by Kathryn Farris | Mar 12, 2021 | News, News Slider
A year ago, crowded nights in Allen Arena and smiling faces in Bennett Student Center used to be the norm. However, in the time since, the Lipscomb community has become all too familiar with masks, social-distancing and virtual learning. The changes from the past year are causing students and faculty to evaluate: What exactly awaits us in the future? Just one year ago, on Thursday, March 12, 2020, the university sent out an email to students officially extending spring break another week. Lumination covered this day as a part of a live update series. COVID was developing across the nation, across Nashville even, and no one expected the extended break would turn the campus into a ghost town for months to come. LIVE UPDATES: Lipscomb extends online instruction for rest of spring semester, cancels commencement and closes dorms The next weeks saw canceled Singarama, Mission Trips and live music events. Slowly the culture shifted, creating a new bubble of Tiger King and Zoom calls. COVID halts 57th annual Singarama, but participants discuss informal staging and the relationships they established Music gets muffled by COVID-19 pandemic; Festivals, clubs and even Rolling Stones silenced These changes left the Lipscomb administration reeling for solutions, even as information about the virus was confusing and scarce. “There was a huge cross-section of representatives from different disciplines in the university,” said Kim Chaudoin, Lipscomb’s vice president for public relations and a member of the “IMT” (the Lipscomb taskforce for incident management). “We were meeting to just decide, ‘OK; what do we do?’ about classes, employees and the management of this pandemic,” she said, as news...
by Kathryn Farris | Jan 16, 2021 | News, News Slider
After last week’s deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol, Nashville police and Lipscomb Security are remaining vigilant for planned armed protests at Nashville’s Legislative Plaza. The Federal Bureau of Investigations warned of protests in all 50 state capitols from January 16 through at least January 20. “Recent news stories have pointed to the potential for rallies surrounding the day of the inauguration, with Nashville being one of the places mentioned. There is no reason for alarm, but there is reason to be aware, as we have seen many rallies take negative turns over the last year,” said Lipscomb Security Executive Director Kyle Dickerson in an email to the student body Friday. “If you find yourself needing to move about the city, we always encourage you to remain aware of your surroundings, travel with a friend or in groups when possible, and keep your cell phone charged and with you.” Metro Police made the Metro Council aware of the specifically planned protests, in a memo shared via Twitter by Council Member Bob Mendes. The first potential protest, planned to occur Sunday, is called the “Tennessee Freedom Event”. In the memo, Police Chief John Drake shares this event is connected to a call for rallies at every state capitol in the country. Another planned protest is set to happen on Inauguration Day [Jan. 20], for what police describe as a “pro-Trump rally.” <blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>INBOX: Letter from Chief Drake to Metro Council about potential protests at the State Capitol. <br><br>Summary – no indication of imminent threat of violence, but MNPD will be monitoring. <a href=”https://t.co/sIqQ2eORJ3“>pic.twitter.com/sIqQ2eORJ3</a></p>— Bob Mendes (@mendesbob) <a href=”https://twitter.com/mendesbob/status/1348766412588908546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw“>January 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async...
by Mckenzi Harris | Dec 27, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, News, News Slider
UPDATE: Authorities have identified a suspect of the bombing on Christmas Day in Nashville — Anthony Quinn Warner of Antioch, Tennessee. “There’s no indication presently that anyone else was involved,” said Metro Police Chief John Drake. Christmas in Nashville isn’t as residents expected. Many residents woke up to an explosion at 6:30 am. Police were called to check out a suspicious RV parked outside a nearby AT&T building near Second Avenue and Commerce Street before 6 a.m. The Nashville police department put out this release this morning. There have been three minor injuries reported, but no major injuries or fatalities. The FBI has now taken over the investigation. “Were putting everything we have into finding who is responsible for what’s happened here today,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Matt Foster in the first Metro Police Department briefing. There have been an estimated 20 buildings damaged from the explosion. “MNPD, FBI, and ATF are investigating today’s intentional 6:30 a.m. explosion of an RV outside 166 2nd Avenue North downtown. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic downtown is restricted as the investigation continues. Officers responded to shots fired call on 2nd Avenue at approximately 5:30 a.m. The department’s Hazardous Devices Unit was called to check the RV. As those officers were en route, the vehicle exploded outside an A-T-&-T transmission building. Multiple buildings on 2nd Avenue were damaged, some extensively. Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.” Lumination will continue to update you as more information is released. Photo courtesy of...
by Kathryn Farris | Dec 25, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, News, News Slider
Early Christmas morning, many Nashville residents were awakened by the sound of an “intentional” explosion in the Broadway area. In the moments following, Metro Police and Nashville Fire Department attempted to piece together the source and reason for the explosion, which has since been tied to an RV parked near the AT&T Building. “It is hard to see so much glass, litter, damage and debris,” said Nashville’s Mayor John Cooper in a press conference to reporters. “It looks like a blast site, which is hard to see on one of our historic streets.” Investigations from local law enforcement found a recording, broadcasted from the RV, that warned of a bomb in the vehicle up to 15 minutes prior to the blast. The warning gave time for police to request a bomb squad and evacuate the area, sparing many lives. Three people were eventually hospitalized for non-threatening injuries, and possible human remains have now been discovered at the site, but it remains to be seen if these remains are those of a victim or a suspect. Mayor Cooper declared the city under a state of civil emergency in the areas around James Robertson Parkway, Fourth Avenue North, Broadway and the Cumberland River. This action enacts a curfew in the area that goes into effect 4:30 p.m. Friday and is set to be lifted Sunday, December 27 at 4:30 p.m. I have signed Executive Order 12 to issue a state of civil emergency proclaimed within the area bounded by James Robertson Parkway, 4th Ave north, Broadway and the Cumberland River. A curfew will start at 4:30pm, Friday Dec 25. and be...
by Camryn Given | Sep 7, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Nashville–home of the Grand Ole Opry, country music and the Predators–is a big city that keeps getting bigger, which is great unless there’s a global pandemic that’s currently putting a stop to life as we know it. According to asafenashville.org, September 1st marked the transition into Phase 2 of the reopening plan for Nashville. While businesses and mask mandates remain relatively unaffected by these most recent changes, restaurants and event venues are now allowed to expand their capacity, provided that social distancing and outdoor availability are followed. It’s no secret that Nashville has been called out for its lack of attention to these protocols, and downtown Nashville bars have been exposed as doing a particularly poor job. Lucky for you, here’s a short guide of things to do in the huge city of Nashville that won’t get you on the news for being part of the problem. First things first–the outdoors. In an article from The New York Times, Lindsey Marr, an engineering professor and aerosol scientist at Virginia Tech, was quoted as saying, “I think outdoors is so much better than indoors in almost all cases.” So if you’re anxious to get out and want to stay as safe as possible, try a hike. AllTrails.com lists Radnor Lake State Park, Beaman Park and Long Hunter State Park as some of the top hikes in the Nashville area. Another option is going to Cheekwood, a botanical garden with plenty of flowers to see and activities to do. However, before you visit any of these parks, just be sure to check each park’s website for closings and information. Although quarantine allowed for...
