Articles written by Ayshia Green

Alabama’s unemployment rate dropped from 5.1 percent in July to 4.9 percent in August.

Ron Macksoud, public information specialist for the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations, said Alabama was one of just five states to drop unemployment rate over the month.

“We will certainly be ahead of the national economy,” said Tom Surtees, Alabama Department of Industrial Relations director.  “As the news is breaking right now on the national economy, I don’t know where it’s going right now, but Alabama has positioned itself in a very good position to serve our citizens better than most states.”

Alabama has ranked in the top 20 lowest unemployment rates in the last few years.

“We’ve been consistently among the upper third of states’ unemployment rankings in the nation,” Macksoud said.

Macksoud said Alabama was 19 in the last ranking.

Surtees said unemployment rates bottomed out around this time last year with September having the lowest rates in history.

SEC athletes are leading students: in a community service project where everyone can donate canned items, like soup, vegetables and sauce, at various places around campus to help people receive the food they need. Ali McGuinn / PHOTO STAFF

In the midst of all the financial problems in the U.S. economy right now, Auburn student athletes have still found the time to give back to the community.  

Auburn’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is participating in the Together We Can canned food drive hosted by the schools of the SEC.

“It’s important because it fosters unity in the SEC,” said Adrienne Mills, president of the SAAC.

Mills said although the SAAC does other events such as Toys for Tots and Project Uplift, this is the main event for the school year.

The drive is intended to be a collective effort among all the SEC schools to do a community service project together.

Mills said the food collected will go to the East Alabama Food bank whose lacking the number of needed donations.

Government loans help bail out faltering company and banks in times of economic woes

Bailout plan proposed by Paulson and Bernanke

Because of the recent financial crisis, economic officials and members of Congress are meeting on Capitol Hill this week to discuss a $700 billion bank rescue plan.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Congress must work the plan out quickly before the financial situation worsens.

After a significant drop, stocks rose last week with the news of the plan.

The proposal would allow the Treasury to buy assets from troubled financial firms at a discount.

These assets would be sold later for a profit. The goal is to allow banks to lend to each other again, taking one burden off of the struggling economy.

Bernanke and Paulson said it is necessary for Congress to approve the bailouts this week, or the economy could grow weaker.

The proposal is under debate, because some members of Congress are worried about how much government intervention the plan requires.

-Information gathered from www.cnn.com.

The U.S. economy has seen its share of troubles with the stock market crash and the Great Depression. Could America be headed down that road again?

According to the Federal Reserve Web site, an $85 billion loan for AIG was authorized Sept. 16, by the federal government with the full support of the Treasury Department.

According to the site, if AIG failed now it could add major problems to the already falling economy.

In addition to large government loans, several companies have had to file bankruptcy and discontinue operations.

Airlines such as Skybus and ATA, who both closed down in April, have had to succumb to the rising costs in fuel and a slowing economy.

“Financial markets themselves and financial institutions are in the most trouble,” said Lon Simpson, branch manager and financial advisor at Raymond James financial institution.

Simpson had his own ideas as to why institutions are in trouble and who is to blame.

Recent problems in the economy have caused many companies to file bankruptcy and adopt new plans for reaching company goals.

Steve & Barry’s is one company going bankrupt and is now closing several of its stores, including one in Opelika.  

According to Steve & Barry’s Web site, the company released the information for a go-forward plan last week.

The plan is to operate with a smaller number of stores to reach the financial goals of the company. This includes the closing of 103 stores.

The first set of stores to be closed will have taken place by the 24th, while others await their specific closing date.

Walking into the store, customers saw a store that was almost empty just six days before closing. The already low prices had sunken down to just $5.98 and are set to go down even lower before the close date.

All of the store’s fixtures and furniture are being sold at a table set up in the front of the store.

Get ready to take a trip to several different countries. There won’t be a plane or a passport involved, but there will be the one thing college students can’t say no to — free food.

AU’s International Student Organization (ISO) is hosting its annual Peace Dinner on Sept. 22, in the Student Center’s ballroom. 

The dinner features foods from six of the more than 50 countries represented on campus.

“It’s definitely an educational experience,” said Nourah Fait, president of ISO. “It’s not only a visual experience, you’re actually eating their foods, you’re enjoying your time with them, your talking to them.”

This year’s event will feature foods from many different countries like Japan, China, India, Turkey and Korea. Desserts will be made by the Muslim Student Organization. 

The peace dinner first started Sept. 26, 2001, after 9/11 and has become a tradition.

Although it has been running every year, it was not until the dinner which occurred on the first anniversary of 9/11 that it was decided to be an annual event.

AU band members: display their instruments and smiles as they enjoy their time at Band-o-Rama. Gonny Dailey / PHOTO STAFF

Drums, family, friends and fun are found at more than just a football game.

This proved to be true at the ninth annual Band-o-Rama.

Band-o-Rama is an event where fans gather to enjoy the sounds of several local high school marching bands, as well as Auburn’s marching band.

It’s not the competitive environment typically seen in Hollywood movies such as “Drumline.”

It is an event that centers solely around marching bands and gives them the time to perform for each other before this year’s football season kicks off.

“What we love about this particular venue is that it honors every band, no matter how different you are when you approach your show design or how many players you have; we’re out here celebrating music, because the kids learn so much through this particular venue,” said Jason Smith, director of the Opelika High School marching band, “Spirit of the South.”

Tired of walking around thirsty just because you have no money for the vending machine? Coca-Cola has implemented new drink machines at Haley Center that take Visa and MasterCard, in addition to TigerCard and cash.

“It makes it more accessible for people who don’t necessarily carry around a lot of money, so if they need a drink, they can get it and the school will make more money off of it,” said Neil Dancille, a freshman in business.