NEWS
January 25, 2013 Vol. 88 No. 10
Opinions:
SEE Page 1b
SEE Page 3a
News:
SEE Page 2a
2A
OPINIONS . . . .
3&4A
SPORTS
1&2B
FEATURES
3B
CAMPUS LIFE
4B
SEE Page 3b
A guide to greetings: when to nod, when to smile and when to engage in a bear hug.
New Spring Sing traditions form with addition of extra club show.
Which Wich to re-open under new manager Searcy resident, new owner will open doors Feb. 4 by LANDIS TINDELL student writer
photo by ASHEL PARSONS | Student Publications Students anxiously wait in line to buy tickets for the Phillip Phillips concert scheduled for Feb. 4 in the Administration Auditorium. Some students waited over an hour to purchase their tickets for the show. The concert sold out all 950 seats of the Admin on Jan. 22, which was when tickets went on sale.
Idol winner Phillip Phillips to perform on campus
Students purchase tickets, sell out Admin for the first concert of the spring 2013 semester by JARED DRYDEN editorial assistant
Phillip Phillips will be performing at Harding University on Feb. 4. Phillips gained fame by winning the latest season of American Idol and was not up for elimination in any week of the competition. Phillips won by gaining a majority of a record 132 million votes cast. His first single, “Home,” debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was used promotionally for the U.S. athletes in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, and Phillips has performed the song for the gold medal-winning U.S. athletes. The concert will be the first of the spring semester. The Campus Activities Board chose to bring Phillips to Harding due not only to his popularity through American Idol, but also due to
Phillips to be on campus Feb. 4.
his unique sound. Phillips has named Mumford & Sons, Dave Matthews Band and Damien Rice as some of his favorite artists and influences. Campus Life director Logan Light said he was drawn to Phillips’ music after hearing his releases following his American Idol appearance. “Once I heard his full album, I was really impressed with it,” Light said.
“It’s really complete, it has a really unique sound.” Phillips’ album, “The World from the Side of the Moon,” which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, is available from Interscope Records. Phillips is visiting Harding on his first tour since performing on the American Idol LIVE Tour this past summer with the other Top 10 American Idol contestants. Later this year, Phillips is set to tour North America with rock band Matchbox Twenty. He has previously performed at the National Christmas Tree Lighting and sang the national anthem for the opening game of the 2012 World Series. Phillips will perform in the Administration Auditorium at 8 p.m. Tickets were $10 for students and faculty and $30 for the general public. Tickets went on sale Jan. 21 and sold out in six hours.
When Which Wich, a sandwich shop located near the Searcy Wal-Mart, closed its doors unexpectedly on Sept. 30, 2012, Harding students and Searcy citizens wondered what would become of the unique restaurant. One such citizen, Tom Sledge, decided to call it quits in the insurance business and re-open the sandwich shop he and his family enjoyed so much. Sledge, a Searcy native and Harding graduate, has taken on the store and has a target reopen date of Feb. 4. “After 20 years in the insurance business, I’ve been looking for a while for a different option for my life and Which Wich seemed to fit as an option for me,” Sledge said. “It has always been a dream for me to own a business; the restaurant industry has always intrigued me. This will also allow me to bring my family into the business. My wife, two daughters and son will all be working in the store at times.” Sledge said that the sales under previous management were good but he hopes to make them even better. He said he is optimistic about the restaurant’s potential. “As a matter of fact, the corporate office had told me that if someone didn’t come along pretty quick to get the store restarted, that they were going to open it as a corporate store because the numbers were so good,” Sledge said. It was also announced that after re-opening Which Wich would begin offering the ‘Lettuce-Wich,’ a lowcarb, gluten-free alternative that takes all the toppings and fillings of the sandwich and wraps them in lettuce leaves. “Of course we will still offer more than 50 different delicious ‘Wiches on our traditional white or wheat bun as well,” Sledge said. “Which Wich has a whole line of catering products that can be used for a group as small as 10 people and as much as several hundred. Harding students, faculty and staff are always welcome here because they are a big part of our customer demographic.” Which Wich is planning on maintaining its past hours of operation: Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Harding remembers Ken Neller’s passion, ministry by LYNDSEY RUBLE editor-in-chief
Harding lost an influential and inspirational man when Ken Neller died on Jan. 10 from a massive heart attack. While most students had not returned to campus by the time of his death, a chapel service was hosted in his honor on the first day of class. Ken Neller’s absence is still felt in the Harding community. Students and faculty remembered fond memories of Neller as a professor, minister, husband and friend. “Ken was a man of tremendous integrity,” said Dr. Daniel Stockstill, a friend of Neller since they were club brothers together. “He wanted no credit for himself. He wanted all credit for God and he wanted his influence (to be) as God’s servant.” Stockstill said he and Neller leaned on each other for support in their own ministries. Their friendship grew through the years. Daniel and Cindee Stockstill and Ken
and Barbara Neller said Neller loved to became a “fourdo favors for others some,” accordand slip away before ing to Stockstill. anyone could give Stockstill’s chilhim any credit. dren called Ken Another imNeller “uncle.” portant facet of Neller’s main Neller’s life was his goal in life was to relationship with his extend the hand of family, especially God through minhis wife, Barbara. istry and through Stockstill said that photo courtesy of LAURA JO SAWYER Ken and Barbara the way he interacted with and Neller embodied loved the people around him. everything it meant to be a Christian couple “He knew that a ministry was not an and a Christian family. event but a lifestyle and he knew that a Junior Jason Johnson attended Harding mistake or a stumble was damaging but University in Greece with Ken and Barbara was not failure,” Stockstill said. Neller. He said that it was evident how Neller’s ministry could be seen in his devoted they were to each other. interaction with his students, who said his “Their relationship was God-founded but doors and arms were always open, and in was very focused on each other,” Johnson his desire to help anyone in need. Stockstill said. “They were the prime example of a
relationship.” Barbara Neller said that she and Ken were married for 38 and a half years and dated for four years before they married. “We raised each other,” she said. Barbara Neller said she felt very blessed by her marriage and the family she and Ken built together. Stockstill also remembered Ken Neller’s work with the Downtown Church of Christ, where he worked as a part-time minister. Stockstill said Neller worked hard for his congregation and served the members with integrity, honesty and faithfulness. “He viewed himself as a faithful servant and perhaps that is his legacy,” Stockstill said. “Faithful servants point to their master and inspire more servants to be faithful.” Johnson remembered one of Neller’s devotionals about Philippians. The lesson throughout the devotional, and perhaps throughout Neller’s life, was that “Our joy isn’t here; it’s waiting for us.”
Remember to vote for your Harding Bisons as “Best Road Trip in College Basketball.” Voting ends today at 2 p.m. See PAGE 1b.
photo by JEFF MONTGOMERY