Auburn Toomer's Corner oak trees

 Auburn University is once again replacing its landmark oak trees at Toomer's Corner.

A university statement says workers will plant new trees on Saturday because of damage caused by a fire in September.  

The current trees were planted there after a University of Alabama fan poisoned the original Toomer's oaks.

Toomer's Corner is a traditional gathering for Auburn fans to celebrate football victories by rolling the trees with toilet paper. A German man pleaded guilty last month to setting fire to paper on one of the trees after a game.

A German man has pleaded guilty and apologized after setting a fire that engulfed an oak tree at Auburn University's landmark Toomer's Corner.

Jochen Weist pleaded guilty to criminal mischief Thursday in Lee County. Asked to speak, Weist said: "I'm sorry."   

The Opelika-Auburn News reports the man agreed to pay more than $20,000 in restitution. He will avoid jail time with a three-year suspended sentence and five years on probation.

A prosecutor says the man likely will get his passport to return to Germany.

Auburn University officials have testified about the hundreds of thousands of dollars they say the school has spent because of the poisoning of the oak trees at Toomer's Corner.

   The testimony came during a hearing Wednesday before Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob Walker to determine how much restitution Harvey Updyke should pay for poisoning the famous oak trees.

   Walker did not rule and gave attorneys 30 days to submit briefs.

   Updyke's attorney, Andrew Stanley, said his client is indigent and only has $630 to his name.

Auburn University officials say crews will begin installing wires that will temporarily replace poisoned oak trees that were cut down and removed from campus.

   The Opelika-Auburn News (http://bit.ly/15ICdXR ) reports that Auburn city crews will begin installing the wires at Toomer's Corner on Tuesday. School officials say the wires will be strung along three poles and will form a "V" over the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and College Street.

Auburn University plans to turn portions of the poisoned oaks at Toomer's Corner into commemorative items.

The vice president of Auburn Alumni Affairs, Debbie Shaw, told al.com the items will be at numerous price points.

Fans can roll the trees for the final time at an A-Day ceremony on April 20. Shaw said the trees will be removed April 23. After that, Auburn will install three concrete poles with wires 3 to 4 inches apart for fans to roll while plans are made to renovate the corner.

The Auburn City Council has set April 23 as the date when the iconic Toomer's Oaks at Auburn University will be removed.

The Opelika-Auburn News reports removal of the trees will require closing city streets in the area.

City Manager Charlie Duggan said the removal has tentatively been set for 7 a.m. to noon on April 23, but the time is subject to change depending on weather and how long the removal takes.

An Auburn University official says the iconic Toomer's Corner oak trees will likely be removed a few days after an April 20 football game.

Auburn University students and the public will get one final chance to roll the dying Toomer's Oaks before they are removed after the A-Day football game.

Dan King, Auburn's assistant vice president of facilities, says tells the Opelika-Auburn News (http://bit.ly/XO3wsy) that trees will likely be removed within a week or two following the game.

Earlier this month, Auburn announced the trees would be removed but didn't say when.

A tentative trial date has been set for Harvey Updyke Jr., the man accused of poisoning the Toomer's Oaks at Auburn University with a powerful herbicide during Auburn's national championship run in the 2010 football season.

Updyke is scheduled to appear in court April 8. A hearing will also be held Feb. 13 to discuss pending motions — which include a request by the Lee County District Attorney's Office to revoke Updyke's bond.

Auburn University is seeking input from students, faculty and residents on what Toomer's Corner should look like if the iconic oak trees have to be destroyed after they were poisoned.

The Opelika-Auburn News reports (http://bit.ly/11bFHSk) that feedback is being sought in the form of an online survey from now until Jan. 18.

Dan King, assistant vice president for Auburn's facilities department, says officials at the university are being proactive in developing a future plan in the event that the trees must be taken down.

Auburn police are trying to identify two people who were near the landmark trees at Toomer's Corner shortly before they burst into flames early Sunday.

Police say city webcams captured images of the two, who both appear to be wearing dark-colored pants and light-colored shirts.

Auburn police Capt. Tom Stofer says investigators want to talk to the two to either rule them in or out of the case.

Court officials in Lee County say a University of Alabama fan is due in court for a hearing on charges that he poisoned Auburn University's landmark oak trees at Toomer's Corner.

Circuit Judge Jacob A. Walker III scheduled a hearing for Thursday for Harvey Updyke.

Officials won't reveal what the hearing is about, citing a judge's gag order to limit publicity about the case.

Updyke is currently set for trial next month on charges of poisoning the trees. He recently got two new defense lawyers who could seek a delay to give themselves more time to work on the case.