Joe Montana and Roger Staubach. Manning has been a consistently dominant force at the quarterback position, winning a Super Bowl, throwing for over 50,000 yards and, most importantly, leading the Colts to nine consecutive 10-win seasons.

Associated Press

Old Faces, New places — Because of Peyton’s arrival, Tim Tebow will be putting on the green and white of the New York Jets this season.

But, Peyton is 36-years old and it still was more affective than coming off four neck surgeries in when they ran a conventional ofa year and a half. fensive system behind their poor Most quarterbacks are on the offensive line during their 1-4 for decline after they hit the age of the season.

33, and while Manning is not In Indianapolis, Manning was your average quarterback, he’s spoiled with the best offensive not Superman. Add in the fact line in the business every year, that he’s gone from a receiv- but not anymore. As Manning ing corp of Reggie Wayne and even said in his introductory Dallas Clark, players who could press conference, “There is work catch his passes in their sleep, to be done.” two unproven receivers DemarySo the Broncos didn’t win ius Thomas and Eric Decker, completely. How about the Jets, and it becomes evident that the the team who made the trade adjustment will take some time. for Tebow after Manning’s signWhile last year it was said the ing? The Jets now get a proven Broncos couldn’t keep winning winner at quarterback to comwith the wishbone-oriented of- pete with Mark Sanchez for the fense that Tim Tebow played, starting job. Surely they are the

winners, right?

Wrong. The move serves as more of an alienation from Sanchez. It isn’t easy to find a team with less team chemistry right now, and this move certainly doesn’t bolster that chemistry.

Head coach Rex Ryan has tried numerous tactics to elevate Sanchez to another level of performance, such as signing Mark Brunell last year and occasionally giving him the first-team reps, but to no avail. It’s also hard to imagine Tebow fitting in with a coach who curses as much as he breathes and the numerous other outspoken players that parade in the Jets locker room.

Tebow very well may be able to bring the team together, but he just as easily may divide them apart when fans demand him to start after Sanchez throws a pass more than three inches offtarget.

What about the Indianapolis Colts? Sure, they traded away their franchise’s most prolific player of all-time, but they also hold the top pick in next month’s draft. The Colts have made it clear they plan to draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who has had NFL scouts raving for years and has been called, among other things, “better than Peyton Manning” by NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. While Luck very well may turn into the dominating force most are predicting, current times in Indianapolis look bleak.

The team won two games last

year, had a defense ranked 25th in the league, and the players who formed the foundation of their decade long dynasty are skipping town.

Receivers Anthony Gonzalez and Pierre Garcon have already left, center Jeff Saturday has signed to the Green Bay Packers, and tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai have entered the world of free agency.

The Colts may be winners 10 years down the road, but almost certainly not for a few years.

So did anyone win out on this whole deal? Yes, and the answer is pretty simple.

It’s the headline creators at the New York Post by a landslide.

One minute, Lin-sanity ended, and the next minute an entirely new oasis of puns to tap into appeared. The league’s most discussed quarterback, Tim Tebow, has entered the most media-hungry city on the planet with his every move recorded, his every press conference meticulously dissected, and dare I say it, his every win exalted.

I can already see it now in the headlines of the New York Post.

“Tebow leads Rex-urrection of the Jets.” Sounds crazy, but be careful this time to not say “Yeah right, that’ll never happen.”

WOOLFOLK is a sports reporter

SPORTS

March 27, 2012

Liberty Champion/B3

Softball back on track after ‘Webb series A weekend sweep of the Lady Bulldogs gave Liberty much-needed confidence Jessica Grigg jgrigg@liberty.edu

The Lady Flames snapped an 11-game skid while visiting Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. Head coach Paul Wetmore’s squad swept the Lady Bulldogs, winning the first game of a Saturday double header 4-0 and the second 8-3, and completing the series Sunday with a 7-5 win.

Liberty collected 11 hits in Game One, led by Sammi Shivock’s three base hits. Seven players had at least one hit and three recorded a multiple-hit game.

Pitchers Chandler Ball and Alyssa Dimartino combined for eight strikeouts and surrendered only one walk. Dimartino was credited with the win.

Meredith Crisante, Bridgett Woods and Amber Donovan each collected two hits in the second game of the double header.

Woods’ three-run shot over the fence in the second inning was a huge boost for the Lady Flames and provided a 4-0 edge early in the game.

Les Schofer | Promotional Publication Ball and Dimartino paired captain kelly — Senior Kelly Stickland is a key leader to the Lady Flames interior defense. again for five strikeouts and no batters walked. nine hits on the day and im- home. is big for us,” head coach Paul In the third leg of the series, proved their record to 9-15 (3-1).

Liberty fell twice to Cornell Wetmore said.

Shivock launched a three-run The success over the weekThursday, March 22, in a split The Lady Big Red Bears homer in a huge fifth inning that end comes after a disappointing doubleheader. blanked the Lady Flames in the plated four Lady Flames on five Texas roadtrip (0-8) and a for“It’s a long season yet, and it’s first leg, 7-0, and rallied in the hits. The Flames finished with gettable series against Cornell at all about conference, so this week second leg to notch the 7-4 vic-

tory over Liberty.

Junior Kristen Towne homered to center field for Cornell to put the first points on the board.

Cornell pitcher Alyson Onyon allowed just nine hits and four runs in Game One. In Game Two, senior Kaylee West singled to second base in the fourth, allowing for sophomore Sammi Shivock to score a run.

In the fifth inning, the Lady Flames lit up the The Lady board with three hits Flames continue and three their road swing runs. SeWednesday, nior Bridg- March 28, with et Woods a doubleheader singled to at Radford. After right field, that, the women sophomore Jill Ste- open a homephens got stand against Winthrop. a pinch hit for Zavodny, and Shivock doubled to right center.

Senior Jenny Law scored the last Liberty run of the evening.

“We just need to remain strong and keep a good attitude,” Shivock said. “And remember to do our best.”

FYI

GRIGG is a sports reporter.

Editoral: A March full of sorrow

David Massie

dwmassie@liberty.edu

Apparently, John Cusack and the ancient Mayans were not to far off with their description of the worlds predicted apocalyptic end in 2012.This is the only logical explanation I can come up with to explain what has happened in the world of college basketball this past week.

To say this has been an unpredictable first two rounds would be a gigantic understatement. I knew it was going to be an interesting tourney on the first day when I woke up and tripped over a basketball getting out of bed. Omens are alive and well, my friends. Later on that day, I waved goodbye to Missouri and my perfect final four in round one. This was the first time in 11 years a Fifteenth seeded team beat a second seeded team, and it was the first time ever it hap-

pened twice in one tournament.

Duke would later have the same fate when they fell to Lehigh.

This tournament has left college basketball fans in a fog of confusion. With the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eigth in the books, several new upsets were added to the already lengthy list, the picture is becoming slightly clearer on who has the best chance to win the championship. If I could go back and make four new Final Four picks it would probably be: Kentucky vs. Florida and Syracuse vs. Kansas.

Kentucky’s chances are hard not to love, with two of the top NBA prospects in college basketball, Anthony Davis and Micheal Kidd-Gilchrest, in the starting Wildcat lineup. John Calipari has created an NBA prospect factory at Kentucky. They have featured several different lottery picks throughout the past few tournaments (Demarcus Cousins, John

“Kentucky’s chances are hard not to love, with two of the top NBA prospects in college basketball ”

Wall and Brandon Knight).

Florida was a bit of an enigma this year during the regular season but has raised their level of play substantially in the tournament. Billy Donovan did a great job of recruiting once again.

This was by far the most talented team Florida had since their previous repeat national championships in 2006 and 2007.

Through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Florida beat both their matchups by 26 plus points. However, their loss to a hot Louisville squad leaves me scratching my head once again.

Syracuse was probably the

The Spring House

most logic defying team of 2012.

Surrounded by scandal, the entire season riddled with molestation accusations and Fab Melo’s sudden ineligibility for the tournament, Syracuse rose above every prediction of failure and shown that there is much more scoring talent on their team than previously realized. Jim Boehim’s famous 2-3 zone defensive system is almost run to perfection on a night-in-night-out basis by the Orangemen. But, Ohio Sate found holes within the Orangemen defense and was able to join Kentucky and Louisville in the Final Four. Jared Sullinger had his way inside. Melo was sorely missed as an inside presence.

Kansas narrowly escaped Purdue in the third round. Some would see this as a sign of weakness, but I saw something special.

The Jayhawks are led by junior forward Thomas Robinson and are currently playing some in-

spired basketball. Add in the rare veteran presence of senior guard Tyshawn Taylor and Bill Self has himself a national championship contending squad. The leadership of Robinson and Taylor showed when they beat a talented North Carolina sqaud in the Elite eight 80-67.

All four of these teams had excellent chances of being crowned the national champs. With Florida and Syracuse ousted from the tourney, Kentucky would be the obvious selection to win it all. With the amount of NBA talent on this squad it is hard to rationally argue against them. If the 2012 tournament has shown college basketball fans anything, it has been that logic has nothing to do with this tournament.

MASSIE is a sports reporter.

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FEATURE

B4/Liberty Champion

March 27, 2012

Downtown restaurant: Taste of the past Market at Main offers visitors an extensive menu in a classic venue that dates back to the 1900s Kayla Gurley kgurley@liberty.edu

Since its opening in 2010, Market at Main has thrived in downtown Lynchburg by offering its visitors a unique dining experience.

The restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, was designed to look like an old drugstore lunch counter from the 20th century and has become known for its lunch counter.

Rodney Taylor, the manager of Market at Main, said the restaurant used to be a Woolworth’s in the 1900s era, and that is where Taylor said the vision to have a lunch counter in the restaurant came from. “When working on the design of the restaurant and the lunch counter, I found a photo of a lunch counter in Philadelphia which featured paddle fans above the counter,� Taylor said. “I decided I wanted to install the same type of paddle fans to give the desired effect.�

The restaurant’s floors and tables were also inspired by the old lunch counters from decades past and, according to Taylor, all the wood used was purchased from an old tobacco shop. “I think that Market at Main is the indicator for a brilliant comeback for downtown Lynchburg,�

Taylor said. “Since I’ve been here I have seen more and more shops opening up downtown, and more tourists as well.�

According to Taylor, he takes great pride in the success of the restaurant and its 31 employees, six of which are Liberty University students and graduates, who help to make it run smoothly.

Waitress Kim Buhler is an example of the type of customer service that Market at Main’s employees strive to offer, said

Alyssa Bockman | Liberty Champion

A downtown landmark — Market at Main, which used to be a Woolworth’s in the 1900s, is now designed to look like an old school drugstore and provides diners with a relaxed, casual atmosphere.

Taylor. “When a customer complained that she did not have the right shoes on to go walking downtown, Buhler gave her a

pair of her own shoes,� Taylor said. “She later found out the customer she helped was with a tourist scout group and was honored by her generosity.�

“You always want every employee to give great customer service, so when that actually happens, you know you have the right team of people,� Taylor

said.

Several Liberty University students have visited the restaurant and have had consistently good experiences. Senior Joy Koger is one of them. “One time I went to Market at Main for some public relations work and I noticed immediately how relaxing and inviting the atmosphere was,� Koger said. “The food (price) is also very reasonable.�

The restaurant recently expanded its menu to include dinner and has also started serving breakfast items on Sundays until 3 p.m., which Taylor said really seems to draw in the after church crowd and the Sunday “brunchers.� “We want people in the community to be aware that we serve dinner now, and we are in the process of bringing more and more lunch specialties over to the dinner menu for our customers to enjoy,� Taylor said.

The restaurant also has a unique convenience store section. Half of the restaurant is dedicated to selling products such as chips, drinks, toiletries and gift items. There is also a variety of handmade goods, like jewelry and art made by local residents, available.

Market at Main is located on 904 Main St. and is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Carry out options are also available. For more information about the restaurant, call (434) 847-9040 or visit Market at Main on Facebook.

GURLEY is a feature reporter.

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FEATURE

March 27, 2012

Liberty Champion/B5

Victoria Pearce | Liberty Champion

Strike a Pose — (Top Right) Designer Hannah Eason poses with her model and mom before the show. Director Ruth Bibiby and Faculty Advisor Matalie Howard (bottom right) congratulate students on a job well done. Students walk down the runway in designs produced by students in the sixth annual FACS Fashion Show (center and left).

Student designs take the stage Betsy Abraham babraham3@liberty.edu

models all came out with their designers to show off their work on the runway one final time.

Several awards were then given out, such as Best Runway Presentation and Best Use of Color.

Junior Hannah Lynch won the grand prize, a $279 Serge machine. “It feels incredible, just this whole opportunity has been such a great chance to try out designs, and I’ve just been so grateful throughout the process, so it’s the icing on the cake to win,� Lynch said.

Lynch, who chose Versace as her iconic designer, said she tried to make designs that utilized

the Italian designer’s love of color, fashion and design. One of her pieces was a mustard yellow jacket, something that incorporated not only Versace’s notable style, but her own. “I think I share a lot of similarities with him so it was really easy to make it my own. The jacket was something I had come up with on my own before hand, and then I tailored it to fit Versace’s demands with the color and detailing so it really was an easy transition,� Lynch said.

Planning for the show began in early June, when Howard chose the two directors. A launch party

in October revealed the theme to designers and this began a seven month long process of picking models, fabrics, presenting sketches and producing garments.

Despite the looming storm, Howard said her team worked to encourage each other and pressed on to ensure the event’s success. “The kids were so pumped up and had worked so hard, and we kept saying that we were here to do this job and the show was going to go on even with the bad weather,� Howard said.

Bibby said that despite the challenges that came wtih the the show, she

was excited with the end product. “There’s been road bumps from the beginning right up to the actual show. But as we went into 20 mintues before the show, I knew everyone had everything together and the whole show went off without a hitch,� Bibby said. “I was extremely happy with how everything turned out.�

ABRAHAM is the assistant feature editor.

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Heavy rain and a tornado watch could not stop Libertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own version of Project Runway as student designers and models took to the runway Saturday, March 24, for the sixth annual FACS Fashion Show.

The theme of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lights. Camera.

Fashion. Iconic Design.â&#x20AC;?

Student designers each picked one prominent designer such as Micahel Kors or Giorgio Armani, to fashion their work after.

Senior Gina Picht chose Betsey Johnson as her inspiration, saying that she loved Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique sense of style. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very different.

Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very wild and out there,â&#x20AC;? Picht said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I used lots of tule and hand stemmed my own fabric and used bright colors and ruffles. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot more different and not as elegant. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little more wild and a lot more colorful.â&#x20AC;?

Erin Cumbia fashioned her pieces after lesserknown designer Elsa Schiaparelli. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She was kind of an unknown designer, so I thought it would be kind of interesting. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a safe designer. She kind of pushed the boundaries, and I really just loved the beautiful elegance and really simple designs she had,â&#x20AC;? Cumbia said.

Doors opened later than scheduled because of heavy rain causing unexpected flooding toward the side of the Schilling Center, which was partitioned off into three sections. Crews worked quickly to clean up water an inch deep that was spilling in from the doors up to audience seating.

Despite the setback and a tornado warning, people were all smiles and dressed in their best as they waited in the first part of the Schilling Center.

They greeted friends and looked at huge posters of the designers who had inspired pieces in the show.

Dresses that exemplified different styles, such as eccentric and country club, were presented in

the show. People also took photos on a mini red carpet and entered a drawing to win prizes such as gift certificates to Bloop Frozen Yogurt and Glamour Nail and Spa, as well as a pair of Coach sunglasses provided by Harmon Eye Center.

After a brief word from Fashion Show Director Ruth Bibby and Associate Director Katie Johnson, the show finally began, starting with a white Vera Wang inspired fulllength gown. Twentyseven models showcased the designs of 16 student designers, strutting down the long 30-foot runway styling full length evening gowns, casual spring dresses, blazers, pants and skirts in a variety of fabrics, colors and prints.

A panel of four local judges sat in front of the runway, analyzing the designs on aspects such as use of color.

After all the models walked the runway, Bibby and Johnson talked about the charity Threads of Hope. Half the proceeds from the event went toward this charity, which works to keep girls in the Philippines out of sex trafficking by providing at-risk families the ability to earn a steady income by making bracelets.

Fashion show attendees could purchase bracelets and learn more about the organization at a table that was set up in the back of the Schilling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By sponsoring Threads of Hope and selling bracelets, a fashion accessory, at this event, we are helping people on the other side of the world,â&#x20AC;?

Bibby said.

Model Christine Purdy said knowing that the fashion show had partnered with Threads of Hope was her favorite aspect of it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a show thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s targeted toward women and to know that half of the proceeds are also going toward helping women stay out of prostitution is wonderful,â&#x20AC;? Purdy said.

After a short break, where judges deliberated and fashion show attendees enjoyed snacks and desserts catered by Sodexo, the

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FEATURE

B6/Liberty Champion

March 27, 2012

Studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story urges others to give

Liberty senior Jessica Griggâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life was saved after a skiing accident by the generosity of blood donors Justin Berry jlberry2@liberty.edu

The human body contains 10 pints of blood. After receiving nine of those 10 pints through a blood transfusion after a skiing accident, Liberty senior Jessica Grigg understands how precious those 10 pints can be.

Only nine years ago, Jan. 20, 2003, Grigg went skiing with a few of her friends. However, what started off as a normal day soon became a day that would impact Grigg forever. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That evening, just as we were about to leave, we made a decision to make one last run down one of the slopes,â&#x20AC;? Grigg said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember feeling somewhat apprehensive but going anyway.â&#x20AC;?

That is the last memory Grigg has of the near fatal accident.

The next memory she had was waking up in a hospital bed and talking to her father. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My dad proceeded to tell me that I had skied into a snow groomer that was being brought up the slope,â&#x20AC;? Grigg said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was in a state of disbelief and shock.â&#x20AC;?

Grigg remembers the throb of pain coming from her head and the request she made to her father to remove the braids she had the day of the accident. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was when he told me the worst of it,â&#x20AC;? Grigg said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He said I had no braids and that it was staples.â&#x20AC;?

Grigg suffered a frontal lobe injury of the brain, 13 broken bones and a collapsed lung.

Grigg lost nine pints of blood over the course of the event.

She would have died without the nine pints she received through blood donation.

Over the last nine years, Grigg

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FYI - Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood - One Pint of blood can save up to three lives.

- More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.

- Blood cannot be manufactured â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it can only come from generous donors.

-Most donated red blood cells must be used within 42 days of collection.

Alyssa Bockman| Liberty Champion

every drop counts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; After having 90 percent of her bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blood supply replaced, Liberty senior Jessica Grigg has become an avid blood donor and advocate of giving. has undergone more then 1,000 physical, occupational and speech therapies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a result of all that I have been through, last year I decided to give blood for the first time and have done so multiple times since,â&#x20AC;? Grigg said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is rewarding to know I can give back to honor those who helped to save my life.â&#x20AC;?

According to the Virginia Blood Services, more than 4.5 million people need a blood transfusion in the United States and Canada annually.

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Patients need blood every two seconds. Without the help of blood donors none of this could be possible. According to Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blood Centers, one pint of blood could potentially save up to three lives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At 17, my life was forever changed,â&#x20AC;? Grigg said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Without the donations of others, I might not be here today and be able to receive the second chance at life that I have been given.â&#x20AC;?

Currently, Grigg is looking forward to graduating with her undergraduate degree in Com-

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munication Studies from Liberty University on May 12, as well as continuing her life as if the accident never happened.

Liberty University offers students the opportunity to donate blood on campus. The next blood drive will take place at the Tolsma Indoor Track Complex at Green Hall on March 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

BERRY is a feature reporter.

-The average adult has about 10 pints of blood in his body. Roughly 1 pint is given during a donation.

- The actual blood donation typically takes less than 10-12 minutes.

The entire process, from the time you arrive to the time you leave, takes about an hour and 15 min.

Statistics provided by American Red Cross. For more information visit redcrossblood.org

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FEATURE

March 27, 2012

Liberty Champion/B7

Jonathan Falwell explores the 1000 Days The TRBC pastor’s new book seeks to help readers better understand Jesus’ ministry and the Bible Shelanne Jennings

FYI

jlberry2@liberty.edu

Three years of ministry is the equivalent of 1000 days — a small period of time and yet, powerful enough to be documented in four gospels, recounting the parables, gospels and ministry of Jesus on earth from the view of four of his disciples.

For Thomas Road Baptist Church’s (TRBC) Senior Pastor Jonathan Falwell, Jesus’ 1000 days of ministry reveal essential principles for every facet of life, which he shares in his new book “1000 Days: The Ministry of Christ.”

“The main thing behind the book was Jesus could have come and died on the cross. He could have been buried and rose again in three days without ever having said a word, without ever performing a miracle, without ever sharing one parable, and without ever healing one person,” Falwell said. “He could’ve done none of that and still given us salvation, but he didn’t.”

Falwell originally taught on Jesus’ 1000 Days of ministry in a sermon series at TRBC. Taking principles from those series and his own personal insights, Falwell has released the “1000 days” book with the purpose of sharing what he has gleaned from scripture. “(Jesus’ ministry) was to teach us some very important life lessons,” Falwell said. “I thought it was important that we study those life lessons to try to figure out just what Jesus wants us to do, how he wants us to live, how he wants us to handle our finances and how he wants us to handle our relationships. All those things, Jesus gave to us.”

Falwell’s travels to Israel shaped the way he views Christ’s teaching, he said, and without a doubt, had an impact on “1000 Days.”

Falwell made his first trip to

All proceeds from “1000 Days” will go toward funding TRBC’s church planting efforts.

Victoria Brunner| Liberty Champion

edifying reading — “1000 Days,” which also has supplemental resources online on TRBC’s website, is now available in the Liberty University bookstore, stores nationwide and online.

Israel when he was six years old with his father, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell Sr. “Standing on the shores of Galilee, realizing that this is the place that Jesus walked on water, going to Jerusalem, and to be on the temple mount, and to see the spot that they believe Christ was crucified — it definitely has an impact on you that you can’t describe unless you see it for your-

self,” Falwell said.

The TRBC website promotes the book, claiming that “1000 Days” gives readers “an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ like never before.” For Falwell, this opportunity is provided through a mixture of the book’s chapters, group study guide and multimedia resources found on TRBC’s 1000 Days webpage.

“There is study after study,

video after video. We brought in some of the great theologians to teach on some of these things and filmed them doing little vignettes about a specific situation in the life of Christ,” Falwell said. “For every parable, every miracle, every phrase and certainly every sermon, we’ve gone beyond even what the book has to say, into every little element of Christ’s life, and present an in

depth study.”

For Falwell, this offers readers clarification on what is often overlooked.

“There are scores of things that are overlooked in the gospels, not that they are necessarily ignored but in the sense of truly taking the time to understand what it means,” Falwell said.

“When Jesus said ‘blessed are the poor,’ people wonder whether it means they need to be poor to be blessed by God. That’s not it. It means that blessed are those who realize that without God we are nothing.”

Falwell’s hope, he said, is for everyone, no matter if they have a personal relationship with God or not, to dig into the scriptures and become “self-feeders” in their Bible study time.

All proceeds for “1000 Days” go to funding TRBC’s church planting efforts and, as Falwell said, furthering the Kingdom, “as Christ told us — going into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature.”

The book was officially released March 12 and is in stores across the United States and available online.

For more information about the “1000 Days” study, visit 1000days.trbc.org.

JENNINGS is the feature editor.

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FEATURE

MARCH 27, 2012

Alyssa Bockman | Liberty Champion

A GREAT RETURN — The Newsboys took stage, March 24, for the God’s Not Dead Tour, featuring bands City Harmonic, Abandon and Liberty alumni Anthem Lights.

Michael Tait returns to Liberty

Alumnus reflects on memories before performing with the Newsboys Shelanne Jennings snjennings@liberty.edu For alumnus Michael Tait, who has left his stamp on Liberty’s campus and an even greater imprint on Christian hip-hop and rock sounds, returning to his alma mater still causes him to choke up.

For Tait, current lead singer of the Newsboys, returning to Liberty University for the God’s Not Dead Tour was summed up in one word: emotional.

“It feels so good to be in the nation’s greatest university,” Tait said. “And that’s a brother speaking from experience.”

“It’s overwhelming,” Tait said.

“To see it grow, to see what this school has evolved into, is mindblowing. It is the largest private university in the country, and that’s what Doc wanted.”

Tait took time to walk around and reminisce about old times,

visiting his old dorms with the help of Director of Alumni Relations Tyler Falwell.

“My one dorm was dorm 6, room 110, but I think it was 108 back in the day,” Tait said. “My very first dorm back in 1986 was on dorm 8 where I met Toby Mac.” According to Tait’s longtime friend and Liberty alumnus Marty Donovan, they actually knocked and visited the current room occupants.

“I think they were really caught off guard,” Donovan said, laughing.

After seeing the new features of campus, including the Snowflex Centre and upcoming Visitor’s Center, Tait took time to remember the man who held an instrumental role in his life by visiting the Carter Glass Mansion and Dr. Falwell’s memorial.

“Mike was very close to Dr. Falwell,” Donovan said. “For

him to see Dr. Falwell’s office was important for Mike. And there was some time that we just left him alone. And then we went out by the gravesite. There was a sense of sadness, a sense of joy and a sense of pride, being an alumni from Liberty.”

“I’ll never forget it,” Tait said. “(Dr. Falwell) is a big part of how I live my life now.”

Looking back, Tait sees Dr. Falwell as a father figure to his life.

“I always would joke with him, calling him my white daddy,” Tait said. “I had such a heartfelt love for Jerry and Macel and the kids. It was just overwhelming.”

Tait’s career with Toby Mac and Kevin Max in the band DC Talk first performed for Falwell and his family.

“We started writing songs when we were in Dorm 8. We wrote a song called Heaven Bound,” Michael Tait said. “The

first time we performed that song was in Jerry Falwell’s backyard by the pool. It was for Jonathan’s party.”

That first song then led to a career with DC Talk that would last into the 2000s. In 2009, Tait took on another musical challenge, joining the successful rockpop band, the Newsboys.

“Peter Furler and the Newsboys asked if I could kick it with the band. I got there, and they said ‘to tell you the truth, we want you to join the band,’” Tait said. “It’s been wonderful. It was not something I ever thought I’d do.”

“We knew he would do a great gig and that he would be a great mate,” Newsboys longtime band member Duncan Phillips said.

The band shared the stage with City Harmonic, Abandon and, Liberty alumni, Anthem Lights. Joking and smiling with each other, Tait and the rest of

the Newsboys showed the crowd just how natural the band’s transition could be.

“I couldn’t be any more different from Peter Furler. I look nothing like him. He’s a white guy with a bald head,” Tait said, joking about the Newsboys retired lead singer.

“We gave (Newsboys) a makeover,” Tait said. “Make sure the DNA mixes but remake it a bit.”

Compassion International sponsored the God’s Not Dead Tour. It also partnered with Bob Lenz and Life Promotions in an evangelistic presentation and included several video segments from I am Second media.

For more information about the God’s Not Dead Tour and the bands involved, visit www. newsboys.com.

JENNINGS is the feature editor.

Comedy and mystery collide at the 39 Steps Betsy Abraham babraham3@liberty.edu Espionage, murder and eccentric Scottish people all came together in the Tower Theater this past weekend for the sold out opening of the latest Theater Department production, “The 39 Steps.”

The play tells the story of Richard Hannay, played by Kyle Rodgers, who is frustrated with his mundane life. One night, he meets a suspicious German woman named Anabella Schmidt, played by Lindsey Register, who comes back to his apartment to him. She reveals that she is actually a secret agent being chased by a secret organization known as the 39 Steps.

In the middle of the night, Anabella is murdered, which is the beginning of a hilarious journey as Rodger’s character’s ordinary life is quickly turned upside down as he searches for answers and tries to clear his name of the murder, trekking to Scotland, evading the police and dodging bullets. And, of course, finding love along the way.

According to Director Neal Brasher, the play was originally a novel written by John Buchan in 1915 and was then adapted to a movie by Alfred Hitchcock in the 1930s. Brasher notes that Liberty chose a comedic adaptation, which spoofs the a movie adaptation made by Hitchcock.

Ruth Bibby | Liberty Champion

Who’s Who — The five person cast of The 39 Steps adopt multiple characters throughout the play.

“It’s sort of making fun of this mid-20th century spy movie suspense, but it’s not putting it down,” Brasher said. “It’s celebrating and spoofing it at the same time. I feel like it’s a wellrounded production because you get the fun and excitement of a suspense spy thriller, but you get some incredible laughs poking fun at it.”

“The 39 Steps,” with its slapstick humor, witty dialogue and comedic timing, provides laughs beginning to end. This comedic aspect was what attracted many members of the cast, such as

Elizabeth Wallace, into doing the play.

“It’s just such a witty piece and so well written, and I love comedy, so it was a really good piece,” Wallace, who plays Pamela, said.

“It’s so encouraging to be backstage and hear this uproarious laughter at these jokes.”

Probably one of the most notable aspects of the play is the fact that it can do so much with so little. Five actors playing over 50 roles provide the same over the top amusement as a larger cast could, as costume changes occurred in seconds and typical

role rules were broken. The cast also adopted numerous accents throughout the play, several of them working with a voice coach to perfect a Scottish dialogue and drawing on skills learned in a Stage Accents class.

Patti Sherman and her daughter were visiting Liberty for College for a Weekend and both thought the small cast was the most enjoyable part of the show.

“It was phenomenal. They were fabulous actors and actresses, especially with only five of them. It made the play even funnier,” Sherman said.

The play’s minimalism also carries into the set design and props. Instead of an elaborate set to depict the various places the characters travel to, the play draws heavily on audio and visual effects. The sparse set allows for more focus on the actors’ talent and leaves the audience free to imagine. In one scene that takes place on a train, the actors simply sit on crates facing each other, allowing audio elements and body movements to indicate their setting.

“I love the way that they’re able to play with things that you know are not happening but the audience accepts it,” senior Adam Parker said. “It’s so minimalistic and it allows the audience to imagine with them.”

Alex Miller played numerous different roles throughout the production, including a train conductor, hotel manager, villain and old man. Though “The 39 Steps” is only at the Tower Theater until Tuesday, March 27, he encourages everyone to come out to future shows for a fun, unique experience.

“Every time you come to a play, you get a different experience. When you come to a play you never know what to expect,” Miller said.

ABRAHAM is the assistant feature editor.