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contents

this week’s issue TYLER WILKINS / FILE

Monday–Saturday 10:00a.m.–7:00p.m.

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Gov. Brian Kemp used a Winterville drop box to vote absentee last November—something that would be illegal under the voting law he signed last week.

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

Why Is It So Hard to Get Vaccinated?

Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Pub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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

Georgia Makes It Harder to Vote NEWS: Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Athens Republicans Make a Power Play

Curb Your Appetite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Hey, Bonita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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

UGA Is in the Rap Game

Record Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

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Democracy on Life Support PLUS, THE SLOW VACCINE ROLLOUT AND MORE LOCAL NEWS

By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com “Our democracy is in a 911 emergency,” Sen. Raphael Warnock declared after Republican legislators pushed through and Gov. Brian Kemp quickly signed a law throwing up roadblocks for absentee voting—a response to Warnock, Sen. Jon Ossoff and President Biden tipping Georgia blue for the first time in 18 years.

Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Tim Denson, the chairman of the ACC Democratic Committee, was equally direct: “Let’s be clear, this bill is just trying to repackage voter suppression tactics as ‘solutions’ to problems that never existed.

Those who supported and voted for this law are carrying on the Jim Crow traditions of voter suppression passed on by George Wallace, Herman Talmadge, Strom Thurmond and Richard Russell.”

Talmadge and Russell were segregationist senators from Georgia who routinely blocked civil rights legislation until the mid-1960s. Today, Republican senators are threatening to use the filibuster once again to block legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. “I am not about to be stopped or stymied by debates about Senate rules,” Warnock said. “It is a contradiction to say we must protect minority rights in the senate while right now here in Georgia they are trying to crush minority rights in society.”

Not only does Senate Bill 202 take Georgia backward, but it is also unnecessary. The ACC Board of Elections passed a resolution opposing the bill on Mar. 22— three days before the legislature passed and Kemp signed it. The resolution noted that Athens’ 51,333 November ballots were counted three times, and no errors were found. Nor did registrars receive any complaints about fraud, malfeasance or impropriety in either November or January.

In a sign of the times, that resolution was approved by all four Democratic and nonpartisan members of the board, with Republican appointee Ann Till abstaining.

Now that SB 202 is law, the locally appointed Board of Elections may no longer have a role to play in overseeing local elections. One provision in the law allows the state to take over local boards of elections.

“This creates a number of conflicts of interest and opens the door for corruption and retaliation from elected officials who are unsuccessful in their re-elections,” Denson said. The goal here, of course, is to make sure that elected officials—at least the Republican ones—are successful in their re-elections.

Read more about SB 202 in a Georgia Recorder feature on p. 5 and Pub Notes on p. 7.

Commissioner Criticizes Vaccine Rollout Why is it so hard to get an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination in Athens?

Like many residents, Athens-Clarke County Commissioner Melissa Link wants to know.

Link criticized health officials at a local Board of Health meeting last week for what she perceived as a slow rollout of COVID-19

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vaccines in Athens. Vaccine appointments are hard to come by in Athens, she said, forcing residents to drive to a mass vaccination site in Habersham County an hour away, or to Oglethorpe County, where the health department has organized mass vaccination events. “I really only know three or four people who’ve gotten the vaccine in town, and when people go to Habersham or Oglethorpe, they talk about how many folks they saw from Athens,” she said.

This makes it especially difficult for people who don’t have cars or people like the elderly who can’t drive, Link said. “No one should have to leave the county to get a vaccine within a reasonable period of time, and everyone should have the means to get a vaccine without an automobile,” she said.

Stephen Goggans, director of the 10-county Northeast Health District, defended its vaccine distribution. Athens has received half the shots allocated to the district, which is “more than a proportional share,” he said, and the Clarke County Health Department is vaccinating 2,0002,500 people a day. “There may be people going to Oglethorpe County, but the issue isn’t that we’re not doing enough in Clarke,” Goggans said. “We are fully deploying everybody [who works for] the district with a ton of volunteers.”

When Link asked why Athens doesn’t have a mass vaccination site like the one in Clarkesville, Goggans said that those sites were set up by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, not the Department of Public Health. He said he was told that GEMA chose places that are undervaccinated to try to fill in gaps.

Other GEMA-run sites are in Hapeville and Cartersville outside of Atlanta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah, Sandersville, Waycross and Albany. Earlier this month, Gov. Brian Kemp urged Atlanta residents clamoring for the vaccine to drive to Albany, where demand is low, but he’s since directed more shots to North Georgia.

One problem is that the district has seen a lot of no-shows because people are “shopping around,” making multiple appointments and then skipping all but one, said District Administrator Emily Eisenman. She said the district also sees surges whenever Kemp eases restrictions on who can get the vaccine, as he did Mar. 25, when he opened it up to everyone over age 16.

Link also pressed public health officials to talk to the University of Georgia about vaccinating students, especially now that Kemp is allowing bars to open at full capacity, rather than 35% or 50 people. “Those students are the ones engaging in risky behavior,” she said. “If they don’t get vaccinated, and they start spreading around new variants, we’re screwed.” She is concerned about service industry workers, too, she added.

Scientists say that current vaccines are effective against coronavirus variants that have emerged so far, but they might not be against future variants.

UGA reported just 25 positive tests among students for the week of Mar.

FLAGPOLE.COM | MARCH 31, 2021

21. The total of 32, including seven staff members and no faculty members, was the lowest number since UGA began testing in August. However, surveillance testing is down recently, contributing to lower totals, and many people have questioned how much students are actually using the DawgCheck self-reporting app.

Commissioner Allison Wright asked when Athens will be getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in addition to the Pfizer and Moderna versions that are more widely available. The district has received one shipment of 1,500 shots and another is expected in April, Goggans said. Because the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is only one shot, it’s being reserved for mobile clinics to avoid having to schedule a follow-up visit, he said.

In contrast to Link, Wright complimented health officials’ work on vaccinations. “The speed with which you’ve gotten it into arms compared to when it came to the state, I’m impressed,” Wright said.

Budget Proposal Includes Tax Hike ACC commissioners balked last week at Manager Blaine Williams’ suggestion that they raise property taxes slightly to help close a projected budget deficit.

Williams’ proposed $150 million 2022 operating budget—presented during the “big rocks” budget work session Mar. 24—is about $10 million higher than fiscal 2021’s.

It includes raises for county employees, especially in public safety; more mental health co-responders; rising health-care and pension costs; and contributions to a neglected fund for replacing government vehicles. Nevertheless, he called the budget a conservative one, noting that he received requests for $43 million in capital projects alone, along with 36 new positions. He is recommending creating 12.

The biggest single request was $16 million from the Fire Department to rebuild Fire Station 1 off College Avenue. That project didn’t make it through the SPLOST 2020 selection process, and Williams recommended waiting until the next round of SPLOST.

Some of the approximately $30 million ACC is supposed to receive by mid-May from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan could help backfill the budget, but until the money is in hand, Williams said he’s not including it in his budget proposal. For now, he’s recommending that the commission increase property taxes by 0.6 mills, or about $40 for the owner of a $177,000 home, the median value in Athens. That would raise about $3 million, making up for anticipated declines in revenue from fees for services and fines and forfeitures. Higher property values— even if the tax rate stays the same—are expected to drive up revenue by at least $4 million, and sales tax revenue is projected to rise by $1 million. Williams said he would dip into the county’s healthy reserve fund to cover the remaining deficit.

Commissioner Ovita Thornton expressed concern about raising property taxes, and Link agreed. “I don’t think there’s going to be any appetite out there in the wake of a pandemic for a property tax increase,” Link said.

ACC officials start the budget process in the fall, when department heads and government-funded outside agencies submit requests, and commissioners set goals and objectives for the coming year. This year, the commission’s priorities include homelessness and affordable housing, community engagement, criminal justice reform and workforce development. To that end, Williams has proposed adding a community engagement specialist to the Public Information Office and a homeless specialist to the Housing and Community Development Department, continuing the Community Corps implemented last year that hires and trains local residents for beautification projects, the four new mental health co-responder teams in the police department, and raises for public safety employees to attract and retain them.

The “big rocks” meeting allows commissioners to give Williams feedback before Mayor Kelly Girtz formally proposes a budget in April. That will be followed by further work sessions in May before it’s approved in June. f

news

feature

Kemp Signs Voting Law RESTRICTIONS ON ABSENTEE VOTING WILL WIND UP IN COURT

By Stanley Dunlap news@flagpole.com

R

epublican Gov. Brian Kemp signed off last week on an overhaul of Georgia’s new voting laws that limit absentee voting with partisan support and an acknowledgment that courts will decide if new restrictions are legal.

After signing Senate Bill 202 into law Mar. 25, Kemp referenced litigation that he anticipates is forthcoming over changes to early and absentee voting and a slew of

worth all of that and more.”

As Kemp signed the bill in his office, state troopers arrested Rep. Park Cannon, a Black woman, for knocking on the door and asking to watch, then dragged her out of the Capitol.

The nearly 100-page bill is a combination of sweeping House and Senate bills and other more minor legislation introduced this session, as Republican lawmakers followed through on their pledge to revamp elections.

Opponents called out the bill for restricting drop boxes to inside early voting locations except during a public health emergency, punishing people for casting out-ofprecinct provisional ballots, and making it a crime to pass out water and snacks while voters wait in lines. President Joe Biden called the GOP voting proposals Gov. Brian Kemp shakes hands with House Speaker David Ralston after moving through state signing SB 202. houses like Georgia’s “un-American” other election laws. A lawsuit was quickly and “sick” during a press conference last filed on behalf of voting rights groups the Thursday.

New Georgia Project, Black Voters Matter Over recent weeks, GOP leaders made Fund and Rise that challenges the new some concessions that included not moving voting restrictions, such as identification forward with banning Sunday voting, as requirements to cast an absentee ballot and well as abandoning a proposal to end the a ban on distributing water and snacks to no-excuse absentee law after a record 1.3 voters waiting in line. Democratic U.S. Rep. million Georgians voted absentee in the Nikema Williams and state House Minority general election.

Leader James Beverly said the party plans In recent months, Georgia became to legally challenge efforts they say will sigthe subject of national controversy for nificantly disenfranchise many Georgians, its flurry of proposed voting restrictions predominantly minority voters, the disthat follow baseless complaints of election abled and seniors. irregularities peddled by former President Republicans sold the legislation as makDonald Trump and many supporters after ing absentee drop boxes permanent for losing the November election to Biden by the first time, adding new vote-by-mail ID 12,000 votes. Georgia’s 2020 election cycle requirements and an extra weekend votwas the most secure in the state’s history, ing day, and requiring more public notice according to GOP Secretary of State Brad when polling locations are changed. Kemp Raffensperger. Biden’s victory was consaid the legislation is a significant step firmed by machine and hand recounts three in reforming elections after an array of times. “alarming problems” occurred in last year’s Republican Sen. Max Burns, a Sylvania elections.

Republican, mentioned the absentee ballot Kemp served as secretary of state when process’ validity as a chief concern that the he won a closely contested 2018 guberlegislation tackles. However, a Cobb County natorial election over Stacey Abrams, the signature audit of thousands of absentee founder of Fair Fight and a staunch critic of ballot signatures conducted by the GBI SB 202. “According to them, if you believe uncovered “no fraud.” in protecting the security and sanctity of Sen. Jen Jordan, an Atlanta Democrat the ballot box, you’re a ‘Jim Crow in a suit and attorney, said taxpayers will end up and tie,’” Kemp said shortly after signing fronting expensive litigation costs and local the legislation into law. “I’ve fought these counties will have to incur more expenses partisan activists tooth-and-nail for over 10 to run elections. “Your local folks are going years to keep our elections secure, accessito have no idea what’s going on, and not ble and fair. Like before, I’m sure they will only that, but it’s gonna cost tons and tons threaten to boycott, sue, demonize and of money,” she said. f team up with their friends in the national A version of this article originally appeared in the media to call me everything in the book.

Georgia Recorder at georgiarecorder.com But fighting for free and fair elections is

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SEND YOUR LETTERS TO P. O. BOX 1027, ATHENS, GA 30603 OR EMAIL US AT LETTERS@FLAGPOLE.COM

Bill Would Hinder Athens’ Fight Against Climate Change We are doing our part in Athens fighting climate change and transitioning to 100% renewable energy. We passed a resolution in June 2019 to transition to 100% green energy within the county government by 2035 and within the larger community by 2050. We committed $15.6 million to make that transition when we passed SPLOST 2020. Our local government is about to pass a new, greener building code for public projects. Now, a citizen committee is putting together a county-wide clean energy plan, expected to be voted on by the end of the year.

But the fossil fuel industry is on the attack, and unfortunately many state legislatures seem to be fighting on their side, including ours in Georgia. The American Gas Association is campaigning across the country to prohibit counties and municipalities from creating local legislation that would limit the use of natural gas.

For communities committed to fighting climate change, this initiative prohibits local governments from taking step one in a transition to renewable energy, the electrification of its power sources. If your home appliances or cars run on electricity, then the source of that electricity can eventually be solar or wind—not a carbon-producing fossil fuel like gas.

The American Gas Association is promoting House Bill 150 in Georgia and about a dozen other states to keep local county governments from prohibiting fossil fuel hook-ups because it is concerned about the health of the industry and shareholder profits. But local counties and municipalities are concerned about the health and environmental concerns of their residents. HB 150 limits local power to protect citizens and needs to be defeated.

The vote on this bill is imminent. Please call our Athens state senators right away and tell them to vote NO on HB 150: Sen. Bill Cowsert, District 46, 404-463-1366, and Sen. Frank Ginn, District 47, 404-6564700. The bill has already passed in the state House.

Carol Myers Myers is the Athens-Clarke County commissioner for District 8.

Oppose Gaines’ Effort to Prevent Reallocating Police Funding During the 2020 elections, defunding the police became a contentious political issue that was used by the Republicans as a political weapon to instill fear and distract concerned citizens from the truth. The truth is I fully support reallocating funding.

“Defunding the police” was never my slogan nor intended to leave law enforcement officers unprotected and underpaid or departments understaffed. The goal is to ensure that funding is being reallocated to support our community and improve public safety.

It means allowing your local government to redistribute funds towards essential social

services that are often underfunded, such as housing, education, employment and mental health.

While police brutality and racial tensions continue to rise, we must seek ways to repair our justice system. We need leaders who will propose solutions such as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act if we want to address police brutality head-on.

Unfortunately, Athens’ own Houston Gaines is proposing a bill that would take away local control over how our tax dollars get spent in ways that negatively impact our community. This bill will not improve public safety, nor address the killings of Black people at the hands of law enforcement. It will not decrease mass incarceration or crime rates. Simply stated, this bill will only prevent local governments from allocating funds toward already underfunded areas like mental health services and homelessness.

While Republicans such as Gaines continue to use fear-mongering tactics to gain support and maintain power, the most marginalized members of our community are left without sufficient protection and support in an economic and public health crisis.

Police reform and reallocation of funds are what we need to maintain public safety.

The real issues at hand are poverty, racial discrimination, untreated mental health issues and homelessness, all of which can lead to increased interactions between law enforcement officers and vulnerable community members. This is not just a racial issue, this is a social and public safety issue that must be addressed through police reform and restorative justice.

If we the people do not stand up and speak out, corrupt state legislators will continue to protect bad officers. We need leaders who are more concerned about creating a restorative justice system and ensuring that officers are properly trained, paid and unbiased. We need real solutions, and that’s why despite Gaines’ effort to sabotage our local work towards cash bail reform, police reform, voting rights and controlling local government spending, I will continue to advocate for ways to protect our children and citizens, such as advocating for a police civilian oversight board and juvenile diversion programs, and by hosting community dialogues to educate the general public.

Unfortunately, Rep. Gaines and various others have been absent from these conversations and now want to push a dangerous and divisive agenda on our community.

Gaines’ legislation is unconstitutional, and it is opposed by the Georgia Municipal Association and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, meaning local governments across the state share my concerns. We the people cannot allow House Bill 286 to pass through the Senate and become law. This is a call to take action: please write and call your representatives.

For more information on House Bill 286, upcoming events or my position, please email me at jasminejohnsonedu@gmail.com or at mokahforgeorgia@gmail.com.

Mokah-Jasmine Johnson Johnson ran as a Democrat in 2020 against Gaines in District 117.

MARCH 31, 2021 | FLAGPOLE.COM

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comment

GOP Hijacks Local Legislation ATHENS’ TWO REPUBLICAN REPS HAVE SIDELINED THE LONE DEMOCRAT

By Marci White news@flagpole.com Athens-Clarke County is sliced and diced 2017 the mayor and commission wanted to into five state legislative districts (yes, gerexpand the official borders of downtown so rymandering). We have three state House that the Athens Downtown Development districts and two state Senate districts.

Authority could expand its tax base.

Only one of those districts is predominantly Democratic, because the others have been drawn to include big rural areas outside of ACC in order to dilute the Democratic vote.

In Clarke County, 70% of voters typically vote for Democratic candidates. If the districts were drawn in a way to allow our voters’ priorities to be represented in the state legislature, we’d be sending two Democratic state House reps and one Democratic state senator to the Capitol.

But because of the gerrymandering done by our GOP-controlled state legislature, we now have four Republicans and one Democrat in the legislature, supposedly representing Athens. Only we all know that the GOP state reps don’t care about Athens, and in fact, at times have worked to actively undermine our elected officials and sovereignty.

Now they’re taking Rep. Spencer Frye (D-Athens) things to a whole new level.

Normally, there’s a process by which our mayor and commissioners will Everyone agreed this was desirable, so they ask the state lawmakers who represent ACC asked all the state legislators who represent to pass a state law that affects only ACC, parts of Athens to write up a bill making which entails our state delegation agreeing the change. All five legislators then agreed unanimously on the issue. For instance, in that it was a good idea and they would all

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vote for it, and the official borders of down- to do it. town were changed.

This new power grab by Gaines and “It was a locally negotiated agreement, Wiedower has weighty implications for local and not everyone got what they wanted,” control of Athens. The state government said Rep. Spencer Frye (D-Athens), “but has control over commission and Board of we worked together as a team and made it Education districts, the Board of Education happen.” charter, the charter for the Board of This process of unanimity ensured that Elections and the charter of Athens-Clarke the elected leaders of Athens-Clarke County County itself. were the drivers of any state law written Until recently, all changes were driven by specifically for their county. If an agreement our locally elected officials. Not anymore. was not unanimous, it would not even be Rep. Houston Gaines has also proposed a brought up for a vote. statewide law that would limit how municBut now all that’s changed, because GOP ipalities are allowed to budget for their state Reps. Houston Gaines and Marcus police departments. He is basically claiming Wiedower have changed how the five-perthat the city leaders we elected—in one son caucus works. They have made it so of the most highly educated counties in majority rules in all decisions regarding the state—are inept and untrustworthy.

Athens and state law. This means that our Gaines, who received only 41% of the vote lone Democratic representative, Frye, has in ACC and who clearly has his ambitious no say whatsoever. eye on bigger things—remember that his Gaines and Wiedower have also decided vote was crucial to passing abortion restricto completely bypass our mayor and comtions a couple of years ago—has said ACC’s missioners, writing new “radical” local governlaws that the M&C have ment is “out of control” I understand it was not requested and have and “putting lives at a tough election for no input on. risk.” This is the pretext Gaines and Wiedower using to negate everyone, but petty politics he’s filed legal notices in our our elected leaders and doesn’t serve anyone. local paper indicating silence our voices. that they would “reesNot only that, but tablish and reconstitute the ACC Board of Gaines and Wiedower have concocted their Elections.” (Our current board is dominated plans behind closed doors, with no transby Democrats, and evidently, our GOP state parency whatsoever. reps would like to flip that.) The deadline “I am deeply disappointed by the actions passed Monday without them filing such a of the new delegation,” said Rep. Frye. bill, but they could do so during next year’s “I understand it was a tough election for legislative session. everyone, but petty politics doesn’t serve The other bill would change the local anyone. I would hope we could move forhomestead exemption to lower property ward with the important task of getting taxes. This could have a significant effect on Athens vaccinated and back to school and the smallest county in the state, where 50% work.” of the land is owned by the state (UGA), the Call our legislators to let them know school district or churches and so pay no what you think: property taxes.

• Rep. Houston Gaines (R-117): 404-656This last measure could be a reaction to 0298 or houston.gaines@house.ga.gov ACC leadership’s efforts to create a special • Rep. Marcus Wiedower (R-119): 404-656property tax freeze for low-income Athens 0325 or marcus.wiedower@house.ga.gov homeowners, making it easier for them to • Rep. Spencer Frye (D-118): 404-656-0265 stay in their homes and not be forced out by or spencer.frye@house.ga.gov gentrification and rising taxes. As usual, the • Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-46): 404-463-1366 or GOP wants to give a tax break to the people bill.cowsert@senate.ga.gov who need it the least. And this time, they’re • Sen. Frank Ginn (R-47): 404-656-4700 or willing to usurp local government control frank.ginn@senate.ga.gov f

FLAGPOLE.COM | MARCH 31, 2021

All of us at Epting invite you to kick off 2021, by supporting our Neighborhood Leaders through Family Connection Communities in Schools of Athens and suggest/ask/invite you to check out AGoodStoryFoods.com

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Local Heroes KEMP, COWSERT, GINN, WIEDOWER, GAINES—REMEMBER!

By Pete McCommons pete@flagpole.com After basking in the political spotlight throughout the presidential election and its aftermath, and then the senatorial elections and their runoffs, we were all feeling a little bit wistful that Georgia seemed to be slipping out of the national attention span.

But now, Georgia Republican legislators and the governor have come to our rescue.

We’re back on the front burner and cooking with gas. Every news outlet in the country is buzzing about the remarkable feat pulled off by the Republicans, who passed PETE McCOMMONS

Under the new law, drop boxes can’t be outside.

a 100-page bill restructuring our elections IN JUST ONE DAY! And then the governor signed it THE SAME DAY! What a fast reader he must be, in spite of what they say about him.

And to tell you the truth, when we were in the national spotlight back in the fall and winter—carrying the state for Joe and defeating two denim-clad incumbent Republican senators, plus having our secretary of state refuse to acquiesce to pressure from the president—we did begin to feel a little bit nervous, like when everybody is saying what a good kid you are and you have just been out behind the garage smoking stolen cigarettes.

So now it’s kind of a relief to be back in the spotlight for more of the same old stuff Georgia has always been famous for. That role-model pose was beginning to get a little stiff. We’re more comfortable with the I Was a Fugitive From a Georgia Chain Gang kind of national image, or the guns-and-trucks persona the governor acted out so well when he was running.

So here we are back on the national stage for voter suppression, something the governor knows a lot about—and these five local guys are on center stage.

Now, I don’t want to give Brian Kemp, Bill Cowsert, Frank Ginn, Marcus Wiedower

Sexual Health & Wellness and Houston Gaines credit where it’s not due. It may be that some of them actually had a hand in restraining the crazies in their party who wanted to flat-out ban absentee ballots or take the franchise back to just white men, but, anyway, they all voted for the voter-suppression bill that the governor signed, so they deserve our thanks for that.

Their tour-de-force of a bill shortens the early voting period, curtails the use of drop boxes, requires an ID card for absentee voting, makes it a crime to give somebody a drink of water no matter how long they’ve been standing in line to vote, purges the secretary of state from control of elections and establishes the Georgia legislature as the final judge of all election results in every county (especially Fulton!) in the state, no matter what the local boards of elections say about the results.

Why did they do all this? Yep. The last election was crooked. It was stolen. Truckloads of ballots weren’t counted.

Truckloads of ballots were counted twice, some three times. People voted too early. People who voted absentee (too many of them) put their ballots into (gasp) drop boxes so that they could stay safe from the fake pandemic.

This 100-page bill showboats the political skills of our hometown heroes. You know, it’s one thing to decry corruption over in Atlanta.

Looks good on TV; doesn’t step on any toes. But when you’re saying that your own local election board is crooked (when you know it’s not, because, hey, you got elected, didn’t you?) that takes some pretty smooth sidestepping. In fact, the whole 100-page bill demands the utmost in political gamesmanship. You’ve got to opine earnestly that the last elections were stolen, in spite of all the court cases and recounts—at county election boards like ours all over Georgia, two-thirds of which voted overwhelmingly for Republicans. Takes a mighty good politician to pull that one off and still look good in church on Sunday.

But here’s the big payoff: Just suppose that by putting Georgia back on everybody’s mind, Kemp, Cowsert, Ginn, Wiedower and Gaines have provided the clinching outrage that will somehow push the For The People Act—the voting rights act—through the U.S. Senate and stop Georgia and Iowa and Arkansas and Florida and all those other states from messing with the people’s right to vote. Wouldn’t that be something?

You never know about politics. Just when you’re whistling “Dixie,” the law of unintended consequences can make you change your tune. f

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advice

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My Friend Used a Racial Slur ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ AGHAST AND TAKEN ABACK

By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com Hey Bonita, I’m having a huge issue. A white internet friend of mine is one of my good friends. We talk about the same TV shows and such, and it’s great to have someone to fangirl over them with. But I was on FaceTime with her one day, and we were talking about how this really pretty character was dating an average Joe, and she said, “For real, she’s so gorgeous, and she’s with this n****r.” Immediately after, she said she was sorry, that she shouldn’t have said that, that she didn’t mean for it to come out, and not to judge her. I said, “I do judge a bit,” and was surprised, but I was glad she knew it was wrong. But she proceeded to say that she hardly ever says it and never with a hard “r,” and that she only says it to her (white) dad who also says it. She also said most of the time she doesn’t say the whole thing, just the first three letters. She then proceeded to say the first three letters.

I was taken aback and pretty uncomfortable.

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She also said she only says the first three letters because it’s an inside joke with her dad, and that they are most definitely not racist. This didn’t make me feel any better, because what could the joke be about, you know?

Anyway, I could really use some advice on what to do. As a white woman, I want to make sure I go about this the right way. I had an old friend who would throw the word around, and I tried to educate her, but she didn’t listen, so I had to end the friendship. And since we don’t live in the same place, I don’t know if she will decide to just not say it to me but still say it whenever else. Please help me!

Confused and Frustrated Dear Confused and Frustrated, It seems to me like you know exactly what to do, because you’ve done it before.

This woman knows that she’s completely in the wrong for using a racial slur that is not hers to reappropriate in any way, and it’s extra mind-blowing for me because she uses the term in a derogatory manner with her trashcan of a father while somehow

thinking that she’s still a good person.

This is garbage behavior, and she knows so, because she’s only got the stones to use hate speech in front of other privileged people like herself. I find it possible that maybe she was testing the waters and seeing how you’d react if she dropped a casual N-bomb, determining if you were also cool with hate speech. Because she’s definitely cool with it herself.

As a privileged person, you’re in a unique position. I believe that it is not the job of oppressed people to educate their oppressors in 2021, not when there’s so much media and info available that explains to white people why using racial slurs is bad.

Also, we usually have to navigate a lot of defensiveness and self-centering out of privileged people who are called to task— look at the Sharon Osbourne situation for a perfect example. That alone can be triggering and

fatigue-inducing to the point that the conversation simply isn’t worth it for us.

I regularly tell my marginalized friends to walk away from hair-splitting and devil’s advocacy, because the people taking those positions often do so in bad faith and with no desire or intention to learn anything. They’re just mad because they got called out and enjoy “triggering the libs,” whatever that means.

I say all of this to point out that you don’t have that particular kind of collective trauma to deal with, plus she will be less defensive when hearing this from someone who looks like her. Talking to her and sending her a few articles about hate speech could be really helpful for her, but I also support you just ending this friendship if she tries to act pigheaded about all this.

She is nothing but wrong, and she’ll either acknowledge that and become a better person, or she’ll lose her friend. f Need advice? Email advice@flagpole.com or use our anonymous online form at flagpole.com/ get-advice.

arts & culture

art notes

The 46th Juried Exhibition INTERIOR SPACES, NATURAL LANDSCAPES AND OTHER REFLECTIONS ON A STRANGE YEAR

By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com Opening just a week shy of the nationwide wave of pananxiety, boredom, dread or surrender that many viewers demic shutdowns, last year’s Juried Exhibition at the have experienced this past year. Nearby, Bess Carter’s Lyndon House Arts Center was left to quickly formulate “Green Velvet,” a painting of a mid-century-style living a virtual game plan for how to continue safely engaging an audience. Meanwhile, the facility itself shifted gears into serving other community needs, such as producing face masks and hosting an early voting polling location. Now, the annual anchor show returns, hopefully on the other side of things, to fill the gallery walls with all sorts of paintings, drawings, sculptures, textiles, photographs, metalwork and more.

This year’s selection process for the 46th Juried Exhibition was modified into a digital format, unlike in previous years when physical submission drop-off days made for social events all on their own, and the juror could carefully consider the dimensions, texture and overall presence of each work in person. This change did not seem to hinder interest or participation, however, as a total of 720 works were submitted by 270 different Athens-area artists. Guest juror Hallie Ringle, the Hugh Kahul curator of contemporary art at the Birmingham Museum of Art, was tasked with whittling the pool down and ultimately chose 161 works representing 116 artists.

“I am not sure whether this is due to the digital entry process, but I feel this show is a bit more intimate in scale and subject than other shows,” says Didi Dunphy, program supervisor of the LHAC. “This may be because of this last year of sheltering, and possibly all working on our dining room tables or on top of the bedsheets?!”

With part of the year spent sheltering “Sun Chair” by Chris Dené in place, it seems only natural that artists should find inspiration within private interior spaces or houses themselves. Appearing on the cover room, and Luke Slaboda’s “Nashville Skyline (Nashville),” a of Flagpole this week, Emmie Harvard’s oil painting, “POV: photograph of natural sunlight coming through a window My neighbor’s dog,” depicts a woman crouching in the onto a bedside table, feel significant and intimate. There’s corner of her kitchen, possibly sharing in the feelings of also a shared focus on housing, like Noel Holston’s photo-

graph “In the Low $200s,” and by extension, finding human contact through windows, like Emily Cameron’s “The Local Athenian: Vernon Thornsberry.”

“For me as a curator, it was a special opportunity to see what artists are thinking about while the world around them is rapidly changing,” writes Ringle in the exhibition’s accompanying guide publication. “There were some works about contemporary events including a painting of Stacey Abrams [by John Ahee], a memorial to Li Wenliang [by Robert Clements], images of Donald Trump, but not an overwhelming amount. What I was really struck by, though, was the number of landscape works that I saw. It seemed that many artists were returning to the places just around them or imagining the lands they’d see post-pandemic.

In many of the pieces, when the figure is present, they’re alone, blurred or abstracted in some way. Perhaps it’s too much to say that this connected to COVID-19, but either way, many of these artists captured the horrible, and sometimes wonderful, shifts that this pandemic brought us.”

With access to public indoor spaces severely limited, many people turned to the natural world for refuge, entertainment, distanced socialization or inspiration. Ben Slaboda’s photograph “Foggy Morning Mist” feels eerie and lonesome at first glance, but also carries a certain element of cleansing renewal. Printed on aluminum, Chris Greer’s large-scale photograph “Barns at Sunset” has a delicate luminescence that makes the sherbet-colored clouds and yellow-flecked pastures pop.

Beautifully merging design and function, Chris Dené’s “Sun Chair” and “Moon Chair” are similarly rooted in an appreciation for the natural world. Viewing head-on, the circular “Sun Chair” resembles a giant eye, rays of exposed wood suggesting long lashes. From the side, it becomes plausible that the sharply angled seat is intended to recline the sitter so far back that their gaze becomes perfectly positioned for cloudspotting or sunbathing. Meanwhile, the crescent-shaped “Moon Chair” provides a cozy nook for stargazing, and the rounded edges suggest the form of a rocking cradle.

As per tradition, Ringle selected the recipients of 16 awards that totaled $2,550 in cash prizes. Additionally, artist David Froetschel received the Arts Center Choice Award for his mixed media piece “Liminal Window,” which will grant him the opportunity to present a solo exhibition in the Lounge Gallery, a space dedicated to spotlighting emerging artists.

While the opening receptions of yore were surely missed—when hundreds of visitors would flood through the galleries during a short but sweet, two-hour window— the 46th Juried Exhibition debuted earlier this month with three consecutive preview days to responsibly stagger attendance. The exhibition will remain on view through June 26, and ticketed gallery talks with various artists are scheduled for Apr. 15, May 20 and June 26. f

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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 ARTIST-IN-ATHICA RESIDENCIES (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) Residencies provide administrative support, exhibition and performance facilities, and a small stipend. Artists may work in any or multiple disciplines and traditions, including but not limited to visual, curatorial, musical, performing, written, experimental, cinematic, digital and theatrical arts.

Residents can work independently or collaborate with others. Visit website for quarterly deadlines. www.athica.org/call-for-entries 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 CALL FOR ARTISTS TO DECORATE PUBLIC ART PANELS (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) Seeking local artists to design six new art panels that will be displayed throughout the city of Watkinsville, as well as to help restore existing panels. Panels are 4-foot x 6-foot or 4-foot x 8-foot and must be completed by May 8. Artists will receive a $300 stipend. Contact La Ruchala Murphy at 706-769-4565 or director@ocaf.com

EARTH DAY 2021 ART CHALLENGE (Online) Artists are invited to create a work that celebrates and inspires good neighbors to establish a more unified, equitable, prosperous and compassionate community. All media are accepted. Awards are offered in the categories Appreciation, Awareness and Action. Deadline Apr. 15 at midnight. Online exhibition runs Apr. 22–30. www. sustainability.uga.edu.community-engagement/art-challenge 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 SPRINGTACULAR (Athens, GA) Participate in a large outdoor market celebrating everything handmade. Deadline to apply as a vendor is Apr. 15. Market held May 1, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and May 2, 12–5 p.m. $150/10-foot x 10-foot booth. www.theindiesouth.com

Classes ART CLASSES (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) “Creative Drawing with Watercolor” is for ages 18 & up.

Thursdays, Apr. 15–29, 6–8 p.m. $75–100. www.ocaf.com BASIC BLACKSMITHING (Greenhow Handmade Ironworks, Comer) Students will forge and assemble a wall mount rack with three hooks.

Skills taught will be tapering/ drawing out, twisting, scrolling and bending, riveting, cutting and basic forging fire management when working in the coal forge. Tools

art around town ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART • ATHICA (675 Pulaski St., Suite 1200) Artist-in-ATHICA Sara Hess presents “Courtside,” an installation that explores the tennis court visually and conceptually through printmaking, painting and sculpture. Open studio hours for public drop-in visits are Apr. 2 from 12–5 p.m. Virtual Artist Talk held Apr. 6 at 7 p.m. On view through Apr. 7.

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.

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.

• “In Dialogue: Look, Paint, Repeat: Variations in the Art of Pierre Daura.”

Through May 23. • “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 assem-

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and materials included. Apr. 10 or Apr. 17, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $150.

“Building a Throwing Tomahawk” will be taught Apr. 24, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $175. www.greenhowhandmade.com DEDICATED MINDFULNESS PRACTITIONERS (Online) Weekly Zoom meditations are offered every Saturday at 8 a.m. Email for details. jaseyjones@gmail.com 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 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, www.marina -spain-2020.squarespace.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 ART EVENTS (Georgia Museum of Art) “Artist Talk: Bo Bartlett” on Apr. 1 at 1 p.m. “Morning Mindfulness via Zoom,” Apr. 2 at 9:30 a.m.

“Slow Art Day” on Apr. 10 at 2 p.m.

“Artful Conversation: Eldzier Cortor” on Apr. 14 at 1 p.m. “Curator Talk: Modernism Foretold: The Nadler Collection of Late Antique Art from Egypt” on Apr. 15 at 1 p.m. www. georgiamuseum.org ATHENS FARMERS MARKET (Bishop Park) The 2021 season will run Saturdays through Dec. 18, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmers market.com/vendors BEAST MODE LISTENING PARTY (Akademia Brewing Co.) Celebrate the release of the local metal band’s new EP, Pound of Flesh, with a listening party and official release of a Pound of Flesh IPA beer. CDs and special tapes from Shadebeast will be available. Apr. 3, 2–6 p.m. www. facebook.com/BeastModeGA BOSS BABES (Online) Next Act and the Black Theatrical Ensemble present a virtual cabaret devoted to celebrating influential female artists like Lady Gaga, SZA, Kacey Musgraves, Ariana Grande, Destiny’s Child and more. Available beginning Apr. 3, 7 p.m. uganext act.weebly.com/boss-babes 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 BUSTER BOOK LAUNCH PARTY (Online) Caleb Zane Huett celebrates his second book, Buster,

blages of 1980s wicker furniture graffitied in psychedelic colors. Closing event Apr. 15 at 6 p.m.

JITTERY JOE’S FIVE POINTS (1230 S. Milledge Ave.) Harper Calhoun presents a collection of charcoal portraits. Through April.

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 called “The Rivers Oceanus.” • “Social Dissonance” is a group showing of first-year students in the MFA program that examines life in the current movement. • The Athens Black Lives Matter Initiatives’ group show “Resistance and Resilience” features a variety of student work. • The annual scientific illustration show highlights work by UGA and Augusta University students. All shows run through Apr. 1.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) 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.

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. 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. Through Apr. 10. • The 46th annual Juried Exhibition features 161 works by 116 local artists selected by juror Hallie Ringle of the Birmingham Museum of Art. On view through June 26.

MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison) “The 125th Anniversary Exhibition: Celebrating the Home of the Madison-Morgan 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.

STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA (2450 S. Milledge Ave.) The new Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum at the Center for Art and Nature holds the collections of Deen Day Sanders, a charter board member of the garden.

The eight galleries blend conservation, botanicals, art, beauty and curiosity.

FLAGPOLE.COM | MARCH 31, 2021

The Georgia Museum of Art’s In Dialogue series presents “Look, Paint, Repeat: Variations in the Art of Pierre Daura” through May 23. and speaks with his editor, David Levithan, who is also the author of The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. Apr. 6, 7 p.m. www.avid bookshop.com DINNER AND A SHOW (Hendershot’s Coffee) Live music and dinner with The Plate Sale every Friday and Saturday. The lineup includes Don Chambers on Apr. 9–10 and Haunted Shed on Apr. 16–17. Visit website to reserve your seat. www. hendershotsathens.com DREAMFEST 2021 (Online) U-LEAD Athens, an organization that supports the educational equality of immigrant families, presents an event with artwork, speakers, performers and information. Watch via YouTube Live and Facebook Live.

Apr. 10, 12 p.m. www.uleadathens. org/dreamfest

EASTER EVENTS (Multiple Locations) Lay Park will host “Easter Egg Scramble” with games, crafts, photos and an egg hunt for ages 10 and younger on Apr. 3 from 10:30– 11:30 a.m. Memorial Park will host its annual “Breakfast with the Bunny” on Apr. 3 from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. www.accgov.com/myrec GARDEN TOUR OF ATHENS (Multiple Locations) The Piedmont Gardeners host their annual spring garden tour. Amble through four local, do-it-yourself gardens of different styles. Visit website for tickets and locations. Rain or shine.

Apr. 17, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $10–20. www.piedmontgardeners.org GLOBAL GEORGIA INITIATIVE EVENTS (Online) “E Pluribus Unum Reflections on Immigration in America in Music and Visual

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.

TIF SIGFRIDS (83 E. North Ave., Comer) The gallery presents “Nora Riggs: Fortress of Solitaire.” Through Apr. 23.

TINY ATH GALLERY (174 Cleveland Ave.) See Dan Paint presents “TwentyOne Moby Dicks Spontaneously Monsterified on Pieces of the Wreck of the Pequod.” On view through March 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.) “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’ indepth 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.

Art” with Liza Stepanova, Badie Khaleghian, Reinaldo Moya and Kevork Mourad on Apr. 7 at 7 p.m.

“Conversation with Musician Val Jeanty and Author Renee Gladman” on Apr. 20 at 7 p.m. “Land, Water, Sky: Photographers Address the Environment on Earth Day 2021” conversation with Tomiko Jones, Jeff Rich and Marni Shindelman. on Apr. 22 at 4 p.m. willson.uga.edu HORT CLUB AT UGA SPRING PLANT SALE (South Milledge Greenhouse Complex, 2500 S. Milledge Ave.) Shop for perennials, woody plants, houseplants, succulents and veggies. Book a shopping appointment online. Apr. 2–4, 10–11, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. calendly. com/hortclubuga/plantsale 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 MAXIM LANDO (UGA Performing Arts Center) Pianist Maxim Lando performs a tribute to late pianist Chick Corea. Apr. 2, 7:30 p.m. $10 (online), $20-50 (in-person). pac. uga.edu MOVIES BY MOONLIGHT: DRIVE IN MOVIE (Southeast Clarke Park) Watch Angels in the Outfield on the big screen. Apr. 9, 7:30 p.m. (Rain date Apr. 16). RSVP. www.accgov. com/myrec 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 UGARDEN PLANT SALE (2510 S. Milledge Ave.) Shop outdoors for medicinal, edible, native and dye plants from UGArden Herbs, Cherokee Moon Mixology, Gently Herbal Skincare, Mama Bath and Body, MEplusTEA, Roseman’s Remedies and Heartsong Herbs.

May 1, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. www. ugardenherbs.com UGA THEATRE (Online) The Girlhood of Shakespeare’s Heroines explores the lived experiences of two of Shakespeare’s famous female characters. Apr. 19–21, 8 p.m. www. ugatheatre.com WEST BROAD FARMERS MARKET (300 S. Rocksprings St.) The market is open for shopping each week from Sunday at 5 p.m. to Thursday at 1 p.m., with a drive-through (or walk/bike-through) pick-up on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. wbfm.locallygrown.net

2 p.m.“Virtual Science with Ms. Kay” is held Apr. 7 at 3 p.m. www. athenslibrary.org FOREST FANTASY (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Discover the magic of forests by building fairy houses, playing games and more. Register

by Apr. 1 at 5 p.m. Event held Apr. 2, 6–8 p.m. $2–5, www.accgov. com/myrec 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 through April, twice a week for 60–75 minutes. www.girlsontherunnorthga.org SUMMER CAMP SEASON (Multiple Locations) The AthensClarke County Leisure Services Department hosts summer camps for children and teens in art, nature education, sports and theater. Registration begins Apr. 10. Scholarships available. www. accgov.com/camps, www.accgov. com/myrec 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) Summer 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

Kidstuff

CLASSIC CITY TOASTMASTERS (Zoom) This is an encouraging group for individuals who want to develop their communication and public speaking skills. Meetings are held 2–3 times a month on Thursday evenings. 706-202-7566 SUMMER STAFF (Athens, GA) The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department is now hiring for approximately 120 summer positions including camp counselors, lifeguards and pool clerks. www.accgov.com/jobs f

ACC LIBRARY EVENTS (AthensClarke County Library) Virtual storytimes are offered via Facebook weekdays at 10:30 a.m. www.face book.com/athenschildrens BOGART LIBRARY EVENTS (Online) Virtual Storytimes are offered weekdays at 10:30 a.m. “KnitLits Virtual Knitting Group” meets Apr. 1 at 6 p.m. Virtual Booktalks featuring picture books is held on Apr. 2 at

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

music

threats & promises

Tears For The Dying’s Epitaph PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com HELL COMES TO YOUR HOUSE: Death-rockers Tears For The Dying just released a new album, Epitaph, that is undoubtedly the long-running group’s most laser-focused and satisfying work. This album features 17 songs, a handful of which appeared on the March 2020 EP release Memories.

After nearly two decades as a project and band, Tears For The Dying is finally getting some much-deserved recognition, and the time it spent in relative, uh, darkness seems like exactly the kind of woodshedding opportunity it needed. All due praises should go straight to founder Adria Stembridge’s inbox for keeping it alive so long.

The sheer aggression of this album is nearly tangible, and unlike other records by the band, much of this is turned outward. Key to Tears For The Dying’s overall sound and aesthetic is that they always keep at least one foot solidly planted in straight-up punk and hardcore, as exemplified on tracks like “ACAB” and “All For Nothing.” That said, I’m far more partial to the moodTears For The Dying ier and goth-ier material like “Monochopsis,” “Deadweight” and “Dazzle The Sun.” The record also features two remixes

by Tom Ashton (March Violets, touring member of Clan of Xymox, guest player with Sisters of Mercy, et al.) so that’s a nice bonus. Stream and purchase this over at tearsforthe dying.bandcamp.com and hoist your flag at facebook.com/ TearsForTheDying.

GET UP, STAND UP: Camilla Sims, the artist and activist who produces and performs under the name Convict Julie, has stepped away from her signature smooth-tuned ballad-driven sound, at least for her newest single. The new hardcore rap tune “Drive Bys On Tractors” tells the story of her experiences during demonstrations in Atlanta and Athens in 2020. Sims’ lyricism is both personal and polemical. It seems the single’s cover art—Sims with a gun in her hand and her tongue poking out—might just be troll bait, and anyone upset by it will have failed to notice its orange tip which clearly identifies it as a toy. Musically, the track is constructed with a flat-slap keyboard bass and guitar lines and, vocally, Sims exhibits a sharp sense of clever rhyme with a few well-placed couplets and unexpected lyrical twists. It reminds me of more of early productions from the likes of Rick Rubin than anything else, but with a notable lack of samples. I can’t speak to the veracity of all that the

track contains, but the accompanying video does appear to mistakenly identify Mayor Kelly Girtz as the person who ordered tear gas dispersed during a May 31 protest in downtown Athens. The mayor of Athens, unlike many other cities, has no such power. (In fact, the order was given by Police Chief Cleveland Spruill and approved by Assistant Manager Deborah Lonon.) Significantly, though, this track is quite unlikeable and deliberately so. It’s a sharply bristled declaration of rage. It’s not friendly, welcoming nor particularly persuasive. Importantly, too, it’s not supposed to be.

It’s not designed to rally anyone to a particular side, which is a key flaw so many have when examining or experiencing “protest” music.

There’s no requirement that they attempt to be persuasive. They are—by virtue of their very name—affirmative testaments, not negotiations. Their success or failure, artistically or popularly, is irrelevant. Sims is also a key organizer of the Finley Light Factory, the artists collective at 393 N. Finley Street which features performances, shared creative space and art markets. You can find her whole catalog, including this new track, over on Spotify and get more information via convictjulie.com.

NO ONE LAUGHS: As soon as I started playing the new EP Emigrant by Kishi Bashi, I knew exactly where the earworm in opening track “Wait For Springtime” came from.

It may have been unintentional, but slap me silly if that hook isn’t straight from The Clash’s “Hitsville U.K.” The fact remains, though, that Kishi Bashi has one of the best ears for hooks and melodies in Athens, and he indeed makes this his own on the gentle song. You can hear all this, too, when the EP is released Apr. 2. While running a mere five tracks, it collects his first released work since his last proper album (2019’s Omoiyari) if we don’t count his massive collection of score tracks from the Stillwater soundtrack.

It’s all much quieter than his immediately previous work, but it’s not reserved at all. It’s actually quite stark, and its bareness renders it all very up front. Further, it contains pinpoint-perfect renditions of both Dolly Parton’s “Early Morning Breeze” and Regina Spektor’s “Laughing With.”

I’d listen to this alone before playing it for anyone else, if only to keep one’s own emotions in check. Set an alarm for Friday and check it out at kishibashi.bandcamp.com. f

record review Beast Mode: Pound of Flesh EP (Independent) Though opening with a delicately arranged and nearly folkloric intro called “To Your Rest”—perhaps a mark of guitarist and vocalist Corey Flowers, who holds a doctorate in guitar performance and minor in music composition—Pound of Flesh does not waste any time before lurching into its high-octane, ludicrously shred-tastic style. Drawing influences from blackened thrash, melodic death metal and traditional heavy metal, tracks such as “Frostbite” and “Arise” nail a combination of growling vocals, blast beat drumming and tremolo picking that somehow sound cataclysmic yet weightless, like being crushed into octillions of atoms and peacefully blasted back into outer space. Essentially, the sheer technical proficiency of Flowers, guitarist Henry Mitchell III, bassist Cameron Yohr and drummer Guido Hrovat proves the artistic merit of the genre by creating such densely flourished and dizzying melodies. Pound of Flesh will be officially released on Apr. 2, and Akademia Brewing Company will host an outdoor listening party on Apr. 3 from 2–6 p.m. To celebrate the occasion, the brewery will also release its second Beast Mode-inspired concoction, a hazy blood orange IPA that shares a name and album/label artwork with the EP. In addition to CDs, a limited run of cassette tapes will be released through local heavy metal record shop Shadebeast’s “Noir” series. [Jessica Smith]

MARCH 31, 2021 | FLAGPOLE.COM

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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

MUSIC

HOME AND GARDEN

APARTMENTS FOR RENT

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Do you have projects such as painting, remodeling, yard work, etc., but not enough time or are unable to do them? Then call Marty! 706-410-7374

WUXTRY WAREHOUSE SALE: Thousands of vinyl LPs, CDs, 45s and cassettes at bargain blowout prices!

Apr. 10–11, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. 2850 Commerce Hwy/441 N.

Live at Normal Heights! Beautifully renovated Normaltown apartments for rent! 2BR/1BA, leasing for $1350/month located on Georgia Avenue.

Please call Joiner & Associates for more information. 706-549-7371

MUSIC SERVICES

FOR SALE

Instant cash is now being paid for good vinyl records & CDs in fine condition. Wuxtry Records, at corner of Clayton & College Dwntn. 706-369-9428.

YARD SALES Neighborhood Yard Sale: Visit Carrington Plantation and Timber Creek off Whit Davis Rd. on April 24 from 8 a.m.–12 p.m. for their annual neighborhood yard sale. Over 30 homes participating with lots of good stuff.

SERVICES

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

JOBS

CLEANING Peachy Green Clean Cooperative: Your local friendly green cleaners.

Free estimates and COVID precautions. Call us today!

706-248-4601

Tell everyone about your yard sale in the Flagpole Classifieds!

flagpole classifieds Reach Over 30,000 Readers Every Week!

Business Services Real Estate Music For Sale BASIC

Female-owned/operated gardening services! We can help with planning, building, soil delivery, planting, regular maintenance and kidfriendly instruction! Call/ Text: 706-395-5321

Employment Vehicles Messages Personals RATES *

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

FULL-TIME Big City Bread Cafe/ Little City Diner seeking experienced line cook to work in a fast-paced kitchen.

Weekend availability a must.

Apply in person at either location between 2–3 p.m. or email resume to big citycafe@yahoo.com. No phone calls, please.

Clocked Restaurant is hiring all positions front and back of house. Please apply at 259 W. Washington St. 30601 Downtown Athens, GA. Be about it!

Classic City Installation Starting at $15/hr. Summer seasonal performing furniture installation. Great benefits, travel as a team w/ food stipend and lodging 100% covered. Email: astack@ classiccityinstallation.com Full and part-time cook, prep, dishwasher and porter positions available at The Place on Broad St. Hourly pay on high end of the market. Starting bonuses and paid vacation as well for qualified candidates.

Email resume to info@the placeathens.com or come see us anytime we’re open.

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.

Junk South Junk Removal Hiring PT/FT starting at $11/ hr. Hardworking, dependable and professional.

Growth opportunities. Call 706-540-5975 or email info@junksouth.com

PART-TIME Experienced kitchen help needed. Bring resume or fill out an application at George’s Lowcountry Table.

No phone calls please. 420 Macon Hwy. Athens, GA 30606 Escape The Space: Run escape rooms and facilitate fun! Looking for the right personality and work ethic.

Most weekends required.

Details and application at escapethespace.com/now hiring.

Mike Wheeler Landscape.

Landscaping/gardening positions available. Good pay w/ experience. Parttime. Flexible hours. Call Mike Wheeler: 706-2020585, mwwheeler1963@ gmail.com Need to hire employees?

Flagpole can help! Place an ad in the Flagpole Classifieds for full-time or part-time jobs. Call 706549-0301 or email class@ flagpole.com today!

ADOPT ME!

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

$10 per week $14 per week $16 per week $40 per 12 weeks $5 per week

*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

Cobra (55146)

Georgia (53727)

Cobra spent most of his life tied up instead of being loved properly, so anyone with patience and love to give is the perfect match for this sweet guy!

Georgia’s a fun girl who likes hanging out with friends (human and canine) and snacking on treats. She’s also the perfect pal to chill with, so versatility is this girl’s game!

Timmy (55136) Timmy’s said to have the softest coat at the shelter, but you’ll have to be the judge of that! Call and schedule a visit with Timmy, you might leave with a new soft and furry friend!

These pets and many others are available for adoption at: • Deadline to place ads is 11:00 a.m. every Monday for the following Wednesday issue • All ads must be prepaid

14

FLAGPOLE.COM | MARCH 31, 2021

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

NOTICES MESSAGES COVID testing in Athens by appointment only at the Oneta Street location.

Mon–Wed. 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. For appointments, call 706-340-0996 or go to www. publichealthathens.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.

Mobile Food Pantry @ General Time Athens! Athens Terrapin Beer Co. alongside Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and various local sponsors will host a drive-thru food pantry on the 3rd Monday of each month thru 2021. All ACC residents that meet income requirements may attend. First come, first served. This event will take place outside rain or shine. 100 Newton Bridge Rd. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. www.terrapinbeer. com Need old newspapers for your garden? Paper mache? Your new puppy?

Well, they’re free at the Flagpole office! Call ahead, then come grab an armful.

Please leave current issues on stands. 706-549-0301.

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.

LOST AND FOUND Lost and found pets can be advertised in Flagpole Classifieds for free. Call 706-549-0301 or email class@flagpole.com to return them home.

Flagpole ♥s our readers and our customers!

SUDOKU

GLOBAL GEORGIA

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Difficulty: Easy

1

4 9 8 9 5 1 6

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.

6 3 1 7 4 6 7 5 3 3 2 2 1 9 3 2 9 9 5 4 2

Your spot for wine in Athens

Full schedule and details at willson.uga.edu

(as voted by YOU! Thanks Athens!)

April 7 n 7pm E PLURIBUS UNUM REFLECTIONS ON IMMIGRATION IN AMERICA IN MUSIC AND VISUAL ART CONVERSATION WITH

LIZA STEPANOVA, BADIE KHALEGHIAN, REINALDO MOYA & KEVORK MOURAD April 20 n 7pm CONVERSATION WITH

Copyright 2021 by The Puzzle Syndicate

MUSICIAN

VAL JEANTY &

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 theofnumbers 9.

Week 3/29/211-to 4/4/21

AUTHOR

RENEE GLADMAN April 22 n 4pm

LAND, WATER, SKY

The Weekly Crossword 1

2

3

4

5

14

6

7

8

by Margie E. Burke 9

10

15

17

23

Solution to Sudoku: 24

1 2 32 6 38 5 42 4 46 7 3 56 8 61 9

7 8 33 4 9 1 3 2 57 6 5

2 1 7 3 43 8 6 9 5 4

Open Tuesday thru Saturday 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. & Sundays 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

22 25

4 9 8 275 28 3 6 7 354 839 240 3 1 1 7 4 6 9 5 2 3 5 848 1 9 49 651 4 5 8 52 2 158 9 597 762 3 6 2

29 36

30

31

54

55

706-850-5455

PHOTOGRAPHERS ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENT ON EARTH DAY 2021 CONVERSATION WITH

Tomiko Jones, Jeff Rich, and Marni Shindelman

www.thelarkwinespace.com

37 41

44

45

53 60 63

64

65

66

67

68

69

ACROSS 1 Urban pollutant 5 "Silly" birds 10 Spic-and-___ 14 Burglar's take 15 Northern helpers 16 Window glass 17 Forerunner 19 Aware 20 Moore of Bond fame 21 Play host 23 Serve a summons on 25 Board partner 26 Not the former 29 Quick bite to eat 32 Take for granted 35 Cartoon chipmunk 37 Old TV knob 38 Amorphous sci-fi villain 39 Melancholy verse 41 Cracker spread 42 Slice (off) 43 Barber's job 44 Weasel's cousin 46 Community spirit 48 Spot on a horse 50 October stone 52 Doctor's signboard

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19 21

626 5 9 2 7 447 1 3 8

12

16

18

20

3 9 34 5 8 6 2 50 7 4 1

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Meet, shop, learn, taste, and enjoy a bite, all at a relaxed pace. We offer a rotating tasting menu everyday we’re open, and a shop full of unique, responsibly made wines.

Copyright 2021 by The Puzzle Syndicate

56 Afraid of being shot?

60 Title for von Trapp 61 Unknown author, briefly 62 Persevere 64 Like a desert 65 Seaweedwrapped fare 66 Church area 67 Washstand item 68 Beginning stage 69 Wanton look DOWN 1 Astute 2 House of a lord 3 Expenditures 4 School singers 5 "___ whiz!"

6 Firstborn 7 In a dead heat 8 Put in the mail 9 Fragrant compound 10 Perfect 11 Summer suit accessory 12 One opposed 13 Night light?

18 Type of cheese 22 Kennedy matriarch 24 Do the driving 27 Fluid accumulation 28 Maid's cloth 30 Adorable 31 Eager 32 Fit to serve 33 Vegas coin-eater 34 Second-year student 36 Kind of node 40 Pot cover 41 Before birth 43 Autocrat 45 Cover story?

47 First act 49 Analyst's concern 51 Calf catcher 53 Feel blindly 54 Despicable one 55 Sign above a door 56 Four six-packs 57 From the start 58 Leave speechless 59 Blow off steam?

63 Hobbyist's buy

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

DISABILITY LAW SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY Workers’ Compensation Long Term Disability Veterans’ Disability PHONE APPOINTMENTS

•

WEB

•

EMAIL

706-548-6869 • 877-526-6281 (toll free) 225 Hill Street, Athens, GA 30601

silverandarchibald.com

LET US HELP

SERVING NORTHEAST GEORGIA FOR 35 YEARS MARCH 31, 2021 | FLAGPOLE.COM

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