Citizens discuss Auburn High parking issues
Some problems with Auburn High School parking will have to wait to be addressed until after summer.
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Some problems with Auburn High School parking will have to wait to be addressed until after summer.
Students and faculty of Auburn will soon be able to turn left onto Donahue Drive from War Eagle Way.
While many people may be hitting the road this weekend for Memorial Day, police are encouraging those using the roads to buckle up.
The construction at the Toomer’s Corner intersection may not be the only road construction taking place in Auburn this summer.
The scene in front of the Auburn Arena was ecstatic and full of energy early Saturday morning, May 2, for Bo Bikes Bama.
In the summer months, many visitors of Auburn drive through downtown to discover the shops and restaurants. However, this summer will be different.
It was frozen yogurt, the cupcake and now it is the ice pop. Throughout the past few years, ice pop shops have been popping up, with many people racing to get the chilly treat.
While the new trees were planted February 14, there will soon be more changes to Toomer’s Corner.
On March 20, the Auburn community gathered to support The Jason Dufner Foundation with a 5K that toke place at the Red Barn.
Students and residents of the Auburn-Opelika area will be getting a bigger farmer’s market soon.
The start of spring means ditching the heavy coats and boots for wedges and sundresses. For many, it also means it’s time for a new wardrobe. While magazines are great for ideas, magazine prices may not be realistic for college students.
There will soon be more industry and job opportunities in Auburn.
Downtown Auburn is home to many well-known traditions such as Samford Hall and Toomer’s Corner. But there are also some smaller, but just as special traditions, such as Anabell the “Stamp Dog.”
The owner of Southern Dogs Rescue in Auburn was sentenced the morning of Friday, Feb. 13, after she was found guilty of five counts of second-degree cruelty to animals. Deanalyn Reing was sentenced to two years of supervised probation. She also cannot house more than 25 dogs in her Coosa County shelter without checking with her probation officer. In addition, Lee County Judge Chris Hughes ordered Reing to take an online class on the welfare and behavior of animals. Reing was charged with the animal cruelty in December 2013. Homer "Buddy" Bruce treated six of the dogs at his veterinary practice in Opelika. "They appeared (to have been) left without proper care for a long period of time," Bruce said. Lee County Animal Control contacted Bruce about the case. Bruce said that when he first saw the dogs they weighed approximately half of what they were supposed to weigh. One of the dogs died shortly after arriving because it did not respond to the treatment, according to Bruce. Four of the dogs had to be put to sleep because they were acting too violently toward other dogs in order to get food. One of Bruce's staff members is keeping the sixth dog. "This is a situation where I really do believe that the defendant just got in over her head with the number of animals she was keeping," said Assistant District Attorney Gentry Jackson. Jackson said she is pleased with the results of the sentencing. "Overall I was hoping that (Reing) would understand that these animals deserved better," Jackson said. Jackson said she thanks the people from the community who helped with the case.
People of Auburn gathered in the center of the Auburn Mall on Feb. 6 to celebrate the changes that Hull Property Group has made to the mall since buying it in 2012. These changes include new stores such as T-Mobile and Francesca's Collections. Speakers at the event included: John Mulherin of Hull Property Group, Mayor of Pro Tempore Ron Anders and Lolly Steiner, president of the Auburn Alabama Chamber of Commerce. "We are extremely excited and proud," said Mulherin on the mall project. The Hull Property Group owns 21 malls across the south. According to Mulherin there will be another fashion retailer added to the mall and it will be announced soon. Mulherin said the new fashion retail store will be geared toward college aged shoppers. "We are not done yet and there's more to come and we look forward to many...good years here in Auburn," Mulherin said. "It is quite obvious..that the Hull property group runs their company like we see Auburn, as a family, where commitment to excellence is one of the things you live by each and every day.." Anders said. Steiner, who has been in the community for around 30 years, said she hopes people remember to shop local. "We appreciate the investment that the Hull Property Group has made to Auburn," Steiner said. Coles Doyle of Hull Property Group said that the property group thinks about the population of college students in the area when deciding what stores to put in the mall. Doyle said the new store will be announced potentially within the next two weeks. According to Coles Doyle the Tesla charging stations have opened at the mall. "They are the right kind of owner... they create a vision for their properties and they try to tailor that vision to the community where they are located," said Director of Economic Development Phillip Dunlap. Local leaders attended the ribbon cutting including: the City Manager and Assistant City Manager, Economic Development Director, City Council members, Police Chief, County Commissioners, County Administer, The President of the Auburn Opelika Visitors Bureau, a member of the Opelika City Council and Opelika Chamber President. The festivities will continue all day tomorrow (Feb. 6) from 11:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. The events will include performances from MelAUdic, the Auburn University Rhythm Dance Troupe and much more. There will also be a Balloon Man, prize giveaways and shopping specials.
Comedian James Gregory will perform at the Event Center Downtown in Opelika on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 purchased ahead of time or $30 the day of the event, according to the event center's website. Gregory, who has done comedy since 1982, began his career at a comedy club in Atlanta when he was dared by friends to perform on an amateur night. He has since performed more than 6,000 times, Gregory said. According to Gregory his first live show was in Birmingham in June 1983. Gregory said there were three generations of family in the audience of a recent show. A reporter from The Huntsville Times dubbed Gregory "The Funniest man in America," according to Gregory. "To be real funny all you have to do is keep your eyes and ears open," Gregory said. He said he gets ideas for his material from anything from news to radio. His comedy bits are on subjects range from McDonald's McNuggets to miserable Kmart lines. "It takes you 30 seconds to find what you want and the rest of your life to get through checkout," Gregory said in a video posted on YouTube. Gregory said one of his favorite topics to talk about during his shows is airplanes, because people love hearing about how he doesn't enjoy flying. Gregory said aspiring comedians should see if local comedy clubs have an amateur night. "There's only one way to do it, you need to find the nearest comedy club," Gregory said. According to Gregory, well-known comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and David Letterman got their start on amateur nights. "I think people should laugh more than they laugh," Gregory said. He said he enjoys "pure comedy" where it is just a comedian talking to the audience with no props or distractions. Gregory said he appreciates being able to travel the country and meeting people. "(There is) always some comedy there," said Mark Thompson, Gregory's theater promoter. He described Gregory as a storyteller with a fun mannerism to him. Thompson and Gregory met in the winter of 1993. According to Thompson, Billy Gardell who plays Mike in the CBS sitcom "Mike and Molly," looks up to Gregory. "(He) takes us back to a time where life was simpler" said Lenny Sisselman, Gregory's personal manager. He said Gregory's shows are about topics people can relate to. According to Sisselman, even though Gregory has been in the business for decades, he continues to be able to attract crowds to his live shows. "James Gregory seemed like a great fit," said Lisa Ditchkoff, owner of the Event Center Downtown.
The Lee County Literacy Coalition is hosting its third annual "Reading Between the Wines" fundraiser Thursday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. The event will take place at the Event Center Downtown in Opelika. There will be dinner and a wine tasting, and author Rhonda Rich will speak. There will also be music provided by The Mary Slaton Trio. Rich, who was once a sports writer, is now known for her best-selling books, such as My Life in The Pits, a book about her time as a reporter covering NASCAR, according to her website. "It's a good time for a great cause, and this year will be no exception," said Chris Warren, board member of the Lee County Literacy Coalition. Warren is helping plan the event and said he thought Rich would be a good fit for the fundraiser after he saw her speak at a Rotary event. Warren said the Lee County Literacy Coalition often brings in authors to speak about literacy issues. Warren said community involvement is necessary for the event. "The event wouldn't be possible without support of the community," Warren said. Warren also said there is "no particular goal" for how much money they hope to raise from the event. However, they hope for at least 100 attendees. Warren said the Lee County Literacy Coalition is always looking for volunteers. According to Warren, much of the money raised from the event will go toward purchasing teaching materials and GED software. "The main expense we have is supplies," said Bill Walsh, former president and secretary of the Lee County Literacy Coalition. Walsh was a tutor with the coalition for 10 years. Walsh said he originally worked in textile engineering, but heard about the Lee County Literacy Coalition through friends from his church. Walsh said he once tutored a man who had a learning disability and had to drop out of school at a young age. Walsh said the man memorized the book of Genesis in the Bible and referenced it to learn the words. "I worked with that man for almost 10 years and enjoyed every bit of it," Walsh said. Walsh said the event is primarily a fundraiser, but it brings great visibility for the organization. Walsh said students could help with "The Deliverance," an after school program the Lee County Literacy Coalition works with. "This is our 25th anniversary this year," said Sue Edge, executive director of the Lee County Literacy Coalition. Edge said the mission of the Lee County Literacy Coalition is to reach out to the community to assist people by offering tutoring and GED classes. In 2013, the program helped 113 youth and 94 adults, and 36 percent of people who took classes to earn a GED earned one, according to Edge. Edge said there are Auburn students who tutor and intern with the Lee County Literacy Coalition. Auburn students looking to get involved with the organization can call Edge at (334) 705-0001. Tickets are on sale at Behind the Glass, the Event Center Downtown in Opelika and Spicer's Music in Auburn. Tickets are $50 per person.
Many students flock to the Heart of Auburn shopping center off College Street. It hosts popular student eateries such as Tazikis and Burger Fi. When Auburn University students returned from winter break, they found the dirt lot in the shopping center was under construction. While one of the lots under construction is going to be a parking lot, the other is going to be a Newk's Eatery, according to city documents. Newk's will be on the north side and there will be more parking on the south side, according to Forrest Cotten, director of planning for the city of Auburn. Because of the popularity of the complex, the area is often very crowded. It is not a rare sight to see cars parked in non-parking areas. "A lot of that space in that multi-tenant building up front was dedicated to restaurants, which have one of the more stringent parking requirements," Cotten said. Cotten said when the plan for the CVS at the Heart of Auburn was released, it was not clear what the extra lots would be used for. According to Cotten, there have been issues with dirt being tracked into the road from the dirt lot. Cotten said since the dirt lot that was used as parking overflow is now under construction, there is less parking available than ever. According to Deputy Economic Development Director Megan McGowen, the additions to the complex will create 80 new spots. Josh Wilson, sophomore in physical education, said he is going to walk to the shopping center from his apartment complex to avoid having to find a parking spot. Developers of the Heart of Auburn wanted the development to be tied to the campus, according to McGowen. "The hope was that some people would walk to the development," McGowen said.
Young adults around Lee County are getting ready to take the plunge to support the Lee County Special Olympics. The 3rd Annual Polar Plunge to support the Lee County Special Olympics will take place Jan. 31 at 9 a.m. at Samford Pool, located at 465 Wrights Mill Road. According to Ryan Molt who is in charge of the event, the participants will jump into the pool, and some may attempt to do laps. Last year the pool was 38.4 degrees, Molt said. Molt, who hosted the first Polar Plunge in his backyard, said it is free to participate in the event but they ask for at least a $20 sponsorship. Moly said last year they had 55 plungers and raised $10,000 and the first year they had 18 plungers and raised $4,000. Participants dress up in fun costumes and there are prizes for the costume contest, as well as prizes awarded to those that raise the most money. Usually the prizes are gift cards from local businesses according to Molt. There will be a Post Plunge Party at Finks Craft Bar & Grill according to the events Facebook page. Joey Young will be there to perform live music. The money raised from the event will pay for the travel and uniforms for the athletes of the Lee County Special Olympics. The Lee County Special Olympics is "so thankful for community and support" they have gotten from the Lee County community said Dana Stewart, director for the Lee County Special Olympics. Stewart said that the Lee County Special Olympics has approximately 500-600 athletes including adults. Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics in the 1950s when she realized children with disabilities needed a place to interact with others, according to the Special Olympics website. Cynthia Caldwell-Jackson got involved in the organization via her daughter Sherrell who has special needs. Sherrell has been involved in bowling and is now a participant in track and field with the organization. She first started participating with Lee County Special Olympics when she was in sixth grade and is now 24. Cynthia is now a certified coach in track and field for the Special Olympics. Cynthia said the program has helped change her life. It is clear that this organization has been a positive experience for Cynthia and her daughter. When asked about her daughter's involvement in the organization Cynthia said that Sherrell reminds her when it is time to go to practice. Cynthia said that the order of events for the Special Olympics is a local tournament then the State tournament in Troy and then the National game. For more information or to sign up for the event go to the event Facebook page "3rd Annual Auburn Polar Plunge."
There will be a new exhibit rolling into Auburn soon. Artist John Himmelfarb's "TRUCKS" will be open Jan. 24-May 10 at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. The sculpture "Penelope Awaiting Her Chamberlain," constructed out of a 1946 Chevrolet truck, is currently displayed in front of the museum. The exhibit is a survey of Himmelfarb's expressive art, from drawings to actual trucks, according to the museum's website. Himmelfarb will be in the museum the first week of the exhibition to finish a piece for the exhibit. He said he thought the piece was completed, but then decided he wanted to add more. Dennis Harper, curator of collections and exhibitions at the museum, said there is a camera in place to capture Himmelfarb painting the piece and it will be streamed online. "We will be able to compile it and compress it so it will be like a time lapse," Harper said. While people can watch the painting be created online, Harper said he hopes people come and interact with Himmelfarb as he is creating the piece. "He hopes that people will come and engage in conversation with him and give him their feedback," Harper said. The title of the piece is "Grace" and the piece is 35 feet long, according to the spring 2015 edition of the museum's member magazine. The exhibit has been in the making for approximately three years, according to Harper. "Abstract expressionism was the predominant style when John was coming up in the art world," Harper said. The exhibit includes a variety of artwork because Himmelfarb works with many materials, according to Harper. Charlotte Hendrix, communications and marketing specialist with the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, said Himmelfarb enjoys talking to people about his work and working in front of his audience. The exhibit offers something for a variety of ages. There will be a film series that goes along with the exhibit called FILM@JCSM. Before each movie, there will be an introduction from Auburn scholars and guests. The movies that will be shown during the series include "Annie Get Your Gun," "Strangers on a Train" and "Fruitvale Station." The series starts Jan. 29. More info can be found on eventbrite.com.