Kayla Montgomery battles MS to excel in track and cross country

For someone who has not even graduated high school yet, future Bison cross country and track and field athlete Kayla Montgomery has already gained more national media attention than many professional athletes will in over the span of an entire career. Montgomery is a senior at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C who is currently competing in the high school national track championships in New York City alongside hundreds of the best high school track and field athletes from across the country. So what exactly sets her apart from her peers? Montgomery was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis three years ago. Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease that disrupts the way the nervous system communicates with the rest of your body, resulting in numerous symptoms including loss of muscle control and numbness of certain body parts. Montgomery has had a successful running career in high school, despite MS causing her legs to go numb during all of her races to the point that she cannot stand on her own once she crosses the finish line. With her success came interest from colleges across the country, including Lipscomb. However, when other schools were hesitant to offer Montgomery a scholarship because of her disease, Lipscomb was more than willing to add her to the Bison team. “Some of it is that we recruit on character and we recruit on academics. We recruit on a lot of different things; it’s not just athletics” said Bill Taylor, Director of Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field at Lipscomb. “She’s a fast runner, but we’re looking for a certain fit for...

Pulitzer winner Jon Meacham joins newest installment of “now that you ask…”

Pulitzer Prize winner and former Newsweek editor-in-chief Jon Meacham sat down with Tom Ingram in the newest installment of the now that you ask… series to discuss his life so far as a journalist, author and historian. The crowd Thursday night totaled to be the largest crowd out of all the people that have had a conversation with Ingram. Meacham told several jokes about why many people would come to hear him, but his real explanation was that people are more interested in his career subject (history) than himself. “I think we are in a golden age of biography, and I think a lot of people are hungry to see what happened in the past and what solutions that might offer, which is why they are interest in what I do,” Meacham said. Meacham went on to talk about why he moved to Nashville, “for the grass and dogs.” After living in New York for 20 years, Meacham and his family decided to make the change when his son told him one Friday afternoon that there was nothing to do. “I’ve spent more time than expected doing the Jackson book here in Nashville,” Meacham said. “We moved a year and half ago and haven’t had a bad day.” Meacham talked about his family background. He came from three generations of layers and grew up listening to politicians’ stories, which sparked his interest in history. Meacham has written five books, with his most recent Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power being named a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. Meacham’s approach to his books is figuring out how to keep his readers interested throughout the book. “The competition for...

Media legends Alex S. Jones, John Seigenthaler Sr. offer their take on journalism’s future in digital world

Attendees of the Don R. Elliott Distinguished Presidential Lecture dinner Wednesday night had the chance to hear two of journalism’s most ardent defenders share their thoughts on where the medium is headed. Former New York Times reporter Alex S. Jones, the evening’s keynote speaker, and former Tennessean publisher John Seigenthaler Sr. joined together in a conversation, discussing the digital age of journalism and the place of traditional morals in the new, virtual frontier. The director of the Shorenstien Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, Jones shared his thoughts on the shift to speedy publishing in the digital world of journalism, transitioning from a time, as Jones said, where accuracy lorded over the hope to be first to press, and balance was always over edge. He looked back on a time where journalism was regarded by many to be a public service, rooted in ethical practice. Jones noted a publisher’s view of their product being a social responsibility. Now, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Jones believes the internet age is making a gradual change into placing reader enjoyment at the top of the list of importance. “Now, I believe the core value of the digital world is that you have to be entertaining,” Jones said. “You have to be quick. You have to be entertaining, and you have to grab people quickly, and if only for a short time.” Jones and Seigenthaler also discussed the world of Wikipedia, with Seigenthaler recounting his notorious experience to rid false claims on his own Wikipedia page and the events that followed, including meetings with site...

Column: Nashville finally earns ‘It City’ status

Whether it’s in reference to the city’s rising economy, sports fever, southern charm or constant entertainment, Nashville has been dubbed the new ‘it city,’ and it’s about time. For a few years, different news outlets and magazines have noted the rise both population and economy in Music City, but it seems that 2013 may just be the year that Nashville emerges as a top destination in the country. Back in 2011, Forbes magazine listed Nashville at No. 3 on their list of cities in line to be the ‘next big boom town’. Last year, the Business Insider ranked the city at No. 5 for fastest growing job markets in the U.S. Now, the New York Times is referring to Nashville as the next “it city,” and people can’t wait to become a citizen of the GQ-named ‘Nowville’. For a city that used to be mocked for its honky-tonk feel, how did it rise to the top? To start, the change in country music has helped move Nashville away from the old country vibe. Names like Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton have made it popular to enjoy country music again. Urban and Shelton are both in the national spotlight with roles on the hit television shows American Idol and The Voice, while Underwood, Swift and Lambert have all spent the past five years bringing in a younger demographic to the country music fan base. Country music is no longer limited to just Broadway Ave. Bridgestone Arena is constantly rotating the biggest names not only in country music, but the music industry in general throughout...

With 19 medals, Michael Phelps becomes most decorated Olympian of all time

Michael Phelps, the world-renowned Olympic swimmer, won gold during Tuesday’s 4×200 freestyle relay alongside teammates Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer and Ricky Berens.  Phelps also earned his 19th medal – an honor that solidified him as the most decorated Olympian of all time. Phelps netted his 17th and 18th medals, both silvers, during the 4×100 freestyle relay and 200 meter butterfly races. With 19 medals, Phelps passes Larisa Latynina, who won 18 medals for gymnastics during the 50s and 60s. Latynina was present for the race in which Phelps won his 19th medal. “Phelps deserves the record,” Latynina told the New York Times through an interpreter. “He is such a talented sportsman.” Phelps broke records four years ago when, in Beijing, he received eight gold medals for swimming, breaking Mark Spitz’ long-standing record of seven gold medals accumulated during one set of Olympic games. Phelps was also named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 2008. Phelps has confirmed he will retire from professional swimming after the 2012 London games. Photo courtesy of The Los Angeles...