LIBERTY STUDENT NEWS

The across-a-street from campus shopping center is being bought by Liberty University for $16.3 million dollars. It will become an extension of the LU academic campus in the future.

WDBJ:

LU Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. says the school is buying Candlers Station Shopping Center at a price of $16.3 million dollars. The sale is expected to close Wednesday.

LU’s current plan is to honor all existing lease agreements and maintain Candlers Station as a shopping center, similar to the LU owned Plaza Shopping Center in midtown Lynchburg.

Falwell says Candlers Station is a “great investment” for LU. Once the complex has reached the end of its life as a shopping destination, Falwell says the property will become an extension of the LU academic campus.

Ex-LU professor Joshua Moon pleaded guilty today to aggravated sexual battery for massaging one of his students. He might face 20 years of jailtime.

WSET:

A former professor accused of sexually assaulting a student pleaded guilty in court Friday. Joshua Young Moon was facing one count of object sexual penetration. He pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual battery.

The judge decided to revoke his bond.

The victim told police Moon inappropriately touched her in his office last April, when giving her a massage. According to prosecutors, Moon apologized to the victim on the phone two days after the incident.

They also say he had pornography related to massages on his computer But the defense says if they went to trial – they planned to prove there was some degree of consent.

“All along it was very important to her that he just claim responsibility for what he’d done,” Asst. Commonwealth’s Attorney Rebecca Wetzel said.

Moon could spend up to 20 years in jail for the charge. He will also have to register as a sex offender.

LU Football Coach Danny Rocco has signed an extension contract that will keep him through the 2014 season. He was long rumored to coach at East Carolina but he really never pursued it, according to News & Advance Chris Lang.

LU has decided not to be part of CPAC this year because conservative gay rights group GOProud is co-sponsoring the event.

Scott Ray may not be a burglar after all. The Lynchburg judge says there’s no proof of him stealing anything, but he did trespass.

Prosecutors say a witness saw Ray enter a home in August, but the residents didn’t notice they were missing a prescription drug until later.

They would have had a hard time proving a burglary charge.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Rebecca Wetzel said, “In this case, there was nothing taken, there was so assault and battery, there was no other felony committed inside.”

He will then spend no time in jail but in drug re-hab.