Should race be issue in District 28 Senate race? The main body of Alabama Senate District 27 is in Tallapoosa County. A crooked arm reaches down into Lee County, grabbing part of the City of Auburn before narrowing, twisting weirdly, claiming part of Opelika and snaking toward Phenix City. The adjacent District 28 weaves around the west side of that crooked arm, encompassing Macon, Barbour, Bullock and Henry counties, and much of Russell County as well as part of Lee County, including a chunk of south Auburn. A maniac didn't draw those weird districts. They're an example of district lines drawn to achieve a specific purpose.

Raptor center volunteers head north to Alaska Auburn University and eagles have come to be linked in the public mind, and that connection has led to the trip of a lifetime for two current AU students and one recent graduate. They are in Alaska this summer interning with the American Bald Eagle Foundation, and their work at AU's Southeastern Raptor Rehabilitation Center led to the opportunity.

Dyer preparing to contribute this fall During his senior season at Little Rock Christian, Michael Dyer's name was usually preceded by a mix of accolades like "Five star," "Arkansas' top player" or "Nation's No. 2 running back."

Re-thinking Opelika Road The Opelika Road corridor connecting the adjacent cities of Opelika and Auburn may see a major redevelopment effort over the next decade, say Auburn's city manager Charlie Duggan and mayor Bill Ham.\r\n"Let's face it, Opelika Road doesn't look too good," Ham said. "In my mind the city needs to get involved with providing incentives to revitalize, redevelop and remodel."

Hometown authors You might say Jim Buford and Cleveland Harrison just like to talk.\r\nThe South boasts a rich legacy of storytelling, and Auburn is no exception. Two of those storytellers are Buford and Harrison, and each has recently published a book.

Football team showing up for voluntary workouts Auburn football players have been meeting with head strength and conditioning coach Kevin Yoxall to prepare for the upcoming season in voluntary workouts.\r\nBut the summer time isn't the only time they spend conditioning or lifting weights. Although they take a small step back from the workload during spring practice, the Tigers have been training hard since January.

The way of the honey bee With the bee population declining across the nation, beekeeping--a once lucrative and popular occupation--also seems to be dying out. But one local man is still going strong with the profession that dates back thousands of years.

Hundreds of cases are on the docket every week Eight years after Joe Bailey graduated from Auburn University and began working for Auburn National Bank (now AuburnBank), he realized he wanted to pursue a completely different career path.

'Auburn family' sealed deal for Reed Across the nation, Memorial Day is the time to commemorate U.S. soldiers who have fallen during military service. It also serves as the unofficial start to summer. At Auburn, the new coaching staff utilizes the long weekend to host big-name recruits.

Gulf oil spill is a 'technological disaster' LaDon Swann has his eye on the big picture. "This is not only an environmental disaster, it is an economic and social disaster as well," said Swann of the British Petroleum oil spill that is befouling Gulf beaches and polluting its water. "Commercial fishermen are not working, so processors can't get product," he said. "The truckers and all the way up the chain are affected."

Cutting hair for a cause Next time you get your hair cut, you might be helping clean up the Gulf. Hair salons in Auburn are helping with the BP oil spill relief effort by collecting hair to be used in mats and booms that will soak up oil on the beaches affected by the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion.

Oil spill How the massive Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf is affecting AU researchers, and how they hope to be able to help the area recover.

Auburn's Thigpen looking for 'football thugs' For Auburn football, the summertime is loaded with high school camps and unofficial visits from recruits. Last Sunday, some of the top players from across the Southeast ventured to Auburn for a senior, invitation-only mini camp. The prospects participated in individual drills, shuttle drills, one-on-one's, 7-on-7's and recorded 40-yard dash times.

Boy Scouts will visit site of D-Day landing The members of Auburn Boy Scout Troop 11 are raising money to take a trip to Normandy next summer in honor of the D-Day invasion some 66 years ago. The boys will spend a week in France visiting memorials and gravesites of World War II soldiers.

Local clinic offers medical care, prayers It's early Monday morning and the normal hustle and bustle at Mercy Medical Clinic is already underway.

Summer workouts benefit AHS athletes This past year, Auburn High School has reached the playoffs in every sport offered and earned its second consecutive state title in baseball and first in girls golf. Coincidentally, most of those teams have been through a weight training program under the director of teacher and coach Gary Pegues.

A place in peril Where student cheers could once be heard, there is silence. Only animals and dead insects inhabit the building. Most people don't realize that this apparently abandoned building was once the center of Auburn life.