Yoga instructor opens new studio (Brief)

Chet Thomas poses for a picture at his new studio, Om Town Yoga. (Photo/Marcus Crawford)

Question: What do an astrologist, a mechanic and Chet Thomas all have in common?

Answer: All three individuals are concerned with alignment. And while Chet Thomas might not be able to read your horoscope or align your tires, he can certainly give you a great workout.

Chet Thomas, the sole instructor at Om Town Yoga, has been practicing yoga for about 10 years. While his background is primarily in Iyengar yoga, a method that emphasizes the alignment of mind, body and spirit, Thomas teaches Hatha yoga. He has a new studio that is located on 190 Park Ave.

Edited by Lindsay Dobras

Staying in shape takes more than a gym membership

(PHOTO/Imann Gad)
The Butts-Mehre building, located off of Lumpkin Street, is where UGA athletes spend most of their time exercising and keeping fit.

By Imann Gad

ATHENS, Ga—Being in shape calls for more than just the frequent visits to the gym but a well-balanced diet as well.

A well-balanced diet depends on healthy but moderate eating habits. Eating smaller portioned meals more times a day is better for the body than a couple of big meals.

Former UGA football player Kelin Johnson knows the importance of a healthy well balanced diet.

“To look good is to feel good,” Johnson said. “In order to live a comfortable life you have to take care of your body.”

Johnson, who was a defensive back from 2004-2007, is currently serving the football team to help players maintain a healthier lifestyle.

“It’s not only about eating right or working out hard,” Johnson said, “it’s about a healthy balance between the two.”

Eating the right foods is a very important factor when it comes to maintaining one’s weight.

Rex Bradberry, strength and conditioning coach for the Georgia Bulldogs, knows that bad eating habits can affect your performance on and off the field.

“Eating a well-balanced diet,” Bradberry said, “increases your energy level on the field and in the classroom.”

Bradberry, who has been with the Bulldogs since 2003, and is currently working on his Phd in Kinesiology maintains a very strict diet.

“I workout everyday,” Bradberry said, “and I make sure that I have five small well-balanced meals.”

The benefits of maintaining a physical regimen are often lost without the combination of an appropriate diet.

Clay Walker, strength and conditioning coach for the Georgia Bulldogs, works with the larger framed players and is aware of the what those players are eating.

“Many of our linemen are big because of the position they play,” Walker said. “It’s more important for them to maintain a well-balanced diet for their position.”

A lot of the players have to adjust their weight depending on their position on the field. If a player needs to gain weight for his position, it is very important that they gain the right weight.

“People may think that gaining weight is easy,” Walker said, “but it can be hard when you place your body on a strict diet.”

Walker, a former Bulldog player who has been a coach since 2002, is currently working on his doctorate in kinesiology with an emphasis in motor development.

Both Bradberry and Walker would agree that eating healthy is a good start to a healthy lifestyle and incorporating a 30-45 minute workout a few days a week is a great way to maintain that lifestyle.

Edited by Ben Bussard.

Jittery Joe's filters trash (brief)

By Bailey Keiger

Jittery Joe's Coffee at the Miller Learning Center is trying to do its part to keep our environment cleaner.

"We recycle all our cardboard and use paper instead of plastic to serve food," said Caleb Nipper, Jittery Joe's general manager.

But despite the store's efforts to encourage recycling, Nipper said it is still difficult for some patrons to follow through.

"We ask people to return coffee cup sleeves, but they don't really," Nipper said. "They see the sign, but don't do anything about it."

Even conveniently placed receptacles next to the shop's drink stand were not doing their job.

"We talked to the learning center's manager about moving recycle bins closer to us,” said Nipper, “but a day after they were moved here they were full of trash, not recycling, so it wasn't worth it.”

Edited by Suha Zakiuddin

New kitchen launches cooking class series

(PHOTO courtesy of Alice Bender)
Alice Bender, the Nutrition Services Coordinator at the University Health Center, shows a student how to chop broccoli for a healthy snack. The class is part of a cooking series the UHC is hosting entitled "Anyone Can Cook."

By Miranda Stancil

The University of Georgia Health Center is offering students the opportunity to spice things up.

Offering $5 cooking classes with a registered dietician, University students will be able to learn how to cook healthily while adding some flavor to their diet.

The series, entitled “Anyone Can Cook,” began May 14 and is being taught in the new nutrition kitchen, which was built as a part of the addition to the University Health Center.

The kitchen is fully stocked with cooking appliances such as skillets, knives and cutting boards. It also has a dishwasher and its refrigerator is stocked with healthy food.

Alice Bender, the nutrition services coordinator at the University Health Center, is teaching the series and thinks the new kitchen is crucial to the education she is able to offer in the classes.

“This gives real life experience to students – they can chop and cook in a kitchen rather than just watching a video or someone else do it,” Bender said.

Bender, who offers individual nutrition counseling to students, thinks it’s beneficial to students to practice preparing healthy dishes.

“From my work with students over the past 15 years, I know that many are interested in preparing more of their own foods in a healthy way,” said Bender, “but most don’t know where to start or don’t have the food preparation knowledge and skills.”

Liz Rachun, health communications coordinator at the University Health Center, said the center is offering the classes because students have continually shown interest in the topic.

“Students are always requesting information about nutritious, inexpensive and easy ways to prepare meals,” Rachun said. “Cooking classes cover all these bases.”

According to the center’s Web site, the cooking class series kicked off with a class featuring the cooking techniques needed to prepare vegetarian meals.

The second class of the series, titled “You Can Take It With You: Eating on the Go,” took place May 20. Students in the class practiced preparing healthy lunches and snacks for days when they can’t make it home to eat.

According to Bender, food safety guidelines are addressed in the classes and students are taught basic preparation techniques like how to chop vegetables, how to sauté or stir fry, and how to modify recipes depending on what they may have on hand or what their preferences are.

Bender believes the series emphasizes the importance that students know certain cooking techniques in order lead a healthy lifestyle.

“It is much easier to have a healthy diet if you prepare your own foods, so having the ability to cook and prepare meals will serve students well not only while they are in college, but also throughout their life,” Bender said.

Kristyna Mauch, a senior majoring in publication management, has taken both of the cooking classes offered and has enjoyed the hands-on education she’s received.

“I moved into an apartment this past January, and I was off of the meal plan for the first time since leaving home,” Mauch said. “I had no idea how to prepare healthy meals, which is important to me because I like to stay fit. The classes have helped me out a lot.”

Mauch plans on attending the rest of the series, which includes a class on May 28 about preparing a balanced breakfast, and a class on June 1 that focuses on cooking with locally grown foods.

The University Health Center will continue to offer cooking classes on a wide range of topics throughout the fall and spring semesters, Rachun said.

Edited by Ben Bussard

Staying healthy takes more than a gym membership

By Imann Gad

ATHENS, Ga—Being in shape calls more than just the frequent visits at the gym but a well balanced diet as well.

A well balanced diet depends on healthy but moderate eating habits. Eating smaller portioned meals more times a day is better for the body than a couple of big meals.

Former UGA football player, Kelin Johnson, knows the importance of a healthy well balanced diet.

“To look good is to feel good,” Johnson said. “In order to liver a comfortable life you have to take care of your body.”

Edited by Ben Bussard.

A new parking lot is part of the health center's remodeling plan.

Photo by Bailey Keiger

Health center gets new wing

By BAILEY KEIGER

The University of Georgia’s health center has recently undergone a massive facelift to better serve the campus community.

“The consensus was that we needed to expand to serve a campus like this,” said Liz Rachun, health communications coordinator for the University Health Center.

The plans for renovations began almost as soon as the original health facility was built in 1997.

“Because of all the construction going on in the area during the Summer Olympics, the cost of building skyrocketed, so the plan had to be scaled down,” Rachun said. “Only now have we been able to get a plan for renovation together to add all the services we originally wanted.”

One of the reasons the remodel took over 10 years to plan and complete was the unique location of the health center.

“Our original plan was to extend the back of the facility, but we discovered that there are a number of historic, old trees back there that we didn’t want to harm,” Rachun said. “So we had to wait ‘til we acquired the money over the years to design a new plan that fit the area.”

According to the health center’s Web site, the new plan consists of a brand new vision clinic, expansions to the dental and women’s clinic, and relocation of the allergy and travel clinic and urgent care clinic to the first floor for easier patient access.

There will also be a health promotions department which will include a fully-functional nutrition kitchen to educate students about food preparation and food health.

“The health promotions department has been around, but the nutrition kitchen will be a new addition to that department,” said Alice Bender, nutritionist II for the health center. “We have not been able to offer classes before, so this will be a great opportunity to help students prepare healthy food and to educate them on food safety.”

Senior Barbara Uhler from Putnam County is looking forward to taking advantages of the new classes.

“I will probably use the classes, since I can’t cook at all,” Uhler said. “They sound like fun.”

Bender said that was the main goal of the nutrition kitchen, to teach those who may not have the skills to prepare healthy meals.

“Lots of people come to college not knowing how to cook, and one thing we’ve learned is that it’s difficult to have a healthy diet without proper cooking skills,” Bender said.

Bender said that this facility is unusual among college campuses.

“I haven’t heard of any other university that offers this. We have to give a lot of credit to our director for being so innovative and allowing us to build this,” Bender said.

The first phase of renovations, which cost $13.7 million, started in February 2008 with a remodeling of the parking lot, and ended in March 2009 when the main lobby area was complete. The full renovations will be complete July 2009 after the original areas of the facility have been remodeled.

Edited by HAL TIFT

How to keep your pets safe this summer

John Holden walks his American Border Collie into the university veterinary school.

Photo by SARA SPIGENER

By SARA SPIGENER

If you’re a pet owner, you should take extra precautions in the summer months to keep your pets healthy.

Overheating is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to pet health in the summer. Keep physical activity to a minimum in the middle of the day. Try exercising your pet in the morning or evening when it is coolest, said Kathy Kero, a veterinarian at the University of Georgia Community Practice Clinic.

Most pet owners know not to leave their pets in a car with the windows up, but animals should never be left in a car under any circumstance. Sometimes, especially in the hottest months of summer, all it takes is a few minutes for the temperature inside the car to reach 100 degrees, said Jeff Stortz, a veterinarian at Oconee Veterinary Hospital.

“You wouldn’t want to be left in your car in the summer, so you shouldn’t do it to your pet,” he said.

Outside pets need extra special attention in the summer months to keep them healthy. Make sure there is plenty of shade where your pet is kept outside, and make sure the pet can get to that shade, said Pat Rives, Athens Animal Control superintendent. If your yard is shaded, but your pet is in a pen or tied up and can’t reach it, it doesn’t do them any good.

Keep an eye on your pet’s food and water that is left outdoors. If you feed your pet outside, don’t let extra food just sit in the bowl. This draws insects such as flies and ants. Fly strike is especially common during the summer months when people leave pet food outside, Rives said. Fly strike is the irritation of animals’ ears due to biting flies that are often attracted by food.

Most owners know to keep a supply of fresh, cool water available to their animals. But a lot of times, pets can knock over their water bowls, Rives said. Make sure that the bowl your pet drinks out of is sturdy. Try using a heavy bucket or check the pet store for water bowls that are sturdy and hard to knock over.

Flies are not the only insects to worry about in the summer. Mosquitoes start to show up when the weather gets warm, and this means increased risk of heartworms for your pet, Stortz said. Dogs should be on preventative medication to guard against heartworms, so talk to your veterinarian if your dog isn’t.

Also, summer is the high season for fleas and ticks that can carry disease and cause irritation and infections. These pests can affect any animal, even inside pets, so it is important to keep your yard trimmed and talk to your vet about preventative measures, he said.

Stortz said that one problem that pet owners don’t really think about during the summer is allergies. His office sees a lot of instances of allergies during the summer when pollens and other allergens get worse. If your pet is scratching a lot, you might want to get it checked for allergies. Not only do plants cause allergies, but many of the plants in bloom during the summer are poisonous and can be fatal, Kero said.

Another problem that owners don’t typically think about is chemical ingestion. Some pet owners keep their pets out of the heat by putting them in the garage, but this can expose animals to hazardous insecticides and fertilizers, Kero said. She has seen numerous cases where pets were exposed to antifreeze when their owners were preparing for vacation.

“Just a couple of laps of antifreeze could kill an animal in only a few hours,” she said.

Keep an eye on your pet during the summer. If there is any sudden change in behavior or diet or if the animal becomes more lethargic than usual, make sure to get it examined by a veterinarian right away, Kero said.

Edited by HAL TIFT.

Fine Arts restoration underway

(Photo/Leila Mattimore)

Bailey Shutt, an employee of the University of Georgia Physical Plant, explains the process to repair the foundation of the Fine Arts Building on Wednesday, May 20, 2009.

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By Leila Mattimore

“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,” said Macbeth. It always seemed like the Fine Arts Theatre would have to wait until “to-morrow,” but now the day has come, and the Fine Arts Theatre is finally getting the restoration students have been hoping for.

The University of Georgia campus may deceptively appear sleepy in the summer, but in many buildings, construction workers have replaced students. Rooms and doorways are blocked off, and sections of sidewalk are enclosed with chain-link fences.

Among the many buildings undergoing construction around campus, repairs are being made to the foundation of the Fine Arts Building on Baldwin Street, and the theatre within is undergoing the first phase of its restoration.

According to the status report on the Fine Arts Theatre renovation by the Office of University Architects for Facilities Planning, the purpose of the project is to “upgrade accessibility for [the] entire building, as well as mechanical upgrades to theater and academic wings.”

The report also states, “The project will be phased over many years,” but this “first phase of renovation, to include [the] theater mechanical system relocation and lobby renovation” which began Jan. 21, 2009 is not scheduled to be completed until Sept. 1, 2009.

The building in its present state looks as though they are digging it up.

“There is a leak in the foundation,” Rudy Vickery, an employee of the University Physical Plant, who is working on the project, said, “and it looks like this could have been going on for 20 years.”

“But the more eminent problem is mold,” Bailey Shutt, another employee of the University Physical Plant added. “With the mold problem the theatre department can’t even store their costumes.”

Vickery and others are now working on digging down to the “foot” of the building, which is much deeper than the actual floor of the building, and then they must waterproof the foundation by applying a product called Bituthene®.

Jillian Baldwin, a sophomore theatre and film studies major says that it seemed as though the department would never get the funding to fix the situation. “No one has the money to really do much anymore, so we are really excited that the building is finally getting the attention it needs.”

The total budget stated for the project is $4, 206, 294. The University Project Manager is Scott Messer; the contractor is Peter Brown Construction, and.Lord, Aeck, & Sargent are doing the architecture and consulting for the renovation.

Edited by Alex Mckelvey/ Leila Mattimore

Karaoke draws crowds despite dismal economy

Wild Wing Café displays their drink specials. (Photo/ Marcus Crawford)

DJ Dime performs “Hey Man Nice Shot” by Filter. (Photo/ Marcus Crawford)

Chris Anderson drinks his beer after performing “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugar Hill Gang. (Photo/ Marcus Crawford)

By Marcus Crawford

The Cleveland Cavaliers are down by three when a man clad in a blue Polo and khaki shorts takes the stage. About half the crowd at Wild Wing Café cringes, bracing themselves for yet another country ballad. And then the magic happens. The facial expressions of the audience shift from grim anticipation to surprise as Chris Anderson launches into a spirited rendition of “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugar Hill Gang.

Anderson, a University of Georgia alumnus with a degree in environmental economics, is a regular at Wild Wing’s karaoke night. He goes to the restaurant about three to four times a month, giving him plenty of opportunities to perfect his performance of “Rapper’s Delight.”

“I almost have the whole thing memorized and it’s like a seven minute song,” said Anderson.

Anderson pauses to take a swig from his Yuengling lager, breathless from his epic feat. For him, the wide selection of music and quality sound system make Wild Wing Café an “above average” karaoke venue.

Wild Wing Café hosts karaoke night every Tuesday from 10 p.m. until around midnight. The event coincides with the “Two for Tuesday” wing special, a deal which allows customers to purchase two orders of chicken wings for the price of one. The karaoke night drink specials are a major draw for patrons.

Marlyce Stein, a bartender at Wild Wing and a UGA alumna, has noticed the effectiveness of linking vocals with value.
“We used to have karaoke on Thursdays,” Stein said “But when you give people both, it works better.”

The combination of wings and karaoke has served as a powerful one-two punch in Wild Wing’s battle for survival in a struggling U.S. economy. David Heenan, a manager at Wild Wing, noted that business was booming despite the lower demand for top-shelf liquor.

“Since Jan. 2009 we’ve been at 99.8 percent of our sales from last year. We’re a recession niche,” said Heenan.

Even the mass exodus of UGA students for summer vacation fails to discourage employees. Tilmon C. Greene, III better known as DJ III, has been working at Wild Wing for four years. Although he is an Augusta native, Greene mentioned that karaoke night at Wild Wing is well-worth the drive to 312 E.Washington St.

“You never know what to expect,” Greene said. “It’s always different.”

William “Brooks” Brown, also known as DJ Dime, is Greene’s business partner. Brown compared the club-like ambiance of Wild Wing’s karaoke night to the atmosphere of Level 131, an Athens nightclub where he also DJ’s.

Like Greene, Brown enjoys singing karaoke as much as he does watching it. On a night that has been dominated by country and R&B crooners, Brown rises from his seat onstage and belts out Filter’s “Hey Man, Nice Shot” – a fitting farewell as the audience’s attention shifts from the stage to the big screen TVs displaying the shooting prowess of LeBron James.

Edited by Marcie Opraseuth

Big City Bread Makeover

Big City Bread Cafe purchased the adjoining building in order to have room to expand their indoor seating. The expansion is set to be done by the end of June.

Photo By: Courtney Smith

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Local eatery Big City Bread Cafe is currently getting an uptown makeover that will furnish the cafe with new booths, more indoor seating and a lot more space.

The renovation, planned to be ready by the end of June, will change the look of the cafe slightly and make it “a little more comfortable” for customers to move around and sit, according to the catering manager Jeremiah Petersen.

“Right now, people have a hard time moving around to sit down and it is sometimes hard for the food-runners to squeeze between the cafe tables to bring out people's food because all of the tables and chairs are so close together,” he said. “Hopefully, having booths and more space will let us space everything out a little so people won’t have to squeeze by everyone else's chair just to get to the bathroom.”

According to cashier Katie Andrew, a psychology and pre-Grady double major from Nashville, Ga., the interior expansion will allow the cafe to seat more than four times the number of customers inside the building, which currently only has the capacity for about 25 patrons at a time.

“I think it will really help the cafe because, right now, most of our seating is outside so people won’t come when it is raining or bad weather because they know we don't have a lot of room inside and it can get crowded,” she said. “But, if they know that we have lots of seats inside as well as the entire patio, I think people will be a lot more likely to come even if it’s not bright and beautiful outside.”

Despite the current economic recession and University summer vacation, the weather is the most important factor that determines the cafe's daily business and revenue, according to long-time employee Whitney Miley.

“I have worked here longer than anyone, other than the managers, and I haven’t even really noticed a decline in business here; I think we get about the same amount of business as we did last summer and the summer before,” the 21-year-old international affairs major from Cartersville said. “We even just opened back up for dinner every night now that the weather is getting nice enough for people to enjoy sitting outside at night.”

According to Miley, even though the expansion is expected to be finished in the summer, they think business will remain slow on summer weekdays. However, they expect the expansion will help the café’s business in the winter, and during Saturday and Sunday brunch.

“The weekdays are always slow, so I don’t think it will get a lot of use, especially now when the weather is beautiful, because people want to be outside,” she said. “But, it is going to be a god-send on Sunday after people get out of church, because the line is always out the door and we never have enough room for everyone waiting to order, let alone sit down at a table and eat.”

By:Courtney Smith

Edited By: Alex McKelvey

UGA still ready for swine flu

By SUHA ZAKIUDDIN

Although the swine flu virus has not yet proved as dangerous as was once feared in the U.S., experts across the nation are still on alert, and so is the University of Georgia.

There are no reported cases of the virus at the university at this time, but officials are taking precautionary measures.

“UGA has a plan in place and has been working on it for a long time,” said Liz Rachun, the health communications coordinator at the University Health Center.

Some of the prevention steps the university is taking include following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Public Health. In addition, researchers on campus are monitoring cases in the U.S.

Even though the number is growing, the cases are not terrible, Rachun said.

Researchers are also monitoring the southern hemisphere during their standard flu season for mutations in the virus.

Dr. Ralph A Tripp is a professor in the department of infectious diseases and the associate director at the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS). He is an expert on the virus.

CEIRS is one of six national centers that researches the influenza virus and responds to pandemics. In order to learn more about the swine flu, Tripp tests strategies against the virus in animal models to study its transmission.

“Believe it or not, the best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands,” Tripp said. Both Rachun and Tripp emphasized that hand washing can help protect against the virus.

They also urge people who have influenza to stay at home.

In the Fall, two flu shots may be required, one for influenza and the other for the swine flu. If both are available then Rachun urges students to get vaccinated.

Some students are not as concerned since coverage in the media has slowed.

Gabriela Garcia, a senior double-majoring in public relations and history from San Juan, Puerto Rico, said that at first, she thought the initial outbreak of the swine flu was just a trend that popped up like the bird flu. Her views changed when she learned that people were dying, but she feels better in the months since the outbreak.

“Ask me [about the Swine Flu] two weeks ago, and I would have said I was worried,” Garcia said, “but not so much now.”

Garcia owes this feeling to a “lull” in the coverage of the virus on news stations. She does think that if the threat becomes greater, then there should be more prevention awareness on campus.

The University Health Center Web site (www.uhs.uga.edu) has basic information about the virus and prevention tips. The Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness (www.uosp.uga.edu) has additional information.

Edited by HAL TIFT

Jobless grads turn to military careers

Brad Boaen, a UGA graduate entering the Marines, poses for a picture on North Campus. (Photo/ Lindsay Dobras)

By Lindsay Dobras

ATHENS, Ga. – As the nation continues to fall deeper into an economic recession, many recent graduates struggle to find jobs. With little options left, increasing numbers of students are turning to the military as a more stable career option.

University of Georgia graduate, Brad Boaen, from Savannah, Ga., began thinking about joining the military during his last semester at UGA. Boaen, who studied horticulture, says he thought more and more about joining the military after graduation because of the economy.

He signed with the U.S. Marine Corps in March.

Although Boaen had a horticulture-related job lined up after graduation, he worried about the stability of the career. According to Boaen, it is a seasonal job that offers little benefits. Joining the Marines would be his safest option right now.

“The military has some undeniably amazing benefits that I think will be very helpful in the future,” he said. “Whether our economy bounces back or not, I think I have made a really smart decision.”

Some of the benefits offered by the military include healthcare, which covers intermediate family, and guaranteed pay raises every couple years. Military personnel begin receiving retirement after 20 years.

Boaen explains that he has to pay off his student loans within the next five years, but will eventually be reimbursed by the Marines. They will pay his tuition if he decides to continue his education and complete a second degree. After retirement, he may choose to get an additional degree in teaching.

Amanda Schwartz, a 21-year-old accounting major from Duluth, Ga., and close friend of Boaen, says she is supportive of him and agrees that the military benefits may be helpful to him throughout his lifetime.

“I hate that he is joining the Marines because it is one of the most dangerous options he could have chosen for a career,” said Schwartz. “I’ll worry about him every day, but I support him in his decision. He will be going in as an officer, which is the best way to go in. I can’t really deny that it wasn’t a smart decision.”

Other students at UGA have chosen similar options. Paul O’Connell, a 23-year-old UGA graduate from Douglasville, Ga., chose the military when he couldn’t find a job. Much like Boaen, O’Connell worries about his future in this economy.

“I’m getting married in a few months, and I need to be able to support my family,” he said. “I joined the Army because I needed to. It was the best thing I could do for me and my fiancé.”

Boaen, who leaves for Officer Candidate School this week, says he never thought he would join the military. His decision to be a Marine has left him anxious, but excited for the journey.

“I didn’t choose the Marines just because it is a smart decision,” he said. “I joined because it is something I can be proud of. I am nervous about it all, especially about passing OCS. It’s going to be really tough. But in the end, I will be proud to be able to call myself a United States Marine.”

Edited by Marcie Opraseuth

Big City Bread Cafe

Big City Bread Cafe purchased the adjoining building in order to have room to expand their indoor seating. The expansion is set to be done by the end of June.

Shoppers choose used clothing stores for unique style and affordable prices

Vintage boots and shoes are displayed in the window of the Minx boutique, located in downtown Athens, Ga. (PHOTO/Courtney Holbrook)



Purses, jewelry and more are crowded around the check-out counter at Agora, a boutique in downtown Athens that sells vintage items. (PHOTO/Courtney Holbrook)

By Courtney Holbrook

ATHENS, GA --- Girls who want their clothing to stand out this summer – without breaking the bank – are shopping at vintage thrift stores.

A few boutiques stand out in downtown Athens, and they continue to draw customers in by selling used clothing for cheap prices.

But thrift stores are becoming popular places for shoppers to not only find a deal, but also to break away from typical Athens fashion.

“When you shop at vintage or consignment stores, you can find clothing no one else will be able to have,” said Emily Ferrari, a fourth-year Latin and classical cultures major and vintage buyer. “You won’t see 50 other girls on the street wearing the same dress as you.”

Airee Hong, owner of Agora, a thrift shop on Clayton Street, opened her store seven years ago and filled it with unique clothing and jewelry. Hong also sells antique furniture.

Hong said the store gave her the opportunity to have a creative outlet, something she wanted as an artist.

“I didn’t open this store for money,” Hong said. “I created this space to put out beautiful pieces of art. I probably buy more stuff than I sell!”

Agora is run as a co-op, with over 50 vendors showing their merchandise. Hong is in charge of selling their products.

“Because we have so many vendors,” Hong said, “there’s a little bit of everything here.”

Janice Bryan opened Minx, a boutique on Clayton Street, five years ago.

Customers at Minx can find different dresses and boots on display every few hours. All clothing is organized by decade and designer – easing the way for a first-time buyer to find their perfect item.

Bryan, a thrift store shopper herself, originally only wanted to sell her own outfits.

“I ended up with way too much clothing of my own,” Bryan said. “I started out wanting to get rid of some of it, and then it turned into a job that made me happy.”

Bryan continues to sell personal merchandise, but has branched out over the years. She travels to small towns in Louisiana, Virginia, Tennessee, the Carolinas and Georgia to find unique items to sell at Minx.

The numerous sales draw new customers, and keep current shoppers happy.

“I always have $5 sale racks on display,” Bryan said. “I want my customers to know they have a place to shop, no matter how they are doing financially.”

Apart from the funky clothing and low prices, boutique owners try to give customers something they can’t find elsewhere – a personal relationship with the store.

“I try to know the names of my customers,” Hong said. “I keep call lists, so that I can let them know when something comes in that I think they would like.”

Customers seem to appreciate the effort, praising the owners for their helpfulness.

“Airee and Janice encourage you to be bold with your style choices,” said Lauren Hook, a third-year international affairs major and long-time shopper. “They always make shopping a fun experience.”

Edited by Miranda Stancil

Security guards keep students safe

Troy Bowen takes a call from a fellow security guard, requesting his assistance. (Photo/Jordan Stepp)

Red shirts at the library security desk signify lower ranking guards. At the MLC, they signify managers. (Photo/Jordan Stepp)

By Jordan Stepp

They sit unnoticed by most of the students who cross their paths. And they like it that way.

The security guards at the University of Georgia have a tough, often boring, but rewarding job. It is their duty to make sure that the students, faculty, and staff at UGA are kept safe. Tucked behind their desks, these student workers may appear to not be paying attention, but they are actually watching far closer than anyone can imagine.

“We love to people watch,” said Danielle Kelley, a third year student who works as a guard in the Zell B. Miller Student Learning Center. “It’s kind of our job to pay attention.”

Troy Bowen, a graduate student and Kelley’s co-worker, agrees.

“Sometimes we get called to handle situations in other parts of the MLC, but if we catch a suspicious person before they do something, we can keep an eye on them and maybe prevent a situation,” said Bowen.

The common duties of a student security guard include patrolling the area, taking head counts and handling lost and found items.

“We get at least three or four items a day,” said Bowen. “Stuff like iPods, laptops, keys, sunglasses…pretty much anything that you can lose. We once found a tent!”

Something the MLC and the library security staffs have in common is the influx of homeless people during trying weather conditions.

Alexandria Floyd, a third year health major, has seen her fair share of homeless patrons in her nine months of working at UGA’s Main Library.

“They’ll come in wanting to just have a place to stay for a while,” said Floyd. “Sometimes we have to ask them to leave though. Especially when we’re about to close.”

Floyd is relatively new as a security guard, which is signified by her red security shirt. More experienced guards at the library wear black shirts and have extra duties such as opening and closing the library.

Inexperienced guards at the MLC wear gray when they first begin, but can move up to management level red shirts.

For now, Floyd, Bowen, and Kelley don’t mind being new to the game. Their responsibilities may be less, but they take them just as seriously.

“We just want to make sure no one is doing anything they shouldn’t,” said Bowen. “It’s for the good of the building and the people in it.”

Edited by Marcie Opraseuth

'Angels and Demons' fans enjoy book turned film

The film adaptation of Dan Brown's bestselling novel "Angels and Demons" has fans surprised because of its accuracy in following the story in the novel. (PHOTO/Imann Gad)

By Imann Gad

ATHENS, Ga— The novel “Angels and Demons” became an instant bestselling mystery-thriller when it was published in 2000, and when the movie premiered early this May, it was no surprise when fans lined up to see the story come to life on screen.

The novel follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon as he tries to unravel the mysteries of a secret society called the Illuninati, who are plotting to destroy the Catholic Church.

According to box office reports, “Angels and Demons” has brought in over $87 million in the U.S. and over $189 million worldwide.

#1 bestselling author, Dan Brown, teamed up with Academy Award-winner, Ron Howard, to produce the film, which has many novel fans flocking to theaters.

Jack Hermanski, a junior at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Ga., enjoyed both the book and the film. He said the movie was a good representation of the book and did a great job creating a sense of reality for the audience.

“I felt that the plot of Dan Brown’s novel was very much played out in the film,” Hermanski said. “The scenes fed into my imagination that was created through the novel.”

Although Hermanski enjoyed the movie, he did feel that the novel offered more detail and that the characters were developed more.

Still, he said that the film did a great job constructing the book through individual scenes of the movie.

“The scenes constructed in the film were more intense than the book because images portray reality and paint a better visual,” Hermanski said.

Felicia Chin, a student at the University of Georgia from Stone Mountain, Ga., is one of the many readers in Athens who have seen "Angels and Demons" at Beechwood 11 Cinemas on Alps Road. Chin said she liked the film because she felt that it brought the story to life.

“The scenes in the movie were very graphic and detailed,” Chin said. “Along with the sounds, it created motion and allows you to see everything that you imagines while reading it.”

Chin, who enjoys reading novels before they become films, liked the movie, but feels that novels are the best way to tell a story.

“With books you are always able to picture events the way you want and really use your imagination,” Chin said. “Because of this, I enjoy reading.”

Andria Williams, also a student at the University of Georgia, enjoyed reading “Angels and Demons,” and the “The Da Vinci Code,” a Dan Brown novel written as a sequel to “Angels and Demons.”

“I loved both books,” said Williams, from Stone Mountain, Ga., “but I also enjoyed watching ‘Angels and Demons.’” Williams saw the film at Beechwood 11 Cinemas as well.

As “Angels and Demons” continues to top the charts, fans of the movie and novel alike seem to look forward to future Dan Brown productions.

Fine Arts Building undergoes contsruction

The Fine Arts Building on Baldwin Street is undergoing construction to repair its foundation on Wednesday, May 20, 2009. (Photo/Leila Mattimore)

The new wing of the University Health Center hosts a new vision center among other additions.

-------Photo by BAILEY KEIGER

UGA taking no chances with swine flu (brief)

By SUHA ZAKIUDDIN

Although the swine flu virus has not yet proved as dangerous as was once feared in the U.S., experts across the nation are still on alert, and so is the University of Georgia.

“UGA has a plan in place and has been working on it for a long time,” said Liz Rachun, the health communications coordinator at theUniversity Health Center.

The university is following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Public Health. They are also monitoring cases in the U.S. Even though the number is growing, the cases are not terrible, Rachun said.

There are no reported cases at the university.

Edited by HAL TIFT