[Libertine]

Maybe it was just me but, once I hit my senior year, the freshmen girls all looked like they were 14 years old to me. Now, even if they're just asking directions, I feel like a pedophile for just talking to them.

And, no, I do not appreciate freshman move-in day even from an eye candy perspective. Why? Besides the reason outlined above, while every freshman guy seems to have a car and inevitably decides to triple-park just inside the guard shack, at least the freshman guys usually come by themselves. Freshmen girls have two cars; one for them and one for the fanny-pack lost-sheep tourist clan that came with her to "see her off". What's even worse is that her family ends up hanging around for a full week! One of the most frustrating moments in life is coming off the practice field during 2-a-days, sweaty and hungry, and entering the cafeteria only to find that you must wade through a human sea of freshmen, their parents, their grandparents, their 10-year old siblings and, sometimes, their luggage (who brings luggage to a cafeteria?! Seriously!) none of whom have any idea where they are going.

[Sly Fox]

Here is the story running on the AP wire:

Liberty seeks permission to landscape portion of U.S. 460

By the Associated Press
July 23, 2006

LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The view of Liberty University along U.S. 460 could be getting a little more attractive.

The university founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell is the first private entity to take advantage of a state law that allows local governments, businesses, civic organizations, communities and individuals to seek approval from the Virginia Department of Transportation to landscape government rights-of-way along roadways. That job usually falls to the city or the state.

The university will work with sponsors to plant and maintain gardens and trees along U.S. 460 next to the campus. The new section runs 1.3 miles from where U.S. 460 intersects with Candler's Mountain Road west to the city/county border. Preliminary plans call for 21 trees and garden areas along the stretch of road, similar to those already located on the Lynchburg Expressway.

Businesses can donate money for the project, and small signs along the highway will recognize donors. Liberty potentially could be responsible for seeking sponsors, deciding who can donate and handling the money that comes in.

"I don't think anybody exactly knows how this thing's going to work," City Attorney Walter Erwin said.

Jerry Falwell Jr., Liberty's vice chancellor, said the university's goal was to make the area adjacent to the school more appealing, not to control who donates to the project.

The signs won't contain political messages, because state regulations say they can read only: "Landscaped by..." followed by the name of the sponsoring business, said J.O. Renalds, director of field operations for Liberty.

Renalds said the project would benefit the city, the university and the Virginia Department of Transportation.

VDOT already approved the beautification project for its Virginia Comprehensive Management Plan, but before the city could apply for a land use permit to allow the project to begin, it had to pass a formal resolution agreeing to allow Liberty to landscape the right-of-way. City Council approved the resolution on July 11.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/vi ... s-virginia

[Flamesfanva]

I'm glad to see this. That's one of the things that makes Lynchburg look so nice. The current landscaping along the Lynchburg expressway looks great. Hopefully LU will have a nice landscaped area that they sponsor, or maybe even have the Flames logo on the sign that is placed in the landscaping stating who the sponsor is. It's going to make that stretch of 460 look really nice.