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VOLUME 37

ISSUE NUMBER 40

Neil Hamburger, the standup comedian and singer character portrayed by entertainer Gregg Turkington, is coming to the 40 Watt Club on Oct. 16. For more information, visit 40watt.com.

District Attorney Duel

FORMER PROSECUTOR WILL CHALLENGE GONZALEZ, AND MORE NEWS

By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com

Controversial Western Circuit District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez drew her first challenger on Tuesday when Athens defense attorney Kalki Yalamanchili announced he will run against her in next November’s election.

In a speech on the steps of the AthensClarke County Courthouse, Yalamanchili repeated the oft-leveled criticisms that Gonzalez cannot keep her office fully staffed with qualified prosecutors, and as a result violent criminals and sex offenders are being set free. At the same time, he said that the DA’s office under Gonzalez does not respect victims’ rights, echoing evidence unearthed by Oconee County lawyer Kevin Epps that she has not always kept victims and their families informed.

While Gonzalez has said the chronic staff shortage is due to low pay, Yalamanchili contends that assistant DAs have been leaving for less money.

“It is unacceptable to me. It is unacceptable to our community,” Yalamanchili said, characterizing Gonzalez as an “entertainment lawyer and a failed politician” who had no prior criminal justice experience before running for DA to resurrect her political career after losing a seat in the state House of Representatives.

Her opponent in that 2018 House race, Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens) was one of the main backers of a bill earlier this year creating the Prosecuting Attorneys Oversight Commission, a panel with the power to sanction or remove DAs. Gaines has also repeatedly criticized Gonzalez for letting defendants walk due to prosecutorial missteps or lack of staff. Gonzalez says the law was a political move to strip power from a wave of recently elected progressive DAs, mostly women of color.

Yalamanchili told Flagpole that he understands why state legislators felt the need to act, but that he believes the oversight commission is “a distraction,” and that the solution ultimately lies at the ballot box.

Despite her lack of experience, progressive voters were drawn to Gonzalez in 2020 at least in part because of her pledge not to prosecute nonviolent drug offenses. Yalamanchili told Flagpole he would not continue that policy, instead looking at those cases individually. “There are really good resources like the [drug and alcohol] accountability courts that can really turn people’s lives around,” he said.

While the election is more than a year away, Yalamanchili is running as an independent, meaning he will have to collect thousands of signatures in order to place his name on the ballot. That will be a challenge, but starting early gives him plenty of time to do so.

“I see it as an opportunity,” he said. “It’s going to keep us honest. We’re going to meet people where they are and get our message out.”

As much criticism as Gonzalez has received—much of it from Republicans— she would still be hard to beat in a Democratic primary. But Athens progressives are often skeptical of candidates who run as independents or won’t explicitly state their party affiliation.

Yalamanchili, however, said he believes the district attorney’s office should be nonpartisan. “The safety of our community is not a partisan issue,” he said. “Neither is protecting our rights.”

Yalamanchili grew up in Albany, the son of doctors who immigrated from India. He earned a bachelor’s degree from UGA in 2007 and a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Returning to Georgia, he briefly worked as an assistant solicitor prosecuting misdemeanors in Cobb County before spending six years as an ADA under Ken Mauldin, Gonzalez’s predecessor.

Gonzalez’s election represented a break from Mauldin, who backed his former chief deputy Brian Patterson in 2020. Yalamanchili said he “loved” working for Mauldin but would not necessarily emulate him if elected DA. “Any DA of an office this size has to bring their own personality to the office, and run the office in a way that’s true to them,” he said.

Currently Yalamanchili shares a law practice with Adam Hebbard. He and his wife Caitlyn, a prosecutor on the nearby Piedmont Circuit, have two sons ages 6 and 4.

First Step Camp Will Close

The Athens-Clarke County Commission approved a plan at its Oct. 3 meeting to wind down the First Step homeless camp on Barber Street. The camp will shutter at the end of the year after almost two years of operation, with some residents receiving vouchers to move into hotels.

The camp—the brainchild of Commissioner Jesse Houle and former commissioners Mariah Parker and Tim Denson—was approved in fall 2021, and the nonprofit Athens Alliance Coalition was given a two-year, $2.5 million contract to run it using federal CARES Act funds. However, AAC ran into trouble last summer, when founder Charles Hardy was convicted of assaulting a resident, and the ACC Housing and Community Development Department found financial problems like lack of documentation for expense reimbursement. AAC’s board of directors subsequently fired Hardy, who dissolved the nonprofit he had founded and, the ACC government alleges, took some items purchased with taxpayers funds from the camp. The board then reorganized into a new nonprofit but continued to suffer from staffing and personnel issues. The new nonprofit is not in “a state where we can partner with them contractually” to continue operating

the camp, ACC Manager Blaine Williams said.

Commissioner Ovita Thornton voted for the plan, but said she was upset that Hardy was pushed out. “It bothers me to no end that that camp was running efficiently, and we as a commission allowed personal, alleged legal stuff to get it shut down,” Thornton said.

Commissioner Melissa Link proposed putting off the vote for two weeks to gather input from camp residents. “There will always be a subset of unhoused people who tend to stay outdoors,” like dog owners, Link said. “This kind of low-barrier, pseudo-outdoor housing should always be an option.”

Only Houle and Commissioner Dexter Fisher backed Link’s motion. She later voted in favor of the original plan, which passed 8–2.

“I think we’ve known since the camp was approved that there’s an end date, and we’ve talked about it for some months now,” Williams said.

The camp—on the grounds of a vacant school bought by ACC for future expansion of the nearby water treatment plant—was originally intended to be a temporary solution to the clearing out of various unofficial camps around the city. The hotel vouchers will buy additional time to implement a permanent solution. However, Houle said tents should remain part of the mix for those people who prefer it.

Commissioner Allison Wright disagreed. “Certainly [the plan] passing is moving forward to help us with the transition we need from this encampment—to real roofs over these peoples’ heads, not tents, not tarps. Those don’t count,” she said.

The plan for closing the camp includes $238,000 to provide hotel vouchers for up to 25 people for four months, as well as funding for case management.

The commission also approved a much broader strategic plan to address homelessness (see p. 8 for more) and another plan for affordable housing. The latter recommends boosting spending on affordable housing from the current level of about $1.7 million a year—mostly federal funds— to $5 million. Revenue could come from a tax increase, cutting other expenses, philanthropic grants and/or the sale of county-owned property. The money could then go toward programs like affordable housing construction, down-payment assistance, repairs for low-income homeowners or buying rental properties to keep them affordable and out of the hands of investors. Fisher was the only commissioner to vote

“ There will always be a subset of unhoused people who tend to stay outdoors.

“ The safety of our community is not a partisan issue.

Kalki Yalamanchili will run against District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez as an independent.

Bail Is Bondage

POOR DEFENDANTS MUST PAY FOR THEIR LIBERTY

By John Cole Vodicka news@flagpole.com

“Poverty is the loss of liberty,” Matthew Desmond tells us in his new and indispensable book, Poverty, by America. “Today, scores languish in jail, not because they’ve been convicted of a crime, but because they… can’t make bail.”

Volunteers with the Athens Area Courtwatch Project are everyday witnesses to how our criminal legal system can work to crush people—especially the poor and marginalized—in our community. We are particularly made aware of how the sinister cash bail system essentially denies poor persons their fundamental right to the presumption of innocence by denying them their pretrial liberty.

Over the past four years, we who courtwatch have observed hundreds of first-appearance bond hearings in Athens-Clarke County Magistrate Court. The vast majority of defendants who appear for bond hearings are Black or brown, un- or under-employed, suffer from a physical or mental disability, are precariously housed if not homeless, haven’t completed high school, and have little to no visible family support. Nearly all of these women and men appear at their bond hearings lawyerless, unable to afford an attorney to assist them during this first crucial phase of their criminal case. Legal help will come later in the form of a public defender.

Worse yet, the Georgia legislature has, in its past two sessions, found ways to restrict magistrate judges from releasing pretrial defendants from jail without having to put up a cash bond. A new law went into effect July 1 that requires judges to set a monetary bond for anyone who has a “failure to appear” in their criminal history over the last five years. This law applies to even those charged with misdemeanor offenses. Fortunately, ACC’s three magistrate judges are setting cash bonds as low as pos -

sible for those misdemeanor defendants who, because of the new mandatory bail requirements, can no longer be released on their own recognizance. Still, many of these defendants are not able to post cash bonds of any amount. The single feature shared by almost every defendant in pretrial detention is that they are poor.

Since July 1, thanks to our community bail fund—sponsored by Oconee Street United Methodist Church—we’ve posted small bonds for 17 people who were unable to purchase their pretrial liberty. One of these prisoners had been unable to post a $85 bond; another, $50. Nine could not post bonds in the amount of $10, and one needed $5 to gain release from jail. Five people had no one to post $1. All were charged with misdemeanor offenses. Collectively, these 17 women and men spent 274 days in the Clarke County jail before our bail fund set them free.

Here are just two recent examples of our community bail fund at work:

On Aug. 12, I posted bond for 67-yearold Charles Carter. He’d been locked up for 31 days, charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing. His $10 bond totaled $33 after court costs and the sheriff’s fee were assessed.

On July 12, Carter went into the Russell Library building on the University of Georgia campus looking for a water fountain. He walked behind the front desk in the library’s lobby, then left the building. A library employee called the campus police, telling the dispatcher that Carter was “cussing to himself” and “acting high.”

The UGA cop who responded found Carter walking near Broad Street in down-

town Athens. “I asked Carter if he was alright,” the officer wrote in his two-page report. “[Carter] replied with, ‘Yes, I was just talking to Christ.’ He then began to speak on several topics with no clear train of thought, once mentioning that he was 19 years old, and another with him stating he was ‘a slaughtered orphan.’”

Dispatch informed the officer that Carter had been previously barred from all of UGA’s campus. “I placed Carter under arrest in double-locked handcuffs behind his back,” the report stated. The cop transported the disoriented Carter to the jailhouse, where he stayed for a month until we posted his $10 bond.

Earlier this summer, I received a text from a public defender telling me that his client Ronald Brown, 67, needed just $10 to gain his pretrial release. Brown had been locked up for 10 days in Athens after he’d been arrested in Atlanta on an ACC bench warrant.

On Mar. 9, Brown had been busted in Athens, charged with misdemeanor theft of mislaid property. At his first appearance bond hearing the next morning, Brown was released without having to post a money bond. He returned to his home in Atlanta,

and missed his scheduled June 22 arraignment. A bench warrant for his arrest was issued on June 22, and almost a month later, on July 20, Brown was arrested at a downtown Atlanta homeless shelter and brought back to Athens.

On July 28, an attorney persuaded the State Court judge to lift the bench warrant and set Brown’s bond at a reasonable $10. I drove out to the jail the next afternoon and handed a jailer $33 ($10 bond; $3 court fees; $20 sheriff’s fee). An hour later, I was walking alongside Brown to my car.

Brown told me he was about to go into rehab when he was arrested, thanks to help from Central Outreach and Advocacy Center, a reputable nonprofit that for many years has provided services to homeless Atlantans on the grounds of Central Presbyterian Church, across the street from the Georgia capitol. “I’m hoping to find a way back to Atlanta to see if I can still get into rehab,” Mr. B. said to me as he slowly exited my car in the Waffle House parking lot holding a $20 bill I’d given him. “But right now, I’m gonna get a burger.” f

For more information about the OSUMC Community Bail Fund, email johnvodicka@comcast.net.

against the affordable housing plan, saying it has become too entwined with the homelessness plan, and that he’s only interested in housing for middle-class workers.

The commission voted down a pet registration plan floated by the Animal Services Department as a way to help reunite pets with their owners. For a small fee of a few dollars a year, pet owners would be required to register their pets in a database whenever they were vaccinated for rabies. While many pets are microchipped, owners rarely update that information when they move, so even chipped animals often languish at the pound because their owners cannot be located. However, public reaction to the proposal was overwhelmingly negative. Link, Houle and Commissioner Tiffany Taylor were the only yes votes.

Film and TV Reps

Defend Tax Credits

Representatives of Georgia’s film and television industry gathered in Athens last week to urge state legislators to keep the generous tax credit that’s turned the screen sector into a multi-billion-dollar business.

Lawmakers are considering paring back the 20–30% tax credit, implemented in 2008, because they are worried the state is losing out on hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue. However, consultants and industry leaders warned them that, without the credit, the explosive growth in film and TV productions could easily be reversed.

A report commissioned by the state from London-based consultants Olsberg

SPI found that film and TV grew from a $900 million to a $4.3 billion industry in Georgia between 2012–2022. It employs almost 60,000 Georgians at an average salary of $86,000 a year, well over the state average. In addition, investors spent $1.3 billion building studios. Consultants calculated that the return on investment, as far as economic development goes, is $6.30 for each dollar of tax credit.

“I can tell you very emphatically, those dollars would not have been invested… without the tax credit,” Frank Patterson, president of Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, told the Joint Tax Credit Review Panel during a hearing at Athens Tech Oct. 4. “It’s the confidence investors need that comes with the tax credit, and really the reputation Georgia has for being a very good business environment.”

Olsberg SPI’s numbers might even be low, Patterson said. Trilith isn’t just 32 studios—it’s an entire town with 1,100 residents and 65 businesses.

A survey of producers found that 92% of producers would not have shot their production in Georgia without the tax credit. “This is really a very important finding,” Olsberg SPI economist Eleanor Jubb said. “We can be confident that most of the investment that happened in Georgia would not have happened without the tax credit.”

Some lawmakers questioned the study’s numbers and methodology, though. “No doubt it’s been a boon to Georgia getting jobs to come here. I just don’t know if I’m

comfortable with a survey saying, ‘Would you come here or not?’” said Sen. Chuck Hofstetler (R-Rome), the panel’s co-chair. Others said the salary figures looked off, or that the study didn’t include return on investment in terms of tax revenue film and TV generate or a comparison to the ROI for other industries that receive tax incentives.

Tony West of the libertarian group Americans for Prosperity said legislators should trade tax incentives for across-theboard tax cuts. “Tax policies should not pick winners and losers,” he said.

A few conservative lawmakers have long questioned the film and TV tax credit on moral or cultural grounds, but this is the first time since its creation that the legislature is seriously considering scaling it back. During last spring’s session, Hustetler proposed a $900 million cap.

Earlier this year, UGA economist Jeffrey Dorfman told the panel that tax credits make sense for growing industries, but film and TV is now a “mature industry,” so they make less sense and should be scaled back. However, Olsberg SPI managing director Leon Forde told the panel Wednesday that the industry is global, so productions can easily pick up and move to whichever place is offering incentives. “They [incentives] guide where these productions are sited around the world,” Forde said.

After the hearing at Athens Tech, panel members toured nearby Athena Studios, Athens’ first major studio that just opened earlier this year.

Charles Davis, dean of UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications, did not explicitly endorse the tax credit, but spoke favorably about the college’s entertainment division and its partnership with Athena Studios and founder Joel Harber. “Our goal is to [educate] Georgians for Georgia jobs, and it’s working,” Davis said. “… None of this would exist without the growth of the film industry in Georgia.”

Reimagining North Avenue

The ACC government is accepting public input this month on “Reimagine North Avenue,” a $25 million project intended to create safe bike and pedestrian routes along the corridor, provide access to jobs and services, reduce vehicle emissions and bring investment to a part of town that hasn’t seen much of it.

The project area runs from Freeman Drive and Collins Industrial Boulevard to Willow Street. Preliminary plans call for a multi-use path, realigning the Strickland Avenue intersection, improvements to other intersections, lighting, landscaping, stormwater drainage and new bridges over the North Oconee River and the Loop.

ACC received a $25 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant for North Avenue in 2021, but planning is just now getting underway. The project is not scheduled for construction until 2026. For more information and to fill out a comment form, visit accgov.com/northavenue. There will also be two in-person public input sessions: Saturday, Oct. 14 from 9–11 a.m. at the East Athens Educational Dance Center and Thursday, Oct. 19 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Howard B. Stroud Elementary School. f

“ We can be confident that most of the investment that happened in Georgia would not have happened without the tax credit.

Homeward Bound?

ACC COMMISSION PASSES PLAN TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS

By Xinge Lei news@flagpole.com

Homelessness in Athens isn’t new, but it is a growing problem. Athens has witnessed a 21% increase in homelessness since last year. Unsheltered homelessness, specifically, has more than doubled since 2018. Rates of both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in Athens are also rising faster than any other part of Georgia.

According to the Athens Area Homeless Shelter (AAHS), “the basic reason for homelessness in the U.S. is a scarcity of affordable housing.” Factors such as low income, lack of employment, mental illnesses, substance abuse issues, poor credit and a criminal history all contribute to an individual’s risk of becoming homeless.

To address this issue, a new plan was recently approved by the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission. The commission unanimously voted in favor of the Strategic Plan to Reduce and Prevent Homelessness on Oct. 3 in hopes of combatting the city’s rising homelessness rates. The ACC government and outside consultants developed this plan, along with the Affordable Housing Investment Strategy, to create and preserve affordable housing while expanding public outreach efforts.

The Athens Homeless Coalition (AHC) has been designated as the Homelessness Advisory Committee for handling project funds and will oversee several of its outlined strategies. The AHC, consisting of multiple nonprofit service providers, is a part of the Continuum of Care (CoC), an integrated system of care that involves coordination among agencies and tracking clients through the system.

What’s in the Plan

The strategic plan highlights 10 strategies to allocate the $4.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that the mayor and commission dedicated toward housing insecurity back in March 2022. This grant is a part of the $57.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds awarded to Clarke County in 2021. ACC has until December 2026 to spend all funds.

1. Strengthen the CoC by staffing the coalition: $400,000

2. Increase participation from persons with lived experience engagement: $30,000

3. Improve coordinated entry policy and implementation: $500,000

4. Establish comprehensive street outreach: $300,000

5. Organize housing surges for encampments: $150,000

6. Increase low-barrier shelter units: $1,900,000

7. Implement diversion and rapid exit: $250,000

8. Create a support fund to end and prevent homelessness: previously allocated $300,000 as a part of ACC’s fiscal 2024 budget process

9. Engage in landlord-focused initiatives: $240,000

10. Establish partnerships for employment: $195,000

$500,000 is reserved for additional strategies. Justifications behind these strategies rely on data analysis from various institutions in Athens, including nonprofit organizations, businesses, service providers, health care providers and other members of the community. ACCGov has worked with The Cloudburst Group to collect and interpret data, most of which comes from Homeless Management Information Services (HMIS), point-in-time (PIT) counts and the Housing Inventory Count (HIC). HMIS is a database funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development showing the demographics of homeless people served and the outcomes of such services. The PIT count is an annual census of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, and the HIC provides information on the status of shelters available. Between December 2022 and July 2023, ACC also conducted numer-

ous interviews, surveys and listening sessions with stakeholders and residents as the plan was being developed.

After several discussions, a commission-defined option (CDO) was added by commissioners Ovita Thorton, Dexter Fisher, Melissa Link and Carol Myers, mostly for the purpose of holding the AHC accountable for their work. The CDO requests that the AHC explore opportunities with faith-based organizations and expand stakeholder relations in reducing homelessness. AHC must also seek regional

housing beds. The issue, then, extends to a lack of resources in outlying counties.

John Morris, the chairman of AHC, emphasized the need for regional collaboration at a Sept. 19 stakeholder meeting. He said that Athens, and specifically the coalition, can be a foundational entity for nearby counties in search of guidance. With the approved ARPA allocations, AHC plans to host regional conferences, help outside communities compete for state funding and establish shared goals across the board.

“If we want our surrounding counties to be able to provide their own services, it takes relationships and conversations,” Morris said. “We want to be a trusted source of information, and we want to identify that shared vision.”

Despite data suggesting that only a minority of the homeless population are from out of town, commissioners still added a clause discouraging other jurisdictions from dropping off homeless individuals in Athens. Another aspect of the CDO warns that ACC will enforce Senate Bill 62, which prohibits nearby medical facilities and local governments from dispatching unauthorized drop-offs. However, it’s unclear how SB 62 will be enforced.

Public Opinion Divided

coordination and submit a progress report to the commission every 180 days. Moreover, the M&C has approved an additional $195,000 of ARPA funds toward physical health care for homeless individuals, as a part of the fourth strategy.

Athens as a Service Hub

According to ACC Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) officials, Athens is a regional hub for neighboring counties due to its rapidly expanding industries and service accessibility. In fact, Athens’ CoC qualifies for direct federal funding toward homeless initiatives, such as the Annual Renewal Demand of $780,486. People visit Athens specifically because it is the largest city in the region and thus the central location for services, HCD Community Impact Administrator Alejandra Calva said at a Sept. 13 public input forum.

“We are considered a service hub for medical services, for education, for cultural events. So it’s not a surprise that homeless services are more robust here in Athens than anywhere else in the region,” Calva said.

When this was revealed, many attendees at the forum expressed disdain. To some, the notion of Athens being a hub, attracting more people year after year, implies limited resources for existing residents. Critics of the plan have said that they should not be responsible for accommodating individuals that migrate from other areas. Not to mention, many are growing fearful for their safety as the homeless population climbs. Out of the 915 unique comments that ACC has received through online forms and public input sessions, the second-most common theme relates to how “funding more services and acting as a hub encourages more homeless to come to ACC.”

While it may seem that a large number of homeless people are seeking refuge in Clarke County, the 2023 PIT count suggests that only 13% of unsheltered individuals have lived in Athens for less than six months. Meanwhile, over half of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness are native Athenians. The influx can also be explained by the lack of housing in neighboring counties. Out of Barrow, Jackson, Madison, Oconee and Oglethorpe counties, Barrow County is the only one that offers transitional housing beds—25 to be exact. Clarke County, on the other hand, offers 139 year-round shelter beds and 22 transitional

Out of more than 900 comments sent in about the strategic plan, 38% were against it, 40% were in favor of it and 22% expressed neutrality. At the Sept. 13 input forum, reactions were divided as well. Some residents believe that the funds are being misspent, that bureaucrats are “paying people to deal with homelessness” instead of addressing root causes. ACCgov responded to this critique in a document noting that “service providers need experienced and qualified staff to implement their programs designed to prevent and/or reduce homelessness.” Organizations applying for these funds must also go through a competitive proposal process that requires the approval of several entities, including HCD and the county commission. All of this is to ensure that funds will be used appropriately.

Another concern pertains to mental illness and substance abuse. Some residents feel that allowing individuals with these issues to stay in shelters, without any expectations, will only enable them. HCD officials point to the housing-first model, the foundation behind the strategic plan. Housing first is an approach “guided by the belief that people need basic necessities like food and a place to live before attending to anything less critical.” Studies suggest that the housing-first model, compared to the treatment first model, is more likely to produce long-term housing stability. Programs adhering to this principle have also been shown to reduce costs of homelessness by shortening stays in hospitals, rehabilitation centers and prisons.

In addition, $4 million of ARPA funds, alongside other grants, have already been dedicated toward behavioral health. ACC is also partnering with nonprofit Advantage Behavioral Health Systems to build an inpatient mental health facility off Mitchell Bridge Road. As for recovery support, strategy four of the plan aims to build proper relationships between outreach workers and homeless individuals to best determine their needs. The plan promises assistance in case management, check-ins, treatment services and referral when necessary.

Proponents of the plan believe that it represents the most feasible course of action with the resources available. The top comments in ACC’s feedback portal showed enthusiasm for strategy 10, in particular: Supporting partnerships for employment and opportunities for workforce development and/or education. Programs like AAHS’s Bridge to Home exemplify this strategy in action. It encourages homeless individuals to pursue higher education by pooling community resources to ease the process. Both residents and service providers, therefore, view reintegration as a priority in addressing homelessness.

The vast majority of speakers were in favor of the plan at the recent voting session. Many of them were social workers or people who used to be homeless. The strategic plan is truly a starting place, as Commissioner Jesse Houle put it, and much more effort is still needed to move it forward. f

Many attendees at a public input forum last month were skeptical about the strategic plan.

MASON PEARSON

The Dawgs Wake Up

GEORGIA REACHES ITS POTENTIAL IN WIN OVER KENTUCKY

By Cy Brown news@flagpole.com

This season was not going according to plan. Following two consecutive years of utter dominance behind us, Georgia fans expected a third. Through five games, though, the Dawgs looked like they were sleepwalking. They were winning, but getting out to slow starts, and letting the likes of South Carolina and Auburn get the best of them for large chunks of time, eventually winning thanks to a sheer talent advantage.

Well, look who just woke up. Finally, in the sixth game of the season, Georgia put together a complete performance, beating Kentucky 51-13 Saturday in Athens.

After five games, the big question about this team was if it was not playing to its potential or simply not good enough to beat teams—and win championships—in the same fashion as their immediate predecessors. With that beatdown of Kentucky in our pocket, it’s looking more like the latter than the former, and the team is beginning to win back the full trust of the fan base.

That begins at quarterback with Carson Beck. Beck hadn’t played a poor game yet this season, but he hadn’t taken command of a game the way you expect a championship-winning quarterback to be able to do. Against the Wildcats, though, the junior looked steady and ready, completing

good growing

his first 11 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns, including an insane snag in the front corner of the endzone by Rara Thomas, who is becoming a big-play threat himself.

That first quarter got a fanbase that had lots of small doubts about Beck bouncing around to buy in. He continued on to have his best game as a Dawg, completing 28 of 35 passes for 389 yards, four touchdowns and a pick. Beck has won the benefit of the doubt, and if he can continue to play at that level, he’s got a big rest of the season ahead.

It wasn’t only Beck who showed out for the offense. There were plenty of doubters when Kirby Smart brought Mike Bobo back to run Georgia’s offense, but the Kentucky game was Bobo back at his circa-2012 best. He called a great game, mixing up runs with passes at different levels to a number of receivers to keep the defense off balance. The offense finished

Ecologic Development

GREEN RETREAT FEATURES HARDY PLANTS AND STONE BORDERS

By Erin France news@flagpole.com

I interviewed Ilka McConnell about her garden back in July, but because of life and publishing schedules, I am only now writing about it. I do see her garden every week on my produce delivery route, so I can confirm it’s still there and looking great.

McConnell is Athens-Clarke County’s director of economic development. As a confessed introvert, McConnell said gardening gives her the time and space to recharge. “It’s really my favorite thing to do,” she said. It’s noticeable in the care and detail she gives to the garden.

Fist-sized river stones outline the garden beds running along the house, creating a flow and continuity in the yard. Trips to Denmark and Sweden inspired the look, McConnell said. In those countries, many gardeners use natural stone to outline their plots. After spying the technique on her adventures, McConnell knew she wanted to recreate it at her home. It took five pallets of stones to finish the project, but it was worth it, she said.

Focusing on gardening infrastructure and knowing the bounds of your garden can provide structure for good long-term growing. As someone who has both planned out multi-year projects and impulsively planted pretty things higgedly-piggedly in the yard,

I know physical boundaries can help keep your budget and energy in check.

McConnell moved to her current home about two years ago and discovered a yard awash in light. Her former garden remained in shade for most of the day. A few of her favorite shade standards, like hostas and heuchera, are at the back of her new home, but she’s had to switch up her plantings to fill in the rest of the sunlight-heavy beds.

“Pretty much anything with sun is new to me,” she said.

One thing McConnell’s learned from planting in a different environment? “If it doesn’t look good, don’t wait ’til it dies,” she said.

Her garden beds contain beautiful blooming zinnias, euphorbia, salvia and some huge specimens of foxglove and columbine. I think she’s doing just fine with the transition from shade to sun. I plan on planting the liatris, or blazing star, myself, after seeing McConnell’s specimens in the dry rain garden in front of her home. The tall native

with 609 total yards, including 180 on the ground with a healthy 5.6 yards per carry. It was old-school Bobo mixed with some Todd Monken flair. Just like Beck, Bobo won the benefit of the doubt.

On the other side of the ball, the defense answered the bell after being called out from all corners for not being on the same level as its predecessors. Following a miserable showing against the run at Auburn, the defense had a point to prove. Kentucky tailback Ray Davis ran for 280 yards against Florida a week before, but the Dawgs held

title-winning defenses has been the way the players fly to the ball, especially when the offense is moving sideline-to-sideline. These Dawgs still aren’t moving with the verve and violence I came to expect from the likes of Nakobe Dean, but they’re getting there. They’re finally starting to show that nasty streak.

him to only 59. In total, the Dawgs held Kentucky to 183 yards.

From a pure eye-test standpoint, the defense appeared to be getting after it more. One of the signatures of Georgia’s

perennial blooms white or purple, and it can grow up to 5 feet tall.

McConnell’s garden also sported a few Japanese maples, azaleas, tea olives and of course, a laurel—a nod to her daughter’s name. She prefers to buy plants from local sources like R&R Secret Farm and the Athens-Clarke Master Gardner’s plant sales. Those plants must be hardy to survive in her garden.

“I’ll water you for three weeks after I plant you,” McConnell said. “That’s it.” Plants who can’t survive on rainwater after that window aren’t a good option for her

Georgia is snapping out of its daze at a perfect time. Next week, the Dawgs travel to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt. That’ll provide another opportunity for a convincing win, this time on the road. That should help build more confidence heading into the bye the following week. Then it’s on to the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail party at the end of the month before that tough November stretch that includes consecutive games against Missouri, Ole Miss and Tennessee, potentially the toughest teams on our regular season schedule. Now that we have a convincing win over a tough SEC opponent in our pocket, the exciting thing is how much room there is for improvement. It had been difficult to get excited about these Dawgs early in the season—not because there wasn’t incredible potential in this team, but because they hadn’t shown a capacity to reach it. Now they have, once. If they can do that week to week, then the Dawgs are right back on track. f

Whether you set a three-week rule or not, it is a good idea to water deeply and less frequently to build healthy roots. Daily watering invites disease, especially in the South, where humidity lives everyday, whether it rains or not. Wet foliage plus soil diseases can eventually take down even big, healthy plants.

Besides her plants, McConnell’s garden contains art from a potter and family friend. The pieces, a few feet tall, are concrete studded with stones, colored glass and pottery shards. The artwork adds some whimsey and echoes the stone boundary around the perimeter.

I love the originality it shows. Mass-produced yard art is not my favorite. But finding something that looks and feels special to you— whether it’s a family friend’s artwork or interesting knobby sticks you found on a walk or a 4-foot tall metal loon your partner made—can make your garden distinctive and fun.

garden, she said. McConnell does have a rain barrel to help with irrigation for times when the rain’s scarce. “I’m not heartless,” she said.

Future garden projects include finding an excellent hammock spot, McConnell said. None of her trees are big enough to support a hammock yet, so she’ll likely have to find a creative solution. McConnell’s also building a collection of kitchen scraps in a fairly new compost bin. Longer-term, she’s mulling over building a garden shed to store tools, start propagating and enjoy general tinkering in her downtime. f

Ilka McConnell and her daughter, Laurel, play in the grass next to a laurel bush.

ERIN FRANCE

Quarterback Carson Beck erased any nagging doubts with his performance against the Wildcats.

KARI HODGES / UGA ATHLETICS

The Wrong Housing

ADVICE FOR ATHENS’ LOOSE AND LOVELORN

By Bonita Applebum advice@flagpole.com

Hey Bonita, I would be curious to know just how much of the original Athens that has been removed was financed by the University of Georgia?

I was born and raised here in Athens until I joined the Navy back in ’81. When I returned home back to Athens in 2005, I was blown away with the growth. Now that I’ve been back for 18 years, I wish that the boom for the students would stop. Every time I turn around a new apartment/housing complex is going up. The university is growing, so I guess they need more housing. Well what about the citizens of this city [and] of Clarke [County]? We need housing, plus we need to step up and control so much growth of certain projects until we look at what we really have here in Athens, and that is a town to be proud of for what it was, not for what it is. BW

Hey BW, There are a few different reasons that the face of Athens is changing, but yeah, you’re right—most of them can be traced back to UGA. Specifically, it’s because of all of these sprawling apartment complexes and highrises being built for students only. I remember when 100 Prince was in the works, and there was lots of talk about them being required to include a certain number of “affordably priced” units so that locals would also be able to avail themselves of such prime downtown real estate. I checked its website just now, and it’s got 2BR/2BA units going for $2,150 per month, which honestly made me want to jam my letter-opener into my eye. They were also supposed to have a small grocery store there, and it’s my personal opinion that they only ever courted Daily Groceries as a possible tenant to foster good will in the community and get their plans approved.

The whole 100 Prince/Daily Groceries fiasco had a big influence on my opinion of downtown development, and I suspect that these developers are no longer even pretending to want to provide affordable units. I don’t blame UGA students for needing a place to stay, but they are temporary residents of this town, and the city continues

to put their needs before those of locals. There’s not much hope for things changing for the better. Our state actually has a ban on rent control, not to mention how the median income in Athens ($61,000 a year) isn’t where it needs to be for someone to buy a house here. As reported by Blake Aued in the May 3 issue of City Dope, someone making that amount can only afford to pay $733 a month in rent, while our city’s median rent is actually about $1,214. I don’t make anything close to that median

threats & promises

Spitehound’s Tourniquet PLUS, MORE

MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com

GUESSING TIME IS GONE: Now that everyone in town has presumably recovered from David Barbe’s 60th birthday bash at the 40 Watt Club, here’s some nice related news: Propeller Sound Recordings has its re-release of Barbe’s band Mercyland’s 1989 album No Feet On The Cowling available for pre-order as we speak. The whole thing was remixed by Barbe himself, so you know these songs are being showcased exactly as intended. This was re-released on compact disc back in the 1990s by Rykodisc, but this new remixed and remastered version— while also available as a CD—is coming out on vinyl, too. This record was magnificent when it came out, but now stands as testimony to the specifically fertile ground Athens held for musicians at that time, as well as the pure songwriting talent of the three men on this album. The release is scheduled for Nov. 3. In other news, I don’t even want to tell you how many years I walked around thinking that a “cowling” was, like, a baby cow. For more information and to place your order, please see propellersound recordings.com.

Parker’s music can range from the blissful half-light of liminal spaces to the heavily burdened depths of darkness, and he can make the switch between the two seem perfectly natural, as well (e.g. the space between 2:15 and 5:00 on the title track). There are a couple of shorter tracks on here, but most run between seven and eight minutes long. Far from being indulgent, though, these spacious pieces provide just enough canvas for Parker to really stretch out and, similarly, provide the listener with enough time to sink deeply into each. Find this at ohmushell.bandcamp.com.

PAIN REDUCTION CENTER: Songwriter and musician Brandon Steinhauer released an absolutely lovely EP last month under the name Spitehound, with the EP titled Tourniquet. These five songs are evocative, compelling and a welcome surprise treat.

and I’m starting to worry that I’ll never earn enough in this afford to buy a house here. If that’s the case, why not just take off? My childhood dream was to live in L.A. anyway, and people actually make decent money over there.

And that gets to another big problem: While rents and home prices increase exponentially in Athens, local workers aren’t making more money. Places that could be affordable housing are getting turned into Airbnbs. Apparently only 40% of residences in this city are owner-occupied. ACC is forever “accepting public input” about our local housing crisis, but I don’t see anything timely and tangible ever happening. I mean, why is it even legal for companies to buy low-income housing complexes and then refuse to take Section 8 vouchers? How do these people sleep at night knowing that they have literally caused people to become homeless just to double the rent for someone whose parents will pay it until they move out in two years?

This is a total bummer to say, but I don’t have a solution. In general, I would tell people not to give to someone who won’t give back to you. Feel like moving to somewhere with better wages? Cheaper housing? Maybe a brain drain will convince leaders to really do something about this. I really do hope that this situation will resolve itself before I retire, but I may be a homeowner somewhere else by then. Oh, well. f

Need advice? Email advice@flagpole.com, or use our anonymous online form at flagpole.com/getadvice.

WE ALL SHINE ON: In a nicely creative move, local hip-hop artist P.O. the Priceless One released a video montage and musical tribute to John Lennon. Having not known much about Lennon and his legacy, P.O. (née Anthony Hill) was initially spurred on by being asked to perform on Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance” during the recent sold-out Athens In Harmony event at The Foundry. As he learned more about Lennon and his life, he was both intrigued and inspired. His newly released video featured his own music about halfway through; the beat was built by him from a foundation of Lennon samples to which he added drums and melodies, as well as handling all the chopping, editing and vocals. The end result is surprisingly touching and emotionally resonant. He released this on Lennon’s birthday, which was Oct. 9. You can find it at @potheprice less1 on Instagram.

BIG BLUE MARBLE: The next Sonic Space event at ATHICA happens Sunday, Oct. 15. It will feature a performance by Michael Pierce’s project sweetearthflying. Pierce is well known in the Athens experimental scene for his work with The Electric Nature and other collaborative projects. I’ve generally been quite taken by his work, and this is a cool event, so swing by. This performance is scheduled for 6 p.m. and is a part of the Historic Athens Porchfest. Get up to speed with Pierce’s music at sweetearth flying.bandcamp.com.

WORTH THE WAIT: After four EPs in four years, the debut full-length released from electronic compositional outfit Ohmu is upon us. It’s titled When Will Our Forever Longing Be Satiated, and project head Winston Parker celebrated its release last week.

These songs are all centered on acoustic guitar but one, “Therapy,” rocks a little harder than expected. Beyond this singular deviation, Steinhauer positively channels Elliott Smith, a little Nick Drake (especially on “Oxblood”) and, while he may be unaware of this next particular comparison, there are also slight shades of Koncak (Nuçi Phillips’ project circa mid-1990s). Find this at spitehound.bandcamp.com and consider spending all winter with it. For more information, please see linktr.ee/spitehound.

ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET: Kimberly Morgan York is in the throes of celebrating her new four-song EP, Devil Songs and Other Such Nonsense, which comes out this Friday. The night before, Thursday, Oct. 12, she’ll be performing with her band at Nowhere Bar, and if you miss that, you can still catch her during her performance at Porchfest Sunday, Oct. 15. The record starts off with a fine cover of Terry Gibb’s 1981 smash Country hit “Somebody’s Knockin’” and then swims around in the deep end of classic 1960s country, although the final song, “Other Such Nonsense,” does creep into the ’70s a little bit. Find this wherever you’re used to finding your music these days, and for more information, please see kimberly morganyork.com. f

Tourniquet EP by Spitehound

TICKETED PERFORMANCES $15; $3 with UGA student ID

MON 10/16 7:30 p.m. HODGSON HALL

Faculty Artist: James Naigus, horn

Featuring 30 “Miniature” pieces, composed by Naigus and UGA composition student Jacob Evarts. Audience participation is invited to help shape the concert in this unique collection of original and contemporary works.

FRI 10/20 7:30 p.m. HODGSON HALL

Hodgson Singers and University Chorus

“For the Living - Music of Consolation and Resolve.” University Chorus will perform Dan Forrest’s “Requiem For the Living” with orchestra, conducted by Daniel Shafer. The Hodgson Singers will present works by Jennifer Lucy Scott, Ken Burton, Dominic DiOrio, and more.

UGA WIND ENSEMBLE PRESENTS AN EVENING OF JOHN WILLIAMS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26 at 7:30 p.m. - HODGSON CONCERT HALL

TUES 10/17 7:30 p.m.

Faculty Recital: Brandon Quarles, saxophone

Dr. Brandon Quarles is a teacher and music-maker who believes in the power of interdisciplinary and cross-genre collaborations.

WED 10/18 7:30 p.m.

RAMSEY HALL

THUR 10/19 7:30 p.m.

RAMSEY HALL

FRI 10/20

5:30 p.m.

RAMSEY HALL

Guest Artist: Lorenz Gamma, violin

Faculty and Student Chamber Concert featuring music by Mozart, Stravinsky, and Florence Price. Gamma is professor of violin and head of strings at California State University Northridge.

Guest Artist: SOLI Chamber Ensemble

SOLI Chamber Ensemble has been giving voice to 20th- and 21st-century contemporary chamber music since 1994, engaging audiences with unique performances.

Guest Artist: Francesca Anderegg, violin Guest artist Francesca Anderegg (St. Olaf College) is a critically acclaimed performer, recording artist, and educator. Hailed by the New York Times for her “rich tone” and “virtuosic panache.”

Historic Athens Porchfest Schedule • Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023

KICKOFF EVENT

BOULEVARD

COBBHAM

BUENA VISTA HEIGHTS

NEWTOWN

PULASKI HEIGHTS

REESE-HANCOCK AREA

CLOSE-OUT EVENT

Historic Athens Porchfest

YEAR FIVE SWELLS WITH OVER 200 PERFORMANCES

By Sam Lipkin editorial@flagpole.com

Historic Athens, the local nonprofit organization working to improve historic preservation and heritage conservation, is celebrating five years of its most popular annual fundraiser, Porchfest, on Sunday, Oct. 15 from 1–8 p.m. Not skipping a beat—including going virtual in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic—the multi-neighborhood-wide festival featuring local bands performing on porches has exponentially grown over the years.

lished followings, lesser known acts, niche genres and variations of bands. Towards the end of the day, on Prince Avenue will host a showcase of artists presented by Volumes Hip Hop at 6 p.m., including djbobfish, Trvy & The Enemy, BYV_Trubb, Jahkiem and 96Vizion. As per tradition, the final closing perfor mance will take place at Stan Mullins’ home and studio on Pulaski Street at 7 p.m. with a special performance by Athens Mayor

The inaugural event took place in October 2019 with approximately 70 bands playing in four neighborhoods: Boulevard, Newtown, Buena Vista and Pulaski Heights. Executive Director of Historic Athens Tommy Valentine has always intended to see Porchfest continuously expand, both in number of performers and across more neighborhoods geographically. The organization has been very successful in this goal. The in-person event returned in 2020 with 108 performers across six neighborhoods, adding Cobbham and Normaltown. Last year filled out the same six neighborhoods with 156 acts. This year’s Porchfest features a whopping seven neighborhoods, including Reese-Hancock, exploding with over 200 performances.

Valentine has always been transparent that this is not an event where it’s possible to catch everything, and that proves to be even more true now with an average of 33 acts performing each hour. It’s advised to find a starting place, then wander around that area in the direction of the next bands playing. This facilitates one of the event’s goals, which is to connect audiences with bands unknown to them, and showcase the diverse genres and styles of music present in Athens. It’s highly recommended to take advantage of walking, biking and skating as the neighborhoods have limited street parking available, and some streets are incredibly narrow.

The festivities for the day begin with an unopposed kick-off event at 12 p.m. presented by Nuçi’s Space’s Camp Amped located at 738 Cobb St. The day’s full lineup features a vast mix of groups with estab-

lele at 275 Georgia Ave. at 4 p.m. The Collective Artists Workshop will share its musical theater and opera at 424 Reese St. at 5 p.m.

Also taking place this Sunday in the general neighborhood is the annual Boo-le-Bark on the Boulevard costumed dog parade. Offstreet parking is available at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church at Prince and Barber streets for the event. The costume contest will be held at 3:45 p.m. at.the Boulevard Woods Park (298 Barber St.). Human onlookers are welcome to join in costume and celebrate the Halloween spirit. At 4:15 p.m., the parade of pets and pet-lovers will head west along its route on Boulevard and on to Lyndon Avenue, Dubose Avenue, Grady Avenue, then back to Boulevard.

Ahead of Sunday’s events, Historic Athens invites the community to usher in the biggest Porchfest yet with a kick-off event at Athentic Brewing Co. on Friday, Oct. 13 from 5–10 p.m. Pre-ordered Porchfest merch will be available for pickup beginning at 6 p.m., and the Homy’s Kitchen food truck will be set up on the patio throughout the evening. Also at 6 p.m. will be a book release and signing of Tomorrow & Tomorrow co-written by Lillah Lawson and Lauren Emily Whalen. It is a modern-day retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth centered around the Athens music scene and featuring Porchfest. The night will conclude with Athens-based history trivia from 7:30–9:30 p.m.

For a full schedule of performers, locations and set times organized by neighborhood, see p. 12. To view an interactive map and spreadsheet with individual artist donation links, visit historicathens.com/ porchfest. f

If you are in crisis due to domestic violence, F. Neal Pylant D.M.D., P.C. wants you to find help.

If your partner objects when you use the phone, limits your everyday contact with family and friends, and you restrict yourself to avoid angry, aggressive confrontations, you need to step back and take another look. How can you cope once you are involved with a controlling partner? Call Project Safe for help. Our hotline is confidential, and counseling is free. Get your life back. Get help.

another look. How can you cope once you are involved

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Trvy & The Enemy will play Flagpole’s front porch at 220 Prince Ave. Sunday at 6 p.m., along with BYV_Trubb, Jahkiem and 96Vizion.

SUZANNAH EVANS

Trvy & The Enemy djbobfish

FILM | WED, OCT. 11

Found Footage Festival: Volume 10

Ciné • 7 p.m. • $14

During the Found Footage Festival, hosts Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher will play their latest and greatest VHS finds, as well as give where-are-they-now updates on the characters depicted in the videos. The Brooklyn-based festival’s concept encompasses various interesting, hilarious and odd videos from old VHS tapes found by Pickett and Prueher, who began collecting in 1991 and launched their festival in 2004. Highlights of the 10th volume of this showcase include a retrospective of the Magical Rainbow Sponge crafting videos and a tribute to its star, Dee Gruenig; a new montage of exercise videos, including a Christian workout called “Believercise” and a tongue aerobics tape called “Oral Aerobics;” and a mysterious New Age video called “Elimination: The First Step.” [Analiese Herrin]

EVENT | WED, OCT. 11

Henry Rollins

40 Watt Club • 7 p.m. (doors) • $35

A musician, spoken word artist, actor, author and comedian from Washington, D.C., Henry Rollins came onto the music scene when he formed the hardcore punk outfit State of Alert in 1980. Following his short-lived time with the band, Rollins fronted the California-based punk band Black Flag from 1981–1986, then founded the Rollins Band in

flagpole flagpole New New

1987. Around this time, he also created the record label and publishing company 2.13.61 to begin releasing his own spoken word albums. Now, he heads to the 40 Watt on his “Good to See You” spoken-word tour following stretches across the UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and several other countries. [AH]

FILM | THU, OCT. 12

The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Patricia Quinn

Classic Center Theatre • 8 p.m. • $28.50–57.50

The Classic Center is screening the longest-running theatrical release in film history, The Rocky Horror Picture Show The 48th anniversary tour will include a performance by a shadow cast, costume contest and memorabilia display. Original cast member Patricia Quinn, who received wide praise for her role as Magenta, will host the screening. A cult classic, the story follows that of a nerdy couple, Brad and Janet, as they fall into the mysterious world of both devious and fabulous mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter. A theatrical sensation and October tradition, the best part of the show is its immersive and interactive experience. [AH]

ART | SAT, OCT. 14

‘SURFACE’ Opening Reception

ATHICA • 6–9 p.m. • Donations accepted

The Athens Institute for Contemporary Art’s annual juried exhibition, “SURFACE,” includes various works of contemporary art created by nearly 30 artists who interpreted the prompt in different ways. The artists have individually taken the term to literally mean the surface of an artwork, an environment, an individual or reference the act of becoming evident. Some also interpreted the meaning of “surface” to be breaking up from the watery depths, applying concrete or bringing something to our attention, a more figurative meaning. “SURFACE” is meant for the artists to explore the word as a noun and verb through visuals. The works were juried by Clay Aldridge and Josiah Golson of Stove Works, a gallery with a similar mission to ATHICA’s that is located in Chattanooga, TN. The opening reception will feature music by DJ De La Luna, and an artist roundtable discussion will be held on closing day, Nov. 19, at 4 p.m. [AH]

EVENT | SUN, OCT. 15

Boo-le-Bark on the Boulevard

Boulevard Neighborhood • 3:45 p.m. (contest), 4:15 p.m. (parade)

The annual Boo-le-Bark on the Boulevard Costume Dog Parade returns to fundraise for Athenspets with this year’s theme, “Shoot for the Stars.” Locals are encouraged to register their dogs for the costume contest and to walk in the parade, but costumed spectators are also welcome. Deck your pet out in cute and clever costumes for a chance to take home the ribbon. The parade will begin and end at Boulevard Woods Park (298 Barber St.), and will parade west on Boulevard, south on Lyndon Avenue, east on Dubose Avenue, north on Grady Avenue, then finish by heading east on Boulevard. In addition to the contest and parade, owners can stroll around the neighborhood with their fluffy friends to experience the local bands performing at this year’s Historic Athens Porchfest. Visit barkonboulevard.com to register. [AH]

LECTURES & LIT | MON, OCT. 16

Margaret Renkl

ACC Library • 7 p.m. • FREE!

New York Times columnist Margaret Renkl will be at the Athens-Clarke County Library on Monday, Oct. 16 from 7–8 p.m. in celebration of her new book, The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, which will be published on Oct. 24. She begins the book in her Nashville yard, in the winter, and chronicles the changes each week brings through the months. A native of Alabama, Renkl holds degrees from Auburn University and the University of South Carolina. She began writing for the Times in 2015 after teaching school, writing poetry and editing a literary magazine. At the library, she will be signing her earlier books, Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss and Graceland, At Last: Notes on Hope and Heartache From the American South. Avid Bookshop is a sponsor of the event. [Rebecca McCarthy] f

NICOLE ADAMSON

live music calendar

Wednesday 11

Athentic Brewing Co.

7–10 p.m. FREE! www.athentic brewing.com

WEDNESDAY KARAOKE NIGHT

Choose from a catalog of over 51,000 songs ranging from pop, rock, musical theater and more. Creature Comforts

Brewery

Athens Farmers Market. 5–8 p.m. FREE! www.athensfarmersmarket.

net DIXIELAND FIVE New Orleans

style jazz band with trumpet, trombone, clarinet, piano, sousaphone, drums and featured vocalist Liam Parke. (6 p.m.)

Flicker Theatre & Bar

8 p.m. (doors). $10. www.flicker theatre.com

NIHILIST CHEERLEADER Raw riot grrrl-inspired punk that’s a pitchperfect blend of snotty and sunny, earnest and sardonic.

THE SPORRS Garage rock band with an energetic alt-rock sound and a drop of punk.

FUNEROL Garage rock and roll band from Los Angeles with soul and a classic yet original rock feel. Hendershot’s 7 p.m. (sign-ups). FREE! www.hendershotsathens.com

BEATS, RHYMES AND LIFE OPEN

MIC Emcees, poets, rappers and freestylers of all styles are invited to perform with the backing band playing the tempo of their choice. Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall

7:30 p.m. SOLD OUT! pac.uga.edu

INDIGO GIRLS Legendary and timeless singer-songwriter duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers perform with the UGA Symphony Orchestra. Porterhouse Grill

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

JAZZ NIGHT Captained by drummer Mason Davis and featuring a rotating cast of familiar faces performing American songbook, bossa nova classics and crossover hits.

The Roadhouse Bike Night. 9 p.m.–12 a.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/RoadhouseDive

DJ NATE FROM WUXTRY DJ spinning an all-vinyl set of dirty blues, raw soul, classic metal and nasty rock and roll.

Thursday 12

Ciné 9 p.m. (doors), 10 p.m. (show). $12. www.athenscine.com

DOWNGRADE Five-piece punk outfit channeling high energy for a chaotic, head-banging experience.

JOHNNY FALLOON Deranged local band with hard-hitting songs and complex theatrics.

TEAM DEATHMATCH Roaring punk-rock group delivering an organ-shaking hardcore sound. Flicker Theatre & Bar Attaboy Tapes Presents. 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $10. www. flickertheatre.com

DEVON FLAHERTY NC-based old-time banjo player plays tunes in the style of Wade Ward, Uncle Dave Macon and more.

ATHENS MIDDLE EAST ORCHES-

TRA Athens very own Middle Eastern inspired outfit that focuses on

the musical culture of Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Syria and more.

JOHN FERNANDES Local Elephant

6 stalwart and multi-instrumentalist works his improvisational magic on the clarinet and loop pedal.

Hendershot’s

7:30–11 p.m. $10. www.hendershots athens.com

SABACHA DANCE SOCIAL DJ

L.A. Darius leads a Latin dance party with salsa, bachata, merengue and cha-cha-cha. An hour-long lesson is followed by open dancing.

Hugh Hodgson Concert

Hall

7:30 p.m. (show). FREE! (tickets required). pac.uga.edu

ISATA KANNEH-MASON British pianist inaugurating the Performing Arts Center’s new Hamburg Steinway D piano. Tonight’s program includes music by Haydn, Fanny Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann and Chopin.

Nowhere Bar

9:30 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens

KIMBERLY MORGAN YORK

Alt-country singer-songwriter who writes songs with conviction and honesty. EP release show!

Southern Brewing Co.

6–10 p.m. www.sobrewco.com

KARAOKE NIGHT Every Thursday evening.

The World Famous 10 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www. facebook.com/theworldfamous athens

BURSTERS Athens-based punk theologian outfit.

DATA UNKNOWN Dada spit kissed garage-punk group based out of Indianapolis.

DELTA 8 Too many vape shops.

Friday 13

40 Watt Club

7 p.m. (doors). $27. www.40watt.com

COLIN STROUGH Soft, classic country-folk artist who performed on “American Idol.”

Buvez

7–10 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ darkentriesathens

DARK ENTRIES KARAOKE Sing

your favorite song from a curated catalog of classic to modern goth, post-punk, punk and industrial.

The Classic Center 7 p.m. $29–125. www.classiccenter. com

NEWSBOYS Soulful rock band founded in Australia in 1985 that is one of the biggest names in Christian music history.

Flicker Theatre & Bar

8 p.m. (doors). $10. www.flicker theatreandbar.com

RIGGINGS Durham, NC songwriter

Alex Riggs, who produces experimental folk songs with a soft edge.

SKYLAR GUDASZ Dreamy, experimental indie artist with sizzling elements of psychedelic pop.

The Foundry 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). bit.ly/ FunkBrotherhood10th

THE FUNK BROTHERHOOD Local party band performs a nonstop dance party featuring horn-driven hits. 10th anniversary concert!

Georgia Theatre 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $30. www.georgiatheatre.com

THE LONE BELLOW Magnetic folk-pop trio whose earthy, joint

harmonies shake the rafters.

LEAH BELVINS Artist from Nashville who mixes vintage country with a dash of graceful gospel.

Georgia Theatre

Rooftop

7 p.m. (doors). FREE! www.georgia theatre.com

LANEY JONES An artist utilizing velveteen vocals on rich and elegant indie-alternative songs that ebb and flow.

11 p.m. FREE! www.georgiatheatre. com

THE HOWDIES Local old-school outlaw country act featuring vocalists Austin Darnell and Shoni Rancher.

Healing Arts Centre

Live Music Ecstatic Dance. 7 p.m. $25 (adv.), $30. www.healingarts centre.net

CORNFLOWER Vocalist, beatboxer and live-looper improvising a soul-activating, authentic movement dance experience. Hendershot’s

Rock the Quarry. 8 p.m. $15. www. hendershotsathens.com

THE WILD JORDON TONK-CATS

An all-star group of local veteran musicians perform danceable, soulful covers and originals.

CICADA RHYTHM Captivating Athens duo playing melodic, rootsinfluenced folk-rock.

RICK FOWLER Original, guitardriven local blues-rock.

DANA DOWNS Member of DDAENG! and Cosmo Jr. Live Wire

6 p.m. $10 (adv.), $20. www.livewire athens.com

THE FRIGG Encompass Entertainment presents music by DJ B-Riel, DJ Sublime, Trvy, Saving Salem, Mike Wesson, Wyatt Patton, Tillman, 1Dad0Kids, TyTylerTy, ¢larke ¢ounty, TRexx the Tyrant, Hakimi, TBH, Ferg Berserk, Jack23, Mula Meech, Molly Tu Hott and K!D. Nowhere Bar

8 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens

THE GRAWKS Punk and garageinspired local rock and roll band. HATCH Athens-based garage rock band founded by Garett Hatch. Celebrating the release of The Remover!

CAULFIELD Athens hip-hop veteran who pushes the confines of modern rap with his forward-thinking topics and edgy style.

FREEMAN LEVERETT Dreamy, hypnotic and danceable songs with thoughtful lyrics and cosmopolitan influences.

Odum School of Ecology

Toast to the Coast. 3–6 p.m. $50 (no alcohol), $100. www.ecology.uga. edu/alumni/toast-2-the-coast

DJ LIL SWINT John Swint deejays a special outdoor event featuring Georgia-sourced food and beverages.

The Root

9 p.m. FREE! www.instagram.com/ therootathens DEEP ROOTS Southern rock covers.

Saturday 14

40 Watt Club 9 p.m. (doors). $17. www.40watt.com

EMO NITE Dance and sing along to emo and pop punk hits.

ATHICA

“SURFACE” Opening Reception. 6–9 p.m. Donations accepted. www. athica.org

DJ DE LA LUNA Sebastian Granados is a Columbian DJ who plays Italo disco.

Buvez 7 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ buvezathens

ANDERS THOMSEN TRIO

Renowned guitarist and Americana artist performing rootsy Western swing-influenced honky-tonk rock and roll.

YANKEE ROSES Atlanta troubadour of alt-folk Americana.

COWBOY KEROUAC & THE BAREBACKS Athens queer anarcho cowpunk.

Flicker Theatre & Bar Shadebeast Presents. 9 p.m. (doors). $12. www.flickertheatreandbar.com

ROSIE AND THE RATDOGS

Sludgy, hardcore, heavy-psych band based in Athens.

BIG OAF A rock and roll band hailing from Atlanta with a hard, atomic sound.

BLACKJACK MOUNTAIN Carrollton-based rock and roll trio.

The Forum

7 p.m. $5–10 suggested donation. www.instagram.com/theforum_ath

AJ GRIFFIN Elephant 6 stalwart who has performed in groups such as the Olivia Tremor Control and Circulatory System. His solo work is vaudevillian pop for fans of Van Dyke Parks.

MARCEL SLETTEN California-born and Athens-based electronic music producer, composer and artist whose sound varies from peaceful to intense.

DARK WALE Solo noise project of Kyle Mackinnel (Oceanic Sound Research).

Front Porch Bookstore

6 p.m. FREE! jmazzucc@uga.edu

REPENT AT LEISURE Celtic pub band playing “Irish rock,” including traditional, punk, modern and original Celtic music.

Georgia Theatre

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $25. www.georgiatheatre.com

DIIV Brooklyn-based group blending dream pop, shoegaze and postpunk influences.

SWORD II Enigmatic Atlanta-based four-piece outfit balancing pop sensibilities and punk ethos.

Hendershot’s

8 p.m. $16. bit.ly/JakeXerxesFussell

Athens

JAKE XERXES FUSSELL Durham, NC-based folk singer-songwriter described as “one of the great magpies of American music.”

FREEMAN LEVERETT Dreamy, hypnotic and danceable songs with thoughtful lyrics and cosmopolitan influences.

Marigold Auditorium for Arts and Culture

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $20 (adv.), $25. bit.ly/SonsOfSailors

Oct14

SONS OF SAILORS A Jimmy Buffett cover band that has been performing together since 1980.

Memorial Park

Athens Folk Music and Dance Society Contra Dance. 6:30 p.m. (intro session), 7 p.m. (dance). $10–12. www.athensfolk.org

STRING THEORY Local group playing old-time bluegrass and Americana. Tonight’s event is a

contra dance with live music and a caller.

Nowhere Bar

9:30 p.m. $10. www.facebook.com/ NowhereBarAthens

MIDSUMMER Melancholic alternative rock band from the heart of the Midwest.

THE NORMAS Columbus-based band blending the catchy melodies of ’60s pop hits with the reverbsoaked sounds of garage rock.

THE WEEKEND LOVERS Atlanta act with a part modern, part throwback sound influenced by psychedelia and ’70s soul.

Nuçi’s Space

3:30 p.m. (doors), 4 p.m. (show). FREE! www.nuci.org

CAMP AMPED FALL FINALE Listen to what the students have been cooking up at camp.

The Root 9 p.m. FREE! www.instagram.com/ therootathens AROUND THE FERN Cover band playing hits from the ’90s and ’00s.

Work.Shop

4–7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. dancefloorathensga@gmail.com

DANCEFLOOR This family-friendly, sobriety-positive dance party features new wave, electropop, synthpop, EDM, Italo disco and more from DJ De La Luna and DJ Charlieflower.

Volumes Presents. 9:30 p.m. (doors). $10. www.facebook.com/volumes

hiphop

SIMBA THE RIPPER High-energy performer delivering party raps.

ANIME ZAYY Local rapper and engineer with lo-fi vibes.

FRANK THE EAGLE Versatile rapper and singer from Athens.

BRYANT PEREZ Multi-genre musician and producer.

SPACE BROTHER Producer on an electronic musical adventure to promote love.

Sunday 15

Hendershot’s

8 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com

HAYRIDE Long-running local three-piece rock band.

BAHJON BOY No info available. Multiple Locations www.historicathens.com/porchfest

HISTORIC ATHENS PORCHFEST

Over 200 local performers will play across seven different historic neighborhoods in Athens. See schedule on p. 12.

So Sylvie Vintage Grand Opening. 3–7 p.m. FREE! www. instagram.com/sosylvievintage

PATRICK BARRY Local songwriter weaving stories with his baritone voice and intricate fingerstyle.

OLIVER DOMINGO Playing two sets of jazz piano and synth then psychedelic Xian folk-styled tunes.

Monday 16

Georgia Theatre

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $20. www.georgiatheatre.com

CODY CANADA & THE DEPARTED Alternative country rock artist who previously fronted Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall

7:30 p.m. $3 (w/ UGA ID), $15. pac. uga.edu

JAMES NAIGUS Co-founder of the Cor Moto Horn Duo who has played with the Atlanta Symphony, Wichita Symphony and others.

Tuesday 17

40 Watt Club 7 p.m. (doors). $23. www.40watt.com

DEL WATER GAP Solo project of Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and producer S. Holden Jaffe.

KRISTIANE Pop songwriter from Los Angeles.

Ciné

8 p.m. FREE! www.athenscine.com

KARAOKE WITH THE KING Show off your pipes to the world. Every first, third and fifth Tuesday.

Georgia Theatre

6:30 p.m. (doors), 7:30 p.m. (show). $40. www.georgiatheatre.com

JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR English blues rock guitarist. Georgia Theatre

Rooftop

6:30 p.m. FREE! www.georgiatheatre. com

ZACH BUTLER Atlanta folk-rock singer-songwriter whose songs combine technical guitar playing and introspective lyrics. Hendershot’s No Phone Party. 7 p.m. www.hendershotsathens.com

KENOSHA KID Instrumental adventure-jazz group centered around the rollicking compositions of Dan Nettles and featuring Josh Allen, Seth Hendershot and various guests. Hugh Hodgson School of Music Faculty Chamber Recital in Edge Hall. 7:30 p.m. music.uga.edu

BRANDON QUARLES Saxophonist, songwriter, improvisor, educator and founding member of the Chicago-based saxophone quartet ~Nois.

Nowhere Bar

7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). $15. bit.ly/NowhereBarOct17

COYOTE ISLAND A fresh folk outfit who blends reggae and pop with world music influences .

CERTAINLY SO Birmingham, ALbased indie band who draws inspiration from many genres and eras. Ramsey Hall

7:30 p.m. $40. pac.uga.edu

LOVE IN EXILE Singer Arooj Aftab, the first Pakistani artist to win a Grammy, will be joined by pianist Vijay Iyer and bassist Shazad Ismaily to perform selections from Love in Exile, an album of haunting soundscapes.

The World Famous

10 p.m. $8 suggested donation. www. facebook.com/theworldfamous athens

ACADEMY ORDER Philadelphia group blending goth, death rock, new wave and hints of hardcore.

BEER PISS Athens hardcore punk group.

PSYCHIC DEATH Dark no wave goth-punk group with elements of psych and shoegaze. f

Down the Line

10/18 Faculty Chamber Recital (Ramsey Hall)

10/19 Kinchafoonee Cowboys (Brightpaths)

10/19 The Jazz Legacy Project (Festival Hall) f

event calendar

Wednesday 11

ART: Tour At Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org

CLASSES: Reimagine the Holidays (ACC Library) This workshop applies to any holiday and provides ideas for how to adapt celebrations to available time and money. 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org

COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Townie improv that invites you to bring suggestions to help create improv magic. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com

EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, eggs, meats and more. Live music at 6 p.m. AFM doubles SNAP dollars. Every Wednesday, 5–8 p.m. www. athens farmersmarket.net

FILM: Club Ned Anime Society (ACC Library) Join club members to watch and discuss anime series “Tenchi Muyo,” “Jujutsu Kaisen” and “Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju.” 6:30–8:30 p.m. FREE! www.animefandom.org

FILM: Found Footage Festival (Ciné) The 10th instance of the live touring showcase of odd and hilarious found videos will be hosted by Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher. 7 p.m. $14. www.foundfootagefest.com

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

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

KIDSTUFF: Pre-School Storytime (ACC Library) Join Miss Keir for stories, songs, movement and more. Ages 3–5. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org

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

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

KIDSTUFF: Teen Anime Club (Oconee County Library) Meet with other fans of anime and manga to discover books, shows, movies, snacks, art and Japanese culture. Grades 6–12. 6–7 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.com/oconee

PERFORMANCE: Henry Rollins (40 Watt Club) Punk rock icon, author, actor and DJ Henry Rollins will be performing spoken word. 7 p.m. (doors). $35. www.40watt.com

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

Thursday 12

ART: Gallery Talk: “Modernist Women Poets in the South” (Georgia Museum of Art) Sarah

Harrell will give a talk on poetry that developed synchronously with visual art in the South. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org

ART: Opening Reception (Lamar Dodd School of Art) Lamar Dodd School of Art presents three graduate student curated exhibits “In-between,” “Insect Politics” and “a body of hours.” 5–7 p.m. FREE! art.uga.edu

CLASSES: Nia Classes (RxGym) Mindful movement for body and soul, adaptable for all ages and fitness levels. Mondays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. $15–20. rxgym@ athenspt.com

CLASSES: Creative Aging Seated Yoga (Georgia Museum of Art) This class will include restorative stretching, deep breathing and mindfulness. All levels welcome. RSVP by email. 10:30 a.m. FREE! gmoa-tours@uga.edu

CLASSES: Lines and Wines (Tapped Athens Wine Market) Learn to use various calligraphy tools and methods while enjoying a selection of wines on tap. Registration required. Every second Thursday, 6–7:30 p.m. $25 (workshop only). www.kaartist.com

COMEDY: Comedy In the Cellar (Onward Reserve) Athens Comedy presents a monthly show with a variety of comedians; this night features both standup and improv. 8–10:30 p.m. $5–15. www.face book.com/athenscomedy

COMEDY: FlyingSquid Open Improv Jam (work.shop) A weekly meet up open to everyone looking to practice improv comedy. 8–9:30 p.m. FREE! www.flyingsquid comedy.com

EVENTS: Planet Earth Rocks and Crystals Warehouse Sale (Planet Earth Rocks and Crystals) Browse over 6,000 square feet of crystals and rock specimens. Oct. 12–13, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Oct. 14, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ planetearthrocksandcrystals

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

EVENTS: Native Plant Sale (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Browse plants for sale, and experts will answer questions about incorporating native plants into every space. Oct. 12–13, 4–6 p.m. Oct. 14, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! bot garden.uga.edu

EVENTS: Athens Community Chorus (Rabbit Hole Studios) Community chorus dedicated to providing space for community-led singing. Second and fourth Thursdays, 7 p.m. FREE! ringunn6.wixsite.com/ athcommunitychorus

FILM: To Kill A Mockingbird (Georgia Museum of Art) This week’s film is part of a series presented in conjunction with the exhibition “Southern/Modern.” Registration required. 7 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org

FILM: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (The Classic Center) The cult classic is celebrating its 48th anniversary with a performance, costume contest, memorabilia display and more. 8 p.m. $28.50–57.50. www.classiccenter.com

GAMES: Thursday Trivia (Johnny’s New York Style Pizza) Test your

trivia knowledge with host Jon Head. 6:30 p.m. www.johnnyspizza. com

GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (The Foundry) Test your trivia knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Thursdays, 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddog athens

GAMES: Horror Movie Themed Trivia (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your horror movie trivia knowledge with host Erin. 7 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com

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

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 13

CLASSES: Sake to Me Sushi (Athens Cooks) Chef Hunter will guide participants through the process of making a variety of sushi rolls. 6 p.m. $100. www.athenscooks.com

COMEDY: Don’t Lie To Me! (Work. Shop) Comedians will tell grand tales then compete to judge whose stories are fact or fiction. 8 p.m. $10. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

EVENTS: Planet Earth Rocks and Crystals Warehouse Sale (Planet Earth Rocks and Crystals) Browse over 6,000 square feet of crystals and rock specimens. Oct. 12–13, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Oct. 14, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ planetearthrocksandcrystals

EVENTS: Native Plant Sale (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Browse plants for sale, and experts will answer questions about incorporating native plants into every space. Oct. 12–13, 4–6 p.m. Oct. 14, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! bot garden.uga.edu

EVENTS: Fish Fry (Soldier of the Sea Distillery) KJ’s Fish Joint will popup to bring customers a traditional Southern fish fry dinner. Second and fourth Fridays, 5–9 p.m. www. soswhiskey.com

EVENTS: Porchfest 2023 Kick-Off (Athentic Brewing Co.) Pick up your pre-ordered Porchfest merch, celebrate the book release of Tomorrow and Tomorrow, play Athens history trivia and grab food from Homy’s Kitchen. 5–9:30 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com

EVENTS: Zombie Farms (Zombie Farms) Haunted 3/4 mile trail through dark and spooky woods filled with scary monsters and creepy characters. 7:30 p.m. $33–40. www.zombiefarms.com

FILM: Friday Frights Film (Bogart Library) Drop in to view this week’s horror film The Mummy (1932) and enjoy free popcorn. Ages 14 & up. Fridays, 4:30–6 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/bogart

FILM: Candyman (2021) (Morton Theatre) Screening of the sequel to the 1992 horror film, returning the viewer to where the urban legend began. Concessions available. 7 p.m. FREE! www.mortontheatre.com

FILM: Shocktoberfest (Southern Brewing Co.) The Ciné Drive-In presents a month of horror favorites

on the big screen, featuring Friday the 13th this night. 8 p.m. (gates), 9 p.m. (film). $10. www.athenscine. com/shocktoberfest-2023

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

KIDSTUFF: Scary Oozy Slimy Day (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Learn about animals and other nature finds through games, activities and live animal encounters. All ages. Registration required. 6–8 p.m. $3 (ACC residents), $5 (non-residents). www.accgovga.myrec.com

MEETINGS: Celebrate Recovery

Free Dinner (Living Hope Church)

Christ-centered 12-step program to help anyone with heart hurt, hangup or habit. Free childcare, and bus route accessible. FREE! 5:30 p.m. (dinner), 6:30 p.m. (large group). 706-207-2396

Saturday 14

ART: Steam Roller Printmaking Workshop (Lyndon House Arts Center) Work on a relief image to print by carving blocks that will be later inked on paper and fabric at a public event Oct. 28. Registration required. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. www. accgov.com/myrec

ART: Real Friends Art Market (Buvez) Browse local, hand-made knitted apparel, functional ceramics, illustrated pieces and more. 12–3 p.m. www.instagram.com/abc_clay

ART: Opening Reception (ATHICA) 2023 Juried Exhibition “SURFACE” features contemporary art in all media that explores or references this title. 6–9 p.m. FREE! www. athica.org

CLASSES: Community Contra Dance (Memorial Park) There will be a 30-minute introductory session before the floor opens for dancing with music by String Theory. 6:30 p.m. $10 (students w/ ID), $12. www.athensfolk.org

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: 10th Annual Athens Vulture Festival (ACC Landfill Outdoor Classroom) The festival is a celebration of “nature’s clean-up crew.” Learn about the importance of vultures and the role of ACC’s landfill property. 8 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.accgov.com/vulture

EVENTS: Native Plant Sale PopUp (Choco Pronto Coffee) Royal Landscape & Gardens will be showcasing and selling native Georgia plants. 8 a.m.–3 p.m. www. royallandscapedesign.com

EVENTS: Native Plant Sale (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Browse plants for sale, and experts will answer questions about incorporating native plants into every space. Oct. 12–13, 4–6 p.m. Oct. 14, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! bot garden.uga.edu

EVENTS: Planet Earth Rocks and Crystals Warehouse Sale (Planet Earth Rocks and Crystals) Browse

over 6,000 square feet of crystals and rock specimens. Oct. 12–13, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Oct. 14, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/ planetearthrocksandcrystals

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: Resource Fair (Lay Park Community Center) The Backpack Project of Athens hosts different local service providers, government departments and student organizations to provide community services and resources. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. FREE! www.athens.theback packproject.ngo

EVENTS: Really, Really Free Market (Reese and Pope Park) Just like a yard sale, but everything is free. Bring what you can, take what you need. Second Saturday of every month. 12–1:30 p.m. reallyreally freemarketathens@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/RRFMAthens

EVENTS: Athens Pagan Pride (Downtown Athens) Celebrate activism and community with performances, classes, workshops and vendors. 2–10 p.m. FREE! www. athensareapagans.org/appd

EVENTS: Toast To The Coast (Odum School of Ecology Auditorium) Celebrate those working to protect and conserve native species with oysters, cocktails, shell recycling and a DJ set by Lil Swint. 3–6 p.m. $50–100. www.ecology. uga.edu

EVENTS: Rock ’n Art in the Park (Rocket Field) During this outdoor family celebration there will be mural painting, live music by The Splitz Band and food, wine and beer for sale. 5–8 p.m. FREE! www.facebook.com/VisitOconeeGa

EVENTS: Athens Westie Night (The Studio Athens) Join a beginner dance lesson for West Coast Swing at 7 p.m. before the floor opens up for social dancing. No experience or partner required. 7–10 p.m. $5–10. www.facebook.com/AthensSwing Central

EVENTS: Zombie Farms (Zombie Farms) Haunted 3/4 mile trail through dark and spooky woods filled with scary monsters and creepy characters. 7:30 p.m. $33–40. www.zombiefarms.com

FILM: “Over the Garden Wall” (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the animated TV series adventure. All ages. 4 p.m. FREE! www.flicker theatreandbar.com

KIDSTUFF: Family Day: Spooky Shadows (Georgia Museum of Art) Get in the spirit with gallery games and creating your own Halloweeninspired art. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org

KIDSTUFF: Family Saturdays: Art Workshop (Lyndon House Arts Center) A drop-in family-oriented series of projects inspired by current art exhibitions. This week is animal mask making with Will Eskridge. 12–2 p.m. FREE! www. accgov.com

KIDSTUFF: Tween Builder’s Stem Club (Oconee County Library) Drop in and build your own creations with STEM toys like Brain Flakes, Bristle Blocks, K’nex Physics and more.

Ages 8–12. 1–3 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.com/oconee

KIDSTUFF: Kids’ Anime Club (ACC Library) Watch anime, create art, try Japanese snacks and make new friends. All ages. 2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org

Sunday 15

ART: Opening Reception (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Painters Joshua Hatfield and Rachel Ankirskiy’s exhibition “Tempus Fugit — And There Goes the Sun!” will be on view. 12–2 p.m. FREE! www.botgarden.uga.edu

ART: Sunday Spotlight Tour (Georgia Museum of Art) This drop-in public tour features highlights of the permanent collection. 3 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org

CLASSES: Athens YOGA Collective (Athentic Brewing Co.) Enjoy a yoga class on the patio. First and third Sundays, 12 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com

CLASSES: Cuban Salsa (UGA Memorial Hall) Join UGA Salsa Club for lessons that meet a variety of dance abilities, including beginners. 4–6 p.m. FREE! www. ugasalsaclub.com

EVENTS: Boo-Le-Bark On The Boulevard (Boulevard Woods Park) A “Shoot for the Stars” themed costume dog parade with vendors, food trucks and a costume contest. 3:45 p.m. FREE! www.barkon boulevard.com

EVENTS: Rabbit Hole Sunday Market (Rabbit Hole Studios) Small businesses, artists, farmers, musicians and creative entrepreneurs will be showcased. A drumming and song circle will be held for the last three hours. Every Sunday, 1–5 p.m. FREE! www.rabbitholdstudios. org/markets

EVENTS: Zombie Farms (Zombie Farms) Haunted 3/4 mile trail through dark and spooky woods filled with scary monsters and creepy characters. 7:30 p.m. $33–40. www.zombiefarms.com

FILM: Shocktoberfest (Southern Brewing Co.) The Ciné Drive-In presents a month of horror favorites on the big screen, featuring Midsommar this night. 8 p.m. (gates), 9 p.m. (film). $10. www.athenscine. com/shocktoberfest-2023

GAMES: Bad Dog Trivia (Southern Brewing Co.) Test your knowledge with host TJ Wayt. Sundays, 4 p.m. www.facebook.com/baddog athens

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 16

CLASSES: Nia Classes (RxGym) Mindful movement for body and soul, adaptable for all ages and fitness levels. Mondays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. $15–20. rxgym@ athenspt.com

CLASSES: Upcycling Workshop (The Winterville Center for Community & Culture) Bring an article of clothing and Jamil of “Z as in” will help you create something new. 6–8 p.m. $10. www.winterville center.com

COMEDY: Neil Hamburger (40 Watt Club) Neil Hamburger, the standup comedian and singer character portrayed by entertainer Gregg Turkington, will perform with Chris Crofton. 7 p.m. (doors). $25.

www.40watt.com

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

EVENTS: White Cane Celebration (ACC City Hall) A community event recognizing and honoring the many achievements of blind and visually impaired Americans, followed by a group walk. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE!

www.multiplechoices.us

EVENTS: Written Wishes Foundation (MaiKai Kava Lounge)

Storytellers are invited to this open mic featuring poetry, spoken word, stories and songs. Third Mondays, 7 p.m. (sign-ups). FREE! www. instagram.com/bulaatmaikai

GAMES: Monday Trivia with Erin (Athentic Brewing Co.) Test your 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

KIDSTUFF: Open Playtime (ACC Library) Drop in to make new friends and play with age-appropriate toys. All ages. 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org

KIDSTUFF: Beginner Guitar Club (Lay Park) Learn the basic fundamentals of the guitar. Registration required. Every Monday. Ages 8-11, 5:30-6:20 p.m. Ages 12-17, 6:307:20 p.m. FREE! www.accgovga. myrec.com

KIDSTUFF: Teen D&D Club (Oconee County Library) Play a one-shot game suitable for all skill levels. Grades 6–12. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee

LECTURES & LIT: Author Talk and Book Signing (ACC Library) Author Margaret Renkl will discuss her most recent book The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year and then sign books. 7–8 p.m. FREE! www. avidbookshop.com

LECTURES & LIT: Third Monday Book Club (Oconee County Library) This month the group is reading The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. New members welcome. 7 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/oconee

LECTURES & LIT: Author Talk (ACC Library) Best-selling author Margaret Renkl will discuss her new memoir The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year and sign books. 7 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org

MEETINGS: AARP Tax-Aide Volunteer Information (ACC Library) Learn what is involved to volunteer and provide free tax preparation for the community. 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! www.aarpfoundation.org/ taxaide

MEETINGS: Classic City Rotary (Athentic Brewing Co.) The local chapter meets weekly. Mondays, 11:30 a.m. FREE! www.athentic brewing.com

MEETINGS: Pen Pals Writing Group (Oconee County Library) Participants can share their work and get feedback and edits from other writers. 4 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org/oconee

MEETINGS: Meditation Monday (Sisters of the Moon) Join others for a collective tarot reading followed by a guided meditation, breath work, journal prompts and more. All ages. 7–8:30 p.m. FREE! www.shopsotm.com

Tuesday 17

ART: Visiting Artist Lecture (Lamar Dodd School of Art) Rahim Fortune is an artist, photographer and writer who will speak about his work. 5–6 p.m. FREE! art.uga.edu

ART: Pumpkin Glass Painting (Bogart Library) Enjoy an evening of creative fun and turn a wine glass into a decorative candle votive. 6–7 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ bogart

CLASSES: Help I Yarned (Bogart Library) Learn new patterns and techniques for knitting and crochet. 1–2 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary. org/bogart

COMEDY: Open Toad Comedy Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Comedy performed by a mix of newcomers and local favorites from Athens and Atlanta. 9 p.m. (doors). $7. www.flickertheatreandbar.com

EVENTS: IEP Q&A (ACC Library) This crash course in Individualized Education Plans for children ends with a Q&A. 4 p.m. FREE! www. athenslibrary.org

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

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: Pre-School Storytime (ACC Library) Join Miss Keir for stories, songs, movement and more. Ages 3–5. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org

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 18

ART: Tour At Two (Georgia Museum of Art) These drop-in public tours feature highlights of the permanent collection. 2 p.m. FREE! www.georgiamuseum.org

COMEDY: Gorgeous George’s Improv League (Buvez) Townie improv that invites you to bring suggestions to help create improv magic. Every Wednesday, 7 p.m. $5 suggested donation. www.flying squidcomedy.com

COMEDY: Patton Oswalt (40 Watt Club) The 20-year veteran stand-up comedian and actor brings his tour Effervescent! to Athens. 7 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show). SOLD OUT! www.40watt.com

EVENTS: Athens Farmers Market (Creature Comforts Brewery) Markets offer fresh produce, eggs, meats and more. Live music at 6 p.m. AFM doubles SNAP dollars. Every Wednesday, 5–8 p.m. www. athens farmersmarket.net

EVENTS: Whiskies of the Anglosphere (J’s Bottle Shop) Experience the rich and diverse flavors of whiskey from England, New Zealand and Australia by sampling. 7–9 p.m. $25. www.eventbrite.com/cc/ whiskies-of-the-world-2578279

FILM: Lavender Lens Movie Night (ATHICA) This series presents queer and diverse films in a safe space. This week’s screening is Go Fish by Rose Troche. 7 p.m. FREE! www. athica.org/updates/lavenderlens

FILM: Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Screening of the 1995 Japanese horror film. 7 p.m. FREE! www. flickertheatreandbar.com

FILM: Steffen Thomas: Rock & Chisel (Ciné) This documentary screening will be followed by a Q&A with Freeman and Lisa Thomas Conner, Thomas’ daughter. 7:45 p.m. FREE! www.athenscine. 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

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

KIDSTUFF: Pre-School Storytime (ACC Library) Join Miss Keir for stories, songs, movement and more. Ages 3–5. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org

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

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

KIDSTUFF: Spooky Crafts (Oconee County Library) Make jack-o’lantern jars and paint haunted doll heads. Grades 6–12. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenslibrary.org/ oconee

MEETINGS: Athens Reparations Action (Athentic Brewing Co.) Learn about Athens Reparations Action’s mission to promote recognition of the financial impact of urban renewal and other racist policies. 7–9 p.m. FREE! www. athenticbrewing.com

OUTDOORS: ‘Normal’ Run (Athentic Brewing Co.) Join the Athens Road Runners for a 1–3 mile run that starts and ends at Athentic Brewing. Every other Wednesday, 6 p.m. FREE! www.athenticbrewing.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

Down the Line

10/18 Spooky Crafts (Oconee County Library)

10/18 ‘Normal’ Run (Athentic Brewing Co.)

10/18 Whiskies of the Anglosphere (J’s Bottle Shop)

10/18 Lavender Lens Movie Night (ATHICA)

10/18 Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell (Flicker Theatre & Bar)

10/18 Athens Reparations Action (Athentic Brewing Co.)

10/18 Steffen Thomas: Rock & Chisel (Ciné) f

Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily

A Grammy-winning singer, a MacArthur genius jazz pianist, and a former Lou Reed sideman join forces to create an evening of lush, haunting soundscapes.

Oct 17 TUES 7:30 pm

Ramsey Concert Hall

Tickets start at $25 with promo code PAC25. UGA students $10. Free parking. Buy tickets now: pac.uga.edu or (706) 542-4400

Scan for info and tickets

230 River Road, Athens Ebru Yildiz Group

bulletin board

QPR SUICIDE PREVENTION

Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board is every THURSDAY at 5 p.m. for the print issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Online listings are updated daily. Email calendar@flagpole.com.

Art

CALL FOR ARTISTS (Lyndon House Arts Center) Applications are now open to artists and vendors that would like to participate in the Lyndon House Art Mart. Applications are free, but the vendor fee is $60 if accepted. Deadline Jan. 15. Market held May 11. www.lyndonhouseartsfoundation.com

JOKERJOKERTV CALL FOR ARTISTS (Online) JOKERJOKERtv is actively accepting proposals for collaboration from visual, musical and video artists and curators living in Athens. Artists worldwide can also submit music videos, short films, skits and ideas to share with a weekly livestream audience. www. jokerjokertv.com/submit

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

JUNIE B. IN JINGLE BELLS, BATMAN SMELLS! (On Stage Playhouse, Monroe) Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Visit the website for a description of characters. Auditions held Oct. 11, 6–8 p.m. www. onstagewalton.org

Classes

ART CLASSES (K.A. Artist Shop) A variety of classes are taught in painting, digital editing, photographing artwork and more.

“Landscape in Acrylic” will be held Oct. 11, 18 & 25, 6–8 p.m. $75.

“Fractions of a Second: Intro to Analog B+W Photography” will be held Oct. 17 & 24, 6–8 p.m. $100.

“Brush Lettering Calligraphy” will be held Oct. 22, 1–3 p.m. $45.

“Pet Portraits in Acrylic” will be held Nov. 1 & 8, 6–8 p.m. $55.

“House Portraits in Watercolor” will be held Nov. 5, 1–4 p.m. $45. Visit the website for dates and to register. www.kaartistshop.com

BLACKSMITHING CLASSES (Greenhow Handmade Ironworks, Washington) A variety of classes include

art around town

ACC LIBRARY (2025 Baxter St.) “Let Freedom Read” shares small works of art created in celebration of Banned Books Week. Through October. • Tatiana Veneruso’s exhibition “Yalla: Memories of Maroc” is a series of small mixed-media works inspired by travels in Morocco. Oct. 15–Dec. 3.

ACE/FRANCISCO GALLERY (675 Pulaski St., Suite 1500) San Diego-based photographer J. Grant Brittain presents “80s Skate Photography,” a collection of iconic images. Through December by appointment.

ATHENAEUM (287 W. Broad St.) Paul Pfeiffer’s video work “Red Green Blue” edits audio and visual recordings of the UGA Redcoat Marching Band to investigate the stadium as a site of ritual. Through Nov. 18.

ATHENS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART: ATHICA (675 Pulaski St.) During his residency, Artist-in-ATHICA Mickey Oscar Boyd has developed an installation entitled “The Vernacular of Placeless Architecture; or Stairs and Portals to the Same Place.” Through Oct. 12. • “SURFACE: 2023 Juried Exhibition” features contemporary art in all media that explores or references the term “surface.” Opening reception Oct. 14, 6–9 p.m. Closing day artist roundtable discussion Nov. 19, 4 p.m.

ATHICA@CINÉ GALLERY (234 W. Hancock Ave.) Curated by Jason Thrasher in conjunction with a co-exhibition at the ACE/FRANCISCO Gallery, “80s Skate Photography” shares images by J. Grant Brittain. Through Oct. 25.

DODD GALLERIES (270 River Rd.) Ansley West Rivers’ exhibition “Holding Time” brings together three distinct bodies of photographic work. Through Nov. 3. • For “In-between,” Dodd PhD candidate Amos V. Manlangit invited artists to collaborate on a series of new paintings that explore how markings on two sides of a transparent panel can create uncertainty through the muddling of images. Through Nov. 3. • In “Insect Politics,” Dodd MFA candidates Alejandro Ramirez and Hayden Maltese present texts, instruments, ceramics and a site-specific installation. Through Nov. 9. • Dodd MFA candidate Caitlin La Dolce presents “a body of hours,” a collection of multimedia sculptural works. • In “Wall Works: Kathryn Réfi,” the artist uses her own hair as a foundational image to weave organic and irregular material into the familiar pattern of a chain link fence, creating a tension between softness and rigidity.

Through Nov. 15. Opening reception for new exhibitions Oct. 12, 5–7 p.m.

FLICKER THEATRE & BAR (263 W. Washington St.) An annual tradition of spooky artwork in celebration of Halloween. Reception Oct. 19, 4–7 p.m.

Currently on view through October.

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART (90 Carlton St.) “Southern/Modern” explores themes of social issues, urbanization, religion, the environment and artists’

“Forge a Tomahawk” (Oct. 21), “Forge a Bottle Opener” (Oct. 28), “First Time at the Forge” (Nov. 4 or Jan. 6), “Forge a Firepoker” (Nov. 11, Dec. 2 or Dec. 16), “Forge Christmas Ornaments” (Nov. 18, Nov. 25 or Dec. 9) and “Blacksmith Boot Camp: Santa’s Workshop” (Dec. 19-22). Classes run 10 a.m.–5 p.m. www.greenhowhandmade.com/blacksmith-classes

EMBODIED WISDOM YOGA

TEACHER TRAINING (Revolution

Therapy and Yoga) This certified 200-hour yoga alliance-approved teacher training led by Kelsey Wishik combines the holistic practice of yoga with contemporary trauma-informed techniques. Training runs Nov. 4–May 5. $2299. www.revolutiontherapyandyoga.com

INTRO TO IMPROV COMEDY (work. shop) Flying Squid Comedy hosts a six-week course covering fundamentals such as making offers, saying “yes, and…,” establishing narrative and how to play games to build spontaneous scenes. Sundays, Oct. 15–Nov. 19, 4–6 p.m. $150. www.flyingsquidcomedy.com

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

TRAINING (Nuçi’s Space) Nuçi’s hosts free monthly QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention sessions for anyone interested, not just mental health professionals. Nuçi’s also offers free training for businesses and organizations. qpr@nuci.org, www.nuci.org/blog/ qpr-upcoming-dates

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@gmail.com

SPANISH CLASSES (Multiple Locations) Casa de Amistad offers beginning and intermediate GED and ESL classes in-person and online. An eight-week course to learn Spanish meets Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:30–1:30 p.m. $60. www.athensamistad.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 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

UPCYCLING WORKSHOP (Winterville Cultural Center) Jamil of “Z as in” assists students in adding buttons, pockets, inches, zippers and flair. Bring a project and/or sewing machine. Mondays, Oct. 16–Nov. 13, 6–8 p.m. $10/class. jamila.

colonies through the artwork of Southern artists working between 1913–1955. Through Dec. 10. • “In Dialogue: Power Couple: Pierre and Louise Daura in Paris” features paintings by Louise, engravings by Pierre and several objects that appear in their images. Through Feb. 11. • “Decade of Tradition: Highlights from the Larry 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 “FalloweenPart 1.” Through Nov. 1.

JUST PHO… AND MORE (1063 Baxter St.) Local watercolorist Mary Ellen Vogel presents “Home and Abroad,” scenes from the Bahamas, Italy, Europe, Thailand, Japan and the U.S. executed in her realistic, impressionistic style. Through Oct. 14.

LYNDON HOUSE ARTS CENTER (211 Hoyt St.) Collections from our Community presents Peggy Curran’s collection of Madame Alexander Dolls. Through Jan. 13. • Ato Ribiero presents “Growing Together,” a solo exhibition of wooden assemblages referencing both Ghanian strip-woven kente cloth and Black quilting traditions of the American South. Artist talk Dec. 14, 6 pm. Through Jan. 13. • Curated by Keith Wilson, “The Image Moves: New Film and Video Work by Athens Artists” includes Drew Gebhardt, Katz Tepper, Jamie Bull, Selia Hooten, Vivian Liddell, CC Calloway, Shawn Campbell and AJ Aremu. Through Jan. 13. • “The 8th Collegiate Paper Art Triennial” includes works by 36 students from 11 different schools. Through Jan. 13. • Abraham Tesser presents “Maquettes,” a collection of smallscale works in wood used as drafts for larger pieces. Artist talk Feb. 8, 6 p.m. Through Mar. 1.

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

Teresa Bramlette Reeves presents “she didn’t really follow a rabbit down the hole, but she thought it was a good story.” Through Dec. 2.

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

Nick “NACK” Morris, regional mural artist and organizer behind the School Bus Graveyard, presents “Single File Consciousness.” Opening reception

Oct. 12, 4:30–7:30 p.m. Through Nov. 16.

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

“Connected Waters” features a map of the Upper Oconee Watershed during the Pre-Columbian Mississippian “Mound Builder” Period. Through Nov. 3. • “The Art of Nature: Enchanted Inspiration” includes works by Jordan Blackwell, Allan Campbell, Wendy Cooper, Jamie DeRevere, Elyse Mazanti, Barbara Odil, Michael Pierce, Melissa Steele, Chris Taylor, and Brooke Ussery. Through Nov. 3. • “The Art of Nature: For the Love of Oconee”

zasin.fashion@gmail.com, www. wintervillecenter.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

Help Out

READ AROUND ATHENS (ACC

Police Department East Precinct & ACC Library) In honor of National Family Literacy Month, Read Around Athens is organizing a book drive to replenish Little Free Libraries. Donate new or lightly used books. Through Oct. 13. www. facebook.com/accpolice

RIVERS ALIVE (Dudley Park) Wade into local rivers, lakes and streams as part of a statewide campaign to clean and preserve over 70,000 miles of Georgia’s rivers and streams. The annual cleanup event will happen Oct. 21. Register online. accgov.com/riversalive

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 CLASSES (Brella Studio) After school art classes are offered

several times a week for ages 5–10. Subjects include watercolors (Tuesdays, 4–5:30 p.m.), “Just Add Paper” (Thursdays, 4–5:30 p.m.), and yarn and thread (Fridays, 4–5:30 p.m.). $20/drop-in. “Preschool Art: Mess-Free Mondays” for ages 1–5 is held every Monday, 10–11:30 a.m. “Preschool Art: Read Make Play” for ages 2–6 is held every Thursday, 9:15–11:45 a.m. $50/drop-in. Programs run through Dec. 15. www.brellastudio. com

ART CLUBS (K.A. Artist Shop) Draw, paint, collage and create during weekly Art Card and Button Club meet-ups. Fridays, 6:30–8 p.m. Drawing Club is held Wednesdays through Nov. 15, 5–6:30 p.m. For ages 10–17. $25/drop-in, $200 (10-session pass). www.kaartist. com

FREE DENTAL DAY (Greenpoint Pediatric Dentistry) Patients ages 2–10 can receive routine care such as cleanings and basic dental work with no out of pocket costs. Oct. 27, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Contact to make an appointment. www.greenpointpediatricdentistry.com

GROUPS AT REBLOSSOM (ReBlossom) All Ages Play Group is for children 1–5 years old and their caregivers to play inside and outdoors. Fridays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. New Parents, Infants and Crawlers Play Group is for babies ages 0-12 months and their caregivers to discuss parenthood. Tuesdays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Afternoon Play Group is for children 1–4 years old and their caregivers to meet each other and build relationships. Wednesdays, 3–5 p.m. www.reblossomathens.com

SPARK: WEEKEND ACADEMY (Georgia Center for Continuing Education) Spark invites middle and high school students to attend weekend-long academic courses in American Sign Language or 3D animation. For ages 13–16. Oct.

features nature-inspired pieces submitted through an open call for artwork. Through Nov. 3.

THE ROOK & PAWN (294 W. Washington St.) “Full Circle” is a group exhibition of works by 26 Athens artists including Keith P. Rein, J Anderssen, Sierra Kirsche, Gaby Delliponti and Wiliam Ballard. Through Oct. 21.

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

Siblings Joshua Hatfield and Rachel Ankirskiy present landscapes inspired by Georgia and South Carolina environments in the exhibition “Tempus Fugit—And There Goes the Sun!” Opening reception Oct. 15 ,12–2 p.m. Through Nov. 12.

STEFFEN THOMAS MUSEUM OF ART (4200 Bethany Rd., Buckhead)

“Something to Declare/Algo para Declarar” represents nine Latin American countries through the works of Jorge Arcos, Yehimi Cambron, Marisa Cerban, Franklin Delgado, Pedro Fuertes, Catalina Gomez-Beuth, Dora Lopez, Morgan Lugo, Paula Reynaldi, Maria Sarmiento, Carlos Solis and Melvin Toledo. Through Jan. 6.

TIF SIGFRIDS (393 N. Finley St.) Atlanta-based artist Hasani Sahlehe presents “Favorite Song,” a collection of paintings exploring color and materiality with a spacious approach to interpretation. Through Nov. 4.

TINY ATH GALLERY (174 Cleveland Ave.) Will Eskridge presents “Fangs for the Memories,” a collection of bright paintings exploring the paradoxical nature of fangs as both cute and terrifying. Closing reception during Third Thursday, Oct. 19, 6–9 p.m.

UGA SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARIES (300 S. Hull St.) “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. • “Exploring St. Catherines Island” lays out centuries of American history found in artifacts dating back to the 16th century, tracing the island’s history from the establishment of indigenous towns through Spanish and English colonialism. 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. • “Legacy: Vince Dooley, 1932-2022” celebrates the life and career of the late UGA football head coach and athletic director through photographs and artifacts. Tours held before home games on Fridays at 3 p.m. Through spring 2024. • “Paving the Road to Progress: Georgia Interstate Highways” traverses the rocky path of the interstate system’s development through maps, reports, correspondence and legislation. Through Apr. 24.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF ATHENS (780 Timothy Rd.) Watkinsville artist Leslie Guo presents “Joyful Encounters,” a solo exhibition of watercolor paintings. Through Jan. 2.

21–22, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. $120. www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/youth/ spark

TREEHOUSE ACTIVITIES (Treehouse Kid & Craft) A variety of crafting and playtime activities are offered for various age groups. Visit the website for details and to register. www.treehousekidandcraft.com

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

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, 7–9 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

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 the 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. 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

ATHENS POET LAUREATE (Athens, GA) ACCGov is currently seeking applicants for a Poet Laureate. The Poet Laureate is expected to promote poetry throughout the community and make guest appearances during a two-year term. Deadline Nov. 10, 5 p.m. $2,000 honorarium. Tatiana.veneruso@ accgov.com, www.accgov.com/ acac

BIKE REPAIR STATIONS (Multiple Locations) Over 15 free bike repair stations are located across Athens with tools, an air pump and a QR code for quick guides on basic bike repairs. Visit the website for par-

ticipating locations. www.accgov. com/10584/Bike-Repair-Stations

BIRD SEED SALE (Sandy Creek Nature Center) A variety of bird seed is available in multiple sizes. Proceeds benefit Sandy Creek Nature Center, Inc. Deadline to order Oct. 31. Pick up orders Nov. 17–18. www.sandycreeknaturecenterinc.org

CLIMATE RESILIENCE STUDY (Athens, GA) The Athens-Clarke County Climate Resilience Study is seeking participants through November for a project aimed to increase preparedness and resilience to natural disasters. Must be a year-round ACC resident and at least 18 years old. Participants can take two online surveys ($10 each) and do an in-person disaster exercise ($20). Fill out the online eligibility survey. accgov.com/7501/Surveys

DOWNTOWN PARADE OF LIGHTS

(Athens, GA) Now accepting entries for this year’s parade. This year’s theme is “An Art Filled Holiday.” Deadline Nov. 7, 5 p.m. Parade held Dec. 7. $40. www.accgov. com/parade

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. Now registering. www.accgov.com/myrec

MEN’S GROUP (Healing Path Farm)

Seventh Generation Native American Church hosts a weekly group meeting. Tuesdays, 6 p.m. www. seventhgenerationnativeamericanchurch.org

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 f

“Insect Politics,” an exhibition by Hayden Maltese and Alejandro Ramirez, is on view at the Dodd Galleries through Thursday, Nov. 9. An opening reception will be held Thursday, Oct. 12 from 5-7 p.m.

Buy It, Sell It, Rent It, Use It! Place an ad

 Indicates images available at classifieds.flagpole.com

REAL ESTATE HOUSES FOR RENT

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

FOR SALE

YARD SALES

Gabriele’s Garage Sale. Sat, Oct 14. 8-2. St. Gabriel of Athens. 2040 Resurgence Dr. Watkinsville. Raising funds for fun. Art items/frames, wheelchairs/ walkers, kitchen, clothes, decor, new items, refreshments, misc.

Need old papers? We have plenty here at Flagpole! Call ahead and we’ll have a crate ready for you. Please leave current issues on the 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

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

Get Flagpole delivered to your mailbox! Only $55 for six months or $100 for one year. Purchase online at www.flagpole.big cartel.com, call 706-5490301 or email frontdesk@ flagpole.com.

SERVICES

TUTORS

Language Tutoring –Spanish, French, or English (ESOL) with certified and experienced teacher. Beginners–advanced levels for ages 13-adult. Virtual or in-person. $30-40/hour. 303-981-0606 / megan_ graham15@hotmail.com

JOBS

PART-TIME

Join a diverse, inclusive workplace and get paid to type! 16–40 hours, Mon–Fri. 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

Join us! Part-Time Tour Guide wanted at Historic Athens Welcome Center. $16.75/hour + tips. Apply: athenswelcomecenter.com/ jobs. Share history and make memories!

Part-time dining room servers at TerraBella, 755 Epps Bridge Pkwy. Must be able to work evenings and weekends. Come by and complete an application.

NOTICES

MESSAGES

All Georgians ages 6 months & up are eligible for COVID vaccines, and ages 5+ are eligible for boosters! Call 706-340-0996 or visit www.publichealthathens. com for more information.

COVID self-testing kiosk available in West Athens (3500 Atlanta Hwy.) Pre-registration is required! Visit www.register. testandgo.com for more information.

FLAGPOLE HAS NEW MERCH. Choose between a groovy rainbow design & a classic cassette design. Both are available as stickers! Stop by and get yours today or order online www. flagpole.bigcartel.com.

HOW TO

Margie E. Burke

Vodka. Seltz er. Re al Juice.