SPRING FASHION issue INSIDE
The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID Thursday, March 6, 2014 Vol. 120, Issue 36, 30 Pages
While you weren’t sleeping SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament See ThePlainsman.com and @TheAUPlainsman this weekend for updates March 6 - March 9
COMMUNITY
A6
Overall Company starts small and grows with love Opelika couple meets, falls in love, gets engaged and opens a coffee shop in the same building in Opelika’s historic downtown district
SPORTS
A8
Students utilize caffeine and ADHD medication to pull off all-nighters Derek Herscovici CAMPUS REPORTER
The time to climb that mountain known as midterms is fasting approaching, ready or not. Those days and nights of immersive studying might seem like the only way out, but a foolproof, all-nighter routine might be doing more harm than good. “In my entire academic career, I pulled an all-nighter one time,” said Dr. Fred Kam, director of the Auburn University medical center. “I had a gross anatomy exam on a Thursday and a biochemistry exam on a Friday, and, to be candidly honest, I never did it again. I performed poorly on that biochemistry exam, even though I stayed up all night, and when the exam came, I couldn’t think
clear. I knew the information, but I couldn’t analyze it. So, I never did it again.” Caffeine, study medication and other tried-and-true methods of pulling an allnighter might be effective in keeping students awake, but missing out on sleep can either undo or waste the time spent studying. “Adderall and coffee can keep you focused, but you can get distracted and end up focusing on the wrong things,” said Sean Conley, sophomore in business. “You’ll realize two hours have gone by, and you’ve been online looking at cat pictures the whole time.” Conley said despite being prescribed the study medication Adderall, he sometimes skips taking them in order to
» See SLEEP A2
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Adderall and coffee can keep you focused, but you can get distracted and end up focusing on the wrong things. You’ll realize two hours have gone by, and you’ve been online looking at cat pictures the whole time.” —Sean Conley
SOPHOMORE IN BUSINESS
ENERGY SHOT: 200 mg in 2 oz bottle
COFFEE: 245 mg in 12 oz cup
CAFFEINE PILL: 200 mg per pill
ENERGY DRINK: 160 mg in 16 oz can
*-FDA Suggested Serving of Caffeine: 100 – 200 mg per day
Prominent alumni to be honored
Former Tigers wow the scouts at Auburn’s 2014 Pro Day Fifteen former Auburn football players return to the Plains and show their skills to NFL scouts
INTRIGUE
A14
Derek Herscovici CAMPUS REPORTER
and took into account what the students wanted to see,” Abbott said. “We contacted all of our favorite performers. We thought about what artists we would want to see and what artists the students would want to see. In the end, it all worked out well.” The artists performing at the concert represent a wide range of genres, including alternative rock, rap and folk. “I am excited to see all the students that will be there that have not really participated in UPC events before, because I think we have appealed to
A new class of distinguished alumni will return to the Plains Saturday, March 8, to receive Auburn University’s most distinguished honor, the Lifetime Achievement award. Tim Cook, ’82, CEO of Apple Inc.; Larry Benefield, ’66, dean emeritus of the Ginn college of engineering; John Brown, ’57, chair emeritus of Stryker Corp.; and Pat Sullivan, ’72, the 1971 Heisman trophy winner were all selected for the award. “The committee takes all the nominations that were submitted and pick the top four that are selected who meet all the requirements,” said Jessica King, director of alumni communications and marketing. “Every year, it’s going to be a little different depending on whose nominated.” The criteria the nominated alumni must meet in order to be recognized and include the following: The nominee must have attained prominence in their professional careers, performed distinguished human services in the local community or world and conferred meritorious service to Auburn University. Cook, Benefield, Brown and Sullivan will be honored at the induction ceremony dinner in March at the Auburn Marriot Opelika Hotel and Conference Center at
» See UPC A2
» See ALUMNI A2
FILE
Scott Avett, along with his brother, Seth and the rest of the band will headline UPC’s spring concert.
UPC lands The Avett Brothers, The Neighbourhood, B.o.B.
An Earnest day’s work Auburn student spreads his message of overcoming obstacles and reaching out to others
INDEX Campus A1 Opinion A5 Community A6 Sports A8 Intrigue A12
Corey Williams CAMPUS REPORTER
On Wednesday, Feb. 26, Auburn’s University Programs Council announced the lineup for the 2014 UPC Auburn Airwaves spring concert. The Avett Brothers, B.o.B. and The Neighbourhood will play at the Auburn Arena Thursday, April 24. Rhett Sosebee, senior in hotel and restaurant management, is UPC’s director of major entertainment. According to Sosebee, student response to the lineup has been overwhelmingly positive. “We have gotten a ton of good feedback,” Sosebee said.
About 2,600 students have reserved their tickets since the lineup was announced on Wednesday. “That is a really big response for a UPC event like this,” Sosebee said. “Judging off of that, and just from what people are saying about it, I think people are excited to see this concert.” Ashley Abbott, sophomore in marketing, is one of UPC’s assistant directors of major entertainment. Abbot said a lot of thought was put into deciding which artists would perform at the spring concert. “We looked at the responses on the student surveys from over the years
Campus A2
The Auburn Plainsman
DUI ARRESTS For Feb. 26–March 1, 2013 William Lein, 20 Feb. 26,West Magnolia Avenue and North Donahue Drive
Police reports for Feb. 26–March. 3, 2013 Feb. 26 10:16 a.m., 200 block of Roosevelt Concourse Third-degree theft of lost property
Kelsey Lee, 21 Feb. 26, East University Drive and Shelton Mill Road
Feb. 26 11:39 a.m., 3200 block of Mill Creek Road Residential burglary
George Lee Feb. 28, Lee Road 10
Feb. 26 12:48 a.m., 1100 block of South College Street First-degree criminal trespass and criminal mischief
Demarius Payne March 1, Opelika Road
Feb. 27 8 p.m., 200 block of Thatch Concourse Third-degree criminal mischief
Bryan Vandiver March 1,Webster Road and Wire
Feb. 27 4:26 p.m., 400 block of North Dean Road Third-degree criminal tresspass
Aldris Ramos March 1, East Glenn Avenue and South Ryan Street
Feb. 28 10:30 a.m., 1500 block of South College Street Second-degree criminal trespass
–Reports provided by Auburn Department of Public Safety
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Feb. 28 8:11 p.m., 1900 block of Lee Road 137 Residential burglary
March 2 8:11 p.m., 300 block of Opelika Road First-degree robbery
Feb. 28 8 p.m., 1800 block of North College Street Third-degree criminal mischief
March 2 8:24 p.m., 1300 block of Kurt Circle Third-degree domestic violence
March 1 4:16 a.m., 100 block of Hemlock Drive Third-degree criminal mischief
March 3 11:10 a.m., 600 block of Biggio Drive Bicycle theft
March 1 11:50 a.m., 700 block of Aspen Heights Lane Third-degree criminal mischief
March 3 12:05 a.m., 200 block of West Longleaf Drive Second-degree theft of property
March 1 11:25 pm., 100 block of Cox Street Unlawful Breaking and Entering a Vehicle
March 3 4:40 p.m., 200 block of West Glenn Avenue Third-degree theft of property
March 1 12:49 a.m., 200 block of West Longleaf Drive Residential burglary and theft
March 3 4:23 p.m., 900 block of Law Drive Second-degree theft of property
Feb. 28 4 p.m., 800 block of North Cary Drive Residential burglary
March 2 1:41 p.m., 1600 block of Opelika Road Third-degree criminal mischief and reckless endangerment
March 3 10:30 p.m., 700 block of West Glenn Avenue First-degree robbery
Feb. 28 4:46 p.m., 1000 block of Stonegate Drive Residential burglary
March 2 2:20 p.m., 1600 block of Lee Road 12 Residential burglary
Feb. 28 8:31 p.m., 200 block of South Gay Third-degree theft of property
March 2 3:35 p.m., 500 block of Shelton Mill Road Unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle
March 3 7:38 p.m., 200 block of West Magnolia Avenue First-degree assault
Student Government Assocation gets the ball rolling with appointments Ben Ruffin
Campus Writer
The 2014-2015 Student Government Associations year began Monday, March 3, with the newly appointed members taking their seats. With no new orders of business on the agenda, John Lemaster, pro tempore and junior in chemical engineering, made a motion to amend the agenda in order to get the Student Government Association ball rolling. The motion called for the first 13 future orders of business, which dealt with the appointment of bodies to vacant senate positions, to be moved to the March 3 agenda instead of voting on them after spring break. Logan Powell, the newly elected SGA President, said he put a lot of time and effort into the appointments, believing they were the best decisions for the University.
“Tonight, a lot of appointments are going to come through,” Powell said. “You have the right to ask questions if you feel the need to.” The first order of business was the appointment of Kaitlin McPheeters, freshmen in graphic design, as the student senate executive secretary. Nicole Jones, freshmen in business was appointed the student senate parliamentarian. The third order of business continued along the same lines as the previous two, naming Mary Katherine White, sophomore in undeclared science and math, as the senate technician. The new president of the College of Science and Math Council is Graham Norwood, sophomore in undeclared science and math. The new president for the School of Nursing Council is Kristen Sims, junior in nursing. Kohl Weir, junior in industrial and systems engineering, was appointed large senator by Pow-
or the third, fourth time.” Testing the brain through memorization » From A1 games and repetition or explaining the material can be extremely useful in retaining the information not only for the upcoming exam, but get the sleep they would otherwise prevent. According to Kam, sleep deprivation, stress also for tests later in the semester. “There’s a method called self explanation and lack of focus are all side effects from intense caffeine doses during extended studying when you’re reading where, as you’re reading the text, explain to yourself what it means,” sessions. They can hinder, if not completely derail, Callender said. “That actually increases memory of the text a lot as opposed to re-reading it.” your efforts to master the material. Keeping the mind healthy and stimulated “Pulling and all-niter was miserable,” said John Lee, senior in applied mathematics. “Def- can make it easier to study; procrastinating will initely hard to focus. I don’t want to say I was not. According to Randy Beard, professor of hallucinating or anything but I would see shadows and stuff out of the corners of my eyes economics, one of the ancient principle of economics states that doing and it made me do a double something slow and steaditake. Thats why I try to get ly is always more efficient sleep.” than to do it quickly and all Sleep doesn’t just refresh Bottom line, learning at once. the body for the road ahead. “People [procrastinate], Memorization and informaterial is only and they think it’s cheaper mation-mapping both ochelpful if you sleep.” because they’re only studycur once you go to sleep, so —Dr. Fred Kam ing for a couple of days, but knowing when to start and director of the Auburn they’re studying full-time when to call it a night could University medical center in misery,” Beard said. be the difference in learning “Studying for 20 minutes the material or wasting your a day, for a couple of weeks, in time that you’d time. “Bottom line, learning material is only help- otherwise spend staring out the window, lo and behold, you do as well if not better. [With] ful if you sleep,” Kam said. Training the body to comfortably accept the binge-studying, you’re paying a higher price information being force-fed to the brain is only for your grade than you have to.” For some, however, despite all the advice half of the process. In order for studying to be effective, stimu- staying up late is the only way that works. “I’ll be honest with you, I’ve pulled an all lating the brain is a necessity, said Annie Calnighter for probably about 75 percent of all lender, professor of psychology. “One thing that is not useful is just re-read- tests I’ve had in college, if not just staying up ing your text or re-reading your notes,” Callen- really late beforehand,” Conley said. “I’m in der said. “When you’re re-reading something, my fourth semester now and I’ve only gotten you don’t generally do anything new with the less than an A on three tests since I’ve been in information the second time you go through it college. It works for me.”
sleep
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alumni » From A1
Grand National. A selection committee made up of the Auburn Alumni association board members, members of the Board of Trustees, Vice President of alumni affairs Debbie Shaw, President Gogue and Jane Parker from the AU Foundation. Nominations for the award are not released publicly because they carry over for three
years, King said. During those three years nominees are eligible to receive the award, but after three years they must be re-nominated. There is no age limit to the nominees, though because there is a separate Young Alumni Achievement award, it’s usually reserved for older nominees. Nominations for the next Lifetime Achievement awards will run from Saturday, March 8 to Saturday, May 31. For more information visit the Lifetime Achievement Award page on the alumni association’s website, aualumn.org/laa.
ell. A number of new names will fill senator seats for six different colleges within Auburn. Korey Boyd, graduate teaching assistant in the kinesiology department, as well as Megan Eldridge, junior in exercise science, were appointed senators of the College of Education. The appointment of Savannah Silver, sophomore in economics, as the senator of the College of Liberal Arts, caused some chatter about the meeting, but was quickly hushed when Powell walked the senate through his thought process on appointing Silver. “Last year, I was able to witness Savannah coming to so many meanings, which she really had no incentive,” Powell said. “She didn’t have to take roll and she didn’t have to click her clicker. It meant a lot to me that she spoke up on the issues she cared about. It meant a lot that
Auburn Assistive technology levels the class playing field Corey Williams Campus Reporter
Auburn University’s Office of Accessibility’s purpose is to support students living with mental or physical disabilities as they pursue a higher education. According to Tina Gilbert, assistive technology specialist, one of its most useful tools is assistive technology. “It can help improve the functional capabilities of people with disabilities,” Gilbert said. “It could be something as simple as a computer software that helps blind students read. It can be a range of things. A magnifying glass, a laptop or even wheelchairs or walkers.” Gilbert said the University does everything in its power to help students with disabilities reach their full potential. “When a student is registered with our office, and they have assistive technology as one of their accommodations, they can either bring in their own assistive technology or we can supply it for them,” Gilbert said. “We have computer programs, hearing aids and tape recorders for students to listen to lectures. Whatever
» From A1 a large audience this year,” Abbott said. “I am excited to bring everyone together and see how everyone reacts to the different artists. They are 3 very different artists, and I think they will bring a very diverse crowd.” Tickets are free for students, and have been available to students since Feb. 26. They will be made available to the general public
Wednesday, Mar. 5 at noon, and will cost $30. Shannon Lalley, junior in finance and marketing, is another Assistant Director of Major Entertainment. “This is my second year as an Assistant Director,” Lalley said. “My favorite part of the event is always seeing the reactions of the students during the concert and seeing them enjoy it. I really enjoy all the artists and I am really excited to be in the audience, as well. What is most gratifying, though, is watching students have a great time, and
knowing that I played a part in that.” According to Lalley, most Auburn students will be able to identify with at least one performer. “We wanted to execute a concert that Auburn students from all over the spectrum, and with all different tastes would really enjoy. There is something for everybody at this event. We wanted to put on the best event possible for auburn students, and all this positive feedback really reaffirms that hard work pays off.”
a student needs, we can provide. If we do not have it, we can buy it or borrow it from another university.” The Assistive Technology Act of 1998 defines assistive technology as “products, devices or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that are used to maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.” R. Clay Yarbrough, instructional technology specialist, said there is a more simple definition for what this technology does. “Assistive technology really just levels the playing field for students with disabilities,” Yarbrough said. “It helps them access the same technology that everyone else does, in a way that is more beneficial to what they need. Overall, I have seen it leave a pretty positive impact. It helps students with disabilities with whatever they are trying to do, or whatever they are trying to obtain at Auburn University.” The University has always been active with assistive technology, and the Alabama
Assistive Technology Expo & Conference (ALATEC) was held in Auburn just last year. Laura Smith is a disability specialist and AEP coordinator. Smith said most students use assistive technology everyday, and they do not even realize it. “A great example of a person using assistive technology is anyone that has a brand new smartphone,” Smith said. “The phone will tell you what page you are looking at, it will read your texts or emails out loud, and it does many other helpful things.” Smith said she has seen assistive technology at work on a personal level. “My husband has severe hearing loss, and he depends on closed captions to be able to be able to watch what he wants on television,” Smith said. According to Smith, technology for people with disabilities is growing fast. “We have access to things I never [thought] anyone we would have access to,” Smith said. “This is really just a phenomenal time to live in.”
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she showed the passion and commitment to Auburn and Auburn students without even having the incentive.” Silver received the most votes out of the losing candidates, while receiving one-third of the votes from the College of Liberal Arts. The College of Veterinary Medicine gained India Napier, junor in biomedical science, as senator. Charlie Welch, sophomore in finance, was appointed as a senator for the College of Business while Logan Dean, junior in the School of Nursing, was appointed to the vacant senate seat in the School of Nursing. Student Government Association Senate meetings will continue following spring break with the appointment of a chief of staff, an executive vice president of initiatives and an executive vice president of programming.
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Thursday, March 6, 2014
The Auburn Plainsman
Campus A3
The Plains are alive with the sound of music Derek Herscovici Campus Reporter
The Auburn University Chamber Choir hosted Emory University in a joint performance Sunday, March 3, less than a week before they perform at the American Choral Director’s Southeastern Conference, ACDA. “The ACDA is the most prestigious professional choral association in our country,” said William Powell, professor of music and director of choral activities. “It’s kind of like our SEC championship.” The 50-member ensemble will journey to Jacksonville, Fla., to compete against other schools and organizations for the first time in the program’s history. “I’m really excited about ACDA because it’s something we’ve been working toward since my freshman year when chamber choir was really new,” said Elizabeth Segarra, senior in public relations. “When I first joined, people didn’t take it as seriously, [but] I think now it’s easy to really hear a difference in how much has changed with our sound.” Segarra said performing off-book, entirely from memory is a big accomplishment, especially given the complex nature of the music and the foreign languages its parts are written in. Segarra said despite meeting four times a week, the chamber choir ensemble is only worth a single credit, making any commitment a labor of love. “A lot of these people are overloading with 20 hours this semester because they’re music majors, and we had a rehearsal on Friday night,”
derek herscovici / campus reporter
William Powell conducts the Auburn University Chamber Choir at Auburn First Baptist Church., March 3.
Segarra said. “These people are all really dedicated.” Seth McCullough, senior in music and president of the Auburn chamber choir, said the chamber choir, which is comprised entirely of undergraduate students across varying majors, is considered Auburn’s most elite and prestigious choral arrangement. The talent of the Emory ensemble was on full display as they opened up the show with “Glorious Everlasting” before working through pieces in French, Russian and a traditional Indian Raga style. Auburn’s performance opened up with “Chariots,” a song Will Boswell, senior in communication disorders, said is his favorite performance
piece. “I’ve sung it with a couple of the chamber choirs in the past, so I know it really well, and it’s got a lot of energy to it so I can bring a lot of energy to my voice part,” Boswell said. “We all know our parts [and], we don’t have to worry about the notes or rhythms coming up. We just get together, and it all comes out.” “Arise, Beloved,” and “Hallelujah,” two songs the Auburn choir performed on Sunday and will perform in Jacksonville, were both composed by Rosephanye Powell, Powell’s wife. The latter song is the fourth movement in Rosephanye’s concerto “The Cry Of Jeremiah,” which the Auburn chamber ensemble will debut at the Lincoln Center in New York City this May.
The show culminated with the chamber ensembles from both schools joining the stage for a rendition of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” conducted by Emory director Eric Nelson. “Powell is so kind,” Nelson said. “His students sing with such passion and energy and individuality, and I mean that in the best way possible. They don’t just do what they’re told, they sing with their spirits and that comes through and adds a whole new level of enjoyment to the performance. We’ll extend an invitation if we have not already to have Auburn come and sing at our place next year.” Despite there being no issues, Powell could not help but lament that Auburn still does not have a performing arts center suitable for these types of events, leaving them at the mercy of scheduling conflicts around town. “It’s like having a football team, but not having a stadium,” Powell said. “You see we’re here at a church and there’s nothing wrong with the space, it’s great, but it’s not our space. This is Auburn University, the flagship school of the state, and we are the only institution, including junior colleges, that doesn’t have a performing arts center.” Powell said there has been talk about building a new performing arts center and has high hopes that it will turn into construction. For now the Auburn chamber choir will focus on the task at hand: bringing their considerable talent and motivation to the main stage to show ACDA how far the choir has come. “We’re a representative of Auburn University, so we need to be perfect in what we do,” McCullough said
Operation Smile club brings joy to those in need Keely Shearer Campus Writer
Jade Whitaker, junior in biomedical sciences and president of Operation Smile, is changing lives one smile at a time. Last year Whitaker established Operation Smile at the University. “When I did research and realized I could bring it to Auburn’s campus, I just thought, ‘Why not,’” Whitaker said. “I know there have to be other people who are passionate about it too.”
Operation Smile began in Virginia and has expanded to high schools and colleges throughout the country. Sarah Whitmore, junior in biomedical science, helped Whitaker get the club running at the University and serves as the vice president. “Operation Smile is actually a worldwide organization that provides free surgeries for kids and adults who don’t have access to healthcare and can’t afford surgeries,” Whitmore said. “So, the club itself is really to
raise awareness of the organization and also to raise money for them.” Whitmore planned their fall benefit concert last semester, which raised $2,298. “I learned how good people can be,” Whitmore said. “People would donate a full surgery that night, and people were eager to sign up and sing for the concert.” Whitaker said she believes the fundraiser was a success and plans to have an open mic night benefit later in March.
“We raised a little over $2,200, and that was really huge considering it was our first event ever as an organization,” Whitaker said. “We raised enough for 13 kids to get free surgeries. We are typically going to have one major event and then small events here and there.” Because the club has only been on campus for a year, many people are not aware of it. Whitaker said the club is in the process of figuring out how
they can reach out to the student population and expand. Michael Kelley, freshman in architecture, has been involved with the national organization for five years. Kelley said every student has an opportunity to attend the organization’s national conference and apply for mission trainings. “There are a lot more opportunities to give back than other clubs because you can actually travel to the people you’re helping in developing countries
and it’s very hands on,” Kelley said. Any student is welcome to join the Operation Smile organization. Operation Smile holds meetings every other Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in the Student Center. “People don’t realize a smile is a huge thing and that’s what people look at when they see you,” Whitaker said. “Being able to provide a smile and change the way people live is awesome, and I think that’s a cool part of this organization.”
1017 Columbus 1017 Columbus 1017 Parkway 1017 Columbus Parkway Columbus Parkway Parkway 1791 Shug 1791 Jordan Shug 1791 Parkway Jordan 1791 ShugShug Parkway Jordan Jordan Parkway Parkway 334 Rd. W. Magnolia Avenue 334Magnolia W.Avenue Magnolia Avenue 334 W. 334 Magnolia W. Avenue 1888 Ogletree Rd. 1888 Ogletree Rd.Ogletree 18881888 Ogletree Rd. OpelikaOpelika 749-3528 Opelika 749-3528 Opelika 749-3528 749-3528 AuburnAuburn 826-1716 Auburn 826-1716 Auburn 826-1716 826-1716 AuburnAuburn 826-2476 Auburn 826-2476 Auburn 826-2476 826-2476 AuburnAuburn 826-1207 826-1207 Auburn Auburn 826-1207 826-1207 2300 Gateway Drive 1650 Opelika 1650 Opelika Road Road 1599 College Street S. College Street 600 Webster Road 600 Webster 2300 Gateway Drive S. 1599 College Street 600 Webster Road 23002300 Gateway Gateway Drive Drive 16501650 Opelika Opelika Road RoadS. 1599 1599 S. College Street 600 Webster RoadRoad Inside Bread Buggy Crossing Shopping Ctr. Shopping Inside Inside EagleEagle Chevron Tiger Chevron Chevron Insiden’Bread n’Bread Buggy Flints Crossing Shopping Ctr. InsideChevron Eagle Chevron Tiger Chevron Inside Inside Bread n’Flints Buggy n’ Buggy Flints Flints Crossing Crossing Shopping Ctr.Eagle Ctr. Inside Chevron TigerTiger Chevron AuburnAuburn 821-7835 AuburnAuburn 887-7460 AuburnAuburn 821-9996 749-2309 821-7835 887-7460 821-9996 OpelikaOpelika 749-2309 Opelika Opelika 749-2309 749-2309 Auburn Auburn 821-7835 821-7835 Auburn Auburn 887-7460 887-7460 Auburn Auburn 821-9996 821-9996
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Campus A4
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Charlie’s sweet treats joins on-campus eats Becky Hardy Campus Editor
Charlie’s Donuts, a Florida Panhandle-based food truck, has brought its double-sided, glazed pastries to the Plains. Charlie Mingus started Charlie’s Donuts six years ago in Alys Beach, Fla. Jeff Ratcliffe is the owner of the Charlie’s Donut truck in Auburn. After Ratcliffe retired from the banking industry after 30 years, he said he decided to buy into Charlie’s Donuts because it would be a fun way to spend his free time.
“My kids went here, and one of them still does and said, ‘There’s nowhere to get doughnuts in Auburn,’” Ratcliffe said. “So, we thought we would talk to the school about a doughnut truck. We also supply all the doughnuts to the campus venues in the Haley Center and Lowder.” Ratcliffe said Charlie’s Donuts do not even compare to Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme doughnuts. “We’re absolutely better than any other doughnuts,” Ratcliffe said. “We’ll put any-
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I want everyone to come try our doughnuts. If they do, they’ll be hooked.” —Jeff Ratcliffe
Owner of Auburn Charlie’s donut truck
body to the taste test. If you set our doughnuts side-by-side, our doughnuts are bigger [than
Dunkin Donuts.]” Dorcas Booker, Charlie’s Donut sales associate, also said Charlie’s doughnuts are tastier than other doughnut places. “Most places only glaze the doughnuts on one side, but we glazed them on both sides, so they’re sweet,” Booker said. All of the doughnuts are made fresh every day in Montgomery and then shipped to the food truck by 7:30 a.m. “We make them all by hand, [and] there’s nothing automated about our system,” Ratcliffe said.
Charlie’s Donuts offers a variety of types of doughnuts, such as cream-filled, sprinkled, chocolate and plain-glazed. “I love anything chocolate, and we make a chocolate-covered, Holland-crème filled doughnut, and I could get a gazillion of them,” Ratcliffe said. Most of the employees at the food truck are Auburn students or alumni. “If all the employees were like the Auburn students that work here, the world would be a better place,” Ratcliffe said.
Lindsey Hamrick, Charlie’s Donut sales associate, said she likes the job because it’s on campus. Hamrick said the busy hours for the truck are in the morning and right after lunch. “It seems like everyone wants a dessert after lunch,” Hamrick said. Ratcliffe said he and his business partners have found the food trucks to be successful. “I want everyone to come try our doughnuts,” Ratcliffe said. “If they do, they’ll be hooked.”
emily enfinger / staff photographer
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For Rent Spacious Country Living Six miles from Opelika and Auburn. (Beauregard Community) 1, 2 and 3 bedroom houses. $550 to $800 per month. Pets Welcome. Call Ernest at 334-703-7771 or Charles at 334-559-5554.
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RELEASE DATE– Saturday, January 26, 2013
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ALMOST ANYTHING Buy . Sell . Trade ✴ Phones, IPads, Digital Cameras ✴ Laptops & Tablets ✴ Vintage Video Games ✴ Vinyl Records ✴ Posters & Art ✴ Comics & Collectibles
334 - 887 - 6774 236 N. Gay ST (Buying broken phones, laptops, etc.)
Saturday, March 29 • 7.5± Acres (Selling in two tracts) • 3 BR/ 2BA Home on 6.2 Ac. • 2 BR/1 BA Modular Home on 1.4 Ac. • Wooded grounds, pond • Society Hill Road12 Miles from AU OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, Mar. 22nd & Friday, Mar. 28th (11am-5pm) Call for Appt & Info
ACROSS 1 Scrapped, at NASA 5 Way to get in 15 Zipped through 16 Like the cap worn by Annette 17 One piggy’s portion 18 Reducing 19 Big blast 21 Come down hard 22 Smidge 23 Sound from your favorite toy? 24 Beguile 26 Less clumsy 27 Trounce 29 Unoriginal 30 Botanical balm 31 It may make honeymooners a bit misty 34 Alloy used to make knives 39 Throw money around, in a way 40 Jane Austen’s aspiring matchmaker 41 Gives kudos 43 Hard to read 45 Becomes disillusioned 46 Jumper cable connection point 48 “Moreover ...” 49 A passel 50 Lead 51 Navigational aid 53 Net 56 “Ciao!” 57 Some 19thcentury industrialists 58 Picked out of a lineup 59 “They’ve rigged this whole thing!” 60 Cushy DOWN 1 Device hidden by a concerned parent 2 Red-flowering desert shrub 3 Heredity source 4 Tributes in verse
5 Old Gremlin 37 Gives off 47 Largest island in maker 38 Mrs. Hudson, to the Cyclades 6 High-end fashion 50 Pringles Sherlock designer Holmes competitor 7 Fixes 41 Bath scrubber 52 “__ is like kissing 8 Name on many 42 Em’s title your sister”: compacts 44 Erstwhile sports chestnut 9 Baseball feature 19-Across 54 You usually don’t 10 Twice tre overseer: Abbr. get one when 11 Fine-tuned 45 “Boo!” reaction you ground into 12 Bird that builds 46 “Space Invaders” a DP hanging nests platform 55 Nine-digit fig. 13 Subject to a trade-in ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: reduction 14 Guest in a library 20 Q’s neighbor 25 Brasil ’66 leader 26 What social climbers may put on? 28 “Act naturally” 29 Patted down 32 Tiny colonist 33 Italian Baroque painter known for ceiling frescoes 35 Briefs not seen in court, hopefully 36 Mexican stuffed 01/26/13 xwordeditor@aol.com pastry
By Brad Wilber (c)2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
01/26/13
Opinion
A5
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Social Media on The Plains In response to our post, “Auburn fan ejected from men’s basketball game”
Tom Hopf: “Looks like I missed the game of the year.”
Ellie Isenhart: “Apparently talking to referees is now considered going too far for fans.” Apparently? Come on.”
Alex McGriff: “I guess his complaints worked. Ended up SC had 30 to AU’s 23.” In response to our post, “Editorial: Gogue spares students from statistics”
Brian Tomlinson: “Six years!!!! For an undergrad degree? Does this stat include night school students or just full time day students??”
ThePlainsman.com
Uninformed in the information age Our View
Awareness is everything. It keeps us on track, ensures we know when our exams are, gets us to class on time and prevents us from getting hit by cars when we cross the street. Most everyone would say that they are aware of their surroundings, but global awareness is a concept many take for granted. Global awareness is important now more than ever. The recent events in Ukraine have left many global actors in a state of uncertainty about the future of international politics. The conflict has placed the United States and Russia back into their usual corners of the ring. The situation is so tense, many other global actors have remained silent. But do not stay deaf to the situation. We do not know where this conflict will lead, but do not wait to inform yourself until the climax. It’s easy to stay ignorant in today’s day and age. Technology and mass media have made it easier than ever to remain in our own bubbles of information. Technology has placed all the information of the world at our fingertips, but we use it to take selfies instead. Does this show that our generation is taking everything
Current poll question: What are your plans for Spring Break? • Heading to the beach • En route to the city • Staying in Auburn • Going home to see family Vote at ThePlainsman.com
for granted? The world could burn tomorrow, and there would be some jackass out there who uploads a selfie next to the flames #endoftheworldasweknowit. And we’re not feeling fine about this. Our generation needs to utilize technology and social media to communicate about current events in a way that is meaningful. The kind of activism we see on social media today can accurately be labeled as “slacktivism.” Posting political memes,
Intrigue Editor
Date parties, Greek week, Panhellenic points, DJ options for Spring Formal – I remember when these things used to mean a lot to me. They don’t anymore, but I’m not ashamed. As an Indiana girl with no friends across the Mason-Dixon line, coming to college at Auburn was a scary idea. Throw in a week of early wake-up calls, small talk and sundresses, and the thought was downright terrifying. I would’ve rejected all of it, but my mom wouldn’t let me. She signed me up for sorority recruitment and told me to grow up, get over it and get ready for college. I’m not in a sorority anymore, but I’m glad my mother convinced me to give it a shot. Here’s why: For me, joining a sorority wasn’t paying for a label. It was
having a common denominator with my roommate, who I’d never met before. It was making friends I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise. It was having mandated study hours I would have wasted instead, learning about campus groups and being encouraged to try out for them, even when I swore I’d never make it. It was having a group of people to cheer me on no matter the outcome. But, by my junior year, being in a sorority was none of those things for me anymore. Don’t get me wrong – I have nothing but respect for the women of Panhellenic. They raise millions of dollars for charity each year, set high standards for themselves both in behavior and academia and create lasting friendships with each other. For me, though, being a part of a sorority became something different. Instead of looking forward to those DJ discussions at chapter, I stacked up excuses why I shouldn’t go. I scrambled to get
work done when I realized I had to, and, if I opted to skip out instead, I paid $50 for it. I never felt comfortable at formal, which for me was like the grown-up equivalent of awkward middle school dances. I didn’t hold an office in my sorority, either, and by sophomore year, I stopped feeling like a contributing, valuable member. I’m a busy person. Structure makes me better. Free time turns me into a slug that watches an entire season of “House of Cards” in one weekend. I was juggling tough classes, Dance Marathon, Camp War Eagle, friends, a social life, sleep and more, and though my list of priorities might not have been in that exact order, I knew with some certainty Greek life was coming in dead last. I tried to tell myself I could hang in there. I only had two years left, right? Another week of recruitment passed, classes started my commitments grew and changed. The more I scratched it, the worse my
desire to quit itched, and the only consistency was the feeling of dread every Sunday when I’d put on a nice dress and go to chapter. So, I quit. There are times when I see pictures of functions or hear my roommate talking about new officers, and I feel a little sad for not being a part of that anymore. For some people, Greek life really is an awesome thing – it was for Freshman Maddie, who found the sense of community she desperately needed during a tough transition to Southern living. But organizations need passionate members who strive to make their groups better every day and are willing to get their hands dirty in the process. For my sorority, I just wasn’t one of those people anymore. If girls want to spend their Sunday night debating which philanthropy event to put on, or which t-shirt color to order, power to them. I’ll probably spend mine working – or watching “House of Cards” – instead.
His View
Last poll results: How long will it take you to graduate? 8% Less than four years
The madness will be in full force this March Kyle Van Fetchmann
44% Four years
Sports reporter
29% Five years 7% Six years 12% I’ve stop keeping track
The Plainsman wants to hear your voice! Send us your tweets, photos, Facebook posts and letters to the editor. We want to know what you think about the issues. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @TheAUPlainsman.
The most wonderful time of the year is quickly approaching: NCAA Basketball March Madness. I know the Auburn Tigers, unfortunately, will not be a part of the field of 68 teams who will be picked to make the tournament on Selection Sunday March 16. Well, unless they win the SEC Tournament in Atlanta. But this tournament gives everyone an opportunity to not only watch exciting games filled with potential upsets during the next few weeks, but also the opportunity to win $1 billion. You read that correctly: one bil-
lion dollars. Quicken Loans Inc. announced in January that they were going to team up with Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. on this Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge. If you won this challenge, you would choose to receive either 40 annual installments of $25 million or receive an immediate $500 million lump-sum payment. If there are no perfect brackets, Quicken will award $100,000 each to the contest’s 20 most accurate brackets. According to CNN, Buffett will attend the national championship game if there’s a chance you have a perfect bracket going down to the final game. “I will invite him or her to be my guest at the final game and be there with a check in my pocket, but I will not be cheering for him or her to win,” Buffett said to
The Editorial Board Kelsey Davis Editor-in-Chief
Cat Watson Online
Emily Brett Design
Elizabeth Wieck Managing Editor
Becky Hardy Campus
Chandler Jones Community
Jordan Hays Opinion
Justin Ferguson Sports
Kristofer Sims Multimedia
Anna Claire Conrad Anna Grafton Copy Photo
links, articles and blogs is not activism. Organizing in-person events is the only way to make change happen. The Egyptian protesters in 2011 successfully utilized Facebook as a means of organizing protests in person. Had the Egyptians posted videos of themselves flipping through cue cards about how sad they were about being oppressed, the revolution would have gone nowhere. Our abuse of technology is
Nothing personal: dropping the dead weight
In response to our column “Tiger Ten should be changed to Tiger Eight”
“I did not know that getting drunk was part of the campus curriculum, and others paying for your transportation for your after hours behavior. Call a cab now that’s being responsible.”
Emily Brett / Graphics Editor
leading us nowhere. It is not inherently bad to want to keep in touch with your friends with social media, but there are small things we can all do to stay informed. Try having two Twitter accounts, one for friends and one for news. Then upload your news Twitter account to your phone to get live updates of the news throughout the day instead of updates of where your friends are eating. Part of being a college student is being exposed to new ideas and concepts. Staying informed will prevent you from falling for the people who seek to abuse you. It helps to develop healthy skepticism, which is important today, in a time when any person can share with you. Arming yourself with knowledge is one of the best ways to protect yourself, be it from scam artists, foreign aggressors or our government. We stand for news. We advocate for staying involved with what’s going on in the world around you. It’s the difference between being able to make informed decisions and living in darkness. Being civically engaged is the only way to make sense of the world.
Her View
Maddie Yerant
taxidriver:
Opinion
Maddie Yerant Intrigue
Mailing Address Auburn Student Center Suite 1111H Auburn, AL 36849
Contact Phone 334–844–4130 Email opinion@theplainsman.com
CNN. “I may even give them a little investment advice.” Even if you do not care for college basketball, you might as well give it a shot. Every college student could use an extra few bucks, or a billion dollars works too. This year’s NCAA Tournament is different though. There is not one dominant favorite to win it all or even a team that is a lock-in to make the final four, which makes filling out your bracket even harder this year. Maybe you’re thinking Wichita State will make it to the Final Four since they are the only undefeated team left winning all 31 of their regular season games. But their strength of schedule is anything but impressive, so who knows what will happen when they face a team from a top conference. Kentucky, a team that was ex-
Submissions The Auburn Plainsman welcomes letters from students as well as from faculty, administrators, alumni and those not affiliated with the University. Letters must be submitted before 4:30 p.m. on the Monday for publication. Letters must include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification, though the name of the author may be withheld upon request. Submission may be edited for grammar and/or length. Please submit no more than 400 words.
pected by some to make a run in the tournament, lost last week to South Carolina, who has the worst record in the SEC, being 11-18 overall. Maybe No. 1 Florida will win it all since their last loss dates all the way back to Dec. 2. But they haven’t exactly been dominant, as most of their wins in a shaky SEC have been close games. With the amount of upsets and court storming that has occurred already this season, don’t be surprised to see another 15-seed make the Sweet 16 like Florida Gulf Coast did last March. If that happens again you might as well put your bracket through the paper shredder. Good luck filling out those brackets. We will need all the luck we can get if we want to win that money.
Policy The opinions of The Auburn Plainsman staff are restricted to these pages. This editorial is the majority opinion of the 13-member editorial board and are the official opinion of the newspaper. The opinions expressed in columns and letters represent the views and opinions of their individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the Auburn University student body, faculty, administration or Board of Trustees.
Community Thursday, March 6, 2014
A6 ThePlainsman.com
Coffee shop in Opelika, made with love
Ashtyne Cole
Community Reporter
Sarah May / Assistant Photo Editor
Eugene O’Donnell stands outside Auburn’s newest Greek-fare restaurant.
Mediterranean fare with some local flare
Taziki’s brings passion to madefrom-scratch Greek cuisine Chandler Jones Community Editor
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 Alabamaand 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
Community
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.
Eclectic, invigorating and rustic; warm, capable and oriented. All words to describe Opelika’s the Overall Company and its owners, Jay and Laura Pritchard – present from the moment you walk in the door. If you’re looking for the owners of the Overall Company, look no further than the counter. Her name is Laura, and the man who hands you the coffee topped with the foam leaf is Jay. The secret to creating a foam coffee leaf? “A lot, a lot of practice,” Jay said. Six years ago, in an architectural element store then called Historic Possibilites, Jay met Laura. A year later, he proposed to her in the same store. “He asked me to be his wife right over there,” Laura said, as she pointed to a spot a few feet from the counter. “That’s kind of why we picked this place for our store.” Another reason they chose that location is because it was once an old factory that made Eagle Brand Overalls. Thus the name came to be. “We wanted to resurrect the brand and market it,” Jay said. “We wanted to create a sense of community and history and pay homage to something that was once here.” They wear aprons in tribute and hope to rewrite some of the great story this building holds. The Pritchards have a passion for coffee and a passion for people. “It’s a labor of love,” Laura said. They are surrounded by family and friends in Opelika and live just a block down the road from their store in the Southside Historic District. “We have always envisioned a community oriented life for ourselves,” Laura said. “We wanted to create that kind of atmosphere for people who come in and spend time in our store.” Jay and Laura are the heart, soul and brain of the Overall Company. Jay focuses on the atmosphere and musical
“
It’s always exciting. A lot of new things are happening here all the time. Running this business is the most blessed-pressed life you can live. Hard, but exciting at the same time.” —jay Pritchard
Co-Owner of The Overall Company
side of the store, while Laura works with people and helps things run smoothly. Their celebration and appreciation of Southern food, culture and music is something they want apparent to everyone who visits the store. “Before we opened, I would walk around with my eyes closed and play music in the store,” Jay said. “I pictured what I wanted it to be like for people and how it would fit into Opelika.” As for their spare time, the Pritchards said they’re always thinking about the business. They travel all over the country, to restaurants and shops from Chicago to Seattle, looking at how to improve. The Pritchards said they like to center themselves around great people doing amazing things in interesting places. The Overall Company offers different varieties of music, and live bands frequent the store. On Saturday, March 8, Our Griffies, an Indie Rock band from Philidelphia, will play. Jay said he tries to offer the bands that visit good food, a place to stay and a great experience. The Pritchards describe their store as inspiring, inviting, laid-back and creative. “It’s always exciting,” Jay said. “A lot of new things are happening here all the time. Running this business is the most blessed-pressed life you can live. Hard but exciting at the same time.”
Sarah May / Assistant Photo Editor
LEFT: Used mugs and plates are racked up to be cleaned by in house owners, Jay and Laura Pritchard. RIGHT: Jay prepares coffee behind the counter in his “labor of love.” MIDDLE: Jay presents his skills, but can’t resist a smile. BOTTOM: The foam leaf topping the coffee shows the Pritchard’s Overall Company’s skills and style.
City Council gets anxious over annexations Chandler Jones Community Editor
Daniel Caldwell and Willa Mae McAnally spoke during the Auburn City Council meeting Tuesday, March 4, regarding an annexation of 1635 Lee Road 052, commonly known as Talhiem Street. An annexation means the Council brings a parcel of land into the Auburn city limits. Caldwell, a current renter in Auburn, said he plans to move to the approximate 1.6 acres at that address, but he and his family’s move is incumbent on it being part of Auburn. Caldwell said this reading was the Council’s second reading of
the ordinance, and, at first it passed with unanimous consent. Caldwell also said when he spoke to the Auburn Planning Department, it deemed the annexation a logical fill-in. Auburn city limits surround Talhiem Street on three sides, and the city already provides services such as police, fire and waste management to the area, according to City Manager Charlie Duggan. All Councilmembers voted yes, except for Ward 5 Councilmember Robin Kelley, who expressed concerns about further annexation in the face of Auburn City School’s eventual overcrowding. “It’s potentially adding more
kids to the school system,” Duggan said. “I think the Council is trying to be sensitive to that issue.” Ward 8 Councilmember Bob Norman, whose ward includes Talhiem Street, began the discussion and said it would be an undue burden not to allow this annexation. “This one seems to be almost a no-brainer,” Norman said. Ward 7 Councilmember Gene Dulaney said he began looking at annexations differently after the community voted against the September 2013 property tax. That tax was originally meant to be dedicated to building another high school.
Dulaney said he feels he needs to be tougher on annexations, but this case was an exception due to its proximity to the City of Auburn. Kelley said he thought the Council might have a hard time with this issue in the future and compared it to opening Pandora’s Box. Duggan said the issue is grave and the Council will need to be careful in its decision-making until a solution to the growing schoolpopulation issue is found. Duggan said all solutions discussed at the Feb. 24 and 25 meetings regarding school overcrowding were more than $100 million.
•
The Council approved the purchase of six marked 2014 Ford utility Police Interceptor Vehicles valued at $25,871 each and one unmarked Ford utility Police Interceptor Vehicle at $25,964, reaching a total of $181,190
•
The Council awarded the employee-of-the-month award to Reginal Dunn for his work as a park maintanience worker with the Parks and Recreation department
•
The Council approved a March 15 special events retail alcohol beverage license for J and K Ventures and Beverage and Cigar, LLC
Thursday, March 6, 2014
The Auburn Plainsman
Community A7
Being a bad boy means never taking the day off Nick Hines
Community Writer
Corey Marmaduke watched as a bullet shot in his direction passed through a bathroom door. He had been an Airborne Army Ranger more than 20 years ago, his tight crew cut a remnant of his past. In this instance, however, he wasn’t fighting in the Gulf War. Marmaduke broke through the lock, apprehended the drug addict who shot at him and then took him to jail. Marmaduke doesn’t take “no� for an answer when you don’t pay your bail bond. Bad Boyz Bail Bonds, off Frederick Road, blends the hard-nosed attitude necessary to the job with a momand-pop atmosphere. Janet Marmaduke is an Auburn native and the motherly figure to the business. Her dark-rimmed glasses hold her hair back, and her pink fleece vest matches her pink Bad Girlz business cards. The license plate of her white Corvette with two red racing stripes down the middle reads “BADGRLZ.� Janet said the mom-and-pop atmosphere is what sets them apart from other bail bond companies. That, and the catchy name their 23-year-old daughter invented. “I’ve been here all my life,� Corey said. “I know a lot of people. I know the judges. We cater to the students, and we are probably the easiest bailbond company for a student to go
through because we’re mom-and-pop owned. I don’t have anybody to answer to.� Janet worked as a psychiatric nurse for East Alabama Mental Health Center before she started helping with the business. She admited it is hard to find employees, but with future expansion it is necessary to hire more people. Corey started his bail-bonds business 19 years ago, after he was raised in Hillsboro, Mo. If a person out on bail does not appear at his or her court date, the court gives the bail-bond company 30 days to return the person. If that fails, the bail bondsman must pay the full price of the bond. Corey has been across the United States chasing people who fail to appear. He has made trips to Illinois, Ohio, Virginia and Florida. Pursuing a college student who failed to appear at court, Corey said he drove his white customized Chevrolet Tahoe to Las Vegas. It isn’t hard to spot. An oranged-out rear window displays the company information, and the side is adorned with a blownup picture of the company logo: a thick-necked, broad-shouldered man with a crew cut. A caricature of Corey Marmaduke. One day before Bad Boyz was going to have to pay the forfeiture of the bond, Corey returned his client to court. He apprehended the student in a casino and returned him in two
Nick Hines / Community Writer
Corey Marmaduke stands in front of his Bad Boyz Bail Bond Company logo.
days. In the past 19 years, Bad Boyz has been able to find all but five people. “My husband drove out to Las Vegas mostly for general principle,� Janet said. “It cost us just about as much to get out there and get him to come back as the $3,000 bond.� The workday for a bail bondsman is not 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. While not in the office, the Marmaduke’s answer their phones regardless of the time. It is hard for Janet to remember a Christmas that Corey hasn’t had to get up
from Christmas dinner to bail someone out of jail. The only thing the Marmadukes don’t do is leave their Sunday church service at the Cowboy Church on Highway 280. Corey carries a gun with him at all times, but has never drawn his weapon on anyone while working at Bad Boyz. Janet is licensed, but has never carried a gun on her. “I think everybody should be able to carry a concealed weapon,� Janet said. “There’s no law for criminals
that carry illegal weapons. I’m going to protect myself. I think if you’re a registered gun owner, you’re in the right. You’re on the good side.� The Marmadukes are in business to help their clients. They prefer not to, but Corey said he is not afraid to chase people down when necessary. “That’s not the way I want to do it,� Corey said. “I’m a big boy and I’ve been doing this a long time. But, I have a wife and daughter, and I’m going to make sure I come home at night.�
Auburn Activities THURSDAY
SATURDAY
FRIDAY
MONDAY
SUNDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Opening Night of AACT Children’s Theater - “A Midsummer Night’s Dream� 6:30 p.m. $8. Call 774722-8849
SPRING BREAK. Have a safe and happy Spring Break - The Auburn Plainsman
Giffies. 7 p.m. Overall Company
REV. BUBBA. 8 p.m. War Eagle Supper Club.
2014 Read Now Run. 8 a.m. Ogletree Village
Daylight Saving Time. Set clocks forward.
Auburn Floral Trail Beginning. Visit Auburnalabama.org for trail directions.
Downtown Master Plan Public Meeting 6 p.m. Harris Senior Center
The Art of Marketing in a Digital Age with Opelika-Auburn News 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Hotel at Auburn U. & Dixon Conference Center
Crime Time
Police reports syndicated by the city of Auburn
Second arrest in sexual abuse of child
Woman arrested for card fraud
Mohamed Alyami, 21, of Au- Childers, was involved and had enburn was arrested Tuesday, Feb. gaged in inappropriate and illegal 24 by the Auburn Police Division contact with the victim while she on felony warrants for first-degree was at Alyami’s residence on Armsodomy and sexual abuse of a child strong Street in Auburn, according less than 12 years old, according to the news release. Alyami was to a Feb. 26, APD taken into custonews release. dy by police at his This arrest is in residence. conjunction with The investigathe APD investition is ongoing gation that led to and additional the arrest of Nacharges are posthan Childers, 29, sible. of Auburn, for Alyami was first-degree rape, Alyami transported to the first-degree sodLee County Deomy and incest. APD identified Alyami, unre- tention Facility and is being held lated to the victim, as an addition- on a $50,000 bond. The victim was placed into fosal suspect. Information uncovered dur- ter care by Department of Human ing the course of the investiga- Resources until the investigation is tion revealed Alyami, along with complete.
Candace Hendrix, 26, of Auburn was arrested Monday, March 3, by the Auburn Police Division on a felony warrant charging her with fraudulent use of a credit or debit card, according to a March 4, APD news release. The arrest stems from an ongoing APD investigation into an incident reported Feb. 5, at a business in the 100 block of East University Drive. According to victims, a unknown suspect made unauthorized charges on their cred-
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it card. Hendrix developed as a suspect and was subsequently identified as the subject who made the unauthorized charges. Hendrix was transported to the Lee County Jail and is being held on a $3,000 bond.
SEE MORE FLOOR PLANS ONLINE!
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Sports
A8
Thursday, March 6, 2014
ThePlainsman.com
Sports
scoreboard Chris Davis men’s basketball
Greg Robinson 13-14 (5-11 SEC) LAST WEEK Win vs. S. Carolina, 83-67 Loss at Alabama, 73-57 THIS WEEK March 8 at Texas A&M (17-12)
baseball
Kenneth Carter
Jay Prosch
Photos contributed by Zach Bland
football LAST WEEK Win vs. Alabama A&M, 7-3 Loss vs. Presbyterian, 10-6 Win vs. Presbyterian, 3-0 Win vs. Presbyterian, 12-5 THIS WEEK March 7-9 vs. Mercer March 11 at Kennesaw State
softball
LAST WEEK Loss vs. Florida State, 5-4 Loss vs. Oregon*, 3-0 Win vs. Illinois State*, 3-2 Win vs. Syracuse*, 10-1 Win vs. Maryland*, 16-3 Win vs. Radford*, 8-0 *Diamond 9 Citrus Classic THIS WEEK March 7-9 vs. LSU March 12 vs. Troy
Former Tigers wow the scouts at Pro Day
Taylor Jones Sports Writer
The Auburn Tigers held Pro Day Tuesday at the indoor football practice facilities, with scouts from numerous NFL teams in attendance. Fifteen players from the 2013 team attended Pro Day, along with former Tigers Will Herring and Demetruce McNeal. "Any time you have all 32 teams out here to watch our guys perform, that's a good thing," said head coach Gus Malzahn. "It's a good thing for the future. It's what our program expects." Out of the 17 attendees, Greg Robinson, Tre Mason, Cody Parkey and Will Herring did not participate in most of the drills. Robinson and Mason sat on their numbers from last week’s NFL Combine but still showed scouts what they could do in their respective position drills.
"They give you a lot of positive feedback,” Mason said. “I had a very good Combine, and performed well today.” Weighing in at 5-foot-9, 200 pounds, Chris Davis had the best score in the vertical jump, reaching a height of 40.5 inches. Blake Poole finished with the second highest jump at 38 inches, and Dee Ford reached 35.5 inches. In the broad jump category, Davis and Ford tied, each reaching 10 feet, 4 inches, while Blake Poole was able to reach 10 feet. Dee Ford was motivated to beat South Carolina defensive end Jadaveon Clowney’s combine number of 21 reps at the bench press, and he did so with 29. "I'm so excited about the drills that I wasn't able to do before," Ford said. "Those are things I can work on. I'm looking forward to that, and I'm go-
“
It was real exciting to watch those guys work out. A lot of guys going to the next level performed very well today.” —Gus Malzahn
head football coach
ing to be better next time." Former All-American fullback Jay Prosch also had a big day on the bench press, totaling 27 reps, with Craig Sanders and Nosa Eguae each getting pressing the weight 24 times. With Tre Mason sitting out of the 40-yard dash, Blake Poole was the fastest runner at Pro Day, clocking an impressive 4.42-second 40-yard dash.
Chris Davis followed with a 4.51 time and Ford finished with a 4.53 dash. Ford and Davis will be hoping that their draft stock improves. Ford is projected as a first-round pick, while Davis is most likely looking at being drafted in a middle round. Blake Poole had a huge day after coming into Pro Day quietly. Poole earned a scholarship in the 2013 preseason after walking on to the team before the 2010 season. "A few of them want to see my film," Poole said. "I didn't play a whole lot. It would just be a dream come true to maybe do a practice squad or something like." Greg Robinson and Dee Ford are considered by almost every draft analyst to be first round picks, but Tre Mason is still on the bubble as a second day pick. Big days for players such as
Chris Davis and Blake Poole may gain more attention from the scouts, and consistent results from Jay Prosch continued to impress those in attendance Tuesday. "It was real exciting to watch those guys work out,” Malzahn said. “A lot of guys going to the next level performed very well today.” For many of the former Tigers, Pro Day was one of many “job interviews” ahead of the NFL Draft. As the highest projected prospect that formerly wore the orange and blue, Robinson is working not to let the stress get to him. "I feel like some people try to hype everything up and try to put pressure on me,” Robinson said. “But I'm really just taking it step by step. I don't really know what to expect. I'm just trying to enjoy the whole process and play football."
BASEBALL
equestrian
Freshmen finding their place at Plainsman Park Kyle Van Fechtmann Sports Reporter
8-4 (3-3 SEC) LAST WEEK Loss at South Carolina, 12-7 NEXT WEEK March 8 vs. New Mexico State (6-3)
gymnastics
Ranked No. 11 LAST WEEK Loss at Kentucky, 196.275-194.825 THIS WEEK March 7 vs. Missouri
After a ninth-inning 5-run rally that came up short in game one of the Presbyterian series, Auburn baseball bounced back and won the next two games thanks to some major contributions by its talented freshmen class. Several players said the biggest contribution came off the field. One of the freshman players became a leader in a silent locker room after the disappointing 10-6 loss Friday, Feb. 28. “Blake [Logan] stood up and said, ‘We’re fighting, we’re here, we’re going to take this to the next level,’ and we definitely did the past two days,” said senior pitcher Jay Wade, who won game three of the Presbyterian series for the Tigers. Although Logan is the backup catcher, he has played well behind the plate when senior catcher Blake Austin has played third base. Logan has played in seven games so far this season and has a .333 batting average. But his speech could “absolutely” be a turning point in the season, according to Wade. “It was one of those things where a guy stands up and says something like that, it just gets you going,” Wade said. “I’m
getting chills now talking about it. Everyone was just like, ‘Oh, wow.’ He shocked a lot of people as far as what he said and the way he said it. He’s definitely wise beyond his years.” Another senior leader, Damek Tomscha, has been impressed with the freshmen class so far this season. “I think those freshmen just want to see the upperclassmen succeed since we haven’t done so well in the last few years,” Tomscha said. “It just kind of shows what kind of person [Logan] is and the freshmen class, they’re pretty mature for their age.” Several more freshmen have gotten off to great starts on the field. Keegan Thompson’s performance last week on the mound and at first base earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors. On Saturday, March 1, Thompson pitched a complete game one-hitter, which was the first complete-game shutout one-hitter in Auburn baseball since 2002. Thompson also batted .412 during the week with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. In three starts on the mound this season, Thompson has pitched 23 innings and has a 0.39 ERA with a 2-0 record.
“Keegan is a special young man, I think that’s pretty apparent,” Golloway said after Thompson’s one-hitter. “Today was about Keegan Thompson, and it was about some of our freshmen doing a really good job with hit and runs.” Another freshman, Anfernee Grier, has started in every game at right field and has a hit in every game this season to go along with his .350 batting average. Damon Haecker has also started in every game and has recently switched from playing second base to shortstop. “It’s nice to have a guy that’s so tough in Damon Haecker that can handle the leadoff and shortstop position when we need him to,” Golloway said. After subbing in to play third base in the first game of the Presbyterian series, freshman Connor Short has six hits in nine at-bats. Daniel Robert has played in 10 games at either first base or designated hitter and is batting .250 on the year. J.J. Shaffer has also contributed in 10 games in left field and has used his speed as a pinch runner. “We really could put an allfreshmen team on the field,” Golloway said. “Those guys can really play.”
contributed by zach bland
TOP: Keegan Thompson and Blake Austin celebrate their one-hitter. BOTTOM: Damon Haecker hits against Presbyterian College.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
The Auburn Plainsman
Sports A9
Contributed by AUburn athletics
LEFT: Paula de Man hits a backhand in her singles match against Mississippi State’s Georgiana Patrasc on March 2. RIGHT: Caitlin Atkinson competes on the uneven bars during a home meet against Alabama on Feb. 14.
This Week in Auburn Sports Women’s Tennis
The No. 23 Auburn women’s tennis team picked up a 6-1 win over Mississippi State on Sunday, March 2, at the Yarbrough Tennis Center as the Tigers begin conference play with a 2-0 record for the second straight season. Auburn (12-2, 2-0 SEC) kept its undefeated streak in doubles alive by dominating the Bulldogs, winning all three matches. Michala Kucharova and Paula de Man posted an 8-0 win on court three against the Bulldog’s Georgiana Patrasc and Petra Ferancova. The tandem of Jackie Kasler and Jen Pfeifler clinched the point for Auburn with an 8-4 victory against Mississippi State’s (8-4, 0-2 SEC) Patrasc and Naomi Tran. “I felt like we came out in doubles with a lot of good energy, we constructed points well at the net and put a lot of pressure on Mississippi State at the net,” Auburn head coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner said. “I was proud of the effort, and we had a new doubles team at No. 3, and I thought they had great communication
and fight.” No. 26 Pleun Burgmans and Emily Flickinger also took down MSU’s Alexandra Perper and Timea Guibe on court one to allow Auburn to sweep the doubles action. Pfeifler took the first win in singles on court six for Auburn, cruising to a 6-2, 6-0 victory over MSU’s Rosalinda Calderon to move the junior’s record to 7-1 in dual matches. De Man followed up on court three with a straight-set win, knocking off MSU’s Roseline Dion 6-2, 6-2 to put the Tigers just one singles win away from clinching the match. Kasler locked the match up for Auburn, topping the Bulldogs’ Tran 6-1, 6-4 on court five. Burgmans quickly made it 5-1 in Auburn’s favor by taking down MSU’s Perper 7-6 (5), 6-3. “In singles, we came out a little flat at a couple of the top courts, but we dug in and we won five of the six first sets,” Meisner said. “The bottom of the lineup did a great job of getting on and off the court to take some of the pressure off up top.”
Emily Flickinger was the lone Tiger to fall in singles as the junior dropped her first match in dual match play on court two to Mississippi State’s Patrasc 6-3, 6-2. Michala Kucharova finished the day with a win at No. 4 in the lineup, topping the Bulldogs’ Guibe 7-5, 1-6, 1-0 (10-6). Auburn returns to action next weekend and hits the road for the first time in SEC play. The Tigers begin play at Arkansas on Friday, March 7, at noon, before wrapping up the weekend at LSU on Sunday, March 9, at noon.
Gymnastics
A low score on uneven bars was the Auburn gymnastics team’s downfall Friday, Feb. 28 in its road trip to Lexington, Ky. The No. 11 Tigers lost to No. 24 Kentucky 196.275-194.825 for their third consecutive loss in SEC meets. The Tigers posted a 47.625 on their opening rotation at the uneven bars. Although the team struggled as a whole, Caitlin Atkinson posted a
9.9 on the bars to equal her career high Friday night. Auburn responded with a 49.150 on vault, led by a 9.9 from MJ Rott, a 9.875 from Atkinson and a 9.85 from Lexus Demers. On floor, Auburn posted a total of 49.200. The top scores went to Brittany Webster at 9.9, Atkinson at 9.875 and a career-high 9.825 for Megan Walker. Auburn scored 48.85 on balance beam in the final rotation, with Walker posting a team-best score of 9.875. Atkinson won the all-around with a total of 39.475. For the second consecutive meet, Auburn’s lineup featured a pair of gymnasts competing on an event for the first time. Against Kentucky it was Kelsey Kopec on vault and Kait Kluz on beam. Auburn will host its final home meet of the season next Friday, March 7, against Missouri. Compiled by Justin Ferguson
contributed by zach bland
Men’s basketball head coach Tony Barbee speaks with an official during Auburn’s win against South Carolina.
Opinion
Trying to make sense of the mess Eric Wallace Sports reporter
I contemplated using this column to list the multitude of reasons why Tony Barbee should be fired. It’s now year four of the Tony Barbee era and his overall record is 48-72, a .400 winning percentage for those not inclined to do the math. A team featuring three senior starters, one of whom has led the SEC in scoring for most of the season, sits at a mediocre 13-13 and is fresh off a 16-point beat down at the hands of rival Alabama. And the Tide are just 12-17 this season. Really, we could go on with this all day. But as Frank Underwood so coldly said in the opening scene of “House of Cards,” “I have no patience for useless things.” The reality is that, barring a miracle run through the SEC Tournament, Tony Barbee’s reign of mediocrity on the Plains will come to an end in the coming weeks. Moving forward, the more pressing concern at hand is diagnosing the disease that plagues our beloved basketball program. In the past, fans have pointed to a lack of facilities as an Achilles heel to the program. But the construction of the Auburn Arena in 2010 fixed that problem, with practice courts and luxury space to boot.
Fan apathy has been a symptom of past regimes and certainly has shown up at times during Barbee’s fourth season. The announced attendance of 4,434 made Auburn’s 83-67 victory over South Carolina the lowest attended SEC basketball game since the opening of the Auburn Arena. But Auburn fans have shown they’ll support a winner. So what is the disease that keeps Auburn so trapped in mediocrity? Some have pinned blame on the school’s affiliation with Under Armour, a fair point considering that no teams sponsored by Under Armour are ranked in the Top 25. A lack of tradition certainly hasn’t helped matters either; a tradition of winning and putting players into the NBA is always a bonus to recruiting. All in all, Auburn’s basketball program is suffering in mediocrity due to a variety of ailments, some of which can’t be changed by simply hiring a new coach. But it has been shown that hiring a coach with an exuberant personality will inject energy into an otherwise lifeless and irrelevant basketball program. And there’s a certain coach with a history of pulling off such turnarounds that is going to be looking for work in the coming months. Here’s hoping you’re next in line, Bruce Pearl. Eric Wallace is a sports reporter at The Auburn Plainsman. You can contact him at ejw0010@auburn.edu or on Twitter at @EWall14.
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Sports A10
The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, March 6, 2014
women’s basketball
Tigers looking to finish season strong at SEC Tournament David McKinney Sports writer
After a season defined by extremes, the Auburn’s women’s basketball team will head into the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Duluth, Ga., trying to finish the season on a high note. Following a heartbreaking loss to last-place Ole Miss to end the regular season, the Tigers will have to perform well in SEC Tournament play to keep their postseason hopes alive. While they will likely need to win the conference to receive a bid to the NCAA Tournament, a solid performance should at least snag the Tigers an invite to the National Invitational Tournament. In order for that to happen, the Tigers will need the stellar play of leading scorer Tyrese Tanner to continue. Tanner has put up at least 20 points in four of the last five games, earning her a first team AllSEC spot. “I am very proud of Tyrese and the work she has put in this season,” said head coach Terri Williams-Flournoy. “She has matured so much this season, and this award is well deserved.” Tanner led the Tigers to a 16-13 record overall, with a 7-9 mark in conference play.
contributed by anthony hall
Auburn’s Brandy Montgomery shoots over Alabama’s Shafontaye Myers on Feb. 27.
The senior also led the team in scoring, but the Tigers know solid defense is what is going
to get them to where they want to be. “It’s our philosophy to force teams into turn-
overs,” Tanner said. “We want to cause havoc, we want to make the game as ugly as it can be. “ Junior guard Hasina Muhammad has been one of the Tigers’ defensive leaders throughout the season. “Our team is based on defense, we get a lot of energy off the defense,” Muhammad said. “Once we get one steal, we just got to get another. Obviously, it’s a lot easier to score in transition rather than setting up a play.” Muhammad and Tanner were both named to the SEC’s all-defensive team. Their performance on the court this year was good enough to grab the Tigers the SEC Tournament’s No. 6 seed. Auburn will face off against either the No. 11 seed Arkansas Razorbacks or the No.14 seed Ole Miss Rebels on Thursday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. The Tigers got the better of the Razorbacks in Fayetteville on Feb. 2., a 56-50 win in which Tanner led the Tigers with 13 points. Against the last-place Rebels, Auburn was outlasted in overtime, losing 73-71 to end the regular season. The SEC Tournament began March 5, and the championship game will be played on Sunday, March 9.
club sports
Auburn’s cricket club preparing for its return trip to Collegiate Nationals Graham Brooks
Contributing Writer
The Auburn University Cricket Club will be making its way to Fort Lauderdale, Florida next week to compete in the American College Cricket National Championship at Broward County Stadium. The Championship will be broadcast by ESPN3 and U.S. cricket fans will have the opportunity to watch online using WatchESPN.com. The cricket club at Auburn has made great strides since being named an official club sport in 2010. “The sport is not really that popular in the United States, but it is growing rapidly,” said Ravishankar Mahadevan, a graduate student in biosystems engineering. “We as a small club here in Auburn have had such a rapid growth. “We’ve been a full member for only four years, but then we’ve got good recognition, and now we’re a permanent club in Auburn.” The National Championship in cricket takes place every year in the spring and regionals take place in November around Thanksgiving. However, Cricket Nationals in Florida will last a whole week. “The cricket season here in Auburn is pretty much throughout the year,” Mahadevan said. “The club and the team keep on practicing so when it comes time for the nationals and the regionals,
we have a pretty good team which has been together for a while.” Right now the cricket club has 50 members, and 11 of those will compete in the National Championship in Florida along with a few substitute players. The club practices every Saturday and Sunday. On Sundays, the club practices in Montgomery. “We go to Montgomery because we do not have a ground here,” Mahadevan said. “So for cricket, what is important is not just the ground but we need a strip in the middle, a patch of ground which is level.” Auburn will be traveling to Florida where they plan to stay a week, which Mahadevan said will be really expensive but will be helped out by other club sports at Auburn. “They will fund us for equipment and even for the registration for the nationals and everything,” Mahadevan said. “We also get some amount of donations from Auburn Alumni who donate some money to the cricket club so it really helps. “Help from the university is what pushes the club forward, and we’ve been very fortunate.” Auburn was the Southeast Championship winners in 2010 for cricket, and the team has been to the finals of the National Championship. “We are one of the best clubs in the country.” Mahadevan said.
contributed by zACH BLAND
Branndi Melero hits a home run against Jacksonville State on Feb. 22.The Tigers finished the game against the Gamecocks with three home runs.
softball
Melero mashes her way to top of the SEC Justin Ferguson Sports editor
At first glance, it seems Auburn softball is constantly swinging for the fences under new head coach Clint Myers. Through 21 games of Myers’ first season on the Plains, Auburn has already hit 26 home runs as a team. Last season, the Tigers hit 34 home runs in 54 games. Junior outfielder Branndi Melero is leading the way for Auburn’s newfound, high-scoring offense. The California native leads the SEC with 31 RBI, just 15 fewer than she had all last season. But Melero, who is currently tied for the team lead with four home runs, said she and her teammates are not going for the long ball this season. “The mentality out here is ‘easy swings, barrel to the ball,’” Melero said. “We are really starting to figure out what that’s about — slowing down the game and taking easy swings.” The Tigers’ offense has been a major part of their 17-3-1 start to 2014, which has put them in the national rankings earlier than most analysts expected. Melero said she believes the new hit-
BE IRRESISTIBLE.
ting mentality under Myers, a former national championship head coach at softball powerhouse Arizona State, is the reason for Auburn’s resurgence early in the 2014 season. “I feel like we’re just seeing the ball well and following our coaches’ instructions,” Melero said. “We have been able to put the ball in play a lot more than we normally have.” Although the Tigers are hitting more pitches out of the park than usual at this point in the campaign, Myers said Melero and her teammates’ home runs are actually mistakes in hitting. “None of the players are going up there trying to hit home runs, and that’s a good thing,” Myers said. “We preach to them to hit a line drive or a ground ball. For the most parts, the home runs have been mishits.” Myers also said Melero is a “good example” of what he and his coaching staff are trying to teach the Tigers as they prepare for the upcoming SEC schedule. “She stays behind her swing and over the ball,” Myers said. “She’s had the opportunity, because of the people in front of her getting in scoring position, to put the ball in play for those RBI.
“It could be a ground ball, a line drive in the gap, a sacrifice fly or even a grand slam.” Like Myers, Melero arrived at Auburn from Pac-12 country. The Canyon County, Calif,. native cites Auburn’s family atmosphere, a major part of Myers’ move from Arizona State, as an important reason why she has made her home on the Plains. “When I was able to talk to coaches for the first time, Coach Deese was the first to contact me and come visit Auburn,” Melero said. “[Former Auburn players] Lauren Guzman and Alyssia Palomino were able to show me everything that’s great about being here at Auburn, and I’ve loved it here.” Auburn starting pitcher Lexi Davis said she is proud to see Melero lead the conference in RBI — and not just because she likes pitching with the extra run support. “Branndi has been one of my best friends since the beginning,” Davis said. “She’s just a phenomenal hitter in my eyes. She works hard, and she’s been a great cheerleader for the rest of the team. She’s someone that people want to see succeed because she’s such a great teammate.”
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Thursday, March 6, 2014
The Auburn Plainsman
Sports A11
Ford focused on NYC football
Senior defensive end continues to impress pro scouts ahead of this year’s NFL Draft Taylor Jones Sports Writer
When Dee Ford arrived on Auburn’s campus in 2009 as an undersized defensive end, few may have seen someone who could become one of college football’s most dominant defensive players by his senior year and a potential firstround draft pick. Whether the experts saw it or not, it’s happening. NFLDraftScout.com has Ford listed as its No. 28 overall prospect in this year’s NFL Draft, and its No. 3 defensive end. So, who was one person who saw Ford being successful? Dee Ford himself. “You set an ultimate goal, and that was my ultimate goal, to be at the top of my game and playing with the best,” Ford said. “I want to be the best at what I do, and that was my mindset going in.” Ford accumulated 91 tackles and 20.5 sacks with one interception during his tenure on the Plains, including 31 tackles and 10.5 sacks last season. The defensive end then moved on to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, where he won the MVP award in the South team’s victory. Ford was unable to participate in the NFL Combine after doctors refused to allow him to participate in the events because of a past back injury that sat Ford out for the majority of the 2011 season. Being excluded from the NFL Combine came as a huge shock to Ford. “I was absolutely surprised,” Ford said. “It
kind of knocked my training off because everything is timing with training.” While missing the Combine was a setback for Ford, he transferred his focus to Auburn’s Pro Day, where he made up for lost time. Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn was impressed with Ford’s work ethic. “He’s done everything we’ve asked in the weight room, working out and conditioning, and he performed very well today,” Malzahn said. Ford impressed scouts from numerous teams, weighing in at 6-foot-2 and 244 pounds. He either led or finished in the top three of all the drills performed by the 17 participants at Auburn’s Pro Day. After claiming he was better than South Carolina’s Jadaveon Clowney and saying Clowney played “like a dog in a meat market,” Ford knew he had to back up his words. While Clowney performed 21 reps at the bench press drill, Ford blew away the widely projected No. 1 overall pick’s mark with 29 reps. When Ford was told that he had done 29 reps, while Clowney had only done 21, he downplayed the situation. “It is what it is,” Ford said with a laugh. “He still did great. I’m not going to shoot myself in the foot.” Ford had an impressive vertical jump, reaching 38 inches and finishing only 2.5 inches away from top-performer Chris Davis. Ford also tied Davis for best result in the broad jump category, with each player jumping 10 feet, 4 inches.
contributed by lauren barnard
Former Auburn defensive end Dee Ford starts to bench press at Auburn’s Pro Day on March 4.
Ford wrapped the day up with the 40-yard dash, clocking a time of 4.53. “I’m very pleased,” Ford said. “I put in a lot of work, and I’m so excited about the drills that I wasn’t able to do before, where I was caught off guard, because those are things I can work on.” While Ford played defensive end in college, he might be used as an outside linebacker because of his speed.
“Everyone is looking at me at defensive end, but I’m dropping in space a lot in the 3-4, and outside linebacker looks good,” Ford said. “Wherever I’m taken, I’m going to put all of my effort into it.” Regardless of where or when he goes, Ford knows the entire time what many people are just now recently finding out. His road is just beginning.
‘I just want to play football’ Pro Day offers chance at redemption and reconciliation for former Auburn defensive back Demetruce McNeal Eric Wallace Sports Reporter
contributed by ric smith
Jordan-Hare Stadium announcer Ric Smith and his spotter, Eric Canada, call the 2013 SEC Championship Game.
The voice of Jordan-Hare Stadium Graham Brooks
Contributing Writer
Anyone who has been to Jordan-Hare Stadium to see an Auburn football game will most likely recognize the voice. “Please direct your attention to Section 36 for a special presentation. To continue a tradition that is uniquely Auburn, Nova will circle the stadium, landing near mid-field.” The voice booming around Jordan-Hare Stadium on Auburn football game days is iconic, but who is the person behind the voice? Radio, television and film professor Ric Smith has been responsible for the Auburn public address announcer duties since 2006. Smith took over for the late Carl Stephens, who retired after 27 years behind the microphone. Smith said he had big shoes to fill, but he has tried to make the most out of that opportunity since taking over. Originally from Valley, Ala., Smith’s family moved while he was in high school to Sumter, S.C. Smith attended the University of South Carolina as an undergraduate and then came to Auburn University for graduate school. He’s been living in Opelika ever since. The path Smith took to being the voice of Jordan-Hare Stadium was not exactly clear-cut, but he said it worked out for the best. Smith’s first job in radio was at WEGL FM, and then he moved on to announce Opelika High School football and Auburn baseball games before getting a chance to announce in Jordan-Hare Stadium. “Get as much experience as
you can,” Smith said. “The key is to start small and move up.” Smith said he had never really thought about doing anything in announcing or broadcasting until he got to Auburn. He got involved with WEGL, and that is how he first got connected to a radio station. “Once I did that, I really fell in love with it,” Smith said. “As soon as I got connected to it, it was fun. At that time, I took a turn and began to do more broadcast type work.” Smith says it’s hard to describe any one aspect or favorite part about his job as announcer because, as he said, “it’s all good.” “But one of the things I enjoy most is when the eagle flies,” Smith said with a smile. “That’s something I actually get to watch. I make the announcement, and the crowd cheers because the eagle flying is so cool for what it is.” When it comes to the preparation it takes to announce an Auburn football game, Smith said it takes a lot more than people think. “There’s a lot more than just sitting down and doing it,” Smith said. Eric Canada, the spotter in the booth, and Jon Sirico, who handles all the directing and producing, assist Smith on game days. Smith will typically get a script on Thursday afternoon, which involves both Canada and Sirico. Smith will start reviewing and making necessary changes to the script. He will take his part of the script and make the font bigger and make certain cues to help himself come Saturday.
On Saturday mornings, Smith will make announcements out loud in his house. “It’s not just a matter of reading the announcement silently to get it in my head,” Smith said. “It’s a matter of saying it just to know how it’s going to feel and if everything is flowing like it needs to.” In addition to Auburn football games, Smith also announces at the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, as well as the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover. Some of the favorite games Smith has ever called include Auburn-Washington State in 2006, the Auburn-Florida game in 2006 and any game he got to announce in 2010. Smith is specifically fond of Cam Newton’s ‘Heisman run’ against LSU. “I’ll always remember that run Cam made, [because] that’s when everyone in the stadium realized okay, the Heisman talk is serious,” Smith said. “That’s when it all came together.” When it comes to certain broadcasters or announcers Smith has looked up to one of the main people he has respected is Carl Stephens, the JordanHare Stadium announcer for 27 seasons. When Smith was younger going to games, he would listen to Stephens and thought, “That’s how you’re suppose to call a football game.” Smith has always respected the Auburn way of being neutral in calling a game, which included Stephens’ way of announcing a game. “The greatest compliment I’ve ever gotten is people tell me I sound like Carl,” Smith said.
Auburn’s Pro Day is a yearly opportunity for the Tigers’ seniors and declared juniors to showcase their talents in front of an audience of professional scouts. But for one senior, this Pro Day was an opportunity for redemption and reconciliation. Auburn’s leading tackler in 2012, Demetruce McNeal was dismissed from the Auburn football team in August 2013 after being arrested and charged with second-degree possession of marijuana. “My biggest thing when I was coming here was that I wanted all the scouts and everyone to know who Demetruce McNeal is,” McNeal said. “I’m a good kid, and I’ve never been in any trouble with the law except for when that went down here, and I got kicked off, but even though that happened, I was still innocent.” The 6-foot-2 defensive back from College Park, Ga., maintains his innocence in the situation to this day. “I just want all the scouts and everyone to know that my name is cleared, and I had nothing to do with it,” McNeal said. “Things happen for a reason. I feel that God let that happen for a reason.” At the time, McNeal said head coach Gus Malzahn wouldn’t listen to his pleas of innocence. “I really told him, ‘Coach, I’m innocent. I didn’t do anything. Can you please look into it?’” McNeal said. “It went how it went, and he didn’t really look into it. “He made his decision, and I had to go with what he decided. No hard feelings though, he’s still my coach.” The arrest wasn’t the first time McNeal had been under criticism during his tenure at Auburn. McNeal missed several spring practices before the 2013 season due to “personal issues” and was scrutinized by fans for pictures he took of himself with a handgun and a wad of money. That lifestyle, McNeal said, is a thing of the past. “All I want to do is play football,” McNeal said. “All the rapping and the glamour, that’s
done. I just want to play football.” Following his dismissal, McNeal transferred to West Alabama, where he starred in the defensive backfield, leading the Tigers in tackles and interceptions. However, the transition to life at a smaller school wasn’t an easy one for the former Auburn starter. “When I got kicked off, I broke down crying and I really thought it was the end of my career,” McNeal said. “I had lost my scholarship and been downgraded from Division 1, but when I got there those guys welcomed me with open arms.” Watching his former teammates storm through the SEC to the BCS National Championship Game only added to the difficulty. “When they were in the national championship, all I could say was, ‘I’m supposed to be there with my guys, man,’” McNeal said. “But, no hard feelings, I still love this team. I love those guys. I went through thick and thin with them for three hard years.” Seeing his teammates’ success and questions on the strength of his character have driven McNeal to prove to others he is not a troublemaker. “I had a chip on my shoulder because when all the scouts came down I had to show these guys who I really was,” McNeal said. “Everybody had a red flag about my character, but I’ve never had a character issue. I’m easy to get along with.” According to Malzahn, the decision to bring McNeal back for Auburn’s Pro Day was based off his three years of dedication to a program he loves. “He gave three good years to the program, and it was unfortunate what happened, but I just felt like I needed to give him a chance to represent himself in front of a lot of people,” Malzahn said. McNeal’s relationship with the coach who dismissed him remains strong as McNeal prepares for the next stage of his football career. “Me and Malzahn, we’re cool, we’re good,” McNeal said. “I’m an Auburn Tiger at heart, man. When I get drafted, they’re going to say ‘Demetruce McNeal from Auburn,’ not that I’m from West Alabama.”
Auburn IN THE GREG ROBINSON OT • 6-foot-5, 332
TRE MASON RB • 5-foot-8, 207
No. 2 overall draft prospect according to NFLDraftScout.com
No. 1 running back prospect according to NFLDraftScout.com
DEE FORD DE • 6-foot-2, 252
JAY PROSCH FB • 6-foot-1, 256
No. 3 defensive end and No. 28 overall prospect
No. 1 fullback prospect according to NFLDraftScout.com
Intrigue Thursday, March 6, 2014
A12 ThePlainsman.com
Intrigue
sARAH MAY / ASSISTANT PHOTO editor
Left: Sarah Plantz, sophomore in apparel merchandising, sings and plays guitar on Auburn Sings. Top: judge Matt Barnes, senior in radio, television and film, comments on a contestant’s performance.
Students take the stage to compete on ‘Auburn Sings’ Janiee Rush
Contributing Writer
With singing competitions like “American Idol” and “The Voice” sweeping the nation, it’s no surprise Auburn cashed in on the craze with Eagle Eye TV’s “Auburn Sings,” Auburn University’s first televised singing contest. The show’s process begins with singing auditions for any full-time Auburn student who wants to participate and is open to singles, duets and groups. The top 10 contestants from the auditions are then chosen to perform weekly for a panel of three judges. The contestants compete for a six-week period, and two contestants are eliminated each week until there is a winner. “The winner who gets the most votes, that’s done through Facebook, gets to record their own demo CD with WEGL 91.1 in their recording studio,” said Shannon Smith, junior in broadcast journalism and co-producer of “Auburn Sings.” “We do actually have a lot of the people here who want to go into music professionally, so it’s a really good outlet for them to get criticism from our judges and from their viewers online.” According to Smith, this year’s top 10 contestants were all single performers picked out of a couple dozen auditions. Each contestant has his or her own vocal style, and a few also sing while playing an instrument. Evvie Walker, sophomore in public relations and top 10 contestant, said she did a lot with singing in high school, but didn’t know of anything she could do to pursue it once she got to college. Walker found out about the competition through Face-
book and decided she wanted to give it a try. “I’ve never done a competition where people are judging me,” Walker said. “I’ve always done performances at schools or plays, but this is people critiquing me, which I really like because I would like to know what I can do better with my singing, even if it’s nothing that’s really serious.” A new aspect to the show this season is themed weeks instead of letting the contestant choose any song. The themes include contestant’s choice, songs from 2013, song from the year you were born and judge’s choice. According to Smith, the show’s first episode, which premiered Feb. 20, received views in over 50 countries. Matt Barnes, senior in radio, television and film and “Auburn Sings” judge, said he didn’t expect the show to spread to such a wide range of people. “I really think it’s a beautiful thing just showing people the talent and having everyone around the world appreciate the talent here in our small town,” Barnes said. Barnes said he hopes the group of contestants will listen to the constructive criticism he and the other judges have to offer. “Everyone can get better, and everyone has something to work on,” Barnes said. “Always want to grow as a musician, as a singer and as a performer.” “Auburn Sings” airs on campus every Thursday on channel 6.1, and the episode is also uploaded to its Facebook page. The results show is the following Sunday. Viewers can stay up-to-date with the competition through “Auburn Sings’” Facebook and Twitter pages.
Auburn theatre grads pursue careers in production Becky Sheehan Intrigue Reporter
The most stable career paths in theatre and film are often behind the scenes. From design and production to company management and promotion, it takes a team of talented individuals to get a show up and running. For 2011 theatre graduate, Fred T. Paul, studying theatre production management at Auburn prepared him in many ways for his job at Olney Theatre Center in Olney, Md. While at Auburn, Paul served as a stage manager and assistant stage manager for several shows. Paul said one of the most memorable productions was “Little Shop of Horrors,” where he was frequently a stand-in during rehearsals. “‘Little Shop’ was fun,” Paul said, laughing. “I had to learn all the choreography, including the Ronettes’ dances, because someone was sick every night.” As an associate production manager, Paul books artists’ travel, contracts designers and directors and coordinates production meetings for the Olney Theatre Center. Paul said the friendships he made as a student have led to job opportunities
in theatre. “This field is all about networking,” Paul said. “Make friends. Talk to people. The people you work with now will like you and promote you.” Stewart Ives graduated from Auburn in 2010 with a degree in theatre design and technology. As a student, Ives also worked on productions as a sound or lighting designer. Most recently, Ives was a guest sound designer for “9 to 5: The Musical.” Ives reflected on lessons he picked up while working with former Auburn University Theatre technical director Pip Gordon. “She was a really good instructor who taught me how to resolve problems and that it’s really important to know how to talk to people, to understand and communicate,” Ives said. After working at Center Stage as multimedia coordinator for a couple years, Ives accepted a position as technical specialist for Activate the Space, a visual technology company in Baltimore, Md. “I really miss theatre,” Ives said. “Theatre’s more of a challenge. It’s a lot of collaboration on a grand scale and trying to figure out what someone
is thinking when they give you a note.” At Center Stage, Ives worked with casts of talented actors from on-andoff Broadway. Center Stage produces up to seven plays and musicals annually, and Ives said he enjoyed the fast-paced, changing environment of professional theatre. Another Auburn theatre design and technology alumnus is Drew Holden. Holden works for Atlanta Rigging Systems, an entertainment rigging company serving the touring, film and corporate event industry, where he designs structures that support sets for film and television. In Atlanta, Holden has been part of production teams for “Anchor Man 2,” “Family Feud,” “The Fast and the Furious” franchise, and “X-Men: First Class,” among others. Last year, he toured with the Zac Brown Band as a tour rigger and automation technician. Besides design and construction, Holden learned leadership skills while studying and working at the Auburn theatre department. “I definitely learned how to manage people and manage myself around people [and] various personalities and how they mix,” Holden said.
CONTRIBUTED BY DREW HOLDEN
As part of his job, Drew Holden constructed this self-climbing truss structure and deck, which was built inside the pool to support scenery.
Holden explained that the Atlanta film market is strong for those looking for jobs in production, event planning and entertainment. Like Ives, Holden misses aspects of working in a theatre environment. “Occasionally, [rigging] involves some artistic element, but more often than not, I am supporting someone else’s work,” Holden said. “Whether that’s providing a truss hanging from motors to support lighting, or a massive ground-supported truss structure
to support backings for film, or designing support structures for video gears [with six sides].” In his free time, Holden said he is exploring outlets to express his creativity with dancers, acrobats, circus performers and other designers in Atlanta. “Right now, I’m using my job as an opportunity to support side projects,” Holden said. “I’m getting back into some performance, like Lyra and aerial work.”
Thursday, March 6, 2014
The Auburn Plainsman
Intrigue A13
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Earnest Webb, senior in physical activity and performance and corrections officer at the Juvenile Detention Center in Opelika,AL, plays cards with youth at the Juvenile Detention Center on his day off.
The importance of being Earnest
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Student Earnest Webb overcomes the odds, gives back to the community and shares his story with The Auburn Plainsman Becky Sheehan Intrigue Reporter
On Saturday morning, Oct. 24, 1994, fourth grader Earnest Webb was playing backyard football when he felt extreme thirst and exhaustion. The 8-year-old went inside, drank two Pepsi’s and then slept for six hours. When he awoke at 7 p.m. shaking and ashenlipped, his parents rushed him to the emergency room where he slipped into a diabetic coma. Webb remembered waking up attached to tubes and wires. A nurse gave him a painful shot in the stomach—his first dose of insulin. After receiving his diagnosis, Webb did not fully understand his condition. “I was craving an orange soda the whole time during the ER,” Webb said. “They gave me a Diet Minute Maid Orange, and I’m lookin’ like, ‘What is a Diet Minute Maid Orange? I want a real orange soda. This is a nasty, nasty soda.’” Webb, senior in physical activity and health, laughed about his youthful ignorance about Type 1 diabetes. However, Webb said he wasn’t discouraged, even while his siblings enjoyed their Halloween candy the day after coming home from the hospital. “I said, ‘Lord, whatever you have for me I’m going to take it,’ and I just went with it,” said Webb. Webb grew up as the fifth child of a family with eight children in the neighborhood of East Park in Auburn. He was the first of his family to attend college and works as an assistant basketball coach at Auburn High School and an assistant football coach at Lanett High School. Webb also works as a corrections officer at the Lee County Youth Development Center (LCYDC). When he was a freshman in high school, Webb hit a rebellious streak that put his health at risk. “When I turned 13 or 14, I started eating whatever I wanted, and I quit pricking my finger,” Webb said. “Ninth grade came, and I got kind of crazy, going down the wrong path—smoking, drinking, didn’t listen, didn’t care.” Coach Frank Tolbert recruited the ninth-
grade Webb to be the manager of Auburn High School’s basketball team. At first, Webb was intimidated by Tolbert’s disciplined style of coaching and tough love. “He brought me to his office and said, ‘Hey, you need to change,’” Webb said. “He chewed me out. He blistered me, and he blistered me, and he blistered me, and I changed.” Tolbert encouraged Webb to take the Alabama High School Graduation Exam and to continue pursuing his goals in college. Tolbert held Webb accountable for his mistakes and taught him to be disciplined in taking his insulin and eating healthy. “Earnest really wants to be a coach,” Tolbert said. “The kind of person he is, you don’t find those very often—nowadays, you can’t find those kinds of kids.” After many years coaching together, Tolbert said Webb is like a son to him. “He not only saw potential in me, but saw how I could benefit from this community and also benefit the people around this community,” Webb said. The principles he learned from Tolbert carried over to helping troubled youth at the LCYDC as a corrections officer. Webb said he passes time getting to know the children by playing cards and other games. “It’s been an inspiration,” Webb said. “We have kids there now who just don’t understand, but if I keep putting some good seed in them, speaking God over them [and] praying for them, eventually some good has to come out of this.” Webb teaches the children and teens at the LCYDC about the power of perseverance. Webb said he believes the older teenagers must make a choice in changing their behavior when they arrive, which determines whether or not they will return to a detention facility for the rest of their lives. According to Webb, the most fulfilling part of his job at the LCYDC is seeing the teens succeed after leaving the facility. “It’s amazing just to see them say, ‘I’m never going back there. You taught me a lot,’” Webb said. “That’s what makes my job what it is. That’s what makes me proud. That’s what makes me happy. If I just see
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one say, ‘Hey, I changed for the better,’ [then] I’ve done my job.” Laura Cooper, executive director of the LCYDC, is another long-time friend and supporter of Webb. “Our life experiences really inform us, and I’ve seen some people that were propelled by what they saw to be a differencemaker and some that have succumbed to it,” Cooper said. “The fact that he didn’t succumb to the circumstances that he was around, that he transcended them—I think that makes him want to have other children transcend those circumstances.” Cooper explained that there are real challenges facing children in some areas of Auburn. Cooper said the best thing an adult can do for troubled youth is to show they care, and Webb has consistently gotten on a personal level with the children in the LCYDC and invested in their success. “There are lots of heroes among us, and we certainly read about our gridiron heroes and our basketball heroes and all those people are noteworthy, as well,” Cooper said. “However, I think the real heroes are those that are doing things behind the scenes and doing things to quietly change the world, one child or one circumstance at a time, and I think Earnest is one of those people.” As a student, Webb said he feels a true sense of family at the University. Auburn Tigers running back, Corey Grant, played against Webb’s Auburn High basketball team for Opelika, but the two became friends in college. “It is a rivalry there, but we’re still friends because of the University,” Grant said. “He loves working with the kids and is always trying to help change some lives.” Webb said he plans to coach at the high school or college level after graduating and, ultimately, he wants to give back to the Auburn community. Webb acknowledged teachers, coaches, family members and employers who continue to encourage him to achieve his goals. “I think if you wanted to illustrate the word ‘perseverance,’ you’d put a picture of Earnest,” Cooper said. “You can knock him down, but he won’t be knocked out. You can bend him, but he won’t break. In life, we all need to have that resilience.”
A ‘Bachelor’ breakthrough Janiee Rush intrigue@ theplainsman.com
Twenty five beautiful women living in the same house and competing for the same guy seems to be an ideal way to find love, right? ABC’s “The Bachelor” has been a guilty pleasure of mine for years. It’s hard to say exactly what makes the show so entertaining. I think for the most part, the audience is more fascinated with the drama and competition more than the hope of two people finding love and living happily ever after. Let’s face it. The show’s concept is unrealistic and the relationships hardly ever work out after the proposal, yet millions of viewers still tune in every week. Myself included. The most recent season, featuring Juan Pablo Galavis, was probably the most real and intriguing so far. Most of the credit can go to former frontrunner and fan favorite, Andi
Dorfman. Galavis and Dorfman had a strong connection from the beginning, but after the two had their night together in the “fantasy suite,” their relationship quickly went sour. It’s rare for a contestant to walk out on the Bachelor,. But Dorfman suddenly decided that she was over Galavis. She realized Galavis was more into himself than her. According to Dorfman, their conversations only consisted of surface level topics and Galavis seemed uninterested in getting into deeper discussions about life. The funny thing is, Galavis seemed to feel that the over-night date went well, but Dorfman couldn’t wait to get out of the suite. She waited until after their night together to tell him how she felt. “I just never honestly feel like you were trying to get to know me,” Dorfman told Galavis on the show. “Do you have any idea what religion I practice? What my political views are? … Things that matter. Do you have any idea about how I want to raise my kids? Do you have any idea about any of that?” He didn’t.
In the suite, Galavis also discussed his “fantasy suite” date with another woman and implied that Dorfman only made it that far by default. Dorfman was offended by his comments, as anyone should be, and decided Galavis was rude, arrogant and inappropriate. I’m sure all who tuned in were appalled to hear some of the things he chose to bring up to her. Galavis seemed to have an excuse for everything he said that caused controversy throughout the season. He would say he was just being honest, that there was a language barrier, that words were put into his mouth—blah, blah, blah. Dorfman didn’t seem to buy it. As long as I have watched the show, I’ve noticed that these deep, meaningful subjects hardly seem to be addressed. I think it’s because contestants on the show seem to be so caught up in the fantasy of finding love in exotic locations, and they lose sight of real life. It’s refreshing to see a contestant get her head out of the clouds and stop trying to force feelings that aren’t there just for a TV show.
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The Auburn Plainsman
Thursday, March 6, 2014
CONTRIBUTED BY ALLISON MCKINLEy
Left: Students CeCe Sherman, Lindsay Klocko and Katie Cornwell were among those who participated in an ASB trip this winter. Right: On a trip with ASB, Peter Beairstro surveys his surroundings. The group will send out more students over spring break.
Spring break sees Auburn students leaving the Plains Kailey Miller
Intrigue Reporter
The light at the end of the tunnel is finally here—spring break. After a tumultuous beginning of the semester with multiple snow days, this semester has been chaotic. Classes have rearranged and tests have been moved off track. Students are going all over the globe to take advantage of their week of freedom. One option students had was to apply for an Alternative Student Break through Auburn University. They had options to go internationally or domestically. One of the trips will go to Disney World with the program Give Kids the World. Students will be working with children with life-threatening illnesses or disabilities. “It’s basically an opportunity for terminally ill and some disabled kids to come and have a
paid trip to Disney,” said Allison McKinley, ASB President and senior in nutrition. “Our volunteers go and [...] help out with their entertainment and really kind of just make the week about them, and they volunteer their time just to make that Disney week for them just as normal as any other kid.” McKinley said out of the more than 80 students to apply, only eight were chosen. Another trip ASB provides goes to New Jersey to help with disaster relief for Hurricane Sandy. The program is through the Fuller Center for Housing and will be benefiting the Tabernacle community. Other students are leaving the country to explore new areas. Cassie Rawles, junior in economics, is going to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for spring break. Rawles is staying at a friend’s house with approximately 20 friends. “We fly into Cabo San Jose and then take a shuttle,” Rawles said. “I think we’re going zip lining one day, and then [. . .] we might take a
boat out.” Rawles said she has never been to Cabo San Lucas before, and she is most excited about relaxing in the sun and having nothing to do. Rawles and her friends are staying in Montecristo Estates, which is a part of Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach. Another group of students are going abroad through Campus Crusades to Managua, Nicaragua. Allison Childress, junior in public relations, has been going to Campus Crusades since freshman year. Childress said the group will stay at a Chosen Children Ministries camp. Each day, they will split their group up into different teams to work in different areas doing door-to-door evangelism, bible school with the children, or building houses and working construction. Allison Childress, junior in public relations, has been going to Campus Crusades since fresh-
man year. Childress heard about the trip from previous years and decided to sign up. Childress said the group will stay at a Chosen Children Ministries camp. Each day, they will split their group into different teams to work in different areas doing doorto-door evangelism, bible school with the children or building houses and working construction. “It’s all in the same area, but your job might change each day,” Childress said. Childress said she’s excited for the new experiences and the new friends she hopes to get from her trip abroad. “I haven’t been on a mission trip, like an international mission trip, since my freshman year of high school,” Childress said. “This isn’t something I do all the time, so I’m just excited to see like where it may lead and who all I’m going to meet, and [...] the relationships that I’m going to develop.”
THE PLAINSMAN PICKS PLAYLIST: this week, our staff members share their choice in baseball
walk-up songs. to listen to our
picks, visit spotify.com and follow the auburn plainsman.
Make some art with Bazaart Kailey Miller intrigue@theplainsman. com
“WILD THING” by the troggs maddie yerant, intrigue editor
i’ve heard this song describes me pretty well. the fact that it’s
loud and pumps you up doesn’t hurt, either. it’s a fitting choice.
“NICE GUYS FINISH LAST” by green day becky sheehan, intrigue reporter
a 1997 chart-topper, it’s a punk anthem that reflects the rivalry and vanity of baseball players.
“BAD TO THE BONE” by jared burton kailey miller, intrigue reporter
i chose this song because it’s in one of the greatest scenes of all time in the movie “the parent trap,” but also because i feel like it could be semi-intimidating. everyone loves that song, so hopefully i would get some sort of cheers if this played every time i walked out.
“HALL OF FAME” by the script janiee rush, contributing writer
this song is all about building self-confidence and showing people you can be geat when you believe in yourself. it would give me motivation and would also get the crowd fired up. i think it would be a perfect choice.
There are countless apps people can use to alter their photos to make themselves look tanner, younger, or to make their food look more delicious. But what if someone wants a different way to play with their pictures? Now, there is an app with a different type of editing that isn’t purely meant to make something look different, but to create something new. With the Bazaart app, Photoshop quality is no longer just for the professionals. Bazaart Ltd. is an Israel-based start up company founded in 2012 by four entrepreneurs: Stas Goferman, Uri Kogan, Dror Yaffe and Gili Golander. Users can share not only just filtered photos with their friends, but also edited masterpieces that can be different every time. Bazaart allows users to get the next best thing with this app. Users can create art with a few taps of their fingers, and it’s free. With Bazaart, you start by choosing photos, taking photos or adding text. Users can use their own photos, search a Bing web image or use images from Bazaart’s provided categories. Bazaart has photos under the categories of backgrounds, social networks, photography, fashion and home. Under backgrounds, users can choose from love, solids, gradients, patterns, paper or textures. Under social media, users can connect with Facebook, Instagram, Google Plus, Flikr and Etsy. Photography includes categories such as abstract, animals, black and white, city and architecture, concert, family, film, food, still life and people. The fashion and home categories are unique because not only can users use the pictures for their collage, but it is also connected to Gilt Groupe’s Fashion and Home Décor items. It shows users what website to go to in order to find the item, and how much the item costs. The app also tells users when sales end on the item, and it gives a short description on what it is. Users select all of the different photos, backgrounds, objects and writing they want to use.
KAILEY MILLER / INTRIGUE REPORTER
Like Photoshop for your phone, Bazaart lets users create masterpieces out of their own photos.
Then, comes the editing. Users have the option to flip, copy and change the opacity of each image. If they want to change the shape of a photo, or just use a portion of the photo, they can use the cutout feature. This can remove the background of the photo. This feature includes an option to select which part of the photo they want to keep, which part of the photo they want to remove, or auto, if they want the app to do it for them. This part is surprisingly accurate, and is usually easier than doing it manually. Once users are done, they can post their image and choose a channel they think it should go under. These include photomontage, selfies, funny, celebs, animals, fashion, nature and holidays and events. This way, when people click on those sections, they may find the collage. The Bazaart app is available for free on the iPhone, iPad and in the App Store. Photoshop programs can be expensive, and although this app doesn’t have all of the features a computer program would have, it meets basic photo editing needs.