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(09/26/13 4:05am)
Standard Deluxe, a design and silk screen print shop located out of Waverly, will back the second Waverly Fall Boogie Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1015 Mayberry Ave. in Waverly. Adult tickets are $20 each and children 14 and younger get in free. Music starts at noon and continues until 8:30 p.m.
The Boogie is held in Standard Deluxe's neighborhood outdoor amphitheater. Food vendors include Jim N' Nicks BBQ and Wilton's Catering. Standard Deluxe will sell T-shirts and artisan vendors will be set up too.
The Lee County Police Department, as well as Farmville Fire and Rescue, will be on the site. Parking will be available on the street, downtown and at the Nutrition Center.
People are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, flashlights, or small coolers. Glass containers and pets are not allowed, but smoking will be permitted in designated areas.
The event will happen rain or shine.
Boogie Line Up
Noon: Doc Dailey
1 p.m.: Great Peacock
2:30 p.m.: Peewee Moore
4 p.m.: Ramsay Midwood
5:30 p.m.: Houndmouth
7 p.m.: Jason Isbell
(09/26/13 4:05am)
Classes, rituals and vendors aren't all that can be found at Auburn's Pagan Pride Day Sept. 28, 8 a.m.-sunset, at the Davis Arboretum-religious freedom and celebration are the reason for the day.
Pagan Pride Day is an international event originating in England, takes place in every major city between August and October as an open forum to gather and get to know the like-minded people in the community.
"Pagan is a broad, umbrella topic," said Angela Farmer, English professor and leader in the Auburn pagan community. "We teach each other about the differences, and we try to respect the differences in our religions."
Farmer said Pagan Pride Day welcomes people from other religious paths, and they don't discriminate as long as the person is tolerant of what they are doing.
"It is all about religious tolerance and respect," Farmer said. "A lot of time we have to live underground, so to speak. It is nice to have a place where it is safe enough for us to get together. It's a safer way of coming out among people who you know are not going to disparage you for your religious beliefs."
Classes and different rituals will be set up throughout the day, along with vendors selling things like jewelry, staves, magical implements and other homemade goods.
Farmer's group, Nine Worlds American Kindred Grove, will hold their own class and ritual as well.
The group will have also have a Reiki practitioner, which is an ancient Japanese form of healing similar to acupuncture and acupressure that focuses on energy blockages to help your body heal itself.
"It's the one day where you can just relax and be who you are among people who are like-minded," Farmer said. "You can express your religious beliefs without the fear of somebody who is going to tell you that you are going to hell."
The Auburn Pagan Pride Day has been held by the Church of the Spiral Tree for approximately ten years
Farmer said this will be the second time she will be attending the event.
Admission is free, but a donation for the East Alabama Food Bank is appreciated.
For more information about this year's Pagan Pride Day, visit SpiralTree.org.
(09/30/13 5:40am)
With the rise of digital media, students are turning more toward websites that stream music instantly and to apps for on-the-go tunes.
Some of the more popular ways to listen to music are Pandora, Spotify, iTunes and Songza.
Pandora has been available since 2000 and has more than 72.1 million listeners, according to a press release from the company.
The "listener hours" for Pandora during August were more than 1.35 billion. Pandora's mission statement, "to play only music you'll love."
It's like having your own personal DJ around to play music based on your favorites. You can make up to 100 music stations that are just a click away if you want to listen.
The drawbacks?
Advertisements are played between every few songs, and you are only allowed a few skips per day while listening.
"Pandora is my favorite way to listen to music," said Emily Davidson, a junior in pre-elementary education. "You can just pick which station you want to listen to and it does all the work for you."
Spotify has been available since 2008, and has more than 24 million active users, 6 million subscribers and 20 million songs available, according to Spotify's website.
Spotify brings music right to your computer, phone and TV at home.
It's a way to share music with friends via Facebook and Twitter, and an easy way to uncover new music by following other users.
Spotify, without the premium upgrade, allows you to listen to pre-made playlists or make your own while a few advertisements play.
Unlimited access costs $4.99 per month, but lets you listen on your computer ad-free.
Upgrading to Premium for $9.99 per month lets you listen to music from everywhere: phone, tablet, TV, etc.
"Spotify Premium is the best way to control what music you listen to, wherever and whenever you want," said Wheat Holt, junior in public relations.
"I also find music on a blog called 'This Song is Sick.' It's a good way to find new music."
Some students said they like being able to see what their friends are listening to.
"I love Spotify, because who doesn't love stalking what other people listen to," said Amanda Carter, sophomore in animal sciences.
Songza is all about what you want.
Logging into the app or website, music playlists are made just for you to choose what mood you're in or what you're doing at the moment.
"Relaxing at Home," "Doing Housework," "Studying," "Brand New" and even "Breaking Bad" are some of the many options to choose from.
"I like Songza because there are no commercials, there are different stations for every mood and, most of all, because it is free," said Jayne Ohlman, sophomore in political science.
Students are now able to customize and personalize the way they listen to music even more.
With all these new, and free, methods of listening to music, students are able to take the music they want, everywhere they go.
(09/26/13 4:15am)
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is celebrating 10 years of collecting by presenting a new exhibit, the JCSM@10.
The works on display were acquired by the museum between 2003 and today.
"The turning point happened in the '90s," said Charlotte Hendrix, print and digital media producer at JCSM. "The supplemental gift was made by a man, Albert Smith Jr., and (he) named the museum for his wife, Jule Collins, for their 50th wedding anniversary, and so with his gift to Auburn, and his love of Auburn, we were able to make headway in building a museum."
The museum originally opened Oct. 3, 2003.
For the past 10 years, the museum built on its permanent collection of art.
Andy Tennant, assistant director of the museum, has been there from the start.
"I'm really the only person who has been here the 10 years the museum has been open," Tennant said. "When I applied for the job, my interview was actually in a trailer out behind the concrete structure of the building."
Tennant watched the collection grow, and said it contains a wide variety of works.
JCSM@10 fills two rooms in the museum and includes paintings, sculptures, pottery, photographs and more.
"It's a research resource because we have examples from different periods and different artists," Hendrix said. "It really is a visual reference of art history."
Hendrix said admission to the exhibit is free, courtesy of the JCSM business partners.
Hendrix also said the museum was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, which is a good-housekeeping seal of approval, indicating JCSM is taking care of the art, from the research to the preservation and the display.
"They have looked at our operations and procedures here, and deemed us to be in the same league with top museums across the country," Hendrix said. "There's something like nearly 18,000 museums in the U.S., and a little more than 1,000 of them hold the same distinction of professional accreditation."
Tennant said the exhibit includes some of the largest paintings the museum holds, including paintings more than 6-feet-tall and 10-feet-wide.
The museum also features a room with smaller pieces Tennant described as the real gems of the collection.
None of the pieces in the exhibit will be for sale.
"An art museum collects art and it's part of our job to protect it, conserve it, interpret it, teach with it, but leave it in prosperity," said Scott Bishop, curator of education and liaison to the University. "It would be a very, very bad thing for us to sell our art."
Hendrix said the JCSM@10 exhibit looks for the types of work a university art museum is collecting. The exhibit opened Aug. 31 and will be open for viewing through Jan. 4, 2014.
"What I like about this exhibition is that it is so stunningly beautiful, and it reminds me when I walk in there of just how much we've accomplished in the last 10 years," Bishop said. "It's a very deep, rich, broad show."
(09/26/13 4:15am)
Muscle Shoal's native band, Belle Adair, is coming to Auburn, offering a new kind of sound and a glimpse into their first record.
Belle Adair performs Saturday, Sept. 28 at 9 p.m. at Bourbon Street Bar. The FutureBirds will also be performing.
Belle Adair named themselves after a sunken ship from John Steinbeck's "Winter of Our Discontent."
Belle Adair is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Matt Green, keyboard player Ben Tanner, pedal steel player Daniel Stoddard, bass-fiddler Chris James and drummer Reed Watson.
The band has been together for two years, starting when Green returned to the Shoals from Birmingham after his apartment was destroyed in a fire.
"I was in Birmingham for a while originally before I moved back," Green said. "I started working with [Tanner]when I got here and we started working on a record. We found a few people who were willing to join and here we are."
The band embarked on its first, two-week tour along the southeast/east coast.
The band has other tours and shows scheduled for November and December as well.
"I moved to the Shoals a couple of years ago," Watson said. "Belle Adair was, by far, my favorite band from Muscle Shoals.
One day they had an opening and asked me to take it. I was so excited. In music, you will take any job and be happy with it, but it's great to have one that you sincerely enjoy."
The band will play songs from their album, "The Brave and the Blue," which is available on Spotify and iTunes.
They will also reveal a few unreleased songs such as "Losing My Train" and "Shakin' Dead."
"'Shakin' Dead' is my favorite song that we perform," Watson said. "It's got a really good groove and the response is always great when we play it. It's one of those songs you can pull out of your back pocket and play when things get weird."
According to Ever Kip, press contact for the band, the first album has been a work long in the making.
"The album was imagined in the early mornings of a time for revival for Belle Adair songwriter and front man, Matt Green," Kip said.
As for performing in Auburn, the band said they are definitely ready.
"I've performed with other bands in Auburn before," Green said. "I'm really excited that the Auburn show is in the beginning of the tour."
According to Watson, Auburn offers one of the band's best audiences.
"I always love playing in Auburn," Watson said. "It's like the people here actually care when we get up and perform. It's not like that in other places."
The band drew inspiration from bands such as Wilco, taking influence to create something unique.
Green describes the band's sound as "kind of spacey."
NPR Music said the band is "doing this kind of dreamy sound that has a connection to roots music, but isn't directly derivative... it fits in nicely with the new South sound."
Tickets for the concert can be purchased for $10 at TicketWeb.com and at BandsInTown.com.
(09/19/13 2:50am)
I hate diets. Like, really hate them.
When I first saw some friends using MyFitnessPal, I swore I would never be enslaved by a fitness app bullying me into eating an apple instead of a cookie, or telling me it was the 394,832nd day I'd gone without working out.
However, what I realized when I eventually downloaded the app is it really isn't so much of a bully after all, but more of an educator.
MyFitnessPal has all the bells and whistles of a typical fitness app.
You can plug in the foods you eat, see how many calories you've consumed, track your weight-- the whole shebang.
My favorite feature of MyFitnessPal, however, is the information I learned from it while tracking.
For example, many times I would assume a particular meal was healthy, but when I plugged it into MyFitnessPal, I was sadly mistaken.
Who knew that a Spud Max from McAlister's Deli was almost half a day's worth of calories?
I mean, potatoes are vegetables, right?
Little did I know that my "healthy choices" were about as good as ordering a Big Mac and a Diet Coke.
MyFitnessPal opened my eyes and made me rethink how I thought about my meal choices.
I also learned a lot about portion control.
I never realized how ridiculously over-sized my portions were before I used this app.
When you plug in a whole roll of Ritz crackers and get the calorie results, you start to rethink your life choices. Pretty soon, you're good with 10 crackers.
One of the benefits of MyFitnessPal against other fitness apps is its extensive database.
A dilemma I would face when I got health-nut crazy, and started counting calories, is that most foods aren't already listed in a database.
It was too much work to type in all the nutrition facts from a box or bag, so I would just skip it, not log my meals, and faster than you can say "break me off a piece of that Kit-Kat bar," I was back to my old, terrible eating habits.
MyFitnessPal, however, is so widely used most foods are already available in the database.
I have never had to add the nutrition information manually for any food.
In addition to a large database, MyFitnessPal features a scanner that will scan the barcode of any food and import the nutrition information for you.
If you eat certain foods regularly, the app will remember and suggest them to you for certain meals.
You can also put certain foods together to form a meal, and add it to your calorie count if you ever eat it again.
For example, my "breakfast" meal consists of coffee, International Delight Almond Joy creamer, a bowl of Great Grains Banana Nut Crunch and one cup of low-fat milk.
I just click "breakfast," and all those foods are automatically imported into my counter.
If you want to lose weight, you plug in your metrics and MyFitnessPal will calculate the best, daily caloric intake based off of your information.
Another great feature is the daily breakdown of nutrition.
Not only does the app tell you how many calories you've taken in, but it shows exactly where those calories came from.
You're not doing yourself any good if you've only taken in 1,200 calories, but all from fats and carbs.
MyFitnessPal shows you if you're on track for your recommended daily allowance for all nutrients and minerals. Thus, training you to aim for foods that fulfill those requirements.
MyFitnessPal is much more than a calorie-counter. It was designed to kick-start healthy habits and thinking.
I highly recommend this free app for anyone not just wanting to lose weight, but also wanting to start living a healthier lifestyle.
(09/18/13 8:59pm)
All the way from Oakland, Calif., the Tumbleweed Wanderers will be taking over Bourbon Street Bar Thursday, Sept. 19.
The five-man band is touring all over the South, from New Orleans to Virginia.
The Tumbleweed Wanderers consists of vocalist and bass guitar player Zak Mandel-Romann; Rob Fidel on vocals, guitar and banjo; Jeremy Lyon performing vocals and guitar; Patrick Glynn on keys and the mandolin and Daniel Blum performing on the drums.
Fidel said their music is soulful rock 'n' roll.
The group has three extended plays, or EPs, and one full album.
"It's been a pretty productive two years," Fidel said.
Lyon said last time the group was in Auburn, they played at The Hound Bar and Restaurant.
"I love the South," Lyon said. "I'm stoked to be back in Auburn, it's beautiful."
Lyon said the Tumbleweed Wanderers don't have a set list planned for Bourbon yet, but they will be playing songs that are cornerstones of their album.
The group said they plan on playing some fresh material along with their classics.
"We've been writing a lot of new material, so people can definitely expect a handful of songs that we haven't yet recorded," Lyon said.
Lyon, originally from Oakland, Calif., said that when they aren't touring he uses the time to write songs and catch up with his family and friends.
Blum met Lyon a year before the band was formed, and then joined as the drummer only two weeks before they had a gig.
"Before the band was a band, and before they had a name, they had already booked a show," Blum said. "I get to play the music that I want, I get to do it every single night."
Touring the country has made busy men out of the crew.
"Being in a touring band, one of the hardest parts is that your life is very tumultuous," Blum said. "You have these amazing highs where everything is absolutely, everything lines up, and then two days later you have to spend $2,000 on repairs and everybody's bickering about some little thing because you've been stuck in a van with five other guys for a month straight."
Blum said he hopes in the long run, the ups outweigh the downs. The band has had some adventures while on the road, including having a brand-new van stolen.
"We bought a brand-new, 12-passenger van and a trailer, and then a week later, the day before tour, the van went missing," Fidel said. "We'd never dealt with anything remotely close to that."
Fidel also said the band works collaboratively to write their songs.
The lyrics focus on the next step for the band, missing home and people, and love.
"When you play in a band, you get to have creative input in everything that you do," Blum said. "Then you get to work on that creative input every single night."
Stolen vans pending, the band will be playing at Bourbon Street Bar Thursday, Sept. 19.
For more information on the band and to purchase tickets for the concert, visit TumbleweedWanderers.com.
(09/19/13 2:55am)
It's the subject of an Oscar-winning movie, a revolutionary social-media tool, and a force connecting people all over the world. It even has an entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica.
But is Facebook on its way out?
Emily Reed, junior in public relations, said against the crop of numerous social media, Facebook is slowly fading into the background.
"I use Twitter several times a day," Reed said. "But I don't check Facebook nearly as much."
Kelly Schmid, junior in apparel merchandising, said she disagreed. Schmid deleted her Twitter account last year, said she still finds plenty of uses for Facebook.
"I like looking at the pictures on Facebook," Schmid said. "And it's cool to be able to see what people you went to elementary school and middle school are up to. I like how Facebook can connect you to them. Twitter is just boring."
Schmid said she began using Facebook as a way to rebel against her parents.
"I was 15 and I wanted to talk to my Welsh boyfriend," Schmid said. "But I wasn't allowed to get a Facebook until I turned 16. I did it anyway. I've been using it ever since."
But, with competition such as Twitter, Tinder, Pinterest and more, Facebook may become just a face in a crowded pool of apps and websites, designed to do much of the same thing.
"I have a Facebook, but it's probably not my favorite thing for social media," said Scott Black, sophomore in business. "I have Tinder. I think it's hilarious. And I like StumbleUpon. You have to have an account there, so I think that qualifies as social media."
Black said he thinks Facebook highlights the differences between generations.
"It shows how fast we move compared to baby boomers," Black said. "At first, not a lot of older people had, or knew how to use, Facebook. Now, I think all of my relatives have (accounts)."
Schmid said she saw an increase in the number of older Facebook users.
"I feel like a lot of older people use it to talk to their kids," Schmid said. "They use it to update their lives and keep track of their friends and relatives. A lot of parents, I think, use it to check up on their kids' lives."
Reed said Twitter is an easier way to keep up with her friends.
"I check it constantly," she said. "It's faster and more personal."
Like many students, Schmid said she uses a variety of social media forms to keep up with her friends and family, not just Facebook.
"I love Instagram and Snapchat," she said. "I do check notifications and look at pictures on Facebook, but I can use those throughout the day to talk to my friends and see what's going on."
Still, Schmid is not without her pet peeves when it comes to social-media sites.
"I hate seeing people's statuses," Schmid said. "Maybe that's why I didn't like Twitter. I don't need to know every time you're going to the bathroom."
(09/16/13 9:36pm)
It's that time of month again; it's First Fridays in downtown Opelika.
On the first Friday of every month, shops in downtown Opelika use the motto "shop late, eat local."
"First Fridays is the only opportunity to shop late in downtown Opelika in our retail stores," said Pam Powers-Smith, director of Opelika Main Street. "So our retail stores are open until at least 8 p.m., some of them are open a little bit later."
This year marks the third year Opelika Main Street has done the event. First Fridays takes place on Railroad Avenue, 8th and 9th Street, an area Powers-Smith refers to as the horseshoe of Opelika.
"The other component of First Fridays is live music on the street corners," Powers-Smith said. "So as you are walking around or eating out on the patio, you can hear music."
This month, there were three bands located throughout the downtown area. Pomeranian Muffler Shop was set up on Railroad Avenue, and Kristen Morgan was on 8th Street.
Powers-Smith said First Fridays is simply music and late night shopping.
September and October's First Fridays are in conjunction with Auburn Athletics and are promoted as Football First Fridays. October's First Friday is the weekend of the Ole Miss game.
"Usually we see people run into people they know and that's always fun in downtown Opelika," Powers-Smith said. "You get to see old friends on the street and then you hang out or get a drink or visit one of our dessert shops or something like that."
Powers-Smith said walking around downtown Opelika is a great option for those who do not want to shop. She said the pedestrian walkways make strolling a safe option in downtown.
"I would try to communicate to people that the atmosphere is just great," Powers-Smith said. "We have our own little feel here in Opelika, we have great restaurants. And now we have plenty of restaurants for people to eat at."
Not every store stays open late, but this month Southern Crossing, Coveted Closet, Fringe, The Curious Fox Co., The Cheesecake Cottage, Heritage Gifts and Gourmet, TLC Gift Shop, Taylor Made Design and The Gallery on Railroad welcomed visitors.
"Ours is different than just staying open and shopping because we try to make it feel like an open house party, especially football season and pre-Christmas shopping," said Amy Bertocci, gallery manager of The Gallery on Railroad. "We will really be bringing out all of the gift items that we are getting in from market and just having a good time."
The Gallery on Railroad played music, offered cranberry sangria and refreshments to patrons. The Gallery sells gourmet foods as well as framing and shared samples of the food.
Bertocci said her favorite part of First Fridays is setting out silver trays and making hors d'oeuvres look fun instead of just putting out potato chips for people.
"I think it's also an opportunity for people to experiment and maybe try a restaurant they have never tried before," Powers-Smith said. "It's just a fun night out, casual."
(09/16/13 9:27pm)
The vote may be in, but construction will not begin until 2014.
The Auburn City Council voted to move forward with the Renew Opelika Road Corridor plan during the Council's last meeting Aug. 20. The first area of construction is in the final design stages.
"Renew Opelika Road was a plan that came out of our comprehensive plan," said Justin Steinmann, the city of Auburn's principal planner. "It was really recognizing a need for knowing that Opelika Road is a corridor that was in decline."
The first phase of construction is the stretch of Opelika Road between Gay and Ross Streets.
"The remaining sections will be built over time, a lot of it depends on how much money is available from year to year to make that construction happen," Steinmann said. "There's not a firm timeline, you know, we are doing the Corridor in five years. It's more we are going to see what our funds are year-to-year and work incrementally as we can."
Steinmann said the plan encompasses the entire length of Opelika Road from Gay Street to the Auburn city limits and includes areas such as the Village Mall, Aspen Heights and North Dean Road. He said the plan is fundamentally about revitalizing the area through improving the aesthetics of the road with street trees, sidewalks and medians.
"So as far as the street-scape, the part that the city will be doing, redevelopment is occurring right now," Steinmann said. "We are asking people to plant street trees and other things like that."
Steinmann said the city wants to redevelop and reinvest in existing properties to make new investments on the corridor.
"Another thing we have talked about is corridor identity," Steinmann said. "You know, like downtown has an identity. Downtown Merchants helps promote Downtown, but there's no similar organization that does that for Opelika Road."
Two citizens brought concerns of the project to the Council during the Aug. 20 meeting.
"There's no plans for U-turns," said Allen Patterson of Village Photography. "If somebody was traveling down Opelika Road and they needed to turn left into a business across the street from me, they might have to go further and loop through Byron's parking lot in order to come back to that business. There are a lot of things that could go wrong when that happens."
Patterson raised concerns over medians impeding delivery trucks' ability to park in turn lanes on Opelika Road to deliver product to area businesses. He said he feels people are about (what does that mean?) the traffic issues that a median may create in that area.
"But we don't want to impede ongoing businesses like [Village Photography] and others that have been there for years and years and years," said Mayor Bill Ham. "So, going forward we want to ensure the viability of our existing businesses. And make sure that we don't do anything to negatively impact them."
Forrest Cotten, director of planning, said citizens have concerns about medians and he feels the planning department is sensitive to businesses' concerns.
"Where the rubber meets the road is when we actually get into the design phase of the project," Cotten said. "I think certainly we see greater opportunities for medians in some locations without question."
Construction will begin in 2014.
"I think we are extraordinarily sensitive and we'll be reaching out to those businesses directly," Cotten said. "And so there won't be anything done out there that folks aren't aware of, and certainly that would negatively impact businesses along there. I think everybody's on the same page as far as that's concerned."
(09/16/13 9:24pm)
After flying planes with the Navy and teaching R.O.T.C. at Auburn University, Council member Dick Phelan took on the mission to make important decisions on behalf of Ward 6 on City Council.
Twelve years ago, Phelan's involvement with the Auburn Veterans Committee helped familiarized himself with Mayor Bill Ham and the city manager at the time.
Phelan said he thought they were doing a great job with the city, but he wasn't as pleased with his City Council member. He decided to give City Council a try and ran for the position.
"I thought I was going to have one other opponent and I had three other opponents that ran," Phelan said. "At the time I didn't know what I was getting into."
To win the position, Phelan had to have the majority of votes cast. He had to win by at least 50 percent.
He said his strategy was to talk to the people he knew and have then talk to people they knew. With all his time involved with the federal government, he understood how people spent money at the federal level and he wanted to make spending more efficient at the local level.
"I have spent a lot of time doing this now and when you do something like this, you do it because of your commitment to the community," Phelan said. "You don't do it for any other reason. You really have to have a desire to do things people want you to do."
Phelan grew up and went to high school in Iowa. In the late '50s, Phelan said there were military drafts, so if he didn't go to college he would probably get drafted.
He decided to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. He graduated in 1964, and flew planes for approximately 27 years.
"It was a little different than it is now, because back then they only had males," Phelan said. "The first year was a little bit rough. I enjoyed it. I got to travel all over the world, not only with the Naval Academy but also when I was flying."
In 1988, the Navy brought Phelan and his wife, Edna, to Auburn University to teach R.O.T.C. until 1991 when he left the Navy.
"I found a place I wanted to stay for a while after I got out," Phelan said. "I just enjoyed the town, and I enjoyed the students. There is always something to do at the University. You can do a lot of other things you really don't have the opportunity to do other places."
The past 22 years, Phelan has worked with Wilson Investment Group as a financial adviser along with his work with City Council.
Phelan said when he moved to Auburn he noticed there were some portables outside the junior high school, and he wanted to improve the Auburn school system. Since then the population has increased from 25,000 to 50,000, and the school system has had to accommodate the increase.
"There are a lot of times when you think we did something worthwhile," Phelan said. "Everybody doesn't always feel that way, but you feel like you made a decision that if you were outside looking in, you would agree with it."
In 11 months, City Council will hold another election for members, and Phelan said he has not decided if he will run again or not.
"Auburn is just a nice community to live in," Phelan said. "I do feel that everyone who serves on City Council, as long as I have been here, have all done it for the right reason."
(09/12/13 9:30pm)
Auburn has a lot of heart, and now it has a purple one.
At its Aug. 20 meeting, the Auburn City Council designated Glenn Road, from Bent Creek to Donahue Drive, as a certified Purple Heart Trail.
This morning Sept. 12, at 9 a.m. at City Hall, Mayor Bill Ham and Leslie Digman, Commander of the J. R. Thomas Memorial Chapter 2205, revealed the first sign to be placed along Glenn Road.
The trail honors Purple Heart medal recipients by establishing roads, bridges and other monuments as visual reminders of those awarded the Purple Heart medal. The medal decorates any soldier of the United States Armed Services who was wounded or killed in combat.
"I hope it opens some eyes up to actually realizing there are people out there who are doing their job to protect this country, and to keep other opposing forces out of this country," Digman said.
The sign reads "Purple Heart Trail" below the Purple Heart symbol with a navy background. Signs should be displayed along Glenn Road in coming weeks.
"It'll be two or three signs," City Manager Charles Duggan said at the Aug. 20 council meeting. "It may just be signs at the entrances, and that's supposed to be a respect and honoring those service members that received a Purple Heart that are residents of our community."
The Military Order of Purple Heart was chartered by an Act of Congress Feb. 22, 1932. General George Washington created the Purple Heart medal, formerly known as Badge of Military Merit, in 1782.
(09/12/13 9:06pm)
Pandora, you've hurt me.
That 40-hour listening limit really created a rift in our relationship.
I don't know if I can go back to you. I know you lifted the 40-hour limit at the beginning of September, but things just aren't the same.
How do I know you won't try to take advantage of me again in the future?
Besides, you never knew what kind of mood I was in or what I was up to.
Pandora, I've found someone else.
Her name is Songza.
Songza sets itself apart from Pandora in multiple ways.
First, Songza caters to all with its concierge service.
So, let's say it's Saturday night and you want to pre-game before a party.
The concierge service immediately suggests the "Pre-gaming with Friends" activity. It then shows text saying, "We'll play some fun and up-beat music for you and your friends. Pick a genre."
You pick "Epic Pop Hits." Given an option of three playlists, you pick the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" playlist because you're a little rebel. BAM! Now we can start rockin' out to Cyndi Lauper.
But what if you want to go out for a late-night run?
The concierge service didn't suggest that. Well, I would suggest two things.
First, stop taking yourself so seriously. Go out and live a little.
Second, open up the menu and a large list of activities will be revealed.
Simply scroll down, find the "Work Out: Cardio" activity, and pick a playlist.
Oh, I see you have found the "Getting High" activity and have decided to do that instead. Well, maybe you shouldn't have that much fun.
Perhaps try the "Barbecuing" activity or the "Pool Party" playlists instead. What? You picked "Cocktail Party?" I'm leaving.
I see that your ex-boyfriend, Chad, crashed your cocktail party and went on a drunken rant. Now you're in a bad mood. Go to the mood section of Songza, and there you will find the right playlist to match how you feel.
You could pick the "Aggressive" mood to pump yourself up and kick Chad out. You could try the "Introspective" mood and reflect on why you dated an alcoholic.
Or maybe, you can just forgo all of your social responsibility, get naked and start rolling around in the mud listening to music from the "Earthy" playlist.
Let me warn you, do not start listening to the "Sexual" mood and start hooking up with Chad again, because we all know you should really be listening to the "Trashy" mood if you do.
Chad is gone and you've washed all that mud off.
Now you and your friend, Susan, are in the car heading to a movie.
Maybe you're not sure what kind of music she likes.
Look in the genre category and you will find tons of different kinds of music.
Songza has seven different types of rock music to listen to, four different types of pop, three types of country and so much more.
Let's not get too crazy, though. Songza doesn't have many of the sub-sub-genres of music. You're not likely to find any Viking metal or Nintendocore.
Hey! There's K-Pop in here! Susan will like this!
Now you're listening to music.
Crap. Nickelback.
You should skip this.
Songza gives you seven skips. After that, it throws up a pay wall.
You can't bear to sit through a song about photographs, but you also really like the playlist that you are on.
Good thing you read my review. By starting another playlist and then going back, the song will automatically change. Free skips.
The songs are not randomly generated. They are picked from a finite playlist.
This means there is a chance to hear the same song over again. I heard Brain Stew by Green Day enough times that I felt like my ears were going to bleed.
The odds for repetition increase if you skip songs a lot.
Luckily, playlists are large and do change after a period of time.
There is a thumbs up and a thumbs down feature.
Pressing thumbs down will consume a skip; however, the song will not be played again.
Pressing thumbs up will allow Songza to recommend other playlists you might enjoy.
However, I doubt this actually does anything since it has yet to recommend anything to me.
Wear headphones? Songza can adjust your high-quality settings to work perfectly with the make and model of your headphones.
Hop into your settings and plug in that Executive headset by Beats and Songza will make the proper adjustments.
Aw, but Chad got you those. You should probably sell them on eBay. Not to fear! Fish out those generic Apple earphones and Songza can still optimize your music for that.
Songza does need advertisements in order to make money. Occasionally, you will find an activity in the concierge service like "Getting Hyped with Taco Bell."
However, this is relatively harmless and doesn't interfere with anything.
It also doesn't take you to a website when tapping on it. It will still play music.
There are advertisement bars at the bottom of the screen when music is played. These are easily ignored. Songza also has video ads.
The good news about this is Songza never plays an ad between songs on a playlist or interrupts a song.
The only times ads are played when switching between playlists.
Pandora, we had some good times, but Songza just gets me.
Songza cares about what I'm doing and asks me how I feel.
You never did that.
Songza is willing to guide me to find new music.
Pandora, you sat there and waited for me to throw something at you before showing me something new.
Songza also gets along with all my friends way better than you did.
I'm sorry Pandora, but we are never ever, ever getting back together.
Like ever...
(09/12/13 8:59pm)
The Vegabonds, a Nashville, Tenn. based rock band that started in Auburn, has started a ripple in the Southeast that's traveled all the way to New York.
Nicole Klein, The Vegabonds' agent, started working with the band in June 2013.
"I started noticing more of my friends back home were talking about the band on social media, which is unusual for a band to stand out in that way, so I called a few clubs in the Southeast to gauge what the buzz was," Klein said. "The reports I got back (said) the band was the real deal and they're selling more tickets than other artists on their level."
A few weeks later, Klein said she read that the New Music Seminar in New York had named The Vegabonds as one of the top-100 "Artists on the Verge."
Klein listened to their music and said she realized they were special.
"[I was] reading their bio, and seeing they had all met at Auburn was the cherry on top," Klein said. "The Auburn Family exists even in rock 'n' roll."
The Vegabonds are a rock band consisting of six musicians.
Lead vocalist Daniel Allen joins vocalists and guitarists Alex Cannon and Richard Forehand, bassist Paul Bruens, drummer Bryan Harris and Jamie Hallen on the keys.
Harris said Skybar was the first place the band played together, and Auburn is where a lot of their inspiration comes from.
"Just being in Auburn and meeting in Auburn, I think that helped," Harris said. "That's where we started, that's where a lot of our inspiration came from: everyday life in Auburn."
Bruens said The Vegabonds play 120 shows per year, and they are currently performing sporadically every week in the fall.
The group opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd earlier this summer, and has toured in Europe, with visits in Spain, Austria, Sweden and France.
The group has had their fair share of embarrassing moments on the road.
"The most embarrassing thing would have to be falling over on stage," Bruens said. "It's happened to almost all of us at some point."
Bruens also said they have possible tours they will be opening up for, but he couldn't name which ones because they aren't official yet.
"We're writing for a new album," Bruens said. "When we'll be able to put it out, we're not sure. As of right now, we have three albums out and we're planning on going on tour as a supporting act for other larger bands for the future."
Klein said she thinks The Vegabonds could be a breakout band in Alabama.
"I think everybody in the world will know who they are," Klein said. "I think they'll be one of the biggest rock bands in the world and if I didn't believe that, I wouldn't work with them."
The band will be coming back to where it all began, playing at Bourbon Street Bar Wednesday, Oct. 5.
(09/12/13 3:29pm)
What does your job entail?
It entails meeting with clients and making fitness programs that are specific to their goals and physiology, whether it's modifications based on injury or based on what their expectations are.
(09/06/13 3:10pm)
Some students think the perfect fall football tailgate involves hamburgers, barbecue, booze, games and friends. People gather on Auburn's campus and all over town for pre-game festivities. But for some, tailgating has more to offer than food and fun before going into the stadium.
"Tailgating is a special time because you are with all the people you'll go to the game with, all your friends," said Corey Smith, graduate student in biomechanics. "You're having a good time conversing, but there is a real sense of community, too, with the people in the next tent over. You'll get to know them over the whole season."
Someone not familiar with football traditions might think tailgating involves sitting on a truck's tailgate, or as Google defines it as "to eat an informal meal served from the back of a parked vehicle," but that's not the case.
Most people tailgate in style with RVs, motorhomes, decorated cars or tents with satellite television connections.
The concept of tailgating is not complicated, but there's more to tailgating than a good time.
"You go to the site, you set up a tent, you hang out, cook, hang out some more and then go to the game and it's a great way to get into the Auburn spirit before the game," said Lynn Tamblyn, senior in industrial and systems engineering. "I like to spend time with Auburn people and fans before the game and it's a time where you cook, grill and hang out with friends."
Auburn fans, hopeful to celebrate football, flock to campus beginning Fridays at 4 p.m., when tailgaters are allowed to reserve certain areas on campus.
Tailgating on campus is so prevalent, the University established guidelines for tents used on University property.
"It's a big community thing, people are happy before the game and it's a fun atmosphere," Smith said. "It's all about community, I think. I always bring my grill because someone needs a grill master, and that's me."
Auburn University allows tailgating in the hayfields on Donahue Drive, the Intramural Fields, at Ag Heritage Park, on the Student Center Greenspace and the Weagle Woods behind the Forestry and Wildlife building.
"I love it. I grew up tailgating when I was little. It's a real nice ambiance before the game," Smith said. "You don't care about the game just yet. If you are uptight about the game, tailgating eases you up a little bit."
Tailgating goes beyond Jordan-Hare Stadium and Auburn's central campus.
There are parks dedicated to RV tailgating, like University Station RV Resort on Highway 14, where the park offers a shuttle service to the Stadium.
"The atmosphere here during home football exceeds your most elaborate expectation for tailgating," said Jill Holt of University Station. "Everyone here is here for Auburn football. Golf carts are decked out in their Auburn decor with horns, and big sound systems playing Auburn songs or ballgames as they breeze around the community and throughout the park, exchanging 'War Eagles' with fellow passing fans."
University Station covers 92 acres with approximately 550 sites available for RVs. Holt said there are approximately 450-650 RVs at the site, depending on the game.
"Tailgating has evolved to another level here at the station. There is an unspoken competition to "out-Auburn" the neighbors, or at least represent yourself very well in your display," Holt said. "Many sites have gone from camping to "glamping" here. Elaborate decks, coach houses, landscaped lawns and of course, all of the Auburn Tailgate decor you can find to promote team pride."
Friday nights, University Station features live bands performances with meals alongside a bonfire.
Holt said there is a tradition of events that include Halloween costume contests, parades, church services and auctions for Auburn scholarship funds.
"Our guests vary in age from newborn to 90 plus in years," Holt said. "We have tailgaters who are grandparents entertaining their families and grandchildren, to large tailgates with lots of college students, to quiet couples who just want a place to relax."
Holt said tailgating away from central campus is a money-saver because people do not have to drive their RVs back and forth to Auburn every weekend.
At places like University Station, people are able to leave their RVs at the site all season.
"The two main charms are the enormous amount of fun we have here with friends, new and old, and the hassle-free experience you get when you have a spot reserved and your site is set up when you get here," Holt said. "You just unlock the door and start your party."
(09/05/13 6:30pm)
With a grandfather as a trustee of his hometown, a mother who was active in the Republican Party and a brother who was a city council member, it's no wonder Tom Worden is the city council representative for Ward 3.
Ten years ago, the man who had Worden's current position had to leave the Council, so Mayor Ham asked Worden to fill the slot. He said he had no idea he would run for two more terms.
In a year from now, the 67-year-old representative's term will be over and he doesn't plan on running again. He said it is time to get someone younger to get involved.
He said he plans to travel more with his wife, Tasha, and plans to make more time for his volunteer work with the Literacy Coalition, the Auburn Arts Association and the two church choirs he directs.
After 10 years, he said he's proud to be the representative of Ward 3 and the work he's done.
"It's in my blood," Worden said. "I decided I needed to give back what I could, so I decided to do this. It has been wonderful. I love that I can help in a small way, work with citizens and have a ward where I can be depended on."
Worden grew up in Valparaiso, Ind., a city smaller than Auburn. After majoring in elementary education at Ball State University and receiving his masters and Ph.D at Purdue, Worden applied for a job with Auburn University.
"I could do almost anything in the area of education by the time I finished school," Worden said. "I thought to apply to Auburn, see what I could do, and they gave me a job the first time I showed up."
Worden said he and his wife had always wanted to live in a warm climate, so the job was perfect. He taught reading methods to education majors, but retired 15 years ago for health reasons.
"I was very fortunate," Worden said. "The students were all great and they were all interested in what they were doing. They were dedicated to finding a degree and doing it right."
When Worden joined the City Council, he said one thing he wanted to do was make the community understand what the City Council was and that they could help.
"They knew they could call me in Ward 3 and knew I did what I could," Worden said. "It sounds pretty easy, but not everyone knew they could do that. I'm glad I have been able to do it, and do it to the best of my ability. I like what I have been doing here."
Worden said the council is currently working on the revitalization of Opelika Road and the downtown area.
"We have so many exciting things going on right now that it is great fun," Worden said. "There are so many things we can do to help people realize this is important."
Worden said the projects are exciting for him because the Council has been talking about them for approximately five years. Now it is actually happening, although he will not hold his seat on the council, he said he is excited to see the plans come to fruition as a resident of the Auburn community.
"I don't know why we would ever think of leaving Auburn because it is just wonderful," Worden said. "We have a ton of friends, and it is a great place to live."
(09/05/13 6:16pm)
The barks of the 2013 Woofstock could be heard even of the streets of South College Saturday, Aug. 24.
This year's Woofstock brought out nearly two thousand people, resulted in six adoptions and raised approximately $20,000 for the Lee County Humane Society.
Activities for dogs, such as the Wash & Wag. made it a great day for the four-legged friends of the Auburn community. Dog treats were abundant and happily barking animals ran rampant in Kiesel Park.
"My favorite part was having the pets come in and enjoying the day," said Shelly Adams, administration and events coordinator for the Lee County Humane Society. "Just seeing all the different people and their pets and how they interact, seeing the joy in their face watching their pets be able to have fun. We had every shape and size dog out there."
Children enjoyed face paintings and inflatables.
The event's major sponsors were Delta Zeta sorority, philanthropist Gerald Leischuck, Fur Buds Veterinarians, Glynn Smith Chevrolet, Buick and GMC and Golden Family Cattle Farm.
McAllister's Deli, Reggie's Concessions, Dinky Donuts, Overall's Pops, Kona Ice and Momma Mocha's Coffee sold refreshments and Spicer's Music provided all the equipment for the musical entertainment. Garage bands performed from 9 a.m.-noon and the band, Sol Co, followed.
All donated funds went toward the society's operating costs, animal care and provisions.
(09/05/13 6:06pm)
Most of us know the cozy strip of downtown Auburn to be the core of this city. College Street and Magnolia Avenue mirror the University with the city.
Thousands of Auburn students, residents and visitors walk the sidewalks and drive the streets of the downtown area. It's home to most of us, whether it be where we go for dinner, out for entertainment, to get to school or to the stadium. Auburn's downtown epitomizes the approachable, yet exciting, environment all Tigers know and love.
This is a fact the city of Auburn understands completely, and only hopes to improve.
The city held a public meeting in the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. so Auburn residents were able to give input on what is referred to as the "Downtown Master Plan."
The city of Auburn realizes the best and most fitting people to make the decisions regarding what should be renovated downtown, and what it should look like, are the people who frequent our downtown area in their everyday lives.
The plan aims to revitalize the downtown area. The area's proximity has not expanded since the 1940s, so the city is aiming to adequately utilize the space by renovating some of the more dilapidated buildings and structures.
"What we're trying to zero in on is some things aesthetically that we can do better," said Forrest Cotton, Auburn's planning director. "I think streetscape and talking about expanding into some of these areas and making some actual infrastructure improvements to really show people that we aren't just on paper expanding downtown, this is what we want downtown to feel like."
The presentation included an explanation of the issues and potential developments, allowed for community input and held workshops for more personal communication.
Residents in attendance ranged from those who have been living in Auburn for 30 years to those living here for less than two years.
"It shows how interested and in-tune the Auburn citizens are," City Manager Charles Duggan said. "They care about what the future is going to be. They want to have a hand in shaping that and we're welcoming it. We want people to come tell us what they like and don't like. Their input is going to be vital to what the final recommendations are going to be."
Bob Begle of Urban Collage conducted the meeting as principal designer. Urban Collage is a planning and design company based in Atlanta and established in 1997.
Urban Collage's research in Auburn began in June, and with the first phase nearly complete, it intends to move into the second phase of designing and drafting, which will include another public meeting.
The last phase will accept community feedback and focus on implementation.
"This is a downtown that doesn't have a lot of vacant lots, doesn't have a lot of vacant store fronts, but it still could be an even better version of itself," Begle said. "That's what we are interested to hear what people think that better version could be."
Urban Collage suggested the new downtown feature a modern grocery store, more fine dining, family-oriented retail and more entertainment such as nightlife options and a movie theater.
"At the end of the day we want to make sure we get the quality the citizens of Auburn want to see in their downtown," Duggan said. "We want a welcoming destination. We don't want just a place people drive through. We want people to come, have a great time, bring their families and when they leave think, 'I want to go back there.'"
The city has yet to assign a budget, but Duggan said the process would need to be completed before they can make an estimate. At this point, puts completion at 2030.
(09/05/13 3:49pm)
Stop.
