The Auburn Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors team paid a visit to the crew at Best Buy for the grand opening on Saturday morning. The electronics retailer also donated money to the Assistance League of Greater Placer, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and were sponsors of Auburn’s Black & White Ball.

Bunnies are sprouting up all over town and more will be hitting the streets as the Black & White Ball nears. Jo Genusso, with the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, was on hand to help keep things running. The event is slated for Saturday, Aug. 16. Tickets are available by calling the Chamber at 530-885-5616. To learn more about the Black & White Ball, see the official guides over the next two weeks.

Singer and songwriter Halie O’Ryan, shown here with Gary Capps enjoying a drink at the Club Car in Auburn last Monday evening, will be performing at a fundraiser for Iraq War veteran Matt Bumpus on Sept. 12 at the Auburn Country Club. Tickets for the event are $20 per person and may be obtained by e-mailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or visiting bumpus.wordpress.com. Bumpus, 31, is suffering from leukemia.

The Auburn School Park Preserve, located between City Hall and High Street, was quietly opened last week for public use. An official grand opening and ceremonies will be held at a later date. Public Works employee Steve Graybill, at right, was busy giving the irrigation system a quick inspection the day the gates were opened. Photo by Don Chaddock.

About 300 persons gathered outside Auburn’s State Theater on Friday night to watch the recently installed marquee’s first official lighting. An inflatable King Kong oversaw the festivities.

Supervisor Candidate -- Jennifer Montgomery, candidate for Placer  County’s District 5 supervisorial seat, attended the State Theater  Marquee Lighting party on Friday with her husband Dan Gomez. They hail  from Serene Lakes near Truckee. Montgomery is set to face off against  incumbent Bruce Kranz this November in a run-off race since he failed  to win more than 50 percent of the vote in the June election.

Auburn Public Works crews removed the yellow stripe from the middle of Finley Street on Monday as one block of the road is now one way between High and Orange streets.

The Old State Theater’s vertical sign was installed last week as part of the efforts to restore the building to its 1937 glory. There will be a marquee lighting street party on July 11 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. in front of the theater on Lincoln Way in Auburn. Photo by Don Chaddock.

Linda Gross, center, congratulates new Leadership Auburn grads Susan Teixeira and Scott Owens. Photo by Rachel Chaddock.

Leadership Auburn’s Class of 2008 graduated last Friday at the Headquarter House in Auburn. Graduates Linda Bradley, Linda Maeding, Stevie Rea and Cindy Wharton shared a few laughs at the ceremony. Photo by Rachel Chaddock.