Lisa Brouillette: So many topics, so little space

First Published: February 19, 2010 in the Opelika-Auburn News

Every month I wonder how to choose the topics for the 400-plus words in my column. It’s always a problem of plenty, not scarcity.

This month, for example, I could focus on the City of Auburn’s recent approvals of land uses, development plans and value “assessments” of the West Pace project. Clearly many are interested in the outcome and consequences of that project.

Or I could remind readers of upcoming CompPlan2030 meetings, at which their input is requested for planning Auburn’s growth and development. Meeting details, maps and other documents are online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/CompPlan2030/default.asp.

De-annexation has been a hot topic in Auburn, with one property owner being allowed to remove his property from the city limits, another being denied the same action.

Our state Senate unanimously approved SB61, this year’s version of the ALFA-supported ‘hog farm bill,’ deceptively titled the “Family Farm Preservation Act.” Thankfully, the bill doesn’t have House approval. Yet.

To help everyone track our legislators’ votes on this and other bills, I could suggest useful Web sites such as Conservation Alabama’s http://www.conservationalabama.org and Alabama Arise’s http://www.arisecitizens.org/.

In addition, all facets of state legislation – text and amendments of bills, roll call votes, etc – can be accessed via the state’s ALISON legislative database (http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/ACASLoginFire.asp).

This is a local and statewide election year. As noted recently in this paper, it’s not even clear who will run for election or re-election.

Those are only a few of the current political issues percolating. And I haven’t even begun to comment on local business or the arts & culture scene.

Perhaps I should I direct attention to the numerous outstanding exhibits and programs being offered at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, which rival those of museums in much larger cities. These are offered at no charge, by the way, thanks to the generosity of JCSM’s Business Partners and other sponsoring organizations.

In these tight financial times, an appropriate focus might be the local businesses giving our community a broader selection of products, services and cultural offerings.

Tomorrow [Sat. Feb. 20] there’s an all-day opening celebration of “Mama Mocha’s Coffee Beanery” at The Gnu’s Room. Downtown Auburn and Opelika both have new and expanded restaurants. We have both German and Indian restaurants in our area now.

I’ve not even mentioned Auburn University’s numerous lecture series, the faculty’s discussions of procedural issues such as managing conflicts of interest, or the multiple searches for new deans. Dip into one of these topics. And email me about others in which you’re interested.

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.

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MONDAY, FEB. 22 & TUESDAY, FEB. 23
Meetings, events & updates
[Info for the rest of the week will be posted later today.]

MONDAY, FEB. 22 & TUESDAY, FEB. 23, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM — THE DESIGN REVOLUTION ROAD SHOW
Held at the south entrance of AU’s  Wallace Center, off Donahue Drive.
Hosted by AU’s Dept of Industrial and Graphic Design, the Design Revolution Road Show is a traveling exhibition and lecture series bringing evidence of and tools for “product design that empowers” to 30+ high schools and university design programs across the nation this Spring. The ultimate goal is to enable and empower the next generation of creative problem-solvers so that they may apply their skills to the world’s most pressing problems and improve life on a global scale. A Project H Design  initiative, the road show features an exhibition of 40 humanitarian design solutions which will be open to students, educators, administrators, and passers-by.

MONDAY, FEB. 22, 11:30 AM — AUBURN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL MEETING
Guest speaker: AU President Jay Gogue
Held at the AU Student Center.
Auburn Chamber of Commerce:  http://www.auburnchamber.com/; (334) 887-7011

FRIDAY, FEB. 22, 11:45 AM — THIRD ANNUAL WOMEN’S STUDIES AWARDS LUNCHEON / Featuring Dr. Eileen Boris
Held at the AU Hotel & Conference Center, Ballroom B.
Everyone’s invited to come and hear our dynamic speaker and to congratulate our awards winners.
Ticket: $25.  To reserve your place go to: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cla/womens_studies/form.cfm
The keynote speaker, Eileen Boris, is Hull Professor and Chair of the Department of Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she directs the Center for Research on Women and Social Justice. Dr. Boris will give a talk entitled “Caring for Those Who Care: Revaluing Women’s Labors.”  An interdisciplinary scholar, she specializes in women’s labors in the home and other workplaces and on gender, race, work, and the welfare state.  Among her many books are, *Home to Work: Motherhood and the Politics of Industrial Homework* (1994), and *Art and Labor: Ruskin, Morris, and the Craftsman Ideal in America* (1986).  Two books are forthcoming:  *Intimate Labors: Cultures, Technologies, and Politics of Care*, co-edited with Rhacel Parrenas (Stanford University Press, forthcoming 2010), and with Jennifer Klein, *Caring for America: Home Health Workers in the Shadow of the Welfare State* (Oxford, forthcoming).

MONDAY, FEB. 22, 12:30 PM — EMILY PILLOTON / “DESIGN FOR SOCIAL IMPACT” / Design Revolution Road Show
Held in the Parker Auditorium (room B6, basement), Dudley Hall, AU.  Free & open to all.
The Department of Industrial and Graphic Design will
host Miss Emily Pilloton, Founder and Executive Director of Project H Design (http://projecthdesign.org/) as she brings to Auburn the Design Revolution Road Show and lecture series (http://designrevolutionroadshow.com/). Pilloton’s experience is in the arena of Industrial Design, however her message is one that speaks directly to the ability we have to positively influence our human condition.
Note: Pilloton recently was interviewed on The Colbert Report – see video clip at http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/262000/january-18-2010/emily-pilloton.

MONDAY, FEB. 22, 3:00 PM — DR. EILEEN BORIS  “WHEN THE PRESENT DISRUPTS THE PAST: WRITING THE HISTORY OF HOME CARE”
Held in Thach Hall, room 317, AU. Free & open to all.
(see details above re: Dr Boris, 11:45 am luncheon/lecture)

MONDAY, FEB. 22 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION    www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens: (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. CONSENT AGENDA:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting February 11, 2010
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
8.OLD BUSINESS:
a. Set Lee County Master Plan Worksession – Wendy Swann
9. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Rhythm and Blues Sports Bar – Charlie Pruitt
b. Auburn Legends RV Resort – David Slocum
c. Dirt Road Paving Program – Commissioner Holt
d. Move Beat 8 Polling Place – Judge English
e. 1st Reading Beulah Utilities Board Appointment – Judge English
f. Retail Beer License for Country Market 430 – Sheriff Jones D3
g. Agreement with Alabama Dept. of Forensic Sciences-Roger Rendleman
h. Resolution for General Obligation Warrants for Sheriff’s Vehicles-Roger Rendleman
i. ALDOT Agreement for Lee Road 427/Pierce Road – Neal Hall
j. Federal Aid Project Resolutions – Neal Hall
k. Recycling Grant Resolution – Jack Marshall
l. Johnson Galleries Building Use Request – Wendy Swann
10. Adjourn

MONDAY, FEB. 22, 6:00 – 7:00 PM – SOCIAL HOUR – MEET THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS / THE LAYMAN GROUP www.thelaymangroup.org
Held at The Layman Group Main Space, 168 E Magnolia Ave
Top Floor of Behind The Glass.
All invited to attend.
Contact: ph: 206-338-3930; public@thelaymangroup.org
Looking for a way to impact the community? Are you that “people” person who loves to make new connections? How about a place to display your leadership skills? Well if you’re an advocate for the Arts, then perhaps you’d make a great fit for our Board of Directors! Come mingle, have a bite to eat, meet current board members, and let us get to know you! Who knows! Maybe you’re the newest addition to the foundation of our passionate organization!

TUESDAY, FEB. 23, 11:00 AM – NOON — SFWS SEMINAR / STEVE OAK – “THE STATUS OF SUDDEN OAK DEATH IN THE EASTERN U.S.”
Held in AU’s School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences, Room 1101. Open to all. Light refreshments will be served.
Speaker: Steve Oak, visiting from Forest Health Protection (USFS) in Asheville North Carolina  CFEs are available.

TUESDAY, FEB. 23, NOON — WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / FEATURING WOMEN & CO. PRESIDENT & CEO LINDA DESCANO and Panel Discussion
Held at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.
Cost for WPB members and the public for the luncheon is $35 per person. For those wishing to sponsor students to the luncheon, the fee is $20 per student. Each student must pay a registration fee of $15 in order to be sponsored for the luncheon. Seating is limited and early registration is recommended. To register, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan or Samantha Allbrook at (334) 844-3524 or by e-mail at wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences, will host its annual winter board meeting. This meeting reflects the board’s yearlong focus on “Thriving in the ‘New Normal:’ Maximizing your Philanthropic Footprint.”
The featured speaker will be Linda Descano, president and chief operating officer of Women & Co.  Descano oversees management of Women & Co., a division of Citigroup Inc. that
provides women with educational resources for financial planning and navigating life transitions. Prior to joining Women & Co. in 2003, she served as director and portfolio manager in Citi’s Private Portfolio Group from 1999 through 2002 where she co-managed customized investment portfolios for individuals and institutions and oversaw the firm’s socially responsible investment program. In 1994, she joined Citi predecessor company Saloman Inc. and served as its senior vice president and director of environmental affairs.
There will also be a panel discussion on “Making Successful Transitions in the ‘New Normal’” featuring Henry Saxon, regional service director for Boys and Girls Clubs of America; Karen Hughes, founder of Image Assets; and Carrie Carpenter, director of development in Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts. More info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1372

TUESDAY, FEB. 23, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all.    www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
A.  PLATS (preliminary and preliminary & final) – PUBLIC HEARING
1. Martin S/D, 2 lots, Hwy 29 & Lee Road 266, Joseph Martin, P/F approval
2. Whitlow S/D, 2 lots,  Hwy 169, Lewis & Mary Whitlow, P/F approval
3. Saugahatchee Creek S/D, 2 lots, Saugahatchee Lake Road, Scott Land Co. & Opelika Utilities Board, P/F approval.
B.   CONDITIONAL USE APPROVAL
4.  Smith Properties, LLC, 1812 Airport Road, C-3, Mobile   home office for one year
5.  St Paul A.M.E Church, 713 Powledge Ave., New church
6.  Jose Gorriz, 2509 Lafayette Pkwy, C-3, GC-2, Auto wrecker towing & storage busines
7.  Goodwill Industries, Rocky Brook Road, I-1, Donation center at Miles Thomas Fiel
8.  Goodwill Industries, 2103 Pepperell Pkwy, C-3, GC-2, Donation center at Liberty gas station

TUESDAY, FEB. 23, 4:00 pm — SUSANA MORRIS: ALABAMA AND THE WPA
NEW PERSPECTIVES LECTURE SERIES
Held at the University Chapel, AU. Sponsored by the C.M. Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities. More info: 334-844-4946.

TUESDAY, FEB. 23, 4:00 – 6:00 PM — FREE FILM SCREENING and DISCUSSION WITH ARTIST & DIRECTOR  / TRIMPIN: THE SOUND OF INVENTION
Held in AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Free & open to the public.  www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Trimpin, artist and Peter Esmonde, director of TRIMPIN: the sound of invention
Film screening of TRIMPIN: the sound of invention will be followed by a presentation and discussion by both the film director and the subject of the film, the artist, Trimpin. The film is an amusing 90-minute journey through the sonic world of an eccentric creative genius. Artist/inventor/engineer/composer Trimpin shuns the hype and hyperbole of the commercial art world yet his freewheeling sculptures and musical experiments are lauded by museums all over the world. Trimpin, who since his teen years uses only his last name, has been called one of the awesome musical geniuses of the early 21st century. In 1996, he received both a MacArthur Foundation genius award and a Guggenheim Fellowship for his creative investigations of acoustic music in spatial relationship. A specialist in interfacing computers with traditional acoustic instruments, he has developed a myriad of methods for playing everything from giant marimbas to stacks of electric guitars via computer.

TUESDAY, FEB. 23, 6:00 PM — City of Auburn CompPlan 2030 / Public Input Meeting #2
Held at Auburn Junior High School, 332 East Samford Avenue. All Auburn citizens encouraged  to attend.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2010/pl021610.asp
This meeting is the follow-up to Public Meeting #1, held October 13, 2009, as well as the February 9 meeting in Northwest Auburn. The purpose of this meeting is to share the input provided by citizens in the first public meetings as well as input gathered from stakeholder organizations through an online survey. There will be a presentation and then an open house with input opportunities. Citizens are encouraged to take an active role in the future development of their City by attending these meetings.
CompPlan 2030 will focus on how we use the land, now and in the future; on how land use and the built environment affect the natural world, and vice-versa; on schools, parks, and other facilities that form the civic foundation of the City; and on the many forms of transportation that link everything together. The plan will make recommendations for Auburn’s future growth and development based on a number of factors, including citizen input. Ultimately, the plan will be reviewed by the Planning Commission and considered for approval by the Auburn City Council as a policy document for the City.
A joint meeting between the City Council and the Planning Commission will be held on Tuesday, March 30 at 6 p.m. in the City Meeting Room, 122 Tichenor Avenue. The final public input meeting will be held in late-2010.
More info: www.auburnalabama.org/compplan2030 or contact Justin Steinmann with the City of Auburn Planning Department at 501-3045 or at jsteinmann@auburnalabama.org.

CompPlan 2030 Related Information:
– CompPlan 2030 Webpage
http://www.auburnalabama.org/compplan2030
– CompPlan 2030 Update (PDF)
(Open Line Article – February 2010)
http://www.auburnalabama.org/openline/2010/02-10.pdf
– City of Auburn to Host Public Input Meeting for Future Land Use Plan
(Press Release 09/18/09)
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl091809.asp
– Lending a Voice to Auburn’s Future (PDF)
(Open Line Article – October 2009)
http://www.auburnalabama.org/openline/2009/10-09.pdf

TUESDAY,  FEB. 23 , 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE  www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.  Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.

TUESDAY, FEB. 23 through SATURDAY, FEB. 27, 7:30 pm — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre Main Stage.
Ticket purchase & Info: www.auburn.edu/theatre

TUESDAY, FEB. 23, 7:30 PM — ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
Held at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre, 201 Tallapoosa Street, at the Renaissance Montgomery.
Tickets: MPAC box office – 334-481-5100 or www.ticketmaster.com
More info: alvinailey.org
Sponsored by the Multicultural Center, Access & Community Initiatives, University Outreach, Auburn University at Montgomery and Arts Alliance of East Alabama.

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ONGOING THROUGH SUNDAY, FEB. 28 — EXHIBITION: AGRITECTURE
Held at AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all.
Agritecture: What does the Chia Pet^TM have to do with sustainable living? Can grain crops be an art form? Jeff Schmuki, visiting artist in the Auburn University Department of Art, challenges viewers both to confront and to collaborate on these and other issues in Agritecture.

ONGOING THROUGH MARCH 2 — WINTER INVITATIONAL 2010 EXHIBIT
Held at the Dempsey Community Arts Center.
Exhibitions are free and open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
This exhibit includes works in a variety of media by regional artists  and craftpersons.  For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

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LEE COUNTY HOUSING STATISTICS – JANUARY 2010
The Lee County Association of Realtors has published Housing Statistics for the month of January 2010. www.LeeCountyHousingStats.info

AU OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY   www.auburn.edu/sustainability/
During a recent TED lecture, Bill Gates made the announcement that his top priority is getting the world to zero climate emissions. He said that because he’s committed to improving life for the world’s most vulnerable people, he now believes that climate change is the most important challenge on the planet. The TED lecture has not been posted yet*(see below), but you can read a good summary and analysis of it at WorldChanging: http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/010976.html.
Keep an eye on the Office of Sustainability home webpage (www.auburn.edu/sustainability/) where we regularly post sustainability news and events related to Auburn and further afield.

*PLACE EDITORIAL NOTE re: TED (www.ted.com/) and Bill Gates’ talk:
Gates’ TED talk is now posted:  http://www.ted.com/talks/bill_gates.html.
TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. The annual conferences in Long Beach and Oxford bring together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes). TED.com makes the best talks and performances from TED and partners available to the world, for free. More than 500 TEDTalks are now available, with more added each week. All of the talks feature closed captions in English, and many feature subtitles in various languages. These videos are released under a Creative Commons license, so they can be freely shared and reposted.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Feb. 22, 2010

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UPDATE – date changes, addtl info & events

DATE CHANGE
AU LUNCH & LEARN SERIES / LECTURE & PANEL DISCUSSION: “THE IMPACT OF AIDS ON PEOPLE OF COLOR”
NEW DATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
[formerly scheduled for today, Wednesday, Feb. 17]
Lecture by Dr. Evan Lyons, AIDS Outreach Clinic Staff
Held in room 2222 AU Student Center. Sponsored by the AU Multicultural Center.  More info: Shakeer Abdullah at
saa0005@auburn.edu.

ADDITIONAL EVENT
TODAY, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 & THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM — AU SGA HOSTS BLOOD DRIVE
Held in AU’s Student Center Ballroom.
Everyone is encouraged to come out and donate.
Those interested in donating can make an appointment online at http://www.givelife.org. (Use AUSGA as the login code)
The SGA will also be collecting monetary donations with the Lee County Red Cross for Haiti relief.

ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 9:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD: INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE / SPECIAL-CALLED MEETING
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. 334-242-2230 Open to all.
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting

ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 1:15 PM — PUBLIC HEARING ON HB116 / ROAD FUNDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Held in room 617, Alabama State House, Montgomery.
HB 116, sponsored by Rep. Patricia Todd, would amend the state constitution to allow for road funds be used for public transportation. This bill is on the calendar in the Government Appropriations Committee Wed., Feb. 17. The Road Builders called for a public hearing. [see additional details in Action Alert below]

ADDITIONAL EVENTS
AU COLLEGE OF AG & DEPT OF ART HOST MATT GROSHEK
AU’s College of Agriculture and Dept of Art are hosting Matt Groshek, assistant professor, Herron School of Art and Design from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
Groshek will discuss current community garden programs within the College and opportunities for growth. He’ll suggest how universities can encourage students to become involved in their community and the social network that makes community gardens sustainable.  Groshek will provide insights based on his work with his campus administration to create an on-campus community garden.
The two events listed below (Feb. 18) are part of Art in Agriculture, an annual series through which artists and scientists examine a topic related to agriculture, food, the environment or natural resources. The spring 2010 series is Reclaiming Ground: Ag-Gardens-Art.

ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 2:30 PM — MATT GROSHEK / COMMUNITY GARDEN PROGRAMS
Held in room 107 Comer Hall, AU. Free & open to all.
[If possible, RSVP by Wednesday, February 17; depending on the level of interest we may move to a larger classroom.]

ADDITIONAL EVENT
THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 5:00 PM — MATT GROSHEK / DESIGNING TO ENABLE: A CASE FOR CIVIC AGRICULTURE AND A CULTURE OF RESISTANCE
Held in room 005 Biggin Hall, AU. Free & open to all.

DATE CHANGE
AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD
NEW DATE: THURSDAY, FEB. 25, 4:00 PM
[formerly scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18]
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2010/wrm021710.asp

ADDITIONAL EVENT / RESCHEDULED FROM LAST WEEK
FRIDAY, FEB. 19, 5:00 PM — BOOK DISCUSSION: WHITE NOISE BY DON DELILLO /  AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Speaker: Marc Silverstein
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  www.thegnusroom.com Free & open to all.
Marc Silverstein, Hollifield Professor of English Literature at Auburn University will lead a discussion of the book White Noise by Don DeLillo. Silverstein specializes in modern and contemporary drama, feminist theory, postmodernism and literary theory. White Noise is the eighth novel by Don DeLillo, and is an example of postmodern literature. Widely considered his “breakout” work, the book won the National Book Award in 1985 and brought him to the attention of a much larger audience. Time Magazine included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005. The discussion is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS / SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
SATURDAY, FEB. 20, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM — GRAND OPENING PARTY / MAMA MOCHA’S COFFEE BEANERY – AT THE GNU’S ROOM   www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
All invited to attend. No admission fee.
Schedule of Events:
10:00 a.m. – Store opens – Local art on display today will include
works by Saya and Andrew Davis. Register for a free one pound bag of Mama Mocha’s coffee beans. One bag will be given away each hour.
11:00 a.m. – Coffee Cupping #1 – Register for a chance to participate in the first of 3 cuppings today. The maximum number of participants is 10, and you must be present if your name is drawn from the registrations.
12:00 Noon – Performance by Gypsy Blues Bellydance Troupe
1:00 p.m. – Readings by local poets and writers: Ashley Burroughs, Reid Rogers and Charlene Redick.
2:00p.m.- Local Music by Kayla Miller and Tommy Kratzert
3:00p.m. – Coffee Cupping #2 – 10 names will be drawn for
participation in the event.
4:00 p.m. – Reading by local writer Marian Carcache, this month’s Gnu Writers’ Series featured writer.
4:30 p.m. – Music by Seth & Matthew
5:00 p.m. – Music by Dooley’s Blue Revue
6:00 p.m. – Coffee Cupping #3 -10 names will be drawn for
participation in the event.
7:00 p.m. – Fine Wine & Beer by Gus will present a toast to the
opening of Mama Mocha’s.
8:00 p.m. – Store closes

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 ACTION ALERT
PLEASE TAKE ACTION THIS MORNING / SUPPORT HB116 – AUTHORIZE ROAD FUNDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Please Call Members of the AL House Government Appropriations Committee this morning in support of HB 116 to authorize use of road funds for public transportation.
HB 116, sponsored by Rep. Patricia Todd, would amend the state constitution to allow for road funds be used for public transportation. This bill is on the calendar in the Government Appropriations Committee today, Wed., Feb. 17. The Road Builders have called for a public hearing.
This is the time for your voice to be heard!
Please call the members of the Committee, and ask them to support HB 116. You can call the main number, fax them, email them and better yet, come to Montgomery for the hearing tomorrow.  It is 1:30 p.m. in Room 617 of the State House.
Members of the Committee are:
John Knight, Chair    Jack Page          Victor Gaston
Gerald Allen              Locy Baker         Billy Beasley
Greg Canfied            Ron Grantland    Charles Newton
Yusuf Salaam           Tommy Sherer     Elwin Thomas
Laura Hall                 Jody Letson        Jay Love
Contact information for each legislator on the committee can be found at:
www.lwval.org/LWVALAction/legcommittees/GovAppropriations_House_Com.html
or simply call the main number of the House at 334-242-7600 where you can leave a message for members.
Thank you for taking immediate action.
Information courtesy of the League of Women Voters of Alabama – www.lwval.org. Details on HB116 and other public transportation issues available at http://www.lwval.org/page26/page46/page69/page69.html.

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE — Information courtesy of Conservation Alabama – www.conservationalabama.org.

ALFA-SPONSORED HOG FARM BILL PASSES AL SENATE
With a 30-0 vote Tuesday afternoon, the AL Senate passed the infamous SB61, the Alfa-sponsored hog farm bill. This is a major setback in our long-standing fight to protect rural Alabamians from the stench, the black flies, and the loss of water quality that corporate hog farms bring. This bill shields existing corporate hog farms from citizen lawsuits – giving these operations a free pass as they destroy rural Alabamian’s quality of life. We’ll need to re-double our efforts this session to make sure this bill does not pass the House.
[PLACE editorial note: Conservation Alabama is the only full-time year-round environmental lobbying organization in Alabama. Please support their efforts with a membership or donation.]

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Feb. 17, 2010

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Week of Feb. 15, 2010 — Meetings, events & updates

AUBURN UNIVERSITY WEATHER ALERT – Dated 4:00 PM, Sunday, Feb. 14
Winter Weather Advisory issued for Auburn University for Monday, February 15. No changes to class schedules or operations at this time.The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Auburn University effective from 11:00 p.m. tonight (Sunday, February 14) through noon tomorrow (Monday, February 15). AU Emergency Management is monitoring the forecast, which may include up to one inch of snow. At this time, temperatures are not forecast to drop below freezing, so normal operations are planned for Monday. In the event that classes are canceled or an interruption to normal campus operation is announced, information will be distributed through AU ALERT and the Auburn home page at www.auburn.edu.

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NOTE MEETING WITH SENATOR SHELBY EARLY THIS MORNING!
MONDAY, FEB. 15, 7:30 PM — U.S. SENATOR RICHARD SHELBY / PUBLIC MEEETING – Lee County
Held at The Au Hotel and Dixon Conference Center, Ballroom B.  Open to all.
Sen. Shelby will address the legislative agenda for the second session of the 111th Congress, as well as important issues facing the nation and the state of Alabama. Following his remarks, citizens may question and comment.

MONDAY, FEB. 15, 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM — PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY MINISTRY (PCM) ANNUAL LUNCHEON & MEETING
Speaker:  Dr. Wayne Flynt, professor emeritus, AU Dept of History
Held in Baird Hall, First Presbyterian Church, 143 E. Thach Ave, Auburn.

MONDAY, FEB. 15, 7:00 PM — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA (LWVEA) / membership meeting
Program: Health Care in Alabama: Current Status and Needs
Held in the EAMC Health Resources Center on Pepperell Parkway.
Free & open to all.
7:00 pm – “Meet and Greet”
7:30 pm – Health Care in Alabama: Current Status and Needs presented by Marilyn Garrett
Info:  http://www.lwval.org/eastalabama/index.html

MONDAY, FEB. 15 — FINAL DAY / NATIONAL GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT
All are invited to participate in this free event.   Info: www.birdcount.org
The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society use bird count information submitted by ‘citizen scientists’ across the county to learn more about bird populations and to interest the general public in birds. See this recent Opelika-Auburn News article for more info on local bird count participants.
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/lifestyles/home_garden/article/birdwatching/6374/

MONDAY, FEB. 15 AND TUESDAY, FEB. 16 — INDUSTRIAL DESIGN EXHIBIT “PROOF” / Interactive models display mathematical theorems
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery.  Free & open to all.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s “Proof”
mathematical theorems exhibit features industrial design student work which brings mathematics principles to life through interactive models. A collaboration between mathematics professor Andras Bezdek and industrial design professor Bret Smith led to the design, explanation, fabrication and display of the mathematical theorems. For more information, contact Andras Bezdek at 844-6562 or at bezdean@auburn.edu or contact Bret Smith at 844-2372 or at smithbh@auburn.edu.

TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 11:00 AM – NOON — SFWS SEMINAR / DR. NANCY LOEWENSTEIN – “IMPACTS AND CONTROL OF TWO EGREGIOUS INVASIVE PLANTS: COGONGRASS AND PRIVET”
Held in the School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences, Room 1223. Free & open to all. Light refreshments will be served. (CFEs are available.)

TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 3:00 – 4:30 PM — AU PROVOST MAZEY TO DISCUSS SCHOLARSHIP OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Held in AU’s Student Center Room 2225.  All faculty, students, and staff are invited to attend.
More info: Mark Wilson: 844-6198 or mwilson@auburn.edu.
The Community and Civic Engagement Initiative in the College of Liberal Arts invites faculty to a dialogue on the scholarship of public engagement with Auburn University Provost Mary Ellen Mazey.
Mazey will discuss the scholarship of engagement from experiences as a faculty member and administrator at several universities before coming to Auburn University in 2009. Shortly after earning her Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in urban geography, Mazey founded the Center for Urban and Public Affairs and led the creation of a Master of Urban Administration Program at Wright State University. She has served as Director of University Partnerships for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and established a collaborative program with the U.S. Department of Education to support university and community partnerships with K-12 education.
Over the last several decades, the landscape of higher education has been transformed by scholarship and teaching resulting from collaborations between faculty and community partners, resulting in a number of new peer-reviewed journals, consortia, supporting organizations and private and federal funding. In 2006, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching created a voluntary Community Engagement Elective Classification to recognize colleges and universities where significant curricular engagement, outreach, and partnerships take place.

TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 4:00 pm –  NEW PERSPECTIVES LECTURE SERIES / ALABAMA AND THE WPA – SPEAKER: BERT HITCHCOCK
Held at the University Chapel, AU. Sponsored by the C.M. Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities. More info: 334-844-4946.

TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 4:00 – 5:00 PM — JCSM “INNOVATIVE SPIRIT” ARTIST LECTURE / CHARLES SMITH: POTTER
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.  www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Free admission, courtesy of the museum’s Business Partners.
Mobile potter Charles Smith began his career in the arts in the 1970s following a tour of duty in Vietnam. His clay pieces are identified by a carved, sgraffito technique, with visual images often capturing abstract elements of the gulf and sky near his home. His work was included in the traveling exhibit: Uncommon Beauty in Common Objects: The Legacy of African American Craft Art. He is recipient of the ASCA Individual Artist Fellowship.
Exhibition of works produced in the Southeast now at Jule Collins Smith Museum:  A traveling exhibition of contemporary craft and traditional art produced in the southeastern United States is on display at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University through May 15. This collection, “Tradition/Innovation: American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art,” contains more than 100 objects including works of art in glass, clay, fiber, metal, wood, paper and mixed media. To enrich the viewer’s experience, the museum is offering an array of artist interviews as well as stories and background information on the artists and their processes. Upcoming speakers and dates include: glass artist Cal Breed on March 2 and furniture maker Kimberly Sotelo on March 9.
More info: http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1366 .

TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 6:00 PM –  2010 DAVIS LECTURE SERIES / SPEAKER: RAY JENKINS
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
AU’s Department of Communication & Journalism presents Ray Jenkins in the 2010 Davis Lecture Series. http://family.auburn.edu/profiles/blogs/ray-jenkins-2010-davis
“… Ray Jenkins is one of a few journalists with whom the conscience of the world has, finally, so caught up that most don’t comprehend how remarkable they were. It’s not news today that racism and political corruption are wrong. In those days, it sometimes was.” – Judy Sheppard, AU journalism professor
Ray Jenkins began his career in journalism in 1951 as a reporter for The Columbus (Ga.) Ledger. In 1954, he was one of two reporters who covered the Phenix City, Ala., upheaval, coverage which won the 1955 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for The Ledger.
Between 1959 and 1979, he served as city editor, managing editor, executive editor and vice-president of the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser-Journal. During his tenure, he covered the rise of Martin Luther King, the governorship of George Wallace and the decisions of federal Judge Frank Johnson, which, in time, would become the foundations of expanded civil rights for blacks in the South.
During the 1960s and ’70s, Jenkins continued his civil rights reporting at The Christian Science Monitor and then The New York Times. His articles on Wallace defined the segregationist governor to the nation. His series on Johnson earned him the 1970 Gavel Award of the American Bar Association. From 1979-1981, he was special assistant for press affairs to President Jimmy Carter. After 10 years as the editorial page editor of The Evening Sun in Baltimore, he retired from daily journalism in 1992. A member of the Alabama bar, Jenkins was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard Law School in 1964-65, and graduated from the Jones Law Institute in Montgomery. He is the author of “Blind Vengeance,” a book about the assassination of a federal judge in Alabama in 1989.

TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 6:30 PM — MUSICIANS’ MONTHLY JAM SESSION
Held at the Loachapoka United Methodist Church, Hwy 14 (on the right as you enter Loachapoka from Auburn).
Peck Rowell and a group of musicians hold a monthly jam session on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.

TUESDAY, FEB. 16  — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:40 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika.  Open to all.  www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170
Regular session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=169
6)   UNFINISHED BUSINESS  -
7)   REMARKS BY THE MAYOR -  Gary Fuller
a.  Police officer of the month – Phillip Hancock.
b.  City Financial Summary – January 2010.
c.  Building inspection report – January 2010.
d.  Presentation of an Appreciation Resolution – Kevin Lazenby.
8)   CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less)     Bob Shuman
9)   REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS -  Bob Shuman
a.  Request by the Opelika Tree Commission to hang banner for “Arbor Day”.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS -  Shirley Washington
1.  2010 Street Resurfacing.
2.  Increase P.O. 037651 for the UPS/Generator System.
3.  2010 Ford F-450 options.
4.  2010 Ford F-150 pickup truck.
5.  2010 Police Package Dodge Charger.
13)  RESOLUTIONS -  Guy Gunter
1.  Request for an occupational fee refund.
2.  Accept ADECA grant for solar photovoltaic system at City Hall.
3.  Apply for ADEM grant for recycling programs.
4.  Annual renewal – levy of tax on property.
5.  Special appropriation to Boys & Girls Clubs.
6.  Designate City personal property as surplus and authorize disposal.
14)  ORDINANCES -   Guy Gunter
1.  Exchange of property with the Opelika Utilities Board —  2nd Reading.
2.  Regulating Sidewalk Cafes —  2nd Reading.
3.  Consumption in Public —  2nd Reading.
4.  Amend City Code, Chapter 25 – Article III, Buyers of Gold, Silver, etc. —  1st Reading.
15)  APPOINTMENTS -
a.  Three re-appointments to the Opelika Economic Development Authority.
16)  ADJOURN

TUESDAY, FEB. 16 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:55 pm-Committee of the Whole /  7:00 pm – Regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet:  www.auburnalabama.org/agenda
Agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. $17,261.50. Taxpayer Waiver Request. Kodiak Management Company LLC, Dallas, Texas as manager for University Heights at Auburn.
9. ORDINANCES. None.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. SGA Representatives. Anna Twardy and Trevor Ramsey. Commendation.
b. City Depositories. Update List of Financial Institutions.
c. Economic Development Department – Community Development Division. Amend Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) FY08 Action Plan.
d. Environmental Services Department. FY2011 Alabama Recycling Fund Grant Program. East Alabama Recycling Partnership (EARP). Authorize Submission of Application.
e. Outdoor Café Permit. Taylor’s Bakery and Gourmet Coffee. 132 North College Street. Public Hearing Required.
f. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) $32,291.28. Information Technology Department. McCoy Fire and Safety, Inc. Security Camera System for Municipal Parking Deck.
(2) Not to Exceed $50,000. Water Resource Management Department. CH2M Hill, Inc. Task Order 15: General Professional Engineering Services for 2010.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17, 9:30 am — AUBURN MUSIC CLUB / PROGRAM: AU WOODWIND ENSEMBLE
Held in the Nunn-Winston Annex, Kiesel Park. Refreshments served.
Visitors and new members welcomed.  (Dues = $5/yr)
Objectives of the club are to encourage interest and participation in all areas of music and to promote music in the community, homes, and local schools. More info: 334-821-8209.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17, 11:30 AM — 2010 CHAMPIONS FOR KIDS CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF / FEATURING JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE
Held in the Family Life Center, Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church, 650 Jeter Ave, Opelika.
Cost: $10/person; limited seating, RSVP by Feb. 12 to clubs@bgcleeco.org or 334-502-1311.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County will be hosting Olympic Gold Medalist and Boys & Girls Club Alumni Hall of Famer Jackie Joyner-Kersee for our 2010 Champions For Kids Campaign Kick-Off Luncheon. This event is sponsored by Marcus Washington of the NFL and Outback Steakhouse.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM  — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave.  Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided.  http://www.auburnbeautification.org/

POSTPONED TO MARCH 30 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17, 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM — AU LUNCH & LEARN SERIES: “THE IMPACT OF AIDS ON PEOPLE OF COLOR”
Lecture by Dr. Evan Lyons AIDS Outreach Clinic Staff
Held in room 2222 AU Student Center. Sponsored by the AU Multicultural Center.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
All members are encouraged and invited to attend.
Info: www.auburnheritage.org; ph: 826-0390
Note: Held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17 , 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held at the Piccolo Lounge in the Auburn University Hotel. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing.  Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17,  6:00 PM  — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
Held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road.
All welcome to attend. Reservations not necesssary; dinner is optional.
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm -Speaker: Greg Varner, Candidate for District 13 State Senate Seat
Info: Ron Estridge 334-821-4970 or ronestridge@charter.net
Greg Varner is currently the only Democrat who has qualified for the District 13 Alabama Senate Seat. This seat is currently held by Kim Benefield, who has announced she will not seek re-election. Greg will speak to our club about his vision for Alabama. Greg earned his undergraduate degree from Georgia Tech, where he studied economics, international policy, and city planning. He received his Law Degree in 1999 from Regent University School of Law in Virginia. After law school, he began his career in Randolph County as an associate attorney with a firm in Roanoke. In 2000, he opened his own law firm in Ashland. Greg has been general counsel to both the Town of Wadley and the Clay County Commission. He also served in the capacity of Assistant Attorney General for eight years while acting as a prosecuting attorney for the Departments of Human Resources for Clay, Randolph, Coosa, Elmore, and Calhoun Counties. Greg and his wife Kelly are both active members of their community in Clay County and have three daughters: Karis, Emma Kate, and Bailey.
DIRECTIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY CLUB – Go around Shug Jordan Parkway to the intersection with N. Donahue and go north on N. Donahue for about 0.4 miles.  Turn left at the entrance to Yarbrough Farms subdivision.  Go down a divided road into the subdivision for about 0.3 miles to the University Club on a hill to your right.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — ASIAN FILM SERIES / JAPANESE FILM: “TRAIN MAN”
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3195.  Free & open to all.
This month, the Asian Film Series features four “romantic” Asian films. This third film is a Japanese film based on a best seller mobile phone novel, “Train Man” (Densha Otoko) directed by Murakami Masanori (2006). The film will include English subtitles.
For upcoming films, please check “events calendar” of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/EventCalendar/index.cfm

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 17, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — AU BLACK STUDENT UNION PRESENTS: JOSEPH ‘REVEREND RUN’ SIMMONS
Held in AU’s Student Center Ballroom.
AU’s Black Student Union will be bringing the inspirational speaker, Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons to Auburn University Campus. Reverend Run is the respected rapper from one of the greatest hip-hop groups Run-D.M.C. and from his family reality show Run’s House, but he is also known for his words of wisdom. Come join BSU for one of our biggest events this spring semester in honor of Black History Month!

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, NOON – 1:00 PM — NATIONAL WEBCAST / WEBINAR: STATE ADVOCACY FOR TREES
Info: http://actrees.org/site/stories/state_advocacy_for_trees.php
The act of telling elected officials how to write and change our laws is at the very heart of our democratic system. While news headlines about “special interests” may depict a negative view of lobbying, organized advocacy by groups of people is the origin for many public policies and shapes the way public resources are directed. Protecting and promoting urban forests is an issue of authentic public concern that deserves to be well represented. As an urban forestry expert, you are naturally positioned to be an effective and persuasive advocate for trees and urban forests.

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 3:00 – 4:30 PM — LECTURE BY DR. JOSHUA INWOOD / “CONSTRUCTING AUBURN AVENUE AS A HERITAGE TOURIST DESTINATION”
Held in room 2225 AU Student Center.
Sponsored By the Department of History, Multicultural Center and Access & Community Initiatives.

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 3:00 PM — DISCOVER AUBURN SERIES:  JAMES BROWN – GROWING VEGETABLES ORGANICALLY
Held in the Special Collections and Archives, RBD Library, AU. Free & open to all. Reception will follow program.
Dr. James Brown is a retired AU professor of Horticulture and author of “Organic Gardening: Vegetable Growing in Simple Terms”, a popular manual for students and home gardeners. Discover Auburn is a year-long series that features programs on research, history and other topics of interest by Auburn faculty, staffand graduates.  This lecture is cosponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts and Humanities in AU’s College of Liberal Arts, AU Libraries and the Access & Community Initiatives, Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. For more information on the program and the series, contact the Center at 844-4946 or http://www.auburn.edu/cah.

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 4:00 – 6:00 PM — WATCH & LEARN SERIES / FILM: FOUR LITTLE GIRLS
Held in AU’s Multicultural Center Reading Room.
Sponsored by the Multicultural Center and the College of Liberal Arts.

DATE CHANGED TO THURSDAY, FEB. 25 THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month, but delayed one week this month.

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 4:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all.   Agenda to be posted at www.opelika.org.
[Regular meeting to be held Tuesday, Feb. 23, 3:00 pm, same location.)

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 5:00 - 8:00 PM -- Third Thursday: Late Night / ARTIST'S TALK: CHRIS MOTTALINI
Held at AU's Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Chris Mottalini's photographic series on view at JCSM February 6 - April 17, "After You Left, They Took It Apart: Demolished Paul Rudolph Homes" focuses on three now destroyed homes by modernist architect Paul Rudolph. In 2007, Mottalini gained access to and photographed these homes mere days before the demolitions. The resulting images capture a state of modernism few people have witnessed, and they reveal the grace of these homes as they stood in defiance of severe neglect. Mottalini will speak on his photographs and process.

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 5:30 PM -- THE WRITE TIME / AT THE GNU'S ROOM  www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu's Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
Free & open to all.
If you enjoy writing fiction, non-fiction or poetry and would be
interested in meeting others over coffee or tea to talk about the writing life, to share ideas and tips about getting started, learn how to cope with writers block, how to edit your work or get published, then The Write Time might be just the place for you! All are welcome no matter at what stage of writing they may be, including those who have always wanted to write but don't know how to begin. Come have some fun with others who share your passion. The Write Time is hosted by Helen Silverstein, editor of The Southern Women's Review. The Write Time is being offered again on Friday, February 26th at 10:30 a.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 6:30 PM -- S.O.S. / SAVE OUR SAUGAHATCHEE
Held in the City of Auburn Meeting Room (off Tichenor Ave, behind Cheeburger, Cheeburger)
Program: Local water issues and legislative update
6:30 PM social / 7:00 PM meeting
Join us to brainstorm about local issues that need our attention as well as important bills in the current legislative session that affect water.

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 6:30 PM -- FRENCH FILM SERIES: LES CHORISTES
Held in AU's Haley Center room 3203.
Les Choristes (2004); The Chorus (97 min.)
In this gentle French drama from first-time director Christophe Barratier, music teacher Clement Mathieu (Gerard Jugnot) lands a job at a boys' boarding school populated by delinquents and orphans -- and run by a martinet headmaster (Francois Berleand). Sensing potential in the rambunctious ruffians, Mathieu forms a choir to rein in his charges through the transforming power of song, even at the probable cost of his career.
More info: ama0002@auburn.edu
Info: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/display_event.cfm?Calendar_ID=3467

THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 7:30 PM -- AUBURN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY CONCERT / PARIS PIANO TRIO
Held in AU's Goodwin Hall. www.auburnchambermusic.org
Parking shuttle from Samford Ave at College Street.
Individual performance tickets $20. Season tickets $50.
Student Rush Tickets - $5 -- Returned or unsold tickets will be offered at performance time with valid student ID.
Purchase tickets: at the door or http://www.auburnchambermusic.org/tickets.html
Info re: Paris Piano Trio -- http://www.melkap.com/view-artist/25/Paris_Piano_Trio
Future Auburn Chamber Music performances: Adaskin Trio, Wednesday March 31 7:30PM; Pacifica String Quartet, April 15, 2010.

FRIDAY, FEB. 19, 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM -- AUBURN SYMPOSIUM: CROSS CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES ON UNIVERSITY TEACHING AND LEARNING
Also Saturday, Feb. 20, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Held in AU's Student Center Ballroom [& other rooms].
Higher Education instructional staff can benefit from increased awareness of cross-cultural differences related to teaching and learning and on more effective teaching techniques that such knowledge suggests.  This two-day event will bring together scholars from around the world, together with faculty members, graduate students, and administrators in an interactive forum to facilitate learning and change in educational practice.The Symposium’s unique forma twill combine didactic plenary sessions with interactive discussion sessions to assist with integrating and applying plenary information.
To Register (Deadline:  Friday, February 12), view the program, and obtain other Symposium information, please go to http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/biggio/symposium/

FRIDAY, FEB. 19, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Held in the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Building, Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Montgomery. ph: 334-271-7706
Amended agenda:  https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama+Environmental+Management+Commission&submissiondatetime=2%2f11%2f2010+2%3a50%3a29+PM
Agenda includes:
1. Consideration of minutes of meetings held on February 9 and 12, 2010**
2. Report from the Director
3. Report from the Commission Chair
4. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 3, Air Pollution Control Program Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 3, Air Pollution Control Program Regulations, Rules 335-3-1-.02, 355-3-10-.01, 335-3-10-.02, 335-3-10-.03, 335-3-11-.01, 335-3-11-.06, 335-3-11-.07, and Appendix C.  The proposed revisions incorporate by reference changes to the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) promulgated by EPA.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on December 9, 2009.
5. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 4, Scrap Tire Program Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 4, Scrap Tire Program Regulations.  The revisions to rules within this Division are proposed pursuant to amendments to the Alabama Scrap Tire Environmental Quality Act enacted in 2009.  The revisions clarify certain provisions of the Scrap Tire Program regulations related to the reporting and recordkeeping requirements of Scrap Tire Receivers, Processors and Transporters.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on January 6, 2010.
6. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 1, General Administration Regulations and Div. 13, Solid Waste Program Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 1, General Administration Regulations, Rule 335-1-1-.07, Departmental Forms, Rule 335-1-6, Fee Schedule G, and ADEM Admin. Code Div. 13, Solid Waste Program Regulations, Rule 335-13-7-.01(2), Notification of Medical Waste Generation.  The proposed amendments would establish annual fees and registration requirements for medical waste generators.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on December 9, 2009.
7. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 14, Hazardous Waste Program Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 14, Hazardous Waste Program Regulations, Chapters 335-14-1 to 335-14-8, 335-14-11, and 335-14-17.  These revisions would adopt federal hazardous waste regulations additions/modifications that occurred from July 2008 to June 2009 so the Department’s hazardous waste program is equivalent to the federal program.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on December 11, 2009.
8. Chicago Deer River Properties, LLC v. ADEM, EMC Docket No. 10-03 – The Commission will acknowledge Petitioner Chicago Deer River Properties, LLC’s withdrawal of the appeal and request for hearing regarding ADEM’s objection to the Petitioner’s certification of coastal consistency for the Theodore Industrial Port Project, COE-09-025-SED/SAM-2008-2038-HEH.
9. Interview candidates for the ADEM Director position
Interview 1 – Candidate: Lance R. LeFleur; Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Interview 2 – Candidate: Louis M. Montgomery, J.D., P.E.; Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Interview 3 – Candidate: Dean R. Argo; Time: 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
10. Other business
11. Future business session
*The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
**The Minutes for these meetings will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.

FRIDAY, FEB. 19, 7:00 PM — MUSIC BY JASON CONNELLY / AT THE GNU’S ROOM   www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  Open to all.  No admission fee, but suggested minimum donation of $5 will be appreciated by the musician. CDs available for purchase.
Originally a native of Fort Myers, Florida, Jason Connelly had his vocal beginnings in a gospel choir. Now living in Georgia, he has honed his skills over a ten year period and his latest recording, “Songs From Inside the Attic,” has exceeded the expectations of industry critics and fans alike. Connelly recorded the cd live at Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was an open mic winner three times in 2009.  “In the beginning the music was all about a melody and the challenge of filling a floor. Now, after two and a half years of open road soul searching, it’s about a life and all of its missed opportunity and misguided emotions. If the floor fills this time, it’s because I said something worth hearing.”

FRIDAY, FEB. 19 (SATURDAY, FEB. 20), 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE / THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Additional performances: February 23-27 at 7:30 p.m; February 21 at 2:30 p.m.    http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/

SATURDAY, FEB. 20 , 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM — AUBURN SYMPOSIUM: CROSS CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES ON UNIVERSITY TEACHING AND LEARNING
Also Saturday, Feb. 20, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Held in AU’s Student Center Ballroom [& other rooms]. See details above.
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/biggio/symposium/

SATURDAY, FEB. 20, 9:00 AM – NOON — OLLI at AUBURN/ WRITING WORKSHOP WITH RICHARD GOODMAN
Held at the Lexington Hotel , S. College St., Auburn.
To register: call 334-844-5100 or get form here http://www.olliatauburn.org/documents/richard_goodman_writing_flyer.pdf
OLLI at Auburn: OLLI@auburn.edu; www.olliatauburn.org
“Five Useful Things You Can Learn About Writing in 180 Minutes” will be presented by Richard Goodman, author of “The Soul of Creative Writing”.

SATURDAY, FEB. 20, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM — GRAND OPENING PARTY / MAMA MOCHA’S COFFEE BEANERY – AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550. All invited to attend.  www.thegnusroom.com
The anxiously awaited day has arrived!  The Gnu’s Room will host an all day celebration for the new on-site coffee roasting business owned and operated by Sarah Barnett. Barnett managed the former Cambridge Coffee shop and brings a wealth of coffee knowledge and experience to this new enterprise. Mama Mocha’s Coffee Beanery will be operating in space at the back of the Gnu’s Room and will be roasting beans from many countries of origin on a daily basis. The celebration will feature coffee cuppings (tastings), as well as readings by local poets and prose writers, local musicians, an art show and as much other fun stuff as we can squeeze into one day! A schedule of events will be available soon so please check back for more info.

SATURDAY, FEB. 20, 7:00 PM — UNITY BALL
Held in AU’s Student Center.
Tickets: available in 345 Foy Hall and in the AU Student Center from 11 am – 2 pm Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
As part of the celebration of Black History Month, the Auburn
University chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People/NAACP, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council/NHPC, will host the fifth annual Unity Ball. Colleges or departments interested in purchasing a table should call 844-3492, or contact Jocelyn Vickers at wilchjil@auburn.edu. For more information about NAACP and NPHC, contact Katie Reid at reidmak@auburn.edu or Falyn Coleman at colemfd@auburn.edu.

SATURDAY, FEB. 20, 7:30 PM — GUEST ARTIST: POINSETT PIANO TRIO
Held in AU’s Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall.
The Poinsett Piano Trio – featuring Dr. David Gross, Piano; Deirdre Hutton, Violin; Dr. Christopher Gross, Cello – will perform works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Kodaly.
Email music@auburn.edu for more information
Admission Price: $10.00, Free with valid AU student ID
Phone 844-4165 for more information
Contact Music Dept. for more information
http://media.cla.auburn.edu/music/display_event.cfm?Calendar_ID=3360

SATURDAY, FEB. 20, 7:30 PM — AU THEATRE / THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage.
Additional performances: February 23-27 at 7:30 p.m; February 21 at 2:30 p.m.    http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/

SUNDAY, FEB. 21, 2:30 PM — AU THEATRE / THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Held at AU’s Telfair Peet Theatre, Main Stage. http://media.cla.auburn.edu/theatre/
Additional performances: February 23-27 at 7:30 p.m

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ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 19 — CALL FOR ENTRIES / PRESENTATION LEAGUE JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
The Auburn Preservation League (APL), in partnership with the Auburn Arts Association and the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, will accept entries for its juried photography exhibition February 8 – 19. Artists and photographers from Lee County are encouraged to enter works. The exhibition will be held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center March 5 – 29. For more information, including entry forms, visit www.auburnalabama.org/arts or contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963. The Auburn Preservation League (APL), in partnership with  the Auburn Arts Association and the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, will accept entries for its juried photography exhibition February 8 – 19. Artists and photographers from Lee County are encouraged to enter works. The exhibition will be held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center March 5 – 29. For more information, including entry forms, visit www.auburnalabama.org/arts or contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 28 — EXHIBITION: AGRITECTURE
Held at AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all.
Agritecture: What does the Chia Pet^TM have to do with sustainable living? Can grain crops be an art form? Jeff Schmuki, visiting artist in the Auburn University Department of Art, challenges viewers both to confront and to collaborate on these and other issues in Agritecture.

ONGOING THROUGH MARCH 2 — WINTER INVITATIONAL 2010 EXHIBIT
Held at the Dempsey Community Arts Center.
Exhibitions are free and open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
This exhibit includes works in a variety of media by regional artists  and craftpersons.  For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH APRIL 17 — JCSM: PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION
Held  in the Noel and Kathryn Dickinson Wadsworth Gallery, AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Admission is free thanks to JCSM Business Partners.
A selection of images from JCSM’s growing collection of photographs will be on display, illustrating the medium’s wide range of creative and formal possibilities. Photographs by Diane Arbus, Jerry Siegel, Andy Warhol, and Beth Maynor Young are included in the exhibition.  www.jcsm.auburn.edu

THE GNU’S ROOM / FEBRUARY CUSTOMER APPRECIATION BOOK SALE www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
We are kicking off our February Customer Appreciation Book Sale. Each of the next three weeks, our customers will be offered special discounts on books in different sections of the store. This week all mass market paperbacks in the categories of mystery/suspense/thriller or sci-fi/fantasy will be on sale. ***Buy 2…Get 1 Free!***

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Advertiser Editorial: Lobbying, Alabama environmental board don’t mix – Montgomery Advertiser
For years, some environmentalists have claimed that Alabama’s environmental regulatory agency is too cozy with businesses and industries. That perception, deserved or not, is only going to be underscored now that the chairwoman of the commission that oversees the Alabama Department of Environmental Management has become the top lobbyist for the Business Council of Alabama. Anita L. Archie, who chairs the Environmental Management Commission, said she does not believe she should resign from the commission now that she is being paid to represent the interests of the 5,000 businesses and industries that are members of the BCA.

Threat of wintry weather delays interviews of candidates for ADEM post – The Birmingham News – al.com (blog) –  The Environmental Management Commission has postponed interviews with candidates for the top post at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management due to the possibility of snow in Montgomery Friday. The EMC hires the director of the ADEM and sets environmental policy for the state. To fill the top post at ADEM, the commission had scheduled interviews for Friday with Lance LeFleur, owner of a plastics recycling business; Louis Montgomery, an environmental engineer for Birmingham-based Bhate Associates; and Dean Argo, the president of the Prattville City Council and the executive director of an association that represents municipally owned electric utilities. Those interviews have been rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 19, according to a notice sent out by the commission.

ANNISTON STAR – Columnist James Evans looks at the reasons why a new constitution is needed in Alabama.

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CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Metropolitan Planning Organization / Citizens Advisory Committee  – one vacancy will be filled at the March 2 City Council meeting.
*Auburn Library Board – one vacancy will be filled at the April 6 City Council meeting.
*Historic Preservation Commission – two vacancies will be filled at the April 6 City Council meeting.

Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.

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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

=========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Feb. 15, 2010

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Update – cancellations,corrections & additions / Feb. 11, 2010

PREDICTED WEATHER LEADS TO CANCELLATIONS
Due to predicted wintry weather conditions some of tomorrow’s events have been cancelled, AU will be closed, and other events/businesses may follow that trend. It won’t be possible to include all of these cancellations in PLACE notifications. So please check directly with sponsoring organizations or locations re: additional cancellations or postponements.

=============================================

AU CLASSES AND NORMAL BUSINESS OPERATIONS CANCELLED FOR TOMORROW, FRIDAY, FEB. 12

MORE INFO:  www.auburn.edu; http://ocm.auburn.edu/news/alert/weather/index.html

A winter storm warning has been issued for the Auburn University main campus effective midnight tonight through 6:00 p.m. Friday.  The National Weather Service is currently forecasting a 90% chance of winter weather with an expected three to five inches of snow for the Auburn area tomorrow (Friday).

Due to local school closings and the potential for hazardous road conditions, Auburn University has decided to cancel classes and normal business operations for Friday (the university will be at operations level 2).  Employees should double check with their supervisors regarding the need to report to work.

The following critical operations will continue to operate at minimal staffing levels:

• Housing operations
• Dining (provided it is safe for staff to travel to campus to open facilities)
  • Lupton Hall – 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Village View Dining – 10:30 a.m. to midnight
  • Terrell Hall – open from 10:30 a.m. to midnight
• Auburn University Medical Clinic
  • Check phone line at 334-844-4416 for hours of operation
• Security and emergency management
• Facilities emergency work crews

Transit operations will be suspended for the day.  A decision regarding night security shuttle operation will be made Friday afternoon based on road conditions. If the night security shuttle does operate, please be prepared for delays as drivers may have to adjust driving behaviors due to road conditions.

Special events are being addressed on a case-by-case basis. As available, information will be updated on the Auburn University home page at www.auburn.edu.  Please check the Auburn University home page or directly with the event organizer for further information.

This storm system is affecting a large portion of the southeast and may create hazardous driving conditions, so please consider this as you make any travel plans for Thursday or Friday.  Do not travel on the roads if you don’t have to.  If you do have to travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of emergency.

======================

AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS CLOSED TOMORROW

Auburn City Schools will be closed and all school-related events cancelled on
Friday, February 12, 2010.

School will resume on Tuesday, February 16, 2010.  (Monday, Feb. 15 is President’s Day.)

Pending approval by the Board of Education, the make-up day will be Friday, April 23, 2010.

======================

ADDITIONAL EVENT THIS EVENING [note: as of 3:50 pm today this event is still scheduled and expected to be held]
THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 5:00 – 7:00 PM — “ARMIGARDDEN” – A LECTURE BY VISITING ARTIST JEFF SCHMUKI
Held in room 005, Biggin Hall, AU.  Free & open to all. Reception will follow lecture.
AU College of Liberal Arts and Dept of Art in collaboration with the College of Agriculture present”Armegardden” a public lecture by Visiting Artist Jeff Schmuki who will discuss ecology, sustainability, and a do-it-yourself philososphy as evidenced in his exhibition in Biggin Gallery, “Agritecture”.
Biggin Hall is located at the intersection of Magnolia and College streets and is wheelchair accessible. All events and lectures are free and open to the public. More info: 334-844-4373 or visit the Reclaiming Ground events web site at http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/ArtinAg/ .
About Agritecture
“Agritecture” by Visiting Artist Jeff Schmuki will be presented January 18 through February 26, 2010.
What does the Chia Pet^TM have to do with sustainable living? Can art help create a sustainable future? How can community, empowerment, and environmental education counter environmental decline? Jeff Schmuki invites us to confront and collaborate on these and other issues in his exhibition, “Agritecture.” Please join the College of Agriculture, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Department of Art at Auburn University as we continue to explore the intersections of art, culture, ecology, and sustainability through our 2010 collaborative focus on gardens.
These events are generously supported by The College of Liberal Arts, The Department of Art, The College of Agriculture, The Alabama State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

CANCELLED / TOMORROW’S EMC MEETING
Cancelled:  FRIDAY, FEB. 12, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION / special-called meeting. [Note info below on Feb. 19 EMC meeting.]

POSTPONED / TOMORROW’S SUNDILLA CONCERT
Postponed — FRIDAY, FEB. 12, 7:30 PM — SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING JOHN FLYNN

================

ADDITIONAL EVENT
ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 16 — INDUSTRIAL DESIGN EXHIBIT “PROOF” / Interactive models display mathematical theorems
Held in AU’s Dudley Gallery.  Free & open to all.
The College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s “Proof”
mathematical theorems exhibit features industrial design student work which brings mathematics principles to life through interactive models. A collaboration between mathematics professor Andras Bezdek and industrial design professor Bret Smith led to the design, explanation, fabrication and display of the mathematical theorems. For more information, contact
Andras Bezdek at 844-6562 or at bezdean@auburn.edu or contact Bret Smith at 844-2372 or at smithbh@auburn.edu.

UPCOMING MEETING / AMENDED AGENDA
FRIDAY, FEB. 19, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Held in the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Building, Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Montgomery. ph: 334-271-7706
Amended agenda:  https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama+Environmental+Management+Commission&submissiondatetime=2%2f11%2f2010+2%3a50%3a29+PM
Agenda includes:
1. Consideration of minutes of meetings held on February 9 and 12, 2010**
2. Report from the Director
3. Report from the Commission Chair
4. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 3, Air Pollution Control Program Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 3, Air Pollution Control Program Regulations, Rules 335-3-1-.02, 355-3-10-.01, 335-3-10-.02, 335-3-10-.03, 335-3-11-.01, 335-3-11-.06, 335-3-11-.07, and Appendix C.  The proposed revisions incorporate by reference changes to the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) promulgated by EPA.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on December 9, 2009.
5. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 4, Scrap Tire Program Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 4, Scrap Tire Program Regulations.  The revisions to rules within this Division are proposed pursuant to amendments to the Alabama Scrap Tire Environmental Quality Act enacted in 2009.  The revisions clarify certain provisions of the Scrap Tire Program regulations related to the reporting and recordkeeping requirements of Scrap Tire Receivers, Processors and Transporters.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on January 6, 2010.
6. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 1, General Administration Regulations and Div. 13, Solid Waste Program Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 1, General Administration Regulations, Rule 335-1-1-.07, Departmental Forms, Rule 335-1-6, Fee Schedule G, and ADEM Admin. Code Div. 13, Solid Waste Program Regulations, Rule 335-13-7-.01(2), Notification of Medical Waste Generation.  The proposed amendments would establish annual fees and registration requirements for medical waste generators.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on December 9, 2009.
7. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 14, Hazardous Waste Program Regulations – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 14, Hazardous Waste Program Regulations, Chapters 335-14-1 to 335-14-8, 335-14-11, and 335-14-17.  These revisions would adopt federal hazardous waste regulations additions/modifications that occurred from July 2008 to June 2009 so the Department’s hazardous waste program is equivalent to the federal program.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on December 11, 2009.
8. Chicago Deer River Properties, LLC v. ADEM, EMC Docket No. 10-03 – The Commission will acknowledge Petitioner Chicago Deer River Properties, LLC’s withdrawal of the appeal and request for hearing regarding ADEM’s objection to the Petitioner’s certification of coastal consistency for the Theodore Industrial Port Project, COE-09-025-SED/SAM-2008-2038-HEH.
9. Interview candidates for the ADEM Director position
Interview 1 – Candidate: Lance R. LeFleur; Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Interview 2 – Candidate: Louis M. Montgomery, J.D., P.E.; Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Interview 3 – Candidate: Dean R. Argo; Time: 1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
10. Other business
11. Future business session
*The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
**The Minutes for these meetings will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.

=========  =========  ==========

Info below courtesy of  BEN – Bama Environmental News, Pat Byington’s e-newsletter. Subscribe to BEN via email to editor@bamanews.com .
Alabama River Alliance’s Watershed Leadership Conference Deadline is TOMORROW February 12th – Don’t miss the February 12th deadline to register for this year’s Watershed Leadership Conference.  Author Janisse Ray will be speaking at the event, along with several numerous events during the week.  Go to http://www.alabamarivers.org for details.

Environmental Groups Ask EPA to Remove State Water Program – Fourteen Alabama environmental groups have called upon the EPA to revoke the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s water program.  Here is the story from the Mobile Press-Register: http://blog.al.com/live/2010/01/groups_want_epa_to_revoke_adem.html Here is the 77 page petition to EPA: http://www.alabamarivers.org/epa-petition
Southern Environmental Law Center Names Black Warrior River “Endangered Place” in 2010 – The Southern Environmental Center has released their annual report on the South’s “Endangered Places.”  This year Alabama’s Black Warrior River made the group’s 2010 “Endangered” list.  Here is a link to the SELC list:  http://www.southernenvironment.org/about/top_10_2010/
========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Feb. 11, 2010

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Week of Feb. 8, 2010 — Meetings, events & updates

HAM PONDERS REELECTION, ECKMAN MAY OFFER CHALLENGE http://www2.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/ham_ponders_reelection_eckman_may_offer_challenge/128611/

MONDAY, FEB. 8, 7:30 AM — AU REGIONAL AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD
Held n the Meeting Room located at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave., Auburn. Open to all.
Agenda: to discuss airport related issues.

MONDAY, FEB. 8, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM — SOUTHEASTERN SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS CONFERENCE
Held at the Auburn University Conference Center.
http://www.sesaf.org/
Topics include: Global Warming, Cap and Trade issues, Carbon Credits and Ethics,Climate Model Predictions, Forest Sustainability, Wood Fuel for Automobiles, and Afforestation.

CANCELLED MONDAY, FEB. 8, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet:  www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp

MONDAY, FEB. 8  – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION    www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens:  (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Horseshoe Bend Regional Library “Big Read” Presentation – Suzie Anderson
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. 2009 Financial Statements – Roger Rendleman
7. Consent Agenda:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting January 25, 2010
b. Ratify and Approve Claims and Procurement Card Transactions
c. Bid #3 Virtual Training Equipment – Sheriff Jones
d. Alternative Sentencing Board Appointments Announcement- Judge English
8.  OLD BUSINESS:
a. North Donahue Joint Bridge Project – Judge English
b. Report on Volunteer Fire Departments – Judge English
9.   New Business:
a. Vulcan Quarry Noise Complaint – Wes Cumbie
b. Annual Tax Levy for 2010 – Judge English
c. Annual Levy of Alcoholic Beverage Fees – FY2010-2011 – Judge English
d. Paving of Lee Road 592 – Neal Hall
e. Educational Reimbursement – Roger Rendleman
f. Policy on Employing Minors – Kim Oas
g. Federal Appropriations Requests – Wendy Swann
h. Recovery Zone Bonds Allocation – Wendy Swann
i.  Drug Court Grant Resolution – Wendy Swann
j. Lee County Master Plan Update – Wendy Swann
10. ADJOURN

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM — SOUTHEASTERN SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS CONFERENCE
Held at the Auburn University Conference Center.
http://www.sesaf.org/
Topics include: Global Warming, Cap and Trade issues, Carbon Credits and Ethics,Climate Model Predictions, Forest Sustainability, Wood Fuel for Automobiles, and Afforestation.

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION / special-called meeting
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, 1400 Coliseum Blvd, Montgomery. PH: 334-271-7706.  Open to all.
Agenda:  https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama+Environmental+Management+Commission&submissiondatetime=1%2f26%2f2010+4%3a40%3a53+PM
1. Consideration of minutes of meetings held on December 11 and 23, 2009**
2. Discussion and consideration of EPA’s Greenhouse Gases Endangerment Findings
3. Narrow the candidates for the ADEM Director position to those to be interviewed by the Commission at its meeting on February 12, 2010
4. Other business
*The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
**The Minutes for these meetings will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda:  http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 4:00 – 5:00 PM — ART LECTURE: METAL ARTIST JOHN PHILLIPS
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Admission is free thanks to the JCSM Business Partners.
www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Lecture series: The Innovative Spirit
John Phillips uses his skills as artist-blacksmith to create architectural and sculptural forgings. His shop, Phillips Metal Works in Montgomery Alabama, executes commissions from design to installation, builds speculative works and is developing a collection of interior ironwork. He has twice been awarded the Alabama Artist in Crafts Fellowship, and his works have been widely exhibited throughout the Southeast. Phillips was one of four Americans chosen to exhibit his works in the Quershnitt Metal exhibition in Germany.

TUESDAY, FEB. 9  – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION    www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. ROLL CALL
III. APPROVE AGENDA
IV. RECOGNITIONS
V. HEAR DELEGATIONS
VI. APPROVE MINUTES
January 12, 2010, regular session
February 1, 2010, special session
VII. COMMUNICATIONS
VIII. APPROVE PAYMENT OF BILLS AND SALARIES – JANUARY 2010
IX. UNFINISHED BUSINESS (None)
X. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT AND NEW BUSINESS
1. Accelerated Math Waiver/Alabama Department of Education
2. Auburn City Schools Policy Manual – Revision to Policy BBBB
3. Close Auburn Bank Certificate of Deposit #63188
4. Refunding/Refinancing Series 2002 School Warrants
5. FY 2010 Budget Amendment #1
6. Contract Extension: Lawn Maintenance
7. Change Order #3 for Auburn High School Fine Arts Renovation
XI. PERSONNEL
XII. OTHER
The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session on March 9, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 6:00 – 8:00 PM — City of Auburn CompPlan 2030 Public Input Meeting / Northwest Auburn
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2010/pl012510.asp
Held at the Boykin Community Center Auditorium, 400 Boykin Street.
The purpose of this meeting is to gather input from northwest Auburn residents. A brief presentation will be followed by breakout groups in which citizens will be able to offer their input on the future of Auburn. As this meeting is similar in format to the  public meeting held last October, those who attended that meeting may instead wish to attend Public Meeting #2 on Feb. 23 at AJHS.
CompPlan 2030 will focus on how we use the land, now and in the future; on how land use and the built environment affect the natural world, and vice-versa; on schools, parks, and other facilities that form the civic foundation of the City; and on the many forms of transportation that link everything together. The plan will make recommendations for Auburn’s future growth and development based on a number of factors, including citizen input. A final public input meeting will be held in late-2010. Ultimately, the plan will be reviewed by the Planning Commission and considered for approval by the Auburn City Council as a policy document for the City.
More info: www.auburnalabama.org/compplan2030 or contact Justin Steinmann with the City of Auburn Planning Dept at 334-501-3045 or at jsteinmann@auburnalabama.org.

CompPlan 2030 Related Information:
– CompPlan 2030 Webpage
http://www.auburnalabama.org/compplan2030
– CompPlan 2030 Update (PDF) (Open Line Article – February 2010)
http://www.auburnalabama.org/openline/2010/02-10.pdf
– City of Auburn to Host Public Input Meeting for Future Land Use Plan (Press Release 09/18/09)
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pl091809.asp
– Lending a Voice to Auburn’s Future (PDF) (Open Line Article – October 2009)
http://www.auburnalabama.org/openline/2009/10-09.pdf

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 6:30 – 8:00 PM — FILM: VISUAL ACOUSTICS – THE MODERNISM OF JULIUS SHULMAN
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
For complete details visit www.JCSM.auburn.edu
Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman
Eric Bricker, producer/director
Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, Visual Acoustics explores the monumental career of 97-year-old architectural photographer Julius Shulman. Populating his photos with human models and striking landscapes, Shulman combined the organic with the synthetic, melding nature with revolutionary urban design. The resulting images helped to shape the careers of some of the greatest architects of the 20th Century, with Shulman documenting the work of Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, Pierre Koening, John Lautner, and many others.

TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 7:00 – 9:00 PM —  FREE SPIKE LEE FILM SHOWING / “4 LITTLE GIRLS”
Held in the AU Student Center Ballroom. Free & open to all. Refreshments served.
Come join AU’s Black Student Union and University Program Council showcasing Spike Lee film 4 LITTLE GIRLS which tells the tragic story of the bombing of a basement in a black Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15, 1963, which killed four young girls. Lee uses this personal tragedy to better study the racial attitudes of America during that era and goes on to describe the impact this incident had on the civil rights movement of the 1960s and beyond.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10, 3:00 PM — AU FACULTY OPEN FORUM / Future Academic Facilities
Held in the auditorium, room 1106, RBD Library, AU.
Open to anyone interested in attending.
Provost Mary Ellen Mazey and Assistant Vice President for Facilities Dan King will be giving an update and discussion concerning future academic facilities.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10, 3:30 PM — THE WRITE TIME / AT THE GNU’S ROOM  www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  Free & open to all.
If you enjoy writing fiction, non-fiction or poetry and would be
interested in meeting others over coffee or tea to talk about thE writing life, to share ideas and tips about getting started, learn how to cope with writers block, how to edit your work or get published, then The Write Time might be just the place for you! All are welcome no matter at what stage of writing they may be, including those who have always wanted to write but don’t know how to begin. Come have some fun with others who share your passion. The Write Time is hosted by Helen Silverstein, editor of The Southern Women’s Review. To accommodate various schedules, The Write Time is being offered at several times and dates this month  on Thursday, February 18th at 5:30 p.m. and Friday, February 26th at  10:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10 , 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held at the Piccolo Lounge in the Auburn University Hotel. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing.  Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10, 7:00 PM — FREE FILM SCREENING – ASIAN FILM SERIES / CHINESE FILM: PERHAPS LOVE
Held in AU’s Haley Center room 3195. Free & open to the public.
Peter Chan’s Chinese film Perhaps Love (2005) [with English subtitles)
This month, the Asian Film Series features four "romantic" Asian films. The second film is a Hong Kong director, Peter Chan's "Perhaps Love"(2005). The film will include English subtitles. Sponsored by the Chinese Club, Japanese Student Organization, Korean American Student Association, and Indian Student Association.  For upcoming films, please check "events calendar" of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/EventCalendar/index.cfm

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 8:00 am  -- AUBURN DOWNTOWN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DMA)
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger).
The Auburn DMA meets at 8:00 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month. All those interested in supporting and improving Downtown Auburn are invited to attend. http://www.downtownauburnal.org/

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, NOON - 1:00 PM -- "TOUCHED BY FIRE" AUTHOR FRANK GRIFFIN / Library brown bag lunch
Held at the Cooper Memorial Library, 200 South 6th Street, Opelika. Free & open to all.
Bring your lunch. Lemonade, water & coffee provided.
"Touched by Fire" Author Frank Griffin will speak about his new book which is based on his journey through a decade from Alabama to Dallas. His story is that of an ordinary young man caught up in extraordinary events, including his father being killed after testifying as a witness to the 1954 murder of Alabama Attorney General-elect Albert Patterson.  More info: (334)705-5380

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 3:00 PM -- ALABAMA BIG READ / ALAN GRIBBEN: TEN GOOD REASONS TO READ TOM SAWYER
Held in AU's RBD Library, Special Collections and Archives.
Info: www.auburn.edu/cah; cah@auburn.edu; 334-844-4946.

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 4:30 pm - OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 5:00 pm - AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.  Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Water Oak Ridge Annexation PL-2009-00950
Applicant: Rayford and Brenda Keel
General Location: East of Alabama Highway 147 North (Heath Road) and north of U.S. Highway 280 (Lots 1, 2, and 3 of Water Oak Ridge Subdivision)
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 3.12 acres
2. McLendon Place Annexation PL-2010-00061
Applicant: William C. Starr, Jr.
General Location: Off of Chadwick Lane just north and east of the intersection at Wire Road. (1625 Lee Road 51)
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 1.35 acres
3. Brookhaven Farms Subdivision, Eighth Revision, Redivision of Lot 3 PL-2009-00913
Applicant: Twelve Stones Holding Co., LLC
General Location: 4283 Wimberly Road
Zoning District: Rural (R)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 7 lot conventional residential subdivision
NEW BUSINESS - OTHER BUSINESS - CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATION-  STAFF COMMUNICATION  - ADJOURN

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 7:00 - 9:00 PM -- MURDER MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE AT AU
Held in AU's Student Center Ballroom.
Enjoy a live show and dinner sponsored by UPC. Tickets available in the UPC office located in suite 3130 in the AU Student Center a week prior to event. For more information please call 844-4788.

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 7:00 - 9:00 PM -- BSU JAZZ AND POETRY NIGHT PART II
Held at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center.
Come out and enjoy live music and food with the Black Student Union/BSU as we host our Jazz and Poetry Night Part II.

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 7:00 PM -- CLASSICAL GUITAR PERFORMANCE / Valerie Hartzell and Chad Ibison www.jscm.auburn.edu
Held at AU's Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Admission: $5 JCSM members, $10 non-members
This performance is sponsored by the Chattahoochee Valley Classical Guitar Society. Details about the performers at http://jcsm.auburn.edu/special_events/2010_02_guitar_concert.php.

THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 7:00 pm --- EAST ALABAMA CYCLING CLUB
Held at the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Parkway, Opelika.  Open to all.
The East Alabama Cycling Club (EACC) is a bicycle club for riders of all skill levels and riding styles.  The club meets at 7:00 pm, on the second Thursday of each month. More info:  mk1hgn@yahoo.com

FRIDAY, FEB. 12 THROUGH MONDAY, FEB. 15 -- NATIONAL GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT
All are invited to participate in this free event.
Info: www.birdcount.org
The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society use this event's bird count information submitted by 'citizen scientists' across the county to learn more about bird populations and to interest the general public in birds. See this recent Opelika-Auburn News article for more info on local bird count participants.
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/lifestyles/home_garden/article/birdwatching/6374/

FRIDAY, FEB. 12, 11:00 AM -- ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION / special-called meeting
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, 1400 Coliseum Blvd, Montgomery. PH: 334-271-7706.  Open to all.
Agenda:  https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama+Environmental+Management+Commission&submissiondatetime=2%2f4%2f2010+9%3a19%3a42+AM
1. Interview narrowed list of candidates for the ADEM Director position
2. Other business
*The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.

FRIDAY, FEB. 12, 5:30 PM -- BOOK DISCUSSION: WHITE NOISE BY DON DELILLO /  AT THE GNU'S ROOM
Speaker: Marc Silverstein www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu's Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  Free & open to all.
Marc Silverstein, Associate Professor in the English Department at Auburn University will lead a discussion of the book White Noise by Don DeLillo. Silverstein specializes in modern and contemporary drama, feminist theory, postmodernism and literary theory. White Noise is the eighth novel by Don DeLillo, and is an example of postmodern literature. Widely considered his "breakout" work, the book won the National Book Award in 1985 and brought him to the attention of a much larger audience. Time Magazine included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005. The discussion is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

FRIDAY, FEB. 12, 7:00 - 8:30 PM --- WINTER CONSTELLATION CLASS
Held at the Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest, Moore's Mill Road (one mile past the new CVS- look for sign on the left).
Admission is $2 for Preserve members, $3 for non-members.
All proceeds will be donated to help Haiti.
Enjoy an evening under the beautiful winter skies of Auburn at the Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest. Explore the winter constellations with Jennifer Lolley of the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. Learn some of the myths and legends surrounding these constellations including Orion the Hunter, The Pleiades- Seven Sisters, Canis Major- Big Dog and Canis Minor- Little Dog, Taurus the Bull and Perseus and Andromeda and more. Dress warm and bring a flashlight. [Rain date -  Saturday, February 13th at 7 p.m.] More info: www.auburn.edu/preserve or contact Jennifer at 334-707-6512.

FRIDAY, FEB. 12, 7:30 PM — SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING JOHN FLYNN
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall, 450 E. Thach Ave. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10, $8 for students, and free for children 12 and under (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed).
For more info, and to hear music clips of John Flynn, go to www.sundilla.org.

SATURDAY, FEB. 13, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group (1:00 pm)
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all.     http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts.  Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays.  Also on Secord Saturdays, the Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group meets at the Museum at 1:00 pm. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’.

SATURDAY, FEB. 13, 1:00 – 4:00 PM — CHAIR MASSAGE BY CONAR ROCHFORD /  AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  www.thegnusroom.com
Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere at the Gnu’s Room with a cup of your favorite coffee or tea and let Conar Rochford remove any remaining stress with his healing hands. A fifteen-minute session is only $10.00. Gift certificates are available and make wonderful presents for Valentine’s Day!

SUNDAY, FEB. 14, 2:00 PM — PARTY & FILM SCREENING AT THE CAPRI / ONE WOMAN, ONE VOTE
No Admission Fee.
Held at the Capri Theatre, Montgomery. www.capritheatre.org
The film One Woman, One Vote narrated by Susan Sarandon
documents the 75-year battle for woman’s suffrage. Sponsor: Montgomery League of Women Voters Education Fund on the 90th Anniversary of the League of Women Voters. Anniversary Party @ 2 p.m.

====== ========== ==========

THE GNU’S ROOM / FEBRUARY CUSTOMER APPRECIATION BOOK SALE www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.
We are kicking off our February Customer Appreciation Book Sale. Each of the next three weeks, our customers will be offered special discounts on books in different sections of the store. This week all mass market paperbacks in the categories of mystery/suspense/thriller or sci-fi/fantasy will be on sale. ***Buy 2…Get 1 Free!***

TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
SATURDAY, FEB. 20, 7:00 PM — UNITY BALL
Held in AU’s Student Center.
Tickets: available in 345 Foy Hall and in the AU Student Center from 11 am – 2 pm Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
As part of the celebration of Black History Month, the Auburn
University chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People/NAACP, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council/NHPC, will host the fifth annual Unity Ball. Colleges or departments interested in purchasing a table should call 844-3492, or contact Jocelyn Vickers at wilchjil@auburn.edu. For more information about NAACP and NPHC, contact Katie Reid at reidmak@auburn.edu or Falyn Coleman at colemfd@auburn.edu.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 13 — SECOND IN AUDUBON SERIES AT JCSM   ww.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is presenting John James Audubon’s Precursors and Contemporaries, the second in a two-part series, through Feb. 13 in the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Gallery. This exhibition explores natural history publications and begins with some of the earliest publications about plants, specifically herbals, which were intended as references for apothecaries. It traces representations of flora and fauna from its earliest utilitarian modes in the 16th century through the development of more artistically conceived representations. The exhibition is made possible by Gilbert Johnston of Antique Nature Prints through his loaning of prints and bound volumes. For more information, see this link. http://jcsm.auburn.edu/exhibitions/current/2009_12_audubon_pre.php

MONDAY, FEB. 8 – 19 — CALL FOR ENTRIES / PRESENTATION LEAGUE JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION
The Auburn Preservation League (APL), in partnership with
the Auburn Arts Association and the Jan Dempsey Commu-
nity Arts Center, will accept entries for its juried photogra-
phy exhibition February 8 – 19. Artists and photographers
from Lee County are encouraged to enter works. The exhi-
bition will be held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Cen-
ter March 5 – 29. For more information, including entry
forms, visit www.auburnalabama.org/arts or contact the Jan
Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.
The Auburn Preservation League (APL), in partnership with
the Auburn Arts Association and the Jan Dempsey Commu-
nity Arts Center, will accept entries for its juried photogra-
phy exhibition February 8 – 19. Artists and photographers
from Lee County are encouraged to enter works. The exhi-
bition will be held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Cen-
ter March 5 – 29. For more information, including entry
forms, visit www.auburnalabama.org/arts or contact the Jan
Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 28 — EXHIBITION: AGRITECTURE
Held at AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all.
Agritecture: What does the Chia Pet^TM have to do with sustainable living? Can grain crops be an art form? Jeff Schmuki, visiting artist in the Auburn University Department of Art, challenges viewers both to confront and to collaborate on these and other issues in Agritecture.

ONGOING THROUGH MARCH 2 — WINTER INVITATIONAL 2010 EXHIBIT
Held at the Dempsey Community Arts Center.
Exhibitions are free and open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
This exhibit includes works in a variety of media by regional artists  and craftpersons.  For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH APRIL 17 — JCSM: PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION
Held in AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Noel and Kathryn Dickinson Wadsworth Gallery.
Admission is free thanks to JCSM Business Partners.  www.jcsm.auburn.edu
A selection of images from JCSM’s growing collection of photographs will be on display in the Wadsworth Gallery, illustrating the medium’s wide range of creative and formal possibilities. Photographs by Diane Arbus, Jerry Siegel, Andy Warhol, and Beth Maynor Young are included in the exhibition.

======= ======== ========

ALABAMA DUMP TAKING TVA’S SPILLED COAL ASH DECLARES BANKRUPTCY: The action by owners of a landfill in an impoverished, majority-black community that’s been chosen to take the toxic waste spilled in the December 2008 Kingston disaster leaves a lawsuit to halt the dumping up in the air. Meanwhile, North Carolina orders utilities to test groundwater near coal ash ponds. (2/2/2010)
========================

CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Metropolitan Planning Organization / Citizens Advisory Committee  – one vacancy will be filled at the March 2 City Council meeting.
*Auburn Library Board – one vacancy will be filled at the April 6 City Council meeting.
*Historic Preservation Commission – two vacancies will be filled at the April 6 City Council meeting.

Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.

========================

CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Feb. 8, 2010

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Feb. 4 – 7, 2010 — meetings, events & updates

Reminder:  PLACE e-newsletters also are posted online at http://placeforum.org/blog.

THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 9:30 AM — ALABAMA ARISE 2010 ANNUAL LOBBY DAY
Buy groceries and save the receipt! We’re going to attach grocery receipts to the “untax groceries” stickers we wear.
Meet at 9:30 a.m. in the Capitol Auditorium, Alabama State House, Mont. Open to all Alabama Arise members and friends.
Info (flyer):   http://www.alarise.org/Lobby%20day/Lobby%20Day%20Flyer%202010.pdf
Help us untax groceries!  We need people like you to make the case for helping families make ends meet. Carloads and vanloads of people from across the state will converge at the State House for Alabama Arise Lobby Day.
Schedule:
9:30 am — Registration  in the Capitol Auditorium
10:00 am — Issue briefing – what you need to know to talk to your legislators at 11:00
11:00 am- talk to your legislators (and probably take a few minutes to relax and watch debate on the House or Senate floor)
12:00 noon – lunch
1:00 p.m. – news conference in the Capitol Auditorium

THURSDAY, FEB. 4, NOON – 1:00 PM — ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY TREES (ACT) FREE WEBINAR: TREE ORDINANCES & DESIGN STANDARDS
Info & registration for free online seminar: http://actrees.org/site/stories/tree_ordinances_design_standards.php
Free & open to all. www.actrees.org
Trainers:
Craig Richardson, Vice President and principal, Clarion Associates (Chapel Hill, NC)
Chad Meadows, Senior Associate, Clarion Associates (Chapel Hill, NC)
As urban areas expand, communities want to preserve open lands and environmentally sensitive areas and mitigate environmental problems related to development. Often a tree ordinance is a key aspect of the framework for managing community forest and, in general, public resources. It provides legal authority for defining municipal responsibility for public and private trees, conducting forestry programs, passing regulations, and setting minimum standards for management. The intersection of nonprofit community leaders, government agencies, and experienced land-use professionals is where effective tree ordinances, land preservation strategies, and environmental mitigation plans often begin to help ensure that their communities develop sustainably.

THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 6:00 – 7:30 PM — SPEAKER: REGGIE BULLOCK
Held in the AU Student Center, room 2222.  Free & open to all.
Location: Auburn University Student Center, Room 2222
Come join Auburn University Black Student Union as we begin BLACK HISTORY MONTH with the presentation of Reginald Bullock’s documentary “A War for Your Soul”.  Bullock will be present for the 15 minute film.  We will have an very interesting discussion afterwards with the creator himself. The Bronx native’s latest release infuses African-American history with today’s current events, and expresses how they relate, inspiring youth to look critically at themselves and, at the very least, facilitating meaningful discussion amongst our at-risk youth. In turn, this film has enabled him to work, at a larger scale, with at-risk youth regarding topics and interests that are relevant to them. More info: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=media#/event.php?eid=256514934289&ref=mf

THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 6:30 – 7:30 PM – LIVE MUSIC AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550
Open to all. No cover fee, but donations for the musicians are appreciated.  Acoustic band, Cranberry Horses, will be playing some of their original music at the Gnu’s Room.

THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — COMMUNITY ORGANIZING WORKSHOP
Held in AU’s  O. D. Smith Hall room 329, 135 S. College St.
Fee: $20
Register: 334-844-5100  or http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opo – click on “Community Involvement Workshops.”
Roberta Jackel (former Auburn City Council member) and Sheila Eckman (current Auburn City Council member) will co-teach a two-hour course on community organizing.
This is the last of three Auburn University Outreach Program Office community involvement workshops.

THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 7:00 – 8:00 PM — ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS/ SPECIAL GUEST FROM BOLIVIA
Held in AU’s Shelby Center, room 1103. Free & open to all.
Auburn’s new chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB-AU) is hosting Benjo Paredes, native of Quesimpuco, Bolivia. Mr. Paredes will be accompanied by Tom Corson, director of SIFAT, an international service organization based out of Lineville, AL. Mr. Paredes and Mr. Corson will be speaking to the group about life in the village of Quesimpuco and some of the needs that the people face in their daily lives. EWB-AU is organizing a student team to travel to Quesimpuco in August to begin designing a project to meet some of these village’s needs.

FRIDAY, FEB. 5, 9:00 am — AUBURN UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Held in the Chi Omega Chapter Room, Willow Hall, Village Housing, AU; ph: 334-844-4866. Open to all. http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/trustees/agenda100205.pdf
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2010
I.  Committee Meeting (Chi Omega Chapter Room, Willow Hall, Village Housing)
**Committee Meetings will begin at 9:00 a.m.– all other meetings are subject to change in starting time, depending upon the length of individual meetings
A.    Joint Committee/AUM and Property & Facilities/Chairpersons Carlisle and Blackwell/9:00 a.m.
1.    State of Alabama Department of Public Health, Request for Easement for Gas Service (Joint Item) (Mr. King)
2.    Band Rehearsal Hall, Approval of Design Consultant (Mr. King)
3.    Center for Advanced Science, Innovation & Commerce (CASIC), Selection of Design Consultant and Selection of Construction Manager (Mr. King)
4.    Facilities Division Buildings VI and VII, Approval of the Facility Program, Budget, Funding Plan, Site and Schematic Design (Mr. King)
5.    Small Animal Teaching Hospital: Facility Program, Budget, Funding Plan, Site & Schematic Design (Mr. King)
6.    Aquatic Resource Management Center, Budget Increase (Mr. King)
7.    MRI Research Center Project, Approval of MRI Research Center Project Leases (Mr. Armstrong)
8.    Next Generation Biological Engineering Research Laboratory, Approval of Project Initiation; Initiation of the Design Consultant Selection Process; Initiation of the Construction Manager Selection; and Designation as an Expedited Project (Mr. King)
9.    Status Reports (For Information Only) (Mr. King )
A.    Current Status of New Construction/Renovation/Infrastructure, Budgets of $750,000 and Greater
B.    Quarterly Report for Projects Costing More than $500,000 But Less than $750,000, First Quarter FY 2009
C.    Status of Project
D.    Key Projects Memo
B.    Joint Committee/AUM and Finance/Chairpersons Carlisle, and Lowder/9:30 a.m
1.    Proposed Meal Plan, Auburn University Montgomery (Joint Item) – (Dr. Veres)
2.    Proposed Housing Rate Increases, Auburn University at Montgomery (Joint Item) (Dr. Veres)
3.    Proposed Housing Rate Increases, Auburn University Main  Campus  (Dr. Large)
C.    Academic Affairs Committee/Chairperson Thompson/10:00 a.m.
1.    Proposed Graduate Certificate in Extension Education (Dr. Mazey)
2.    Proposed Graduate Certificate in Election Administration (Dr. Mazey)
3.    Proposed Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication (Dr. Mazey)
4.    Update on Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Longitudinal Study (Dr. Clark)
D.    Institutional Advancement Committee/Chairperson Spina/10:15 a.m.
1.    Request Exception to Naming Guidelines (Mr. McNeill)
E.    Audit Committee/Chairperson McCrary/10:30 a.m.
1.    Review of Audited Financial Statements (Dr. Large)
F.    Executive Committee/Chairperson Lanier/10:45 a.m.
1.    Posthumous Awarding of the Bachelor of Science in Forestry for Walker H. Taylor (Dr. Mazey)
2.    Proposed Awards and Namings
II.  11:00 A.M. -REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES -
A.    Proposed Executive Session (Gamma Phi Beta Chapter Room, Willow Hall, Village Housing)
III. REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 11:30 A.M.(Chi Omega Chapter Room, Willow Hall, Village Housing)
(Agenda items are determined primarily based upon committee actions.)
12:00 P.M. – LUNCHEON – TIGER ZONE AT VILLAGE DINING FACILITY

FRIDAY, FEB. 5, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/trees/

FRIDAY, FEB. 5, 6:00 – 7:30 PM — ART EXHIBIT RECEPTION: FOUND OBJECTS II EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. The gallery is free and open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The Found Objects II exhibition, hosted by the Auburn Arts Association, is currently on display through Feb. 27.  The exhibition features work that utilizes non-traditional art materials by local and regional artists. The public is invited to a reception to view the art works and meet artists Friday, Feb. 5 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. More info: Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963 or visit www.auburnalabama.org/arts.

FRIDAY, FEB. 4, 7:00 PM – EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ  / AT THE GNU’S ROOM  www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  Free & open to all. Held the first Friday of each month.
Poets, authors, musicians, and storytellers are invited to perform their work for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The event is open to all and there is no charge for the event.

FRIDAY, FEB. 5, 7:30 PM —-  EAST ALABAMA ORCHID SOCIETY
Held at the AU Fire Ant Lab.
The EAOS is the local chapter of the American Orchid Society, open to everyone, beginners and experts alike. We generally meet the first Friday of the month to discuss various orchid related topics.  For more info and directions to the Fire Ant Lab, please contact Vince Cammarata, cammavx@bellsouth.net or Julia Bartosh,  bartojl@auburn.edu.

SATURDAY, FEB. 6 – 21ST ANNUAL LOVE YOUR HEART RUN AND CRANK YOUR HEART RIDE / Benefit for the Lee County Special Olympics, Best Buddies of Auburn University, Premier Athletics Shinning Knights Therapeutic Cheerleading Team and Friends for Life
Held at Chewacla State Park.  Participants may run or walk the event!
More info:  www.loveyourheartrun.com or www.active.com.
Contact: Alison Hall, 334-501-2930, ahall@auburnalabama.org
The 21st Annual Love Your Heart Run is sponsored by the Exceptional Outreach Organization and the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Dept. The Love Your Heart Run is the premier fundraising event benefiting children and adults with special needs that participate in Lee County Special Olympics, Best Buddies of Auburn University, Premier Athletics Shinning Knights Therapeutic Cheerleading Team and Friends for Life. The Crank Your Heart Ride was introduced in 2008 in an effort to broaden the Exceptional Outreach Organizations annual fundraising event and further raise awareness of the many therapeutic programs we support throughout the community. The 1 mile and 6.4 mile routes offer spectacular views of Chewacla State Park. The 6.4 mile route begins and ends inside Chewacla State Park. For local runners, we are reviving an old course that allows runners a challenging return climb to the summit of Chewacla State Park.

SATURDAY, FEB. 6, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM — EAST ALABAMA RECYCLING PARTNERSHIP / ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT
Held at Mid-Way Plaza, 3700 Pepperell Parkway, Opelika. No charge for recycling, except $10 for the disposal of televisions.
Info: http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2010/es011510.asp
Items accepted for recycling: https://fp.auburn.edu/recycling/e-cycle.aspx
The East Alabama Recycling Partnership (EARP) , composed of Auburn University, City of Auburn, City of Opelika and Lee County, is hosting this electronics recycling event. The partnership was formed in effort to combine expertise and capabilities to make recycling more efficient in our area. In 2009, the Partnership was awarded a grant from Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) totaling $120,139.00.
The Electronics Recycling Event will allow all citizens of Lee County the opportunity to recycle their outdated or unused electronics. Items that will be accepted include televisions, computers, small kitchen appliances, video games, DVDs and telephones. The East Alabama Recycling Partnership is working with Creative Recycling to recycle the collected items. All items will be separated and shredded while properly disposing of stored information. Keep Opelika Beautiful hosted two similar events in 2009.
For more information on the Electronics Recycling Event, please contact Tipi Miller at (334) 749-4970.
SATURDAY, FEB. 6, 9:00 AM — ALABAMA DEPT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DCNR)
Held in the State Capitol Auditorium, Montgomery; ph:  334-242-3486. Open to all.
Registration 8:00 AM until 8:30 AM
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. INVOCATION
3. INTRODUCTION OF BOARD MEMBERS
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
5. PUBLIC HEARING
6. OLD BUSINESS
7. NEW BUSINESS
8. SELECTION OF DATE and LOCATION OF NEXT ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
9. ADJOURN

SATURDAY, FEB. 6 — JCSM EXHIBITION OPENS — “AFTER YOU LEFT, THEY TOOK IT APART: DEMOLISHED PAUL RUDOLPH HOMES  / PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS MOTTALINI
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Chi Omega Hargis Gallery.
Admission is free thanks to the JCSM Business Partners. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
After You Left, They Took It Apart: Demolished Paul Rudolph Homes and Photographs by Chris Mottalini is on exhibit February 6 through April 17, 2010.
Contemporary photographer Chris Mottalini has produced a series of haunting images that record several abandoned houses designed by architect Paul Rudolph, structures he discovered in various states of neglect. Exploring these former paradigms of modern design, decaying and slated for destruction, Mottalini found poignancy and no small measure of irony in the startling contrast of high modernism laid to ruin. Photographed in some cases immediately prior to the homes’ demolition, these images are the last portraits of Rudolph’s striking creations.
More info about this exhibit: http://jcsm.auburn.edu/exhibitions/upcoming/2010_02_chris_mottalini.php

SATURDAY, FEB. 6, 2:00 – 3:00 PM — BIRD COUNTING AND FEEDING 101
Held  at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve.
Info & directions: http://www.auburn.edu/preserve
Admission is $2 and all proceeds will go to
the purchase of bird seed for the Preserve feeders.
Have you ever wanted to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, but didn’t feel comfortable with your bird identification? The Auburn Birding Club is hosting “Bird Counting and Feeding 101″. Rita Kemp, of the Auburn Birding Club and the Preserve staff, will present a program the weekend before the national bird count to learn about why we have the bird count, identifying the most common birds found in the area and some feeding tips to attract birds. The program will begin with a quick lesson on using binoculars and scopes before heading to the Preserve trails for some birding. A bird ID sheet will be given to each participant to take home to help them participate in the national bird count. For more information, call Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or visit the Preserve Web site http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.

SATURDAY, FEB 6, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — HABITAT AROUND THE HEARTH / Benefit for the Lee County Habitat for Humanity
Held at the Moore’s Mill Club Pavilion. Dress casually and warmly.
Tickets: $40, available at the door or by calling the Habitat for Humanity office 334-745-2133.
Join us around the hearth for an evening of food, music & dancing benefitting the Lee County Habitat for Humanity.
6:00 – 7:00 pm — Wine tasting by Christine’s
6:00 – 8:00 pm — Silent auction
7:00 – 9:00 pm — Hors d’oeuvres & Live Music

SUNDAY, FEB. 7, 4:00 – 7:00 PM — Book Discussion, Roundtable, and Reception / ALABAMA’S CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL by Frye Gaillard
Held in the Rosa Parks Library Auditorium & Exhibition Hall, Troy University. Sponsored by the University of Alabama Press and hosted by Troy University.
“No other state has embraced and preserved its civil rights history more thoroughly than Alabama. Nor is there a place where that history is richer. Alabama’s Civil Rights Trail tells of Alabama’s great civil rights events, as well as its lesser-known moments, in a compact and accessible narrative, paired with a practical guide to Alabama’s preserved civil rights sites and monuments.
In his history of Alabama’s civil rights movement, Cradle of Freedom (University of Alabama Press, 2004), Frye Gaillard contends that Alabama played the lead role in a historic movement that made all citizens of the nation, black and white, more free. This book, geared toward the casual traveler and the serious student alike, showcases in a vividly illustrated and compelling manner, valuable and rich details. It provides a user-friendly, graphic tool for the growing number of travelers, students, and civil rights pilgrims who visit the state annually.
The story of the civil rights movement in Alabama is told city by city, region by region, and town by town, with entries on Montgomery, Birmingham, Selma, Tuscaloosa, Tuskegee, and Mobile, as well as chapters on the Black Belt and the Alabama hill country. Smaller but important locales such as Greensboro, Monroeville, and Scottsboro are included, as are more obscure sites like Hale County’s Safe House Black History Museum and the birthplace of the Black Panther Party in Lowndes County.” (University of Alabama Press)

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Feb. 4, 2010

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Feb. 2 & 3, 2010 — Meetings, events & updates
note: The list of additional events for this week will be emailed tomorrow.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 28 — EXHIBITION: AGRITECTURE
Held at AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all.
Agritecture: What does the Chia Pet^TM have to do with sustainable living? Can grain crops be an art form? Jeff Schmuki, visiting artist in the Auburn University Department of Art, challenges viewers both to confront and to collaborate on these and other issues in Agritecture.

ONGOING THROUGH MARCH 2 — WINTER INVITATIONAL 2010 / ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Dempsey Community Arts Center.
Works in a variety of media by regional artists
and craftpersons.
Exhibitions are free and open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH MAY 15 AT JCSM / Exhibition of works produced in the Southeast
A traveling exhibition of contemporary craft and traditional art produced in the southeastern United States is on display at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University through May 15. This collection, “Tradition/Innovation: American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art,” contains more than 100 objects including works of art in glass, clay, fiber, metal, wood, paper and mixed media. To enrich the viewer’s experience, the museum is offering an array of artist interviews as well as stories and background information on the artists and their processes. Upcoming speakers and dates include: quilters Mozell Benson and Sylvia Stephens on Feb. 2; metal artist John Phillips on Feb. 9; potter Charles Smith on Feb. 16; glass artist Cal Breed on March 2; and furniture maker Kimberly Sotelo on March 9. All talks are scheduled for 4 p.m. Admission to the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is free in 2010 courtesy of the museum’s Business Partners. For more information, see the news release ( http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1366 ).

TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM — OLLI BROWN BAG LUNCH WITH SID JAMES NAKHJAVAN, DIRECTOR OF AU’S WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD
Held at the Lexington Hotel, 1577 South College Street. Free & open to all. Bring a lunch and attend the talk.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) will host this Brown Bag Lunch meeting featuring Sidney James Nakhjavan, director of the Women’s Philanthropy Board at Auburn University.  More info: Linda Shook, OLLI at Auburn coordinator, at 334-844-5100 or olli@auburn.edu, or www.olliatauburn.org.

TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 1:30 PM — THE WRITE TIME / AT THE GNU’S ROOM  www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  Free & open to all.
If you enjoy writing fiction, non-fiction or poetry and would be
interested in meeting others over coffee or tea to talk about thE writing life, to share ideas and tips about getting started, learn how to cope with writers block, how to edit your work or get published, then The Write Time might be just the place for you! All are welcome no matter at what stage of writing they may be, including those who have always wanted to write but don’t know how to begin. Come have some fun with others who share your passion. The Write Time is hosted by Helen Silverstein, editor of The Southern Women’s Review. To accommodate various schedules, The Write Time is being offered at several times and dates this month in addition to February 2nd. There will also be meetings on: Wednesday, February 10th at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, February 18th at 5:30 p.m. and Friday, February 26th at 10:30 a.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 3:00 PM — MICHIGAN STATE PROFESSOR WILLIAM ATCHISON WILL SPEAK ON NEUROTOXICITY
Held in AU’s Harrison School of Pharmacy Building, room 1109. Free & open to all.
William Atchison, a professor at Michigan State University and a leading figure in neurotoxicology, will speak at a Dept of Pharmacal Sciences seminar series. He has a long-standing interest in the role that calcium-dependent processes play in the neurotoxicity of metals. His visit is sponsored by the Department of Psychology and the Department of Pharmacal Sciences. More info: Chris Newland at newlamc@auburn.edu or 844-6479 or Charlene McQueen at cam007@auburn.edu.

TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 4:00 – 5:00 PM — LECTURE BY QUILTERS MOZELL BENSON AND SYLVIA STEPHENS
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Admission is free thanks to the JCSM Business Partners.
Lecture series: The Innovative Spirit
A National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship recipient in 2001, Mozelle Benson’s work is celebrated for its improvisational style and bold colors, and has been featured in several exhibitions throughout the United States. One of Benson’s quilts is in the permanent collection of the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. Benson will be joined by her daughter, Sylvia G. Stephens, who lives in Opelika, Alabama, and is currently in training as an apprentice quilter under the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA) Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program.

TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 4:00 PM — FRANKLIN LECTURE: SECURITY GURU BRUCE SCHNEIER / The Science of Secret Codes
Held in the auditorium, Science Center Complex on Roosevelt Drive, AU.  Free & open to all.
http://www.auburn.edu/littleton-franklin/
Described by The Economist as a “security guru,” Bruce Schneier is an internationally renowned security technologist and author. His first bestseller, Applied Cryptography, explains how the science of secret codes works and was described by Wired magazine as “the book the National Security Agency wanted never to be published.”
PARKING: Parking areas nearest the auditorium are the lot in front of Comer Hall on the corner of Roosevelt and College Streets, and the Library parking deck off Roosevelt. Tiger Transit buses (Charcoal Line) run between the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts and campus regularly until 6:00 pm weekdays. Persons parking in the Museum lot should be at a campus bus stop by about 5:30 in order to be sure to catch the last bus back to the museum. The nearest bus stop to the Science Center Auditorium is on Mell Street at Roosevelt.

TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 5:00 PM — ART LECTURE:  LINDA WEINTRAUB / Artistic Imagination + Habitat Devastation = Environmental Restoration
Held in room 005 Biggin Hall, AU. Free & open to all. Reception follows lecture.
How would you portray Mother Nature? Is she fertile, nurturing, and healthy? Or is she frail and tarnished, in need of restoration? Writer, curator, educator, and artist Linda Weintraub looks at pioneering efforts of artists who are redefining art for an age characterized by widespread environmental concerns.  Here is a link to the schedule: www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg/

TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.

TUESDAY, FEB. 2 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:00 pm-Committee of the Whole /  7:00 pm – Regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/agenda
Committee of the Whole agenda includes:
6:00 PM  TOUR OF FRANK BROWN RECREATION CENTER, 235 Opelika Road (Meet at Recreation Center)
6:45 PM – council chambers
MOTON HOUSING PROJECT. Discussion. Robert Smith, Auburn Housing Authority.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses. Consideration.
(1) Lake Martin, LLC dba/Store 17 Package. 1955B South College Street. 011 – Lounge Retail Liquor – Class II – (Package) License.
(2) Archie’s Oyster Inc. dba/Archie’s Oysters. 830 Opelika Road. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License. Change in Application Type.
(3) Samnani Corp dba/Tiger Food Mart. 341 North College Street. 050 – Retail Beer (Off Premises Only) and 070 – Retail Table Wine (Off Premises Only) License. Change in Ownership.
b. Taxpayer Waiver. EDR Auburn LLC. 530 Oak Court Drive, Suite 300. Memphis, TN. $1,313.76
c. Announcement of Board Vacancy. Metropolitan Planning Organization – Citizens Advisory Committee. One Vacancy. Unexpired term ends March 8, 2013. Appointment at March 2, 2010 Meeting.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Annexation. Robert and Regina Battle. Property located on the north side of Lee Road 084 (Pear Tree Road). 5.55 Acres. Planning Commission Recommendation. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Auburn City Schools. 2010 Teacher of the Year Honorees. Recognition.
b. Auburn City Schools and Auburn Chamber of Commerce. Read Across Auburn Campaign. February 15 – March 12, 2010. Support of Initiative.
c. West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc. West Pace Village Improvement District. Final Assessment Petition. Public Hearing Required.
d. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) City of Auburn – Parks & Recreation Department. Brett Basquin (Authorized Representative). Indoor Recreation Use – (Frank Brown Community Center and addition of Senior Center Building) in the Redevelopment District (RDD) zoning district. 235 Opelika Road.
(2) Jay Jennings dba/Jennings Construction Company, Inc. Institutional Use (classrooms for a preschool) in the Redevelopment District (RDD) zoning district. 421-B Opelika Road.
e. Contracts. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Public Works Department. D & J Enterprises, Inc. North Donahue Drive Bridge Replacement and Roadway Widening Project. $3,790,112.04.
(2) Environmental Services Department. Sand Hill Recycling, Inc. Inert Construction and Demolition Waste Disposal Service. $23.50/ton. Three-year contract. Public Hearing Required.
f. Donahue Land LLC. Parcel “A” Donahue Ridge Subdivision. Drainage and Utility Easement. North Donahue Drive Bridge Replacement and Roadway Widening
Project. Acceptance.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.

TUESDAY, FEB. 2 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:25 pm – work session  / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.  www.opelika.org
Work session agenda: http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170
Regular session agenda:  http://www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=169

TUESDAY, FEB. 2,  6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave.  Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3, 9:30 AM — ALABAMA ETHICS COMMISSION
Held in the 9th Floor Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, 100 North Union Street,
Montgomery. Ph:334-242-2997. Open to all.
Agenda includes:In Open Session, to render Advisory Opinions requested by public officials/public employees.  An Executive Session will be held to discuss matters relating to complaints filed with the Ethics Commission and the results of those investigations.  These matters are covered by the Grand Jury Secrecy Act.  No matters will be discussed which are outside the scope of the State guidelines for the holding of Executive Sessions.  Matters discussed in Executive Session will be voted on in public.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM — JOINT STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING /
TALLAPOOSA RIVER BASIN CLEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP & ALABAMA-TOMBIGBEE CLEAN WATER PARTNERSHIP
Held at the Alabama Pulp and Paper Council’s new home / Manufacture Alabama, 401 Adams Avenue, Suite 710, Mont. Free & open to all. Please RSVP by 5:00 PM FEB. 1 for lunch.
Parking: park across the street at the parking deck located on the corner of Adams and Decatur. Parking code available from Dawn H. Stephens, Tallapoosa River Basin Clean Water Partnership, 1831 Hillwood Drive, Mont. ph: 334-850-4429
Directions via Google maps
AGENDA:
10:00 am – Introduction & Welcome: Buddy Morgan and Roy McAuley
10:15 am – Statewide CWP Update: Allison Jenkins
10:35 am – Aquatic Bioassessments in the Tallapoosa, Alabama and Tombigbee Basins: Lisa Huff/ADEM
10:55am – Autauga Creek Bioassessment: Will Mooty/USGS
11: 15 am – Regulatory Update: Brian Haigler/Jason Wilkins
11:30 am – Lunch /    Provided by Manufacture Alabama.
12:00 Noon – Alabama-Tombigbee CWP Update:     Ashley Henderson
12:45 pm – Tallapoosa CWP Update: Dawn Stephens
1:30 – Individual Reports     – All
2:00 Adjourn

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3, 4:30 pm – AUBURN BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT / BZA
Held in the city council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda:  www.auburnalabama.org/bza/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Annual Meeting of the Board to Elect New Officers
Variance to Section 436.01 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance  PL-2010-00023
Applicant: Roy McLure for David Luck
General Location:  653 South College Street
Zoning District:  Neighborhood Conservation (NC-20)
Action Requested: Variance of 241.31 feet to the required spacing of 300 feet between curb cuts along an arterial street in order to allow a curb cut 58.69 feet from the adjacent curb cut to the south and a variance of 195.17 feet to allow a curb cut 104.83 feet from the adjacent curb cut to the north 
Variance to Section 502.02A, Section 707A, and Figure 7-1 of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance  PL-2010-00030
Applicant: David Hill for Kenneth Kirchler
General Location:  274 Bragg Avenue
Zoning District:  Redevelopment District (RDD)
Actions Requested:
– To Section 502.02A requiring front and rear setbacks of 20′, a side setback of 15′, and a maximum impervious surface ratio (ISR) of 50% for a performance single-family residence.  The request is for a variance of 20′ from the required 20′ front setback to allow a zero front setback, 19.5′ from the required 20′ rear setback to allow a rear setback of 0.5′, and 12′ from the required 15′ side yard on a street setback to allow a side setback of 3′. Additionally, the applicant is requesting a variance of 13% from the maximum allowable ISR to allow an ISR of 63%, exceeding the allowed 50%.
– To Section 707A and Figure 7-1 (Minimum Acceptable Bufferyards For Nonconforming Uses) of a minimum planter-width bufferyard and 2 tree inches (2 understory trees) and 6 shrubs in the bufferyard along the western property line; and a minimum 6′ bufferyard and 6 tree inches (1 canopy, 4 understory trees) and 10 shrubs in the bufferyard along the
southern property line in order to have no buffer along these two property lines.
Variance to Section 605.01A, General Business Signs, of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance  PL-2010-00031
Applicant: Richard Galavitz, Total Imaging Sign, Inc., for Whatley Oil and Auto Parts Company
General Location:  1700 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Variance of 10 feet to the required minimum setback of ten feet from any side lot line and ten feet from the front or street property line in order to allow a sign to be placed on the front property line
Variance to Section 605.01A, General Business Signs, of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance  PL-2010-00033
Applicant: Margaret Gethers, The Infinity Group, LLC, for Glen D. King
General Location:  709 East Glenn Avenue
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Variance of 10 feet to the required minimum setback of ten feet from any side lot line and ten feet from the front or street property line in order to allow a sign to be placed on the front property line
Variance to Table 5-2: Lot Area, Setback, Bulk Regulations and Parking Requirements: Neighborhood Conservation District of the City of Auburn Zoning Ordinance  PL-2010-00034
Applicant: Michael Hollingsworth
General Location:  621 North College Street
Zoning District: Neighborhood Conservation (NC-15)
Action Requested: Variance of 9.4 feet to the required 14 foot side setback on one side with total side setbacks of 30 feet to allow a side setback of 4.6 feet
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held at the Piccolo Lounge in the Auburn University Hotel. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing.  Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3, 7:00 PM — ASIAN FILM SERIES: DOR
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3195. Free & open to the public.
Nagesh Kukunoor’s Indian film Dor (2006)
Language: Hindi with English subtitles
The Chinese Club, Japanese Student Organization, Korean American Student Association and Indian Student Association are cosponsoring a film screening of Nagesh Kukunoor’s “Dor”. The screening is part of the spring 2010 Asian film series, and is free and open to the public.

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Information re: ADEM director position courtesy of  Alabama Conservation’s e-newsletter.  www.conservationalabama.org

Sixteen apply for ADEM director job

If you didn’t get your application in to be director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, you are too late as Friday was the deadline. Sixteen people applied, including three environmental leaders: Dr. Doug Phillips of Discovering Alabama, Michael Mullen of the Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper, and Bethany Carl Kraft of the Alabama Coastal Foundation.

The Alabama Environmental Management Commission will meet Feb. 9 to narrow down the field for finalist interviews; those interviews will take place on Feb. 12; and a new director will be selected Feb. 19. You can see the agendas for these meetings by visiting the calendar on our website.

Five years ago, when the position was last available, more than 50 people applied.

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CONFERENCE REGISTRATION REMINDER
12th annual Watershed Leadership Conference / Feb. 27- Mar 2
Have you registered for the 12th annual Watershed Leadership Conference in Montgomery on February 27-March 2? Only three weeks left before registration closes!
Conference info / Registration form.
Comments or questions? Email info@alabamarivers.org or call 205-322-6395.
Don’t miss your chance to meet Janisse Ray, award winning author, naturalist, and environmental activist, who will deliver the keynote address at the local foods dinner on Sunday, February 28!
Janisse Ray is the author of three books of literary nonfiction. Her first book, Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, is a memoir about growing up on a junkyard in the ruined longleaf pine ecosystem of the Southeast. Besides being a plea to protect and restore the glorious pine flatwoods of the South, the book looks hard at family, mental illness, poverty, and fundamentalist religion. Thinker Wendell Berry called the book “well done and deeply moving.” Anne Raver of The New York Times said of Janisse Ray, “The forests of the South find their Rachel Carson.”
As an organizer and activist, Janisse Ray works to create sustainable communities, local food systems, a stable global climate, intact ecosystems, clean rivers, life-enhancing economies, and participatory democracy. Ray attempts to live a simple, sustainable life on a farm in southern Georgia with her husband, Raven Waters. She has a college-age son, Silas. She is an organic gardener, tender of farm animals, slow-food cook,  seed-saver and lectures widely.

AUBURN PROFESSOR’S FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF HAITI AVAILABLE ON iTUNES
AU professor Dennis Shannon (College of Agriculture) who was on the ground when a massive earthquake devastated Haiti last week and who provided medical care to many of the victims presented a seminar about his experience on Friday, Jan. 22.  His seminar featured details on his experience, as well as his thoughts on what should be done in the immediate and long-term future to help the Haitian people recover. The seminar is now available for viewing at Auburn University iTunes. If you have any questions,  contact Leslie Keeler in Distance Learning at lak0007@auburn.edu.
To find the presentation, follow these instructions: go to the iTunes Store and click on iTunesU; in the upper right hand corner, click on Universities and Colleges; select Auburn University; Under AU-iTunes-Campus Resources, click on Distance Learning and Outreach Technology; select Presentations; select Faculty Presentations and click on Shannon’s seminar.
Editorial note from PLACE:
Here are two quicker, more direct links to the presentation:
Via AU’s coursecast (requires your browser have free Microsoft Silverlight plug-in) – http://coursecast.acesag.auburn.edu/CourseCast/Viewer/Default.aspx?id=0d33d0b1-f596-4567-a40b-2bb0c6c09fb9
Will open in iTunes – http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/auburn.edu.3222657744?i=1687531608

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USDA weighs plan to bring GM eucalyptus to Southeast pinelands. While the practice of splicing foreign DNA into food crops has become common in corn and soy, few companies or researchers have dared to apply genetic engineering to plants that provide an essential strut of the U.S. economy, trees. Greenwire

New Florida landscaping law supersedes homeowner association rules. A state law passed last summer supports homeowners who want to convert thirsty lawn grass to plants that are friendlier to the environment – even in communities with covenants and restrictions. Jacksonville Times-Union, Florida.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Feb. 2, 2010

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UPDATE – additional info, events & changes

ADDITIONAL INFO
TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 4:00 pm  — Book artist Steve Miller / “The Alabama-Cuba Connection: Collaboration in the Art of the Book”
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Miller teaches letterpress printing and hand papermaking at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. Although his primary focus is the teaching of traditional bookmaking, he is also the proprietor of Red Hydra Press. His current work revolves largely around ongoing collaborative book projects with Cuban print and papermakers. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Colleen Bourdeau at 844-7075 or cbourdeau@auburn.edu.

ADDITIONAL EVENT
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 12:50 PM — AU ALERT TEST SCHEDULED
A test of the AU ALERT emergency notification system will be conducted at 12:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 27. The test will not take place if there is an actual emergency or threat of severe weather. The test message will be sent to all contact numbers that are registered with the system. Students who have registered contact information for their parents are encouraged to notify their parents of the scheduled test. To register or update your contact information, log on to AU Access and go to the AU ALERT link on the Campus Life tab. The information you supply is considered confidential and will not be shared or used for other purposes. You will only be contacted through the system in the event of an emergency or periodic system test. Any questions, comments or concerns should be sent to aualert@auburn.edu.

ADDITIONAL EVENT
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 2:00 PM — GEORGIA TECH PROFESSOR TO DISCUSS SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY
Held in room 1103 Shelby Center, AU. Free & open to all.
Charles Eckert, founder and director of the Center for Specialty Separations and J. Erskine Love Jr. Institute professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech, will present a lecture on “Novel Solvents for Sustainable Technology”.  His lecture is part of the inaugural Basore Distinguished Lectureship and Visitation Program, hosted by AU’s Dept of Chemical Engineering. Eckert’s group uses a combination of chemistry, engineering and solvent systems to develop more benign processes with economic advantages for the energy and green pharma industries. Solvent management is important for most chemical processes involving reactions or separations because they bring reactants and catalysts together and facilitate purification processes. For more information on Eckert and his work, see this Web site ( http://www.chemistry.gatech.edu/faculty/Eckert/ ).

SCHEDULE CHANGE
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WORKSHOP SERIES
These workshops each will have two presenters.
THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 7:00 – 9:00 pm — Sid James and Jeff McNeill will co-teach a two-hour course on fundraising and volunteer management.
THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 7:00 – 9:00 pm — Roberta Jackel and Sheila Eckman will co-teach a two-hour course on community organizing.
The registration fee is $20 each or $30 for both. Held in 328 O.D. Smith Hall, AU.
Register online:  http://www.auburn.edu/outreach/opo – click on “Community Involvement Workshops.”

ADDITIONAL EVENT
FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 7:00 PM — MUSIC BY KRISTEN HINES / AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550; www.thegnusroom.com.
Open to all. No admission fee; however, donations will be greatly
appreciated by the artist.
Local acoustic musician, Kristen Hines will perform at the Gnu’s Room. Hines will perform some new songs as well as some of her other works.

ADDITIONAL INFO
SATURDAY, JAN. 30 7:00 PM — POETRY READING & BOOK SIGNING BY SCOTT WILKERSON / AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550; www.thegnusroom.com.
This event is free & open to all.
Auburn-based publisher New Plains Press has recently released its first two books of poetry, and the Gnu’s Room is proud to be chosen for readings and signings. Threading Stone by Scott Wilkerson is the second of the two recent publications. Wilkerson, a poet and theorist, teaches at Columbus State University. His poems, reviews and essays have appeared in Amaryllis, E-ratio, x-Stream, Zafusy, Word for/Word, ArtsPneumonia, Atlanta Press and Creative Loafing (Atlanta, GA & Charlotte, NC).

ADDITIONAL EVENT
ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 28 — ART WALK ON AG HILL / AU
Last fall, Department of Art Professor Barbara Bondy asked students in her drawing class to create pieces on the theme of “agriculture.” Their ensuing work caught the eye of the College of Ag Associate Dean Paul Patterson who realized that the assignment not only provided art students an opportunity to learn more about Alabama agriculture, but their work also gave College of Ag students, faculty and staff a chance to see agriculture through new eyes. Patterson asked Bondy if those drawings could be displayed on Ag Hill. She and her students agreed and the drawings are now on exhibit in Comer, Funchess, Swingle and Duncan halls and in the Poultry Science Building where they will remain through the end of February.
A guide to the Art Walk trail complete with the drawings’ locations, the artist’s names and brief descriptions or each piece is available at http://www.ag.auburn.edu/ArtinAg .

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CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES

CompPlan 2030 February Public Input Meetings

New Traffic Signal at Glenn Avenue and Airport Road

Found Objects II Exhibition and Reception

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AU’s ‘Committee of 19′ leads Auburn students in relief for Haiti
The Committee of 19, Auburn University’s student leadership group for the War on Hunger, is donating $15,000 to the United Nation’s World Food Programme, or WFP, for Haiti relief. The money was collected during the 2008-09 and the first half of the 2009-10 school years through various fundraisers by individual schools, colleges, organizations and various campus-wide activities. The World Food Programme is the largest humanitarian agency in the world, feeding on average more than 90 million people in 82 countries annually. WFP is attempting to bring weekly rations to more than 2 million people in Haiti over the next two weeks. The latest donation by the Committee of 19 brings the total amount contributed to WFP as a result of the Auburn University War on Hunger to $45,000. For more information, see the news release ( http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1353 ).

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Jan. 26, 2010

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Week of Jan. 25, 2010 – Meetings, events & updates

MONDAY, JAN. 25 THROUGH WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 7:30 pm — CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY / FILM AT THE CAPRI THEATRE
Held at the Capri Theatre, 1045 E Fairview Ave
Montgomery; ph: 334.262.4858; www.capritheatre.org/ .
Documentarian Michael Moore takes on the US financial system and tries to find out what is going on.
http://www.capitalismalovestory.com

MONDAY, JAN. 25, 9:00 AM  — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD / special-called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. PH: 334-242-2230
Agenda: special/called meeting / Investigative Committee Meeting
https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notice_details.aspx?agencyname=Alabama+Home+Builders+Licensure+Board&submissiondatetime=1%2f11%2f2010+3%3a23%3a53+PM

MONDAY, JAN. 25, NOON — AU WOMEN’S STUDIES PROGRAM / Brown Bag
Speaker: Dr. Angela Ware (sociology)
Topic: prelim. results / survey of Intro to Women’s Studies students
Held in the Women’s Studies Room Haley 3227, AU. Open to all. Bring your lunch.
Women’s Studies enrollments are strong again this semester. Dr. Angela Ware (Soc), who joined the Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work department in August 09 with a one-third responsibility in Women’s Studies, will be sharing her preliminary analysis of the results of a survey we administered to all students in Intro to Women’s Studies, Fall 2009 (over 100 students). The survey asked students about their attitudes towards women/gender/family, and was administered at the beginning of the semester and at the end. http://www.auburn.edu/academic/other/womens_studies/

MONDAY, JAN. 25 — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION    www.leeco.us
4:00 pm-work session / 6:00 pm-regular session
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens:  (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Recognition of Deputies of the Month – Sheriff Jones
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
7. Consent Agenda:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting January 11, 2010
b. Ratify and Approve Claims
c. Bid #3 Virtual Training Equipment – Sheriff Jones
8.  OLD BUSINESS:
a. Solid Waste Enforcement Proposal – Roger Rendleman
b. RFP for County Bridge Bond – Roger Rendleman
9. New Business:
a. Staffing Open Positions – Oline Price
b. Request Funding for Transport Fees – Bill Harris
c. Retail Beer & Retail Table Wine License/Lil Joe’s Community Store-D5
d. Retail Beer & Retail Table Wine License/Crabb Grocery-D1
10.  Adjourn

MONDAY, JAN. 25, 7:30 PM — SARAH ANDERSON SCHOLARSHIP BENEFIT CONCERT
Held at the Opelika Performing Arts Center.
Admission Price: Donation
A Benefit Concert for Sarah Anderson, AU Band Member who passed away in November 2009. Kappa Kappa Psi, National Band Service Fraternity, has created a Memorial Scholarship in honor of Sarah Anderson. The concert will also feature, Dr. Karen Garrison, flute soloist and professor at AU. In addition, this will be a joint concert with the Opelika High School Symphonic Band.
More info: band@auburn.edu, 334-844-4165;   http://www.auburn.edu/auband/bands/symphonic/

TUEDAY, JAN. 26 – Portion of East University Drive to Close January 26

TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 11:00 AM — CELEBRATE ALABAMA IMPROVEMENT AND COOPERATIVE DISTRICTS / BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Held at the Auburn Mariott Opelika Hotel and Conference Center at Grand National, 3700 Robert Trent Jones Trail, Opelika. Open to the public.
Agenda: monthly meeting for Fiscal Year 2009/2010.
The meeting will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Alabama Law for Improvement and Cooperative Districts and may be continued in progress without additional notice to a time, date, and location stated on the record.
A copy of the agenda for the meeting may be obtained at the offices of the District Manager, Rizzetta & Company, Inc., located at 120 Richard Jackson Blvd, Suite 220, Panama City Beach, FL 32407, Telephone: 850-334-9055, during normal business hours.
Each person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the meeting is advised that person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which such appeal is to be based.

TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM –  OLLI AT AUBURN PRESENTS AUTHOR MARY CAROL MORAN /brown bag lunch
Held at the Lexington Hotel, 1577 South College Street.
Free & open to all. Bring your lunch.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University (OLLI at Auburn) will host a Brown Bag Lunch meeting featuring Mary Carol Moran who will discuss her new book Equivocal Blessing. Ms. Moran is also a poet, an instructor for OLLI at Auburn, and is a certified yoga instructor and therapist. This event is presented by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University.  All interested people are invited to bring a lunch and attend the talk. For more information, contact Linda Shook, OLLI at Auburn coordinator, at 334-844-5100 or olli@auburn.edu, and visit the OLLI at Auburn website at  www.olliatauburn.org.

TUESDAY, JAN. 26. NOON — ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 500 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery. PH: 334-242-5568
Agenda: To conduct a disciplinary hearing and Board business. If hearing is concluded prior to 5 PM the Board will return to its office at 100 N Union Street Suite 382, Montgomery, AL 36104 to continue the business portion of the meeting.

TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 2:00 pm — AUBURN LIBRARY BOARD
Held at the Auburn Public Library, Library Board room, 749 E. Thach Ave.  Open to all.
The Library Board meets the fourth Tuesday of every other month.

TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 2:00 PM — PROFESSOR TIMOTHY TERREL:  INTERPRETING THE CONSTITUTION
Held in room 3195 Haley Center, AU. Free & open to the public.
The Human Odyssey Program provides a platform for distinguished professors from Auburn University and other invited lecturers. The first lecture in the Spring 2010 series features Professor Timothy Terrel, Emory University School of Law.

TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 3:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all.   www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
I. Elect Officers to Planning Commission (Chairman, Vice Chairman)
A. PLATS (preliminary and preliminary & final) – PUBLIC HEARING
1. Plantation S/D, Redivision of Lots 20 & 21, 3 lots, Andrews Road, David Jett, P/F approval
2. Replat of Pine Acres S/D Lot 2-B1 & Pinecrest S/D, Lots 19B & 20B, 3 lots, Waverly Parkway, Matthew Toland, P/F approval 3. Ray-Murphy S/D, 5 lots, Lee Road 262, Helen Murphy, P/F approval
4. Block 34, First Revision S/D, 2 lots, 500 block of 2nd Avenue, Young Properties, LLC, P/F approval
B. REZONING – PUBLIC HEARING
5. Planning Staff, corner of Palmer Avenue & Raintree Street, 3 lots (1 acre) from C-2 to R-4
C. AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE – Public Hearing
6. Amendment to text of Zoning Ordinance – Section 9 (L) Political signs
D. OTHER BUSINESS
7. Nancy Willingham, 13 Samford Avenue, C-3, GC-2, Review temporary conditional use permit for bar
8. Troy Bell, 301 South Railroad Avenue, C-3, Review temporary conditional use permit for an auto repair and wrecker towing business
9. Greg Mims, 3300 Pepperell Pkwy, C-3, GC-2, Review temporary conditional use permit for a recycling collection business
10. Review 2010 Comprehensive Plan Work Program
11. Water Street Concept Plan

TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 4:00 – 5:00 PM — THE ALABAMA-CUBA CONNECTION
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art.
Admission is free thanks to the JCSM Business Partners.
www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Lecture Series: The Innovative Spirit
Steve Miller, book artist “The Alabama-Cuba Connection: Collaboration in the Art of the Book”.
Steven Kent Miller is Professor at University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa where he teaches letterpress printing and hand papermaking in the MFA in the Book Arts Program. Although his primary focus at the University is the teaching of traditional bookmaking, he is also the proprietor of Red Hydra Press. His current work revolves largely around ongoing collaborative book projects with Cuban print and papermakers.

TUESDAY,  JAN. 26, 7:00 pm – AUBURN BIKE COMMITTEE  www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Meeting agendas & minutes online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/cycle/Minutes.aspx.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27 THROUGH FRIDAY, JAN. 29 — GREEN AND BLUE CONFERENCE / SUSTAINABLE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING   www.greenandblueconference.com/
Held at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center.
Cost: $150. Special $50 rate available for AU faculty and students who register with their Auburn e-mail address.
This conference is aimed at those involved in residential design and construction as well as educators, researchers and policy makers. The conference will host five track areas: water, residential building strategies, neighborhood development, emerging research and building codes/systems. Speakers presenting include representatives from Auburn University School of Architecture, Florida Solar Energy Center, U.S. Department of Energy, Nature’s Tap and Habitat for Humanity.
Conference participants will examine the rationale for sustainable residential construction, and the methods and materials available to achieve it. There will be presentations by experts and practical workshops covering many topics including:
* Home energy audits
* Energy Star for the home
* Home water conservation
* Low impact development
* Green building regulations
* Net zero prototype buildings
* A comparision of sustainable building rating systems
CEU credits are available for participants.
The conference has been organized by Alabama Association of Habitat Affiliates in partnership with the Home Depot Foundation, Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design, and Construction and the Office of Sustainability, USGBC Alabama, and the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 8:00 AM — ALABAMA BOARD OF LICENSURE FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS
Held at 100 N Union Street, Suite 382, Montgomery. Open to all. Ph 334-242-5568
Meeting info posted at https://www.openmeetings.alabama.gov/generalpublic/display_notices.aspx.
Agenda includes: Conduct Board Business

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27 NOON – 1:00 PM — GREEN LUNCH: “CLIMATE CHANGE, NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE QUADRENNIAL DEFENSE REVIEW: AVOIDING THE PERFECT STORM”
Held in room 2218, AU Student Center. Free & open to all – students, faculty, staff & the community. Bring your lunch.
More info: sustain@auburn.edu or http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/projects/green_lunch.php .
This first Green Lunch of 2010 will feature guest speaker Dr. John T. Ackerman, Assistant Professor of National and International Security Studies, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB.  By examining how changes to the Earth’s climate and natural environment pose a serious threat to America’s national security, Ackerman will then discuss responses that the Department of Defense could develop, integrating sustainability and the democratic peace theory, to avoid the worst outcomes.
Ackerman has researched and written about climate change and national security and advocates “integrating the democratic peace theory with the core principles of sustainability.” His paper, “Climate Change, National Security, and the Quadrennial Defense Review: Avoiding the Perfect Storm,” which appeared in Strategic Studies Quarterly in Spring 2008, can be read at http://www.au.af.mil/au/ssq/2008/Spring/ackerman.pdf.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 5:00 PM – THE GNU’S ROOM PHILOSOPHY ROUNDTABLE – TOPIC:  “THE PROBLEM OF EVIL”
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550; www.thegnusroom.com.
The Philosophy Club resumes its monthly meetings at the Gnu’s Room with a panel presentation and discussion of the topic, “The Problem of Evil.” The panel, consisting of three faculty members and three students from the Auburn University Philosophy Department, will present differing viewpoints on the topic, and after a short break will open the discussion for audience participation. Everyone is invited to attend.
Note: The Philosophy Club will have a special bake sale outside of the Gnu’s Room cafe just before the meeting.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27 , 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held at the Piccolo Lounge in the Auburn University Hotel. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing.  Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — FREE ASIAN FILM SERIES / KOREAN FILM: MY SASSY GIRL
Held in room 3195, Haley Center, AU.  Free & open to all.
This month the Asian Film Series features three Asian films on the theme of back to school. This last is Korean director Kwak Jae-yong’s “My Sassy Girl” (2001).
For upcoming films, please check “events calendar” of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/EventCalendar/index.cfm

WEDNEDAY, JAN. 27, 7:30 PM — GUEST ARTIST RECITAL: BAY STREET BRASSWORKS
Held in AU’s Goodwin Music Building Recital Hall.
Tickets are $10.00, or free for students with valid Auburn ID.
More info: music@auburn.edu, 334-844-4165, AU Music Dept
Bay Street Brassworks (YAMAHA Performing Artists), is one of America’s finest and busiest brass ensembles. Founded in 1995, this versatile brass quintet performs a wide variety of musical genres ranging from classical music to Dixieland jazz; show tunes, classic rock, movie music, and anything in between. This professional brass quintet is based in Baltimore, Maryland. The ensemble is also part of the touring rosters of both Producers, Inc., Tampa, Florida, and “Live on Stage” LLC, Nashville, Tennessee, bringing the music of Bay Street Brassworks to audiences throughout the United States and abroad. Joan Reinthaler of the Washington Post has described performances of Bay Street Brassworks as being both “friendly and energetic.” Among its numerous awards, the Bay Street Brassworks received the first prize at the New York Brass Conference International Brass Quintet Competition in 2003, and two Career Development grants from the Peabody Conservatory.

THURSDAY, JAN. 28 — GREEN AND BLUE CONFERENCE / SUSTAINABLE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING   www.greenandblueconference.com/ (see details above, Jan 27)

THURSDAY, JAN 28, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. 334-242-2230 Open to all.
Agenda includes: The Board will meet to approve minutes from the previous month’s meeting, to approve applications for licensure, and to conduct the general business of the Board.

THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 12:00 – 3:00 PM — WOMEN’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL
Held in the AU Student Center – 2200 Quadrant.
More info: contact the AU Women’s Resource Center, 334-844-4399,  winlist@auburn.edu;
http://www.auburn.edu/academic/provost/odma/womensinitiatives/wrc/
Purchase your ticket to the Women’s Health and Wellness Chocolate Festival at the Women’s Resource Center (311 Mary Martin Hall) between 7:45a.m. and 4:45p.m.  There are limited tickets available so purchase your tickets early!
More info: Amye Still at stillam@auburn.edu or Bonnie Wilson at bonnie@auburn.edu or call 844-4399.
The 2010 Women’s Health and Wellness Chocolate Festival is sponsored by the Auburn University Women’s Resource Center and the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Institute, divisions of the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.  The Festival is being held to increase awareness of women’s health issues among members of the Auburn community.  Those who attend will have the opportunity to browse health- related resource tables while sampling chocolate treats in a fun and educational environment.

THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 3:00 – 4:45 PM — PANEL DISCUSSION / BEYOND THE RHETORIC OF CRISIS: STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE SUCCESS IN THE HUMANITIES
Held in the auditorium, AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
Join a panel discussion with Gregg Lambert, Founding Director, and Cori Zoli, Humanities Research & Grants Consultant from the Syracuse University Humanities Center. Sponsored by AU’s Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, College of Liberal Arts; 334-844-4946, www.auburn.edu/cah.

THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 4:00 PM — CITY OF OPELIKA PUBLIC HEARING – COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) PROGRESS 2008-2009
Held in the Planning Commission Chambers at the Public Works Facility. Open to all.
Agenda:  the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) progress for the end of the year report (CAPER) – Program Year 2008: October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009.
Discussion about program and progress will be heard; public participation and comments are invited.  A copy of the CAPER is available for public review and comment at Public Works, City Hall (Mayor’s Office) and the Cooper Memorial Library. Copies of the CAPER may be obtained at the public hearing or by contacting the Planning Department. Comments will be accepted for a minimum of fifteen (15) days with the comment period ending on January 28, 2010. Comments may be sent to: Community  Development CAPER – Citizen  Comment 700 Fox Trail Opelika, AL 36801 or lgallardo@ opelika.net .

THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 6:30 – 8:30 PM –2010 REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL FORUM
Held at the Opelika Performing Arts Center on the campus of Opelika High School.
Free & open to all. Tickets available at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, Opelika Chamber of Commerce, Auburn Network and Herring Spine & Rehab, Inc.
The Lee County Republican Party will host this 2010 Republican Gubernatorial Forum. State Representative and ALGOP Chairman Mike Hubbard will be the moderator and Lee County Republican Chairman Dr. Rod Herring will MC the event. A straw ballot will be held at the end of the forum for all ticket holders and the results will be shared with the media.
More info: Lee County Republican Party (334) 745-5321.

THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — VOLUNTEER MANAGMENT  WORKSHOP
Held in AU’s  O. D. Smith Hall room 329, 135 S. College St.
Fee: $20 per session ($50 for the series )
Register:  www.auburn.edu/cconline or 334-844-5100
This is the second of three Auburn University Outreach Program Office workshops.  Join Sid James, Director of the Women’s Philanthropy Board for an insightful workshop on recruiting and managing volunteers for your community organization.
Upcoming workshop: (same place & time)
Feb. 4 -  Community Organizing — Roberta Jackel, former City Council member, facilitates a panel discussion on strategies for community organizing at its best.

FRIDAY, JAN. 29 — GREEN AND BLUE CONFERENCE / SUSTAINABLE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING   www.greenandblueconference.com/ (see details above, Jan 27)

FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 8:00 AM — YEAR OF ALABAMA SMALL TOWNS AND DOWNTOWNS / KICK-OFF EVENT
Held at Toomer’s Corner. (In event of inclement weather, will be held on the sidewalk in front of Toomer’s Drugstore.) Open to all.
The City of Auburn Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns Committee will host a blessing of the City on Friday, January 29 at 8 a.m. at Toomer’s Corner. Local clergy will offer a blessing of the City as the Committee prepares to kick off events surrounding the Alabama Tourism Department’s Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns. The public is invited to attend.
Governor Bob Riley has declared 2010 The Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns and has invited cities across the state to participate in the year-long celebration. The Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns Committee consists of representatives from local civic organizations, the Chamber of Commerce, Auburn University, and the City of Auburn. The Committee is currently at work planning several events to commemorate the occasion throughout the year, including a homecoming celebration later this fall.
More info: www.auburnalabama.org or contact Auburn City Hall at 501-7260.

FRIDAY, JAN. 29, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — THE LAYMAN GROUP: OPEN HOUSE / COCKTAIL PARTY
Held in the Layman Group Main Space, Downtown Auburn, 168 E Magnolia (Top Floor).  Free & open to all.
Come have some fun with us as we officially breathe life into our wonderful Arts organization! We’ve got a beautiful new home, a wonderful team, and a smorgasbord of creative ideas we want to share with you!
More info:  www.thelaymangroup.org/

SATURDAY, JAN. 30, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM — 2010 CULTURAL CROSSROADS SYMPOSIUM / A PLACE FOR ALL: RELIGION IN ANTEBELLUM ALABAMA
Held at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art. Open to all.
Please pre-register by January 28, 2010.
General Admission, $35; Members, $30 (Landmarks, MMFA & Draughon); Faculty & Students, $20.
Light breakfast, lunch and refreshments included in registration.
Registration Form (PDF):  http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cah/documents/crossroads-export.pdf
For more information: 334-240-4500, 334-240-4333, or 334-844-4946.
This year’s program, “Religion in Antebellum Alabama,” will primarily focus on the Protestant religion in the state from 1800 through 1850, and its formal and informal representations, practices and effects on the development of Alabama through the antebellum period.
Co- sponsored by the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art, and the Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery.

SATURDAY, JAN. 30, 7:00 PM — GNU’S ROOM POETRY READING & BOOK SIGNING / SCOTT WILKERSON: “THREADING STONE“
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550; www.thegnusroom.com.

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ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 30 — ART EXHIBIT: FOUND OBJECTS II
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to all.
An annual exhibition featuring works utilizing non-traditional art materials, open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 13 — SECOND IN AUDUBON SERIES AT JCSM   ww.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is presenting John James Audubon’s Precursors and Contemporaries, the second in a two-part series, through Feb. 13 in the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Gallery. This exhibition explores natural history publications and begins with some of the earliest publications about plants, specifically herbals, which were intended as references for apothecaries. It traces representations of flora and fauna from its earliest utilitarian modes in the 16th century through the development of more artistically conceived representations. The exhibition is made possible by Gilbert Johnston of Antique Nature Prints through his loaning of prints and bound volumes. For more information, see http://jcsm.auburn.edu/exhibitions/current/2009_12_audubon_pre.php .

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 28 — EXHIBITION: AGRITECTURE
Held at AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all.
Agritecture: What does the Chia Pet^TM have to do with sustainable living? Can grain crops be an art form? Jeff Schmuki, visiting artist in the Auburn University Department of Art, challenges viewers both to confront and to collaborate on these and other issues in Agritecture.

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FREE TURKISH LANGUAGE CLASSES FOR AU COMMUNITY
The AU Diversity and Tolerance Organization is offering free Turkish language classes to all interested students, faculty and staff. Classes meet once a week in the Student Center. Class schedules are flexible in order to satisfy the attendees’ needs. For additional information or if interested in attending classes, e-mail dto@auburn.edu (mailto: dto@auburn.edu ).

Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns Kick-Off Event Set for January 29

Dog License Renewals Due February 1

Opelika – Auburn News Presents Auburn CityFest 2010

Auburn CityFest Food and Non-Profit Vendor Spaces Full

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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Jan. 25, 2010

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Week of Jan. 19, 2010 — Meetings, events & updates

JAN. 15, 2010 COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — WILL 2010 BE STATE’S YEAR FOR REFORM?
http://placeforum.org/blog/2010/01/19/jan-15-2010-column-by-lisa-brouillette-will-2010-be-state%E2%80%99s-year-for-reform/

Portion of Gay Street to Close for Repairs January 19

East Alabama Recycling Partnership to host Electronics Recycling Event February 6

Public Notice: Funding Availability for City of Auburn Community Development Block Grant 2010 Action Plan

The Lee County Association of Realtors has published the Housing Statistics for the month of December 2009.
www.LeeCountyHousingStats.info

ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.   www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info:  http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.

ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 30 — ART EXHIBIT: FOUND OBJECTS II
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to all.
An annual exhibition featuring works utilizing non-traditional art materials, open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 13 — SECOND IN AUDUBON SERIES AT JCSM   ww.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is presenting John James Audubon’s Precursors and Contemporaries, the second in a two-part series, through Feb. 13 in the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Gallery. This exhibition explores natural history publications and begins with some of the earliest publications about plants, specifically herbals, which were intended as references for apothecaries. It traces representations of flora and fauna from its earliest utilitarian modes in the 16th century through the development of more artistically conceived representations. The exhibition is made possible by Gilbert Johnston of Antique Nature Prints through his loaning of prints and bound volumes. For more information, see this link. http://jcsm.auburn.edu/exhibitions/current/2009_12_audubon_pre.php

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 28 — EXHIBITION: AGRITECTURE
Held at AU’s Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall. Free & open to all.
Agritecture: What does the Chia Pet^TM have to do with sustainable living? Can grain crops be an art form? Jeff Schmuki, visiting artist in the Auburn University Department of Art, challenges viewers both to confront and to collaborate on these and other issues in Agritecture.

TUESDAY, JAN. 19, 9:00 – 4:30 PM — I-85 CORRIDOR ALLIANCE 2010 SUMMIT
Held at Tuskegee University Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
Info/registration: www.i85corridor.org or call Allyson Martin 334-844-4685.

TUESDAY, JAN. 19, 11:45 a.m. — THE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL OPPRESSION
Lunch & Learn Series: Panel Discussion
Speaker Dr. Nik Heynen
Held in room 2225/2227 AU Student Center. Free & open to all. www.auburn.edu/aukingweek
Sponsored by the AU Multicultural Center.
Dr. Neynen is a professor of geography at the University of Georgia, Athens.  His research interest include urban political economy/ecology, social theory, inequality and social movements.

TUESDAY, JAN. 19, 5:00 PM — ART LECTURE & RECEPTION: “THE END OF LAND ART” BY KELLEY WACKER
Held in AU’s Biggin Gallery. Free & open to all.
6:00 – 8:00 pm — reception
Land Art-what is it, when did it develop, and how has it evolved in the contemporary U.S.  Art historian Kelly Wacker lays the groundwork for understanding the progression of the Land Art movement. A reception will follow the lecture.

TUESDAY, JAN. 19, 6:00 PM — LEE COUNTY COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held in the commission chambers, Opelika Courthouse, 215 S. 9th Ave, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda: discussion with members of the Volunteer Firefighters Association

TUESDAY, JAN. 19 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:15 pm-Committee of the Whole /  7:00 pm – Regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet:  www.auburnalabama.org/agenda
Committee of the Whole agenda includes:
DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE presentation. Committee Member Kim Harrison. Committee Member Warren McCord.
Planning Director Forrest Cotten.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan.  — None.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Amend City Code. Adopt 2009 Editions of International Building Code, International Fire Code, International Plumbing Code, International Fuel Gas Code and International Property Maintenance Code w/Specified Amendments and Exceptions.
SECOND READING.
b. Zoning. West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc. West Pace Village. Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.Jay Conner (Authorized Representative). Property located between Interstate 85 and Shell Toomer Parkway, east of South College Street (US Highway 29). Apply Planned
Development District (PDD) designation to property zoned Comprehensive Development District (CDD). 165.5 Acres.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. City Council Meeting. Date Change for Second Meeting in March. March 23, 2010.
b. Conditional Use Approvals. West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc. West Pace Village. Public Hearing Required. Jay Conner (Authorized Representative). Property located between Interstate 85 and Shell Toomer Parkway, east of South College Street (US Highway 29). Outdoor Recreational uses, Institutional uses, Indoor Recreational uses, Office use, Commercial and Entertainment uses, Professional Studio use, Road Service uses, Commercial Recreational uses, Agricultural Support uses, Nurseries use, Commercial Support uses, and Regional Shopping Center use in Comprehensive Development District (CDD) with an Overlay of Planned Development District (PDD) designation (pending rezoning). 165.5 Acres. Planning Commission Recommendation.
c. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1)  $1,245,375. Public Works Department. Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). Federal Highway Administration. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Resurface Various Streets.  Supplemental Agreement Number 1.
(2) $75,202.40. Contract. Water Resource Management Department. Compliance EnviroSystems, LLC. Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Inspection, Cleaning, and Rehabilitation and Root Control Services. Southside Sewer Basin No. 12.
(3) $22,695. Office of the City Manager. Hixson Consultants, Inc. City Hall Repairs. Professional Services Agreement.
d. Drainage and Utility Easement, Warranty Deed, and Sanitary Sewer Easements. Acceptance and Payment for Value Lost.
(1) James M. Burt III. Property Located on North Donahue Drive.
North Donahue Drive Bridge Replacement Project.
(a) Drainage and Utility Easement and Temporary Construction Easement.
(b) Additional Right-of-Way. Warranty Deed. Payment of
$5,747 for Value Lost.
(2) Sanitary Sewer Easements.
(a) R. J. Burkhalter and Ray L. Huff. J. C. Street Subdivision,
First Revision of Lots 21-32 and 56-66. Property Located
South of West Glenn Avenue between Wright Street and
Toomer Street.
(b) Donald H. Allen. Stage at Dean Subdivision. Property
Located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Old Stage Road and North Dean Road.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.

TUESDAY, JAN. 19  — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika.  Open to all. Agenda: www.opelika.org/
Work session agenda includes:
(1) -  a.  Resolution, agreement, 2nd amended tax abatement
agreement with Mando –  Lori Hughley,  Al Cook
(2) -  a.  Resolution to delete current Financial Advisor(s) and
designate a new Financial Advisor –  City Council
(3) -  a.  Resolution/agreement, recycling fund grant agreement
with Auburn University.
b.  General updates — Mayor Fuller,  John Seymour
(4) -  Review/discuss the 1/19/10 CM agenda items — Mayor Fuller
(5) -  General Discussion  -   City Council
a. New / Old Business;  b. Board appointments; c. Other City business.
Regular session agenda includes:
6)   UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7)   REMARKS BY THE MAYOR -  Gary Fuller
a.  Recognize the “Opelika Reads Initiative”.
b.  Check presentation to the local VFW 5732 for 111th Ordinance Group deployment reception.
c.  Presentation of City employee service awards.
d.  Recognize the Police Officer of the Month.
e.  City financial summary report for December 2009.
8)   CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less)     Bob Shuman
9)   REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS -  Bob Shuman    (none)
12) AWARDING OF BIDS -  Shirley Washington
a.  Three year contract for protective clothing for the OFD.
b.  Three year contract for cellular phone service, equipment, etc. for all City departments.
c.  Custodial services for the SportsPlex.
13)  RESOLUTIONS -  Guy Gunter
1.  Refund of occupational license fee.
2.  Refund of occupational license fee.
3.  Purchase of property for the Frederick Road extension project.
4.  Vacating and abandoning a drainage/utility easement, Lot 31 Lakewood SD.
5.  Vacating and abandoning a drainage/utility easement, Lot 32 Lakewood SD.
6.  Declare City personal property as surplus and authorize disposal.
7.  Special appropriation to the VFW 5732 for the 111th Ordinance Group deployment ceremony.
8.  Special appropriation to the Opelika School system to support the Opelika Reads Initiative.
9.  Re-appointment of Opelika Municipal Judge.
14)  ORDINANCES -   Guy Gunter – To cancel the 3-16-10 Council meeting date and re-schedule to 3-23-10.  First reading.
15)  APPOINTMENTS – Two (2) reappointments to the Opelika Tree Commission.
16)  ADJOURN

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20 — ADEM NONPOINT CONFERENCE
Held at the Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center, Montgomery.
Register online at http://www.adem.state.al.us/Education%20Div/Conference/2010/ConfReg.htm
More info: http://www.adem.state.al.us/Education%20Div/Conference/2010/10NPSConference.htm

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM  — AUBURN BEAUTIFICATION COUNCIL
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave.  Open to all interested in keeping Auburn beautiful. Lunch is provided.  http://www.auburnbeautification.org/

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20,  NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION / ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON
Guest Speaker: Jeffrey Seymour; Curator, Civil War Naval Museum, Columbus, GA
Held at the Saugahatchee Country Club.
Tickets: $25. Make checks payable to “Auburn Heritage Association..”
RSVP:  Mary Norman (826-0390 or pinetucket@gmail.com) or Kitt Conner (332-7911 or kitconner@mindspring.com)
Info: www.auburnheritage.org; ph: 826-0390
Note: Monthly AHA board meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20, 2:00 PM — BLOODY LOWNDES: CIVIL RIGHTS AND BLACK POWER IN ALABAMA’S BLACK BELT
Speaker: Dr. Hassan K. Jefferies
Held in room 2222/2223 AU Student Center. Free & open to all. www.auburn.edu/aukingweek
Sponsored by the Access & Community Initiatives.
The symbol of the black panther was an export from Alabama. It did not come from the streets of Oakland but from the struggle for freedom in the rural south where the cat was once common and eventually became a symbol on ballots during the voting rights drive in Lowndes County, Alabama. That is just one of the remarkable stories in Hasan Kwame Jeffries’ new book, Bloody Lowndes: Civil Rights and Black Power in Alabama’s Black Belt. A professor of history at Ohio State University, Jeffries discusses the legacy of the African-American struggle for freedom and the roots of the civil rights movement, which he traces back to the moment of emancipation.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20 , 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
NOW HELD AT PICCOLO LOUNGE, AUBURN UNIVERSITY HOTEL & DIXON CONFERENCE CENTER. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue.  Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20, 6:00 PM  — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB
Held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road.
6:00 pm – buffet dinner ($11, tax & tip included)
6:50 pm – Speaker: Joe Turnham, Chairman, Alabama Democratic Party.
Joe Turnham will speak to the club about the 2010 Election Landscape and Races. Joe is well known to our club, as he is a native and resident of Lee County. Joe’s father, ret. State Rep. Pete Turnham, served 40 years as Member of the Alabama House, representing this area. Joe is serving his third stint over a 13-year period as Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. Joe has led a successful rebuilding of the party’s image and infrastructure culminating with hugely successful election wins in 2006. Joe’s leadership has helped democrats win 5 of 6 special elections for State House races in the last 36 months.
Joe has been a successful organizational strategist and consultant, assisting a variety of organizations and companies build and expand their markets. Joe has traveled internationally on both business and humanitarian efforts to India, Africa and South America. Joe was also a founding director of the Alabama League of Environmental Action Voters; today that organization is known as Conservation Alabama.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20, 6:30 PM — FRENCH FILM SERIES: HORS DE PRIX
Held in AU’s Haley Center room 3203.
Hors de prix (2006); Priceless (102 min.)
Irène (Audrey Tautou), who makes a fortune sweet-talking rich men, puts the moves on klutzy Jean (Gad Elmaleh), unaware that he’s just a hotel bartender. But by the time Irène realizes her mistake, Jean is hopelessly smitten with her. Letting men down easy has never been Irène’s strong suit, but she finds a way to mend Jean’s broken heart that ensures he’ll never have to mix cocktails again. Vernon Dobtcheff co-stars in this hilarious French farce.
Email ama0002@auburn.edu for more information.
Info: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/display_event.cfm?Calendar_ID=3466

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — ASIAN FILM SERIES / JAPANESE FILM: “KIDS RETURN“
Held in AU’s Haley Center room 3195. Free & open to all.
This month, the Asian Film Series features three Asian films on the theme of back to school. This second film is a Japanese director, Takeshi Kitano’s “Kids Return” (1996).
For upcoming films, please check “events calendar” of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/forlang/EventCalendar/index.cfm

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, NOON — AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: INVESTING IN THE NEW NORMAL
Held in Ariccia’s private dining room at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. Dutch-treat luncheon.
Seating is limited and early registration is recommended.
To register, call 844-3524 or e-mail wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in the College of Human Sciences, will host a roundtable luncheon and discussion on “Investing in the New Normal” featuring Susan Moore, Leah Dubberly and Brenda Dozier.
Moore is a financial consultant and the principal owner of Moore Wealth Management. Dubberly, of Merrill Lynch, has been a business owner, corporate marketing executive, political action committee fundraiser and congressional staffer. Dozier is a wealth management associate with First Legacy Partners.
More info:http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/attachment/upload/wpb_investing_flyer_1.8.2010.pdf

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, NOON – 1:00 PM — ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY TREES (ACT) / TREE CANOPY WEBINAR
American Forests Consultant Cheryl Kollin Gives National Tree Canopy Webinar
To register, and to learn more about ACT’s Third Thursday Webcast Series, visit http://actrees.org/site/stories/act_webcast_series.php.  Open to all.
Urban Ecosystem Analysis (UEA) – an assessment tool American Forests has pioneered and employed in more than 40 metropolitan areas across the nation over the past decade – provides critical data for addressing the alarming rate of urban tree loss that causes billions of dollars in lost ecological services. Dan DeWald discussed how the city of Bellevue has already used such analyses in several programs and initiatives.
The Alliance for Community Trees (ACT) is a unique national organization dedicated entirely to helping nonprofit and community organizations protect and restore the forests in cities, towns and villages where 86% of Americans make their homes. ACT’s Webcast Series is a national webcast held the third Thursday of each month at 12:00pm CST, aimed at providing informal training for community groups, volunteer organizers and other public workers, outlining successful programs and practices they can implement in their own communities. Webcasts are open to everyone.
A recorded version of Cheryl Kollin’s webcast, “Canopy Campaigns and Public Tree Goals-Part I: Goal Setting,” is available from the ACT website HERE – http://actrees.org/site/storie/canopy_campaigns_and_public_tree_goals_part_i.php .

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 3:00 PM — CHRISTIAN IDENTITY AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE IN THE RURAL SOUTH
Speaker: Dr Wylin Dassie Wilson
Held in AU’s Draughon Library Archives and Special Collections. Free & open to all.  www.auburn.edu/aukingweek
Dr. Wilson is a Scholar-in-Residence at Dunstans Episcopal Church at Auburn University.  Her lecture will focus on the gap in theological and ethical discourse regarding serious consideration of marginalized populations such as rural southern, persistently impoverished African-Americans in the Black Belt.

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 4:00 PM — WATCH AND LEARN FILM SERIES / FEATURED FILM: BOYCOTT (with Reflections and Small Group Discussion)
Held in AU’s Multicultural Center Reading Room. Free & open to all.  www.auburn.edu/aukingweek
In 1955, an African-American woman named Rosa Parks dared to take an empty seat in the “Whites Only” section on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama sparked one of the first major battles in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, thus bringing the work of Martin Luther King to the attention of many Americans for the first time. Boycott is a made-for-TV movie that dramatizes the events of the Montgomery bus boycott, weaving vintage newsreel footage with scenes depicting the public and private dramas involved in the protests. Boycott stars Jeffrey Wright as Martin Luther King, Carmen Ejogo as Coretta Scott King, and Terrence Dashon Howard as Ralph Abernathy; CCH Pounder, Reg E. Cathey, and Shawn Michael Howard highlight the supporting cast.

THURSDAY, JAN.21,  4:00 pm-OPELIKA PLANNING COMMISSION WORK SESSION
Held at 700 Fox Trail, Opelika Public Works bldg. Open to all.  www.opelika.org
Agenda includes:
I. Elect Officers to Planning Commission (Chairman, Vice Chairman)
A. PLATS (preliminary and preliminary & final) – PUBLIC HEARING
1. Plantation S/D, Redivision of Lots 20 & 21, 3 lots, Andrews Road, David Jett, P/F approval
2. Replat of Pine Acres S/D Lot 2-B1 & Pinecrest S/D, Lots 19B & 20B, 3 lots, Waverly Parkway, Matthew Toland, P/F approval 3. Ray-Murphy S/D, 5 lots, Lee Road 262, Helen Murphy, P/F approval
4. Block 34, First Revision S/D, 2 lots, 500 block of 2nd Avenue, Young Properties, LLC, P/F approval
B. REZONING – PUBLIC HEARING
5. Planning Staff, corner of Palmer Avenue & Raintree Street, 3 lots (1 acre) from C-2 to R-4
C. AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE – Public Hearing
6. Amendment to text of Zoning Ordinance – Section 9 (L) Political signs
D. OTHER BUSINESS
7. Nancy Willingham, 13 Samford Avenue, C-3, GC-2, Review temporary conditional use permit for bar
8. Troy Bell, 301 South Railroad Avenue, C-3, Review temporary conditional use permit for an auto repair and wrecker towing business
9. Greg Mims, 3300 Pepperell Pkwy, C-3, GC-2, Review temporary conditional use permit for a recycling collection business
10. Review 2010 Comprehensive Plan Work Program
11. Water Street Concept Plan
NOTE: The regular Opelika Planning Commission meeting will be held at this same location on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 3:00 pm.

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD  http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.
NOTE: A new member, Jeff Clary, has been appointed.

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 6:00 PM — SCIENCE CAFE WITH LINDY BIGGS / AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S Gay St; ph: 334.821.5550; www.thegnusroom.com;
Coffee-Books-Community
Lindy Biggs currently serves as the Executive Director of the Sustainability Initiative at Auburn University. Biggs received her PhD from MIT in history of technology, her MA and BS are from University of Missouri. She teaches and writes about technology and its social context and consequences.
Biggs’ research has focused on industrialization in both the U.S. and Britain, and more specifically on the physical reality of industrialization. Her first book, The Rational Factory: Architecture, Technology and Work in America’s Age of Mass Production (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002), examined the creation of the American mass-production factory. She is currently writing about the first factories in eighteenth-century England, their employment of child labor, and the debates that arose around early industrialization. She has received a grant from the National Science Foundation and was a senior fellow at the Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology at MIT in support of the project.
Biggs has also been a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Norway and served as the Secretary of the Society for the History of Technology. Other scholarly interests include environmental history about which she teaches and is making plans for future research.

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 6:00 – 9:00 PM — JCSM WINTER MEMBERS’ OPENING & RECEPTION www.jcsm.auburn.edu

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 7:00 – 9:00 PM — FUND RAISING WORKSHOP
Held in AU’s  O. D. Smith Hall room 329, 135 S. College St.
Fee: $20 per session ($50 for the series )
Register:  www.auburn.edu/cconline or 334-844-5100
This is the first of three Auburn University Outreach Program Office workshops.  Learn from the Vice President of Development at Auburn University, Jeff McNeill. Mr. McNeill will provide a step by step approach to successful fund raising for any size organization.
Upcoming workshops: (same place & time)
Jan. 28 -  Volunteer Management –  Join Sid James, Director of the Women’s Philanthropy Board for an insightful workshop on recruiting and managing volunteers for your community organization.
Feb. 4 -  Community Organizing — Roberta Jackel, former City Council member, facilitates a panel discussion on strategies for community organizing at its best.

FRIDAY, JAN. 22 through SUNDAY, JAN. 24 — ALABAMA TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION 2010 RAMBLE / EUFAULA AND THE GEORGIA CHATTAHOCHEE AREA
The Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation will travel to Eufaula and the Chattahoochee area to visit various historic sites.
Registration for the entire Ramble is $60 per person; $50 for Saturday only. This includes the tour bus fare, admission to Westville, and admission to Fort Mitchell. Meals and hotel are  NOT included in the registration fee.
Lodging reservations: Lakepoint Resort State Park (104 Lakepoint Dr., Eufaula, AL 36027) call 334-687-8011 or 1-800-544-5253; or email sone.kornegay@dcnr.alabama.gov. . Hotel rooms are $60 plus tax. Please mention that you are with the Trust Ramble (group # 1149).

FRIDAY, JAN. 22 through WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27 — CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY /  AT THE CAPRI THEATRE
Held at the Capri Theatre, 1045 E Fairview Ave
Montgomery; ph: 334.262.4858; www.capritheatre.org/ .
Showings: Fri & Sat: 7:00 & 9:30; pm  Sun – Wed: 7:30 pm only
Everyone’s most loved and hated documentarian Michael Moore takes on the US financial system and tries to find out what is going on.  Capitalism: A Love Story (127mins)
http://www.capitalismalovestory.com

FRIDAY, JAN. 22, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM — TRADITION – INNOVATION: AMERICAN MASTERPIECES OF SOUTHERN CRAFT AND TRADITIONAL ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Bill L. Harbert Gallery. Free & open to all.  www.jcsm.auburn.edu
JCSM is host to a traveling survey exhibition of contemporary craft and traditional art produced in the southeastern United States, and is the only venue in Alabama. Organized by the Southern Arts Federation, Tradition/Innovation:American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art features fifty-eight of the region’s master artists working in ceramics, glass, fiber arts, basketry, woodworking, metal-smithing, book arts, and other traditionally utilitarian media. Featuring more than 100 objects, the exhibition provides a sweeping view of modern craft, with examinations of the importance of community and culture, innovation and evolution, and the imprint of place.

FRIDAY, JAN. 22, 11:45 a.m. — DR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION / music & reflections
Held in AU Student Center. Free & open to all.  Info: www.auburn.edu/aukingweek
Music and reflections on the Life and Contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King. The Auburn University Gospel Choir will perform at the event. This year’s King Week activities were coordinated by Access and Community Initiatives, a unit of the Auburn University Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.

FRIDAY, JAN. 22, 7:00 PM — POETRY READING & BOOK SIGNING / AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, Coffee-Books-Community, 414 South Gay St; ph: 334.821.5550; www.thegnusroom.com.
Auburn-based poetry publisher New Plains Press has recently released its first two books of poetry, and the Gnu’s Room is proud to be chosen for readings and signings. The first reading will be of Rest in Black Haw by Emily Elizabeth Schulten. Schulten is originally from Bowling green, KY but has traveled extensively and currently resides and teaches in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also a doctoral candidate in poetry at Georgia State University. Schulten has been published or has forthcoming work in Rio Grande Review, The Secret of Salt, The Hollins Critic, and Askew. For information on New Plains Press, please viist their website at www.newplainspress.com.

FRIDAY, JAN. 22, 7:30 PM — SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING GREG KLYMA
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall, 450 E. Thach Ave. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10, $8 for students, and free for children 12 and under (and welcomed; play area provided).
Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed).
Troubadour Greg Klyma brings his always crowd-pleasing music to Auburn. For more info, and to hear music clips of Greg Klyma, go to www.sundilla.org.

SATURDAY, JAN. 23, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. – CHAIR MASSAGE
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House,  414 South Gay St; ph: 334.821.5550; Coffee-Books-Community, www.thegnusroom.com.
Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere at the Gnu’s Room with a cup of your favorite coffee or tea and let Conar Rochford remove any remaining stress with his healing hands. A fifteen-minute session is  $10.00. Gift certificates are available.

SATURDAY, JAN. 23, 2:00 – 5:00 PM — COTTON BOLL QUILT GUILD / RECEPTION:  QUILT SHOW “IT’S CHALLENGING”
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall, 450 E. Thach Ave.  www.auuf.net Free & open to all.
Come enjoy the beautiful quilts on loan from the Cotton Boll Quilt Guild and show the artists your appreciation.

SUNDAY, JAN. 24, 10:00 AM — AUUF / “SUNDAY WITH THE ALABAMA ACLU”
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) Hall, 450 E. Thach Ave.  Free & open to all. www.auuf.net
A representative from the Alabama ACLU will be on hand to discuss issues on which they are currently focusing, including immigrants’ rights. Bring your commitment to “justice, equity and compassion” and your questions to bear.

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ACTION ALERTS FROM CONSERVATION ALABAMA
www.conservationalabama.org

Tell your Senator to fix crumbling roads first Action Needed:   Tell your state Senator to vote NO on SB121 and come back with a plan that maximizes social, economic, and environmental benefit from existing transportation infrastructure before creating new roads we cannot afford.
Deadline for responding: Please contact your state Senator by 1 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19.

The Alabama State Legislature has been back in session for just one week, and we’ve got our hands full playing defense. Tuesday, the Alabama Senate is poised to vote on SB121, which would take $1 billion from the Alabama Trust Fund to build new roads in Alabama. This proposal is bad for citizen health, our economy, and environment in so many ways. We need you to tell your Senator to vote NO on SB121.

Problem: While thousands of roads and bridges are crumbling in Alabama, the Alabama Senate is proposing to take $1 billion over the next 10 years out of our state savings account to build even more roads we can’t maintain. With primary focus on new road projects and only a fraction of the dollars to go toward maintenance and repair of existing infrastructure, this proposal will make cash-strapped Alabamians even more dependent on foreign oil. By depleting our financial reserves in the state, funding for Forever Wild will be decreased as well. Worst of all, there is not even a dime for public transit in this legislation.

Solution: Alabama needs an infrastructure redevelopment plan that first focuses on fixing crumbling infrastructure; secondly reduces our reliance on foreign oil; thirdly encourages reinvestment in existing communities; and fourthly places a priority on creating a world-class transportation system, with emphasis on establishing and expanding mass transit. SB121 is not the solution to Alabamians needs, and it must be defeated.

*   *   *

Let the public speak on SB61 - Alfa’s Hog Farm Bill
a.k.a. “Family Farm Preservation Act”

Action Needed: Please call, e-mail, or fax Sen. Kim Benefield, the sponsor of this SB61 and the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and ask her to schedule a public hearing on SB61 before the committee votes. It’s important that the public’s voice is heard.

Deadline for responding: With the committee scheduled to meet Wednesday morning, please take action no later than Tuesday, January 19 at 5 p.m.

As the state of Alabama has already been reminded this year, defense wins championships. It’s true for football, and it’s true for protecting the environment in the Alabama State Legislature. In order for the environment to Win in 2010, we need to stop bad environmental legislation, such as the Hog Farm Bill (SB61) before the Senate Agriculture Committee this week. But you can’t win when you aren’t even allowed onto the field.

Problem: After introducing the same legislation eight times and being defeated each time by Conservation Alabama and our partners, Alfa has made significant changes to their so-called “Family Farm Preservation Act.” But the essence of this bill remains. SB61 would make corporate hog farms immune from legitimate legal action from citizens – especially when those citizens are plagued with the nuisance of the stench of thousands of hogs, the large black flies they attract, the degradation of water quality, and the overall decreased quality of life in rural Alabama. But the Senate Agriculture Committee is poised to vote on this revised legislation without giving the public an opportunity to speak about the bill.

Solution: For each of the eight times this ill-conceived bill has been offered by Alfa, the Agriculture Committee has allowed a public hearing. With some important changes to SB61 from previous years, it is even more important that the public have the opportunity to address the committee about their concerns.

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ACTION ALERT FROM WILDSOUTH
Wild South is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire and empower people to protect and restore the native ecosystems of the Southeast.   www.wildsouth.org

URGENT: Please Contact Sen. Bedford and Rep. Lindsey’s Offices Immediately to reauthorize “Forever Wild”
Senator Roger Bedford: (334) 242-7862
Representative Richard Lindsey: (334) 242-7713
Click or Copy/Paste this link in your browser to take action:
http://www.alforeverwild.com/CalltoAction/tabid/67/Default.aspx
The position of the Protect Forever Wild Coalition:

Forever Wild should be reauthorized in its current form because of the success it has accomplished in preserving public lands in Alabama for future generations and the overwhelming public support it has continued to receive since it was approved by 83% of Alabamians in 1992.

Two letters – one signed by Rep. Richard Lindsey to all house members and the same letter signed by Sen. Roger Bedford to all senate members – ask for the consideration of a “Conserve Alabama” amendment, while also asking that no member commit to the reauthorization of Forever Wild.

The letters regarding the “Conserve Alabama” Amendment do not provide any funding details. We have been informed previously that the entities referenced in these letters have recommended diversion of Forever Wild Funds for other uses – as much as $10 Million to be split evenly between the programs of interest to ALFA and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts with Forever Wild allocated $5 Million.

It is our hope that this is not case, and that the entities involved will join us in “Protecting and Reauthorizing Forever Wild Funding” – but at this time we do not have the necessary information to draw that conclusion.

A reduction in Forever Wild funding in any way would ultimately gut one of the most successful programs ever passed by the legislature.

It is urgent that both Sen. Bedford and Rep. Lindsey receive a significant number of calls immediately from our coalition urging them to not introduce any legislation that would reduce funding to Forever Wild.

Also, please forward this message to as many others and encourage them to make calls this morning as well. If they have an interest in expanding Alabama’s conservation efforts for additional worthy projects, gutting Forever Wild isn’t the answer.

Please place calls immediately to both offices. If you don’t get to speak with the member, leave the message that you’re calling to support the reauthorization of Forever Wild in its current form.

====================

Info from the Alabama  Environmental Council  – www.aeconline.org

ADEM Accepting Applications for Director, Slows Down Process…Some!
After the resignation last month of Trey Glenn, Director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Environmental Management Commission is accepting applications through the end of January. They will also be accepting public input through 3 questions you might like asked of the candidates by January 29th. The intention is to narrow down the candidates on February 5th, interview finalists on the 12th, and hire the new Director at their February meeting, February 19th. That may seem fast for the most important position at the state agency responsible for protecting Alabama’s environ­ment, but it is actually slower than originally proposed. Through public and media pressure and work of the ADEM Reform Coalition, of which AEC is a part, the EMC agreed to this revised schedule and are attempting to make this a public process.

If you are interested in the position, or know someone who is, please look at ADEM’s website for qualifications and or con­tact our staff to discuss what can be done. For such an important job, the EMC needs to select the right person for the job; someone who understands the connection between environmental protection and public health and can transform the agency.

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CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Jan. 19, 2010

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Column by Lisa Brouillette: Will 2010 be state’s year for reform?

First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Jan. 25, 2010

Alabama’s collective version of New Years’ resolutions seems to be calls for reform. Ethics reform. Constitutional reform. Environmental reform. Tax reform, especially as it relates to daily necessity – food.

Every year, the same needs, the same goals, the same optimistic enthusiasm. Every year, too, a disappointing repeat of the same failures to act.

Will we break the cycle in this election year, when typically much is promised and little delivered? Keep in mind nearly three in 10 Alabamians who qualify to vote aren’t even registered. And only slightly more than half of those registered actually vote.

That said, there are opportunities for positive change on both state and local levels.

The Alabama Environmental Management Commission (EMC), ADEM’s governing board, could choose a strong environmental advocate as the new ADEM director.

Also, ADEM could increase fines for permit violations, such as last year’s $502,000 formal administrative penalty for the Mimm’s Trail development on Shell Toomer Parkway. (See case#04-2009-4789 at http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo/.)

State legislation for constitutional reform and removing the tax on food again awaits consideration. For details, see http://www.constitutionalreform.org/, http://www.untaxgroceries.org, or view pending legislation at http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/ACASLoginFire.asp.

In my estimation, ethics reform is the most important civic New Years’ goal. This must include tougher open meetings and open records rules.

No matter what laws we have, they mean nothing if citizens don’t have detailed information of our elected and appointed officials’ business, family and financial connections.

Consider this sample of actions in recent years, including criminal proceedings, which highlight current issues and reflect growing public concern.

The Adamsville City Council was alleged to have violated the state’s open meetings law.

Multiple criminal investigations are pending involving Jefferson County and Birmingham officials.

It would take an entire column to list them.

Local columnist and long-time newspaper publisher Paul Davis took decisive action to improve the open meetings policy of the Alabama Department of Mental Health’s advisory board.

The Montgomery County Board of Education is fighting allegations they met in secret via serial meetings of a non-quorum of members.

This newspaper brought public attention to the Auburn City Council’s similar use of serial meetings to reach consensus outside of a public meeting, including by e-mail, fax and phone.

Public officials frequently and intentionally circumvent the intent of the open meetings law by meeting in small groups (i.e., fewer voting members than required to trigger an open public meeting). Such serial e-meetings need to be definitively prohibited.

2010 -will this be Alabama’s new year of reform?

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.

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Week of Jan. 12, 2010 — Meetings, events & updates

TUESDAY, JAN. 12, 9:00 AM — OPELIKA BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT (BZA)
Held in the Public Works Facility, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
A. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL/VARIANCE 1.Jim Parker, 1651 Parker Way (Microtel hotel adjacent to Lowe’s), Sign variance request to exceed the maximum square footage for a group development sign and to allow an existing off-premise sign to remain on a temporary basis for eighteen (18) months in a C-3, GC-2 zoning district.

TUESDAY, JAN. 12, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/

TUESDAY, JAN. 12, 1:30 – 3:00 PM — ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATE WOODROW CLARK / “The Third Industrial Revolution”
Held  in the Lowder Business Building.
Space is limited. If you want to attend,contact Katie Brock at brockmk@auburn.edu.
The Auburn University Office of Sustainability and the College of
Business MBA program are bringing renowned environmental advocate Woodrow Clark to Auburn this week. Clark was part of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shared the Nobel Prize for their work on climate issues.

TUESDAY, JAN. 12, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda:  http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
Agenda includes:
1. CALL TO ORDER. Anne Shaw, Chair.
a. Approval of minutes, November 10, 2009
b. Approval of minutes, December 8, 2009
2. CONSIDERATION TO STUDY THE AREA AROUND GAY AND PAYNE STREETS FOR A POSSIBLE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION
3. OTHER BUSINESS Including:
a. Recent Certificates of Appropriateness issued administratively
b. Additional improvements to signs and poles in the North College Historic District
c. Black Heritage research update
d. Alabama Historical Commission request for 2010 Places in peril nominations
e. House Plaques in the historic district, standards and placement
4. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS
5. ADJOURNMENT

TUESDAY, JAN. 12  – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION   www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Approve  Agenda
4. Recognitions
Members of Auburn City Board of Education
Auburn High School Cross-Country TeamS
5. Hear Delegations
6. Approve Minutes
December 8, 2009, regular session
December 16, 2009, special session
7. Communications
8. Approve Payment of Bills and Salaries – December 2009
9. Unfinished Business – (None)
10. Superintendent’s Report and New Business
1. Energy Star Certification – Wrights Mill Road Elementary School
2. Bid Results: Vehicle Fleet Insurance
3. Request to Update Auburn City Schools Policy Manual
4. Alabama Department of Education Compliance Review Summary
5. Alabama’s Race to the Top Grant
6. Revised Evaluation Form for Classified Personnel
11. Personnel
12. Other
– Board Member Appreciation Breakfast, January 27, 2010, 8:00 a.m., Wrights Mill Road Elementary School
– Alabama Association of School Boards District 4 Meeting, February 8, 2010, 6:00 p.m., Auburn
***The Board of Education will meet for its next regular session on February 9, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Media Room at Auburn High School.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13 , 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Now held at Piccolo Lounge, AU Hotel. Open to all.
More info: contact Matt Williams, AU Office of Sustainability, miwilliams@auburn.edu.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue.  Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot.  Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13, 7:00 PM  — ASIAN FILM SERIES / FILM: “NOT ONE LESS”
Held in AU’s Haley Center, room 3195.Free & open to the public.
The Chinese Club, Japanese Student Organization, Korean American Student Association and Indian Student Association are cosponsoring a film screening of Zhang Yimou’s “Not One Less”. The film will include English subtitles.The screening is part of the spring 2010 Asian film series, and is free and open to the public.

THURSDAY, JAN. 14, 8:00 am  — AUBURN DOWNTOWN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DMA)
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger).
The Auburn DMA meets at 8:00 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month. All those interested in supporting and improving Downtown Auburn are invited to attend. http://www.downtownauburnal.org/

THURSDAY, JAN. 14, 3:00 – 5:00 PM — FREE H1N1 VACCINATION CLINIC  AT AU
FREE for AU students, employees and dependents ages 10 and older.
Held in room 2222, AU’s Student Center.
Auburn University will be holding a free H1N1 vaccination clinic  this Thursday No further vaccination clinics are planned at this time, so don’t miss your chance to get vaccinated. Vaccinations will be provided in the form of the H1N1 flushot. Proof of insurance is not required.
After this clinic, vaccination will be offered by appointment only at the Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center, located in 2155 Walker Building, while vaccine supplies last.
Take a few moments to protect yourself, your family and your coworkers and fellow students by getting vaccinated.
For more information about H1N1 flu and Auburn University’s response:
http://www.auburn.edu/administration/public_safety/emergency . Questions?: e-mail emergencymanagement@auburn.edu.

THURSDAY, JAN. 14, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.

THURSDAY, JAN. 14, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Battle Annexation PL-2009-00920
Applicant:  Robert and Regina Battle
General Location: 1310 Lee Road 84
Zoning District:  Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 5.55 acres
2. Ruben Slaughter Subdivision, First Revision PL-2009-00881
Applicant: Zack Sprayberry for Ruben Slaughter
General Location: 138 Lee Road 668
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Revised final plat approval for a lot consolidation (9 lots into 1)
NEW BUSINESS
3. Brookhaven Farms Subdivision, Eighth Revision, Redivision of Lot 3 PL-2009-00912 PUBLIC HEARING
Applicant: Twelve Stones Holding Co., LLC
General Location: 1400 block of Lee Road 56
Zoning District: Rural (R)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 7 lot conventional residential subdivision
4. Moores Mill Golf Club, Phase 4B, Redivision of Lots 94 and 117-A PL-2009-00919 PUBLIC HEARING
Applicant: Dilworth Development, Inc. for William Cleveland
General Location: Southern terminus of Fairway Drive
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 17-lot performance single-family residential subdivision
5. Frank Brown Recreation Center PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00900
Applicant: City of Auburn
General Location: 235 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for an Indoor Recreational use (Frank Brown Community Recreation Center) and the addition of a Senior Center building.
6. Jennings Building PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00921
Applicant: Jay Jennings for Jennings Construction Company, Inc.
General Location: 421-B Opelika Road
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for an institutional use (Classrooms for a Private School).
7. East University Drive Curb Cut Waiver PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00916
Applicant: Gregory Forthofer for Lewis Pick and Nicholas Hoffman
General Location: 2552 East University Drive
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Waiver to Article IV B4, Restriction of Access, of the City of Auburn Subdivision Regulations regarding the required spacing of 600 feet between curb cuts on East University Drive from North College Street to South College Street.
OTHER BUSINESS
8. Annual Meeting of the Commission to Elect New Officers
9. CompPlan 2030 Update – Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT

THURSDAY, JAN. 14, 7:00 pm — EAST ALABAMA CYCLING CLUB
Held at the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Parkway, Opelika.  Open to all.
The East Alabama Cycling Club (EACC) is a bicycle club for riders of all skill levels and riding styles.  The club meets at 7:00 pm, on the second Thursday of each month. More info:  mk1hgn@yahoo.com

FRIDAY, JAN. 15, 7:00 – 8:00 PM — AN EVENING WITH DR. JOSEPH LOWERY / REFLECTIONS ON INSPIRING THE STRENGTH TO LOVE
Held the auditorium, at the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. Free & open to all.
Seating is limited, please call 334.844.5042  for reservation.
Info: www.auburn.edu/aukingweek
Sponsored by the Access & Community .
Hailed as the “Dean of the Civil Rights Movement” upon his receipt of the NAACP’s “Lifetime Achievement Award,” Rev. Dr. Joseph Echols Lowery has assumed and executed a broad and diverse series of roles over the span of his eight decades: Leader, Pastor/Preacher, Servant, Father, Husband, Freedom Fighter and Advocate.  One milestone in this remarkable journey took place on August 12, 2009 when President Barack Obama awarded him the nation’s highest civilian honor: The Presidential Medal of Freedom, in recognition of his lifelong commitment to the nonviolent struggle for the causes of justice, human rights, economic equality, voting rights, peace and human dignity.

FRIDAY, JAN. 15, 7:00 PM – LAUNCH PARTY FOR “GNU WRITERS SERIES”  / AT THE GNU’S ROOM www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  Free & open to all. The event is open to all and there is no charge.
The Gnu’s Room is launching the “Gnu Writers’ Series,” a literary magazine which will feature a local poet, fiction writer or artist each month. The inaugural edition features local short story writer Jacob Thompson. Thompson is a regular participant at our open mic nights and his story, “Guide to Biking Rural Roads at Night,” is a tongue-in-cheek look at the dangers of cycling in Lee County. Thompson will be at the store on Friday, January 15th at 7:00 p.m. to read his work and copies will be available for distribution. Light refreshments will be served, and everyone is invited to help us celebrate this new publication.

SUNDAY, JAN. 17, 5:00 p.m. – ANNUAL MLK JR INTERFAITH VIGIL FOR PEACE
Held at Toomers Corner, Auburn. All are invited to participate. Bring candles/posters.

SUNDAY, JAN. 17, 5:00 PM — “WORD FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP” ORATORICAL FINALISTS COMPETITION
Held in the Auburn Chamber of Commerce Auditorium.
Sponsored by Access & Community Initiatives.
The 2ND Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Word from the Mountain Top oratorical competition. The purpose of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Word from the Mountain Top oratory contest is to recognize and give students the opportunity to reflect on the message of Dr. King, while connecting his message to issues facing our nation in the 21st century. In addition, participants are provided an opportunity to enhance their own writing and communication skills through oration.
To be eligible all participants must be a bona fide student currently enrolled in a college/university, community college, high school, middle school or junior high school (public, parochial, military, private or state accredited home school). Participants must be residents of Lee County.
Students must submit one copy of the completed typed- written speech including a title. This information should be postmarked or delivered by later than January 11, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. Speeches can also be submitted electronically to wolfebr@auburn.edu. Preregistration required at 334-844-2976

SUNDAY, JAN. 17, 7:30 PM — CONCERT: SARA THOMSEN
Held at the AUUF / Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E. Thach Ave. Tickets not required; donations for the artist gratefully accepted. An enchanting weaver of song and community singing, Minnesotan Sara Thomsen returns to Alabama. In 2006 Sara left Ireland to participate as a volunteer in the 10 day Selma to Montgomery “Living the Dreamer/Co-creating the Beloved Community” pilgrimage. Even during pelting rain and repeated tornado warnings, “God’s gonna trouble the waters” joyfully rang out as Thomsen and her chorister walkers determinedly did “Wade-on.” Creator of four highly acclaimed solo albums, Sara is founder of Duluth’s Echoes of Peace Choir and artistic director of the “Three Altos” trio. Info: www.sarathomsen.com.  Co-sponsored by the Alliance for Peace and Justice (www.peaceeagle.org),  Rose of Sharon, AUUF’s Social Action Committee, and C-MOVE (Citizens Making Opportunity Visible for Excellence) as community-wide ways to celebrate in song the vision and work of Dr. Martin Luther King and all who continue to Live the Dream.

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Information from: Lenora Pate and Jim Vickrey, ACCR
Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform

TODAY, TUESDAY, JAN. 12, NOON  — ALABAMA’S 2010 LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS
Help support the Joint Resolution to “Let The People Vote”

Speaker Pro Tem Demetrius Newton and Senator Ted Little intend to introduce again a Joint Resolution  in the House and Senate to “Let the People Vote” on calling  a constitutional convention to rewrite Alabama’s 1901 Constitution.

PLEASE CALL  YOUR  REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATOR TODAY,  and thank them  if they were a Co-Sponsor of  the Resolution in 2009  and ask them to be a Co-Sponsor again.  If   they were not, ask them to  become a Co-Sponsor by contacting Rep. Newton and Sen. Little TODAY!

Also, please call House Speaker Newton at 334-242-7664 and Senator Little at 334-242-7865  to thank them for their Sponsorship of the Joint Resolution..

Your legislators are  listed  at www.legislature.state.al.us where you can type in your zip code and get his or her name and contact information.

Last year we had 39 co-sponsors for the Joint Resolution, and we hope to have more this Session.  Please contact last year’s Co-Sponsors listed below,  and YOUR Representative and Senator, TODAY and ask them to contact immediately Rep. Newton and Senator Little about being a Co-Sponsor of this year’s Joint Resolution to “Let the People Vote”!

House Co-Sponsors for last year’s Joint Resolution were:
Democrats: Marcel Black of Tuscumbia;  Barbara Boyd of Anniston; Merika Coleman of Midfield; Chris England of Tuscaloosa; Billy Dukes of Decatur; Priscilla Dunn of Bessemer; Ron Grantland of Hartselle; Laura Hall of Huntsville; Allen Harper of Aliceville; Earl Hillard, Jr. of Birmingham; Tammy Irons of Florence; Joseph Mitchell of Mobile; John Robinson of Scottsboro;  Yusuf Salaam of Selma; Tommy Sherer of Jasper;  Patricia Todd of Birmingham; Pebblin Warren of Tuskeegee; Lea Fite of Jacksonville; Ken Guin of Carbon Hill; Jeff Mc Laughlin of Guntersville; Oliver Robinson of Birmingham; and Randy Hinshaw of Meridianville.
Republicans: Joe Faust of Fairhope;  Mac Gipson of Prattville; and Mike Hill of Columbia.

Senate Co- Sponsors for last year’s Joint Resolution were:
Democrats: Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham; Zeb Little of Cullman; Hinton Mitchem of Union Grove; Wendell Mitchell of Luverne; Bobby Denton of Muscle Shoals;  Hank Sanders of Selma; Roger Bedford of Russellville;  Bobby Singleton of Greensboro; Linda Coleman of Birmingham; Vivian Figures of Mobile; Larry Means of Attalla; and Quinton Ross of Montgomery.
Republicans;  Steve French of Birmingham; and Del Marsh of Anniston.

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Upcoming event – register now
THURSDAY, JAN. 21, NOON — AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: INVESTING IN THE NEW NORMAL
Held in Ariccia’s private dining room at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. Dutch-treat luncheon.
Seating is limited and early registration is recommended.
To register, call 844-3524 or e-mail wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in the College of Human Sciences, will host a roundtable luncheon and discussion on “Investing in the New Normal” featuring Susan Moore, Leah Dubberly and Brenda Dozier.
Moore is a financial consultant and the principal owner of Moore Wealth Management. Dubberly, of Merrill Lynch, has been a business owner, corporate marketing executive, political action committee fundraiser and congressional staffer. Dozier is a wealth management associate with First Legacy Partners.
More info:  http://www.humsci.auburn.edu/attachment/upload/wpb_investing_flyer_1.8.2010.pdf

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACEforum
email:  placeforum@gmail.com
web:    http://placeforum.org/blog/
Jan. 12, 2010

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Jan. 11, 2010 — Meetings, events & updates
(The rest of the week’s schedule will be sent later today.)

Wire Road Bridge Replacement Project to Begin January 11, 2010
Bridge expected to be closed for several months

City of Auburn LifeSouth Blood Drive January 12

Portion of East University Drive to Close January 12

MONDAY, JAN. 11 — OLLI AT AUBURN GENERAL MEETING
9:00 AM — Coffee & Information Fair
10:00 AM — Speaker: Kathryn Tucker Windham
Held at the Leington Hotel – University Convention Center, 1577 S. College St. Free & open to the public.
Info:  334-844-5100 or www.olliatauburn.org

MONDAY, JAN. 11, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Battle Annexation PL-2009-00920
Applicant:  Robert and Regina Battle
General Location: 1310 Lee Road 84
Zoning District:  Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for annexation of approximately 5.55 acres
2. Ruben Slaughter Subdivision, First Revision PL-2009-00881
Applicant: Zack Sprayberry for Ruben Slaughter
General Location: 138 Lee Road 668
Zoning District: Outside of the City limits
Action Requested: Revised final plat approval for a lot consolidation (9 lots into 1)
NEW BUSINESS
3. Brookhaven Farms Subdivision, Eighth Revision, Redivision of Lot 3 PL-2009-00912 PUBLIC HEARING
Applicant: Twelve Stones Holding Co., LLC
General Location: 1400 block of Lee Road 56
Zoning District: Rural (R)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 7 lot conventional residential subdivision
4. Moores Mill Golf Club, Phase 4B, Redivision of Lots 94 and 117-A PL-2009-00919 PUBLIC HEARING
Applicant: Dilworth Development, Inc. for William Cleveland
General Location: Southern terminus of Fairway Drive
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Development District Housing (DDH) underlying
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 17-lot performance single-family residential subdivision
5. Frank Brown Recreation Center PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00900
Applicant: City of Auburn
General Location: 235 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for an Indoor Recreational use (Frank Brown Community Recreation Center) and the addition of a Senior Center building.
6. Jennings Building PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00921
Applicant: Jay Jennings for Jennings Construction Company, Inc.
General Location: 421-B Opelika Road
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for an institutional use (Classrooms for a Private School).
7. East University Drive Curb Cut Waiver PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00916
Applicant: Gregory Forthofer for Lewis Pick and Nicholas Hoffman
General Location: 2552 East University Drive
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Waiver to Article IV B4, Restriction of Access, of the City of Auburn Subdivision Regulations regarding the required spacing of 600 feet between curb cuts on East University Drive from North College Street to South College Street.
OTHER BUSINESS
8. Annual Meeting of the Commission to Elect New Officers
9. CompPlan 2030 Update – Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT

MONDAY, JAN. 11   – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens:  (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
a. Volunteer Dan Foy – Kathy Russell
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. Recognition of new Highway Department Administrator – Neal Hall
7. Consent Agenda:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting December 14, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims and Procurement Card Transactions
c. Board Announcement for Beulah Utilities Board
d. Bid #2 for Uniform Cleaning – Sheriff Jay Jones
8.  OLD BUSINESS:
9.  New Business:
a. Condition of Lee Road 853- Deborah Simmons
b. 2010 NACo Legislative Conference Expenses – Commissioner Harris
c. Joint City/County Road Maintenance – Neal Hall
d. Energy Cost Recovery Services – Roger Rendleman
e. Proposed Director of Jail Medical Services – Roger Rendleman
f. Corrections Officer Positions – Roger Rendleman
g. Solid Waste Enforcement Proposal – Roger Rendleman
h. RFP for County Bridge Bond Issue – Roger Rendleman
i. Electrical Bid for new Highway Building – Roger Rendleman
10.  Executive Session – Stan Martin
11.  Adjourn

MONDAY, JAN. 11 (also Jan 14, 18, & 21), 5:30 – 8:30 PM — FOUR NIGHT SELF-DEFENSE CLASS FOR WOMEN
Held at the former Johnson Furniture Gallery location in downtown Opelika.
Pre-registration is required; $15 fee for the class. Participants may register at the Auburn University Department of Public Safety office on Magnolia, or at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Auburn University Department of Public Safety, along with the Auburn Police Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, is offering a four-night Rape Aggression Defense, or R.A.D., self-defense course for women only. R.A.D. is a nationally certified self-defense program designed for women of all ages and ability levels. Certified local instructors provide informative risk-reduction tips along with physical defense techniques in this empowering class, culminating in a simulated attack scenario in which participants utilize the techniques they’ve learned in order to escape their “attacker.”
For more information, contact Andrea Bartels, Auburn University Department of Public Safety R.A.D Coordinator, at bartead@auburn.edu.

==========================

ONGOING THROUGH JAN. 15 – PTA REFLECTIONS ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Reception, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2:00 – 4:00 pm.
PTA Reflections is an art education program that gives Auburn City School students the opportunity to create works of art in a variety of media. The program helps parents encourage the creativity and lifelong learning of their children in which they receive recognition for their artistic endeavors. The student winners will be announced at the PTA Reflections reception Sunday, Jan. 10 from 2 – 4 p.m.

ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 – JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.   www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info:  http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.

ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 30 – ART EXHIBIT: FOUND OBJECTS II
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to all.
An annual exhibition featuring works utilizing non-traditional art materials, open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 13 – SECOND IN AUDUBON SERIES AT JCSM   ww.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is presenting John James Audubon’s Precursors and Contemporaries, the second in a two-part series, through Feb. 13 in the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Gallery. This exhibition explores natural history publications and begins with some of the earliest publications about plants, specifically herbals, which were intended as references for apothecaries. It traces representations of flora and fauna from its earliest utilitarian modes in the 16th century through the development of more artistically conceived representations. The exhibition is made possible by Gilbert Johnston of Antique Nature Prints through his loaning of prints and bound volumes. For more information, see this link. http://jcsm.auburn.edu/exhibitions/current/2009_12_audubon_pre.php

UPCOMING CONFERENCE
Jan. 27-29, 2010 – Green and Blue Conference – www.greenandblueconference.com/
Sustainable Residential Building Conference
Held at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center.
Cost: $150. Special $50 rate available for AU faculty and students who register with their Auburn e-mail address.
This conference is aimed at those involved in residential design and construction as well as educators, researchers and policy makers. The conference will host five track areas: water, residential building strategies, neighborhood development, emerging research and building codes/systems. Speakers presenting include representatives from Auburn University School of Architecture, Florida Solar Energy Center, U.S. Department of Energy, Nature’s Tap and Habitat for Humanity.
Conference participants will examine the rationale for sustainable residential construction, and the methods and materials available to achieve it. There will be presentations by experts and practical workshops covering many topics including:
* Home energy audits
* Energy Star for the home
* Home water conservation
* Low impact development
* Green building regulations
* Net zero prototype buildings
* A comparision of sustainable building rating systems
CEU credits are available for participants.
The conference has been organized by Alabama Association of Habitat Affiliates in partnership with the Home Depot Foundation, Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design, and Construction and the Office of Sustainability, USGBC Alabama, and the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development.
More info: http://www.greenandblueconference.com/

**** ****** **** ******
HUNTSVILLE TIMES – Huntsville’s Navistar assembly plant to assign workers to area community agencies in effort to avoid layoffs.

(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Alabama, Florida and Georgia ask federal judge to keep water war negotiations confidential.

(FLORENCE) TIMES DAILY – The Times Daily says that proposal to end Forever Wild and redirect funds to farmers who agree not to develop their property “looks and smells a lot like one of the primary byproducts of farming.”

ANNISTON STAR – The Anniston Star says Legislators should tell Alfa “hands off Forever Wild.”

MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor says layoffs are only temporary as 225 lose jobs.

DOTHAN EAGLE – Houston County judge signs order halting Governor’s Task Force on Gambling raid on Country Crossing.

DOTHAN EAGLE – Planned raid on Country Crossing leads to closure of entertainment complex; developer Ronnie Gilley promises facility will reopen.

HUNTSVILLE TIMES – The Huntsville Times says that Alabama should follow the lead of other states and be vigilant in ensuring that industry’s receiving tax credits produce the jobs that they promise.

==========================

CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

==========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Jan. 11, 2010

Comments Off

Week of Jan. 5, 2010 — Meetings, updates & events

DEC. 18, 2009 COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/12/19/dec-18-2009-column-by-lisa-brouillette/

ANOTHER AUBURN DE-ANNEXATION REQUESTED / see tonight’s Auburn City Council packet, item 10b
On tonight’s Auburn City Council agenda is a request for ‘reduction of corporate boundaries’ (i.e., de-annexation) of the 80+ acre Fred Adams property on Sandhill Road. The council packet info on this item shows staff recommending denial of the request. (Note: A previous request for de-annexation from Lee County Commissioner Mathan Holt and Jill Holt for their Hwy 14 property was approved by the Auburn City Council.)

==========================

CITY OF AUBURN press releases:

Portion of Tichenor Avenue to Close January 4 – 8, 2010

Wire Road Bridge Replacement Project to Begin January 11, 2010
Bridge expected to be closed for several months

==========================
Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change,  sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.

MONDAY, JAN. 4 THROUGH FRIDAY, JAN. 8 — FREE PARKING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
Enjoy the free parking in downtown metered spaces offered through the holiday season!  Shop Auburn!

TUESDAY, JAN. 5, 4:00 pm  – AUBURN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD (IDB)
Held in the City Manager’s Conference Room, Auburn City Hall, 144 Tichenor Ave. Open to all.

TUESDAY, JAN. 5, 5:15 pm – AUBURN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.

TUESDAY, JAN. 5, 6:30 PM – AUBURN PRESERVATION LEAGUE / Board Meeting
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave.  Open to the public. www.auburnpreservationleague.org
The APL board meets the first Tuesday of each month. All meetings are open to the public and members are encouraged to attend.

TUESDAY, JAN. 5 — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:35 pm – work session  / 7:00 pm – regular meeting
Held at 204 S. 7th St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda:   www.opelika.org
Regular session agenda includes:
6)  UNFINISHED BUSINESS  -
7)   REMARKS BY THE MAYOR -  Gary Fuller
8)   CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS – (Limit comments to five minutes or less)       Bob Shuman
9)   REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
10) COMMITTEE REPORTS
11) GENERAL BUSINESS -  Bob Shuman
a.  Public Hearing, weed abatement at 1804 Old Columbus Road.
12) AWARDING OF BIDS -  Shirley Washington         (None)
13)  RESOLUTIONS -  Guy Gunter
1.  Authorize weed abatement at 1804 Old Columbus Road.
2.  Refund of occupational license fees.
3.  Re-appointment of Assistant Municipal Court prosecutors.
4.  Annual appropriations contract with the Tree Commission.
14)  ORDINANCES -   Guy Gunter
1.  Amend City Code, Sec 28-145, unpaid sewer bill adjustments, 2nd  Reading.
15)  APPOINTMENTS  -  (none)
16)  ADJOURN

TUESDAY, JAN. 5 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:50 pm — Committee of the Whole /  7:00 pm – Regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/agenda
Committee of the whole agenda includes:
BOARDS & COMMISSIONS. Nominations.
a. Water Works Board. One Vacancy. Incumbent: Homer Turner (has served 1 partial term and 2 full terms). Six Year Term Expires January 6, 2010.
b. Board of Zoning Adjustment. Two Vacancies. Incumbents: Jerry Burleson (has served 1 full term as supernumerary and 2 full terms as regular member) and J. R. Smith (has served 1 full term). Three Year Terms Expire January 20, 2010.
Regular meeting agenda includes:
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS. City Manager Duggan. None.
9. ORDINANCES.
a. Amend City Code. Adopt 2009 Editions of International Building Code, International Fire Code, International Plumbing Code, International Fuel Gas Code and International Property Maintenance Code w/Specified Amendments and Exceptions. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Conditional Use Approvals. Planning Commission Recommendations. Public Hearings Required.
(1) CB&T Bank East Alabama. Ronnie Wilson (Authorized Representative). Road Service Use-bank w/drive-through (CB&T Bank) in the Comprehensive Development District (CDD) zoning district. 2579 East University Drive.
(2) Kathy Matthews and LaKeshi Robinson. Lindburgh Jackson (Authorized Representative). Performance Residential Use – duplex in the Redevelopment District (RDD) zoning district. 300 North Donahue Drive.
(3) Cynthia H. Thrash. Tony Hiett (Authorized Representative). Road Service Use-auto dealership (Hiett Automotive) in the Commercial Conservation (CC) zoning district. 960 Opelika Road.
b. Corporate Limits Reduction. Parcels 1-3, Sandhill Road. 84.73 Acres. Adams Property. Staff recommendation for denial.
c. Adopt Maintenance of Annexed Streets (formerly County Roads). 9.3 Miles. Selected Streets.
d. Contracts and Agreements. Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Agreements.
(a) Economic Development Department. Capital Lease Agreement between City of Auburn and Industrial Development Board. Building Located at 155 Alabama Street. Auburn Industrial Park.
(b) Public Works Department. Gresham Smith and Partners.
Engineering Services. Downtown Pedestrian Signal Improvements and LED Lighting Retrofit Project. $28,974.
(2) Contracts.
(a) Information Technology Department. ESRI Inc. Enterprise
License 3-Year Agreement. Third Installment. $35,000.
(b) Environmental Services Department. EnviroWaste Equipment, Inc. 2008 F750 XLT Brush Hawg Model G-2200A Grapple Loader Shuttle Truck. $110,900. Emergency Purchase.
e. Drainage and Utility Easements and Rights-of-Way and Temporary Construction Easements. Acceptance and Vacation.
(1) John Cottier and Catherine Darby. Town Creek, Plat No. 1. Property located off Brookwood Drive, southeast of Jules Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art and west of Town Creek Park. Drainage and Utility Easements and Rights of Way. Acceptance.
(2) Madison Real Property LLC. 1445 South College Street.
Temporary Construction Easement. Vacation.
f. Boards and Commissions.
(1) Water Works Board. One Vacancy. Six Year Term Expires
January 6, 2016.
(2) Board of Zoning Adjustment. Two Vacancies. Three Year Terms Expire January 20, 2013.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 6, NOON – 1:00 PM CST — SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES FREE WEB CONFERENCE: TRENDWATCH 2010
Webinar Registration:  https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/841971929
Free & open to all.
Sustainable Industries invites you to their exclusive annual TrendWatch Web Conference. Join this Free Webinar to gain critical insight into 2010’s high opportunity trends for sustainable business professionals. Based on the in-depth market analysis highlighted in Sustainable Industries’ Annual TrendWatch Issue, this Webinar includes input from leading experts in the cleantech, green building, energy efficiency and sustainable agriculture sectors.
Panelists include Dave Chen, Principal, Equilibrium Capital; Don Simon, Partner, Wendel, Rosen, Black and Dean; and Rachel Sheinbein, Senior Associate, Energy and Materials, CMEA Capital.  The panel will be moderated by Charles Redell, Associate Editor, Sustainable Industries.
Sponsored by Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort and Gold Sponsor Portland State University.

THURSDAY, JAN. 7, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE / DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St.
Agenda: Review of Presentation Materials  [http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf or contact Auburn Planning Department at (334) 501‐3040.]

FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 11:30 am – AUBURN TREE COMMISSION
Held at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 E. Glenn Ave. Open to all. http://www.auburnalabama.org/trees/

FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 7:00 PM – EXPRESSIONS CAFÉ  / AT THE GNU’S ROOM  www.thegnusroom.com
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550.  Free & open to all. Held the first Friday of each month.
Poets, authors, musicians, and storytellers are invited to perform their work for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience. The event is open to all and there is no charge for the event.

FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 7:30 pm – SUNDILLA CONCERT FEATURING Joe Crookston
Held at the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall (AUUF), 450 E. Thach. www.sundilla.org
Admission: $10; with student ID $8; children under 12 free (and welcomed; play area provided). Light refreshments provided free of charge; you may also bring your own food or beverage (beer/wine allowed). For more info, and to hear music clips of Joe Crookston go to www.sundilla.org.

SATURDAY, JAN. 9, 1:00 – 3:00 pm — WHISTLE STOP PICKERS DULCIMER GROUP
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all.     http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
The Second Saturday Living History activities January 9 have been cancelled because of the predicted frigid weather and the lack of heat in the outbuildings (we’re not as hardy as our ancestors). However, the Whistle Stop Dulcimers will be playing in the heated Trade Center Museum from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

SUNDAY, JAN. 10, 2:00 – 4:00 PM — PTA REFLECTIONS EXHIBITION RECEPTION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to all.
The student winners will be announced at this PTA Reflections reception. PTA Reflections is an art education program that gives Auburn City School students the opportunity to create works of art in a variety of media. The program helps parents encourage the creativity and lifelong learning of their children in which they receive recognition for their artistic endeavors.
PTA Reflections exhibition is open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

SUNDAY, JAN. 10, 2:30 PM — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Speaker: Dr. Thornton F. Jordan
Topic: Southeastern Gardens and Plants of the 1850s
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all.  http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html

SUNDAY, JAN. 10, 7:00 PM — CONCERT: JAMES DURST & JIM SCOTT
Held at AUUF / Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 450 E. Thach Ave.
Tickets for Jan. 10: $8 minimum requested; $7-$15 sliding scale gratefully accepted. Advance tickets will be available at AUUF following Sunday services or call 826-3005.
Renowned musicians James Durst, of NY, and Jim Scott, of MA, return to Auburn, singing their own compositions and
inviting the audience to lend their voices–or just listen–to a joyful extemporaneous vocal celebration of earth and peace through song styles ranging from classical to jazz to world folk music. No experience necessary; we’ll follow our artists both of whom are composers/guitarists/singers who have toured the world and recorded numerous CDs of original music.
Jim Scott, a former member of the Paul Winter Consort and co-composer of their Missa Gaia/Earth Mass, helped create the “Green Sanctuary” program for churches to become more sustainable and has gathered and written the “Earth and Spirit Songbook,” a collection of 110 songs by many contemporary
composers.  More at www.JimScottMusic.com.
James Durst for decades has been performing for audiences in 45 countries and 49 American states, drawing from a rich repertoire of songs in more than two dozen languages, reflecting a global perspective and a sense of the inter-connectedness of all life. In 2003 Durst founded Work o’ the Weavers to celebrate the musical legacy of America’s pioneering folk quartet, The Weavers, creating two CDs honoring the beloved familiar songs, with newer songs that activists like The Weavers might sing today. More at www.JamesDurst.com.
Co-sponsored by the Alliance for Peace and Justice (www.peaceeagle.org),  Rose of Sharon, AUUF’s Social Action Committee, and C-MOVE (Citizens Making Opportunity Visible for Excellence) as community-wide ways to celebrate in song the vision and work of Dr. Martin Luther King and all who continue to Live the Dream.

==========================

ONGOING THROUGH JAN. 15 – PTA REFLECTIONS ART EXHIBITION
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to all.
Reception, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2:00 – 4:00 pm.
PTA Reflections is an art education program that gives Auburn City School students the opportunity to create works of art in a variety of media. The program helps parents encourage the creativity and lifelong learning of their children in which they receive recognition for their artistic endeavors. The student winners will be announced at the PTA Reflections reception Sunday, Jan. 10 from 2 – 4 p.m.

ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.   www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info:  http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.

ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 30 — ART EXHIBIT: FOUND OBJECTS II
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to all.
An annual exhibition featuring works utilizing non-traditional art materials, open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information about the Art Gallery or future exhibitions, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 13 — SECOND IN AUDUBON SERIES AT JCSM   ww.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is presenting John James Audubon’s Precursors and Contemporaries, the second in a two-part series, through Feb. 13 in the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Gallery. This exhibition explores natural history publications and begins with some of the earliest publications about plants, specifically herbals, which were intended as references for apothecaries. It traces representations of flora and fauna from its earliest utilitarian modes in the 16th century through the development of more artistically conceived representations. The exhibition is made possible by Gilbert Johnston of Antique Nature Prints through his loaning of prints and bound volumes. For more information, see this link. http://jcsm.auburn.edu/exhibitions/current/2009_12_audubon_pre.php

UPCOMING CONFERENCE
Jan. 27-29, 2010 – Green and Blue Conference – www.greenandblueconference.com/
Sustainable Residential Building Conference
Held at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center.
Cost: $150. Special $50 rate available for AU faculty and students who register with their Auburn e-mail address.
This conference is aimed at those involved in residential design and construction as well as educators, researchers and policy makers. The conference will host five track areas: water, residential building strategies, neighborhood development, emerging research and building codes/systems. Speakers presenting include representatives from Auburn University School of Architecture, Florida Solar Energy Center, U.S. Department of Energy, Nature’s Tap and Habitat for Humanity.
Conference participants will examine the rationale for sustainable residential construction, and the methods and materials available to achieve it. There will be presentations by experts and practical workshops covering many topics including:
* Home energy audits
* Energy Star for the home
* Home water conservation
* Low impact development
* Green building regulations
* Net zero prototype buildings
* A comparision of sustainable building rating systems
CEU credits are available for participants.
The conference has been organized by Alabama Association of Habitat Affiliates in partnership with the Home Depot Foundation, Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design, and Construction and the Office of Sustainability, USGBC Alabama, and the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development.
More info: http://www.greenandblueconference.com/
==========================

THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS — VIEWPOINTS: Recalling Alabama’s natural history by Pat Byington
http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-commentary/2009/12/viewpoints_recalling_alabamas.html

(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – New report says Alabama becoming more environmentally friendly.
Read the Green Resource Center report.

Magnolia River designated Outstanding Alabama Water – al.com (blog)

TUSCALOOSA NEWS – Alabama taxes lowest in the nation.

DECATUR DAILY – Cities, counties across nation taking back corporate tax abatements when firms fail to produce promised jobs.

TUSCALOOSA NEWS – Environmentalist John Wathen says that Alabama is paying a high price in allowing coal ash to be dumped in Perry County.

BIRMINGHAM NEWS – The Birmingham News says elected officials, once again, will have plenty of excuses on why they can’t get things done.

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION – EPA, USDA encourage farmers to coal waste on fields.

WASHINGTON POST – Hispanic farmers claim discrimination, sue USDA.

HUNTSVILLE TIMES – Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) and Rep. Mike Ball (R-Huntsville) say that they will again sponsor package of bills to increase transparency in government.

MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER — Commission sets schedule for hiring next ADEM director.

BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Governor outlines $800 million plan to build elevated roadway to relieve congestion on U.S. 280.

MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER – Gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis says that weak ethics laws harm Alabama.

ANNISTON STAR – The Anniston Star looks at the financial impact of a correct Census count to Alabama communities.

WASHINGTON POST – 40 states on target to exhaust unemployment compensation funds within the next two year.

(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Senate approves landmark health care reform, with Sessions and Shelby voting no.

BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Alabama declared federal disaster area for farmers due to this year’s heavy rains.

BIRMINGHAM NEWS – The Birmingham News looks at reports that other states are scaling back use of death penalty while Alabama continues to increase executions.

BIRMINGHAM WEEKLY – Cindy Lowry of the Alabama Rivers Alliance calls for public policies to place a higher value on protection of water resources.

==========================

CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp

CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Jan. 5 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

==========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Jan. 5, 2010

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Week of Dec. 21, 2009 – Meetings, events & updates

DEC. 18, 2009 COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE http://placeforum.org/blog/2009/12/19/dec-18-2009-column-by-lisa-brouillette/

City of Auburn Press Releases
Christmas and New Year’s Day Holiday Schedules
Free parking in metered spaces December 18 – January 8, 2010

==========

ONGOING THROUGH WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23 — ArTrees EXHIBIT
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to the public.
Info: contact the Arts Center at (334)501-2963.
The Auburn Arts Association will be hosting “ArTrees,” an exhibition of small, artistically themed holiday trees. Local artists and groups were invited to decorate a tree for the exhibit. ArTrees are not your traditional holiday trees. For example, artists may be inspired by their favorite artist, art period or by any imaginative theme.

ONGOING THROUGH JAN. 3 — AU THEATRE O. HENRY HOLIDAY PODCAST PRODUCTION
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org (click on radio dial)
The Auburn University Radio Flyer Theatre Company will present two of O. Henry’s short stories, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf,” in its first holiday podcast radio theatre production. Both stories are written in classic O. Henry style with his trademark twist at the end. The works were prerecorded and will be accessible Dec. 8 through Jan. 3 by going to the theater’s Web site (http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org ) and clicking on the radio dial. Produced by Auburn University Theatre
in the College of Liberal Arts, the holiday broadcast of O. Henry stories features a cast of Auburn University Theatre professors and students. The presentation is reminiscent of “audio theater” popular from the 1930s into the early 1950s, the Golden Age of Radio, and heard on programs such as Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air and the Lux Radio Theater. For more information, call the Auburn University Theatre box office at 844-4154.

ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.   www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info:  http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.

ONGOING THROUGH FEB. 13 — SECOND IN AUDUBON SERIES AT JCSM   ww.jcsm.auburn.edu
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art is presenting John James Audubon’s Precursors and Contemporaries, the second in a two-part series, through Feb. 13 in the Louise Hauss and David Brent Miller Audubon Gallery. This exhibition explores natural history publications and begins with some of the earliest publications about plants, specifically herbals, which were intended as references for apothecaries. It traces representations of flora and fauna from its earliest utilitarian modes in the 16th century through the development of more artistically conceived representations. The exhibition is made possible by Gilbert Johnston of Antique Nature Prints through his loaning of prints and bound volumes.
More info:  http://jcsm.auburn.edu/exhibitions/current/2009_12_audubon_pre.php

THROUGH FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 2010 — FREE PARKING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
Enjoy the free parking in downtown metered spaces offered through the holiday season!  Shop Auburn!

TUESDAY, DEC. 22, 3:30 – 4:30 pm –  FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE KIDS’ FALL DISCOVERY HIKE
Held Tuesdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds.
Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled if rain.
Free, no registration required.  For children ages 5 to 12.
Parents and kids join us for a hike and some discovery time.  Encourage the kids to have some great outdoor time exploring the Preserve and learn more about the natural world.  Also try the Preserve’s Fall walks at 8:30 am Thursdays.  More info:  Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or http://www.auburn.edu/preserve

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION / SPECIAL-CALLED MEETING
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, Montgomery;  ph: 334-271-7706
Agenda
1. Consideration of adoption of an ADEM Director Search Process to be recommended by the Commission’s Personnel Committee
2. Clarification and ratification of personnel action taken on December 11, 2009
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.

=============
LOCAL HOUSING STATISTICS – NOV. 2009 www.LeeCountyHousingStats.info

BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Jobless rate approaches 19% for Alabama construction workers

BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Alabama foreclosures drop in November.

GADSDEN TIMES –  Alabama’s Lilly Ledbetter to receive AARP’s Inspire Award.

BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Job losses hit state’s poorest counties the hardest.
BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Regulators seize Birmingham’s New South Federal Savings Bank.

BIRMINGHAM NEWS – Alabama’s November unemployment rate drops to 10.5 percent; decline first in 27 months.

(MOBILE) PRESS-REGISTER – Alabama Power Company says that dam safety records around coal ash ponds are confidential.

SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES – GREEN BUILDING: Model energy code makes strides. International Energy Code Council considers major overhaul.  UPCOMING EVENT — REGISTER NOW!
Green and Blue Conference  www.greenandblueconference.com
Jan. 27-29, 2010 – Sustainable Residential Building Conference
Held at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center.
Cost: $150. Special $50 rate available for AU faculty and students who register with their Auburn e-mail address.
This conference is aimed at those involved in residential design and construction as well as educators, researchers and policy makers. The conference will host five track areas: water, residential building strategies, neighborhood development, emerging research and building codes/systems. Speakers presenting include representatives from Auburn University School of Architecture, Florida Solar Energy Center, U.S. Department of Energy, Nature’s Tap and Habitat for Humanity.
Conference participants will examine the rationale for sustainable residential construction, and the methods and materials available to achieve it. There will be presentations by experts and practical workshops covering many topics including:
* Home energy audits
* Energy Star for the home
* Home water conservation
* Low impact development
* Green building regulations
* Net zero prototype buildings
* A comparision of sustainable building rating systems
CEU credits are available for participants.
The conference has been organized by Alabama Association of Habitat Affiliates in partnership with the Home Depot Foundation, Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design, and Construction and the Office of Sustainability, USGBC Alabama, and the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development.
More info: http://www.greenandblueconference.com/

==========================

CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp

CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Jan. 5 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

==========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 21, 2009

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COLUMN BY LISA BROUILLETTE — AU Airport settles ADEM permit violations

First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Last week Trey Glenn resigned from his position as director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)., giving rise to thoughts about ADEM’s efficacy on the local level, most recently at AU’s airport expansion site.

Glenn’s attitude and actions at ADEM often disappointed. He squandered multiple opportunities to strengthen ADEM’s environmental regulation and enforcement.

Different leadership could have stimulated stronger and quicker enforcement of the laws protecting Alabama’s natural resources.

That latter element – the extended time over which environmental violations are allowed to continue and repeat – is a point of concern.

A recent local example of this involves our airport, which has been the site of land disturbance and construction.

In late 2006 ADEM first notified airport operator Auburn University of deficiencies in permitting and sediment controls.

AU and ADEM then batted the issue back and forth, with subsequent violations noted, until November of this year.

Finally, at that point, AU and ADEM negotiated a proposed settlement agreement covering AU’s improperly implemented and maintained erosion and sediment controls.  That agreement is now up for public comment. (http://adem.state.al.us/PublicNotice/Dec09/pdfs/12auburn.PDF.)

In the agreement, both AU and ADEM stipulate to multiple deficiencies over multiple years, which resulted in “discharges of sediment and other pollutants in stormwater runoff to a UT [unnamed tributary] to Moores Mill Creek and a UT to Sougahatchee Creek.”

It’s proposed that AU pay a $20,000 fine, with the possibility of up to a further $12,000 penalty. Additionally AU is to “take immediate action to prevent . . . sediment and other pollutants in stormwater leaving [the airport] Facility.”

Certainly the proposed agreement and fines are a step in the right direction. But repeated violations from October 2006 to December 2009?

Alabama deserves better.  Perhaps the next ADEM director will provide just that.

*      *     *

I got a good chuckle from Rep. Mike Hubbard’s comment that questions about his involvement in AU’s athletic broadcasting deals are “100% politics.”

Well, yeah, Mike, it is due to politics – your politics, including your involvement in crafting the laws exempting such contracts from state bid laws.

Folks, “follow the money.”  More on this in future columns and on my website (http://placeforum.org/blog).

#     #    #

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Week of Dec. 14, 2009 Meetings, events & updates

Meeting details, dates and/or locations are subject to change, especially during the holiday season, sometimes with little notice. When possible, such changes will be sent via PLACE email and/or posted on the PLACE website http://placeforum.org/blog/.

CITY OF AUBURN PRESS RELEASES: Citizens Reminded to Turn Off Irrigation Systems During Cold Weather
Frank Brown Recreation Center Renovation Completed

AUBURN CIVITAN CLUB OFFERS SMOKED TURKEYS & SMOKED HAMS FOR CHRISTMAS / ORDER TODAY
COST: $35 each, Smoked Turkey (12-14 lb) or Smoked Picnic Ham (8-10 lb).
Make check payable to: Auburn Civitan Club.
Place your order now for a smoked turkey or ham from the Auburn Civitan Club. Ready for pick up, hot off the smoker for your enjoyment, on Sunday, December 20, 2008 at 2:00 PM, from the Elks Club on Opelika Road.
Order by mail or email to Dodie Gross, 1481 Morning Glory Circle, Auburn, AL  36832; dodieandcharles@charter.net. Include your name, address, phone, email with your order.
Or order by phone: Dodie Gross 887-8924 or Andy Price 332-2948.

EXHIBIT ONGOING THROUGH DEC. 8 — ‘UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany: A Photographic Exhibit’
Held in AU’s RBD library. Free & open to all.
A photographic exhibition of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany will be shown on the main floor of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library through Dec. 8. The exhibition is being sponsored by the German Consulate in Atlanta, UNESCO, The German Information Center, Auburn University President’s Office and Auburn University Libraries.

ONGOING THROUGH DEC. 23 — ArTrees EXHIBIT
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to the public.
Info: contact the Arts Center at (334)501-2963.
The Auburn Arts Association will be hosting “ArTrees,” an exhibition of small, artistically themed holiday trees. Local artists and groups were invited to decorate a tree for the exhibit. ArTrees are not your traditional holiday trees. For example, artists may be inspired by their favorite artist, art period or by any imaginative theme.

ONGOING THROUGH JAN. 3 — AU THEATRE O. HENRY HOLIDAY PODCAST PRODUCTION
http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org (click on radio dial)
The Auburn University Radio Flyer Theatre Company will present two of O. Henry’s short stories, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf,” in its first holiday podcast radio theatre production. Both stories are written in classic O. Henry style with his trademark twist at the end. The works were prerecorded and will be accessible Dec. 8 through Jan. 3 by going to the theater’s Web site (http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org ) and clicking on the radio dial. Produced by Auburn University Theatre in the College of Liberal Arts, the holiday broadcast of O. Henry stories features a cast of Auburn University Theatre professors and students. The presentation is reminiscent of “audio theater” popular from the 1930s into the early 1950s, the Golden Age of Radio, and heard on programs such as Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air and the Lux Radio Theater. For more information, call the Auburn University Theatre box office at 844-4154.
SPECIAL BROADCAST AT THE GNU’S ROOM – Dec. 15, 6:30 pm — A special community broadcast of the production will be held  at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. Auburn University Theatre’s Kelly Walker and Dan LaRocque will be on hand to answer questions after this performance.

ONGOING THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 23 — JCSM EXHIBIT: ADVANCING AMERICAN ART
Held at AU’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. Free & open to all.   www.jcsm.auburn.edu
Info:  http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/news/1219
The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will exhibit a selection of some of the museum’s most treasured pieces from its “Advancing American Art” collection Oct. 24 through Jan. 23 in JCSM’s Chi Omega-Hargis Gallery.
The 36 paintings and works on paper in this collection constitute one of the most significant components of the museum’s permanent collection. Acquired by Auburn University in 1948, when Auburn was known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, they were originally part of a group of 117 oil paintings and watercolors assembled by the U.S. State Department in 1946 to demonstrate the ascendancy of American modern art at the mid-century.

STARTING MONDAY, DEC. 14  — LEE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY “NO MORE WASTED LIVES” FUNDRAISER
Held in the Kroger and Dean Road parking lot.
The Lee County Humane Society is sponsoring “No More Wasted Lives” — LCHS Executive Director, Heather Meadows, will remain locked in a dog kennel day and night until the fund-raising goal of more than $24,000 is reached. All proceeds will benefit the general operating fund which sustains the shelter animals’ basic food, medical, and welfare needs.
Info: (334) 750-0002;  stacee@leecountyhumane.org

MONDAY, DEC. 14 THROUGH THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 12:30 – 1:30 PM Daily—- FREE H1N1 VACCINE CLINICS (flu shot and nasal spray)
Held in AU’s Pharmaceutical Care Center, 2155 Walker Building.
Free to AU students, employees & dependents ages 10 & older. Proof of insurance is not required.
For more info about the H1N1 flu and AU’s response, go to http://www.auburn.edu/emergency/flu.html. Questions may be
directed to emergencymanagement@auburn.edu.

MONDAY, DEC. 14   – LEE COUNTY COMMISSION   www.leeco.us
4:00 pm – work session / 6:00 pm – regular session
Held in the commission chambers, historic courthouse building, 215 S. Ninth St, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
3. Public Comment from Citizens:  (limit of 3-minutes per speaker)
4. Establish Quorum and Open Regular Meeting:
5. Awards, Presentations, Proclamations or Other Recognitions:
6. Reports from Commissioners and Staff:
a. CERT Presentation – Kathy Russell
7. Consent Agenda:
a. Minutes of Commission Meeting November 30, 2009
b. Ratify and Approve Claims and Procurement Card Transactions
c. Bid #1 for Patrol Vehicles – Sheriff Jay Jones
8.  OLD BUSINESS:
a. Lee-Chambers Utilities District/Amend Articles of Incorporation-Curt Johnson
9.   New Business:
a. Solar & Battery System for Residential or Commercial Use – Bill Bach
b. Aflac Benefits Proposal – Ashley Brown
c. December 28 Meeting – Judge English
d. AdvantageSite Designation / City of Auburn – Wendy Swann
e. Energy Grant Resolution – Wendy Swann
10. Adjourn

TUESDAY, DEC. 15, 3:30 – 4:30 pm –  FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE KIDS’ FALL DISCOVERY HIKE
Held Tuesdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds.
Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled if rain.
Free, no registration required.  For children ages 5 to 12.
Parents and kids join us for a hike and some discovery time.  Encourage the kids to have some great outdoor time exploring the Preserve and learn more about the natural world.  Also try the Preserve’s Fall walks at 8:30 am Thursdays.
More info:  Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or http://www.auburn.edu/preserve

TUESDAY, DEC. 15  — OPELIKA CITY COUNCIL
6:25 pm – work session / 7:00 PM – regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 204 South 7th Street, Opelika.  Open to all.
Work session agenda: www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=170
Regular session agenda: www.opelika.org/Default.asp?ID=169

TUESDAY, DEC. 15 — AUBURN CITY COUNCIL
6:30 pm-Committee of the Whole /  7:00 pm – Regular meeting
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet:  www.auburnalabama.org/agenda
Agenda includes:
Committee of the whole:
AIRPORT ORDINANCE.  Presentation. Justin Steinmann, Principal Planner.
4. TOOMER’S TEN UPDATE.  Presentation. Jacob Watkins, President, SGA
Regular meeting:
5. MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS.  Mayor Ham.
a. Employee Recognition.
(1) City of Auburn Employees.  Leadership in Institutions Award. United Way of Lee County, Inc.
(2) Economic Development, Office of the City Manager, Parks & Recreation,  And Public Works Departments.  Selected Employees.  Auburn Veterans Memorial Event.  Teamwork Award.
b. Committee of the Whole.
c. Announcements.
6. AUBURN UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS.
7. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS.
8. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS.  City Manager Duggan.
a. Alcoholic Beverage Licenses.  Consideration.
(1) ASBE LLC dba/Calypsos.  154 North College Street. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License.
(2) Maestro 2300 LLC dba/Maestro 2300.  2300 Moores Mill Road. 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor License.
9. ORDINANCES.
a.  Zoning Ordinance.  Amendments to Section 512 and 907.   Airport Regulations. Public Hearing Required.  Unanimous Consent Necessary.
b.   Zoning.  Yarbrough Farms, LLC.  Gregory Forthofer (Authorized Representative). Property Located west of North Donahue Drive, north of Richland Road, and northwest of Shug Jordan Parkway (between Yarbrough Farms Boulevard and the 10th hole of Auburn University Club Golf Course.  Amend Ordinance No. 2199 (Yarbrough Farms Planned Development District (PDD) designation).  4.63 Acres of   557.65 Acre Parcel.  Public Hearing Required. Unanimous Consent Necessary.
c. Traffic Control Signs and Devices.  Establish No Parking Zone.  West Side of Dumas Drive from 452 Dumas Drive to Sherwood Drive.  Unanimous Consent Necessary.
10. RESOLUTIONS.
a. Auburn City Schools.  2009 Auburn High School Varsity Football Team and Coaches.  Commendation.
b. Agreements and Contracts.  Authorize Mayor and City Manager to Sign.
(1) Office of the City Manager.  City of Auburn and Groome Transportation.  Auburn University Student Government Association.  Toomer’s Ten Evening Transit Shuttle System.  Loading/Unloading Zone on West  Magnolia Avenue.  Parking Space Lease Agreement.
(2) Contracts.
(a) Office of the City Manager.  AuburnBank Property.  Amend Purchase  and Sale Contract.  Extend Lease Back Provision One Year.
(b) Information Technology Department.  TekLinks for Cisco Systems.  Cisco SmartNet License.  Renew Contract.  $77,997.95.
(c) Public Works Department.  Floyd Service Company, Inc.
Installation of four (4) mast arm traffic signal poles.  Airport Road and Glenn Avenue.  $17,050.
(d)  Environmental Services Department.  Rush Truck Center of Florida,  Inc. dba/Rush Truck Center, Winter Garden.  2010 Cab and Chassis with Curb Sorter/Trough Loader, Four Container Truck Mount Side Dump Recycling Body.   $172,042.
c. Drainage and Utility Easements and Water Easement.  Acceptance and Vacation.
(1) Peyton Development, Inc.  Brian Kendrick (Authorized Representative). Reno Subdivision, First Revision.  Property Located at 1165 Opelika Road. Drainage and Utility Easements.  Acceptance.
(2) Cleveland Brothers, Inc.  Lot 1, Ogletree Village Business Park, Third Revision.  Water Easement.  Vacation.
11. OTHER BUSINESS.
12. ADJOURNMENT.

TUESDAY, DEC. 15, 6:30 PM — AU THEATRE O. HENRY HOLIDAY PODCAST / SPECIAL COMMUNITY BROADCAST AT THE GNU’S ROOM
Held at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. www.thegnusroom.com
Special community broadcast of Auburn University Radio Flyer Theatre Company’s presentation of two of O. Henry’s short stories, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf.” Auburn University Theatre’s Kelly Walker and Dan LaRocque will be on hand to answer questions after this performance. Both stories are written in classic O. Henry style with his trademark twist at the end. The works were prerecorded and will be accessible through Jan. 3 at http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org (click on radio dial). More info: AU Theatre box office at 844-4154.

TUESDAY, DEC. 15, 7:30 PM — FREE CIVIC CHORALE CONCERT
Held at the First United Methodist Church, 702 Avenue A, Opelika. Free & open to all.
The Arts Association of East Alabama Civic Chorale will present this free concert. Celebrate the season with selections of holiday music, both old and new. Join the Chorale and instrumentalists as they share this joyous time.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, NOON — AUBURN HERITAGE ASSOCIATION BOARD
Held at Pebble Hill (Caroline Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities).
All members are encouraged and invited to attend.   www.auburnheritage.org
Note: Held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from Sept to May

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue.  Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot.  Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, 6:00 PM  — LEE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB / POTLUCK HOLIDAY DINNER
Held at Auburn University Club. 1499 N. Donahue Road. Free & open to all.
6:00 pm -  Bring a dish and a friend. The club will furnish a turkey and a ham.
6:50 pm — Guest speaker: Dr. Dell Crosby, founder of Mercy Medical Clinic. Dr. Crosby will give a brief history of the clinic and its operation, and will answer any questions.
Donations to Mercy Medical Clinic: At the November meeting, for the Christmas project members agreed to support Mercy Medical Clinic by donating funds for “patient scholarships.” One $20 scholarship will enable one patient to order meds through the Pharmaceutical Assistance Program for one year. Dr. Jim Matthews says there is a great need for assistance for those folks who fall through the cracks, and this is a very good way to help. Checks should be made out to Mercy Medical Clinic. Notate the use: Patient Scholarships. The gift is tax deductible. Remember: One $20 scholarship will help one patient for one year. Also remember, you may give as many scholarships as you can! This is truly the gift that keeps on giving!

THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 8:30 am –  FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE FALL WALK
Held Thursdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Meet at the Pavilion.  Cancelled only for rain.
Free, no registration required. Open to all.
Enjoy some exercise and observe the beauty of the Preserve as fall unfolds.  Also Discovery Hikes at 3:30 pm Tuesdays, for kids age 5-12 & their parents.
More info:  Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website -  http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.

THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 10:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD
Held at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery. 334-242-2230 – Open to all.  Agenda

THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 4:00 pm – AUBURN WATER WORKS BOARD  http://www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/
Held in the Water Resource Management Conference Room, 1501 West Samford Avenue (Shug Jordan and West Samford). Info: 501-3060. The Board meets on the 1st Thursday after the 3rd Tuesday of each month.

THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 5:30 PM — PUBLIC HEARING – AUBURN 2010-2014 CDBG CONSOLIDATED PLAN
Held in Meeting Room C, Boykin Community Center, 400 Boykin Street.  Open to all.
Citizens are encouraged to attend and offer their input on how CDBG funds should be allocated over the next five years. CDBG funding is provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  More info: press release; public hearing notice; or contact the City of Auburn Community Development Division at 501-7280.

FRIDAY, DEC. 18 — AU GRADUATION

FRIDAY, DEC. 18 THROUGH FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 2010 — FREE PARKING IN DOWNTOWN AUBURN
Enjoy the free parking in downtown metered spaces offered through the holiday season!  Shop Auburn!

** **** ** **** ** **** ** ***** ** **** **

ADEM DIRECTOR RESIGNS; ADEM ATTORNEY NAMED INTERIM
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/adem_director_resigns_adem_attorney_named_interim/115301/

Alabama environmental management director resigns
Montgomery Advertiser
“The ADEM Reform Coalition is hopeful that the upcoming selection of a new director at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management will help …

Trey Glenn resigns as ADEM director Birmingham Weekly Mixed Media (blog)

After 5 years, former ‘water wars’ negotiator Trey Glenn resigns as ADEM director WHNT

Alabama’s environmental chief Trey Glenn resigns The Birmingham News – al.com (blog)

ADEM REFORM COALITION RESPONDS TO RESIGNATION OF ADEM DIRECTOR http://www.alabamarivers.org/press-room/headlines/adem-reform-coalition-responds-to-resignation-of-adem-director-trey-glenn

US REP. ARTUR DAVIS WANTS FEDS TO CLEARLY DETERMINE RISKS TO ALABAMIANS POSED BY COAL ASH al.com – Tom Gordon – ‎Dec 8, 2009‎ – Congressman Artur Davis is asking federal environmental officials to act more swiftly to assure the safety of coal ash …

Officials clash over coal ash in Perry County – al.com – Tom Gordon – ‎Dec 8, 2009‎  A trackhoe scoops up spilled coal ash which is being loaded into rail cars for shipment to an Alabama landfill in Perry …

Turner to DC to testify about Perry County landfill Selma Times-Journal - Leesha Faulkner – ‎Dec 7, 2009‎ WASHINGTON – The US House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has invited Perry County …

Alabama Power’s West Jefferson plant nation’s second-highest carbon emitter among coal-fired plants http://blog.al.com/live/2009/11/alabama_powers_west_jefferson.html

==========================

CITY OF AUBURN WEBSITE / LINKS TO AVAILABLE PUBLICATIONS http://www.auburnalabama.org/publications.asp

CITY OF AUBURN BOARD VACANCIES:
*Water Works Board – one vacancy will be filled at the Dec. 15 City Council meeting.
*Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) – two vacancies will be filled at the Jan. 5, 2010 City Council meeting.
Citizens interested in serving are encouraged to contact their City Council member, the entire City Council (coagbemail@auburnalabama.org) or notify the City Manager’s Office at webocm@auburnalabama.org or 501-7260. Information on the city’s boards and commissions, including current members and their terms, available online: http://www.auburnalabama.org/BoardsandCommissions/Boards.aspx.

CITY OF AUBURN / CONSTRUCTION PROJECT STATUS REPORTS (updated weekly)
PUBLIC WORKS: www.auburnalabama.org/pw/status.asp
WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: www.auburnalabama.org/wrm/status.asp

==========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 14, 2009

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NOTE:  During this holiday season, changes may occur to schedules.

Public Safety Awareness Day December 12

AU’s H1N1 vaccination schedule announced for remainder of December
Held at The Auburn University Pharmaceutical Care Center, located in 2155 Walker Building.
Free H1N1 vaccinations will be offered every day this week from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Vaccinations will also be provided Monday, Dec. 14, through Thursday, Dec. 17, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Both forms of the H1N1 vaccine (flu shot and nasal spray) are available at no cost to AU students, employees and dependents ages 10 and older. Proof of insurance is not required. For more information about H1N1 flu and Auburn University’s response, go to http://www.auburn.edu/emergency/flu.html . Questions may be directed to emergencymanagement@auburn.edu.

DEC. 3 – DEC. 23 — ArTrees EXHIBIT
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free & open to the public.
Info: contact the Arts Center at (334)501-2963.
The Auburn Arts Association will be hosting “ArTrees,” an exhibition of small, artistically themed holiday trees. Local artists and groups were invited to decorate a tree for the exhibit. ArTrees are not your traditional holiday trees. For example, artists may be inspired by their favorite artist, art period or by any imaginative theme.

Auburn University Theatre presenting O. Henry holiday podcast production
The Auburn University Radio Flyer Theatre Company will present two of O. Henry’s short stories, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf,” in its first holiday podcast radio theatre production. Both stories are written in classic O. Henry style with his trademark twist at the end. The works were prerecorded and will be accessible Dec. 8 through Jan. 3 by going to the theater’s Web site (http://www.auburnuniversitytheatre.org ) and clicking on the radio dial. A special community broadcast of the production will be held Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at The Gnu’s Room, 414 S. Gay St. Auburn University Theatre’s Kelly Walker and Dan LaRocque will be on hand to answer questions after this performance. Produced by Auburn University Theatre in the College of Liberal Arts, the holiday broadcast of O. Henry stories features a cast of Auburn University Theatre professors and students. The presentation is reminiscent of “audio theater” popular from the 1930s into the early 1950s, the Golden Age of Radio, and heard on programs such as Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre on the Air and the Lux Radio Theater. For more information, call the Auburn University Theatre box office at 844-4154.

TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 9:00 AM  — OPELIKA BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT (BZA)
Held in the Public Works Facility, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.
Agenda includes:
A. ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL
1. Jim Parker, 1651 Parker Way (adjacent to Lowe’s), Sign variance request to exceed the 30 foot maximum sign height requirement in a C-3, GC-2 zoning district, to erect the American flag.

TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 11:30 am – AUBURN GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave. (entrance off side of building, across from rear entrance to Cheeburger Cheeburger.) Open to all.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/greenspace/

TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 3:00 PM — AUBURN URBAN CORE/DOWNTOWN STUDY COMMITTEE
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St.
Agenda: UC/CEOD Regulatory Review and Discussion /  Wrap Up [view at http://www.auburnalabama.org/pl/Misc/Downtown%20Study%20Committee.pdf or contact Auburn Planning Department at (334) 501‐3040.]
NOTE: This might be the final meeting of this committee.

TUESDAY, DEC. 8,  3:30 – 4:30 pm –  FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE KIDS’ FALL DISCOVERY HIKE
Held Tuesdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds.
Meet at the Pavilion. Cancelled if rain.
Free, no registration required.  For children ages 5 to 12.
Parents and kids join us for a hike and some discovery time.  Encourage the kids to have some great outdoor time exploring the Preserve and learn more about the natural world.  Also try the Preserve’s Fall walks at 8:30 am Thursdays.
More info:  Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or http://www.auburn.edu/preserve

TUESDAY, DEC.8, 4:00 pm – AUBURN HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda:  http://www.auburnalabama.org/hpc/agenda.aspx
1. CALL TO ORDER.  Anne Shaw, Chair.
2. ADOPTION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
3. OTHER BUSINESS  Including:
a. CLG Annual report
b. Recent Certificates of Appropriateness issued administratively
c. Upcoming Historic Preservation Events
4. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS
5. ADJOURNMENT

TUESDAY, DEC. 8  – AUBURN BOARD OF EDUCATION   www.auburnschools.org
5:00 pm – dinner, Board of Education Office, 855 East Samford Ave.
6:00 pm – meeting, Auburn High School multi-media room, 405 S. Dean Rd. Open to all.

TUESDAY, DEC. 8 & WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9 — “Vegetation for Stream and Floodplain Restoration” workshop
Held in Montgomery, in the conference room, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc. , 2660 EastChase Lane, Ste 200, Montgomery; Tel: 334.271.3200.
For more information, contact Eve Brantley brantef@auburn.edu or visit http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm .
Topics will include:
* Invasive, nonnative plant management
* Riparian plant selection
* Bioengineering
* Planting techniques for stream and wetland plants
Registration information and a full agenda are available at:
http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm#veg
Continuing education units (CEUs) from Auburn University will be offered for this workshop.
Project sponsors and partners include City of Montgomery, Auburn University, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc., Jennings Environmental, LLC, Upper Alabama River Clean Water Partnership, Auburn
University Montgomery, Young Meadows Presbyterian Church, North Carolina State University, USDA CSREES Southern Region Water Program

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 9:00 AM — ALABAMA HOME BUILDERS LICENSURE BOARD – special/called meeting
Held at 445 Herron Street, Mont.; ph: 334-242-2230
Agenda: Investigative Committee Meeting

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 8, 5:30 – 7:00 PM — WEEKLY ECO HAPPY HOUR & GREEN DRINKS
Held in the back room of Zazu’s Eclectic Eatery (formerly Buffalo’s), E. Magnolia, downtown Auburn. Open to all.
This is a time and location for people to gather and discuss “Green”/”Eco”/sustainability-related issues while socializing at a locally-owned venue.  Everyone from “professionals” to those who are just curious are welcome. This will be a child-friendly gathering for those with little ones (or even medium-sized ones), with a large space and table/floor space for them to play and still be in direct eyesight/earshot.  Feel free to spread the word to others who might be interested.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 8:00 am  — AUBURN DOWNTOWN MERCHANT ASSOCIATION (DMA)
Held in the City of Auburn meeting room, 122 Tichenor Ave (entrance is at side of building, across from rear entrance of Cheeburger Cheeburger).   http://www.downtownauburnal.org/

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 8:30 am –  FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE FALL WALK
Held Thursdays at the Forest Ecology Preserve, on N. College Street, on the right just past the AU fishponds. Meet at the Pavilion.  Cancelled only for rain.
Free, no registration required. Open to all.
Enjoy some exercise and observe the beauty of the Preserve as fall unfolds.  Also Discovery Hikes at 3:30 pm Tuesdays, for kids age 5-12 & their parents.
More info:  Jennifer Lolley at 707-6512 or go to the Forest Ecology Preserve website -  http://www.auburn.edu/preserve.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 4:30 pm – OPELIKA HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Held in the Planning Chambers, Opelika Public Works Bldg, 700 Fox Trail, Opelika. Open to all.

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 5:00 pm – AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION
Held in the council chambers, 141 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: http://www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.aspx
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
1. West Pace Village PDD   PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00660
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr. for West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to apply the Planned Development District  (PDD) designation to approximately 165.55 acres
2. West Pace Village  PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00670
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr. for West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) [pending approval of Case PL-2009- 00660] with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for outdoor recreational uses, including a park and bicycle/jogging/hiking paths; for institutional uses, including private libraries and museums, and aquariums; for indoor recreational uses, including a skating rink (roller & ice), bowling alleys, billiards, gymnasium, and indoor athletic facilities; for office uses; for commercial and entertainment uses, including an auto accessory store, barbershop/beauty shop, building material sales, clothing stores, copy shop, electronics repair, florists, garden supply, general merchandise stores, health & personal care stores, hotel/motel/condotel, office supplies/stationary/gift stores, package store, pet/pet supply store, restaurant, restaurant-lounge, restaurant- pub, specialty food stores, sporting goods/hobby/book/music stores, tavern, lounge, banks, dry cleaners, grocery stores,professional studios, and  theaters/indoor auditoriums; for road service uses, including ATM’s, auto dealerships, auto repair/paint/body work, convenience/small grocery stores, gasoline/service stations, bank with drive-thru, and fast food restaurant; for a commercial recreational use, specifically an amphitheater; for agricultural support uses, including farm equipment sales/rental/leasing, farm equipment sales/repair, and farm produce sales (permanent); for a nursery use, specifically retail; for a commercial support use, specifically a wholesale distributor; and for a regional shopping center use
CONSENT AGENDA
3. Town Creek, Plat No. 1 PL-2009-00832
Applicant: Jack Johnson for Dr. John Cottier
General Location: Off of Brookside Drive, southeast of the Jule Collins Smith Art Museum and west of Town Creek Park
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 28-lot conventional residential subdivision
NEW BUSINESS
4. Lundy Chase, Phase III   PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00833
Applicant: Blake Rice for Crosswoods Development, LLC
General Location: South of Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase One and north of Willow Creek Subdivision
Zoning District: Neighborhood Conservation (NC-20)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 38-lot conventional residential subdivision
5. C B & T Bank East Alabama    PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00817
Applicant: Ronnie Wilson for C B & T Bank East Alabama
General Location: 2579 East University Drive
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (bank with drive-through)
6. Hiett Automotive   PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00834
Applicant: Tony Hiett for Cynthia Thrash
General Location: 960 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (automotive sales)
7. 300 N. Donahue Drive    PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00802
Applicant: Lindburgh Jackson for Kathy Matthews and LaKeshi Robinson
General Location: 300 North Donahue Drive (adjacent to the CSX Railroad & north of Glenn Avenue)
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a performance residential use (duplex)
8. Longleaf Crossing, Phase 5 Waiver  PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00844
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr., for Tiger Crossing
General Location: At the west end of Longleaf Drive at Cox Road
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Waiver to the design speed on a collector street (Longleaf Drive) from 35 mph to 20 mph
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 7:00 pm — EAST ALABAMA CYCLING CLUB
Held at the EAMC Health Resource Center, Pepperell Parkway, Opelika.  Open to all.
The East Alabama Cycling Club (EACC) is a bicycle club for riders of all skill levels and riding styles.  The club meets at 7:00 pm, on the second Thursday of each month. More info:  mk1hgn@yahoo.com

FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 9:00 – 11:00 AM — TOURS OF THE AU ARBORETUM
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum; on Garden Drive, just west of S. College Street.
Meet in the Arboretum’s pavilion. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum/
Tours last one hour each and are scheduled on the hour from 9:00 – 11:00 am, the second Friday & Saturday of each month (except Jan & Feb 2010). Guides are members of the Lee County Master Gardeners. The Donald E. Davis Arboretum is maintained by the College of Sciences and Mathematics. For more information on the tours, call 844-5770 or visit the Web site ( http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum ).

FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 11:00 AM — ALABAMA ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Held in the Alabama Room (Main Hearing Room), ADEM Building, 1400 Coliseum Blvd, Montgomery. ph: 334-271-7706
Agenda:
1. Consideration of minutes of meeting held on Oct. 16, 2009
2. Elections
3. Report from the Director
4. Report from the Commission Chair
5. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 1, General Administration Regulations, Rules 335-1-1-.07 and 335-1-6-.07 – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 1, General Administration Regulations, Rule 335-1-1-.07, “Departmental Forms, Instructions, and Procedures” and Rule 335-1-6-.07, “Payment of Fees”.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on November 4, 2009.
6. Consideration of adoption of proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 6, Water Quality Program Regulations, Rules 335-6-10-.09 and 335-6-11-.02 – The Commission will consider proposed amendments to ADEM Admin. Code Div. 6, Water Quality Program Regulations, Rule 335-6-10-.09, “Specific Water Quality Criteria” and Rule 335-6-11-.02, “Use Classifications”.  The purpose of amending Rule 335-6-10-.09 is to change the bacterial indicator organisms and associated criteria for non-coastal waters from fecal coliform to Escherichia coli (E. coli) to be consistent with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendations for protection against water-borne illnesses.  Proposed amendments to Rule 335-6-11-.02 upgrade use classifications for segments of Hurtsboro Creek in Chattahoochee River Basin and the Magnolia River in the Mobile River-Mobile Bay Basin, respectively.  The Department held a public hearing on the proposed amendments on October 14, 2009.
7. Tuscloosa Resources, Inc. v. ADEM, EMC Docket No. 09-03 (NPDES-Related Matter) – The Commission will acknowledge Petitioner Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc.’s (TRI) withdrawal of the request for hearing in this appeal of ADEM’s inclusion of certain discharge limitations, terms, and conditions in TRI, East Brookwood Mine, NPDES Permit No. AL0074349, issued October 10, 2008, and effective November 1, 2008.
8. Friends of Hurricane Creek and Alabama Rivers Alliance, Inc. v. ADEM, and Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc., EMC Docket No. 08-07 Consolidated With Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc. v. ADEM, and Friends of Hurricane Creek and Alabama Rivers Alliance, Inc., EMC Docket No. 08-08 – The Commission will acknowledge Petitioner Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc.’s (TRI) withdrawal of the request for hearing for EMC Docket No. 08-08 for the appeal of ADEM’s revocation of TRI, Panther 3 Mine, NPDES Permit No. AL0074012, effective August 28, 2008, and reissuance of a new TRI, Panther 3 Mine, NPDES Permit also denoted as Permit No. AL0074012 having different discharge limits, terms, and conditions.
9. Other business
10. Future business sessions
* The Agenda for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website, www.adem.alabama.gov, under EMC Information and Calendar of Events.
** The Minutes for this meeting will be available on the ADEM website under EMC Information.

FRIDAY DEC. 11, NOON — AU WOMEN’S PHILANTHROPY BOARD / ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON ESTATE PLANNING
Held in the private dining room at The Hotel at Auburn University
and Dixon Conference Center.
Dutch treat luncheon. Limited seating, register early.
To register, contact Sidney James Nakhjavan at 844-5324 or e-mail wpbchs1@auburn.edu.
The Women’s Philanthropy Board, in Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences, will host a roundtable luncheon and discussion featuring speaker will be Liz Hutchins, attorney at law. This roundtable is part of the Women’s Philanthropy Board’s yearlong effort of “Thriving in the ‘New Normal’: Maximizing your Philanthropic Footprint.” Hutchins is a shareholder with Sirote and Permutt of Birmingham, where she assists clients in the areas of estate and charitable planning; estate gift and trust tax law; wills and probate.

FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 5:30 PM — MARY CAROL MORAN / POETRY READING — at The Gnu’s Room
Held at The Gnu’s Room Bookstore & Coffee House, 414 S. Gay Street, Auburn. Free & open to all.
More info: Tina Tatum, tina@thegnusroom.com or 334-821- 5550; www.thegnusroom.com.
Moran has a new book of poetry, “Equivocal Blessings,” coming out at the end of November from Negative Capability Press. She will do a reading and signing on Friday, December 11th at 5:30 p.m. For more info on the workshop please email marycarolmoran@hotmail.com.

SATURDAY, DEC. 12, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm — 2009 HOLIDAY ART SALE
Held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center.
The Auburn Arts Association and Auburn Parks & Recreation Department will host the third annual Holiday Art Sale.  Local artists will be selling paintings, pottery, stained glass, photography, cards, jewelry, hats, scarves and much more! More info: Cari Philen, Art Education Specialist, 501- 2944 or cphilen@auburnalabama.org.
http://www.auburnalabama.org/news/2009/pr100809.asp

SATURDAY, DEC. 12, 9:00 – 11:00 AM — TOURS OF THE AU ARBORETUM
Held at AU’s Donald E Davis Arboretum; on Garden Drive, just west of S. College Street.
Meet in the Arboretum’s pavilion. Free & open to all.
Info: http://www.auburn.edu/arboretum/
Tours scheduled on the hour from 9:00 – 11:00 am, the second Friday & Saturday of each month (except Jan & Feb 2010). Guides are members of the Lee County Master Gardeners.

SUNDAY, DEC. 12, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm — LEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / SECOND SATURDAYS – Living History & Whistle Stop Pickers Dulcimer Group
Held at the LCHS Museum, 6500 Stage Road (Hwy 14) Loachapoka; the museum and its grounds are located about half way between Auburn and Notasulga.
Free & open to all.     http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/
LCHS event calendar: http://leecountyhistoricalsociety.org/calendar.html
On the second Saturday of every month, a group of history re-enactors gather at the LCHS Museum in period attire to demonstrate their arts and crafts.  Blacksmiths are usually working at the forge, spinners and weavers are in the log cabin, and someone is always cooking up a meal in the fireplace or outdoors. The Museum is always open on Second Saturdays.  Also on Secord Saturdays, the Whistle Stop Pickers dulcimer group meets at the Museum at 11:00am. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcomed. Bring your dulcimer or other instrument and join in the pickin’.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, DEC. 12 & 13 — 3RD AUBURN HOLIDAY TOUR OF HOMES
Held at various locations.
Tickets: available in December at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce & each of the tour homes on the day of the tours.
Eight homes will be showcased. There will also be five free Saturday Cider Stops incorporated in the tour.
Sponsored by the Auburn Preservation League. http://www.auburnpreservationleague.org/

SATURDAY, DEC. 12, 10:00 AM – NOON — AU FOREST ECOLOGY PRESERVE HOLIDAY  WREATH WORKSHOP
Held at AU’s Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve.
Registration required. Call 334-844-8091 or 334-707-6512 or email the preserve@auburn.edu to register.
Cost: $15/wreath. No charge for children’s ornament.
More info & directions: https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/Default.htm
Enjoy a fun morning making a beautiful fresh wreath that should last through the holidays.  Ginger Purvis from the Blooming Colors Market will lend her expert hand at making beautiful wreaths with natural materials.  Music and goodies and cider will make this a great way to get in the holiday spirit.  Children attending will make a cotton bole angel ornament.
Held at AU’s Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve.
Registration required. Call 334-844-8091 or 334-707-6512 or email the preserve@auburn.edu to register.
Cost: $15/wreath. No charge for children’s ornament.
More info & directions: https://fp.auburn.edu/preserve/Default.htm
Enjoy a fun morning making a beautiful fresh wreath that should last through the holidays.  Ginger Purvis from the Blooming Colors Market will lend her expert hand at making beautiful wreaths with natural materials.  Music and goodies and cider will make this a great way to get in the holiday spirit.  Children attending will make a cotton bole angel ornament.

SUNDAY, DEC. 13 — 3RD AUBURN HOLIDAY TOUR OF HOMES
Held at various locations.
Tickets: available in December at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce & each of the tour homes on the day of the tours.
Eight homes will be showcased. There will also be five free Saturday Cider Stops incorporated in the tour.
Sponsored by the Auburn Preservation League. http://www.auburnpreservationleague.org/
==========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 8, 2009

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Note: Events for the rest of the week will be emailed later today.

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009 — Meetings

MONDAY, DEC. 7, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
1. West Pace Village PDD   PUBLIC HEARING  PL-2009-00660
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr. for West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to apply the Planned Development District
(PDD) designation to approximately 165.55 acres
2. West Pace Village  PUBLIC HEARING  PL-2009-00670
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr. for West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) [pending approval of Case PL-2009- 00660] with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for outdoor recreational uses, including a park and bicycle/jogging/hiking paths; for institutional uses, including private libraries and museums, and aquariums; for indoor recreational uses, including a skating rink (roller & ice), bowling alleys, billiards, gymnasium, and indoor athletic facilities; for office uses; for commercial and entertainment uses, including an auto accessory store, barbershop/beauty shop, building material sales, clothing stores, copy shop, electronics repair, florists, garden supply, general merchandise stores, health & personal care stores, hotel/motel/condotel, office supplies/stationary/gift stores, package store, pet/pet supply store, restaurant, restaurant-lounge, restaurant- pub, specialty food stores, sporting goods/hobby/book/music stores, tavern, lounge, banks, dry cleaners, grocery stores,professional studios, and  theaters/indoor auditoriums; for road service uses, including ATM’s, auto dealerships, auto repair/paint/body work, convenience/small grocery stores, gasoline/service stations, bank with drive-thru, and fast food restaurant; for a commercial recreational use, specifically an amphitheater; for agricultural support uses, including farm equipment sales/rental/leasing, farm equipment sales/repair, and farm produce sales (permanent); for a nursery use, specifically retail; for a commercial support use, specifically a wholesale distributor; and for a regional shopping center use
CONSENT AGENDA
3. Town Creek, Plat No. 1 PL-2009-00832
Applicant: Jack Johnson for Dr. John Cottier
General Location: Off of Brookside Drive, southeast of the Jule Collins Smith Art Museum and west of Town Creek Park
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 28-lot conventional residential subdivision
NEW BUSINESS
4. Lundy Chase, Phase III   PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00833
Applicant: Blake Rice for Crosswoods Development, LLC
General Location: South of Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase One and north of Willow Creek Subdivision
Zoning District: Neighborhood Conservation (NC-20)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 38-lot conventional residential subdivision
5. C B & T Bank East Alabama  PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00817
Applicant: Ronnie Wilson for C B & T Bank East Alabama
General Location: 2579 East University Drive
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (bank with drive-through)
6. Hiett Automotive   PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00834
Applicant: Tony Hiett for Cynthia Thrash
General Location: 960 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (automotive sales)
7. 300 N. Donahue Drive    PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00802
Applicant: Lindburgh Jackson for Kathy Matthews and LaKeshi Robinson
General Location: 300 North Donahue Drive (adjacent to the CSX Railroad & north of Glenn Avenue)
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a performance residential use (duplex)
8. Longleaf Crossing, Phase 5 Waiver  PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00844
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr., for Tiger Crossing
General Location: At the west end of Longleaf Drive at Cox Road
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Waiver to the design speed on a collector street (Longleaf Drive) from 35 mph to 20 mph
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 7:00 PM — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / MEETING & HOLIDAY GATHERING
Held at Piccolo, the jazz bar at the AU Hotel. All are welcome.
Catch up with your League friends by joining them near the fireplace in the new jazz bar at the Auburn University Hotel. The atmosphere will be cozy, the menu options are tasty, and the crowd will definitely be interesting. Invite a friend (or two) and join  a casual evening of holiday cheer, starting at 7.
Piccolo menu:   http://www.auhcc.com/dining/documents/MenuTemplateOpening.pdf

==========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 7, 2009

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UPDATE

ADDITIONAL EVENT TODAY!
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 12:00 – 1:00 PM — GREEN LUNCH / PANEL DISCUSSION ON LOCAL FOOD
Held at AU Student Center, room 2223.
Free and open to the public. Bring your lunch!
http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/website/projects/green_lunch.html
Our final Green Lunch of the semester will be a panel discussion on local food. The panel will consist of people who grow or work with local food on a daily basis. Producers Zach Randle of Randle Farms LLC and Gary Weil of Redroot Farm will discuss the challenges and rewards of growing produce and selling it directly to consumers through CSAs and local businesses. Executive Chef David Bancroft of Amsterdam café will discuss the journey he took to source local food and the pleasure of cooking with it. Hans van der Reijden, Managing Director of Hotel Operations, Auburn University Hotel, will talk about the challenges and advantages of using local food in a large hotel restaurant. Lastly, Dr. Michelle Worosz from Auburn’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology will give an academic overview of the impact and advantages of maintaining and growing local food markets. During the final fifteen minutes of the event, the panelists will take questions from the floor.
AU Office of Sustainability: www.auburn.edu/sustainability;
200 Langdon Annex, AU; 334.844.7777.

CORRECTION / NO SOS MEETING THURSDAY
There will not be an SOS meeting this Thursday evening.

ADDITIONAL EVENT
FRIDAY, DEC. 4, 9:00 AM — ALABAMA COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION – special/called meeting
Held in the PSA Hearing Room, RSA Union Building, 9th Floor, Montgomery. Open to all.  334-242-1998
Preliminary Agenda
I.     Call to Order
II.    Roll Call of Members and Determination of Quorum
III.   Approval of Agenda
IV.   Consideration of Minutes of Previous Meeting
V.    Chairman’s Report
VI.   Executive Director’s Report
VII.  Discussion Items
VIII. Decision Items
IX.   Information Items

ADDITIONAL DETAILS – Santa visit; Drum Choir
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 8:00 am – 1:00 pm — 14TH ANNUAL COOKIE WALK / Benefit for Habitat for Humanity Homes
Additional info: Santa Claus will make a visit at 10 am, and the Pot Luck Drum Choir will perform at 11:30 am
Held at Grace United Methodist Church, 915 E. Glenn Ave; next to Kroger. Come and buy a wide assortment of holiday cookies for $5/lb. Money raised is used for Habitat for Humanity homes.

ADDITIONAL EVENT
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM — 16th ANNUAL STANDARD DELUXE HOLIDAY SHOW & SALE
Held at Standard Deluxe, Waverly. Toll free: 800.382.9473
Direct: 334.826.6423. www.standarddeluxe.com/story1.html
Posters, prints, bags, & T-shirts available.
Established in 1991, STANDARD DELUXE is a high quality silkscreen print shop, design & build studio, music performance hall and onsite gallery/retail store specializing in T-Shirts, Hand-Printed Posters, Invitations, Signage and Archival Serigraph Art Prints.

ADDITIONAL EVENT
SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 8:00 PM –  ROOTS REGGAE BAND & SHOW / B-LAW RIDDIMWISE
Held at Fred’s Pickin Parlor (Fred’s Feed & Seed), 6434 Stage Road, Loachapoka. 334-502-6602
http://www.myspace.com/beduriddimwise
Come hungry! Papa D’s Super Grille opens at 7:00 pm.

UPCOMING EVENT
MONDAY, DEC. 7, 7:00 PM — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / MEETING & HOLIDAY GATHERING
Held at Piccolo, the jazz bar at the AU Hotel. All are welcome.
Catch up with your League friends by joining them near the fireplace in the new jazz bar at the Auburn University Hotel. The atmosphere will be cozy, the menu options are tasty, and the crowd will definitely be interesting. Invite a friend (or two) and join us for a casual evening of holiday cheer, starting at 7.
Piccolo menu:   http://www.auhcc.com/dining/documents/MenuTemplateOpening.pdf

REGISTER NOW!
Dec. 9 & 10 — “Vegetation for Stream and Floodplain
Restoration” workshop
Held in Montgomery, in the conference room, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc. , 2660 EastChase Lane, Ste 200, Montgomery; Tel: 334.271.3200.
For more information, contact Eve Brantley brantef@auburn.edu or visit http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm .
Topics will include:
* Invasive, nonnative plant management
* Riparian plant selection
* Bioengineering
* Planting techniques for stream and wetland plants
Registration information and a full agenda are available at:
http://www.aces.edu/waterquality/iby.htm#veg
Continuing education units (CEUs) from Auburn University will be offered for this workshop.
Project sponsors and partners include City of Montgomery, Auburn University, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Goodwyn, Mills, and Cawood, Inc., Jennings Environmental, LLC, Upper Alabama River Clean Water Partnership, Auburn
University Montgomery, Young Meadows Presbyterian Church, North Carolina State University, USDA CSREES Southern Region Water Program

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!
Auburn Preservation League Presents Auburn Holiday Home Tour
December 12 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
December 13 -  1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
8 HOMES
Susan and George Konstant, 232 Chadwick Lane
Tina and Mike Rabren, 1547 Lakewood Place
Pheza and Shane Sumners, 566 East Samford Ave.
Leigh and John Hudon, 718 Burke Place
Lucy Little, 554 Berkeley Ave.
Rosemary and Ronnie Anders, 2487 Danbury Drive
Kelly and Rick Davidson, Camellia Drive
Peg and Peter Weiss, 105 Prather’s Lake Dr.
5 CIDER STOPS
Auburn City Hall (Old Post Office Building), 144 Tichenor Ave.
Jan Dempsey Art Building, 222 East Drake Ave.
Crenshaw Bed and Breakfast, 371 N. College St.
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, 901 S. College St.
Lee County Museum in Loachapoka
Tickets for the tour are $20 each, and benefit Auburn Preservation League.  Pre-tour tickets are available now at the Chamber of Commerce or at the Auburn United Methodist Bazaar December 5.  Tickets also available on tour days, at each home.  [2 tickets available at half price for each new membership in Auburn Preservation League.]
See www.auburnpreservationleague.org.
Holiday Homes Tour sponsored by AMI Windows and Doors

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BIRMINGHAM NEWS – The Birmingham News says the practice of providing elected officials with free tickets to the Iron Bowl should end.

Will water footprints be the next energy star? Like their cousin the carbon footprint, water footprints are one of the latest methods scientists are using to assess humanity’s impact on the planet. And now businesses are starting to use water footprinting as well. National Geographic News

MAGNOLIA SPRINGS EXCEEDS STATE RULES TO PROTECT RIVER — . . . the town of Magnolia Springs passed what some say are the strongest water quality regulations in Alabama.The rules are designed to control runoff from construction and agricultural activities in the Magnolia River watershed. They establish stiff penalties for violators — including a $500 per day fine, along with the prospect of jail time  . . . .

FANNIE MAE UNVEILS DEED FOR LEASE PROGRAM
Fannie Mae is implementing a Deed for Lease Program where qualifying homeowners facing foreclosure will be able to remain in their homes by signing a lease in connection with the voluntary transfer of the property deed back to the lender. Something like this could help stave off some forclosures. For additional information about the Deed for Lease Program, including full details on program eligibility, review the Guide Announcement on www.efanniemae.com.
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EXCERPT FROM ARCHWEEK RESIDENTIAL (e-newsletter from www.ArchitectureWeek.com)  — HOUSING MARKET / UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS MAP

Housing market statistics are in the news this week, including aseries of modest sales price increases during the third quarter, as well as the astounding (even if mechanistically driven) calculationthat 23% of U.S. homeowners are currently underwater in their mortgages.

While any degree of stabilization is welcome, the backdrop for U.S.
housing trends remains complex, with government stimulus funding and low interest rates supporting updraft, while various aspects of the market structure probably still draft downward.

As the Great Recession appears to be technically waning, very high unemployment continues to be one of the important background factors for housing.

This must-see animated map helps bring the scale of the U.S.
unemployment issue to life:

http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html

Give it a moment for the trends to build, and see where they get by
September ‘09.  Then play the trend buildup a couple times more to really get the feel of it.

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Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 2, 2009