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AU missing student returns home

By Patrick Dever / Sports Editor | July 31

Auburn University student Michael Harrie, missing since July 16 in Thailand, has been found and is on his way home."The University was notified by Harrie's parents that investigators learned from Thailand immigration that Harrie had exited the country," said Chance Corbett, associate director of emergency management.Corbett said the University has been working with the Harrie family and will continue to help them until everything is figured out."We are here to help the parents and family in any way that we can," Corbett said.Harrie was supposed to meet his parents in Tokyo July 16 after going on a sight-seeing trip to Bangkok, Thailand.Thailand immigration authorities reported that Harrie left July 29 en route to the United States.His parents have been in California since their trip to Tokyo waiting for the 29-year-old southern California native's return.

Sarah Newton was Appointed as the President Pro Tempore of the Auburn Board of Trustees

By Holly Hereth/Staff Writer | July 28

Auburn Board of Trustee member Sarah Newton was appointed as the president pro tempore of the Auburn Board of Trustees for the 2009-2010 academic lead the Board in its affairs in the absence of Governor Bob Riley, the president of the Board."I want to use this time to promote Auburn," Newton said.

UPDATE: Dean Tim Boosinger Speaks About Missing Auburn University Student Michael Harrie

By Andrew Sims/Online Editor | July 28

Dean of the Auburn School of Veterinary Medicine, Tim Boosinger, spoke at a press conference Tuesday and said he and the University are holding on to hope that missing student, Michael Harrie, will return safely to his family."We are very concerned for Michael and will continue to be concerned till he is safe," Boosinger said.

Auburn Student Michael Harrie Missing in Thailand

By Staff Report | July 28

AU NEWS (NEWS RELEASE)Parents of Auburn University student Michael Griffin Harrie, who went missing during a study abroad trip to Japan are asking for the public's help in locating him.Harrie, a student in the College of Veterinary Medicine, was last seen in Thailand on July 14.Harrie, a 29-year-old native of Southern California, was participating in a study abroad program at Iwate University in Morioka, Japan.

Auburn Educators Talk About New Teacher Code of Ethics

By Sarah Craft/Associate Copy Editor | July 28

The Alabama Legislature is working to enforce a new code of ethics for educators and cracking down on the inappropriate behaviors found in schools.The new code of ethics contains provisions regarding conduct standards for teachers, unlawful acts and maintenance of student confidentiality.According to the new code of ethics, teachers can be disciplined if they engage in behaviors such as using inappropriate language on school grounds, failing to provide adequate supervision to students and exposing students to unnecessary embarrassment."The code protects the health, safety and general welfare of students and educators; outlines objective standards of conduct for professional educators; and clearly defines actions of an unethical nature for which disciplinary sanctions are justified," reads the code's introductory text."I support the Alabama Education Association (AEA), but (the new code) could be abused," said Jason Wright, principal of Auburn Junior High School.

Swine Flu Incident at Local Summer Camp Event

By Callie Garrett/Staff Writer | July 24

Two children attending the Kaleidoscope camp at Auburn Junior High School on July 15 were diagnosed with H1N1 influenza.The parents of the children, both from the same family, informed the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation who had organized the summer camp."The parents notified us that the children had been diagnosed last Wednesday," said Becky Richardson, director of Auburn Parks and Recreation.

Dance Group Displays 'Man'

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 23

Auburn's new performance dance group called the Layman Group performed its first exhibition, "Man," Thursday night at the Jule Collins-Smith Museum.Through a correlation of music, dialogue, audience response and improvisational dance, the one-night performance "Man" addressed the stereotypes and ideals of the meaning of manhood at home and within the larger society, according to the JCSM Web site."The purpose of 'Man' is not to make statements about masculinity, but to let people watch and listen and form their own opinions," said Doc Waller, executive artistic director of the Layman Group.

Prisoners Get Artistic

By Sarah Phillips/Staff Writer | July 23

When it comes to creativity, Auburn University has found a new outlet for a group of people society forgets and often ignores: prisoners.The Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project was created in 2004, using grants from various foundations, including the Alabama Humanities Foundation, and began as an outreach with only one poet teaching in one prison.Today, this project has grown into more than 35 instructors teaching in 12 correctional facilities in Alabama with courses ranging from drawing to Southern literature."Education is good for everybody," said Kyes Stevens, director of the Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project.

Testing Scores Between Black and White Students Narrow in the South

By Andrew Sims/Online Editor | July 23

The South is narrowing, but not closing, the gap between black and white students' performances on tests, a new federal study released July 14 shows.In the study by the U.S.

Overdraft Expenses Weigh on Students

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 23

Everyone with a bank account dreads those two words that pop up because of a forgotten or miscalculated transaction: non-sufficient funds.As a result of the hectic lives many people lead, some lose track of their spending habits or make a deposit after depleting an account instead of making the deposit before."People must realize that checks written do not appear immediately on their telephone banking or Web banking transaction logs," said an executive of RBC Bank.

Envision Opelika Announces New Community Foundation

By Jaclyn Dunn/Staff Writer | July 20

Lee County's community-based organization, Envision Opelika, has announced the implementation on the Community Foundation of East Alabama, Inc."The basis of the foundation is to build funds for philanthropic purposes and non-profit organizations based on identified community needs," board member Barbara Patton said.

FDA Votes to Consider Removing Acetaminophen Medications

By Jaclyn Dunn/Staff Writer | July 20

The Advisory Committee for the FDA voted Wednesday to recommend the removal of prescription drugs, such as Vicodin and Percocet, that contain acetaminophen from the market, and to lower the recommended 24-hour dosage on over-the-counter (OTC) pain killers, such as Tylenol and Excedrin, that also contain the drug acetaminophen.The FDA estimated that the overdosing of acetaminophenis responsible for 640, more than half of which are unintentional, cases of acute liver failure each year. Based on that, the FDA advisory panel voted 21-16 to lower the maximum daily dose of OTC acetaminophen, which is currently 4 grams,or equivalent of eight pills, of a drug such as Extra Strength Tylenol.

Governor Riley Announces First Class Pre-K Program

By Jordan Brantley/Staff Writer | July 17

Gov. Bob Riley announced July 7th that 27 classrooms around the state will now be sites for the First Class Pre-K program.The nation's top-rated kindergarten program will now serve a total number of 3,808 children.According to the press release, since the First Class initiative first started in November 2007, 68 percent more four-year-olds are being served by the program, and there are now 213 First Class classrooms in Alabama."Alabama is providing the nation's highest quality pre-K program to more students than ever before," Riley said in the press release.

Riley Encourages Nominations for Board of Trustees

By Stephanie England/Staff Writer | July 16

A position on the Auburn University Board of Trustees will soon be available.The opening is in District 6, previously held by Paul J.

Adults Taking Over Facebook

By Jaclyn Dunn/Staff Writer | July 16

Is the idea of a virtual hangout for college students slowly being taken over by parental control?Facebook's largest age group is now ages 35 to 54, accounting for 28.2 percent of all U.S.

Students Say Fast Food Ads Too Racy, Offensive

By Jaclyn Dunn/Staff Writer | July 16

With the launch of a new less-than-subtle ad in Singapore, Burger King has taken its slogan of "Have it Your Way" to a whole new level.This sexually driven ad leaves no room for misinterpretation, unless the viewer is under the age of 12, but since its debut last month it has caused a stir around the globe."At first I think it's kind of funny, but highly perverted; if this were my company, I would say it was a huge mistake," said Patrick Williamson, a junior in marketing.

Tiger Transit Will Run at Night

By Justin Dorman/Staff Writer | July 16

Auburn University is looking to improve the safety and security of students on campus by implementing a new nighttime bus system this fall.The new night transit will assist in getting students from downtown to the stop of their choice, be it on-campus or off.Auburn's SGA helped design a system that now allows two different busing systems to co-exist and run efficiently.The Night Security Shuttle will provide security for the students going from parking lots to the dorms or other on-campus locations, but will no longer provide the taxi service for those in need of a ride downtown.This bus system will run like the Tiger Transit, but SGA President Jacob Watkins said it is important the two not be considered the same, as the routes differ slightly and the funding for the two systems comes from different places."Everywhere it stops is still a Tiger Transit stop, but we've consolidated some of the daytime routes into one route," Watkins said.

Firehouse subs donates thermal imaging cameras to Auburn Fire Department

By Natalie Nettles / Intrigue Editor | July 14

The sub restaurant founded by firefighters is taking the heat off some local firemen.The Firehouse Subs on Magnolia Avenue donated three MSA 5600 thermal imaging cameras to the Auburn fire department this afternoon.Chris Holmes, area representative for Firehouse Subs, said each camera is valued at around $10,000."We actually take donations from our customers and then we roll it all up together throughout the rest of the company and make donations to different public safety departments," Holmes said.Lee Lamar, fire chief, said the cameras search for and identify heat."A smoky environment where you have zero visibility and you've got a lot of different heat signatures in there, the camera can actually go in and differentiate those signatures and you can identify what's a bed, what's a wall and where a person or a body is," Lamar said.Lamar said the fire department previously only had one thermal imaging camera, which was purchased over a decade ago through fundraising efforts of citizens in the community.Lamar said one of the cameras will be placed in the battalion chief's vehicle, while the other two will be place in the department's ladder trucks."It allows us to find victims in structure fires and emergency operations a lot faster than we could before," Cody Carlson, an Auburn firefighter, said.Lamar said the donation is a tremendous asset to what the fire department can provide to the citizens of Auburn."By far the most important aspect of this is the life saving," Lamar said.