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Sept. 11 Survivor Shares his Testimony

By Callie Garrett / Assistant Intrigue Editor | September 12

Sunel Merchant, a survivor of the Sept. 11 attack, shares his testimonyand appreciation for firefighters, police and all other armed forcesbecause they are the reason he is alive today.As Merchant was working on the 49th floor of the World Trade Center, hewas sharing a joke with his colleague when suddenly the laughing turnedto tears and shock instantly.

Kellie Pickler headlines UPC fall concert

By Jordan Dailey / ASSOCIATE CAMPUS EDITOR | September 10

UPC's fall concert will feature Kellie Pickler.The country artist was featured on the fifth season of American Idol and then recorded her first album.It will be held at the fall Tiger Nights event Sept. 18.

'Heart of Auburn' Lost in Construction

By Brittany Cosby / Campus Editor | September 10

As Auburn progresses to become a pedestrian friendly campus, some historical areas have become lost along the way.One area in particular was the "heart of Auburn."The area referred to as the "heart of Auburn" was installed in 1981 in the old Katherine Cater Cooper lawn design in the center of campus.Franklin Olmsted, who designed Central Park in New York and Riverside Park in Chicago, established the original design for the Samford Hall and Cater lawn areas."There was a perfect heart with a little lawn around it," said Paula Backscheider, an English professor that works on the ninth floor of Haley Center and could see the heart from her window.

Millard Fuller's Dream of Housing Continues

By Justin Ward/ Staff Writer | September 10

Lanett needs a superhero.It has an unemployment rate double the national average, almost 21 percent of the city's population lives below the poverty line and the per capita income is under $16,000.And since 2000, Lanett's job growth is negative, meaning jobs have decreased by 15 percent, and the school system spends thousands less per child than the national average.As a result, some of its long-time residents migrated elsewhere.But Friday afternoon offered a glimmer of hope for this struggling city.

University Takes Steps to Battle Swine Flu

By Ellison Langford/News Editor | September 10

The Auburn University Medical Clinic has diagnosed over 200 cases of H1N1 influenza since the start of classes.However, despite a popular rumor that the University will have to shut down if 200 more students come down with it, that is just not the case."Can it happen?

Record Enrollment at Southern Union Community College

By Alison McFerrin / STAFF WRITER | September 10

Enrollment reached record highs at Southern Union Community College this fall.Across the three campuses in Wadley, Valley and Opelika, enrollment totaled 5,160 students, the highest in the school's history.The majority of these students, about 4,000, are enrolled at the Opelika campus."Students want to get their educations at the best value possible," said Mary Jean White, dean of instruction, about why she thinks the static tuition prices may be a reason.There are several reasons for the increased number of students applying to Southern Union, said Gary Branch Jr., dean of student development.Branch said the smaller class sizes are positive incentives for many students.

Obesity May Be Cause for Alabama's Prescription Drug Use

By Mary-Glenn Smith/ Staff Writer | September 10

Total sales for prescription drugs reached $291.5 billion last year in the U.S. and Alabamians may have lent a big hand to that statistic.Alabama was ranked second behind West Virginia in prescription drug use for 2007, according to a report released by Forbes Magazine."Physicians are prescribing more, because when people take the time to go to a doctor, they expect to leave there with a prescription," said pharmacist Angie Vaughan.

Biofuel Research Grant Awarded

By Theadoris Morris/Staff Writer | September 10

The Auburn University's Department of Biosystems Engineering has been awarded $4.9 million to help develop systems which will handle, deliver and lower the cost of biomass feedstock from the seed to the pump.Feedstock is raw material, usually plant or agricultural waste, that can be processed into fuel."Our feedstock is going to be woody biomass with the kind of the trees and things we have all around us here in the South," said Steven Taylor, head and director of the department of biosystems engineering.Biomass is a clean, renewable energy source that can help diversify transportation fuels in the U.S., according to the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) News Web site.Auburn University was one of the five projects awarded the federal grant by the U.S.

Library Offers New Amenities for Guests

By Blake Hamilton / Associate Campus Editor | September 10

The Ralph Brown Draughon Library has seen its share of changes over the years, but imminent remodeling of the building will rival any seen before.What began in the summer with the closing off of part of the first floor near the Mell Street entrance will result in a full service Caribou Coffee shop and a learning commons area on the second floor."We had been working with SGA and the Student Advisory Council (SAC) for several years, asking them to survey students and get input about their thoughts on the library," said Bonnie MacEwan, dean of libraries.

Opelika Sportplex Opens

By Kendra Kelley / Assistant News Editor | September 10

The Opelika Sportsplex and Aquatics Center opened its doors to the public Monday, Aug. 31.More than 50 people were waiting in line from 5 a.m.

Legislators Look to Solve PACT Problems

By Laura Maxwell/ Staff Writer | September 10

A concern for many Auburn students is whether the PACT program will continue to pay for their education.

Goodbye Power Cords, Hello Wireless Electricity

By Samuel Solomon/ Associate News Editor | September 10

Imagine a world where clusters of mangled wires under desks are non-existent. Imagine a world where laptops and cell phones charge every time they enter a room.A world where all those things are possible may not be far away.The idea of wireless electricity dates back more than 100 years to Nikola Tesla and his giant electrical towers, known as Tesla coils, which would relay electrical charges through the air."Tesla made an antenna of the high-voltage end of his secondary, it became a powerful radio transmitter," according to PBS online.

Multimedia May Replace Libraries

By Kendra Kelley / Assistant News Editor | September 8

Libraries have been important sources of information for years, but as technology grows so do our sources.

Auburn City Council Sept. 2

By Samuel Solomon/ Associate News Editor | September 7

Members of the Auburn City Council organized themselves in the council chamber shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday. Roll was called and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Auburn City Council changes open records policy

By Charley Gaines/ Staff Writer | September 7

Auburn City Council changed their policy for open records in a unanimous vote at Tuesday night's meeting.Council changed the policy to unify Auburn with state guidelines on open records.Although Auburn had a policy, it did not distinctly line up with Alabama's state policies. The new record is a written document formalizing Auburn's policies with state law.

Buds May Blunt Booze's Abuse of Brain

By Max Newfield / Staff Writer | September 3

The results of a University of California San Diego study claim adolescents who use marijuana may be less susceptible to brain damage from binge drinking."I was definitely surprised by the results," said Susan Tapert, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego, and one of the main researchers in the study.The study's goal was to research the capacity of the adolescent brain to process information efficiently after exposure to drugs and alcohol.Between 2007 and 2009, researchers studied adolescents ages 16 to 19.The subjects were divided into three groups: binge drinkers, binge drinkers who also used marijuana and a control group who rarely or never used alcohol or drugs.Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in one sitting for men and four or more drinks in one sitting for women.The researchers were surprised to find the results of the study deviated from what they had hypothesized, Tapert said."We found that the damage to their white matter was right in the middle (of the results)," Tapert said, about the subjects who frequently used marijuana and alcohol.

Where Do All The Bikes Go?

By Helen Northcutt/Intrigue Editor | September 3

The benefits to biking on campus are numerous: it is good for the environment, it is cost efficient and it is great for the body.But, many students don't realize their bikes can be confiscated if they don't have the correct parking permits.All bikes, just like motorcycles and other vehicles on campus, need to have a permit or decal, which are free of charge.Students must know the make, color and serial number of the bicycle to obtain a parking permit.

Gameday Parking for Students

September 3

C-Zone Lot (Coliseum) -- All vehicles must be removed by 6 a.m. the day before a home football game.West / RO, C-Zone Lot (west end of Thach Avenue) \0xAD-- All vehicles must be removed by 6 a.m.