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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
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CAMPUS
Changing gameday RV tailgaters say football experience is fading because of decline in number of lots
ILLUSTRATED BY
By TIM NAIL
Campus Reporter
campus@theplainsman.com
It’s been in with the new at the University over the last few semesters, with facilities such as the Nursing Building and Gogue Performing Arts Center making their mark on the south end of campus. It’s also been out with the old as RV tailgaters, some of Auburn’s most devoted fans, witness the erasure of one of their favorite pastimes. Construction on Lem Morrison Drive, South Donahue Drive and the Hayfield area, as well as a policy change regarding when some fans can park their RVs, is causing anger among long-time tailgating families. “For many years, we’ve been able to come
on in Thursdays [before gameday], and now they’ve pushed us to Fridays,” said Joe McElvy, a 1986 Auburn graduate from Lanett, Alabama, and tailgater for over 30 years. “Not only have they pushed us out away from the campus, they’ve also decreased our time here at Auburn.” The change came after the addition of 300 new parking spaces in the Hayfield area and 300 more north of the Gogue Performing Arts Center, according to a statement provided by Parking Services to The Plainsman. “The Auburn University Board of Trustees approved [the] project for the expansion of parking on the campus at their meeting on Apr. 12, 2019,” the statement read. “With the addition of over 600 new spaces to already existing 300 student parking spaces in the Hayfield area, safety concerns required a change in the day and time that RVs would be » See
TAILGATE, 2
MIKAYLA BURNS / MANAGING EDITOR
SPORTS
COMMUNITY
Neighbors recall night of alleged murder By EDUARDO MEDINA Editor-in-chief editor@theplainsman.com
KATHERINE MILLER / PHOTOGRAPHER
Gus Malzhahn is 2-4 against LSU.
AU history in Death Valley By SUMNER MARTIN Assistant Sports Editor sports@theplainsman.com
The origins of Tiger Stadium’s famed nickname go way back, even before Gus Malzahn called his first game as an up-and-coming head coach at Hughes High School in his home state of Arkansas. But, ironically enough, Auburn football is still entrenched in LSU history books. On October 8, 1988, Auburn led LSU 6-0 on the road, inside a muggy Tiger Stadium, with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter. But with time running out, LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson marched his team down the field, needing at least one score, and threw an 11-yard strike to his wide receiver, Eddie Fuller, on fourth down in the final moments of the game to complete the comeback victory in Baton Rouge. What ensued will forever be a part of Tiger Stadium lore. The purple and gold erupted. The sound was deafening. As Hodson’s final pass connected for the last-second touchdown, a » See LSU, 2
The gray Nissan, slightly rusted at the edges, still sits in the driveway of a suburban neighborhood. There, last Thursday night, Martha White Jones, 66, was shot and killed by her soon-to-be stepson, according to an affidavit. The Nissan, neighbors said, belonged to Jones. Ross Jonathan McFarland was the teenager arrested on murder charges, according to police. Since that night on Burke Place, a neighborhood off Annalue Drive, where flowers haven’t withered and lawns look as clean as the cookie-cutter homes, residents are wondering what could have led to
the kid that grew up on the block to allegedly commit murder. According to an affidavit obtained by The Plainsman, a witness who was in the house saw how when Jones turned her head away from Ross, Ross took that moment to shoot Jones. She lay on the floor, suffering from “a gunshot wound to the face,” the affidavit states. “I never heard any gunshots,” said Gary Branch, who lives right across the street where the alleged murder took place. “Never heard a thing.” No yelling from inside the house, no bang, no scream — nothing, he said. The affidavit details how according to the witness, Ross picked up the shell casing and left the scene in a truck.
When officials arrived at the residence, they pronounced Jones dead at the scene, according to the affidavit. Ross’s father, John McFarland, who neighbors said works at East Alabama Medical Center, was engaged to Jones, and while being interviewed by officials, he realized his Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun was missing, according to the affidavit. Liz Diorio, a resident of Burke Place for over 20 years, said John and Jones were going to marry later this year. On the night of the alleged murder, Diorio said she was driving back from dinner and saw the narrow street packed with police vehicles and crime tape. “We didn’t know what in the world was going on,” she said.
Around 15 to 20 neighbors lined the street, each peeking their eyes through the bright red and blue lights that they had not seen in “Lord knows how many years,” Diorio said. “I asked myself, ‘What happened?’” she said. That question still lingers for many neighbors. A witness told officials that Ross “harbored animosity towards Jones for being engaged to his father in such a short time after his mother’s death.” Ross’s mother, Donna McFarland, died on Nov. 1, 2018, at the age of 45, according to her obituary published by JeffCoat-Trant Funeral Home in Opelika. » See MCFARLAND, 2
CAMPUS
University pays at least $30,000 for updated AU logo By EDUARDO MEDINA Editor-in-chief editor@theplainsman.com
Auburn University is spending a minimum of $30,000 to a design firm for its new logo and visual identity system, according to an open records request provided to The Plainsman. Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, a design firm based in New York, is providing the University consultation through 2019 for $30,000. The firm has designed other notable organizations and corporations, such as National Geographic, NBC, PBS and Harper Collins. According to the contract, payments are scheduled to be made in $5,000 increments from July 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2019. The University provid-
ed the following statement to The Plainsman regarding how much it cost to change the visual identity system: “While the visual identity system project was primarily supported through private funds, the university contracted CGH for $30,000 for their services and expertise.” It’s possible, however, that this $30,000 price tag may not be indicative of the entire cost to change the logo and font, according to the contract signed in 2019. The contract states that “any specific design tasks will be estimated separately,” meaning the cost could rise if the company was asked for more direct help with creation that went beyond consultation. It was stated that the firm is acting in support of another contract titled “Visual
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Identities Implementation.” In abiding with the “Visual Identities Implementation” contract, the firm will provide “ongoing art direction and creative input on implementation.” It’s still not known how much money Auburn spent in initially implementing the new logo. The new logo has already been utilized in signage and architecture inside the Brown-Kopel Student Achievement Center, which is part of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, and Horton-Hardgrave Hall, the University’s newest facility that opened at the start of the fall semester. It’s still unclear whether the revised logo will continue to be implemented, and the University told The Plainsman that “a deci-
sion on the timeline for implementation has not been made.” “Conversations with Auburn Family stakeholders to determine guidelines for implementation are ongoing. These discussions will inform and help determine next steps,” the University said in an email statement sent to The Plainsman. During a Monday meeting with Student Government Association, President Mary Margaret Turton announced that Ronald Burgess, Auburn University’s chief operating officer, told her the University would not be changing its classic logo. “Because we’ve had conversations regarding the visual identity system for the past few weeks in here, I do want to share an update that I got this morn-
ing,” Turton said. “General Burgess announced that we will not be moving forward with the new logo this morning. We have plans from that directive to continue using the traditional Auburn logo, so I just wanted to share that.” The University then announced that scrapping the logo hasn’t yet been decided. “We have temporarily postponed implementation of the AU logo within the new system to allow opportunity for continued dialogue with stakeholders,” the University said in an email statement Tuesday to The Plainsman. “The recommendations are not yet mandated.” News of Auburn changing its logo was first reported by Brandon Marcello of Auburn Undercover.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
TAILGATE » From 1
allowed to set up in the Hayfield.” The arrival date was moved from the Thursday before a home game to Friday at 2 p.m. before the game, according to the statement. Tailgaters say this shift, however, limits the time they’d like to spend in town because of the time needed to set up their RV. Michael Garber, who has tailgated with his Tiger Prowler bus at every home game for years, is one fan who feels like he and his friends have less preparation time. “Last year, we showed up on Thursday at 2 p.m. At that point, there’s not that big hustle and bustle going on, so we would practice going to Walmart and buying stuff there and downtown to buy stuff there,” Garber said. “Now, we have to kinda prepare at home and come in prepared ready to go because this doesn’t give us enough time to get everything ready.” The potential impact to local commerce is another issue the fans believe arises from increasingly limited time and space for tailgating. With a growing number of restrictions on when and where they can park, visitors are unable to dine and shop during operating hours for businesses. “I got here at 8:30 on Thursday night because of [the changes],” said KC Fox of Columbus, Georgia, who has tailgated in Auburn for the past four years. “It has to be impacting the businesses here. It’s almost to where I don’t even feel like coming. We didn’t come to the last game because of it.” Fox said the previous time slot gave him and his family almost three days in Auburn when they set up their tailgate on Thursday evenings. This year has given them less than two, accounting for the average length of the games on Saturdays. According to Charming Oaks, some stores have taken a hit during the last couple of football seasons with the newer rules driving customers away. “You had those people that tailgated every game, every year and they’ve done it for years, you had your repeat customers,” said Shelby Cohan, owner of Charming Oaks. “Now, you don’t see people coming down with their dogs and walking around. We used to have so many two years ago that brought their dogs that I kept water bottles and dog treats.” Cohan said that business varies in her experience depending on whether a game is during the day or night, in addition to how many home
THEPLAINSMAN.COM games there are in a season. “[Three games being at night this season] has helped, because if these had been day games and you lose your tailgaters, you lose a lot of business on a Saturday,” she said. “When you look at October and there’s not a home game, we’re all going to be as dry as we can be, but November will be great.” Other downtown outlets such as Mellow Mushroom reported that while their income has been stable, they have noticed fewer visitors to Auburn for the purposes of either being near or going to games. “Because of the restrictions on tailgating and the increase in prices for tickets and parking spaces on campus, I’ve heard of less people coming to town in general,” said Adam Nemeroff, general manager of the restaurant. “Sometimes they are coming to town but not necessarily going to the game. Back five to ten years ago, a ‘home football weekend’ meant Friday, Saturday, Sunday, maybe Thursday even. But with restrictions on time, the money aspect, the traffic, these people are coming to Auburn for one day — [they] drive in and then drive out.” Tailgate Guys is a service that has its roots in Auburn and is an alternative to the “first-come, first-served” style of tailgating affected by changes imposed by Parking Services. It allows customers to either reserve a tent on campus or an RV parking space in one of several areas on the outer edges of University property. A total of 58 season-long passes are available, priced from $1,200 to $2,100, according to Mayor Ron Anders, who serves as the company’s director of special projects alongside his role in city government. With a guaranteed spot for each game, many of its clients are more lax on their arrival on home game weekends, he said. “We’re still allowing our guests to come in on Thursday at 2 p.m., and I would say, by and large, less than half will show up on Thursday, and most will come on Friday afternoon,” Anders said. In its 11 years of existence, the service has maintained a strong relationship with the University, with both founders being Auburn graduates, and has worked in tandem with administration to ensure business continues despite construction on the south side of campus, according to Anders. “That hasn’t affected our footprint because we don’t manage any of that area on [the Hayfield] side of the road,” he said. “This year has been a unique year because of the additional construction on campus that has mandated that we move some of our tailgaters from the main area around
FILE PHOTO
Lawn chairs at a tailgate on gameday in Auburn, Ala.
MCFARLAND
LSU
Diorio said she’s known Ross since he was little. “The kid was really sweet,” she said. “Just a sweet, simple kid.” The last time she saw Ross, he was driving down the road with the same truck he would eventually flee the alleged murder scene in. “He pulled over, and we made small talk for a bit,” Diorio said. “That was the last time.” On Tuesday, she was walking her dog around sundown. Jones’ funeral would be starting at 5 p.m., but she didn’t want to go, she said. It’s hard to face these types of things, she said, to lose one neighbor to a gun and the other to a cell. Diorio said she last saw Jones at church a few weeks before the incident, but she doesn’t recall any specific interactions. “Why would I have?” she said. “You never think this could ever happen.”
seismograph located in LSU’s Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex, around 350 meters from the stadium, registered the roar from the stadium as an actual earthquake. The reading was discovered the morning after the game by a campus seismologist and student worker. Auburn went on to lose 6-7, in what is now dubbed “The Earthquake Game” when the Tigers shook the earth. Because of the absurd noise levels encompassing those who enter, players and fans alike began calling Tiger Stadium ‘Deaf Valley’ because you can’t hear anything once inside. Slowly, that name evolved into something else, because it’s also where opposing teams go to die: Death Valley. Part of the tradition is playing games when the sun goes down Saturday night in Death Valley. Now, Auburn won’t have to play under the lights — kickoff for Saturday is set for 2:30 p.m. — but it will still have to deal with over 100,000 scream-
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ing fanatics packed like sardines into college football’s most intimidating cathedral. Malzahn, who is in his seventh year at the helm, has yet to defeat the Tigers in Death Valley during his tenure, but he’s not the only one. Auburn hasn’t won inside Tiger Stadium in 20 years, with the last victory coming when Tommy Tuberville’s squad dominated LSU 41-7 in the first conference game of the 1999 season. LSU has won the last nine matchups in Baton Rouge, most recently in 2017, when they rallied from a 20-point deficit to knock off then-No. 10 Auburn and Jarrett Stidham, 27-23. It was a game that Auburn should have won, and one that Malzahn knew they let slip through their grasps. The signal-caller remains confident, however, that this 2019 team is capable of finally breaking the streak. “I think every team is different,” Malzahn said. “We’ve got a different team, they’ve got a different team and we’ve got an opportunity. Two years ago, we let one off the hook, and a lot of guys that are here experienced
NEWS
FILE PHOTO
Tailgaters party in the Lower Quad in Auburn, Ala.
the campus green to some other spots.” People like John Cristiano, of Alpharetta, Georgia, said they’re pleased with the services provided by Tailgate Guys. “It’s such a great thing to know that you have a spot, and it doesn’t matter what time you roll in — it’s your spot,” Cristiano said. Some veteran tailgaters who still make use of the free lots are not so receptive to the concept. Cindie Powell, an Auburn resident, has tailgated the last 10 years and has remained in constant contact with staff in Facilities Management as RV regulations have become intensified. “It’s expensive,” she said. “Yes, we could go in together, but why would my family from Birmingham drive two and a half hours to get here, pay $60 to park, rent a tent for the day and then drive back home? We could be here [with our RV] sleep and shower, spend our money in town, buy university memorabilia and give money back to the University.” Elliott Lamb, of LaGrange, Georgia, and his wife, Kerron, are two other fans who have used Tailgate Guys for the last four years of their time tailgating. Before then, as Auburn students, they worked with the College of Agriculture to claim a spot on Lem Morrison Drive. “We have our same spot every year, and we’re able to invite family and friends,” Elliott said. “They always know where we are, and we’re not fighting somebody else for our spot.” Kerron said she has noticed a difference in tailgating culture today from when she was a student 10 years ago and the environment on campus for home game weekends. “It was truly a party atmosphere when we were in school,” she said. “[Tommy] Tuberville would come around and talk to people. The band would come out, and one morning they woke up my in-laws by playing the fight song right outside the camper. It’s a different setup now.” It’s a sentiment echoed by the veteran tailgaters as well, who noted that Auburn is the only university in the Southeastern Conference that has continued to provide an ideal setting for on-campus tailgating into the present. “People from Georgia, Alabama and LSU come here because this is what it’s all about, and they’re jealous because they don’t have this,” Powell said. 247Sports.com ranked the University at the top spot in its list of ten best college football locations for the 2019 season, ahead of the University of South Carolina and the University of Georgia. A member of John Cristiano’s group from Georgia commented on the tailgating scene at UGA. “In Athens, it’s not as friendly to tailgaters with parking, but that school is in a different that. If we get that opportunity, we’ve got to finish it … You’re playing against one of the best teams in all of college football on their home field. It’s a great opportunity.” The orange and blue have lost two out of their last three games to LSU. In the series, the home team has won 16 of the last 19 contests, but Auburn failed to take advantage last season, losing on a last-second field goal by Cole Tracy, 22-21, inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. Ten of the last 15 games between the two rivals have also been decided by seven points or less. No. 9 Auburn journeys to the Bayou with a 6-1 record following a 51-10 win over Arkansas, the one loss of the season coming at the hands of No. 7 Florida. Auburn freshman quarterback Bo Nix threw three interceptions and took a 22-yard sack in the 24-13 loss in Gainesville three weeks ago. Malzahn said Tuesday that handling the crowd noise was a focal point during the team’s bye week, after the underwhelming performance in The Swamp. “It’s (Death Valley) a loud place to play,” Malzahn said.
area, too,” she said. “It is kinda getting harder for tailgating.” McElvy recalls a time when he was able to park his tailgate much closer to Jordan-Hare Stadium, but over the years, each season has seen him pushed farther and farther to the outskirts of University property. “We started tailgating at [Graves Amphitheatre],” he said. “After 9/11 happened, there was a safety issue then, and that kinda forced all universities, not just Auburn, [to] create some barriers to keep unauthorized vehicles from getting close to the stadium.” Some are more warm toward this reduction in tailgating zones, like Nemeroff, who is an Auburn graduate and was a student at a time when no limitations existed for tailgaters who set up on campus property. “They originally restricted those times because it was interfering with students’ class schedules during the big games,” he said. “People would be tailgating all week outside the dorms. I can remember a couple times when I came out of my house and got sidetracked by tailgaters, and I thought, ‘I’m not going to go to class today.’” As the University expands south and west with more projects in the future, it’s likely that land currently set aside for RV tailgating will be used for new buildings, according to Dan King, associate vice president for University Facilities Management. “We will try to demolish buildings and infill new buildings in the core of campus,” King said. “However, the areas where that is possible are limited and have the disadvantage that new building sites in the core of campus would come at the expense of green space and parking, which many people would also consider to be unacceptable.” On the beliefs about the loss of a long-standing tradition surrounding the further removal of tailgating spaces, King affirmed that the institution comes first before the athletics. “It is well understood that gamedays are important events for Auburn fans and the University community,” he said. “Having said that, when making decisions about competing requirements, support for the University’s core academic and research mission tends to take priority.” Mayor Anders says the progression of Auburn not just in its college, but its infrastructure and people means that some historic practices might disappear as a consequence. “The reality is Auburn’s not the same town as it was 30 or 40 years ago, and [it] has tripled in size,” Anders said. “That growth is not going to slow down because Auburn’s got a lot of great things going for it.”
“We didn’t handle the noise very well at Florida. We’ve been focused on that in the off week and even last week, so I’m really expecting our guys to handle the noise better and communicate better than we did at Florida.” No. 2 LSU and Joe Burrow, the SEC’s leader in passing yards, have scored 35 or more in 10 straight games, which is the nation’s longest streak. No. 9 Auburn opened as a 12-point underdog, with LSU coming off a 36-13 blowout at Mississippi State over the weekend. In 23 of 24 meetings between Auburn and LSU, at least one of the teams has been ranked at the time and, with both teams ranked in the top 10 heading into Saturday, it is the fifth alltime matchup between top10 teams in the series. In those games (1972, 2006, 2008 and 2010), the series is all square at 2-2. Malzahn knows that he doesn’t need to do much motivating this week; everyone in the Auburn locker room is aware of the drought that’s on the line. “Well, I don’t have to bring
it up because everybody else brings it up, and our guys know,” Malzahn said. “At the same time, from a coach’s standpoint, every year is different, and it doesn’t matter what happened in the past. If you’ve got an opportunity, you’ve got to go seize that opportunity. That’s really as simple as it gets as far as our approach.” Saturday is the tenth time Auburn will face a No. 1 or No. 2 team in the Malzahn era. In his previous nine games, Malzahn is 3-6 with all three wins coming when the Tigers are facing the No. 1 team in the country. With Auburn already having one blemish in the loss column, there is more than a 20-year losing streak at stake. The Tigers are most likely in a must-win situation to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. All they have to do — win in a place where they haven’t this decade. “That’s history,” Auburn defensive end Marlon Davidson said. “It’s got to come to an end one day, why not Saturday? ... If they’re looking towards Alabama, that’s their loss. We’re Auburn. They’ve got to come through us first.”
opinion
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
THEPLAINSMAN.COM
OPINION
EDITORIAL
Logo in limbo Murky messages create confusion By EDITORIAL BOARD Fall 2019
Over the last three months, the size of two letters have become very important to the Auburn community. People have been asking questions about the proportions of an “A” and how it should relate to a “U”. Is the new “A” too wide? What if we also squished the “U”? Do we really need to get rid of those little white triangles at the top? Why can’t the University just leave the logo alone? Alternatively, why are so many people making a big deal out of this? Journalists, in the last three months, have been forced to find unique ways to describe a slight change to a minute detail of one of Auburn’s logos. Through all of this, there has not been a clear statement from the University about the origin, time-frame or complete cost of this logo change. As of publication, here is the known chain of events that have culminated in the current logo situation. At some point before December 2018, University officials discussed the possibilty of updating Auburn’s AU logo. We know this, because in December 2018, a group of SGA members met with the adminis-
tration to discuss changing the logo. Then, there was relative silence about the subject until Brandon Marcello of Auburn Undercover leaked the new logo design and tweeted a side-by-side comparison with the old logo. In response, the University issued a statement saying that this was not a new logo, but a part of updating the school’s “identity system to make it more compatible with the many ways we use it and to elevate the Auburn brand.” At the beginning of this fall semester, the new logo began to show up in the Brown-Kopel Student Achievement Center and Horton-Hardgrave Hall, the two newest facilities opened on campus. On Oct. 7, the SGA Senate debated and passed a resolution requesting an update on where the University stood in implementing the logo. At the following week’s SGA meeting, SGA President Mary Margaret Turton announced that Ronald Burgess, Auburn University’s chief operating officer, told her that the University would not be changing its logo. Then, last week, Preston Sparks, director of university communications services, told The Plainsman on behalf of Auburn that the University had “postponed implementation of the AU logo” to allow for more discussion with “stakeholders.” Finally, The Plainsman learned that the University has paid at least $30,000 to Chermayeff
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
LOUIS MARTIN / CARTOONIST
& Geismar & Haviv, a well-known design firm in New York. Up until now, most of the journalistic and public discussion has been focused on the logo change itself, but in focusing too strictly on the slight design difference between the two logos, we lose sight of the bigger problem. It’s not the size of the letters that should matter; but rather how few words the University has used to properly communicate its decisions with the community. Clear and intentional communication is one of the most vital roles of a modern university. There are tens of thousands of students on campus who trust Auburn to educate them, and over 5,000 faculty and staff members who rely on Auburn for employment. That’s don’t include the uncountable number of businesses that sell Auburn merchandise or the school’s alumni and fans who expect the University to be honest and forthcoming. All of these people, to some extent, need Auburn to communicate transparently and effectively, but right now, they aren’t. We still don’t know who in the administration spearheaded the logo redesign, what the
original timeline for implementation would be or what that plan will look like going forward. The University has said they are postponing the logo’s implementation so they can have more time to dialogue with “stakeholders,” but we don’t know which stakeholders they intend to talk with or what these dialogues will look like. More importantly, we don’t know why the University has struggled so much to effectively communicate their answers to these relatively straightforward questions. Auburn has a lot of important issues on its horizon. We have a president to hire, a potential enrollment cap being debated and diversity enrollment numbers that continue to trend downwards. Not to say that this logo debacle doesn’t matter, but its impact is limited. This has, however, shown that the University has problems with communication. Auburn Family “stakeholders” deserve honest and forthcoming communication — not mixed messages that come from jargon-laced press releases.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Let’s discuss climate change By DAVID NEWTON Retired Auburn Faculty
FILE PHOTO
Sen. Doug Jones tours tornado damage on March 7, 2019, in Beauregard, Ala.
Doug Jones fights for AL By JAYSAL SHAH Graduate Student
I was glad to see that Sen. Doug Jones hosted an event in Auburn earlier this month. That’s the second time he’s been on campus in the past six months, and his visits make it clear that he’s dedicated to representing everyone in Alabama, especially students. As a lifelong Alabamian and current master’s candidate in Auburn University’s Aerospace Department, I want the best for my family, community and state. I want to know that my representatives in Washington are leaders who are more focused on doing what’s right than they are on their next election. I’m proud that we have Jones in office, because he is using his platform to stand up for
Alabamians and fight for our best interests. Like many students, I had to face the confusing, daunting process of applying for student aid. I was excited to find out that Jones recently introduced legislation to simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and make it easier for students to apply for federal aid. I know I would’ve appreciated this when I was applying for college. He’s also working to expand Medicaid here in Alabama — which would benefit everyone including students, young adults, parents and their children. He’s working to ensure that Alabama space projects continue to receive the funding they need.
Our state has a long history of being on the cutting edge of scientific advancements in space travel. I’m excited to be part of its future, and that I can pursue my dream to put a person on Mars right here in Alabama. With Jones in office, I know that I can count on him to fight for what’s right for Alabamians. I’ll be glad to cast my vote for Jones in 2020. His work proves that he’s willing to work across the aisle and bring people together instead of tearing them apart. At a time of such heightened fear, division and uncertainty, we need people like him in Washington more than ever. Jaysal Shah is a graduate reseach assisstant in Auburn’s aersospace engineering department.
Based on personal conversations, the recent extreme — hot and dry — weather in Alabama and the southeast has caused more citizens to discuss climate change. This is a positive development since we must discuss it in order to develop an effective plan of action. This plan must greatly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, which result from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. Instead of fossil fuels, we should switch to clean, renewable energy, such as solar and wind power — with stor-
age. Other states in the southeast are taking positive steps. The Southern Environmental Law Center, which covers six states — including Alabama — reported in their fall 2019 newsletter: “The South Carolina General Assembly in June unanimously passed … the Energy Freedom Act [which] eliminates arbitrary barriers to customers’ ability to lease rooftop solar equipment and earn a fair value for excess energy they generate at home and provide back to the grid.” The SELC also reported “more solar power is on the way in Georgia, thanks to SELC’s advocacy before the
state’s Public Service Commission. In July, the Commission approved a long-range energy plan for Georgia Power that will add 2,210 megawatts of renewable energy — likely all solar — to the state’s energy mix. This is enough energy to power nearly a quarter of a million homes.” I am unaware of similar actions in Alabama. We need discussion, planning and action without delay. Talk about it, including with your elected representatives. David Newton is a retired professor and the former Assistant Dean of the School of Pharmacy at Auburn University.
JACK WEST / OPINION EDITOR
A solar panel collects a day’s final rays of light outside Foy Union Hall.
Correction: In the previous issue, The Plainsman incorrectly reported that the City Council tabled a vote on two Academic Detached Dwelling Units on Canton Avenue. The Council voted 7 to 2 to deny the units on Canton Avenue.The online version reflects that change. We sincerely regret the error.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
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CAMPUS
DINING
Initiative promotes mealtimes without phones By DREW DAWS Campus Writer
When many students go to eat, they order their food, find a secluded spot and proceed to delve into the realm of technology and social media — consumed by their phones and not the people around them. Lauren Bradford, last year’s Miss Auburn University, hopes to change that. Her initiative encourages students to come together for meals, leaving their phones behind. “It’s very evident, if you just go in the dining halls, that people are hooked on their phones,” said Bradford, a sophomore majoring in finance. “We brainstormed and planned for months and months to have this initiative called The Auburn Family Table.” Partnering with Dining Services, The Auburn Family Table, which recently held its inaugural event, invites students from across campus to gather around the new family-style, farmhouse tables in the dining halls. “The goal is you’re meeting people and fostering these connections that you would have never otherwise created,” Bradford said. “We got people who we saw were sitting alone and who were using their phones as a shield, and we invited them to come sit at the table with us.” She said that the program is designed to embrace the University’s mission and embody the Auburn Family — where everyone deserves a seat at the table. “All of these people were fostering these friendships that they never would have otherwise fostered and having these connections with people,” Bradford said. “It’s been really cool to see the planning of what we had envisioned come to fruition in the dining halls.” She said that Dining Services provides fresh cookies to tables that participate in the program and added that they hope to attract different organizations on campus to participate as well. “So, we’re talking about other organizations signing up to host a table, and that way they can host a table and foster connections
ACADEMICS
CONTRIBUTED BY LAUREN BRADFORD
Lauren Bradford at first Auburn Family Table in Auburn, Ala.
while also explaining, ‘Hey, this is what my organization is about,’ and just spreading awareness,” Bradford said. She commented that once the program becomes established at Auburn, she hopes to promote the idea of The Auburn Family
Table on other college campuses. “After this semester is when I’m going to start reaching out to other campuses,” Bradford said. “It’s really cool to see how our school could possibly in the future be a model for other schools.” Bradford, who did not get a cellphone until high school, said she has been passionate for years about finding reasons why people are attached to their phones — and solutions on how to fix it. “When I was in ninth grade, I developed this platform called the Digital Diet Plan. I just found all of this information that was out there that people just don’t know about, how our devices are invading our relationships,” she said. During this time, she spoke with elementary, middle and high school students about how society has become addicted to cellphones, moving away from genuine human connection. “I ended up speaking to like 4,000 students while I was in high school,” Bradford said. “I wanted to carry [the platform] with me to Auburn’s campus.” After being crowned Miss Auburn University 2019, she continued her fight to raise awareness for the excessive use of cellphones and its negative impacts on people and their relationships. “I wanted to go to Montgomery to speak to legislators about getting this class in public middle schools where students are taught how to properly use technology,” Bradford said. “And we passed out resources every day [on campus], just getting people thinking, ‘How much time am I spending on my devices, and how has this impacted my relationships?’” With The Auburn Family Table being her most recent endeavor, she said she hopes the program will be the beginning of something new at Auburn — where students interact with each other instead of using their phones while eating. “I know that when people give tours, it’s a common thing to shout, ‘War Eagle,’” Bradford said. “I have this vision of the Auburn Family Table being similar to that, where we would go in dining halls and we would sit with people … aside from using our phones.”
RENOVATION
Fall 2020 history course will center on sports, race By SARAH GIBSON Campus Writer
For much of the South, sports are inseparable from the college experience, so much so that the SEC recently made its slogan, “It Just Means More.” Now, one history professor is hoping a new course will be able to explore how and why sports has been so much more than a game. Auburn University will be offering a history of sports course during fall of 2020.The class will focus on the intersection of sports and racial violence in multiple areas of the world, but the main focus of the class will center around the history of sports in the United States. “When I first arrived here, I saw the need for this course,” said Guy Mount, assistant professor of African American history. “It seemed like a natural fit. With the history of segregation and the emphasis on sports, the course seemed like something the students would be interested in.” Mount said he was concerned about a lot of racist events happening around Auburn University when he first came to campus in 2018. He mentioned instances such as a man shouting Nazi chants and brandishing a gun at a local coffee shop, as well as a student at Auburn High School wearing blackface. “Those kind of events on campus are concerning, especially for our African American student athletes,” he said. “They are having to deal with this rise of fascism all around us.” Mount said that sports is undoubtedly a central feature of the story of Auburn, but he said there is also a long history of racism tied to the University, which was founded during the days of slavery and continued segregation for over a century. “This course will examine how the history of sports and history of racism intersected,” Mount said. Although the course will be offered to students of all majors, Mount said he is hoping the course will be offered at a time that is flexible enough for student athletes to be able to enroll in it. “Sports has been a cultural context, where questions of racism have found their way into public life,” Mount said. “We will be looking mostly at the United States, but there will be some focus on other countries, like the sports culture of India and how the sport cricket came there through colonization. We will be addressing race through the sports culture.” The content of the course will touch on subjects such as black student athletes being compensated for play, black leadership of unions in sports and the efforts of black students at Northwestern University with unionization of teams to have some say in managing the allowable hours and conditions for practice. After researching black colonization in the Pacific, Mount said some of his research focused on the adaptation of American boxing in the Philippines. He said that the class will also look at this for more context. Some of Mount’s other research interests include the African diaspora, slavery, emancipation, Jim Crowe, colonialism, American empire, the Atlantic world and peace studies.
JACK WEST / OPINION EDITOR
The chairs in the Haley Center are set to be replaced this year.
New chairs being considered for Haley Center By COLLINS KEITH Campus Writer
Over the span of 50 years, a chair has seen a lot, and the ones in Haley Center can attest to that. For five classes a day, five days a week, 36 weeks a year for 50 years, the chairs in Haley have been sat in countless times. Along with the help of the Student Government Association, Wiebke Kuhn, associate director of the Biggio Center, is spearheading a potentially $500,000 project to replace many of the chairs. A large portion of the chairs haven’t been replaced until this point because the classrooms in Haley Center do not belong to a specific school or college. The Office of the Provost also had not had a dedicated person in charge of classroom spaces across campus until Kuhn took the position of learning spaces and faculty development coordinator in 2017. Although there are other buildings that could benefit from refurbishing, Kuhn said focusing on Haley for the time being will make a large impact on campus. “The rooms in Haley [have] the largest number [of chairs] and will impact the largest number of students,” Kuhn said.
SGA Director of Facilities Projects Ginny Anne Pinson said Haley Center is already a building that a lot of students have trouble with. Coupled with the oldness of the chairs, that makes the environment in the classroom very negative, she added. A replacement of the chairs is an important first step in making a positive impact on the building, Kuhn said, especially as this year is its 50th anniversary. Pending the approval of Kuhn’s proposal, renovations could begin as soon as the summer of 2020. However, not all of the chairs will be replaced in Haley. There have been some small, periodical replacements, such as when the first Engaged Active Learning Spaces classroom on campus was implemented in Haley in 2013. Kuhn’s proposal would include the renovation of 47 classrooms worth of chairs, a little over half of the total classrooms in Haley. This would include approximately 1,600 chairs, which would cost about $500,000, according to Kuhn and Pinson. Kuhn and Pinson have also been spearheading a project encompassing the seating of the estimated $83 million Academic Classroom and Laboratory Complex.
Located near the Greenspace, the 151,000 square-foot building is projected to be finished in summer 2021 and will contain the second-largest amount of instructional classrooms and laboratories on campus — second only to Haley. Three different chairs are being considered for use in the ACLC once it’s finished. The decision on which chair will be chosen is solely based on student feedback. The chairs differ in size, comfort and desk space, and all three were on display in the Learning Center alongside a QR code. That QR code takes students to a survey where they can vote on the different aspects of the chair. As soon as all the data has been compiled, the winning chair will be chosen to be implemented in the ACLC upon its completion. For Pinson, this project has been more important than a project regarding seats would appear. “It’s one of the most important projects I’ve been working on because it gives students so much voice to choose what they want,” she said.
The Auburn Plainsman
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
PAGE 5
RESEARCH
Mitochondrial research crosses paths with an RV By JORDAN WINDHAM Campus Writer
In a sea of tailgaters’ RV’s, one orange and blue vehicle stands out. The new MitoMobile, Auburn University’s mobile research lab in the School of Kinesiology, is set to bring research to the road. Funded by a Presidential Award for Interdisciplinary Research grant, the MitoMobile was created through the combined efforts of the School of Kinesiology, Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The idea of the MitoMobile was first conceived after a research proposal concerning migratory birds was not funded due to feasibility issues about how the collect birds. When former Auburn University President Steven Leath announced the plans for PAIR grants, intended to promote interdisciplinary work among faculty, Andreas Kavazis, professor in the School of Kinesiology, said he and some colleagues saw it as a great opportunity. Kavazis, along with Bruce Gladden, Humana-Germany-Sherman Distinguished Professor in the School of Kinesiology, and colleagues in the Department of Biological Sciences wrote a grant proposal. They explained the purpose and the science behind the MitoMobile. However, the collaborators needed some help with logistics of getting research on wheels. “We know the biology, the physiology, but we needed someone who would be able to figure out like how much power do you need to run the equipment,” Gladden said. The researchers contacted the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for help with creating the MitoMobile.
JORDAN WINDHAM / CAMPUS WRITER
Andreas Kavazis and Bruce Gladden in front of the MitoMobile on Oct. 18, 2019, in Auburn, Ala.
“That’s what got [engineering] involved, and we like it, too, because the purpose of the Pair Grant was to get interaction across departments, so now we had biology, kinesiology, and engineering all together.” Engineering, after receiving the necessary specifications, set about creating the vehicle. Originally, the researchers considered renovating an ambulance, not an RV. “We didn’t think it about,” Kavazis said. “Actually, our engineer friends thought about it and said, ‘You probably want to go in remote locations, you probably need to be living in the vehicle, too…’ The RV provides all of the
baseline [requirements], but there are sleeping quarters, too.” After obtaining the grant, the collaborators purchased the vehicle and handed it over to the engineers for renovation, which took roughly a year. In summer 2019, the MitoMobile was used for a validation study to ensure that everything was ready. In October 2019, Kavazis, Gladden and colleagues drove the MitoMobile to collaborate with the University of Idaho for a study. “We had to learn the logistics, how to drive the van,” Kavazis said. “None of us had experi-
ence driving the RV. It’s different than driving a car. We found that out.” Though the researchers have many ideas about what to study next with the MitoMobile, Kavazis and Gladden hope to use the mobile lab for the dissertation of Kavazis’ doctoral student. They plan to capture a species of birds during and after migration and compare it with that of a subspecies that does not migrate. The MitoMobile will be crucial to this study because it allows researchers to eliminate variables involved with the transportation of the birds that would complicate the study.
EDUCATION
Auburn online MBA program named top 10 nationally By STEPHEN LANZI Campus Editor
Auburn’s online master’s of business administration was ranked top 10 in the nation for the third consecutive year. On Oct. 14, Poets & Quants, a leader in online coverage of graduate business education, named Auburn as having the eighth best online program in the country for 2020. “We give our students an outstanding transformational experience at a price that provides a very quick and high return on investment,” said Stan Harris, associate dean for graduate and internation-
al programs in the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, in a press release. Rankings by the publication took into account admission standards, MBA program experience and student outcomes. Admissions standards are based on school-reported data for students enrolling in the 2018-2019 academic year. Some of the data includes the average undergraduate GPA, average work experience, acceptance rates and GMAT scores. Academic experience and career outcomes categories were based on surveys of alumni from the most recent graduating classes.
Harris went on to say the cost of attendance in the program is one the reasons Auburn’s program has stood out for years. “Perhaps most importantly, at $35,100, our online MBA is very competitively priced, consistent with Auburn University’s land-grant mission,” Harris said. Jim Parrish, director of MBA programs in the College of Business, said flexibility and adaptation are strengths of Auburn’s program. “There is not a one-sized MBA candidate,” Parrish said. “Each student has professional and personal demands that are unique to each. Therefore, it takes a suite of program
offerings that create the best fit for the needs of each type of student.” Parrish also said the adaptability of programs are essential in the ever-evolving market. “The market for online MBA programming is moving at a rapid pace,” he said. “Business schools need to be quick to adapt to new technologies are making an impact in graduate business education. At the Harbert College of Business, we believe that enrollment growth for online programs will continue, and we have personnel, facilities and resources that will position us to meet market demand.” Harris said another distinguishing
mark of Auburn’s program is who the College of Business hires as faculty and staff to lead the courses. “We do not outsource our teaching,” Harris said. “Auburn faculty who teach in our full-time program also teach in our online program.” Harris said this is not necessarily the case for many online programs at peer institutions. “Unlike some other programs, which simply use voice over-PowerPoint or only assign readings, our students see and hear faculty in front of a live MBA class or experience studio-produced content. They are with students throughout a course providing content and interaction.”
ENVIRONMENT
VIA UNSLPASH
Faculty receives $3 million grant for climate change education By STEPHEN LANZI Campus Editor
A team at Auburn has received a $3 million grant to educate students how to research climate change and its impacts. The National Science Foundation Research Traineeship was given to a team of nine faculty and senior administrators who will work with approximately 85 graduate students, including 18 fully funded trainees, according to a press release from the University. “This grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Graduate Education
is the first NRT-award for Auburn University and the first in the state of Alabama that will train students to make a sustainable, lasting impact increasing the climate resiliency in the southeastern United States,” said Karen McNeal, associate professor of geosciences and the principle investigator on the project. The NRT grant is not just intended to train students on how to conduct interdisciplinary research on climate change. It also looks to prepare the next generations of scientists for the workforce and develop effective communication skills.
“Over the next five years, this team will work to reform graduate education providing students with an opportunity to better understand, communicate and predict climate resiliency,” McNeal said. The program began in September 2019 and will run through 2024. “Understanding the vulnerability, resiliency and recovery time is crucial as we continue to face more devastating and frequent natural disasters,” McNeal said. The NRT grant is intended to bring together a diverse group of faculty and students on campus.
Members on the team include students and faculty from the College of Sciences and Mathematics Department of Geosciences, Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Office of Inclusion, Equity and Diversity; the College of Agriculture Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Biosystems Engineering and Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology; and the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. “The graduate students will be analyzing and reviewing real-world applications during their internships,” McNeal said. “They will work with lo-
cal and regional stakeholders including organizations and companies that will be directly impacted by climate change.” Auburn’s Department of Geosciences recently began offering a doctoral program that aims to educate students on factors related to climate change. “Students in the Department of Geosciences earth science systems doctoral program have an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the environment and conduct research that can help find solutions to climate-based problems,” said Department of Geosciences Chair Ming-Kuo
Lee. The activities included in the program range from rigorous course work to effective science communication training and internships with stakeholders in Auburn’s geographic area. Workshops structured around the decision-making process are also included. As part of the program, students will look at natural systems related to climate change as well as man-made infrastructure. Over the course of the program, faculty from historically black colleges in the area will provide further research, support and training.
community THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
6 THEPLAINSMAN.COM
COMMUNITY
RETAIL
FILE PHOTO
People walk in Behind the Glass in Auburn, Ala. The storefront celebrated 30 years of operation in October 2017.
Behind the Glass celebrates 30 years By TIM NAIL Campus Reporter
The past three decades have marked a period of significant change for Auburn. The population has doubled, businesses have come and gone and its development into a true city from its once small-town self has seen it become a nationally-ranked place to live. In that time, Behind the Glass is one boutique that’s firmly established itself as a staple for Auburn fashion. The storefront celebrated 30 years of operation in October 2017 with a grand anniversary event and has remained a family-owned outlet since its inception, ran by mother-daughter duo Donna Young and Chloe Floyd. When it launched, Floyd had not yet been born. “I started over Christmas holidays when I was a kid for fun, and then I started working back here in junior high school,” Floyd said, speaking about her involvement in the shop’s management with her mom. “When I was done at Auburn, I moved to Atlanta for almost five years, and then I came back.” Today, it continues to thrive with current trends such as the recent return of animal print clothing. “We’ve always tried to follow the trends but adapt them for our Southern audience,” said Chloe Floyd, general manager of Behind the Glass. “Of course, we’re not New York City. Seeing trends and being able to react quickly and bring in merchandise when the trend is getting hot is really important.” Nostalgic looks have also been a hit at the shop in the last several years and have been marked by designs like flairs and tie-dye reminiscent of styles from the 1970s.
“Certain decades seem like they’ll never die,” Young said. “The ‘80s kinda came back a bit. The ‘70s are fashion-wise stronger [with] that whole rock ‘n’ roll, Stevie Nicks look. Free People does a lot of that which is one of our big brands with Bohemian-style clothing.” Behind the Glass wasn’t always a clothing-based business, as long-time Auburn citizens might remember. When it launched in 1987, it was both a boutique and cafe that sold artwork, pottery and handmade goods. “At that time, there were no clothing stores downtown, and Auburn University had a pretty good size student population, so we thought we should really sell clothes,” Young said. “The space became available, and we decided it was time to try something, so we worked backwards from having it be a creative place for art and then how to pay the bills.” Young handled the retail aspect of the business while her now ex-husband managed the food end. However, the cafe concept became too much to manage in the 1990s, which saw the store become what it is today. A store open for as long as Behind the Glass doesn’t exist without seeing special customers walk through its doors. In both iterations, the business has welcomed important visitors to Auburn. “R.E.M., the band, came in, but I wasn’t here that day,” Young said. “Cynthia Rowley, a famous designer, came in [another day].” Despite a shift in enterprise, its name has remained consistent and applied to all of its ventures throughout the years. “The whole storefront is glass, and we had art which is behind glass, so we kinda took that as a theme,” Young said. “It also gave us flexibility to do different things; we could take away food and still be ‘Behind the Glass,’
we could add a bookstore and still be ‘Behind the Glass.’” Online shopping has become popular and led to a decline of brick-and-mortar stores in the 21st century, but the two owners say they haven’t encountered too many difficulties keeping the business profitable. The key to managing a boutique is keeping what’s in on the shelves and retiring what’s out, Floyd said. “Just because it did well last year doesn’t mean it’s going to do well this year,” Floyd said. “[Items like] gaucho pants and tube tops aren’t on trend anymore, but they definitely were.” Some of the store’s earliest popular products were Guatemalan belts, which were a hit with their woven design and bright colors. Other top-selling clothes in the store’s history have been Free People thermals, crop tops, occasion-based dress for weddings, formals and gameday attire. Behind the Glass launched its own website in 2015 to broaden its reach beyond Auburn and as another way to meet changes in culture. This presented an unfamiliar method of sales for the two owners to familiarize themselves with. “You’re competing with all the online stores versus Auburn [where] you’re competing with just downtown,” Floyd said. “You have to run more data, you don’t actually see your customers, you’re not having that experience. We’re definitely learning and growing every day with our website.” Young and Floyd say that even though the boutique has become a long-lasting family business, it’s one that will remain exclusive to Auburn, especially given an increasing number of students calling downtown home with new apartments in the heart of downtown. “Companies [in Montgomery and Tuscalo-
osa] that were developing retail areas [have asked], and, no, I just never really wanted to do that,” Young said. “That’s a different thing when you have to duplicate what you do, and I feel like what we do is more spur of the moment and not as easily replicated on a large scale.” The unique identity the store has created for itself, moving her family and the opportunity of having a large retail space were some of the reasons Young cited for keeping Behind the Glass local. Competing outlets have sprung up in Auburn in the time since 1987, which has been the greatest driving force to work hard, Young said. “I think competition is good because it helps you focus on what your brand is,” Young said. “It makes more people come downtown and shop.” While trends have come, gone and reemerged, Young said the biggest thing opening Behind the Glass has shown her has been a major switch regarding attitudes toward formal fashion. “People don’t tend to dress up as much anymore, and so as a clothing store we feel like it’s important to look your best and dress for occasions,” Young said. “We struggle with that because everything is so casual. People don’t dress up to go out to dinner or to go to a play. Big sweatshirts, casual sweaters and sneakers are really popular.” Behind the Glass is an ever-evolving boutique and by stocking items like new sweatshirts, sneakers and leggings to comply with this casual appeal, the owners hope to always meet the demands of what Auburn women want to wear. “Our mantra has always been [to be] a place for people to discover and put together their own style,” Young said.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman
PAGE 7
SHOPPING
FILE PHOTO
Mission Thrift Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where students go for thrift store fashion By MIRANDA SHAFFER Lifestyle Writer
If students are tired of spending hundreds of dollars trying to find the perfect items for their fall wardrobe, there is a cheaper, more sustainable way to shop this season: thrift store fashion. The Auburn area is home to multiple thrift stores stocked full of great finds. There are always new items flowing in as people clean out their closets and donate items, both old and new. Trends can change as quickly as the weather in Alabama, and for many students, saying hello to one trend means saying goodbye to another. This fall, it seems, is the season for throwbacks as bell bottoms, cheetah print and tie-dye are back in full swing. Shoppers can easily find all of these items
and more in thrift stores around Auburn because up until recently, they were old news. So, if you’re looking for fresh styles to expand your fall look, try out one of these three local thrift stores on your next shopping spree.
ers out there. Make sure to check out their shoe selection and the front of the store, which holds featured items. They are open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
LIFESAVERS MISSION THRIFT Located at 2051 E. University Drive, this thrift store welcomes shoppers with their blue neon “mission” sign. Assorted hanging purses and other quirky items line the walls and aisles of the store. At Lifesavers Mission Thrift, 100% of all proceeds go toward ministries within Lifesavers, so customers can contribute to the community while they shop, according to the store’s website. For those who love to document the moment, this store also offers several artsy spots perfect for all of the Instagram and VSCO us-
PLATO’S CLOSET Located at 1550 Opelika Road in Auburn, this upscale spot is more on the pricey side for a thrift store. Pieces in the store come from patrons looking to sell their items. Plato’s Closet closely inspects each piece they receive and only takes items that are in prime condition and in season, so customers can always expect relevant, quality styles. Name brand is also a huge deal here. Most items are name-brand pieces and are usually barely used if not brand new. Sometimes you can find a jacket that retails for $100 at Nordstrom for only $20.
Plato’s Closet is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. GINGER’S CONSIGNMENT SHOP Located at 2436 E. University Drive in Auburn, this store has great options for both women and men looking to spruce up their fall fashion for a low price. Ginger’s only takes items that are less than two years old, unless they are considered vintage, so customers will be sure to find items still in style. This location has an abundance of options when it comes to fall gameday wear, including Auburn-themed jewelry, rompers, hats, shirts for men and much more. The consignment shop often posts their latest intakes to their Instagram account. Ginger’s is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
BUSINESS
Mama Mocha’s adds wine to list of beverages for sale By EVAN MEALINS Assistant Community Editor
Mama Mocha’s on Gay Street now offers wine to customers in addition to coffee and beer. At the Sept. 3 City Council meeting, the Council approved Mama Mocha’s request for an alcoholic beverage license to sell wine. The store received that license in mid-October. Some of the shop’s wines for sale include a Freakshow Cabernet Sauvignon, wines from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery and various other wines. Mama Mocha’s started selling beer in 2017, which Sarah Barnett, the owner of Mama Mocha’s, said was the result of a demand at the shop for drinks besides coffee. Patrons of late-night events at the coffee shop often didn’t want to order a caffeine-rich coffee drink. Many other coffee shops in the U.S. sell alcohol in addition to coffee. The concept is not too common in the Auburn-Opelika area though, which Barnett said she thinks is becasue of the number of bars in the area. Mama Mocha’s beer selection,
with the exception of Pabst Blue Ribbon, is mostly craft, including beers from Opelika’s own Red Clay Brewing Company as well as the Mexican Cake beer from Westbrook Brewing. For a time, the shop was one of the only local places to sell Mexican Cake, Barnett said. Some customers’ dietary restrictions or personal drink preferences motivated Barnett to start selling wine in addition to the craft brews. “We started trying to sell wine because so many people had gluten issues or really didn’t like drinking these 8%, 9%, 10% beers,” Barnett said. “They wanted something a little bit lighter and easier and different.” The wines in stock are sold by themselves or can be made into a mixed drink, Barnett said. Some of the flavored wines are intended to taste similar to liquors like vodka or gin. “It’s not going to be where you could go in and get an old fashioned, or some kind of crazy cocktail,” Barnett said. “But if it’s a mixer and a flavored wine, we can do that.” Ultimately, Mama Mocha’s is not
FILE PHOTO
Mama Mocha’s Coffee Emporium on Gay Street will now sell wine as well as coffee and beer.
a bar, and Barnett said that the environment in her shop isn’t like one. She also hasn’t had to deal with any of the hassles that come with operating a bar. “We’ve never had any kind of alcohol problem, knock on wood,” Barnett said. “It’s not as much of a
party scene as it is just kind of relaxing, sitting on a couch, having a drink and just talking to people.” For those that come to enjoy a beverage, Barnett said that she is trying to keep drinks affordable — around $5 or $6 a drink, she said. “Even if it’s not a college student,
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even if it’s someone just working to pay their bills, I wanted to give them a space where they could come and afford to have a drink with a friend and not be broke,” Barnett said. Alcohol is only available at the Mama Mocha’s location in Auburn on Gay Street.
sports
8
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
THEPLAINSMAN.COM
SPORTS
FOOTBALL
TODD VAN EMST / AUBURN ATHLETICS
Marlon Davidson (3) strip-sacks Ben Hicks (6) on the third play from scrimmage during Auburn at Arkansas on Oct. 19, 2019, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Ahead of LSU, Auburn D-line picking up steam By HARRISON TARR Sports Writer
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Auburn’s defense showed up Saturday. The Tigers held the Razorback offense to 234 yards of total offense, generating a total of four turnovers, in a 51-10 victory over division foe Arkansas to improve to 6-1 on the season. Defensive linemen Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson led the way in Saturday’s dominating performance. Davidson recorded
five tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and was credited with one quarterback hurry. Brown finished with five tackles, three of them being solo tackles. Davidson also forced and recovered a fumble in the first half. Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn said after the game that the success this defense sees stems from the work in the trenches. The staff also said it was part of the plan to rotate guys in and out frequently, but any time you have playmakers like seniors Brown and Davidson, it helps out. “Marlon is a guy that can affect the game
FOOTBALL
himself from a D-line position. He did that today. He’s done it before,” Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele told the Auburn Network. “That’s just the kind of player he is. We’re fortunate we’ve got a group in that room, if it’s not one of them, it will be the other one.” The Tigers held Arkansas to just 52 rushing yards and kept Rakeem Boyd in check, bottling the lead back to just 39 yards. “Nobody can pick who they’re gonna block,” Davidson said. “You slide your protection to Derrick, I’m liable to make a play.
You slide it to me, Derrick is going to make a play.” Auburn’s defense has brought home five SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week awards, with Davidson grabbing three by himself. Brown acknowledged that there was, in fact, an ongoing competition between the two, however admitted that he probably outperformed. “He got two sacks today, so he probably got the award, so I’ll give it to him,” Brown said. Auburn (6-1) faces undefeated, No. 2 LSU next weekend in Death Valley.
BASKETBALL
Tigers No. 24 in preseason AP poll By JAKE WEESE Sports Reporter
Coming off a historic run to the Final Four and an SEC Tournament Championship, Auburn begins the 2019-20 basketball season at No. 24 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. A week after being picked to finish fourth in the Southeastern Conference by the media, Auburn was the fourth-highest ranked SEC team in the preseason AP poll, coming in behind No. 2 Kentucky, No. 6 Florida and No. 22 LSU. Bruce Pearl’s squad is looking to
follow the most successful season in school history with key additions from its incoming freshmen class, including 4-star forward Isaac Okoro, 3-star center Babatunde Akingbola and 3-star guard Devan Cambridge. The Tigers are also returning veterans Anfernee McLemore, Austin Wiley, Samir Doughty, Danjel Purifoy and J’von McCormick, who were all major contributors in last year’s season. Auburn finished the 2018-19 regular season with a 22-9 record with an 11-7 record in SEC play. The Tigers won the SEC Tourna-
ment championship and the Midwest Regional before falling to Virginia in the Final Four in the final seconds. They finished the season 30-10 overall. Auburn opens the season with an exhibition game on Nov. 1 against Eckerd. The Tigers will then begin the regular season Nov. 5 against Georgia Southern inside Auburn Arena. The Tigers begin conference play in 2020, tipping off on the road against Mississippi State on Jan. 4 in Starkville before opening SEC home play the following week on Nov. 8 against Vanderbilt.
FOOTBALL
Tigers hope to slow LSU passing attack By MATT JOHNSON Sports Writer TODD VAN EMST / AUBURN ATHLETICS
Marlon Davidson (3) celebrates with the ball after strip-sacking Arkansas quarterback Ben Hicks during Auburn at Arkansas on Oct. 19, 2019, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Davidson named DLOTW for 3rd time By CHRISTIAN CLEMENTE Sports Writer
As the defense starts to come up toward the line of scrimmage to stop the quick passing game, that is when Brady will take a chance down the field. “They’re not just taking shots. They usually make you pay when they throw it down the field,” said Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn. It has been a long time since LSU has had an elite passing attack and this is the first season they have been in the top 50 in passing yards since 2013. Quarterback Joe Burrow is receiving most of the hype for LSU’s success, but the talent at wide receiver is a big reason Brady’s offense has burst onto the college football scene. Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase are the only receivers in the SEC that are averaging over 100 » See LSU OFFENSE, 9
LSU ATHLETICS
Following a 51-10 Auburn victory against the Razorbacks, defensive end Marlon Davidson has been named the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the third time this season. Davidson recorded five tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble, which he also recovered. This also marks the first Tigers defensive lineman since Nick Fairley in 2010 to record
multiple sacks and tackles for loss while also forcing and recovering a fumble in a game. This marks the third time Davidson has won the award and the fifth time an Auburn defensive lineman has won the award. Davidson and fellow lineman Derrick Brown have been in a fierce competition to outdo one another. “When I got the first two, he was like, ‘Oh, I can’t just let Marlon get all of them like that,’” Davidson said Saturday. “It just started to build competition.”
Last year Joe Brady was a young assistant trying to find success in the NFL. Nowm Brady is the lead offensive mind behind the second-highest scoring offense in college football at LSU. Brady was hired in January to replace the former passing game coordinator Jerry Sullivan, and in his short time at LSU, Brady’s west coast offense has helped the Tigers climb to No. 2 in the most recent AP poll. Auburn will travel to Baton Rouge this week to play LSU, and the Tigers will face their toughest defensive task yet in stopping an LSU offense that is averaging 52.5 points per game. Brady began his coaching career at William and Mary in 2013, his alma ma-
ter. As a player, Brady appeared in all 21 games his junior and senior year as a wide receiver for the Tribe. Brady left William and Mary in 2015 to be a graduate assistant for Penn State, where he learned the nuances of the west coast offense under former Nittany Lions coach RJoe Moorhead. After spending two years in Happy Valley, Brady was hired by head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints in 2017. Brady helped the Saints finish in the top 5 in both passing and rushing, and his success with the Saints landed him a job on LSU’s staff. Brady’s offense is difficult to stop because it spreads the field horizontally, and it puts an emphasis on getting talented receivers into space creates problems for defensive backs.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
The Auburn Plainsman
PAGE 9
FOOTBALL
Nix learning from UF loss, confident for LSU By CHRISTIAN CLEMENTE Sports Writer
Throughout the season, the story has been about Bo Nix continuing to grow and improve. Nix suffered some growing pains during his matchup with the Florida Gators, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lessons for Nix and the Tigers to take away from the matchup. “I felt like at Florida it was more on me than anyone it was on anyone else,” Nix said Tuesday. “I didn’t do a good enough job communicating with others and being loud enough, so I fully take that on myself. But going forward I think that the Florida game did help a lot, just from experience and from being there and doing that. So this week I feel like I can just really sit back and do my job and not really worry about the atmosphere.” While Auburn had been focusing on making practice loud all season, they still failed to communicate well in Florida. That’s a point of emphasis for the Tigers this week before heading to Death Valley. As usual, they’ll have speakers playing music or crowd noise to force players to talk louder and improve their communication. Following a bye week, Nix and the Tigers traveled to Fayetteville, where they were able to handle the Razorbacks 51-10, but they can expect a much tougher opponent and hostile environment when they take on No. 2 LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday. Auburn will look for its first victory at LSU since 1999, which was before Nix was even born. “The fact that it hadn’t been done since I’ve been alive, I think that’s pretty crazy,” Nix said. As an offense the Tigers also had some things they struggled with during the Arkansas matchup that’ll need to be fixed before their matchup with LSU. After coming out hot with a 14-0 start, the offense went flat and only accumulated 13 yards during the second quarter. Nix ended the half 4-for-9 with only 45 yards. Fol-
lowing halftime, Nix went a perfect 8-for-8 for 131 yards and three touchdowns, marking his first collegiate game with four total touchdowns. The Tigers will look for Nix to carry on a similar performance to the one he had in the second half of the Arkansas game as he travels to Baton Rouge for his first experience in Death Valley. “I have never been to a game at LSU, which I probably should’ve considering how loud it’s going to be,” Nix said. “I’m looking forward to it, especially with all the things I’ve heard, all the good things about the stadium and the atmosphere.” Nix will look for a different result than that of his father, Patrick Nix, who was part of the infamous “Whistle Game,” when the elder Nix lost to LSU 12-6 in 1995. “We’ve talked about it a lot, the phantom whistle game and how he got thrown on his head and stuff like that,” Nix said. “But obviously he’s done everything he can to tell me how loud it’s going to be, but until you’re there in person, no one can really fathom how loud it is.” With ranked matchups remaining against No. 2 LSU, No. 1 Alabama and No. 10 Georgia, the Tigers are focused on going to Baton Rouge and taking care of business. “I think with the way things stand this is a really important game to win,” Nix said. “We’re definitely not going in there thinking about losing the game. We’re going to do whatever we can to win the game and bring it home so it gives us the best chance to make it farther in the season and eventually make it to the championship.” While Vegas doesn’t like Auburn this weekend, Nix is confident in his team going into the matchup. “Being an underdog you still have to play the game and they still have to play it, too, so we just feel confident that we’re a good team. And we’re gonna go out there and give it our best shot,” Nix said. Nix and the Tigers will take on LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST.
FOOTBALL
HARRISON TARR / SPORTS WRITER
Bo Nix (10) warms up before Auburn vs. Arkansas on Oct. 19, 2019, in Fayetteville, Ark.
FOOTBALL
AP poll: LSU is top-10 matchup By JAKE WEESE Sports Reporter
After Auburn’s 51-10 win over Arkansas this weekend, the Tigers have moved up in the latest AP Top 25 poll, up two spots from their previous ranking at No. 11. The No. 9 ranking for Auburn is the sixth week this season that the Tigers have been in the top 10; they started the season at No. 16 and dropped to No. 11 after the loss to Florida. Auburn is one of five SEC schools in the top
10, joining No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 LSU, No. 7 Florida and No. 10 Georgia. The Tigers still have to face LSU, Georgia and Alabama this season. Outside of the top 10, no other SEC schools are in the latest Top 25. This season’s edition of the series marks the first time Auburn and LSU have both been top 10 teams since 2010. This Saturday, No. 9 Auburn will travel to Baton Rouge to take on No. 2 LSU at 2:30 p.m. CST on CBS.
BASEBALL
AUBURN ATHLETICS
David Ross was honored, along with the rest of the 1997 Auburn College World Series team, last spring.
Ross named Cubs manager By CALEB JONES Sports Writer
TODD VAN EMST / AUBURN ATHLETICS
Anthony Schwartz (5) scores a touchdown during Auburn at Arkansas on Oct. 19, 2019, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Schwartz’s role increasing By HARRISON TARR Sports Writer
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Auburn fan base had been asking their head coach to place more emphasis on implementing sophomore wide receiver Anthony Shwartz’s speed into the game plan. This week, with Schwartz the healthiest he’s been this season, their pleas were answered. According to Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, the plan to incorporate more of Schwartz was brought upon by the fact that he no longer had a large club on his left hand. “We were able to do everything,” Malzahn said. “Now he can start catching the ball down the field.”
Schwartz’s renewed ability in the passing game was evidenced by his 28-yard touchdown reception and his 73 total receiving yards. “I feel like I’m back to myself,” Schwartz said. Schwartz added 30 yards on the ground, which mostly came from a 28-yard endaround in the third quarter. His touchdown catch immediately followed, giving him a career-high eight touches for 103 total yards from scrimmage. The sophomore is most excited, however, to be available for his teammates coming down the stretch of the late season. “It’s really big,” Schwartz said. “Being able to contribute to the team ... and finding ways to put me on the field more.”
David Ross is expected to be named the new manager of the Chicago Cubs later this week, NBC Sports Chicago reported Wednesday morning. The name may sound familiar because Ross was a member of Auburn’s 1997 College World Series team. Ross hit a three-run, walkoff homer against Florida State in the 1997 Tallahassee
LSU OFFENSE » From 8
yards per game, and both wideouts have hauled in nine touchdowns each in the 2019 season. LSU also expects Terrance Marshall Jr., to suit up on Saturday. Marshall has not played since suffering a foot injury in a Week 4 win over Vanderbilt. Marshall was ranked the No. 10 overall recruit in the class of 2018 and caught six touchdown passes in four
Regional. A few days later, the Tigers won a second game against Florida State and advanced to the College World Series for the fourth time in school history. Ross played for the Dodgers, Pirates, Padres, Reds, Red Sox (twice), Braves and Cubs. With the Cubs, he was not only behind the plate, but he made two pitching appearances in 2015. He pitched a total of two innings, giving
up no runs. In 2016, Ross was catching in the World Series against the Cleveland Indians. In the decisive Game 7, he became the oldest player in World Series history to hit a home run, when he hit a 406-foot blast to center field. The Cubs went on to win the game 8-7. Ross retired following the World Series and went to work for ESPN as a baseball analyst. He also made an appearance in ABC’s Dancing with the Stars in 2017.
games. The offense Brady brought to LSU is one of the most difficult to slow down in college football, and Malzahn is trying to prepare his team accordingly. “It looks like a video game when you watch them on film,” Malzahn said, “Quite a few of them have that bigplay ability.” This game will have a big impact on the standings in the SEC West, and Auburn players know how important getting a road victory in Baton Rouge could be for its
postseason hopes. “This is another team in our way to get to the championship,” said defensive end Marlon Davidson. “... You aren’t going to get a lot on an Auburn defense.” There is a chance of afternoon showers on Saturday when undefeated LSU will host Auburn at 2:30 p.m. CST. Over 100,000 fans will be in attendance to see if Auburn can slow down Brady’s offense that has been unstoppable in the first half of the season.
The Auburn Plainsman
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
PAGE 10
WEEK 9 PLAINSMAN PICK ‘EM Auburn-LSU
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
THEPLAINSMAN.COM
LIFESTYLE
POETRY
AU professor doesn’t let anything intrude on poetry By JACK WEST Opinion Editor
For Rose McLarney, Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Auburn University, poetry is more important than air ducts. She’ll tell you that directly — especially on Monday mornings since those are her writing mornings. Wednesday mornings are also writing mornings ... and maybe Thursday and Friday. And if the world doesn’t get in the way, McLarney might write on Saturday and Sunday mornings too. “I’ve always woken up early and smarter than I will be by the end of the day,” she said. Thankfully, as the sun set over the Jule Collins Smith Museum’s garden hedges, which were ripe with monarch butterflies headed south for the winter, McLarney took a break from writing to talk about her education, writing habits and prolific career. McLarney’s third collections of poems, Forage, was released in early September 2019, from Penguin Books. She is the co-editor of Southern Humanities Review, a quarterly literary journal published by the Department of English at Auburn University where she teaches poetry writing to advanced creative writing students. McLarney has taught poetry and creative writing across the country, and her work has been published in some of the nation’s most prestigious literary journals. But before this academic and literary success, McLarney didn’t even think she would be a writer. “I took some creative writing classes in college, but I didn’t think it was practical or whatever, which was silly,” she said. McLarney is originally from the Appalachian region of western North Carolina, but you would be pressed to tell that from her voice. She’s intentional with her words and doesn’t have a hint of an accent. Her voice is brittle, and she says “poem” in a single syllable. McLarney said she was interested in editing and publishing while an undergraduate at Warren Wilson College outside of Asheville, North Carolina, but she was hesitant to pursue poetry or writing as a career. “I knew I wanted to do something with words,” she said. “I was lucky to get an internship and then a job at a publishing house. It wasn’t literary publishing, but I kind of felt like I had succeeded by doing that.” Even though she felt like she had succeeded, McLarney also said she felt something was missing at this job. “After I had graduated and was working sort of a suit-wearing job, in the evenings I would work on my poems as something to keep myself interested in life,” she said. For McLarney, those late-night poems were also a way of coping with the more rural
JACK WEST / OPINION EDITOR
Rose Mclarney sits by a fountain at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts.
environment she found herself in after college. “Instead of going out at nights, this was my way of recording the rural scenery around me and reacting to it,” she said. Eventually, McLarney decided to submit some of her work for publication at literary journals and said that if she didn’t get accepted at any of them, she would apply for an MFA program. “That was sort of naive because you almost never get accepted to journals, and it was the first time I had sent poems out, and I had sent them out to amazing journals I would still be surprised if I got in now,” she said. “So, of course I got rejected.” Nevertheless, McLarney kept her promise of going back to school and enrolled in Warren Wilson’s Master’s program for writers. Shortly after finishing that program, McLarney’s first book, The Always Broken Plates of Mountains, was accepted for publication. “It was just a stroke of luck,” she said. “Usually people have to suffer longer than that.” From there, McLarney taught at universities across the country from her alma mater in western Carolina to Oregon, Oklahoma and eventually Auburn. In part because of those cross-country moves, landscape, environment and natural scenery almost always function as motifs through much of McLarney’s work. She’s written about grazing cattle, apple orchards, lamprey eels, Appalachian ridges, Oregonian rain and that feeling of longing for woods to refill the vacant lots in town. Moving from urban areas to rural ones has made McLarney acutely aware of the influ-
ART
ence a landscape can have on a person — especially where they grew up. “I think the [place] that I’m from has had a far deeper effect than any that I’ve moved to because of the length of time and because I was there at a formative age,” she said. “I think just the product of moving is that your natural reaction is to care less because you kind of think, ‘Well, how long am I going to be here? Do I even need to know this stuff?’ But I’ve tried to fight against that urge everywhere I’ve gone.” One of the consequences of writing a lot about rural landscapes in North Carolina, Oklahoma and Alabama is that many people have tried to label McLarney as a “Southern writer.” For a while she accepted that term, but as she continued to travel around this region of the country and see diversity in it, McLarney started to question the validity of the term. “Nothing’s the same,” she said. “The landscape’s not the same, the accents aren’t the same, cuisine’s not the same, history definitely is not the same. There were lots of things for me to learn.” But now, as someone whose job is to study the details and write about them, McLarney said those subtle differences are important. “The overall purpose of poets, I think, is to make people notice things — whether it’s about the natural environment or art or their mothers or whatever it is,” she said. “It’s about getting people to slow down and really notice the fine details and the implications of the details of the things they see.” Having come from writing poetry at night after work, McLarney said being a creative writing professor has given her the time to
write and a sense of sanctioned approval she struggled to find before. “I don’t think I feel guilty about [writing] anymore,” she said. “I have sort of a puritanical work ethic, and I would feel sometimes that the poetry was a silly way to spend my time.” That time is especially important because McLarney said it doesn’t just allow her to write more; it allows her to writer better. One of her biggest complaints as a creative writing student was the harsh deadlines for work. According to McLarney, having to turn in a piece at the end of the semester often didn’t let her get enough distance from the writing. To augment that, Kerri Green, one of McLarney’s graduate students and her intern, said McLarney is trying to help her own students develop an efficient writing structure. “Her poems are always so formed and structural and really detailed in this craft way that is more guided,” Green said. “She helps us build that writing work ethic to where even if you don’t want to write, you still have something you should be writing.” Even though she has this structure, being a professor lets McLarney take more time with her work. “Now, I kind of have the luxury of holding on to things for a while,” she said. “I think that time is the most valuable way of getting distance, so you’re not longer attached.” As many writers, artists and other meticulous professionals know, that lack of attachment is often vital to ensuring that an audience can understand a work. “Sometimes if I have an idea of how things connect, I just kind of impose that on the poem, and I can’t see that, to another person, it wouldn’t make any sense,” McLarney said. As she has now been publishing for nearly a decade, McLarney is also using that sanctioned time to ensure that her works feel new. “The latest book is definitely the one I am going to say I worked the hardest on because it was more idea-driven and less personal,” she said. “When writing a poem, I try to think if it’s different from what I’ve done before. Is the conclusion expected or did it come too easily for me?” McLarney’s writing and her career — each with their own changing landscapes — have been a constant contradiction between exploring the world and then keeping it at bay as long as she can to write about it. “I just write a lot,” McLarney said. “I’ve never been really great at relaxing, so I write a lot — a lot more than anyone sees.” And now she’s at a place where no one can stop her. “I can say, ‘Hey, Monday mornings, I will not schedule this meeting; or no, I will not meet the guy to look at whatever is wrong with the ducts in the house,” McLarney said. “To me, writing is probably more worthwhile that getting your ducts cleaned anyway.”
FOOD
Italian restaurant opens downtown By CAROLINE RICE LIfestyle Writer
MARIE LIPSKI / PHOTO EDITOR
Patrick Dougherty’s work featured at the Jule Collins Smith museum in Auburn, Ala.
Stick art featured in Auburn By LANEY MAYFIELD Lifestyle Writer
Members of the Auburn community and Auburn Forestry Department began gathering firewood and clearing underbrush for environmental sculptor Patrick Dougherty in September 2019. Dougherty, also known as “the Stick Man,” is best known for turning sticks and saplings into sculptures. Dougherty has built over 250 pieces in the past 30 years in cities around the world, and has now brought his latest piece titled “Down Where Paradise Lays,” to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts. “Because I am a sculptor, I move place to place, but I wanted to leave a special mark while I called the Plains home for a while,” Dougherty said. “I used sweetgum sapling as my main material to create my piece specially for Auburn.”
Dougherty graduated from the University of Iowa in 1969, where he studied hospital and health administration and began featuring work in 1982 at the North Carolina Museum of Art. His first exhibit, “Maple Body Wrap,” centered around using tree saplings as construction material. What many people often step on or over as they run in the park during a breezy summer day or run over with their lawn mower as they cut their grass, Dougherty sees as tools for his work, he said. “Too many sticks go unnoticed and can be declared the underdog in nature, but by being in tuned with them, I come to realize their potential. I enjoy bending them, I enjoy their smooth texture and turning them into something extraordinary.” Though days were trying and temperatures exceeded 90 degrees, Dougherty worked profusely on the piece, which took nearly a month to construct, he said.
Esposito’s, the first Italian bistro and wine bar in downtown Auburn, is set to hold its grand opening on Oct. 24, 2019. This restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Auburn, just down the block from Toomer’s Corner. Esposito’s has been open for the past several weeks, having a “soft opening” in mid-September. The Italian bistro is a part of a three-restaurant group in Auburn that includes Halftime and the Auburn Drafthouse. The first of the trio was the Auburn Drafthouse, which opened in 2015. The owner, David Esposito, is from an Italian background and opened the restaurant because he wanted to pay homage to his Italian routes, according to executive chef Rich Bright. “We all love Italian food as well,” Bright said. “It was a niche that needed to be filled in the downtown scene. It’s a great location and something that we didn’t have downtown.” Bright describes Esposito’s genre as “traditional Italian food with roots planted firmly in Alabama soil.”
Traditional Italian food is often focused on the region, Bright explained. Esposito’s does not break this authentic Italian mold, because the bistro gets its food from local Alabama sources. The cheese comes from dairy farms in Alabama, as well as cured meats and local produce. Esposito’s holds true to its Italian roots as well as holding itself to a high standard of freshness and quality. While Esposito’s is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, it is open for dinner from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday. Esposito’s also holds weekend brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m – 2 p.m. Esposito’s has a “fun and casual atmosphere,’’ as stated on their website. The bistro is also the perfect date spot in downtown Auburn, Bright said. “The restaurant is relatively small, seating only about 75 people,” he said. “It’s not super loud and busy, which creates the perfect date atmosphere. The restaurant has large glass windows in the front, creating a beautiful view of downtown Auburn.” All of Esposito’s pasta and cheeses are made fresh and in-house. “Our family-owned and operated bistro offers all the
classic pasta dishes created with our own handmade pastas, including our 13-layer lasagna,” says its website. If customers are not in the mood for pasta, there are also beef, chicken and seafood options on the menu, as well as vegetarian and gluten -free options. Esposito’s website describes the restaurant as “a deliciously modern take on Italian favorites,” encouraging Auburn residents to “savor the flavor of housemade pastas and cheeses paired with locally sourced ingredients and freshly baked breads.” Having a customer review rating of five stars on Facebook, its first diners are seemingly agreeing that downtown Auburn needed this new addition to its menu. “Love, love, love, all the food at this cool place,” a customer said in a Facebook review. “Servers are the bomb, chefs are incredible and the atmosphere is authentic and nice. Vast collection of wine and delicious desserts. Go check it out!” Another customer who approves of the new restaurant said on the Facebook page, “The food was amazing! The homemade sauces, pasta....just fantastic.”
The Auburn Plainsman
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019
PAGE 12
BUSINESS
JACK WEST / OPINIONS EDITOR
The Bean is moving from its original S. Gay Street location.
Local coffee shop moving to North Dean Road By LYDIA MCMULLEN Lifestyle Writer
Local coffee shop, The Bean, has been serving fair-trade coffee and homemade desserts to java lovers in the Auburn area since April 2015. However, The Bean will be moving locations in the coming weeks from their current residence on Gay Street to a new storefront on the corner of Dean Road and Glenn Avenue. Hope Nichols, The Bean’s head barista, says the change of location is bittersweet. Nichols is also the daughter of The Bean’s owners, Ben and Sydney Nichols. As a family, Nichols said they wanted to create a place for people to gather. “We started it because we wanted to get to know our community better and serve our customers well,” Nichols said. The family-owned business has cultivated a unique style by decorating their shop with retro, vintage furniture to create a home away from home for their customers. The decor took a year of picking out the right pieces from antique malls and estate sales to create a
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space that felt welcoming and comfortable like a home, Nichols said. “This is part of our signature; it’s who we are – the retro feel,” she said. Nichols said her family’s personal home is also decorated with vintage pieces and is reflective of the style of The Bean. The family views their coffee shop as an extension of their home and wants all of their customers to feel welcome. It is going to be hard to leave the old building where she has built memories, but at the same time, she is excited for the opportunities that the new location offers, Nichols said. “You never realize the impact a place can have on you,” she said. The new home of The Bean on 140A N. Dean Road will have three times the amount of seating as the original, a fully stocked kitchen as opposed to the small counter space the business currently operates with, an outdoor patio and significantly more parking spaces for customers. Nichols said she is excited for the expansions because of the new ways to serve their customers. The menu is expanding to include
more beverage and food options, including lunch menu items. All of their food and beverage options will be prepared in-house. Nichols is especially excited for the homemade gelato and waffle cones. “We’ve been testing it, and it’s so good,” Nichols said. Loyal customers do not have to fear too much change, however. Nichols said the retro theme of The Bean is “non-negotiable.” The owners will bring all of the existing pieces as well as four storage units full of new decor to the new location. “It’s a slight upgrade, but it’s still keeping the same homey vibe,” she said. In addition to the increase in space and new menu items, Nichols said she is also looking forward to the new demographic the Dean Road location will attract. The original building on Gay Street is only a block away from campus, but the new storefront is farther away. Nichols hopes that the new location will invite people of all ages to join the college students in their regular visits to The Bean. Nichols said the vision of The Bean will stay
TIGERMARKET
the same. “We are still all about coffee, people and serving others,” she said. Close to the heart of The Bean’s mission is making sure that their products are sourced responsibly, and the new storefront will continue this legacy, she said. “All of our coffee is fair-trade, and it will always be fair-trade,” Nichols said. The new shop will continue to use coffee beans from the coffee roaster, Land of A Thousand Hills, because they promote fair wages for coffee farmers in Rwanda and other impoverished countries. The Bean refers to their drinks as “not just a cup of coffee,” because each drink is impacting the lives of farmers across the world. “There’s an entire community where coffee has changed their lives, and drinking coffee here at The Bean pours back into that in Rwanda,” Nichols said. Nichols also said she and her family are excited for the expansions to The Bean and the new opportunities to serve the community. “It is such a sweet reminder how gracious the Lord is,” said Nichols. JOSHUA FISHER / PHOTOGRAPHER
Abbigail Hickey, Auburn Universitys campusPrint dietitian speaks with The PlainsDeadline: man on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018 in Auburn, NoonAla. three business days
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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Gives in to gravity 5 Annoying little kids 9 Hunter’s plastic duck, e.g. 14 Clear off the road, as snow 15 Actress Gilbert of “The Conners” 16 Make amends 17 What “Ten-hut!” is short for 19 Income __ 20 *Do business shrewdly 22 Tidy up 23 “__ you kidding?” 24 Off-the-wall 27 Walmart warehouse club 28 *Murmur lovingly 32 Muslim mystic 33 Lake near Carson City 34 *Basic experimentation method 39 Sea item sold by 39-Down, in a tongue-twister 40 Say no to 41 *Like a typical walking stride 44 Bygone Japanese audio brand 48 Conclusion 49 Boardroom VIP 50 The Lone __ 52 Compromising standpoint ... and what the answers to starred clues contain? 55 Deck alternative 58 Belittle 59 17-syllable Japanese poem 60 Suffix with major 61 Auth. unknown 62 Desert retreats 63 Monica’s brother on “Friends” 64 German thinker Immanuel DOWN 1 Reproduces like salmon 2 __ Gibson, first African-American to win a Grand Slam tennis title
10/28/19
By Craig Stowe
3 Pep rally cheer 4 Candy and such 5 Turkey’s largest city 6 Principal 7 Spur to action 8 Beach footwear 9 Job of typing in facts and figures 10 List-shortening abbr. 11 Courteney who played Monica on “Friends” 12 Single 13 “By all means!” 18 Phillies’ div. 21 Significant stretch of time 24 Twice cuatro 25 Way in 26 Forest female 29 “__ tree falls in the forest ... ” 30 High-end chocolatier 31 __ es Salaam 32 Lustful 34 At that time 35 Oboe or clarinet 36 Not feeling well 37 __ volente: God willing
Saturday’s Puzzle Solved
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38 Vigorous qualities to put into one’s work 39 See 39-Across 42 Nancy Drew’s beau 43 Walk feebly 44 Arctic jacket 45 Exotic lizard kept as a pet 46 Was happening 47 Passionate
10/28/19
51 Buenos Aires’ country: Abbr. 52 Karaoke prop that often ends in “c” nowadays 53 Jared of “Dallas Buyers Club” 54 Tolkien creatures 55 Vietnamese soup 56 Small battery 57 “__ the season ... ”