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MARCH 3, 2021 · VOL. 35 · NO. 9 · FREE

Defiance Project Awards Morton Theatre Corporation Amplifies the Black Lives Matter Movement p. 15

GLOBAL GEORGIA

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 March 4 n 4pm

SEARCHING FOR HOME: AFRICANS IN EUROPE >>> BETTY

JEAN CRAIGE LECTURE <<< by author

HELON HABILA UGA 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF DESEGREGATION

March 10 n 4pm READING & CONVERSATION WITH

LEANNE HOWE & U.S. POET LAUREATE JOY HARJO >>> UGA SIGNATURE LECTURES SERIES <<<

March 18 n 4pm

WRITING SOCIALLY ENGAGED FICTION >>> BETTY JEAN CRAIGE LECTURE <<< with author

MEGHA MAJUMDAR

March 25 n 4:30pm

TRANSLATION AS A LITERARY TROPE COMPASS Lecture by Poet and Publisher

Jee Leong Koh April 20 n 7pm CONVERSATION WITH MUSICIAN

VAL JEANTY & AUTHOR

RENEE GLADMAN

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contents

this week’s issue

Property Management Investment Properties Rentals Buying Selling

GoJoiner.com

Leasing@GoJoiner.com “Extra Ordinary: Magic, Mystery and Imagination in American Realism” opened this past weekend at the Georgia Museum of Art. Pictured above is “A Night Garden,” by Brian Connelly.

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

Police Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

More People Can Get Vaccinated Now

Street Scribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Curb Your Appetite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

NEWS: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Hey, Bonita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

RIP Potterytown

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

MUSIC: Threats & Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

We All Scream for Ice Cream Larry

706-549-7371

RealEstate@GoJoiner.com

PAIN & WONDER

TATTOO

VOTED AN ATHENS’ FAVORITE TATTOO STUDIO TEN YEARS IN A ROW!

Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Record Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

ARTS & CULTURE: Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

The Morton Theatre Amplifies BLM

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

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles

Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner

Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey, Jessica Pritchard Mangum

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CITY EDITOR Blake Aued OFFICE MANAGER AND DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Zaria Gholston CLASSIFIEDS Zaria Gholston AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, David Mack PHOTOGRAPHER Whitley Carpenter

JHP ARCHITECTURE

ARTS & MUSIC EDITOR Jessica Smith

CONTRIBUTORS Bonita Applebum, Gordon Lamb, Jessica Luton, Dan Perkins, Ed Tant, Ross Williams CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Mike Merva EDITORIAL INTERN Laura Nwogu COVER PHOTOGRAPH of Cassie Chantel by NaRok (@pressplaytvlive on Instagram) STREET ADDRESS: 220 Prince Ave., Athens, GA 30601 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603 EDITORIAL: 706-549-9523 · ADVERTISING: 706-549-0301 · FAX: 706-548-8981 CLASSIFIED ADS: class@flagpole.com ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com EDITORIAL: editorial@flagpole.com

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Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 7,000 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $90 a year, $50 for six months. © 2021 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOLUME 35 ISSUE NUMBER 9

RESPECT OTHERS WEAR A MASK

Association of Alternative Newsmedia

KEEP YOUR COOL

comments section “I’m really glad Bethel is being redeveloped, and I hope that the promises to the residents are kept. Really quite shocked by the classist comments. I look forward to continuing coverage of this project!” — Caroline M. Singletary From “Bethel Redevelopment Will Expand Downtown” at flagpole. com.

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city dope

Teachers Can Now Be Vaccinated PLUS, TRIALS RESUME, SCHOOL TRANSPARENCY AND MORE LOCAL NEWS

Police Release Video of Shooting

By Blake Aued and Jessica Luton news@flagpole.com Local data on COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continues to trend in the right direction. Alongside continued vaccination efforts, the imminent approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the passage of President Biden’s recovery package in the House of Representatives, all signs point to continued and more effective control of the pandemic in the coming weeks and months. The seven-day running average for Clarke County decreased again this week to 18.7 as of Feb. 26. Clarke County added an additional 190 new cases this week, with 11,936 confirmed cases and 2,088 antigen positive cases for a total of 14,024 cases total. The data continues to show less stress on local hospitals. Twenty-one Clarke County residents were hospitalized for COVID-19 last week, bringing the total to 458, but the number of intensive care beds in use fell to 64, or 91% of capacity, in Region E. About 16% of overall patients are hospitalized with COVID-19. COVID killed six Clarke County residents last week, for a total of 112 confirmed and six probable deaths during the pandemic as of Feb. 26. Deaths are a lagging indicator and are beginning to slow. Wastewater data from Erin Lipp’s lab at the UGA Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases at UGA showed that the viral load has remained stable last week. However, lab data shows that there’s been wide variability of viral levels in the wastewater samples, likely a result of varying viral levels in different areas of the county. At UGA for the week of Feb. 15-21, there were just 68 positive cases, down from 105 the previous week. Surveillance testing numbers were down slightly from the previous week, with 1,890 tests performed for the week compared to 2,355 the week prior. As of last week, 30,874 vaccines had been administered in Clarke County. Gov. Brian Kemp announced that pre-K and K-12 teachers and staff would be added to the Phase 1A+ category and would be eligible for vaccination starting Mar. 8 (though University of Georgia faculty and staff are not included). The Clarke County School District then announced that it plans to offer employees the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Mar. 10 and the second dose on Mar. 31 at Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals high schools from 1-6 p.m. CCSD is beginning a phased return to in-person classes, starting with kindergarten through second grade this week. Third through fifth grade will return next week, followed by middle and high schools. High-schoolers will attend in-person classes two days a week, and others will be in school four days a week, with virtual classes on Wednesday. Parents also have an all-virtual option. More troublingly, reports recently surfaced through a local court-watching program of a COVID-19 outbreak at the Clarke County Jail. Last week, according to jail commander Maj. Jessica Goings, there were 15 inmates who had tested positive and

Jury Trials Restart This Month

were being quarantined, out of a population of approximately 300. Consenting inmates Athens and Oconee County residents are tested weekly, masks are provided daily may receive jury summons this week as and living quarters are kept sanitized, trials are expected to start up again later Goings said. this month, more than a year after Georgia Local judges have been making an effort Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton to release inmates on low or no bond declared a judicial emergency. whenever possible during the pandemic, Western Circuit Superior Court judges especially if their age or a medical condiEric Norris and Lisa Lott told Flagpole they tion makes them susceptible to the virus, expect Melton to lift Superior Court Judge the order soon, paving Lisa Lott said. “I will We want people to the way for jury trials to say the jail has been feel secure coming. resume and grand juries doing an incredible job once again consider of quarantining people The big question is whether to indictments. They cited who’ve been exposed,” people show up. COVID-19 numbers, she said. which are declining While the news is locally and statewide, and the increasing positive overall locally, the CDC announced number of people who’ve been vaccinated Friday that cases appear to be plateauing, against the virus, as well as a long backlog and the public should remain vigilant in of criminal cases. public health measures to guard against The plan calls for trials to resume in another surge. [Jessica Luton] Oconee County on Mar. 22 and Clarke County on Mar. 29. In Oconee County, jury selection will be held at the spacious civic center, with trials in the larger of the county courthouse’s two courtrooms. Both The First Amendment Foundation, a jury selection and trials in Clarke County Decatur-based group that assists journalists will be held at the Classic Center’s Foundry and citizens with open records, is backing Street Warehouses—which has several large an Athens parent who filed a complaint rooms with removable dividers where jurors with the state attorney general’s office after and court personnel can socially distance— the Clarke County School District refused instead of the cramped courthouse, which to release school-level COVID information. is often overcrowded even in normal times. Carrie Bishop asked CCSD for statistics The Classic Center has filtration and sanitaon COVID cases, quarantines, isolations, tion equipment and requires all visitors to hospitalizations and deaths related to the wear masks. school district, both on and off campuses “We want people to feel secure coming,” and broken down by school. Officials Lott said. “The big question is whether peopointed her to districtwide figures posted ple show up.” on the CCSD website but declined to proSummonses will include information vide school-level figures, arguing that doing so could violate privacy laws because “cell sizes” are so small that individuals could be identified. A lawyer for the district hit reply-all and wrote, “Let’s send her the guidance in three days and move on. I’d recommend not responding to this email right now.” Three days is the maximum time under state law that government agencies have to respond to open records requests, but intentional delay violates the Georgia Open Records Act, according to the First Amendment Foundation. The foundation also pointed to U.S. Department of Education guidance that school-level data about COVID absences can be released as long as individual students cannot be identified. Another similar group, the UGA First Amendment Law Clinic, has criticized the Oconee County School District for its lack of transparency during the pandemic. Two law students told OCSD in a letter that it should be live-streaming meetings and providing an opportunity for virtual public comment, and accused the district of attempting to intimidate staff members who criticized policies and blocking critics on Twitter. OCSD started posting videos of meetings on YouTube last month. [Blake Aued]

“

Open Records Complaint Filed Against CCSD

FLAGPOLE.COM | MARCH 3, 2021

about safety protocols and how to opt out if an individual is at high risk or has caregiver responsibilities for a high-risk person, the judges said. Many court procedures, such as bond hearings, will continue to be conducted virtually. [BA]

Athens-Clarke County police released a compilation of officers’ body-camera video showing the shooting of a man who engaged in an hour-long standoff after police tried to arrest him on charges of stealing a car. Police received a tip via 911 about a stolen 2006 Nissan Titan parked at a local McDonald’s the morning of Feb. 18. When they arrived, the truck was not there, but they quickly located it on Commerce Road. After a medium-speed chase, police deployed stop sticks that punctured the truck’s tires, and it ran off Newton Bridge Road. The driver—later identified as Timothy Statham, 37, of Winterville—ran into the woods. Police located Statham hiding in some brush and surrounded him. Officers negotiated with him to surrender for more than an hour and repeatedly asked him to show them his hands. Statham refused and, at one point, told officers, “I’ve got a lot more rounds than every one of y’all.” He also said he was afraid he’d receive a 20-year sentence. Eventually an officer shot a foam round at Statham, which had no effect. Videos then show two officers shouting that Statham, who pulled a hand out of his shirt and appeared to be aiming something, had a gun, although it turned out he did not. They opened fire. Statham was declared dead at the scene by waiting emergency medical technicians. Per ACCPD policy, the three officers involved—SPO Jamie Jones, Sgt. Tim Johnson and Officer Jerold Reynolds—have been placed on administrative leave pending a Georgia Bureau of Investigation report. Once the investigation is finished, District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez will decide whether to prosecute the officers. [BA] f

news

feature

Smashing Potterytown PARKING DECK PLANNED IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com [Potterytown] when the downtown master plan went through.” That downtown master plan, overseen by former UGA College of Environment and Design professor Jack Crowley nearly a decade ago, called for less intensive redevelopment of Potterytown. So did a 2015 charette by another urban planning profesWHITLEY CARPENTER

A decades-long series of zoning decisions and business deals means that Potterytown will soon become Parkingtown. Tucked in between eastern downtown’s behemoth student apartment complexes and the North Oconee River, part of the neighborhood of single-family homes dating back more than 100 years is meeting the wrecking ball as student-housing developer Landmark Properties prepares to build a parking deck for a new phase of its nearby development, The Mark. While the neighborhood’s fate was probably sealed in 2000—when Athens-Clarke County officials, driven by environmentalists’ concerns about sprawl, upped the density allowed downtown and expanded its boundaries—the final straw was a recent ACC Commission vote to pull out of a previously approved partnership with Landmark to build a parking deck near the Multimodal Center to serve both The Mark and a new Classic Center arena. Instead, both parties will go it alone, and the second phase of The Mark will have its own deck between Pottery and Wilkerson streets on property Landmark has been amassing for the past six years. The vote was fueled in part by questions about who would take on risk associated with construction costs, in addition to commissioners’ distrust of Landmark and resistance to assisting with any additional student housing development downtown. “The days of building standalone parking decks—you don’t see them anymore,” said Commissioner Mike Hamby, who compared it to the “worst movie ever,” Wonder Woman 1984. “I’m fine with them building in Pottery town by right,” Commissioner Melissa Link said at the Jan. 6 meeting. “If this government had any consideration for Potterytown, it would have rezoned

Armstrong & Dobbs lumber yard instead. With The Mark underway, Landmark began buying up houses on the block between Wilkerson and Pottery streets, most notably one belonging to Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood and his wife, Rebecca, who have since moved to Portland. They became involved in a public spat with Landmark CEO Wes Rogers in December 2015, when their friend, fellow musician Laura Carter, asked for an extension to move the Hoods’ house to the Orange Twin compound in Northeast Athens, which Rogers denied. Tax records show that companies controlled by Landmark paid a combined $2.2 million for the Hoods’ property and surrounding parcels owned by trustees of Peggy T. Williams

Work started on the second phase of The Mark in mid-January.

sor, Pratt Cassity, conducted after some residents were alarmed by Landmark tearing down the Jittery Joe’s Roasting Co. building on East Broad Street. But no action was ever taken to protect the neighborhood. “What I keep going back to is how we got Landmark in the first place,” said Commissioner Jesse Houle, urging colleagues to work with the developer instead of rejecting the deal. Community opposition contributed to scuttling an Atlantabased Selig Enterprises project that would have included a Walmart, so Landmark stepped in and built The Mark at the former

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totaling a little less than an acre, consolidating them in October 2020. The Hoods’ former home will be moved to a nearby site, according to Mayor Kelly Girtz. The deal to partner with Landmark on the deck would have brought in $150,000 a year to help construct a 6,000-seat arena, which will be funded partially with sales tax revenue and partially with private dollars. A senior living facility and a hotel are also planned to generate more funding. Now, ACC will move forward with a smaller parking deck near the Multimodal Center and look to lease part of the property to another

f l a g p o l e • c o m

developer, Girtz said. “We worked diligently to offer AthensClarke County officials a mutually beneficial concept that would deliver much needed affordable housing, a direct investment in the Classic Center Arena, additional student housing, and new and vital infrastructure improvements in Potterytown,” Rogers told Flagpole. “The community benefits we offered up approached nearly $50 million. Unfortunately, however, that concept was not accepted by the county commission. As a result, we will need to immediately begin development of a parking deck in Potterytown to meet construction timelines and accommodate future residents of Phase II at The Mark. “Although we are disappointed that the commission did not want to move forward with our proposed ideas, we remain committed to being good corporate neighbors and working in good faith with local officials to explore mutually beneficial paths forward on future development plans.” In January, Commissioner Tim Denson proposed adding an opt-out to the contract to create more leverage for negotiating affordable housing and a child-care center as part of the deal, as well as force Landmark to contribute property tax to the Athens Downtown Development Authority. But the commission voted 9-1 to back out of finalizing the deal. Commissioner Russell Edwards was the lone “no” vote. While one block of Potterytown’s fate is sealed, that underscores the need for a citywide assessment of historic resources that can be compared to the county zoning map so they can be protected proactively, said Tommy Valentine, executive director of the preservation nonprofit Historic Athens. Other, similar mill towns like Whitehall on the Eastside are also facing development pressure, he said, and Athens hasn’t done a comprehensive assessment in 30 years. Historic Athens is in preliminary talks with CED and interested commissioners on an update, he added. “As Athens becomes denser, we’re going to see that pressure play out elsewhere,” Valentine said. “What tends to happen is, by the time we realize a place like that is in peril, it’s too late, or our attention is elsewhere.” f

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feature

De-Defunding Police ATHENS REP’S BILL WOULD BAN POLICE BUDGET CUTS By Ross Williams news@flagpole.com

“

Georgia legislators to file bills intended to grant police new protections or clamp down on protests. Republican lawmakers recently filed similar bills in other states, including Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and North Carolina. Republicans dismissed opposition to Gaines’ bill as purely political. HOUSE MEDIA SERVICES

efund the police” became a rallying cry at protests in the wake of last summer’s wave of killings of Black people at the hands of law enforcement, and Republican lawmakers are pressing ahead with a new bill intended to stop that cry from becoming reality in communities across Georgia. The bill, authored by state Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens), passed the Georgia House 101-69 on Feb. 24, largely along party lines. It aims to prevent cities and counties from reducing police budgets by more than 5% over a rolling 10-year period. It contains exemptions for cities and counties that experience unexpected revenue drops and for those where departments make large one-time purchases. “When a victim calls 911, we need quick response times,” Gaines said. “Defunding the police is a radical idea that will slow response times for victims and put our families and communities at risk.” The calls to redirect some police department funding grew after the 2020 killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks and other Black victims. Supporters of police reform argue that some money used for traditional policing could be better spent beefing up social services to respond when incidents result from a mental health crisis. Destruction and vandalism at summer protests, including in Atlanta, sparked outrage, and Republicans, including former President Donald Trump and former Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, sought in the 2020 election to paint their opponents as supporters of defunding police departments, although neither President Joe Biden, Sen. Raphael Warnock nor Sen. Jon Ossoff has called for cities and counties to cut police budgets. The lingering outrage spurred some

state, out of our schools, out of our cities, our communities, off our streets.” Democrats said Republicans were the ones pulling political stunts which would disproportionately harm minorities. “Republicans, you can continue to run these weird PR campaigns if you want to. Democrats will continue to press for justice,” said Decatur Democrat Renitta Shannon. Democratic lawmakers have filed bills calling for police reform measures, including expanded body camera use and more police training in de-escalation. All Georgians want to live in safe communities, but more police presence does not always make communities safer, said

Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens) speaks from the House well on Feb. 24.

“This is a politicalized issue,” said state Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell), who supported the bill. “And it’s politicalized because it plays to the base of one of the political parties. But at the end of the day, public safety is out there for both political parties, and it should serve both equally.” Local governments’ top priority should be to keep people safe, said Rep. David Knight, a Republican from Griffin. “This is a political ploy about the police being the enemy when, in fact, they are the ones out there defending, on the front line in the war on drugs, keeping drugs out of our

Rep. Bee Nguyen, an Atlanta Democrat. “It is the truth that we do not like to admit, but we have the statistics and the stories to show it: If you are Black or brown, whether armed or unarmed, you are more likely to be killed by law enforcement than [are] your white counterparts,” she said. “The calls for reimagining public safety are exactly about this.” Others called it an attempt to grab power from city councils and county commissions. “It is critically important that we do not forget that these local elected officials represent their communities in a

way that, candidly, we don’t,” said Rep. Teri Anulewicz, a Democrat from Smyrna and a former city council member there. “We all want to live in safe communities, and they are the people who best know how to keep these communities safe,” she added. “It is them, not us, who should be the ones who have the final purview over their municipal and county police department budgets.” Gaines said he supports local control, but lives are more important. “When we have local governments that are out of control and putting their lives at risk in our state, we have to step in,” he said. “I live in a community that has considered cutting 50% of its police budget. We have to step in. Lives are at risk in communities that are making those sorts of proposals.” The Athens-Clarke County Commission considered a measure last year to reduce its police budget by half over 10 years, but did not pass it, passing instead a budget that increased spending on police by about $1 million. The “Reimagine Police” plan proposed by commissioners Mariah Parker and Tim Denson would have gradually redirected police funding to social services. Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz opposes the bill because it would limit the ability of local government officials to do what they think is best for their constituents. “It’s nonsensical to me,” he said. “There’s no other operational and budget component of local government in which the General Assembly has made comparable moves. When it comes to road paving, when it comes to fire department activity, when it comes to the provision of homeless services, there is no other arena in which the General Assembly has said to 500-plus cities and 159 counties, ‘You’ve got to run your budget this way.’ I just see this as massive overreach.” Gaines’ legislation is opposed by the Georgia Municipal Association and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, which lobby the legislature on behalf of the state’s local governments. The Georgia Police Benevolent Association and the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association support the bill. f This article originally appeared in the Georgia Recorder at georgiarecorder.com.

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Out of This World MARS ROVER ILLUSTRATES THE WONDERS OF SPACE By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com Mars, the Red Planet, has fascinated humankind for millennia. The little world revealed more of its magic, mystery and majesty when an unmanned American spacecraft aptly named Perseverance made a gentle and on-target landing on the surface of Mars in February. Soon after the landing, Perseverance began sending back color images of the rocky Martian terrain, while a microphone on the robotic craft picked up the sounds of the wind on that tiny world. Scientists also hope to get a bird’s-eye view of the Martian surface by deploying a 4-pound helicopter drone called Ingenuity, carried to Mars aboard the Perseverance rover.

Sputnik satellite. By the 1960s, both the United States and the Soviet Union had attempted without success to send robotic spacecraft to Mars. Not until 1965 would Mars reveal some of its secrets when America’s tiny 575-pound probe, Mariner IV, flew past the planet and beamed back 22 grainy blackand-white photos of its cratered surface. In the decades that followed, other unmanned spacecraft from the United States and other countries would explore Mars, including two successful Viking landers that touched down on the planet in 1976 and a series of NASA rovers that have roamed the Martian landscape since the 1990s. Perseverance

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NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR LSGT! The rover Perseverance took this photo shortly after landing on Mars on Feb. 18.

Ancient Romans named Mars after their god of war because of its angry reddish color. The Italian astronomer Galileo first viewed the planet by telescope around 1610. Interest in the Red Planet peaked in the late 19th Century when a wealthy American named Percival Lowell built an observatory in Arizona dedicated to the study of Mars in an effort to discover signs of intelligent life there. In his book Mars as the Abode of Life, Lowell voiced his belief that Mars could be the home of an ancient and advanced civilization. In 1898, author H.G. Wells penned War of the Worlds, a fanciful account of an invasion of Earth by beings from Mars. Forty years later, in 1938, thousands of Americans were frightened by a radio broadcast of War of the Worlds in the form of a “breaking news” story. Science fiction magazines and stories like pioneering sci-fi writer Stanley Weinbaum’s 1934 publication of “A Martian Odyssey” kept Mars on the minds of Earthlings during the frightening times of the Great Depression and World War II. In the postwar 1950s, movies and television shows often featured monsters from Mars, but audiences also viewed a realistic depiction of astronauts voyaging to the Red Planet when Walt Disney aired a TV show called “Mars and Beyond” in December 1957— just two months after the Space Age began with the Soviet Union’s Earth-orbiting

and Ingenuity are just the latest in a long line of Earth’s electronic emissaries to our neighboring world. As humans explore Mars close up with color and sound, Ray Bradbury must be smiling in his grave. The beloved writer, who died in 2012 at the age of 91, brought fright and delight to millions with such works as Fahrenheit 451 and Something Wicked This Way Comes. He brought Mars down to Earth in the years after World War II with his publication of The Martian Chronicles, a series of stories about human flight to Mars. “Space travel will be just as silly, sad, exciting and wonderful as any other great human adventure,” said Bradbury. Scientists recognized Bradbury’s influence when spacecraft began to show the first clear views of the planet he had described in fiction. Bradbury was invited to the California control room during Mars missions in 1971 and 1976, and a digital copy of his Martian Chronicles was carried to the planet’s surface aboard a NASA lander in 2007. Another Mars landing site was named Bradbury Landing a few weeks after the writer’s 2012 death. Humans need a sense of beauty and wonder here on an Earth so often despoiled by human folly. Missions to Mars show that Ray Bradbury was right when he said, “If you enjoy living, it is not difficult to keep the sense of wonder.” f

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advice

hey, bonita…

Is My Boo Thoughtless or Depressed? ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com Dear Bonita, My boyfriend and I have been together for a year. Lately he’s been depressed because of the pandemic and normal difficult life stuff. I’m struggling, too—it seems like a lot of people are right now. I’m trying to be there for him, but it’s not working out. Admittedly, I’ve been catering to him to make him feel better, and it’s making me resent him. To top it off, I went all-out for Valentine’s Day, and this dude showed up having put zero thought into anything for me. He didn’t stop at a gas station and grab me some flowers. He didn’t write Happy Valentine’s Day on an old birthday card.

Seriously, nada. When I asked him what the deal was, he just shrugged and was like, “I can go get something now, I guess.” I’m not looking for the material aspect, just something to show that he thought about me. Seriously, it’s the thought that counts, but lately he has stopped trying altogether. It makes me feel stupid and bad about myself and naive. He says he doesn’t want to date anyone else, loves me, is sorry he’s disappointing, etc. Have I just coddled him to the point of helplessness while trying to be there for him? Is he just too depressed to function? (I think not, because he still handles the rest of his life seemingly OK.) Is this just a dude dropping off after a year ‘cause he’s not trying to impress me anymore? Should I just leave it be and hope he gets better and back to the previously legit boyfriend he was? At The End Of My Rope Hey there ATEOMR, I’m not a mental health professional, but I do have a couple of my own diagnoses, one of which includes major depression. My personal experience tells me that your boyfriend is definitely displaying signs of depression, and I’m curious if he showed a more understated version of these signs before isolation began last year. And be careful with how you picture depression playing out in a personal life. You seem doubtful that he may be truly depressed

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because he’s managing “the rest of his life” just fine. Are you sure of that? I have fulltime employment, and I’ve been writing this column for five years, rarely ever missing a week. I keep my lights on and earn a livelihood, all while having major depression, and while I’m able to take care of my very basic human needs (food and shelter), I am also currently unable to find the passion to take up many of my lifelong hobbies. To put it simply, I’m tired, and I don’t want to. But I know that’s my depression talking and not a genuine lack of interest in these things. I’ve always loved exercise and writing fiction,

but when my brain decides that nothing matters and all things are boring, my hobbies are the first things to go. Don’t look at your boyfriend’s GPA or his work schedule as evidence of a healthy mental state. You seem pretty over it at this point, but I don’t think all hope is lost. Y’all know I’m not afraid to tell anyone to walk away from a crappy situation, but I think that there’s a chance that he could bounce back with proper support. You’re right, pretty much everyone is bummed right now, but therapists exist to help us during times like these. Nudge him towards counseling, which is heavily subsidized in Athens and easy to do remotely. If you’re UGA students, then reach out to Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS), and if you’re townies, I recommend starting with Family Counseling Services of Athens or the Center for Wellbeing. I don’t get the sense that he’s falling out of love with you, but that life is just hard to live through right now. A few weeks of therapy would help him to figure out what exactly is stuck in his craw, and it would also give you time to determine if this is really the end of your relationship or if your boo is just a depressed person whose mental condition is being triggered into actualization by current events. 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 “#NotA Stereotype,” 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 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 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 seeks submissions. Artists may submit up to three works in any medium. Prizes awarded. Online submissions due Mar. 12. Exhibition runs Apr. 17–May 29. $30–40. www.ocaf. com/call-for-art

Classes ART CLASSES (Lyndon House Arts Center) “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. 706-613-3623 ART CLASSES (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) “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

art around town ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) Jacob Wenzka’s solo show “Ecumenopolis” features paintings and drawings inspired by the idea of a “world city” where giant cities have fused together to cover an entire planet. Through April. 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. CREATURE COMFORTS BREWING CO. (271 W. Hancock Ave.) “Tender Wild” includes 12 new paintings on wood panel by Marisa Leilani Mustard. Through Mar. 28. 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.) “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. • “Extra Ordinary: Magic, Mystery and Imagination in American Realism.” Through June 13. • “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. GLASSCUBE 2 INDIGO (500 College Ave.) Funded by an Arts in Community award from the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission, Jaime Bull’s “Diorama” reimagines natural history museum displays through large-scale assemblages of 1980s wicker furniture graffitied in psychedelic colors. Closing event Apr. 15 at 6 p.m. LAMAR DODD SCHOOL OF ART (270 River Rd.) John Douglas Powers, the inaugural recipient of the Margie E. West Prize, presents a site-specific kinetic sculpture and video installation. Mar. 4–Apr. 2. 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 bodies 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

DIVINATION BY THROWING BONES WORKSHOP (Margo Metaphysical) Learn the ancient form of divination of bone casting in this two-hour workshop. Comes with a mini bone kit. Apr. 25, 1 p.m. $25. www.atalantamoonfire.com GROW YOUR BUSINESS WORKSHOP (Online or West Broad Community Garden) Athens Land Trust hosts a course designed to help budding entrepreneurs develop their businesses. The program features speakers, lectures, in-class work and individual coaching. Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m., Mar. 24–Apr. 28 (Online) or Saturdays at 2:30 p.m., Mar. 27–May 1 (In Person). FREE! ellie@athenslandtrust. org, www.athenslandtrust.org 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, marina bilbao75@gmail.com, marinaspain-2020.squarespace.com

Chanara Andrews-Bickers, a doctoral student, curated the Special Collections Libraries’ exhibit “Making Space: Fighting for Inclusion, Building Community at UGA,” which chronicles the journey of students advocating for a more inclusive learning environment over the past six decades. “Making Space” will remain on view through July 2. YAMUNA AND MORE (Elevate Athens, Online) Nia Holistic Fitness 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. www.revolutiontherapyandyoga.com ZOOM YOGA (Online) Rev. Elizabeth Alder offers “Off the Floor Yoga”

photography of protests and rallies featuring the work of Penny Noah with Nathaniel Burkins, Lucy Calhoun and Sean Dunn. Through Apr. 10. MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison) “The 125th Anniversary Exhibition: Celebrating the Home of the MadisonMorgan Cultural Center” explores the Romanesque Revival building that was built as a graded schoolhouse in 1895 and became a regional cultural center in 1976. Through June. MASON-SCHARFENSTEIN MUSEUM OF ART (567 Georgia Street, Demorest) “Marie T. Cochran: Notes on an Affrilachian daughter in the era of COVID-19.” Through Mar. 25. OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville) A Pottery Pop-up Sale features a rotating selection of handmade ceramics by regional artists. New potters go on view every two weeks. A. Stocker, Knox Steinbrecher, Marsha Murray, Monte Broaded, Eleanor Broaded, Nancy Mehrpad, Marcia Scroggs and Carolyn Simmons are on view through Mar. 13. • The annual Youth Art Month Exhibit features pieces by students attending public and private schools in Oconee County. Opening reception Mar. 5, 3–5 p.m. Through Mar. 26. 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. Student artwork inspired by the exhibition is also on view. Through Apr. 22. SURGERY CENTER OF ATHENS (2142 W. Broad St.) Paintings by Dortha Jacobson. Through Apr. 16. 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.) “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” chronicles the journey of students advocating for racial and social justice on campus. 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.

FLAGPOLE.COM | MARCH 3, 2021

(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 ART EVENTS (Georgia Museum of Art) “Curator Talk: Russian Art from the Collection of the Georgia Museum of Art,” Mar. 4 at 1 p.m. “Morning Mindfulness via Zoom,” Mar. 5 at 9:30 a.m. Dana Bultman presents “Power and Piety in 17th-Century Spanish Art,” Mar. 10 at 2 p.m. Jerushia Graham leads “Artmaking Workshop: Emma Amos-Inspired Monoprints” on Mar. 13 at 1 p.m. $20. 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 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 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. www.sobrewco.com COOL POOL PLUNGE (YWCO) Kick-off the grand reopening of the YWCO pool with the Cool Pool Plunge, where brave swimmers can jump into 60 degree water. Mar. 6, 2 p.m. $10. www.ywco.org DINNER AND A SHOW (Hendershot’s Coffee) Live music and dinner with The Plate Sale every Friday and Saturday. The lineup includes Jonathan Byrd on Mar. 12–13, CLOUDS on Mar. 19–20 and Grassland String Band

on Mar. 26–27. Visit website to reserve your seat. www.hendershots athens.com FOR ASHA, WITH HOPE (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art) LeeAnn Peppers presents a screening party for her collaborative project through which local artists created music videos for tracks off her album. Mar. 6, 7 p.m. www. athica.org FRIENDS OF THE OGLETHORPE COUNTY LIBRARY SATELLITE BOOK SALE (No. 3 Railroad, Arnoldsville) Held the first Saturday of the month. Mar. 6, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. www.3railroad.org GLOBAL GEORGIA INITIATIVE EVENTS (Online) “Searching for Home: Africans in Europe” with author Helon Habila, Mar. 4 at 4 p.m. “Reading & Conversation with Leanne Howe and U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo,” Mar. 10 at 4 p.m. “Writing Socially Engaged Fiction” with Megha Majumdar, Mar. 18 at 4 p.m. “Translation as a Literary Trope” with Jee Leong Koh, Mar. 25 at 4:30 p.m. willson. uga.edu 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 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 LIVE MUSIC AT ATHENTIC (Athentic Brewing) Alma Russ performs Mar. 13, 6–9 p.m. Katalysst performs Mar. 19, 6–8 p.m. Julia Ryan performs Mar. 27, 6–9 p.m. www. athenticbrewing.com/events MARCH FOR MEALS 5K (Athens, GA) Athens Community Council on Aging presents a virtual 5K from Mar. 21–27. Proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels. accaging.org MISERY (Online) Athens Creative Theatre presents a live-streamed production of Misery by William Goldman based on the novel by Stephen King. Mar. 5–6, 7 p.m. $6. www.accgovga.myrec.com PILSNERS ON THE PATIO ART MARKET (Athentic Brewing) Check out vendors, performances, food and more during an outdoor market. Mar. 6, 12–6 p.m. www.athentic brewing.com

SATURDAYS WITH JAY (Liberty Field, 581 Harris St.) Jay Gonzalez will play two outdoor shows. Tickets are sold in pod spaces of two, four or six people. Mar. 6, 2 p.m. & 5 p.m.. jaygonzalezmusic@gmail. com, www.jaygonzalez.com/shows 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 ST. JOE’S JOG 5K & FUN RUN (Virtual) All participants receive a T-shirt and medal. Register online. Mar. 19–27. $30. www.active.com, www.sjsathens.org TOASTMASTERS CLUBS (Online) Athens Toastmasters Club, Classic City Toastmasters and Greene County Toastmasters host a virtual open house with guest speakers. The theme is “The World is Changing, How About You?” Mar. 7, 2 p.m. vppr-1779@toastmasters clubs.org UGA THEATRE (Online) Here’s Where I Stand: A Musical Cabaret explores the songs that have gotten people through the ongoing pandemic and political unrest. Mar. 2–5, 8 p.m. The Black Theatrical Ensemble presents In the Moment, a collection of musical, performance and visual arts expressing students’ experiences. Mar. 8–10, 8 p.m. The Mountaintop is inspired by events following Martin Luther King’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. Mar. 11–13, 8 p.m. www.ugatheatre.com 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 ZINE NIGHT (Finley Light Factory) This zine and art market features local artists. Follow @finleylightfactory on Instagram for participating artists and updates. Mar. 13, 5–9 p.m. $2.

Kidstuff 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 picture books (Mar. 5) and chapter books (Mar. 12) are held at 2 p.m. “Virtual Science with Ms. Kay” features eggciting eggsperiments for ages 4–7 on Mar. 3 at 3 p.m. “Grab & Go Kit for TWeens: Planetary Lights” offers pick up for supplies Mar. 4–5 and a tutorial Mar. 5 at 7 p.m. www. athenslibrary.org EASTER DRIVE-THRU EGGSTRAVAGANZA (The Village at Franklin Grove, Bogart) Hop in your car, bring a basket and drive through the parking lot to receive eggs and goodies. The event includes craft kits from Treehouse Kid & Craft,

an appearance by the Easter Bunny and friends, photos and more. Mar. 20, 2–5 p.m. $10/car. www.athens. macaronikid.com 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, plus college students and adult learners. Daily, 2–9 p.m. www.athenslibrary. org VIRTUAL SUMMER CAMPS (Treehouse Kid and Craft) Camp themes include woodland fairy and gnomes, textile and fiber arts, circus, pen pals, mini museum, rebel girls, flower gardens and more. Register online. $200/camp. 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 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 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 SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) (Email for Location) Athens Downtown SAA offers a message of hope to anyone who suffers from a compulsive sexual behavior. www.athensdowntownsaa. com 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 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@cornholeatl.com TIRE AMNESTY WEEK (ACC Landfill, CHaRM) Bring up to six tires to either facility free of charge. Through Mar. 6. www.accgov.com/ landfill, www.accgov.com/charm VIC CHESTNUT SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD (Athens, GA) The Classic City Rotary is now accepting nominations for local musicians in the categories of “career” and “play for fun.” Deadline Mar. 22. Awards event May 6 at Creature Comforts. www. vicchesnuttaward.com f

music

threats & promises

Ice Cream Larry’s Instrumental Rock PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM: I don’t even care that they took their

name from a children’s book because, at least for this week, not a single band/project in Athens is going to have a better name than Ice Cream Larry. These dudes just released an all-instrumental collection of six tracks named New Dad is on the Roof, Long Live New Dad. All in all, it’s a decently rockin’ set with shades of Seam (“The Lincolnshire Poacher”) and Polvo (“Nix Rejection,” “Righteous Cowboy”), and the slightest slice of October-era U2 (“Christian Stole A Service Animal”). The band notes that these tracks were all recorded remotely. They also say that if you download this set, you’ll get liner notes and “two activity pages so the whole family can enjoy the Ice Cream Larry experience.” I did not do this, but if you choose to, here’s to your enjoying the experience. Stream along at icecreamlarry.bandcamp.com. SET A REMINDER: This is just

a friendly heads up that Bandcamp, the platform upon which so many of these Athens records you read about here are hosted, is waiving its share of revenue again Friday, March 5. That means 100% of your purchase price that day goes to the artists. Bandcamp fees are already among the most reasonable around, but this sweetens the pot. Please note that the 24-hour period begins and ends at midnight Pacific Time. GANG GANG: It’s been nearly four years since we heard any

new music from Jock Gang, and it’s gonna be a little longer. That said, the group did release a five-song EP of older, unreleased (aka new to us) stuff last week named Delayed Release Capsule. These five tracks represent the group across a few years with slightly varying lineups, the only constants being Kimberly and Jared Collins. It’s unclear why these songs weren’t included on any other releases, because they’re just as good as anything Jock Gang ever did and hold up well as a stand-alone collection. Quite often, Jock Gang tunes operate via Coco Chanel’s dictum of looking in the mirror and taking one thing off before leaving the house. This is what makes songs like the supremely catchy “To Love” sound complete and confident, as well as lending thoughtful charm to the chime-only “OIOIOIO.” The first track here, titled “August 2017,” is a collapsing yet earworm-worthy cover of Japanese band Les Rallizes Dénudés’ song “Night of The Assassins,” which

is constructed entirely atop the bassline of Little Peggy March’s 1963 hit “I Will Follow Him.” In other news, the band is now composed of the aforementioned Collinses plus Jared’s brother Joel, as well as Will Hefner of Athens band Hefner. With the new lineup wanting to clear the decks for new work, it is unlikely that any additional old material will be released. So head to jock-gang.bandcamp.com to hear this and let ‘em know what you think at facebook.com/ jockgangband. ANOTHER JOJO OCCASION: While

we were late on the uptake last week, there’s enough time left to mention that Widespread Panic’s JoJo Hermann has two shows remaining in his current incarnation of “Shut Up and Play” shows broadcast live from East Nashville’s The Purple Building. The livestreamed shows are free and will take place on consecutive Thursdays, Mar. 4 and 11. While there is no admission charge, donations are being accepted for the benefit of Nuçi’s Space. The streams will happen on Widespread Panic’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as on The Purple Building’s Twitch channel at twitch.tv/ purplebuildinglive/videos. For more information, please see widespreadpanic.com. WANNA BUY A VOWEL?: The new of Montreal album I Feel

Safe With You, Trash is out Mar. 5. Weighing in at a hefty 20 songs, it’s twice as long as last year’s UR Fun but was similarly produced, with founder Kevin Barnes handling all aspects of writing, performing, producing, mixing, etc. Among the tracks available pre-release are the shapeshifting and soul-punched “Fingerless GlOves” (stylized in the original) and meditative revolving door jammer “Kcrraannnggaanngg!!” (Yep, again, in the original). Find this and dig in at ofmontreal.bandcamp.com.

LONG LEAD: The second single from the upcoming Pink Stones LP is out now. Named “Shiny Bone,” it’s a very slow-paced, extrospective look at the Pushmi-Pullyu nature of some relationships. It ends on a much darker note than anticipated, though, and I won’t ruin that for you. You can hear it at thepinkstones.bandcamp.com. The band’s Normaltown Records debut, Introducing… The Pink Stones comes out Friday, Apr. 9. f

record review Pilgrim: Neverland (Trajectory Records) Following a 2014 self-titled debut, Pilgrim’s sophomore album, Neverland, sees songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Paul McHugh joined by bassist Bryan Howard, guitarist Richard Mikulka, drummer Jim Wilson and backing vocalist Vaughn Lamb. The opening title track sets the scene in a music town that holds an illusion of everlasting youth, chugging along through the gritty nightlife with a hardened exterior yet winking self-awareness. After this first impression—not unlike meeting someone at a bar, then getting to know them better once their guard is down—McHugh really finds his stride with Neil Young-like narrations over rock-and-roll songs that shine brightest when the keyboard is given space to run wild. “Night After Night” and standout track “La La Laa,” both inspired by touring, capture the weariness and sacrifice that come with the territory of life on the road but lyrically elevate friendships and memories to be irrefutably worthwhile. After his countless nights touring with The Drive-By Truckers as a crew member, it makes sense that the Southern rock band would’ve made a lasting impression on McHugh’s style, and Heathens will surely find a lot to like here. [Jessica Smith]

MARCH 3, 2021 | FLAGPOLE.COM

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flagpole

SUDOKU

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Difficulty: Easy

9 2 5 7 2 4

HOW THE MORTON THEATRE CORPORATION HAS AMPLIFIED BLACK LIVES MATTER By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com

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 3 by 3 boxes must contain Week 3/1/211- to 3/7/21 the of numbers 9.

The Weekly Crossword 2

by Margie E. Burke 9

Solution to Sudoku: 23

5 9 7 2 1 3 6 53 4 8

28 1 4 2 6 8 9 49 7 5 3

7 2 8 4 5 45 6 9 3 1

9 5 438 142 3 7 8 6 2

6 8 33 3 37 5 41 7 44 4 1 52 2 59 9

3 4 2 298 6 1343 7 139 5 9 6 8 3 7 9 9 6 4 2 46 2 8 1 5 50 4 2 5 3 7 9 8 541 560 7 6 4

art notes

Defiance Project Awards

arts & culture

22 25 30 35

36 40 43 47

51 55

ACROSS 1 Boat's berth 46 Tactful 5 Part of a repair 49 Koontz creation bill 51 Within earshot 10 Skewed view 52 Ivory tower 14 Multinational inhabitant money 55 Etsy wares 15 Come about 59 Piercing site 16 A while ago 60 Assessment 17 Flashcards 62 Chutzpah subject 63 Now or _____ 19 Kind of ID 64 Edit menu choice 20 Renter 65 Gives the 21 Courting music heave-ho 23 Put up, as a 66 WTO's concern picture 67 Pound sound 25 Flinch, say 26 Varied 30 Biased against DOWN seniors 1 Close, as an 33 Bird feeder filler envelope 34 Small sample 2 Tackle box item 36 80's group who 3 Blue flower sang "Take On 4 Cheap insult Me" 5 Sing the blues 37 Melville setting 6 You-here link 38 Talk like Porky 7 Tiny amounts Pig 8 Willow for 40 Slot machine icon basketmaking 41 Pop-ups, e.g. 9 Craft anew 42 Cheyenne shelter 10 Pep in one's step 43 Ticklish Muppet 11 Impossible to fill 44 Navy clerk 12 Got an A+ on

13 18 22 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 35 38 39 43 45 47 48 50 52 53 54 56 57 58 61

Parched Try, as a case Raring to go ____ and go Test, as ore Glove leather Like some temperatures Old-fashioned Cause of a red face Medium's card Oktoberfest souvenir Forestall, with "off" Urban housing Mistake in print Runway figures Safe from hackers "Fame" singer Fare with onions Aquatic plant TV cable, for short Spanish sparkling wine Monetary penalty Type of list Winter coat? Conducted

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

Along with the majority of performance venues across the characterization in film; he instead places African-American country, the historic Morton Theatre closed at the beginprotagonists at the center of complex stories. ning of the pandemic and has yet to reopen to the public. Currently a faculty member at UGA’s Department of Monroe Bowers “Pink” Morton built the theater, and it is Dance, Jason Aryeh is a dancer, choreographer and histoone of the oldest surviving vaudeville theaters in the U.S. rian from the coastal area of Ghana. He shares his unique built, owned and operated by an African American. The perspective and research through “The Journey Revisited,” Morton has been a staple of the Hot Corner community for a dance performance that interprets the journey from the past 110 years. Ghana’s slave castles to America during the trans-Atlantic Finding a new way to amplify the voices of local Black slave trade. and African American-identifying artists, the nonprofit Morton Theatre Corporation established the Defiance Project Awards in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Organized by programming committee chair Thomas Brazzle, an actor who also writes and directs with his production company Whet Ink, the Defiance Project Awards provided $500 grants to works that document or explore the Black Lives Matter movement or the everyday experiences of Black Americans. The 10 selected projects employ visual art, film, dance, spoken word and music to collectively narrate the current social and political climate. Hip-hop artist Kxng Blanco’s track “Scared” opens up a dialogue on police brutality and how it disproportionally affects the Black population. Inspired by a real-life experience in which he was approached by an officer while sitting in his car after a studio session, the music video encapsulates the feelings of fear, horror and anguish that so often flash through the minds of Black individuals as they are confronted by police. Incorporating a 1950s-inspired beat and “Moonlit Stars Matter” by Noraa James was selected to receive a Defiance Project Award. images from both the civil rights and Black Lives Matter movements, hip-hop artist Cassie Chantel builds a parallel between the generations in Actor Daisean Garrett’s black-and-white video “How the song “Ms. America.” Chantel, whose portrait appears Could You” is an evocative compilation that grapples with on the cover of Flagpole this week, personifies the United the age-old question. As each person takes a turn to speak States as a toxic lover to African Americans on the track. to the camera, racist, discriminatory, violent and complicit Metaphorically exploring the complex relationship, she illu- behaviors are called out one by one. minates patterns of inequality and injustice. Turning to address the Black audience, Robby Myles “‘Ms. America’ was written so that I wouldn’t cry, essenpresents “Krowned,” a short film intended to reassure and tially,” says Chantel. “So much violence towards my commotivate listeners to honor their ancestors and celebrate munity was happening back to back. At the time, I lived less their cultural legacy. Merging his backgrounds in theater than half a mile from the Wendy’s where Rayshard Brooks and music, the film combines spoken word narration with was murdered. I literally heard the helicopters and police footage from the Atlanta Artist Solidarity March, which sirens through the night but didn’t know what it was for was organized by Black Leaders Advocating for Cultural until the next morning. I felt like I had to do something. Theater in June 2020. This was my effort to raise awareness, and I’m happy that Visual artists Noraa James and Broderick Flanigan both it’s still gaining new legs.” celebrate the beauty and vitality of Black culture through Similarly sequencing footage from demonstrations, their projects. Partially inspired by Tarell Alvin McCraney’s “C.S.—A Story That Mattered” is a monologue and vocal semi-autobiographical play In Moonlight Black Boys Look performance by Camilla Sims, an R&B musician who perBlue, which was adapted for the 2016 film Moonlight, forms under the moniker Convict Julie. Following the May James’ digitally drawn portrait, “Moonlit Stars Matter,” 31 protest at which peaceful protesters were tear gassed by depicts a group of Black men posed among planetary bodthe Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Sims pivoted ies, their skin subtly flecked with stars. Through the lens of from performance to activism and continued demonstratAfrofuturism, the figures tap into an elemental sublimity ing at the UGA Arch for the next 100 days. that transcends time and space. In another video work called “Normal Adjacent,” Jas In Flanigan’s painting, figures dance with outstretched Anderson reflects on how identity and everyday experiarms while an upside-down American flag—a symbol of ences can be shaped by language, media and the percepdistress, danger or protest—hangs in the background. tion of others. With a slice-of-life documentary approach, Whether through his business, Flanigan’s Portrait Studio, Anderson and her sister candidly discuss how self-concept or the mural arts program, HARPS (Helping Art Reach is challenged by the world around them. Public Spaces), Flanigan’s work is guided by the beliefs Taking a critical look at the racial inequities of the justice that art is a vehicle to inspire change, art holds therapeutic system, Booker T. Mattison’s short film “Bird” follows a col- power, and art empowers people. lege track star whose training for the Olympics is derailed Starting this month, the Defiance Projects can be viewed by a false accusation and subsequent imprisonment. in their entirety through a digital showcase on mortontheMattison, an author, filmmaker and assistant professor of atre.com. Supplementary interviews with grant recipients entertainment and media studies at UGA, uses his work will reveal the ideas, experiences and goals behind each to combat negative imagery that has come to define Black creative work. f

MARCH 3, 2021 | FLAGPOLE.COM

Nominations Open for the 2021

Vic Chesnutt

Songwriter of the Year Award!

Classic City Rotary announces the 5th annual call for nominations for this award, named in honor of the internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter from Athens, Vic Chesnutt. The 2021 nominations will be accepted for two categories: “career” and “play for fun”, and two Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year prizes will be awarded this year. The winner in each category receives $1,000 and each finalist receives $250. The “career” winner also receives publicity and a radio promotion campaign, courtesy of Team Clermont. The “play for fun” winner receives studio recording time from Amplify at Nuci’s Space. All finalists will perform during an evening of live music at the awards event at Creature Comforts downtown on Thursday, May 6.

Nominations will be accepted through March 22nd for songwriters living in Athens or a contiguous county who publicly released a song through any medium in 2020. See full details, nomination criteria, and a link to the nomination submission page at www.vicchesnuttaward.com.

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CMY