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UGA Special Collections Libraries presents “The Hargrett Hours: Exploring Medieval Manuscripts,” an exhibition of rare artifacts and student research, through Aug. 26.

This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 NEWS: City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Pub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

COVID Is Down While Development Goes Up

Curb Your Appetite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Threats & Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Hey, Bonita! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

NEWS: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

How ACC Makes a Budget

Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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Adopt Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

QAnonsense and Domestic Terrorism

Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

ARTS & CULTURE: Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 KEVIN MORAN

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VOLUME 35 ISSUE NUMBER 7

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Affordable Housing Ahead MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS SLATED FOR DOWNTOWN AND THE EASTSIDE, AND MORE LOCAL NEWS

By Blake Aued, Jessica Luton and Rebecca McCarthy news@flagpole.com

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to encourage affordable multifamily housing for young professionals, young families and retirees, Myers argued.

In the end, though, Mayor Kelly Girtz broke a tie vote in favor of approving the rezoning—joining Parker, Link, Denson, Jesse Houle and Russell Edwards, with

Creek Greenway, to a proposed art walk on Jackson Street that would lead to the Lyndon House and to a public park that doubles as a stormwater facility, according to a presentation by Christina Davis of Columbia Residential, a private developer that’s a partner in the project.

JHP ARCHITECTURE

A split Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission voted last week to approve a massive and controversial apartment development off Lexington Road after putting it off earlier this month.

The inclusion of affordable housing in the development created an odd dynamic, with some commissioners who ordinarily oppose big student housing projects arguing for it, while other commissioners criticized its scale and said it’s not good enough to warrant concessions. The complex, on 40 acres across from the county jail, will include 501 units with 1,058 bedrooms. At least 66 and possibly up to 120 units will be set aside as affordable for workers who make less than the median income and will be managed by the Athens Land Trust.

The development is in Commissioner Mariah Parker’s district, and she said she’s been working with the developer and nearby residents to address concerns about noise and environmental buffers while trying to alleviate Athens’ affordable housing crisis. “It’s tricky, messy work that requires some tradeoffs,” she said at a called meeting before the Feb. 9 work session.

The company behind the development is Indiana-based Trinitas, a major student housing developer. “Their commitment here is to their profit, not the community,” said Commissioner Carol Myers. “We can do better.” The project goes against the county’s zoning map and master plan, which call for commercial space on Lexington Road and five single-family homes per acre on the rest of the property, Myers said, also noting that the planning commission voted unanimously against rezoning and code variances for the development.

The county’s plan calls for putting dense development into the downtown area, but Commissioner Melissa Link favored this project for spreading out that development.

“We are overwhelmed in the downtown area with student housing. We are overwhelmed in North Athens,” she said. “We need to find new places for student housing that are also convenient to campus.”

The Eastside already has its fair share of student housing, Commissioner Mike Hamby said, and the “quid pro quo” style of land planning—trading almost 1,000 student bedrooms for a handful of affordable ones—is reminiscent of the mistakes of the 1980s. “We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard when it comes to workforce development,” Hamby said.

Making such deals with developers, though, is one of the only ways to get affordable housing, short of spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on projects like the Bethel redevelopment (more on that later), Commissioner Tim Denson said.

Growth shouldn’t be driven by developers, and Athens needs a vision, Commissioner Ovita Thornton said. “When I got on this board [in 2018], developers were the bogeyman,” she said. “Now it looks like we’re yielding when we could have something better.”

Instead of approving this development, the commission should look at the zoning

the planning department, once a new judicial center is finished and city government offices move into the existing courthouse.

That property will most likely become a “daytime use” to balance out downtown’s nightlife activity, ACC Manager Blaine Williams said.

Commissioners generally reacted favorably to the plan, and they’re set to approve it and several related intergovernmental agreements on Mar. 2.

There was less consensus on potentially rerouting the Firefly Trail just outside of Winterville. Some residents have objected to the trail running along the abandoned railbed past or through their property due to privacy concerns, so commissioners are considering rerouting part of the trail along Moores Grove Road. However, that would involve going through front yards and driveways, and it would expose pedestrians and cyclists to car collisions on a highspeed road. Public opinion mainly favors keeping the trail on the railbed—most of the 248 citizens who commented favored that option, as did the Athens in Motion Commission (an advisory body on transportation) and the Firefly Trail User Group. The nonprofit Firefly Trail, Inc., though, supports putting that stretch of the trail on the north side of Moores Grove. [BA]

COVID Numbers Continue to Fall A rendering of the North Athens Project, facing north from Dougherty Street.

Myers, Hamby, Thornton, Allison Wright and Patrick Davenport opposed. [Blake Aued]

Bethel Plan Will Expand Downtown The commission got its first look at an even larger master plan for the northern edge of downtown at a work session following the called meeting. The North Athens Project will essentially create six new downtown blocks north of Dougherty Street and west of College Avenue.

Approved by voters as part of SPLOST 2020, the project will include 715–875 apartment units, 1,050 parking spaces and 49,000–69,000 square feet of commercial space fronting College and Lumpkin streets.

The development will be funded in part by $39 million in local sales-tax revenue earmarked for affordable housing, as well as by federal tax credits. One-third of the units will be public housing where low-income tenants pay no more than 30% of their income, one-third will be below-market subsidized housing and one-third will be market rate. Overall, the project will double the amount of affordable housing currently available at Bethel Midtown Village—a dilapidated 60-year-old apartment complex on the property—and at the nearby public housing complex at College and Hoyt Street, both of which will be demolished.

“I know this is going to be a shock to a lot of folks when this goes up,” Link said.

“This is a huge, huge portion of downtown and a massive increase in density, but it is very much geared toward affordable housing, low income as well as median income.”

The master plan calls for recreating the downtown street grid that was destroyed when Bethel was built as part of urban renewal in the 1960s, replacing that isolated, fenced-in community with one that’s integrated into the broader area. The plan includes connections to the Pulaski

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The development will be built in phases so that most residents should be able to remain in their homes during construction, although some may have to be shuffled around between buildings, Athens Housing Authority Executive Director Rick Parker told commissioners. Federal law requires that all Bethel residents have the right to live in the new development at the same rent they’re currently paying, Parker said.

The project may also include a new, larger Athens Neighborhood Health Center.

Eventually, Denney Tower—seniors public housing on Dougherty Street—may be redeveloped. ACC is also planning on selling its Dougherty Street building, now housing

Athens reached the 100-death milestone last week, almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. While cases and hospitalizations continue to decline, the virus has killed at least 19 Athens residents in the past few weeks. Deaths, which lag behind cases and hospitalizations, stood at 102 for Clarke County as of Feb. 14.

The seven-day moving average continued to fall to 34 new cases per day. There were a cumulative total of 11,677 confirmed cases in Clarke County, with an additional 2,024 positive rapid antigen cases, for a total of 13,701 cases in Athens to date.

Hospitalizations, at 429, continued to slow. Last weekend 134 patients were hospitalized for COVID-19, or 23% of all patients in Region E, which includes St. Mary’s Hospital and Piedmont Athens

Maskless Patrons Pack New Bar The improvement in COVID-19 cases comes despite a student bar scene downtown that’s in full swing. The Red & Black reported that a new bar called The Warehouse held a grand opening Jan. 29 with hundreds of maskless patrons attending.

Co-owner Brian Cowart called ACC’s mask ordinance “excessive” and told the student newspaper he received an exemption to bar occupancy limits from Gov. Brian Kemp’s office because The Warehouse technically qualifies as a music venue. Like a number of other student-oriented bars, The

Warehouse has opted out of the mask ordinance and does not require patrons to wear face coverings. Businesses are allowed to opt out under a compromise Kemp reached with the City of Atlanta over whether local governments can mandate masks.

Another bar Cowart owns, The Rowdy Goose, is among the 11 that police have cited for having too many people inside in violation of Kemp’s emergency order.

Others include Bourbon Street, Buddha Bar, Centro Athens, Cloud, Double Barrel, On the Rocks, Sake Mama, Woodford, 1785 and 9d’s Bar. Incidentally, the two newer bars fill spaces that were previously occupied by 100 Proof and Hedges on Broad. Those now-closed bars’ owner, David Ellis Ippisch, is facing charges of kidnapping and rape.

Police say Ippisch raped and possibly drugged a 21-year-old woman in a bar storage room in November 2019. [BA]

No Early Learning at West Broad School Renovation of the old West Broad School won’t include a health clinic or classrooms for 200 pre-K and Head Start students, and only one of the three buildings on the site will be preserved, according to Clarke County School District officials.

There are physical issues—stormwater pooling, a 50- or 60-inch stormwater line along the back of the building, elevation changes—that make the site “challenging,” John Gilbreath, director of SPLOST facility planning and construction for CCSD, told Flagpole.

Gilbreath said the 1938 Minor Street Building, originally a school for AfricanAmerican children during segregation, will be renovated and will have its windows, roofing and siding all replaced. He added that the other two buildings, which date from the 1950s, won’t be preserved. Other buildings could be constructed. “The site is too small for a school, but it’s suitable for a program of some kind, maybe for middle or high school students,” he said.

The district’s elementary schools each have at least 10 acres, except Barrow, which was grandfathered in. West Broad has only three acres, making it an unlikely setting for pre-K or early learning facilities, which require five acres, according to state Department of Education regulations.

Plans for the early learning center were the brainchild of former superintendent Demond Means, who recommended it over alternative proposals for a community center from the Athens Land Trust and Northeast Georgia Business Alliance. After a controversial vote, the Board of Education budgeted $10 million to transform the West Broad campus and hired Lawrencevillebased architectural firm Lindsay Pope Brayfield and Associates to design plans for the site.

So far, said BOE member Greg Davis, there isn’t a building committee for the West Broad campus. Greg Davis and colleague Linda Davis will both represent the school board, but as far as he knows, no one from the neighborhood has joined the committee—and the situation concerns him.

Every other school construction project has had a building committee made up of parents and residents. Gilbreath, too, said he is concerned that there’s no local building committee, and he blames that situation on the pandemic. The plan is to show a local committee the architects’ proposed plans to get input. [Rebecca McCarthy] f

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Loss, Suppression and Acquittal A NEIGHBOR PASSES, WHILE LEGISLATURES DO THE WRONG THING

By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com Our neighbor Warren Blackmon died last week during heart surgery, a sudden, sad and unexpected end to a colorfully eccentric life. He delighted in playing the curmudgeon, but his friends saw his gentler side.

In a moving Facebook post, Warren’s next-door neighbor Ryan Kelly called him “the most misunderstood man in Athens” and went on to say: “Such an absolutely brilliant, sweet, fierce and compassionate human being. From rebel flags to Trump yard signs you challenged this little liberal college town that could, and I am sure the county planning department will breathe a sigh of relief from all the times that you represented yourself in court and won. What they do not know is the generous and kind man you really were and how many people of all shapes, sizes, colors and sexWarren Blackmon ual preferences you quietly helped over the years, while teaching them the game of life all at the same time.”

RYAN KELLY

Regional. Sixty-nine intensive care beds were in use, or 93% of those available after hospitals recently expanded capacity.

Data from UGA professor Erin Lipp’s lab at the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases showed that the amount of virus in local wastewater—collected from three wastewater treatment plants in Athens— showed viral loads continuing to decline.

At UGA, trends in the data show that community spread on campus may be decreasing. There were 115 positive cases for the week of Feb. 1–7, down from 181 the previous week, according to self-reported data from the Dawgcheck app.

Positive cases via surveillance testing fell, with just 40 positive cases compared to an average of 60 cases in the two weeks prior, and UGA continues to keep the number of surveillance tests each week at above 2,400.

Testing results at the University Health Center included a total of 218 COVID-19 tests, with 18 positive, for a positivity rate of 8.3%.

On the vaccine front, the Georgia Department of Public Health still hasn’t released an online scheduling tool for health districts, a move that should help more people make vaccination appointments without the frustration of long wait times on the phone. The move should also help reduce the strain on phone banks and websites. Previously, DPH said its goal was to have the tool available statewide by mid-February.

As of Feb. 11, Georgia had administered 1,353,978 vaccinations. In recent weeks, several announcements from the Biden administration, including securing additional doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, provide hope that more supply of the vaccine should be available in the coming weeks and months. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which will be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use on Feb. 26, provides additional hope that more supply will become available in the near future. Because it requires only one dose and no cold storage, public health experts are optimistic that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, when offered alongside the other approved vaccines, will ultimately increase supply enough to get many more people vaccinated efficiently in the coming months.

According to a news release from St. Mary’s, the hospital recently requested an additional 2,000 doses but only received 100, and is not currently accepting new appointments for first doses. Frontline health-care workers and other first responders remain the top priority. On the bright side, the hospital said that side effects are minimal, and the vaccines appear to be effective against new variants of the virus so far. [Jessica Luton]

Stop the Attack on Georgia Voters We don’t have a letters section this week, but this one by Bruce Menke is too good to hold, so it is included here in hopes that its message reaches our legislators.

According to some Republican members of the Georgia General Assembly, Georgia has an election crisis: Too many registered voters are voting! Fortunately, these Republican members have a solution, actually lots of solutions for this dire situation: Enact dozens of measures to make registering to vote and casting ballots in Georgia elections much more difficult and, in this period of deadly COVID-19, make registering and voting even more dangerous. Thank goodness these Republican members are eager to stamp out this plague of Georgians voting in Georgia elections. Where would we be without them!

Here is the background: As a result of automatic voter registration when requesting or renewing drivers licenses and impressive voter registration campaigns, the percentage of Georgians qualified to vote but not registered has fallen from 16% to 2%. With the rampaging COVID-19 epidemic, no-excuse-needed access to absentee (mail-in) ballots has enabled Georgians to cast their ballots without risk of contracting the deadly virus. In recent elections, a third of Georgians voting used absentee ballots.

The presence of secure and convenient drop

boxes enabled Georgians to avoid possible delays and uncertainties in the use of the mail.

According to these Republican legislators, the record 5 million voter turnout in Georgia and the absence of any significant fraud or abuse (as attested by numerous recounts, a massive voter-signature check and a half dozen lawsuits—all found to be without merit) have given rise to a very serious loss of public confidence in Georgia’s elections. Have you got that? Makes sense, right?

Let’s get real.

For the first time since 1992, the Democratic candidates for president and vice president carried Georgia. To add to the outrage, the two Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate also won.

This has got to stop.

Solutions: Make voter registration harder; limit the use of absentee ballots severely; eliminate drop boxes; enact dozens of measures to stop those pesky Georgians from voting safely and in record numbers.

I respectfully suggest that this conduct is both outrageous and a clear and present danger to democracy in Georgia.

It is high time to stop this massive attack on Georgia voters. It truly is time to stop the steal.

The Truth Is Out I know a lot of people didn’t watch it, but the second impeachment trial of ex-president Trump was riveting for those who did. Trump’s attorneys were, as somebody described them, like mob lawyers— untruthful and arrogant in their knowledge that the fix was in. And the fix was in, as all but seven Republican senators further disgraced their political party by voting to acquit in spite of the overwhelming evidence that Trump instigated the insurrectionist attack on Congress while that body was engaged in confirming the vote against him. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged Trump’s culpability and guilt, while excusing his own vote on a technicality of his own manufacture. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives impeachment managers were magnificent in their eloquent arguments that tied Trump inextricably to the attack on the government he was sworn to protect. Thank God he is gone, and thank God our Georgia senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are in that Capitol and on the job. f

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From November to March, department heads develop their budget requests and pass them along to the manager. These might include requests for new positions or programs, for example. The manager reviews these requests and decides to accept or reject them as he laboriously compiles the department budgets into one massive document with the help of the finance director.

When the manager is finished, he comparison to nearby communities is not brings his budget draft to the mayor and true. Athens’ property tax rates are actually commission for what is known as the “big lower than most comparably sized cities or rocks” meeting. During this meeting, the surrounding towns (though higher than manager and finance director explain some unincorporated areas that also offer fewer of the predictions they’ve made regarding services). But the other component of future tax revenue and expenses. Then, property taxes is property values, which are the big picture is hammered out in a backhigher in Athens than in more rural areas. and-forth discussion between staff and the commission.

Once the “big rocks” that represent the overall size and scope of government have The mayor and commission make the final been “moved” and a general consensus is decision regarding the ACC budget. They reached, the mayor takes the reins from the also start the budget-creation process by manager and slides into the driver’s seat. agreeing on a set of strategic commitments He will take about a month to examine the and goals, typically manager’s budget around November draft in fine detail, Now is the ideal time to every year. making tweaks In fiscal year bring bigger-picture ideas or larger changes 2020, the commiswhere needed. Then, to the mayor and commission. sion’s goals included in late April, the items like “create mayor will present mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhoods,” his recommended budget to the full com“re-examine [the] Athens-Clarke County mission. (Former Mayor Gwen O’Looney pay plan” and “fare free transit.” Since then, says that her recommended budgets were the local government has made progress due on Apr. 1, but she always found some on all three of these items. For examreason to delay until after April Fool’s Day. ple, Athens Transit is currently fare-free Fortunately, this problem has been solved through at least June 30 and will remain in recent years by pushing the mayor’s so during nights and weekends indefideadline back until later in the month.) nitely. The pay plan for ACC employees has been revamped, and the North Downtown Athens project (see City Dope on p. 4) is set to bring additional mixed-income housing During the month of May, the mayor to Athens in the near future. steps aside, and the commission discusses The commission’s goals help guide ACC the budget at length in a series of work staff. However, high-level officials like sessions, proposing and debating various Williams and Boyd do most of the heavy tweaks like raising or lowering taxes or addlifting. After deciding on their goals in ing new positions that may have been left November, the commission doesn’t get to out of the mayor’s proposal. The public is weigh in again for months. Commissioners also formally invited to weigh in during this held a retreat last week to discuss some time. Three “taxpayer bill of rights” hearbudget-related issues like police funding.

How ACC Spends Your Money THE BUDGETING PROCESS EXPLAINED

By Chris Dowd news@flagpole.com

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very year, the mayor and commission’s most important task is to set the budget for the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government. Crafting the budget takes almost eight months from beginning to end and has major implications for everyone living in Athens.

The enormous task is primarily the responsibility of ACC Manager Blaine Williams and Finance Director David Boyd.

It involves the creation of not just one budget, but dozens; every department of the local government has its own budget, which is submitted to Williams for initial approval by January every year. In addition to operating expenses, the manager’s office must also create budgets for capital expenses (such as roads, vehicles or buildings); “enterprise funds” like the Public Utilities and Solid Waste departments that run on fees for services, instead of taxes; and “independent agencies” that aren’t part of the local government but which receive local taxpayer funding, like the ACC Library.

The largest fund in the budget is called the “general fund,” which amounted to roughly $140 million in fiscal year 2021 (fiscal years run from July to June; fiscal year 2021 ends on June 30). The general fund includes public safety agencies like the police and fire departments, the court system, parks and recreation, public works and many other departments. It’s financed primarily through property and sales taxes.

Including the general fund, the total ACC budget is $251 million in fiscal year 2021. The biggest sources of revenue for the budget as a whole are various service fees, like water or parking, and property taxes.

The biggest expenditures are salaries and benefits, public works, public safety and the court system, in that order.

A common misconception that property tax rates in Athens are sky-high in

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ings with public input are required by state law before the budget is finalized, and two of these are normally held in May. The final hearing often takes place just before the commission votes to approve the budget on the first Tuesday in June. Typically, this is when the commission hears the largest volume of comments from constituents.

This process normally includes last-minute requests to lower taxes, which are common in Athens, as they probably are everywhere.

The politically savvy reader will realize that the 11th hour is not the best time to make these requests. After an eight-month process, including several exhausting meetings full of negotiation and political maneuvering, commissioners will be loath to make any changes to the budget at the final meeting.

According to Commissioner Jesse Houle, if you’d like to see large changes to the budget, it’s best to bring them forward to your commissioner as soon as possible. “Now is the ideal time to bring bigger-picture ideas to the mayor and commission. By the time the budget is on the agenda, things have already been figured out,” Houle says.

After the budget is approved in June, the new fiscal year begins the very next month, on July 1. Yet this isn’t the end of the budget process. The budget can be amended at any time by the mayor and commission throughout the year. In fact, a small contingency fund is built into every budget to facilitate this process for commissioners, who usually make several budget adjustments every year. f

Almost half of Athens-Clarke County’s total budget goes toward public utilities and public safety (police, firefighters, the sheriff’s office and courts).

Public safety: $64.5 million Water and sewer: $58 million Roads and sidewalks: $9.3 million Leisure services: $8.6 million Housing and development: $8.6 million Trash and recycling: $6.8 million Transit: $6.3 million

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contentions that school shootings were “false flag” operations against gun ownership all seem to be of no concern to the hardcore right wing of the GOP in Georgia and across America.

Today, the GOP is a party in which white supremacists and political extremists can feel comfortable and can call themselves patriots. In his 1954 book The Nature of Prejudice, psychologist Gordon Allport delineated such

By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com citizens and politicians: “Extreme bigots are almost always super-patriots… The easiest idea to sell anyone is that he is When Georgia voters elected Democrats Jon Ossoff and benighted state. Even “Saturday Night Live” gave a humorbetter than someone else. The appeal of the Ku Klux Klan Raphael Warnock to the Senate recently, a state that had ous compliment to Georgia with a comedy skit in which and racist agitators rests on this type of salesmanship.” been a reliably Republican stronghold for decades flipped one character said, “You know what we do with Jews in White supremacists, militia members, conspiracy believthe Senate to a bare majority for the Democratic Party.

Georgia—we elect them.” ers and right-wing extremists made up much of the MAGA Georgia is a one-time “solid South” Democratic state Now Georgia voters are in the spotlight again, but this mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 in an angry effort that had voted for Republican presidential candidate Barry time the Peach State politician who draws both laughter to thwart the results of the 2020 election and stop the inauGoldwater in 1964 as a reaction against civil rights gains. and tears is Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor guration of Democrat Joe Biden. That mob and their soreThe Peach State has consisloser 45th president showed tently voted for the GOP in what British statesman state and national campaigns Edmund Burke meant more for decades, but this year than two centuries ago when Georgia sent two Democrats he said, “Those who have been to Capitol Hill: a young Jewish once intoxicated with power, man who was mentored by and have derived any kind of civil rights activist John Lewis emolument from it, can never and an African-American minwillingly abandon it.” ister who was pastor of the Long before the elections church where Martin Luther of 2016 and 2020, Americans King Jr. preached for years were warned about domestic before his assassination in terrorism and homegrown hate 1968. groups. A 2015 report from The symbolism of a longthe New America research time Republican and Southern group warned of “attacks by state like Georgia electing a white supremacists, neo-Nazis Jewish politician and a black and anti-government radiminister is telling. The civil cals.” In 2010, The Progressive rights movement sprang magazine presciently warned from the Black churches in about the possibility of fascism the South, but many of this in America, saying, “Here are nation’s Jewish citizens were some things to watch out for: early and active supporters more armed rallies, mob vioof the movement. Some even lence… the accommodation gave their lives in the struggle. of some elected officials with Two of the three civil rights supporters of that violence” workers who were murdered and the celebration of political during the desegregation mob violence by right-wing House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, shown here swearing in Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, refused to sanction Greene for her campaign in Philadelphia, MS media “cheerleaders on Fox outrageous comments. in 1964 were Jews from New or talk radio.” Just last year, York; the other was a young the Department of Homeland Black activist from the region. Anti-Semitism and racism Greene. Her advocacy of “QAnonsense” conspiracy deluSecurity called violent white supremacy the most persistent have a long history in Georgia, including the infamous sions has earned her the ire of many of her Capitol Hill coland lethal threat in America. Today, when citizens swallow 1915 lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish man falsely accused leagues, who stripped her of her committee assignments. snake-oil poison peddled by politicians under the guise of of murder in Atlanta. Now Georgia’s election of a Jewish Still, many Republicans continue to back Greene. Her false patriotism, the words of Burke still ring true: “Among a man to the U.S. Senate has cast a better light on an often conspiracy fantasies, calls to execute top Democrats and people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist.” f

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art notes

Get Artistic

WHITLEY CARPENTER

arts & culture

FOSTERING PLACE ATTACHMENT THROUGH THE ARTS

By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com “Place attachment theory,” a body of research investigating the unique emotional and cultural bonds between people and physical environments, suggests that the more individuals love their city, the more likely they are to participate directly through actions like volunteering, voting, protesting or supporting locally owned businesses. Recognizing that a thriving creative economy is a strong predictor of place attachment, Creature Comforts Brewing Co. developed “Get Artistic,” a program that invests in the local arts to foster place attachment and ultimately increase civic engagement.

Community Specialist Madeline Blankenship oversees the Get Artistic program. She began working at the brewery when it opened in 2014 while she was also studying art history at UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art. After a few years of curating exhibitions for the taproom, she saw an opportunity to help expand the company’s community-impact strategy. Joining the brewery’s Get Comfortable initiative—which raised over $500,000 in 2020 to support nonprofit partners in need—Get Artistic was publicly launched in June 2018 after a year of research.

“My story could be a case study for how building personal place attachment can drastically change your experience of where you live,” says Blankenship. “In the same way, taking small steps to purposefully get involved in a place—learning its history, getting to know your neighbors and their needs, and finding the delight and real benefits of supporting creators and growers around you—can instill in you a sense of purpose in connection to others and your surroundings.

“My work with Get Artistic has given me both the joy of creative satisfaction and what I view as a serious responsibility of working to help more artists bring more art to Athens. And if we want more art in Athens—which not only inspires happiness and creative thinking, but also yields significant civic and economic impact for our community—we must work to acknowledge, investigate and effectively address inequities that either directly or passively prevent citizens from having the same access to opportunities to create or experience art.”

Despite the many challenges of operating during a pandemic, Get Artistic succeeded in generating $75,781 in 2020 through the sale of the Get Artistic Berliner Weisse (Elinor Saragoussi’s label art for that beer appears behind Blankenship on the cover this week), artist-designed

Madeline Blankenship, Community Specialist at Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

T-shirts and coloring books, events and a percentage of onsite exhibition sales. Of this amount, $22,010 was distributed to six recipients as grants, offering an exciting forecast of meaningful projects currently underway.

Grant recipient Beto Mendoza released a powerfully moving compilation album, Voces en Pandemia, with songs

by Silverio Jimenez, Francisco Palacios, Beto Cacao, Alys Willman and Lydian Brambila. Collectively, these haunting tracks amplify the complex experiences of migrant workers and the Latinx community during the pandemic. Exploring the intersection of music and art, Nuçi’s Space hired four artists to paint the center’s practice room doors for a new series appropriately titled “Art of Music.” Finished paintings by M Anteau, Peter Reitz, Lenny Sandvick and Chris Xavier were unveiled last week.

Esther Carillo, an aspiring ceramicist, will use her grant to rent a studio and purchase clay, paint and other materials necessary for pursuing her passion. Broderick Flanigan, owner of Flanigan’s Portrait Studio, intends to paint a new mural with the assistance of local youth, who will receive stipends through HARPS: Helping Art Reach Public Spaces.

With fingers crossed for the approval of a proposed site on Hull Street, he hopes to work with residents from Bethel Homes to inform the design.

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Other recipients are using the funds to expand their current programming. The Athens Area Arts Council recently launched the Black Emerging Artists Mentorship award, which will provide two recipients with $1,000 grants and six months of mentorship with an established artist in their field. The first awardee was musician Convict Julie, and the AAAC is accepting applications through Mar. 1 for the next spot at athensarts.org. Meanwhile, the Athens Institute for Contemporary Art will increase its online programming through artist talks with Drék Davis and Craig Coleman, a new reading and discussion group called “Thinking About Art” and a series of educational activities for K-12 students.

To complement the grant program, which is targeted towards arts nonprofits and individual creative practices, Get Artistic also runs a DIY Fund to empower independent artist- or collective-led projects that are more collaborative in nature. Determined through science-fair-like presentations and community voting held last fall, Montu Miller of ATHfactor-Liberty Entertainment was awarded $2,000 to organize Classic City Wax: Vol. 2. Currently being pressed at Kindercore Vinyl with an expected release in March, the hiphop compilation features 15 tracks by local artists, including Seline Haze, WesdaRuler, Louie Larceny, BlackNerdNinja and Dope KNife. DIY Fund runner-up The Mental Health received $1,000 to produce a series of artist-on-artist interviews de-stigmatizing conversations around mental health and creativity. Host Nate Mullet plans to launch the series at the end of March and has invited local artists Jennifer Pham, Abby Kacen and Gunnar Tarsa, so far.

Last summer, Creature Comforts launched a new Get Artistic Artist-in-Residence program, providing. a $1,000 stipend and an opportunity for artists to expand their creative practices within a unique setting. Sharing the brewery’s goal of maintaining sustainable practices, creative waste reduction specialist Abigail West spent eight weeks repurposing the taproom’s hard-to-recycle production materials into decorative garlands and installations that consisted of hundreds of individually cut and assembled flowers.

Last fall, the brewery even introduced a novel arts reimbursement program called the Local Arts Booster, through which employees across all cities are encouraged to invest in their creative economies by submitting proposals for works they would like to purchase or commission. So far, 18 employees have generated a collective impact of $10,720— 90% of which was offset by LAB funding—with artworks such as paintings, drawings, a mural and a tattoo.

“In the same way individuals can employ their gifts to serve their communities, businesses, we believe, should take the time to assess the ways in which they are uniquely positioned to give back,” says Blankenship. “It might be through financial means, it might be through volunteerism, it might even be their space or a skill set. But good companies figure it out and then turn it loose.” f

music

threats & promises

advice

hey, bonita…

Elijah Johnston’s ‘Greatest Hits’ My Roommates Won’t Do Chores ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN

By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com

By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com

ROUND ABOUT 7 P.M.: Zack Mitcham, who is one half of Hello, Bombardier!, has decided to take his stab at mixing and producing for his solo project Straw Whale with his new album, What Happened, Alpaca? He described it to me as “way more lo-fi” than his other work (the tech specs of which are generally handled by Alex Johns).

But once I plugged in my headphones, I couldn’t hear anything lacking or absent.

Mitcham’s vocals have always reminded me of Armistead Burwell Smith IV (Pinback).

There’s a certain sense of urgency in his longing but also a pronounced malaise, which may well be an emotional shield. It’s too simplistic and reductionist to call this

I (female, 27) am living with couple-roommates—a man and a woman in their 30s. M owns the place, and his partner F moved in around June 2020. And a total of three cats: one cat is a stray we let in before F moved in; the other two cats belong to F. I am getting SUPER frustrated about the litter box duty.

We set a schedule, and I made up a chore chart to help remind us. Honestly, I don’t care if others use the chart or not. I just care if the chore is done. After making this statement several times in text and in person to M (I limit interactions with F for personal reasons) and taking off all the other possible chores we discussed so literally, litter duty is the only chore listed, yet there are still issues in getting it done.

Most days I scoop (MWF mornings, as we originally discussed).

TOMMY TRAUTWEIN

PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

Elijah Johnston

record dark or moody. True, it has moods, and they’re not lighthearted. But this is a record on the fence, not unsure of itself, but quite sure of its uncertainty and somewhat put upon by the weight of the choices it bears. Thus, there’s a somberness that isn’t pegged to midnight but, rather, twilight.

Mitcham’s lyrics bear this out, too. To wit, “Some men fall bloody on a sword/ Some men die completely bored” (from “Maybe into the Ocean”). The music is electric and acoustic, full and slight, and all of this and none of this, so go hear for yourself at strawwhale.bandcamp.com.

WHOSE GOT THE PROPS?: Athens rapper and

podcast co-host Dope KNife (aka Kedrick Mack) released a new track Feb. 7 named “Sundance.” It’s the first of what is to be a series of free tracks named Free Dope. The song itself, backed by a light jazz-type beat, was originally written about eight years ago and is a pre-breakup declaration that disguises itself as a conversation. Thing is, though, it wasn’t planned as a pre-breakup song. The lyrics (“…real life is hard/ Real love is compromise/ It’s a sign I should read between the lines”) are indicative of a man who is struggling with his independence but also trying to commit to making a real go of things. This is among the lightest sounding things Dope KNife has recorded, but, lyrically speaking, it’s also as real and relatable as anything he’s done, too. You can

find this on Spotify, and, since you’re looking at your phone already on your way to do that, why not stop by dopeknife.bandcamp. com and dig the man’s extensive archives and/or go be a friend at facebook.com/ knifeisdope? I can’t think of a good reason not to.

IN THE LAB WITH A PEN AND A PAD: The anticipated new album by songwriter and entertainer Jay Gonzalez (Drive-By Truckers, Cut Buffer), Back to the Hive, won’t be out until Mar. 5, but the LP is available for preorder now. The first single, “(I Wanna) Hold You,” is out now. Fans used to looking forward to Gonzalez’s shows on the Georgia Theatre rooftop have been in a holding pattern for a very long time, but hopefully this new record will salve some wounds.

Check out the single and place your orders at jaygonzalez.com and jaygonzalez.bandcamp.com.

UP FOR AIR: I meant to tell y’all about this last week, but if I had, you’d have needed to bookmark this page, and, after that consideration, I figured this way was best. Songwriter Elijah Johnston has a pretty thick catalog for such a young dude, but his last proper album came out a year ago January. He did, however, release a huge collection of demos last March. All of which is to say, for a man with so many songs, going nearly a year without releasing anything must’ve been a right task. Well, that’s all better now because he just released the song “Greatest Hits,” and it’s a swingin’, oddly upbeat and conversational thing of a mid-tempo pop song with some country flair thrown in for, well, flair. Head to elijahjohnston.bandcamp.com and work your magic, and then head to facebook.com/elijahmjohnston and see what else he’s up to this week.

UNDER THE BUSHES, UNDER THE STARS: The deeply

experimental Ihlyatt, under the direction of its sole member J Anderssen, released its newest album on its Athens label Super Carnival Recordings. The eight songs collected here on an album named Driftwood aren’t anything like his other work, save for the telltale moments of electronic static that begin to creep up toward the record’s end. Indeed, Anderssen “builds” this quiet acoustic record from the top down and lets it disintegrate along the way. While this excursion is more immediately accessible to listeners who cringe at harsh noise, it’s more a step to the side than a step outside for Anderssen. On this album, he comes across as a more fully integrated Jandek or, perhaps, a less apocalyptic and more lethargic David Tibet. That said, I’ll be damned if I don’t hear the melody of The Kinks’ “David Watts” in the track “Bird Calls/Endless Love.” For more information, please see ihlyatt.bandcamp.com, ihlyatt.com and supercarnivalrecordings.bandcamp.com. f

I am scooping two days’ worth of litter, and sometimes three if it’s Monday. After bringing this up with M, it still continues. Lately, F has been using the chart I put up but has also been retroactively marking it done when it wasn’t (i.e. Wednesday I scooped two days’ worth, and there was no “check” under Tuesday… yet this morning a check appeared under Tuesday, and it’s not likely a mistake, as today’s hasn’t been scooped yet either).

The cat I consider most mine (once a stray) doesn’t use the litter box that often, as we let her in and out. The other cats are inside only, so have no other option. I feel bad for them having a dirty potty, but I am so frustrated with feeling like I’m the only one consistently cleaning up after them when they aren’t my responsibility. I am tempted to “stalemate” and refuse to do any litter box duties, but I know this is childish and won’t actually solve the problem. But it doesn’t seem like the conversations with M are helping, and I’m tired of nagging.

What would you do in this situation? How can this be peacefully resolved? I am trying to move out, but in the meantime I’d like to cohabitate here as best as I can.

TL;DR: roommates don’t live up to the basic chore agreement and I’m frustrated with tak-

ing care of it. How do I handle it without being passive-aggressive or sowing disharmony?

Help me not stalemate in chore wars!

I have been in your exact position before, and it’s a big part of the reason that I’ve decided never to have roommates again.

Navigating household duties and sharing them evenly can turn once-loved friends into old roommates that you never want to speak to again. For real, there are perfectly decent people in this town who are rightfully loved by everyone except me, because they kept trashing common spaces right after I’d clean them. Your best long-term solution is to work towards a solo living space for you and your cat in the future, but I agree that it’s

best to nip this in the bud right now.

I don’t have cats, but I know that they are finicky about territory and sharing.

Is it possible to train your cat to use a litter box that you keep in your personal space?

You could keep your own private litter box as clean or as dirty as you like, and if it’s in your bedroom, I’m sure it’ll always be spotless. Conversely, could your roommates move their neglected litter box into their bedroom? If they don’t want to keep it clean, fine, but they need to be the ones who deal with the consequences of that. I’m sure that may feel like a stalemate as well, but I’ll be honest: These two are way too old to act the way they are about chores, and you are not going to change them. They’re not going to magically become clean people just because you asked nicely, so you need a solution that doesn’t require changing a person’s personal attitudes and desires for house and home. We all just have different standards in that way, and if we won’t even change them for our partners—how many people out there are disgusted by their boo’s home?—then we certainly aren’t liable to change them for roommates. f Email advice@flagpole.com or use our anonymous online form at flagpole.com/get-advice.

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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.

Art #NOTASTEREOTYPE EXHIBITION CALL FOR ARTISTS (Lyndon House Arts Center) La Ruchala A. Murphy is guest curating “#NotAStereotype,” an exhibition designed to give voice and space to Southern Black artists. Online digital submissions are accepted through Mar. 15. Exhibition runs May 1–July 24. www.accgov.com/ lyndonhouse ATHENS CREATIVE DIRECTORY (Athens, GA) The ACD is a new platform to connect creatives with patrons. Visual artists, musicians, actors, writers and other creatives are encouraged to create a free listing. Users can search for artists offering commissions for holiday gifts. athenscreatives@gmail.com, athenscreatives.directory CALL FOR ARTISTS (Creature Comforts Brewing Co.) Local artists and curators can submit proposals for the CCVC Gallery throughout 2021. getartistic@ccbeerco.com, www.getcurious.com/get-artistic/ call-for-artists

CALL FOR INTERNS (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) ATHICA is seeking interns interested in development, social media, music, poetry, photography and gallery operation. Minimum five hours a week. College credit is available in coordination with department of study. Rolling deadline. athica.org/updates/internships CALL FOR POET LAUREATE (Athens, GA) The Athens Cultural Affairs Commission presents a new program to promote poets, poetry and literary arts. The selected poet laureate will make guest appearances throughout the community.

Deadline Mar. 2. www.athens culturalaffairs.org CREATIVES CONNECTION (Athens Art & Frame) Creatives Connection is a new curated print-on-demand service for artists and photographers. Clients can view and purchase the collection online then pick up prints from the shop. Apply to be an artist by Mar. 1. athensarts andframe.com DIVERSITY IN THE ARTS (Online) The ACC Library and Oconee Cultural Arts Center present a

art around town ATHICA INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART (ATHICA) (675 Pulaski St., Suite 1200) The 2021 Members’ Showcase shares work by 25 new and renewing gallery members including Margaret Agner, Claire Clements, Bob Clements, John English, Helen Kuykendall, Rich Panico, Mary Porter and more. Through Feb. 28.

CIRCLE GALLERY AT THE UGA COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENT AND DESIGN (285 S. Jackson St.) Atlanta artist Rachel Evans Grant presents “Natural Engagement: Where Earth Meets Sky.” Through Apr. 15.

GALLERY AT HOTEL INDIGO (500 College Ave.) “Athens Facades” presents Mike Landers’ photographs of buildings downtown and in Five Points at dark between 2000–2002.

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “Contemporary Japanese Ceramics from the Horvitz Collection” represents three generations of artists dating from the 1940s. Through Sept. 26. • “Modernism Foretold: The Nadler Collection of Late Antique Art from Egypt.” Through Sept. 26.

• “Power and Piety in 17th-Century Spanish Art.” Through Nov. 28. • “Emma Amos: Color Odyssey” is a retrospective exhibition that includes over 60 works ranging from painting, printmaking and textile-based mixed-media works. Through Apr. 25.

LAMAR DODD SCHOOL OF ART (270 River Rd.) “Down & Dirty” features sculptures and videos by New York-based artists Jeanne Silverthorne and Bonnie Rychlak. Through Feb. 26. • In “Taking Care,” Jane Ritchie and Isys Hennigar consider the complex ways in which humans engage the living world. Through Feb. 26. • “the Unstitute of…” is an alternate one-person “MFAPHD” research program, faux institution and autonomous “school” hosted by Lisa Novak. Through Feb. 26. • In “Meet Me at the Double Crown” Ronika McClain presents a series of videos that use confessional storytelling to discuss the importance of coming together as a community. Through Feb. 26.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) “Window Works” is a new outdoor project that utilizes the windows at the building’s entrance. The first installation presents a triptych and diptych by Noraa James that were inspired by love, the Black body, primary colors and afrofuturism. Through March. • In the Lounge Gallery, Victoria Dugger’s solo exhibition “Mind the Body” explores the dynamic relationship between ourselves, our body and the world around us. Virtual artist talk Mar. 18 at 6 p.m. Through Apr. 3. • On view in the lobby case, Luka Carter’s “Flywheel” combines small sketches, studies and found objects into a realized mood board.

Virtual Artist Talk Mar. 18 at 6 p.m. Through Apr. 10. • Collections from our Community presents “Julie Rutledge’s Grandparents’ Avon Bottles.”

Through Apr. 10. • “Athens Together” is an exhibition of documentary photography of protests and rallies featuring the work of Penny Noah with Nathaniel Burkins, Lucy Calhoun and Sean Dunn. Virtual artist talk Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. On view through Apr. 10. • “ATH4BLM: Resistance and Resilience” is a pop up exhibition of UGA student work in acknowledge-

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multi-part series featuring conversations with local artists about their experiences in diversifying the arts, opportunities and challenges they have encountered. www.facebook. com/athensclarkelibrary OPEN STUDIOS (Lyndon House Arts Center) Studio members have access to spaces for painting, printmaking, photography, ceramics, jewelry, fiber and woodworking.

Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $65/month. nicholas. daglis@accgov.com SOUTHWORKS CALL FOR ART (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) The 26th annual SouthWorks National Juried Art Exhibition will be juried by Jennifer A. Smith, gallery and marketing director at The Arts Center in Greenwood, SC. Online submissions due Mar. 12. $30–40. www.ocaf.com/call-for-art

Classes ART CLASSES (Lyndon House Arts Center) “Oil Painting with Michael Ross” is offered in-person Tuesdays, Mar. 2–Apr. 6,

5:30–7:30 p.m. $111–159. “Intro to Wheel-Thrown Pottery with Amanda Jane Crouse” is offered in-person Thursdays, Mar. 4–Apr. 8, 5:30–7:30 p.m. $96–144. 706613-3623 ART CLASSES (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) “Drawing Basics” for ages 7 & up covers sighting and measuring, linear perspective, contours and more. Feb. 19–Mar. 19, 4–5 p.m. $75–100. “Creative Drawing with Watercolor” is for ages 18 & up. Thursdays, Mar. 25– Apr. 8 or Thursdays, Apr. 15–29, 6–8 p.m. $75–100. www.ocaf.com DEDICATED MINDFULNESS PRACTITIONERS (Online) Weekly Zoom meditations are offered every Saturday at 8 a.m. Email for details. jaseyjones@gmail.com MINDFULNESS PRACTICE EVENINGS (Online) Discuss and practice how to change your relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions. Email for the Zoom link.

Second Friday of the month, 6–7 p.m. FREE! mfhealy@bellsouth.net SPANISH CLASSES (Athens, GA) For adults, couples and children.

Learn from experts with years of professional experience. Contact for details. 706-372-4349, marinabilbao75@gmail.com, www.marina-spain-2020.squarespace.com YAMUNA AND MORE (Elevate Athens, Online) Nia Holistic Fitness

ment of Black History Month. Through Mar. 1.

OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville) “Small Works Inspired By Poetry” is a small-scale, abstract and figurative exhibition inspired by the five poems contributed by Clela Reed, Carl Britton, Dana Wildsmith, Pat Adams and Rebecca Baggett. Through Feb. 26. • A Pottery Pop-up Sale features a rotating selection of handmade ceramics by regional artists. New potters go on view every two weeks. T. Josephson, Glenn Dair, Douglas Tobin, Katherine Gould, Denise Burns and Diane Davies are on view through Feb. 27.

STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA (2450 S. Milledge Ave.) The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators presents an exhibition of works by students, graduates, teachers and professional illustrators. Through Feb. 21.

STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead) “Celebrating Creative Genius: The Art, Life and Legacy of Eatonton, Georgia native David Driskell” features original artworks and prints, plus photographs and artifacts from the artist’s early life. Through Apr. 17.

SURGERY CENTER OF ATHENS (2142 W. Broad St.) Paintings by Dortha Jacobson. Through Apr. 16.

TIF SIGFRIDS (83 E. North Ave., Comer) Jasmine Little’s solo exhibition “Sphinx Riddle” includes paintings and ceramics. Through Feb. 27. • Curated by Jasmine Little and Tif Sigfrids, “Via Café” is a group exhibition organized around a group of artists who studied art together at UCLA or were part of the Chinatown art scene in the early 2000’s. Through Feb. 27.

TINY ATH GALLERY (174 Cleveland Ave.) Melody Croft presents a series of oil and watercolor paintings called “Black Lives Matter.” Opening reception Feb. 12 from 6–9 p.m. 3Thurs Feb. 18 from 6–9 p.m. Through February by appointment.

UGA SCHOOL OF LAW (225 Herty Dr.) Williams Elliot Stiles Jr., an accomplished artist, Atlanta attorney and UGA School of Law alumnus, recently unveiled a new commission, “1961,” to commemorate the 60th anniversary of desegregation at UGA. UGA MAIN LIBRARY (320 S. Jackson St.) “Georgia Trailblazers: Honoring the 60th Anniversary of Desegregation at UGA” chronicles the historic events of 1961 when Hamilton Holmes and Charlene Hunter became the first African American students admitted to the university.

UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “Election 1980: The Elephant in the Room” explores the historic change election.

Through Feb. 26. • “Pylon: Tourists in Rock ’n Roll” celebrates the local band through photos, outfits, memorabilia and more. Through May 31. • “Making Space: Fighting for Inclusion, Building Community at UGA” will launch a virtual version of the exhibit in March. View in person through July 2. • “The Hargrett Hours: Exploring Medieval Manuscripts” presents original items from the collections, dating back centuries, as well as findings from students’ in-depth studies. Through Aug. 26.

WILLSON CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES AND ARTS (Online) As part of UGA’s Spotlight on the Arts, the Willson Center presents “Shelter Projects,” a virtual exhibition of over 30 projects created by graduate students or community practitioners who reflect pandemic experiences through the arts. willson.uga.edu.

F L A G P O L E . C O M | F E B R U A R Y 1 7, 2 0 2 1

and Yamuna Body Rolling are held on an ongoing basis. $20/class.

Specialty classes range from selfcare to Yamuna foot fitness and more.www.elevateathens.com YOGA CLASSES (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) “Outdoor Yoga with Meg Brownstone,” every Sunday at 10 a.m. $5–10 suggested donation.

“Trauma Conscious Yoga with Crystal,” every Thursday at 6 p.m. $10 suggested donation. “Yoga for Well-being with Nicole Bechill,” every Saturday on Zoom at 10:30 a.m. Pre-registration required. rubbersoulcollective@gmail.com, www.revolutiontherapyandyoga.com ZOOM YOGA (Online) Rev. Elizabeth Alder offers “Off the Floor Yoga” (chair and standing) on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. and “Easy on the Mat” yoga classes on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Ongoing classes are $5/class or $18/month. 706-612-8077, ommmever@yahoo.com

Events ACC LADIES HOMESTEAD GATHERING ANNUAL PLANT SALE (3065 Smokey Rd.) Medicinals, herbs and vegetable starts. Order online Mar. 20–24.

Pick-up and in-person sale Mar. 27. Find the event on Facebook ACC LIBRARY EVENTS (AthensClarke County Library) All classes and events are held virtually.

Gretchen Sorin discusses Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights. Feb. 18, 2 p.m. “For the Philo of Philosophy: Regarding Descartes’ Cogito” is held Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. “Last Monday Book Group” discusses The Dutch House by Ann Patchett on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. www.athenslibrary.org/ services/virtual-events ART EVENTS (Georgia Museum of Art) “Emerging Scholars Symposium: Visualizing Identity: Exploring Dimensions of the Self through Art,” Feb. 18–20. “Yoga in the Galleries,” Feb. 18, 6 p.m.

“Third Thursday,” Feb. 18 from 6–9 p.m. “Toddler Tuesday To-Go: Color Adventures,” Feb. 23.

“Cofee with the Curators: Nelda Damiano and Julia Kilgore,” Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. “Philip Eliasoph: ‘Hide-and-Seek’ on the Magic Realists’ Playground: Unmasking ‘Extraordinary’ Metaphors” on Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. “Aralee Strange Lecture: Tim San Pedro,” Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. “Drawing in the Galleries,” Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. www.georgia museum.org ATHENS FARMERS MARKET (Bishop Park) The 2021 season will run Mar. 6–Dec. 18, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmersmarket. com/vendors ATHICA VIRTUAL EVENTS (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art) “Old Friends from Near and Far” is a music night with Annie Leeth, A Good Pleasure and Klypi on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. Invited speaker Drék Davis speaks on “Miles to Go: Artists Contemplating Revolution & Social Justice” on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. A closing event for the annual “Members’ Showcase” will feature an artists’ roundtable on Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. Events are free but registration is required. www.athica.org AUTHOR TALK (Zoom) Kim Scott speaks on Just Work: Get Sh*t Done, Fast and Fair. Mar. 16, 7 p.m. Presented by Avid Bookshop. www.avidbookshop.com AUTHOR TALK (Zoom) Avid Bookshop presents “Scientists and Pigs: A Conversation with Henry Cowles and Jamie Kreiner” in which they will discuss The Scientific

Method: An Evolution of Thinking from Darwin to Dewey (Cowles) and Legions of Pigs in the Early Medieval West (Kreiner). Mar. 3, 7 p.m. www.avidbookshop.com AVID POETRY SERIES (Zoom) Hannah V. Warren hosts a reading by Sumita Chakraborty and Christopher Kondrich. Feb. 25, 7 p.m. www.avidbookshop.com BREWERY EVENTS (Southern Brewing Company) Monday Night Trivia at 6 p.m. Live music by Funky Bluester every Tuesday at 7 p.m. Sunday Trivia with Solo Entertainment Sundays at 5 p.m.

Love.Craft Athens percentage night Feb. 18 from 5–10 p.m. Live music

by Chyann Rose Feb. 20 at 5 p.m.

Hops for Hounds Feb. 25 at 5 p.m.

Live music by Chris Recalled Feb. 27 at 5 p.m. www.sobrewco.com DINNER AND A SHOW (Hendershot’s Coffee) Live music and dinner with The Plate Sale every Friday and Saturday. The lineup includes Kyshona on Feb. 19–20, HEART Music Athens Jazz Ensemble Feb. 26–27 and Jonathan Byrd on Mar. 12–13. Visit website to reserve your seat. www.hender shotsathens.com GLOBAL GEORGIA INITIATIVE EVENTS (Online) “More Than Words…” by Kevin Day includes a concert performance on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. “Beyond Redemption: Race, Violence and The American South After the Civil War” with author Carole Emberton on Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. “An Education in Georgia: Looking Toward the Future” on Feb. 25 at 4 p.m. “Now is the Time: Shouting Fire in a Crowded Theater” with Montu Miller, Ed Pavlic and artists on Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. “Defiance Project Awards” conversation with Thomas Brazzle and artists Mar. 2 at 4 p.m. willson. uga.edu GROUP ART SALE (Chase Warehouses) Over 40 original oil paintings by Noah Mendelson, photos by Jessica Magnarella, Ben Rouse and more. A percentage will be donated to Athens Land Trust.

Feb. 26, 3–6 p.m. jessica@mprint design.com HANK WILLIAMS: LOST HIGHWAY (Elbert Theatre, Elberton) Encore Productions presents a show about the legendary songwriter, complete with a full live band. Mar. 12–14, 19–21. $9–16. 706-283-1049 UUFA EVENTS (Online) The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens presents a UUFA Virtual Forum called “The War on Drugs and System Racism” on Feb. 21 at 9:30 a.m. Hiroya Tsukamoto is a one-of-a-kind composer, guitarist and singer-songwriter from Kyoto, Japan, who will perform a program called “Another Great Day to be Alive.” Feb. 21, 4:30 p.m. www. uuathensga.org/stay-connected LGBTQIA+ VIRTUAL ALPHABET FAMILY GATHERING (Online) This is a safe space for anyone on the LGBTQIA+/TGQNB spectrum.

Fourth Sunday of every month, 6–8 p.m. uuathensga.org/justice/ welcoming-congregation LIVE JAZZ (Porterhouse Grill) Enjoy dinner and some smooth jazz.

Wednesdays, 6–9 p.m. www.porter houseathens.com PANEL DISCUSSION: LILLIAN SMITH: ANTI-RACIST ALLY (Online) Watch a screening of Lillian Smith: Breaking the Silence, a documentary about an author and social critic whose writings challenged white southerners to end segregation. Documentary is available Feb. 15–22 at lilliansmithdoc. com/private-screening-ally. Panel discussion with Patricia Bell-Scott and Matthew Teutsch is held Feb.

calendar of electronic meetings held throughout the week. www. ga-al-anon.org ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) If you think you have a problem with alcohol, call the AA hotline or visit the website for a schedule of meetings in Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee Counties. 706-389-4164, www. athensaa.org MALE SURVIVOR SUPPORT GROUP (Online) This is an eightweek support group for male survivors of sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse to connect and receive support from other survivors in a safe space. Contact Mary Dulong at The Cottage. Begins Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m. FREE! cottage groupsprogram@gmail.com, www. northgeorgiacottage.org RECOVERY DHARMA (Recovery Dharma) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction.

Visit the website for info about Zoom meetings. Thursdays, 7–8 p.m. FREE! www.athensrecovery dharma.org ZOOM INN (Online) Nuçi’s Space holds weekly meetings on Thursdays for people to drop by and say hi virtually. Email lesly@ nuci.org

Word on the Street

Tif Sigrids presents “Sphinx Riddle,” a solo show of paintings and sculptures by Jasmine Little through Feb. 27.

21, 2 p.m. Email for Zoom link. patrice.green25@uga.edu PILGRIM (Online) Pilgrim celebrates the release of Neverland with a live performance streamed from the 40 Watt Club on Feb. 19, 9 p.m.

Platform TBA. PILSNERS ON THE PATIO ART MARKET (Athentic Brewing) Check out vendors during an outdoor market. Mar. 6. www.athenticbrewing. com SOUTHERN STAR STUDIO OPEN GALLERY (Southern Star Studio) SSS is a working collective ceramics studio established by Maria Dondero in 2016. The gallery contains members’ work. No more than two people or a single group inside at a time. Saturdays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. southernstarstudioathens@ gmail.com SPRING ACTIVITIES (Athens, GA) A variety of activities in the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports and holiday events are planned for adults and children.

Now enrolling. www.accgov.com/ leisure SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE (Online) Learn about the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification program, a whole systems approach aimed at changing how materials flow through society, resulting in no waste. Feb. 18, 8 a.m. www. accgov.com UGA THEATRE (Online) Spaceship Sean is a one-man autobiographical show written and performed by Sean Birkett about his journey as an actor with autism. Feb. 18–20, 8 p.m. Here’s Where I Stand: A Musical Cabaret explores the songs that have gotten people through the ongoing pandemic and political unrest. Feb. 26–28 & Mar. 2–5, 8 p.m. www.ugatheatre.com

U.S. HISTORICAL NOVELS (Zoom) Athens Chautauqua Society presents a virtual talk with historian and storyteller Blaine Davies, “U.S. Historical Novels: A ‘Novel’ Way to Learn History.” Feb. 25, 2 p.m. historycomesalive.org/event/u-shistorical-novels WINTER MARKET (Hendershot’s Coffee) The Culinary Kitchen of Athens hosts a weekly market with vendors. Saturdays through Mar. 13, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. www. theckofathens.squarespace.com/ wintermarketvendors

Kidstuff ACC LIBRARY EVENTS (AthensClarke County Library) Virtual storytimes are offered via Facebook weekdays at 10:30 a.m. “Running with Wilma Rudolph” is held Feb. 18 at 3 p.m. “Teen Take and Make Crafts” are available Feb. 22.

Dungeons and Dragons Club meets Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. www.facebook. com/athenschildrens ART CLASSES (Lyndon House Arts Center) “Art Time with William Stephanos” for ages 4–6 is offered in-person Fridays, Mar. 5–Apr. 9 from 4–5:30 p.m. $68–99.50.

“Youth Virtual Class: Bookmaking with Toni Carlucci” for ages 7–11 is held Thursdays, Mar. 18–Apr. 22. $36–54. 706-613-3623 BOGART LIBRARY EVENTS (Online) Virtual Storytimes are offered weekdays at 10:30 a.m. Virtual Booktalks featuring young adult books (Feb. 26) is held at 2 p.m. Ms. Donna shares some of her favorite AfricanAmerican musical stars in “Famous Friends” on Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. “Grab & Go Craft Kit for Teens: DIY Soap Gemstones” pick up Feb. 18–19 with video available Feb. 19 at 7

p.m. Hear a reading of Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie on Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. Dungeons and Dragons Club Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. www.athenslibrary.org CALL FOR ENTRIES: K-12 GREEN LIFE ART CONTEST (ACC Recycling Division) K–12 students in Athens-Clarke County are invited to participate in the annual Green Life Awards Art, Photography and Poetry Contest.

The theme is based on a fresh start to a new year. Submissions can be paintings, drawings, sculpture, short videos (30 seconds to one minute), photography or poems about how you will live a green life in 2021. Entries are due to the ACC Recycling Division by Mar. 1 at 5 p.m. Winners will be recognized at a virtual awards ceremony on Apr. 15. www.accgov.com/greenlife FAMILY MOVIE SERIES (The Classic Center Theatre) Watch Big on Feb. 26. $15. www.classic center.com/tickets GIRLS ON THE RUN (Bishop Park, Memorial Park or Virtual) This nonprofit promotes social, emotional and physical health of young girls.

A 10-week program runs March– April, twice a week for 60–75 minutes. www.girlsontherunnorthga.org TUTORING (Online) The Athens Regional Library System is now offering free, live online tutoring via tutor.com for students K-12, college students and adult learners.

Daily, 2–9 p.m. www.athenslibrary. org

Support Groups AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple Locations) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Visit the website for a

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 CORNHOLEATL SPRING LEAGUE REGISTRATION (Southern Brewing Co.) Four different divisions are offered to accomodate all levels. The seven-week season begins in March. Registration is open through Mar. 8. info@corn holeatl.com NATIONAL CONDOM MONTH (Athens Area Health Department) Free HIV testing, PrEP referral, and condoms and lube by mail. www. publichealthisforeveryone.com, www.georgiaproject10.com NOMINATE A KEEPIN’ IT CLEAN CITIZEN OF THE YEAR (Athens, GA) Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful is accepting nominations to recognize a community member as an environmental steward of litter prevention and abatement or community beautification. The award recipient will be recognized at the annual GreenFest Award Ceremony.

Deadline Mar. 1. stacee.farrell@ accgov.com NOMINATE A STORMWATER STEWARD (Athens, GA) Nominate an organization, business, individual or community group that has gone above and beyond to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff through a specific project, practice or event. The award is presented by the Athens-Clarke County Stormwater Management Program.

Nominations due Mar. 1. storm water@accgov.com TREE SEEDLINGS (Sandy Creek Nature Center) SCNC and Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful are offering dogwood, northern red oak and red cedar seedlings on a firstcome, first-served basis. Pick up at SCNC Feb. 17–19, 9 a.m. stacy. smith@accgov.com VIRTUAL LEISURE SERVICES (Online) A variety of activities are offered in arts, athletics, nature and recreation. www.accgov.com/ leisure f

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f l a g p o l e • c o m

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F E B R U A R Y 1 7, 2 0 2 1 | F L A G P O L E . C O M

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cla cl assifi fie eds Buy It, Sell It, Rent It, Use It! Place an ad anytime, email class@flagpole.com

 Indicates images available at classifieds.flagpole.com

REAL ESTATE

HOME AND GARDEN

JOBS

NOTICES

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Gardening services available—We can help with planning, building, soil delivery, planting and kidfriendly instruction! Call/ Text: 706-395-5321

FULL-TIME

MESSAGES

ABC Package is hiring parttime and full-time team members to assist customers on the sales floor, front end cashiers and merchandiser/stock associates.

Must be 21. Please apply at 2303 W. Broad St.

Drive-thru COVID testing will remain available Mon–Fri. ONLY at the central testing operation in Athens-Clarke County. For the Winterville location, please visit 371 N. Church St. and enter off Winter Street. Call 706-3400996 or go to www.public healthathens.com for more information.

1494 Prince Ave. $1400/mo.

Four offices, bathroom and kitchenette. Located in the heart of Normaltown across from the medical school.

706-549-7371, christopher @gojoiner.com

Plumber Pro Service & Drain. Upfront Pricing. Free Estimates. $30 Flagpole Discount. Call 706-7697761. Same Day Service Available. www.plumberpro service.com.

ROOMS FOR RENT Room for rent in a great house in Boulevard Historic District in Athens. $600/ mo, utilities and internet included. See it online here: http://t.ly/rwYz

MISC. SERVICES LEGAL CANNABIS made easy, safe and affordable! Call 888-4203848 for a private consultation. www.bepainfreeglobal.com

SERVICES CLEANING

Advertise your local service in the Flagpole Classifieds!

Place your ad today by calling 706-549-0301 or emailing class@flagpole. com.

Peachy Green Clean Cooperative: Your local friendly green cleaners.

Free estimates and COVID precautions. Call us today!

706-248-4601

flagpole classifieds Reach Over 30,000 Readers Every Week!

Business Services Real Estate Music For Sale BASIC

Employment Vehicles Messages Personals RATES *

Individual Real Estate Business (RTS) Run-‘Til-Sold** Online Only***

Now hiring experienced transcriptionists or those at 85 WPM or higher for at-home work. No experience? Work in-office to learn the necessary skills, then work where you choose. Openings for both career and part-time track.

We are proud to be a safe space employer. E-mail ath recruiting@copytalk.com for full job posting.

PART-TIME Weaver D’s is seeking an order filler and dishwasher!

Open Tues.–Sat., 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Fill out an application after 2 p.m. Restaurant experience preferred.

Find employees by advertising in the Flagpole Classifieds! Place your ad today by calling 706-5490301 or emailing class@ flagpole.com.

Flagpole subscriptions delivered straight to the mailbox! Convenient for you or the perfect present for a buddy who moved out of town. $50 for six months or $90 for one year. Call 706-549-0301.

Need old newspapers for your garden? Well, they’re free at the Flagpole office!

Call ahead, then come grab an armful. Please leave current issues on stands. 706549-0301.

Vaccine pre-registration for non-healthcare workers! Mon–Fri., 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Sat., 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Call 706-3400996 or go to www.public healthathens.com for more information.

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BUY • SELL • RENT • HELP WANTED Call flagpole’s Classifieds Dept. at:

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ADOPT ME!

Visit athenspets.net to view all the cats and dogs available at the shelter

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*Ad enhancement prices are viewable at flagpole.com **Run-‘Til-Sold rates are for MERCHANDISE ONLY ***Available for individual rate categories only

PLACE AN AD • Call our Classifieds Dept. (706) 549-0301 • Email us at class@flagpole.com

Blossom (54989)

Blossom is a long-legged pup ready to strut her way into your heart! Don’t spend the rest of this lovely month or any time after without a pal, make Blossom yours today!

• Deadline to place ads is 11:00 a.m. every Monday for the following Wednesday issue • All ads must be prepaid

14

F L A G P O L E . C O M | F E B R U A R Y 1 7, 2 0 2 1

Lee (54983)

Lee is mild-mannered and ready to make your acquaintance. He’s a tad shy at first (until the treats come out) then he’s ready for head scratches and walks with a new friend!

Money (54953)

Money’s ready to fall into your lap (if he can fit!) This big guy likes to chase toys, play catch and sit for treats. So, if you want a pal to keep you on your toes, Money’s your man!

These pets and many others are available for adoption at:

Athens-Clarke County Animal Services 125 Buddy Christian Way · 706-613-3540 Call for appointment

flagpole

SUDOKU

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Difficulty: Easy

9

7

5 6 8 7

1

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UPCOMING PUBLIC EVENTS The 2021 Global Georgia Initiative public events series begins in February and continues throughout the Spring semester. All events are virtual and open to the public, but require advance registration.

More events will be added to the series as they are confirmed.

Full schedule and details at willson.uga.edu February 18 n 7pm

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“MORE THAN WORDS…”

BY KEVIN DAY

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GLOBAL GEORGIA

CONCERT PERFORMANCE & SCHOOL OF MUSIC CONVERSATION

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UGA 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF DESEGREGATION

1

February 23 n 3pm

6

5 4 HOW TO SOLVE:

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of by 3 boxes must contain Week of 32/15/21 - 2/21/21 the numbers 1 to 9.

2

3

4

5

14

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18

20 23

4 9 37 5 41 1 44 8 2 6 53 7 59 3 62 33

6

7

8

9

3 7 2 9 4 6 1 54 8 5 34

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8 6 1 5 7 3 9 55 2 4

28

1 8 7 6 2 448 3 5 9

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FOR A 5TH YEAR!

AN EDUCATION IN GEORGIA: LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE

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UGA PRESS CAMPUS READ CLOSING CONVERSATION UGA 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF DESEGREGATION

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February 25

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7pm

Boarding · Digital X-Ray · Acupuncture Chiropractic · Laser Surgery · Endoscopy

1150 Mitchell Bridge Rd. 706-546-7879 · www.hopeamc.com Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30am-6pm Saturday 8am-1pm

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NOW IS THE TIME: SHOUTING FIRE IN A CROWDED THEATER

40 43 46

47

49

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51

52

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CONVERSATION ON ATHENS HIP-HOP COMPILATION WITH MONTU MILLER, ED PAVLIĆ, & ARTISTS

61 64

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ACROSS 1 In this way 5 Bailey of "Hello, Dolly!"

10 Bubbly drink 14 Second to none 15 Sharpshooter Oakley 16 German automaker 17 Fountain fare 18 Plum or apricot, e.g.

20 TV show opener, often 22 Cattle catcher 23 Something to lend 24 Vigor's partner 25 Lament loudly 27 Descend 30 1942 flick "My ___ Sal" 33 Go bad 35 Handel specialty 37 Kilauea flow 38 Small variety (var.)

40 Seductress 41 Roof projection 43 Not too bright 44 Pricing word 45 Uncontrollable 48 Cry softly 49 Very long time

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2 9 5 6 7 35 5 3 1 2 4 6 438 8 393 9 842 7 3 4 2 345 5 6 9 1 9 1 7 8 5 7 2 4 565 578 4 660 9 1 3 1 863 2 7 6

65

10

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VET CLINIC

CAROLE EMBERTON

16

24

FAVORITE

BOOK DISCUSSION WITH AUTHOR

by Margie E. Burke

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Solution to Sudoku:

VOTE

February 25 n 4pm

The Weekly Crossword 1

PLEASE HELP

HOPE ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER

BEYOND REDEMPTION: RACE, VIOLENCE, AND THE AMERICAN SOUTH AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

Copyright 2021 by The Puzzle Syndicate

Exceptional Care for Exceptional Pets

67

Copyright 2021 by The Puzzle Syndicate

50 Suds source 53 Met highlights 56 Roy Rogers ingredient 59 Shrewd bargain 61 Flat floater 62 Cut, maybe 63 Hardens, as clay 64 Troop group 65 Flat-topped hill 66 On one's toes 67 Small particle DOWN 1 Small sample 2 Big to-do 3 1977 Alan O'Day hit, "____ Angel" 4 Clothing line?

5 Footnote word 6 Place in a crypt 7 Soon, to a poet 8 Skin infection 9 "School Daze" director 10 Word before reef or snake 11 Composer's creation 12 Kauai keepsakes 13 Type of sax 19 GM's birthplace

21 Like some grins or twins 26 On a trip, maybe 28 Make-up artist?

29 Furry one, in internet slang 30 Concert keyboard 31 Intentions 32 Easy run 33 Sow's chow 34 Finish a drive?

36 Chef's need 38 Left-handed Beatle 39 Essential 42 Hugh Laurie series 43 Comedian Carvey 46 Birdwatcher's lure 47 "I swear!"

48 Rigatoni, et. al.

51 Ill-suited 52 Midler of music 53 "Excuse me …"

54 Went on horseback 55 Van Gogh flower 57 Garden tool 58 Part of Ringo's kit 60 Schedule abbr.

March 2 n 4pm

MORTON THEATRE CORPORATION DEFIANCE PROJECT AWARDS CONVERSATION WITH ORGANIZER THOMAS BRAZZLE & ARTISTS

Residential • Office • Construction • Move In • Move Out

A clean house is like a 4-leaf clover: hard to find & lucky to have!

Adilene Valencia 706-424-9810

aecleanathens@gmail.com

Puzzle answers are available at www.flagpole.com/puzzles

F E B R U A R Y 1 7, 2 0 2 1 | F L A G P O L E . C O M

15

VOT E

Live Your Best Life:

BE THE BOSS of your

BIRTH CONTROL -for low or no-cost!

Go to

favorites.flagpole.com

and VOTE for your favorite in each of the categories. Then we will let everyone know what Athens locals like most about our great town.

VOTING DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 26TH

and the Favorites will be announced in the March 24th issue of Flagpole.

• Only one vote per person • Please vote in at least 5 categories to have your ballot counted Due to COVID, some categories are on hold for the 2021 Favorites Awards

Restaurants:

New (opened after March 2020) Italian American Asian Sushi Mexican/Latin American International BBQ Bakery Downhome/Southern Local Coffee House Local Pizza Local Burger Fries Burrito Taco Steak Seafood Wings Vegetarian Options Sandwich Dessert Frozen Treat Breakfast Lunch Brunch Meal for a Deal (name of restaurant) Kid-friendly Local Restaurant Outdoor dining Take Out Delivery Service NEW Curbside Pickup NEW Chef Uniquely Athens Restaurant

Bars: Bartender

Speciality Drinks Margarita Bloody Mary Beer Selection Wine Selection Local Brewery Outdoor Bar Space NEW Place to Play Games Uniquely Athens Bar

Music Recording Studio

Retail:

Naughty Business Smoke/Vape Shop Store to Buy a Gift for Her Store to Buy a Gift for Him Local Clothing Boutique Place to Buy Local Art and Handmade Goods Thrift /Vintage Store Place to Buy Wine Place to Buy Beer Uniquely Athens Store

Pets and Kids:

Vet Clinic Pet Groomer Pet Boarding/Sitting Service Place to Shop for Kids Kids’ Classes: Movement Kids’ Classes: Creative

Services:

Eco Friendly Services Eco Friendly Practices Hotel Photography Studio Florist Hair Salon

Stylist Alternative Health Treatment (Chiropractic, Herbal, Acupuncture, Rolfing, etc) Massage Therapist Tattoo Studio Spa Fitness Instructor Place to Get Fit Adult Classes: Movement Adult Classes: Creative Car Repair Shop Car Dealership Plumber Electrician HVAC Lawyer to Get You Out of a Jam (Criminal) Lawyer to Sort Out Your Affairs (Civil) Bank Realtor

Stuff Around Town: Place to See Local Art Non-profit/Charity 2020 Virtual Event NEW Local Business

VOTING DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 26TH

condoms are always FREE!

visit an

Athens Area

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

and the Favorites will be announced in the March 24th issue of Flagpole.

• Only one vote per person

• Please vote in at least 5 categories to have your ballot counted

Vote Online at

favorites.fl agpole.com

PublicHealthIsForEverybody.com