FP220309

COLORBEARER OF ATHENS PRE-PARTYING FOR EARTH DAY

LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1987

MARCH 9, 2022 · VOL. 36 · NO. 9 · FREE

Kxng Blanco

DaBigWaveMan Commands the Hip-Hop Seas p. 11

TEAM 1: LAURA GREEN AND NENA GILREATH TEAM 3: AKASH SHAH AND GRACE BAGWELL ADAMS TEAM 4: STAN MULLINS AND CHRISTIE MOODY TEAM 5: SHARON ELLIOTT AND ALLISON SMITH

OCAF PRESENTS:

TEAM 7: GRACIE ONEY-HANSEN AND WALKER MAY TEAM 8: WILL RILEY AND OONAGH BENSON

DEADLINE

MARCH 11

TEAM 9: JENNIFER VARNADOE AND MIKE FULFORD

Art inspired by music!

Exhibition on view from April 15 - June 3, 2022

TEAM 10: STEPHANIE LYNN AND FUAD ELHAGE

March 19, 2022 OCAF.COM/CALL-FOR-ART/ ENTRY FEE $15 Organized by the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation 34 School Street, Watkinsville, GA 30677 Supported by the Georgia Council for the Arts

Thanks to everyone who voted for their Athens Favorites!

7:30 PM The Classic Center Reserve your tickets today by following the QR code link

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 The winners will be announced in the March 16th Favorites issue of flagpole.

2

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

LET US HELP

SERVING NORTHEAST GEORGIA FOR 35 YEARS

this week’s issue

contents

IAN McFARLANE

BOYCOTT

RUSSIAN GOODS, BOOZE, AND GUNS! Paid advertising

ather+ Celebrate The Randall Bramblett Band is back in Athens to perform two shows at Hendershot’s on Saturday, Mar. 12 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. For more information, please visit hendershotsathens.com.

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

Street Scribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

CCSD Still Needs Improvement

Chancellor Sonny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

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

Threats & Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Uptick In Local Traffic Deaths

Live Music Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 MUSIC: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Kxng Blanco’s DaBigWaveMan FOOD & DRINK: Grub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Newly Opened Farm Burger

LÚNASA

Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

“Lúnasa’s shows are great, you won’t want to miss them.” – The Irish Echo Named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honor of Lugh, the Irish god and patron of the arts, Lúnasa is indeed a gathering of some of the top musical talents in Ireland.

Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Thurs., March 24, 7:30 PM

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Adopt Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Hodgson Concert Hall | UGA Performing Arts Center

Hey, Bonita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Curb Your Appetite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

von Daniela Matejschek

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles PUBLISHER Pete McCommons PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner ADVERTISING SALES Landon Bubb, Jessica Pritchard Mangum CITY EDITOR Blake Aued ARTS & MUSIC EDITOR Jessica Smith EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Sam Lipkin OFFICE MANAGER & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Zaria Gholston CLASSIFIEDS Zaria Gholston AD DESIGNERS Chris McNeal, Cody Robinson CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, David Mack PHOTOGRAPHER Sarah Ann White CONTRIBUTORS Bonita Applebum, Lee Becker, Hillary Brown, Chris Dowd, Gordon Lamb, Ed Tant CIRCULATION Ilaina Burns, Charles Greenleaf, Carrie Harden, Taylor Ross EDITORIAL INTERN Violet Calkin

MNOZIL BRASS Gold

COVER PHOTOGRAPH of Kxng Blanco by ScottyShotFirst (see story on p. 11) 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

LETTERS: letters@flagpole.com MUSIC: music@flagpole.com NEWS: news@flagpole.com ADVICE: advice@flagpole.com

Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 8,500 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $90 a year, $50 for six months. © 2022 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOLUME 36 ISSUE NUMBER 9

PLEASE VAX UP SO WE DON’T NEED TO

Association of Alternative Newsmedia

MASK UP AGAIN

comments section “Imagine being mad someone makes 28k for what’s essentially a full-time position.”

“What the seven-man musical wrecking squad from Austria called Mnozil Brass has tried to do is create a combination circus band, village band, marching band, and vaudeville orchestra.

They are virtuosos.” – The Arts Fuse The Monty Python of the music world combines peerless playing with hilarious physical comedy.

Tue., March 29, 7:30 PM

Hodgson Concert Hall | UGA Performing Arts Center

— Donnie Malone From “Majority of Commissioners Support Raising the Position’s Pay” at flagpole.com.

( 706) 542- 4400 | pac.uga.edu

M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

3

news

city dope

In math, 13% of elementary- and middle-school students were at grade level in the fall of 2021, with 42% one level behind and 45% two or more levels behind. Those figures improved to 26% on level, 41% one level behind and 34% two or more levels behind in the winter of 2022.

Board member Nicole Hull asked about learning loss during the pandemic. “We are happily surprised that our students are doing better than predicted,” Chief UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute. Proponents Academic Officer Brannon Gaskins said, argue that commissioners’ workloads have adding that the district has seen less learnincreased and that a higher salary will ing loss in elementary schools than middle enable lower-income individuals to run for and high schools. office.

“We’re in a crisis, and the pandemic Starting next year, commission salaries made the crisis worse,” board member Greg will be set at $28,693. This specific numDavis said. “We’re making progress, but ber was chosen because it is the average we’ve got such a large percentage that are commissioner salary for comparably-sized not.” Comparing the “emergency” to the counties in Georgia. [Chris Dowd] invasion of Ukraine, Davis called for the district to “be on a war footing.”

Gaskins said that the district is advancing students who missed time during the pandemic instead of forcing them to repeat Student achievement in the Clarke a grade, while providing “scaffolding,” or County School District has improved over remedial instruction, as needed. the past year, but still falls short of CCSD’s In eighth grade, the district starts to goals of having 90% of middle-schoolers prepare students for high school. “Ninth ready for high school and ensuring all high grade can be that make-or-break year,” said school students are college and career ready Neil Croslin, executive director of leaderwhen they graduate. ship development for secondary schools.

Only 23% of kindergarteners through Hundreds of eighth graders are taking eighth graders were reading at or above high-school-level physical science, algebra, grade level in the fall of foreign language and other 2021, with 34% one level with almost all of We’re in a crisis, courses, behind and 44% two or them passing, he said. But more levels behind, accordand the pandemic failure has no impact—they ing to data from iReady can take the course again made the crisis worse. and be better prepared, he tests. The most recent iReady tests showed 33% said. of students reading at or above grade level, Passing rates on the Milestones end-of30% one level behind and 34% two or more course standardized test have improved dralevels behind. matically since the 2018-2019 school year, More than 3,000 students improved from 23% to 51% in algebra, 43% to 58% in their performance on iReady tests for American literature, 21% to 52% in biology both reading and math. “This is significant and 17% to 55% in U.S. history. Both high because we want to see our students movschools improved equally, Croslin said. ing across those range bands,” Jennifer About 72% of seniors are currently Scott, executive director of leadership on track to graduate, but Gaskins said he development for elementary schools, told expects that figure to improve by about the Board of Education at a Mar. 3 work 8–12%, meeting or exceeding last year’s session.

79% graduation rate. [Blake Aued]

Federal Funds for Housing and More COMMISSION APPROVES $35 MILLION FRAMEWORK AND MORE LOCAL NEWS

By Blake Aued, Lee Becker and Chris Dowd news@flagpole.com The ACC Commission has developed a the general framework for how to spend framework for how to spend funding from American Rescue Plan funding, but four the American Rescue Plan, the federal pancommissioners—Patrick Davenport, Allison demic recovery package that brought over Wright, Ovita Thornton and Mike Hamby— $57 million to Athens’ local government. opposed it. After Commissioner Mariah The commission’s framework will address a Parker proposed the plan detailed above variety of community needs over the next that eventually passed (which she co-wrote five years, including youth development, with commissioners Carol Myers, Jesse violence prevention, affordable housing, Houle and Tim Denson), Thornton spoke homelessness, behavioral health, business up with an alternate plan based on Parker’s development and workforce support. that took most of the reserve funds and The commission has already allocated funding for homelessness and spread them $22 million of the $57 million package to among public health, stormwater, broadfund immediate needs like eviction prevenband access and youth summer programs. tion and an official homeless encampment.

Beyond these spending adjustments, The commission also authorized $8 million Thornton wanted to speed up the process for ACC staff in the form of a retention for getting money to the people who need bonus and premium pay for hours worked it but did not fully explain how that would during the pandemic. be accomplished. She also wanted to cap Most of the remaining funds have been spending on outside consultants for each apportioned into five “buckets,” or general category at $10,000. categories of expenditure. Each bucket will When Houle asked for clarity on some have an advisory committee consisting inconsistencies, Thornton withdrew her of various community motion and instead partners. These parta motion to delay This is a gift in our laps made ners, in collaboration the decision for another with the public and that comes along once month so she could outside consultants, work out the details. in a lifetime. will help develop a plan But before the comof action to decide on mission could vote on a more granular level how the money will her motion to postpone, she had already ultimately be spent. changed her mind and decided to stick with The framework includes $11 million for her original plan despite knowing it didn’t affordable housing, $7 million for youth have the votes to pass. development and violence prevention, $5 Wright seconded all of Thornton’s million for homelessness, $4 million for motions, saying that she wanted more business development and workforce supmoney spent on infrastructure like broadport, $4 million for behavioral health and band and water and sewer connections in $4.5 million reserved for other needs. low-income areas of the county. Wright After the action plans for each category voted for Thornton’s proposal but against are finalized with community input, ACC Parker’s. staff will seek to contract out most of the Hamby spoke more directly than Wright work to nonprofits or other agencies. Each in opposition to Parker’s plan, saying that plan will be funded to at least the tune there were “very specific guidelines” built listed above, but the plans will be much into the proposal that “the community more ambitious than that and will require ought to look at and weigh in on.” He additional funding if they are to be comurged for a delay in passing the framework, pleted. Commissioners are hopeful that but later changed his mind and voted for more money can be identified by pursuing Thornton’s motion, which included all federal or state grants. of the same specifics, although he voted $2.35 million will be spent on adminagainst Parker’s plan. istration over the plan’s five-year period.

Commissioner Patrick Davenport, on If commissioners had instead decided to the other hand, voted no on both proposals invest most of the money in something like because he objected to spending money stormwater infrastructure, an ongoing need on things like fighting homelessness and in Athens, this overhead cost could have youth programs without a strategic plan, been reduced. However, commissioners saying that “we need to be responsible to saw the American Rescue Plan as a unique the taxpayers.” He wanted to “slow down” opportunity to invest in programs of social and gather more community input before uplift that would normally be prohibited by deciding on a general framework for how to the state government. allocate the funding.

“This is a gift in our laps that comes All the other commissioners voted no along once in a lifetime,” Commissioner on Thornton’s plan but yes on Parker’s proMelissa Link said. “The state is very restricposal, which passed 6-4. tive on how we spend our own public dolCommissioners voted 6-4 along the lars. The federal government is giving us exact same lines to raise salaries for their some leeway to actually spend money on own positions at this meeting as well. people.”

Commissioner salaries haven’t been re-evalWhile this framework may have been uated since 2001, although they have long discussed, that doesn’t mean there received regular cost of living adjustments, wasn’t any disagreement among combringing their current annual salaries to missioners at their meeting Mar. 1. A $19,100, with an extra $1,200 available majority of commissioners voted to accept once they complete their certification with

“

4

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

CCSD Student Achievement Improves

“

SARAH ANN WHITE

About 50 people turned out for a “Stand With Ukraine” rally Feb. 28 at the Arch, organized by Athens photographer Irina Rozovsky, a native of Russia.

Johnson Seeks Rematch Against Gaines Educator and civil rights activist MokahJasmine Johnson will run against state Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens) for the second time, she announced last week.

“We are resilient people—that I know for sure. But even resilience has its limits.

After two years of unimaginable hardship, are our communities thriving and growing?” Johnson said in a news release. “That’s the question on my mind for our district.

We might have a brand new district number and new district lines—but the issues are still the same. The bright futures of our children and grandchildren are still at risk.

“Since the last election, as our world was turned upside down by the crushing weight of the coronavirus pandemic and crippling economic losses for so many, I continued to work on the issues that matter to our community: education, economic stability—particularly for low wage workers and small business owners—and protecting our freedom and human rights.”

Gaines defeated Johnson 57% to 43% in 2020. Then, the district was numbered 117, and a slight majority favored Joe Biden in the presidential race. But Republican legislators shored up Gaines during last fall’s redistricting process, subtracting part of heavily Democratic Clarke County and adding more voters in heavily Republican Jackson County to the district, now numbered 120.

Johnson co-founded the Athens AntiDiscrimination Movement, which led efforts to pass a local civil rights ordinance prohibiting discrimination by businesses.

She also organized rallies against police violence after George Floyd’s murder in 2020 and, last year, co-chaired an Athens-Clarke County task force that created a civilian police oversight board, and is active in the local Democratic Party. Most recently, she released a children’s book about the schoolto-prison pipeline.

Gaines has enormous resources for his re-election campaign, with more than $250,000 in the bank and the ability to

raise much more once the legislative session ends in a few weeks. Johnson is also a prolific fundraiser, having received $278,330 in contributions for the 2020 race, but she had just $19,533 unspent at the end.

Qualifying week, when candidates officially put their names on the ballot, runs through Friday, Mar. 11. Check flagpole. com for updates. [BA]

Turn Oconee Magenta Oconee County Democrats do not need to turn the county blue, Jen Jordan, a candidate for attorney general, said at last month’s party meeting. They just need to make it a little less red for the party to have success in statewide elections in November.

To that end, Jordan said, it will be helpful if the party can field candidates for the county Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners races in November, as well as to run in the county’s two state House districts and the county’s state Senate district.

The Republican Party, because of gerrymandering approved in its special session last November, likely will continue to control the state House and Senate for the remainder of the decade, Jordan said. That is why the elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and other statewide offices in November are so important, Jordan said. The good news, she said, is that “You can’t gerrymander a state.”

“After the gerrymandering that’s happened this year,” Jordan said in response to a question, “Republicans are going to probably stay in control of the House and the Senate for the next eight years minimum.

That is why it is so important that we focus on these statewide races so that there can be someone calling them out, because you can’t gerrymander a state. We can win, but we’ve got to work at it.”

“We are a very, very, very red county,” said Courtney Davis, who is working on candidate recruitment for the Oconee County Democratic Party. “We struggle to find local Democrats to run. But if running local Democrats is helpful to up-ticket candidates like yourself, we can do that. So I’m curious

about that. You always hear about down ticket voting.

But is there like an up-ticket advantage, that is, running local candidates for you?”

There is, Jordan said. “I like to say it’s down ballot, it’s up ballot. It’s all around the ballot. So at the end of the day, there are going to be people in your local communities who get out for local candidates,” she said. “And I like to say, it is about losing less.

That’s all we need. We just need to lose [by] less in the dark red areas of this state.”

If knowing of an advantage for statewide races “can be a motivating force, it might help me,” Davis said. “It is hard to recruit candidates out here knowing they are going to get beat.”

For more on Jordan and Democratic candidate for agriculture commissioner Fred Swann, visit oconeecountyobservations.org. [Lee Becker]

COVID Cases Continue to Fall COVID-19 cases in Athens have fallen to levels not seen since last summer. The seven-day running average of new cases was 5.6 per day on Mar. 4. The last time it was that low was July 8, 2021, before the Delta surge began.

Levels of coronavirus in Athens wastewater confirms that the virus is in retreat— for now. Viral loads in wastewater samples taken by professor Erin Lipp’s lab at the UGA Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases were the lowest they’d been since June 2021.

But people with the virus continue to suffer and die. Four Athens residents died of COVID-19 last week, bringing the total for the pandemic to 207, not including nine more deaths the Georgia Department of Health classifies as “probable.” Eight residents were hospitalized, bringing the cumulative total to 1,123. So far, the virus has infected at least 26,043 residents, with another 3,433 positive antigen tests recorded by DPH. Local hospitals are at a fairly typical 80% capacity, but intensive care unit beds remain in high use, with 65 of 70 occupied as of Mar. 6. The number of COVID patients has declined drastically to 42, or 7% of all patients. At the height of the Omicron surge it topped 40%.

The Athens-Clarke County Commission was scheduled to vote Tuesday, Mar. 8 to relax a rule requiring public-facing ACC employees to wear masks. The citywide mask ordinance remains on the books but is not currently being enforced because the county is seeing fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.

Masks are also optional at the Clarke County Courthouse as of Mar. 1. However, masks are still required on Athens and UGA buses per federal rules.

The Clarke County School District, which also went mask-optional last week, reported fewer than 10 cases in local schools. At UGA, where masks have always been optional no matter how many people get infected, 31 cases were reported for the week of Feb. 21. [BA] f

... just listen WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9TH

ATHENS MUSIC TRIVIA W/ OLIVER MERRITT

THURSDAY, MARCH 10TH

SABACHA DANCE SOCIAL FRIDAY, MARCH 11TH

ALASH ENSEMBLE SATURDAY, MARCH 12TH

RANDALL BRAMBLETT BAND (2 SHOWS)

MONDAY, MARCH 14TH

ADRON (FULL BAND)

LUNCH

MON – SAT 11AM–3PM NEW MENU ITEMS! ATHENS’ INTIMATE LIVE MUSIC VENUE

hendershotsathens.com

237 prince ave. • 706.353.3050

BUY IT

RENT IT

SELL IT IN THE FLAGPOLE CLASSIFIEDS

our weekly rates are cheaper than other papers’ daily rates!

PLACE YOUR AD BY CALLING

706-549-9523 or go online to Flagpole.com

M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

5

news

feature

Traffic Deaths on the Rise CAR CRASHES KILLED 25 PEOPLE IN ATHENS LAST YEAR

By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com

A

are given anonymity in this giant metal box around us, and we act out in ways that we wouldn’t face to face.”

The surge in traffic deaths has led Athens-Clarke County to change the way it responds to wrecks. Police now notify an on-call engineer with the ACC Transportation and Public Works ACC TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS

riana Zarse was walking across East Broad Street downtown in the crosswalk near the railroad track just after midnight Oct. 9 when a car came out of nowhere, plowed through a yield sign and killed her.

The driver—who was later arrested on hit-and-run and vehicular homicide charges—was going so fast that, when investigators reviewed video from a nearby security camera, they couldn’t even see the car’s headlights yet when Zarse stepped into the road. The 20-year-old UGA student did everything she was supposed to do to stay safe, but still became one of a record 25 victims of traffic violence in Athens last year.

Traffic deaths in Athens jumped from 11 in 2019 and 15 in 2020, despite overall crashes being at their lowest level in five years, according to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Nationally, 31,720 people died in motor vehicle crashes during the first nine months of 2021, a 12% surge over 2020, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As people stayed home during the first part of the pandemic, roads emptied, and reckless, drunk and distracted driving became more prevalent. Then, as restrictions eased, those trends remained, except now with more vehicles—and people—to collide with.

In addition, pickup trucks are getting taller and heavier, which makes it harder for drivers to see pedestrians and more likely those pedestrians will die if they’re hit.

Other factors are less quantifiable.

“There’s a portion of the population that is incredibly frustrated, enraged, and some of that behavior shows up in their driving,” Mark Hallenbeck, director of the Washington State Transportation Center at the University of Washington, told the New York Times last month. “We in our vehicles

enough. Those reports go straight to ACC Manager Blaine Williams.

“You can have a road be 25 miles an hour, but if it’s built for 50 miles an hour, not a lot of people are going to drive the speed limit,” said Daniel Sizemore, ACC’s bicycle-pedestrian safety coordinator. That’s a title Sizemore said is somewhat misleading. “It’s not just about bike and pedestrian safety,” he said. “It’s about safety for all road users.”

A look at where the crashes occurred reveals some patterns: In addition to Zarse’s hit-and-run death, drivers killed five other people on U.S. Highway 78 last year, including one on Lexington Road, two on West Broad Street and two on Atlanta Highway, along with two more on Epps Bridge Parkway. Five people died on the

This heat map shows where the most crashes happen in Athens—mainly along West Broad Street and Atlanta Highway, at Loop interchanges and at Lexington Road and Gaines School Road.

Department who visits the crash site to determine whether it was the fault of the driver or a flaw in the road design. If needed, TPW will do a road safety audit and identify potential improvements, like narrowing car lanes, adding protected bike lanes or other measures to slow down drivers—just lowering the speed limit isn’t

Athens Perimeter and four on Tallassee Road. Six pedestrians and cyclists died; four were single-vehicle crashes, and the rest involved multiple motor vehicles.

TPW and the Georgia Department of Transportation, along with representatives from St. Mary’s Hospital and Hill Chapel Baptist Church, did a safety audit on West

Broad in October. The group walked the corridor and found that it’s not always welllit and needs more crosswalks, as well as crosswalk signals that respond faster and give people more time to cross the street.

“If we can make it an easier experience at the crosswalks, hopefully more people will cross at those locations,” Sizemore said.

Just a week later, a driver hit and killed Glenn Stevenson, 59, as he was crossing West Broad on foot near Alps Road.

A TSPLOST citizens advisory committee that recommended transportation projects for a May 24 sales tax referendum also targeted less-traveled but historically underserved areas. The final list includes not only millions for major thoroughfares like Atlanta Highway, but also neighborhoods like East Athens, Stonehenge and Westchester. They’re often characterized by “desire lines” where, lacking sidewalks, a steady stream of people on foot wears down dirt paths. “There are already people out there on the sides of roads every single day,” TSPLOST committee chair Lauren Blais told ACC commissioners during a December presentation.

Two GDOT projects should make West Broad and Lexington, both state highways, safer as well. A new Loop interchange at Lexington Road will include bike lanes and a Firefly Trail flyover. GDOT engineers estimate that a future roundabout at West Broad and Hancock Avenue could reduce crashes by 75%.

Moving forward, ACC is developing a Vision Zero plan, a strategy adopted by many communities worldwide with the goal of eliminating traffic deaths. New technology like predictive analysis uses artificial intelligence to help traffic engineers measure close calls, not just actual injuries and deaths.

Meanwhile, four people have died in Athens car crashes already this year while local drivers continue to live out their Formula 1 fantasies. In February, police arrested a man who was clocked at 142 mph on the Loop and claimed he’d been going 155. A few days earlier, police said they caught drivers going 101 mph on West Broad and 105 on Jefferson Road. ACCPD reminded residents: “Excessive speed was a factor in a number of our recent crashes.” f

Dog Spa

YOUR PET DESERVES

TO LOOK FABULOUS! Voted Athens’ Favorite Pet Groomer 2021 AKC Safety-Certified Salon

1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy • (706)-353-1065 barkdogspa.com

6

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

Eastcreek Photography

EVENTS

Weddings. Parties. Corporate Events.

(706) 353-1913 info@eptingevents.com

news

street scribe

news

feature

RIP P.J. O’Rourke

Perdue Runs the U

By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com

By Ross Williams news@flagpole.com

When he died on Feb. 15 at the age of 74, political humorist P.J. O’Rourke was called “the last funny conservative” in a tribute written for The New York Times by Christopher Buckley, his fellow writer, a longtime friend and the son of conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. O’Rourke was a conservative with a mordant wit who skewered politicians on CATO INSTITUTE

liars: the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.”

Like Mencken, Dorothy Parker was a witty observer of American culture and politics during the Roaring Twenties. “You can’t teach an old dogma new tricks,” she quipped.

Will Rogers combined homespun humor with sly political satire until his death in 1935. Rogers was proud of his cowboy skills and his Native American ancestry. “It’s easy being a humorist when you’ve got the whole government working for you,” he said.

Rogers made millions laugh when he spoke his most famous aphorism: “I am not a member of any organized political party.

I am a Democrat.”

After World War II, a new breed of political satirist was born in the smoky nightclubs of America. “Liberals feel unworthy of their possessions.

Conservatives feel they deserve everything they have stolen,” Mort Sahl joked. Lenny Bruce said to his nightclub audiences, “Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God.” African American comedian and activist Dick Gregory rose to prominence during the rise of the civil rights movement. In his nightclub act, television appearances and books like From the Back of The Bus, Gregory got laughs from interracial audiences with both sides of the aisle in his articles pubobservations like, “I know the South very lished in magazines ranging from National well. I spent 20 years there one night.”

Lampoon to The Atlantic and in his books Newspaper columnists Art Buchwald and like Parliament of Whores and How the Hell Molly Ivins died within days of each other Did This Happen: The Election of 2016. in 2007 after writing political humor and During that election campaign, O’Rourke commentary for decades. “You can’t make said that, in spite of his conservative up anything anymore,” said Buckwald. “The credentials, he would vote for Democrat world itself is a satire.” Ivins warned her Hillary Clinton over Republican stanreaders, “Many a time freedom has been dard-bearer Donald Trump. “I just thought rolled back, and always for the same sorry he was unstable,” said reason: fear.”

O’Rourke. “I still do.”

Comedian and social Eulogies for O’Rourke O’Rourke’s writings critic George Carlin followed in the long tracompared him to caustic died in 2008, but he left dition of political satire words of warning that in America. Mark Twain columnist H.L. Mencken. are true today: “If you blazed like a comet have selfish, ignorant across the literary firmament more than a citizens, you’re going to have selfish, ignocentury ago. It was fitting that he was born rant leaders,” he said. “Never underestimate during the appearance of Halley’s Comet the power of stupid people in large groups.” in 1835, and he died when the comet came America needs its wry political observback into view in 1910. “We have the best ers, and O’Rourke earned his approbation government money can buy,” Twain once as America’s last funny conservative. smirked. “The political and commercial mor- Today’s cultish conservative politicians like als of the United States are not merely food Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz are for laughter, they are an entire banquet.” clownish, but they aren’t funny. When the Eulogies for O’Rourke compared him to current crop of right-wingers sneer that caustic columnist H.L. Mencken, and the liberals lack a sense of humor, they convecomparison is apt. During his heyday in the niently forget the longtime liberal legacy of 1920s, Mencken’s newspaper columns satAmerican political satirists like Mark Twain, irized U.S. politics but also warned readers who said, “The radical of one century is the that, “The men the American people admire conservative of the next. The radical invents the most extravagantly are the most daring the views, the conservative adopts them.” f

“

FORMER GOVERNOR TAKES OVER UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

F

ormer U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and two-term Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue was officially tapped to be the next leader of the University System of Georgia’s 26 public colleges and universities.

In a controversial but widely expected move, the Georgia Board of Regents approved Perdue with a unanimous vote at a Mar. 1 virtual meeting in which Perdue did not participate. Perdue’s own appointees to the board spoke in his favor.

“I appreciate the Board’s confidence in me and look forward to working together with them, our campus leadership and faculties, our elected representatives and most importantly, our students, to provide opportunities for students, faculty and staff to be successful and to produce even more outstanding results,” Perdue said in a statement after the vote.

“This may be the most important job yet. I can’t think of a better way to make a difference than to help prepare the next generation—educating them for prosperity, themselves, their families and ultimately our state. I’m excited to get started.”

Perdue is set to get started Apr. 1, replacing acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney, who has been serving since former Chancellor Steve Wrigley’s retirement in July. MacCartney will return to her previous role as executive vice chancellor for administration.

The decision caps off a long and fraught process that saw a search firm tasked with finding a candidate quit and a warning from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges on undue political interference.

Perdue was reportedly the top choice of Gov. Brian Kemp, in spite of Perdue’s cousin former Sen. David Perdue’s GOP primary challenge for Kemp’s job. Sonny Perdue reportedly helped Kemp secure the endorsement of then-President Donald Trump in 2018, helping him win the Republican nomination for governor. He also appointed Kemp secretary of state in 2010, allowing him to run as an incumbent.

Regents were effusive in their praise for the former governor. “Previously, as you all know, I worked for Gov. Perdue as services policy director, and I specifically advised him on education policy issues,” said Regent Erin Hames. “Over four-and-a-half years in that role, I really saw firsthand his character, his work ethic and his deep love for the state of Georgia. I saw his passion for the future of Georgia.”

Multiple regents praised Perdue’s executive and professional experience. In addition to his public service, he holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the

University of Georgia. He lives in Bonaire, where he has found success in agribusiness, trucking and land development.

But Perdue might not receive such a sunny reception from all students or faculty.

His nomination triggered charges of political patronage as well as student protests.

The university system saw bitter divides over mask rules during the pandemic, and some professors are raising alarms over proposed changes to the post-tenure review process, which they say will harm their academic freedom and job security.

JILL NOLIN / GEORGIA RECORDER

THE ‘LAST FUNNY CONSERVATIVE’ AMONG POLITICAL HUMORISTS

“Perdue obviously has a great resume for being a governor, but he has zero resume for being the head of universities and colleges,” said Matthew Boedy, Georgia chapter president of the American Association of University Professors. “I don’t know what academic means to them, but four out of the five last chancellors have had experience working in the university system, working in university administration. So, either they’re knocking those people or telling us the job has radically changed.”

Some also worry that his past conservative positions will clash with a more left-leaning campus culture. Perdue campaigned for governor on restoring the old state flag which included a Confederate symbol, and his tenure in the agriculture department brought charges that he dismissed climate change and suppressed research that demonstrated its effects.

“The chancellor historically has not been a personal political officer,” Boedy said. “We just don’t know what he’s going to do. And his record on funding higher education and supporting higher education is not there, outside of his love for the University of Georgia sports teams. So, the chancellor’s job isn’t to kill research or to promote one issue over the other, so if he starts to do that, that would be very bad for the university system.” f This story originally appeared at georgiarecorder.com.

M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

7

arts & culture

art notes

music

threats & promises

Remembering Nancy Lukasiewicz

RIP Songwriter Mike Dekle

By Jessica Smith arts@flagpole.com

By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com

With its various exhibitions, performances, lectures and classes, the Lyndon House Arts Center exists as a multifaceted venue serving all ages, artistic tastes and walks of life. This cultural institution would not be what it is today without the vision, leadership and decades-long dedication of former director Nancy Lukasiewicz, who died of cancer on Feb. 12 at the age of 71.

Incredibly kind and approachable, Lukasiewicz was a thoughtful, tactful advocate of the arts. With a fairy godmother-like flair, she was also an inspiring mentor and teacher who knew how to meet artists exactly where they were on their path, help them appreciate the value of their own creative ideas and ultimately motivate them towards pursuing their passion. Under her wing, anyone could be an artist in some

REST IN PEACE: Athens country songwriter Mike Dekle died Thursday, Feb. 24.

Although surely known to many by his day job as an insurance agent, Dekle’s songwriting career spanned four decades and multiple hits recorded by major artists. He was, for a time, contracted to write exclusively for Kenny Rogers. After this era of exclusivity, artists who recorded Dekle’s work included George Jones, Keith Whitley, Tracy Byrd and Joe Nichols. Most recently, Dekle had worked as a co-writer with Brantley Gilbert, and their song “Country Must Be Country Wide”— which included Colt Ford as a writer as well—hit No. 1 when it was released in 2011. Dekle was 77 years old.

FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER DIES AT 71

DON NELSON

center for four decades,” says Beth Sale, program specialist in exhibitions at the LHAC. “She created a welcoming and nurturing environment, embracing all people.

Everyone who met her wanted to participate and be present in this space. Athens rallied around Nancy’s vision of this magnificent community arts center. The spectacular facility we call the Lyndon House Arts Center would not exist without her.”

Together, Nancy and Ronnie were instrumental in advocating for and steering the Lyndon House Art Center’s $6 million SPLOST-funded renovation and expansion, which added 33,000 square feet of space for galleries, a small gift shop to sell artists’ wares, and studios fully-equipped for seven different disciplines. Sadly, Ronnie died in 1998, a year shy of when the newly expanded facility officially opened its doors to the public. Nancy then moved into her new role as curator of exhibitions, which she continued up until her retirement in 2016 after a 40-year career at the center.

“Over the years before she retired, Nancy was a watchdog with me, always keeping an eye on the direction I was taking the Lyndon House into the future,” says Didi Dunphy, program supervisor at the LHAC. “The day she told me she was retiring, I asked her why. She said she wanted to be sure I was the right person Nancy Lukasiewicz celebrating her retirement from the Lyndon House to leave the Arts Center Arts Center in 2016 to. I thanked her most generously.” form or fashion, and art itself existed for Lukasiewicz’s enduring legacy can everyone to experience and enjoy. This be felt through the 47th annual Juried down-to-earth attitude and emphasis on Exhibition, which opened on Mar. 3. Guest the importance of accessibility to the arts juror Miranda Liash, the Ellen Bruss Senior remains integral to the center’s current Curator at the Museum of Contemporary structure and programming.

Art Denver, selected 160 pieces from a total After receiving their BFA degrees at of 656 submissions entered by 237 artists.

Carnegie Mellon University, Nancy and Now nearing its golden anniversary as a her husband Ronnie relocated to Athens community tradition, the exhibition reflects in 1973 to pursue their MFA degrees at the diverse range of creations produced by the University of Georgia. The following local artists working in a variety of media year, Ronnie was searching for a location not limited to painting, printmaking, to host a juried art show when he landed ceramics, photography, textiles, video, metan opportunity at the city-owned Warealwork and woodwork.

Lyndon House, a circa 1850s late Greek An accomplished artist in her own right, Revival home on Hoyt Street that survives Nancy specialized in weaving, was an early as a relic of the historic Lickskillet neighmember of the Athens Fibercraft Guild and borhood. The exhibition helped launch the taught classes at the center for many years. first government-sponsored community Among the dozen-plus awards distributed arts program, and Nancy took the helm as during each year’s juried exhibition, the director not long after. She worked tireNancy Lukasiewicz Award for Excellence in lessly to secure grant funding and develop Fine Crafts often recognizes kindred textile partnerships with artist guilds, many of artists. which continue to use the center as a meetThe Juried Exhibition will remain on view ing space today. through May 21, and artist talks will be held “I want to express my deep gratitude for on Mar. 17, Apr. 21 and May 19 at 6 p.m., as her hard work and dedication to the arts well as Apr. 2 and Apr. 23 at 2 p.m. f

8

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

ticketed shows at the 40 Watt Club and Georgia Theatre on the Friday and Saturday nights of the festival. The lineup, including headliners, has not been announced yet. If you are interested in performing, vending or sponsoring AthFest, please see athfest.com.

CONGRATULATIONS!: Civic and cultural organization Chess and Community is in the midst of celebrating its 10th anniversary.

As part of this celebration, the organization and AthFactor Entertainment will host Life the Griot & Friends Thursday, Mar. 10 at Live Wire.

The night begins at 6 p.m. with Chief Rocka spinning, during which time there will be open chess play and a silent auction. From LET THE SUN SHINE 7–9 p.m., Life the IN: Rabbit Hole Griot (AKA Lemuel Studios will host “Life” LaRoche, its annual Spring founder and execuEquinox Festival tive director of Chess Sunday, Mar. 20 and Community) Mike Dekle and Brantley Gilbert from 1:11–11:59 will make his introp.m. As always, this duction, followed event is free, open to the public, and there by live performances from the steppers in are still some available slots for performThe League of Step, perpetually poignant ers and vendors. The festival is all ages rapper Cassie Chantel, noted violinist until 7 p.m. and then turns to an 18-plus Keiko Ishibashi, poet Celest Divine, and event. Thus far, confirmed performances Flagpole cover star Squallé. For more inforwill happen from Freeman Leverett, mation, please see facebook.com/chessandPeyton Covfefe, MYNAWA, the White community and chessandcommunity.org.

Rabbit Collective, and your expected and STAY SAFE, Y’ALL: Just a word of encourregularly scheduled drum circle and fire agement and a high-five to all Athenians pit jams. Other activities and distractions include yoga, a bouncy house, a kid-focused deciding to make the trek out to Austin, TX this week for South by Southwest. The item named Mr. Green Thumb’s Garden landmark music and technology conference Hour, live art installations, comedians, went virtual last year after being canceled the Rabbit Hole Puppet Show and more. If entirely in 2020. It has returned to an you’re interested in vending or performing opportunities, please see rabbitholestudios. in-person event, with select virtual components, this year. Although I’ve covered org/festivals to apply. For general informaSXSW in person every year since 2010— tion, please stay tuned to facebook.com/ and know exactly how sweaty, sloppy and whiterabbitproductionsllc. crowded it can get—I’m still not ready to EVERYTHING WENT BLACK: Congratulations go have the full breath of Texas blown in my out to Athens metal band Guillotine A.D. face, so I’m only covering what I can from a (formerly Guillotine) that has just signed distance. Full coverage should return next with Las Vegas label M-Theory Audio. The year. But, to our troops, break a leg and new single “Hammer” is out now in advance travel safely! of the band’s new full-length release due LISTEN CLOSER: Massachusetts label Feeding later this year. The band has upcoming Tube Records just released a collaborative shows in Tallahassee and Tampa, FL, release from Shane Parish (Ahleuchatistas) Asheville, NC, Atlanta (Mar. 18 at Sabbath Brewing) and Charlotte. The band describes and Michael Potter (The Electric Nature, Null Zone, Garden Portal) named Live at the its sound as “old-school Florida death Crow’s Nest. It was recorded at the pavilion metal, Scandinavian black metal and New known as the crow’s nest in Sandy Creek Orleans sludge,” and that’s pretty damn Park. The two-track release features Parish right on the money. For more information, and Potter each playing guitar to execute please see facebook.com/guillotine.ad1. a sort of folk-ambient vibe that grows DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK: After two years on more intense toward the end of the second ice, AthFest Music & Arts Festival will track. This release has already enjoyed a return to the streets of downtown Athens nice co-sign from legendary critic Byron June 24–26. This year’s event will include Coley whose authority in such matters I the popular artists market and KidsFest as tend to cede pretty immediately. Find this well. While the open-air portions of the fesat both michaelpotter.bandcamp.com and tival are free to attend, there will be separate shaneparish.bandcamp.com. f

WINE NIGHT Every Monday

1/2 off off all bottles under $50 at all 3 locations!

I TA L I A N C A F E 401 E. Broad St. • 1965 Barnett Shoals Rd. • 2080 Timothy Rd.

DePalmasItalianCafe.com

2 Year Franniversary!

March 18th - 20th

A 3 day event for the whole family!

Join us in store for raffles, food, and fun!

Our Franniversary Concert will be Saturday, March 19 at Southern Brewing Company featuring Cosmic Charlie!

Doors at 6PM, Music at 7PM

RSVP on Facebook:

Buy tix online:

All store proceeds and $3 from every ticket will be donated to Nuçi's Space.

706-224-9505

@frannysfarmacyathens

2361 W. Broad ST. M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

9

C HESS

9T H AN N UAL

CON When: When: Where: Where: Where:

& C O MMUNITY

ERENCE March 12,2022 9:00 AM The Classic Center 300 N Thomas St, Athens, GA

Nominate your FAVORITE SONGWRITER now thru March 20

The Winner Receives

$1,500 Cash Prize + Team Clermont Promo Package

Finalists Receive $250

Chess, Robotics & Coding Competition Think Before You Move Scholarship Dynamic Speakers...AND MORE!

Winner Announced on April 28 at the 40 Watt Club Details & Submission Forms @ www.vicchesnuttaward.com/nominations

Come witness positive youth and community engagement at work.

#ccc2022 #ThePowerOfFamily

REGISTER

flagpole

chessandcommunity.org/conference

Support Local Journalism flagpole is fighting to continue bringing you the

most up-to-date local news, and we need your help.

DONATE

Consider a one time or recurring donation www.flagpole.com/donations or mail in a check.

Flagpole, PO Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603 10

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

music

feature

DaBigWaveMan

at Tweed Recording

UPCOMING SHOWS 3/9 . . . . . . . . . . . . Susto (Solo)

KXNG BLANCO BRINGS IN THE NEXT WAVE

with Cannon Rogers & Elijah Johnston

3/13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tré Burt

By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com

G

rowing up ingrained in the fabric of Athens hiphop culture, quiet kid Jeffery Blakely crashed onto the music scene in 2017 as boisterous rapper Kxng Blanco. The last five years have brought a steady evolution of his public image and sound as he’s matured as a person and artist—from “King of the Youth” to LvrBoy icon and on to the next wave of music.

It all started with then 16-year-old Blakely beginning to make music and releasing songs every two weeks on Soundcloud. He had some stage experience doing school talent shows, but Blakely’s first hip-hop show and appearance as Kxng Blanco was February 2017 at The World Famous for ATHfactor-Liberty Entertainment’s First Tuesday showcase. Performing beside Athens hip-hop legend Dictator, that’s all it took for the town to start buzzing with, “Who is that high school kid?”

Now at 22 years old, Blakely released his sixth album on all platforms, DaBigWaveMan, Wednesday, Mar. 9. Going back to his roots of high-energy rap and booming bass, this album marks a stark contrast from his 2021 release LvrBoy 2. This is a fresh Kxng Blanco and an old Kxng Blanco rolled into one. Wave imagery has remained a constant in Blakely’s artistry, originating in middle school with the artist’s clique of friends and supporters, Wavy Mob. Rather than shedding that branding, it stands as an important and humble reminder.

“It’s about keeping in touch with my childhood, keeping in touch with that 12–13-year-old quiet kid. It shows me where I came from,” says Blakely. “Waves don’t start out big; they just start out water, and people don’t pay attention to that. People don’t pay attention to water until it’s dangerous.”

After graduating high school, Blakely attended the University of North Georgia for three semesters before changing gears, quitting school and recording and engineering full time at GA Pro Studios off Highway 29. In fact, he recorded and engineered DaBigWaveMan entirely by himself, and he’s been doing so since his second album, Skee Yee!. Blakely explains that he’d rather take on everything himself to execute his vision exactly how he sees it, which led to him often running back and forth between the board and booth while recording.

with Joules Satyr

DaBigWaveMan ended up as a 15-track collection of songs created between 2019 and now carefully curated as a “proving point” of what the artist is capable of and how far he’s come. “Go Up” is Blakely’s personal favorite track because it delivers the message he intended for the entire project: He knows he’s young, but he knows he’s deserving of respect for the quality of music he’s producing on his own. One thing is certain, Blakely pushes his abilities and boundaries to continually elevate his music. The hyperpop track “Big Weight” comes as the biggest surprise and fresh take on the album.

“I was in the studio with [Dwayne Goodson], and I was making a whole other song for the album. And he told me, ‘If you’re going to do this whole project by yourself, it’s got to sound like Kxng Blanco featuring Kxng Blanco,’ like two different people. And I know my voice if you hear it a bunch of times, it gets boring,” says Blakely. “It’s always those hyperpop beats where folks get away with the weirdest shit, but it sounds hard.”

While setting out to prove himself with this album, it in turn largely became a learning experience in taking charge and leading a team—in spite of Blakely’s preference to often go it alone. Blakely’s father, also Jeffery Blakely, has always ordered the tracks on all of the projects, but this time, longtime friend and founding member of Wavy Mob, Deunta O., who goes by DJ Chimney, joined in the process with his input. This was the first time Blakely brought in a friend as an active part of the creation process rather than a supportive bystander, and Deunta played a part in the beat selection for this project.

The track “Jetpack” may already be familiar to some who have heard the Hugh Hodgson School of Music’s Athens Hip Hop Harmonic collaboration between Blakely and composition faculty member Peter Van Zandt Lane. When first coming together for the Athens Hip Hop Harmonic project, Blakely explains that he adapted his songwriting to the initial classical piece Lane brought to him, but then he tasked Lane with adapting the classical composition to hip hop for the second piece. This exercise in crossing worlds and meshing genres required a new approach.

“Trying to make a beat from scratch without knowing how to make a hip-hop beat was kind of frustrating. We couldn’t get no traction. So I gave him access to all my unreleased music, and he said, ‘I love the style of ‘Jetpack,’ let me see what I can do to it,’” says Blakely.

This experience built confidence in developing his vision in a team-setting and taking charge of creative situations.

He again had to tap into these skills when commissioning the cover art for DaBigWaveMan, created by digital-based artist Tofuneers. Blakely directed the vision of his cover art based on the Greek mythology of Poseidon, whom he researched deeper after getting a taste of the lore in college.

The concept of Poseidon ruling his world out of sight under water until someone stirred up his anger, in conjunction with the water symbology deeply connected to the artist, really portrayed the message of the album. It’s time to unleash what Blakely views as the full potential of his music—at least up to this point.

“Like fuck fame, I just want the respect that comes with it. It woke up the beast in me that now I’m going to have to shake up the world,” says Blakely. f

4/1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ian Noe 4/9 . . . . . . . . . . Buffalo Nichols

with Wade Walker & Toni Hunlo

4/12 . . . William Tyler & Marisa Anderson

with Shane Parish

4/21 . . .

Sam Burchfield & The Scoundrels

with Jordan Tice (of Hawktail)

4/22 . . . . . . . . . . Okey Dokey

with Klark Sound

131 East Clayton Street | www.lewisroom.com

Residential • Office • Construction • Move In • Move Out

A clean house is more than just luck! Call for a free quote.

Adilene Valencia 706-424-9810

aecleanathens@gmail.com

835 Sunset Dr. Athens

FB @vfwpost2872

SMOKEY JONES Friday, march 11 • $10

& THE $3 PISTOLS

CHRIS HAMPTON BAND

friday, march 18 • $10

RAMBLING COUNTRY BAND

Friday, march 25 • $10

FREE PARKING • LARGE DANCE FLOOR FULL BAR • CASH ONLY • CHEAPEST IN TOWN

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

11

YOUR SECOND-FAVORITE

REAL ESTATE TEAM

Jarrett Martin, REALTOR ® 229-869-5734

Haley Paulk, REALTOR ® 706-201-7047

follow us on instagram @jarrettmartingroup

FREE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

+ boosters

available at your county

HEALTH DEPARTMENT NortheastHealthDistrict.com/covidvaccine

12

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

JARRETTMARTINGROUP.com 706-316-2900

live music calendar Tuesday 8

Red Line Athens 7 p.m. Donations encouraged. floga mocker77@gmail.com FISHBUG Local punk rock band.

ANGEL BARN Lo-fi alt-rock with influences of math rock, shoegaze and grunge.

THE TIN CAN COLLECTIVE Punkand grunge-influenced rock band from New York.

KADILLAK Four-piece rock band fronted by singer Kadi Bortle.

Wednesday 9 Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreand bar.com DR. FRED’S KARAOKE Featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more.

International Grill & Bar 6:30 p.m. www.facebook.com/ IGBAthensGA ASHLEY & GARY Acoustic singersongwriters.

The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording 7 p.m. $12. www.lewisroom.com SUSTO Charleston, SC-based alt-country.

ELIJAH JOHNSTON Local indiefolk singer-songwriter.

CANNON ROGERS Up-and-coming local folk-rock.

Porterhouse Grill 6–9 p.m. www.porterhouseathens. com/jazz JAZZ NIGHT Enjoy standards, improv and originals by a live jazz trio every Wednesday night over dinner.

Red Line Athens 7 p.m. FREE! BROOK PRIDEMORE Anti-folk/ drone-metal artist from Brooklyn, NY. YANKEE ROSES George Geanuracos makes spirited, howling “reclusive folk.”

NEWPORT TRANSPLANT New local Americana band straddling honky tonk and punk rock.

Thursday 10 40 Watt Club 8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show). $21. www.40watt.com SOCCER MOMMY Rising Nashville-based indie-rock songwriter on Fat Possum Records.

PEEL DREAM MAGAZINE The brainchild of Joe Stevens, this Brooklyn shoegaze act combines layers of guitar dissonance and synthesizer.

Buvez Flying Squid Comedy Presents A Very Handsome Evening. 6:30 p.m. $5. www.facebook.com/ buvezathens MASON RUSH Soulful songwriter with a powerful, percussive style.

CALEB DARNELL Unadorned campfire blues from a simpler time.

KELLY PETRONIS Local comedian known for his “dry wit and pretty eyes.”

Hendershot’s Coffee 7:30–11:30 p.m. FREE! www.hendershotsathens.com SABACHA DANCE SOCIAL DJ L.A. Darius leads a Latin dance party with salsa, bachata, merengue

and cha-cha-cha. An hour-long lesson is followed by open dancing.

International Grill & Bar 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/IGB AthensGA DOOLEY AND BALDWIN Rock, pop and a touch of country.

Live Wire Chess and Community’s 10th Anniversary Celebration. 6 p.m. FREE! www.chessandcommunity.org LIFE THE GRIOT Known for his unique approach to fusing poetry and chess as a therapeutic model for helping adolescent, family and community development.

DJ CHIEF ROCKA Local DJ spins Top 40, hip hop, funk, soul and more.

CASSIE CHANTEL Athens native hip-hop artist and recent Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year Award winner.

KEIKO ISHIBASHI Violin performer and instructor at the local violin studio Little Bow Music.

CELEST DIVINE Inspirational poet known for her work as an educator, life coach and motivational speaker.

SQUALLE Local hip-hop artist with a thoughtful, throwback sound.

The Root 8 p.m. FREE! www.therootathens. com W.D. MILLER Traditional songwriter playing honky-tonk country hymns and folky ballads.

AARON BOYD Kentucky singersongwriter playing Southern rock.

Southern Brewing Co., Monroe 7 p.m. FREE! www.sobrewco.com ZACH HAINES Country music singer-songwriter.

VFW (Post 2872) 6–9 p.m. FREE! www.facebook. com/vfwpost2872 KARAOKE Silverstar Productions hosts an evening of karaoke.

Friday 11 Ciné 9 p.m. (doors), 10 p.m. (show). $10. www.athenscine.com HAUNTED SHED Songwriter Etienne De Rocher’s textural, deconstructed take on Western folk is mixed with psychedelia and straight-up power pop, featuring Dan Nettles, Joe Rowe and Jacob Morris.

THE SHUT-UPS This long-running, guitar-driven new wave band’s Kaufmanesque presentation features frontman Don Condescending, Ben Spraker and former Flagpole music editor Ballard Lesemann.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 8 p.m. (doors). $8. www.flicker theatreandbar.com TYLER KEY Local folk-rock artist and songwriter.

THE TITOS Blues-influenced rock band from Atlanta.

ANNIE LEETH Experimental violinist and multi-instrumentalist composer.

Hendershot’s Coffee 8 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com ALASH ENSEMBLE This trio carries on the ancient art of throat singing developed among the nomadic herdsmen of Tuva.

International Grill & Bar 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ IGBAthensGA DIXIELAND FIVE Local jazz band playing styles of the early 20th century that came from New Orleans.

Live Wire 7 p.m. $15–50. www.livewire athens.com DELVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO American soul-jazz group from Seattle specializing in “feel good music.”

THE FAMILY RECIPE Five-piece instrumental fusion group with genre influences ranging from jazz to bluegrass to rock.

Nowhere Bar 7 p.m. (doors), 9:30 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/nowherebar athens CYDIAN Mosh pit friendly alternative rock band not afraid to push boundaries.

THE MOVERS Modern progressive rock band from Grayson,GA. Rabbit Hole Studios 7 p.m.–12 a.m. www.facebook. com/whiterabbitproductionsllc OPEN DECKS JiiG and djbobfish

MARK PLEMMONS Talented local pianist. (8 a.m.)

BILL LONG & FRIENDS Playing acoustic bluegrass, folk, gospel, country and more. (10 a.m.)

Flicker Theatre & Bar 8 p.m. (doors). $10. www.flicker theatreandbar.com SARAH MOOTZ Indie pop-rock artist with a lot of soul.

THE DOG APOLLO Shoegazetinged post-punk from Jacksonsville, FL. ANCIENT INFANT A folk punk musician with Southern roots and a West Coast sensibility.

Georgia Theatre 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $17-20. www.georgiatheatre.com AMERICAN AQUARIUM Southern roots-rock band from North Carolina.

MARGO Pacific Northwest country songwriter with vivid lyrics.

The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording Proof of vaccination and masks required. 7 p.m. $15 (adv.), $17. www.lewisroom.com TRÉ BURT Oh Boy Records singersongwriter.

JOULES SATYR Singer-songwriter and founder of Sea of Bees.

No. 3 Railroad Street 2 p.m. $15 suggested donation. www.3railroad.org HIROYA TSUKAMOTO Composer, guitarist and singer-songwriter from Kyoto, Japan.

The World Famous 9 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.facebook.com/theworldfamous athens TEARS FOR THE DYING Local death-rock group fronted by songwriter Adria Stembridge. A fixture of the post-punk and goth scenes since 2004.

COLD CHOIR Asheville group devoted to creating dark wave dance music with irreverent self-expression, poetry and socially conscious subject matter.

JAGUARDINI Virginia act combining the sounds of old video games and synthesizers to create a live blend of lo-fi synth-pop and energetic dark wave.

Monday 14 Tré Burt performs at The Lewis Room on Sunday, Mar. 13. host open decks for first timers or seasoned vets. DJs should bring flash drives.

Southern Brewing Co. RPM Series. 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $7 (adv.), $10. bit.ly/ RMPMar11 VANSPLAINER Local heavy rock.

VELVET WILLOW Atlanta-based hard-rock band.

ALDENTE Local genre-bending rap band featuring multiple vocalists.

VFW (Post 2872) 8 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ vfwpost2872 SMOKEY JONES AND THE 3 DOLLAR PISTOLS Bringing back real country and honky-tonk one gig at a time.

Saturday 12 40 Watt Club 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $7 (adv.), $10. www.40watt.com LOS CANTARES Jim Wilson’s psych-dipped desert rock band cites Lou Reed and The Modern Lovers as influences.

DIM WATTS Of Old Smokey and Harry Carey fame, Athens songwriter Jim Willingham’s latest project.

NORMALTOWN SOUND MACHINE Athens group featuring members of Ceiling Fan, Salt Flats and Still, Small Voice & the Joyful Noise. NSM’s asymmetrical compositions are bracing yet melodic, drawing inspiration from LCD Soundsystem, Herbie Hancock, ESG, Cardigans, Delta 5, Motels.

Bishop Park Athens Farmers Market. 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmersmarket.net

Hendershot's Coffee 7:30 p.m. (first show), 9:30 p.m. (second show). $20. www.hender shotsathens.com RANDALL BRAMBLETT BAND This established Georgia singer-songwriter's Southern-tinged music pulls from a variety of influences.

International Grill & Bar 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/ IGBAthensGA NATHAN THOMAS O'ROURKE No info available.

ACQUAVIVA Larry Acquaviva, former roadie for Widespread Panic, performs rock and roll songs.

JOSH HARPER Solo set from a member of local band Rabies Scythe Fight.

10 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ IGBAthensGA NOCHE MEXICANA Featuring live traditional music.

Nowhere Bar 9:30 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ nowherebarathens BLOODKIN Tonight's lineup includes Eric Carter, John Neff, Aaron Phillips and David Nickel with Betsy Franck and Tori Pater.

Southern Brewing Co., Monroe 7 p.m. www.sobrewco.com CODA NOVA Atlanta progressive rock.

Sunday 13 Cali N Tito’s Eastside 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.facebook. com/theluckyjones THE LUCKY JONES Old school rockin’ rhythm and blues. Every second Sunday of the month.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 9:30 p.m. (doors). $5. www.flicker theatreandbar.com GREAT WIDE NOTHING Progressive art rock band from Atlanta.

NINEVAH’S GARDEN Instrumental progressive metal and jazz fusion band.

Hendershot’s Coffee www.hendershotsathens.com ADRON Tropical pop and soul music artist performing with a band.

Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall 7:30 p.m. $20-55. pac.uga.edu TRIO CON BRIO COPENHAGEN Family trio composed of a violinist,

cellist and pianist playing music

by Beethoven, Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky. A pre-performance talk with be held in Ramsey Concert Hall at 6:45 p.m.

Tuesday 15 Georgia Theatre 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $28.50–33.50. www.georgiatheatre. com STEEL PANTHER Los Angeles glam metal band known for its profane and humorous lyrics and exaggerated on-stage pastiche.

ANY GIVEN SIN Rock group from Maryland.

Ramsey Hall 7:30 p.m. $3 (w/ UGA ID), $12. pac.uga.edu FACULTY ARTIST SERIES Featuring Liza Stepanova on piano and Maggie Snyder on viola.

Southern Brewing Co., Monroe 7 p.m. www.sobrewco.com FUNKY BLUESTER Blues outfit inspired by traditional Chicago and Texas styles.

Wednesday 16 Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatre andbar.com DR. FRED’S KARAOKE Featuring a large assortment of pop, rock, indie and more.

Georgia Theatre 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $17.50–23. www.georgiatheatre. com REVEREND HORTON HEAT Long-running, Texas-based psychobilly trio.

Porterhouse Grill 6–9 p.m. www.porterhouseathens. com/jazz JAZZ NIGHT Enjoy standards, improv and originals by a live jazz trio every Wednesday night over dinner.

pandemic protocols 40 Watt Club: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours; masks indoors Bishop Park: masks encouraged Buvez: masks indoors Cali N Tito’s Eastside: no protocols Ciné: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours; masks indoors Flicker Theatre & Bar: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 48 hours; masks indoors Georgia Theatre/Rooftop: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours; masks indoors Hendershot’s Coffee: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 48 hours Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall: masks encouraged International Grill and Bar: masks encouraged The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test; masks indoors Live Wire: masks encouraged Nowhere Bar: proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 48 hours No. 3 Railroad Street: proof of vaccination indoors; masks indoors Porterhouse Grill: masks encouraged Rabbit Hole Studios: masks encouraged Ramsey Hall: masks encouraged Red Line Athens: masks encouraged The Root: no protocols Southern Brewing Co.: masks indoors VFW: masks indoors The World Famous: masks indoors

M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

13

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 CALL FOR ART (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation: OCAF) “Rhythm & Movement” invites artists to create works in response to specific songs by local musicians. Deadline Mar. 11. Exhibition on view Apr. 15–June 3. $15 entrance fee. www. ocaf.com/call-for-art CALL FOR ARTISTS AND CURATORS (Lyndon House Arts Center) LHAC invites area artists, artist groups and curators to submit original exhibition proposals. Artists are also invited to submit images of their work for consideration for larger group or themed shows.

Exhibitions may be scheduled as far out as three years. Submit online proposal form. Deadline Apr. 20. beth.sale@accgov.com CALL FOR ENTRIES (Athens Institute for Contemporary Art: ATHICA) ATHICA is accepting applications for Artist-in-ATHICA residencies, Solo-Duo-Trio exhibitions and internships. www.athica.org/ updates/call_2022_showcase GET ARTISTIC ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE (Creature Comforts) Athens-based visual artists are invited to apply for the AiR program. The AiR will work with the brewery and local collaborators to develop a community-based creative project.

The AiR receives a $5000 stipend for a commissioned work. Deadline Mar. 13. www.getcurious.com JOKERJOKERTV CALL FOR ARTISTS (Online) JOKERJOKERtv is

open to ideas and actively accepting proposals for collaboration from visual/musical/video artists and curators living in Athens. Artists worldwide can also submit music videos, short films, skits and ideas to share with a weekly livestream audience. www.jokerjokertv.com/ submit 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. www. accgov.com/7350/Open-StudioMembership QUARTERLY ARTIST GRANTS (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Arts Council offers quarterly grants of $500 to local organizations, artists and events that connect the arts to the community in meaningful and sustainable ways. Deadline Mar. 15. www.athensarts.org/grants

Classes ACTING FOR CAMERA AND STAGE (work.shop) Learn how to act with professional actor and coach Jayson Warner Smith (“The Walking Dead,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Outer Banks”). Mondays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. $400/12 sessions. jwsclassinquiry@jaysonsmith.com, www.jaysonsmith.com/teacher ART CLASSES (K.A. Artist Shop) “Drawing Fundamentals: Line and Form” meets Mar. 15, 22, 29,

art around town ARTWALL@HOTEL INDIGO ATHENS (500 College Ave.) Curated by Lilly McEachern, “Crooked” features work by Andrae Green, Craig Coleman and Jess Machacek. Through Apr. 11.

THE ATHENAEUM (287 W. Broad St.) Stockholm-based artist Lisa Tan’s video work, “Dodge and Burn 2017–2020 July 4,” documents three consecutive failed attempts at filming fireworks on the 4th of July from the vantage point of a passenger on a commercial airliner destined for Los Angeles.

Through Apr. 2.

ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART: ATHICA (675 Pulaski St.) The 2022 “Members’ Showcase” spotlights roughly 40 artists who support the gallery through memberships. Participants include Barbara Odil, Helen Kuykendall, Lisa Freeman, Litta Milde, Michael Lachowski, Mickey O Boyd and more. An artists’ roundtable discussion will be held on closing day, Mar. 27 at 4:30 p.m.

AURUM STUDIOS (125 E. Clayton St.) Margaret Agner presents a collection of pastels, many of which were created in the company of the Athens Plein Air painters.

DODD GALLERIES (270 River Rd.) “The ​​ Black Artists Alliance Juried Exhibition” creates a devoted space of visibility and presents works by Black UGA students AJ Aremu, Jaci Davis, William Evans, Jacob Hoover, Amari Mitnaul and Temple Douglass. • The 30th installation of the “2022 Science and Medical Illustration Exhibition” includes work from undergraduate students in Science Illustration at UGA and graduate students in Medical Illustration at Augusta University. • “Stacks on Stacks” presents the work of three artists from the Carolinas working in abstraction: Mark Brosseau, Martha Clippinger and Susan Klein. • Huey Lee’s “Entangled Memories” features manipulated works that explore his relationship to objects as a way to better interpret his lived experience. All shows run through Mar. 31.

CLASSIC CENTER (300 N. Thomas St.) “Hello, Welcome!” presents abstract worlds by Maggie Davis, Jonah Cordy, Carol MacAllister and Jason Matherly. • “Classic City” interprets the city of Athens, GA through the works of James Burns, Sydney Shores, Thompson Sewell and Allison Ward.

FLICKER THEATRE & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) Artwork by Mark Dalling. Through March.

14

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

6:30–8 p.m. $90. “Color Mixing: Acrylic Painting Class” meets Tuesdays, Mar. 15–29, 6:30–8 p.m. or Wednesdays, Mar. 16–30, 4:30–6 p.m. $105. “Abstract Exploration: Acrylic Painting Class” meets Wednesdays, Mar. 16–30, 6:30–8 p.m. or Thursdays, Mar. 17–31, 10–11:30 a.m. $105. “Printing on Fabric: Printmaking Workshop” is held Mar. 20, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $105. www.kaartist.com BOTANICAL SKETCHBOOK WITH NICOLE BECHILL (Winterville Center for Community and Culture) Tap into the local environment through drawing regional plant life using colored pencils, markers, water colors and mixed media.

Mondays, Mar. 28–May 9, 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. $80. www.winterville center.com/classes CHAIR YOGA (Sangha Yoga Studio) This class is helpful for flexibility, strength, balance and increasing circulation and energy. All levels welcome. Every Thursday, 12–1 p.m. $16 (drop-in), $72 (six weeks). 706-613-1143 CHAIR YOGA AND MINDFULNESS (Winterville Center for Community and Culture) Nicole Bechill teaches a well-rounded, gentle and accessible chair yoga class to promote breathing, mindfulness and inward listening. Every Monday, 9 a.m. $10. www.wintervillecenter.com CLAY CLASSES (Good Dirt) Registration opens on the 15th of every month for the following month’s classes and workshop. Classes range from wheel, unique handles,

hand building sculpture and more.

Studio membership is included in class price. www.gooddirt.net COMMUNITY MEDITATION (Rabbit Hole Studios) Jasey Jones leads a guided meditation suitable for all levels that incorporates music, gentle movement and silence. Wednesdays, 6–7 p.m. jaseyjones@gmail. com CPR CLASSES (Athens CPR & Safety) The Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED course teaches students how to recognize and care for a variety of first aid, breathing and cardiac emergencies to help victims of any age. Certificate of completion is valid for two years.

Mar. 16, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. www. athenscpr.com DEDICATED MINDFULNESS PRACTITIONERS (Online) Weekly Zoom meditations are offered every Saturday at 8:30–9:30 a.m. Email for details. richardshoe@gmail.com EX UMBRIS (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) Ex Umbris is an eight-month immersive course in Integral Transformative Bodywork. The course focuses on breathwork, ending dehumanizing relationships, trauma literacy, understanding recovery and more. Begins Mar. 19. Sliding scale. embodyingitb@gmail.com, www.embodyingitb.org/ex-umbris LINE DANCE (Multiple Locations) Lessons for beginners and beyond are held every first, third and fifth Tuesday, 6:30–8:30 p.m. The second and fourth Tuesdays offer evenings of line dancing, two-step and waltz. Third Tuesdays are hosted at the Bogart Community Center.

Other nights are held at Athens VFW. $10. ljoyner1722@att.net MINDFULNESS PRACTICE EVENINGS (Online) Discuss and practice how to change your rela-

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “Wealth and Beauty: Pier Francesco Foschi and Painting in Renaissance Florence.” Through Apr. 24.

• “Lou Stovall: Of Land and Origins” features selected works by the printmaker who is the 2022 recipient of the museum’s Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Award. Through May 29. • “In Dialogue: Views of Empire: Grand and Humble” displays two print collections that create a conversation about what it meant to be a working-class citizen in mid-19th-century Russia.

Through Aug. 21. • “Jennifer Steinkamp: The Technologies of Nature.”

Through Aug. 21. • “Graphic Eloquence: American Modernism on Paper from the Collection of Michael T. Ricker.” Through Sept. 4.

GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) Zane Cochran presents “Aurora,” a sculptural interpretation of the aurora borealis using 3D geometric figures and lights.

HEIRLOOM CAFE (815 N. Chase St.) Inspired by the absence of travel during the pandemic, Kristen Bach’s photo collection, “When We Traveled,” revisits the people, colors, textures and environments the artist’s family encountered in past years. Through May 2.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) AJ Aremu presents a largescale installation for “Window Works,” a site-specific series that utilizes the building’s front entrance windows for outdoor art viewing. • Curated

by Maria Elias as part of the Guest BIPOC Curator program, “Dignos y sin Barreras” (“Dignified and without Barriers”) explores identity, body issues and mental health through the works of Alondra Arévalo, Bianca Becerra, Jorge Rocha and Elias. Through Mar. 12. • “Be Careful What You Get Good At: Collages by Tommy Kay” shares works from an obituary collage project the artist began in the mid-‘90s. Through Mar. 12. • In 1972, Gwendolyn Payton was denied a studio art degree from Mercer University after her works were deemed too controversial. “Excerpts from Faith of a Dreamer: Artworks by Gwendolyn Payton” shares some of those paintings as well as recent works. Through Mar. 12. • Collections from our Community presents Oliver Domingo’s vinyl collection of instrumental library music from the ‘60s–’80s. Through Mar. 12. • Curated by Miranda Lash of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, the 47th annual Juried Exhibition includes 160 works of drawing, metal work, painting, photography, sculpture, video and more. Artist talks held Mar. 17, Apr. 21 and May 19 at 6 p.m., plus Apr. 2 and Apr. 23 at 2 p.m. On view Mar. 3–May 21.

OCONEE COUNTY LIBRARY (1080 Experiment Station Rd.) Paintings of dino­saurs, raccoons and other creatures by Will Eskridge. Through March.

tionship with difficult thoughts and emotions. Email for the Zoom link.

Second Friday of the month, 6–7 p.m. FREE! mfhealy@bellsouth.net PAINTING CLASSES (Private Studio on Athens Eastside) One-on-one or small group adult classes are offered in acrylic and watercolor painting. Choose day workshops, ongoing weekly classes or feedback sessions. laurenadamsartist@ icloud.com PUBLIC DANCE (The Studio Athens) Beginner Rumba lessons followed

by DJ’d waltz, swing, salsa, tango etc. Every fourth Saturday. 7:30–10 p.m. $5 (students), $10 (non-students). www.gmdance.com YOGA CLASSES AND EVENTS (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) “Yoga Flow and Restore with Nicole Bechill” is held Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Online classes include “Trauma Conscious Yoga with Crystal” Thursdays at 6 p.m. and “Yoga for Wellbeing with Nicole Bechill” on Saturdays at 10:45 a.m. www. revolutiontherapyandyoga.com YOGA TEACHER TRAINING (Shakti Power Yoga Athens) Seasonal 200hour teacher training sessions are held in spring and summer. Visit website for dates and tuition. The studio also offers an intro month of unlimited yoga classes for $40. hello@shaktiyogaathens.com, www.shaktiyogaathens.com ZOOM YOGA (Online) Rev. Elizabeth Alder offers “Off the Floor Yoga” (chair and standing) on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. and “Easy on the Mat” yoga classes on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Ongoing classes are $5/class or $18/month. 706-612-8077, ommmever@yahoo.com

Events ACC LIBRARY EVENTS (ACC Library) “Getting Started with Genealogy” is held Mar. 10 at 3:30 p.m. “Photoshop for Beginners” is held Mar. 10 at 7 p.m. “Artist’s Talk: Father Anthony Salzman” is held Mar. 12 at 3 p.m. “Mouse & Keyboard Basics for Beginners” is

held Mar. 15 at 10 a.m. “Finding Our Others” is held Mar. 15 at 3:30 p.m. “Talking About Books Book Club” will discuss Rachel Joyce’s Miss Benson’s Beetle on Mar. 16 at 10:30 a.m. www.athenslibrary.org THE ARTIST’S WAY STUDY GROUP (24th Street Clubhouse, 150 Collins Industrial Blvd.) A gathering of artists, musicians, writers and creatives meet to discuss the book The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. Every Sunday, 6:30 p.m. beth@beththompsonphotography. com, www.24thstreetathens.com ATHENS CITIZENS’ CLIMATE LOBBY (Zoom) Learn more about the 100% Athens Renewable Energy Initiative and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Mar. 16, 7 p.m.

FREE! citizensclimatelobby.org ATHENS FARMERS MARKET (Bishop Park) Shop fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods, a variety of arts and crafts, and live music. Additionally, AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent at the market. Every Saturday, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmersmarket.net ATHENS ROCK AND GEM CLUB MEETING (Holy Cross Lutheran Church) Jim Maudsley leads a discussion on fossil insects. Mar. 15, 7:30 p.m. FREE! www.athensrock andgemclub.org ATHENS SHOWGIRL CABARET (Multiple Locations) Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a drag show at Sound Track Bar on Mar. 18 at 9 p.m. ASC presents an all-ages drag show and benefit for Boybutante AIDS Foundation featuring performers of Atlanta’s Armorettes at Hendershot’s Coffee on Mar. 26, 8 p.m. www.athensshowgirlcabaret.com BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR (Morton Theatre) Half-Moon Outfitters presents a showcase of films celebrating outdoor storytelling and filmmaking. Apr. 2, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. $15. www.halfmoonoutfitters.com BEARS BIRTHDAY PARTY (Bear Hollow Zoo) Celebrate the birthdays of Bear Hollow Zoo’s resident bears, Athena, DJ and Yonah. Mar. 19, 10

OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville) The gallery hosts a show of students attending various local elementary, middle and high schools in celebration of Youth Art Month. Through Mar. 26.

ODUM SCHOOL OF ECOLOGY GALLERY (140 E. Green St.) Natural science illustrator C Olivia Carlisle shares insect, botanical and ecosystems illustrations alongside “The Birdwing Butterflies of Papua New Guinea,” a display featuring specimens assembled by James W. Porter and photographs by Carolyn Crist. Through May 18.

QUIET GALLERY AT ACC LIBRARY (2025 Baxter St.) Anthony Salzman’s exhibition, “Images and Whimages,” pays tribute to both spiritual icons and “whimages,” or whimsical images that are inspired during the early hours of the day. Artist talk Mar. 12. Through May 6.

STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead) “A Feminine View of Brotherhood” features the works of InKyoung Choi Chun, Hannah Israel, Jennifer Mack-Watkins and Dayna Thacker. This show touches on Steffen Thomas’ philosophy of inclusion, harmony and hopes for a better future. Through Apr. 2.

TIF SIGFRIDS (393 N. Finley St.) Tif Sigfrids reopens in its new location with a solo show of works by Thomas Dozol. Through Mar. 26.

TINY ATH GALLERY (174 Cleveland Ave.) The Athens Metal Arts Guild presents a jewelry and metalworks exhibition featuring 12 artists. Instagram Live talk held Mar. 9, 7:30 p.m. Open Third Thursday, Mar. 17, 6-9 p.m. On view by appointment through March.

UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) The new Ted Turner Exhibition Hall and Gallery showcases CNN founder and environmentalist Turner’s life and legacy through memorabilia, photographs and other items. • “Not Only for Ourselves: The Integration of UGA Athletics” celebrates the 50th anniversary of integration of the Georgia Bulldogs football team. Through Spring 2022. • “At War With Nature: The Battle to Control Pests in Georgia’s Fields, Forests and Front Yards” includes 3D models of insects alongside newspaper articles, government documents and photos to take viewers through the entomological and horticultural wars that Georgians have waged in their own yards, as well as the environmental, ecological and public health concerns related to pests and eradication efforts. Through May 27. • “Frankie Welch’s Americana: Fashion, Scarves and Politics” explores the life of the designer and entrepreneur who, in addition to producing thousands of custom scarves, had many connections to presidential politics, Georgia and UGA. Gallery tour held Apr. 5, 2 p.m. Through July 8.

a.m.–1 p.m. FREE! www.accgov. com/bearhollow BEST OF ATLANTA COMEDY (Rialto Club) Laughing Skull Lounge and Aubrey Entertainment co-host an evening of regional comedians.

Mar. 10, 7:30 p.m. $15–20. bit.ly/ AtlComedyMarch10 CHESS & COMMUNITY (Multiple Locations) Chess & Community celebrates its 10th anniversary with a week of activities. “Black Future” at Aaron Heard Community Center on Mar. 9, 3–6 p.m. Life the Griot performance at Live Wire on Mar. 10, 6 p.m. “Between Generations” at Miriam Moore Community Center on Mar. 11, 6 p.m. Chess & Community Conference at the Classic Center on Mar. 12, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. www.chessandcommunity.org DANCING WITH THE ATHENS STARS (Classic Center) This annual event pairs experienced dancers with local community members. Proceeds benefit Project Safe. Mar. 19, 7:30 p.m. $16–22. www.project-safe.org EMPTY BOWLS (Classic Center) Food Bank of Northeast Georgia presents its 22nd annual luncheon.

Guests can select a one-of-a-kind bowl to eat their lunch from. The FBNEGA distributes over 10 million meals each year to 14 counties in an effort to decrease food inequality and insecurity. Mar. 30, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. $45. www.foodbank nega.org ESPAÑA EN CORTO (Georgia Museum of Art) Watch acclaimed short films from Spain. All films include English subtitles. Mar. 29–30, 6:30 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org FAB FESTIVAL (300 College Ave.) First American Bank and Trust presents an event with drinks from local breweries, food vendors and live music by Kevn Kinney. Mar. 17, 5:30–7:30 p.m. FREE! www. fabt.bank FANFEST 2022 (Oconee County Civid Center) Oconee County Libraries hosts an all-ages event featuring food trucks, live music, a gaming area, workshops, panel discussions, a costume contest, meet and greets with authors and musicians, vendors and more. Visit website for schedule. Apr. 2, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. www.athenslibrary.org FRANNIVERSARY 2 (Multiple Locations) Franny’s Farmacy celebrates its second anniversary with a threeday event. Massages from Solaris and raffles are offered all three days. Friday features CBD infused foods by Alumni Cookie Dough, Saturday features food from Tamez BBQ and Sunday features games from Retro Lounge. The party moves over to Southern Brewing Co. on Saturday for musisc by Cosmic Charlie and food from Official Street Eats. Mar. 18–20, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. at Franny’s Pharmacy. Mar. 19, 7 p.m. at Southern Brewing Co. www.frannysfarmacyathens.com FRIENDS ANNUAL MEETING (State Botanical Garden of Georgia Visitor Center) Friends of the Garden presents keynote speaker Jennifer Ebeling to present “Women who Influence Botanical Illustration and Porcelain: Stories Inspired by the Porcelain and Decorative Arts Museum Collection.” Mar. 25, 5:30 p.m. (meeting), 6:30 p.m. (public reception), 7 p.m. (keynote). FREE! (members), $15. t.uga.edu/6Rx FROG HOP 5K ROAD RACE (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Run, walk, hop or leap through a 5K and onemile Tadpole Fun Run. Proceeds benefit SCNC. May 1, 2 p.m. (Tadpole Fun Run), 2:30 p.m. (5K Frog Hop). $18–27. www.sandycreeknaturecenterinc.org, www.active.com

GEM OF THE OCEAN (UGA Fine Arts Theater) This play is set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, 1904: 285-year-old former slave Aunt Esther witnesses developing civil unrest after a senseless tragedy at a local steel mill. When a young man seeks asylum in her home, they embark on a harrowing spiritual journey to a “City of Bones” in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Apr. 14–16 & Apr. 20–23, 8 p.m. Apr. 24, 2:30 p.m. $12–16. www.uga theatre.com GEORGIA QUESTIVAL (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Participants will spring into exploration through a series of adventurous activities showcasing Georgia’s natural history and resources. Mar. 19, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. $5, $20/family. bot garden.uga.edu GLOBAL GEORGIA (Online) All events are virtual and open to the public, but require advance registration. Greg Bluestein speaks with Audrey Haynes at the Special Collections Libraries Auditorium on Mar. 29 at 4 p.m. Ed Pavlić, Christine Cuomo and Cynthia Wallace speak on “The Radical Legacies of Adrienne Rich” at the Athenaeum on Mar. 31 at 7 p.m. Martin Hayes offers a performance and talk at the Georgia Museum of Art sculpture garden on Apr. 6 at 7 p.m. Jahan Ramazani presents “A Life in Poetry” online on Apr. 13 at 2 p.m.

Valeria Luiselli presents “The Lost Children Archive” online on Apr. 13 at 4 p.m. www.willson.uga.edu GORGEOUS GEORGE’S IMPROV LEAGUE (Buvez) Come out for some home-grown townie improv.

Bring some interesting suggestions and a loose funny bone to help create some improv magic on the spot. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com GREEN LIFE HOPPY HOUR & AWARDS (Terrapin Brewing Co.) Hoppy Hour is a family-friendly event inviting community members to socialize with local sustainable businesses and organizations. The Green Life Awards ceremony and reception honors organizations and individuals who go above and beyond in creating a more sustainable tomorrow for us all. Organizations and businesses may register to host a booth or an award. Masks required to attend. Apr. 22, 4–8 p.m.

FREE! www.accgov.com/greenlife HENDERSHOT’S COMEDY (Hendershot’s Coffee) Noell Appling hosts comedians from Athens and Atlanta every third Wednesday. Mar. 16, 8 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com INTERNATIONAL STREET FESTIVAL (Outside of Tate Student Center) Established in 1999, this annual event promites internationalization and cultural awareness within the Athens community. Explore different cultures through performances, activities and food. Apr. 9, 12–5 p.m. FREE! www.isl.uga.edu/ international-street-festival MARCH FOR MEALS 5K (Creature Comforts Brewery) The Athens Community Council on Aging hosts its 12th annual March for Meals 5K. A virtual race option available. Mar. 26, 8 a.m. $20–30. www.accaging. org/events-fundraisers-2 MARGO METAPHYSICAL EVENTS (Margo Metaphysical) Monday Tarot Readings offered 1–5 p.m. ($6 per card). Tuesday Tarot with Davita offered 4–6 p.m. ($5 per card). Wednesday Night Sound Healing with Joey held 6–7:30 p.m. ($35). Thursday Tarot with Courtney is offered 12–5 p.m. ($10–45).

Friday Henna Party with Aiyanna ($10–75). 706-372-1462, jfurman65@gmail.com

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMAN YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF: PAULI MURRAY (Online) Pauli Murray took part in the movements for labor, civil rights and women’s rights, and was the first Black person to earn a JSD from Yale. Becky Stone, creator of historical interpretations of Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou and Josephine Baker, will lead a discussion on how she created her interpretation of Pauli Murray’s life. Presented by Athens Chautauqua Society. Mar. 28, 7 p.m. www.athenschq.org

SOUTHERN STAR STUDIO OPEN GALLERY (Southern Star Studio) Southern Star Studio is a working, collective ceramics studio, established by Maria Dondero in 2016.

The gallery contains members’ work, primarily pottery. Every Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. www.southern starstudioathens.com TEDXUGA 2022: WONDER (Morton Theatre) TEDxUGA hosts presentations on ideas that inspire curiosity, expand imagination and awaken wonder. Apr. 1, 7 p.m. $5–20. www.tedxuga.com

The Athens Metal Arts Guild presents a group exhibition through March at tiny ATH gallery. Pictured above is a ring by guild member Barbara Mann.

A live artist talk will be held on Instagram (@tinyathgallery) on Wednesday, Mar. 9 at 7:30 p.m., and the gallery will be open for in-person viewing on Thursday, Mar. 17 from 6–9 p.m.

OCONEE CO. LIBRARY EVENTS (Oconee Co. Library) “Dungeons & Dragons” is held Mar. 14, 6 p.m.

“Prism” is held Mar. 16, 6 p.m.

Third Monday Book Club will discuss Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jeykll and Mr. Hyde on Mar. 21 at 7 p.m. www. athenslibrary.org/oconee 1 STUDENT + 1 ALUMNUS: A CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM READING (Online) Current student Maxime Berclaz and alumnus Johnny Damm share their work.

Mar. 24, 7 p.m. cwp.uga.edu RABBIT BOX STORYTELLING: STUCK! (VFW Post 2872) Storytellers recount their harrowing and often humorous experiences with being stuck. Mar. 15, 7 p.m. $8–10. www.rabbitbox.org RABBIT HOLE EVENTS (Rabbit Hole Studios) Acoustic Fire Pit Jams are held every Monday, 7–11 p.m. Athens Crypto Society meets Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Flow Jam Night for flow artists and LED/fire spinners is held Thursdays from 7–11 p.m.

Free music theory group lessons for guitarists are held Thursdays from 7–10 p.m. White Rabbit Collective hosts a drum circle downtown every Sunday from 5–7 p.m., followed by an afterparty with painting, singing, games, yoga and more from 7:30– 11 p.m. www.rabbitholestudios.org REALLY, REALLY FREE MARKET (Reese & Pope Park) Just like a yard sale, but everything is free.

Bring what you can, take what you need. Second Saturday of every month, 12–2 p.m. reallyreallyfree marketathens@gmail.com SEC SHORTS LIVE! (Morton Theatre) SEC Shorts, a college football sketch comedy group, celebrates the Georgia Bulldogs breaking the 41-year-old national championship drought. Apr. 14–16, 7 p.m. Apr. 17, 5 p.m. $40–50. www.morton theatre.com/events

TITANIC THE MUSICAL (Morton Theatre) Athens Creative Theatre presents a musical play examining the causes, conditions and characters involved in one of the quintessential disasters of the 20th century. Mar. 11, 7 p.m. $15. www. accgov.com/act THURSDAY TRIVIA (Johnny’s New York Style Pizza) Jon Head hosts trivia every Thursday. Win pitchers and gift certificates. Thursdays, 7–9 p.m. www.johnnyspizza.com WBFM DRIVE-THRU PICK-UP (West Broad Farmers Market) The West Broad Farmers Market offers fresh produce, locally raised meat and eggs, baked goods, flowers, artisan goods and more. Order online or by phone Sundays–Thursdays, then pick up on Saturdays between 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. www.wbf.locallygrown.net

Help Out CASA TRAINING (Online) The next training class runs Thursdays from Mar. 17–Apr. 14, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 5:30–9 p.m. www.athens oconeecasa.org DIAPER DRIVE (Bogart Library) Drop off diaper donations in the library’s foyer for the Athens Area Diaper Bank. www.athensareadiaperbank. com

Kidstuff ACC LIBRARY EVENTS (ACC Library) Open chess play is held Mondays, 3–5 p.m. Virtual Storytime is held Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Virtual Bedtime Stories is held Tuesdays at 6 p.m. Preschool Storytime is held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.

Children’s Graphic Novel Book Club will discuss The Witch Boy by Milly

Knox Ostertag on Mar. 18 at 4 p.m. www.athenslibrary.org ART CARD CLUB (K.A. Artist Shop) Katy Lipscomb and Tyler Fisher lead weekly gatherings to create, trade and exhibit miniature masterpieces the size of playing cards.

Some materials provided, but participants can bring their own as well. The club meets on Fridays, 4:30–6 p.m. (ages 10–12) and 6:30–8 p.m. (ages 13–17). www. kaartist.com ART CLASSES (K.A. Artist Shop) “Drawing Fundamentals: Line and Form” for ages 13–17 meets Mar. 15, 22, 29, 4:30–6 p.m. $90. “Drawing Fundamentals: Perspective and Composition” for ages 13–17 is held Apr. 12, 19, 26, 4:30–6 p.m. $90. www.kaartist.com BOGART LIBRARY EVENTS (Bogart Library) “Busy Bee Toddler Time” is held Mar. 9 at 10 a.m. “Monday Funday: Green & Gold & Fairies, Too” is held Mar. 14 at 10 a.m. www.athenslibrary.org/bogart MEMORIAL PARK EASTER EGG HUNT (Memorial Park) The hunting area will be divided into four sections by age groups for kids 10 and under. Apr. 16, 11 a.m. FREE! lmmccalvin@gmail.com MIDDLE CHILDHOOD ART WORKSHOPS (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) Make mosaic tiles out of plaster of paris and mosaic glass on Mar. 12. Make a mosaic collage of a tree on Apr. 23. Decorate a piñata on May 14. Make a beachy snow globe out of a mason jar on June 11. Classes are for ages 6–12 and held 9 a.m.–12 p.m. $30–35. www.ocaf.com

Support Groups FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP (ACC Library, Classroom A) Alzheimer’s Association Georgia presents a support group conducted by trained facilitators that is a safe place for those living with dementia and their caregiver to develop a support system. First Wednesday of every month, 6–7:30 p.m. 706206-6163, www.alz.org/georgia 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 MENTAL HEALTH PEER RECOVERY GROUP (Nuçi’s Space) Participants support each other through life’s challenges by sharing from their skills, experiences and proven coping mechanisms. Newcomers welcome. First Tuesday of the month, 4–6 p.m. pr@nuci.org, www.nuci.org PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP (First Baptist Church) This group is to encourage, support and share information with fellow sojourners who manage the challenges of Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders. Second Friday of every month, 1 p.m. gpnoblet@ bellsouth.net RECOVERY DHARMA (Recovery Dharma) This peer-led support group offers a Buddhist-inspired path to recovery from any addiction.

Visit the website for details. Thursdays, 7 p.m. FREE! www.athens recoverydharma.org

Word on the Street AAMG SPRING BULB SALE (Athens Clarke County Extension Office) The Athens Area Master Gardeners, in partnership with the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and

Athens-Clarke County Extension, host a sale of flower bulbs like daffodils, bluebells and crocus. Sale runs through Apr. 30 and pick up is in October for fall planting. tinyurl. com/aamg2022bulbsale CORNHOLEATL SPRING LEAGUE (Southern Brewing Co. and Terrapin Beer Co.) Georgia’s largest cornhole league offers four different divisions of play to accommodate all levels. Now registering through Mar. 14. Season runs for seven weeks beginning in March. www. cornholeatl.com FREE COVID-19 VACCINES (Clarke County Health Department) Vaccines are available by appointment or walk-in. No insurance or ID required. www.publichealthisfor everyone.com FREE MEDICAL CLINICS (Nuçi’s Space) Nuçi’s Space, in collaboration with Medical Partnership of Georgia, hosts free health clinics for uninsured or low income individuals. Participants do not have to be musicians. Second-year medical students can write prescriptions or make referrals. Referrals will be to specialists who can treat participants on a cost-reduced basis. Call to make an appointment. Mar. 21, Mar. 28, Apr. 4 and Apr. 18, 1–4 p.m. 706-227-1515, www.nuci.org NATIONAL POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT DAY (155 E. Washington St.) ACC Board of Elections and Voter Registration seeks county residents to help work at polling locations for early voting and election days during 2022.

Workers are paid $15/hour. Apply online. Go to PT/Temporary Poll Coordinator listing on www.accgov. com/jobs OLLI MEMBERSHIP (Athens, GA) Join OLLI@UGA, a dynamic learning and social community for adults 50 and up that offers classes, shared interest groups, social activities and events. Taste of OLLI trial memberships available now through June 30. March or April sign-up required. $15. www.olli. uga.edu/trial SPAY AND NEUTER AWARENESS MONTH (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Humane Society is offering discounts on veterinary services including spay and neuter procedures for dogs and cats. Through Mar. 31. www.athenshumane society.org SPRING LEISURE ACTIVITIES (Athens, GA) ACC Leisure Services will offer a diverse selection of activities highlighting the arts, environmental science, recreation, sports and holiday events for adults and children.

Programs include tai chi, baton, youth cooking classes, gymnastics, nature programs, theater and more.

Now registering. www.accgov.com/ myrec SUPPORT FOR SENIORS WITH PETS (Athens, GA) The Athens Area Humane Society and Athens Community Council on Aging have partnered to offer support services to seniors enrolled in ACCA programs. This includes emergency pet fostering, affordable wellness care, pet health workshops and pet training. www.accaging.org VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (Georgia United Credit Union) Georgia United Foundation offers VITA to low to moderate income taxpayers without depreciable assets, business losses or extensive stock transactions. UGA students majoring in financial planning and accounting are certified by the IRS as tax preparers. Appointments are required and can be held in person or online. Currently available through Apr. 13. www. gucufoundation.org/vita f

M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

15

classifieds Buy It, Sell It, Rent It, Use It! Place an ad anytime, email class@flagpole.com

 Indicates images available at classifieds.flagpole.com

MUSIC SERVICES

MUSIC

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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS WUXTRY WAREHOUSE SALE: Thousands of vinyl LPs, CDs, 45s and cassettes at bargain blowout prices! Mar. 12, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. 2850 Commerce Hwy/441 N.

SERVICES CLASSES

INSTRUCTION

Adult or teen acrylic, watercolor, drawing classes with professional artist in Eastside studio. All levels welcome. Students provide their own supplies. 404-9133597, laurenadamsartist@ icloud.com

Athens School of Music.

Now offering in-person and online instruction in guitar, bass, drums, piano, voice, brass, woodwinds, strings, banjo, mandolin and more.

From beginner to expert, all styles. Visit www.athens schoolofmusic.com, 706543-5800.

CLEANING Peachy Green Clean Cooperative, your local friendly green cleaners! Free estimates. Call us today: 706248-4601

VOICE LESSONS: Experienced teacher (25+ years) retired from day job, ready to expand studio. Ages 12–90+, all genres. Contact stacie.court@gmail.com or 706-424-9516.

Flagpole ♥s our advertisers, donors and readers! Thanks for supporting us!

flagpole classifieds REACH OVER 30,000 READERS EVERY WEEK! Business Services Real Estate Music For Sale BASIC

Employment Vehicles Messages Personals RATES *

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

HOME AND GARDEN Plumber Pro Service & Drain. Upfront pricing. Free estimates. $30 Flagpole discount. Call 706-769-7761.

Same-day service available. www.plumberproservice. com Need newspapers for your garden? There’s plenty at the Flagpole office! Call ahead and we’ll get them ready. Leave current issues on stands. 706-549-0301

MISC. SERVICES Business Water Solutions offers the cleanest drinking water available through innovative bottleless water coolers and ice machines.

Call 706-248-6761 or visit businesswatersolutions.com to set up a consultation.

JOBS FULL-TIME UberPrints is now hiring for multiple positions! Both full and part-time positions available. For more information and applications, go to uberprints.com/company/ jobs

Classic City Installation Starting at $18/hr. Summer seasonal performing furniture installation. Great benefits, travel as a team w/ food stipend and lodging 100% covered. Email: caswall@ classiccityinstallation.com Taste of India is now hiring!

(Busser, host, floater team member.) Competitive pay, paid weekly, employee meals, flexible schedules, full-time or part-time, no experience needed. $12– 15. APPLY IN PERSON. White Tiger is now hiring! No experience necessary, proof of vaccination required. Email resume to catering@whitetiger gourmet.com

PART-TIME A LaFera Salon Inc. – Parttime Assistant. Duties include: greeting customers, shampooing, assisting stylists, answering phones, maintaining clean professional appearance, scheduling appointments, cleaning. Experience preferred but will train. Apply by email a.lafera@gmail.com Find employees by advertising jobs in the Flagpole Classifieds!

Experienced kitchen and server help needed. Bring resume or fill out an application at George’s Lowcountry Table. No phone calls please. 420 Macon Hwy. Athens, GA 30606 Learn to be a transcriptionist at our South Milledge location! No customer interaction. Work independently, set your own schedule (16–40 hours, M–F weekly).

Relaxed, casual, safe space office environment.

Extremely flexible time-off arrangements with advance notice. New increased compensation plan. Start at $13 hourly. Make up to $20 or more with automatic performance-based compensation increases. Show proof of vaccination at hire. Selfguided interview process.

Hours: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. www. ctscribes.com

All Georgians over the age of five are eligible for COVID vaccines, and ages 12+ are eligible for boosters! Call 888-457-0186 or go to www. publichealthathens.com for more information.

COVID testing available in West Athens (3500 Atlanta Hwy. Mon– Fri., 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Tue–Fri., 8:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Sat., 8 a.m.–12 p.m.

At the old Fire Station on the corner of Atlanta Hwy. & Mitchell Bridge Rd. near Aldi and Publix.) and Central Athens (535 Hillcrest Ave. Mon. & Wed.,10 a.m.–4 p.m. Off King Ave.) To register, call 844-625-6522 or go to www.publichealth athens.com

NOTICES MESSAGES Get Flagpole delivered to your mailbox or to your pal who just moved out of town. $50 for six months or $90 for one year. Call 706-549-0301 or email front desk@flagpole.com.

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

BJ (57138)

BJ is a handsome, 10-month-old pup ready to charm his way into your heart with his parti eye.

After this guy warms up to you, you’ll have a complete lovebug on your hands!

Gibson (57162)

This guy may only have three legs, but that won’t keep him from enjoying walks and running around with other pups. Come meet Gibson so you can both frolic together!

Lindsay (57142)

Who can say no to such a cheerful face? Lindsay is a sweet girl who enjoys treats, pets and hugs. Call and make an appointment so she can spread some love and cheer!

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

16

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

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

flagpole

SUDOKU

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Difficulty: Easy

1 4 8 7 5 3

2 6

FOR

FIRST PLACE

2

8 2

6 4 3 5 9 5 6 2 6 4 7

3

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 the numbers 1 to 9.

Week of 2/7/22 - 2/13/22

2

3

4

5

13

6

7

9

20 Solution to Sudoku: 22 7 5 3 4 8 2 6 44 9 1

4 1 9 6 3 741 2 5 8

10

11

12

28

29

30

18

19

1 26 7 2 9 4 8 5 43 6 3

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30am-6pm

15

17

3 25 8 4 7 6 5 1 2 47 9

1150 Mitchell Bridge Rd. 706-546-7879 · www.hopeamc.com

by Margie E. Burke

8

14

16

6 9 31 5 34 2 1 37 3 40 8 7 46 4 53

EXCEPTIONAL CARE FOR EXCEPTIONAL PETS

7 3 8

HOW TO SOLVE:

The Weekly Crossword

WINNER

1

Copyright 2022 by The Puzzle Syndicate

1

$100

823 2 6 135 538 9 3 4 7

9 3 732 8 2 6 4 1 554

21

2 524 427 6 8 1 5 3 7 9 1 4 9 745 348 8 6 2

33 36

SALON, INC.

39 42

49

50

51

2440 West Broad St., Suite 2 706-548-2188 www.alaferasalon.com

52

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

Copyright 2022 by The Puzzle Syndicate

ACROSS 1 Exotic vacation 45 Marble feature spot 46 Gloomy 5 Bath powder 49 Mystic's deck 9 Garland 53 San Antonio 13 Midterm, e.g. landmark 14 October stone 54 Written account 15 Theater platform 56 Begin, as winter 16 Let go 57 Acronym for 18 Roadside stop bad PC data 19 Additional 58 Word before 20 Never-ending "break" or "keel" 22 Excellent, slangily 59 Bird feeder tidbit 24 School tool 60 Husky's tow 25 Interrogate 61 Fender blemish 27 Quitter's word 28 Scottish cap DOWN 31 Garage gadgets 1 Kind of blocker 33 Opera house box 2 Canned 34 Straight, at the 3 Frying medium bar 4 Without delay 35 Canoe material 5 Boatload 36 Missing from the 6 Quickly Marines, say 7 Overdue 37 Anagram for 8 Department "bale" store event 38 "Terms of 9 Lifted, so to _______" speak 40 Like Willie Winkie 10 Tall town land41 Serpent's sound mark, often 42 Vegan no-no 11 Forever and a 43 Pick pockets day

12 15 17 21 23 25 26 27 29 30 31 32 33 39 41 44 45 46 47 48 50 51 52 55

Hair goops Refine, as metal False gods Awning, e.g.

Commoner, in ancient Rome Cousin of a loon Zillow industry Half of Miss Muffet's meal Great distress Cheesy sandwich Vex, with "at" Lemony cocktails Coated with plastic Indian yogurt dip Marsh wader Swollen On the __ of (close to) Impudent talk Sheltered, nautically Catch in the act Tear apart Chef's need Revival setting Stewart of song

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

PAIN & WONDER

TATTOO

VOTED AN ATHENS’ FAVORITE TATTOO STUDIO 2011–2020

Better Service Better Plumbing Insured • Local • Free on-site Estimates

Voted an Athens Favorite 2020 & 2021!

285 W. Washington St.

Athens, GA 30601

(706) 208-9588 www.painandwonder.com

$30 OFF Flagpole Special Discount – Call for details

706-769-7761

www.plumberproservice.com

M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

17

advice

hey, bonita…

food & drink

grub notes

How Do I Break Up With My Therapist? Health-Conscious Cuisine ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN

PLUS, CAVA’S MEDITERRANEAN BOWLS

By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com

By Hillary Brown food@flagpole.com

Am I being unreasonable in feeling fed up and wanting to just stop seeing her? In all honesty, I haven’t felt like we were a great match for some time due to our age difference and my feeling that she’s “not on my side” (if that makes sense). I feel like we haven’t been able to really get into the groove, and we’ve been meeting for six months at this point. Additionally, the one time I scheduled at 7 a.m. on the weekend, I ended up oversleeping and was charged a no-show fee. I wish that something like that existed for clients—isn’t our time meaningful too?

So anyways, I think I’m done. How do I go about this? I’m intimidated by her, plus I know that losing clients is losing money. I hate that taking care of myself leaves me having to think about contributing to the loss of a person’s livelihood.

Thanks for your help, The (Over)Thinker Hey there TOT, First off, you have no reason to feel intimidated by this person. You are a client paying for a service, and that actually means that you are the one with the power.

18

You are the one paying her and making time for her, and that means that it is your absolute right to end your client relationship whenever you want—especially when she’s so disorganized and disrespectful to you as a client. This person sounds new to maintaining a client base and running her own business, but being new doesn’t mean that you have to tolerate bad business practices.

This person may be a good therapist to her other clients, but she’s not to you, and that’s all that matters here. She owes you good service in exchange for your money, and she’s not giving that to you.

I’ve dumped a therapist before. I was going through a serious depressive episode, and she was highly recommended but also completely out of my price range, since I was unemployed at the time. By the end of that session, I knew that we were not a match, and I contacted her later that week to let her know that I wouldn’t be coming back. Easy-peasy, but I can see that while you’re definitely

unhappy with the quality of your therapist’s service, you’ve developed a rapport with this person that makes you hesitant to end the professional relationship.

Well, I want to assure you that therapists and other healthcare professionals lose patients all the time, and you definitely would not be the first person to leave her practice. You don’t owe her an explanation for your departure, so don’t feel like you have to tell her how terrible she is when you cancel your future appointments. You can literally just thank her for her time and let her know that you’re moving on from her practice, and you can politely refuse any prying questions she might ask. But I doubt that’ll be the case, because most messy people who lose a client or an employee already kind of know why, and they don’t want to hear about themselves.

Do not pay for a service that does not meet your needs or causes you stress and anxiety. f Need advice? Email advice@flagpole.com, or use our anonymous online form at flagpole.com/getadvice.

F L A GP OL E .C OM · M A R C H 9, 2022

FARM BURGER (100 Prince Ave., 706850-3184): This franchise gets some credit for originating in Athens, even though this new location is its 13th and the first in its hometown. Jason Mann, Farm Burger’s co-founder, was also a partner in the departed and dearly missed Athens restaurant Farm 255, which focused on farm-to-table cuisine in a serious way, not as a buzzword. He then moved on to Farm Burger—opening its first location in Atlanta and expanding from there, attempting to bring a similar spirit of locally driven cuisine to a burger chain. It’s been wildly popular in many towns: Atlanta, Nashville, Asheville, NC, etc.

The Athens location feels more Atlanta than Athens, occupying a snazzy new space on the corner of the 100 Prince development. There’s currently a luxurious amount of free parking behind the building, and the wide spaces made of beautiful concrete have the vibe of a big city, not a college town that sometimes prides itself on rattiness. Inside, things run smoothly. If you order your food online (which you can do easily), it’ll be ready when you expect. There’s a separate, well-marked line for pick up. In keeping with an eye toward sustainability, you have to ask for packets of condiments or utensils rather than the restaurant throwing them in willy-nilly.

The burgers come in beef (grass-fed, no antibiotics), chicken (no antibiotics or hormones), pork (pasture-raised) and two vegan options: Beyond (plant-based but resembling meat) and house (quinoa, blackeyed peas, kale, roasted mushrooms, sweet potatoes and spices; a mushier thing but one that tastes more like vegetables). Most folks opt for the beef, but I found it unsatisfying, undersalted to the point of disappointment, and at the same time drippy with toppings. You could say that I opted for too many things on top of the patty, and that might be true. But it also needed that help, unable to stand on its own. You might want a fork, though, or a lobster bib.

Better, perhaps because of lower expectations, was the chicken burger, which comes with smoked gouda, kale slaw, crispy onions and sherry-date barbecue sauce. I also preferred the house vegan burger with arugula, tomato chow chow and vegan mayo, which is nicely balanced if, again, a bit goopy. Basically, if you opt for things on the healthier side of the spectrum, you may be happier than if you go in seeking decadence.

The Superfood Salad (lacinato kale, crispy chickpeas, butternut squash, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, grainy mustard vinaigrette) beats the pants off the fries.

The Farm Salad (greens, beets, garlic broccoli, sliced radishes, local feta, farm goddess dressing) is better by far than the onion rings, which are crisp but flavorless.

Is it local? Kind of. Farm Burger has a good amount of outdoor seating and lots of gluten-free options as well as a kids menu.

It’s open every day for lunch and dinner.

CAVA (145 Alps Rd., 706-715-5481): By contrast, Cava isn’t local at all. It’s a fast-casual chain out of Rockville, MD, that goes along with the current idea that anything you serve in a bowl is healthy.

It is, essentially, a less virtuous version of Maepole, with a lot less local flavor. I’ve heard that ordering ahead and picking up in the drive-through presents some issues, SARAH ANN WHITE

Bonita, How do I break up with my therapist?

Background: Her private-practice clients can only be scheduled when she’s not at her fulltime therapist job, which I’m not eligible for.

This means that I use my precious lunch break to meet with her via Zoom. If a lunchtime meeting isn’t possible, then the proposed alternate meeting times are wild, like 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. on a Saturday. Not only is the schedule not great, she has had to reschedule with me at the last minute on three occasions. I know that emergencies come up, and one instance was such, but in the past she’s texted in the very early morning to reschedule our lunchtime meeting because she was traveling, for example. I assume she’d known in advance about this, like most people when they travel. When the rescheduled meeting was finally about to happen, she texted me two minutes before our scheduled start to let me know about technical problems that were making her late. After 15 more minutes, she proposed that we reschedule.

AGAIN.

but going inside and getting food from the cafeteria-style line is speedy. Pick rice, black lentils, Rightrice (made from lentils and chickpeas) and/or greens, then add various proteins, tiny ice cream scoops of stuff like hummus or baba ghanouj, veggie toppings and a sauce. If you prefer, you can wrap it all in a pita that will leak all over your lap as you eat it. It could be a slurry, but the flavors are pretty good, and the flexibility is nice. Want two or more things as a base?

That’s cool. Want lamb meatballs (one of the best offerings) AND falafel? Sure. It won’t even cost you extra. Only a few things, like avocado, luxuriously scooped out right in front of you, lead to a surcharge. The result is a fairly relaxing atmosphere that’s also packed with choice—an unusual combination. Don’t want to make a bunch of decisions? Once you pick a suggested bowl or pita, the staff will just ask you if you want everything and then assemble it without asking you any more questions.

As far as Mediterranean goes, there’s no question that you can do better at Mediterranean Grill for pretty much anything, but Cava really isn’t a bad option.

The portions are sizable. The pita chips are pleasantly oily. The dips and sauces pack in a lot of flavor. There are lots of vegan choices. The drinks are pretty decent. It’s an upgrade from Zoës on the whole. Cava is open from 10:45 a.m.–10 p.m. daily and has a sunny patio for outside eating. f

CURB YOUR APPETITE Here are restaurants that are open and waiting for your order!

SALTADO • WINGS • EMPANADAS • SHAKES • MADUROS •

LUMPKIN & CEDAR SHOALS

706 - 355- 7087

706.354.7901 Corner of Chase and Boulevard

heirloomathens.com

Nor

ma

e

w.

l

ma

We love you, Marti!

om

At h

CATERING • OUTSIDE SEATING LIMITED INDOOR SEATING

A

wn

NEXT !

EVENT

G s,

to

S CALTLER UYOUR

TO CA

Lunch, Dinner & Weekend Brunch

n

ww

CUBAN SANDWICH • TOSTONES • QUESADILLAS • TACOS • BURRITOS

CUBAN SANDWICH • TOSTONES • QUESADILLAS • TACOS • BURRITOS •

LOMO

r t i s at m i d d a

y. c

ORDER ONLINE!

Voted Favorite Lunch and Sandwich 2021

PIZZA SANDWICHES

INDOOR AND PATIO SEATING 4PM–9PM T–TH • 4PM–10PM FRI • 2PM–10PM SAT 11AM–3PM SUNDAY BRUNCH 3PM–9PM SUNDAY

420 MACON HIGHWAY 706-548-3359

CALL US FOR TAKE-OUT!

DELIVERY THROUGH BULLDAWG FOOD

SUN-THURS 11AM-8PM FRI & SAT 11AM-9PM BEER • WINE • DESSERTS

254 W. Washington St. 706.543.1523

tedsmostbest.com

Support Local Journalism flagpole is fighting to continue bringing you the

most up-to-date local news, and we need your help.

DONATE Consider a one time or recurring donation www.flagpole.com/donations or mail in a check.

Flagpole, PO Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603

Patio Dining · Kid Friendly

Empanadas · Lomo · Soups · Cheesesteak · Cupcakes Vegan, Vegetarian & Gluten-Free Options

247 Prince Avenue · 706-850-8284 M A R C H 9, 2022 · F L A GP OL E .C OM

19