Students help with disaster relief on Service Day

Service Day draws in a number of students every year; some students hope to earn three chapel credits, while others simply want to help and explore the community. “It’s just a really cool way to get to know the Nashville community and go out and serve in a place that I’ve never been before,” junior Diana Proffitt said. Students signed up to serve at various locations such as the Nashville Public Library and the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief. The Churches of Christ is a non-profit organization that works to provide food, water and supplies to those in need following a disaster. “I saw a family, I don’t know how long they hadn’t eaten, hadn’t drunk fresh water, but I do know they took it right off the truck, they walked right over to their tailgate of their truck, opened it up, and a man fed his family,” operations director Ralph Coles said. Student volunteers took a tour of the main warehouse to learn more about how the organization was serving others. “I really like this facility. I think it’s great to be at a place that has a faith-based aspect to it,” junior Becky Sale said. “You know, to hear about the Churches of Christ and how they’re helping out communities all across the nation.” On any given day, more than 200 volunteers will come to the warehouse to pack food boxes for those in need. About 27,000 food boxes are shipped out yearly. On Service Day, Lipscomb students packed wash cloths into boxes. “We don’t think much about a bar of soap and a wash cloth, but when you’ve...

Lipscomb community celebrates Au Bon Pain grand opening

While traveling several years ago, Lipscomb president Randy Lowry ran across an Au Bon Pain and wanted to bring it to campus. That idea became a reality at the cafe’s grand opening this Tuesday. “We finally got to the point of having the place, having the time, having Sodexo’s support and having this little French cafe,” Lowry said. The grand opening of Au Bon Pain brought in a wave of students to the newly renovated portion of the Student Activities Center. Festivities included free food samples, games like corn hole and spike ball and a raffle for Predators tickets, food coupons, reusable cups and more. The cafe has been popular since it opened on limited hours last week. “It’s a perfect location for folks to be able to come over and spend some time relaxing in the dining area,” said Wolcott Fary, Sodexo general manager. “In conjunction with the Student Activity Center, it’s a powerhouse punch.” Au Bon Pain offers a wide variety of options including hot and cold sandwiches, pastries, coffee, soups and salads, plus a large seating area for students to socialize or do homework. “It’s very popular,” junior Lindsey Lang said. “The salads are on point, so they’re really delicious, and so far the pastries I’ve had are pretty good.” Lang said the wait to get her sandwich one day was long, but it was worth the wait. Sophomore Zack Eccleston said he loves the new cafe and bakery. “I love that it’s actually kind of a full service restaurant at Lipscomb, and it’s really, really good,” Eccleston said. One popular item among students is the reusable cup. Once...

Broken emergency call box raises concern for students

Lipscomb students expressed concern after one of the emergency call boxes on campus was found broken. Assistant Director of Campus Security Patrick Cameron said that campus security made the discovery during one of the monthly tests. The call box is located in Lipscomb’s West parking garage, on the second level by the elevator and during the time it was broken, campus security placed an ‘out-of-order’ sign on it. Nicole Becker, a junior living on campus, said she expects the call boxes to be in good condition at all times. “You expect something like that — if it says emergency or something like 911 — you expect them to work and to be there if you need them,” Becker said. Mariah Lester, a junior commuter student, shares a similar opinion. “I’d feel like pretty shortchanged,” Lester said. “These are supposed to be working.” Cameron said he believes Lipscomb would not be held responsible if something were to happen when a box was not working. “From a liability standpoint, as long as you’re testing them on a regular schedule, I think you’re covered,” Cameron said. Lester thinks that the call boxes should be tested more than once a month. “You can’t really protect robberies from being on campus, but you could protect yourself or get help when you need it,” Lester said. “If that help wasn’t available, I’d feel scared.” There are 22 campus emergency call boxes, mostly located in the parking garages. There is a direct call line to campus security on each box. Cameron said that the call boxes are used once every few weeks to report minor car accidents...

Fifty Shades of Grey has success in the south

Fifty Shades of Grey had record-breaking ticket sales, and according to Fandango, ticket sales were highest in what’s known as the “Bible Belt.” According to Fortune, the steamy film brought in $85 million it’s opening weekend, and it is Fandango’s fastest-selling R-rated movie in its entire history. “A lot of people reading the book were women,” pastor at Belmont Heights John Garner said. “And that’s very sad to me because this whole movie is about dominance and making women way less than they should be.” Garner suggests that the reason for the high sales in the “Bible Belt” may be tied to church life. “Here in the South, you have some repressed sexuality, and here’s an opportunity to explore new things and that kind of stuff,” Garner said. Some Lipscomb students have avoided seeing the movie or reading the books altogether. “I know a lot more people that kind of took a stand against it and did not go see the movie because of its content, because of the message it sent,” junior Cole Meador said. “I was not interested in going to go see it at all.” One pastor argues that the movie choices people make reveal what they support. “I would say to anyone thinking about watching: number one, any movie I watch or you watch, we’re saying almost we approve of this and here’s our money so you can make another one,” pastor at Judson Baptist Mike James said. “So as a believer – when we spend our money in theaters – we’re actually endorsing the theme and the values of that movie.” While it may have...

Business owners speak out on Green Hills construction

Construction of a 17-story building in Green Hills has come to a halt, affecting the business of nearby shops and restaurants.  Southern Land Company has suspended work on the $100 million development after a lawsuit against the project. The project, named 4000 Hillsboro, is located on the corner of Richard Jones Road and Hillsboro Pike. Construction first began in July and came to a halt right before Thanksgiving. Richard Fedock, owner of Lenny’s Sub Shop located on Hillsboro Pike, said he hopes the construction is completed soon, as it will drive in customers. “It would mean a great deal to increase traffic and business for me at this location, which is actually what I’m hoping for, this project does get going sooner rather than later,” Fedock said. “Because of all the construction people that would be coming for lunch [over] the next two years. Once you have retail space [that] will bring some extra traffic.” Fedock said 67,000 square feet of office space and several stories of high-end apartments will boost business during the evening hours. “You know, people – they’re going to want to walk downstairs to go to dinner if they don’t want to fight the traffic out here on Hillsboro Road,” Fedock said. “So for me, it would be a very plus to my business.” But for Emad Eshak, manager of Sam’s Discount Tobacco & Beer located on Hillsboro Pike, the construction is not much of a plus. Eshak said that two-way lanes near his business were turned into a one-way lane, which increased traffic and derailed tobacco consumers. “It stops our business for me, because my customer [says] ‘No, I...