Vol. 94, No. 50 1 section, 8 pages
FRIDAY
April 21, 2006
www.acuoptimist.com
Songs of summer
Feeling blue
Tennis swings through
ArtsFriday takes a look at upcoming concerts for the summer, page 5
Mabee Hall residents will put on a blues themed talent show Monday, page 5
Men’s and women’s teams will compete in LSC Championships this weekend, page 8
Trail needs finishing touches n Although joggers can use the completed track, lighting, a telephone system, signage, trail heads and landscaping still will be added by this summer. By JACI SCHNEIDER Copy Editor
Construction workers poured the last of the concrete for the Lunsford Foundation Trail on April 7, but
the path will not be complete until July. Although the trail now comes full circle, the lighting, telephone system, signage, trail heads and landscaping do not. The stones for the trail heads are in place in front of Nelson Hall and along Ambler Boulevard near Crutcher Scott Field. Kevin Watson, associate vice president for Administra-
tive Services, said in an e-mail that the stones will feature scriptures for contemplation as walkers and joggers move through the space. The area will also allow people to sit and rest and congregate with others. “The foundation is God,” Watson said. “And that will be more evident as we finish the trail.” Although the trail is not
completed, Watson said he is happy people seem to be enjoying the trail. “We have received a large number of compliments about the trail,” Watson said. “We are pleased to see people using it even if it is not officially open yet.” Watson said he has seen many people walking and jogSee
JOGGING page 7
Anna Carroll/Staff Photographer
Natalie Farmer, sophomore biology major from La Quinta, Calif., and Christie Williford, junior communication major from Coppell, use the new jogging track.
Snowcones signal spring’s start n The Cajun Cone stand previously in the United Supermarket parking lot moved down the block near Taco Bueno because of a lease agreement. By AARON BALLARD Staff Writer
The rising temperatures of an early Abilene summer can only mean one thing: the return of Cajun Cones. Beginning its 19th year in operation, Cajun Cones is a locally renowned hot spot, featuring homemade snowcones and an abundance of unique flavors. “Cajun Cones is the place to be when the temperature starts rising,” said Taylor Sturgis, freshman finance major from Plano. This year Cajun Cones opened two stands in Abilene. The stand nearest to campus is located on Judge Ely Boulevard, just south of North 10th Street, in the parking lot next to Taco Bueno. This stand, which in years past has been located in the United Supermarket parking lot, had to be moved up the street this year because of Third Rock Creamery, said Dr. Lynn Luttrell, exercise science professor and co-owner of Cajun Cones with his wife and parents. “We were told by the leasing agency that Third Rock Creamery’s lease agreement
n Students will join people across the nation to bring awareness about the children in Uganda who are being abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army. By ERIC GENTRY Student Reporter
Eyakem Gulilat/File photo
Cajun Cones opened their stands for the 19th year earlier this month. Because of Third Rock Creamery’s lease agreement, the Cajun Cones stand previously located in the United Supermarkets parking lot has been moved to the parking lot next to Taco Bueno on Judge Ely Boulevard. prevented us from being in our old location,” Luttrell said. “Therefore, we moved back to the location where we first started back in 1988.” This stand opened on April 7, delayed because of the location change. “We usually open right after spring break,” Luttrell said. “However, we were not
notified of a need to change locations until a couple of weeks before our scheduled time to open, which meant all the approvals and work to get electricity to the new site didn’t get finished until April 5.” The other stand, on Mockingbird Lane, just north of North 12th Street in the parking lot next to Little Caesar’s
Pizza, opened March 20. Cajun Cones also has one portable stand that can be set up anywhere for special occasions and events. For several years, a third permanent stand had been on Sayles Boulevard. across from McMurry University. But this year, that stand did not open. “Due to some health is-
Anderson running for City Council n Making her first endeavor into politics, Vicki Anderson, director of Neighborhood Relations, will run against John Estes III and Joe Spano Sr. for the Place 2 seat. By SARAH CARLSON Arts Editor
Vicki Anderson, director of Neighborhood Relations, is running for Place 2 of the Abilene City Council. The election is May 13. Kris Southward is stepping
down from his Place 2 seat after two three-year terms, and Anderson, John Estes III and Joe Spano Sr. are vying for the spot. Estes is a local dentist, and Spano owns H&H Beverages. “Everyone thinks I’ve lost my mind,” Anderson said, adding that this is her first endeavor into politics. “I have an interest, concern, time and wherewithal to be a City Council woman. It’s time to step up and do this
for the city of Abilene.” Anderson said she has a passion for rejuvenating the city’s older neighborhoods, being aggressive about the city’s water resources Anderson and increasing the pay for police and firefighters. “We should be paying
above-average for policemen and firemen,” Anderson said. “These people work because of a special calling. These people go out and risk their lives for me, for you and for everyone else, and yet we are paying them average wages.” Anderson is the president of the Abilene Boys & Girls Club board of directors and moved to Abilene 14 years ago with her husband, Randy See
sues for my dad and a busier professional schedule for me, we decided to cut back to two stands instead of three,” Luttrell said. “The Sayles location never did as well as the two north side stands relative to income, so we closed it and kept the other two open.”
CAJUN CONES page 7
See
Races for City Council Candidates for contested races include: Place 1: Sam Chase Ron Konstantin Place 2: Vicki Anderson John Estes III Joe Spano Sr. Place 4: Celia Davis Paul Johnson
COUNCIL page 7
By KELSI PEACE Staff Writer
An increase in the number of graduating high school seniors this spring amplified the number of college applicants and reduced acceptance rates in many universities across the country, and the trend
has hit ACU. According to the Washington Post, 2 million of the 3 million students graduating from high school hope to attend college next year. John Hopkins University, according to the Post, will accept only 27 percent of applicants this year, as opposed to the 35 percent admitted last year. Although John Hopkins’ rates are extreme, many other universities are seeing lower admissions rates as well.
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
At ACU, 55-60 percent of applicants are accepted, said Robert Heil, director of Admissions, in an e-mail. Applications to ACU have increased for the fall 2006 year just as they have across the country. So far, 3,600 students have applied, Heil said, which is already 175 more applicants than last year’s total. “I expect in the next few months we will approach 4,000 applications for this fall,” Heil said.
Among the applicants, about 2,100-2,200 students will be admitted this fall, Heil said. Heil said he believes that in addition to the increase in graduating seniors, ACU has seen more applicants because of its tradition. “ACU is one of the largest private universities in the Southwest and is recognized as a national leader in Christian higher education.” More students from See
APPLY page 7
Graduate student Stephen Lamb doesn’t plan on getting much sleep April 29. He, along with thousands of people in 136 cities across the country, will take part in the Invisible Children Global Night Commute, an all-night demonstration on behalf of children in Uganda. “The main thing we are trying to accomplish is awareness,” said Lamb, graduate student working on a Master of Divinity from Abilene. “This is a catastrophe right now in Uganda.” Northern Uganda is torn by a civil war in which members of the Lord’s Resistance Army abduct children, usually between ages 8-12, and force them to fight in the resistance, according to the Invisible Children Inc. Web site. Ugandan children must walk up to 20 miles every night to get to safe havens where they can sleep without fear of abduction. In the mornings they walk back to their villages. According to the Web site, to date more than 30,000 children have been abducted and forced to fight. “The point of the Global Night Commute is to empathize with these children who have to walk 10 or 20 miles a night,” Lamb said. “We need to put pressure on Uganda to end this conflict.” Lamb said more than 250 people from both ACU and See
Plethora of applications flood admissions n Incoming freshman applications have already exceeded last year’s total of 3,600, and more are expected to arrive before the fall semester begins in August.
Students to join in Night Commute April 29
COMMUTE page 7
Taste of Starbucks
Brian Schmidt/Chief Photographer
Shari Vance, junior theatre major from Austin, Allison Organ, junior theatre major from Cyprus, and Morgan Robinson, junior theatre major from Katy, try Starbucks samples in the Learning Commons on April 12.
Abilene Christian University
Serving the ACU community since 1912