FP230726

COLORBEARER OF ATHENS GOING BATTERY POWERED

EXPERIENCE MUSIC

THURSDAY SERIES SCHOLARSHIP

YOUR TICKET PURCHASES SUPPORT MUSIC STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Proceeds from ticket sales to these concerts and contributions made by you are the primary means through which School of Music scholarship funds are raised each year.

Eight stunning performances for only $128 (20% savings) For tickets and details: music.uga.edu | 706-542-4400

UGA Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road, Athens, GA 30602

1962

Come in, and Joy in Art! 35 minutes south of Athens

steffenthomas.org

706-342-7557

4200 Bethany Road Buckhead, Georgia 30625

As seen in the film by Jesse Stephen Freeman!

NEWS: City

College Football Scandals

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles

PUBLISHER Pete McCommons

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner

ADVERTISING SALES Fabienne Mack, 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

CONTRIBUTORS Bonita Applebum, Chris Dowd, Ariana Figueroa, Erin France, Sean Keenan, Gordon Lamb, Ed Tant, Dave Williams

CIRCULATION Jennifer Bray, Gerald Burris, Charles Greenleaf

EDITORIAL INTERN Analiese Herrin

COVER ART by David Mack (see SlopFest on p. 13)

online exclusive

music@flagpole.com

NEWS: news@flagpole.com

ADVICE: advice@flagpole.com

Gresham Cash, who formerly played Athens stages with his experimental post-rock band Oak House, released his sophomore solo release, Save the Bees, on July 18. Mastered locally by Joel Hatstat, the album features Athens artists as well as those he collaborates with in Barcelona.

See “Flagpole Premieres: Gresham Cash, Save the Bees” at flagpole.com.

Thousands of households were without power and many roads were blocked by fallen trees or power lines after a major storm hit Athens last Thursday, July 20. In-town neighborhoods with older trees, like the giant oak pictured above in Cobbham, were particularly hit hard.

city dope

Back on the Grind COMMISSION’S

AGENDA INCLUDES VAPING BAN, EASTSIDE LIBRARY

By Blake Aued and Chris Dowd news@flagpole.com

After a six-week vacation, the AthensClarke County Mayor and Commission had a lot on its plate when it convened July 18 for a work session, followed by a called voting meeting, followed by its regularly scheduled agenda-setting meeting. Here are some of the issues they discussed.

EASTSIDE LIBRARY: Next month the commission is scheduled to vote on four finalists for an Eastside library location—a six-acre ACC-owned parcel on Barnett Shoals Road, the Early Learning Center on Gaines School Road, the Kroger shopping center on College Station Road and Southeast Clarke Park.

Southeast Clarke Park originally was not considered because it’s not within walking distance of a school, but after it tied for first place with 56 out of 80 possible points, a site selection committee voted to add it to the list. “The benefits of this site really outweigh the negative of not being walkable to a school,” said SPLOST administrator John Simoneaux.

Commissioner Carol Myers, who represents the Eastside and chairs the site selection committee, said the other three sites “all have various issues associated with them in terms of practicality.” For example, will Kroger or the Clarke County School District cooperate? The Barnett Shoals site has construction challenges with a stream buffer and Georgia Power right-of-way on the property, as well as traffic, Myers said.

Commissioner Mike Hamby agreed that choosing property ACC already owns is an advantage, because that would free up money for the building. $16 million is budgeted for the project, including $14 million in local sales taxes and $2 million from the state.

However, East Athens Commissioner Tiffany Taylor said that walkability is a priority for many of her constituents. “It will be kind of hard to get to the library at Southeast Clarke Park because it’s not within walking distance,” she said.

While Southeast Clarke Park was not listed as an option at the time, the Kroger shopping center was the clear favorite among the nearly 300 residents who took an online survey or attended a public hearing. About 100 preferred the Kroger site—which the grocery store is redeveloping—out of eight options.

The commission is expected to finalize the site in November. [Blake

Aued]

NEW COURTHOUSE: Based on the selection criteria, the best choice for an $80 million new courthouse—also approved by voters as part of SPLOST 2020—is the downtown

federal building. “A lot of people who responded to the survey really wanted to see it downtown,” Simoneaux said.

Mayor Kelly Girtz said he has spoken to Rep. Mike Collins and federal officials about acquiring the Hancock Avenue property. “They’ve at least been open to the concept,” he said. A deal could involve a property swap between ACC and the federal government.

as an upcoming third round of financing. Ticket fees, naming rights, parking revenue and higher-than-expected revenue from the county’s hotel-motel and short-term rental taxes will cover the bond payments, he said. “We can still cover the bonds with that which we already have,” he said. The Classic Center will seek a new master developer.

One of the developer’s concerns, Cramer said, was the lack of a tenant for the arena. An agreement for an ECHL minor-league hockey team was in place, but the team never paid the money it owed to the Classic Center. Cramer said he briefly pursued UGA basketball after part of Stegeman Coliseum’s roof collapsed last spring, but when the university decided to repair Stegeman, he pivoted back to hockey and signed an agreement with Spire Hockey South to bring the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to Athens. “We’re gonna have a hockey team,” he said. “It’s gonna happen.” Not to mention hundreds of other events, he added.

No taxpayer dollars are going toward paying off the third round of financing, but commissioners were skeptical anyway, asking whether ACC could find itself on the hook, or if Cramer would come back again asking for more money. Cramer said the Classic Center Authority is taking on the bulk of the risk, and reminded commissioners of its 28-year track record. [BA]

in Athens over the long term. The Boys & Girls Club is asking for $1.6 million to fund this initiative, and another $1.3 million to allow them to reopen community centers in Broadacres and Parkview while continuing support for their satellite locations in Nellie B and Rocksprings. The commission will vote on the contract with the Boys & Girls Club next month. [Chris Dowd]

COURTROOM NEWS: The commission approved a request from Superior Court Judge Eric Norris for $650,000 from the ARPA to upgrade audio/video equipment in the ACC and Oconee County courthouses. Court officials say the funding will allow for equal videoconferencing capabilities in all Western Circuit courtrooms, improving the speed at which they can handle a backlog of thousands of cases left over from the pandemic.

However, the commission delayed the approval of a related request from District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez for two new legal assistant positions funded through the same means. The request is intended to help address the DA’s prosecutor shortage, which has also slowed down the pace of Western Circuit court proceedings, but commissioners said they don’t have enough information about why the positions are needed. [CD]

VAPING BAN: When the commission banned indoor smoking in 2005, vaping wasn’t a thing. But now e-cigarettes are everywhere, and the commission is looking to update their old anti-smoking ordinance to include vaping.

But if it’s not downtown, a site near the jail off Lexington Road emerged as the frontrunner. Building a courthouse near the jail has practical advantages, he said, but some respondents thought it sent the wrong message.

Another possibility downtown is two ACC-owned parking lots on Strong and Jackson streets. But at two acres, parking and future expansion “will be a challenge,” Simoneaux said. The same goes for the current planning department office on Dougherty Street. ACC employees will be moving into the existing courthouse once the new judicial center is built, but Commissioner Jesse Houle asked, where would they go in the meantime?

The Piggly Wiggly shopping center is also under consideration. It’s easily accessible by car and bus, but not by foot. It would also be expensive to buy, take the property off the tax rolls and displace the only grocery store in the area. [BA]

CLASSIC CENTER ARENA: Originally the mayor and commission planned to build the judicial center on county-owned land near the Multimodal Center, but that land is now being leased to developers to help fund the Classic Center arena. The arena project, however, continues to run into financial problems.

The “master developer” that was going to build a parking deck and other developments around the arena has pulled out, Classic Center Executive Director Paul Cramer said. Without funding from the private developer and an associated special tax district, Cramer is reconfiguring the repayment on two previous bond issues, as well

DELINQUENCY PREVENTION INITIATIVE: The commission gave its initial approval for the Boys & Girls Club of Athens to start a new delinquency prevention initiative funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The purpose of the program, proposed by commissioners Tiffany Taylor and Dexter Fisher, is to help at-risk youth stay out of gangs and improve their academic performance, hopefully reducing gang violence

“It’s not harmless water vapor,” Lauren Bracci, the government relations director for the American Heart Association of Georgia, said at the commission’s Legislative Review Committee meeting in May. “Second-hand aerosol contains heavy metal, cancer-causing toxic chemicals and fine particulates that can worsen heart and lung disease.”

At the recommendation of the Legislative Review Committee, the commission placed the anti-vaping ordinance on their consent agenda, meaning all 10 agree on banning vaping in indoor public spaces like retail stores, bars and restaurants across Athens. [CD] f

Athens-Clarke County officials hope they can acquire the downtown federal building for a new judicial center.

BLAKE AUED

Georgia’s Big Bucks

SPEND THE SURPLUS OR SEND IT BACK?

By Dave Williams news@flagpole.com

Georgia taxpayers could be in for a third round of income tax rebates next year now that the state is reporting another hefty budget surplus. But a progressive-leaning think tank that keeps a close eye on Georgia fiscal policies is arguing the tax rebates Gov. Brian Kemp and his fellow Republicans in the General Assembly adopted during the last two legislative sessions came at the expense of critical government services that have been underfunded since the Great Recession more than a decade ago.

The state completed fiscal 2023 at the end of last month with a surplus estimated at nearly $4.8 billion—not as much black ink as the $6.6 billion surplus at the end of the previous year, but still hefty and far above the estimate the Georgia Department of Revenue put out in January.

Kemp and lawmakers used the last two budget surpluses to fund state income tax rebates of $1 billion last year and $1.6 billion in 2021. That translated into tax rebates of $250 for single taxpayers in each of the last two years and $500 for married taxpayers filing jointly. Those rebates are the result of conservative budgeting by the governor, said state Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “We’re elected to be good stewards of other people’s money,” he said. “That’s why we are where we are.”

But Danny Kanso, senior fiscal analyst for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, said the fiscal 2023 surplus represents part of a three-year pattern of flat spending that is failing to meet the needs of Georgians in such vital areas as health care and public education. “Despite the massive amount of cash on hand, our leaders continue to stand by as conditions worsen across state government, with record employee turnover and understaffing in critical areas such as human services,” Kanso said. “In the absence of a strategy to deploy these funds, a decade-plus of austerity still looms over state agencies and core functions of government.”

Case in point: When Kemp signed the

$32.4 billion fiscal 2024 state budget in May, he vetoed nine spending line items and instructed state agencies to ignore an astounding 134 others. Among the casualties was a pay raise of $6 an hour the General Assembly had earmarked for direct care workers serving Georgians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

At the time, Kemp argued the legislature failed to provide the estimated $105 million that would be required to pay for the raises. The governor and lawmakers also slashed the University System of Georgia’s budget by $66 million, drawing fire from system Chancellor and former Gov. Sonny Perdue.

On the other hand, the spending plan also included pay raises of $4,000–$6,000 for law enforcement officers and $2,000 increases for other state workers, teachers and university system employees. The budget fully funds Georgia’s Quality Basic Education (QBE) K-12 student funding formula with a record $13.1 billion in state dollars and covers 100% of tuition for Georgia’s HOPE scholars for the first time since 2011.

Student Loans Forgiven THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TRIES

By Ariana Figueroa news@flagpole.com

The Department of Education and the White House announced last week that more than 800,000 federal student loan borrowers will have their remaining debt wiped out.

The $39 billion in debt relief will come through fixes to the mismanagement of the agency’s income-driven repayment plans. Many longtime borrowers, including those who had been making payments for 20 years or more, were denied relief they were eligible for under the repayment plans. Qualified payments that were made were not accounted for.

AGAIN

a borrower’s loan plan should be forgiven. But a 2021 report from the National Consumer Law Center found that more than 4 million borrowers had been making payments for at least 20 years, but only 32 had their debts canceled under the plan. Because of this issue, the Department of Education announced in 2022 that it would conduct an adjustment and fix past inaccuracies.

The Department of Education in early January announced its plans to overhaul the income-driven repayment plan. Under the new plan, monthly payments would

But Kemp said he’s reluctant to commit the unexpectedly large surplus to recurring spending on government services because of the uncertain nature of tax revenues. Up to a point, Tillery agreed. “I’m always going to be leery of adding to base budgets when revenues are unpredictable,” he said. “We’ve got a piggy bank right now, but we can’t make next year’s budget with that. We have to make it on what’s going to come in.”

However, Tillery said some new spending may be in order. “Some one-time expenses we need to invest in, particularly infrastructure,” he said. “We don’t have as many [state] workers anymore. We may have to do some things from a capital [spending] standpoint.”

The exact size of the surplus at this point is unknown. The state will release a more complete accounting this fall that details actual spending and total tax collections, including other sources of revenue that have not yet been reported. f

This article originally appeared at capitol-beat.org.

“For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

The Department of Education has begun to notify those 804,000 borrowers of their forgiveness, and within 30 days their debts will be wiped out. The plan includes borrowers with Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans held by the department (including Parent PLUS loans of either type) who have reached a forgiveness threshold specified by the department. “By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, and borrowers with permanent disabilities, including veterans,” Cardona said.

A 2022 NPR investigation found numerous problems with the agency’s handling of IDR plans, which are meant to help low-income borrowers. Loan servicers failed to keep track of borrowers’ progress toward forgiveness and payment histories were not properly transferred from one loan servicer to another.

Under IDR, after 20 years of payments,

decline to 5% of a borrower’s income— down from 10%—and the repayment timeline for loan forgiveness would be decreased to 10 years from 20 or 25 if the initial loan is less than $12,000.

The announcement followed the Supreme Court’s decision in late June to strike down the Biden administration’s student debt relief program that would have canceled up to $20,000 each in student loan debt for some borrowers. The Department of Education is now going through a rulemaking process to cancel that student loan debt under the Higher Education Act, an action likely to face the same legal challenges as the initial debt relief program.

Under the Biden administration, the Department of Education has canceled about $116 billion in student loan debt for borrowers who were misled by for-profit institutions, borrowers with disabilities and those with loans through Public Service Loan Forgiveness. More than 43 million Americans have student loan debt, and the Federal Reserve estimates that the total U.S. student loan debt is more than $1.76 trillion. f

This article originally appeared at georgiarecorder. com.

Social Housing

COULD A EUROPEAN IDEA SOLVE THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS?

By Sean Keenan news@flagpole.com

The city of Atlanta is taking a page from Europe’s playbook to confront its housing crisis. Later this month, the mayor’s office will begin to form an “urban development corporation” to eventually produce a type of mixed-income housing never seen here before.

The Atlanta Urban Development Corporation (AUDC) will be “an operationalization of the Affordable Housing Strike Force,” Mayor Andre Dickens’ chief housing advisor, Joshua Humphries, told Atlanta Civic Circle this week. Dickens created the strike force last year to bring various municipal housing efforts under one city hall umbrella.

In forming the AUDC, the city is essentially launching a development group that will initially be funded by the affordable housing trust fund and eventually be staffed by real estate professionals and supported by city employees. The goal is to consolidate publicly owned property, partner with private developers, and build housing that’s affordable to Atlanta’s middle- and low-income residents.

Development corporations are ubiquitous in European countries, Humphries said, and the city of Atlanta is especially eyeing the so-called “social housing model” embraced in places like Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Vienna. “Social housing takes the best pieces of U.S.-style public housing and the best pieces of private-market housing development and brings them together,” he said. “This allows for a higher percentage of market-rate units in a project than you would see in traditional public housing.”

The AUDC would spawn residential complexes often owned—at least partially—by the city. At least a third of the units would be affordable for households earning no more than 80% of the area median income (AMI)—or about $77,000 for a family of four. At least half of those affordable units would be earmarked for households earning 60% of the AMI or below.

Currently, affordable housing projects in the metro area primarily depend on financial help from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. But with the state’s Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs) becoming increasingly competitive, the goal of the AUDC is to devise a development model less reliant on public subsidies. “We have less availability to use the primary tool that’s created affordable housing units in the city,” Humphries explained. “I think it’s incumbent on us to do everything we can to create new affordable housing units—using different models and different sources than we historically have.”

And having some market-rate units spread throughout an otherwise public housing development “actually helps cross-subsidize within the project itself, so

once you get the thing going, you can perpetuate the affordable housing units over time.”

Georgia State University urban studies professor Dan Immergluck, one of the most ardent critics of the city’s housing policies, is cautiously optimistic about the AUDC plan. “I actually like this concept,” he told Atlanta Civic Circle in an email, noting that the model has been tested domestically, too—in Maryland, Rhode Island, Washington and California. “There is an emerging trend toward building public/ social housing development entities around the country to get government back in the business of building deeply affordable housing through a mixed-income housing approach.”

Immergluck warned the city to prioritize transparency as its development corporation takes off and said “deep affordability and production volume” should be top of mind.

“The concept of using market-rate housing to develop income to help cross-subsidize deeper affordability on public land makes sense, as long as substantial numbers of deeply affordable units are built,” he said. “Sixty percent AMI is not as good as 50% AMI is not as good as 30% AMI, where the greatest needs are.”

Terri Montague, a senior lecturer at Emory University School of Law and an expert on housing, agreed that the AUDC could “help broaden the city’s finance capacity beyond its historical reliance on tax-driven tools,” like LIHTCs, tax allocation districts and tax-exempt bond issuances.

“The AUDC would build on Atlanta’s history of using redevelopment authority subsidiaries and public-private partnerships to advance innovative or large-scale public purpose projects,” she wrote in an email.

“To the extent that this new entity can generate or draw new funding sources for Atlanta and avoid cannibalizing local philanthropic and low-cost private loan funds that existing city housing partners depend on, the AUDC could prove beneficial to existing developers and projects, as well.”

Immergluck admonished the city for its “very poor track record” with public-private partnerships, asserting that the municipality too often affords developers public incentives disproportionate to the public benefits: “The private partners get most of the upside, and the city gets most of the downside. So it’s good to see that the city aims to have this be permanently staffed, but I fear the partnerships with private developers will be one-sided in favor of the private partners,” Immergluck said. “The devil will be in the details.” f

This article originally appeared at atlantaciviccircle. org.

Pigskin Problems

SCANDALS PLAGUE UGA AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL

By Ed Tant news@flagpole.com

“Big-time college football is out of control, rotten from the foundation up” wrote sports journalist and former college football player Rick Telander in his 1989 book The Hundred Yard Lie. Telander’s book should be required reading for coaches and fans of the University of Georgia’s gridiron program here in Athens.

When the Georgia Bulldogs team won a second national championship in January, many fans went into a frenzy in downtown Athens, damaging property and destroying newly planted trees during a spate of hooliganism over their team’s back-toback national victories. They showed why the word “fan” is derived from the word “fanatic.” Tragically, two people connected with the UGA football program died and two were hospitalized in a high-speed latenight car wreck after the game.

The Bulldog body count resulted in lawsuits, recriminations and a series of stories in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about scandals connected with the university’s vaunted football program—scandals that gave unwanted national attention to the Georgia Bulldogs in their moment of triumph. On June 28, USA Today sports columnist Dan Wolken summed up the program’s problems when he wrote, “Georgia has built an entire infrastructure to help minimize legal issues involving players and keep them out of public view. The so-called internal discipline rarely leads to game suspensions or dismissals from the team.”

In his book, Telander wrote, “Big-time sport and support for learning have nothing to do with one another,” and his words from 1989 apply today. Recently the Georgia General Assembly cut $66 million in funding from the state’s 26 colleges and universities. Meanwhile, university regents approved an expenditure of more than $68 million for renovations and expansion of the university’s football stadium, already one of the largest college football venues in the nation.

Winning football teams can indeed bring in big bucks, but as writer Telander said, “All those millions of dollars go not to the universities’ general funds, but to their athletic departments… In truth, athletic departments exist solely to promote themselves. Like flatworms, they have the genetic mandate to enlarge.”

Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi famously said, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.” Georgia Bulldogs boosters and officials seem to have taken Lombardi’s view to the extreme while

ignoring the words of another coaching legend, Alabama’s Bear Bryant, who said, “Show class, have pride and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself.”

The University of Georgia had another scandal 40 years ago when Jan Kemp, a UGA faculty member, blew the whistle on preferential treatment of football players in the school’s remedial English program. After nine team members failed to pass the course, UGA officials intervened so that the players could compete in the 1982 Sugar Bowl game. Kemp was fired from the faculty in 1983, but she went from vilified to vindicated in 1986, when a jury found that she had been illegally dismissed from her teaching position. She was awarded more than $1 million in damages and later reinstated at UGA. Athens attorney Hue Henry, one of the lawyers who represented Kemp in her lawsuit, detailed the case in his 2018 book, Take Down: Inside the Jan Kemp Affair. The case was big news in Georgia in the ’80s, but unlike the current situation with the university’s football program, nobody died during Kemp’s time in the spotlight.

Sports scandals on college campuses are nothing new, and sometimes they have been fodder for comedy. In the 1940s, a play and later a film titled The Male Animal satirized the battle between athletics and academics at a large university in the Midwest. Co-written by American humorist James Thurber and actor Elliott Nugent, The Male Animal used a comic touch to poke fun at the over-emphasis of college football at the expense of academic integrity.

Today there is nothing funny when football becomes the tail that wags the Bulldog. Georgia may well win a third national championship in the next season, and if it does, Athens authorities could have to contend with a rah-rah riot downtown, proving what writer Elbert Hubbard meant when he said, “College football is a sport that bears the same relation to education that bullfighting does to agriculture.” f

Georgia fans celebrate the national championship on Jan. 9. A few days later, player Devin Willock and team staffer Chandler LeCroy would die in a street racing crash.

“ Social housing takes the best pieces of U.S.-style public housing and the best pieces of private-market housing development and brings them together.

good growing A Dream Garden

CHUCK AND LAURA TONEY’S WHIMSICAL OUTDOOR SPACE

By Erin France news@flagpole.com

Chuck Toney and his wife, Laura, decided to downsize after their kids grew up and left home. Chuck’s top request for his new Athens home: a south-facing backyard for the best year-round sunlight.

“I have literally been dreaming about this,” Chuck says. Four years later, and there’s a whole stretch of English cottage-inspired delight, and more than a few whimsical plant selections I hope to use in my own yard.

If you’ve read Flagpole for a while, you probably know Chuck Toney’s name. Toney held the post of speechwriter and assistant to Michael Adams, the president of the University of Georgia before Jere Morehead, for years before transitioning to executive director of the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. These days, Chuck owns and operates C. Toney Communications, focusing on crisis communications. Laura Toney is a retired art teacher and gifted artist. She picks up a few shifts a month as a substitute and keeps her art skills sharp, painting lovely watercolors including birds and bugs found in their garden.

The Toneys have a patio with a large, impressive arch leading into the garden. Cutters felled a few trees to open up space and provide needed daylight for the garden. One impressive stump became a rustic bench in the garden by attaching a slab of wood to the remaining trunk. That’s a great trick that I’d like to use in my own garden.

The Toneys laid down garden pathways with cardboard topped by wood chips they replenish when needed. More established

plants fill the space, with foliage falling into the pathways, sluicing against walkers’ legs. Chuck likes the spillage, but Laura prefers a slightly more manicured look. “Chuck likes chaos, and I like control,” Laura says with a smile. “I’m the queen of pulling up weeds.”

“Now, we’re in what we call the ditch garden,” Chuck says, laughing. Mullein is generally thought of as a weed, though some use it in herbal teas and tinctures. Besides the mullein, there’s one of my personal favorites, goldenrod. Blooming in late summer and early fall, it’s easy to spot growing alongside country highways. I keep a row of goldenrod between my veggie patch and the woods as a habitat for critters and a way to create a striking wall of green.

The Toneys use a garden corner for okra, tomatoes and other vegetables as well, but several plants have chunks bitten off despite enclosing wire cages. “We do fight deer,” Chuck says.

If you’re fighting Athens deer, feel free to skip plastic bags, Irish spring soap and human urine—they don’t work. In the country, I’ve found high fences (at least 8 feet) and late-night dog patrols keep deer visitors down to acceptable levels.

The Toneys try to keep the garden as natural as possible. They stick to soil, mulch, sunlight and water, preferring to avoid pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. Around 80% of the plants in the garden are perennials, but annuals are welcome as well. Overall, Chuck prefers what he deems “Dr. Seuss plants,” wacky creations that look like they could’ve been drawn by the famous children’s book author. This includes the sea holly or eryngium—a glittery blue, spikey plant that Chuck tells me is now popular in bridal bouquets. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen it, and it is well worth the Dr. Seuss label.

Generally speaking, Chuck says he picks out the plant he wants before he figures out where it’s going to go in the garden. This can lead to great finds, but it can also lead to not enough space for all the things he wants to plant. He smiles, “I am an impulsive buyer.”

“And thankfully, I’m a saver,” Laura answers.

The Toneys also have a small shade garden, a plot for raspberries and blackberries, and a corner woodland garden with azaleas, ginko and an artistic tangle of natural sticks and wood with manmade items like clothes hangers. Chuck built the irregular sculpture with bits lying around, he said.

“I am fascinated by the idea of decomposition—how the environment works and how things decay,” Chuck says.

I like the lushness of the Toneys’ garden. Coneflowers, or echinacea, are in abundance, as are day lilies, gladiolus, rudbeckia and yarrow. There’s big buddleia, candy corn spirea, zinnias and love-in-a-mist. Around one corner there’s a mullein that looks to be 9 feet tall.

The Toneys keep most of the deer away from the main garden with unobtrusive stakes of a deer repellent. Sprays tend to dissipate too quickly and melt during rains. Though the stakes work fairly well, the deer still nosh on the garden, just farther away on the outer edges now, Chuck said.

Sticks are a recurring theme in the garden. Sticks collected by Chuck and Laura on neighborhood walks form the natural borders of the garden. Chuck’s favorite knobby sticks get pride of place, upright next to the flowers. This gives the garden a different texture amongst the green summer leaves and likely adds height and interest to the garden in the winter. f

Chuck Toney turned a stump in his garden into a bench.

ERIN FRANCE

Hole Dweller’s Tolkienian Crossroads

PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com

NO. 1 IN HEAVEN: As mentioned in this space a handful of weeks ago, the new album by Locate S,1 titled Wicked Jaw is to be released this week on Friday, July 28 courtesy of label Captured Tracks (Lemon Twigs, DIIV, Mac Demarco). It was produced in its entirety by band leader and creative director Christina Schneider

This economical album runs 10 tracks, and from its start it’s perched for repeated playing. Schneider has always straddled a flexible line between the deep art-rock underground and the full, expressive joy of pop. This new album is no different with regard to that operating philosophy. If anything, it’s a continuation of a theme that was solidified on her 2020 album Personalia

MUSIC | WED, JULY 26 Kurt Vile and The Violators

40 Watt Club • 7 p.m. (doors) • $35

push-and-pull rhythm that’s just infectious. Make no mistake, this is a sweaty, angstfilled release that rocks as hard as anything put out in recent memory, so go grab it at splitsilk.bandcamp.com.

and hinted at on 2018’s Healing Contest

The way Schneider is seemingly effortlessly able to swim between, say, the breezy Spaghetti Western-tinged new wave of “You Were Right About One Thing” to the Stevie Nicks-meets-The Go-Go’s “The Hard Way” to the frantic art punk of “Have You Got It Yet?” to the psych jazz of “Daffodil” is reminiscent of such genre benders as Sparks and Roxy Music. Locate S,1 next plays locally Sept. 23 at the 40 Watt Club with of Montreal. Find the new album on all major streaming services as well as locates1.bandcamp.com.

HUMAN INTEREST: There’s a new EP released this week by, in the easiest and most accessible descriptor, noise-rock project Split Silk. Composer, producer and musician

Lucca Cassandra Anastasia Carver opens this new release, Drown, with one of the best songs Sonic Youth never wrote named “Attune,” and added some big rock elements toward the track’s end, too. From there, everything trucks along heavily but steadily. The only song that doesn’t really grab me is the title track, and that’s only due to its slow tempo. Now, the one that really grabbed me is either “Hollow” or “Noble,” but I can’t be certain which one it is, because my copy of this was delivered to me as a single file with no track separation. But one of those has this really great

WHAT YOU TOLKIEN ’BOUT?: If you’re unfamiliar with synth wizard Tim Rowland and his project Hole Dweller, you’re forgiven. Indeed, on his new release, the Crossroads EP—as well as his 2019 album Flies The Coop—his themes center on hobbits and other Lord of the Rings references. And, while the Tolkien books are undoubtedly among the most popular ever, you still don’t get much more underground than a hobbit. That said, it’s a good thing this release crossed my desk at the age I am now, because for most of my life I couldn’t stomach this type of overtly grand Emerson, Lake & Palmer/ Yes/Genesis-type of progressive music. Now, I have an appreciation of its craft, even if I’m not completely sold aesthetically. This opens with the magnificent “Greener Pastures,” which is nearly hymn-like with its joyous yet reserved melody. Some folks may even enjoy the Renaissance-fair flavor of “Battle at High Hay,” but I’m not one of those people. Even so, I’d encourage all of you to dig deeply into Rowland’s catalog as there’s a lot of work to listen to and nearly all of it is quite interesting and enjoyable. Pack a lunch and spend the day at holedweller.bandcamp.com. For more information, please see facebook.com/ holedwellermusic.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION: The Georgia Museum of Art will host the next instance of its three-times-a-year event Museum Mix on Thursday, July 27 from 8–11 p.m. Museum Mix is a very casual event whereby attendees can waltz around the current exhibits and galleries upstairs, or enjoy complimentary refreshments and listen to a DJ spin some tunes downstairs. This date’s disc jockey is DJ De la Luna. The event is free, open to the public and all ages. For basically the exact same information I just mentioned, please see georgiamuseum.org/ event/museum-mix-07-23-2023.

RISE UP, GATHER ’ROUND: Indie guitar rockers of all stripes should rejoice at the bill coming to The World Famous Sunday, July 30. On this night, you’ll be treated by Athens heroes Blunt Bangs, longtime Florida band The Cadets, and the newly reunited and resurrected Current Rage. Things kick off at 9 p.m. For more information, please see facebook.com/currentrageband, facebook.com/thecadets and facebook.com/ bluntbangsband. f

Kurt Vile and The Violators are making their way back to Athens to play at the 40 Watt Club alongside alt-country act Florry. A Philadelphia native, Vile started playing music at the age of 14, when his dad gifted him a banjo. After working in Boston for a few years, he moved back to Philly and formed the band The War on Drugs in 2005 with fellow singer-songwriter Adam Granduciel. Vile took on the role of lead guitarist, and the band released its debut album titled Wagonwheel Blues in 2008. During the same year, Vile released his first solo album, Constant Hitmaker, and subsequently decided to leave The War on Drugs. He proceeded to release seven albums, as well as a second album with his former band, The War on Drugs. With his current band, The Violators, Vile plays lead guitar alongside Jesse Trbovich alternating on saxophone, bass guitar and keys, Kyle Spence (of Athens legends Harvey Milk) on drums, and Adam Langellotti on bass guitar and keyboard. Doors to the show will open at 7 p.m., and music will begin at 8 p.m. [Analiese Herrin]

MUSIC | FRI, JULY 28

Swimming Pool Q’s, Current Rage

40 Watt Club • 7 p.m. (doors) • $15 (adv.), $20 Formed in Atlanta in 1978, the Swimming Pool Q’s are a timeless new wave jangle-pop band with a sound that has been described as “folk pop gone country.” Since its formation, the group has released five albums beginning with the release of its first single, “Rat Bait,” in 1979. This single led to praise from the likes of The Police and Devo. The band’s debut album The Deep End was released in 1981, and it sold nearly 20,000 copies. The Swimming Pool Q’s split up in 1992 and reformed a short six years later in 1998. The group will play at the 40 Watt alongside Current Rage, a four-piece post-punk band that formed in the early ’80s and has played alongside Athens original bands such as R.E.M. and Pylon. Doors to the show will open at 7 p.m., and the show will begin at 8 p.m. [AH]

EVENT | SAT, JULY 29

LatinxFest

Washington Street • 11 a.m.–8 p.m. • FREE!

Dignidad Inmigrante en Athens is hosting the annual LatinxFest in Athens for the 14th year. The festival was created to celebrate the Classic City’s Latinx culture and heritage. The event will host a variety of dance and musical performances by

Tonali, Aklla Sumak, Danza Azteca, La Flor de Jalisco and more. There will also be food from various vendors, kids activities and plenty of dancing throughout the event. The festival will take place downtown on Washington Street between Hull and Pulaski streets. [AH]

MUSIC | SUN, JULY 30

Scary Black, Obsidian, Tears for the Dying

Ciné • 8 p.m. (doors) • $10

Athens local deathrock and post-punk band Tears for the Dying will host two tour-

ing acts at Ciné for a live goth rock show. Tears for the Dying was formed by Adria Stembridge in 1997 and has since been a staple of the regional goth scene. Obsidian, a gothic and post-punk band from Wilton Manors, FL, will also perform at the event. The group formed in 2018 as a creative outlet to deal with traumatic experiences but became a hit. Finally, Louisville, KY solo artist Scary Black will share his cold, dark, bittersweet blend of melancholic goth and nightmare pop songs. [AH]

PERFORMANCE | MON, JULY 31

The Search for the Skunkape

Flicker Theatre & Bar • 8 p.m. (doors) • $10

Presented by local tape label and show promoter Attaboy Tapes, the Shadow Box Theater will perform a new play, The Search for the Skunkape, before taking the show on the road to five other cities. Led by Phil Jasen and Otoño Gaskins, the Shadow Box Theater is a shadow puppetry troupe that has previously performed Lupita’s Revenge

This will be a live action show with accompanying sound performances by Centaur’s Night Cream, a group that features members of Immaterial Possession and Peepa Show. The inspiration behind the play and the name “skunkape” hails from the Florida Everglades as the regional name for Bigfoot. The performance will utilize a crankie, or a scroll attached to two spindles that is “cranked” to gradually reveal the scenes. Doors will open at 8 p.m., and the show will begin at 9 p.m. [AH] f

Kurt Vile

ADAM WALLACAVAGE

The Rishis

NEW ELEPHANT 6 GROUP RELEASES AUGUST MOON

By Jessica Smith music@flagpole.com

As the newest band to join the Elephant 6 Recording Co.’s roster, The Rishis echo the influential Athens-based music collective and label’s signature sound on the new album August Moon. Anchored by songwriters Ranjan Avasthi and Sofie Lute, the band has assembled a rotating cast of E6 luminaries to create a sound collage that is both imaginative and organic. While dipping a toe into the sunshine-drenched neo-psychedelia the collective is often recognized for, August Moon is a lush and thoughtful folk-pop record that’s instantly soothing.

Avasthi first moved to Athens in 1995 and soon joined UGA’s dance company CORE, through which he met Laura Glenn of performance art group Dixie Blood Mustache. Glenn brought Avasthi to Elephant 6 potlucks—now-storied weekly gatherings where laid back socialization would often lead into fervent collaboration—and he began forming friendships with the collective’s members.

Avasthi and Lute, who is originally from the Pacific Northwest, met 20 years later while both living in Atlanta. For the first several years together, the duo would primarily play shows in Atlanta, Seattle, Portland and Tacoma. After finding flexible careers with branches in both Atlanta and Athens, they now split their time between the two cities, but consider Athens home.

A few years ago, after Avasthi began working in Athens again, The Rishis landed a regular gig playing dinner sets at Big City Bread. They soon reached out to add John Kiran Fernandes (Olivia Tremor Control), a longtime friend whom Avasthi had met in the ’90s while living in the old green house across from Taco Stand on Milledge Avenue with Lucy Calhoun, also of Dixie Blood Mustache. Flash forward to the present, and August Moon, which features one of Calhoun’s vibrant paintings as the cover art, has been released via Fernandes’ label, Cloud Recordings.

“The Elephant 6 family are our friends and folks we look up to,” says Lute.

“They were always so prolific in making art, music, dance, videos, you name it. Ranjan used to tell me how Elephant 6 folks used to play on each other’s records, so he wanted to try to recreate that magic.”

Though the duo has been playing music together for nearly a decade, August Moon is The Rishis’ first full-length release. When it finally became time to flesh out Avasthi’s songs, it felt only right to bring everything full circle by

incorporating some of the characters he had felt so inspired by before. In addition to Calhoun and Fernandes, the album features a star-studded cast of E6ers and extended family: Peter Alvanos (Sunshine Fix), Timi Conley (Wonderland Rangers), Charlie Estes (Dark Meat), Andy Gonzalez (Marshmallow Coast), James Huggins III (of Montreal), Todd Kelly (Great Lakes), Andrew Rieger (Elf Power) and Scott Spillane (Neutral Milk Hotel).

August Moon is not an homage to Elephant 6, but more of a natural representation of the collective’s reach and friendships that have evolved across decades. Pastoral tracks such as “Holiday” and “Jetstream” feel deeply grounded in the natural world, perfect for cloud-spotting or daydreaming. Lyrically, “Oh So Young,” “Wake Up” and “Just Between You & Me” juxtapose the innocence of youth with the complexity of aging. Others, such as “Holi,” “Migrations” and the instrumental closing track “Uttar Pradesh” reference Avasthi’s ancestral roots. On the other side of the folk spectrum, “Make Me Love You” is a classic country heartbreaker of a tune where Lute’s soaring voice really shines.

”Nature herself holds so many questions and even answers about life cycles and relationships and harmony, so many of the songs have these themes, as we were reading a lot of Walt Whitman, learning about tantra, drinking strong tea and exploring nature,” says Lute. “Sunlight, youth and chasing magic are in there, too. Ranjan works in the realms of science so there is a good dose of that as well.”

Currently, the band is already working towards creating a second album to follow August Moon. Returning to record with audio engineer Chris Byron (Wonderland Rangers), Lute says some of the new songs take on strong social themes while others are more electric guitar driven. As with the first album, the sophomore release invites contributions

from artists in the circle’s vast orbit, such as UGA student Max Schneider (son of Apples in Stereo’s Robert Schneider and The High Water Marks’ Hilarie Bratset) on fretless bass, Primordial Void label owner and electronic composer Marcel Sletten on organ, and Wet Meadows’ Craig Landry on percussion and glockenspiel.

“We really try to take the listener on a trip, so that way if you have time and are in the right headspace you can tune in, drop the needle and allow the vinyl grooves to take you away,” says Lute. “We are hoping our friends’ schedules might work out, where we can again collaborate to sew a sound quilt of patterns, colors and stories for folks to listen to when we have moved on in the cosmos.” f

WHO: The Rishis’ Vinyl Release Show with Oceanic Sound Research, Turtle Grenade and Wet Meadows

WHEN: Thursday, July 27, 8 p m (doors)

WHERE: Flicker Theatre & Bar

HOW MUCH: $10

SlopFest Returns

DIY-CENTERED FESTIVAL HONORS FOUNDER DEREK WIGGS

By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com

Near the end of last week a severe thunderstorm rolled through Athens almost five years to the day of a similar summer storm bringing hail and cutting off power downtown—the same night longtime attendees of SlopFest recall as one of the most memorable instances of the festival.

Lindsey Roper and T Silva recount the chaos at Little Kings Shuffle Club while they were setting up as sideways winds swept up the outdoor stage tent and carried it over to nearby Frogger, and hail broke the window panes of the front door. Huddling inside without power, some people gathered candles to light the bar, while others brought in

Kings with single-day tickets ($12) or a weekend pass ($32) on sale now.

The commitment to bring back the festival happened when a group of friends sitting on the Little Kings patio were sharing stories about Wiggs and talking about how he had started to reach out to people about a post-pandemic return. The 10th anniversary of SlopFest took place in 2019, and COVID shut down Wiggs’ festival planning the following year. He had started to streamline the festival and assign out different tasks at that point, says Roper, but the COVID experience left him feeling like maybe 10 years was a solid place to end the festival.

make it a fundraising event for the community, and in 2010 Wiggs decided to benefit the youth music nonprofit We Rock Athens. Many of the musicians who performed at SlopFest were affiliated with We Rock Athens, so it was a natural fit, explains Roper. This year’s festival will also benefit the nonprofit, and the organizers secured sponsorships for the first time to ensure that this SlopFest will be the best that it can be while also making sure as much money raised as possible goes directly to We Rock Athens.

Also new this year is the addition of official food vendors: The Red Eye on Thursday, Mouthfeel on Friday and Spicy Thaiger on Saturday. Aside from occasional food popups run by friends in the past, Roper says, laughing, that everyone mostly survived on the cheeseballs served at the bar.

flashlights. But the resilient festival carried on in true DIY-powered spirit with a cashonly bar and acoustic sets played by whoever was down to grab the guitar.

Power or no power, everyone saw it through and had a great time: The epitome of the spirit and attitude behind rowdy, punk- and metal-oriented SlopFest. It was one of the few times SlopFest founder Derek Wiggs played the festival himself, notes Roper, who also points out that although he was a known musician he never made it about himself.

Wiggs died suddenly last year on Oct. 6 following a medical emergency at 38 years old. The news was felt hard by the Athens community and his extended musical family. Roper and Silva, more than just longtime SlopFest attendees, were close friends of Wiggs, and stood by his side from the very beginning of the festival. The pair are part of a group of organizers (including Max Talkovich, Caitlin Gal, Graham Shirley and Chris McNeal) resurrecting SlopFest for its 11th year in honor and remembrance of Wiggs. This year’s festival will take place over three days from July 27–29 at Little

“But then last year he started talking to everybody about how important it was to the community, and that he didn’t want to be selfish because he didn’t want to keep doing it. He wanted to bring it back because he knew it was important to everybody else,” says Roper.

SlopFest formed in 2009 to fill a hole in the community and as a tribute to PopFest when Athens’ high-profile August event was discontinued. The lineups have always featured heavier rock genres, DIY townies and bands often left off larger festivals like AthFest. Held at the end of July—one of Athens’ slowest times of the year before August brings back the flood of college students and football crowds—everything about the festival feels truly catered to the residents who make Athens the town it is.

“The people who stay here all summer and work their butts off all year round, this is for us. It wasn’t a giant festival that people were going to come in from all over the Southeast and book hotels and spend all this money in Athens. It was for everyone who lived here,” says Silva.

The intention of SlopFest was always to

“And gummy bears,” adds Silva. Admission is 21 and up, with a stacked lineup of both old friends and fresh faces that may have never been able to attend SlopFest due to the four-year hiatus. Kicking off the festival on Thursday is Danger Bucker, Hunger Anthem, Nuclear Tourism, Bursters, Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes, and Infinite Favors, with an ending DJ set by DJ Lozo & Lord Bitter. Performing on Friday are Clavus, Real Wow, Gorgeous Beast, Multiple Miggs, Coma Therapy, Naw and Weaponized Flesh, with DJ Reindeer Games ending the night. To close out the festival on Saturday are Small Beige Girl, Donkey Punch, Rubber Udder, McQueen, Pervert, The Sporrs and Vincas, with DJ Mahogany closing.

“Derek was the happiest guy; he always wanted to make people happy,” says Silva.

“He loved to make people laugh, and he did it constantly. He just wanted everyone else to have a good time,” says Roper. “He would not believe how excited so many people have been that SlopFest is coming back.”

For the full three-day lineup with times, see the Live Music Calendar on p. 14. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit slopfest-109730.square.site. f

WHO: SlopFest 11

WHEN: Thursday, July 27–Saturday, July 29, 5 p

WHERE:

Derek Wiggs playing with Shehehe at the Georgia Theatre in 2017.

MIKE WHITE · DEADLYDESIGNS.COM

live music calendar

Tuesday 25

Athentic Brewing Co.

6 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com

JAY GONZALEZ Athens songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with an affinity for ’70s power pop melodies.

Ciné 8 p.m. FREE! www.athenscine.com

KARAOKE WITH THE KING Show off your pipes to the world. Every Tuesday.

Flicker Theatre & Bar

8 p.m. (doors). www.flickertheatreand bar.com

LITTLE GOLD Local group playing garage-rock with country and pop sensibilities.

STYROFOAM WINOS Nashville folk rock.

WINSTON BARBE Local songwriter and audio engineer.

The World Famous 2:30 a.m. $10 suggested donation. www.facebook.com/theworldfamous

athens

PONS Brooklyn born sick party post-punk band.

MONSOON Fine purveyors of art rock from Athens, GA.

NU11 Athens-based post punk and self-described adderall pop band.

Wednesday 26

40 Watt Club 7 p.m. (doors). $35. www.40watt.com

KURT VILE AND THE VIOLATORS Psych-pop musician with his accompanying band from Philadelphia.

FLORRY Philadelphia country rock band who has expanded its original folk and country concentration.

Ciné 9 p.m. (doors), 10 p.m. (show). $10. www.athenscine.com

GOODBYE RANGER Phoenixbased blissed-out ambient pop confections with shoegaze overtones.

PARKING GARAGE Self-proclaimed “salt rock” band from Athens, now with trumpets.

JOE ORR BAND Local power pop with eclectic elements of synthpop and funk.

Creature Comforts

Brewery

Athens Farmers Market. 5–8 p.m. FREE! www.athensfarmersmarket. net DEEP ROOTS Southern rock covers. (6 p.m.)

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.

Georgia Theatre

Rooftop

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). FREE! www.georgiatheatre.com

GOOD LOOKS Country-influenced indie rock quartet from Austin, TX. Hendershot’s 8 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com

CLOUDS Athens-based bossa nova group featuring Tony Oscar on percussion, William Leverett on guitar and vocals, and John James on saxophone.

VIC VARNEY Former Method Actors frontman credited with assisting the explosion of alternative rock in Athens.

Porterhouse Grill 6–8:30 p.m. www.porterhousegrill athens.com

JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens captained by drummer Mason Davis and featuring a rotating cast of familiar faces performing American songbook, bossa nova classics and crossover hits.

Thursday 27

Flicker Theatre & Bar

Primordial Void Presents. 8 p.m. $10. www.flickertheatreandbar.com

THE RISHIS Elephant 6 psych-folk outfit featuring members of the Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power and Black Swan Network. Tonight’s event celebrates the vinyl release of the band’s debut album, August Moon!

OCEANIC SOUND RESEARCH

Local ambient jazz trio consisting of John Kiran Fernandes (Olivia Tremor Control, Circulatory System), Oliver Domingo (Organically Programmed) and Kyle MacKinnel (Dark Wale).

TURTLE GRENADE Musician and visual artist crafting intimately personal folk songs now based in New Orleans.

WET MEADOWS Folky botanical rock inspired by natural forms and rhythms.

Georgia Museum of Art Museum Mix. 8–11 p.m. FREE! www. georgiamuseum.org

DJ DE LA LUNA Sebastian Granados is a Columbian DJ who plays “Italo-Disco,” setting the mood for the museum’s late-night art party. Hendershot’s 8 p.m. $10. www.hendershotsathens. com

BIG BAND ATHENS 18-member Athens band whose swinging tunes consist of cover music from the ’40s to the ’70s.

Little Kings Shuffle Club Slopfest. 5 p.m. $12/night, $32/ weekend pass. www.facebook.com/ slopfestathens

DANGER BUCKET Folk-punk act. (6 p.m.)

HUNGER ANTHEM Local indie power-rock trio. (6:30 p.m.)

LITTLE GOLD Local group playing garage-rock with country and pop sensibilities. (7:30 p.m.)

NUCLEAR TOURISM Skate punks playing surfy, garage-infused songs. (8:30 p.m.)

BURSTERS Athens-based lo-fi punk outfit. (9:15 p.m.)

MR. CLIT & THE PINK CIGARETTES unk rock trio from Indianapolis, IN. (10:15 p.m.)

INFINITE FAVORS Featuring members of Pride Parade, Los Meesfits and Cars Can Be Blue. (11 p.m.)

DJ LOZO & LORD BITTER Close out the first night of Slopfest with with punk hits.

Nowhere Bar

8:30 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ nowherebarathens

BLUES JAM Bring an instrument and join host Big C and The Moonshynes for an open blues jam. The house band includes Scott Nicholson, Derek Warren, Brent Davenport and Bo Hembree.

Southern Brewing Co.

6–10 p.m. www.sobrewco.com

KARAOKE NIGHT Every Thursday evening.

The World Famous 5 p.m. www.facebook.com/theworld famousathens

LOCAL TOURIST Soft indie act taking inspiration from psychedelia, existential literature and the punk rock canon.

MCKENDRICK BEARDEN Grand Vapids’ songwriter and guitarist performs a solo set of tunes from the recently released album Bright as the Mines Out. Volumes Presents. 9:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. www.facebook.com/theworldfamousathens

TRVY & THE ENEMY

High-energy hip-hop artist who weaves introspective lyrics into the psych-infused and sometimes heavy instrumentals of his backing band.

INDI’GXLD Conscious, soulful hip-hop artist from Charleston, SC whose sound has a hint of Erykah Badu-esque R&B.

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT North Carolina hip-hop label and collective of artists formed by Rob: Earth-One and Malcolm Chester.

NIC.MVIN Hip-hop artist and former Athenian now living in New Orleans.

Friday 28

40 Watt Club

7 p.m. (doors). $15 (adv.), $20. www.40watt.com

SWIMMING POOL Q’S Atlantabased new wave and jangle-pop band who formed in 1978.

CURRENT RAGE Catchy post-punk band originally active in Athens from ’79–’83 that has been recently reformed.

Athentic Brewing Co. Summer Concert Series. 7 p.m. $5. www.athenticbrewing.com

QUIG & THE BOYS Multi-genre cover band named after the group’s lead singer, Michelle Quig.

The Foundry

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $7. www.facebook.com/AubreyEntertainmentAthensGA

DEEP ROOTS Southern rock covers and jams.

THE GRATEFUL DADS A party band covering songs across genres.

HOLMAN AUTRY BAND Six-piece Southern rock band.

Georgia Theatre

Rooftop

Primordial Void Presents. 7:30 p.m. (doors). 8:30 p.m. (show). $12 (adv.), $15. www.georgiatheatre. com

MSPAINT Hattiesburg, MS band fusing classic post-hardcore sounds with synth-punk and alternative metal themes.

ANTLERED AUNT LORD Local cult favorites producing feedbackdrenched noise pop, led by songwriter Jesse Stinnard (Tunabunny).

CHAINHEAD Driving post-hardcore band for fans of Drive Like Jehu and Sonic Youth.

Little Kings Shuffle Club Slopfest. 5 p.m. $12/night, $32/ weekend pass. www.facebook.com/ slopfestathens

CLAVUS Local screamo group.

(7:30 p.m.)

REAL WOW Weirdo indie/art/noise rock blasted from the past to the future. (8 p.m.)

GORGEOUS BEAST New darkwave dance-pop project by Erica Strout (Motherfucker, Dream Tent, Incendiaries). (8:45 p.m.)

MULTIPLE MIGGS High-octane local hardcore band. (9:15 p.m.)

COMA THERAPY Athens band influenced by no-wave and postpunk scenes. (10 p.m.)

NAW Heavy, noisy post-hardcore from Atlanta. (10:30 p.m.)

THE ORIGINAL SPLITZ BAND A mixed drink of the classic Motown sound, part 1970s funk and disco flavor, a dash of the old-school and contemporary R&B, and a guaranteed good time.

Downtown Athens

11 a.m.–8 p.m. FREE! www.latinxfest ath.com

LATINXFEST In addition to food and business vendors, the 14th annual festival will include music and dance performances by Tonali, Aklla Sumak, Danza Azteca, La Flor de Jalisco and more.

Flicker Theatre & Bar

ProCoat-palooza. 8 p.m. www.flickertheatreandbar.com

WONDERLAND RANGERS Local rabble-rouser Timi Conley performs dance-tastic psych-pop with his allstar backing band.

DDAENG! Dana Downs and Dean Johnston play “swamp pop bluesy punk rock.”

Little Kings Shuffle Club Slopfest. 5 p.m. $12/night, $32/ weekend pass. www.facebook.com/ slopfestathens

SMALL BEIGE GIRL Local punk band. (6:30 p.m.)

DONKEY PUNCH Raucous, longrunning local hard-rock band. (7:30 p.m.)

RUBBER UDDER Self-described experimental acid punk/noisegrunge band from Athens. (8:15 p.m.)

SCARY BLACK Darkwave nightmare pop from Louisville, KY.

OBSIDIAN Gothic post-punk from Florida that combines a fierce love of rock with darker electronic and esoteric elements.

TEARS FOR THE DYING Longrunning local deathrock and goth group fronted by songwriter Adria Stembridge.

Creature Comforts Brewery

3–5 p.m. www.creaturecomfortsbeer. com

LIVE JAZZ Every Sunday afternoon. Nowhere Bar

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $10. nowherebarlive.com

RICK FOWLER BAND Original, guitar-driven local blues-rock group.

Tif Sigfrids

“Cash 4 Life” Closing Reception. 5–7 p.m. www.tifsigfrids.com

PERVERT Brilliantly wrecked, inner core-heavy rock.

The World Famous 9 p.m. www.facebook.com/theworld famousathens

BLUNT BANGS Local indie-pop band featuring Black Kids frontman Reggie Youngblood.

THE CADETS Playing their first show in roughly 15 years.

CURRENT RAGE Catchy post-punk band originally active in Athens from ’79–’83 that has been recently reformed.

WEAPONIZED FLESH Loud, fast thrash metal with intense energy and elements of d-beat punk and hardcore. (10:45 p.m.)

DJ REINDEER GAMES Athens DJ mixes trap, hip hop, moombahton, ’90s hits and indie dance tunes.

Nowhere Bar

9:30 p.m. $10. www.nowherebarlive. com

FOUR FATHERS Athens-based funky soul organ quartet.

VFW Post 2872 8 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/vfw post2872

CHRIS HAMPTON BAND Athensbased band performing a variety of country, western and rock dance music.

Saturday 29

40 Watt Club

8 p.m. (doors). $20. www.40watt.com

JOSH WARD Texas-based country-rock singer with a sweet Southern twang.

JACOB BRYANT Georgia native singer-songwriter whose sound is a mixture between classic Southern rock and outlaw country.

Athentic Brewing Co. Summer Concert Series. 7 p.m. $5. www.athenticbrewing.com

BLACK CHERRY PARFAIT Local blues, pop and rock band.

Bolo Bolo Athens

9:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. www.instagram.com/bolo.bolo.ath

WITCH GRASS Experimental band part folk horror score and part transcendental prayer from Birmingham, AL.

LIL WHITE BITCH Percussive bursts from Alabama.

KIRAN Saharan influenced rock trance.

LEEANN PEPPERS Local singersongwriter playing sparse, tender folk music.

Boutier Winery & Inn

8 p.m. $10. www.boutierwinery.com

MCQQEEN Local noise-punk band with reverb-soaked vocals. (9 p.m.)

PERVERT Brilliantly wrecked, inner core-heavy rock. (10 p.m.)

THE SPORRS Melodic punk from Atlanta. (10:45 p.m.)

VINCAS Dark post-punk with doomy, psychedelic flourishes. (11:30 p.m.)

DJ MAHOGANY Popular local DJ spins freaky funk, sultry soul, righteous R&B and a whole lotta faves. No. 3 Railroad Street

7 p.m. $10 suggested donation. www.3railroad.org

SCARLET STITCH Straight-up rock and roll band from Athens.

The Root

8 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ AubreyEntertainmentAthensGA

KIP JONES BAND Local songwriter playing all your favorite folk, rock, R&B and country covers and some of his own tunes.

Sunday 30

Boutier Winery & Inn

Wine Down in the Winery. 2–5 p.m. www.boutierwinery.com

MONICA SPEAR Solo act performing a wide range of soul, blues and modern popular songs.

Buvez

7 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/buvez athens

ANNA KELLAM Indie-pop and soft-rock fusion singer-songwriter from Savannah.

JOELTON MAYFIELD Hard-hitting alt-country from Nashville that blends Wilco-esque musicality with the dynamics and melodic edge of second wave emo.

PARKER WIERLING Athens-based upbeat alternative musician blending elements of roots rock, indie pop and Americana.

Ciné

8 p.m. (doors), 8:30 p.m. (show). www.athenscine.com

Tuesday 1

Ciné 8 p.m. FREE! www.athenscine.com

KARAOKE WITH THE KING Show off your pipes to the world. Every Tuesday.

Rabbit Hole Studios

7 p.m.–12 a.m. Donations encouraged. www.rabbitholestudios.org

FULL MOON JAM Bring an instrument or borrow one from the Rabbit Hole’s extensive collection. Backline of gear and amps provided. The World Famous 10 p.m. www.facebook.com/theworld famousathens

PATRICK JENNINGS Bloomington folk-punk songwriter and former Athenian (Hot New Mexicans, Nana Grizol, Purple 7).

NEEDLE TEETH Sparkle-punk angst-pop out of Athens.

86HOPE Upbeat punk rock trio from St. Augustine, FL.

Wednesday 2

Athentic Brewing Co.

6 p.m. www.athenticbrewing.com

JAY GONZALEZ Athens songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with an affinity for ’70s power pop melodies.

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.

Porterhouse Grill

6–8:30 p.m. www.porterhousegrill athens.com

JAZZ NIGHT Longest running jazz gig in Athens captained by drummer Mason Davis and featuring a rotating cast of familiar faces performing American songbook, bossa nova classics and crossover hits. f

Local Tourist will perform at The World Famous on Thursday, July 27.

event calendar

Tuesday 25

EVENTS: American Red Cross Blood Drive (ACC Library) Eligible donors are encouraged to come to the library, check out a book and roll up their sleeves to donate blood. 2–6 p.m. FREE! www.red crossblood.org

EVENTS: Tiki Taco Tuesday (Live Wire) Enjoy craft rum, delicious tacos and fine cigars with live music by Kinky Waikiki. Every Tuesday, 5–10 p.m. FREE! www. livewireathens.com

EVENTS: West Broad Farmers Market and Garden (Athentic Brewing Co.) Vendors will be on site with fresh produce, local fare, rare plants, artisan goods and more. Tuesdays, 5–8 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com

EVENTS: No Phone Party (Hendershot’s) Disconnect to connect with a phone-free, laptop-free happy hour. Every Tuesday, 6–9 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com

FILM: OLLI Summer Film Festival (Ciné) This weekly film festival sponsored by OLLI presents The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Tuesdays, 2:30 p.m. FREE! (OLLI members), $6.50 (general public). www.athenscine.com

FILM: Tuesday Night Film Seminar (ATHICA) The four-part seminar

“The Rise of Documentary Filmmaking from the 1960s to the Present Day” will focus this night on clips from the film Jacksonville’s Deadly Gang Wars facilitated by Bill Cody. 7:30 p.m. FREE! www. athica.org

GAMES: Lunch and Learn New Games (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and try out some new games. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com

GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Amici Athens) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddogathens

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo

KIDSTUFF: Tween Trivia (Bogart Library) Vote to pick out trivia topics and test your knowledge. Enjoy snacks and earn prizes. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org.bogart

LECTURES & LIT: Mystery Book Club (Bogart Library) Penny Mills leads a conversation about this month’s book, Mary Robinette Kowal’s The Spare Man. 5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m; Wednesdays at 6 p.m. www. athenspetanque.org

Wednesday 26

ART: Tour at Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection and are led by museum docents. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgia museum.org

CLASSES: So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur? (ACC Library) This class will teach the essentials of business registration and setup. Prerequisites may apply. 5:30 p.m.

FREE! www.thenewapproach marketing.com

COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Homegrown townie improv that invites you to bring some interesting suggestions to help create improv magic on the spot. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods and a variety of arts and crafts. Live music begins at 6 p.m. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent at the market. Every Wednesday, 5–8 p.m. www. athensfarmersmarket.net

FILM: Three Star Cinema (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of one of the best films ever made that you’re promised to love. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/3starcinema

GAMES: Shadowfist Power Lunch (Tyche’s Games) Come down with your lunch and play Shadowfist. New players welcome. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tychesgames.com

GAMES: Music Bingo (Athentic Brewing Co.) Win prizes at this music bingo night with host Mari. 7–9:30 p.m. FREE! www.athentic brewing.com

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/

ClassicCityTriviaCo

KIDSTUFF: Busy Bee Toddler Time (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for rhymes, songs, puppets and a simple story. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

KIDSTUFF: LEGO & Builder’s Club (Bogart Library) Young engineers can drop in to use LEGOs and other building materials. All ages. 3:30–5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart

MEETINGS: Film Athens (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Meet and network with others in the filmmaking community (actors, directors, etc.) during happy hour. 5 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreandbar.com

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m; Wednesdays at 6 p.m. www. athenspetanque.org

THEATER: Plays in Progress Series (ATHICA) There will be a staged reading of The Best Little Old Folks’ Home in Georgia, a new screenplay by Bowen Craig, with opportunities for feedback and conversation afterward. 7 p.m. FREE! www.athica.org

Thursday 27

ART: Gallery Talk: Jim Fiscus (Georgia Museum of Art) Athens photographer Jim Fiscus and exhibition curator Asen Kirin will discuss Fiscus’ recent work in the exhibition “Where Shadows Cross.” 4 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum. org

ART: Deonna Mann Pop-Up (tiny ATH gallery) Artist and performer Deonna Mann will have art on display. 5–8 p.m. FREE! www. tinyathgallery.com

ART: Museum Mix (Georgia Museum of Art) The art galleries are open late with refreshments and a

music by DJ De La Luna. 8–11 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org

CLASSES: Tarot & Tea (Indie South) Get together to explore, learn and practice with tarot cards. Attendees encouraged to bring a deck and materials. Last Thursdays, 6–8 p.m. $10. www.theindiesouth.com

COMEDY: Open Mic Comedy (Athentic Brewing Co.) Comedian Owen Hunt hosts this show-up & go-up open mic with professional and amateur comedians from around the Southeast. 6:30 p.m. (sign-ups), 7 p.m. (show). FREE! www.athenticbrewing.com

EVENTS: Diamond Hill Farm Stand (Athentic Brewing Co.) Vegetables and fresh flowers are available on hand and pre-ordered. Every Thursday, 4–6 p.m. www.diamondhill farmathens.com

GAMES: Thursday Trivia (Johnny’s New York Style Pizza) Test your trivia knowledge with host Jon Head. 7–9 p.m. www.johnnyspizza. com

KIDSTUFF: Slime & Science with Dr. Snook (Bogart Library) Dr. Maurice Snook will teach and entertain with chemical scientific magic. Best for ages 5 & up. 3 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

MEETINGS: KnitLits Knitting Group (Bogart Library) Knitters of all levels are invited to have fun, share craft ideas and knit to their hearts’ content. Every Thursday, 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

MEETINGS: Jury Research Focus Group (Wiggins Casto Barrow, PA) Brian Cathey Law is looking for individuals in Athens to provide unfiltered opinions on a broad range of issues and on the specifics of their court cases. RSVP to Evelyn Hunt. 6:30 p.m. FREE! evelyn@ briancatheylaw.com

PERFORMANCE: Sexy Summer Showcase & Dance Party (40 Watt Club) The Studio Athens adult companies will perform followed by a DJ set by Ladarius Thomas. 8–10:30 p.m. $8 (adv.), $10. http://tinyurl.com/studiotix

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m; Wednesdays at 6 p.m. www. athenspetanque.org

Friday 28

COMEDY: Don’t Tell Comedy (Flicker Theatre & Bar) A secret lineup of comedians not announced until they appear on stage. 7:30 p.m. $25. www.donttellcomedy. com

COMEDY: small talk, BIG SHOW (Work.Shop) A late night talk show hosted by Matt House with music provided by libbaloops. This month’s guests: Kelly Petronis, Adriana Thomas and comedian Phillip Broughton. 8–9:30 p.m. $5. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

FILM: Indie Film-lovers Happening (ATHICA) Hang out with people who love making and watching films, with Fr3deR1cK Taylor showing clips and leading discussions around past and present cinema. Registration encouraged. 7 p.m. FREE! www.athica.org

GAMES: Day of Board Game Demonstrations (Tyche’s Games) Bring your pals and try some new

games. 12 p.m. FREE! www.tyches games.com

KIDSTUFF: Meet & Play (Bogart Library) Drop in for facilitated open play with age-appropriate toys. Best for ages 6 & under. Every Friday, 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athens library.org/bogart

PERFORMANCE: Athens Showgirl Cabaret Fabulous Fridays (Hendershot’s) Enjoy a fabulous night of drag entertainment. Ages 18 & up. 9 p.m. $5. www.athensshowgirl cabaret.com

Saturday 29

ART: LatinxFest Art Galley (Creature Comforts Brewery) Explore the exhibition “Art, Carnival and Urban Music” curated by artist and musician Juancho Cano. 1–8 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/LatinxFestAth

EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Bishop Park) Markets offer locally grown groceries and handmade goods. Attendees can enjoy free live music and children’s activities. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent at the market. Every Saturday, 8 a.m.–12 p.m. www.athensfarmers market.net

EVENTS: West Broad Farmers Market (West Broad Farmers Market) The market offers fresh produce, locally raised meat and eggs, baked goods, flowers, artisan goods and more. Online ordering is available Sundays–Thursdays for drivethru pick up. Saturdays, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. www.wbfm.locallygrown.net

EVENTS: LatinxFest (Downtown Athens) The 14th annual cultural festival celebrating LatinX heritage will feature food, music, dance and more. 11 a.m.–8 p.m. FREE! www. latinxfestath.com

EVENTS: Learn Basic Miniature Painting (Tyche’s Games) Attendees can bring their primed miniatures and learn the basics of painting them. 1 p.m. $5. www. tychesgames.com

KIDSTUFF: Story Time at the Marigold Market (Pittard Park) Miss Deirdre reads a few stories from new books at the library. Every other Saturday, 11 a.m. FREE! winterville @athenslibrary.org

KIDSTUFF: MCDVD Back-toSchool Event (Heard Park) This annual event serves about 300 children to help them start the school year on the right foot. 11 a.m. FREE! www.dmiinvestments.com

LECTURES & LIT: Film Lecture (ATHICA) Fr3deR1cK Taylor of Tomorrow Pictures will give a lecture on “Hollywood: How Do You Guarantee Success?” Registration encouraged. 1 p.m. $10. www. athica.org

OUTDOORS: Walk Into Wellness (Dudley Park) Each walk in this summer series will focus on a different health topic, inviting people to meet up and get moving together. Registration required. 9 a.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/myrec

Sunday 30

ART: Closing Reception (Tif Sigfrids) The group show “Cash 4 Life” will be closing with a special music performance by the band Pervert. 5–7 p.m. FREE! www.tifsigfrids. com

CLASSES: Crafternoon (Athentic Brewing Co.) Erin from CatBite Crochet will lead a monthly beginners crochet class. Limited spots available. 2–4 p.m. $10. www. athenticbrewing.com

LECTURES & LIT: Road to Roubaix: The Hardest Road Race in the World (Oconee County Library) Lawrence Saul will share his experiences and observations about one of cycling’s most famous races. 2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibary.org/

oconee

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m; Wednesdays at 6 p.m. www. athenspetanque.org

Monday 31

CLASSES: Gentle Hatha Yoga (Athens Community Council on Aging)

McKenzie Raymond from Feel Free Yoga leads this class. All skill levels welcome. Mondays, 1–2 p.m. $5 (CAL members), $10 (non-members). abarefoot@accaging.org

EVENTS: Monday Marigold Market (100 North Church Street) The market features fresh produce, preserves, snacks and meat with a lunch special available (until 2 p.m.). 11 a.m.–6 p.m. FREE! www. facebook.com/marigoldmarket

winterville

GAMES: Game Night (Rabbit Hole Studios) Play board games like chess and Catan, systems like Wii and PlayStation, and outdoor sports. Every Monday, 7–11 p.m. FREE! www.rabbitholestudios.org

GAMES: Monday Trivia with Erin (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host Erin. 7–9 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing. com

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Dooley’s Bar and Grill) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo

KIDSTUFF: Monday Funday (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for songs, fingerplays, storytelling and STEAM activities. Ages 3–7 years. Registration suggested. 10 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

PERFORMANCE: Shadow Box Theater (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Attaboy Tapes presents a performance of the shadow puppet play “The Hunt for the Skunkape” with accompanying sound by Centaur’s Night Cream. 8 p.m. (doors), 9 p.m. (show). $10. www.flickertheatreandbar.com

Tuesday 1

EVENTS: No Phone Party (Hendershot’s) Disconnect to connect with a phone-free, laptop-free happy hour. Every Tuesday, 6–9 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com

FILM: OLLI Summer Film Festival (Ciné) This weekly film festival sponsored by OLLI presents Absence of Malice. Tuesdays, 2:30 p.m. FREE! (OLLI members), $6.50 (general public). www.athenscine. com

GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Amici Athens) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Tuesdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddogathens

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (Akademia Brewing Co.) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ ClassicCityTriviaCo

LECTURES & LIT: Bogart Bookies

Adult Book Club (Bogart Library) Pick up a copy of Life on the Mississippi: An Epic American Adventure by Rinker Buck and discuss it with the group. 1–2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

LECTURES & LIT: Author Talk (The Globe) Kristen Baskin will discuss her book Digitarians with music by Alys Wilman and a short story by Lisa Yaconelli. 6–7:30 p.m. FREE! www.avidbookshop.com

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m; Wednesdays at 6 p.m. www. athenspetanque.org

Wednesday 2

ART: Tour at Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection and are led by museum docents. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgia museum.org

COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Homegrown townie improv that invites you to bring some interesting suggestions to help create improv magic on the spot. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, flowers, eggs, meats, prepared foods and a variety of arts and crafts. Live music begins at 6 p.m. AFM doubles SNAP dollars spent at the market. Every Wednesday, 5–8 p.m. www. athensfarmersmarket.net

FILM: Ghastly Horror Society (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of an underground horror film. 7 p.m. FREE! www.flickertheatreandbar. com

GAMES: Classic City Trivia (The Local 706) Test your trivia knowledge with host Garrett Lennox. 7 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/

ClassicCityTriviaCo

KIDSTUFF: Busy Bee Toddler Time (Bogart Library) Join Ms. Donna for rhymes, songs, puppets and a simple story. 10 a.m. & 11 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/bogart

KIDSTUFF: LEGO & Builder’s Club (Bogart Library) Young engineers can drop in to use LEGOs and other building materials. All ages. 3:30–5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart

MEETINGS: Sewing Circle (Bogart Library) Bring your own sewing and crafting projects for dedicated time to work and discuss. First Wednesdays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart

SPORTS: Classic City Pétanque Club (Lay Park) New players welcome. Scheduled days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 10 a.m; Wednesdays at 6 p.m. www. athenspetanque.org

Down the Line

8/03 Diamond Hill Farm Stand (Athentic Brewing Co.) f

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.

ArtATHENS CREATIVE DIRECTORY (Athens, GA) The ACD is a platform to connect creatives with patrons. Visual artists, musicians, actors, writers and other creatives are encouraged to create a free listing. athenscreatives@gmail.com

CALL FOR ARTISTS (Lyndon House Arts Center) The upcoming exhibition “Rescue: Waste and Redemption” seeks artists who transform industrial byproducts into artworks or craft objects. Artists whose practice involves the use of environmentally conscious processes or materials are encouraged to apply. Fill out online form. Deadline Sept. 20. Exhibition runs Apr. 6–June 1, 2024. www.accgov.com/7345/

Call-for-Artists

CALL FOR ARTISTS (Winterville Cultural Center) Submit up to three images by email that interpret the theme “anticipation” for a chance to win an award of $200. Deadline Sept. 11. Reception held Sept. 28. Exhibition runs through Nov. 20. $15 entry fee. wacartshows@ gmail.com

CALL FOR ENTRIES (ATHICA) Artists are invited to submit up to three contemporary works in any media exploring or referencing “surface,” this year’s theme for the 2023 juried exhibition. Fill out the online form. Deadline Aug. 31, 11:59 p.m. Exhibition runs Oct. 14–Nov. 19. www.athica.org

CALL FOR EXHIBITION PROPOSALS (Lyndon House Arts Center)

Artists, artist groups and curators can submit proposals for original exhibition ideas. Artists can also submit images of their work for consideration in larger group or themed shows organized by the center. Proposals will be reviewed Sept. 20, 11:59 p.m. www.accgov.com/6657/

Exhibition-Proposal-Form

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 livestream audience. www.jokerjokertv.com/submit

MUSEUM MADNESS (Georgia Museum of Art) As part of the museum’s 75th anniversary celebration, an art competition pits 64 works from its collection against one another to see which will emerge as the people’s favorite. Vote in person. Winner announced Nov. 5. www.georgiamuseum.org

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

Auditions

SWEENEY TODD (Quinn Hall at Memorial Park) Athens Creative

art around town

ACC LIBRARY’S BOUGE GALLERY (2025 Baxter St.) Sandy Creek Nature Center presents “50 Years: Inspired by Nature” with artwork by David Hale, Margret Agner, Will Eskridge, Susie Criswell and 26 other artists. Through Aug. 20.

ARTWALL@HOTEL INDIGO ATHENS (500 College Ave.) Nancy Everett’s solo show “Classic Inspirations” includes paintings that celebrate Athens and the Southeast. Through July.

ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART: ATHICA (675 Pulaski St.) Artist-in-ATHICA presents a month-long residency by the Georgia Fine Arts Academy. Activities include workshops, presentations, performances and more. Through July.

ATHENTIC BREWING CO. (108 Park Ave.) Emma Knapp and Peyton Bailey present “The House is a Wreck,” an exhibition of individual and collaborative works from both artists as well as an immersive space. Through Aug. 12.

ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) “Exhibit A” features paintings by Teresa Abel, an Athens-based artist who works with oils and cold wax to create abstracted views of the natural world. Through Aug. 25.

CLASSIC CENTER (300 N. Thomas St.) Classic Gallery 1 shares “Flourish,” an exhibition of artists inspired by the botanical world including Dallis Foshee, Mary Mason Sams, Marisa Mustard and Zahria Cook. Classic Gallery 2 shares “Works by Bess Carter,” a series of brightly painted interior spaces.

FLICKER THEATRE & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) Spaceball Entertainment presents artwork by affiliated members in celebration of its 25th anniversary. Through July. • Artwork by Denise Gorrio of Turtle Grenade. Through August.

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) In “Sky Hopinka: Lore,” the artist layers imagery, sound and text to center personal perceptions of Native homelands. Through Sept. 24. • “Where Shadows Cross: Photography by Jim Fiscus. Through Oct. 8. • “Southern/Modern” explores themes of social issues, urbanization, religion, the environment and artists’ colonies through the artwork of Southern artists working between 1913–1955. Through Dec. 10. • “In Dialogue: Power Couple: Pierre and Louise Daura in Paris.” Through Feb. 11. • “Decade of Tradition: Highlights from the Larry

Theatre will host auditions for the musical. Auditions Aug. 7–8. Performances run Nov. 16–19 at the Morton Theatre. act@accgov.com

Classes

ART CLASSES (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) “From the Heart and Soul: Collage with Eileen Driscoll.” Mondays, Sept. 11–Oct. 2, 12:30–3 p.m. $160–210.

“Beginning & Intermediate Pastels with Ann Dodys.” Tuesdays, Sept. 12–Oct. 17, 1–4 p.m. $160–210.

“Intuitive Painting with Eileen Driscoll.” Wednesdays, Sept. 13–Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. $160–210. www.ocaf.com/courses

BLACKSMITHING CLASSES

(Greenhow Handmade Ironworks, Washington) A variety of classes include “The Art of Chain Making” (July 29 or Sept. 16), “Basic Tong Making” (Aug. 5 or Sept. 2), “Basic Blacksmithing” (Aug. 12, Sept. 9 or Oct. 7), “Forge a Tomahawk” (Aug. 19 or Oct. 21), “Forge a Firepoker” (Aug. 26 or Sept. 23) and “Forge a Bottle Opener” (Oct. 28). Classes run 10 a.m.–5 p.m. www.greenhowhandmade.com/ blacksmith-classes

BOTANICAL SKETCHBOOK (The Winterville Center) Nicole Bechill leads a 12-week class focused on drawing botanical inspired art. Begins Aug. 7, 10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. $120. www.wintervillecenter.com

CHAIR YOGA FALL SESSION (The Winterville Center) This 12-week session promotes deep breathing,

mindfulness and inward listening. Begins Aug. 7, 9:10–10:10 a.m. $120. wintervillecenter@gmail. com

COLLAGE FROM THE HEART & SOUL (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation)

Use a variety of colors, textures, images, photos and mediums to express yourself. Participants will learn the fundamentals of composition, line, color and more. Mondays, Sept. 11–Oct. 2, 12:30–3 p.m. $160 (members), $210 (non-members). www.ocaf. com/courses

COMMUNITY DANCE IMPROV (work.shop) No experience necessary. Vaccines and boosters required. Sundays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Donations accepted. lisayaconelli@ gmail.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

INNOVATION BOOTCAMP (UGA Delta Innovation Hub) Entrepreneurs in hospitality can learn the fundamentals of building successful startup teams, funding sources, effective branding and marketing strategies, and more. Sept. 18–Oct. 30. research.uga.edu

INTUITIVE PAINTING (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) Explore your inner creative voice through painting. Wednesdays, Sept. 13–Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. $160 (members), $210 (non-members). www.ocaf.com/courses

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE EVENINGS (Online) Discuss and practice how to change your rela-

D. and Brenda A. Thompson Collection.” Through July 3, 2024. GLASSCUBE@INDIGO (500 College Ave.) Zane Cochran presents “Aurora,” a sculptural interpretation of the aurora borealis using 3D geometric figures and lights.

HENDERSHOT’S (237 Prince Ave.) Nirvinyl Album Art presents “A Brief History of Nirvinyl 2015–2023.” Through late August.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) “Resilient Civic and Musical

Life: Ware-Lyndon House Enslaved and Descendant Stories” includes a film; reading room of books relevant to the African-American experience in art, music and heritage; and a visual timeline relating a fuller and more truthful story of the property and its inhabitants. On view Thursdays–Saturdays. • Collections from our Community presents Nena Gilreath’s collection of toe shoes. Through Oct. 7. • “Love.Craft Athens” is a two-part exhibition of artworks created by the crew of Love.Craft Athens, a nonprofit organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities. Ceramics are on view through Oct. 7. • “Story as Jewel: Metalworks by Charles Pinckney” shares jewelry and small sculptures made from metal, stones, bone and wood. Through Sept. 1. • “Paradigm Shift” by Margaret Morrison is a suite of seven large oil paintings exploring Caravaggio’s dramatic staging and lighting. Artist talk Aug. 24, 6 p.m. Through Sept. 1. • “Indigo Prayers: Works by Charmaine Minniefield” are large painted works contemplating ancestral memories of resistance in response to both contemporary and historic acts of erasure.

Through Sept. 1. • “Legendary Georgia Musicians in Watercolor” by Jackie Dorsey honors the legacies of musicians such as Big Boi, Emily Saliers, Mike Mills and Vanessa Briscoe Hay. Through Sept. 1. • “Mythical Reality: Paintings by Lois Thomas-Ewings” depicts dancers and Black mythology. Through Sept. 1. • “Georgia Theaters: A Ballad Surrounding the Proscenium” features photographs by Brandon Narsing of empty theaters during the pandemic. Through Sept. 1. • “The Fables” by Kristin Roberts consists of illustrations inspired by Aesop’s Fables. Through Oct. 7. • “Sanctuary: Works by Mary Engel and Cheryl Washburn” combines works by two artists who share a passion for animals. Through Oct. 7.

MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER (434 S. Main St., Madison)

“Menaboni’s Birds” is a collection of paintings by Georgia artist Athos Menaboni. Through July 29.

MASON-SCHARFENSTEIN MUSEUM OF ART (567 Georgia St., Demorest)

“Bud Lee Picture Maker: Photographs from 1967 to 1972” spotlights the

tionship with difficult thoughts and emotions. Email for the Zoom link. Second Friday of the month, 6–7 p.m. FREE! mfhealy@bellsouth.net

OPEN/COMMUNITY MEDITATION

(Sangha Yoga Studio at Healing Arts Centre) Uma Rose leads a meditation designed to guide participants into stillness and silence. Mondays, 4–5 p.m. Donations encouraged. www.healingartscentre.net

PETANQUE CLUB OF ATHENS

(Athens, GA) Weekly games are held every Wednesday. Email to participate. RSVP to attend a free Monday intro class, 10–11:30 a.m. athenspetanqueclub@gmail.com, www.athenspetanqueclub.wixsite. com/play

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

QPR SUICIDE PREVENTION

TRAINING (Nuçi’s Space) Nuçi’s hosts free monthly QPR (Question,

Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention sessions for anyone interested, not just mental health professionals. The next training session is July 26, 11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Nuçi’s also offers free training for businesses and organizations. qpr@nuci.org, www.nuci.org

SALSA DANCE CLASSES (Starland Lounge & Lanes) Join SALSAthens for Cuban style salsa dance classes. No partner necessary. Beginners welcome. Every Wednesday, 7:30–8:30 p.m. $10. gwyneth. moody@abby-kacen

SUMMER SCENE WORKOUT (work. shop) In this series of classes, participants will work on building scenes based in reality, believable characters, listening and reacting. Tuesdays, 6–8 p.m. $30/week. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

TRADITIONAL MARTIAL ARTS

CLASSES (Live Oak Martial Arts)

Traditional and modern-style Taekwondo, self-defense, grappling and weapons classes are offered for all ages. Classes in Jodo, the

Florida-based photojournalist and artist through his work for national publications. Closing reception Aug. 24, 4–6:30 p.m.

OCONEE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION (34 School St., Watkinsville)

“Myth, Magic & Mystery” features 40 works interpreting the theme by 33 artists including Barbara Odil, Rich Panico, Sylvia Dawe, Claire Clements, Margaret Agner, Cheryl Washburn, Susan Pelham and more. The annual “Members Exhibition” highlights artists who support the gallery through 125 works in a variety of media. Through July 28.

STATE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GEORGIA (2450 S. Milledge Ave)

“Camera and Canvas” is a collaborative exhibition featuring nature photographs by Chuck Murphy paired with paintings by Babs McDonald, an individual in stroke recovery who uses painting as a therapeutic modality. Through Aug. 12.

TIF SIGFRIDS (393 N. Finley St.) “Cash 4 Life” presents works by Al Freeman, Tyson Reeder, Jennifer Rochlin and Adrianne Rubenstein. Closing reception July 30, 5–7 p.m.

TINY ATH GALLERY (174 Cleveland Ave.) Deonna Mann hosts a pop-up exhibition. July 27, 5–8 p.m.

UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “It Goes to the People: 75 Years of Free Inspiration at the Georgia Museum of Art” includes historical records, photographs and other memorabilia that traces the growth of the official state art museum. Through Aug. 26. • “The Fourth Grade Project” is a sample of photographs by Judy Gelles, who interviewed and photographed over 300 fourth-grade students all over the world. Through August. • “House Party” explores Athens’ house show history through photos and artifacts from The Green House on Milledge across from Taco Stand, The Landfill, Spillage, The Lounge, Saint Mary’s Church, The Ultramod Compound and others. Through December. • “HBO at 50: The Rise of Prestige Television” highlights some of the groundbreaking programming created by and aired on HBO with items selected from the Peabody Awards Archive. Through May 2024.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF ATHENS (780 Timothy Rd.)

“Encounters” features artwork in different media by Linda Gilbert and Hilda Kurtz.

WINTERVILLE LIBRARY (115 Marigold Ln., Winterville) Emma Torrence shares prints depicting the natural world. Amy Jackson uses acrylics to paint diverse subjects from sleeping cats to sailing ships. Through July.

Currently on view at Tif Sigfrids, “Cash 4 Life” features artwork by Al Freeman (pictured above), Tyson Reeder, Jennifer Rochlin and Adrianne Rubenstein. A closing reception will be held July 30, 5–7 p.m.

art of the Japanese staff and sword, are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 p.m. Visit the website for a full schedule. liveoakmartialarts@gmail.com, www. liveoakmartialarts.com

YOGA AND MORE (Revolution Therapy and Yoga) Revolution is a multipurpose mind-body wellness studio offering yoga and therapy with an emphasis on trauma-informed practices. Check website for upcoming classes and programs. www.revolutiontherapyandyoga.com

YOGA CLASSES (Let It Be Yoga Studio, Watkinsville) Classes are offered in Hatha, Vinyasa, Kundalini, beginner, gentle and other styles. Check online calendar for weekly offerings. www.letitbeyoga.org

YOGA WITH CAITLIN GRIFFIN (555 Research Dr.) Community yoga classes are offered three days a week. Check website for details. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. $5–25 suggested donation. www.celestialgriffin.com

Help Out

MULTIPLE CHOICES BOARD MEMBERS (Athens, GA) Seeking a new board member for Multiple Choices Center for Independent Living, a nonprofit agency of disability advocates serving individuals throughout a 10-county area of Northeastern Georgia. Call for information. 706850-4025

SEEKING MENTORS (Athens, GA)

The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement’s End School to Prison Pipeline Program seeks community members to support and mentor students who are experiencing bullying, have been suspended/ expelled, or need to complete court-ordered service hours. www. aadmovement.org

Kidstuff

ART CLUBS (K.A. Artist Shop) Draw, paint, collage and create during weekly Art Card Club meet-ups. Fridays, 4:30–6 p.m. (pre-teens), 6:30–8 p.m. (teens). Drawing Club for Pre-Teens and Teens, taught by local artist Holly Hutchinson, is held Wednesdays, Sept. 13–Nov. 15, 5–6:30 p.m. $25/drop-in, $200 (10-session pass). www.kaartist. com

ATHENS FOREST KINDERGARTEN

(Sandy Creek Park) Now enrolling children ages 3-6 for fall. AFK is a cooperative preschool that aims to develop initiative, persistence, interdependence and empathy. www.athensforestkindergarten.org

KIDS IMPROV WEEKEND (work.

shop) During this two-day improv camp, students will learn the fundamentals of improv comedy. Activities include lessons on scene work, games and a graduation performance. For ages 10–14. July 29–30, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $120. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

READ MAKE PLAY (’Brella Studio)

Various art activities for ages 0–5 are offered weekday mornings at 9 a.m. Check website for upcoming programs. Story time is also held every Friday at 10 a.m. www.brellastudio.com

REPORT CARDS REWARDS PRO-

GRAM (Athens, GA) Students in Kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in Athens-Clarke County can take a copy of their final report cards to a Leisure Services pool or splash pad during aquatics season for rewards. All A’s or E’s guarantees a free summer pool pass. All

A’s and B’s or E’s and M’s is good for 10 free swims. 706-613-3589

SWIM LESSONS (Athens, GA)

Swim lessons for children ages 3 and older are offered at Heard Park, Lay Park, Memorial Park and Rocksprings Park pools. $33–50/ session. The ACC Leisure Services’ Kinderswim program for 5-year-old children is free. www.accgov.com/ myrec

Support Groups

ACA ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS AND DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES (Holy Cross Lutheran Church) This support group meets weekly. Tuesdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. annetteanelson@gmail.com

AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple Locations) Recovery for people affected by someone else’s drinking. Visit the website for a calendar of electronic meetings held throughout the week. www.ga-al-anon.org

ATHENS COUNCIL OF THE BLIND (Athens, GA) Open to people of all ages with vision impairments, their families and friends. Topics include adaptive equipment, recreational and social opportunities, and advocacy. 706-424-2794, dlwahlers@ gmail.com

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

NEW PARENTS AND INFANT FEEDING SUPPORT GROUP (BYL Family Resource Center) Come as you are for community, snacks and feeding advice from professionals. Babies and children of all ages are welcome. Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.byyourleave.org

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS (24th Street Clubhouse) Learn to stop eating compulsively or curb other unwanted food-related behaviors. Every Tuesday, 12 p.m. FREE! Text: 678-736-3697

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

PROJECT SAFE (Family Protection Center) Project Safe hosts a support group for survivors of domestic violence. Mondays, 6:30–8 p.m. www. project-safe.org

RECREATE JOY (Sunny Days Therapeutics) Nuçi’s Space hosts a recreational therapy support group. Improve coping skills and self esteem while reducing depression and anxiety through adaptive yoga, games and leisure education. Sixweek sessions. Wednesdays, 5–6 p.m. tinyurl.com/rnvuhesa

RECOVERY DHARMA (Athens Addiction Recovery Center) 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.athensrecoverydharma. org

SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS (Athens, GA) Athens Downtown SAA offers a message of hope to anyone

who suffers from a compulsive sexual behavior. Contact for location. athensdowntownsaa@gmail.com

SOCIAL ANXIETY SUPPORT

GROUP (Oconee County Library)

Created by and for socially anxious young adults. Meets every other Sunday. Contact for meeting information. Jake@avoidendsnow.org, www.avoidendsnow.org

SUPPORT GROUPS (Integrity

Counseling & Personal Development) ICPD offers several support groups. “LGBTQIA+ Young Adults Group” is offered for ages 18–30. “Survivors of Suicide Loss Group” is offered the first Wednesday of every month, 7–8 p.m. “Veterans, Dependents & Caregivers Benefits Resource & Claim Assistance Group” is offered the first Saturday of every month, 9–10 a.m. www. integrityofjefferson.com

Word on the Street

ATHENS BEER TRAIL TROLLEY

TOURS (Athens, GA) A new trolly tour will provide transportation between six local breweries: Akademia, Athentic, Creature Comforts, Southern Brewing, Terrapin Beer and Normaltown Brewing. Tours run every Thursday and Friday from 3–9 p.m. www.athenstrolleytours.com/ beer-trolley-tour

FALL ACTIVITIES (Athens, GA) ACC Leisure Services will offer a variety of arts, environmental science, recreation, sports and holiday events this fall for all ages. Online registration begins Aug. 5 for residents and Aug. 7 for non-residents. www. accgov.com/myrec

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

PUBLIC POOLS (Multiple Locations)

ACC Leisure Services operates four public pools at Heard Park, Lay Park, Memorial Park and Rocksprings Park. Bishop Park is closed this season for renovations. Pools are open through July 30. Check website for hours. www.accgov. com/pools

RABBIT HOLE EVENTS (Rabbit Hole Studios) Weekly events include Open Mic (Tuesdays, 7–11 p.m.), Acoustic Song Circle (Thursdays, 7–11 p.m.), Seventh Generation Native American Church services and community potlucks (Sundays, 11 a.m.), and Drumming and Song Circle (Sundays, 3–5 p.m.). Wednesday Yoga (5 p.m.) is followed by Meditation and Integration (6 p.m.). Events are free or donation based. www.rabbitholestudios.org/ calendar

VHS DIGITIZATION (Athens, GA)

Brad Staples (of the Athens GA Live Music crew) is seeking previously recorded concerts and events on VHS, VHSC or DVDs to digitize and archive on his YouTube channel, vhsordie (@vhsordie3030). Original recordings will be returned, and credits and dates will be included in the online video description. Digitization services are free. Contact for details and to coordinate shipping. bradley.staples88@ gmail.com

WORK.SHOP (160 Winston Dr.) Open rehearsal and performance space for theater, comedy, dance, classes and events. $10/hour. lisayaconelli@gmail.com, www. workshopathens.com f

Bait-and-Switch Vacay

ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN

By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com

Hey Bonita, I recently went on vacation with my boyfriend’s family. The context of this vacation is: my boyfriend and I have been together for not quite a year (but we’re very serious), and when I was invited, my boyfriend told me not to worry about the expenses because everything was covered. This was already a worry for me, because I’m kind of struggling through the summer and waiting on financial relief at the start of the semester. It was also a pretty spur-of-the-moment invite, so I didn’t plan for a vacation at all. Fast forward to the very first night—we all went to a

them. It looks like covering both of your expenses wasn’t super easy for him, and he likely knew that would be the case before you came. He’s just walking into it all heartfirst and thinking that love will win the day, but his actions still had you looking like a bum in front of his family, and your feelings about it all are valid. Love is real, but so is money, and you can’t pay for dinner with love, so don’t go to places that cost money and expect love to somehow suffice. I also get the sense that he knew better than to stick your expenses with his family, so he jumped in, but only when he could, and

and rearranged things to put our checks together for him to pay and told me not to worry. What the vacation turned into was his family picking and choosing all the activities, places to eat, etc. and not covering me at all. Sometimes I scrambled together ways to pay for myself, sometimes my boyfriend picked it up, but he never brought up anything to his family that I’m aware of. I came home even MORE broke and now also super embarrassed. I don’t know what to say or how to approach my boyfriend about what happened, and now I’m also super uncomfortable around his family. I never wanted anyone to think I was using them or expected to be taken care of, but that’s how the whole vacation was framed to me.

Anon

all expenses were covered. Simply put, he should not have invited you on this family vacation knowing everything he knew—that you couldn’t afford it and that he couldn’t either.

Hey Anon,

Your boyfriend obviously did not address this issue with his family beforehand, and I get the feeling that they probably didn’t know he had told you “not to worry about it” when he invited you. Describing this as an “all expenses covered” vacation is definitely inaccurate here, and I think he knew that off the jump. I get a sense of a guy who loves you and wanted you to come on this trip with his family, so he told you whatever you needed to hear so you’d agree to join

Sorry, but all of this is on your man. This is some “good guy” behavior that is decidedly not good, and you’re the one paying the price (literally). He definitely owes you an apology, but I also don’t think that this is a huge deal. This doesn’t point to any overarching issues besides him possibly being a people-pleaser who will make impossible promises to the people he loves. He had no business telling you not to worry if he wasn’t going to hand you a wad of cash as soon as y’all hopped off the plane—dude, you got your lady embarrassed to be around your family now because of this! Honestly, he owes apologies all around. I’m sure his family was anxious about the possibility of having to pay for an extra person’s good time, and that had to put the chill on things to a degree. In the future, you need to be an active participant in all trip planning, and you should absolutely make sure that you can pay your own way. f

 Indicates images available at classifieds.flagpole.com

REAL ESTATE HOUSES FOR RENT

2BR/1BA, 900 sq. ft. W/D, lawn care. $1700/month. 285 Savannah Ave. Athens, GA 30601. Call for more information: 678-698-7613

2BR/1BA house near downtown, across from the Greenway. Open floorplan, $1400. Call for more information: 706-202-0533

House, 3BR/2BA in Normaltown. Central heat/air. Apartment, 2BR/1BA. Furnished. Washer/dryer. Wi-Fi. No smokers, pets. Calls only! 706-372-1505

Get Flagpole delivered to your mailbox!

It can be for you or a pal who just moved out of town. $55 for six months or $100 for one year. Call 706-549-0301 or email front desk@flagpole.com.

FOR SALE

MISCELLANEOUS

Exercise tilt board, relatively new, in perfect shape. $100. If interested or for more information please call 706247-0667

Need old newspapers? We have plenty here at Flagpole! Call ahead and we’ll have a crate ready for you. Please leave current issues on stands. 706-549-0301

MUSIC INSTRUCTION

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.

VOICE LESSONS : Specializing in older (50+) beginners and intermediates. Gift certificates available. Contact stacie.court@ gmail.com or 706-424-9516.

MUSIC SERVICES

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.

JOBS

FULL-TIME

Join our growing team of well-paid, motivated, hardworking individuals. Junk South offers starting pay of $15/hr + tips (totaling $22+/hr). Learn more about Junk South at www.junk south.com and text us at 706-424-4389.

Find employees by advertising in the Flagpole Classifieds! Call 706-549-0301.

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

Residential contractor seeking carpenters and helpers. Competitive pay based on experience, paid holidays, no experience needed for entry-level positions. We are willing to train on the job, transportation is required but nearly all of our jobs are within Athens. Send inquiries to songster construction@gmail.com

RubySue Graphics is hiring for an entry-level design position. Working knowledge of Illustrator and Photoshop on Macs is a must. Printmaking, drawing and illustration experience a plus! Must have a strong work ethic, willing to learn on the job and be able to collaborate with people. Hours are M–F 9 a.m.–6 p.m., hour lunch break. Pay is based on experience. Please submit a website/ portfolio & resume to jobs@ rubysuegraphics.com

OPPORTUNITIES

Seeking hair stylist for booth rental downtown Athens. Includes: utilities, booking software, stylist station, chair, mirror and shampoo station. Contact salon220athens@gmail.com

Flagpole ♥s our advertisers.

PART-TIME

Join a diverse, inclusive workplace and get paid to type! 16–40 hours, M–F. NEVER be called in for a shift you didn’t sign up for. Must type 65+ wpm. Make your own schedule and work independently with no customer interaction.

Starts at $13 with automatic increases. www.ctscribes. com

NOTICES

MESSAGES

All Georgians ages 6 months & up are eligible for COVID vaccines, and ages 5+ are eligible for boosters! Call 706-3400996 or visit www.publichealthathens.com for more information.

FLAGPOLE HAS NEW MERCH. We have a new rainbow design & a cassette design, and both can be bought as a sticker, too! Shirts = $20, Rainbow stickers = $2, Cassette stickers = $3. Stop by and get yours today!

COVID testing available in West Athens (3500 Atlanta Hwy. Mon–Fri., 8:30 a.m.–4:30 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.) Pre-registration is highly encouraged! Visit www. publichealthathens.com for more information.

HOW

THANK YOU YOU ATHENS ATHENS

CORD SIBI CORD SIBI

Margie E. Burke

Columbia Residential

PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE OPENING DATE AND CLOSING DATE OF THE SITE-BASED WAITING LIST

Athens Midtown formerly known as Bethel Midtown Village

Athens Midtown, located at 155 Hickman Drive Athens Georgia 30601, will open the waiting list for its low-income family public housing program at 9:00 a.m. to 1:00pm (EST) daily beginning August 7, 2023 through August 11, 2023. Applications may ONLY be submitted in-person by visiting the leasing office at the above address, unless you require a reasonable accommodation (see below).

Communities (bedroom sizes available):

1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, and 3 bedrooms

Open Date: 8/07/2023 Close Date: 8/11/2023

Only 300 applications will be accepted per bedroom size. When the quota of 300 applications has been reached for each bedroom size, the waiting list will close.

Annual Household Income: There is no minimum income needed to apply. To qualify for housing, a household’s income must not exceed: Number of Persons Maximum Income Per Year*

*As of 2023. Subject to change by HUD.

Priority Categories:

Eligible applicants will be ranked on the site-based waiting list according to the recorded date and time their fully completed pre-application forms were completed. All information provided by the applicant will be verified from all applicable sources including, but not limited to, employers, providers, and federal, state and local government agencies. Applicants who have misrepresented any information during the application process may be removed from the site-based waiting list or, if housed, subject to lease termination. In addition, applicants who have previously participated in any assisted housing program and were terminated for cause may not be eligible. Applicants who are determined ineligible will be offered the opportunity to participate in an informal meeting with management to dispute the ineligibility decision.

Requests for Reasonable Accommodations:

During the pre-application process, assistance will be available by telephone on August 7, 2023 through August 11, 2023 between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00pm at 706-549-9194 or thru TTY/Relay 711. Future openings of the site-based waiting list will be publicly advertised.