The Vol. 95, No. 26
IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS UTOPIA
Students can attend Hillcrest Church of Christ’s worship time on Wednesdays as an alternative to a traditional Bible class, page 4
Toys for teens
Local band Homer Hiccolm & the Rocketboys will play in the Bean Sprout Friday for a toy drive aimed at teenagers, page 3
FEATURES Skates and pickles
Abilene’s first ice skating rink reopens Friday after warm weather melted the rink, page 7
SPORTS
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OPTIMIST
1 section, 10 pages
FRIDAY
December 1, 2006
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www.acuoptimist.com
Snowstorm prompts school closing n After Abilene awoke to snow flurries and ice-covered roads, the university administration made a decision to cancel all classes and close offices for the day. By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief
The university closed campus Thursday because of winter weather hazards for the first time in nearly two years, Jim Holmans said. Shortly before 7 a.m., Holmans, assistant to the president, sent a university-wide e-mail canceling all 8 a.m. classes. Two hours later, all classes were canceled including evening classes, and all campus
offices were also closed. “The Provost’s Office made the decision to cancel classes about 9 a.m. based on gathered information from some faculty, ACU police, Abilene police, the National Weather Service in San Angelo, local TV weather forecasts, etc.,” Holmans said in an e-mail. He said safety is the first consideration when it comes to severe weather and the decision to close the university is not taken lightly. Police chief Jimmy Ellison was in on the decision to cancel classes. “When we consider closing the campus, we look at current
road conditions, current weather conditions and projected weather and road conditions,” Ellison said. “Based on what we saw at 8:30 a.m., with the icy conditions, dropping temperatures and the Abilene Police Department reporting a lot of accidents, it didn’t make sense to leave the campus open when it could have gotten worse.” Temperatures on Thursday were not expected to reach above-freezing, but by 1 p.m. most of the ice had melted and a snowstorm hit, so many students left their residence halls to sled down See
SNOW page 9
brian schmidt CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Hannah Palmer, senior integrated marketing communication major from San Antonio; Sharon Painter, senior nursing major from Fort Worth; and April Anderson, senior biology major from Tulsa, Okla., slide down the hills at Sherrod Residential Park on Thursday morning on inflatable rafts.
Microsoft exec to speak at COBA event
ACU’s music man
n Microsoft’s chief operating officer will speak on campus on Dec. 8 as part of the College of Business Administration’s Distinguished Speaking Series. By ATSUMI SHIBATA Page Designer
Weekend play
The Wildcat men’s basketball team will play its first conference game against Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday at home, page 10 RACHEL LAU STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ONLINE Winter wonderland
Students enjoyed a day off of school because of winter weather. View it online at: www.acuoptimist.com
WEATHER DAILY FORECASTS Friday sunny
HIGH 55
LOW 34
Saturday mostly sunny
HIGH 56
LOW 31
Charles Nelson, professor emeritus of music, will end his career conducting Handel’s “Messiah” at a concert at 2 p.m. Sunday in Cullen Auditorium. Tickets are sold out but any seats still open at 1:50 p.m. are up for anyone who wants to come to the concert but didn’t have tickets beforehand.
n Charles Nelson’s love for music began at an early age, growing up in a musical family. Their guidance helped propogate his 65-year career. By JARED FIELDS Managing Editor
The musical career of Charles Nelson began with the Messiah. Now, the 80year-old world-class singer feels it fitting to end his career conducting a piece he has performed more than 100 times in his 65-year career. “Messiah,” George Frideric Handel’s choral masterpiece, usually has four soloists. But Nelson will use all 20 singers as soloists in Sunday’s performance. “All these people are top-flight soloists, so each one will be featured in a solo,” Nelson said. “‘Messiah’ is probably the only major choral work that would accommodate this many soloists.” Nelson and wife Betty began work two-and-a-half years ago on a project to celebrate their 80th year and commemo-
n SALT, Treadaway Kids and Wildcat Kids have joined to create a program where students can ensure a child receives a gift at Christmas. Staff Writer
sunny
HIGH 47
LOW 24
“The others are the brightest, most talented children you’ve ever seen,” Charles said of his grandchildren not in the arts. “Of course, that’s their grandfather talking.” Charles’ love for music began at about five years old when his mother took him to a children’s concert performed by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. “It had a real impact on me. I wanted to play the violin,” he said. So Charles started taking violin lessons when he was 6-years-old. He continued his lessons until he was 14. By then he had started singing and was already a bass. When his older brother, Byron, was 14-years-old and before Charles was born, the family moved by the Glenn Carter Country Club. Young Byron made some money caddying at the club. Eventually he would make his money playing. See
CONCERT page 8
Students asked to purchase gifts for kids By NATHAN STRAUS
Sunday
rate Charles’ final performance. “Several years ago it just seemed like something I would like to do. Get a group of professionals together and do a major work and celebrate our 80th year,” Nelson said. “Five years later seemed to be an appropriate ending.” harles wrote his memoirs for his grandchildren and took them to be printed. Leaning forward, holding his thumb and forefinger apart to show his memoirs’ thickness, in his deep, Paul Harveylike voice he recalls the printer telling him, “You’re a wordy devil, aren’t you?” He just has a lot to tell. The Nelsons were a musical family. His mother, Madge, had some training and could play the piano. John, the father, had no training, but could sing well and had a natural ear for music. His older sister, Margaret Ellen, was also musical. Charles and Betty have two grandchildren with training in the arts. Another is a theatre arts graduate from the University of North Texas.
ACU students have an opportunity to make this Christmas special for underprivileged Abilene children. A table has been set up in the Campus Center, which provides students the information needed to ensure a
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
child gets a Christmas gift. Participants must first “You don’t have to get The Angel Tree event is receive a piece of paper anything expensive,” Trejo sponsored by SALT, Wildcat describing a particular said. “Students should not Kids and Treadaway Kids child’s needs and wants. feel required to get every“The thing on the program wish list, only g i v e s “The program gives ACU students the opportunity to what they are ACU stucomfortable provide a gift for underprivileged kids...” dents the giving.” opporTrejo said Abby Trejo, sophomore biochemistry major from Ulysses, Kan. tunity to to take the provide gift, without a gift to wrapping it, underprivileged kids around The wish list ranges from to the Volunteer and SerAbilene,” said Abby Trejo, clothes to movies to toys. vice-Learning Center in the sophomore biochemistry Students must then go and major from Ulysses, Kan. get the gifts. See ANGEL page 9 Abilene Christian University
The university will welcome Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner to speak at noon Dec. 8 in Teague Special Events Center as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series, which will be hosted by the College of Business Administration. “It is a great benefit for students,” said Cara Switzer, administrative coordinator for the Department of Management Science. “Just to be able to listen to See
MICROSOFT page 9
Campus groups receive SA support n Global Samaritan Resources and Silence Sessions were named in resolutions SA passed to show its support of the student-led campus organizations in Wednesday’s meeting. By KELSI PEACE Features Editor
The Students’ Association passed two resolutions to support campus organizations at Wednesday’s meeting. A resolution to support the goals of Global Samaritan Resources, a non-profit organization that delivers medical and educational supplies to developing countries passed unanimously. The legislation, which was written by Rep. Tyler Baker, Hardin Administration Building, and See
SA page 9
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