The fine arts department at Southern Union State Community College will present “Expressions: Pieces by or for Black Artists” at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday in the Renaissance Theater in Wadley Campus.

Atheists try to paint a picture that a theocracy is on the way enforced by the huge majority who are religious in our country. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently published an editorial saying that one of our presidential candidates is not qualified to hold any office in our land because of his faith in God. So-called preachers heap criticism on evangelicals concerning almost every issue while the Jihadists, uncontrolled immigration and other much more real enemies virtually escape their wrath.

To the surprise of no one, the Alabama Senate has taken up where it left off in 2007. Sen. Phil Poole, D-Moundville, because of his childish desire for retribution, has again stuck his thumb in the eye of the voters. Poole’s off-the-wall rhetoric and threats to filibuster good legislation sponsored by Republicans is an affront to every Alabamian, including his own constituents.

The House got it right, and the Senate is messing with what could be a good thing.

Airport construction update

University leaders rip Riley’s plan

Daewon America celebrated the opening of its first North American plant Wednesday at the 170,000-square-feet facility in the Northeast Opelika Industrial Park.

Members from the local Emergency Management Agency, the Auburn Fire Division and the Nation Weather Service gave advice on what to do in severe weather to Lee Scott Academy students in Carol Merritt’s fifth-grade science class Wednesday. Feb. 17-22 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Alabama.

An employee at the Movie Gallery on South College Street was reportedly robbed at gunpoint Tuesday night.

Josh Segall wants to be elected U.S. Representative for Alabama’s 3rd District, and he says he could do a better job than his opponent.

Lee County’s congressman heard from county commissioners, the sheriff and staff on concerns related to roads, alternative fuels, recreation, rural health care and economic development Wednesday.

The items in a front yard might be considered eyesores, but to scholar and artist Judith McWillie they’re eye openers to a long and rich “indigenous tradition” of vernacular black art in Alabama and the rest of the South.

Original plans for construction on the west side of campus called for a new dining hall to be finished by the fall of 2009, just as construction of the new Village residence halls would be complete. However, now it looks like the dining facility will be finished a year before the residence halls.

Alabama legislators have had enough to do with contributing to the corruption within the state’s two-year college system, so a bill introduced in the Legislature designed to create a separate school board governing junior colleges only lends itself to skepticism right off the bat.

In all honesty, I can’t recall the first motion picture I saw. But one of the earliest was “DOA” with Edmond O’Brien.

History has always appealed to me. It is amazing to learn how our relatives and ancestors were able to do so much with so little. My great-grandmother had a vegetable stand, a meat house and a bakery — all in her house on “Baptist Hill.”

To date, Federal prosecutors have nine convictions and two more indictments of Democratic legislators or others linked to the two-year college system. This may turn out to be the biggest political scandal in the history of Alabama.

The Opelika Police Department has identified a potential mother of an infant found dead in a drainage ditch earlier this month, District Attorney Nick Abbett said Tuesday.

The Opelika City Council approved a pay raise for the mayor, council president and council members, which will go into effect when newly elected officials are sworn in Nov. 3.

Diego M. Gimenez Jr., Extension specialist and associate professor in the Agriculture Department at Auburn University, was born in Cuba, took part in the Bay of Pigs, was captured and jailed in Cuba for two years and has met Fidel Castro.

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is ruling out any changes in its Cuba policy — including lifting a five-decade trade embargo — deriding Fidel Castro’s brother and heir apparent, Raul, as “dictator lite.”

Opelika native and longtime business owner James Gordon Brown died Monday. He was 87.

“There won’t be any need for dark skies— any open area with a view to the east and south will be good,” said Russell Whigham of the Auburn Astrological Society. “The Moon will form a narrow triangle with the blue-white star, Regulus, to the upper right, and yellowish Saturn to the left.”

A 46-year-old woman was arrested and charged Wednesday with two counts of attempted murder in connection with a Feb. 2 domestic dispute that resulted in three people being shot.

VALLEY — Local residents put colored markers to paper drawing their visions of the future revitalization of two closed textile mills, the Langdale Mill and the Riverdale Mill.

The government of China is searching across the globe for the 100 best educational programs to partner with its universities. It found one at Auburn University.

The bulk of Tuesday’s Auburn City Council meeting consisted of residents voicing concerns, most of which were about a proposed apartment complex to be developed near a residential subdivision.

There was a long article, reprinted from the AP, in the Opelika-Auburn News, titled “Cruise Trends for 2008.”

My windshield wipers work only when the left turn signal is displayed. The lock to the driver’s side door is broken. A crack zigzags its way across my windshield. Neither the cruise control nor alarm has worked for five years.

George Washington Carver was a young man when he first heard Booker T. Washington deliver a speech from a podium. At first he was intrigued, then he became inspired.