2A
NEWS
January 31,20, 2014 September 2013 Vol. 89, No. 11 Vol. 89, No. 3 online at thelink.harding.edu
OPINIONS
3&4A
SPORTS
1&2B
FEATURES
3B
CAMPUS LIFE
4B
Searcy, Ark., 72149
Three arrested after Searcy J.C. Penney shooting by Lyndsey Ruble Nuckols editor-in-chief
Suspects in a recent shooting in the Searcy J.C. Penney parking lot were arrested after a police car chase last Saturday in Arkansas and Texas. According to an Arkansas Online report, the car chase began when an Arkansas trooper tried to initiate a traffic stop. Arkansas State Police Lt. Brady Gore said the vehicle accelerated and crossed the Arkansas-Texas border, leading officers from both states on the chase. Johnny Patton, 27, and Amanda Hampton, 27, both of Arlington, Texas, and a third unnamed suspect were arrested when the car struck a curb and was forced to a stop. Searcy Police Department spokesman Cpl. Steve Hernandez told Arkansas Online that the description of the three matched that of suspects in a Friday night shooting around 7 p.m. in the Searcy J.C. Penney parking lot. Searcy resident Shane Looney, 40, sustained a gunshot wound to the stomach. PHOTO BY GRANT SCHOL | THE BISON, ILLUSTRATION BY JEWELYA WILLIAMS
Video series with McLarty to focus on campus news by Shelby Daniel student writer
On Jan. 14, Harding introduced the first video in their new online series titled “2 Harding Minutes amden -- Henry with Bruce McLarty” in which President Bruce McLarty reports on recent campus news. According to McLarty, the series was created to keep alumni and potential Harding students updated on major achievements and events that have happened around campus. “I had seen that the president of the University of Arkansas had done a clip, and I’m thinking his was maybe a five or six minute thing, but I just thought it was really well done, and I thought that there was real possibility there,” McLarty said. McLarty said after deciding the video series was something he was
interested in doing, he contacted David Crouch, director of public relations, to find out his thoughts on the idea. “It’s always nice that the president is on top of these technical ideas and wanting to participate and wanting to learn,” Crouch said. “He wants to be able to get the Harding message out, and he knows that social media and YouTube and these kinds of things are the way to get it out.” In the first video, McLarty reports from the floor of the Rhodes Field House about the basketball teams’ recent success, enrollment numbers and the commencement ceremonies for both semesters. McLarty said the content in each video will be about different areas of campus each time. “We want it to reflect all of campus,” McLarty said. “We don’t want it to be just sports or just academic
or just late-breaking news.” The entire process, from choosing topics to posting the completed video, is done with a team of five people. Crouch, McLarty, Multimedia Producer Tim Hamilton and Production Manager Mark Prior film and edit the videos with help from Hannah Owens, who directs news services for the public relations department. “Everybody had a part in making it happen,” Hamilton said. “Everybody felt very at ease with Dr. McLarty in making suggestions, just because he said first thing ‘Hey, let me know if I can do something to make this better.’ He was just very open to our ideas.” Alumni, potential students and friends of Harding can look forward to seeing the next video in early February. The videos are on Harding’s YouTube and Vimeo channels.
Lisa Carr remembered for positivity, kindness, strength by Alexis Hosticka news editor
After seven and a half years of battling cancer, Pi Theta Phi social club sponsor Lisa Carr died Sunday, surrounded by her family. A memorial service will be held in her honor today at 4 p.m., in the Family Life Center at Downtown Church of Christ. During Lisa Carr’s time at Harding, she held a home Bible study with hundreds of different Harding students and made a lasting impact on many of them. Junior Natalie Heyen began attending Lisa Carr’s Bible study during her freshman year.
“She was so wonderful, gracious, kind and genuine,” Heyen said. “She was so positive it’s hard to describe her in just one word. She was so good at looking at the good side of things and helping others see that good side.” Heyen met her fiance Jamie Carr, Lisa Carr’s son, because of this Bible study. Heyen said that she asked Jamie Carr about how his mom was doing one day at school, which led to their friendship and later engagement. PTP used their meeting time on Monday night to honor Lisa Carr and her legacy. PTP member senior Kallsy Mitchell said the club spent time singing,
praying, sharing scripture and sharing stories about how Lisa Carr impacted them. By using Google Hangouts, many P TP alumnae took part in the meeting as well. Mitchell described it as “an emotional but beautiful night, knowing that she is no longer in pain.” “God used (Lisa Carr) as a tool not only in my life, but in the lives of so many others,” Mitchell said. “I know my life would never be the same had I not met her, because she taught me a lot about the power of prayer, forgiveness and loving others and myself unconditionally.”
SPORTS, 1B
Senior Jeslyn Willis, who works at J.C. Penney and was working at the time of the incident, said she was at the back entrance and did not hear the gunshots. Willis said the police asked her a few questions about whether she had heard anything, and they later blocked off the parking lot. By the time Willis left work at 9:30 p.m., the lot was clear. “It’s scary for sure,” Willis said. “This is the third violent crime in that strip in the past few months. That’s why when we clock out, we all walk together to our cars, and our managers don’t leave until everyone is in their car, driving away. I feel safe with the people I work with, but you can’t help (but) feel uneasy.” Police said Looney was planning to meet someone in the parking lot to sell a ring he had listed on Craigslist. Looney went to White County Medical Center and was in stable condition by late Friday night. According to a statement from the Searcy Police Department, Patton will be charged with aggravated robbery, and Hampton will be charged with accomplice to aggravated robbery. Patton and Hampton will both be charged with first-degree battery. The third unnamed individual will not be charged. Looney’s shooting was the second to occur in the shopping center parking lot in the last five weeks.
Know Your State Budget "The Arkansas Economy has been
% Increases remarkably stable for 2014 county aid: 10.2% Dept. of Education: 7.2% Dept. of agriculture: 12.9% Dept. of higher ed. 4.5%
$180.8 Million or 4.4% total increase Most of the Additional revenue for 2014 is directed toward
$90 Million in aDditional medicaid spending
source: state budget office
Graphic by Tyler Carmical
SPRING SING UPDATES
CULTURE SHOCK
want more Bison?
Shows shuffle as new plans, participants added to Spring Sing.
International students find food fix, comforts from home in U.S.
NEWS, 2A
FEATURES, 3B
SEE CARR, PAGE 2A
LADY BISONS SOF TBALL Softball prepares to make history with start of first season.
It’s scary for sure. That’s why when we clock out, we all walk together to our cars, and our managers don’t leave until everyone is in their car, driving away. I feel safe with the people I work with, but you can’t help (but) feel uneasy. -Jeslyn Willis, senior and J.C. Penney employee
CHECK OUT MORE STORIES AND ONLINE EXCLUSIVES thelink.harding.edu