On Feb. 3, the Chattanooga City Council voted 5-4 to put a moratorium on new permits for alternative financing businesses, including payday loan stores. On Feb. 10, the council will vote on a permanent ordinance to ban such companies from setting up within 500 feet of residential areas, as well as a quarter mile from other stores in the industry.
Read moreGig Tank
Chattanooga’s high-speed internet is doing far more than simply facilitating painless Netflix viewings. The city has become a breeding ground for startup businesses that are looking to take advantage of internet speeds that are fifty times the country average.
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A Hot Commodity: Chattanooga's Locally Grown Food
2015 has just begun and local, farm-fresh food scenes in Chattanooga have increased now more than ever. Covenant College students have become dramatically more involved since Eden Thistle, a local farm, has begun a 2015 Buyer’s Club. Environmental science majors Rachel Kelley and Lauren Seip both enjoy volunteering at the farm, exploring a godly approach to farming. That includes purchasing pasture-raised meats, eating less processed foods, and eating meat less. Siep said, “They have a buyer's club where you can subscribe and get a membership. You'll get eggs, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, whole chickens, and whole pigs."
Read moreAndreas Golf-Cart Fire
When Sarah Cretal decided to hang out with friends in Andreas lobby last Thursday night, she didn’t think that she would leave the building 30 minutes later because of a fire and then be forced to find a new room for the weekend. But that’s what happened when a golf cart parked outside of Andreas caught fire.
Read moreAndreas Golf Cart Fire
“Almost as soon as I saw the fire, Sarah Withers comes sprinting past and starts banging on Chris Stern’s door,” Cretal says. “Then Chris, Matt, and Micah went at it with fire extinguishers.”
Read moreNew Art Facility in Progress
Deconstruction of the Art Barn started early this year, and according to Professor of Art Jeff Morton, the steel, windows, and other materials have been ordered, and construction for the new art facility is expected to begin soon. The faculty is expecting to move into the new facility by August of 2015.
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Changes to the FAFSA
According to a statement released from the White House website on Jan. 20, President Obama wants to simplify the FAFSA form in order to provide financial aid to more students. Additionally, a bipartisan bill to reduce the application to two questions was presented to Congress on Jan. 7.
Read moreAndrew Peterson
Andrew Peterson, Covenant’s musical guest at the 2014 Neal Conference, appearing for the first time since performing for the 2009 Neal Conference, is back at Covenant this semester, not just to sing at Scholarship Weekend chapel, but to teach a creative writing class for the English department. Both an accomplished musician and author, Peterson is the 2015 Nick Barker Writer in Residence, a position he is well qualified for as the award-winning author of The Wingfeather Saga, a ten album musical artist, and the founder of Nashville’s Rabbit Room creative community.
Read moreOh, Deer! More Space at Rock City
To most Covenant students, the words “Rock City” bring up images of strange little gnomes, fascinating rocks, a captivating waterfall, a beautiful view, and probably donuts. Add a new one to the list: fallow deer. Since 2011, fallow deer have abided among the gnomes and tourists at Rock City. This past January, Rock City completed the next phase needed to expand its Fallow Deer Park, a section of land put aside for the population of exotic fallow deer. The new fenced expansion will border the original area, and include more vegetation and space for the herd as it grows.
Read moreObama's Free Education?
On Jan. 9, at Pellissippi Community College in Knoxville, Tenn., President Obama announced that he plans to make community college free for "all students if they attend classes at least half time and maintain a grade point average of 2.5 or better.” Under this proposal, entitled “America’s College Promise,” the federal government would provide 75 percent of funds, and the states would supply the rest. The program is expected to cost sixty billion dollars over the course of ten years. During his State of the Union address on Jan. 20, Obama revealed that some of the funds would be raised by altering the annual tax breaks, ultimately resulting in a “middle class economy.”
Read moreCSC Handles Food Waste
On Feb. 2, the Campus Stewardship Committee (CSC) and Chartwells plan to begin Project Clean Plate. Project Clean Plate is a program that has been implemented on college campuses across the United States. Its goals are to “provide awareness of international hunger, help students to locally combat hunger, reduce waste, and save energy.” These are lofty goals, but come from a truly simple program.
Read moreComing Soon: An Advance in Technology
Last Wednesday, Jan. 14, the Student Senate approved the Tech Club's petition for the acquisition of the Cube 3, a new 3D printer.
Read moreSlider's Pizza
Slider’s Pizza has arrived to fill the pizza-shaped void in the hearts of Lookout Mountain residents. No longer are Covenant students forced to depend solely on Mr. T’s delivery service to sate pizza-hungry appetites. Located on Scenic Highway less than ten minutes south of Covenant’s main campus, Slider’s Pizza (“Handmade from Scratch”) is locally owned and operated by the Slider family and, according to the Facebook page, “wants to fix the pizza dilemma on our mountain.” Whether or not Slider’s will be able to adequately answer the demands of Covenant’s pizza-loving student body remains to be seen.
Read moreFounders Floods
For Founders, Jan. 13 was more than the first day of second semester. Gracewell, a hall on the third floor of the Rayburn wing, experienced a fair amount of chaos when a seemingly harmless toilet rapidly flooded an entire restroom, part of the hallway, and also the adjacent restroom at approximately 7:55 p.m. The frigid water poured against the floor vigorously, rising several inches above the ground for nearly thirty minutes. Thick towels were rolled quickly, precisely pressed between the two restrooms as a barricade until the water was stopped.
Read moreSame Pipes, New Management
This semester, the Bagpipe is welcoming additions to its staff and publication. With Liz Simakoff as its new Editor-in-Chief, through more focused attention to its presence online, and by reaching out to new writers, the Bagpipe is finding better ways to keep the paper relevant to the student body.
Read moreRacial Tensions Coming to a Boil
Recent statistics detailing the racial disparities in Chattanooga schools have revealed what one researcher has called “educational apartheid.” Ken Chilton, an associate professor at Chattanooga State University, delivered his analysis of statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Pew Research Center in an address titled “State of Black Chattanooga” as part of a week of activities organized in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. According to Chilton, the statewide average of college-ready students is 19 percent; at majority white schools the average is higher, with 20 percent at East Hamilton High and 41 percent at Signal Mountain High. Zero percent of students at Brainerd High and Howard School—both majority black schools—were deemed college ready, as reported by the Times Free Press.
Read moreThe Treehouse Project
The Treehouse Project is bringing to life every Swiss Family Robinson dream at the base of Lookout Mountain. Enoch Elwell, cofounder of The Company Lab, and Andrew Alms, who has a background in land and organizational development, are part of the team heading up the project designed to be an imaginative and eco-friendly “glamping” (glamorous camping) experience.
Read moreCovenant College Hostess Craig Lyon Passes Away
Covenant College hostess of nearly thirty years, Penelope Craig Matthews Lyon – of Craig Lyon Great Hall fame – died Friday, Nov. 14, in Clinton, South Carolina. Beloved of the College and the Mountain, Lyon’s was a life (1924-2014) of love for neighbor and Lord.
Read moreDr. Madueme Edits Adam, the Fall, and Original Sin
On Nov. 4, Baker Academic released Adam, the Fall, and Original Sin, edited by Dr. Hans Madueme, assistant professor of theological studies here at Covenant College, and Michael Reeves, Director of Union and Senior Lecturer and theologian-at-large at Wales Evangelical School of Theology.
This book is a collection of essays from scholars in various Christian traditions that provides theological, scientific and exegetical evidence for the doctrine of original sin and the historicity of Adam and Eve in the midst of controversy and disagreement among contemporary scholars on the topics.
Read moreStudent Senate Plans to Ratify Constitution
The Student Senate is ratifying the Constitution of the Student Association of Covenant College (SACC), after some non-substantive updates to bring it into better accordance with the Senate of recent years.
It was rediscovered by Molly Anderson, the 2013-2014 Student Body President, at the end of the last year. The vote for ratification will be placed on the November ballot for CAB Director and Treasurer, and needs 2/3 of voters’ approval in order to pass.
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