Connect Savannah August 12, 2020

AUG 12-18, 2020 NEWS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM

Jon

Waits returns to Savannah recharged

Celebrated singer/ songwriter readies Waits & Co. gig at Service Brewing

PHOTO BY JON WAITS

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

! s k n i r d d e x i m e s u o H e c i r p 2 / 1 : s y a d s e Wedn

2

s l i a t k c o C i k i T c i s s a l C ! y a Exotic & d y r e v e e h t m o r f esacpe CATED

OP

. LO NDAY AT 5PM U S TO Y A D ES EN WEDN

6 CHARLIE’S, 11 ABOVE SORRY

W CONGRESS

ST.

3

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

WEEK AT A S

P

Glance

E

C

I

A

L

COMPILED BY RACHAEL FLORA TO HAVE AN EVENT LISTED EMAIL WAG@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. INCLUDE DATES, TIME, LOCATIONS WITH ADDRESSES, COST AND A CONTACT NUMBER. DEADLINE FOR INCLUSION IS 5PM FRIDAY, TO APPEAR IN NEXT WEDNESDAY’S EDITION.

E

D

I

T

I

Quarantine Concert w/ Anders Thomsen Trio The Anders Thomsen Trio is comprised of Thomsen, Chris Fullerton and Dennis Goldbaugh. Thomsen is one of the city’s most talented performers and has been performing on and off for more than twenty years.

Wed., Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. quarantineconcerts.org

Forsyth Farmers Market Enhanced social distancing between vendors.

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays facebook.com/forsythfarmersmarket

Porch Improv: Top Secret Comedy

Tybee Island Farmers Mar- FRI. AUG. 14 8 P.M. ket Mondays, 4-7 p.m.

30 Meddin Dr. Pin Point Heritage Museum facebook.com/tybeeislandfarmersThu.-Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. market

Site Reopenings: Davenport House Museum Daily tours begin 10 a.m., last tour 4 p.m. except Sundays when hours are 1-4 p.m.

Georgia State Railroad Museum Wed.-Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Harper-Fowlkes House Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Guided tours will be offered every half hour, with the first tour starting at 10 am and the last tour starting at 3:30 pm.

Old Fort Jackson Wed.-Sun 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

N

Livestreams:

Markets:

Islands Farmers Market Enhanced social distancing between vendors.

Saturdays 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. , 401 Quarterman Dr. facebook.com/islandsfarmersmarket/

O

Mars Theatre Friday/Saturday night movies at 7 p.m.

Mercer-Williams House Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m., closed Tuesday and Wednesday

National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Tue.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m.

4

American Prohibition Museum Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m., last entry 4:15 p.m.

Savannah History Museum Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Telfair Museums 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays-Mondays.

During initial reopening phase, they closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Admission to all sites $20 inclusive.

Events: Savannah Bananas vs. Macon College summer league ball in a historic ballpark.

Wed. Aug. 12, 7 p.m., Grayson Stadium thesavannahbananas.com Savannah Bananas vs. Savannah Party Animals College summer league ball in a historic ballpark.

Fri.. Aug. 14, 7 p.m., Grayson Stadium thesavannahbananas.com Savannah Bananas vs. Catawba College summer league ball in a historic ballpark.

Sat.. Aug. 15, 7 p.m., Grayson Stadium

thesavannahbananas.com

Live Concerts: Waits & Co. After moving to Texas in 2018, lead vocalist/guitarist Jon Waits has made his way back to Savannah for a short visit and will take over the Service stage for the night. Chef Brandon from FARM Bluffton will fire up the airstream kitchen serving burgers from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Sat., Aug. 15 at 6 p.m.

Nashville Nights with Brett Stafford Smith at Coach’s Corner Live performance in a courtyard setting.

Thurs., Aug. 13, 7 p.m. facebook.com/coachscorner/ The Charlie Fog Band at Coach’s Corner Live performance in a courtyard setting.

Fri. Aug. 14, 7 p.m. facebook.com/coachscorner/ The Island Boys featuring Jason Courtenay at Coach’s Corner Live performance in a courtyard setting.

Sat. Aug. 15, 7 p.m. facebook.com/coachscorner/

Front Porch Improv: Top Secret Comedy Front Porch Improv: Top Secret is a night of comedy inspired by audience members’ anonymously shared secrets.

Each show the audience will add their anonymous secrets to our Confession Bucket. Our cast of improv all-stars will then read the notes aloud and spin dirty little secrets into a comedy.

Fri. Aug. 14 8 p.m. facebook.com/frontporchimprov/ Friday Night Live with Mayor Van Johnson Savannah Mayor Van Johnson’s “fireside chat” about the state of the city.

Fridays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/MayorJohnsonSAV/ Psychotronic Film Society Viewing Parties To receive the link to these streaming playlists, people MUST join the PFS of SAV’s Private Facebook Group, at the link below. Each week, anyone who chooses to donate at least $5 via PayPal or Venmo receives a free high quality digital download of a movie from the archive, and is entered into a drawing to win a T-shirt.

Wednesdays, Sundays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/ groups/2519522234807695/ Seldom Sober Savannah’s only Irish music ensemble, Seldom Sober (Michael Corbett and Colleen Settle) perform a set spanning Trad Irish to American folk.

Tuesdays, 8 p.m. facebook.com/seldomsober/

NEWS & OPINION EDITOR’S NOTE

BY JIM MOREKIS

jim@connectsavannah.com

A BUILDING BATTLE over Savannah property taxes seems to have been averted – for now – due to an infusion of federal coronavirus relief funds.

But the episode points out to me, again, the disastrous state of basic civics knowledge in Savannah.

Some of this of course is almost by design, and we’ll get to that part, too.

First, let’s talk about what millage, and the millage rate is – often mistakenly called the “mileage rate” by some, either due to misinformation or overzealous autocorrect.

No, property taxes have literally nothing to do with how many miles you’ve driven your car.

A mill is a thousandth of a dollar. It’s how property taxes are levied, in other words, charged.

The millage rate is the amount of property tax per dollar of “assessed value.”

We’ll get to that too.

Currently the City of Savannah’s millage rate for property taxes is 12.856 mills.

It’s been a lot higher in the past – as high as 16.93 in the ‘90s – but rarely much lower.

Other entities, like Chatham County and Chatham Area Transit, charge property taxes too (11.543 and 1.15 mills, respectively).

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System charges by far the highest amount of property taxes – currently 18.81 mills.

Typically, a property owner only pays taxes on 40 percent of the property’s assessed value – a value determined by an independent agency, the Chatham County Board of Assessors.

Not everyone’s property is assessed each year on equal terms. Chatham County, including Savannah, features what’s called the “Stephens-Day” homestead exemption, after area politicians Ron Stephens and Burke Day, who sponsored the law in the state legislature in 1998. (Perhaps not coincidentally, it was passed during a time of particularly high local millage rates.)

The Stephen-Day bill allows homeowners to freeze property taxes based on their purchase price, but only for their primary residence.

It does not apply to commercial property. A store or hotel owner can’t get it, for example, nor a landlord.

In other words, no matter how much your home’s value increased since you bought it, your tax is based on how much you bought it for.

(But you do get to enjoy the increased value of your home if and when you sell it.

And the buyer will pay property taxes on the new purchase price, not your purchase price.)

There’s a vigorous national debate about whether or not homestead exemptions like this disproportionately harm equitable funding of local services. But that debate will have to continue in a different space.

Do renters pay property taxes? Not directly. But if taxes go up where they live, that cost will almost certainly be passed on via rent increase.

“No, property taxes have literally nothing to do with how many miles you’ve driven your car.”

This is the time of year when the City of Savannah has to set its millage rate. Whatever millage rate is adopted – same, higher, or lower – it takes effect in 2021.

(Interestingly, Savannah is one of few cities which operate their budget on a calendar year basis, rather than the more typical fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.)

Due to an expected $13 million immediate fall-off in City tax revenue, Mayor Johnson and four other members of the nine-member City Council – a majority – wanted to keep the millage rate the same.

That’s right – keep the millage rate the same.

However, overall tax revenue was higher over the past year, mostly due to new construction during the boom before the pandemic.

What rarely comes up is how as the tax digest—or total value of all property— goes higher, cost of services can also increase due to new construction, sometimes outstripping higher revenue collection.

Regardless, when the digest increases, your payments can go up though the tax rate stays the same – because your property theoretically got more valuable.

The state government calls this a “backdoor tax hike.”

In 1999 the Georgia legislature passed a law saying that if a taxing entity makes more money through higher assessments while keeping the tax rate the same -that’s still a tax increase in the eyes of the law.

And the City of Savannah is required to tell citizens their taxes might go up, and give them at least three public meetings to comment – even if the tax rate stays exactly the same.

To avoid having to tell citizens they’re getting a tax hike, the City would have to adopt what’s called the “rollback rate” – whatever millage rate would result in the same amount of revenue, considering the higher value of properties.

While the legislature had good intent with the law, unfortunately it’s also confusing to citizens due to the semantics over the definition of a tax increase.

And the characterization seems almost intended to provoke citizen outrage, and seemingly encourages politicians to grandstand on the issue.

The stated reason Mayor Johnson and other members wanted to keep the millage rate the same for next year was to avoid an estimated $600,000 in program cuts.

Other members supported adopting the “rollback rate,” which in this case would be 12.739 mills.

An intense political and personal battle developed, which is probably best dealt with another time.

In any case, the tax debate seems to have been averted at least for the time being.

Last week, the City was informed that it will receive over $7 million in federal funds through the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. Therefore, it is almost certain that this week, Savannah City Council will adopt the “rollback” millage rate.

The real debate, however, will come next year, as the basically year-long pandemic recession is fully felt.

The battle then probably will not involve rolling back much of anything, and it is likely that proposals to increase tax rates —perhaps by a lot —will come to the table.

And then the fight will begin anew. But hopefully everyone can be better informed by then. CS

Proud Sponsor

Connect Savannah is published every Wednesday by Morris Multimedia, Inc 611 East Bay Street Savannah, GA, 31401 Phone: 912.231.0250 Fax: 912.238.2041 www.connectsavannah.com twitter: @ConnectSavannah Facebook.com/connectsav ADMINISTRATIVE Chris Griffin, General Manager chris@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4378 EDITORIAL Jim Morekis, Editor-in-Chief jim@connectsavannah.com Rachael Flora, Community/Events Editor rachael@connectsavannah.com Sean Kelly, A&E Editor sean@connectsavannah.com Josephine Beisel, Editorial Intern CONTRIBUTORS John Bennett, Matt Brunson, Brittany Curry, Kristy Edenfield, Geoff L. Johnson, Lindy Moody, Orlando Montoya, Jim Reed ADVERTISING Information: (912) 721-4378 sales@connectsavannah.com Bucky Bryant, Senior Account Executive bucky@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4381 DESIGN & PRODUCTION Brandon Blatcher, Art Director artdirector@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4379 Loretta Calhoun, Graphic Designer ads@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4380 DISTRIBUTION Wayne Franklin, Distribution Manager (912) 721-4376 CLASSIFIEDS Call (912) 231-0250

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

Millage, ‘mileage,’ and rollbacks – a property tax explainer

5

NEWS & OPINION SPORTS

Hey Nana, swing

The Savannah Banana Nanas are a home run

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

ON GAME NIGHTS at Grayson Stadium, the excitement in the air is palpable.

The crowd scrambles for a seat well before the start time to catch a glimpse of the main attraction.

Just before the first pitch, there they are, sauntering onto the field, all in matching outfits and ready to bring the house down.

The crowd takes note and the din turns into a roar as eleven of Savannah’s finest sexagenarians start shaking it to Thriller.

Wait, who did you think I was talking about?

Anyone who’s been to a Savannah Bananas game knows that sure, the ball players are pretty damn good, but the Nanas are the stars of the show. Led by head Nana Karen Olenick, the hottest dance group in town is comprised only of ladies age 65 or better.

The Nanas get three chances to shine on the field: one routine in the character parade, one in the pregame show, one during the game. Each set is 90 seconds of dancing to crowd pleasers, from Prince to Justin Bieber and anything in between. They swing big yellow bats for Trace Adkins’ “Swing” and wear big sunglasses and fake hair for Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.”

The Savannah Banana Nanas have been around as long as the team. Olenick remembers owner Jesse Cole coming to her five years ago, before the baseball team had even begun, with a video of a senior dance group at a basketball game’s halftime.

“He said, ‘This is what I want. Can you do it?’” she recalls. “But they were all not in sync, and I said, ‘We can do better than that!’”

At the time, Olenick was leading dancers at Smart Senior over at St. Joseph’s/Candler. She was able to bring six ladies to the Nanas, but to round out the league, she had to get recruiting.

And recruit she did. Agnes Brantley and Elaine Wilson met Olenick at Generation One. Diane Kastick saw the Nanas at 6 a Christmas party for seniors. Kathleen

Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole and and the Nanas. PHOTO COURTESY OF SAVANNAH BANANAS

Watson met her in the doctor’s office.

After a while, word spread about the Nanas. Cindy Goldberg watched the Nanas dance at a game and decided to join, then invited Gail Case in her YMCA dance class to join. Sharon Jacobs’ daughter pushed her to join, knowing it was right up her alley.

Every Nana must be at least 65 years old, but you’d never know that from watching them move. They practice three days a week for two hours each. The Nanas invited me to sit in on their practice at the Zoo Health Club, and just watching them put my own moves to shame.

Before the pandemic, Goldberg, who’s 77 years old, would join the baseball players in doing push-ups on top of the dugout.

“I just thought to myself, ‘I know I can do that, too,’” she says. “Three or four times, I’d get up with the players and do that. I think I got a lot of recognition, of people saying, ‘That’s amazing you can do that.’”

For seniors, getting up and getting active is a benefit to their health in all aspects, from physical to mental to social.

“With the virus going on, everyone’s stuck in the house,” says Linda Socks, noting that dancing with the Nanas is a fun shake-up to her typical gym routine. “I was bored, and I needed to do something with an outlet.”

While some of the Nanas have previous dance experience—Olenick line danced for 23 years before moving to Georgia from New Jersey, and Kastick was a ballroom dancer in a showbiz family—many of them are newbies to dance and performance.

“I’d never danced on a team before,” says Case. “I was like, ‘Okay, this is a leap!’”

“I had to get rid of a fear,” remembers Jeannette Grayson, “and that was the fear of getting out in front of all those people and making a mistake. I got over that. I made a mistake out there and the fans loved it anyway!”

All the ladies praise Nana Karen for being a great and patient teacher. Brantley and Socks also help out during practice, taking the dancers aside if they need more help learning a step.

The camaraderie between the Nanas is clear through their eagerness to help each other out.

“I’ve been in a lot of girl groups, and these girls are the best girls. No nitpicking, no cliques,” says Wilson. “If you need something, there’s somebody that’s always there and you don’t feel bad about going up and saying, ‘Hey, I didn’t get this; can you help me with this?’ All the girls are great.”

The Nanas are also, incidentally, great role models for senior women.

“The thing I like the best about the idea of the Banana Nanas is that in our society, I think older women are often marginalized and invisible, which drives me nuts,” says Kastick. “I love that you see a bunch of women 65 and better featured, and the fans go crazy when we come out.”

“Girls just want to have fun, but so do old ladies!” adds Case. “There’s not a lot of opportunities to go somewhere and dance, not a lot of places for people our age to really just dance like you want to.”

At Bananas games, even if just for a few minutes, older women have a chance to

shine in the spotlight for their adoring fans. The Nanas have quite a following, and younger women—my own mother included—can’t wait to join their ranks.

The Bananas season has been a bit different this year because of necessary pandemic restrictions. Capacity in the stadium was reduced by half to allow for social distancing, and everyone entering the stadium is required to have their temperature taken.

What about the Nanas, who are all part of an older demographic that’s more at risk? They took the restrictions in stride— they get their own row in the stadium, and they had to cut their dancers from 16 down to 11. (The Nanas that I did not get to interview are Sandy Sikes, Barbara Floyd, Dorre MIles, Sharon Seng, Roe Zaplinski, and Tara Gates.)

They feel safe in the stadium and with each other, and they love that they’re able to continue performing for their adoring fans.

When the Bananas season ends on Sept.

3, the Nanas will take some time off from performance, but preparation for the next season begins with tryouts in the winter.

It’s pretty low-stakes: every Nana who tries out gets in, as long as she’s 65 years old.

That age limit is quite strict.

But even when they’re not performing, the Nanas are still friends that stick together. Their camaraderie has been a major perk of their involvement.

Says Nana Karen, “This is just a wonderful group of women.” CS

NEWS & OPINION CITY NOTEBOOK

City set to address explosive issue of excessive noise

BY JIM MOREKIS

jim@connectsavannah.com

AS IF THE pandemic and lockdown weren’t enough, Savannah had to deal with another obnoxious issue over the summer: Unprecedented fireworks.

From neighborhood to neighborhood, rich or poor, the problem was worse than ever, and went on for days, even weeks, leading up to and after July 4.

Unfortunately, most all of it was completely legal, due to the state of Georgia’s extremely permissive fireworks laws.

“People were calling me nonstop, asking what can we do about it?” says Alderwoman Linda Wilder Bryan. “Whether about their children with autism, the elderly, pets. And people with PTSD—what about the veterans that everybody says they care so much about?”

Alderman Nick Palumbo was also besieged with calls, as was nearly every Council member.

“We all got calls almost all night, every

night. People are very upset, about the effect on pets, the elderly, people trying to get their young children to sleep,” he says.

For decades, fireworks were illegal in Georgia, though many people used them anyway. Taking a trip over the state line into South Carolina to stock up on fireworks was a rite of passage for generations of Savannahians.

But in 2015, the Georgia legislature not only made fireworks sales legal, but allowed them to be set off any day of the year until midnight – and up to 1 a.m. New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day. With the pandemic causing the cancelation of almost every municipal fireworks display this July 4 weekend, that led to explosions for hours in some areas as residents set off huge stores of fireworks.

“They’re all in grocery stores now, they’re just more accessible,” says Bryan.

“And now people are home all day.”

Now, Bryan and Palumbo are spearheading a move to curb the noise.

In 2018, after pressure from local governments, the state legislature allowed

fireworks. They’re by far the loudest, and they cause by far the most injuries,” Palumbo says.

Some of the mortar fireworks, he says, “measure 100 or 110 decibels. That’s as loud as the train horn going through town that so many people are upset about.”

Bryan and Palumbo found out that “the companies distribute the fireworks based on what’s allowed locally. So if your Palumbo, left, and Wilder Bryan. allowed decibel level is say 80, they’ll sell individual cities and counties to enact anything 79 or less in that area,” he says. restrictions on fireworks through their Savannah’s existing noise ordinance, noise ordinances. dating from the 1970s, already needs a “Cities have had this ability for a few complete overhaul after being thrown out years,” says Palumbo. “In fact when you ask in court for being too restrictive. someone at the state level about it, the first For example, the existing ordinance had thing they ask is, have you tried addressing disallowed noise above 50 decibels from it through your noise ordinance?”

7 p.m. to 7 a.m., “which is about as loud as “We decided to do some tests, on our our conversation is right now,” Palumbo own time, with our own money,” says said during our phone conversation.

Bryan. “A few people complained and said A task force was created earlier this we should spend that time on something year to gather citizen input and help craft more important. This might not be a pria new version. The new ordinance, when ority for some people, but for others it’s a adopted, will likely contain some form of serious issue.” decibel restriction on fireworks use.

So a week ago, Bryan and Palumbo gath“We talk a lot about having the freedom ered with some City staff at the City’s Fire to do things in this country, but one thing Training facility to run some tests. that’s not mentioned much is the freePalumbo says typical decibel levels were dom from,” says Palumbo. “These types of between 90 and 110 decibels. fireworks negatively impact quality of life “The big issue is with the mortar-style everywhere they’re set off.” CS

DO IT YOURSELF THEY SAID.

IT’LL BE EASY THEY SAID. Serving Savannah since 1939 329 Bonaventure Rd. Thunderbolt 31404 (912) 234-1329 hutsonplumbing.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

Fireworks: Out with a bang?

7

NEWS & OPINION COMMUNITY

A closer look at the cascading effects complicating this hurricane season

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

Coastal themed home and gift shop Hand picked, one of a kind gifts!

Tuesday - Friday 10am-6pm Saturday 10am-4pm Closed Sunday - Monday 3114 E Victory Drive • 912.349.3983

BONAVENTUREBLUES.COM

THE NEXT few months could be very difficult for many Chatham County residents.

We’re well into the Atlantic hurricane season and already have one named storm, Isaias, under our belt. NOAA predicts a robust hurricane season this year, with 13-19 named storms of which 6-10 could become hurricanes.

The Chatham County sheriff’s office also resumed evictions on Aug. 3. Now, landlords are able to give 30-day eviction notices. Thirty days from now, we’ll be close to Labor Day, which is historically a hot date for hurricanes in our region.

More Georgians than ever are receiving unemployment benefits. Last week, the Georgia Department of Labor said that 3.3 million claims have been processed, which is more than the past eight years combined. But the future of federal benefits

Savannah’s Oldest

URBAN FARM & PET

SUPPLY STORE

Specializing in

ORGANICS

- WE CARRY -

ALL TYPES OF FEED & SEED

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

HAY • FENCING • TRAPS • PEST CONTROL

8

POTTERY & STATUARY ANIMAL BEDDING PROPANE REFILL & EXCHANGE • LAWN & GARDEN • SEASONAL VEGETABLE PLANTS PET SUPPLIES • FARM SUPPLIES & MORE •

Located downtown at

307 Carolan St BRING THIS AD & 912.233.9862 10% GET OFF Just west of Bay St. Viaduct We Deliver!

FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1938

is unclear, and many people still haven’t received any unemployment benefits.

Also, we’re still in a global pandemic.

This is what Chelsea Sawyer, Emergency Management Coordinator of the Chatham Emergency Management Agency, calls “cascading effects.” Her agency has taken each of these effects, which are singularly difficult but potentially devastating as a whole, into consideration for this year.

In the past, when major storms have come through Savannah, CEMA has utilized the Evacuation Assembly Area at the Civic Center. Anyone who needs evacuation assistance can come to the EAA via a free Chatham Area Transit ride.

This year, the process will be a bit different. Each person will be assumed to be COVID positive.

“That sounds a little crazy,” Sawyer acknowledges, “but if you assume that everyone is COVID positive, then you take all the necessary precautions.”

Those precautions include maintaining physical distance in line, giving each person a surgical mask, sanitizing hourly, and the installation of Plexiglas barriers and a no-touch electronic registration system.

The location for evacuation is also an issue this year. In the past, CEMA has had an agreement with Augusta-Richmond County, who will take the first 2,500 people that Savannah evacuates. There usually aren’t many more than that.

However, this year, CEMA has upped its planning assumption to 4,000 people, while Augusta-Richmond County has lowered the amount of people they can take in.

“They’re looking at capping shelters at 50 people, but we’ve got a planning assumption of 4,000 people, and we’re only one county,” says Sawyer.

Residents in South Carolina and Florida

will also head into Georgia to seek shelter.

CEMA is looking for help from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency with finding placements for the residents. They also work with the American Red Cross, who Sawyer calls the “sheltering gurus.”

“Our preferred method of sheltering someone impacted by a disaster would of course be a non-congregate shelter, such as a hotel or a dorm,” says Maria Center, Executive Director of the Southeast Georgia Chapter of the Red Cross. “But we know that in the event of a large storm, we’ll have to open congregate shelters.”

Congregate sheltering can pose a big risk for the transmission of COVID-19, but Center assures that the Red Cross shelters will be in accordance with all CDC guidelines.

That includes screenings for each person, required masks, and isolation areas for anyone who is suspected or confirmed to be COVID positive.

Center says that the Red Cross is planning on more sheltering facilities to allow for fewer residents in each shelter, as well as shorter stays for the residents. She notes that the Red Cross is looking for volunteers who are able to work in the shelters.

Center points to Category 5 Hurricane Matthew in 2016 as an example of the scope of what the Red Cross offers during a major storm: that year, they operated 45 shelters and evacuation centers statewide.

As we move closer to September, plans will be firmed up for evacuees.

“We’re fighting for the same areas, same resources, same things,” says Sawyer.

“Thankfully, we have great partners, and we’re hopeful we’ll find a good solution.” CS For more on CEMA, visit chathamemergency. org. For more on the Red Cross, including how to volunteer, visit redcross.org.

EXPLORE SAVANNAH HISTORIC TROLLEY TOUR

WITH UNLIMITED TROLLEY STOP SHUTTLES

$28 ADULTS

$11 CHILD (3-12 yrs old)

After completion of your introduction to our beautiful city, hop aboard one of our trolley shuttles for unlimited drop-offs and pick-ups at 10 convenient stops until 5pm.

The ONLY Tour Company that includes the Historic, Colonial, Victorian, and Starland Districts.

912-303-5952 WWW.SAVANNAHGRAYLINE.COM

LIMITED SEATING INSIDE

NEWS & OPINION COMMUNITY

Tammy Stokes visiting her mom socially distanced behind a fence at Azalealand.

Ned Rinalducci with his parents during happier times. His dad passed away during the pandemic lockdown.

Hugs from a distance

Emily Calhoun visiting her mom through a window at Summer Breeze for Mother’s Day.tif

The pain of having loved ones in a nursing home during the pandemic be there to comfort the other parent,” mourned Rinalducci.

“It was a very difficult decision on whether or not my mother would stay at Buckingham once my dad passed. She made the decision to stay for now as she has a support system there and it was her home with my dad. We will have a small family service next summer in New Hampshire, assuming the pandemic allows for it.”

Since his father’s death, Rinalducci has only been allowed to see his mom, Anne, three times from a safe social distance while wearing a mask.

Rinalducci explains, “There was a short period of outdoor, socially distanced, and masked visits that Buckingham was arranging by appointment, but they have suspended those with the local uptick in COVID-19 cases. We all miss seeing each other, spending time together, and the physical contact of just a hug.”

“The fact that I cannot physically see her or check on her in the same way is the biggest difference.”

Rinalducci was used to visiting his parents several times weekly. “Now it’s just checking in by phone every day. The whole purpose of my parents moving to Savannah was so that I could better take care of them, so it’s been hard.”

The Rinalducci family now celebrate birthdays and holidays over FaceTime.

“My sister, my wife, and I will get her grandchildren, and sometimes even nieces and nephews, on a big FaceTime call to sing happy birthday and so she can see everyone and take part. Her own birthday was four days after we lost my father, so it was incredibly important to everyone in my family to connect with her on that day.”

Rinalducci received some good news: “I

just got an email, Buckingham is starting their visitations again this week. Outside, 6 feet away, across a table with masks. Better than nothing.”

All-important hugs will still not be allowed.

Emily Calhoun’s mother is at Summer Breeze. “My mom entered Summer Breeze from rehab at the very time Governor Kemp was shutting down the state. At the time, she was recovering from a mild stroke and had a broken toe.”

Calhoun talks with her mom several times a day, but misses not being able to hug her mom. Summer Breeze takes photos of residents and posts them on social media so that family can see their loved ones.

Calhoun is understated. “I really haven’t experienced hardship, I just miss hugging her!”

“I go to the store for her now, like I did before. Only difference is someone meets me at the door to get the bags, instead of me taking them to her,” explains Calhoun.

“We supply everything like Depends, shampoo, toothpaste, soap - all the items.

I always put some dark chocolate in her bags.”

While the pandemic continues with no apparent end in sight, more than 65 million people in the United States face similar situations to Stokes, Rinalducci, and Calhoun.

Our family is one of those. My motherin-law, who resides at Rivers Edge, fell and fractured her back; she is currently at Candler Hospital.

No visitors are allowed and we have had to rely on strangers to provide updates. She will be moving to rehab this week, where we will continue to not be able to have faceto-face contact with her. CS 9

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

favorite songs and would place her phone as far as she could reach inside of the fence so that her mom could hear the music.

“She would tap her feet and give me a BEFORE the pandemic started, Chief hint of a smile. I lived for that hour each Judge Tammy Stokes would visit her day, and often cried in my car afterwards.” mom, Ruby, daily at Azalealand. Once the Ruby Williams passed away on June pandemic started, everything changed.

5. “The staff from top to bottom were pro“I had the longstanding routine of seeing fessional, caring, and so good with the my mom two to three times daily, generresidents. I did not worry about my mom’s ally centered upon lunch and dinner so I care, and I so appreciated the accomcould be company for her, and feed her,” modations they made for us. I am forever says Stokes. “I was as dependent upon my grateful.” visits to her as she was. I saw her so often Approximately two-thirds of family for myself as much as it was to care for caregivers are women. Many have children her.” and grandchildren living with them. The “From March 1 until mid-March or responsibilities of middle-age Americans so, the routine pretty much was uninterhave increased as they care for aging parrupted. Then came the time for no visitors, ents while also supporting their young not even family,” laments Stokes. adult children who struggle to achieve “In my mom’s decline, she lost speech, financial independence. much vision, and even the ability to hold Ned Rinalducci is part of the one-third her head upright. I know she missed me, of men who are caregivers. And with two and I could not explain what was happenadult children who rely on him, and a steping in a way she could understand.” son in middle school living in his home, he Stokes is not alone. Approximately 30% is part of the sandwich generation raising of the U.S. population provide care for a young child and/or financially supportelderly, disabled, or chronically ill family ing a grown child, while helping to care for members. The average time spent being a a parent. family caregiver is 20 hours per week. The Rinalducci also lost a parent during the pandemic has severely impacted the abilpandemic. His dad passed away on March ity of family members to be able to care for 25, leaving his mom a widow. their loved ones.

“I was able to see her on the day that my “Fortunately, Azalealand allowed fami- father passed away, thank God,” recalls lies to make reservations to see our loved Rinalducci. “She could not have handled ones on the patio with social distancing, that or navigated what needed doing on of course,” says Stokes. “Azalealand has a her own. And we all needed each other on really nice big patio that has shady spots that day.” and sunny spots. I never thought I would “Funerals and services for our loved have been so grateful for a patio with a ones are part of the grieving process. We fence. The staff would place the residents were unable to experience that together about 8 feet on their side of the fence.” as a family. It is a horrible thing to lose a parent and then not be able to physically Stokes has a playlist of her mom’s

BY KRISTY EDENFIELD

NEWS & OPINION BLOTTER 2020 Sav/Chatham County Crime Stats through Sunday August 9

HOMICIDES

20

SPD arrests one, seeks second suspect in Oglethorpe Mall Shots Fired incident

Savannah Police Violent Crimes detectives arrested a 20-year-old male on Aug. 5 for his involvement in a shots fired incident at the Oglethorpe Mall on July 19.

Detectives are now seeking assistance with locating a second suspect in this case.

“Ajani Davis, 19, is currently wanted for aggravated assault, criminal damage to property and reckless conduct for his involvement in the shots fired incident, that stemmed from an altercation between him and another individual inside of the Jimmy Jazz store. There were no reported injuries. Davis stands approximately 5’8” and weighs around 150 lbs. Detectives believe he is armed and dangerous,” police report.

On April 5, Jelon Watson, 20, was arrested for his involvement in the incident and charged with felony hindering apprehension or punishment of a criminal. Anyone with information on Davis’

location is encouraged to contact detectives at (912) 525-3124 or CrimeStoppers at (912) 234-2020.

Chatham County Police charge man in convenience store shooting

The Chatham County Police Department has charged a man in connection with a convenience store armed robbery and shooting that happened in May. Chatham County Police Department detectives have charged 40-year-old Antonio Lee with armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Lee was served the warrants yesterday afternoon at the Chatham County Detention Center, where he has been held since May 30th on an unrelated criminal charge.

Lee is charged in connection with the armed robbery and shooting that happened on May 21, 2020 at the Gas and Moore located at 2 West Gateway Boulevard in Savannah, which left one person severely injured.

Road rage-related shooting results in arrest

Savannah Police officers made an arrest Aug. 6 after shots were fired in a road rage incident.

THANK YOU.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

Our sincere thanks to the awesome advertisers who supported this week’s issue of Connect Savannah.

10

These businesses and organizations are helping to support free, independent journalism and a locally-owned media company at a time when financial resources are critical for all.

Please show them your support.

Ajani Davis

Isiah Reeder, 36, was booked into the Chatham County Detention Center on charges of aggravated assault, cruelty to children third degree, criminal damage to property second degree, possession of marijuana more than an ounce and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

According to the investigation, Reeder was driving a vehicle, which was occupied by an adult female and a young child, on Ranger Street around 9:30 a.m. when he

was involved in a near-crash with another vehicle driven by an adult male.

“Reeder then followed the other vehicle to a construction site at Memorial Medical Center’s campus, where he got out of the vehicle, displayed a weapon in his waistband and demanded an apology from the other driver. Reeder later got back in his vehicle and appeared to be driving away but then stopped, exited his vehicle again and shot toward the other driver. He then fled the scene. There were no injuries reported, but an unoccupied vehicle was struck,” police report.

Patrol officers, as well as the Gang and K9 units, responded to the area and quickly located Reeder at a residence on 69th Street. He was taken into custody without incident. A search of the residence resulted in officers locating four loaded guns as well as 9.6 oz. of marijuana.

Anyone with tips on crime in the City of Savannah can contact CrimeStoppers at (912) 234-2020. Tipsters remain anonymous.

ALL CASES FROM RECENT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT INCIDENT REPORTS. GIVE ANONYMOUS CRIME TIPS TO CRIMESTOPPERS AT 912/234-2020 OR TEXT CRIMES (274637) USING KEYWORD CSTOP2020.

bar.food

Hutson Plumbing

Barnes Restaurant

Kelly Tours

Bonaventure Blues

Merry Maids

Carey Hilliard’s Restaurant

Papa’s BBQ

Coach’s Corner The Crab Shack

Sorry Charlies Southern Eagle

Economy Feed & Seed

Distributing

Flying Fish Bar & Grill

Tom Anderson Real Estate

Georgia Public

Top Deck Rooftop

Broadcasting

Bar & Grill

NEWS & OPINION NEWS OF THE WEIRD A July 29 headline in the Ken-Ton Bee in Kenmore, New York, caught the attention of The Buffalo News: “Leprechaun spotted looting cars on Hamilton Boulevard.”

Kenmore Police Capt. A.J. Kiefer told The News a white male with orange hair and wearing a green shirt (and “possibly plaid pants”) was reported to be looting vehicles on the street July 23. Police arrested the 36-year-old, who measured 5 feet 11 inches and had someone else’s debit card, but no pot of gold, according to Kiefer. He was charged with petit larceny.

Government in Action

About 176 Rhode Island taxpayers waiting for their refund checks got a surprise when the checks they received in late July arrived bearing the signatures of “Mickey Mouse” and “Walt Disney” instead of state officials. State Department of Revenue chief of staff Jade Borgeson told WPRI that the division of taxation uses the signatures on dummy checks for internal testing, and the test image files were mistakenly added to real checks. “Corrected checks will be reissued to impacted taxpayers within one week,” Borgeson said.

Karen Not Karen

Domino’s pizza restaurants in New Zealand were forced to end a promotion to give free pizza to women named Karen “that aren’t, well, Karens,” the promotion announcement read. United Press International reported that customers named Karen were invited to fill out an application for one of 100 free pizzas, but people objected online, suggesting the chain offer food to minorities or people who have been impacted by COVID-19. “We wanted to bring a smile to customers who are doing the right thing -- Karen the nurse, Karen the teacher,” the company posted on Facebook, but “people interpreted this in a different way.”

Least Competent Criminals

• Edward Thomas Schinzing, 32, was charged July 28 with arson for allegedly setting fires inside the Justice Center in Portland, Oregon, on May 29, beginning two months of protest in that city. The Oregonian reported the shirtless Schinzing stood out among about 30 people who broke into the building around 10:59 p.m., vandalizing offices and setting fires, because of the large tattoo of his last name clearly visible across his shoulders on surveillance images, according to court documents. Schinzing, who was on probation at the time for domestic violence assault, is being held at the Justice Center.

• Pueblo, Colorado, police were intrigued to find a young man sleeping in a car parked behind a motel on Aug. 2, “since motels have rooms, with beds, that you can sleep in,” said Capt. Tom Rummel

in a tweet. Upon running the car’s license plate, he continued, the officers found it had been stolen in an armed carjacking, and “there on the front seat was a sawedoff shotgun, just like the victim said was used yesterday!” KKTV reported the sleepy thief, a juvenile, was taken into custody and the car was returned to its owner.

Online Ordering

Police Report

A 26-year-old man in Plymouth, England, was detained on July 9 after officers working nearby heard a commotion and looked up to see the man struggling with a seagull and biting it. “He sunk his teeth into it before throwing it to the floor,” a police spokesperson told Plymouth Live. The man told police the seagull had attacked him, trying to get his McDonald’s meal, and also “volunteered ... that he was under the influence of drugs ... The seagull was clearly injured by the incident but flew off before we were able to check on its welfare,” police said. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Can’t Take a Joke

After pub owner Steve Cotten jokingly announced in July that the beer garden at the Poltimore Arms in Devon, England, would become the Yarde Down International Airport for the summer, offering sightseeing flights, he was surprised to receive an official letter from Exmoor National Park Authority’s planning officer expressing concern about the change: “We have a duty to look into such matters to understand if there is a breach, and if so, whether any action is necessary.” Devon Live reported Cotten responded promptly in a social media post, saying, “All long haul flights have been suspended forthwith ... We apologise for any delays, and remind you that the departure lounge facilities are still open.” The park authority replied with good humor, and the taps remain open.

DINE IN

Order Online Today!

Visit us at: www.papasbar-b-que.com

Limited seating from 11-4 each day.

Hours will expand as demand increases.

Call or order online for take out

912.354.8745

5320 Water's Ave.

barnesrestaurant.com

Awesome!

For her birthday, 5-year-old Macey Clemens of Parker, Colorado, went on her first horseback ride and was hooked, so she wrote her wish for a pet horse on a balloon, signed her name and let it soar. On Aug. 2, Jennifer Houghton, who owns seven horses and lives about an hour away, found the balloon stuck in a fence, and it wasn’t long before the two found each other through social media. “I feel like every little girl should get to enjoy the horse world,” Houghton told KOAA. “I couldn’t get her a pet horse, but at least try and help her ride and make somewhat of a dream come true.” She’s working with Macey’s family to find a horse close to home that the family can lease. “Hopefully, one day we’ll be able to meet up and go for a ride together.”

COPYRIGHT 2020 ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

Recent Alarming Headline

11

MUSIC INTERVIEW

BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

SINGER/SONGWRITER Jon Waits, known around these parts as the leader of the great Waits & Co., has been living in Dallas for the last couple of years primarily focusing on his day job with Live Nation— where he lent a hand staging gigantic gigs at some of the best venues in the city.

That is, until the pandemic hit earlier this year. Since then, with all Live Nation gigs and tours postponed or cancelled, Waits has been spending his time at home like most everyone else in the country (and the world, for that matter). He’s returned to Savannah, though, for a short time and is prepping the first Waits & Co. gig in sometime, alongside his bandmates John Pizzichemi and Markus Kuhlmann.

The show is slated for Sat., August 15 (socially distanced, of course), and we caught up with Waits ahead of time.

How are you, man?

I’m alive! [laughs] I hear you!

This whole pandemic has provided me with the opportunity to take care of some things that I haven’t been able to do in a long time, and we’ve been doing a lot of traveling this summer.

That’s funny, my first question was about how this whole thing has impacted you as a gigging musician but also given your work for Live Nation.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

Waits & Co. PHOTO BY JABBER PICS

12

Jon Waits

returns to Savannah recharged Celebrated singer/songwriter readies Waits & Co. gig at Service Brewing

The biggest thing that’s come out of me living in Dallas has been getting the chance to start working in the big leagues. That’s thanks in part to the time I got to spend working for Savannah Music Festival. I mean, I’m a hard worker when it comes down to it. But that was the foot in. Here’s the thing: we were six hours into a load-in for a big concert at my home venue when we got the final order from the state of Texas that everything had to shut down.

So literally we were working right up until the last second, and then we just couldn’t anymore. We did a show the night before, and we knew things were starting to get sketchy but weren’t sure what was going to happen. So it was literally a minute-by-minute thing in that week leading up to the shutdown. We were halfway into loading in when we got the word. It’s been crazy, to say the least, with the whole industry shut down. I’m still employed by Live Nation, but nothing is happening until 2021 at least.

It’s scary how things are going with the industry, and it feels like everyone has

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

had to fend for themselves in terms of the response and assistance from our government. It’s sad to see this become so politicized when it should be about taking care of people.

That’s it right there, in a bucket. But everything has become politicized these days, you know? I used to be a serious news junkie, but I had to give that up because it was just driving me crazy. And there’s only so much one can actually do.

I sort of went back to the drawing board and said, “Well, there’s nothing I can do in Lebanon, so what can I do in my own community? How can I be a resource and what are the small things I can do to keep moving forward?”

The concert industry thing has been a big bummer. Funnily enough, we were just coming off of our winter break; that December/January point where people don’t really play gigs. But now, all of the sudden people have been at home and recording. Which can be a double-edged sword because now everyone’s at home creating these “masterpieces.” I’ve got a friend in Dallas who is a studio owner and musician, and he was just about to go out and tour to support a new record. He’s been creating stuff since the pandemic, but it’s like, how much can you actually

This whole pandemic has provided me with the opportunity to take care of some things that I haven’t been able to do in a long time, and we’ve been doing a lot of traveling this summer. produce and then just sit on? With the market the way it is these days, there’s no point in just flooding the Internet with more and more new music. You have to go out and support it.

That actually leads me to another question I had. Have you been working on anything during the pandemic?

You know, for the last couple of years working in the industry and during this down time, I’ve been doing some writing but that’s kind of the extent of it. I have a certain hesitation because a lot of my stuff traditionally gets written when times are tough. It’s harder to write about the happier times [laughs]. It’s not that I’m not inspired, but when I’m content I’m living

much more in the moment.

So I’ve been doing a little bit of writing, but honestly this period for me has been more about breaking the chains and getting back out in the world again. Seeing the country. This summer, I think we’ve traveled about six or seven thousand miles.

We’re being safe and staying in places that are taking the necessary precautions, but we’re also doing a bunch of camping and getting outdoors. So I’d put it like this: while no, there hasn’t been a lot of direct chords-on-the-guitar kind of creativity, I think I’ve been spending this time getting filled up again.

Have you and the Waits & Co. guys been able to get in the same room together yet?

We haven’t gotten in a room yet because I just got back into town! But it’s one of those things where I can already tell you that the second we’re able to do that, it’ll breathe fresh air [into the songs]. I’ve played some solo stuff in Dallas, and I realize that for what I do and at this stage in my life, it’s more about the camaraderie. I’d hear John behind me flub a note, and just turn around and laugh. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. When we get together, it makes me happy in a very different part of my life than I’ve been able to fulfill since leaving Savannah.

WAITS & CO. @SERVICE BREWING Sat., August 15, 6 P.M. 574 Indian Street

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @connectsavannah

SERVING FRESH LOCAL SEAFOOD SERVING 27 FLAVORS dipped

ice cream, Shakes, floats, Sundaes, Banana Splits, Espresso, Lattes, Coffee, Smoothies, pies, and cakes.

Home Of The

7906 US-80, Wilmington Island 912-897-2009 flyingfishsavannah.com

MONSTER SHAKE On Wilmington Island 912.349.4479

Open THURSDAY - SUNDAY from 11:30AM to Close

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

INTERVIEW

13

MUSIC WRUU SPOTLIGHT My lady was actually at Graveface a couple of years ago, and overheard Dave Lake talk about how they were starting a radio station and were looking for DJs. My wife said, “Hey, my husband would be interested.” I got Dave’s information, and took it from there!

LIVE MUSIC IN THE SOUNDGARDEN

It seems that you’ve always had an interest in radio, even just peripherally?

Yeah, through music in general. I don’t know if you know Giles Peterson, he’s a BBC radio host. He’s a huge influence on me. We have similar taste, and I listen to his show pretty regularly. He does that kind of down-tempo, trip-hoppy, jazz/neo soul kind of vibe.

THUR, AUG 13 7PM

What was the initial concept of Sound Limit, and how has it evolved?

I originally started the show as kind of a trip-hop, down tempo kind of electronic kind of thing. It was meant to be an allelectronic show, but it progressed towards indie rock with some electronic [elements], and world music with electronic. But it was all gearing around noncommercial electronic music. It kind of changes with the season, too. I feel like I’m more happy-golucky in the summertime, and then when it’s cold you want to hear more ambient and heady music.

It’s definitely evolved, but it still revolves around electronic music.

NASHVILLE NIGHTS SERIES

BRETT STAFFORD SMITH FRI, AUG 14 7PM

WRUU Spotlight: Troy Stoner Host of Sound Limit finds limitless potential in show

SAT, AUG 15 7PM

BY SEAN KELLY

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

sean@connectsavannah.com

14

IN KEEPING with our regular spotlight of the DJs that make WRUU the best community radio station around, we chatted this week with Troy Stoner. Stoner is the host of Sound Limit, which can be heard on 107.5 FN or streaming at wruu.org

W/JASON COURTENAY TICKETS ON EVENTBRITE

3016 E. VICTORY DR.

912.352.2933 • COACHS.NET

DOWNLOAD OUR APP!

What’s your history in terms of radio, and your interest in community radio in particular?

I played trumpet in high school, and my parents had zero musical abilities. I did that for a while and met a friend who got me into electronic music. We bought a drum machine and a Korg Triton and

started making music together, and that kind of developed. We said, “Let’s take this further,” and developed our education at Full Sail University for audio engineering.

I graduated and went to New York to work in recording studios. I did that for a yearand a half, New York got expensive, and so I moved back to the South.

I met a lady in Savannah and came over this way, but the whole time I was still making music. One thing I realized as I got older and into oddball music, is that any time I travelled I’d scan the radio and look for noncommercial songs and stations.

When I went to Seattle I discovered KEXP, and in Tallahassee where I’m from I’d listen to the community station there.

So how did you end up at WRUU?

It has that central theme to it.

Yeah, for sure.

What have you learned so far from doing this, in terms of the challenges and successes of radio and what it takes to do it?

Early on, it was pretty scary for the first month. Just because you’re talking to yourself, which is really weird. I joked initially that I wanted to get a cardboard cutout or a mannequin so it would make me more comfortable with talking to myself. It was a challenge to overcome, but it’s made me more confident in speaking.

Looking for music every week can be a challenge, too. Some weeks I’ll be very proactive and put a themed show together, but the weekly digging for music can be a chore occasionally. But it’s also great because you’re constantly finding really cool stuff that you wouldn’t normally find. That constant push to look for new music has been really great. In the process, too, having listened to so much variety in music makes you constantly want that variety all the time.

It’s a beast that you have to feed, but it also kind of forces you to keep looking. CS

MUSIC THE BAND PAGE

BY SEAN KELLY

THE ISLAND BOYS, JASON COURTENAY @COACH’S CORNER

Local guitar god Anders Thomsen brings his mighty trio to the Quarantine Concerts stage. If you’ve never witnessed Thomsen do his thing, this is your chance—and you don’t even have to leave the house. Quarantine Concerts are still going strong, and this is one you definitely shouldn’t miss if you’re looking for a great night of music.

WED., AUGUST 12, 8 P.M.

BRETT STAFFORD SMITH @COACH’S CORNER

Alabama native Brett Stafford Smith brings his southern songwriting sensibilities to Coach’s Corner as part of their Nashville Nights series. All Coach’s events are socially distant and take place in their outdoor sound garden, so you can stay healthy and safe while enjoying some quality songs from a writer and performer who should definitely be on your radar.

THURS., AUGUST 13, 7 P.M., $5

FOREST EVIL, VACANT FLESH @AURA FEST LIVE STREAM

AURA Fest brings us another live stream show, this time courtesy of the great Forest Evil and the equally brilliant Vacant Flesh. These are undoubtedly two of the best bands Savannah has to offer, and you won’t want to miss this special show. You can stream it live at AURA Fest’s official Facebook page; don’t sleep on either of these inventive and intense bands.

SAT., AUGUST 15, 7:30 P.M.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

ANDERS THOMSEN TRIO @QUARANTINE CONCERTS

The Island Boys return to Coach’s Corner, bringing the sounds of the 70s to the Coach’s sound garden. They’ll be joined by the great Jason Courtenay, for a night of socially distant music that seems perfect for a Saturday night in August. Grab your mask and take advantage of the rare opportunity for a night out on the town.

SAT., AUGUST 15, 7 P.M., $10

15

CULTURE THE ART•BEAT OF SAVANNAH From left: Blanche Nettles Powers’ work in “Structures of Comfort” and Hasani Sahlele and Ben Tollefson’s work in “Clerestory.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LANEY CONTEMPORARY.

Laney Contemporary hosts outdoor reception, chance to safely see summer exhibitions in person

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

HAVE YOU missed doing arty things as much as I have?

I’ve written this before, but it’s been weeks since the last art opening I attended.

(For those keeping score at home, it was José Ray’s show at the Grand Bohemian Gallery.)

As weeks went by and spring turned to summer, it felt like art was officially out of season. For the better part of this year, the only art I’ve seen in person is that which is already hanging on my walls and what I saw on Instagram.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved following what local artists are doing on social media, but there’s just something like seeing the work in person that I’ve been yearning for.

Now, the opportunity for art lovers to safely get their fix is here thanks to Laney Contemporary.

The gallery will host a Reception on the Lawn this Thurs., Aug. 13, from 5 to 9 p.m. for guests to view its two current exhibitions, “Structure of Comfort” by Blanche Nettles Powers and “Clerestory” by Abel Macias, Ben Tollefson, Betsy Cain, Hasani Sahlele, Katherine Sandoz, Namwon Choi and Trish Andersen.

Guests can take advantage of the sprawling lawn that Laney Contemporary overlooks and enjoy the feeling of an ordinary Laney reception, including the Krazian food truck onsite. Once you’re ready to go inside and view the art, face masks will be required, and the flow of people in and out of the gallery will be closely monitored.

This is an exciting opportunity to get 16 some face time with wonderful art, as both

“Structure of Comfort” and “Clerestory” are great exhibitions that deserve a view in person.

I’ll start downstairs with “Structure of Comfort.” Powers, a Savannah-based artist, creates monochromatic oil paintings on linen that is inspired by her love of fabric and the comfort it provides.

Powers’ focus on fabric started with her artist residency at MASS MoCA in 2017.

The building complex was originally a textile factory, which got Powers thinking about fabric in a deeper way.

“Fabric also reminds me of my mother— she was always working on different sewing projects as I was growing up, and I have memories from my childhood of stacks of fabric in our house,” says Powers. “Fabric, to me, provides a sense of comfort and warmth. And the structure of the fabric is interesting to me; the individual threads come together to make the whole.”

During the pandemic, Powers would work on these paintings while watching the evening news and feeling inspired by the sacrifices by healthcare providers.

When she and Susan Laney got together to discuss a show, Powers thought of a name for the exhibition.

In her research, she found the comfort theory by Katherine Kolcaba, first published in 1994. The theory is on how to best provide comfort for hospitalized patients, and it’s illustrated with a grid. The connection clicked for Powers, and the name stuck.

Powers creates her work by pouring oil onto the linen and using large brushes and rags to direct the paint.

“The process is very important to what I’m doing,” says Powers. “It’s not depicting anything, it’s just a painting, but the experience of that painting, to me, is more important than portraying an object.”

When viewed from the side, Powers’

paintings take on even more meaning: the edges have wildly different colors than the front of the piece. That experience alone requires the viewing of these works in person.

Next up is “Clerestory,” an exhibition that Laney had planned for the future.

“With COVID, everything changed,” Laney says. “We had to rethink what we were going to present, and how to present it, and a number of challenges were hurdled. We were lucky enough to work with a group of really talented artists. It was a joy and it was also something that kept us busy in a time where maybe that was the best thing.”

The title of the exhibition is a reference to clerestory windows, which are windows at the highest level of a building.

They allow light and color to come into the building and illuminate dark spaces, which felt like a necessary metaphor for the times we’re living in.

As such, “Clerestory” is an explosion of bright colors in the gallery space, almost like a joyous reunion.

Ben Tollefson presents five new works in the exhibition, continuing his exploration of gender binaries with objects like fake eyelashes and fingernails.

“I think of these anonymous figures as existing outside of those binaries,” says Tollefson. “I think a lot in my work about painting space versus physical space and the collapse of those two.”

Katherine Sandoz also contributed new works from her “Aurora” series. Her paintings are inspired by the idea of locus amoenus, a literary construct that deals with an idealized place.

“For the Aurora series, I think I allowed myself to use more of a saturated palette, and maybe a bolder application of the paint,” says Sandoz.

Betsy Cain’s piece, “water, water,” is an

imagined water symbol. Water is a universal symbol of the unconscious, and Cain’s piece is feminine in form and is related to the tides and water.

Cain also contributed work that’s a bit of a departure from her usual style, including oil paintings on yupo paper.

Namwon Choi pushes her boundaries with the work included in this show.

“I’ve been making monochromatic paintings about distance on shaped panels, and often I have this moment of, ‘What if I make this painting physically exist not only with height but with depth?” she asks.

She answered that question with “Blue Distant (fifteen cubed),” an installation of gouache on four wooden boxes.

Abel Macias says of his work, “When I paint landscapes, they are not specific depictions of real life places. They’re more like dreams or memory. The perspectives and shapes are just fragments from my recollection of past travels and journeys.

When I look onto nature, my eye quickly summarizes the plain into shapes, colors, and textures.”

And Hasani Sahlele says of his work, “When I work, feelings are at the forefront of my mind. These works are unique in the way they engage the viewer, as well as in their conception.”

The seven artists’ work in “Clerestory” creates a conversation with each other that needs to be seen in person, and your chance to do it (safely!) is this Thursday. CS

RECEPTION ON THE LAWN

Thurs., Aug. 13, 5-9 p.m.

Laney Contemporary 1810 Mills B. Lane Blvd.

Masks required for entrance Visit laneycontemporary.com for more information.

CULTURE VISUAL ARTS

QUESTIONS

WITH

Bethani Blake

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

1. What’s your creative process been like through your life?

I’ve always been drawing. As a kid, I drew the same pictures of Sailor Moon over and over again. My parents would be like, “Oh, another Sailor Moon!” I was constantly drawing through elementary school, and it came to fruition when I was in about eighth grade. I started taking it a little more seriously; I started carrying around a sketchbook.

I joined high school and switched from being a volleyball player to theater. For a long time, my thing was performing on stage. I actually have a minor in performing arts. I was acting for a very long time, and I switched to painting last fall.

I took my Foundations classes and learned how to do charcoal and the basic stuff, but I really came into this whole “I need to be in the arts” space last fall, and it has been the best decision of my life.

2. How did you develop your style?

I started using collage, and I think this is what started the type of work I do. I was already appropriating images from popular magazines. I was getting my inspiration from other parties and appropriating it.

I didn’t know it at the time, but I was definitely inspired by the 60s pop art movement and Warhol and Lichtenstein. I manifested it because my two older brothers are millennials where I’m technically a Gen Z, so I grew up with memories of different things that they passed down.

My brain feels more like I’m stuck there, in the Paris Hilton lowrider 2000s aesthetic, but we’re in a world of TikTok and Twitter. I try to implement those aesthetics to translate this contemporary world

Bethani Blake

that I’m living in.

There’s a saying that one of my performing arts professors said: “People go to the theater because they want to see things they can’t get at home.” I think that helped spark my work that I do, because it’s taking the legacy of pop art and combining it with contemporary aesthetics.

Angel Island Zone

I call it a fleeting moment of inspiration.

I’ll get an idea, and I have a grace period to start the idea, otherwise it’s dead. So I’ll think, “What do I want to use to make this?” I find reference photos—I can’t draw from my head yet, I’m working on it—and I start blocking in the basic forms. I build into it with paint, charcoal, whatever I’m Has your performing art backusing. I start getting those light and dark ground influenced your painting? patterns and I pray that it turns out.

My roommates are getting on me I definitely think they are intertwined. In because if something isn’t going exactly performing arts, you’re taught that you how I thought it would, I scrap the piece. can’t carry any shame; you have to let go.

I usually work on at least three to five I know a lot of my peers go through this pieces at a time. I don’t work on one piece period where they feel like they need to be and finish it and then start another piece. painting a certain thing because that goes So if I’m working on five pieces, three of with their archetype they have, but I’ve them or sometimes four will turn out, and never personally felt that pressure. then the last one or two won’t turn out. I One thing I don’t really talk about in my keep about three-fifths of my work. Even work is race relations, because it’s my goal if they don’t seem like they go together, I to be seen as an artist and not an archetype make them all together and show them of a Black artist. I don’t want to pigeonhole together because it’s still the same brain myself. So I think that by not doing that, that’s processing the things.

I’m able to read into what I’m actually experiencing and seeing, even though a lot What are your future plans? of it deals with fringe culture and cultural phenomena.

Honestly, I just want to put on a show.

I think that the performing arts really helped eliminate this pseudo persona, and My friends and I found out that galleries charge $500 for a show, and seniors at our I was able to do what comes to me natuschool are required to pay for their senior rally. I just want to be an artist. shows. We were like, “We don’t have any What’s your creative process like? money!” So we pit on a show the week after deFINE ART called “Undefined Art.” Our I’m somebody who’s always thinking group was three biracial artists. We were about the work, even when I’m doing other like, “Let’s just make food and put up really things. I think about it more than I actubad art and people can come if they want.” ally do it, because I get in my head and I And so many people came! We had so much want to make sure I’m putting out stuff fun. It was a really good way to network. consistently so I can get better and use this That’s where my passion lies; I loved time and privilege to be able to make work. organizing it. It wasn’t even about my art

3.

5.

4.

Blue Cowboy

being in it, because I made sure the people who were showing all had our art in the best places possible so we could all showcase. I liked organizing it for my friends.

I think that if I’m listening to my gut and am not trying to be hardheaded, I think that’s where my passion lies, in organizing and art communications. Maybe curation—who knows?

I really want to go up north to Connecticut. I was up there and we went to a bunch of different museums and galleries. At the time, I had never seen a Van Gogh in person, and I saw Night Cafe. At the expense of sounding like a normie, I really liked Night Cafe! So I think I’m going to go up to the New Haven area so I’m close enough to New York where I could push art on the weekend, and I could be up where it’s a little cooler, because this heat is nuts. CS

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

ARTIST Bethani Blake uses her theater background to inform her painting practice.

Blake came to SCAD from Columbus, Ohio, nearly three years ago. In that time, she joined the painting program and switched theater to her minor.

A Gen Z-er with millennial siblings, Blake finds herself blending those two worlds in her aesthetic, which brings older subject matter into a current context.

We spoke with Blake last week.

Follow Bethani on Instagram at @bethaniblake. 17

FOOD & DRINK EPICUROPEDIA

Hop Atomica:

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

Brews & eats that ‘geek out on all the goodness’

BY LINDY MOODY

WHAT in the world does Hop Atomica mean? If you were like me, spending countless hours during social distancing browsing social media, you definitely spotted the unique new Savannah brewery and wondered the same thing.

18 Rows of gold beer taps, colorful beer,

making.

Because Hop Atomica is a brewery, the frothy beers being poured should be disand pizza? It all ties together seamlessly cussed first. Every hopped beverage is thanks to owners, creators, and brothers brewed on site, as evidenced by the tanks Pratt and Smith Matthews. that sit inside the dining room.

After locating an old mid-century buildThere are approximately ten hoppy ing in the Baldwin Park area and taking on brews offered on tap and more to come. their new venture, in spite of the currently The beverages range from juicy IPAs to difficult times, the two pushed forward tropical fruit filled sours. their concept: Hop Atomica Brewery & The standout for me, and the only of its Gastropub. kind on the menu, is the Mt. Crush’more The name pays homage to the original Stout. It is a deep dark full-bodied sesmid-century building as well as the Atomic sion that tastes like a smoky-sweet s’more. era’s scientific explorations. Owners Pratt After stuffing my belly with rounds of food and Smith Matthews have taken the idea of and sour beers, I ended my meal with the scientific discovery and infused it into beer stout as if it were dessert.

Pratt explained that the current beers are just the beginning, as evidenced by the sea of gold taps.

“Currently we’re on track to add at least 2-3 new beers a week. It’s hard to keep up with but we hope to have all our taps full in the next month or so. Once they’re full we’ll constantly rotate them. There may be a small handful of beers that stick around but for the most part we will be offering all new stuff all the time.”

Upcoming beers, and the reason I will return within the week, include a smoked sour wheat beer, a pink guava sour, and two housemade hard seltzers. New releases are announced via Instagram, @hopatomica.

As a brewery you would expect the food

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

to take a backseat, but Hop Atomica is not just a brewery.

Don’t expect stuffy industrial taprooms.

Instead the new restaurant and brewery features a beautiful air-conditioned dining room and a roomy patio to boot.

The kitchen cranks out dishes just as brilliant as each beer. Although the kitchen is quaint, it features a big, beautiful woodfire pizza oven.

This means storage is limited and as a result fresh ingredients are delivered multiple times per week. The constantly restocked kitchen allows Hop Atomic to be creative with the food as desired.

Specials and new and unique menu items are a huge focus of the team behind the gastropub.

“A sneak peek would be a pork belly pizza, some homemade (baller) hummus, and even some banging house made hot sauces. Like I said, we just want to be creative and have fun. It’s time to geek out on all the goodness,” Pratt told me.

My favorite menu item is the Korean Beef & Cheese sandwich. Super soft bread, which soaks up all of the residual moistness of the sandwich, houses seared bulgogi beef, melted provolone cheese, housemade kimchi, and gochujang mayonnaise.

Don’t go for just one taco when you can try the taco trio for only $13. The tortilla of each taco is the crispy charred shell as a result of a quick cook in the woodfire oven.

I have had deep fried tacos, but I had never tasted a taco that had a touch of smoke from cooking in a classic pizza oven.

A taco version of the Korean Beef & Cheese comes in the form of the Bulgogi Beef Taco. Keeping on genre, the Smoked Hoisin Chicken Taco is layered with smoked pulled chicken, crisp red cabbage, crunchy pickled carrots, and a chili hoisin sauce to spice things up.

As a meatless option you will find the Za’atar Roasted Cauliflower Taco. It’s created with deeply roasted spiced cauliflower, a lemon yogurt sauce, and sticky sweet raisins which tie it all together.

You would be mistaken not to sample pizza, especially considering the main vessel for cooking at Hop Atomica is their woodfire oven. I tried two, one to start my meal and one to finish.

The Classic Margherita features a tender, chewy charred crust and a balsamic glaze. The Pepperoni and Bacon eats like a classic American pizza that is balanced with a touch of fresh basil.

The team had help and inspiration from a fellow food in creating the unique menu.

According to Pratt, “The food was created by a good friend of ours, Josh Taylor, who is a chef in Charleston. He has done everything from huge production kitchens to small restaurants. He currently owns his own amazing food truck called Root Note.

They do a lot of Southern/Asian fusion which we love and wanted him to bring a hint of that into our offering.”

Naturally, guests will want to pair their food with the appropriate beer. Pratt gave me a few suggestions.

“Food and beer wise, there’s all kinds of pairings. The Kaya Papaya sour has fresh ginger, papaya, mango and vanilla in the beer. It pairs almost perfectly with the korean style bulgogi beef taco. The taco has fresh kimchi so the ginger is a perfect match. The tartness of the beer helps cut through the fat in the beef and the tropical fruit just tops it all off!”

It’s good to see that even through these strange times local restaurateurs are able to push through. Hop Atomica’s expansive patio is the perfect spot to maintain social distancing and enjoy some food. CS Hop Atomica is located at 535 E. 39th St.

savannahbarfood.com 4523 Habersham St. | 912.355.5956

Y 12- 8PM L I A D N E OP

R O N I E N DI T U O Y R R CA NOW SHIPPING NATION WIDE! 2019

Call 912-786-9857

WWW.THECRABSHACK.COM

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

EPICUROPEDIA

19

SINCE 2001  BREWING COFFEE & COMMUNITY

FILM LOCAL FILM

THE SENTIENT BEAN

Award-Winning Organic Vegetarian Food + Fair-Trade Coffees & Teas

MON  SUN OPEN 8AM4PM 13 E. Park Ave •232.4447

full listings @ sentientbean.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

ORDER ONLINE AT FACEBOOK.COM/ SENTIENTBEAN FOR TAKEOUT AND DELIVERY

20

CURBSIDE DELIVERY AVAILABLE FOR CALLIN ORDERS LIMITED OUTDOOR SEATING AVAILABLE

Support your local farms

Cunningham, left, is nearly done with his film “What We Always Wanted,” the story of a man and his teenage cousins finding themselves. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CUNNINGHAM.

Local filmmaker Kody Cunningham sees the finish line on new movie Cunningham chats about quarantine creativity, his new Savannah-centric movie, and more

BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

KODY CUNNINGHAM’S feature film What We Always Wanted certainly seems like it’s going to be a beautiful piece of art, judging by the teasers on the film’s website alone. In speaking to Cunningham, you get that sense even more because of the way he talks about the movie and its themes.

What We Always Wanted tells the story of Isaac, played by Cunningham, who takes care of his teenage cousins while their parents are away. Isaac and his cousins end up having to navigate their own individual paths and questions about their future as creatives and artists.

The movie’s relatable subject matter is perhaps more timely than ever at the moment, during a period when many are experiencing uncertainty and anxiety about the future regardless of whether they’re an artist or not.

“There’s a depression that takes hold with any director, after they’re done with a project. Especially indie directors. So basically, where everyone else was in March during quarantine in terms of depression, I’d already been in that for a few months.

By the time that quarantine came around, I was a little more stable,” he tells Connect of his experience.

“I’ve not been producing much work or

writing that much. I’ve been mostly taking time to recharge. Also, I feel like people get so caught up in their medium and how to get better at whatever that might be. For me, I’ve been using this time to do more Black Lives Matter research, get more into politics, and get more into reading. And honestly, I haven’t been thinking about filmmaking that much outside of finishing my current film.”

Cunningham adds, though, that he’s starting to feel the urge to get back to work and do what he loves. It’s the constant push-pull of being an artist that drives creativity but also creates the necessary barriers that so often prevent burnout.

“This has been an opportunity to give myself more of a base to pull from,” he says.

What We Always Wanted prides itself on using the city as a character; something that’s not necessarily new in the world of film and television, though he greatly succeeds in those efforts just based alone on the previews available. It feels like a Savannah movie, and the vibe of the city is in full effect in the photos and videos that are currently online.

Currently, the movie is finishing the last bit of filming and going through various phases of editing.

“In our initial shoot, we did probably 80-85%of the film. We’ve basically gotten a rough cut of that 85% while also trying to shoot that last 15%, plus reshooting some

of that 85%,” he explains.

“It’s this process of almost taking the rough cut of the film as a new draft of the script, and rewriting to those changes.”

The SCAD graduate and lifelong movie lover, who credits Pulp Fiction as a formative movie in terms of his fascination with the art form, has been working on What We Always Wanted since last year and did a crowdfunding campaign to fund the production. That campaign has since ended, but there’s a donate button on the film’s website for those who want to contribute to finishing it.

Cunningham cites Bladerunner when speaking of the process of finalizing a film, noting that Ridley Scott did several cuts of the film aside from the one that is known to the public.

“I look at some short films from my time at SCAD, and I go, ‘They’re fine, but I technically could change these things that bother me. Nobody would really know.’

But it’s the act of acceptance, I would say, to let old dogs lie and forget about it. Move on, but figure out what you did wrong and apply it to the next project,” he says.

“I feel like there’s something special about finishing a project when you’re fully, fully in it.” CS To donate to the completion of What We Always Wanted and see a preview, visit whatwealwayswanted.com

Happenings COMPILED BY RACHAEL FLORA happenings@connectsavannah.com

JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

BY MATT JONES ©2020 Answers on page 23

“GETTING FREE K” –REACHING #1000!

HAPPENINGS IS CONNECT SAVANNAH’S LISTING OF COMMUNITY EVENTS, CLASSES AND GROUPS. VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM TO SUBMIT A LISTING. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT OR CUT LISTINGS DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS.

CHATHAM COUNTY COMMISSION MEETINGS — The Board of Commissioners usually meets twice a month (except for January) on Fridays at 9:30 a.m.The meetings are held in the Commission Chambers of the Old Courthouse, 124 Bull Street, Second Floor, and are open to the public. All Chatham County Commission Meeting Agendas, Minutes and Videos have moved to a new system that provides live streaming of video of the current meeting. chathamcountyga.iqm2. com/Citizens/Default.aspx. Green Room, Old County Courthouse, 124 Bull Street.

CHATHAM COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE — The purpose of the Chatham County Democratic Committee (CCDC) is to foster local Democratic activities and affiliated organizations; seek out and assist democratic candidates for public office; provide voter education; and work with democratic officials at all levels while ensuring they stay true to our guiding principles. 912-4018913. ccdcgeorgia.com.

POOLER CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS — Pooler City Council meets the first and third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at Pooler City Hall, 100 SW US HW 80. Variances, Conditional Uses, Zoning Map Amendments and Text Amendments need to be submitted to the Zoning Administrator at least 30 days prior to the scheduled Planning and Zoning Meeting. For more information, visit poolerga.gov.

RICHMOND HILL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS — Richmond Hill holds its city council meetings on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at 40 Richard Davis Drive.

The public is always welcome at these meetings. You may register to speak at the end of a council meeting when you sign in at the meeting or you may contact Dawnne Greene, City Clerk, at (912) 756-2749 or dgreene@ richmondhill-ga.gov in advance to be placed on the council agenda. For more, visit richmondhill-ga.gov.

SAVANNAH AREA YOUNG REPUBLICANS — Get involved. Meetings are the last Tuesday of every month (except for December) at 7:00pm. Contact number: (912) 657-9623 chairman@sayr.org. sayr.org.

SAVANNAH CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY REGULAR MEETING — Join a nonpartisan group that has genuine concern about how climate change is affecting Savannah (and the world) and is researching how the people of Savannah can help mitigate

or even reverse some of the worst consequences of climate change. fourth Monday of every month, 7-8 p.m. facebook.com/ events/174811263853917/. Two Tides Brewing Company, 12 West 41st St. SAVANNAH CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS — All regularly scheduled meetings are held every other Thursday. The first meeting of the month is at 2 p.m., and the second meeting of the month is at 6:30 p.m. Savannah Government Television (Channel 8) broadcasts Council Meetings live at 2 p.m. on the day of the meeting. You can view a livestream of the meetings at www.savannahga.gov/ livestream. savannahga.gov/458/CouncilMeeting-Schedule. Savannah City Hall, 2 East Bay Street.

THOMAS SQUARE/METROPOLITAN HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION — The Thomas Square Neighborhood Association meets monthly via Zoom. Visit thomassquare.org for more information. ongoing.

TYBEE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS — Mayor and Council will hold City Council Meetings the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.at the Burke Day Public Safety Building, 78 Van Horn. For more information on the Tybee City Council, visit cityoftybee.org.

LGBTQ

SUNDAY SERVICE WITH EPIPHANY — Epiphany is a church without walls because we know that love knows no barriers. As we pray, worship and proclaim the Good News together, we also seek out co-conspirators with whom we may promote justice, peace and love. A “different kind of church,” Epihpany livestreams their Sunday morning service. Sundays, 11 a.m. facebook.com/ EpiphanySavannah.

FIRST CITY NETWORK — Georgia’s oldest LGBT organization (founded in 1985) is a local non-profit community service organization whose mission is to share resources of health care, counseling, education, advocacy and mutual support in the Coastal Empire.

Members and guests enjoy many special events throughout the year, including First Saturday Socials held the first Saturday of each month at 7pm. Mondays. 912-236-CITY. firstcitynetwork.org.

ACROSS

1 They’re out to pasture 10 Words before “your mother” or “your father” 15 Prepared statement 16 Slip 17 Verdi opera originally titled “La maledizione” (“The Curse”) 18 ___ Selänne, highestscoring Finn in NHL history 19 Short gamut 20 Measures of loudness 21 Change direction sharply 23 Does a dairy duty 27 “Them!” creature 28 Cry of accomplishment 30 WWE wrestler ___ Mysterio 31 Iconic “Lady and the Tramp” song whose title means “Beautiful Night” 33 Elemento numero 79 34 CLE player 35 Middle of a French Revolution motto 36 Pharmacy chain with unusually long receipts 37 Card seen in skat 38 Risky purchase 40 Places for Whoppers, briefly 41 Frigid ocean areas that can be seasonal or permanent 42 Site for mil. planes 43 Record producer Mike ___, or actress ___ Kaye

44 Go with the flow, maybe?

48 Minimal 50 Hull backbone 51 Rod Stewart’s “Lost ___” 52 Extended 57 Make grime pay?

58 Moved forward, perhaps 59 River through France and Belgium 60 Vacation purchase with a possibly aggressive sales pitch

DOWN

1 Harness part 2 Nation where kreyòl ayisyen is spoken 3 Bush or Clinton, informally 4 Game for NFL all-stars 5 Daughter of Loki 6 One of the saisons 7 Dirty groove?

8 “The 5,000 Fingers of ___” (1953 Dr. Seuss film) 9 ___-Caps (movie candy brand) 10 Increases in difficulty, like a hike 11 Vowel-rich cookie 12 Category for Styx and (arguably) the Stones 13 “Wow, that was rude!”

14 Cereal on “The Simpsons” where Bart ingested some jagged metal 22 Small-screen movie, quaintly

23 One in charge 24 Admire excessively 25 Told, as a secret 26 ___ Bachika (“Gurren Lagann” anime character who I just found out is a human and not a cat) 29 ___ De Spell (“DuckTales” character voiced by Catherine Tate in the 2017 reboot) 31 Place for neighborly gossip 32 Samuel L. Jackson movie that Roger Ebert called the best film of 1997 34 Adherence to mystic doctrines 39 Wisconsin city known for kids’ overalls 45 Yiddish gossip 46 “I gotta go feed the ___” 47 Hitch in haste 49 ___-chef 52 1-800-CALL-___ (bygone collect call service) 53 “What ___ know?”

54 DeLuise in many outtakes with Burt Reynolds 55 Get by, with “out” 56 ___ EFX (“Mic Checka” hip-hop group)

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

ACTIVISM & POLITICS

21

ASTROLOGY

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Motivational speaker Les Brown says his mission in life is to help people become uncomfortable with their mediocrity.

That same mission is suitable for many of you Rams, as well. And I suspect you’ll be able to generate interesting fun and good mischief if you perform it in the coming weeks. Here’s a tip on how to make sure you do it well: Don’t use shame or derision as you motivate people to be uncomfortable with their mediocrity. A better approach is to be a shining example that inspires them to be as bright as you are.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

Taurus musician and visual artist Brian Eno has a practical, down-to-earth attitude about making beautiful things, which he has done in abundance. He says that his goal is not to generate wonderful creations nonstop—that’s not possible—but rather to always be primed to do his best when inspiration strikes. In other words, it’s crucial to tirelessly hone his craft, to make sure his skills are constantly at peak capacity. I hope you’ve been approaching your own labors of love with that in mind, Taurus. If you have, you’re due for creative breakthroughs in the coming weeks. The diligent efforts you’ve invested in cultivating your talents are about to pay off. If, on the other hand, you’ve been a bit lazy about detail-oriented discipline, correct that problem now. There’s still time to get yourself in top shape.

to experiment with using Plaza’s formula.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

In the dictionary, the first definition of “magic” is “the art of producing illusions as entertainment by the use of sleight of hand and deceptive devices.” A far more interesting definition, which is my slight adjustment of an idea by occultist Aleister Crowley, doesn’t appear in most dictionaries. Here it is: “Magic is the science and art of causing practical changes to occur in accordance with your will—under the rigorous guidance of love.” According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the latter definition could and should be your specialty during the next four weeks.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) “The soul, like the moon, is new, and always new again,” wrote 14th-century mystic poet

BY ROB BREZSNY

beautyandtruth@freewillastrology.com

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

“I have one talent, and that is the capacity to be tremendously surprised,” writes Libran author Diane Ackerman. I advise you to foster that talent, too, in the weeks ahead. If you’re feeling brave, go even further. Make yourself as curious as possible.

Deepen your aptitude for amazements and epiphanies. Cultivate an appreciation for revelations and blessings that arrive from outside your expectations. To the degree that you do these things, the wonderments that come your way will tend to be enlivening and catalytic; unpredictability will be fun and educational.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Author and theologian Frederick Buechner writes, “If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

22

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

“Make all your decisions based on how hilarious it would be if you did it,” advises Cancerian actor Aubrey Plaza. I wish it were that simple. How much more fun we might all have if the quest for amusement and laughter were among our main motivating principles. But no, I don’t recommend that you always determine your course of action by what moves will generate the most entertainment and mirth.

Having said that, though, I do suspect the next few weeks may in fact be a good time

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Are you ready to make the transition from slow, deep, subtle, and dark to fast, high, splashy, and bright? Are you interested in shifting your focus from behindthe-scenes to right up front and totally out in the open? Would it be fun and meaningful for you to leave behind the stealthy, smoldering mysteries and turn your attention to the sweet, blazing truths? All these changes can be yours—and more.

To get the action started, jump up toward the sky three times, clicking your heels together during each mid-leap.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Greenland is a mostly autonomous territory within the nation of Denmark.

In 2019, US President Donald Trump announced that his government was interested in buying the massive island, describing it as “a large real estate deal” that would add considerable strategic value to his country. A satirical story in *The New Yorker* subsequently claimed that Denmark responded with a counter-offer, saying it wasn’t interested in the deal, but “would be interested in purchasing the United States in its entirety, with the exception of its government.” I offer this as an example for you to be inspired by.

The coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to flip the script, turn the tables, reverse the roles, transpose the narrative, and switch the rules of the game.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

In his 2010 album *My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy*, Gemini musician Kanye West confesses the decadent and hedonist visions that fascinate and obsess him. Personally, I’m not entertained by the particular excesses he claims to indulge in; they’re generic and unoriginal and boring. But I bet that the beautiful dark twisted fantasies simmering in your imagination, Gemini, are more unique and intriguing. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to spend quality time in the coming weeks diving in and exploring those visions in glorious detail. Get to know them better. Embellish them. Meditate on the feelings they invoke and the possibility that they have deeper spiritual meanings. (P.S. But don’t act them out, at least not now.)

about doing it? Well, you could have a long conversation with your deep psyche—and see if you can plumb hidden secrets about what gives it sublime pleasure. You could seek out new ways to experience euphoria and enchantment—with an emphasis on ways that also make you smarter and healthier. You might also take inventory of your current repertoire of bliss-inducing strategies—and cultivate an enhanced capacity to get the most out of them.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

Lalleswari.

I will amend her poetic formulation, however. The fact is that the soul, unlike the moon, is always new in different ways; it doesn’t have a predictable pattern of changing as the moon does. That’s what makes the soul so mysterious and uncanny. No matter how devotedly we revere the soul, no matter how tenderly we study the soul, it’s always beyond our grasp. It’s forever leading us into unknown realms that teem with new challenges and delights. I invite you to honor and celebrate these truths in the coming weeks, Virgo. It’s time to exult in the shiny dark riddles of your soul.

eyes, we must see not just their faces but also the life behind and within their faces.”

The coming weeks will be prime time for you to heed Buechner’s advice, Scorpio. You’re in a phase when you’ll have extra power to understand and empathize with others. Taking full advantage of that potential will serve your selfish aims in profound ways, some of which you can’t imagine yet.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

“Refine your rapture,” advised occultist Aleister Crowley. Now is an excellent time to take that advice. How might you go

Author Doris Lessing told us, “It is our stories that will recreate us.” Whenever we’re hurt or confused or demoralized, she suggested, we need to call on the imagination to conjure up a new tale for ourselves. “It is the storyteller, the dreammaker, the myth-maker, that is our phoenix,” she believed. The fresh narratives we choose to reinvent ourselves may emerge from our own dreams, meditations, or fantasies. Or they might flow our way from a beloved movie or song or book. I suspect you’re ready for this quest, Pisces.

Create a new saga for yourself.

EXCHANGE

BUY. SELL. CONNECT. CALL 238-2040 BUSINESS RATES ADS RECEIVED BY 5PM FRIDAY WILL APPEAR IN THE WEDNESDAY ISSUE OF THE NEXT WEEK.

The Weatherization Program that Thousands of People previously was administered by EOA Savannah. Applications are Are Looking At This Space. being accepted to weatherize the For Your Information homes of Low-Income Families IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT living in Chatham County.

Action pact formerly CONCERTED For more information, please Call 912-721-4350 and SERVICES, INC. contact Teresa Lewis Place your Classified Ad Today! is now the service provider for @ 912-285-6085

Announcements

HAPPENINGS BROWSE ONLINE FOR...

Make Them Your Customers!

BENEFITS CLASSES

JUST LISTED!

10 Minutes From The Truman!

3 BR’S, 2 1/2 Baths 2 Stocked Ponds On Over 2 Acres $315,500 102 Statesboro Road, Savannah, GA

TOM ANDERSON • 912.433.4340 KW Coastal Area Partners Keller Williams REALTY • 912.356.5001

Search For And Find Local Events

Call Now! Westbasil LLC 912-544-6070

Buy. Sell.

24/7/365

FOR FREE!

ConneCtSavannah.Com

www.connectsavannah.com

WORKSHOPS CLUBS ORGANIZATIONS DANCE EVENTS HEALTH FITNESS PETS & ANIMALS RELIGIOUS & SPIRITUAL THEATRE SPORTS SUPPORT GROUPS VOLUNTEERS CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM

Let Us Help You

MAKE MONEY! Call 912-721-4350 To Place Your Classified Ad!

CONNECT SAVANNAH | AUGUST 12 - 18, 2020

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

ACTIVISM & POLITICS

23

start - and end - your weekend right

thursday Live dj | 6-9 pm $3 draft

sunday Live dj | 6-9 pm $3 long drinks

& Herradura

& savannah vodka

Friday, Saturday and Sunday $3 Glaes of Rosé

125 West River Street On top of the cotton sail hotel

SUNDAY THRU THURSDAY NOON TO 10 PM* FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NOON TO MIDNIGHT*

www.topdeckbar.com *CLOSING HOURS SUBJECT TO CHANGE