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O.A.R. to headline UPC’s fall concert

wpolley — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:41:57 -0400

The five-member band O.A.R., whose music is well known across college campuses throughout the country, will be making its debut appearance at Auburn for the semester’s fall concert, the University Program Council announced today.

“We’re really glad about this because O.A.R. just came out with a new album in June,” said Chappel McCollister, director of major entertainment for the UPC. “And there’s always been a large draw for O.A.R. here at Auburn.”

O.A.R.’s newest album, “All Sides,” is the band’s ninth.

The concert is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 29, and will be held inside the Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.

This will be the second concert held in the Coliseum, following the spring 2008 concert featuring Akon and Soulja Boy.

“We’re hoping the Coliseum will become the set venue,” McCollister said. “That way, we’ll never have to worry about rain issues.”

Only 7,000 tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-serve basis beginning Monday, Sept. 22.

The first 750 people to obtain a ticket will receive wrist bands allowing floor access.

Starting it off Right | Auburn 34 - ULM 0

wpolley — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:37:37 -0400

Tigers breeze past ULM, rise to ninth in AP

Defensive end Michael Goggans, No. 49: runs the ball in for a touchdown during the first defensive play of the game.

Auburn (1-0, 0-0 SEC) shut out the University of Louisiana at Monroe (0-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) 34-0 Saturday night in the season opener.

The Tigers scored in every facet of the game with touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams.

Junior defensive end Antonio Coleman got the Tigers on the scoreboard first when he sacked ULM quarterback Kinsmon Lancaster, knocking the ball loose for Michael Goggans to scoop up and take into the end zone.

Kodi Burns started the game at quarterback and alternated the position with Chris Todd.

In the third quarter, Burns was forced into the locker room after a laceration to his leg.

Ben Tate led the charge with 115 yards on 13 carries, highlighted by a 49-yard run resulting in a Wes Byrum field goal.

For a full recap from the first game of the season, click here.

SGA, BOT, students take steps toward new student rec center

wpolley — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:35:24 -0400

For her 21st birthday, SGA President Lauren Hayes received an unexpected birthday present last Friday.

The Board of Trustees approved her proposal to initiate the process of hiring an architect for a new student recreation center.

Hayes presented information gathered by the SGA and the Student Act committee from students a consulting firm to the board, asking for its permission to start looking for an architect so schematic designs of the rec center can be created, and the next steps can be taken to making it a reality.

Before the meeting, Hayes said while actual actions have just begun this year, the SGA has been talking about this project for about 10 years.

“I feel like we’ve done all the research we could do,” Hayes said. “We’ve got all the information possible to show this board how much we need and want this building.”

Students will have to pay a fee of $125-$185 per semester for the new Student Act, which will be paid with tuition. Students pay $7.50 for the Student Act that exists now.

Hand stamps continue at SkyBar

wpolley — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:32:01 -0400

SkyBar back to stamp: Morgan Thacker / ASSOCIATE PHOTOAn attempt to streamline checking proof of age at SkyBar was unsuccessful.

The bar recently purchased and tested a scanner that can check the authenticity of a customer’s driver’s license.

Pat Grider, co-owner of SkyBar, however, said the scanners did not work as intended.

“We tested about 20 IDs, and it just wasn’t working right,” Grider said. “When I tested my ID and it still didn’t work, we decided to discontinue using the scanners.”

Grider said he hoped the scanners could mean less waiting time for people trying to get in the bar.

“When we come across a suspected fake ID and are forced to deny someone entry, this customer usually tries to argue with us,” Grider said.

“This holds up everyone in line.”

Grider said the scanner was manufactured by Tokenworks, a company that specializes in making magnetic card scanners for businesses.

According to the Tokenworks’ Web site, the scanners are supposed to work for all official government-issued identification cards except those issued from the state of Georgia.

Georgia-issued driver’s licenses do not comply with the 2005 Real ID Act that implemented standards for state driver’s licenses. Georgia is one of few states that have not decided whether or not to follow the Real ID act.

Wet, windy weekend, thanks to Fay

wpolley — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:19:00 -0400

St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church: surveys the damage done by a 137-year-old oak tree knocked down by the winds of Tropical Storm Fay Saturday, Aug. 23. Throughout the weekend’s severe weather, only minor tree damage was reported around the Auburn area, along with local flash flooding.

The shrill sound of outdoor warning sirens filled the air Saturday night as Auburn suffered through the effects of Tropical Storm Fay.

Rita Smith, public information officer of the Lee County Emergency Management Agency, said six tornado warnings were given, the last one ending at 2:15 a.m. Sunday.

Tornado watches continued until 9 a.m. Sunday. Smith said there was also some low-line flooding.

Leaves and branches littered Auburn’s streets Sunday morning and luckily, were the extent of the damage.

“The great news is that no injuries were reported to us,” Smith said.

Mary Moore, duty officer at Lee County EMA, said damage from the storm was minimal.

“There were mostly just power outages around the county,” Moore said. “Several trees fell down, but most of the trees that fell down were dead trees.”

Moore said the volunteer fire department worked to clear the fallen trees.

The largest tree to fall during the storm was a 137-year-old oak tree which towered over St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, located at 136 E. Magnolia St.

Father John Wells Warren, Episcopal chaplain to Auburn University, was the only person at the church when the tree fell.

“The tree split in two and fell north and south on the driveway, between the two church buildings,” Warren said. “If the tree fell east, it would have fallen on 17-16, and if it fell west, it would have crushed the chapel and parish hall. It was as close a call as you can imagine.”

Student Center popular hit

wpolley — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:16:32 -0400

New Student CenterThe new Student Center offered a warm welcome with its bright lights and spacious lobbies last week as students returned to campus for classes.

With food venues, study areas and a game room — to be complete in a few weeks — the only complaints are getting lost and long lines, which show the positive popularity of the building.

“From all that I have heard when talking to students, they are proud of the new Student Center,” said Johnny Green, Dean of Students. “It has met their expectations in the general sense.”

The center provides a place to socialize, Green said, study and eat in between classes with the new convenient location.

Students are able to take advantage of a new ballroom, which has the largest banquet seating capacity in Lee County, Green said.

The new layout the Student Center presents includes separate food venues, opposed to Foy Student Union’s cafeteria set-up.

Extra paths provide convenient bicycle routes for Auburn

wpolley — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:10:21 -0400

Clint Smith, a sophomore - undeclared: rides his bike along one of the newly-paved bike paths close to the University. The City of Auburn said it has seen more people riding bicycles lately. Rod Guajardo / ASSISTANT PHOTO

With gas prices remaining high and limited campus parking, many students are turning to bicycles as their transportation of choice.

Campus planners are continuing to make Auburn more bicycle-friendly by recently completing a 1-mile multi-use path on Donahue Drive between South College Street and Samford Avenue.

“It has been a missing link for a number of years,” said University engineer Cathy Love. “Now you can ride all the way from campus to Chewacla Park.”

Love said planners will soon begin working on a 1.8-mile path that will run along Wire Road from Samford Avenue to Webster Road. She said the completion date of the path, which will be wide enough for both bikes and walkers, is set for next summer.

A grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation will pay for two-thirds of the $1.4 million path, and the University will pay for the rest.

The two paths connect with existing bike lanes to make transportation easier.

Campus Planning also has more paths planned for the future. During the next two years, a Thach path will connect with the new student housing.

The University also has plans to upgrade its bike racks. Love said the new racks will better support the bikes and prevent scratching.

New dorm construction meeting deadline

wpolley — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:07:34 -0400

Auburn’s Housing and Residence Life Director Kim Trupp likes to joke that students living on campus will no longer have to wash their dishes in the bathroom sink.

With the Village dorms comes luxuries Auburn’s dorms have never seen before, including private bedrooms, shared bathrooms and a mini-kitchen with refrigerator.

“It’s exciting what The Village is going to add to our campus,” said Ruthie Payne, an Auburn academic counselor with educational support services. “The facilities are just incredible, and there are going to be lots of green spaces, and it’s going to be a great resource for our students.”

The much-needed addition to the Housing and Residence Life is generating excitement among students, teachers and alumni.

“I think the biggest thing Auburn students can expect is the newness,” Trupp said. “These will offer a little more space and privacy than we have in the Hill and Quad community.”

The Village offers a promising new beginning to two already growing Auburn traditions and communities: Greek sororities and the Living and Learning Communities.

Auburn student commits suicide at 24

coreyshep — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:32:42 -0400

William Horace Dykes will be remembered as the guy with a smile on his face and a spontaneous and fun-loving spirit — a brother, son and friend who left the world too soon.

The 24-year-old Auburn senior died Friday, July 18.

Captain Stofer, with the Auburn police, said the department received a request to do a resident welfare check that Friday night.

“Dykes apparently died of a self-inflicted gun-shot wound,” Stofer said.

Dykes was born in Mesa, Ariz., and graduated from high school in Memphis, Tenn. He was a senior in business administration at Auburn and a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

Dykes’ friends agree he lived a life of extraordinary impact.

“If you met him for ten minutes, you couldn’t forget him — he was one of a kind,” said Seth Brooks, friend and fraternity brother of Dykes.

The funeral service was held Wednesday, July 23, in Centre. Dykes’ mother was touched by the number of friends that came to say goodbye her son.

Jalapeños named cause of salmonella

coreyshep — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:28:40 -0400

Researchers: once blamed tomatoes for the outbreak of salmonella, but now they believe it can be traced back to jalapeños imported from Mexico. Lin

Tomatoes taken off chopping block for cause of salmonella outbreak, jalapeños imported from Mexico charged.

Many people have been watching the fresh produce they eat ever since a strain of salmonella was found in fresh jalapeños. Kroger grocery stores around the country removed them from stock.

“We did a voluntary recall based on an FDA advisory,” said Glynn Jenkins, director of communications for the store.

Yet now, the scare may be over. The FDA has cleared jalapeños grown in the U.S., according to Jenkins.

The salmonella, which is a type of bacteria, did not come from growing on the peppers, according to James Barbaree, professor and department chair for biological sciences.

“It is coming from another person or animal somewhere,” Barbaree said.

Jean Weese, professor and food scientist, said salmonella can predominantly be found in the feces of animals.