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(08/19/14 8:00pm)
There are plenty of good deals in Auburn -- if you know where to look.
The first place to find a bargain is in the grocery store, according to Stephen Milton, senior in chemical engineering.
"If you're lucky enough, you can usually get cheap gallons of milk from Kroger on Sunday on Manager's Special, since they're close to expiring," Milton said. "By expiring, I mean that they still have a week before the [sell by] date, so if you drink as much milk as me, it's a good deal."
Other items on Manager's Special at Kroger include produce, cheese, bakery items and packaged goods.
"They sometimes stick perfectly good products with damaged packaging [there] that are still fine," Milton said.
Erin Conway, junior in chemical engineering, spends a lot of time on campus and tries to make her meal plan stretch as far as possible.
One of her go-to meals is the macaroni and cheese at Go Greek, which costs 84 cents. Other good deals on campus include 50 cent pancakes at AU Smokehouse in Foy Dining Hall.
Richard Polke, senior in psychology, uses coupons that come in the mail to make his meals cheaper. For deals on clothing and shoes, Belk offers a 10 percent discount on certain brands if the shopper uses a Belk credit or debit card.
"It's not always the case, but for most it is," Polke said. "[For] Polo brand, the 10 percent only works on their clearance items, not the new items that just came off the truck."
Online is another place to look for deals on clothes.
"Haute Look, Jacks Threads [and] Frank and Oak have great things for boys, and Rue La La [and] Fab.com have great things for girls," Polke said. "All of those are online stores. And, Touch of Modern has great things for anybody. All of those sites sell things at discount prices."
For those who would rather spend their time outdoors, the Chewacla State Park annual pass is a good investment.
"My friend, Becca, went so much she got her money's worth and then some," Milton said.
For an individual, the pass is $60. Regular entrance costs $2 per adult on weekdays and $3 per adult on weekends.
Milton summed up his preferred way to find the best deal.
"The best way to save money is to only buy what's important to you," Milton said.
(08/16/14 6:52pm)
Each year, thousands of girls arrive in Auburn early in order to participate in sorority recruitment with the hopes of getting in their favorite sorority. This year was no different as the green space outside of the basketball arena was filled with friends and family of those participating in recruitment.
As the door to the arena flung open, nearly 1400 girls sprinted out of the gymnasium most of which were happy with their sorority choice.
With rumors spreading throughout the Greek community that this year's recruitment would be one of the largest in the school's history, Jill Moore, the director of Auburn Greek life, said this year's recruitment was the same as every years with the exception of the number of girls.
"Over the past five years, the average new member class has been about 60 members, but that has been creeping upward," Moore said. "Based on the trends and registration and the size of the incoming freshmen class, some classes may have about 70 girls."
Moore, who estimated there to be between 1,400 and 1,500 potential members prior to recruitment, said this recruitment while larger than previous years, was still only a few potential members more than the five-year average.
"It's only about 200 more than our five-year average of 1, 214," Moore said. "The Pi Chi groups might have had two or three more people and we had to order a little more supplies, but the process did not change."
Moore continued on to say that the new member learning process, which comes after recruitment is finished, will not be affected by the larger group of girls.
"We always want new member education processes to be safe and fun," Moore said. "But these new member classes will not be big enough to mandate a change in the way we do things."
This year, Auburn panhellenic gave out 1,278 bids to girls who are now referred to as new members. 1401 girls were registered for recruitment but 17 were no shows, leaving 1,384 girls that participated in sorority recruitment.
Anna McCarthy, a junior in marketing and member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority, said this year's rush was one that brought their sorority together while having the chance to meet a great group of girls.
"There was so much planning involved at times which could be a little much," McCarthy said. "However, a lot of people stepped up to the plate to help which brought everyone closer I think. I'm just excited to watch these girls join our sorority and develop over the next couple of years."
McCarthy, who accepted a bid from Pi Beta Phi nearly two years ago to the day, said she remembers the feeling of opening the panhellenic paper and knows the excitement the girls are feeling right now and will feel for some time to come.
"It's an overwhelming feeling but it really doesn't set in until a few days later," McCarthy said. "Going through a week of rush isn't as easy as some people make it out to be. There's a lot of waking up early and a list of other things. Today is a day of celebration and finally some relaxation for everyone."
Hope Hays, an incoming freshman and now a new member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, said the experience was exhausting at times but worth it when it is all said and done.
"I met a lot of awesome girls over the past week and made friendships that may not have been made without going through recruitment," Hays said. "I'm so excited and blessed to have the opportunity to join ADPI. A week of recruitment is without a doubt worth it when bid day comes around and I can't wait to see what the coming years have in store."
The new members will now go through their sorority's new member education process prior to be initiated into the sorority in which they received a bid.
(08/13/14 12:00pm)
Foy Hall will remain operational during the fall semester despite ongoing renovations, according to Jim Carroll, Auburn University architect.
Construction on the east plaza should finish by the beginning of the fall semester.
However, renovations to the west plaza will not conclude until January 2015, according to Carroll.
"The [eastern plaza] renovation is an effort to connect Ross Square and Foy Hall," Carroll said. "The western courtyard is in demolition stage right now."
Renovations to the western courtyard will remove bricks and add more green space.
"A lot of people complained about the courtyard before," said Carroll, "It was a bit of a tired space."
Chicken Salad Chick will open with an outside dining area in the new courtyard when renovations finish. Chicken Salad Chick was announced as a new restaurant coming to campus last February.
"I like the idea of the chicken salad restaurant," said Jonathan Land, a recent graduate of Auburn in history. "There definitely needs to be more seating outside."
Auburn alumna Stacy Brown started the restaurant in Auburn, and now has more than 60 restaurants in the Southeast, according to the company's website.
"I know a lot of students are looking forward to a new place to eat," said Sam Hickman, senior in media studies.
Foy Hall will operate as normal for students, including the food court, this fall.
Access will only be restricted to areas under construction in the western courtyard, according to Carroll.
"I've seen the plans and I think it's ok," Hickman said. "They're re-landscaping and have some of the entrances closed, so it's inconvenient."
Along with the food court, Foy Hall houses several student-oriented services including the Veterans Resource Center, First Year Experience Offices and International Education.
Funds for the construction for the $2.2 million renovation of the western courtyard came from Auxiliary Services working through Student Affairs.
According to Carroll, the east plaza's $150,000 construction cost came through a deferred fund tied to the maintenance of Ross Square.
(07/30/14 5:48pm)
Charter Communications says it is finalizing a deal with ESPN to carry the SEC Network, according to Charter spokesperson.
Fans will be able to watch their Auburn Tigers compete on the SEC Network via Charter Communications, a major telecommunications provider in Auburn, when the network is scheduled to launch Aug. 14.
The SEC Network will televise 45 football games, more than 100 men's basketball games, 60 women's basketball games and 75 baseball games in its first year.
Programming on the SEC Network will air around the clock.
Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks signed on to carry the SEC Network last week and deals are also in place with Comcast, Dish Network, Cox Media and AT&T U-Verse.
Auburn will open the 2014 season on the SEC Network against Arkansas on Aug. 30, at 3 p.m. CT.
No official announcement has been made at this time. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
(07/24/14 4:46pm)
The outpouring of love and respect for Philip Lutzenkirchen continued on Thursday morning at the Auburn University Golf Club.
Former players, friends and family came out to play in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes-Philip Lutzenkirchen Golf Event and help raise money for the Auburn University FCA Chapter.
"Mack Van Gorder told me about the outing," said Trent Fisher, former Auburn football player. "I came to celebrate Lutz and be with the family and love on them."
Lutzenkirchen's parents, Mike and Mary Lutzenkirchen, were joined by their three daughters Amy, Ann and Abby -- all wearing the familiar orange and blue that Philip wore during his playing days at Auburn.
Will Herring, who helped put the event together, spoke of Lutzenkirchen's involvement with the FCA.
"Phil was a big part of what we [FCA] were doing on campus," said Herring. "He impacted so many people."
Kim Evans, head coach of the Auburn women's golf team, stated that the day was also for the Lutzenkirchen family.
"It gives them a chance to hug necks, say thank you and feel the support and love," Evans said.
Evans was also encouraged by the turnout.
"We were hoping for 60 golfers and we have about 60-70," said Evans, noting that the event had only been planned for a week.
The Auburn University FCA will also host a 50th anniversary celebration tonight at the Auburn University Arena at 6 p.m.
Guests will included Coach Gus Malzahn and Rev. Chette Williams, the football team chaplain.
Mike Lutzenkirchen, Philip's father, will emcee the event. Philip was originally scheduled to be the emcee before his death last month.
Lutzenkirchen, speaking before the golfers teed off, talked about his family.
"This is another hurdle our family is going through," Lutzenkirchen said. "This turnout is amazing."
(07/14/14 9:01pm)
A lot has changed in the two years since Reese Dismukes was arrested for public intoxication on April 25, 2012.
His arrest was compounded by a 3-9 2012 season that was the worst in over 60 years for the Auburn program.
But Dismukes rebounded in 2013, anchoring the nation's top rushing attack and earning All-SEC first team honors while avoiding off-the-field issues.
Projected to start at center for the fourth consecutive season, Dismukes is now an entrenched leader for the Tigers, both on and off the field.
"A lot of times your center is an offensive leader," head coach Gus Malzahn said. "But I truly believe Reese is a team leader. He's a tough guy, comes to practice every day. He demands that his teammates practice at the level that the coaches expect. He's an extension of the coaches. We're very fortunate to have him."
Dismukes has developed into a quarterback of sorts for the Auburn's offensive line, due to the multitude of responsibilities he fulfills on each snap.
"In our offense, our center is just as important a lot of times as our quarterback with what we ask him to do, with the communication," Malzahn said. "You know, when you play fast, they have to ID things extremely quick and make decisions on the run."
Dismukes said he takes a more vocal approach to leadership than fellow team leader Nick Marshall.
"I'm more of the vocal guy out there trying to keep all the guys going, especially I'm the leader up front," Dismukes said. "Me and Chad Slade, he's a senior as well, but however I can be used, I'll do what I have to do."
It hasn't been hard, either, for Dismukes to remain open-minded and learn from Malzahn and offensive line coach J.B. Grimes.
"I think Coach Malzahn is a great, great offensive mind and just a genius," Dismukes said. "I think that has a lot to do with a lot of our success. He, Coach Lashlee and Coach Horton all work so well together so they're a huge part of success."
As a personal goal, Dismukes hopes to return to his hometown of Mobile upon the end of his Auburn career to participate in the annual Senior Bowl.
"That's always been a personal goal of mine, growing up in Mobile and always seeing those guys from Mobile going from something like the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game to the NCAA Senior Bowl" Dismukes said. "I think that would be a great experience if I'm lucky enough to be selected, but that is way down the road."
For now though, Dismukes said he is focused on the season-opener against Arkansas and erasing the memory of falling 13 seconds short of a BCS National Championship.
"In everything we do, we're trying to get 13 seconds better," Dismukes said. "13 seconds better getting to class, 13 seconds better brushing our teeth; just 13 seconds better."
(07/12/14 4:00pm)
In the near future, when an order is placed online, the customer may no longer receive the package through the traditional United States Postal Service, ground or air delivery. Instead, an unmanned drone will deliver the package.
Chase Murray, associate professor in the department of industrial and systems engineering, is part of a research group at Auburn that has developed a plan to address changes in the material handling and logistics industry. These changes could allow for packages to be delivered by unmanned drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within two years.
"(Technology's) heading that way," Murray said. "However, we are still a ways off. Right now, it's illegal to fly UAVs for commercial purposes in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration will not allow it, but it is supposed to provide Congress with guidelines for the use of UAVs in 2015."
Murray said the idea came about after seeing an episode of 60 Minutes, which did a feature on Amazon. The episode revealed Amazon had UAVs and were planning to use them to start delivering packages.
"This sent shockwaves through the industry because of all the manpower (drones) could save," Murray said. "Instead of a person flying a plane, its an unmanned aircraft."
Amazon uses an eight-rotor octocopter, which is outfitted with a lunchbox-type carrier that sits below the UAV. The carrier can hold packages weighing up to six pounds. The octocopter will fly to the driveway, land, release the package and then fly away, Murray said.
The one major drawback right now is the UAV's battery life, which only allows for the Amazon's UAVs to travel within a 10 mile radius, according to Murray.
"That's very limited," Murray said. "The solution would be to try and increase battery capacity. However, that comes with a tradeoff. A better battery is probably heavier which may take away from the flight endurance of the UAV."
Murray teamed up with three other Auburn professors in order to workout the technical challenges.
David Bevly, professor in mechanical engineering, is responsible for working with the GPS and trying to find alternatives to GPS navigation.
"The UAVs rely on GPS, which is not a very reliable source," Murray said. "More work needs to be done in order for the drone to find its exact destination."
According to Murray, another drawback is the chance they may collide with passenger airplanes. Saad Biaz, professor in computer science and software engineering, is working on collision avoidance technology.
"We have a fleet of small UAVs that are able to fly in the same airspace," Murray said. "They avoid collisions by communicating with the ground control station that directs traffic."
Kevin Gue, associate professor in the department of industrial and systems engineering, works on a logistics plan which involves the process of getting goods from the manufacturer to the customer.
Gue said the idea came about after he met with Henrik Christensen of Georgia Tech at a Material Handling Industry (MHI) meeting. It was at the meeting Christensen suggested the materials handling and logistics industry undertake a plan similar to the one he had orchestrated for the robotics industry.
"It's from that roadmap that he came up with the idea of advancing technologies for delivery by UAVs," Murray said.
Gue utilized his research expertise in warehousing, material handling and order fulfillment to examine how upcoming technologies can have a direct impact on companies now, as well as 10 to 15 years in the future.
With companies like Amazon pioneering the use of UAVs through package delivery, Gue said he believes the industry will undergo a change.
"In robotics in particular, we're going to see a revolution in the next three to 10 years that I think is going to be shocking and exciting at the same time," Gue said. "We're going to have robots doing things that we never thought could be done. The technology is pushing us."
(07/11/14 12:00pm)
Two Auburn students received the opportunity to appear in the movie "Selma" set to release January 2015.
JaMichael White, senior in radio, television and film, and Markell Houser, junior in industrial design, are set to appear in the film depicting the 1965 voting marches from Selma, Georgia to Montgomery that took place at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement.
The movie was filmed in Atlanta and Selma and is produced by Oprah Winfrey, who will also have a leading role in the movie.
According to White, he discovered the opportunity online and attended an open casting call in Selma. He received information on what possible roles he could play in the movie after submitting a headshot and application.
White was selected to be one of nine individuals to act as a student militant group.
"It really just fell into my lap," White said. "It is a blessing how it all played out."
With plans to pursue a career in acting, White said he feels the long days and number of hours he spent on set well prepared him for the future.
While he did not have a main role, he gained acting experience on set.
The characters White and his companions portrayed in the film sing and stand with Martin Luther King Jr. as advocates for a change.
"It was convicting to be a part of something that was so huge in the '60s," White said.
After filming for a week with long hours, White said he appreciates his first on-screen role and the opportunity to build his portfolio.
Ric Smith, media studies professor, said he is proud a student from his department is already achieving such success.
"It is a great compliment to him," Smith said. "JaMichael is taking what he has learned in class and applying it to the real world."
According to Smith, students in media studies do not take acting classes, but learn the discipline that goes into filmmaking.
Houser, like White, said he feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to appear in the film.
After hearing about the opportunity on WSFA News, Houser, who has grown up hearing about the Civil Rights Movement, applied to be an extra.
"I thought it would be only fitting since so much of the film is my history," Houser said.
Born in Selma and growing up in Montgomery, Houser felt a personal tie to the film.
Houser served as an extra during the marching scenes, where he stood toward the back, and marched with other cast members in Montgomery toward the capitol building.
Although his role did not require a costume, and he did not plan on being featured in the film, Houser said he believes the film will serve as a learning opportunity for those who do not know about the Civil Rights Movement.
Houser said he looks forward to the day where he will be able to pause the film and point out his role in the scene.
(07/02/14 3:07pm)
The Auburn City Council debated a temporary Magnolia Avenue road block set for Friday, Aug. 29, at the Tuesday, July 1, meeting.
Auburn's University Program Council will be planning a concert downtown Magnolia Avenue, Friday, Aug. 29, resulting in a total roadblock of Magnolia Avenue from afternoon until night.
"That's devastating for business," said John Hyink, co-owner of 1716. "There are four restaurants, three clothing shops and one outdoor store that will be directly affected. The city and the businesses will be losing money."
The event will also be the day before Auburn's first SEC game of the season, a major revenue period for local businesses.
"We would love to be afforded all of the advantages of football season," Hyink said.
However, UPC spokesperson said they believe using Magnolia Avenue will provide vital exposure for the first annual event.
"We want to make sure we are doing everything to make this event a success," said UPC advisor Michael Rapay. "We are spending close to $60,000 for this event. We don't want to take a chance and have it in a spot where it may not be seen or heard. We are taking the steps to give all of the appropriate opportunities in our advertisements to say come downtown and shop with our merchants."
According to Mayor Bill Ham, the council will search for a decision that satisfies both groups.
Ham suggested closing off the Gay Street parking lot for the event, which would not affect businesses as much.
"Unfortunately, the Magnolia issue has been a long running issue," said councilman Ron Anders Jr. "I don't think you're going to have a problem from an exposure standpoint, if people hear of the event they'll want to come to it. I think if we move it to another location it creates a win-win situation."
In addition, the council approved to establish two stop signs in the Cotswolds subdivision and approved to establish nine stop signs in the Mimms Trail subdivision.
The council also approved a commercial development agreement for the Corner Village Shopping Center.
(06/20/14 4:00pm)
Cat's view:
Yes, we are still living in a weak economy. Finding a remedy to our economic woes is paramount, but this doesn't mean we should support every solution proposed.
Raising the minimum wage is a quick-fix solution Americans would be smart to avoid. Sure, it sounds nice, but the reality is anything but nice.
Obviously, the money has to come from somewhere. The government may make the law, but they aren't giving any money to the people who actually pay out: business owners.
It's the business owners who will have no choice, but to increase their selling prices to stay within the law. This includes price increases for food, clothing, gas and anything else you frequently buy.
Say goodbye to the Dollar Menu.
Economists David Neumark, of UC-Irvine, and William Wascher, of the Federal Reserve Board, recently released a collective study showing 85 percent of research points to a loss of jobs following an increase in minimum wage.
Since the majority of the retail workforce is comprised of minimum wage employees, the already difficult task of finding a job for unskilled workers will become much worse. When businesses are forced to pay people more, they naturally hire fewer people.
So if you happen to be one of the lucky few with a job, you'll be explaining to infuriated customers why they can no longer afford their lunches.
Let's say we do raise the minimum wage. Will the poor really benefit? Unfortunately, the answer is no. According to the Census Bureau, approximately 60 percent of people living in poverty are unemployed and would not benefit from a raise.
We should also pay attention to the 28 states that have increased the minimum wage in the four years prior to the most recent federal minimum wage increase. Economists from Cornell and American Universities found no associated reduction in poverty rates in these states.
Another study, published in the Journal of Human Resources, found a higher minimum wage can actually increase the proportion of families living at or near the poverty.
This is the result of business owners being forced to make the tough choice of cutting staff or closing shop.
The real issue is inflation.
If we continue to ignore the corporate price gouging that's already making our hard earned cash disappear faster than ever before, the minimum wage will be the last thing to worry about.
__________________________________________________________
Raye's view:
The minimum wage was established in America in 1938 when President Roosevelt signed into law the post-Depression era Fair Labor Standards Act, placing the minimum wage at 25 cents per hour and establishing a maximum 44-hour work week.
The value of the minimum wage rose steadily to adjust for inflation, according to raisetheminimumwage.com, until it reached its high point in 1968 at $1.60 per hour, when Congress began failing to adjust for inflation.
At its inception, the minimum wage was meant to be a living wage, or the amount of money an earner could feasibly live on and stay above the poverty line.
A minimum wage employee earning $7.25 per hour working 40 hours per week will only earn $15,080 per year.
The poverty line rests just above that at $15,130.
Living at or below the poverty line isn't earning a living wage -- it's the definition of poverty.
We like to think those working at minimum wage jobs are teenagers and college students, but that simply isn't the reality.
Many people working these jobs have husbands, wives and children they're supporting. Many of them work two jobs just to make ends meet.
What can't you pay for earning a $15,130 yearly wage?
A house.
A decent car.
College.
You may be able to have one of those things, but with the cost of gas, groceries, electricity, water -- with a $500 per month rent payment, you're already out $6,000 -- nearly half of your yearly earnings -- and few apartments are cheap.
By raising the minimum wage, we give people a chance.
A chance to get out of government housing.
A chance to rise above welfare.
Without it? We keep the poor poor.
We make the wealth divide even greater and the climb to the top even steeper.
We take away the chances of those who are already given so little.
The current minimum wage is creating a ceiling for those who already have little.
It forces men and women into working, sometimes upwards of 80 hours per week -- and for what? Survival.
The minimum wage is not a living wage.
By refusing to raise it, we condemn the 3.6 million people earning $7.25 or less to a life of near poverty, poverty or worse.
(06/08/14 7:00pm)
Debates over whether to retroactively claim national championships are not a new topic in college football. Nor are they confined to the Auburn football program.
The debate has reached a tipping point in recent months on the Plains as fans, alumni and media members take to social media to voice their opinion as to whether Auburn should claim NCAA recognized national championships in 1913, 1983, 1993 and 2004.
"I think the important thing is that we're discussing this now," said former Auburn kicker Al Del Greco, a member of the controversial 1983 team. "If the powers that be at Auburn decide it best to leave it as is, and not claim, I'm fine with that then. But if they want to go ahead and claim them, I understand why they would do that."
Michael Skotnicki, Birmingham-based lawyer and author of the book "Auburn's Unclaimed National Championships," said the issue often comes down to semantics and the standard to which Auburn wants to hold itself.
"People, when they address this issue, tend to get into this idea that they need to find who is 'the' national champion," Skotnicki said. "They don't think a national championship can be claimed unless they were 'the national champion.'"
The NCAA as an organization has never selected an annual national champion in football.
Instead, it recognizes "National Champion Major Selectors" based on poll results and computer rankings.
While two polls generally receive the most widespread acceptance, the Associated Press poll of sportswriters and the United Press International's poll of coaches, the NCAA Record Book recognizes a total of 35 polls as "National Champion Major Selectors."
The methods used in these polls varied from the mathematical formulas of the Litkenhous poll to the Williamson power ratings system created by New Orleans geologist and former Sugar Bowl committee member Paul Williamson.
"People today recognize national championships based on those," Skotnicki said. "They may have some historical value, but they're terrible. They were terrible ways of choosing a national champion."
Auburn currently only claims two national championships: the 1957 AP National Championship and the 2010 BCS National Championship.
Although the University only claims two, the Tigers are listed in the NCAA Record Book as national champions in 1913 (Billingsley), 1983 (The New York Times, Billingsley, Sagarin, FACT, Football Research) and 1993 (National Championship Foundation) as well.
While the majority of schools only claim AP and UPI national championships from the pre-BCS era, a number of schools, such as Ohio State ('61, '70), Tennessee ('40, '50, '67) and Ole Miss ('59, '60, '62), claim national championships awarded by other selectors.
According to Skotnicki, this portion of the discussion often comes down to whether the University should hold itself to a higher standard than "our peer football programs."
"If it's good enough for the NCAA, then why shouldn't Auburn recognize that?" Skotnicki said. "Should we be stricter than the NCAA and does it benefit Auburn to do so?"
Multiple interview requests made to Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs, who was a member of the 1983 team, were not returned.
While Del Greco said he understands the historical precedent Auburn set by not claiming other championships, he said the issue should be up for discussion with the changing times.
"Up until this point it has been the way that Auburn has always looked at it," Del Greco said. "I also think that times change and if the relevancy of those polls are enough that there are multiple schools going back and claiming it before this college football playoff system begins, then it's a great recruiting tool. Five looks better than two."
Del Greco hesitated to take a firm stance on the subject and said he already considered the 1983 team national champions anyway.
"If they wanted to claim it, I wouldn't have a problem with it," Del Greco said. "The times are changing and others have done it. If we choose to leave it as is, well that's kind of always been the Auburn way so I'd be fine with it too."
(06/04/14 7:54pm)
After weeks of campaigning, Rep. Mike Hubbard overcame the Republican primary after defeating opponent Sandy Toomer more than 60 percent to 40 percent the popular vote in Lee County Tuesday, June 3.
University of Georgia alumnus, Hubbard arrived in Auburn two weeks after graduation in 1983 where he worked for six years in the Auburn Athletic Department as Associate Sports Information Director. In 1990, he left Auburn University to begin Auburn's radio and television sports network and began his career in politics.
"I met Bob Riley who was running for Congress at the time, went to lunch at Price's Barbecue House, and just liked him," Hubbard said. "I got involved in his campaign with the radio, and he inspired me to get involved in politics. I had never been political before, but he was and still is my political mentor."
Hubbard was first elected office in 1998 to a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives. He was also re-elected in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
"I was always praying that the people of the district could see through all of the attacks," Hubbard said. "They know me, they know my family, and they know what I've done in representing this area. I knew the attacks were coming out of Montgomery from the Alabama Education Association. The voters sent a pretty clear message that they weren't going to be deceived."
Hubbard's primary goal is to continue efficiency in state government. Public safety, information technology and education efficiency combined have saved $100 million per year. Alabama's graduation percentage has increased and the high school dropout rate is falling.
"There's no reason we can't be top ten in education in the country, but we're not going to do it by continuing to do the same things they have been doing for fifty years," Hubbard said.
After his primary election success, Hubbard will continue to campaign to represent House District 79 in the general election in November against Democratic nominee Shirley Scott-Harris.
"Auburn University is really my number one priority," Hubbard said. "It always has been and always will be. It's what drives District 79. President Jay Gogue said that I have earned a reputation as Auburn's greatest champion in the legislature. I'm proud of what we have been able to accomplish and look forward to doing even more."
(05/22/14 6:00pm)
The recent revitalization of Auburn athletics has the 2014-2015 school year primed to potentially be one of the most exciting Auburn sports years in recent memory.
From Jordan-Hare Stadium to the friendly confines of Jane B. Moore Field, a large number of Auburn's sports teams are currently rounding into championship form.
A large percentage of the excitement surrounding Auburn athletics comes from the work of Gus Malzahn and his staff.
This city has never seemed as down on itself as it was during the 2012 season. Not only had the Tigers just completed their worst season in close to 60 years, but the treasured Toomer's Oaks were ceremoniously removed after the season.
But things change when the football team starts winning, and the spirits of the Auburn faithful can handle turbulence elsewhere as long as there is a winning football team.
So, while you have the misfortune of coming to the Plains one year after the most wildly unexpected championship season in recent memory, there's little reason to think this year can't be just as exciting as the last.
The excitement in Auburn athletics has spilled over to the hardwood of Auburn Arena, as new head coach Bruce Pearl finally has people talking about Auburn basketball.
Mercifully gone are the days of Tony Barbee basketball. You're lucky to have missed out on that irrelevant era of hardwood mediocrity.
The hiring of Pearl, who revitalized the Tennessee basketball program from 2005-2011, has the national media and top recruits once again taking notice that yes, Auburn does indeed have men's basketball.
His turnaround may not happen immediately, but at the bare minimum Pearl's frenetic style of play should make home games entertaining again.
Though falls in Auburn are generally reserved for football and early parts of the basketball season, Jay Jacobs' recent hires have pumped energy back into the school's baseball and softball programs.
Sunny Golloway of the baseball team and softball's Clint Myers bring a postseason pedigree to the Plains, and though both may not bring in championships this season, their history suggests a potentially quick turnaround in upcoming years.
Even if you're not a passionate sports follower, the culture and pageantry surrounding football in Auburn is enough to make a fan out of the most apathetic.
Enjoy it for what it is, as few things in the world put cars on the sidewalks and brings a town to a standstill quite like a football Saturday on the Plains.
(04/24/14 10:00pm)
When you hear someone mention the year 1856, most people think of the United States pre-Civil War. But Auburn students know that's the year their beloved University was established. One hundred and fifty-eight years of tradition and prestige later, Auburn is a school to be proud of. The University offers more than 60 innovative programs, but it didn't start out that way. Jack Simms, former journalist for the Associated Press and retired head of Auburn's journalism department, remembers the school before a former journalism program even existed. A 1949 graduate, Simms looks fondly at the progress the University has made, and the opportunities his Auburn degree has given him. You went to Auburn back when it was known as the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. What was it like back then in comparison with what it was like today? I graduated with an English-journalism degree in 1949. Back then, journalism was part of the English department. They didn't have enough faculty or courses to have a full journalism major. There were a total of maybe 20 in my major, and only three or four people graduated with me. We only had one full-time journalism teacher. The program's come a long way. Did you always know you wanted to be a journalist? What made you want to go into that field? Well, I was in pre-veterinary medicine, and my sister had been the editor of The Plainsman, and she had already graduated and gone on. The current editor [when I was there] knew my sister real well and knew who I was. He kept hounding me to come down and work for The Plainsman, so I finally did. I kept on getting more involved, and then finally, I ran for editor myself. I was elected editor by the student body in 1948, and stayed on until 1949. Did you enjoy your time of the Plainsman? Well, in the spring of 1949, I got fired. I'm the only editor in Plainsman history to get fired. I was 'let go' because of the April Fools' edition we did in those days. The board said I was supposed to make the first four pages of the April Fools' edition regular [real] news, and the last four pages fake. Well, I didn't hear those orders, and made the first four pages fake instead, and I was fired. Back then we were feisty. That whole year, we printed a lot of editorials that were anti-administration, and we were very opinionated. They [the board] claimed they fired me because of the April Fools' edition, but I wonder if they just used as an excuse to get rid of me. So I was fired, and that was it. You worked for the Associated Press for 23 years. What was that like? Was it a journalist's dream come true? Oh, absolutely. The Associated Press supplies the media with the bulk of their news. They cover every major city. It's a worldwide agency, and I worked for them for 23 years in six different bureaus from Atlanta to Louisville to Boston and more. I was the deputy general sports editor in New York City for the Associated Press. That's a worldwide sports operation, and I was second in command. We had sports writers in every major city and there I was, responsible for giving the news to newspapers themselves. I loved being the deputy general sports editor - it was the world's longest title and the world's smallest salary. So out of all the cities and places you've lived and worked, which has been your favorite? Auburn, Alabama, hands down. That makes sense - you left the Associated Press move back to Auburn in 1974, right? Tell me about that. My family moved here to Auburn when I was 11 years old. I went to middle and high school here, and I went to the University. I met my wife at Auburn, and we got married after she graduated. We both have a strong Auburn background. You wouldn't know this, but twenty years from now you'll know it: Auburn is such a great place compared to everywhere else. Whenever I talk to people from that time in my life, they say, 'You lucky scoundrel! You're back in Auburn, you sly dog!' This job [to work at Auburn] just fell in my lap, and I'd done my bit with the AP. I was ready to go home. How has the journalism program improved since the 70s? We took what we had already and just filled it out. We got more faculty and sections of feature writing, and, soon, we had more students than we could teach. We didn't have any equipment at all, and now they have computers for design and editing, studios for photography, television and multimedia - they've got everything. Now, the journalism program accommodates everything beyond just writing a story for the newspaper. Auburn has made a great effort to meet those modern requirements, and current students have what they need to get hired. What has been your favorite thing about the career path you chose? It was the camaraderie of the prize and the performance of writing, and I was good at what I did. I took a lot of pride in what I did. I had a lot of satisfaction, and I still do. I've enjoyed every job I ever had. You forget the bad things, or they become less important, but I can't remember thinking 'Gosh, I don't want to go into work today.' I was always ready to go to work because I loved it. It was a great thing. Did you enjoy teaching for Auburn as much as reporting? Oh, yeah! If you're any good at what you do, you're either a teacher or learner the whole time. One day, somebody was teaching me, and the next I'm teaching them. Nothing's better than advice from someone with more experience. That's how it goes your whole life. Speaking of advice, what advice would you give aspiring journalists at Auburn? When you graduate, don't worry about what it pays. Journalism doesn't pay very much, and most of you aren't going to get very much to start with. Get that first job, stick with it a year, and if you aren't liking it then go somewhere else or get out of the business. There's nothing worse than going through life being miserable. Don't just go through the motions. If you really want to get ahead, have a good attitude and a willingness to work. If I had flunked out of school and went to work as a ditch digger and gave it 110 percent, it wouldn't be too long before I was moved to supervisor or something else because I'm too valuable to be left digging ditches. If you have the right attitude you'll move up to just about anything if you work hard enough. The way you approach your job has a great deal to do with how successful you're going to be. You just published the third edition of your book "Auburn: A Pictorial History of the Loveliest Village." What motivated you to put that together? The book has been out for about two weeks now. It's a history of Auburn starting from the early 1830s through 2013. It's 450 pages with more than 800 pictures in it. It's nine chapters of narrative and captions to tell you something interesting about each place in Auburn that's pictured. Most of the pictures came from the archives in the University library. Our goal was for every picture and caption to tell a story by itself - a series of stories to tell the story of Auburn University. The archivist at the library, Allen Jones said, 'Anyone that loves Auburn ought to have a copy of this book.' Do you agree that anyone who loves Auburn ought to get a copy of your book? Yes ma'am, I do. I don't think anybody could go through this book and not come away with a warm, fuzzy feeling about Auburn. There are so many wonderful, humorous and heartfelt things happening around this place. I can't wait for people to read it. Any final word to the students? Auburn's a great place. Take advantage of all the wonderful things we have in this wonderful city. We've always been a family that's 'All In.' War Eagle, and best wishes.
(04/18/14 10:00pm)
1 Montravius Adams DT 6-4 306 So. Vienna, Ga. (Dooly County HS)
1 D'haquille Williams WR 6-2 216 Jr. LaPlace, La. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC)
3 Jonathan Jones DB 5-10 182 Jr. Carrollton, Ga. (Carrollton HS)
3 Dominic Walker WR 6-1 217 RFr. Orlando, Fla. (Evans HS)
4 Quan Bray WR 5-10 187 Sr. LaGrange, Ga. (Troup County HS)
5 Ricardo Louis WR 6-2 212 Jr. Miami Beach, Fla. (Miami Beach HS)
6 Jonathan Mincy DB 5-10 200 Sr. East Atlanta, Ga. (SW Dekalb HS)
6 Jeremy Johnson QB 6-5 223 So. Montgomery, Ala. (Carver HS)
8 Cassanova McKinzy LB 6-3 249 Jr. Birmingham, Ala. (Woodlawn HS)
8 Tony Stevens WR 6-4 198 So. Orlando, Fla. (Evans HS)
9 Jermaine Whitehead DB 5-11 193 Sr. Greenwood, Miss. (Amanda Elzy HS)
10 LaDarius Owens DL 6-2 259 Sr. Bessemer, Ala. (Jess Lanier HS)
10 Stanton Truitt WR 5-9 175 Fr. Atlanta, Ga. (Monroe Area HS)
11 Brandon Fulse TE 6-4 272 Sr. Fort Meade, Fla. (Fort Meade HS)
12 Jonathan Wallace QB 6-2 207 Jr. Phenix City, Ala. (Central HS)
12 Mack VanGorder DB 6-1 201 Jr. Gainesville, Ga. (North Hall HS)
14 Nick Marshall QB 6-1 210 Sr. Pineview, Ga. (Garden City CC)
15 Joshua Holsey DB 5-11 192 Jr. Fairburn, Ga. (Creekside HS)
16 JaViere Mitchell LB 6-2 203 So. Leeds, Ala. (Leeds HS)
16 Tucker Tuberville QB 6-0 180 So. Auburn, Ala. (Texas Tech)
17 Kris Frost LB 6-2 234 Jr. Matthews, N.C. (Butler HS)
17 Ben Durand QB 6-3 205 Jr. Tyngsborough, Mass. (Tyngsborough HS)
18 Sammie Coates WR 6-2 201 Jr. Leroy, Ala. (Leroy HS)
20 Corey Grant RB 5-11 203 Sr. Opelika, Ala. (Opelika HS)
21 Mackenro Alexander DB 5-11 203 So. Immokalee, Fla. (Immokalee HS)
22 Khari Harding DB 6-0 224 So. Edmond, Okla. (Edmond HS)
23 Johnathan Ford DB 6-0 199 So. Big Cove, Ala. (New Hope HS)
24 Derrick Moncrief DB 6-2 218 Jr. Pratville, Ala. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC)
25 Trovon Reed DB 6-0 188 Sr. Thibodaux, La. (Thibodaux HS)
25 Peyton Barber RB 5-11 225 RFr. Alpharetta, Ga. (Milton HS)
26 Justin Garrett LB 6-1 224 Jr. Tucker, Ga. (Tucker HS)
27 Robenson Therezie DB 5-9 212 Sr. Miami, Fla. (Jackson HS)
28 T.J. Davis DB 6-1 196 So. Tallahassee, Fla. (Godby HS)
28 Jimmy Hutchinson P 6-2 198 RFr. Marietta, Ga. (Harrison HS)
29 Brandon King DB 6-1 213 Sr. Alabaster, Ala. (Highland CC)
29 Tyler Stovall P 6-1 207 RFr. Hokes Bluff , Ala. (Hokes Bluff HS)
30 Damian Lewis RB 5-9 201 So. Wetumpka Ala. (Wetumpka HS)
31 Mark White WR 5-10 168 So. Pike Road, Ala. (Trinity Presbyterian HS)
32 Wade Norberg TE 6-6 216 Jr. South Lake Tahoe, Cal. (Santa Barbara CC)
32 Nosakhere Griggs DB 5-10 149 Jr. Fayetteville, Ga. (Sandy Creek HS)
33 Kenny Flowers LB 6-1 230 Jr. Lilburn, Ga. (Hutchinson CC)
33 Niko Anthony DB 6-1 203 Sr. Lithia, Fla. (Newsome HS)
35 Ricky Parks FB 6-3 268 So. Hogansville, Ga. (Callaway HS)
36 Michael Sherwood DB 5-8 170 RFr. Fairburn, Ga. (Creekside HS)
37 Kamryn Melton DB 5-10 182 So. Dothan, Ala. (Dothan HS)
38 Daniel Carlson K 6-4 216 RFr. Colorado Springs, Colo. (Classical Academy)
39 B.J. Trimble WR 5-10 165 Jr. Fayetteville, Ga. (Sandy Creek HS)
39 Alex Kviklys K 6-1 191 Jr. Marietta, Ga. (Pope HS)
40 Gage Batten FB 6-0 232 So. Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Dwyer HS)
40 Daniel Pond LB 6-1 207 Jr. Spanish Fort, Ala. (Spanish Fort HS)
41 Patrick Lymon RB 5-10 191 Sr. Huntsville, Ala. (Sparkman HS)
(04/10/14 1:30pm)
Just a few miles from campus on West Samford Avenue, Auburn residents, students and professors can be seen tending to small plots of land.
They gather in the Auburn Community Garden, run by the Auburn Real Food Challenge with help from the College of Agriculture. With 60,000 square feet and over 100 plots, the garden is a place for members of the community to garden and commune with other gardeners.
The garden has a variety of sizes, with the smaller plots being ideal for students or those who are new to the gardening scene.
The ARFC supplies the garden with water and some choice tools and gardeners supply the rest.
"We have a variety of ages come out and garden their plot," Community Garden Manager, and senior in economics, Jaimen Perez said. "We have international students, undergraduate students and faculty who don't have space at their apartments come and garden here."
The community garden has been around for a few years, but three springs ago it became a garden run by and for the Auburn community. Previously, it was owned by the Alpha Zeta agricultural fraternity, but it needed a new program to manage it.
Perez stepped forward to manage the garden in 2012.
"The garden wasn't really a part of Auburn Real Food Challenge's original mission, which is to promote locally sourced food on Auburn's campus," Perez said. "But, it fit the overall mission and we're in our third spring now."
The community garden will now begin offering workshops to help those who are inexperienced in gardening learn the basics. They have also had a seed swap and plan on a plant sale in the future.
"It's just a really great place to go and meet other people who care about the same things as you," Founder of ARFC Rosco Davis said.
The garden is home to many different gardeners, though one especially stands out.
Claire Herren, a senior in Human Developmental and Family Studies, dedicates her plot in the community garden to a specific cause.
Plant a Row For Hunger is a national organization directed toward planting an extra row in a garden and donating the money to a local food bank.
While Herren originally began with just an extra row, she now has an entire plot that she donates to the East Alabama Food Bank.
"I got interested in the organization after taking a class and hearing about it," Herren said. "I learned we did not have a PAR chapter here so I started one. I didn't know much about gardening so I started with more enthusiasm than experience."
PARFH has donated over 20 million pounds of food nationally.
Herren had a few volunteers help her last year and goes around the plots asking if anyone can donate.
"Any donation is better than nothing," Herren says.
This sentiment runs deep with Herren, who worked at the Community Market in Opelika. Walmart and other large grocers donate most of the food at the market.
"I remember one day I was sorting through bananas and tomatoes and most of them were broken or spoiled so fruit flies were covering them," she said. "This grandfather took his 5-year-old granddaughter and was picking out the food for their week. She looked disgusted and no one should have to feel that way about what they're going to eat."
Last year, with the help of the volunteers at the garden and other organizations in the community, Herren donated 200 pounds to the East Alabama Food Bank.
A few plots are still available to reserve at the ARFC website, auburnrealfoodchallenge.weebly.com.
To become involved with PARFH, email Herren at PARauburn@gmail.com
(04/05/14 7:36pm)
Three men stood out among the crowd at the Relay for Life event Saturday, April 5 in the Green Space.
Mr. Relay, a male student who dresses up as a woman and collects money for Relay for Life, had three contestants this year: Rock Rucker, sophomore in interdisciplinary studies, John McNeill, sophomore in aerospace engineering and Micah Gilliland, junior in environmental science.
"I've been involved in Auburn University Dance Marathon for the last two years and Relay for Life has really supported us and our cause," McNeill said. "It's really touched home with me and something I've become very passionate about, so I wanted to show them my support."
McNeill also has a personal connection to the cause.
"Both of my grandparents on my dad's side suffered from cancer within the last two years," McNeill said. "I want to raise as much money as I can and put on smile on people's faces."
Rucker said he came to the event because his girlfriend was working the event, but realized he has a deeper connection to the cause.
"My aunt passed away from cancer when I was 13 years old," Rucker said. "I figured I would be out her for her, as well as myself."
Gilliland won Mr. Relay 2013 and hopes to be the winner again this year.
"I [raised] $60 last year, so I'm hoping to do better than that," Gilliland said.
Auburn Relay for Life currently has 47 teams and 373 participants.
Katie Gordon, junior in math education, joined the event with her friends. Her team was able to raise approximately $3,000.
"I joined in support of a friend whose mom is battling cancer right now," Gordon said.
Activities including corn hole and various vendors selling candles, treats and lanterns scatter the Green Space.
The lantern ceremony to remember the loved ones who lost their lives to cancer will be at 8 p.m. on the Green Space.
Chris Brown, grassroots manager for the American Cancer Society, ACS, of cancer action, said ACS is trying to make the Auburn University event the first Can Club event in the entire state.
"If we can get Auburn University to have 40 people join or if we can have them build a team they can be an ACS Can Club team," Brown said. "We're really excited to have a college campus that is so passionate about getting involved and making sure cancer is a national priority."
(03/08/14 4:27am)
After three consecutive losses, the No. 11 Auburn gymnastics team tied the third-best score in school history in its 197.00-194.60 win Friday night over Missouri.
This was Auburn's fourth time in program history posted a score of 197.
"We better take a little bit of confidence from this," said Auburn head coach Jeff Graba. "This is what we see in practice everyday and it's nice to see it in a meet situation. It couldn't come at a better time."
After the first rotation, Auburn started their lead with a 49.275 on vault while Missouri scored a 48.625 on bars.
Caitlin Atkinson led Auburn in vault with a 9.9.
Auburn also posted their second highest bars score of the season, a 49.125, in their second rotation of the night. Kelsey Kopec had a career high score of 9.875 in bars tonight and Atkinson matched her with a 9.875 in bars.
Auburn even scored their season high beam score in tonight's meet, which is a 49.3. A couple of Tigers had career bests in beam, including Lexus Demers with a 9.9 and Kullen Hlawek with a 9.825.
Now that Auburn's home schedule is finished after tonight's win, their only regular season meet remaining is next weekend's rematch with Alabama at Tuscaloosa.
(03/07/14 3:45pm)
Keith and Amy Richards, Birmingham natives, traveled to Greece, and the two were so enamored with the people and the family-style food culture, they knew they wanted to open a restaurant to share and celebrate all they had come to love.
Tuesday, March 11 the 32 Taziki's will open in Auburn on South College Street.
Eugene O'Donnell, general manager of Taziki's, said this Taziki's doors open to the largest patio in all of the brand's other 31 establishments and will hold 50-60 people.
O'Donnell said the 32 stores, from Tennessee to South Carolina to Arkansas, are all just a dream come true from the Richards.
For all it might hold, it won't have a freezer, O'Donnell said.
O'Donnell said he intends for all the meat to be cut upon arrival, all the cheese grated by hand and all the soups and sauces made from scratch. He said the staff will make hummus, pita chips and Taziki's sauce fresh everyday.
"We [will] do prep sheets everyday," O'Donnell said. "The goal is to run out."
O'Donnell said the produce comes locally from Alabama-and the meat comes from Georgia.
All mornings will begin by preparing enough food to last until lunchtime, and, in the afternoon, the staff will do it again.
It will sell wine and beer, such as Fat Tire and Stone.
The interior will mimic a Grecian environment with stonewalls, hanging ceilings and low-hanging lights lighting high-top tables along the windows.
Amy decorated the interior and the art hanging on the walls were pictures taken from the Richards' time abroad.
A steel cooking counter takes up the room's back right corner.
Wine racks of handmade cabinetry will stand next to the to-go counter, and foilage will decorate the space inside and out, lending to its Grecian quality.
Something O'Donnell doesn't mind; he owns 43 plants himself.
O'Donnell, since he graduated from Auburn University in 1986, has opened 32 restaurants in 20 years, everything from Taziki's to Bennigans. He said he believes to work in this position you have to have some passion.
He said coming back to Auburn brings his life full circle.
O'Donnell's son will join him and attend Auburn High School where O'Donnell has already established a professional relationship.
O'Donnell said he plans to partner with the Auburn City School system and the Lee County Special Olympics.
Being community-oriented is a concept inspired by Taziki's own hometown origins.
"We're excited about everything," O'Donnell said.
With the interior largely unfinished, but crews on-hand and a staff ready after all their spring break plans, the new Taziki's plans to be worth all the hype.
"We're going to be a great restaurant in the simplest form," O'Donnell said.
(02/27/14 5:15pm)
On Feb. 9, 1964, The Beatles exploded into American homes with a two-and-a-half-minute performance of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" on The Ed Sullivan Show. That night changed the way we would listen to music forever.
The Beatles transcend time. My parents listened to them, I listen to them and I'm willing to bet my children will listen to them too.
Growing up in a generation of Beliebers and Directioners, it can be hard to imagine another band having such a profound effect on a culture. It has been 50 years since that performance, and the world hasn't seen anything like it since. This anniversary begs the question: Is music past its prime?
One look at the current Top 40 would be enough to dishearten even the most optimistic rock 'n' roll fan. Grown-up Disney stars adorn the covers of every magazine, and choruses consist of only one word, repeated endlessly.
The amount of auto-tune on the radio at any given time would be enough to make Janis Joplin roll over in her grave. On the surface, the future of popular music looks bleak.
However, perspective is key. What makes music "good" is relative. A song that impacted a teenager in the sixties could have a completely different effect on a listener today.
Times have changed, whether we like it or not. Record producers know their audience, and people just aren't buying meaningful music anymore.
However, fans of antiquated music shouldn't lose hope just yet.
In recent years, there has been a massive resurgence of classic rock that does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. It has become trendy to embrace the culture of past generations. Vinyl record sales are through the roof. Instant cameras are back. And, you would be more likely to find affluent teenagers in a thrift store than in a shopping mall. Ten years ago it would've been considered strange to wear your parent's ratty Grateful Dead t-shirt. Now, it's become a popular trend.
This vintage revival has led to a slew of new artists who are developing styles of their own while paying homage to the greats at the same time.
Bands such as Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers evoke folk artists from the 60s and 70s such as Bob Dylan or Neil Young. Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine lists Grace Slick as one of her influences. And those are just the ones you hear about. Great bands like Shovels and Rope, Hurray for the Riff Raff and Neutral Milk Hotel fly under the radar all the time, just a Pandora click away.
Of course, it is doubtful any artist will change music the way The Beatles have. The impact they had on our culture is almost unthinkable, and they set an impossibly high standard for any artist that dared to come after them.
Nevertheless, music with substance is still happening. You just have to know where to look.
