Articles written by Katie Noland

Student-produced ‘Spring Awakening’ has final performance tonight

wpolley — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

A student-produced production of Frank Wedekind’s “Spring Awakening” will have its last performance tonight.

The production is directed by Jon-Mark Ponder, a senior in theatre.

The original script was written more than 100 years ago and follows a group of teenagers as they grow up in a repressive society in a small town in Germany.

However, Ponder updated the script and set the play in America in the 1980s.

Grocery tax bill passes state House

wpolley — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

A bill removing the 4 percent sales tax from groceries was passed in the Alabama House of Representatives last week and was approved by the Senate Finance and Taxation-Education Committee.

The proposed constitutional amendment passed 63-38 in the house, gaining the exact number of votes needed. It passed 7-0 in the senate committee.

Need for new skateboard park draws crowd, Indian Hills decision postponed until June

wpolley — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:45:30 -0400

More than 100 citizens: attended the Auburn City Council meeting Tuesday to show their support for a new skate park in Auburn. Presenters informed the council of the growing popularity of skateboarding. Kyle Cooper / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

More than 100 Auburn citizens, ranging from children to adults, attended Tuesday’s City Council meeting in support of a proposition to build a skate park in Auburn.

Carson Williford, an eighth grader at Auburn Junior High School, made a presentation to the council, which included a video showcasing several children and teenagers from Auburn with an interest in skateboarding.

They complained there was nowhere in Auburn for them to skate without getting in trouble.

David Zima, a sophomore in architecture, represented the college-aged skaters, saying the current skating facilities only allow middle and high school skaters.

“Unfortunately, there is no specified area in Auburn where we can all skate without getting in trouble with the police or feeling endangered because of traffic,” Zima said. “Just as a football team needs its practice fields and a basketball team needs its stadium, skaters need a park where they can practice their sport and hang out with friends.”

Verdict is still out on if girls prefer facial hair on guys

wpolley — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:21:56 -0400

Steven Webb: senior in elementary education, shows off his facial hair. Webb, like many guys, opts for the unshaven look. Lindsey Davidson / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

As kids, some guys look forward to the day they can grow a little goatee on their chin. Other guys look forward to the first time they can shave it off.

Either way, girls and guys alike have opinions on how much facial hair guys should have.

Every once in awhile some guys like to give their Gillette Fusion razor a rest and grow a little scruff.

Other guys haven’t seen a razor since that infamous shaving lesson they got from dad when they were 14.

Then there are those who never take a break, keeping the clean-shaven, razor commercial look all the time.

However, the real question is not what the guy’s prefer, it’s what do Auburn girls think about a scruffy man?

New Auburn Real Estate Society gets approval

wpolley — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

The Auburn Real Estate Society was granted provisional status by the SGA Senate last month.

“There is pretty much no real estate program at Auburn at all, so we just wanted to set up a way for students who are interested in doing that to learn more about it,” said Amanda Smith, a junior in finance and board member of the society.

Since there is no real estate major or minor, the organization has put together a list of courses students could take that would help them in their career in real estate.

Council approves bond for commercial ‘lifestyle center,’ denies Highlands’ private club request

wpolley — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

Councilman Dick Phelan: reads over documents during Tuesday’s Council meeting. He voted to approve the bond for a new commercial development, which will be located near I-85 off South College Street. Kyle Cooper / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

The Auburn City Council voted Tuesday to approve a $20 million bond agreement with West Pace LLC. The agreement is a step toward the development of a new commercial “lifestyle center” of high-end retail stores, restaurants, car dealerships and other commercial establishments.

The site for the development is at exit 51 off I-85 at South College Street. The property also backs up to Shell Toomer Parkway.

The project is estimated to cost $15 million, and developers say the architecture will be comparative to The Summit shopping center in Birmingham and The Shoppes at East Chase in Montgomery.

“This will give the Auburn people an opportunity to spend our money in Auburn, keeping the money in Auburn,” said Hank Elliott, an Auburn resident.

The development will be called the West Pace Lifestyle Center.

The vote for the development passed 7-1, with Councilwoman Sheila Eckman voting no. Councilman Bob Norman was absent from the meeting.

“I’m not convinced that an upscale development has a car dealership in it,” Eckman said. “And, looking at demographics, I’m not convinced yet, maybe in time, but not yet, to attract the class of retailers at East Chase or at The Summit.”

Several residents of Shell Toomer Parkway attended the meeting with concerns over the future of their road.

Part of the city’s agreement with the developers is that they will conduct a traffic study to evaluate the need for the widening of roads surrounding the development to handle the increased traffic flow and make any necessary adjustments.

Sports movies are more than just entertainment - they define culture

wpolley — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:29:12 -0400

For decades, sports movies have topped the charts, creating a special genre that never fails to draw crowds.

Some of these movies have become classics that will be watched and quoted for generations to come.

People all over the country know “there’s no crying in baseball,” and “If you build it, they will come,” and viewers for generations will know and understand the immortal wisdom of “Wax on, wax off.”

Police report "major developments," press conference tomorrow morning

wpolley — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 02:37:07 -0500

Auburn Assistant Police Chief Tom Dawson has said there have been "major developments" in the investigation of the murder of Lauren Burk. Auburn police will hold a press conference tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Continue to check theplainsman.com for any new developments.

‘We Are Speechless’

wpolley — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Kristi Oberholzer contributing

University rocked by student murder; Auburn police on hunt for killer

Students mourn the loss of student Lauren Burk at a vigil Wednesday night. Burk, 18, a freshman in pre-graphic design, died Tuesday after a gunshot wound.
Pete Riley / PHOTO EDITOR

Freshman female killed by single gunshot; her car found on fire in RH-Zone

Lauren Burk, an 18-year-old freshman in pre-graphic design from Marietta, Ga., was found Tuesday night at approximately 9:08 p.m. with a single gunshot wound, The Plainsman was first to report Wednesday. Burk’s body was found north of the Auburn University campus on Alabama Highway 147 (North College Street). The Lee County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a location 4.9 miles north of Auburn’s campus.

The Plainsman was first to confirm that at approximately 9:27 p.m. Tuesday, Auburn police responded to a vehicle fire at the Hinton Field RH-Zone parking lot behind the Hill residence halls.

The 2001 black Honda Civic, which was engulfed in flames, was registered to Burk, but no one was inside the car.

After the discovery of her body, Burk was transported to East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika where she was pronounced dead.

Freshman Female Killed, Burning Car Found on Campus

wpolley — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lauren Burk

Lauren Burk, an 18-year-old freshman in pre- graphic design from Marietta, Ga., was found Tuesday night at approximately 9:08 p.m. with a single gunshot wound, The Plainsman was first to report Wednesday. The Auburn Police Department confirmed at 4:10 p.m. there have been no other shootings or deaths on campus.

Burk’s body was found north of the Auburn University campus on U.S. Highway 147. The Lee County Sheriff’s office was investigating a location 4.9 miles north of Auburn’s campus.

The Plainsman was first to confirm that at approximately 9:27 p.m. Tuesday, Auburn police responded to a vehicle fire at Hinton Field RH-Zone parking lot behind the Hill residence halls.

The 2001 black Honda Civic that was engulfed in flames was registered to Burk, but no one was in the car.

After the discovery of her body, Burk was transported to East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika where she was pronounced dead.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating what they are calling an “unnatural death,” along with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, the Auburn Police Department and the Lee County District Attorney’s Office.

Auburn President Jay Gouge, who was out of town Wednesday, released a statement saying, “We are so saddened by this situation, words simply aren’t adequate. This is a close-knit community that rarely experiences such a tragedy. Our heartfelt prayers and thoughts go out to those in Lauren’s community in Marietta, her friends in Auburn and especially her family.”