By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ARLINGTON, Va. – Sept. 11, 2001 started like many other days for Rob Maness. A major working in the Pentagon at the time, Maness was at his desk watching footage of an airplane crashing into two World Trade Center towers in New York City when he heard a noise. That’s when he realized this would be a moment that would forever change his life and others around the U.S. Terrorists already had flown a plane into the Twin Towers and another into a field off Interstate 395 south of the Pentagon. Now, confirmation came they had done the same with American Airlines Flight 77 into the nation’s military headquarters. According to the 9-11 Memorial, the attacks killed nearly 3,000 people from 93 nations. The most fatalities occurred at the Twin Towers, as 2,753 people died. Another 184 perished at the Pentagon and 40 were killed in a crash south of there. Like so many others, Maness was dumfounded and wondered what would happen next. After calling his wife to tell her he was okay and to leave the city with their children, Maness joined others at the Pentagon to do what they could to help those injured as well as those trying to flee the facility. After assisting in the rescue of … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications PINEVILLE (LCNews) - Louisiana College’s Division of Business will host several leaders of Red River Bank on Sept. 13. Warren Morris - Red River Bank’s assistant vice president - will address students during a plenary session in LC’s Granberry Conference Center at 11 a.m. Bank managers will lecture in several business classes during the day. Morris, a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, is best known among long-time fans of LSU baseball. In 1996 He punched a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-run, two-out homer that KO’d Miami 9-8. It’s still the only walk-off homer to win the College World Series. Red River Bank personnel visiting LC classes is another “Industries Day” at the college, where local business leaders share their expertise and methodology with students. Leaders from CLECO and Crest Industries also have assisted LC in this effort to expose students to more than classroom theory. “We want to connect student learning outcomes to practical work skills by bringing practitioners into the classroom,” said Arthur Mazhambe, Chair, LC Business Division. “Our students are privileged to hear the challenges, solutions, and varied issues encountered in … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications PINEVILLE - Louisiana College president Rick Brewer drew from John 7:38 as he compared characteristics of a river to the recent Louisiana flood waters during remarks in the college’s first chapel session, Aug. 23. “Floods are chaotic; they are destructive, unpredictable, and harmful. Rivers have purpose. Rivers are controllable. Rivers have direction. Rivers have focused energy,” said Brewer after noting flood-related statistics. Brewer challenged students to “become a river. Focus on your academic life, focus on your spiritual life, and focus on your relational life.” “You show me someone who is acting like a flood, and I will never expect any growth or leadership out of that person,” he said. “But someone that says I want my life to be like a river - and even more so I want to be like John 7:38 - I want that river of life flowing through me from Jesus Christ - you show me that young person and I will show somebody who will be successful in life.” “If you are a Christ follower, your number one purpose while you are here at Louisiana College is to be an amazing, focused college student,” he said. President Brewer noted that LC exists to help students to prepare for … [Read more...]