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Alabama Receives Funds for Obesity Problem

By Grace Henderson/Staff Writer | July 9

Alabama is inching closer to becoming the most obese state, but with five communities in the state each receiving $3,000 to stimulate physical activity and nutrition programs, Mississippi may stay on top.The Chronic Disease Directors Association chose Alabama, as well as seven other states, to receive funds through the Balancing InTake and Expenditure grant.The State Obesity Task Force then divided the money among the five selected communities including Anniston, Birmingham, Greensboro, Millbrook and Montgomery.Miriam Gaines, nutrition and physical activity division director for the Alabama Department of Public Health, said Alabama applied and won the grant in early 2009 because of its intention of building the infrastructure of rural communities.It makes sense why Alabama is so far behind other physically fit states, like Colorado, she said."It's because (Colorado) has places where people want to go be active, where they have that infrastructure of walking and that expectation that it's going to be safe and pleasant."The grant money was open for everyone, but small organizations and the School of Architecture at Auburn University ended up applying and receiving the majority."Auburn students saw this as an opportunity, and they ran with it," Gaines said.It is the young people who are going to make a difference, she said.She is excited to see what impact the money has on the communities.Choona Lang, coordinator for the health and wellness ministry at Mount Gillard Missionary Church in Montgomery, said she is excited to use the money to expand an existing plan that began five years ago.In October there will be an additional health care fair with a community walk and lectures focusing on diabetes, healthy food choices, stress and smoking."We're trying to get the message out there about making wise, healthy life choices," Lang said.

Cambridge Coffee Closes for Repairs

By Courtney Johnson/Staff Writer | July 9

An integral part of the coffee-lovers community across Auburn suddenly closed June 29.Owners of Cambridge Coffee on College Street closed their doors, turned off the lights and hung a "renovation" sign.A former employee of Cambridge, who did not want his identity revealed, said the shop is not undergoing aesthetic renovations, but has shut its doors and is considering a different business avenue."There's talk about all kinds of new types of businesses coming into this spot," he said.

Meal Program Needs Support

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | July 9

Homebound. Alone. Hungry.Many do not know about the hundreds of people in Lee and Russell counties who struggle through each day and wonder when, or if, they will have a next meal.That is why the Area Agency on Aging recently extended an urgent request for donations to its unique Home Delivered Meals Program."As of May 1st, there's a waiting list for 191 people who asked for food," said Peggy Todd, AAA board member.

Auburn Equestrian Team Hosts Camps and Prepares for '09 Season

By Stephanie England/Staff Writer | July 2

Between camps and individual workouts, the Auburn Equestrian team is staying busy this summer.Three camps are being offered to riders of all experience levels, said Greg Williams, head coach.

Sips and Strokes for Different Folks

By Courtney Johnson/Staff Writer | July 2

A new business in Auburn is painting the perfect picture for a night out on the town.Sips N Strokes, located on University Drive, allows customers to get creative by participating in a painting lesson and going home with their completed work.As the name implies, customers are invited to bring in a beverage of their choice to enjoy while they paint.Brad Baggett, owner and manager of the Auburn branch of Sips N Strokes, said the painting classes are offered Monday through Saturday."Monday through Wed-nesday the classes are two hours long and cost $25 and from Thursday through Saturday, Sips N Strokes offers three hour classes for $35," Baggett said.The paintings offered during the three-hour classes are slightly more difficult.

Tiger Green Power, LLC Run By Auburn Graduate

By Jordan Brantley/Staff Writer | July 2

The energy of the future has arrived in Auburn.Tiger Green Power, LLC is a renewable energy company specializing in providing electricity producing solar water heaters, day-lighting systems, energy conservation techniques, and more, said Robin Price, president and co-founder of Tiger Green Power."It's basically green building," Price said.

Alabama State Unemployment Rises to 9.8 Percent

By Andrew Sims/Online Editor | July 2

Alabama Department of Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees announced June 19 that Alabama's state unemployment rate had risen from 9.0 percent in April to 9.8 percent in May.The new May unemplolyment rate equates to 208,917 unemployed persons.

Charter Communications to Keep WSFA News 12 in Auburn

By Callie Garrett/ Staff Writer | July 2

Charter Communications mistakenly included Auburn in their news release about removing the local channel WSFA news 12 from Chambers County and Lanett."WSFA - NBC will remain on our line-up in the City of Auburn and in Lee County, but not in Chambers County and Lanett," said John Miller, director of communications for Charter Communications.A press release was sent to newspapers and put up on the screen for Charter subscribers to view, Mark Wilder, WSFA director of operations, said."When Charter put out the information to its subscribers, they made a mistake in the wording and included the word Auburn within Chambers County as to the area it was going to be taken off," Wilder said.

Auburn Theatre Department Targets Younger Audience

By Sarah Phillips/Staff Writer | July 2

A person finding a hole in his or her coat may think it normal wear and tear or a reminder of an event that created it.

Auburn University Offers Services for Veterans

By Courtney Johnson/Staff Writer | July 2

Auburn has a long-standing history in encouraging and accommodating military students after service.An example was in the post-WWII era, when Auburn was overwhelmed with veteran students taking advantage of their G.I.

Corrupted-Files.com Offers a New Type of Homework Excuse

By Natalie Nettles/Intrigue Editor | July 1

Gone are the days of forged doctor's excuses and computers that crash the day an assignment is due.A new Web site, www.corrupted-files.com, promises to do away with excuses of the past by allowing students to e-mail purposely corrupted files to professors in order to buy time to finish their work.The site, which offers Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents for $3.95, does not identify its Webmaster and states on the home page to keep the site a secret.Joey Burns, a sophomore in supply chain management, said he thinks students who use this site to buy time are cheating."Everybody has to be dealt with on the same time line," Burns said.

Fawcett, Jackson Die Leaving Enduring Legacies

By Christian Becraft/ Associate Intrigue Editor | June 25

Two American icons passed away Thursday, one terminally ill cancer patient whose career excelled as an "Angel" and one unexpected death of a revered music legend that will soon take his place among Elvis Presley and the Beatles.Michael Jackson, 50, died Thursday afternoon of cardiac arrest.

Auburn Community Gathers for Art Walk

By Jennifer Beckett/Staff Writer | June 25

Hula hooping, face painting, dough tossing, scavenger hunting - a mere glimpse of the array of activities and attractions at the 2009 SummerNight downtown art walk held Friday, June 19 on College Street and Magnolia Avenue.Started by the Auburn Arts Association, SummerNight features artists from Auburn and surrounding areas gathered downtown to display and sell paintings, pottery, quilts, jewelry and other artistic wares to students and families of the Auburn community."This is an opportunity for the entire community to support the arts," said Sarah Hand, art specialist and cultural director of the Auburn Parks and Recreation Department.

Admissions Office Creates Facebook Page

By Sarah Craft/Associate Copy Editor | June 25

The Auburn University Admissions department is working to better serve its students by creating a Facebook page where students can ask questions and have them answered by an admissions counselor."The class we're recruiting was born in '92 or '93 and have always had access to the Internet," said Jim Parrish, assistant director at the Office of University Recruitment.

Congress Signs the Credit Card Accountability and Disclosure Act for 2010

By Sarah Craft/Associate Copy Editor | June 25

Students under the age of 21 who hope to soon be paying with plastic may have to wait a little longer.Congress signed the Credit Card Accountability and Disclosure Act of 2009 into law, which will go into effect February 2010.H.R.

Foy Building to Reopen Food Venues

By Sarah Hansen/Associate News Editor | June 25

Fear not Auburn students, War Eagle Food Court is returning -- have your Tigercards out and ready to go.Although the food court area of the Foy Student Union building has remained unused for the past year, it is now ready to make a comeback.

Cumberland Plastic Systems LLC and Donaldson Company Inc. Add Jobs to Auburn

By Jordan Brantley/Staff Writer | June 25

Two Auburn manufacturers are planning to expand their production and employee base.Cumberland Plastic Systems LLC and Donaldson Company Inc. will be adding additional employees within the next two years.Alison Petersen, human resources representative for Cumberland, said Cumberland plans to hire at least 51 employees over the next two years.Jim Noreault, plant manager for Donaldson, said Donaldson Company plans to hire 25 employees starting in January 2010.Petersen said it is not an immediate physical expansion, but a production expansion where the company will buy new machines and hire more employees to work them."We are a new company, and we've been working hard the past few years to get business," Petersen said.

New Terminal at Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport

By Jordan Brantley/Staff Writer | June 25

Last Thursday was the ground-breaking for a new terminal at the Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport.The airport has been operational since 1930 and has been in need of repair since the 1980s, said Bill Hutto, airport director.He said planning for the new addition started in 2002, but once construction begins, the terminal should be completed within one year."The building is too small to accommodate the demands that we have today in personnel and the people in the community," said Hutto.