ARTS & MUSIC EDITOR AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jessica Smith
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Noah Rawlings
CLASSIFIEDS Zaria Gholston
AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson
CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, David Mack
PHOTOGRAPHER Whitley Carpenter
CONTRIBUTORS Bonita Applebum, Chris Dowd, Gordon Lamb, Ed Tant
CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Ernie LoBue, Mike Merva, Taylor Ross
OFFICE ASSISTANT Zaria Gholston
EDITORIAL INTERNS Lily Guthrie, Elijah Johnston
comments section
“Maybe somebody can fault [Greg] Davis for not having provided enough context for his reading before he gave it. But anybody who reads the poem will see that [Langston] Hughes couldn’t have conveyed the utter vileness of the character in whose mouth he put the epithet without it.”
Chandler Pendley was one of a couple of dozen Clarke County School District graduates who participated in a caravan through Cedar Creek last week in lieu of a graduation ceremony canceled by coronavirus. See flagpole.com for more.
Greg Davis
— Leon Galis
When Is a Tax Hike Not a Hike?
PLUS, AN ANTI-LGBTQ PREACHER GETS PAID AND MORE LOCAL NEWS
By Blake Aued and Chris Dowd news@flagpole.com
Ordinarily, few people would pay any attention to this, but a confusing legally mandated notice on local property taxes has some residents up in arms in this time of economic uncertainty. The legal notice states: “The Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission have tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes by 4.62 percent… This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 13.825 mills, an increase of 0.610 mills. Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 13.215 mills.”
This is misleading on a couple of levels. The reference to an increase in property taxes by 4.62% is not a result of raising the millage rate. It’s the increase in the overall county tax digest. That also means not everyone’s taxes will rise by 4.62%. For some, it might be 10%; for others, it might be zero.
For another thing, Mayor Kelly Girtz is actually proposing lowering the millage rate from 13.95 mills to 13.825. The figure of 13.215 is what’s known as the “rollback rate”—the idea being to pressure local officials into reducing the property tax rate whenever property values rise. These notices date back to a period of hostility among state legislators toward local property taxes, not long before then-Speaker Glenn Richardson tried and failed to replace them with more taxes on goods and services.
Property taxes are based on a formula: 40% of the assessed value of a property, minus the homestead exemption ($10,000 for ACC residents who live in their home) times the millage rate (one mill is $1 per $1,000). The value of property is set by professional appraisers, not the Mayor and Commission.
The Mayor and Commission could further reduce the millage rate, of course. But doing so would require spending cuts at a time when other sources of revenue, such as alcohol taxes and business licenses, are unstable. Then the question becomes, what should they cut? The majority of the ACC budget goes toward public safety—police, courts and firefighters. Girtz’s budget actually includes $2.1 million to give public safety employees raises and train them on mental health and community engagement, as well as $350,000 to hire eight new 911 dispatchers, which will improve the timeliness of ambulance service.
People who believe their property has been assessed unfairly can appeal to the Board of Assessors, appointed by the Mayor and Commission, then to the Board of Equalization, appointed by a grand jury, and finally to a Superior Court judge. [Blake Aued]
Commission Settles With Street Preacher
The commission has agreed to pay Adam Bishop, a right-wing evangelical preacher, $25,000 to settle a lawsuit against the ACC Police Department.
Bishop was shouting anti-LGBTQ rhetoric through a megaphone at people attending the 2019 Athens Pride Festival when two ACCPD officers escorted him outside the festival area. Bishop later sued ACCPD for violating his rights to freedom of speech and religion. While admitting no wrongdoing, the commission unanimously agreed to a settlement, which included the $25,000 payment and an agreement to more thoroughly train all police officers on how to handle “expressive activity” going forward.
While resigned to settling the lawsuit, commissioners seemed to have little sympathy for Bishop. “This appears to be a traveling preacher and crew of ‘witnesses’ who interrupt events like Athens Pride waiting for police to make them move,”
complicated election year. For example, the county briefly switched to paper ballots in March, which caused unbudgeted ballot printing expenses in addition to legal expenses. The Board of Elections staff has also worked an unusually high number of overtime hours because of the large quantity of absentee ballot requests for the June 9 primary. A large amount of staff time was also needed to work out a plan to separate certain polling precincts that were previously merged due to school construction.
“ We consolidated crowded precincts that resulted in long lines and difficulties voting.
Commissioner Melissa Link said in a comment to Athens Politics Nerd. “The hypocrisy of such a scheme is astounding. These are people who very purposefully injected themselves into a public event celebrating freedom of expression with the sole purpose of interrupting said event, and then claim victimhood when their own freedom of expression is challenged.”
While this kind of speech can’t be silenced due to First Amendment protections, Link does have plans to lower the volume. She requested a review of the outdoor noise ordinance, particularly in regard to amplified sound. In her view, devices such as megaphones should require a permit that could be denied in cases like this.
LGTBQ activist Cameron Harrelson agrees. “Every individual has the right to be heard,” he said. “I believe every individual also has the right to live in a society and city free of fear and loud, public condemnation and hate speech. I look forward to the commission working to address this issue in a productive way that ensures fairness and equality for all.”
Beyond hate speech, Harrelson is concerned more broadly about lack of protection for LGBTQ people in Georgia. “We are not strangers to rights violations,” he said. “LGBTQ individuals can still be fired for who they love or how they identify, [and] LGBTQ youth are 120 percent more likely to experience homelessness… While I understand the tough and challenging nature of constitutional rights cases, this is the perfect time for our community to again call on the commission to move forward with the Anti-Discrimination Legislation, the rainbow crosswalk and ensuring the citizens of Athens know the government is a welcoming people and the city is a welcoming place.” [Chris Dowd]
More Money Sought for Elections
The commission is also considering a second budget increase for the Board of Elections in this fiscal year, this time for about $73,500. This money will cover unexpected expenses relating to an especially
“These precincts should have never been consolidated,” Commissioner Russell Edwards said at the commission meeting on May 19. “We consolidated crowded precincts that resulted in long lines and difficulties voting. It should have never been done to begin with, and now we’re having to pay for it once again.”
The funding request also provides hazard pay for poll workers, postage for absentee ballots and money for new absentee ballot drop boxes. One drop box is already available outside the Board of Elections office downtown, and voters will soon have other drop-off options available all over the county. Planned locations include the Multimodal Center, ACC Library, the Cooperative Extension office off Atlanta Highway and the fire station on Barnett Shoals Road. [CD]
Gonzalez Sues to Move DA Election Back to 2020
Deborah Gonzalez, a candidate for district attorney in Athens, sued Gov. Brian
Kemp last week seeking to have the election returned to November 2020.
The lawsuit stems from former district attorney Ken Mauldin’s decision to resign in February, rather than serve out the last year of his final term. That made his chief assistant, Brian Patterson, acting DA and triggered a special election in November, canceling the Democratic primary between Patterson and Gonzalez.
Under a little-known state law passed in 2018, if Kemp had appointed a replacement for Mauldin within six months of the general election, the election would be pushed back two years. That deadline came and went May 3. Gonzalez has repeatedly pushed Kemp to appoint an interim DA, but he has not, despite taking applications for the position in February. In the meantime, Patterson remains acting DA.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court by Atlanta lawyer Bruce P. Brown on behalf of Gonzalez and four Athens voters against Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. It alleges that voters are being disenfranchised by having their ability to choose a new district attorney this year taken away, and that the 2018 law is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs are asking a judge to require the state to put the race on the November 2020 ballot.
Athens resident John Barrow, who had been planning to run for state Supreme Court this year, filed a similar lawsuit earlier this year and lost, but his lawsuit was filed in state, not federal, court. Barrow and Beth Beskin had planned to run for the seat belonging to Justice Keith Blackwell, who announced his intention to step down in November. However, state officials would not allow Barrow and Beskin to qualify in March. The ruling allows Kemp to appoint Blackwell’s successor, who will then stand for re-election in 2022.
Blackwell and five more of the nine Supreme Court justices recused themselves in that case. Barrow blasted the three justices who did not step aside, saying their refusal “tainted” the ruling. He also said the decision would allow judges to nullify elections by resigning in the period between when an election is held and when their successor takes office. [BA] f
Fascism Goes Viral
1918 PANDEMIC CONTRIBUTED TO RISE OF NAZIS, STUDY SHOWS
By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com
A new study published earlier this month by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York says that the rise in deaths from the worldwide 1918 influenza epidemic may have contributed to the later rise of the Nazi Party in Germany in the 1930s.
In 1918, Germany was reeling from a postwar economic decline following its devastating loss in World War I. The flu epidemic dealt the country another blow, as nearly 300,000 Germans died from the disease between 1918 and 1920. The new study, conducted by economist Kristian Blickle, said that the epidemic “profoundly shaped German society” in the years after World War I, and that its effects lasted into the global depression times of the 1930s, when fascists came to power in Germany, vowing to make that country great again after years of defeat, debt and dissension.
sages that stir primal fears and hatreds in ways that Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels would have envied. Extremist movements like fascism thrive during times of tumult, and the current worldwide pandemic is just one more event that can be used by authoritarian regimes to widen and strengthen their powers.
Absent But Voting
FOLDED PIECE OF PAPER? ENVELOPE? PRIVACY SLEEVE?
By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com
So, from the safety of my quarantine somewhere in 30606, I received my absentee ballot, before the Republicans have had time to kneecap the USPS.
“ Influenza deaths in 1918 are correlated with an increase in the share of votes won by right-wing extremists.
“Influenza deaths in 1918 are correlated with an increase in the share of votes won by right-wing extremists” during German elections at the time, says the study. It says that the vote for Nazis and other rightwing parties in German elections after the war and the 1918 epidemic was “stronger
In 1918, when the influenza epidemic raged around the globe, there were fewer than 2 billion people on the planet. Presently, the world’s population nears 8 billion. In today’s crowded and shrinking world, global transportation and instant communication make possible the quick spread of viral diseases and online misinformation. Despite having a worldclass educational system for much of its history, Germany’s population fell under the spell of the Nazi regime. Indeed, for all its culture, the country also had a long antisemitic past. In his 1996 book, Hitler’s Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust, author Daniel Goldhagen reminds readers that in Germany, antisemitism was deeply rooted among students and faculty members on the campuses of the
in regions that had historically blamed minorities, particularly Jews, for medieval plagues.” The Nazis and their ilk stirred fear and scapegoating in the populace of Germany and, said the Fed study, “the disease may have fostered a hatred of ‘others,’ as it was perceived to come from abroad.”
Today’s global pandemic provides more fodder for those who would use the tragedy of the coronavirus to spread political viruses of fear and falsehood. On Mar. 17, a statement from the Anti-Defamation League said, “As the coronavirus continues to surge globally, antisemitic, xenophobic and hateful messages and conspiracy theories are proliferating rapidly online.” Indeed, one doesn’t have took look too far in cyberspace today to see memes and mes -
the country’s universities. Book burnings during the Nazi regime were sometimes led by university students.
Authoritarianism is again on the march in America and around the world today, and the COVID-19 pandemic is just one more warning that, unless we guard our liberties and exercise our collective responsibilities, “the land of the free and the home of the brave” could become the land of the lockstep and the home of the craven. A May 16 editorial piece in The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, includes sage civic advice for this nation’s voters in its prescription that “Americans must put a president in the White House come January 2021 who will understand that public health should not be guided by partisan politics.” f
My first thought was, Where’s the second envelope, per the instructions? “3. After voting your ballot, enclose and securely seal the ballot in the smaller of the two envelopes provided, which is white and on which is printed ‘Official Absentee Ballot.’”
All I have is a folded sheet of white paper saying:
OFFICIAL ABSENTEE BALLOT BALLOT MUST BE ENCLOSED.
Ha ha! That’ll teach us to try to vote by absentee ballot, against the wishes of our President, who tells us they’re crooked.
Turns out, the Kemp/Raffensperger State Voter Suppression Regime was just having their usual fun with us.
Fortunately, our local Board of Elections website (athensclarkecounty.com) has an explanation: “Although the instructions in the Absentee Ballot package mention an envelope, voters should instead use the ballot paper sleeve.
The Elections Office will accept ballots that do not include the privacy paper sleeve.”
So, in other words, just ignore the official instructions from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office and throw away the “privacy paper sleeve,” and your ballot will be fine.
The rest of the nonpartisan races are non-contested, except for two Georgia Supreme Court races, both of which include well-financed incumbents handpicked by the governor against underfunded challengers. According to the AJC, no incumbent state Supreme Court justice running for re-election has ever been defeated, so I say to hell with it.
Now, what about the primary races?
John Q. Williams is challenging Sheriff Ira Edwards, Jr. See p. 11 of this issue. The winner will face Republican Robert Hare. Twelve of those people who ran in the national Democratic primaries for president are still on the primary ballot. So, you can still vote for Bernie, but it won’t matter.
If you grabbed yourself a Republican ballot, you only get to vote for the Trump guy.
“ The Kemp/Raffensperger State Voter Suppression Regime was just having their usual fun with us.
Your ballot—which, by the way, has the wrong date on it, since the primary/election was postponed to June 9—is a combination primary ballot and nonpartisan general election ballot, or just the latter if you chose to stay out of the party squabbles.
In spite of all those names in all those races, there are only two-to-four contested elections on the nonpartisan general election ballot, depending on which ACC district you live in. The rest just give you the democratic prerogative of voting for incumbents who have no opposition, sort of like in Russia.
So, the contested non-partisan races? If you live in an even-numbered ACC district, I urge you to read the series concluding this Flagpole issue that has featured question-and-answer interviews with all the commission candidates. You can find your district’s candidates in the archives on flagpole.com. Mariah Parker, in District 2, has no challenger. The District 4 Q&A is in the Apr. 22 Flagpole; District 6 is in the Apr. 29 issue; District 8 is in the May 13 issue and District 10 is in this May 27 issue. These interviews give you a pretty good idea of where the candidates are coming from, and they’re worth a careful read.
There’s one Board of Education race, in District 2, where Mary Bagby faces Kirrena Gallagher. Both are community activists who have or have had kids in the local public school system.
In the U.S. Senate primary, the race is between former Columbus mayor Teresa Tomlinson and investigative journalist Jon Ossoff, who is endorsed by Congressman John Lewis, for whom Ossoff interned while in high school. Tomlinson, Ossoff and the other primary candidates are competing to be the Democrat who will run against Republican Sen. David Perdue in November. The other U.S. Senate race is not on this ballot, because it is a “jungle” special election in November, in which Gov. Kemp’s rich appointee Kelly Loefller defends her seat against Republican and Democratic challengers alike.
In the contested primary race for public service commissioner, Daniel Blackman and John Noel are both environmentally concerned Democrats who are vying to run against Republican commissioner Bubba McDonald so that they can rein in Georgia Power. Neither has a prayer.
If you live in the 10th Congressional District part of Athens-Clarke County, Tabitha Johnson-Green, who came out of Sandersville last time to win the Democratic nomination, is running again, this time against Athenian Andrew Ferguson. The primary winner will have the privilege of getting stomped by the Republican, Jody Hice, unless Trump’s coattails go up in smoke.
The sliver of Athens-Clarke that falls into the 9th Congressional District has three Democrats—Devin Pandy, Brooke Siskin and Dan Wilson—all newcomers to politics, running to be the Democratic sacrifice in the general election against a whole slate of Republican candidates that includes the owner of Athens gun store Clyde’s Armory and former congressman Paul Broun, Jr., who is raffling off an assault weapon as part of his campaign. Wonder if he bought it at Clyde’s?
Well, it’s a long ballot, and I may have missed something, even with this sketchy look at it. And of course, if you’re early voting or voting day-of, it’s the same ballot. And remember, voting is not a privilege, it’s a right, even if you don’t want to pretend that a piece of folded paper is an envelope. f
Like many Americans, Germans in the 1930s were not overly fond of social distancing.
Fourth Time a Charm?
DISTRICT 10 COMMISSIONER MIKE HAMBY DRAWS HIS FIRST OPPOSITION
By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com
Athens-Clarke County Commissioner
Mike Hamby has been living every politician’s dream. When he first ran for the District 10 seat in 2008, no one ran against him—a rarity for an open spot. Same in 2012, and again in 2016. But he wasn’t so lucky in 2020.
Hamby’s first-ever challenger, Knowa Johnson, describes himself as “a facilitator and organizer with a genuine connection to my community.” The 49-year-old Orlando native is a relative newcomer to Athens, moving here in 2012, but has made a big mark in just eight years, starting the music promotion business United Group of Artists and co-founding the Athens Hip Hop Awards and the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement with his wife, Mokah Jasmine Johnson. With the AADM, he has successfully pushed for reforms, like an ordinance banning discrimination at downtown bars and restrictions on cash bail.
The Johnsons have become one of Athens’ preeminent power couples, with Mokah running for state representative this year as well.
Additionally, we must protect the financial health of our community, from small businesses to contractors without institutional safety nets. I agree with a moratorium to halt evictions, rent increases or utility cutoffs during this difficult time. I also know property owners have mortgages to pay, which is why we should call for suspension of mortgage payments.
Not that Hamby, 50, hasn’t been busy, too. He currently runs an office-cleaning business, but he is also a burgeoning artist and has worked formerly as a waiter, substitute teacher, financial advisor, executive director of the Democratic Party of Georgia and—what he calls “the best job ever”—wine salesman. As commissioner, he has served on the Economic Development Authority, Athens Downtown Development Authority, Pension Board and Government Operations Committee.
Both recently answered a few questions from Flagpole to help voters make up their minds before the June 9 election.
Flagpole: How would you rate AthensClarke County’s response to the coronavirus pandemic?
Mike Hamby: The Mayor and Commission took early and decisive action to adopt protective measures to prevent the spread of this virus. The M&C and our ACC staff are working every day to respond to community concerns and suggestions, addressing the daily changing issues with COVID-19, as well as planning a $3 million-plus local economic recovery effort. More importantly, the citizens, non-profits, schools, businesses and local health-care providers are doing the hard work of making sure neighbors are being looked after, people are getting necessary supplies and health concerns are being attended to. Athens deserves high marks for how we’ve come together to deal with this challenging situation.
Knowa Johnson: I agree with the decision to shelter in place and shut down businesses and schools. Given the nature of this crisis, the mayor and commissioners have made appropriate decisions.
that are producing wanted results in other communities. I would like to see $1 million invested in each district for anti-poverty initiatives, and to form a diverse coalition of government, private and nonprofit stakeholders who are on the ground and serious about reducing this rate.
We should establish TADs in the areas most affected first. I will push for a ticket center for events where profits from sales could be used for community projects.
FP: What would you do to protect the arts and the music scene and assist the local businesses that make Athens unique?
with a future proposal to bury the power lines along Milledge Avenue and elsewhere.
KJ: No.
FP: Please list any other issue(s) you feel are important and your solution(s).
In order to address the complexities of the situation, I’d like to see a permanent crisis response team assembled of government officials, nonprofit and private industry stakeholders, and community members. Through collaboration, this could increase our community’s resilience to this and future disruptions.
FP: What is your plan to reduce Athens’ persistently high poverty rate?
MH: The M&C allocated $4 million towards an effort to reduce poverty in Athens. The Prosperity Package has taken a first step by working with Family Connection-Communities in Schools for an expanded Neighborhood Leader Program. This program works to support and assist community members in poverty. We have also approved hiring grant specialists to leverage the $4 million for grant dollars that may be available for our efforts. The M&C identified topics to focus on in an effort to address the poverty rate, including physical and behavioral health, early childhood education, workforce development, business development support for minority and underserved communities, and stabilization efforts for neighbors in poverty. We anticipate utilizing a participatory budgeting process and intensive citizen and non-profit engagement to help identify future efforts. “We’re All in This Together” has been a theme for fighting a health virus impacting our community. If we apply that same spirit towards our poverty pandemic, then Athens will overcome poverty as well.
KJ: I plan to support the efforts of the Economic Justice Coalition, United Campus Workers of Georgia and those leading the push for living wages. I will also work with other commissioners to pinpoint the best model out of those on the table and those
MH: Athens’ economy should work for everyone, from workforce development for the manufacturing worker, to helping with website development for the artist, to supporting the restaurateur and baker to get their product into grocery stores, to assisting with the creation of more minority-owned businesses. We can do this by recognizing the arts as a career and structuring economic development incentives towards recruitment and retention of artisans, and establishing a creative incubator that offers space, grants and professional support. We should also create the same type of incubator for small minority-owned businesses. We need to harness the entrepreneurial efforts in Athens and create ways to introduce them to the world economy. This can be done for our maker economy by providing assistance and incentives to those exploring ways to increase their product reach within and beyond the borders of Athens. Furthermore, we can also develop incentives for small businesses to hire locally, and to offer second-chance opportunities.
KJ: Expanding our music and artistic culture can only be a benefit to Athens-Clarke County. It will help drive economic growth for our entire community by opening doors for more people to participate in the entertainment sector of the economy as both audience members and artists. The heart and soul of Athens is its artistic culture, and with just a little help, we could expand that goodness to touch many more lives. I would push for a one-stop shop for support and funding of the arts community through grants, collaborative fundraising and contact service opportunities. We should stop charging event producers for usage of the city-owned stage.
MH: The virus has shown that we need to be more diligent in finding ways for residents and local businesses to make ends meet during and after challenging times. A stronger revolving loan or grant program should be established to offer assistance during difficult times. The virus has also demonstrated how important regional partnerships are in dealing with the safety and health of our communities. The Northeast Georgia region shares two outstanding hospitals, both located in Athens, that service 17 counties. The region needs to be on the same page in dealing with any health-care crisis, and the establishment of a Regional Emergency Health Commission to develop a response plan for dealing with any future community health emergencies would be a good first step.
KJ: According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in Georgia, only 41 affordable and available rental homes exist for every 100 “extremely low-income renter households.” As a result, hundreds of thousands of Georgians pay more than half their incomes for rent (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities).
FP: Commissioner Hamby was once a super-district commissioner representing half the county. Would you push the legislature to restore super districts after the 2020 Census?
MH: Yes, and it’s been a state legislative request numerous times. Super-districts afforded everybody in Athens to have two representatives on the commission. Superdistricts also created opportunities for commissioners to partner on zoning issues and on projects that have county-wide implications. For example, the pedestrian loop along Timothy and Mitchell Bridge that two commissioners are promoting: With super-districts, we would have at least four commission districts impacted to help make that happen. The same scenario could apply
Athens-Clarke County can do better than financial segregation. By weaving mixed-use affordable housing throughout the county (and other policy solutions), we can strengthen the fabric of our communities and schools, and help to stitch shut the opportunity gaps through which low-income families can so easily slip.
We should pass a parallel ordinance to reduce the penalty of marijuana possession that disproportionately affects people of color.
We need to get serious about the wealth gap in Athens by supporting low-income, middle-income and minority entrepreneurs through grants and other opportunities. f
Mike Hamby
Knowa Johnson
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LOCAL NEWS
A New Sheriff in Town?
DETECTIVE CHALLENGES LONGTIME INCUMBENT IRA EDWARDS
By Blake Aued and Chris Dowd news@flagpole.com
According to both candidates in next month’s Democratic primary, the Clarke County sheriff’s race is a referendum on incumbent Ira Edwards’ five terms in office.
Edwards, first elected in 2000, says he offers “proven leadership,” which is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Titanic had stable leadership, but it still sunk,” replied his Democratic opponent, John Q. Williams, during a recent online forum. “If you’ve been in office 20 years and nothing has gotten better, there’s no point in hanging your hat on being there 20 years.”
Williams—a sergeant with the AthensClarke County Police Department who investigates domestic violence and missing persons—points to a 2019 audit of the sheriff’s department that found that the county jail was woefully understaffed, turnover was high and deputy morale was low. Edwards called the audit an opportunity for improvement, and said that no agency is without problems.
the system. But jail shouldn’t be “a welfare system where everybody gets things for free,” Edwards said. “Otherwise, the jail becomes a hotel.”
Securus has donated $450 to Edwards’ campaign—another issue in the race. According to the website Athens Politics Nerd, he has raised $9,300 from bail bondsmen and contractors of the private prison industry. His largest campaign donor is James Owens, owner of Double “O” Bonding company, who gave $2,000 in 2019. Other contributors include Wellpath PAC ($600), Global Tel Link ($600), Apps Auburn ($600), Legacy Commissary Services
CEO Derek Strickland ($1,000), Liberty Bonding owner Nathan Owens ($500), Aaron Bonding Company owner John Elliott ($1,050) and probation contractor Five Points Solutions ($750), campaign finance records show. Global Tel Link, which also has a contract with the sheriff’s department, faced charges of bribery in 2017 and settled with the state of Mississippi for a $2.5 million fine.
Legends and Landmarks
TAYLOR SHAW’S NEW MURAL CELEBRATES ATHENS MUSIC
By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com
Though travel plans are still on hold for most right now, Taylor Shaw’s new mural is its own in-town destination. Appearing on the cover of Flagpole this week, the painting was designed to resemble a vintage “Greetings from…” postcard, and celebrates the Classic City as a cultural mecca. Embedded in the block letters of “ATHENS” is a collage of local music references: R.E.M., the Morton Theatre, of Montreal, Danger Mouse, The B-52’s, Widespread Panic and Drive-By Truckers.
“The postcard is a symbol of the freedom of travel and a way to promote one’s city,” says Shaw, whose love of fonts stems from his background in graphic design. “The painting of the postcard turns a handheld souvenir into a huge backdrop for people to take pictures in front of. I’m interested in seeing how this plays out on social media now as a new form of the ‘postcard,’ or a digital souvenir.”
Shaw, who received his MFA from the Lamar Dodd School of Art in 2019, now lives in Mobile, AL, where he teaches at the University of South Alabama. Aware that he’d be working on a tight timeline, Shaw prepped for the mural by taking care of measurements, sketches and stencil cutting in advance. Once in Athens, he was able to prime, outline and spray-paint the mural in a process that required roughly eight hours a day over the course of six days.
Influenced by tourism imagery, Shaw’s body of work reflects interests in the economy of nostalgia, production of souvenirs and understandings of the “local experience.” The beachy, leisure-loving aesthetic of his hometown of Destin, FL carries over into his other projects like sculptural pop-up miniature golf courses and lov -
Williams also criticized Edwards for traveling too much. “I’m out in this community regardless of whether it’s an election year or not,” he said. Edwards acknowledged that he travels extensively because of his leadership positions in state and national law enforcement associations.
In response to Williams’ assertion that the sheriff’s department needs fresh ideas, Edwards pointed to rehabilitation programs he started. More than 350 inmates have earned their GEDs while in jail, he said.
Williams has also been critical of using unpaid inmate labor, although Edwards isn’t responsible for this practice. “I think profiting off of prison labor is unethical, immoral and it just should not be happening,” he said.
Williams also said that prices for inmates’ phone calls and commissary goods are “ridiculously high,” accusing Edwards of price gouging. Edwards said profits from the commissary go toward rehabilitation programs. “We’re pouring this money back into the inmates, so they can become productive citizens,” he said.
Elliott is also a former chairman of the Athens Republican Party. Despite running as a Democrat, Edwards has accepted contributions from several Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Butch Miller of Gainesville. During the Athens Community Agenda forum, Edwards touted his endorsement by a broad spectrum of leaders, such as former mayor Nancy Denson, former University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley and civil rights activist Fred Smith.
“This is not Democratic, Republican or independent,” he said. “I have support across the board.”
Williams had raised a little over $6,000 as of the end of March, including contributions from commissioners Melissa Link and Mariah Parker and commission candidates Carol Myers and Jesse Houle. None of his contributions appear to have come from jail industry contractors or bail bondsmen. Edwards has raised a total of $51,000, according to his most recent filing in January.
Shaw’s mural is located in an alley off of Clayton Street on the exterior wall of Classic City Cycling, a new indoor cycling studio housed in the former Chick Music space. Though the public debut in March was postponed due to the pandemic, owner Crystal Rene de Cotret intends to officially open her business on June 6 for socially distanced spin classes. After first spotting Shaw’s signature style at Creature Comforts, where he was commissioned to create artwork in celebration of the brewery’s fifth anniversary, she decided to reach out about painting a similar postcard-inspired mural for the city of Athens.
With the permission of the building owner, de Cotret worked directly with the Athens Downtown Development Authority, which funded the commission. The mural falls along the proposed route for the “Walk of Fame,” an upcoming public art project—partially funded by a tourism product development grant received by the ADDA from the Georgia Department of Economic Development—that will install a series of artist-designed plaques honoring musicians who have helped build Athens’ identity as a music town.
ably garish airbrushed T-shirts. More of the artist’s work can be seen outside of Chuck’s Fish, where he created the “Hey Baby” mural influenced by retro signs, and Southern Brewing Company, where an installation of three-dimensional block letters painted with local landmarks spells out “ATHENS.”
“My advice for younger artists trying to get into public art is just to keep trying,” he says. “You’ll be rejected 100 times before someone lets you put up one mural… but you gotta keep creating and not let that stop you from putting your visions out there. Someone will love them, but if they just stay in your head, nobody will get the chance to see them.”
Athens-Clarke County has a contract with the private company Securus Tech to provide phone service at the jail. Securus Tech keeps 20% and kicks back 80% to the local government—$200,000 a year. Several ACC commissioners and the progressive group Athens for Everyone have criticized
Early voting has already begun at the ACC Board of Elections at 155 E. Washington St., and voters can also cast their ballots on Election Day June 9 or by mail. Absentee ballot applications are available at mvp.sos.ga.gov.
The winner of the Democratic primary will go on to face Republican Robert Hare, a Marine veteran and former Clarke County sheriff’s deputy, in November. f
“I always try and do a deep dive into cities and subjects when creating these murals, and having lived in Athens for five years, worked downtown, and gone to UGA for my master’s gave me a deeper understanding of the scene,” says Shaw. “I dove into the music scene history and tried to pick iconic album covers, logos, local landmarks and imagery to pay homage to all the things that make downtown Athens great.”
After returning home to find that classes had been suspended for the semester, Shaw set out to connect people who have been sheltering in place through a new project called “Quits from Quarantine.” Using an open call through Instagram (@lazerchef), Shaw mailed six wooden quilt pieces to each interested participant to decorate. Returned pieces will be assembled into a large display representing creativity from across the country. f
Georgia’s state flower, the Cherokee Rose
Ira Edwards
John Q. Williams
bulletin board
Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board is every THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Email calendar@flagpole.com.
#ARTSCENTERONLINE (Lyndon House Arts Center) Though currently closed to the public, the Lyndon House is still offering educational programming and art activities online. Search for the hashtag #ArtsCenterOnline on Instagram and Facebook for art education programs for families sequestered in their homes, virtual tours and other art related activities designed for sheltering in place. www.accgov.com/ lyndonhouse
AAAC GRANTS (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council is offering financial aid to artists in need. All local artists, arts organizations or arts-based projects are welcome to apply. www.athensarts.org
ATHENS POP-UP PARK CALL FOR PUBLIC ART (Athens, GA) The ACC Leisure Services Department is seeking an artist or team to design a bus wrap for a new minibus that will be used to visit events and neighborhoods to share special programming. The selected artist will be paid $800, and the cost of production will be covered by Leisure Services. Proposals must be submitted online by June 5. www.accgov.com/leisure
Auditions
THE CAROL BURNETT SKETCHES (Elbert Theatre, Elberton) Encore Productions hosts auditions for this comedy production. Be prepared to read excerpts from the script. Auditions are on June 1–2, 6–8 p.m. Rehearsals will be held mid-June through August, with performances following Aug. 21–23 and Aug. 28–30. 706-283-1049
Classes
ART CLASSES (KA Artist Shop) Virtual classes are now held through Zoom. “Calligraphy Club” is held every first Thursday, 5:30–7 p.m. FREE! “Brush Lettering” is offered May 26 at 6 p.m. or June 20 at 1 p.m. $25. “Pencil Calligraphy Class” is offered June 6 at 1 p.m. $15. “Modern Calligraphy with Pointed Dip Pen” is offered June 13 at 1 p.m. $25.www.kaartist.com
DEDICATED MINDFULNESS
PRACTITIONERS (Online) Weekly Zoom meditations are offered every Saturday at 8 a.m. Email for details. jaseyjones@gmail.com
MORNING MINDFULNESS (Georgia Museum of Art) Participate in a guided meditation session through Zoom. Every other Friday at 9:30 a.m. www.georgiamuseum.org
Help Out
BLOOD DRIVES (Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center) All blood types are urgently needed after over 160 blood drives were canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. Drives will be held May 26 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support and May 28 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the hospital’s Oconee Health Campus. Schedule appointments online using the sponsor code ARMC. www.redcrossblood.org
THE ARK’S SHERO 2020 Join The Ark in honoring the women whose strength, courage, stamina and grace shine forth in the darkness of the present crisis. Send a card to mothers, teachers and nurses through the month of May. Each $10 donation per card will benefit The Ark’s
art around town
CITY OF WATKINSVILLE (Downtown Watkinsville) “Public Art Watkinsville: A Pop-Up Sculpture Exhibit” consists of sculptures placed in prominent locations around downtown. Artists include Benjamin Lock, William Massey, Stan Mullins, Robert Clements, Harold Rittenberry and Joni YounkinsHerzog. • “Artscape Oconee: The Monuments of Artland” features a total of 20 paintings on panels installed around town. Artists include Claire Clements, Peter Loose, Andy Cherewick, Lisa Freeman, Manda McKay and others.
GALLERY AT INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Tiny Universe #3” is an exhibit of small works by over 70 artists from Athens and Atlanta. Through May 30. GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection” features over 60 objects spanning over 30 years of the famous stained glass artist’s career. • “Master of Fine Arts Degree Candidates Exhibition” is an annual exit show for the graduating master of fine arts students at the Lamar Dodd School of Art. • “Rediscovering the Art of Victoria Hutson Huntley” contains approximately 30 lithographs and two paintings. Through June 21. • “Drama and Devotion in Baroque Rome” celebrates Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s influence. Through Aug. 23. • “Altered Landscapes: Photography in the Anthropocene” includes images that demonstrate humanity’s impact on the natural world. Through Sept. 27. Though the museum is temporarily closed, many of the exhibitions, as well as the permanent collection, are currently available to view online at georgiamuseum.org.
GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Supple Moments, Dark Corners” is a site-specific installation by Eli Saragoussi that is accompanied by a soundscape by Max Boyd called “Jungle Drone.” Saragoussi recently incorporated additional set pieces built for Ad•Verse festival.
LAMAR DODD SCHOOL OF ART (270 River Rd.) Available in an online
ART CLASSES (KA Artist Shop) “Art Club Junior” is for ages 8–12 and held on Fridays at 4:30 p.m. “Art Club for Teens is for ages 12–18 and held Fridays at 6:30 p.m. Check website for details and to register. Classes are held over Zoom. $15. www.kaartist.com
PROJECT SOCIAL STORY (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) ATHICA presents Project Social Story, a photo and film contest for local teens to share their experiences of social distancing, distance learning and staying at home. For ages 13–19. Submit up to five images or videos. Top submissions in the categories of “friends, family, pets, feeling and fun” will win prizes. Deadline May 31. www.athica.org/updates/projectsocialstory
VIRTUAL FAMILY DAY (Online) The Hargrett Library hosts a virtual family day to highlight the exhibit “The Strategies of Suffrage: Mobilizing a Nation for Women’s Rights.” The event includes virtual tour stops, a suffragette storytime and craft activities. A limited number of craft kits will be available at Treehouse Kid & Craft. May 30, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. jhebbard@uga.edu
VIRTUAL SUMMER CAMPS
(Treehouse Kid and Craft) Each camper will receive a bundle of supplies to keep, organized projects, play dough, home rules, art bingo and more. Themes include creative beasts, under the sea, food trucks, insects, matchbox mice miniatures, slime and more. www. treehousekidandcraft.com
Support Groups
AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple Locations) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Visit the website for a calendar of electronic meetings held throughout the week. www.ga-al-anon.org NAMI (Multiple Locations) “NAMI Connections” is a support group for adults living in recovery with mental illness. “NAMI Family Support” is for family members, friends and caregivers of individuals with mental illnesses. Multiple online groups are now available. Days, times and contact information is available at www.namihall.org and www.namiga. org. 770-225-0804, namihallga@ gmail.com
RECOVERY DHARMA (Recovery Dharma) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction. Meetings are currently held through Zoom at zoom.us/j/2465753412. Thursdays, 7–8 p.m. FREE! Find “Recovery Dharma Athens GA” on Facebook
On The Street
ACRONYM (Athens, GA) ACRONYM is a new website compiling COVID19 aid for Athens-based live music venues and artists. Check the website for updated listings on funding and financial opportunities, mental health guides, organizational support, community resources and more. Visit acroynym.rocks
ATHENS FARMERS MARKET
(Bishop Park) The market is open with safety precautions in place. Wear a mask, pre-order when possible, keep your family home and use cashless payments. Saturdays, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmers market.net
SELF-GUIDED TOURS OF ATHENS (Athens, GA) The Athens Welcome Center is offering self-guided tour
gallery at art.uga.edu, ‘Amiko Li: The Purpose of Disease” presents the Dodd MFA Fellow in photography’s explorations into acupuncture, palm reading, psychogenics, herbal supplements, antibiotics and the regeneration of limbs. • “KITCHEN” is a new animation by New York-based artist and former Athenian Michael Siporin Levine, inspired by his quarantine experience. BFA exit shows are shared on Instagram at @dodd_galleries.
LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (293 Hoyt St.) The “45th Juried Exhibition” presents 199 works by 144 local artists. Through July. • On view in the Lounge Gallery, Lee Coffey presents a solo show of oil paintings celebrating the mundane, drawing inspiration from flea markets, thrift stores, internet holes, advertisements, art history and everyday objects. Through May. • Collections From Our Community presents “Hue and Carole Henry’s Banana Peels,” a photo series documenting a morning ritual in which Hue eats a banana and arranges the peel in a glass for Carole, who uses it as still-life material. • The Lyndon House is currently closed to the public, but is presenting daily installments of artwork and activities on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtags #45JuriedShowOnline and #ArtsCenterOnline.
OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville)
Juried by Chris Clamp, the 25th annual “Southworks” exhibition features a juried show of works in all media submitted from across the country. The 2020 Director’s Choice exhibit presents “Inside and Outside,” a solo show by Tom Stanley of Rock Hill, SC. Both shows are available online at ocaf. com through May 29.
UGA OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY (1180 E. Broad St.) “The Earth Day (Art) Challenge” is a virtual exhibition of works commemorating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Visit sustainability.uga.edu/earthday-art-challenge-exhibit. UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) Online exhibitions include “Steele Vintage Broadcast Microphone Collection,” “Foxfire on Display at UGA: 50 Years of Cultural Journalism Documenting Folk Life in the North Georgia Mountains, September–December 2016,” “Covered With Glory: Football at UGA, 1892–1917” and “Fighting Spirit: Wally Butts and UGA Football, 1939–1950.” Visit digilab.libs.uga.edu/scl/exhibits.
brochures of their popular walking or driving tours. Read about some of the most iconic Athens landmarks and locations. Options include an African-Amercian Driving Tour, Downtown Athens Tour, Athens Music History Tour and more. There are also narrated Athens Podtours with recordings of local stories and music. www.athenswelcomecenter. com/tours
STORMWATER CALENDAR
(Athens, GA) The ACC Stormwater staff is seeking photos of water and nature scenes from all around Athens to create a wall calendar. Submit photos by email with the name of the photographer and a description of where, when and why it was taken. stormwater@accgov.com
THE FINCH (Online) “The Finch” is a new podcast aimed to dissect complext issues with a multidisciplinary approach. Hear interviews with professionals from the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Center for Vaccines and Immunology, Human Research Protection Program and more. sptfy. com/thefinchpodcast
THE GIVING KITCHEN (Athens, GA) Service industry workers in need can receive financial assistance, tips and additional resources. Donations are also being accepted. www.thegiving kitchen.org
THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY: COVID-19 IN ATHENS, GA
(Athens, GA) Historic Athens presents an 11-week, 55-episode interview series designed to document the effect of coronavirus on Athens. The free interactive series is available every weeekday at 1 p.m. through June 26. www.facebook. com/historicathens
VIRTUAL LEISURE SERVICES
(Online) ACC Leisure Services hosts various fitness classes, craft ideas, social distancing challenges, coding games for kids, daily crossword puzzles and other online activities. www. accgov.com/leisure
Virtual Events
BAND TOGETHER: A VIRTUAL CONCERT SERIES (Athens, GA)
The Classic Center presents live performances on YouTube at Band Together Athens every Thursday at
7 p.m. Terrapin will host a “Terrapin Toast” introducing each act with a different personality each week. See Ashley Walls and John King on May 28. Donations will support the Athens Area Community Foundations COVID-19 Community Response Fund. Local artists or businesses interested in participating should email bandtogether@ classiccenter.com
GARDEN PORTAL PRESENTS (Online) Michael Potter hosts virtual performances every Thursday at 7 p.m. May 28 features the Magic Tuber Stringband (NC), and upcoming performers include Ariel Ackerly, Rob Noyes (Boston) and J.R. Bohannon (NY). bit.ly/2WHkRwF IN THEIR SHOES 10K RUN & WALK (Athens) Proceeds benefit the Piedmont Athens Regional’s Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support. This year’s race will be held virtually. Participants can register and submit their final scores by the end of May. $25 (cancer survivors), $40. www. intheirshoesathens.org LIVE FROM OVER THERE (The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording) Watch live broadcasts from musicians’ homes. Find Tweed Recording on Facebook for updates to the schedule. www.twitch.tv/tweed recording ONLINE TRAINING ON TRAUMAINFORMED CARE (Online) The Athens Area Community Foundation, in partnership with Envision Athens and the Athens Wellbeing Project, hosts a free online traning course on trauma-informed care. May 28, 8:30–11:30 a.m. Search for the Athens Area Community Foundation on Eventbrite.com. info@athensarea cf.org THE CRY BABY LOUNGE PRESENTS (Online) Eli Saragoussi hosts bimonthly shows using YouTube Premeire. Taylor Chmura, Nicholas Mallis and Strawberry Runners (Philadelphia) perform on May 29 at 7:30 p.m. Find The Cry Baby Lounge on Facebook. elinor. saragoussi@gmail.com
VIRTUAL DRAG STORYTIME (Online) Athens PRIDE and Avid Bookshop co-host virtual storytimes with drag queens through Facebook Live. See Cola Fizz on May 29. Every Friday in May at 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/athensgapride f
One of Krysia Ara’s Project Ginkgo mosaics can be found on the lamp post outside of The Morton Theatre, which celebrates its 110th anniversary this month.
threats & promises
PPP&G Form Psych Pop Project
PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP
By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com
NESTING TIME: I have no idea how this slipped under my radar, but Father Werewolf released its debut album, Red Bird, back on Apr. 1. Composed of longtime Athens rockers Mandy Branch, Forrest Leffer and Christian Phily, the band strikes the tuneful three-way intersection between early punk rock, ‘90s college radio and melodic math rock. And while I wouldn’t exactly call this retro, there does seem to be a profound sense of rejection and embrace—the former being a jettisoning of the modern world, and the latter a soft but deliberate folding of oneself into patterns of nostalgia driven by muscle memory. I’m most taken by the tracks that float their melodicism as a banner, like the title track, “Please Don’t,” and “Inner Pool.” Truth be told, this is enjoyable from start to finish, and, for listeners of a certain age, this will sound—counterintuitively—both of a certain time and timeless. For everyone else, dig at your own speed. Check this out now over at fatherwerewolf. bandcamp.com.
HOME REMEDIES: Phelan LaVelle and Greg O’Connell, each of Athens’ bedrock psych-dealers Shade, just released a selfmade “quarantine album” under the moni-
cassette sometime in the last 20 years, somewhere in the state of Georgia.” Also as usual, the core trio (Michael Pierce, Michael Potter and Thom Strickland) make ready art from improvisational sounds that are layered such that they always total more than the mere sum of their parts. The first side of this flows forward dreamily, with electronics creating illusions of wind, gull squawks, etc. This bleeds over for a moment into Side B, which quickly moves into primitive free jazz and string scraping before delivering some quick wow and flutter, and then shutting down completely. In the full scope of the vastness of The Electric Nature’s catalog, this is likely not essential, but it is a nice introduction to what’s going on if you’ve never been introduced to them before. Introductions are now happening on an ongoing basis over at theelectricnature. bandcamp.com.
ker PPP&G. The extra Ps are for Peavey and Poco, who are presumably the sweet dogs featured on the cover art. And if they’re not, well, they should be. The five-song release is self-titled and a very mellow, lightly psychedelic pop excursion. There are a couple of dips into art-rock rhythms (the bass line of “The Watch,” for example), but mostly this is really relaxing and doesn’t require a whole lot of attention. It’s almost as if PPP&G, even while in quarantine, never stopped anticipating an endless summer. All in all, not a bad project. Plan your picnic over at pppg.bandcamp.com.
AT A TIME AND PLACE: The Electric Nature roars again this month with the release of the two-track, 40-minute Forest Wisdom Assuming its familiar position between specificity and vaguery, all we know about this record is that it “was recorded live to
The Quarantine Blues
ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN
By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com
Hey Bonita,
I’m really not handling this quarantine very well. I’m lucky enough to be able to continue working from home, which means that the stimulus payment is extra money for me. Normally, I’d take a weekend trip with my friends somewhere close, like Savannah, but everything is shut down. Honestly, I’m just bored and lonely. I’m able to do Zoom meetings with coworkers, and I even did this virtual dance party thing last week, but I feel like none of it is enough, and I even started crying for a while after the dance party. I miss my friends and family. I want to go out and have some drinks. I want to get some booty.
I’m sure I’m not the only one. Is this depression? Should I get professional help? I just feel so sad these days.
our state. This disease is still out there and still contagious, and the choice is ours: Care to roll the dice for a night out on the town? Me neither.
HEEEEREEEE’S MICHAEL!: In related news, the aforementioned Michael Potter (Garden Portal, Null Zone) has started a cool web series named Garden Portal Presents that streams each Thursday evening at 7 p.m. It features Potter as host, talking about whatever he wants (label news, music, etc.), and then features largely pre-recorded main guest spots of featured musicians and artists. The series will be nearly a month old by the time you read this, and this week’s show features the Magic Tuber Stringband (North Carolina). Upcoming shows will feature Ariel Ackerly, Boston’s Rob Noyes and New York’s J.R. Bohannon, and some select local performers. Because YouTube links are completely unwieldy I’ve gone ahead and shortened the one for Garden Portal Presents, and here it is: bit.ly/2WHkRwF. So, enjoy!
HEY, HOW YA DOIN’?: It’s been over a year since Sean McDonald (MMM Sound) had a dedicated release from his long-running project Heat Sureens, but he’s come back into focus with the new single “Good Morning.” Largely built from vocal loops and echoes, there’s not a lot of meat on these bones, and the song is sparse even where its parts are crowded. The overall effect is that of someone whispering quickly in your ear, then dashing away before you can discern what they said. While this may not be the most compelling release in Heat Sureens’ pile of releases, it was a nice reminder to go back and visit McDonald’s prodigious output from over the years. Consider this your reminder, too, and head to mmmsound. bandcamp.com to dig in. f
Social distancing and isolation are the only proven ways to slow the spread of this contagion. This isn’t about government control or anything stupid like that, but about the future. Do yourself a favor and read up on the Black Death in the 14th century, which was much less deadly in places that quickly quarantined their cities from outsiders. It was still deadly, mind you, but Poland experienced so few deaths compared to the rest of Europe that a rumor persists that the country was spared completely. I tell you this to really put a bow on the very real and very good outcomes that we could recommend
I got last week, and I am really happy to get another shot at answering this. I told Lonely, Broke and Struggling to just kinda get into their current circumstances and make the best of it, and I worry that I sounded dismissive or something. I am not telling anyone to give up or to go gentle into this dark night, but to understand that acceptance (understanding what situations you have power over and can affect change upon) is a huge part of dealing with life in a healthy, productive way.
I also want to get drinks and booty on a beautiful Athens summer weekend. I want to twerk with DJ Mahogany on the Little Kings patio. I want to go to work, of all places, and I want my regular daily schedule back. I want life to return to normal. So do you, and so do most of us. But what we have to accept is that contagions are not able to reason, they are not able to see our loneliness and depression. Disease will not feel sympathy for us and give us a weekend off to party down, crash pools and get laid. It’s been two months now since my job sent me home, and we still haven’t seen a decline or stabilization in the COVID-19 cases in
and connect with, then ride them into the sunset once this is all over. I definitely recommend getting a therapist. There are plenty of local options for therapy via telephone or video conference, and check with your insurance to see if they cover mental health services. If you need a more affordable option, I recommend starting with Family Counseling Services and asking about their sliding scale. My therapist and I do bi-weekly phone sessions, and it’s been a real godsend. I’ve sobbed on the phone with them in pure desperation and loneliness, but sometimes I just share recipes and plans for the day. It’s great to have someone to talk to, even if you’re paying them, and there’s stuff you can discuss with a therapist that you might not be comfortable discussing with friends or family. Your therapist can suggest things to do with your downtime and safe ways to get the social contact that you need. I cannot, in good conscience, make any recommendations that go against social distancing, because I do not want you to get sick or worse. I want this to end soon, just like you. f
Peavey, Poco, Phelan LaVelle and Greg O’Connell of PPP&G
cla ssifie ds
REAL ESTATE
HOUSES FOR RENT
3BR/3.5BA house for lease. 1800 sf., $2100/month. 966 MLK Pkwy. Athens, GA 30601. Close to UGA campus, completely remodeled 2 years ago. Each room has an entrance from the outside. Granite countertops throughout the house. Circle driveway. Available 7/1/20. Contact us at mminvestmentproperties@ outlook.com
FOR SALE
MISCELLANEOUS
Need some old newspapers for your garden? Or how about that new puppy? Well, they’re free at the Flagpole office! Call ahead, then come grab an armful. Please leave current issues on stands. 706549-0301.
MUSIC EQUIPMENT
Nuçi’s Space needs your old instruments & music gear, especially drum equipment! All donations are tax-deductible. 706227-1515 or come by Nuçi’s Space, 396 Oconee St.
INSTRUCTION
Athens School of Music. Instruction in guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, strings, banjo, mandolin, fiddle & more. From beginner to expert. Visit www.athensschoolof music.com, 706-543-5800.
SERVICES
HOME AND GARDEN
Clean Pool Care LLC will keep your pool clean and safe! Call or text Kevin at 706-247-2226.
Plumber Pro Service & Drain. Upfront Pricing. Free Estimates. $30 Flagpole Discount. Call 706-7697761. Same Day Service Available. www.plumber proservice.com.
MISC. SERVICES
AJ Wofford, LLC. A Plus 1 for hire. You want my company! Athens, GA. Sun–Mon, 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. 912-678-4670, austinwofford21@gmail.com.
JOBS
FULL-TIME
Clocked! Restaurant is hiring kitchen help during these difficult times. Need someone that is professional, courteous, and takes pride in their work. You can apply at hollandshield@gmail.com. Stay positive!
FIVE POINTS BOTTLE SHOP IS HIRING! If you are highly motivated, 21+ with experience (preferred, but not required) in retail, stockroom, wine or craft beer please apply here: www.fivepointsbottleshop. com/about/careers
Flagpole ♥ our readers.
NORTHSIDE & WESTSIDE BOTTLE SHOPS ARE HIRING! If you are highly motivated, 21+ with experience (preferred, but not required) in retail, stockroom, wine or craft beer please apply here: www. bottleshopathens.com/ employment-application
PART-TIME
Seeking excellent typists (65+ WPM) to start immediately. Flexible schedules with 16 hours/per week minimum. Office policies include mandatory cleanings, socially distant workstations and no unauthorized visitors. Pay starts at $9.75 with $1/hour or higher raises after training. No previous transcription experience required. Apply at www.ctscribes.com.
Find new employees with Flagpole Classifieds! Call 706-549-0301 to place an ad today!
Worked with Copytalk before? Immediate openings available, paying $2.50–$5.00/hr. more than when you last worked. Re-join as an employee and help us type through this crisis! E-mail ath recruiting@copytalk.com.
VEHICLES
MISC. VEHICLES
REDUCED CHEVY RV: $8,500. Fridge, freezer, microwave, 4-burner stove, full bath. New fuel pump, brakes and tires. Call/text for pictures. 706-201-7608.
NOTICES
LOST AND FOUND
Lost and found pets can be advertised in Flagpole classifieds for free. Call 706-549-0301 or email class@flagpole.com to return them home.
MESSAGES
Never miss the local news you love! Get Flagpole delivered straight to your mailbox. New rates: $45 for 6 months or $80 for 1 year. Call 706-549-0301 to get it started.
ORGANIZATIONS
All pagans, witches, heathens, etc. of all paths: Join us for meetings, gatherings, festivals, yoga and more. We are a 501(c)(3) organization. athensarea pagans.org
STAY HOME
• Stay at home as much as possible. The best way to avoid getting COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the virus.
• Only allow essential visits. Cancel events, including parties, cookouts, or other group events until later.
• Cancel unnecessary travel for social visits, errands, and shopping trips.
• Keep high-at-risk people safe. Avoid in-person visits with the elderly, people with medical conditions, and people in nursing homes or care facilities.
KEEP DISTANCE
• Stay at least 6 feet away from people when in public spaces or at work.
• Avoid group gatherings with people who do not live with you.
• Wear a cloth face mask in public. It helps cover your mouth and nose and helps protect others.
• Consider curbside, delivery, or to-go options from stores and restaurants.
• Follow business rules. All businesses should use ways to limit contact.*
STAY HEALTHY
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap is not available.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Use tissues or insides of your elbows when sneezing or coughing.
• Clean surfaces. Wipe/disinfect oftenused items and surfaces frequently.
• Seek medical advice and testing for symptoms. Call first for instructions.
KEEP
CONNECTED
• Check in. Call or connect virtually with friends, family, and neighbors.
• Stay informed and get help:
0 Georgia Dept. of Public Health dph.georgia.gov/coronavirus COVID-19 State Hotline: 844-442-2681
0 ACC Unified Government (ACCGov) www.accgov.com/coronavirus Local Response Questions: coronavirus@accgov.com 706-613-3333
