The Auburn Plainsman 1.19.17

The Auburn Plainsman A SPIRIT THAT IS NOT AFRAID

Thursday, January 19, 2017 Vol. 124, Issue 17, 12 Pages

POLICE

First copy is free. Additional copies 50 cents per issue.

Protection and collateral damage

KRIS MARTINS / ENTERPRISE EDITOR

Kris Martins

ENTERPRISE EDITOR

For Shannon Arthur, interacting with the police means exercising respect and caution. That’s how she, the daughter and niece of New York law enforcement officials, was raised. But interacting with officers is not without fear.

“My uncle and my dad have always told me that by the end of the day, you are black despite the fact that you are a daughter of law enforcement,” Arthur, senior in political science, said.

“You’re still black, and that means nothing.”

Ever since the high-profile shootings of young black men in several U.S. cities last summer, she’s been more cautious. But she’s particularly concerned with the well-being of her siblings, specifically her 16- and 18-year-old brothers and her 22-year-old sister.

“My biggest fear is that my brother or my sister fits a description of something, and they don’t make it home, and it’s because of a police officer,” she said.

The fear comes to mind because of a police encounter Arthur had when she first transferred to Auburn in 2013. An officer pulled her over, saying she “fit the description” of someone officials were looking for.

“I don’t know whose description I fit because I’m just a black girl leaving Walmart with my groceries going back to The Connection where I used to live,” she said. “So that automatically makes you be on caution.”

She told the officer she didn’t fit the description of anyone and requested to know what “fit the description” actually meant before asking for his badge number. During the encounter, Arthur remembers the officer as aggressive.

If the same scenario resurfaced today, however, she said wouldn’t confront the officer because she’s even more cautious, but she noted that it’s

High-profile officer-involved shootings in U.S. cities in 2016 raised questions about the use of force in other communities. Local law enforcement officers explain how they train for tense situations important to know your rights during an officer encounter. She and her family know to always be prepared to record the interaction, something she feels is unfortunately “policing the police.”

Though Arthur believes such instances shouldn’t happen, she understands officers are trying to stay alive in an unpredictable field.

“If I’m giving you a reason to be aggressive — like I’m yelling at you, I’m cursing you out — yeah, I can totally see you being aggressive back,” she said. “But if I’m just like, ‘Why are you pulling me over?’ It’s my right to know why you’re pulling me over.”

Since then she hasn’t had any similar confrontations with local police, though she knows others who have felt unjustly pulled over or unnecessarily treated aggressively.

At the end of the day, for her, it’s about selfpreservation.

“Honestly, our goal is to make it home,” Arthur said.

The community and the police should work together to help one another, she said, with police transparency also playing a major role in establishing trust.

“I don’t want to live in fear,” Arthur said. “I don’t. Especially from someone who’s supposed to protect me.”

Response to resistance Last year, several officer-involved shootings

in the U.S. sparked outrage from citizens within those cities and others around the nation. In response, many communities, including Auburn, made efforts to pinpoint the reasons for and potential solutions to tensions in their own backyard.

Lee County, in which Auburn resides, has had some of its own officer-involved shootings, one of which sparked its own concerns about the way Auburn officers use force. However, police also explain how they train for different scenarios and how they’re often forced to make decisions in a matter of seconds.

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones believes the key to professional law enforcement is training and education.

“There’s no way we can train for everything, but we certainly can train to develop techniques that would best apply, in a general sense, to situations that are presented to us that would give us a baseline to work from — in regard to reacting to our circumstance — that would hopefully result in a resolution without harm to anyone,” Jones said. “That’s our No. 1 concern.”

The primary goal of the office, Jones said, is to resolve issues verbally rather than physically.

“Our absolute last resort — and that’s what we train — is using force,” he said.

Before a deputy sheriff can respond to calls and be on patrol at the sheriff’s office, they must complete a two- to three-month field-training officer program, in which they are assigned to a veteran deputy sheriff to learn the geography of the county and procedures of the office.

Alabama officers must also complete a 13week, 520-hour minimum-standards academy training before being certified as a sworn officer.

» See POLICE, 7

AWARDS

Aubie takes second

The tiger finished at No. 2 in UCA Mascot National Championship Chris Heaney CAMPUS WRITER

Aubie placed second in the UCA Mascot National Championship, but to Michael Reynolds and the other members of "the Aubie Family,” it was more about the journey than the destination.

Although Aubie went into the competition ranked first thanks to his previous title and entry video being judged as the best by UCA, he placed second behind Goldy Gopher from the University of Minnesota.

The competition took place on Friday, Jan. 13, after months of preparation on behalf of Aubie and

his team to create entry videos, props and routines.

Reynolds, executive director of Student Financial Services, is an adviser to Aubie and quite possibly his biggest fan.

In his 12 years of being an Aubie adviser, Reynolds has seen Aubie both win and lose. But he said he takes great pride in that Aubie has always placed in the top five.

“When he doesn’t win, it's heartbreaking for them [the Aubie Family], but as a program we have to accept the results because we know

» See AUBIE, 2

MADISON OGLETREE / PHOTO EDITOR

Aubie greets fans during Tiger Walk before Auburn Football vs.Alabama A&M on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 in Auburn,Ala.

News 2

Thursday, January 19, 2017

The Auburn Plainsman

AUBIE » From 1

we will be back,” Reynolds said.

Auburn fans are all familiar with the University’s mascot and his nine championship titles, but what they may not know about is the preparation taking place before the competition.

“After the last game, the Alabama game, they put all of their efforts into preparation," Reynolds said. "Probably 200 hours goes into preparation including making the entry video, setting up travel plans and designing his routine. That’s the tight schedule that they have.”

Reynolds said Aubie and his team's dedication is displayed during their work put in during the holiday season.

“The only breaks they have are whatev-

er bowl game Auburn may be playing and a week for Christmas, and then its back to work," Reynolds said. "That really shows their dedication.”

This year there were a few changes to the rules of the competition, and Reynolds said this presented an extra challenge in preparing to compete.

Mascots were only allowed seven props as opposed to eight with nothing being attached them, and Reynolds said the biggest challenge of them all was no longer being allowed to use copyrighted music.

“They come up with an idea/theme and make the skit revolve around that," Reynolds said. "It is very specific. The team has to be cautious when making the skit. You can't offend the judges, it's very strict.”

Mascots have a minute and a half to perform in front of a judge panel comprised of

previous mascots which “nine times out of 10 Aubie has beaten, which makes me a little nervous,” Reynolds said with a laugh.

Two assistants are allowed one minute to set up the props that had been measured and approved by the UCA judges, and any time exceeding the set up or performance time results in point deductions. Mascots are judged on crowd appeal and interaction, creativity, animation/enthusiasm, prop usage and overall impression, Reynolds said.

“It’s hard for Aubie because he sets the bar so high that it can be especially difficult to top even his own previous performances,” Reynolds said. “It's extra heart breaking when he doesn’t win because of the blood, sweat and tears that the entire program, and especially Aubie himself, put in all year.”

CAMPUS

This week in review Your weekly roundup for state, national and international news State • (AL.com) Charles Todd Henderson denied he lied during testimony he gave at a trial last year. Henderson was prevented from taking office Tuesday as the next Jefferson County district attorney because he was indicted Friday for first-degree perjury at that trial involving a divorce case. “Well I’m standing here today and I’m telling you I didn’t do it. I look forward to my day in court and I hope that day comes soon,” Henderson said in a statement.

• (WTVM13) It appears an Alabamian is on the short list of possible Supreme Court nominees that could be appointed to replace Justice Antonin Scalia. President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly met with Bill Pryor, who serves on the Federal Court of Appeals in this district.

• (AL.com) Gov. Robert Bentley said he has still not made a final decision on a replacement for Sen. Jeff Sessions, but says he is firm on setting the next election for the seat during the regularly scheduled elections in 2018.

VIA AUBURN UNIVERSITY

The plan calls for the installation of three white oaks, three scarlet oaks and a willow oak.

Seven new trees planned for Samford Park Staff Report

Auburn University's Facilities Management Landscape Services Department will plant seven new oak trees in Samford Park Jan. 17-19, according to a University press release.

"We are planting these trees to create additional shaded areas and to begin growing a canopy that will one day replace what is lost by older trees within the park," said University Arborist Alex Hedgepath.

"There are no plans to remove the older trees at this time as this planting is a proactive approach to ensure a canopy is in place for the future."

Facilities management will install three white oaks, three scarlet oaks and a willow oak.

“

We are planting these trees to create additional shaded areas and to begin growing a canonpy that will one day replace what is lost by older trees within the park.”

—Alex Hedgepath

UNIVERSITY ARBORIST

“The willow oak will fill a gap in the trees aligning College Street,” Hedgepath said. “A white oak and three scarlet oaks will be planted between Langdon and Hargis halls to bring shade to

CAMPUS CRIME LOG

International • (CNN) The underwater search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has been suspended nearly three years after the plane vanished without a trace over the Indian Ocean, according to a joint statement from Chinese, Australian and Malaysian officials. The three countries had been leading the search for MH370, which disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board.

• (CNN) Allegations that Russia’s government sought to influence the US presidential election have captured the attention of a vast majority of the American public, but there is little agreement on whether the allegations are true, or how the new president will handle the country going forward, according to a new CNN/ORC Poll.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Date Reported

Type of Incident

General Location

1/15

Rape First Degree

300 Block of S Donahue Dr

1/15

Sodomy First Degree

300 S Donahue Dr

1/14

Possession of Marijuana Second Degree

W SamfordAv @ Duncan Dr

1/11

Theft - Bicycle

600 Block of Heisman Dr

1/10

Public Intoxication

600 Block of DeKalb St

1/9

Theft of Property Fourth Degree

100 Block of Hemlock Dr

1/9

Theft of Property Fourth Degree

300 Block ofW Samford Dr

1/9

Failing to Appear - Traffic

W SamfordAv @ Shug Jordan Pkwy

Page 4

the area, and two white oaks will provide a replacement canopy for older trees located in other areas within the park."

Hedgepath said each species was chosen for a specific purpose, the release stated.

"White oaks seem to be everyone's best friend. Once established, it's a great performer with uniform crown structure, pleasant foliage and interesting bark," he said. "Scarlet oaks will provide Samford Park with some much needed fall color. It's also a tough, drought-tolerant southern tree and is locally native to Auburn. Willow oak is the tried-and-true urban tree that is being planted to fulfill what is already established along College Street."

National • (CNN) The weather forecast for Washington, D.C. on Inauguration Day looks gray and damp. Rain will be moving in from the south and could reach Washington around the noon hour Friday, when Trump is putting his hand on the Bible to become president.

• (New York Times) President Barack Obama on Tuesday commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of stealing and disseminating 750,000 pages of documents and videos to WikiLeaks.

• (CNN) The abortion rate in the US has fallen to its lowest level since Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure, a new report finds.

The report, by the Guttmacher Institute, found the rate has declined to 14.6 abortions per 1,000 women of, what is considered, childbearing age (that’s 15 to 44).

Page 6

MADISON OGLETREE / PHOTO EDITOR

Abby Milliet competes on the bars against the University of Georgia on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017 in Auburn,Ala.

Page 8

Page 11

INDEX Campus

3

Opinion

5

Community 6

WSJ: University responsible for ‘resilient’ economy

New virtual reality store in Opelika

Deese dismissed from baseball

COLUMN: Here’s to 2016

Sports

8

Lifestyle

11

Campus

Thursday, January 19, 2017

3 ThePlainsman.com

Campus

STUDENTS

Students share mixed reactions to news of possible Quixotes changes Kressie Kornis CAMPUS WRITER

The space overlooking Toomer’s Corner between Pieology Pizzeria and Moe’s Southwest Grill will be the new home of Quixotes Bar and Grill if the Auburn City Council approves plans for a new bar downtown.

The new bar and event space has been referred to as Oak Tree Corner in City Documents.

The approval of Oak Tree Corner will come down to a vote during Auburn City Council’s meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 20 and is likely to break ground before the spring semester begins. The building is hoped to be completed in fall 2017.

Students appear to have mixed feelings about the change, mostly a blend of nostalgia and excitement. However, Logan Owen, junior in business aviation, arguably has some of the strongest.

“Of course I am excited to see the possible growth of the beautiful restaurant that is Quixotes, but it does kind of make me sad because of all of the times I’ve had there with my friends,” Owen said.

Owen said he often refers to Quixotes as

Auburn’s “local watering hole” and jokes he will chain himself to the patio railing in protest.

“On Friends they have Central Perk, but in Auburn with my group of friends we have Quixotes,” Owen said. “It’s the spot where if you don’t know if you’re going to run into your friends, you can just go there and you’re going to find them.”

Logan said he is sure every social he’s ever gone to in the past three years has been in Quixotes. It’s also the home to some of his favorite memories thus far in college, Logan said.

“The exact minute I turned 21, I was in there,” Owen said. “My friends and I counted down to it right in the main entry area, and I had taken my parents there earlier that day.”

Owen said he also feels sentimental at the possibility of this New Year’s Eve celebration likely being Quixotes’ last.

“On a serious note, it’s good for Quixotes because it will bring a little more competition downtown,” Owen said. “Auburn doesn’t really have much downtown nightlife competition since Sky kind of rules the game, being the biggest bar.”

ADAM SPARKS / PHOTOGRAPHER

The entrance at Quixotes Bar and Grill in Downtown Auburn.

Hayes Grogan, junior in business and economics, said his feelings about the possibility for the change are bitter-sweet.

“I think it’s cool that they’re moving, and I think it’s cool that it’s going to be new, but

I think that it’s not going to be the same because the old Quixotes has so many memories there,” Grogan said. “It’s going to be weird not going to Quixotes anymore because it’s like I’ve lived there for the past three years.”

SENATE

DAKOTA SUMPTER / MANAGING EDITOR

LEFT: Douglas Dick, a sophomore at Troy University, cheers during the rally supporting higher education at the State House in Montgomery last year.

MIDDLE: A student supporter from University of Montevallo holds a sign during the rally supporting higher education at the State House in Montgomery at last year’s Higher Education Day. RIGHT: Supporters carry signs during the rally supporting higher education at the State House in Montgomery last year.

SGA prepares for Higher Education Day Kressie Kornis CAMPUS WRITER

Higher Education Day is an event held in Montgomery to lobby for better funding for higher education.

The event will be held this year on Tuesday, Feb. 28 and transportation will be provided to University students by SGA. Lunch will be provided by the Higher Education Partnership.

SGA’s Director of Government Relations Calvin Wilborn, junior in public administration, said increasing the Higher Education Fund would allow more people to have the Auburn experience, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

“The legislator allocates a cer-

tain amount of funding to the Higher Education Fund this year,” Wilborn said. “The higher education funding is, the lower the tuition rates are. That’s why it’s so important that the University and its students take part in this.”

The rally will have 14 Alabama four-year public universities in total participating, with the goal to advocate the needs and communicate the importance of higher education to the people of Alabama and its lawmakers.

“The higher the Higher Education funding is, the lower the tuition rates are and the more students can afford to go to higher education schooling,” Wilborn said. “Specifically we do for Auburn, but of course all of the other schools rep-

resented there as well.”

These issues are still relevant to people currently in school and taking out loans, Wilborn said.

“And for the people already here, who maybe had to take out student loans or however their college is being paid for, it would deflate their cost if we had more higher education funding,” Wilborn added.

Auburn students attending will leave at 9 a.m. from the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and will be back from Montgomery between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the latest, according to Wilborn.

“As many students who would like to attend can go with us,” Wilborn said. “We will provide breakfast that morning, transportation, tshirts and lunch will be provided.”

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Campus 4

Thursday, January 19, 2017

The Auburn Plainsman

ECONOMY

DAKOTA SUMPTER / MANAGING EDITOR

LEFT: Congested traffic on a Friday evening on Magnolia Ave. RIGHT: Downtown Auburn is filled with traffic this past fall the evening before football game.

Wall Street Journal says University is responsible for ‘resilient’ economy Kressie Kornis CAMPUS WRITER

A recent Wall Street Journal article spoke on the antidote to America’s long economic malaise is college towns, using Auburn as an example.

As of last October, Lee County’s unemployment rate is 4.7%—slightly lower than the U.S. as a whole. The Journal reports Lee County has added 14,000 jobs, five times the growth rate in the rest of the country, since 2001.

A nationwide study by the Brookings Institute for The Wall Street Journal found 16 areas in the U.S. where overall job growth remains strong, despite manufacturing employment fell more sharply in those places from 2000 to 2014 than the rest of the country.

What do those 16 areas have in common?

Half are home to major universities, including Athens, Ga., Charlotte, N.C. and Auburn.

According to the Brookings study, the counties in areas identified as resilient are home to those who voted for President-elect Donald Trump, with the majority vote of about 85%.

The Journal wrote Lee County economic-development officials have used Auburn to attract higher-tech companies to replace companies that shut down.

Phillip Dunlap, Auburn city’s director of economic development, told the Journal he can even be picky.

Dunlap looks for higher-paying companies employing 100 to 150 workers to make sure the area doesn’t get too dependent on one company, and he promises “never to recruit an industry that had smokestacks taller than the one on campus.”

The Journal reports he has discouraged tire companies, distributors and low-end assembly lines from coming to Auburn.

3-D printing is Auburn University and the city’s current focus, which will need consid-

“

The economy in Auburn is growing rapidly just like its population.There’s a lot of different factors that go into that, and Auburn is very blessed to have that growth.”

erable engineering research to become a manufacturing staple. The University bought the same 3-D printer that G.E. uses at its Lee County plant for students to learn how to use the machine.

Materials Engineering professor Tony Overfelt told the Journal the new technology “will bring manufacturing back to this country.”

Stone Ray, sophomore in architecture, said he has concerns over the quick economic and population growth of Auburn, particularly because of an epidemic termed “urban sprawl.”

Urban sprawl is a term used to describe the expansion of human population away from a central urban area into low-density, mono-functional and usually car-dependent communities, in a process called suburbanization. It’s most often criticized for causing environmental degradation, intensifying segregation and undermining the existing urban areas.

The main argument is when people move into a suburban area and must commute to go anywhere; it causes unnecessary congestion in streets.

“In a traditionally urban place you can have an array of houses, townhouses and shops and other things that are on a grid of streets that can be assessed by foot, bicycle or by automobile,” Ray said. “The current model is a problem with many cities, but especially in Auburn, because the zoning codes that are emplaced at the administrative level of the city aren’t envisioning

it because they want [urban sprawl], they’re envisioning because it’s inadvertently sort of happening because of a domino effect of rules and regulations of the automobile.”

Ray said he is a self-proclaimed “urbanist.”

“Nobody in Auburn is saying, ‘we’re going to make an unwalkable place full of traffic and congestion,’ no one is asking for that, but that’s a result of something when every development is required to have x amount of parking which means those people are more likely to drive,” Ray said.

Auburn is lucky to benefit from a growing economy, Ray said.

“The economy in Auburn is growing rapidly just like its population,” Ray said. “There’s a lot of different factors that go into that, and Auburn is very blessed to have that growth.”

Ray said he believes development is a direct result from the economic growth the city has seen over the years.

“The University is a powerhouse for jobs and faculty and research,” Ray said. “The city of Auburn’s economic development and staff is really, really good at recruiting manufacturing jobs and businesses of that nature. Those events have earned Auburn this economic standard, I would say. Those people working here and moving here have caused the economy to rebound pretty starkly compared to the rest of the nation.”

Money should be going to city buildings, Ray

RECREATION

Professor recommends students meditate Loren Kimmel CAMPUS WRITER

College of Liberal Arts Assistant Professor Thomas Lockhart is a four-year University faculty member and twelve-year meditation instructor who swears by many of the benefits mediation can bring about. “[In college] there is a lot of stress and a lot of studying and neither is easy to deal with,” Lockhart said. “Meditation can help with both”.

Lockhart teaches a type of meditation called Samatha which works with both mindfulness and concentration.

“By controlling the breath, we raise the levels of mind-

fulness and concentration so that the mind can become calm and collected,” Lockhart said. “The mind can become perfectly absorbed in whatever it is paying attention to.”

Lockhart said he advises they begin practicing before the stresses of school become too overwhelming.

“First, try to start early in the semester,” Lockhart said.

“It is really helpful to have a toolbox of techniques and some experience under your belt before the demands of the semester start to weigh you down.”

Lockhart said practicing meditation is most effective

when done habitually.

“Second, the most important thing is to try to practice every day,” Lockhart said.

“Just five minutes a day is enough, at least at first.

Small amounts of practice can have a big impact, Lockhart said.

“You’ll know a lot more about the mind if you try to work with it every single day, even if only for a few minutes,” Lockhart said.

Sometimes it may seem as though you’re not getting any results, but Lockhart said continuing to meditate will work to calm you without always realizing it.

“Third, don’t get discour-

aged,” Lockhart said. “Meditation is supposed to calm and settle the mind. Lots of time it doesn’t seem that it is working at all, but it is.”

Lockhart said his last piece of advice is to find a group to meditate with.

“It is really helpful to practice with a group…and you learn an amazing amount from talking about what you are experiencing,” Lockhart said.

Lockhart said while he teaches free meditation classes at the Rec Center, he also teaches a class in Opelika at the Inner Sunshine Yoga and Wellness on Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m.

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SOPHOMORE IN ARCHITECTURE

said.

“A long time ago, money used to go to our city buildings,” Ray said. “The older buildings are the most beautiful—the old post offices and high schools. All of those old things were the most ornate buildings that really showcased human standing in the world as far as their wealth and talents.”

Schools and post offices don’t get the chance to be the most beautiful parts of a city anymore, Ray said, because of where funds are allocated.

“Now a days, all of that money is carried to pay for infrastructure for those automobiles,” Ray said. “That’s why when you go to cities today, the post offices and high schools are the ugliest because all of the money is put into the roads. The roads and highways are so big with ramps just to get people home. It’s unsustainable financially. It doesn’t make sense in the future.”

Ray said the growth can be compared to that of traffic in Atlanta, which is a common complaint of Georgia natives.

“Atlanta is a metropolitan region which has choked on itself,” Ray said. “Everybody complains about the traffic in Atlanta. The traffic only seems to occur on the edges. The only time there’s traffic in downtown Atlanta is on the highways because it’s people trying to get from one edge to the other edge. If you actually get off the highway onto the grid of streets in downtown Atlanta, it’s actually pretty calm. In an urban setting, streets are on a grid. Theoretically, every time you have an intersection it cuts the traffic in half.”

Ray said the path chosen is completely up to the individual.

“Humans actually get to decide the trajectory of their path,” Ray said. “If there’s traffic on this road, I can turn and take the next one instead of being forced down sort of a sewer and being forced to waste so much time.”

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CAMPUS REPORTER

The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts will be closed over the summer to accommodate renovations.

Dr. Marilyn Laufer, museum director, said these changes are being made mostly to benefit museum-goers’ experience.

“One aspect of the visitor’s experience that we’ve been mindful of since we opened in 2003 has to do with acoustics, especially in the Dwight and Helen Carlisle Lobby, Rotunda and the Grand Gallery, as well as our café,” Laufer said. “There is the swoop of the ceiling [in the lobby] and that is also in the other areas. Not to mention the floors are marble and all the surfaces hard glass,” Laufer said. “The sound just reverberates.”

Laufer said the museum team will fix the acoustics by lining some of the museum’s walls and ceilings with a plaster-like sound absorbent product.

“This product has glass

beads in it which actually absorb the sound,” Laufer said.

“So that will, we hope, ameliorate the situation quite a lot.”

Laufer said the museum’s exposure to western light is also an issue being tackled before for the fall semester begins.

“At certain times of the year the glare of sunlight that comes in through these western windows is so strong that you almost have to wear sunglasses,” Laufer said. “Unfortunately, all of these repairs will necessitate scaffolding which makes it too dangerous for our visitors, so the only solution is to temporarily close the museum.”

Laufer said the final schedule is tentative, but plans to have the museum closed for the summer semester and open in the fall with a full schedule of exhibitions and programs.

“Nothing makes me more unhappy than to close the museum, but when you have to weigh all those factors and it comes time to get it done, summer is the best possible time to get it all done,” Laufer said.

Opinion Thursday, January 19, 2017

5 ThePlainsman.com

President Obama’s legacy HER VIEW

Brytni Emison COLUMNIST

President Barack Obama will leave a legacy in the White House.

Political beliefs aside, he has undeniably accomplished milestones in his presidency which will not easily be pushed aside nor forgotten during future presidencies.

Not just merely through his own actions will the Obama administration leave a legacy, but through the actions of the Supreme Court and military.

Despite many of his actions being liberally swayed, and his policies considerably following the “liberal agenda,” the feats he accomplished through his presidency are memorable, and verifiably unforgettable.

Obama started his campaign against all odds, as a black senator. Once elected he would become the first black president, then he would be elected for a second term.

He overcame tremendous odds and saw an unbelievably high voter turnout during both of his elections.

He assembled the masses and through his sophisticated yet moving speeches he was able to sway generations of people who had never voted before to come to the polls to support him.

Obama brought in a socially liberal era despite facing a Republican-divided Congress.

He did this through various methods, including his 266 executive orders and numerous presidential memoranda.

The 44th president changed many lives. For example, he granted executive clemency to a total of 1,597 people, many of those faced lowlevel drug offenses.

Of those 1,597, Obama pardoned a total of 212 people and gave commutations to 504 people with life sentences.

Much of this was done in an attempt to minimize the sentences of those with nonviolent crimes and those whose sentences were affected disproportionately by race and social class.

The commander in chief radically brought change to the military when he allowed openly gay men and women to serve their country through military service.

Under his two terms, gay and civil rights moved to the forefront of social issues.

With the gay rights movement and Black Lives Matter sweeping the nation.

Gay marriage was ruled constitutional during the Obama administration.

This movement was backed and brought forward by the president.

He supported and allowed for the gay rights movement to take hold and gain ground in the United States.

For the millions without health care he instituted the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare.”

Its main purpose was to give health care to those who could not afford nor be covered by other health insurance due to preexisting conditions.

Although there are talks of repealing the Affordable Care Act, it may remain while parts of the Act are amended.

Obama nominated two Supreme Court justices who ruled on key issues such as gay marriage, birth control and abortion rights.

Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan will continue to make important and controversial decisions long after Obama leaves office.

They have already ruled on matters from the constitutionality of some of Obama’s executive orders and the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. They ruled in favor of gay marriage, allowed birth control to be covered under one’s insurance and widened women’s right to an abortion.

Under the Obama administration international relations changed dramatically; the U.S. military saw a withdrawal from Iraq.

The United States learned of Osama bin Laden’s capture and death.

The world saw the rise of the Islamic State.

Diplomatic relations between the states and Cuba returned.

Like Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, Obama took major steps toward environmental change.

Since he took office in 2008, emissions were down 12 percent, solar and wind energy use rose by 342 percent, offshore and onshore drilling became further restricted, the Keystone Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline were blocked from becoming instituted.

The U.S. began to take control of its oil production, with U.S. crude oil production rising by 77.7 percent.

Economically, Obama helped restore the nation after the Great Recession like Franklin Delano Roosevelt after the Great Depression.

He restored the job market and relieved students of millions of dollars in student loan debt.

Like any great orator, Obama will not be soon forgotten.

His speeches are world renowned and have shaken this nation to its core.

Like Nixon, Reagan and Kennedy, Obama had the power to win over the masses.

Like FDR and Reagan, he has instituted great social and economic programs while simultaneously enabling dramatic social change under his administration.

He has changed the way the president communicates with his audience, stepping into the 21st century and paving the way for future presidents to come.

Like Kennedy paved the way through television and FDR paved the way through radio, Obama allowed for further lines of communication through Twitter, YouTube and various televised appearances.

Whether you love him or hate him, agree with his policies or rebuke them, Obama left an impact on the United States that will not soon be forgotten.

Although his policies may have been dramatically liberal, they ushered in an era of social and environmental change.

When the nation suffered through the Great Recession he brought hope and change.

While each president may be remembered for one great thing he accomplished in his presidency, it is the presidents who are remembered for several momentous accomplishments that leave a legacy for future presidents to follow.

Obama fundamentally brought change to the American public.

The era of the Obama administration will be remembered for its dramatic, and historic, social change.

Brytni Emison is a columnist for The Plainsman. She can be reached at opinion@ThePlainsman.com.

OUR VIEW

MADISON OGLETREE / PHOTO EDITOR

On divining Scripture

Claire Tully CAMPUS

Madison Ogletree PHOTO

Dakota Sumpter MANAGING EDITOR

Chip Brownlee COMMUNITY

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Weston Sims OPINION

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Lily Jackson LIFESTYLE

SPORTS

sexuality has increased broadly across Christian denominations and has finally attained a majority, according to a 2015 Pew Research study.

This change has largely been because of millennials, who view homosexuality with a much kinder eye than preceding generations.

The Bible is being interpreted less literally and more within the confines of the cultural contexts surrounding different passages.

Many homosexual Christians offer up theological defenses of their sexuality by tearing apart and analyzing the old Greek translations to figure out for themselves what seems to be the most accurate interpretation of scripture.

Additionally, we encourage those children to balance their parents’ criticism with the fact that sometimes the criticism comes from a place of genuine concern and love, however distorted they may think their parents’ worldview is.

In the minds of many concerned parents, ignoring the child’s lifestyle could entail eternal damnation, a gamble no decent parent would be willing to make.

However, we acknowledge good intentions shouldn’t be accepted as a sufficient reason to love or remain in contact with somebody.

After all, many proponents of terrorism intend to do the right thing through their heinous acts, but there remains a deficit between themselves and decency.

We merely ask that the goodwill be considered in the decision calculus, which will amount to differing outcomes across different contexts.

Above all, when confronted with seemingly impossible problems like this, it is important to remember to extend empathy and remember that truth that shouldn’t be revoked under the auspices of any religion: genuinely love people.

SPRING EDITORIAL BOARD 2017

Last week, a family schism between a popular radio show host and his daughter became public. The crux of the issue: her bisexuality.

The daughter wrote a guest column on AL.com offering her perspective on the issue, emphasizing the destructiveness of a parent who doesn’t accept who you are, and sending others like her a word of encouragement, “I love you. Your worth is untouchable. Find a good friend. Invest in therapy. Dance in the middle of the night and hold yourself accountable to the life you’ve always wanted.

At the root of all this hate speech is fear. This is not your fear to carry. Release it.”

The radio show host took to the airwaves to decry her lifestyle, full of grief, comparing his daughter to the prodigal son who strays away from sanctity and eventually returns to his father to find forgiveness awaiting him.

This is an issue that arises all throughout the nation, and is especially explosive in more deeply religious parts of the country like Alabama.

Some religious parents, with fundamentalist teachings charting the course of their logic, chastise their children who stray away from heterosexuality.

Too often, these disagreements ruin relationships and breed resentment until the actors involved are no longer around to resent or love.

This is an issue that can’t be argued to conclusion in five minutes, or in a single editorial; the opposing sides rest their cases on fundamentally different worldviews, proceeding their arguments from different axioms.

With that difficulty in mind, we implore parents to retain an air of kindness and tolerance toward their children who may disagree with them regarding whom to love.

As time presses on, acceptance of homo-

LETTER TO THE EDITOR The act of rolling the Toomer’s Oak trees after Alabama’s loss Monday night is not in keeping with Auburn tradition of rolling the Oaks after an AU win, nor is it in line with Auburn being “the classiest fanbase in America.”

I find it disappointing.

Rolling the Oaks for anything one feels

like (another example: “your” candidate winning the presidency) diminishes its celebratory flair when it is undertaken after an AU athletics’ win.

Barry G. Nicholls, 1976 Auburn University graduate

The Auburn Plainsman

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Community Thursday, January 19, 2017

6 ThePlainsman.com

Community

BUSINESS

CATHERINE WOFFORD / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

EnvisionVR, the fifth virtual reality shop of its kind in the U.S. and the first in the Southeast, opened recently in downtown Opelika.

First in the Southeast virtual reality shop opens in Opelika Sam Willoughby COMMUNITY REPORTER

Their story has all the makings of many modern tech stories. Two self-funded friends in their early 20s coming together to provide a product and service most people probably don’t know exists.

On Jan. 5, Garrison Snelling, a 21-year-old local software engineer, and David Tice, a 20-year-old junior in psychology at Auburn, opened EnvisionVR in Opelika.

EnvisionVR is a virtual reality cafe where customers can rent time to use virtual reality equipment to play through a number of games from the shop’s catalog of games.

Users put on a headset and use two wireless controllers to play and explore digital worlds. The headset gives users a 360-degree view of their virtual surroundings, and the controllers allow users to move ingame and perform other functions.

In one game, the user defends a castle from invaders using a bow and arrow. The user nocks and fires arrows with the controllers, using hand movements that mimic the real thing.

EnvisionVR mainly uses the HTC Vive system, Snelling said, because of its 1-to-1 ratio “room scale” technology. This feature gives users a more realistic point of view, with objects appearing where they would be theoretically inside the room, and allows users to move around freely, in contrast with setups where the user stands still or sits.

Snelling was introduced to the technology by a coworker.

“I’m not too big into gaming,” Snelling said. “But when I put on the HTC Vive, I was blown away.”

Snelling told his then-girlfriend, now fiancee, his latest idea. At first, she was hesitant to get on board.

Months later, when Snelling had refined the idea and presented it to her once again, she told him he had to do it.

“When your girlfriend says do something, you do it,” he said.

His girlfriend’s interest in the technology convinced Snelling that virtual reality could appeal to everyone, not just gamers.

He then went to Tice, and the two began to form a business plan.

They bought the equipment and performed demos for friends for two months.

“We did a bunch of demos out of my bedroom, which was creepy,” Snelling joked.

The two said they’ve come up with other plans in the past, but none that have panned out like EnvisionVR. “We’ve made some terrible products together,” Snelling said.

“People didn’t like those, and they weren’t afraid to tell us. With this, everybody thinks it’s great.”

“And they’re not all lying to us,” Tice added.

The two said that EnvisionVR is only the fifth business of its kind in the United States and the first in the Southeast.

Once thought of as a tech demo novelty, virtual reality technology in recent years has come to be appreciated as a multipurpose tool with unlimited practical applications.

In 2015, the Auburn Tigers’ football coaching staff began using virtual reality technology in practice to help develop young quarterbacks.

For now, EnvisionVR’s main focus for virtual reality is gaming and entertainment. Snelling and Tice said they are open to using the virtual reality equipment in other ventures.

“There’s no limit to it,” Tice said.

“As far as you can imagine, it can be applied to anything, like healthcare, military, entertainment and daily life.”

Snelling and Tice described a local architect who stopped by EnvisionVR and imported a recent building design into the virtual reality equipment. The architect was able to “walk around” his design and fix problems he wasn’t able to see using conventional software.

The two said they plan on purchasing additional headsets and VR gear to expand the shop’s arsenal.

Snelling is also interested in developing virtual reality software in the future. For now, he said, he’s focusing on running the new shop.

EnvisionVR is located at 109 S. 8th St. in downtown Opelika and is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 1–10 p.m.

CATHERINE WOFFORD / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

David Tice and Garrison Snelling opened EnvisionVR earlier this month.

DEVELOPMENT

Historic private women’s dormitory to become boutique hotel S am Willoughby

Wittel Dormitory was built in the 1940s by Samuel Wittel as a residence for professional women.

COMMUNITY REPORTER

The Wittel Dormitory, which sits at the corner of East Thach Avenue and South Gay Street, is currently up for sale, and the likely owners plan to convert the old private women’s dorm into a hotel.

At their regular meeting last week, the Auburn Planning Commission appro v e d MHW LL C’s application to use the building as a hotel.

The newly dubbed “Collegiate Hotel at Auburn” was described by the pending owners as a “boutique hotel” and will have 40 beds. The commission also approved a waiver to allow the hotel owners to construct a driveway that cuts into South Gay Street. Developers said it will make it possible for the hoteliers to provide a valet service to guests.

The building will remain relatively unchanged, but the current plan includes a new porch that wraps around to

MADISON OGLETREE / PHOTO EDITOR

The historic Wittel Dormitory is located on the southest corner of Thach Avenue and Gay Street.

the hotel’s entrance.

The application faced little opposition from the commission.

“It’s a wonderful project,” said Planning Commissioner

Dan Bennett. “It’s really important not only to the history of this community, but to our future as well.”

Commissioner Charles Pick agreed.

“I’m in favor of restoring any type of historic property,” he said. “I think it’s important to support these type of activities.”

According to the Auburn

Heritage Association, the dormitory was built in the 1940s by Samuel Wittel as a residence for professional women. To meet increasing enrollment after World War II at Alabama Polytechnic Institute, today Auburn University, Wittel Dormitory was designated as the first women’s dorm in Auburn.

Wittel and his wife Estelle lived in the building’s private quarters with their children and grandchildren after their son David returned home from serving in the Army during World War II. Talking to The Plainsman, Samuel’s granddaughter, Pat Tremaine, described growing up in the dorm.

“It was like a family,” she said. “The girls would come over and watch TV with my grandparents. [My grandmother] would have tea for them.”

Tremaine said it always felt like she was going to college when she lived in the building.

During the 1950s, male students would go on “panty raids” throughout town.

Tremaine said she remembers looking out her bedroom window during one of the raids and seeing James E. Foy, dean of student affairs and later the namesake of Auburn’s first student union, participating.

The Wittels lived in the building until David passed away in 1980. They sold the building shortly after, and it remains a private women’s dorm until the hotel project begins.

“My grandfather always sat by the window in the sitting room,” Tremaine said.

“I still look at that window when I go by and can almost see him still there.”

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Community 7

The Auburn Plainsman

POLICE » From 1

To maintain their certification, municipal officers in Alabama must then complete at least 12 hours of training each year.

Beyond the basic standards are more specific types of training, such as mental health training, handgun trainings and firearms simulators. “[Mental health is] something we work very hard to ensure that our people have as much knowledge about those type of situations as possible so that they know that just because it appears somebody is being noncompliant or someone’s not cooperating, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re intentionally engaging in that action,” Jones said. “It may be the case that they are suffering from a diagnosed condition that … would lend itself that the person is simply not able to communicate for some reason or another.”

William Mathews, Auburn Police Division assistant chief, said in Septmeber that APD officers recently completed a mental health training that described different scenarios officers may face, how to assess the situation and provided information from mental health professionals on how to deal with those instances.

Mental health has been a resurfacing topic for the APD after police shot and killed Melissa Boarts, who had mental health issues, in April.

Though a Macon County grand jury ruled the shooting justified, the Boarts family has filed a lawsuit against the city for wrongful death and assault and battery.

The Boarts family has repeatedly expressed concern about the way the APD may respond to University students who have mental health issues.

The city will not comment on specifics of the cases because of the lawsuit.

Court documents revealed that the officer who shot Boarts was equipped with a folding lock-blade knife aside from his handgun.

Other officers at the scene also had different tools, such as pepper spray, batons and lock-blade knives.

Deciding what tool on the belt to use, Mathews said, is called “response to resistance.”

“When officers go through their training,” Mathews said.

“They’re taught that you can use the level of force that is necessary to stop the threat, and so the response to resistance is a continuum of force that can be as low as the officer’s presence and identifying yourself as a law enforcement authority all the way up to deadly force.”

However, he noted that the division doesn’t teach its officers to associate a particular scenario with a certain amount of force for fear of boxing the officer into a formulaic mindset in an unpredictable job.

“What we try to teach them is you use the least amount of force necessary to control the situation, control the threat,” Mathews said.

At the sheriff’s office, Jones said, deputies are taught to make verbal communication their first effort in a confrontation and make their gun the last resort. Some have also completed communications courses, which teach them how to assess body language and analyze someone’s word choice.

“They work with that to try to verbally mitigate, or deescalate, the situation to the point where compliance comes without any physical action,” Jones said, adding that noncompliance played a role in many of the high-profile officer-involved shootings in the U.S. last year.

The officers must look at each case individually because there is no formula for responding, Jones said. But today, he believes people are much quicker to rely on guns in tense situations.

“Now I’m not saying they shouldn’t protect themselves … but I think it seems like it’s just an overall sense of urgency to respond with the maximum amount of force to any threat that’s presented and not really assessing a situation before they make that decision,” he said.

One way the two agencies try to prepare officers to respond to un-

KRIS MARTINS / ENTERPRISE EDITOR

Shannon Arthur, daughter of an officer, said she exercises caution around police, especially after last summer’s high-profile officer-involved shootings.

predictable situations is through a firearms simulator.

“It puts them in an environment where we can kind of control it but also gives the officer that experience to feel that surge of stress and try to work through it and still maintain that control and hopefully making good decision-making processes all the way through it,” Mathews said.

The result of those decisions is something APD officers think about often. Mathews said they are sometimes concerned with their level of force being criticized in hindsight.

“We really don’t have the luxury of time when we’re deciding whether or not to use force in most cases,” Mathews said.

People now are also more apprehensive about becoming officers because of the recent criticism of the job, Mathews said.

Reflecting on the unrest in some areas of the county because of the high-profile shootings, Jones said the sheriff’s office strives to have open dialogue with all members of the community, which he believes is the key to preventing similar issues from arising in the county. To him, many of those problems stemmed from a lack of effective communication.

Community and Communication Jade Kinney, Auburn graduate student, organized “Together We Can,” an event on Nov. 17 to bring local law enforcement and community members together in response to the national shootings over the summer.

Leaders and officers from the Opelika Police Department, APD and Lee County Sheriff’s Office attended the event along with community members, students and faculty.

“We don’t really understand each other, so sometimes things can happen within our community … that may happen out of incomprehension or miscommunication,” Kinney said. “I felt like this was a time to get a better understanding of one another.”

That gap in understanding is due, in part, to the minority community’s and police’s preconceived perceptions of one another, she said.

As an African-American woman, Kinney said it’s important to her that the voices of the community are heard.

“I think sometimes (the perceptions) can be skewed, and I feel like this is a time where we can kind of reject those biases, so to speak,” she added.

Jones, who attended the event, said the sheriff’s office’s public service duty extends beyond enforcing the law and providing public safety.

“It’s living in this community. It’s interacting with people and understanding our differences and embracing them,” Jones said.

At a table with a couple of Lee County sheriffs and other attendees sat joyce gillie gossom, a consultant who completed the University’s diversity climate assessment last spring. “(The event is) one more piece to breaking down seeing each other only as ‘other’ and only as categories and only in their boxes,” gossom said. “Any time, to me, you start referring to someone else as a category, you’ve dehumanized them and you’ve taken their humanity out of the equation, and now they’re no longer like you.”

What distinguishes people from one another, to her, are invisible differences such as how someone was raised — something people will never understand about one another if they continue to place each another into categories.

The Climate Study for Inclusion, Equity and Diversity, gossom said, determined that people believe Auburn University is a family in which not everyone feels included.

“And everyone agrees that not everyone is included as part of that family,” she added. “And everyone wants to do something about it, and no one really knows what or how to go about doing it.”

The assessment presented 17 initial recommendations to begin to improve campus diversity and inclusion over time.

Overcoming difficult times and situations come with unity and collaboration, said APD Chief Paul Register, who spoke at event.

“I think that what we’d like more than anything is for our community to know who we are and to be here for you while you’re here at Auburn University or living in the city or visiting,” he said.

Register also encouraged attendees to talk with members of the police division if they ever feel they had a bad experience with an officer.

“We feel like you’re our children and our family,” he said, addressing University students. “So we want to be here for you always.”

For a multimedia form of this report, including audio interviews and a video, visit ThePlainsman.com

PHILANTHROPY

Auburn-Opelika Empty Bowls event planned for February Gabby Dance

COMMUNITY WRITER

On Feb. 25, many Auburn community members will be switching out their typical dinnerware for a handmade, one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl.

The fourth annual Auburn-Opelika Empty Bowls fundraising event will be that day at the Jan Dempsey Community Art Center.

Empty Bowls benefits the Food Bank of East Alabama and works to spread awareness of hunger in the local community.

For a $20 donation, participants will get a sitdown dinner, served in a locally made bowl that they get to take home, as well as live music entertainment and a raffle. The event will begin at 5 p.m. and end at 7 p.m.

Almost $20,000 has been raised by Empty Bowls over the past four years. Last year’s event alone raised over $12,000.

According to Martha Henk, director of the Food Bank of East Alabama, these donations have made a lasting impact.

“By acquiring food through local donations and the National Food Bank Network, every dollar given to the Food Bank enables us to distribute the equivalent of seven meals to people in need,” Henk said. “So each bowl represents 140 meals.”

Henk keeps her bowl from last year’s event on her desk as a constant reminder of the people she is working to help.

“The empty bowl reminds me of some of the people I have met through my work at the Food Bank,” Henk said. “The little girl who tells us that her father suggested she drink lots of water so that her stomach didn’t feel as empty. The mother who said that she sends her children out to play at mealtime hoping that a neighbor will invite them for dinner.

“The elderly woman in Opelika who was eating canned cat food mixed with rice because she had nothing else to eat. The man who walked into the Community Market after two days without eating, and he simply stopped in the aisles to eat right away. These people are who

Empty Bowls helps.”

A lot of times there is a misconception that there is no one suffering in the Auburn-Opelika area, said Cari Cleckler, an arts education specialist for the City of Auburn.

“You’d be surprised how many people are in need and are either ashamed or don’t really want to admit that they are struggling with food issues paycheck to paycheck,” Cleckler said.

“We’re happy to do what we can to help those that could be our neighbors.”

Cleckler began working with Empty Bowls as an Auburn student by making bowls and is now one of the event planners.

Cleckler was drawn to Empty Bowls due to her love of art and the Auburn community. She loves that so many organizations in the community join together to put on this event.

“One person can make a small difference, but all of us can make a huge difference working together,” Cleckler said.

Local artists have been working for the past year to create the bowls that event guests will be

taking home.

“A lot of [the bowls] are pretty unique,” Cleckler said. “Many of them have intricate decorations, and there are a lot of sculpted pieces too. It’s not just your run-of-the-mill bowl that you can go get at Target. It’s a one-of-akind, handmade work of art. It’s not something you can go buy in a series. You have the original.”

Along with a handmade bowl, guests will enjoy live music by The Electric Rangers and Dylan Williams.

Henk and other representatives from the food bank will also be speaking. All food served at the event will be donated by local restaurants.

Tickets are on sale now at the Dean Road Recreation Center for $20. Only 200 seats are available. For those unable to purchase a ticket, volunteers are welcome at the event.

On the following Monday after Empty Bowls, Feb. 27, there will be a second opportunity to come in and purchase a bowl created by local artists.

FUNDRAISING

Fifth annual Polar Plunge in Auburn set to benefit Lee County Special Olympics Alex Hosey

COMMUNITY WRITER

Auburn’s fifth annual Polar Plunge will be raising money to support the Lee County Special Olympics on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Samford Pool.

The fundraiser began five years ago as a small event at a backyard pool where 18 people raised $4,000, according to Ryan Molt, the Auburn city league sports coordinator. The event has grown consistently every year, with last year’s Polar Plunge boasting 105 participants who raised over $12,000.

He hopes to raise even more money for this year’s plunge, Molt said.

“We’re just hoping to get people out there for a great cause,” Molt said. “The best thing about it is all of the money is going directly to Lee County Special Olympics, so you know that money is going toward kids in our area.”

A costume contest for the plungers will

also be held at the event, with gift cards being awarded to the top three best costumes. The event begins at 9 a.m.

Bailey Cofield, senior in rehabilitation and disabilities, dressed up as a cupcake and raised the most money for the plunge last year.

Cofield said she raised over $1,000 by getting friends and family to sponsor her jump.

“I have a lot of friends that are involved in the Special Olympics, and I wanted to show them that I support them beyond the sidelines,” Cofield said. “It really does mean a lot to show the athletes that you care about them.”

The Draft House will host a sponsorship day for the 2017 Polar Plunge on Thursday, Jan. 19, where 20 percent of every sale that day will go toward the Plunge. An AfterPlunge Party will also be held at the Draft House following the event.

CONTRIBUTED BY RYAN MOLT

The Polar Plunge has benefited the Lee County Special Olympics for nearly five years.

Sports

Thursday, January 19, 2017

8 ThePlainsman.com

Sports

BASEBALL

Senior dismissed from team Will Sahlie ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

FILE PHOTO Kyler Deese rounds third after a home run.

Following his arrest Thursday night, senior utility infielder Kyler Deese was dismissed from the Auburn baseball program Tuesday. Inside the Auburn Tigers first reported his dismissal.

Deese was arrested at 11:23 p.m.

CST on South Gay Street, according to the Auburn Police Department arrest report.

He was arrested on a charge of public intoxication.

The son of former Auburn softball

coach Tina Deese was suspended last season along with pitcher Cole Lipscomb for a violation of team rules.

Deese appeared in 44 games for Auburn last season, making 40 starts.

The Auburn native made 26 starts at third base, 13 at catcher and one at first base.

He hit .221 on the season with four doubles and 20 RBI. In 2015, he hit .254 with 10 doubles, 2 home runs and 27 RBI. Head coach Butch Thompson has not yet commented on the dismissal.

GYMNASTICS

CATHERINE WOFFORD / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER MJ Rott poses at the end of her floor routine on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017 in Auburn.

Tigers flip to No. 11 in rankings Sumner Martin SPORTS WRITER

The Auburn gymnastics team jumped two spots in this week’s RoadToNationals.com rankings and now hold the No. 11 slot with a 195.675 average.

The Tigers are coming off a season-high performance Friday night vs. nationally-ranked Georgia as the team scored a 196.075.

“I’m glad our performance Friday night moved us up in the rankings, but I still feel we have a lot of work to do,” head coach Jeff Graba said. “We are significantly better than what we’ve shown so far. We have a very tough road test this weekend. Kentucky ranks in the top 10 and is very experienced. They are always tough at home, and our young squad is going to have to be on their game.”

Oklahoma regained the top spot in the country, with LSU on their heels at No. 2. Florida, Alabama and Utah all placed in the top five. UCLA, Denver, Missouri, Kentucky and Nebraska round out the top 10.

Auburn ranks in the top 20 in all four events, including tied for 12th on bars with a 49.013 average. The Tigers are tied for 13th on floor (48.950), tied for 17th on vault (48.900) and are

18th on beam (48.813).

Following a career-tying score of 9.950 on floor, senior MJ Rott moved to 15th nationally in the event with a 9.887 average.

Auburn goes on the road for the first time this season, traveling to nationally ranked Kentucky. The Tigers and the Wildcats face off at 6 p.m. CST in Lexington, Jan. 20, and the meet will stream on the SEC Network.

TRACK AND FIELD

Auburn posts 13 personal bests at Commodore Invitational Jack Winchester SPORTS EDITOR

Auburn senior Wellington Zaza won the men’s 60mH with a personal best time of 7.81 on the final day of the Commodore Invitational in Nashville on Saturday. Auburn also had 13 other Tiger personal bests on the same day of competition.

“I like the fight I saw this weekend in our first meet of the season,” Auburn head coach Ralph Spry said. “We finished with a lot of personal bests and won four events. This meet gives us a good base to build on, and I look forward to seeing this team improve every week.”

Zaza posted a 7.91 in the prelims to be the top seed in the final. Xavier Coakley also posted a personal best in the 60mH, finishing third

with a time of 7.94 and moved into sixth alltime in school history.

After posting a PR in the pole vault on Friday, heptathlete Chris Stone added two more on Saturday in the 60m and the 60mH. Stone finished ninth in the 60mH with a personal best 8.45 and then posted a 7.26 in the men’s 60m.

Raheem Chambers finished third in the men’s 60m with a time of 6.70 in his first meet.

The freshman’s time ranks as the No. seven time in program history. Junoir O’dean Skeen advanced to the finals with a 6.73.

On the women’s side, Jakayla Hand finished third with a personal best 42-0.75/12.82m in the triple jump. Senior Marshay Ryan jumped 42-5.5/12.94m and finished third.

Emily Stevens and Wesley Curles both fin-

ished with personal bests in the mile. Stevens came in second with a 4:43.45, which ranks No. three on Auburn’s top performers list. Curles finished with a 4:04.44.

Akeem Bloomfield won the men’s 400m with a 46.68, which puts him eighth all-time in Auburn history. Sophomore Randall Ceneus finished third with a personal best time of 46.98.

Veronica Eder moved into second all-time in the women’s 3000m with a 9:24.31. Brenda Kigen finished sixth with a personal best 9:40.63.

Auburn track and field will return to action on Saturday as it hosts the Auburn Invitational in Birmingham. The Tigers will be joined by LSU, Alabama and Ohio State at the Birmingham Crossplex.

WADE RACKLEY / AUBURN ATHLETICS

Wellington Zaza during the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Sports 9

The Auburn Plainsman

COLUMN

Post Lashlee: What Auburn needs Nathan King SPORTS@THEPLAINSMAN. COM

Most Auburn fans, being either die-hard or casual, will all have differing opinions on the tenure of former offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee.

Lashlee had been with the Tigers since their magical 2013 season, the year in which Auburn was solidified as a perennial power for the first time since Cam Newton prowled campus.

With Nick Marshall at the helm, the Auburn offense could be described as explosive, powerful and exhilarating. In the two years following Marshall’s departure, the once unstoppable “Auburn Fast” offense has stumbled.

In 2015, the Tigers flirted with a .500 record, heavily due to stagnant offense averaging 20 points in losses and 27 points for the season.

Granted, Auburn suffered from injuries to Sean White, who stepped in as a freshman after Heisman-hopeful junior Jeremy Johnson performed poorly in the early season.

Auburn improved in 2016, averaging 31 points a game, but two recognizable themes lingered: inconsistent quarterback play throughout and embarrassing effort in losses.

One thing was crystal clear in the 2016 season: Gus Malzahn had little to no grasp on the best rotation for his quarterback circus.

Any time anyone under center would get into any sort of rhythm against the now national champion Clemson Tigers, they were pulled from the game in favor of a cold quarterback from the bench.

It was not until the offense was handed over to Rhett Lashlee after the LSU game that the offense really flourished. In the three games against Power 5 opponents under Malzahn’s play calling the offense averaged 16 points per game.

Between all the disapprovals and unfortunate injuries, Sean White had an incredible outing this past season for the Tigers.

The redshirt sophomore was the most efficient quarterback in the conference until the loss in Athens to Georgia.

White’s inconsistency derived from his injuries, meaning backups Jeremy Johnson and John Franklin III were needed. Johnson’s playing time was sparse, only coming into the rotation during the Clemson QB nightmare, Iron Bowl and blowout mop-up duty.

John Franklin III was a real asset to the Auburn offense when all starters were healthy, serving as a swift change of pace from White, torching defenses with his speed and elusiveness.

The issues arose when White wasn’t available. The first instance of this occurred when Auburn hosted Vanderbilt. John Franklin III was named the starter right before kickoff, puzzling many.

Franklin passed for a whopping 9 yards in the first half, and Auburn tallied an abysmal 124 yards, trailing Vandy 13-10.

When the second half begun, Sean White led the Auburn offense right down the field for a score on the first drive.

This resurfaced the theme of confusion and

led the Jordan-Hare crowd to question the ability of Lashlee and Malzahn to orchestrate a game plan when any sort of variation might occur.

After the nail-biter against Vanderbilt, Auburn mustered 13 points a game against the FBS for the remainder of the season.

Sean White played hurt in the loss at Georgia, did not play against Alabama and broke his arm on the first drive against Oklahoma.

These ill-fated injuries plagued the entire Auburn offense, which was no fault of Lashlee’s.

The frustrations laid in the minds of the common Auburn fan, who could often predict a Tiger loss early on, when it was apparent that Auburn only came to play on one side of the ball.

Auburn averaged nearly 39 points per game in Lashlee’s first two seasons, then declined to 29 PPG in the last two seasons.

Lashlee’s departure was of his own accord, but it would make sense for Gus Malzahn to have to push him out. Malzahn’s position on the hot seat fluctuated in 2016, but ultimately ended with the 51-year-old coach feeling the heat and needing a change.

Lashlee, for all his efforts and everything he’s done under Malzahn, was that change.

Quarterback development was a disappointment at times over the past few seasons, and Malzahn knows he can’t afford to waste the potential of Jarrett Stidham.

The next offensive coordinator on The Plains needs to have his own identity and needs to get very well-acquainted with the Tiger running backs.

If Auburn is to succeed with Stidham at the helm, it needs to start with the SEC’s leading rusher and his fleet-footed sidekick.

Kamryn Pettway spearheaded Auburn’s sixgame midseason winning streak, molding into a powerful, and sometimes unstoppable runner.

Kerryon Johnson played best when spelling Pettway and nearly gave Auburn two thousandyard rushers.

Lashlee’s play calling wasn’t genius, it simply enforced the importance of running the ball, which is what the modern Auburn Tigers do best.

The cat is out of the bag now: Gus Malzahn is not the “offensive genius” he was once heralded as.

Lashlee lived in Malzahn’s shadow, which likely played a large role in his departure, seeing as the young coach has his first opportunity to make his own name.

Lashlee’s replacement is tasked with developing the most hyped quarterback in Auburn since Cam Newton and fulfilling the monstrous expectations that come with returning most of an offense’s starting lineup. He needs to do so in his own way and possibly even deviate heavily from the Malzahn style.

We could see a very different Auburn team in 2017.

In fact, most fans hope this is the case on the offensive end. At next season’s end, we could be looking at another subpar ending with Malzahn on the hot seat again.

The sky is the limit for Jarrett Stidham and the next offensive coordinator however, and there’s no reason to believe that Auburn can’t soar to the top of the SEC with a dominating defense and an offense hungry to earn their stripes.

FILE PHOTO

Kasey Cooper (13) throws over to first base for an out.

Tigers ready to compete for title

Nathan King

SPORTS REPORTER

The Auburn University softball program has tasted greatness.

Last season ended on a disappointing note, with a loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in Game 3 of the Women’s College World Series championship game.

The best two of three series had it all. Dominant pitching, a comeback for the ages and a walk-off grand slam that will continue to zoom outfield through Auburn athletic history. The only thing that Auburn didn’t get in their first ever trip to the title game was a victory.

The Tigers turned in their best back to back seasons in program history and are now looking to make a yearly trip to the natty a reservation. After sweeping Kentucky on the road in late April of 2016, Auburn ranked second in the nation, their highest placement ever. Auburn finished third in the final poll of the season, behind only the national champion Sooners and SEC foe Florida.

Preseason analysis of this year’s edition of AU softball has led many to pin the Tigers near the top once again.

Auburn gets an immediate shot at redemption in 2017 and has reloaded well. Auburn lost nine seniors who played their final game against OU. Among those were Kelsey Bogaards, Lexi Davis, Madison Dickey, Marcy Harper, Tiffany Howard, Maria Mitchell, Jade Rhodes, Rachael Walters and the hero of Game 2 against Oklahoma, Emily Carosone. Auburn will certainly miss the

firepower and vigor of the class of 2016.

However, The Tigers return ESPNW Player of the Year Kasey Cooper, who has been heralded by many as the best player in the country. Senior Haley Fagan looks to close out her career on the Plains with a bang after being sidelined most of the 2016 campaign with a torn ACL, suffered in fall practice.

Hot-handed pitchers Makayla Martin and Kaylee Carlson return, along with catcher Carlee Wallace, outfielders Madi Gispon and Victoria Draper and Fagan’s 2016 replacement, Whitney Jordan, rounding out an experienced and energized lineup.

The 2017 season opens with a familiar foe.

Auburn takes on Oklahoma as their first opponent in the Triple Crown Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The Tigers trip across the border will also include matchups against the Washington Huskies, Nebraska Cornhuskers and BYU Cougars.

Revenge is obviously the looming theme for this year’s squad, as it jolts ahead with a chance for reclamation against the Sooners. If Auburn is to return to the WCWS this season, it starts with taking down Oklahoma, which would solidify the Tigers as a national power once again.

Auburn got a taste of greatness in 2015, barely being edged out in the WCWS to a fourth-place finish and got even closer in 2016. The Tigers now know what it feels like to be a game away from immortality. Look for this team to be driven, commanding and, most frightening of all for the rest of the softball world, angry.

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Julie Meynen dives prepares for a meet

Meynen earns SEC honors Jack Winchester SPORTS EDITOR

Auburn’s Julie Meynen has been named SEC Female Swimmer of the Week after sweeping the sprint freestyle events in Auburn’s dual meet with Texas.

Meynen, from Luxembourg, won the 50 free in 22.75, out-touching second place by .01 seconds, and the 100 free in 49.89 seconds, outtouching second place by .09 seconds.

The freshman also swam the second leg of the victorious 200 free relay.

Meynen is unbeaten in the 100 free this season and has swept the sprint freestyle events in

the Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas dual meets.

This is the fifth time Meynen has been honored by the conference.

She also was recognized as Female Freshman of the Week four times by the conference (Oct. 18, Nov. 8, Nov. 15, Nov. 22).

The Tigers will compete in the final dual meet of the season on Saturday, when Florida visits the James E. Martin Aquatics Center.

Auburn will honor the senior class prior to the start of the swimming meet, and the action can be seen on SECN+.

Diving begins at 9:30 a.m. CST and swimming at 10:30 a.m. CST.

P U M P U P Y O U R H E A RT Panhellenic and Campus Recreation team up for a monthlong group fitness competition. Sororities compete to attend the most group fitness classes during the month of February.

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Sports 10

Thursday, January 19, 2017

The Auburn Plainsman

This week in Auburn sports

CATHERINE WOFFORD / PHOTOGRAPHER

WADE RACKLEY / AUBURN ATHLETICS

Emma Engler performs on the bars during a gymnastics meet vs Georgia on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017 in Auburn, Ala. Georgia defeated Auburn 196.800 196.075.

Abby Milliet holds a pose during her beam routine.

WADE RACKLEY / AUBURN ATHLETICS

Gracie Day during her vault routine.

CATHERINE WOFFORD / PHOTOGRAPHER

Emma Engler celebrates with assistant coach Kurt Hettinger after her performance on the bars.

CATHERINE WOFFORD / PHOTOGRAPHER

Kelsey Kopec performs on the bars.

CATHERINE WOFFORD / PHOTOGRAPHER

Teammates cheer on Samantha Cerio during her floor routine.

CATHERINE WOFFORD / PHOTOGRAPHER

Kullen Hlawek hugs a teammate after her beam routine.

CATHERINE WOFFORD / PHOTOGRAPHER

Auburn softball coach Clint Myers watches infielders during a practice at Jane B. Moore Field on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017 in Auburn,Ala.

DAKOTA SUMPTER / AUBURN ATHLETICS

DAKOTA SUMPTER / AUBURN ATHLETICS

Kendall Veach (24) rounds the bases after a homerun during a preseason scrimmage on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017.

Kasey Cooper (13) makes contact with the ball during a preseason scrimmage on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017.

Softball

DAKOTA SUMPTER / AUBURN ATHLETICS

KK Crocker (1) prepares to throw to first base during a preseason scrimmage on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017.

CHET WHITE / UK ATHLETICS

Horace Spencer (0) dunks during Auburn’s game against Kentucky on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky defeated Auburn 92-72.

The Auburn softball team opened its 2017 campaign by hosting a pair of successful practice sessions at Jane B. Moore Field last week.

“It was fun and nice to be out here,” said head coach Clint Myers. “We had a good day for weather; I just wish it would continue. The forecast for next week, when school starts, is supposed to be in the 60s, so we’ll be able to get some stuff done.

We’re resilient and we adjust. We know what we need to do; it’s just a matter of getting it done. [The players] know what they need to do.”

The team worked through basic hitting drills in the morning and carried through with situational work in the afternoon.

“The first practice was very good,” sophomore Tannon Snow said. “We’re bringing everything from the fall back into the spring. We’re ready to get the ball rolling.”

Snow, who transferred in from Washington, is one of the nine newcomers to the program and figures to play a key role in replacing the talent lost from last season.

“I feel great about [the newcomers],” senior Haley Fagan said. “The freshmen, there’s a lot of them, they all bring a whole new dynamic to our team. We lost some great players - Emily [Carosone], Jade [Rhodes] and Tiffany [Howard] - but these new freshmen, they’re getting the hang

of it. Once they start clicking with everything, we’re going to be just as good as we were last year, if not better.”

Though it was the first day, the competition at practice heated up, something Myers was pleased with.

“There are lots of options and it’s too early to tell,” said Myers about filling out the lineup. “We know where we finished at the end of the fall.

There’s some great competition. It’s going to be exciting. The first day, it’s good just to get out and get it going. As we go, [the competition] kind of separates just a little bit.

People start rising to the top and we just keep it going.”

Men’s Basketball Auburn would not go away, and senior T.J. Dunans did all he could to keep it close, but eventually the Wildcats from Kentucky were too much for the Tigers.

After starting 3-10 from the field, the Wildcats came alive and knocked down eight of nine to give themselves a double digit lead.The two teams traded baskets at points late in the first half, but Kentucky’s Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox lead the Wildcats into the lockeroom with a 51-39 lead at the break.

It looked as if John Calipari’s squad would cruise to an easy victory lead by their talented backcourt, but Dunans had other plans.

Dunans took over for the Tigers and scored in a va-

riety of ways while Auburn was on a 12-2 run and within four points of Kentucky with 12:25 to play.

Dunans finished with a career high 22 points, followed by Mustapha Heron’s eight points.

The career night from Dunans would not be enough for Pearl’s squad.

“We competed. We didn’t challenge Kentucky, but we competed. We have a good young team, and we will keep getting better. We beat Texas Tech. We beat UConn. We beat Oklahoma. We are getting close.”

After Auburn’s run, Wildcat guard Isaiah Briscoe rattled off five straight points to push Kentucky’s lead back to nine. Kentucky never looked back. Briscoe finished with 10 points for the Wildcats, and Monk finished with a game high 24 points.

“I felt like we fouled them too much,” said Pearl. “They got in the bonus in the second half in five minutes and made it very difficult for us to get back in the game... You can’t miss 10 free throws and expect to put a scare into them.”

Gymnastics The Auburn gymnastics team was defeated by Georgia in their SEC opener Friday night, losing by a final score of 196.800 to 196.075.

Late changes and inexperience led to yet another close loss for the Tigers.

This one coming seven days

after a tight meet with Oregon State, in which the Tigers lost at home by a score of 195.575 to 195.275.

“I think we made the best of a bad situation,” Head Coach Jeff Graba said. “I still feel this team has potential. This is a young team with new routines.”

Auburn began on vault with a 48.900, led by freshman Gracie Day’s solid 9.850.

The Tigers then scored a 49.125 on bars, led by sophomores Emma Engler and Taylor Krippner, and junior Abby Milliet, who all scored 9.850.

Beam was next for Auburn, and the Tigers scored a 48.825. Redshirt freshman Emma Slappey led the way with a score of 9.800.

The Tigers finished strong on floor, scoring a 49.225.

The team’s late surge in the floor routine was led by MJ Rott who scored an impressive 9.950, with one judge giving her a perfect 10.

“I can’t thank the fans enough,” Rott said. “I just feed off them every time, and that helps me perform because I don’t ever want to let them down.”

But it was not enough, as Georgia outscored Auburn in three of the four routines, despite the Tigers scoring a season-high 196.075.

“We got better tonight,” Graba said. “It was positive putting people in places they had not been before.”

Jack Winchester and Nathan King contributed to this article.

Lifestyle Thursday, January 19, 2017

11 ThePlainsman.com

Lifestyle

COLUMN

2016, a year that will remain unmissed LILY JACKSON LIFESTYLE EDITOR

A new year has once again come to save us from the previous.

The running list of grievances and complaints directed at “the year that shall not be named” has gone from the pages of our MoleSkin journals to the never-modest and always-offensive Facebook feed.

The new year is supposed to be a deep breath of fresh air.

Ironically, most American’s can be found wheezing in the corner of the gym they haven’t been in since the beginning of the previous year, only to repeat the habit and take a “much-deserved break” two weeks in.

But, working out isn’t the only life change that must be made once the clock strikes 12 on Jan. 1.

Kicking the carbs to the curb, calling mom more often, cleaning up dirty habits, ignoring the growing dependence on rum and cokes ... they are all worthwhile goals. Some of which might be accomplished in 2020.

Speaking of 2020, still planning on graduating on time? How are those required science courses going?

Don’t worry about it. If you end up staying in college for three more semesters, you always have one fool-proof excuse.

“I stepped on the seal walking back from SkyBar at two in the morning.”

This excuse may not work on your parents, as they can’t hear anything but money falling out of their pockets, 401K accounts and vacation savings accounts. Rest assured, your friends will resonate with you on a deeper level, following up with an encouraging “War Eagle.”

Ah, “War Eagle.” The centuries-old way to support one another and the easiest line to say when intoxicated. As this new year begins, we must dedicate ourselves to finding even more situations in which this line proves pertinent to the conversation.

Maybe even using it in the place of political commentary — a way to show indifference or even ignorance. A “War Eagle” followed with a shrug or dramatic hand gesture of your choice will get the point or lack of point across.

2017 deserves more. It’s finally up to the plate, ready to swing and we are responsible for making sure it doesn’t get cold feet and strike out. We must keep the famous and unnecessarily worshipped profiles happy and healthy. That means no cigarettes for Betty White and absolutely no plane rides for the members of NSYNC. Maybe this year will be the lucky year when we find out exactly why the Kardashians are famous. Maybe we’ll care less about

FILE PHOTO

Hollywood romances and more about electing a president that isn’t a raging narcissist. Just a thought.

A girl can dream, right?

Dreams are what drive us from year to year, or is it coffee? Nah, it couldn’t be coffee, because we barely get any in those controversial cups, anyway. Too much ice, too little drive. While on the topic of pointless news and over-covered “catastrophes,” remind me why we cared as much as we did?

Too little coffee, too little fresh water in Flint? Which one stayed in the headlines for longer? I’ll leave that research for you next time you’re refreshing all of your social media pages and nothing new is catching your eye. Everyone needs a backup time-wasting mechanism, right?

In case you’re interested in a pastime that won’t rot your brain or cause full-out verbal wars between you and your distant relative, pick up a book. If you haven’t read the book, “The Circle,” and would like to be mortally terrified of Facebook Live, I recommend it.

2016 brought us our most invasive technology yet. As the days

pass, each application and social database become more similar to the next. Can we talk about how Instagram really needs to sit down, catch a creativity bug and get out of Snapchat’s grill? It’s gotta be irritating, man.

But nothing is more irritating than going to a restaurant and finding out they offer no gluten free options. How dare restaurant owners refuse to serve food lacking flavor, color and overall foodcoma joy. I think back to the days when gluten problems were solved by a Tums and a nice long trip to the bathroom. Hey, the time on the toilet will give you a chance to read credible news sources, instead of fake news like CNN! If nothing works, you can always ditch the health act and resort to the forever-stable Taco Bell. They are healthy now!

2016 got serious flack in its last few days, and my bet is that 2017 will receive the same when it comes to its doom. There will always be something to complain about and a method to do so. Now’s the time to get creative with those Facebook rants and start a new list.

Try to keep the tears off the pages and feel relief in one fact.

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Lifestyle 12

Thursday, January 19, 2017

The Auburn Plainsman

PLAINSMAN PICKS PLAYLIST:

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Authentic Mexican at Durango Taqueria y Carniceria Brooks Glover LIFESTYLE WRITER

Why do gas stations harbor the greatest restaurants? Whenever I hear about a hole-inthe-wall eatery that’s attached to a gas station, my eyes light up. Yours should too.

Cue Durango Taqueria y Carniceria—A small, quiet restaurant connected to Valero on North Dean is serving the best Mexican food in the Auburn Opelika area.

Now, Mexican food is more than chips, salsa, margaritas and the latest Frankensteinian Taco Bell creation. Here in the States, Tex-Mex has become the de facto Mexican food.

In fact, the most ubiquitous symbol of Mexican food—the hard-shell taco—was first made in America in the mid-20th century. Forget cheddar, ground beef and sour cream, which are all nonexistent in authentic Mexican cuisine; instead, Durango’s tacos come with onion and cilantro topping your meat of choice bedded on two warm corn tortillas and substitute the TexMex’s grease for freshness. All of which costs $2

allowing for $6 worth of food to fill a plate. All of the meat options deserve to be tasted; however, the adventurous lengua (beef tongue) is sure to reward a curious palate.

In addition to tacos, there are other a la carte options such as burritos, quesadillas, tortas, etc. all coming in under $7, assuring the crumpled bills in your wallet be used. Traditional Mexican plates like mojarra frita (fried whole tilapia) and costillas de puerco (pork ribs) are served with rice and beans and also make for fantastic meals.

As for drinks, skip the sodas and instead opt for the authentic drinks made from tamarind and hibiscus flowers, or treat yourself to the absolutely addicting horchata. While your food is cooking, take a stroll through the market next door which makes up the Carniceria half of Durango.

Here Mexican meats, produce and spices line the aisles while imported piñatas hang from the ceiling.

On most days, you can watch a game of soccer right around the corner of the shop.

A word of warning concerning the salsa bar though. Do not underestimate the heat an authentic salsa may bring. Sauce made solely from dried peppers will take quite a toll on one’s body. However, just the flavor can be worth the masochism.

Auburn dog of the week

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COLUMN

Redefining your hometown JESSICA BALLARD COPY EDITOR

Going home for holidays since coming to college has been a more bizarre experience than I ever anticipated. A year and a half ago, as I packed all of my things and moved to Auburn, I was ready and eager to leave Birmingham behind. I wanted new people and new scenery.

In high school, I hated Birmingham and the Deep South in general. My friends and I would spend hours complaining about it. We hated the people, we hated how boring we thought it was and, most of all, we hated feeling trapped there.

Complaints that, looking back now, were painfully unoriginal. As I drove back to Auburn after this past winter break I thought mainly of how drastically college has changed my view of where I’m from.

My family loves and embraces southern culture.

My entire family is from the south; one side of the family lives in Talladega, Ala., and the other side is mostly in Spartanburg, SC. My parents met at the University of Alabama, got married and lived in various parts of the southeast until they had me, and we settled in Birmingham.

I experienced the quintessential southern childhood: football every Saturday, church every Sunday and “yes sir” or “no ma’am” every day.

These are the things I resented for a long time. I

wanted the kind of variety I thought the South couldn’t offer.

I wanted excitement.

Throughout my freshman year at Auburn my perception of the South shifted, and each time I went home for a long weekend my perception of Birmingham changed as well. I began craving the familiarity of Birmingham. It was a feeling I would have never predicted.

Birmingham slowly morphed from the place I felt confined in for so many years into the place where I had been shaped. I started recognizing how rare the durable relationships I built in Birmingham are. I started appreciating my parents more for choosing such a beautiful environment for me to grow up in. I was looking at Birmingham more critically and discovering the amazing food and local musicians and extensive history it has to offer.

I started recognizing the positivity of the South rather than reducing it to its many faults.

My new appreciation of Birmingham and the South does not mean I like everything about it.

The South and I will always have a complicated relationship. I will never understand how people are so emotionally attached to men in tight pants throwing a ball.

Alabama politics are endlessly frustrating to me. The weather can never make up its mind. I still plan to leave it and experience life elsewhere for a while. But, Birmingham is where I cultivated lifelong friendships, found the things I’m passionate about and became a person I embrace.

I’ll always value what Birmingham gave me.

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RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Greek sandwich 5 Happy gatherings 10 Baby cow 14 Control for an equestrian 15 In full view 16 Buckeye State 17 Horse feed 18 TV’s “The Practice,” e.g.

20 “Bummer!”

22 Ford fiasco 23 Provides staff for 24 “That makes sense” 26 Champagne stopper or popper 27 Genius Bar pro 29 JFK’s successor 32 High-card-wins game 33 Enjoy 35 Submitted tax returns with a click 38 Door holder’s witticism 41 Part of Congress 42 Somali-born supermodel 43 Wide shoe size 44 Frat. counterpart 45 Aid in a felony 47 Traps in an attic?

49 Deborah of “The King and I” 51 Fictional Hawaiian police nickname 52 Rage 55 Procter & Gamble laundry detergent 60 Australia’s “Sunshine State” ... or where you might find the ends of 18-, 20-, 38- and 55-Across?

62 “Go back” computer command 63 Sch. near the U.S.-Mexico border 64 Tweak, say 65 Raise a big stink?

66 Pops a question 67 Outlaw chasers 68 Hours next to flight nos.

DOWN 1 Branch out 2 “Okey-dokey” 3 Second actress to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony 4 GM system with an AtYourService app 5 Helps with the laundry 6 Happily __ after 7 Maker of the Genesis game system 8 Like many Shakespeare plays 9 MLB Cardinal’s cap letters 10 Lear’s youngest daughter 11 “I get it” cries 12 Green citrus fruit 13 Baby horse 19 Lousy grade 21 Sock that covers the joint it’s named for 25 Biblical queendom 26 Pet store enclosures 27 Ref’s ring decision 28 Spine-tingling

30 Margarine that shares its name with Texas’ state flower 31 Ballet leaps 32 “Now, where __ I?” 34 “Sadly ... ” 36 Red Sox ballpark 37 Hair coloring 39 Cocktail makers 40 Ambulance fig.

46 S.O.S shelfmate 48 Make certain of 50 Fish-eating eagle

51 Rapper with a title 52 Poolside shade 53 Pecans and cashews 54 Nerdy type 56 37-Down containers 57 Singles 58 Binged (on), as snacks 59 Pans for potstickers 61 Maple extract

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

By C.C. Burnikel ©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

01/31/17

01/31/17